Chapter 1: Imprisoned

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.”

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[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

[3] Famous Chinese linguist. 

[4] Dictionary link

[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