Chapter 1: Filial piety from father to son—have I, a black-hearted capitalist, transmigrated?

"You beast! You dare to tear down the Emperor's imperial edict calling for talent? Get down here this instant and face your death!"

A roar filled with murderous intent echoed in his ears. Gao Yang woke up groggily, feeling as if his head were splitting apart.

Tearing down an imperial edict?

Hadn't he just set up a scheme, harvested millions of dollars from a few foreigners, and then called over a few blonde girls, preparing to bring glory to his country in the hotel?

Gao Yang opened his eyes instinctively, and everything around him came into view.

He had actually climbed onto a courtyard wall, his entire body sprawled horizontally across it.

Below, in the elegant, antique-style courtyard, a group of people stood under the wall, calling out one after another for the Young Master to stay calm and not be impulsive.

Several maidservants held out their hands, ready to catch Gao Yang at any moment.

The middle-aged man in the lead, possessing a natural air of authority, was glaring at him as if he wanted to eat him alive!

"You beast, I will give you three breaths of time. Do not continue to make a spectacle of yourself up there."

Gao Yang was instantly annoyed.

This middle-aged man looked quite dignified, but he really thought too highly of himself. Calling him a beast in every breath—did he really think he was his father?

As a ruthless, black-hearted capitalist of the twenty-first century, a man who made countless foreigners tremble at the mere mention of his name, could he, Gao Yang, endure this?

Besides, the enemy was below and he was above. In a society ruled by law, what was there to fear?

Thus, Gao Yang spoke up directly, "Old geezer, stop spewing filth from your mouth. Is 'beast' something you can just call me?"

Once these words were spoken.

All the servants of the Duke Prefecture were stunned.

"He's gone mad, the Eldest Young Master must have gone mad to dare speak to the Master like that!"

Not far away, a middle-aged lady, graceful and still possessing her charm, stood there.

Upon hearing Gao Yang's words, she instinctively loosened her grip, and a fine jade ruyi fell to the ground, emitting a crisp shattering sound.

Yet she seemed not to hear it, her expression one of astonishment.

The middle-aged man widened his eyes, his whole body trembling with rage, as if on the verge of an explosion.

"You beast, you dare speak to your father like that?"

Gao Yang blurted out, "You're my father? I could just as well say I'm your father!"

Once these words were out.

"What?"

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged man's body shook violently.

His lips turned white with rage, and he roared, "Someone, bring me a long ladder and my broadsword! Rather than letting this beast offend His Majesty and implicate the entire Gao family, I would rather clean up the house myself and then beg for mercy from Her Majesty the Empress!"

Following this roar that echoed throughout the entire Duke Prefecture.

Several servants clad in armor quickly brought over a long ladder, and along with it, handed over a broadsword that radiated a cold light.

Holy crap!

What was going on?

He could tell at a glance that this sword was real!

Looking to the side, he saw a grand and majestic mansion, a simple and elegant courtyard.

Oh no.

Had he transmigrated?

Just then, Gao Yang felt a massive pain in his brain, as if a vast amount of memory had been added to his mind.

The next instant.

He opened his eyes, filled with deep shock.

Oh no!

He really had transmigrated!

This was not a society ruled by law, but the Da Qian Dynasty, which had never existed in history.

The middle-aged man before him was his father, Gao Feng, a Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue of Da Qian, a Senior Third Rank official!

His grandfather, Gao Tianlong, was even a veteran of three reigns of Da Qian and the number one figure in the military.

Through his memories, Gao Yang understood everything.

Two months ago, the Empress Wu Zhao ascended the throne, becoming the unprecedented Empress of the Da Qian Dynasty!

But the current Da Qian was plagued by treacherous officials in power, separatist princes, and the Xiongnu eyeing them from the outside!

The Empress had great ambitions, determined to sweep away the chaotic times and create a foundation for Da Qian that would last ten thousand years!

A month ago, the Empress issued an edict seeking talent, posting imperial notices to call for heroes from all over the world, thirsting for strategies to strengthen the nation!

