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

He glanced disdainfully at the unconscious man in black on the ground, then at the soiled blue brick floor, his brows furrowing even deeper.

"These are perfectly fine blue bricks, but they're a real pain to clean."

Gu Yannian put down his chopsticks and stood up.

He did not investigate the identity of the man in black.

Whether he was a remnant of Jianwen or a notorious bandit, it had nothing to do with him.

He just wants to get rid of this trouble as soon as possible.

Outside the gate, the rapid sound of horses' hooves had already stopped outside the courtyard wall.

Immediately following was the violent banging of the Imperial Guards on the door.

"Open the door! The Imperial Guards are on a case to apprehend a wanted criminal!"

Gu Yannian took a deep breath, reached out and ruffled his meticulously styled hair, then smeared some ashes on his face.

He then deliberately kicked over several chairs in the room to create the illusion of a struggle.

After doing all this, he pretended to be terrified and trembling, and stumbled towards the courtyard gate.

"Coming...coming! Sir, stop smashing it, the door's going to collapse!"

Gu Yannian opened the courtyard gate and poked half his body out.

Looking at the Imperial Guards outside, holding torches and exuding murderous intent, he pointed towards the main hall with a trembling voice.

"Sir, sir! There's a thief! A thief covered in blood broke into my house... He tried to kill me, but he tripped over my charcoal brazier, hit his head on the corner of the table, and passed out! Sir, please save me!"

Upon hearing this, the leading Jinyiwei commander shoved Gu Yannian aside and led his men into the house.

Looking at the unconscious prisoner on the ground, and the chairs scattered inside the room and the remnants of the overturned charcoal brazier.

A hint of suspicion flashed in Baihu's eyes.

But when he went up to check the prisoner's breathing, he found that he had indeed just fainted.

Apart from the knife wound, there were no other fatal injuries on his body.

"Consider yourself lucky, scholar."

The centurion snorted coldly and waved his hand, "Take him away!"

Several captains dragged the man in black away like a dead dog.

Watching the Imperial Guards gradually disappear into the distance, Gu Yannian closed the courtyard gate again.

The look of fear on his face vanished instantly.

He returned to the main room and carefully wiped the bloodstains off the floor with a rag.

I rekindled the charcoal fire and sat back down at my desk.

The mutton soup in the pot was still bubbling.

"This meat is a bit tough."

Gu Yannian picked up a piece of mutton and shook his head slightly.

He glanced at the transparent system panel.

[Ding! The hour of Mao (5-7 AM) is approaching tomorrow.]

A relaxed smile appeared on Gu Yannian's lips.

Life is peaceful now, and the trouble of disturbing his hot pot meal is gone.

Tomorrow, I'll be able to add a few more attributes.

……

In the first year of the Yongle reign, the chilling atmosphere of autumn enveloped the entire city of Jinling.

Fang Xiaoru's resounding words, "What if ten generations of his family are exterminated?" ultimately turned into a rain of blood.

Scattered across the execution ground outside Jubao Gate.

In recent days, every household in Nanjing has kept their doors closed, and everyone is on edge. Even the pleasure boats on the Qinhuai River have turned off their lights early.

The Hanlin Academy was responsible for verifying the list of family members of convicted officials.

Gu Yannian, the most "leisurely" editor in the academy, was sent by his superior to the outer perimeter of the execution ground to do the job of checking the execution list.

This was originally a dreaded job that everyone would avoid at all costs.

Those who go there experience nightmares for months on end, or even go insane from the fright.

But when Gu Yannian accepted the task, his expression remained calm.

He took only an inkstone and two brushes with him and strolled off leisurely.

The execution ground reeked of blood.

Dark red blood flowed through the cracks in the bluestone slabs, gathering into shocking streams.

It eventually flows into the moat outside the city.

On the execution platform, Emperor Yongle, Zhu Di, actually sat upright on it.

He was dressed in black casual clothes, and his face was as cold as an iron statue.

Meanwhile, backstage, Fang Xiaoru had his hands tied behind his back and his hair disheveled.

His once clean prison uniform was now soaked in blood.

One of his ears had been cut off, and his mouth was covered in blood.

But those eyes remained fixed on Zhu Di on the high platform, burning with an indomitable rage.

"Bring it up!"

The executioner gave a stern shout.

A row of ragged old people, women and children were escorted forward by the fierce Imperial Guards and forcibly pushed to the ground.

This is a senior relative of Fang Xiaoru.

Zhu Di leaned slightly forward, his gaze piercing Fang Xiaoru like a knife, his voice low yet clear, echoing throughout the entire hall.

"Fang Xiaoru, I'm asking you one last time: will you surrender or not? If you just nod your head, I will pardon these people from the death penalty."

Fang Xiaoru laughed loudly, his voice hoarse and mournful, like a night owl weeping blood.

"You traitor of Yan! You usurper, everyone has the right to kill you! How could I, Fang Xiaoru, kneel before such a rebellious traitor!"

A savage killing intent flashed in Zhu Di's eyes, and he coldly uttered a single word.

"cut."

A flash of light, and a head fell to the ground.

Blood gushed out like a fountain, staining the ground beneath Fang Xiaoru's feet red.

"Bring more!"

This time, Fang Xiaoru's wife, children, and family were brought in as collateral.

The cries of women and the screams of children mingled together, causing all who heard it to feel their hearts break.

Zhu Di asked again, "Fang Xiaoru, are you truly heartless? Will you surrender?"

"No reduction!"

Fang Xiaoru's eyes were bloodshot, and he spat a mouthful of blood onto the ground.

"cut."

With a swift movement, the knife fell, and the screams of agony ceased abruptly.

And so, from relatives to in-laws, from students to old friends.

Wave after wave of Imperial Guards escorted people to the execution ground, and Zhu Di repeatedly asked, "Will you surrender?"

Fang Xiaoru repeatedly and fiercely cursed him.

This was a contest of wills, and also an unprecedented tragedy.

Zhu Di attempted to destroy the defenses of this cradle of scholars by using bloodshed.

Fang Xiaoru, on the other hand, used the lives of his entire family and even ten clans to achieve his legendary status as the greatest loyal minister of all time.

Gu Yannian sat behind a broken wooden table at the edge of the execution ground, holding a vermilion pen in his hand.

Every time a head fell, he would steadily draw a red circle corresponding to that person's name on the thick register.

His hand was very steady, and the tip of the pen did not tremble at all.

"Zhang Shi, died."

"Fang Zhongxian, died."

"Ms. Lin, deceased..."

Hearing the dull thud of a sharp blade piercing flesh and bone from not far away, Gu Yannian's heartbeat remained steady.

His high mental attribute of over 150 points allows him to easily block out the despairing emotions from the outside world.

He was like a spectator standing below the stage.

Calmly watching the actors, both male and female, make their final struggles on stage.

"Tragic, but futile."

Gu Yannian shook his head inwardly.

He neither judged Fang Xiaoru's loyalty nor condemned Zhu Di's cruelty.

In this era of imperial power, the victors write history, while the losers are reduced to dust.

This is the cruelest yet most real law.

Fang Xiaoru sacrificed more than 800 lives for his cause.

Gu Yannian's path was simply to live well throughout these long years.

When the last of Fang Xiaoru's students fell in a pool of blood, all 873 of them perished.

Fang Xiaoru himself also met his final end.

He was torn apart by chariots in the marketplace.