Echoes of My Heart Throughout the Court

Xu Yanmiao’s pupils trembled.

[Why did he call me?!]

[I didn’t do anything! I absolutely follow the law!]

[Is someone framing me? Or did I do something without realizing it?!]

[They’re not going to behead me, right?!]

Xu Yanmiao nervously played out a dramatic scene in his mind. In it, a stick figure with the large character “Xu” written on its head was being pinned down by a group of people. A small figure representing the Jinyiwei (Imperial Secret Police) loudly announced his crimes. Then, with a dramatic flourish, they pulled out a large blade from behind their back.

And then—splat! A tomato burst open, spraying juice everywhere!

[No! I have to save myself!]

Xu Lang’s gaze gradually became resolute. [After all these years in the bureaucracy, I haven’t been idling around!]

In reality, he had simply intended to call someone over to sit by his side as a display of favor.

But now…

The emperor smirked mischievously. Let’s see what little Bai Ze (a term for someone intelligent) is up to.

In the eyes of the crowd, the favored minister calmly walked up to the old emperor, respectfully bowed, and then said,

“Your Majesty was so angry that you summoned me out here…” He smiled. “Could it be that you read the Chicken Ledger and found my chicken consumption during my relief work in Fujian excessive?”

The Chicken Ledger was originally exclusive to Dunhuang, a record tracking how many chickens were consumed each year by visiting officials. Later, the old emperor expanded it nationwide, making it easier to monitor how many chickens officials ate while on duty.

Hearing Xu Yanmiao’s words, the old emperor paused for a moment before asking instinctively, “How many did you eat?”

The young man blushed slightly. “Eleven.”

“You ate eleven chickens in seven days?!” The emperor’s voice involuntarily rose.

Xu Yanmiao attempted to defend himself, “I wasn’t the only one eating.”

The old emperor looked heartbroken. “That’s still a lot! Almost two chickens a day… Even if those chickens were specifically raised for officials, you can’t eat that many!” 𝙍𝒶Nȫ𝐛Ěs̈

Xu Yanmiao replied, “The chickens in Fujian are raised too well. If they’re too lean, the meat is tough; if they’re too fat, they lose their flavor. I heard that the chickens in Wuding are both plump and flavorful, so they sent people there to learn the technique. The chickens they raised turned out even tastier than those from other places.”

The old emperor chuckled and scoffed. “And how many regional chickens have you eaten to be making such bold claims?”

Xu Yanmiao responded with a respectful and humble tone, “Your Majesty is right.”

But his inner thoughts screamed: [I’ve eaten way more than you! Changshu’s Beggar’s Chicken, Dezhou’s Braised Chicken, Guangdong’s Salt-Baked Chicken, Hunan’s Dong’an Chicken, Sichuan’s Strange-Flavored Chicken—oh, and Shandong’s Fried Eight Pieces, I’ve had them all!]

[You’ve only had Beggar’s Chicken and Salt-Baked Chicken!]

The old emperor fumed internally. So what?! It’s not like I even like chicken that much!

Besides—

Xu Yanmiao, you’re mocking me in your head again! If you’ve got the guts, say it to my face! Anyone bold enough to criticize the emperor directly shall be rewarded!

The old emperor said, “Xu Yanmiao, have you ever considered how difficult it is to raise a fat chicken? The ones you and your men ate in one sitting might have taken months to raise! Out of every ten chickens, only one might grow into a properly plump one!”

Xu Yanmiao lowered his voice, “Just castrate them.”

The old emperor: “What?”

Xu Yanmiao: “If you castrate them, they’ll gain weight faster.”

The old emperor: “You can castrate them? Castrate roosters?”

Xu Yanmiao: “According to the stewards in Fujian, both roosters and hens can be castrated, but it requires more skill for hens. This technique was originally only known to the people of Wuding.”

The old emperor was overjoyed. “Have them teach the entire nation! A skill that helps chickens grow more meat—how could we keep that hidden?”

The capital officials were used to this. Meanwhile, the local officials and retired ministers were utterly shocked, as if they had just witnessed a dolphin leaping out of the water, glistening in the sunlight—an eye-catching spectacle.

So… this is how favored ministers are treated?!

Even in such a solemn moment, right after the emperor had someone executed, when he had summoned this man in an angry tone, this minister could still joke, banter, and chat so casually with the emperor!

The blood on the stone lion at the entrance hasn’t even dried yet!

The capital officials: “…”

Honestly, the so-called “fearless” favored minister in their eyes was currently thinking:

[Done! As expected of me—I even managed to appease the old emperor with this!]

[Although… this didn’t go quite as I planned?]

[I thought I’d mention the chickens, and the emperor would ask why I brought it up. Then I’d say that this was just a passing thought, but that would make him suspect the informant, realize I was framed, and I’d be able to escape danger successfully!]

The old emperor, both amused and exasperated, said, “Come here!”

This guy still thinks he hasn’t been wasting his years in the bureaucracy!

Oh well. It’s not like he needs to engage in political scheming—being a little naïve is just fine.