The Empress specifically emphasized that extraordinary merit requires extraordinary people; as long as one had world-shaking talent, regardless of status, one could enter the court as an official.

As it turned out, the original owner, the biggest playboy in the capital who was proficient in eating, drinking, whoring, and gambling, had inexplicably torn down the imperial notice!

This made Gao Feng instantly furious, deeply feeling that it was a misfortune for the family.

This was because, according to the Empress's edict, anyone who tore down the imperial notice would be summoned to the Jin Luandian; those with talent would be heavily valued, but those seeking fame and reputation would be punished with thirty strokes of the cane!

In serious cases, they would be charged with the crime of deceiving the Emperor!

Then, upon learning the news, Gao Feng had grabbed a stick and chased Gao Yang all over the courtyard.

Gao Yang had used his hands and feet to climb onto the courtyard wall.

In a dignified Duke Prefecture, one didn't fear descendants being playboys; one feared a playboy who didn't know he was one and wanted to prove himself by establishing heaven-sized merit!

In Gao Feng's heart, Gao Yang was exactly that kind of playboy.

Thump.

Upon learning everything, Gao Yang panicked.

He looked at Gao Feng below, and seeing Gao Feng take the broadsword, that murderous intent was exceptionally clear.

Cold sweat instantly broke out on Gao Yang's forehead.

Just as he was pondering how to escape, a roar rang out.

"Gao Feng, you dare!"

Lady Li, like a mother hen protecting her chick, quickly blocked Gao Feng's path, "Even a tiger doesn't eat its own cubs. If you want to kill Yang'er, kill me first."

Lady Li, the eldest daughter of the Li family of the Five Surnames and Seven Clans, Gao Yang's biological mother, managed all the affairs of the Duke Prefecture.

"Move aside! This beast has already gone mad. If he reaches the Jin Luandian, who knows what kind of trouble he'll stir up!"

Gao Feng said, pointing angrily at Gao Yang: "This beast not only caused a great disaster, but he also climbed onto the wall and spouted wild words, refusing to bow his head in the slightest. How can I tolerate him?!"

But the next second, Gao Yang quickly climbed down using his hands and feet.

He smoothed out the wrinkles in his clothes and bowed respectfully to Gao Feng, "Your son Gao Yang greets Father."

"Actually, your son tore down the imperial notice because I wanted to establish merit and restore the century-old glory of our Gao family, not out of impulse."

Gao Feng: "..."

This beast of a son, he bowed his head so quickly, it made him feel somewhat unaccustomed.

Gao Feng said expressionlessly, "When you were seventeen, a poem about reed flowers—'One piece, two pieces, three or four pieces; four pieces, five pieces, six or seven pieces'—made our Gao family the laughingstock of the people of Changancheng after their tea and meals. Do you remember?"

Memories flooded in; that time, Gao Feng and Gao Tianlong, father and son, had given him a mixed beating, and it seemed he had been bedridden for a whole month.

Before he could speak, Gao Feng continued, "When you were eighteen, your poem 'Looking at the big rock up close, looking at the rock big from afar' once again put our Gao family in the spotlight, a disgrace to the literary world."

"Now you are nineteen, and you tore down the Empress's edict seeking talent. Do you know that this act will put our entire Gao family in the spotlight?"

As Gao Feng spoke, the hand holding the broadsword moved.

Gao Yang understood that if he didn't give Gao Feng a reasonable explanation, he would definitely be in for a brutal beating.

"Things have reached this point, Father, even if you beat your son to death, it will be of no use."

"The current Empress has just ascended the throne and is thirsting for talent. Your son tore down the imperial notice and became the target of public criticism in Changancheng. If Father strictly obstructs me, to put it mildly, it is disrespectful to the Empress; to put it seriously, it could be charged as the crime of deceiving the Emperor!"

Gao Feng's pupils shrank, and he looked at Gao Yang with some shock.

This sentence hit his weak spot exactly.

With a new Emperor on the throne, it was a time of many events. Gao Yang tearing down the imperial notice had likely already reached the palace. If he obstructed it, he would definitely be impeached by someone!

But this beast of a son, when did he become so sharp-tongued?