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

The news of the fall of Nanjing spread like wildfire throughout the city in less than half a day.

After entering the city, the Yan army quickly took control of the nine gates and blocked the main streets.

Zhu Di's army was quite disciplined and there were no large-scale massacres or lootings. However, the search and control of Jianwen's former officials was carried out in an orderly manner.

Squads of heavily armored Yan soldiers traversed the streets and alleys, the clanging of their armor becoming the new main theme of the city.

Inside the Hanlin Academy.

After Gu Yannian finished his shift, he did not leave.

He leisurely found a sheltered corner in the back room, lit a small red clay stove, and began to brew tea.

This is a high-quality Lu'an melon seed tea that he bought with his salary.

Although it cannot compare to the tribute tea enjoyed by high-ranking officials and nobles, it seems particularly luxurious in this time of war and chaos.

The tea was boiling, and steam was rising.

Gu Yannian picked up the teacup, gently blew away the foam on the surface, and took a small sip.

The aroma of tea is wonderful and refreshing.

The outside world was in turmoil, but his world was confined to this small tea table.

A series of chaotic and heavy footsteps broke the tranquility of the Hanlin Academy.

boom!

The gate of the Hanlin Academy was kicked open violently.

Two heavy wooden doors slammed against the wall with a dull thud.

A group of dozens of Yan soldiers rushed in like wolves and tigers.

The leader was a burly centurion with a fierce-looking face.

He held a steel knife still stained with dark red blood in his hand, his eyes scanning the lobby like lightning.

"By order of His Highness Prince Yan! All officials of the Hanlin Academy shall immediately assemble in the courtyard for a roll call! Anyone who disobeys or attempts to flee shall be executed without exception!"

The voices of the hundred households were as loud as bells, shaking the dust off the roof.

The soldiers immediately dispersed and began kicking down doors to search each room.

Gu Yannian sat in the back room, listening to the commotion outside.

He then put down his teacup, stood up unhurriedly, smoothed out the wrinkles on his blue official robe, and strode out.

He had just stepped into the central courtyard when two fierce Yan soldiers rushed at him.

The gleaming blade was placed directly against his neck.

The blade was cold and carried a strong smell of blood.

If it were an ordinary seventh-rank civil official, he would probably have already collapsed to the ground, his legs weak with fear.

But Gu Yannian's expression remained as calm as the water in an ancient well.

With a physique of 160 points, he could clearly sense that even if the blade were to actually cut down, it probably wouldn't even scratch his skin.

"Sir, please calm down. I will go there immediately."

Gu Yannian spoke gently, even raising his hands in agreement.

He was indicating that he was unarmed and very obedient.

Seeing that he was so sensible, the soldiers snorted and shoved him to the center of the courtyard.

At this time, a dozen or so officials had gathered sparsely in the courtyard, all of them minor officials of low rank.

Those real big shots were either with Emperor Jianwen in the palace or had already prepared white silk and poison at home.

Who would still want to come and stay in the government office?

The officials who were found were all pale and trembling.

Some were sobbing softly, while others were muttering to themselves, as if the end of the world had come.

Only Gu Yannian stood upright in the crowd, his hands tucked into his sleeves.

He looked at the style of the armor of the Yan soldiers with curiosity.

They seem to be investigating how this differs from historical records.

The centurion, holding a stolen roster, walked up to the crowd and pointed his bloodied knife at them.

"Listen up, everyone! His Majesty is being misled by treacherous officials, and His Highness the Prince of Yan is raising a righteous army to purge the court of corrupt ministers!"

"You are all officials appointed by the imperial court. As long as you are pragmatic and do not collude with treacherous villains like Fang Xiaoru and Huang Zicheng, His Highness will naturally be magnanimous and forgive your past transgressions!"

These words, a combination of kindness and threats, are standard rhetoric for appeasement.

Most officials, though still shaken, felt a glimmer of hope in their eyes after hearing this.

