Being a Treacherous Official Is Hard

Bai Qingxiang transmigrated into a book. His mission is to be a treacherous courtier: stir up trouble, exaggerate things, and make the volatile tyrant he serves lose his kingdom as soon as possible, helping the chosen one ascend the throne.

The System was rushing off to its next assignment and had no time to train him, so it simply asked whether he knew how to be a treacherous courtier. Bai Qingxiang confidently replied, "I get it. I just have to flatter and fawn over him, right? Go take care of your business. Leave this to me."

He couldn't be an upright, incorruptible minister, but how hard could it be to be a bootlicker?

And so, from that day on, the little flatterer got to work.

The tyrant had just taken the throne and wanted to build a palace. He was willing to empty the treasury to do it, stirring up public outrage. The ministers pleaded with him to no avail.

Bai Qingxiang merely smiled. "Your Majesty is wise! The treasury is empty, so why not follow the previous dynasty's example and raise taxes? We could start by multiplying them tenfold. And if we lack laborers, why not summon all the soldiers stationed at the border? What's so difficult about that? Even if a million corpses litter the ground and the realm crumbles, nothing matters more than making Your Majesty happy."

The ministers fell silent. The tyrant, meanwhile, gave Bai Qingxiang a long look.

"Enough. We'll discuss this another time."

The tyrant, an extremist himself, suspects you may be a little too extreme.

Bai Qingxiang: ?

Wasn't I flattering him enough?

Another day, the tyrant became obsessed with war. Before the country had even recovered, he was already thinking of seizing farm tools to forge weapons and personally leading an expedition.

Once again, the ministers pleaded with him to no avail.

Bai Qingxiang pressed on, becoming ever more obsequious. "What courage, Your Majesty! If you personally lead this expedition, you will surely surpass King Zhou of Shang's legendary feat of capturing countless millions of Yi people, and your name will go down in history! Historian, why haven't you written down every word Your Majesty said? Let future generations admire His Majesty's courage! ..."

Tyrant: "Excellent! Excellent, Bai Qingxiang!"

Bai Qingxiang: (proud)

Much later, when the tyrant had become a wise ruler praised by all, Bai Qingxiang happened to hear what people said about him.

Wait, when had he started saying one thing and meaning another, praising the tyrant on the surface while criticizing him underneath? The first upright and incorruptible remonstrating minister? Were they talking about him? No! They must mean the greatest traitorous courtier.

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One day, the tyrant proposed a grand search for consorts and the establishment of an empress. Bai Qingxiang instinctively started to flatter him.

"As the saying goes, a hero deserves a beauty. Your Majesty is so wise and mighty that only the most beautiful woman in the land could be worthy of you..."

Before he could finish, the tyrant cut in, ready with a reply. "I have the same thought. But in My view, the title of the most beautiful person in the land belongs to none other than Bai Qing."

Bai Qingxiang: What?

Please note:

1. Tyrant top x sharp-tongued, two-faced treacherous courtier bottom. One-on-one, happy ending, each other's first love.

2. The title and blurb are subject to revision.

Scheduled release: November 15, 2025 (archived)

Theme: Haven't thought of one yet