"Of the remaining sixty-five percent, forty percent is reserved for His Majesty."
Gu Chengyin pointed upward, his meaning clear. "This primarily consists of the wealth, farmland, and shops confiscated from the Xiao clan. All of it must be legally transferred into the state treasury and the Emperor's privy purse. This is the lion's share that His Majesty deserves."
"As for the remaining twenty-five percent." Gu Chengyin's gaze narrowed slightly.
"Five percent goes to the Censorate."
"Or rather, to the humble-born faction behind the Censorate."
"They entered the game the latest, so they get the smallest bite."
"Furthermore, the fall of the Xiao clan weakens the power of the noble families. For the sake of balance, giving the humble-born faction even five percent is considered a lot."
Gu Chengyin analyzed, "Even so, for them, this is a rare opportunity for growth."
"As for the final twenty percent..."
Gu Chengyin looked at Luo Zhao, his eyes deep and profound. "Aside from the ten percent we have already swallowed, we will eat as much of this twenty percent as we can."
"There is no need to worry about others snatching it away. No one else will touch it."
"This is the Xiao clan's last chance at survival, and it rests entirely on His Majesty's ruling."
Luo Zhao listened in a daze, feeling that her mind could barely keep up with Gu Chengyin's pace.
The Hall of Literary Principles was still auditing the accounts day and night, and Xiao Song was still sitting securely in his cabinet seat, perhaps even plotting a new counterattack...
Yet Gu Chengyin was already calculating how to divide the cake, like the shrewdest of merchants.
He had factored in her royal father, the Cui clan, and the Censorate, even acting with absolute certainty that things would proceed exactly according to his proposed scheme of benefit distribution.
This precise prediction and manipulation of human nature, interests, and the overall situation made Luo Zhao's heart palpitate.
It also made her realize, more clearly than ever before, just how vast the gap was between herself and Gu Chengyin.
Luo Zhao took a soft breath, suppressing her chaotic emotions, and steered the conversation back to business.
"Then... what should we do next?"
Gu Chengyin replied, "I need to make a trip to the Grand Secretariat first."
He pointed outside. "If nothing goes wrong, after Wang Gangfeng returns to report, Yuan Zhengqing will receive the news."
"After all, he and Hu Juzheng are the representatives of the humble-born faction in the imperial court. The Chief Censor will definitely speak with him."
"I need to communicate with him to ensure a basic consensus between the Crown Palace and the Censorate."
"When I return from the cabinet, Your Highness, we need to take this stack of documents and enter the royal palace once more."
"After we meet with His Majesty, we will determine our subsequent strategy."
Luo Zhao listened very intently, knowing that Gu Chengyin's arrangements were intricately linked.
When Gu Chengyin finished speaking, she nodded and gave a sound of agreement.
Seeing that he had explained everything clearly, Gu Chengyin solemnly cupped his hands in Luo Zhao's direction.
"Your Highness, I shall take my leave first."
With that, Gu Chengyin turned and walked toward the small desk nearby.
He reached out incredibly naturally and gently rubbed Gu Xiaoli's head.
Gu Xiaoli's short hair was soft and smooth; ruffled by his hand, a few strands instantly stuck up in a playful manner.
But Gu Xiaoli did not resist. An incredibly bright light burst forth in her eyes as she simply tilted her small face up, gazing eagerly at Gu Chengyin as if she had been hit by an immobilization spell.
Gu Chengyin smiled at her, said nothing more, withdrew his hand, and walked toward the door.
Setting aside the secrets hidden within Gu Xiaoli, in terms of sheer capability, Gu Xiaoli's contributions were paramount to the Hall of Literary Principles' current high-efficiency operation.
Her photographic memory, acute intuition for numbers and logic, and astonishing patience and meticulousness when handling tedious documents played an irreplaceable role.
This alone was enough to warrant Gu Chengyin giving her ample attention and kind treatment.
When Gu Chengyin emerged from the Crown Palace and was about to walk toward the Cui estate's carriage, a voice suddenly called out from behind, stopping him in his tracks.
