Chapter 1: Imprisoned
Great Feng Jing’Zhao Prefecture, Prison.
Xu Qi‘An came to consciousness and smelt the moist rotten
stench in the air, it made him felt discomfort and his stomach churned.
‘What’s with this
overwhelming stench, did Er’Ha from home crapped on the bed again…. Judging by
the stench it probably did the business on top of my head…’
Xu Qi’An kept a husky in his home, commonly referred to as
Er’Ha[1].
After being away from home for a decade—all by his lonesome, he can’t help
but to alleviate his loneliness by getting himself a loyal companion. In order
to satisfy his needs… not physically…
When he opened his eyes, he looked around the surroundings
and felt stunned.
Cobblestone walls, and three windows the size of a bowl. He
was lying on top of a chilly, rotten grass-weaved mat. Sunlight through the
narrow window opening made its way onto his chest; dust floating around the air
under illumination of the flicker of light.
‘Where am I?’
Xu Qi’An was lost in thought as he contemplated his existence,
then he actually started questioning his existence.
‘I transmigrated…’
Memories like a tidal wave ravaged his mind, not giving him
any opportunity to react before forcing its way into his brain. They moved
quick.
Xu Qi’An, style named[2]
Ning’Yan, A constable under the jurisdiction of Great Feng Empire, Jing’Zhao
Prefecture, Chang’Le County’s County Office. His monthly salary was 2 taels of
silver and 1 stone of rice.
His father was an old grunt, who perished during the ‘War of
Mountains and Seas’ 19 years ago. Afterwards, his mother also died from disease…
Thinking of it, he felt a little relieved.
As many would expect, people with both deceased parents are usually
not the typical person.
“Can’t believe I transmigrated, and still can’t escape the
fate of being a cop?” Xu Qi’An felt slightly irritated.
He was a police academy graduate at his past life, who had successfully
entered the ‘system’ and got himself a stable career.
Although he followed the path that his parents had chose for
him, his heart felt discontented working as the people’s servant.
He preferred the untethered, free, and materialistic
lifestyle. Living just like what Ji Xian’Lin[3] quoted
in his diary.
Thus, he abruptly quit his job and started doing business
away from his hometown.
“But why am I stuck in jail?”
He tried hard digesting the memories he received and soon
came to realize his current predicament.
Xu Qi’An was raised by his second uncle since young. As he
practiced martial arts all around, it took well over 100 taels of silver to
keep him fed for a year. Hence the aunt disliked him.
After reaching the peak of his martial ability at 18 years
old, the progress stalled. Under the constant stress caused by his aunt, he moved
out of the house and lived alone.
Utilizing connections provided by his uncle, he got himself
a gig working as a constable in the county office. Life was decent, but who
would’ve thought…
Three days ago, his uncle who worked in the imperial guards
as the seventh-grade official was to escort a batch of tax silver to the
revenue office. An accident happened halfway and he lost the tax silver.
A total 15,000 taels of white silver.
The imperial court was shaken. The emperor raged and thus
decreed personally: Xu Ping’Zhi (Second uncle) was to be beheaded after 5 days;
Three consanguineous generations[4] of
his family were to be apprehended—the males are exiled to the border; females
were to be sent to the Royal Arts Division[5].
As Xu Ping’Zhi’s nephew, he was relieved of duty and sent to
Jing’Zhao precinct prison.
Two days!
In another two days, he would be exiled to the barren,
horrible landscape that is the frontier. Where the remainder of his life would
be spent doing hard labor.
“Game starts at hell difficulty straight away…” Xu Qi’An
trembled. He felt chills travelling deep inside his bones.
This world was currently under feudal rule, there was no
such thing as ‘human rights’. And what could the frontiers be?
Desolate place with terrible weather. Most felons who were
exiled to the frontier could not survive for 10 years; even more of them will face
numerous threats like accidents and disease in transit to their destination, then
they die.
Thinking of the grim prospects, Xu Qi’An was startled and
felt chills running all over his body.
“System?”
After a moment of silence, his tentative sound rang within
the silent cell.
The system does not react to him.
“System… Daddy System, come out please.” His voice was
flustered.
Silence.
‘No system, actually doesn’t
exist!’
This means that he had almost no way to fix his current
predicament. Two days later, he would be cuffed and shackled—and sent to the
frontier. Based on his current physical state, at least he would not die during
the on the way.
Regardless, that is no good. He would live a life of being a
tool, abused and battered through hard labor—and finally expire…
‘Scary, too scary!’
Xu Qi’An had fond ideals of transmigrating to the ancient
times, but they now were popped like bubbles. All that remains was anxiety and
fear.
“I must find a way to save myself, I can’t just get clapped
like this.”
Xu Qi’An walked in circles within the narrow cell, like ants
on a hot plate; akin to a beast caught in a pitfall. He was thinking of a solution
intently.
‘I am at the peak of
the Body-Refinement Stage, my physical might is terrifyingly strong… but being
a silver ranked[6]
in this world, it’s impossible to escape captivity…’
‘Rely on relatives and
friends?’
The Xu family is no big fish. Its kin were separated all
across the realm. And when it comes to the robbery of 15,000 taels of tax
silver, nobody would dare to pull favors at this very moment.
According to Great Feng’s law, make up for mistakes with
greater accomplishments will grant exemption to the death penalty.
