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

Lying on the warm earthen bed, Gu Yannian stopped coughing, which he had forced out with his internal energy, and comfortably turned over.

As for the credit for all that fighting and killing outside, let whoever wants it take it.

He didn't want to become a target of jealousy for those old fogies in the Imperial Medical Academy.

The wisdom of the immortals should be like a gazelle's horns hanging on a tree, leaving no trace.

Winter of the thirteenth year of the Yongle reign.

Shuntian Prefecture welcomed its first heavy snowfall of the winter.

Snowflakes danced in the air, enveloping the entire city in a vast expanse of pure white.

The atmosphere in the imperial court, however, was as cold as the snowy day, chilling to the bone.

Prince Zhu Gaoxu, the arrogant prince who had always coveted the position of crown prince, remained in the capital and refused to go to his fiefdom in Yunnan.

Relying on the favor of Emperor Yongle (Zhu Di), he acted tyrannically in the capital.

They raised a group of highly skilled assassins and desperados who would cause trouble everywhere.

They even openly insulted the Crown Prince's officials, reaching the peak of their arrogance.

Today is a day off, and it's snowing heavily.

Holding an oil-paper umbrella and carrying an exquisite food box, Gu Yannian trudged through the thick snow to the most famous restaurant in Shuntian Prefecture.

Bianyifang.

Shen Wan caught a cold a few days ago and had a poor appetite.

Gu Yannian recalled that she once said that her favorite food when she was a child was crispy roast duck fresh from Bianyifang.

As the husband in name only, he naturally had to fulfill his duties as host.

I'll take advantage of my day off to buy one to whet her appetite.

Inside Bianyifang, the stoves were burning brightly, and the restaurant was packed with customers.

In the center of the lobby, several waiters were so busy they barely had time to breathe.

Gu Yannian ordered a freshly roasted fat duck, paid the money, and found an empty table by the window to sit down and wait.

He folded his oil-paper umbrella, shook the snowflakes off his blue robe, and quietly watched the snow scene outside the window.

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

"Add to strength."

Feeling the surging power within him, like a river bursting its banks, Gu Yannian closed his eyes in satisfaction.

His attributes are already terrifying.

But he still perfectly controlled every muscle tremor, and outwardly he looked like an ordinary, frail scholar.

Just then, a loud commotion suddenly erupted outside the restaurant.

"Get the hell out of my way! This entire Bianyifang has been booked by our Prince today! All you irrelevant people inside, get out within three breaths!"

With a few rough shouts, the heavy cotton curtain of the restaurant was violently torn down.

A dozen or so men dressed in black, with swords at their waists, strode in.

The leader had a face full of scars and a long scar near his eye.

He exuded a strong sense of江湖 (jianghu, the world of martial arts and chivalry) and a ruthless disregard for human life.

These people were the personal guards of Zhu Gaoxu, the Prince of Han.

The diners in the restaurant had never seen anything like it before, and they were immediately terrified, their faces turning ashen.

They didn't even bother to pay for the food on the table; they all scurried away, fleeing through the side door and the back kitchen.

The shopkeeper was so frightened that he hid under the counter, trembling all over, not daring to even breathe.

In the blink of an eye, the once bustling lobby was mostly empty.

Only Gu Yannian, who was by the window, remained seated in his original position.

He didn't want to be a hero; it's just that the roast duck he bought wasn't ready yet.

For a long-lived person who values ​​quality of life, giving up a delicious meal for a few lackeys who are just riding on the coattails of the emperor is simply unforgivable.

The scarred-faced commander of the guards glanced around, his sharp gaze landing on Gu Yannian.

"Are you blind?! Didn't you hear me? Get the hell out of here!"

Scarface strode up to Gu Yannian's table and reached out to overturn the sturdy eight-immortal table.

Gu Yannian slightly raised his eyelids, his gaze as calm as the water of an ancient well.

He doesn't cause trouble, but he's never afraid of trouble either.

In this great Ming Dynasty, no one has ever been able to overturn Gu Yannian's table.

Just as Scarface's fingers were about to touch the edge of the table, Gu Yannian moved.

His movements were so subtle that no one around him could even see them.

He simply placed his left hand, which was resting on his knee, with his middle finger bent, about three feet away.

An invisible burst of energy was subtly released towards the scarred man's knee joint.

This burst of energy condensed Gu Yannian's strength and agility, which amounted to a thousand points.