Xu Yanmiao stepped a bit closer.

The old emperor dipped his fingertip in tea and wrote a few characters on the table. Xu Yanmiao’s eyes widened slightly.

The emperor smiled and said, “Go on.”

Xu Yanmiao bowed. “Yes, Your Majesty.”

After completing his salute, he turned and walked out of the room under everyone’s watchful eyes.

This time, whether it was the capital officials, the local officials, or the retired ministers, all of their hearts pounded faster.

His Majesty had just said that no one was allowed to leave!

Even the Prime Minister, who initiated all of this, couldn’t leave the room—yet Xu Yanmiao could?!

This favoritism is outrageous!

So jealous.

Once Xu Yanmiao left, the emperor’s smile vanished. He turned to Diwu Ang and said, “Continue.”

The room fell into a hushed silence, a stark contrast to the lively atmosphere when Xu Yanmiao was present.

Diwu Ang took a deep breath and continued, “Your Majesty, our dynasty was founded merely thirty-five years ago. The county magistrates across the land are mostly men who, in their youth, diligently studied the rigid Eight-Legged Essay format under the previous dynasty.”

“Even if they forcefully changed their writing style to secure an official position, they are still deeply accustomed to the Eight-Legged Essay and, even more so, to the decadent atmosphere of the late previous dynasty.”

“Back then, passing the Child Examination was effortless. The wealthy secured their rankings in advance, while the poor memorized template essays. Everyone became a scholar, and everyone had a bright future.”

“But now, under the new dynasty, does Your Majesty believe that these magistrates will rigorously enforce the Child Examination?”

“Not to mention, in the early days of the dynasty, there weren’t enough successful candidates in the imperial examinations. Most county magistrates were simply chosen from among the old clerks who had already been serving in those counties.”

Is it really that easy to change something ingrained since youth?

After all, corruption in the Child Examination is not easily caught. Even after submitting their written exams, candidates must go through an interview—leaving plenty of room for manipulation. So why put in all the effort to ensure fairness and justice?

Besides, even if you wanted to uphold fairness, what happens when you see other county magistrates being promoted quickly because their jurisdictions produce many scholars, while under your rule, there are elderly examinees who have failed for fifty years? When others accuse you of neglecting the literary governance of your county, can you still hold firm to your principles of fairness and justice?

Can you still turn a blind eye?

Diwu Ang finished his statement with a heavy sigh. “Maintaining integrity is truly difficult.”@@novelbin@@

Emperor Tiantong suddenly asked, “Are you talking about yourself?”

Diwu Ang’s face changed drastically.

The emperor eyed him coldly and rephrased his question, “How many county magistrates are involved?”

After a moment of hesitation, Diwu Ang replied, “I do not know about other regions, but in Henan, nearly every county is like this.”

It was the dead of night. The streets were deserted, eerily quiet.

Xu Yanmiao hurried along, too preoccupied to feel afraid—especially with the imperial guards of the Jinyiwei accompanying him.

He rushed back to the capital overnight—while the Jinyiwei rode fast horses, he continued traveling in a bamboo carriage. With the emperor’s personal decree allowing them to open the city gates, he went straight to every princess’s residence and dragged all the princesses’ consorts out of their homes.

Upon learning it was an imperial order, none of the princesses resisted. The consorts didn’t dare make a sound either, obediently stepping into the prison carts.

Next, Xu Yanmiao swiftly knocked on the doors of the Eastern Palace and relayed the emperor’s command to the crown prince, who was overseeing the state: “His Majesty orders all officials to walk on foot to the Prime Minister’s residence. That includes Your Highness.”

—Many officials hadn’t even qualified to receive an invitation to the Prime Minister’s grand birthday banquet.

The crown prince’s expression grew solemn. He bowed to Xu Yanmiao, who represented the emperor. “I obey.”

The Prime Minister’s banquet was held 131 li (about 65 kilometers) from the capital. A forced march on foot would take at least a full day and night, but no one dared to complain.

They could all sense that a storm was coming.

Meanwhile, Diwu Ang, unsure how much of his words were sincere, tried to advise the emperor: “Your Majesty, if you execute all these officials, the empire will fall into chaos.”

“Why not endure for a little longer? Once the crown prince ascends the throne, and the entire administration has been reshuffled, the Child Examination system can gradually be reformed.”

The old emperor simply said, “Enough. If you need to relieve yourself, go. If you want to eat, eat. We’ll wait for Xu Yanmiao to return.”

He completely ignored Diwu Ang.

The Central Military Commander suddenly let out a loud “Awoo!” before grabbing a spittoon and dashing behind a folding screen. A moment later, the sound of a torrential stream, accompanied by an overwhelming stench, filled the room.

Everyone: “……”

How were they supposed to eat now?

Even the emperor was momentarily stunned before he cursed with a laugh, “You wretch!”

If you had diarrhea, just say so! As if he wouldn’t have let you go relieve yourself!

Meanwhile, Diwu Ang, realizing that no one cared about him anymore, turned red with frustration but could not utter a single word.