‘Unless I could find
the silver…’
Xu Qi’An’s eyes lit up fiercely, akin to someone close to
drowning that managed to hold onto a float.
He was a proper police academy graduation—possessing attributes
like extensive theoretical knowledge, clear logical thinking, excellent deduction
skills, and had access to numerous case studies.
Perhaps he could find a way by solving the case, locate the silver
and make up for his mistakes.
But then, his eyes dimmed once more.
To solve the case, he must first read the dossier. Understand
the details of the case, then investigate, and solve it.
Now that he was stuck in jail, just like ‘in space, no one
can hear you scream’. He was also about to be exiled into the frontier after
two days.
‘No way!’
Xu Qi’An sat on the floor, his eyes losing focus.
He was getting pissed drunk at the bar yesterday, woke up
and found himself imprisoned. He thought it was likely that alcohol poisoning killed
him and sent him on a transmigrated journey.
God had given him a chance to transmigrate, not to let him
live another life—but because he had died an easy death before?
In the ancient times, exile was a heavy sentence second only
to the death penalty.
Although he had faced the deviousness of the society in his
past life, at least he lived in peaceful times. It would be great if he
reincarnated instead. Without hesitation, he would steal his parent’s life
savings to buy real estate.
Then he would cooperate with his mom, and break the arms of his
father that loves to gamble with stocks—so that he would not become another
victim.
Now, at the end of the dim hallway came the sound of
dragging chains, it should be the sound of a door opening.
Then footsteps resounded across.
A prison guard led a haggard, handsome looking scholar and
stopped in front of Xu Qi’An’s prison gate.
The guard glanced at the scholar. “Half a stick of incense
time.”
The scholar did a hand-in-hand salute and watched the guard
leave. He then turned around to face Xu Qi’An.
Wearing a moon white robe, his long, jet black hair was secured
by a jade hairpin. He looked somewhat dashing, he had sharp eyebrows, glittering
eyes, and thin lips.
Xu Qi’An immediately recalled memories regarding this person
in his brain.
Second son of the Xu family—Xu Xing’Nian.
The son of his second uncle, his cousin brother, who had
passed the triennial provincial imperial exam[7].
Xu Xing’Nian calmly stared at him. “The soldier that is to
escort you to the frontier received 300 taels from me, that was the only
fortune our family had left. Don’t worry and go, you won’t face any issues
during the process.
“What about you?” Xu Qi’An unconsciously muttered the question.
He remembered that the original host of this body did not have a good relation
with this cousin brother.
Due to the fact that his aunt hates him, he was only close
to his second uncle. The other members of the Xu family barely acknowledged
him. At least it seemed that his cousin brother and sister were not too close
with him.
Aside from that, the original host remembered that this
cousin brother of his was a master of all things verbal. Excellent in battling
others with the mouth.
Xu Xing’Nian sounded annoyed, “I have been stripped of my
title, but the mentors at academy are shielding me, I don’t need to be exiled.
Just take care of yourself. Once you reach the frontier, reign in your temper, try
to avoid dying as long as you can.”
Xu Xing’Nian was a student at the capital’s influential
White Deer Academy. He was well regarded and had the status of recently passing
the provincial exams. Thus, he was not imprisoned after second uncle got into
trouble. But he was prohibited from leaving the capital, hence he had been
toiling about for the past few days.
Xu Qi’An went silent. He had not believed that Xu Xing’Nian
would fare any better than him. It was likely that he would be stripped of his
scholarly title but also be labeled as an untouchable. His future descendants will
never be allowed to enter imperial examinations—never able to recover their
status.
Moreover, after two days, the female members of the Xu
family will be sent to the Royal Arts Division—facing humiliation.
Xu Xing’Nian was a scholar, he would not have the pride to
continue living in the capital city. Perhaps being sent to the frontier was a
better choice.
Xu Qi’An realized something and pounced forward, his hands
squeezing the prison railing. “You would commit suicide?!”
‘Uncontrollably, I
felt sorrow in my heart… I don’t even know him well.’
Xu Xing’Nian flicked his robes with an expressionless face. “None
of your business.”
Pausing slightly, his gaze lowered by a few inches to avoid
eye contant with his cousin brother. His expression then turned gentle. “Survive.”
Finished speaking, he left the scene with determined steps.
“Wait!” Xu Qi’An extended his arm out of the railing and
grabbed his sleeves.
Xu Xing’Nian paused, looking at him silently.
“Can you get the dossier? The one about the lost tax silver.”
[1] Chinese
stereotype about husky dogs that act incredibly silly all the time.
[2] Name
bestowed upon one at adulthood in addition to one's given name. More details here
[5] Also
known as National Brothel. Institutions founded by the government. A place for
females to voluntary or involuntary join, where they would become government
property and perform music and arts (also prostitution) to earn money. Female family
members of certain felons are deemed untouchable and relocated to these
institutions. Treated as sex slaves and forced to prostitute themselves
[6] League
of legends tier rank, being silver ranked means you’re at the bottom of the barrel
strength-wise.
[7]
National exams of varying tiers held in ancient China, to elect public officials.
People who pass are granted titles as scholars and is the greatest honor in
feudal China. Click for more
Thanks for picking this up! The translation is looking great
ReplyDeletethanks for the translation
ReplyDeleteThank you. I really wanted to read this story.
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