ctnovel Chapter 2 The Great Liang Dynasty and the Great Liang Dynasty
Chapter 2 The Great Liang Dynasty and the Great Liang Dynasty
When Gu Xiaoxiao regained consciousness, she felt as if her body was filled with lead, and her limbs and bones were filled with an indescribable soreness and stiffness.
This heaviness did not come from physical exhaustion, but from a sense of disharmony between the soul and the body, as if she were an outsider who had forcibly squeezed into a container that did not belong to her.
At the same time, what lingered around the nose was no longer the slightly polluted air in the rented room, but a... indescribable aroma of incense.
Gu Xiaoxiao struggled to lift her heavy eyelids, and her vision gradually cleared from blurry.
Instead of the familiar, dim ceiling light with a slightly faulty bulb, what came into view was a bright yellow gauze curtain embroidered with intricate cloud patterns.
"His Majesty is awake! His Majesty is awake!" A low exclamation filled with surprise and trembling rang out, breaking the silence in the room.
Gu Xiaoxiao suddenly turned her head, and a slight "click" sound came from her neck.
Then, an old woman dressed in a magnificent palace gown, with her hair piled high and adorned with jewels, came into Gu Xiaoxiao's view.
At this moment, her well-maintained face was filled with genuine concern, but deep within that concern, there seemed to be a subtle, almost imperceptible scrutiny.
Before Gu Xiaoxiao could figure out the identity of the person in front of her, the cold, emotionless, mechanical synthesized voice in her mind rang out again:
[Deployment complete!]
[The host has successfully entered a parallel world—the Great Liang Dynasty!]
[Identity confirmed: Emperor Yongchang of the Great Liang Dynasty!]
[Current Timeline—The seventh emperor of the Great Liang Dynasty has just ascended the throne. At this time, the dynasty is at its peak, with peace and prosperity throughout the land. However, this prosperity is accompanied by powerful enemies on all sides and powerful ministers on all sides hindering its progress. Beneath the surface of this golden age, undercurrents are surging!]
…………
The cold, inaudible notification tone abruptly ended there.
Immediately afterwards, a massive torrent of information, accompanied by a sharp, stinging pain, was forcibly poured into Gu Xiaoxiao's brain—the memories of the original owner of this body—the memories of a young emperor who was born in the deep palace, raised by women, but was pushed onto the throne after the death of the previous emperor, and lived in constant fear and trepidation!
"Your Majesty..."
The old woman, who was also the Empress Dowager of the Great Liang Dynasty, seemed to want to say something comforting, but Gu Xiaoxiao raised her hand and made a gesture to stop her.
She needs time to process this absurd yet terrifyingly real reality.
She, Gu Xiaoxiao, an ordinary woman in the 21st century, a female warrior who shouts for women's rights online and firmly believes that "Wu Zetian's greatness equals women's greatness," has actually become the emperor of a feudal dynasty.
Moreover, she took over a dynasty that was already approaching its peak!
"Empress Dowager..." Having finally finished sorting through the original owner's memories, Gu Xiaoxiao, barely suppressing the turmoil in her heart, spoke in a slightly hoarse voice, "I...I'm just a little tired...Is there any urgent matter in court?"
Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager visibly breathed a sigh of relief, and her tense shoulders relaxed slightly.
Then, the Empress Dowager replied gently, "Your Majesty should rest and recuperate. Several regents are handling important matters of state, and we would never dare to disturb Your Majesty!"
"The regent..." Gu Xiaoxiao silently pondered these words in her heart, but a faint, cold smile curled at the corner of her lips.
According to the system's prompts, these so-called "regent ministers" should be the powerful ministers who have usurped her power!
"These regents are probably using the guise of assisting the emperor to wield absolute power, turning the original person into a mere puppet in order to maintain their grip on the reins of government!"
"But... this is for the best!"
"If the road ahead is always smooth, how can I demonstrate my abilities?"
"If we don't go through a fierce battle, how can we prove to that guy with the ID 'A Gentleman Like Jade, Unparalleled in the World' that women are capable of governing a country?"
At this moment, Gu Xiaoxiao's mind was racing.
"If I want to truly grasp power in this country, it is definitely not enough for me to do it alone."
"I need more allies who share the same beliefs and abilities! And in this era, the most reliable allies are women like me!"
"But you have to eat one bite at a time, and walk one step at a time."
"If I were to voice the radical idea of 'women in power, men stepping down' today, those deeply entrenched male beneficiaries would surely rise up against me. Not only would my plan fail, but I myself might also face utter ruin!"
"Therefore... in order to ensure the smooth implementation of my policies, I must be sufficiently secretive and secure... that is, I need to find more like-minded individuals with 'power'! Or rather, I need to cultivate more like-minded individuals with 'power'!"
"As the saying goes, 'Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun'... For an emperor, the primary task is to control the military!"
"After all, the army is the strongest backing for imperial power!"
"In that case, I might as well select a few women from the palace who are of humble origin, trustworthy, and have potential, secretly train them, and place them in the army to command troops for me, thus building a force that is absolutely loyal to me!"
"Wu Zetian had the exceptionally talented and resourceful Shangguan Wan'er by her side, so why can't I find a similar person, or even cultivate my own 'female general' to help me control the army and consolidate my rule?"
…………
Having this thought in mind, Gu Xiaoxiao immediately began to sift through her memories for women she believed were suitable to take charge of the army.
……
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Meanwhile, to the east, across the sea from the Great Liang Dynasty, lies the Great Liang Dynasty!
Xiao Qingkuang, also known online as "A Gentleman Like Jade, Unparalleled in the World," was lying on the dragon bed with a slightly dazed look in his eyes.
At this moment, Xiao Qingkuang's mind was replaying the mechanical voice that had inexplicably appeared in his head earlier:
[System notification: Your current debate opponent, "#Gu Xiaoxiao#", has been deemed to have met the conditions to start the "Gender and Dominance" debate due to her strong dissatisfaction with the existing social structure and extreme confidence in her own abilities!]
Her firm belief that "women are inherently more suited than men to be emperors" will have the opportunity to be proven in the real historical context!
[You are currently engaged in a heated debate with this person, and you have been matched as their opponent!]
[Next, you and she will be placed into two completely identical parallel feudal dynasties, and become the emperors of those dynasties!]
Mission objective: Defeat your opponent within thirty years!
If the mission fails, you will be permanently erased; if the mission succeeds... you will gain the "authority" to rewrite the underlying rules of the real world!
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