"Gu Chengyin."
Gu Chengyin paused his steps and turned to look.
He saw Shangguan Yunying quickly catching up from behind.
Her steps were light and swift, and in the blink of an eye, she was standing right in front of him.
"Master Yun..." Gu Chengyin opened his mouth instinctively, wanting to address her according to his old habit.
However, before the word could fully leave his lips, Shangguan Yunying hastily interrupted him.
"You are now Her Highness's Junior Preceptor."
A strange look flashed across Shangguan Yunying's face. "Don't call me Master anymore, otherwise..."
She didn't finish her sentence, but Gu Chengyin already understood.
Otherwise?
Otherwise, the hierarchy of seniority would be completely messed up.
He was now the Crown Heir's Junior Preceptor, which nominally made him Luo Zhao's teacher.
And Shangguan Yunying was Luo Zhao's chief female official.
If Gu Chengyin still called Yunying "Master," wouldn't that mean Luo Zhao would have to call Yunying "Grandmaster"?
"Cough..."
Gu Chengyin coughed lightly and nodded. "Understood."
Shangguan Yunying breathed a sigh of relief, but immediately after, her expression turned tense and concerned.
Stepping closer without any regard for proper etiquette, she carefully scanned Gu Chengyin's body, from his face to his neck, then to his shoulders and arms...
"I heard from General Chen that you were assassinated yesterday?"
"And you were severely injured? Covered in blood and couldn't even walk steadily?"
Seeing Shangguan Yunying's concerned appearance, looking as if she wanted nothing more than to strip off his clothes to inspect him, Gu Chengyin hurriedly waved his hands and explained.
"No, no, don't listen to General Chen's exaggerations."
"Those assassins had mediocre skills. They didn't even touch the hem of my clothes, let alone injure me."
"What General Chen saw was fake. Wasn't I about to have an audience with His Majesty at the time? I just put on a little act."
"It merely looked scary, but in reality, I am completely fine. Rest assured."
Hearing Gu Chengyin say this, Shangguan Yunying carefully observed his rosy complexion and steady stance; he indeed did not look like someone who had suffered heavy injuries.
Only then did she truly relax, her tense shoulders loosening a bit.
She patted her chest and let out a long sigh of relief. "That's good, that's good. When General Chen told me, I was scared to death!"
But immediately after, Shangguan Yunying's expression shifted, and she said with murderous intent:
"Don't worry, Her Highness has already issued a kill order! Besides that."
"I've also arranged for the best doctors to follow them the entire time, guaranteeing that every single stab wound they receive will get the best medical treatment!"
Gu Chengyin blinked, completely failing to understand the meaning behind Shangguan Yunying's words.
What kill order?
What did she mean by every stab wound receiving the best medical treatment?
He was just about to ask for clarification, but Shangguan Yunying had already taken a step back, a bright and hearty smile returning to her face.
"Alright, seeing that you're okay puts my mind at ease. I still have a pile of things to do, so I won't chat with you any longer!"
As she spoke, Shangguan Yunying reached out very naturally and helped Gu Chengyin straighten his collar.
After performing this intimate gesture, she waved at Gu Chengyin with a beaming smile.
Then, she turned around crisply and walked back into the Crown Palace with brisk steps.
Gu Chengyin stood rooted to the spot, watching Shangguan Yunying's retreating back while recalling those baffling words from just a moment ago.
He couldn't help but feel that Luo Zhao had issued some strange command behind his back, and Shangguan Yunying was the executor.
"It shouldn't be anything major, right?"
Gu Chengyin rubbed his chin, comforting himself.
