Even emperors have it tough, so don't be too picky about the entries.

That night!

The 50,000-strong army set off silently, men gagged and horses clenched.

Chen Shao is the head coach for this expedition.

Dian Wei's personal bodyguard.

Li Jinglong served as the vanguard of the army, while Liao Hua was directly appointed as a general to command the central army.

Fifty thousand people moved like ghosts at an incredible speed.

...

The next morning, before it was fully light.

Shen Qingci knelt on the white marble steps in front of the palace gate.

She wore knee pads underneath her clothes today and had chicken legs hidden inside.

We are prepared for a protracted battle.

He had just knelt there, and in an instant, he was like a warrior.

Gather your inner strength and begin to shout:

"Your subject, Shen Qingci, remonstrates with the emperor, even unto death!"

"Since Your Majesty ascended the throne, you have worked diligently day and night, governing with love and care for the people. We all believe that the Great Yan Dynasty is on the verge of revival."

"However, recently His Majesty has been indulging in the harem, neglecting court affairs for days on end. Memorials have piled up like mountains, and state affairs have been completely neglected!"

"Your Majesty, with your brilliant mind, has acted with utter folly! I kneel here today, and if Your Majesty does not rescind your decree and reopen the court, I will remain kneeling here forever, and I will splatter my blood on these steps!"

The officials who were attending the morning court session arrived one after another and saw Shen Qingci kneeling at the palace gate from afar.

They looked at each other, hesitant to step forward.

Everyone knows that Shen Qingci is a favorite of His Majesty, serving as Minister of Revenue and Imperial Tutor.

Even she is kneeling here cursing His Majesty, so what right do others have to stand?

If you go there, you have to kneel.

But if His Majesty doesn't dare kill Shen Qingci, why doesn't he dare kill them?

That's the kind of person who'll start doing something as soon as the wheel spins.

"Your Majesty, open your eyes and look at this world!"

Shen Qingci really put his talent to good use, getting more and more passionate the more he cursed.

The more they cursed, the louder their voices became.

They cursed from morning till sunset.

He kept calling the emperor a tyrant, quoting extensively from classical texts.

The intonation was rhythmic and resonant.

Even a casual remark can be a model of a memorial to the throne.

Finally, as darkness fell, Hai Rui, the newly appointed Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, made a special trip out of the prison.

He walked straight to Shen Qingci's side, lifted his robe, and knelt down.

The sound of knees hitting the ground startled Shen Qingci, who was standing nearby.

No... dude, I have knee pads...

Hai Rui, who was both confused and impressed, was heartbroken!

He finally found an opportunity to put his talents to good use and use all his knowledge to benefit the people.

His Majesty, who was originally a sage emperor, was suddenly seduced by women, neglecting state affairs. It can be said that no one in the entire court was more distressed than him.

"Your Majesty, I, Hai Rui, second Minister Shen's suggestion: If Your Majesty does not attend court, I will kneel here and die!"

boom!

Hai Rui's head slammed heavily to the ground.

Shen Qingci's mouth twitched as she watched.

Doesn't it hurt, Master Hai?

Just then, another voice rang out from the side:

"If Your Majesty does not attend court, your subject Han Cao will kneel here forever!"

Holy crap...

Shen Qingci thought to himself, "What's with this treacherous minister's death plea?"

Tattooing a hen on an egg? Are you trying to play your mother?

With the prime minister kneeling down, the other officials who had been keeping their distance could no longer pretend not to see it.

One by one they came over, and soon the place was densely packed with kneeling people.

"We, your humble servants, risk our lives to remonstrate with you!"

Bai Bingbing and her Imperial Guards stood watch at the palace gates, their embroidered spring knives drawn half an inch from their sheaths. No one was allowed to cross the line.

"His Majesty has decreed that we will not see anyone!"

"Anyone who trespasses on the palace gates will be immediately imprisoned."

"If anyone doesn't believe it, feel free to try."

Soon, the insults turned to Bai Bingbing.

Terms like "you lackey," "ungrateful wretch," and "despicable person" keep popping up everywhere.

Bai Bingbing remained unmoved.

The first day was like this.