Although it was silent, it carried the power to pierce through gold and split rocks.

"Snap!"

The sound of bones cracking echoed in the lobby.

Before Scarface could figure out what was happening, he felt a piercing pain in his right knee, as if he had been hit hard by an invisible sledgehammer.

His massive, towering body instantly lost its balance, and he fell forward.

In a comical and humiliating posture, he knelt down firmly in front of Gu Yannian with a "thump".

Due to the immense inertia, his forehead even slammed heavily against the bluestone pavement, making a loud thud.

This scene left the dozen or so Han King's personal guards following behind him completely dumbfounded.

Our commander is a fierce general who can take on ten men on the battlefield.

Why did you kowtow and perform such a grand gesture before even meeting the scholar?

"What...what kind of sorcery did you use?!"

Scarface was in so much pain that he was sweating profusely. He clutched his shattered knee and pointed at Gu Yannian in terror.

Gu Yannian remained seated, his hands flat on the table, a look of astonishment and innocence on his face.

"Brave warrior, what are you doing? I am merely a law-abiding scholar; why are you bowing so deeply?"

Gu Yannian's tone was gentle, even tinged with a hint of panic.

"I'm penniless and have no red envelope to give you."

"Bullshit! Kill him!"

Scarface was so angry he almost vomited blood, roaring madly.

The dozen or so guards seemed to wake from a dream, and they all drew their gleaming steel knives, pouncing on Gu Yannian like wolves and tigers.

Faced with this seemingly inescapable predicament, Gu Yannian did not get up.

Instead, he calmly picked up the rough porcelain teacup on the table, lowered his head, and took a sip of warm water.

The gleaming blades were about to fall on him.

Suddenly, a deafening shout came from the staircase leading to the second floor of the restaurant.

"You audacious scoundrels! In broad daylight, you dare to commit violence with a knife in the heart of the capital! Do you have no regard for the laws of the Ming Dynasty?!"

Before he finished speaking, seven or eight officials dressed in scarlet and blue robes hurried down the stairs.

The leader, with a lean face and an air of righteousness, was none other than the Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate.

They happen to be discussing next year's oversight matters in a private room on the second floor of Bianyifang today.

Hearing the commotion downstairs, he went out to investigate and witnessed the brutal act of the Prince of Han's guards about to slaughter civilians in the street.

The censors of the Censorate were among the most fearless people in the Ming Dynasty.

They dared to curse even the emperor, so why would they be afraid of a mere servant of a prince?

"Guards! Seize these lawless thugs and take them directly to the Ministry of Justice prison!"

The Left Censor-in-Chief issued a stern order.

The entourage of the censors and the soldiers of the nearby Imperial Guard immediately rushed into the main hall.

They surrounded the terrified Han King's personal guards.

Scarface then realized the enormity of his mistake. Ignoring the excruciating pain in his knees, he was forced to the ground, his face pale.

Gu Yannian stood up and bowed deeply to the censors.

"Your humble servant, Gu Yannian, the registrar of the Wenhua Hall, is deeply grateful to you gentlemen for saving my life. If you had not arrived in time, I fear I would be beheaded today."

He acted so realistically.

Anyone who saw it would think it was the lingering fear of a weak, powerless official who had just survived a life-or-death ordeal.

The Left Censor-in-Chief looked at Gu Yannian, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes.

This minor official remained calm and composed even in the face of danger; despite being a mere clerk, his self-control was quite remarkable.

"Lord Gu, you've been frightened. How dare the servants of the Prince of Han's residence be so arrogant! Tomorrow I will certainly submit a joint memorial impeaching the Prince of Han for his arrogance!"

Gu Yannian thanked him repeatedly.

At this moment, Xiao Er from the kitchen nervously came out carrying a food box wrapped in oil paper.

Gu Yannian accepted the food box, bowed to the censors again to take his leave, opened his oil-paper umbrella, and walked into the swirling snow.

He glanced back at the chaotic Bianyifang.

Today's events not only resolved the trouble, but also conveniently provided the Censorate with an excellent pretext to impeach the Prince of Han.

The undercurrents in the court were ultimately stirred by that insignificant grain of sand he flicked, creating a deadly ripple.

As for the plump duck from Bianyifang, roasted to a perfect crisp on the outside and tender on the inside, it lay quietly in the food box, emitting an enticing aroma.

With snow falling heavily, going home to eat duck is the most important thing in the world.