Studying the Art of Manipulation Among Powerful Ministers

Zou Qingxu, a current affairs streamer on the Slowstep app, died suddenly after staying up all night. When he woke up, he had transmigrated into the body of a low-ranking Hanlin Academy official from a book.

The official shared his name, and his whole family had been framed by a treacherous minister. He alone had survived by sheer luck. He studied hard, entered the court as an official, and, full of righteous fervor, submitted a memorial impeaching powerful men without fear. As expected, they targeted him, and he died unjustly.

Zou Qingxu trembled with fear. How could a nobody dare impeach a whole group of grand secretaries? Couldn’t they all just love & peace?

To avoid dying in the first three chapters, Zou Qingxu decided to defy fate. He would make himself pliable, stay out of trouble amid the murky, delicate political climate, and quietly keep his head down, harmless as a lamb.

He immediately tore up the impeachment memorial.

*

Later, the court was in utter chaos. A vice minister was impeached, a minister was exiled, corrupt officials were beheaded, the empress dowager was confined, and one bigwig after another fell from power. In the blink of an eye, Emperor Rongqing looked to his left and right and saw that all the officials who used to fight tooth and nail around him were gone, having departed in perfect peace...

It turned out that a certain master of Machiavellian scheming had been enthusiastically pointing fingers from behind the scenes...

*

Zou Qingxu painstakingly cleared away every obstacle on his path to revenge, including Shen Shizhao, a powerful minister who had once held sway over the court and called a traitor his father. Yet Shen Shizhao had treated him well and helped him out on several occasions.

Zou Qingxu: Damn, how shameless. There’s no bottom to this factional struggle. Don’t tell me he’s going to use a seduction scheme!

He stayed as steady as an old dog, but then Shen Shizhao saved his life yet again, becoming his lifesaver.

Zou Qingxu: ?? What exactly are you after? Do you know you’re slowing down my draw?

[Reading Guide]

1. Aloof, violent grand treacherous minister X righteous official who is a wolf in sheep’s clothing

2. A kaleidoscope of powerful ministers, a sprawling ensemble brawl. The court is like the jianghu, full of flashing blades and deadly moves.

3. Set in an alternate world. A lighter court-politics story. Please add it to your collection~

Theme: Evil cannot overcome righteousness, and darkness cannot hide the light.