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

In the late spring of the third year of the Jingtai reign, the grass grew tall and the orioles flew.

Along the Yongding River outside the capital city, the willows were already lush and green early on.

Under the rule of Emperor Jingtai, Zhu Qiyu, who often held an iron paddle and an abacus in his hand, the Ming Dynasty was entering a golden age of prosperity with an abundant national treasury and the submission of all under heaven.

The military settlements along the nine borders were gradually nationalized, and the salt tax in Jiangnan was calculated and deposited into the treasury.

After experiencing several bloody upheavals at the end of the Zhengtong era, the officials of the empire had long been subdued by this meticulous new emperor.

Everyone knows that the current emperor is even more ruthless when it comes to auditing accounts than the late emperor.

However, beneath this prosperous and peaceful world...

Grand Secretary Gu Yannian, however, has a hidden worry that even an abacus cannot solve.

Xuanwu Ward, the private residence of the Grand Secretary.

The morning light shone through the window and into Gu Yannian's study.

He stood in front of a perfectly polished, full-length Western-style glass mirror, dressed in a simple, loose robe.

[Ding! Today's attendance complete. Attribute point gained +1.]

"Add to physical constitution."

As the thought shifted slightly, that familiar clarity and mellow energy flowed through my body.

Gu Yannian looked quietly at himself in the mirror, a helpless, bitter smile flashing in his deep eyes.

The person in the mirror has a tall and straight figure like an ancient pine tree, and a long robe cannot hide his profound and unassuming nature.

His face was handsome and gentle, and his skin was firm, without a trace of the wrinkles and blemishes that one would expect from an elderly person.

Only his snow-white hair barely added a few traces of time to his appearance.

However, he is already eighty-five years old this year!

In the Ming Dynasty, an era when "it was rare for a person to live to seventy," eighty-five years old should have been a time of advanced age, with missing teeth and needing assistance to walk.

Those old ministers who served alongside him in the same court, such as Xia Yuanji and Yang Shiqi, have long since turned into dust.

Even the reigning emperor Zhu Qizhen, exhausted all his energy, passed away.

Only Gu Yannian showed no signs of aging.

On the contrary, with the support of thousands of points in physical and mental constitution, they become more and more energetic.

He looks to be no more than seventy years old.

Even her rosy complexion and light steps made the middle-aged officials in their thirties and forties in the court feel inferior.

"The immortal guest, the immortal guest. Immortality is ultimately an anomaly in this mortal world."

Gu Yannian sighed, left the mirror, and sat down at the desk.

In the past few days, his vast spiritual perception has detected some unusual rumors circulating in and around the court and among the people.

Some lower-ranking officials were whispering in the tavern that Chief Minister Gu was a celestial being descended to earth, which was why he could live forever.

Even worse, the corrupt officials and their cronies whose homes were raided are spreading rumors in secret.

It is said that Gu Yannian secretly practiced some kind of evil art of replenishing yang by absorbing yin, and that he had to drink the heart blood of young boys and girls every day in order to maintain his ageless appearance.

The common people are ignorant, while the officials are filled with awe.

But if such a thing is spread for too long, it will inevitably cause huge trouble.

More importantly, Emperor Jingtai, Zhu Qiyu, was extremely dependent on him.

If he had lived another twenty or thirty years, he would have outlived two or even three generations of emperors.

Then he would no longer be the pillar of the Ming Dynasty, but would become the most feared old monster in the hearts of emperors throughout history!

"This grand drama of the Grand Secretary assisting in governance has been going on for so many years, and the Ming Dynasty has accumulated a great deal of wealth. It's time for it to come to an end."

Gu Yannian picked up his teacup, brushed away the foam, and a resolute and carefree look flashed in his eyes.

He faked his death to escape the cage of the high temple.

Changing his identity and seeing the magnificent landscape of the Ming Dynasty was the path this immortal should take.

The following day, the morning court session was held at Fengtian Gate.

Emperor Jingtai, Zhu Qiyu, sat upright on the dragon throne.

Today's discussion concerns the calculation of taxes for land reclamation in the Guangdong and Guangxi regions, and the officials are arguing heatedly over a few cents of fire loss.

Holding an ivory tablet, Gu Yannian stood at the head of the assembled officials, his expression as serene as ever.

Just as the Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi was pouring out his grievances...

Gu Yannian suddenly frowned slightly and let out a suppressed cough.

"Cough cough... cough cough cough..."

The cough was not loud at first, but it sounded particularly abrupt in the silent court.

Zhu Qiyu raised an eyebrow and immediately raised his hand, interrupting the Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi.

"Grand Tutor, are you feeling unwell?"

Zhu Qiyu's voice revealed a rare concern.

The only person in the world he could set aside his calculations to care about was the Grand Tutor standing before him.

Gu Yannian covered his mouth with a clean white silk handkerchief, coughing until his shoulders trembled slightly.

Once his cough subsided, he tucked the silk handkerchief into his sleeve, and the edge of the handkerchief revealed a shocking shade of crimson.

This touch of red was naturally a trace of blood and qi forced out by Gu Yannian's internal energy.

But to the ministers and the emperor, it was like a bolt from the blue!

Prime Minister Gu coughed up blood!

"Your Majesty, I have caught a cold and disturbed Your Majesty. I deserve death."

Gu Yannian's voice was weak, and his body swayed slightly in the wind, like a withered tree that might fall at any moment.

"Grand Tutor!"

Zhu Qiyu was shocked and jumped up from the dragon throne, not even caring that the abacus was swept to the ground by his robe sleeve.

"Quickly! Summon the imperial physician! Someone, bring a seat! Help the Grand Tutor to a side hall to rest!"

Chaos erupted in the imperial court.

Several eunuchs hurriedly brought over a soft chair and carefully helped Gu Yannian down.

The officials looked at each other, their hearts filled with turmoil.

That Grand Secretary who held power for decades and single-handedly trained two generations of Ming Dynasty emperors into iron-fisted accountants.

In the end, I've gotten old and can't withstand the erosion of time.

That afternoon, the Grand Secretary's private residence was completely surrounded by imperial physicians sent from the palace.

Inside the bedroom, Gu Yannian lay on the rosewood canopy bed, his face ashen, his breathing barely perceptible.

The Imperial Physician, his fingers trembling, placed three fingers on Gu Yannian's wrist, closing his eyes and concentrating.

With a slight thought, Gu Yannian instantly suppressed the vitality of his eight extraordinary meridians with his immense internal energy, disguising his pulse as if he were on his last legs, barely breathing.

Such absolute control over the physical body would be so strong that even if Hua Tuo were alive, he would not be able to detect the slightest flaw.

After a long while, the Imperial Physician withdrew his hand, his forehead covered in sweat, and knelt down in front of the bed with a thud, tears streaming down his face.

"Prime Minister... your pulse... your internal organs are all failing, your vital energy is exhausted... this... this is a sign of dying peacefully in your sleep!"

The Imperial Physician was sobbing uncontrollably.

At eighty-five, an age when one is usually nearing the end of their life, it is a miracle that they have managed to hold on until now.

When the news reached the palace, Zhu Qiyu was struck dumb.

This iron-fisted emperor, who remained unfazed when facing the Oirat army on the border and didn't hesitate to confiscate property and exterminate families in the court, actually had tears in his eyes in the Qianqing Palace.

He threw down the red ink brush in his hand, and didn't even summon the imperial carriage.

He immediately mounted his horse, led several Imperial Guards, and galloped out of the palace, heading straight for Xuanwu Ward.