I'm a senior in high school, and the Emperor Development System has arrived!

Chen Zhou had just gotten a little carried away chatting with Jiang Xia when he turned around and saw Lu Mi standing not far away with two strawberry-flavored ice creams in her hand, grinning.

She wore a school uniform today with an extra cartoon long-sleeved shirt underneath, and pure white sneakers. She looked clean and tidy, like a meticulously decorated anime character.

Jiang Xia's voice did not continue.

She glanced at Lu Mi, wanting to say something, but ultimately swallowed her words.

Chen Zhou took the initiative to ask:

"Why are you here again?"

For a while, Lu Mi would go to the senior high school area every day when she had nothing to do.

Anyone with eyes could see that this high school goddess had fallen for Chen Zhou.

Lu Mi walked briskly to the two of them and handed the ice cream to Chen Zhou.

Here, have some ice cream.

"what?"

Chen Zhou looked completely bewildered, but still took the hand.

Lu Mi chewed on her spoon, speaking slowly and deliberately.

"I just bought it, I haven't even eaten it yet, aren't you going to give me some face?"

"alright."

Chen Zhou didn't hesitate and took a spoonful. The syrup flavor was quite strong and cloyingly sweet.

Jiang Xia stood to the side, glanced at it, and then bent down to tie her shoelaces.

Chen Zhou wasn't exactly eating his ice cream properly, but he still had to put on a show.

Although the task of dismantling the Xia Mi Alliance has long been completed, the established national policy must continue.

Otherwise, the two of them will eventually join forces and threaten Chen Zhou's rule.

Lu Mi watched him finish eating and seemed quite satisfied.

"So where are you planning to go for fun?"

"It's not decided yet."

Jiang Xia raised his chin, speaking rather perfunctorily.

Lu Mi didn't pay attention and continued speaking to herself:
"Why don't we go together? I know a nice place."

"where?"

"secret."

Lu Mi smiled:
"You will know then."

……

weekend.

At Lu Mi's strong suggestion, the group of five reunited at the school gate.

When the three of them arrived at the school gate, Li Bin and Zhou Xinglun were squatting on the steps by the roadside.

They each held several skewers of fried food in their hands, oil dripping down the bamboo skewers.

Upon seeing Chen Zhou approach, the two of them simultaneously stopped talking.

Li Bin stuffed the last bite of fried pork tenderloin into his mouth and wiped his greasy mouth:
"Elbow, you've got a good setup, all the way around you."

Stephen Chow nodded in agreement, chewing on half a skewer of chicken skin while mumbling indistinctly:

"Jiang Xia on the left, Lu Mi on the right, I'm so envious."

Chen Zhou kicked Li Bin in the knee, laughing and cursing:

"roll."

Stephen Chow pulled the chicken skewer out of his mouth and poked the ground with the skewer:

"where to play?"

Chen Zhou narrowed his eyes:

"I don't know, Lu Mi said she'd take us somewhere."

Li Bin leaned forward and chuckled:
"It might be some kind of underground secret room, the kind where you can't get out once you go in."

“I think you’re overthinking it,” Chen Zhou raised an eyebrow. “If she really had the guts, she could take me to a nightclub to dance.”

Li Bin's eyes lit up, and he slapped his thigh:

"Oh ho, I really want to see you dance."

"Get lost."

Chen Zhou pushed away his face that was leaning in.

The group chatted and laughed all the way before hailing a taxi on the roadside.

Lu Mi leaned forward and gave an address, and the driver stepped on the gas, merging the car into the traffic.

After driving for more than half an hour, the navigation kept pointing towards the suburbs, and finally stopped next to a shopping mall that looked a bit old.

On the mottled wall of the building, there is a red sign with white lettering that reads "Muchuan Immersive Script Experience Hall".

Chen Zhou pushed open the car door and got out, glancing up at the sign before frowning.
"Script-killing?"

Lu Mi got off the car from the other side, hopped over to him, and beamed with joy:

"Hmm! Immersive, fully real-life setting, perfect for people like us who are under a lot of pressure to relax."

Jiang Xia followed, leaned against the iron railing, glanced at Lu Mi, and snorted softly.
"I think you're just looking for an excuse to wear Hanfu."

Lu Mi wasn't annoyed; she spread her hands and laughed even more heartily.
"So what? Wearing Hanfu is better than having a long face all day long."

The two of them were arguing back and forth, and there was an indescribable tension in the air.

Chen Zhou didn't feel uncomfortable at all; he was already used to the way the two of them got along.

He's fine with anything as long as it's not about taking off his clothes and dancing.

The restaurant is quite spacious, and as soon as you enter, you are greeted by a blast of cool air that dispels the heat.

The floor is covered with antique-style wood-grain tiles, and a string of red lanterns hangs from the ceiling, giving it a somewhat ancient feel.

A young man in his thirties stood at the door, greeting us with a smile on his face.

"Which game would you like to play?"

Lu Mi walked to the menu board next to her and tapped it twice with her finger:
"This is 'The Dream of Chang'an,' a six-person edition."

"Okay," the young man replied, turning to walk towards the counter. "I'll prepare the notebook for you, please wait a moment."

