The deep and drawn-out sound of the bells and drums signaling the end of the morning assembly echoed through the towering palaces, dispelling the heavy and solemn atmosphere within the hall.
The officials filed out in an orderly manner according to their ranks.
Although everyone tried their best to maintain an outward appearance of calm, the thrilling series of verbal sparring and the earth-shattering accusations and counter-accusations from just moments ago had already stirred up unpacifiable waves in everyone's hearts.
Gu Chengyin followed the crowd, slowly walking down the wide stairs paved with white marble.
The early morning sunlight had become somewhat dazzling, spilling over the golden glazed tiles of the imperial city and reflecting a blinding radiance.
Just then, the sound of hurried footsteps approached; it was Shangguan Yunying.
Seeing Gu Chengyin, she quickly lowered her head and spoke in a rapid, low voice that only the two of them could hear:
"Director Gu, please wait a moment."
Gu Chengyin paused his steps and looked at her.
Shangguan Yunying quickly glanced around, confirming that no one was paying special attention to them before continuing to whisper, "Her Highness... invites you into her carriage for a talk." She turned slightly, gesturing in the direction.
Following her gaze, Gu Chengyin saw that not far away, the black and gold-gilded carriage of the Crown Princess had not yet departed.
It was parked quietly in its designated spot, surrounded by the Golden Feather Guards for protection. The carriage curtains were drawn low, obscuring the view inside.
Luo Zhao was asking him to get into her carriage?
Gu Chengyin was somewhat surprised. According to custom, after the morning assembly ended, the Crown Princess's carriage was permitted to leave first. Luo Zhao should have already boarded and been on her way back to her palace.
To specifically send Shangguan Yunying to call for him, and to invite him into the carriage for a talk, was highly unusual in itself.
It meant that Luo Zhao had something important and urgent to discuss with him, something that couldn't even wait until she returned.
Moreover... she wasn't avoiding letting outsiders see them riding in the same carriage?
While his mind raced, Gu Chengyin's expression remained unchanged. He simply gave Shangguan Yunying a slight nod. "Thank you for the trouble, Master Yunying."
Shangguan Yunying said no more and turned to lead the way.
Gu Chengyin followed behind her, walking calmly toward the carriage representing the Crown Princess under the countless overt and covert gazes of the crowd.
Many officials who had not yet gone far couldn't help but slow their steps. Whether pretending to adjust their robes or whispering with their colleagues, their eyes were firmly locked onto Gu Chengyin and the black carriage.
Her Highness the Eldest Princess was actually openly summoning an outer court official to share her Crown Princess carriage right in front of the main hall after the morning assembly?!
This was simply an extraordinary signal!
Recalling Director Gu's earth-shattering performance during the morning assembly, as well as his tactful rejection of His Majesty's hints...
The scales in countless people's hearts began to sway once again. Their evaluation and positioning of Gu Chengyin were instantly elevated to a new height.
His relationship with the Eldest Princess was clearly much closer than they had imagined.
The Second Prince, Luo Yanchen, was just preparing to board his own carriage at this moment and happened to witness this scene.
The excitement on his face was instantly replaced by a sinister gloom. He stared venomously at Gu Chengyin's back, grinding his teeth until they audibly cracked.
It was this Gu Chengyin again! Ruining his plans and being so highly regarded by Luo Zhao! If this man was not eliminated, he would definitely become a major threat!
Gu Chengyin seemed completely oblivious to the glares behind him.
He stopped in front of the carriage. The attendant female official, who had already received her instructions, respectfully lifted the carriage curtain for him.
The interior of the carriage was spacious, covered with a thick plush carpet embroidered with intricate cloud patterns. It was equipped with a comfortable soft couch and a small tea table. The light became gentle as it filtered through the specially made gauze curtains.
Luo Zhao sat upright in the seat of honor. She had already taken off the heavy Nine-Pheasant Four-Phoenix Crown, her hair now simply held up by a black jade hairpin.
Her head was slightly turned, and she appeared to be resting with her eyes closed, exuding an aloof aura that warned strangers to keep their distance.
It wasn't until Gu Chengyin bowed and entered the carriage, and the curtain fell back down to isolate all outside gazes and noise, that Luo Zhao slowly opened her eyes.
The moment those phoenix eyes looked at Gu Chengyin, their usual majesty and coldness rapidly faded away like melting ice and snow, turning into a trace of almost hollow obedience and focus.
This transformation was extremely natural, yet extremely abrupt.
It was like a precise machine instantly switching its operating mode.
Gu Chengyin's heart stirred slightly.
How similar this feeling was to the hypnotized Luo Zhao from before!
Could it be that this state would only be triggered and manifest when they were alone in their own space?
He maintained his composure, simply meeting Luo Zhao's gaze calmly.
Looking at the man before her whom she hated to the bone but had no choice but to rely on, Luo Zhao's heart was filled with extreme complexity.
If it weren't for his instructions, she would likely have fallen into a pointless argument and exposed flaws due to hasty answers.
Calling him up here was indeed to ask about the specific plans for the next step.
How should they utilize this ten-day buffer period? From what angle should they tackle the empty national treasury? All these needed to be discussed immediately.
However, before she could organize her words, Gu Chengyin suddenly spoke.
"Your Highness."
Luo Zhao's heart skipped a beat, and she looked over.
