The Empress has abandoned me? I'll support a new emperor and destroy your kingdom!

He slowly raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the spirited Gao Tianci, over the dark mass of ministers below shouting "Long live the Emperor!", over the bewildered yet excited commoners in the distance, and finally settling on the boundless blue sky.

The corners of his mouth curved into an extremely subtle, chilling arc.

The coronation ceremony lasted for a full two hours.

The elaborate rituals, the lengthy prayers, and the repeated kneeling and shouts of praise.

Su Che stood silently, like the most perfect shadow, a step behind the newly crowned Empress Lin Chu. This distance had once symbolized his unparalleled trust and status. Now, however, it only felt incredibly ironic to him.

He could feel countless gazes falling on him.

There was jealousy, curiosity, awe, and also a deeply hidden malice.

Especially from the side and rear, Gao Tianci's gaze was almost tangible, filled with jealousy and impatience.

"Hmph, what's there to be so smug about? He's just a courtier who's been favored by the emperor." A very low, malicious mutter drifted on the wind. It was Gao Tianci speaking to one of the generals beside him. "His Majesty is kind and considerate, remembering his hard work. He really thinks he's someone important. In the end, this empire will be ruled jointly by the Gao family and His Majesty."

The general fawned over him.

Su Che acted as if he hadn't heard.

His mind was calming down at an astonishing speed, like the most precise machine starting to operate at high speed.

Rebirth...

This is no dream. The agony of being slowly sliced ​​to death is real, and everything before my eyes is real.

The timing was when Lin Chu had just ascended the throne and had initially taken control of the court, but his foundation was not yet stable. He urgently needed to rely on him, and at the same time, he began to be wary of him.

According to her memories from her previous life, after the coronation ceremony, Lin Chu would host a banquet in the "Phoenix Palace" to entertain the meritorious officials. At the banquet, she would publicly express her special favor for Gao Tianci for the first time, and begin to tentatively strip him of some of his power under the guise of "consideration".

Three days later, at the victory celebration banquet, the poisoned wine was served, and the prisoner was captured.

Seven days later, Zhao Jianing was framed and imprisoned.

Ten days later, Pang Xiaopan was demoted and banished from the capital.

Half a month later, the purge began, and the "Listening" secret service that he had built was gradually infiltrated and taken over by Gao Tianci's people.

Twenty days later, the charges against him were completed. In his sleep, he was drugged with "Muscle-Weakening Powder" and all his cultivation was destroyed. He was then imprisoned.

Then came seven days of public humiliation, a public trial, and finally... the execution by slow slicing.

Time is very tight.

But that's enough.

This time, he was no longer the unsuspecting fool who fed his sincere heart to the dog.

"The ceremony is complete!"

The eunuch's shrill voice pulled Su Che back to his senses.

The officials knelt once more, their voices resounding throughout the land: "Congratulations, Your Majesty! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

Lin Chu sat upright on the dragon throne, receiving the homage, her face flushed with barely suppressed excitement. She slightly raised her hand, her voice amplified through a specially designed loudspeaker: "Rise, my subjects. I, having received the Mandate of Heaven and ascended the throne, shall strive diligently to govern, living up to the expectations of the nation and its people!"

Another deafening roar erupted.

Su Che stood up with the others, his gaze calmly sweeping over several key locations.

Zhao Jianing, the deputy commander of the Imperial Guards, was meticulously maintaining order. Occasionally, their eyes would meet, revealing his unwavering loyalty and concern.

Pang Xiaopan, a secretary in the Ministry of Revenue, stood at the back of the civil official line, a tired but excited smile on her face, and secretly gave him a gesture that everything would go smoothly.

There were also some old subordinates scattered in various places, some openly and some secretly, all gesturing to him with their eyes.

These were his true brothers, people he could entrust his life to.

In a past life, she was implicated by him and died tragically under his blade.

This time, it won't happen again.

The ceremony finally came to an end.

The officials left in an orderly fashion, preparing to proceed to the Phoenix Palace for the banquet.

Surrounded by palace attendants, Lin Chu rose and gracefully descended the high platform. As she passed Su Che, she stopped, her tone gentle yet carrying an undeniable air: "Mr. Su, please come with me. I have some private matters to discuss with you first."

coming.