Upon hearing that it was a six-person version, Chen Zhou's heart skipped a beat, and he turned to ask Lu Mi:
"You called for more people?"

Lu Mi nodded, a mischievous smile playing on her lips:
"Yes, it called out."

"Who?"

"Sister Qianqian."

Chen Zhou glanced down at his watch; the hands had just crossed two o'clock.

A few minutes later, a series of light footsteps could be heard at the door, and Bai Qianqian walked in from outside.

She wore a light pink dress, her hair was tied in a side ponytail, and she moved with light steps.

When she saw the people standing at the door, she paused, her eyes showing a hint of panic.

"Am I... am I too late?"

Jiang Xia turned his head to the side and didn't say anything.

Chen Zhou waved to her and greeted her with a smile.

Lu Mi beckoned to her and pulled her to his side like he was scooping up a kitten:

"Perfect timing, your arrival means we can start the game right away."

Bai Qianqian was pulled to sit down on a chair next to her. Her hands gripped the strap of her backpack, her body a little stiff. She asked softly:
"This...isn't this too scary?"

Chen Zhou sat down in the chair next to her and patted her on the shoulder:

"Don't be afraid, we're all daredevils."

The staff brought out role slips, and the six people took turns drawing them.

Chen Zhou unfolded the slip of paper in his hand, which read "Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review" and noted that he was the person in charge of the case.

Jiang Xia drew a female official, Lu Mi a female assassin, Bai Qianqian a palace maid, and Zhou Xinglun and Li Bin had "excellent" luck, drawing a pair of eunuchs.

Chen Zhou opened the script he had been given, read a few lines, and couldn't help but laugh. He then looked up and waved the script at the others:

"This setting is pure cliché."

The script tells the story of an assassination attempt on the emperor, with six characters all suspected. They must find clues at the scene, clear their names, and ultimately uncover the real culprit.

Before going in, he changed into a Hanfu. Chen Zhou's black robe made him look like a member of the Imperial Guard.

Lu Mi rolled her eyes and commented:

"Senior, you look like an assassin in that outfit."

Jiang Xia said coldly:
"Just by looking at his attire, you can tell he's either a treacherous official or a lackey."

Chen Zhou smiled and didn't argue. Everyone entered.

As I pushed open the carved wooden door, a scent mixed with sandalwood and dust wafted out.

The lights dimmed abruptly, leaving only a few antique-style palace lanterns hanging overhead, their dim yellow glow barely outlining the room's contours.

A carved canopy bed leans against the wall, bronze candlesticks sit on a table, and several terracotta figurines even stand on a display shelf in the corner, their glaze gleaming coldly in the shadows.

"Wow—this place is awesome."

Li Bin had just stepped inside when he tripped over the carpet. Looking down, he saw a thick velvet carpet embroidered with cloud patterns.

"It has a much better atmosphere than our school's shabby auditorium."

Stephen Chow was fiddling with his gray eunuch robe when he heard this and kicked him:
"Shut up, or you'll alert the 'holy entourage'."

As soon as he finished speaking, there was a sudden creaking sound above their heads. Everyone looked up sharply and saw that the gauze curtains hanging on the roof beams were being blown about by some wind, resembling the White Impermanence, a figure from traditional Chinese opera, who was said to be a vengeful spirit.

Bai Qianqian shrank back to Chen Zhou in fright, her fingertips gripping the hem of her skirt until they turned white.

"What...what was that just now?"

Chen Zhou patted her on the back, his gaze sweeping over their surroundings:

"Just a prop."

He glanced down at the script in his hand; the identity plaque of the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review felt cool in his palm.

"According to the clues, the emperor was assassinated in this palace last night, and the murder weapon was a poisoned dagger."

Before she could finish speaking, Lu Mi suddenly chuckled. Her dark red assassin outfit accentuated her slender waist, and she was toying with a brass token in her hand.
"A dagger? Who told you the murder weapon had to be a dagger?"

She took two steps toward the canopy bed, bent down, and pulled a wooden box from under the bed:

"Hey, what's this?"

The moment the box was opened, a fishy smell wafted out—

Inside was half a hairpin stained with black blood, the pearl at the tip of the hairpin missing a corner, making it look particularly gruesome.

Jiang Xia stepped forward with a frown. She was dressed in a dark blue female official's robe with embroidered vine patterns on the cuffs, giving her a rather aloof air.
"This hairpin belongs to Consort Shu. The script describes her as having a long-standing feud with the emperor."

She reached out to touch it, but Chen Zhou stopped her.

"do not move."

Chen Zhou pointed to the edge of the hairpin:

"There are marks here, like it was rubbed by something."

He turned to look at Bai Qianqian, who was huddled in the corner:
"Sister palace maid, did you see Consort Shu come in while you were keeping watch outside the palace last night?"

Bai Qianqian panicked under his gaze, and almost wrung out the handkerchief in her hand:

“I...I saw it...but she only stayed for a moment and then left, carrying a food box in her hand…”

"A food box?"

