Prologue:

In youth’s bold spirit, I forge bonds with the five great cities,
With an open heart and fierce resolve, my hair stands on end.
In conversation, we share life and death alike,
A promise holds the weight of a thousand gold coins.

With valor and pride, I push the limits,
Embraced by the lightness of camaraderie, we take to the skies,
Fighting east of the city, we roar,
Drinking deep by the wine stalls, springtime colors rise from the cold jars,
As we draw on the sea’s horizon.

Leisurely, I call the eagle, urge the dog,
With a white feather, I pluck the bow of the eagle,
While the cunning dens stand momentarily empty.
Joy is fleeting.

Like a dream of yellow millet, I bid farewell to the phoenix,
The bright moon lingers, rippling over the lonely reeds.
Amidst the bustle of officials, I carry a restless heart,
Dust settles, piled in the tomes of records.

Crowds gather like clouds, supplying the coarse needs,
Yet suddenly, miraculous deeds arise.
The horns and drums stir, melodies of fishing songs resound,
While I ponder the sorrow of the old man.

Uninvited, I bind my fate with a long cord,
The sword howls in the western wind.
I regret climbing mountains, gazing at the water,
My hands resting on a seven-stringed lute,
As I watch the returning wild geese vanish from view.

—He Zhu’s “Song of Six Prefectures”

Chapter 1: Prison Calamity

In the prison of the Metropolitan Prefecture of Great Feng.

Xu Qi An awoke groggily, his nostrils assaulted by the damp, putrid stench of the air. It caused a slight discomfort, making his stomach churn.

What’s with this overwhelming stench? Did that silly husky defecate on the bed again? Judging by the intensity, it might have done so right above my head…

Xu Qi An had a dog at home, a Siberian Husky, commonly known as a “silly husky.”

After drifting in the capital for ten years, feeling lonely and isolated, he had decided to get a dog for companionship and entertainment… not in a physical sense, of course.

Opening his eyes and taking in his surroundings, Xu Qi An was momentarily confused.

Stone walls surrounded him, with three small square windows the size of bowls. He lay on a cold, tattered straw mat, sunlight streaming through the windows onto his chest, dust motes dancing in the beams.

Where am I?

Xu Qi An pondered in bewildered contemplation for a moment, and then he truly began to question his reality.

I’ve transmigrated…

A flood of memories surged forth, giving him no chance to react, forcefully inserting themselves into his mind and rapidly flowing through.

Xu Qi An, courtesy name Ning Yan, was a constable in the Changle County Yamen, under the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Prefecture of the Great Feng Dynasty. His monthly salary was two taels of silver and one stone of rice.

His father, a veteran soldier, had died nineteen years ago in the “Mountain and Sea Campaign.” Shortly after, his mother had also passed away due to illness… Thinking of this, Xu Qi An felt a slight consolation.

As is well known, those whose parents have both passed away are often extraordinary individuals.

“I didn’t expect to live again, yet I still can’t escape the fate of being a law enforcer?” Xu Qi An felt a twinge in his teeth.

In his previous life, he had graduated from the police academy and successfully entered the system, securing an iron rice bowl.

However, although Xu Qi An had followed the path his parents had chosen for him, his heart was not in the profession of public servant.

He loved freedom, unbounded by constraints. He enjoyed the hedonistic lifestyle and resonated with a quote from Ji Xianlin’s diary:—

And so, he had brazenly resigned and ventured into business.

“But why am I in prison?”

He struggled to process the memories and soon understood his current predicament.

Xu Qi An had been raised by his Second Uncle since childhood. Due to years of martial arts training, he consumed over a hundred taels of silver annually, which made his aunt dislike him.

At 18, he had reached the peak of Qi Refinement but could progress no further. Under pressure from his aunt, he had moved out of the Liu residence to live independently.

Through his uncle’s connections, he had secured a position as a constable in the yamen. Life had been going well until…

Three days ago, his Seventh-rank Green-robed Second Uncle, who served in the Imperial Sword Guard, had been escorting a batch of tax silver to the Ministry of Revenue when an incident occurred, resulting in the loss of the silver.

A staggering 150,000 taels of white silver.

The court and the common people were shocked. The Emperor flew into a rage, personally decreeing that Liu Pingzhi would be beheaded in five days, with his three clans of relatives implicated. Male relatives would be exiled to the frontier, while female relatives would be sent to the courtesan quarters.

As Liu Pingzhi’s nephew, he had been stripped of his constable position and thrown into the Metropolitan Prefecture’s prison.

Two days!

In just two days, he would be exiled to the desolate frontier, spending the rest of his life in hard labor.

“Starting in hell mode, huh…” Xu Qi An felt a chill run down his spine, his heart sinking.

This world was under the rule of a feudal dynasty, with no concept of human rights. What kind of place was the frontier?

Desolate, with a harsh climate. Most criminals exiled to the border didn’t survive beyond ten years. Many more died en route due to various accidents and diseases before even reaching the frontier.

Thinking of this, Xu Qi An’s scalp tingled with a bone-chilling sensation.

“System?”

After a moment of silence, Xu Qi An’s probing voice echoed in the quiet cell.

The system didn’t respond.

“System… The system, please come out.” Xu Qi An’s voice was tinged with urgency.