He then shook his head, turned around, and continued walking toward the Cui estate's carriage.
s + Rent Collection Wealth】 At the start, he inherited a rundown house in the urban village from his grandfather. The house had no tenants, but the moment he was diagnosed with a terminal illness, a self-proclaimed empress from the Tianxuan Continent arrived as his first tenant. Ye Chuan soon discovered that with every new tenant moving in, not only did he receive massive daily payments, but he also obtained unique items related to their backgrounds. 【Acquired Bai Qianshuang’s related item: Tiger Strength Pill—dramatically enhances physical power!】 【Acquired Bai Qianshuang’s related item: Deer Blood Pill—significantly boosts vitality!】 …… From that day on, all sorts of bizarre tenants began appearing in the house: the empress from Tianxuan Continent, an apocalyptic sorceress from the Magic Realm, a mysterious scientific girl who fell through a spacetime rift… Every single day, he received strange, powerful items and endless money. Then one day, he suddenly realized—he had become invincible. Enough, enough! Stop giving me more!
ive and Ruthless] Before his transmigration, Ye Xuan was playing a game called "Severing Emotions to Attain the Dao." The game's core wasn't about leveling up by fighting monsters, but about conquering various "bad women" with wicked personalities and cold, fickle natures. There was only one method to conquer them: stay unwaveringly by their side, then die at a critical moment, driving them to madness after losing the protagonist. The higher their level of regret, the higher the player's score. To dominate the server, Ye Xuan conquered all the bad women. In the early stages, he showered them with boundless tenderness, only to choose to sacrifice himself for them later, making them weep bitterly and drown in regret. Among them were: Xia Lengyue, the unfaithful immortal wife who chased after powerful men and discarded her husband like trash. Ye Qingcheng, the Demonic Venerable of the Joyous Union Sect, who appeared pure and innocent but was, in reality, promiscuous. Wu Lingxiao, the Empress of the Great Xia Dynasty, who lusted after men and loved maintaining a harem. Bai Qiangu of the Endless Demonic Sect: a bloodthirsty mass murderer. However, when the protagonist transmigrated into the game world, he made a horrifying discovery. Eight hundred years had already passed. The bad women he had conquered had now each become deities and revered ancestors. Faced with the endless stream of toxic women coming for him, Ye Xuan could only rely on his god-tier acting skills to carve a path of survival through this world of treacherous women.
ions, keeping it grounded and realistic】 After quitting his job, office worker Su Yang accidentally binds with the "Enjoy Life System." As the name suggests, simply by indulging in life's pleasures, he can earn random rewards from the system—no need to spend money on beautiful women or grovel before anyone. Just enjoy, and the money follows, making it all about effortless fun. The system comes with a scanning feature, allowing him to establish a favorability bond with women rated 85 points or above. Every 20-point increase in favorability unlocks additional rewards. After suffering through over twenty years of hardship, Su Yang trembles with excitement, his dull eyes suddenly gleaming with newfound hope. "Enjoy life? How hard could that be?"
nd fell into a coma while saving his younger sister from an out-of-control car. He became a vegetable. No one knew that his consciousness had crossed into a world of cultivation. Over the course of sixty years, he began as the lowest kind of mine slave, struggling to survive amid mountains of corpses and seas of blood. By sheer chance, he eventually obtained the complete memories of a fallen Immortal King. Alchemy, medicine, formations, feng shui, physiognomy, artifact forging… Every great inheritance of the cultivation world was now his. But when he opened his eyes again, he discovered that ten full years had passed in the modern world. To pay for his treatment, his father had sold the family’s shop and house, leaving himself covered in lasting injuries and illness. His mother had cared for him day and night, and more than half of her hair had already turned white. His younger sister, who had been only fifteen back then, was now twenty-five. To help repay the family’s debts, she had been forced to lower her head and put on a smiling face in places of glittering lights and endless revelry. Only then did Chen Xuan understand that what he had lost was not merely ten years. He had lost the life his entire family was meant to have. The good news was that he had brought back the memories of an Immortal King’s entire lifetime. The bad news was that his soul had returned alone—his cultivation had not come with him. Spiritual energy was scarce, resources were depleted, and the modern world still had firearms, surveillance, capital, and laws. If he wanted to protect his family, break free from everyone’s control, and become truly invincible beneath the heavens, he would have to start all over again.