Li Bin suddenly leaned closer, his eunuch's hat askew to one side:
"I just felt an empty food box under the table, embroidered with a phoenix, is this it?"

As he spoke, he pulled a gilded food box from under the table, the inside of the lid still stained with dark red powder.

Stephen Chow suddenly exclaimed "Ah!" and pointed at the antique shelf:
"Look at those terracotta figures!"

Everyone looked over and saw that the civil official figurine on the top floor was holding a small ball of paper in its hand.

Chen Zhou moved a chair, stepped on it, took down the crumpled paper, and unfolded it—on it was written a line of words in vermilion:

"At three-quarters past midnight, there was a breeze through the west window."

"The time of the assassination was three quarters past midnight."

Jiang Xia stroked his chin and analyzed:

"West window..."

She turned and walked to the west window, pushed it open, and it creaked open, revealing a narrow corridor outside.

"The murderer might have come in from here."

Lu Mi suddenly burst out laughing, leaning against the bedpost and swinging her legs:
"Sister's analysis is very logical, but you were in the palace last night, weren't you? The script says you were grinding ink for the emperor until midnight, isn't it?"

What's wrong with me grinding ink?

Jiang Xia raised an eyebrow:

"It's better than some people sneaking in at night with a dagger."

The two were exchanging words, and it looked like they were about to start arguing, when Chen Zhou suddenly squatted down and stared at an inconspicuous crease on the carpet:
"There's blood here."

He reached out and lifted the carpet, revealing a faint footprint on the floor beneath, its edges dusted with silver powder.
"This silver powder... looks like it fell off your token."

He looked up at Lu Mi.

Lu Mi's smile froze for a moment, then returned to normal:
"Just a coincidence."

"coincide?"

Chen Zhou stood up and took something out of his pocket—the half-finished silk thread he had found under the candlestick earlier:

"This thread is exactly the same as the embroidery on your cuffs. And you said the murder weapon wasn't a dagger, yet you knew about the existence of one. Isn't that strange?"

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd:
"The hairpin of Consort Shu was a decoy, and the black blood was cinnabar mixed with ink. The powder in the food box was a sleeping potion, but it was not used because the emperor was not drugged at all."

He pointed to the west window:
"At the third quarter of midnight, a gust of wind blew in. The murderer entered through the window and stabbed the emperor with a poisoned dagger, but accidentally snagged his sleeve on a nail on the windowsill, leaving a thread. When he fled, he stepped on the carpet stained with silver powder, leaving footprints."

He walked step by step toward Lu Mi:

"And you, assassin sister, your script says you're 'skilled at scaling walls and leaping across rooftops, with hidden patterns embroidered on your cuffs,' doesn't it?"

Lu Mi opened her mouth, then slumped her shoulders in dejection.

"Alright, alright, you figured it out! I originally wanted to frame Consort Shu, but who knew you'd take it so seriously!"

Bai Qianqian covered her mouth and gasped softly, while Li Bin and Zhou Xinglun slapped their thighs and laughed.
"So it really was you! And you even managed to act so convincingly!"

Jiang Xia snorted, but a smile secretly crept onto her lips:

"You're awesome."

Chen Zhou smiled and was about to say something when the palace lantern above his head suddenly went out with a "snap," plunging the room into darkness.

Immediately afterwards, a soft "click" came from the corner of the wall, as if something had moved.

"Holy crap! What the hell is that?"

Li Bin was so frightened that he hugged Zhou Xinglun.

In the darkness, Bai Qianqian's voice trembled with tears:

"Chen Zhou..."

"Don't be afraid."

Chen Zhou groped for her hand and was about to speak when he heard Lu Mi's laughter in the darkness:
"Don't rush to end here, there's a hidden plot point—the killer had an accomplice!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a lamp suddenly turned on, illuminating the antique display shelf in the corner.

Behind the lowest layer of terracotta figures, half a piece of paper was visible, which read:

"The eunuch Xiao Li once guided the assassin."

Li Bin: "???"

Stephen Chow: "Hahaha! I knew you were up to no good!"

Chen Zhou clapped his hands, stood up, and stretched.

"It's over. Let's go eat. I'm hungry."

It was almost dark when the five of them left the room.

The neon lights outside had just come on, and a gust of wind made it a bit chilly.

Jiang Xia pulled Chen Zhou's arm and walked forward. Bai Qianqian asked him softly:

"What...what do you want to eat?"

Just as Chen Zhou was about to say "anything is fine," Lu Mi's voice came from the front.

"Would you like to try the newly opened Japanese restaurant around here? I heard they have seared beef tongue."

Li Bin and Zhou Xinglun came up from behind:

"I'll do anything if someone asks!"

Chen Zhou glanced back at the group of people.

Then he raised his hand and smiled like a domineering CEO.

"I'll take this meal."

For two months, he persisted in using "Golden Legend" to find gold in the stock market every trading day.

Losses are small, profits are large.

There are now three or four million in the account.

With a large sum of cash at his disposal, Chen Zhou exuded confidence from the inside out.

The true colors of the rich.jpg
A group of people chatted and laughed as they walked towards the restaurant, their shadows stretching long on the ground. (End of Chapter)