After a full day and night, the utterly exhausted officials arrived at the Prime Minister’s residence.

The entrance had been cleaned up, and the stone lions had been replaced with two reclining ones. It looked as if nothing had ever happened.

Thus, the officials, completely unguarded, stepped right into the Prime Minister’s estate.

Then, they were startled by the knife stabbed into the table and the bloodstains in the center of the hall.

An official stammered, “Y-Y-Y-Your Majesty, w-what happened here?!”

The old emperor replied casually, “There was a case of gentry privately seizing government land. I just executed one of them at the gates of the Prime Minister’s residence yesterday.”

Many officials’ legs went weak on the spot, but their colleagues quickly propped them up, forcing them to stand straight.

—They absolutely could not afford to lose composure before the emperor!

One of the princesses’ consorts braced himself and asked, “Your Majesty, you summoned us because…?”

“Oh, someone reported that you’ve been embezzling imperial funds.”

The consorts and the newly arrived officials: What?! Who would dare do that?!

The old emperor continued indifferently, “Don’t worry. There’s a list. I’ll execute according to the names on it.”

“!!!”

What?! Who could guarantee that there were no wrongful accusations on that list?!

At that moment, Xu Yanmiao strolled in lazily from outside, then paused in confusion.

[Huh? Why is everyone looking at me?!]

[With the way they’re staring, I almost feel like they’re looking at a savior.]

—Wasn’t he exactly that?!

The newly appointed capital officials gazed at Xu Yanmiao with excitement and desperation, their faces glowing with newfound hope.

Sir Xu! Save us!

The old emperor patted the chair beside him and said, “Xu Yanmiao, come sit.”

—Talk about favoritism!

Xu Yanmiao instantly understood.

[I get it. Making me the most distinct figure in this moment clearly means he wants me to be a loyal and solitary minister! The emperor must have something important he plans to entrust to me!]

[A reasonable deduction!]

Without any change in expression, the emperor pushed him down onto the seat and shoved a large lantern into his hands. “Go play with this.”

—Stop overthinking.

Xu Yanmiao: “Huh?”

Ignoring him, the old emperor turned to the rest of the officials.

“Listen up.”

His tone was calm and relaxed.

“I’m going to investigate this to the end. Whether it’s the nobility or county magistrates across the empire, I will investigate them all.”

“I know that if I left this to you, you wouldn’t dare take responsibility. You’re afraid!”

“You’re afraid that if too many people are executed, I’ll use you as scapegoats to appease public anger in the future!”

None of the officials looked up. No one spoke. It was unclear whether they were silently agreeing or simply too afraid to respond.

The emperor didn’t care. He continued,

“It doesn’t matter. I will take responsibility!”

“I will tell you who to arrest! I will tell you how to act! You only need to carry out the orders! I will bear all the consequences!”

His eyes were as sharp as blades.

“If people curse this as a bloodthirsty massacre, I will be the first to take the blame! If history condemns this, if future generations denounce it, I will be the first to be lashed even in my grave!”

“In this matter, I am the mastermind!”

The officials of the Six Ministries all raised their heads, their eyes filled with disbelief.

—A leader who actually takes responsibility?!

“Now—”

The Emperor of Tiantong stood up decisively and commanded,

“Censors of Zhejiang Circuit, Henan Circuit, Shandong Circuit, Shanxi Circuit, Shaanxi Circuit, Huguang Circuit, Fujian Circuit, Jiangxi Circuit, Guangdong Circuit, Guangxi Circuit, Sichuan Circuit, Guizhou Circuit, and Yunnan Circuit!”

“Present!”

A total of 143 Censors responded in unison.

“You will travel to all the provincial capitals and collect data on government-owned farmland, the land holdings of retired officials, and the number of landless or land-poor households in each county.”

“Understood!” The Censors accepted the order in chorus.

“Jiang Weizhong, Li Xianqi, Wang Jianyu…” the emperor continued, “You are to go to Ganzhou, investigate the military grain supplies, cross-check official records and seals, and uncover which households are colluding with government officials!”

The Vice Ministers of the Ministry of Revenue, Ministry of Justice, and the Deputy Censor-in-Chief immediately responded, “Understood!”

“The Ministry of Personnel, from the Minister down, and the Ministry of Rites, from the Minister down—every official will audit the past years’ child scholar examinations!”

“Understood!”

—Since someone had committed crimes, they would investigate!

—They would investigate until heaven and earth were turned upside down!

The Emperor of Tiantong’s expression remained icy.

Once, in his youth, he had risen from humble beginnings, sweeping across the land to bring an end to an era of chaos. Now, he could do it again.

If executing one family wasn’t enough, he would execute ten. If killing ten thousand was too light, he would kill a hundred thousand.

He would make the world understand: in the Great Xia dynasty—at least under his reign—the principle of “too many guilty to be punished” no longer applied!

T/N: Awww, the emperor is so handsome. He’s our classic cold-on-the-outside, tsundere CEO. I absolutely adore him.