If you can live, who really wants to die?

The hundred households began calling out names according to the roster.

Each time a name was called, someone would respond tremblingly.

"Gu Yannian, Compiler of the Hanlin Academy!"

"Your humble servant is here."

Gu Yannian stepped forward, his tone calm and neither humble nor arrogant.

The head of the household looked Gu Yannian up and down, his brows furrowing slightly.

The young seventh-rank official stood out conspicuously among the group of terrified, frail scholars.

He was too calm, so calm that he didn't seem like a normal person.

There was no fear, no flattery, and none of that repulsive, pedantic arrogance of the literati.

There was only one kind of pure... peace.

"You've got some nerve."

Baihu sneered, "Everyone else is so scared they've wet their pants, aren't you afraid I'll chop you up with one stroke?"

Gu Yannian smiled slightly and asked in return:

"His Highness Prince Yan is the eldest son of Emperor Gao. He raised an army to purge the court of corrupt officials and quell the national crisis. Now that Nanjing has fallen and the treacherous ministers have been executed, peace will soon return to the land."

"I have neither embezzled nor broken the law, nor have I befriended any powerful figures. I am merely a minor official who performs my duties on time every day. Why should I be afraid?"

The centurion was taken aback, clearly not expecting this minor official to say such a thing.

He was a rough man who only knew how to wield knives and guns.

Gu Yannian's words not only flattered Prince Yan, Zhu Di, but also absolved himself of any wrongdoing.

Its logic is so rigorous that no one can find any fault with it.

"You've got a knack for talking."

The centurion sheathed his sword, his expression softening somewhat.

"Step back and stay here obediently, awaiting further instructions from the Ministry of War. If you dare to wander off, don't blame my sword for being merciless!"

"I understand, thank you, sir."

Gu Yannian cupped his hands in greeting and retreated back into the crowd.

He continued to tuck his sleeves in and looked up at the sky.

The thick smoke was still billowing over there, and the smell of burning in the air was getting stronger.

Zhu Yunwen has truly turned to ashes.

The Yongle Emperor, who was about to usher in the "Yongle Prosperity" and was also known for his cruelty and bloodthirstiness, was about to step onto the stage of history.

The world of the Ming Dynasty has changed.

But what does this have to do with him?

Even if a dog sits on the dragon throne, as long as the Hanlin Academy doesn't close down and he can still show up on time every day, that's all that matters.

Then life will continue as usual.

Over time, the rise and fall of dynasties are but fleeting fireworks.

Gu Yannian pondered whether it would be better to focus on physical fitness or strength for tomorrow's morning roll call.

The world is about to descend into chaos, so having a stronger constitution and greater resilience is always a good thing.

He lowered his eyes slightly, like a detached bystander.

In this grand historical drama of blood and fire, we quietly await the start of the next act.

July of the fourth year of the Jianwen reign.

The continuous rain washed away the mottled bloodstains on the walls of Nanjing, but it could not wash away the heavy stench of blood that permeated the air of this capital city.

After a series of traditional courtroom refusals, Zhu Di, the Prince of Yan, was dismissed.

He finally ascended the throne and became emperor in the Wuying Hall, not far from the ruins of the Fengtian Hall.

He changed the reign title to Yongle and abolished the Jianwen reign title.

With the new dynasty newly established, everything was in need of rebuilding.

But accompanying this "prosperity" was a chilling purge.

The first thing Zhu Di did after ascending the throne was to purge the loyalists of Emperor Jianwen.

Huang Zicheng, Qi Tai, Fang Xiaoru, and others became the first victims of his brutality.

During this period, the prison was filled with wailing every night, and blood was seen every day outside the Meridian Gate.

At the vegetable market in Jinling City, the bloodstains on the ground dried and then became wet again, and then dried again.

It had turned into a thick layer of dark red blood plasma.

Today is the first grand court assembly of the Yongle reign.