Da Ming: The system granted me immortality; I clock in every day.

Is anyone reading this? I'm a new author, please be kind to me! Please leave lots of comments!

------Dividing line------

On the 13th day of the sixth month of the fourth year of the Jianwen reign, in Nanjing.

The sky was just beginning to lighten with a hint of blood-red, fish-belly white.

Thick clouds pressed down on the continuous glazed tiles of the Forbidden City, exuding a suffocating sense of oppression.

The once bustling and prosperous capital city, teeming with merchants, is now eerily silent.

Only the deafening sound of war drums and the faint sounds of fighting could be heard outside the city.

It struck the hearts of every Nanjing resident like a heavy hammer.

The army of Prince Yan, Zhu Di, has already reached the city gates.

From the direction of Jinchuan Gate, the towering flames illuminated half of the sky.

Thick black smoke billowed and surged like a monstrous dragon, reaching straight into the sky.

The air was filled with the pungent smell of burning, the earthy smell, and an indescribable sense of despair.

In a quiet courtyard not too far from the imperial city.

Gu Yannian was slowly and deliberately putting the last mouthful of congee into his mouth.

He put down his bamboo chopsticks, picked up a slightly worn but very clean plain-colored square towel, and gently wiped the corner of his lips.

Outside the compound, chaos reigned, with shouts and cries of panic filling the air.

The women in the Zhang family next door have fainted from crying three times.

Even on the main street outside his courtyard, scattered Southern soldiers could be seen running past from time to time, abandoning their helmets and armor.

Gu Yannian's eyes, however, were as calm as a stagnant pool, without the slightest ripple.

He stood up, walked to the bronze mirror, and straightened his blue official robes, which belonged to a seventh-rank compiler in the Hanlin Academy.

He tightened his belt, made sure his official hat was on properly, and then nodded slightly in satisfaction.

"It's almost time; it's time to go to the yamen for roll call."

Gu Yannian muttered to himself.

Pushing open the courtyard gate, a wave of heat mixed with dust rushed towards me.

The streets were in chaos, with bundles, shoes, hats, and even broken weapons scattered about.

Several civil officials who were usually high and mighty were now stumbling and running towards the imperial city.

He ran while weeping bitterly, shouting "Your Majesty" and "The Nation" in his voice.

Gu Yannian walked steadily along the shadows on the street toward the Hanlin Academy.

He walked slowly, each step deliberate and unhurried, standing out from the panicked crowd around him.

He was not originally from this world.

I have been in the Ming Dynasty for four years now.

He traveled from the first year of the Jianwen reign and became a minor official of the seventh rank with the same name.

Gu Yannian was also confused at first.

But he soon discovered that he had brought with him a simple roll call system and a lifespan that seemed to have no end.

His genius was so pure it was outrageous:

As long as you go to the government office at the hour of Mao (5-7 AM) every day to take your duty, you will receive one attribute point.

Aside from attribute points, the system does not provide any cultivation techniques, divine artifacts, elixirs, or any items that can defy fate.

It's just a very basic accumulation of numbers.

Gu Yannian clicked on the transparent panel that only he could see:

Name: Gu Yannian

Lifespan: Immortality

Strength: 156 (normal human maximum is 10)

[Physical fitness: 160 (the maximum value for an average person is 10)]

Agility: 142 (normal maximum is 10)

[Mental Strength: 158 (Extreme value for ordinary people is 10)]

Four years, more than 1,400 days and nights, checking in every day without fail, rain or shine.

His physical abilities have long surpassed human limits.

Even if his body were hit head-on by the Eight-Bull Crossbow, it would probably only leave a white mark.

If he runs at full speed, his warhorse can only follow behind and eat his dust.

With a single swing of his arm, he could easily toss a massive boulder weighing thousands of pounds into the air.

But he never showed this power to anyone.

As someone with a wealth of modern historical knowledge, Gu Yannian was very clear about this.

In this feudal era where imperial power was supreme and human life was treated like dirt, no matter how strong an individual's martial prowess was, it could not withstand the overwhelming tide of history.

Moreover, he is an immortal.