Silence reigned.

No system, there was no system!

This meant he had almost no way to change his situation. In two days, he would be shackled and sent to the frontier. With his physique, he probably wouldn’t die on the journey.

But this wasn’t a good thing. Being exploited for labor until death…

It was too terrifying!

Xu Qi An’s beautiful fantasy of transmigrating to ancient times shattered like a bubble, leaving only anxiety and fear.

“I must find a way to save myself. I can’t just die like this.”

Xu Qi An paced in the small cell, like an ant on a hot pan, like a beast fallen into a trap, desperately trying to think of a solution.

I’m at the peak of Qi Refinement, with frighteningly strong physical attributes… but in this world, that’s only equivalent to an unyielding silver rank. Escaping is impossible…

Rely on clan and friends?

The Liu family wasn’t a large clan, with relatives scattered across various places. And with 150,000 taels of tax silver stolen, who would dare to plead for mercy at such a critical moment?

According to Great Feng law, meritorious service could offset crimes and avoid the death penalty!

Unless the silver was recovered…

Xu Qi An’s eyes suddenly lit up, like a drowning man grasping at a lifeline.

He was a proper police academy graduate, rich in theoretical knowledge, with clear logic and strong reasoning abilities. He had read countless case files.

Perhaps he could try to approach this from the angle of solving the case, recovering the silver, and atoning for his crimes through meritorious service.

But then, the light in his eyes dimmed.

To solve the case, he would first need to see the case files and understand the detailed course of events. Only then could he investigate and solve the case?

Now he was trapped in prison, with no one to turn to. In two days, he would be sent to the frontier!

There was no solution!

Xu Qi An slumped to the ground, his eyes vacant.

He had been drinking heavily at a bar yesterday and woke up in prison. It seemed he might have died from alcohol poisoning before transmigrating.

Had the heavens granted him this chance to transmigrate not for a new life, but because they felt his death had been too easy?

In ancient times, exile was a punishment second only to execution.

In his previous life, although society had beaten him down, at least he lived in peaceful times. How nice it would have been to be reborn then. He could have stolen his parents’ savings to buy a house without hesitation.

Then, with his mother’s help, he could have broken his stock-loving father’s hands to prevent him from becoming a leek in the market.

At this moment, the sound of chains rattling came from the end of the dark corridor, likely indicating a door being opened.

Footsteps followed.

A jailer led a haggard-looking handsome scholar, stopping in front of Xu Qi An’s cell.

The jailer glanced at the scholar and said, “Half an incense stick’s time.”

The scholar bowed to the jailer, watching him leave before turning to face Xu Qi An.

The scholar wore a moon-white robe, his jet-black hair tied up with a jade hairpin. He was quite handsome, with sword-like eyebrows star-bright eyes, and thin lips.

Memories of this person surfaced in Xu Qi An’s mind.

Second Young Master of the Liu family, Liu Xinnian.

The son of his Second Uncle, Xu Qi An’s cousin, who had passed the provincial examinations this autumn.

Liu Xinnian calmly looked directly at him: “I paid the soldiers escorting you to the frontier three hundred taels. It’s all the silver our family has left. You can go in peace, there won’t be any ‘accidents’ on the way.”

“What about you?” Xu Qi An asked inexplicably. He remembered that the original owner didn’t have a good relationship with this cousin.

Because of his aunt’s dislike, apart from his Second Uncle, the rest of the Liu family didn’t treat Xu Qi An well. At least his cousins wouldn’t show too much closeness to him.

Moreover, in the original owner’s memory, this cousin was known for his sharp tongue.

Liu Xinnian impatiently said, “I’ve been stripped of my scholarly honors, but I have the protection of the academy masters, so I don’t need to be exiled. Just take care of yourself. When you reach the frontier, keep your temper in check. Live for as long as you can, be it a year or more.”

Liu Xinnian had studied at the prestigious Yunlu Academy in the capital and was highly regarded. He was also a newly appointed scholar. Therefore, after his Second Uncle’s incident, he wasn’t imprisoned, but he wasn’t allowed to leave the capital. He had been running around seeking help for many days.

Xu Qi An fell silent. He didn’t think Liu Xinnian would fare better than himself. It wasn’t just about losing his scholarly status; he would likely be relegated to the lowest social class, with his descendants barred from the imperial examinations for generations, unable to change their fate.

Moreover, in two days, the Liu family’s women would be sent to the courtesan quarters to be humiliated.

Liu Xinnian was a scholar. How could he still have the face to live in the capital? Perhaps being exiled to the frontier was a better choice.

Xu Qi An’s heart stirred. He lurched forward a few steps, gripping the iron bars: “You’re thinking of taking your own life?!”

Uncontrollably, a wave of sadness welled up in his heart… even though he didn’t know this person.

Liu Xinnian’s face remained expressionless as he waved his sleeve: “What’s it to you?”

After a pause, he lowered his gaze slightly, avoiding eye contact with his cousin. His expression softened: “Live on.”

With that, he turned decisively to leave!

“Wait!” Xu Qi An reached through the bars, grabbing his sleeve.

Liu Xinnian stopped, silently looking at him.

“Can you get the case files? The files for the tax silver theft case.”