The next day, the officials remained kneeling and refused to rise.

On the third day, there was still no movement from inside the palace.

......

Liaocheng.

Hong Qianyi was sitting in his study, holding a secret letter that had just been sent from the capital.

Suddenly he burst into laughter.

"A tyrannical ruler! A tyrannical ruler indeed!"

"The Great Yan's fate is sealed; even Heaven cannot save it!"

His wife was sitting by the window embroidering.

Hearing him laugh so heartily, I asked:

"Why is the master so happy?"

"Stop fiddling with that embroidery for now, come and take a look."

Hong Qianyi handed the secret letter to his wife.

His wife was originally a famous courtesan in Liaocheng.

These days, to become a famous courtesan, one not only needs to be exceptionally beautiful and have a great figure, but also needs to be proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting.

To put it bluntly, they were all extraordinary women who were well-versed in poetry and literature.

There's no way around it; the industry competition is too fierce.

Unlike Chen Shao's previous life, who could get a job just by wiggling his butt.

Just put on some makeup and hold a wine glass, and you can become a socialite.

The lady took the secret letter and read it carefully.

The more he read, the more his brows furrowed.

"Sir, something feels rather strange to me."

"What's strange about it?"

"It's very strange. Judging from Chen Shao's actions since he ascended the throne, he is not a lecherous man at all."

"On the contrary, they are very self-disciplined."

"It is true that he took more than a hundred concubines in one go, but that was to keep the powerful warlord families in check."

"Shen Qingci, Bai Bingbing, even the Empress Dowager—aren't they all stunning beauties?"

"Especially since these people have added status to them: one is his teacher, one is his subordinate, and one is a married woman. If he were a womanizer, rumors would have already spread about him with these three."

The more taboo the relationship, the more alluring the beauty.

This is an eternal truth.

However, even though Chen Shao became the ruler of the country and held great power, he did not act recklessly, which shows that he had no interest in women at all.

"Don't you think it's too much of a coincidence that someone like this has suddenly become obsessed with women and neglects his duties?"

"Moreover, he will be going to Jiangnan in the second half of the month. Ostensibly, he is going to inspect the local areas, but anyone with a discerning eye knows that he is going to integrate Jiangnan."

"Shouldn't he be focusing on strengthening his military and training his navy in preparation for war at this time?"

"Why did everything suddenly come to an abrupt halt and reverse course?"

"Besides, Chen Shao is ruthless and doesn't even blink when he kills censors. How could he allow officials to remonstrate to the death? He should have been flogged in court long ago."

Hong Qianyi paused slightly, then stroked his beard and fell into deep thought.

What the lady said makes a lot of sense.

If he were truly a tyrannical ruler, he would have already begun a massacre.

If he wasn't a foolish ruler, why didn't he step forward?

Hong Qianyi stood up and paced back and forth in the study.

As I walked, my brows gradually relaxed.

He suddenly turned to look at the lady.

laughed:

"Madam, what do you think of me as a person?"

Hong Qianyi had thick eyebrows and big eyes. Although he was old, his white beard was neatly trimmed.

Dressed in military uniform, he was clearly a highly respected veteran general.

That's why this former famous courtesan was willing to marry him.

The lady gave him a reproachful look:

"Sir, you are a true gentleman. Everyone in the city praises you as a model soldier."

Hong Qianyi chuckled, took a step closer, and put his arm around the lady's slender waist.

"You see, I'm a gentleman, but am I not also a lecherous old man?"

"Men are all secretly passionate, they just don't express it."

"That young man Chen Shao is in the prime of his life, with so many concubines in the harem, of all shapes and sizes. If there were one like Madam, could he still resist?"

The lady touched his chest with her hand and said shyly:

"Ugh, you can't even be serious in broad daylight."

"It's not that I'm being irresponsible, it's just that even heroes can't resist the charms of a beautiful woman."

"Even a man like me couldn't resist my wife's temptations, so it's only natural that that young lad Chen Shao would fall into the trap of the harem."

Hong Qianyi hugged his wife even tighter.

"Look, as we're talking, my mind is wandering again."

"No... sir... in broad daylight..."