For someone with endless years ahead, the most foolish thing to do is to get involved in the political struggles of short-lived people.

Go gamble on that illusory merit of following the emperor.

Therefore, during these four years, Gu Yannian did the most leisurely work of compiling and editing in the Hanlin Academy.

Do not form cliques, do not seek personal gain, and do not take sides.

His colleagues laughed at him for being dull and taciturn, and his superiors complained that he lacked ambition, but he accepted it all without complaint.

"Lord Gu! Editor Gu!"

At the street corner ahead, a middle-aged official with a face covered in soot and tattered official robes staggered towards them.

She grabbed Gu Yannian's sleeve, tears streaming down her face.

"It's over! It's all over! That traitor Li Jinglong opened the Jin Chuan Gate! The Yan army has entered the city! The palace... the palace is on fire! His Majesty is in grave danger!"

This man was Wang Du, a Hanlin Academy scholar who greatly admired Fang Xiaoru.

He spouts nothing but benevolence, righteousness, morality, loyalty to the emperor, and patriotism.

Gu Yannian looked in the direction Wang Du was pointing.

The palace complex, which symbolized the highest power of the Ming Dynasty, was now being engulfed by raging flames.

Black smoke obscured the sun, and the firelight illuminated the entire city of Nanjing, making it resemble a hellish landscape.

That's the direction of Fengtian Hall.

Gu Yannian understood this perfectly.

That was Emperor Jianwen, Zhu Yunwen, setting his own palace on fire.

This young emperor, who reigned for only four years, pushed his most powerful uncle into rebellion because he was too hasty in reducing the power of the vassal states.

Ultimately, they suffered the fate of national ruin and family destruction.

The gears of history mesh perfectly here, and everything is happening step by step.

"Lord Wang, please calm down."

Gu Yannian gently brushed Wang Du's hand away, his tone calm.

"Water and fire are merciless, sir, please be careful not to harm your health."

"Calm down? The country is no longer a country, the ruler is no longer a ruler, how can you expect me to calm down!"

Wang Du's eyes were bloodshot as he stared intently at Gu Yannian's calm face.

"Gu Yannian, what kind of sage books have you been reading? Those who eat the emperor's food should be loyal to him! Now that His Majesty is in danger, we should be ready to go through fire and water, to die for our cause! And you… how can you be so nonchalant?"

"This humble official is dull-witted and only knows how to fulfill his duties and responsibilities."

Gu Yannian reached out and straightened his sleeves, which had been wrinkled by Wang Du earlier.

"Today is my duty day, and I still need to report to the yamen. If Lord Wang wishes to go to the capital to rescue the emperor, please do so as you see fit; I will not accompany you."

Having said that, he slightly bowed, walked past the stunned Wang Du, and continued towards the Hanlin Academy.

Behind him came Wang Du's heart-wrenching curses.

They cursed him for being greedy for life and afraid of death, for having wasted his education, and for being an unfaithful and wicked beast.

Gu Yannian turned a deaf ear.

Going to one's death is tragic, but Gu Yannian wants to live on, to live until the seas dry up and the rocks crumble, to see all the vicissitudes of life.

A new emperor brings a new court; Zhu Yunwen died, but Zhu Di was to continue as emperor.

As long as the Ming Dynasty still exists and the gates of the Hanlin Academy remain open, Gu Yannian will have to go and report for duty.

As he stepped into the deserted main hall of the Hanlin Academy, the water in the water clock dripped precisely at the hour of Mao (5-7 AM).

The yamen was deserted, with scattered official documents and crushed inkstones lying on the floor.

Gu Yannian walked to his desk and opened the roll call book.

He picked up the still-dry brush beside him and steadily drew his signature below his name.

[Ding! Today's roll call complete.]

[Gained 1 attribute point.]

With a thought, Gu Yannian added this point to "spirit".

A subtle, cool sensation suddenly washed over me.

The slight fatigue caused by the unrest in the city over the past few days was instantly swept away.

He put down his pen, walked to the window, looked at the increasingly thick black smoke outside, and a very faint smile appeared on his lips.

The scroll of history was slowly unfolding before his eyes.

He managed to buy a seat in the very front row.