Echoes of My Heart Throughout the Court

I am editing all of the chapters to look for missing content as well as if anything else I missed. Like from here I will use Crown Grandson for the grandson of emperor like the later chapters.

From above came the loud voice of the ceremonial officer: “Kneel—”

Xu Yanmiao followed the crowd and knelt down.

“Bow—”@@novelbin@@

He obediently followed again, bowing low.

Guessing that the elderly emperor had arrived, Xu Yanmiao curiously raised his head for a peek but could see nothing. The crowd around him bustled noisily, blocking his view; all he could see was the back of the person in front of him.

Xu Yanmiao instinctively thought—

[What a perky butt. Does being an official not only depend on looks but also on the shape of your backside?]

“…”

On the golden platform, after a moment of silence, the eunuch relayed the emperor’s decree:

“The capital has grown colder recently. Everyone must take care of their health and avoid catching a chill.”

A chorus of thanks and bows erupted as the officials expressed their gratitude for the emperor’s concern.

Xu Yanmiao skillfully mimicked the others’ actions, all the while thinking:

[Isn’t it rumored that the emperor has a short temper and is unpredictable? Those coughs just now surely count as disrespect in his presence, yet he didn’t seem to care. He’s not as temperamental as the rumors suggest.]

Glancing to the side, Xu Yanmiao noticed someone frantically wiping sweat off their forehead and froze.

[Is the emperor really that intimidating?]

In the middle of winter, someone sweating from fear?

The man wiping his sweat looked on the verge of tears. Not just him—Xu Yanmiao noticed many people around him were either sweating despite the cold or trembling slightly. Most shocking was the man to his right, whose tears were falling like raindrops, as if he was convinced he was about to become the emperor’s scapegoat.

Xu Yanmiao: ???

At that moment, the tearful man whispered, “Master Xu…”

Xu Yanmiao forced a polite smile, lowering his voice. “What’s the matter, brother?”

The man sniffled. “I feel… His Majesty remains in the prime of his life, showing no signs of aging… Don’t you agree?”

Xu Yanmiao: ???!

Still smiling, Xu Yanmiao replied, “Yes. I think so too.”

[Why bring this up all of a sudden? Are there Imperial Secret Police nearby? Is he trying to express loyalty to them?]

[But wow, no wonder he made it onto the imperial court. He can spout nonsense with a straight face. The emperor is 63 this year—there’s no way he doesn’t have white hair and wrinkles! Yet this guy can boldly claim there’s no trace of age.]

As his mind wandered, Xu Yanmiao snapped back to attention and saw the man prostrate on the ground, forehead pressed against his hands. Whether he was still crying was unclear.

The golden platform fell into another eerie silence.

After two or three breaths, the eunuch announced:

“Ceremony complete—”

“Rise—”

The officials stood up in unison, though their movements seemed impatient, as if desperate to finish.

The emperor began discussing state affairs with the officials.

—Not with all officials, of course. Only those ranked second-grade or higher had the right to speak directly with the emperor in this setting.

One by one, matters of governance were decided: policies affecting the lives of the empire’s citizens were formulated under the imperial gates—some approved, others rejected…

They were shaping the nation. They were deciding the fates of millions.

Meanwhile, Xu Yanmiao stood amidst the crowd, silently listening. He knew these discussions would eventually translate into documents landing on his desk. Cold and impersonal, they would then be distributed across the empire.

Thinking of this, Xu Yanmiao felt a surge of emotion.

[I wonder when I’ll rise to prominence, become a big shot, and get to shape the nation and its people myself.]

[I need to work hard!]

[I need to strive for greatness!]

Raising his head to gaze at the clear sky above, Xu Yanmiao remembered waking up at three this morning and braving the cold wind…

[Hmm…]

[Never mind. Someone as useless as me might as well just lie flat. I wonder when the emperor will wrap this up. I’m so hungry. Time to kill some time…]

[Let’s check out some gossip!]

Excitedly, Xu Yanmiao opened his system, completely oblivious to the horrified glances from those around him.

[Wow! The emperor just took a 16-year-old concubine yesterday! A pear blossom crushing the crabapple—still going strong at his age! They went at it all night, and now he still sounds so energetic and vigorous in court! Amazing!]

[And this concubine was once the Crown Grandson’s mistress? Whoa, whoa, whoa! The Crown Grandson even knows how to write angsty, waist-clutching, red-eyed romance!?]

[Whoa, whoa, whoa! The Crown Grandson barged into his grandfather’s harem… Gasp! While the emperor is in court! Quick, quick, quick—why isn’t there a video!?]

[Huh? Why is there no sound]

Xu Yanmiao cautiously raised his head and glanced around.

[What’s going on? Why is everyone kneeling? Where’s the emperor?]

The emperor had left for the harem to catch someone in the act.

The court officials silently added in their minds—

“Caught in the act by you, of all people.”