Su Che sneered inwardly, but his face remained respectful and indifferent: "Your subject obeys the decree."

He followed Lin Chu, accompanied by a group of palace maids and eunuchs, and left the noisy square, heading towards the more exquisite and quiet side hall of the "Phoenix Palace" not far away.

Gao Tianci naturally followed, walking almost side by side with Su Che, his face showing undisguised smugness.

Upon entering the side hall, he dismissed his attendants, leaving only two trusted palace maids to serve outside the door.

Inside the hall, precious ambergris incense burned, yet the atmosphere was somewhat subtle.

Lin Chu sat down on the soft couch, pointed to the seat next to him, and said softly to Su Che, "Sir, you've worked hard. Please have a seat." He then said to Gao Tianci, "General Gao, please have a seat as well."

Gao Tianci sat down casually, his gaze sweeping over Su Che with a scrutinizing look.

Su Che sat down as instructed, focusing his attention on his nose and his mind.

"The successful completion of today's ceremony is entirely due to your painstaking efforts and strategic planning," Lin Chu said, his voice carrying just the right amount of emotion. "Without you, I would not be where I am today. This kindness is like a second birth."

"Your Majesty is too kind," Su Che said calmly. "I was originally a commoner, but I was fortunate enough to encounter an enlightened ruler. It is my duty to do my part. The mandate of heaven belongs to Your Majesty, and it is not my doing."

"Sir, you are always so humble." Lin Chu smiled, picked up the tea offered by the palace maid, took a small sip, and then changed the subject, "However, now that the overall situation is settled and the world is at peace, sir, you have worked hard for many years and deserve a good rest. I think it would be better to temporarily entrust those trivial matters to you so that you can focus on recuperating. In the future, when there are important matters, I will still need to rely on you."

As she spoke, she looked at Su Che with gentle eyes: "For example, the matter of 'Listening to the Truth' is tedious and tiring. General Gao has always admired your abilities, sir, and also wants to share my burdens. Why don't we let him manage it for you for now?"

Gao Tianci immediately chimed in, his tone “sincere”: “Mr. Su, rest assured, I will do my utmost and will never let you down.”

Look, how familiar those lines are.

In his past life, he was deceived by this "consideration" and "sincerity" right here, thinking that she was really thinking about his health and that Gao Tianci was just eager to show off, so he readily handed over the command of the "Listening" secret unit.

What he handed over was not only the lifelines of countless brothers, but also his own eyes, ears, and throat.

Su Che raised his eyes, his gaze calmly looking at Lin Chu, then sweeping over Gao Tianci, whose face was full of "sincerity".

Lin Chu was slightly taken aback by his gaze. His gaze was so calm, so calm, that it made her heart skip a beat for no reason, as if something was slipping out of her control.

Then, she heard Su Che speak in that still calm and even slightly weary voice:

"Your Majesty's compassion moves me to tears."

"only……"

He paused slightly, and as the two listened intently, he slowly stood up and bowed deeply and solemnly to Lin Chu.

"Your Majesty, I have indeed been exhausted lately and often feel unwell. The imperial physician also said that my excessive worry has damaged my health and that I need to rest quietly for a long time, stay away from worldly affairs, travel to the mountains and rivers, or retire to the countryside in order to have any hope of recovery."

"Now that Your Majesty has ascended the throne, it is the mandate of Heaven, and with a loyal minister like General Gao assisting you, the stability of the country is just around the corner."

"Your Majesty, I am but a commoner. I have accomplished my mission and exhausted my talents. I humbly request Your Majesty to grant me permission to resign from all my posts."

From then on, we were separated by mountains and rivers, and I never again had to get involved in the court.

After he finished speaking, the side hall fell completely silent.

The smile on Lin Chu's face froze instantly.

The smugness in Gao Tianci's eyes turned into astonishment.

Su Che maintained his bowing posture, and in his lowered eyes, the cold flames finally ignited unbridled.

From this moment on, the game will be played according to my rules.

Lin Chu, Gao Tianci.

Are you ready?