I gazed upon those who stood in front of me.
Old men, dressed in green robes of high officials, yet their cowardly appearance truly disgusted me.
And the worst of them all…
“Your majesty, I hope you shall take into consideration the late emperor’s death and complete the mourning ritual of three years.”
…Stood right by my side.
How foolish my father was! To trust these dickless bastards?
Yet these fellows whose balls no longer exist somehow stood tall and proud in my presence.
“I did consider my father’s death.”
“So-“ before he could speak, I interrupted him.
“And I’ve decided to give him the greatest gift of filial piety I could!”
The chief eunuch looked surprised. His face betrayed a sense of confusion most wouldn’t have at my words, likely due to the fact that he was confused as to their meaning.
“Zhang Chun, for how many years have you served the dragon throne?” I questioned him.
“Your majesty, this unworthy servant has served for thirty years under the previous emperor,” he said confusedly.
Hmm…at least he knows he is unworthy! With a cold gaze, I scoured the high officials and the eunuchs who were in my presence.
I doubt he couldn’t figure out what my great act of filial piety shall be if similar things happened in the past, but it was most likely too unexpected for him to figure it out.
“Tell me, Zhang Chun,” I said as my hand shot out and grabbed his neck,” do you know your crimes?”
“Your majesty-“ my hand tightened onto his neck as I looked at him.
My cold gaze caused his eyes to go wide, and he trembled.
“Heh,” I laughed,” how come a coward like you was able to control the court for the thirty or so years you apparently served eludes me.”
My hand tightened.
“Zhang Chun, the boundaries of superiors and inferiors must be clear!” I roared, scaring the high officials into prostrating,” You, a mere slave, dared manipulate the son of heaven!”
“Your majesty,” some other eunuch intervened,” have mercy!”
Oh? A mere slave dares ask me to pardon a criminal? Did they truly think that they could command this emperor if the previous one was raised by them?
I had my own personality since birth! And they think that they could manipulate me into their puppet?
“Zhang Chun, considering it has been merely three days since my father died,” I said coldly,” I shall give you a quick death.”
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“Your majesty!” the eunuch screamed as I crushed Zhang Chun’s throat.
“Today, as an act of filial piety to my father I shall purge the court of eunuchs!” I roared as I gazed upon the high ministers,” Now, either summon the guards or I shall kill them all by my hand.”
The act of mental deficiency for the guards to not dare enter the upper court without getting summoned was not my fault, yet it was the problem I had to deal with.
After all, since I sit on the dragon throne I must bear its burdens!
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The Great Yin dynasty, a mighty empire…at least it used to be.
In the four hundred years since its establishment, the county experienced many political turmoils, and I, a foreigner to this world, shall have to deal with this one.
A country divided by warlords, though the emperor is still somewhat respected.
I shall use that to rule, to reform.
The court plagued by useless ministers and corrupt eunuchs, though also with suppressed men of talent and imprisoned reformists!
It has been some minutes since I let the eunuchs get massacred. I have no wife, but my maternal clan, the Jia, shall be of some help, though I need to build my own base of power, lest they take control of the country upon my death.
Hmm…
I suppose that the Grand Chancellor could be released from prison and reinstated. From what I know, if the man has not killed himself yet, he is a talented loyalist of the state.
“My first decree as the Emperor shall be that of an amnesty! Those suppressed by the eunuchs and sent to prison shall be released.”
My decree, though not yet officially regulated, prompted many of them to show signs of shock, but soon, some ministers showed signs of relief and many cried out various praises.
“Your Majesty is benevolent and wise!”
“Your Majesty is a righteous monarch!”
“Dare I say that not even the sage kings of yore were as intelligent and benevolent as Your Majesty!”
“Your Majesty rooted out the poison hiding in the court, those treacherous snakes daring to gaze at the dragon throne!”
Though it is nice to receive flattery, it is the flatterers who poison the state. After all, though sweet words may be sweet, they are a poison to the mind and the soul!
I faked a cough as I looked at them…
“Is your majesty all right?”
“Your majesty must take care of your majesty’s dragon body!”
“No need to flatter me, I wish to proceed with the reports for today,” I said.
Under my gaze they looked at each other before I decided to specify.
“Where is the acting Chancellor?”
They hesitated, before one spoke.
“Your majesty, the position of the Chancellor has long been abolished!”
This…This will be hard.
Had I known that I would become the emperor, I wouldn’t have focused so thoroughly on martial arts…
But I was born with such overwhelming strength that I always believed it would be a waste to not exercise my body to the point of lifting a great bronze cauldron.
And I thought some other extended clansmen of mine would take the throne…
“Today shall be a long day…” I muttered quietly by accident.
“Such auspicious words!”
“Indeed! Today shall be a long day, and his majesty’s reign shall be infinitely longer!”
I wish to commit violence. This somehow feels comic, while I am in no position to live out a comedy!
This empire is a shell of its former self, and while warlords rule the countryside, and the landed gentry exploits the populace, I am here with incompetent ministers who seem to only know how to flatter!
Not only do I want to commit violence, I will commit violence!
“Ministers, we might have patience, but it is a time of peril. Do not use your brains to think of flattery, but think of your status as servants of the throne, as civil officials who assist me in governing all under heaven!”
Hopefully, my words haven’t fallen on deaf ears, as I looked upon them.
Old men. How many of them could have been ambitious youths, wishing to aid the court in repelling the warlords, punishing the rebels, and such things.
Yet all of them only learned to fight each other and flatter! It makes my heart wince at such destruction of characters, such degradation of intelligent beings!
But now they are elderly men, lacking in vigor of thought and action! I will need to change that for this state to prosper!
“Now, amongst the three dukes, is only the Grand Chancellor defunct?”
A man looked hesitant to speak…
That is not a good sign.
“Your majesty, none of the three dukes have an officer holding the post…”
Good! Zhang Shun, truly magnificent! I gave you too merciful of a death! I will hang your corpse in the middle of the capital! May your soul never find peace!