If you die, I will be able to inherit your cultivation.

The story begins with the scene the previous night in which the capital was brightly lit and people lined the streets to kneel in welcome.

It is said that the red brocade carpet spread out on the steps of the Danbi (Imperial Steps) extends from the Meridian Gate all the way to the foot of the jade steps of the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

The brocade carpet was lined with imperial guards in full armor, their helmet plumes forming a forest of tassels, their armor gleaming coldly in the morning light.

The musicians of the Ministry of Rites played the grand and majestic Huangzhong (a type of ancient Chinese bell), and the twelve palace gates opened one after another, each time accompanied by a deep and long rumble of a bronze bell.

The sound of the bell echoed outwards from the center of the imperial city, reaching even the common people standing in the ten-mile-long pavilion outside the city.

The female protagonist wore a dark-colored ceremonial robe with twelve symbols and a flat crown with twelve tassels. The tassels and beads hung in front of her, swaying gently with her steps, but they could not obscure her eyes.

She walked into the palace through the Meridian Gate, the crimson brocade carpet behind her fluttering slightly in the morning breeze.

Civil and military officials lined both sides of the imperial steps, from the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers to the heads of the Six Ministries, from local officials to veteran generals, kneeling in a vast expanse. The colors of their official robes ranged from purple to scarlet to blue to green, as if a slit had been cut open by her footsteps.

She walked along the imperial path to the steps of the palace, turned around, and the tassels of her crown swayed gently in front of her.

All the civil and military officials knelt down and shouted "Long live the Emperor!"

The sound struck the dome of the Hall of Supreme Harmony and bounced back, echoing layer upon layer over the imperial city.

The female protagonist stood in the center of that roar, her eyes behind the tassels looking straight ahead, surveying her empire.

"A woman truly became empress."

Zhou Ming lowered his voice and, in an almost soliloquy tone, finished the story for the female lead.

"It took her twenty-three years to crawl out of a pile of corpses and reach the highest point in the world."

"When the entire court knelt at her feet, they were not kneeling before her imperial robes or her imperial seal, but before her hands."

"These hands have killed people, cured illnesses, written policy essays, held imperial tallies, and reviewed memorials."

The story is over.

The training ground was quiet for a while, with only the rustling of bamboo leaves and the faint sound of guards changing shifts in the distance.

The maids and servants were still immersed in the scene of the coronation ceremony and hadn't come to their senses.

Dongmei's eyes shone brightly, her mouth was slightly open, and she clenched the handkerchief in her hand.

Then, Zhou Ming saw Su Mingyue's eyes.

Su Mingyue had sat up straight at some point, her back lifted off the chair, her hands clasped on her knees, her knuckles turning slightly white from the effort.

Her phoenix eyes were wider than usual, and something in her pupils seemed to be ignited, shining incredibly brightly.

That wasn't the usual cold, stern scrutiny, nor the chilling killing intent he displayed when fighting enemies in Xishan, nor the calm, composed demeanor he exuded when reviewing account books.

It was a light that Zhou Ming had never seen on her face before, burning from the depths of her eyes, so bright it was almost scorching.

Zhou Ming's heart skipped a beat when he was stared at by that gaze.

In his previous life, he had read too many novels and watched too many movies and TV series, and he had a kind of fervent, almost burning focus.

He had seen it.

That's ambition.

He saw ambition in Su Mingyue's eyes.

The moment this thought crossed Zhou Ming's mind, he was secretly alarmed.

Could it be that the young lady also has thoughts of becoming empress?

The thought only crossed his mind for a moment before he quickly shook his head.

I quickly banished that thought from my mind.

He felt that he had been telling too many stories and had made his brain muddled.

Who is Su Mingyue?

The eldest daughter of the Marquis of Yongning's family is the daughter of a marquis, and her ancestors for three generations were from a noble family. She is not a member of the imperial family or a member of the royal clan.

Her father, Marquis Yongning Su Yongning, had been stationed on the border for many years and held military power, that was true. But a marquis was still a marquis, a far cry from actually holding that chair.

I must be overthinking it. The overly bright light in Su Mingyue's eyes just now was probably just because she was touched by the story of the heroine's triumphant comeback in the novel.

It took Su Mingyue quite a while to come to her senses.

She blinked, and the overly bright light in her phoenix eyes gradually subsided, as if someone had slowly lowered a veil deep within her pupils.

The woman who had been listening intently, her eyes almost brimming with barely suppressed anger, was no longer there.

Sitting in this chair is that aloof, reserved, and enigmatic eldest daughter of the Marquis's mansion.

Zhou Ming saw this and a weight was lifted from his heart.

Su Mingyue glanced at Zhou Ming lightly.

The look in his eyes wasn't exactly stern, but it carried a very subtle warning, as if to say:

Don't think that just because you told a good story, I've forgotten that you were squatting at the entrance of the cave the day before yesterday, hugging a broken plank.

"Don't tell those outrageous stories anymore."

She spoke, her voice low and her tone as flat as if she were instructing the kitchen to use less salt tomorrow.

"If this gets out, you'll lose your head."

Zhou Ming quickly lowered his head, looking extremely apprehensive, and repeatedly agreed.

He appeared fearful, but he knew perfectly well what was going on in his mind—the young lady's words weren't about "don't tell," but rather about the second half of the sentence, "watch your head."

In other words, he wasn't scolded for telling a story, but for telling a story about a woman becoming empress.

In this world, the very act of "becoming emperor" is enough to get you killed.

She was reminding him to watch his mouth and not to talk nonsense outside, otherwise she wouldn't be able to protect him.

After Su Mingyue finished speaking, she stood up, her gaze sweeping over everyone present. Her tone remained indifferent, yet now carried an undeniable chill:

"No one is allowed to spread this story from today."

Chunlan took the lead in responding with a "yes," and the other maids, servants, and guards followed suit in unison.

Su Mingyue said no more and turned to walk out of the martial arts arena.

The row of maids and servants behind her quickly followed, with Chunlan close behind and Dongmei bringing up the rear.

Before leaving, Dongmei secretly turned around and gave Zhou Ming a meaningful look before Su Mingyue turned around.

Then he raised his thumb and waved it in front of him, then drew two fingers from the left corner of his mouth to the right corner of his mouth in a sealing gesture.

He then pointed to his empty sword sheath at his waist, silently uttering a few words: "We'll continue tomorrow."

Zhou Ming stood there, watching Su Mingyue's figure disappear around the bend in the bamboo path, his shoulders gradually relaxing.

Su Mingyue paused as she walked out of the martial arts arena.

He spoke to Xia He, one of the four maids beside him.

"Xia He, when you get back later, write down Zhou Ming's stories into a book."

"Yes, ma'am. I will write it as soon as I get back."

"Write down everything he said and compile it into a book. Keep it in my study and don't tell anyone else."

"Yes, ma'am."

After watching the young lady and the others leave, Zhou Ming did not stay in the martial arts arena for long.

With stiff legs, he slowly moved towards the kitchen.

Miss, we haven't had dinner yet. Everyone in Haitang Garden will have their afternoon meal postponed.