Gu Chengyin's gaze was very calm, yet it carried an indescribable meaning.
"It's just the two of us here, so..."
He paused, seemingly observing Luo Zhao's reaction.
"Who am I to you?"
This question unexpectedly pierced into Luo Zhao's heart!
It instantly turned all her preparations completely upside down!
Luo Zhao knew what Gu Chengyin was asking.
The last time this question arose, she was right there, witnessing the entire process with her own eyes.
What he wanted was for Luo Zhao, in her capacity as the hypnotized subject, to personally confirm his identity and status!
This was the most naked humiliation! The most thorough trampling! It was grinding her dignity underfoot over and over again!
Luo Zhao almost wanted to snap immediately, using all her cultivation base to tear this damn man into pieces! Even if it meant perishing together!
However...
Reason, once again, played its role at the critical moment.
She needed him!
Right now, immediately, she needed him at once!
Emperor Luo had only given her ten days!
Within ten days, Luo Zhao had to come up with a practical plan to solve the depletion of the national treasury—one that would satisfy her imperial father and subdue the entire court!
But she currently had no clue. The details of the deficit were unclear, and the implications were intricately complex. How could such a thing be completed in ten days?
Only Gu Chengyin!
Luo Zhao knew that this damn man definitely had a way to solve it.
So she couldn't fall out with him!
At least not now!
All her struggles and anger were forcibly crushed by Luo Zhao in a flash and pressed into the darkest corner of her soul.
Not a single ripple appeared on her face; she still maintained that almost hollow expression of obedience.
But only she herself knew that the heart within her chest was currently being steeped in endless humiliation.
Time seemed to stretch infinitely, yet it also felt as if only an instant had passed.
Under Gu Chengyin's oppressive gaze, Luo Zhao's beautiful phoenix eyes blinked slightly.
Then, her red lips parted slightly.
There was no emotion, nor was there any intonation.
Like the most exquisite puppet repeating a set program, the words gently slipped from between her teeth and drifted into the quiet air:
"You are my..."
"Master."
e, Immortal Body, Transmigration, System, Progression Fantasy, Academy Setting, Third-Person Perspective. Alternate Title: Transmigrating into a High Martial World and Reading Live Comments. Bad news: I transmigrated. This is a terrifying high-martial world, and my original, pathetically weak body fell into a coma and never woke up. Good news: I got a Popularity Points system upon arrival. I can see live comments and even create an unkillable alternate identity. Starting out, the alternate identity has all stats at 1. The system tells me that to grow stronger, I must participate in the plot, gain popularity points to allocate stats and grow stronger, and ultimately awaken my original body. And so, carrying my original body on my back, I officially entered Huaqing Academy, where the story's protagonist resides. From that moment on, Chen Guan kicked the original plot to pieces. Live Comments: [Doesn't anyone find this mysterious coffin guy creepy? He can summon indescribable grey misty hands.] [Is this guy a hero or a villain? What kind of onion became a spirit?] [By the way, does anyone know who's in the coffin? Shouldn't the debt for saving his life be repaid by now?] [According to unofficial histories, the person in the coffin was Chen Guan's first love. Their love was once passionate and earth-shattering, but they were separated by life and death due to worldly circumstances. What a star-crossed pair.] ... Years later, the world knew of a demon god born from a coffin, shrouded in grey mist, impossible to gaze upon directly. His foremost divine emissary often wielded a scythe, reaping lives like the god of death. As war approached, facing former friends and a boundless sea of enemies, Chen Guan merely raised his scythe. "Would you like to dance as well?"
for mindless slaughter, this isn't for you.] My name is Ye Shu, and I'm a transmigrator. It seems I'm supposed to be the protagonist, but that feels pretty unlikely. This world has been invaded by a system. The antagonists on the other side have suddenly become pure, flawless saints. The female leads have been force-fed the so-called "original plot," making them think they've been reborn. Now, everyone thinks I'm scum. Including the old lady in my ring. And here I am, in the Monster Beast Mountain Range, braising pork. To put my situation in perspective— It's as if, the moment Xiao Yan stepped into the Monster Beast Mountain Range, the Soul Emperor already knew he would become the Flame Emperor, and Yao Lao had been turned to the enemy's side. I have nothing right now. Oh wait, that's not true. I do have a white-haired loli child-bride who's the Heavenly Dao, and her only skill is acting cute. So, tell me guys... what are my chances of making it to the end?
grated, and just when he finally managed to get into an elite academy, he discovered that he actually had a system, and the way to earn rewards was extremely ridiculous. So for the sake of rewards, he had no choice but to start acting ridiculous as well. Su Cheng: "It's nothing but system quests after all." But later, what confused Su Cheng was that while he was already quite ridiculous, he never expected those serious characters to gradually become ridiculous too. And the way they looked at him became increasingly strange... (This synopsis doesn't do it justice, please read the full story)
Cheng's father told him he was getting remarried—to a wealthy woman. Cao Cheng realized his time had finally come: he was about to become a second-generation rich kid. Sure, it might be a watered-down version, but hey, at least he'd have status now, right? The wealthy woman also had four daughters!! Which meant, starting today, Cao Cheng gained four stunning older sisters?? But that wasn't even the whole story... "My name is Cao Cheng—'Cheng' as in 'honest, smooth-talking gentleman'!"
