Chapter 0002 Distant

Chapter 0002 Distant

After fainting that day, Ah Shu and the coachman, along with several frightened citizens who had seen Xiao Rong's true face, helped carry Xiao Rong into Pingyang City.

The guards at the city gate glanced at Xiao Rong's appearance and let them pass without even asking for any documents.

In this era, only the great clans could raise a man with such an appearance. Even if someone similar appeared among the common folk, they would have long been taken away by wealthy families to be kept as private treasures. Unrestricted wandering was simply impossible.

With the chaotic situation and the collapse of social norms, many once-strict rules were no longer enforced. When Xiao Rong first arrived, he landed in New Peace County, which was within the territory of Southern Yong. Although the north was beyond Southern Yong’s control, people moving between the north and south were largely unregulated.

Fundamentally, it was due to the inability to manage the situation. The fragmented state of Central China had persisted for one hundred and eighty years. During these one hundred and eighty years, there had been sixty-seven emperors, and at times, six emperors ruled simultaneously.

This year, however, was relatively peaceful. There was less warfare, Southern Yong hadn't caused any trouble, and Qu Yunmie, busy fighting foreign invaders, hadn’t troubled the common people either.

However, this peace would not last much longer. Soon, the situation would become chaotic again, and the flames of war would engulf the entire Central China.

...

In the early morning, a light mist enveloped the streets. Xiao Rong pushed open the inn window and sat by it, gazing at the ancient street outside.

After waking up that night, the weakness in his body had significantly diminished, and the coughing that came with every movement had disappeared.

Looking at the quiet scenery, Xiao Rong should have felt calm, but he couldn’t help feeling unsettled. It had been half a year since he arrived in this era.

For half a year, he couldn’t stop feeling sad.

Why did he have to be so unlucky?!

He could never forget that day. One moment, he was standing in the center of the school auditorium, posing for his solo dance rehearsal, waiting for the lights to go out. The next moment, when the lights went out, he found himself in the marketplace of New Peace, performing a difficult move with a sword raised.

The butcher selling pork stared at him in shock, dropping his knife, which embedded itself in the piece of pig head meat a customer had requested.

The pig head suffered a gruesome fate, and the customer erupted in anger. Xiao Rong took advantage of the chaos to escape.

Xiao Rong was terrified and couldn’t comprehend what had happened. Fortunately, he was rehearsing a sword dance and was already dressed in traditional attire, though this attire seemed strange to the people of this era.

After finding a secluded spot, Xiao Rong hid behind a pile of firewood, clutching the precious sword lent to him by the dean. Just as he settled down, a voice he hated with a passion sounded.

This voice belonged to the system, which claimed that Xiao Rong was the person whose aura matched Qu Yunmie’s the most. Qu Yunmie was destined to become an emperor and establish his own dynasty, but due to unfortunate circumstances, he died tragically in Chenliu. Many people over the centuries lamented his fate, leading the system to decide to change it.

However, human affairs must be resolved by humans themselves; the system could not directly intervene. After searching through three thousand years of history, it concluded that Xiao Rong had the highest chance of success.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Rong nearly spat out a mouthful of blood.

"What does his tragic fate have to do with me? There have been countless tragic lives throughout history. Why drag me into this?! You heartless system, send me back immediately!"

Xiao Rong appeared stern, but inside, he was panicking.

The system was right; he knew this part of history well enough to refuse without hesitation because it was an impossible task.

Qu Yunmie was destined to fail, and no one could save him!

Seeing his determination, the system hesitated before responding, "Alright, I'll send you back. Do you have any final words?"

Xiao Rong: "...Final words?"

System: "Yes, after sending you back, you will be hit by a stage light and break your neck. With your era's medical technology, such an injury is fatal. As a gesture of goodwill, you can leave a final message—about the kind of burial clothes or coffin you want. I’ll convey it to your family."

Xiao Rong: "…………"

The system then prepared to send him back. Xiao Rong, stunned, suddenly realized the gravity of the situation and tearfully pleaded, "No, no! I’ve changed my mind. Let me stay! Thinking about it, Qu Yunmie shouldn’t die. Saving a life is worth more than building a seven-story pagoda. How can I refuse under the red flag? Leave it to me; I’ll save him!"

The system smiled slightly.

The system only transported him here and wouldn’t give Xiao Rong any special powers. However, his knowledge was his greatest asset.

After binding their fates together, the system informed him that his life was now tied to Qu Yunmie’s. If he failed the mission, he would die alongside Qu Yunmie. To motivate him, his health was linked to Qu Yunmie’s fortune.

If Qu Yunmie moved closer to the throne, Xiao Rong’s health improved; if he moved further away, Xiao Rong fell ill. The severity adjusted automatically, ranging from dizziness to spitting blood.

But he needn’t worry about dying from these ailments as long as Qu Yunmie lived and had a chance to ascend the throne. If Qu Yunmie died or lost all his fortune, Xiao Rong would die instantly.

Conversely, if Qu Yunmie was destined to become emperor despite not yet being crowned, and his fortune reached its peak, Xiao Rong could be freed from the binding and live freely.

After explaining this, the system vanished, leaving Xiao Rong blank-faced and unable to process the information.

Apart from a precarious life, the system gave him nothing.

Wearing strange clothes and holding the dean’s beloved sword, he had no food or shelter and couldn’t pawn the sword. This was the dean’s prized possession and his last resort.

How he managed to survive from being penniless and undocumented to his current state, Xiao Rong didn’t want to recall. Those bitter tears were best left in the past.

...

From New Peace to Pingyang, it took him half a year and three thousand miles, yet he hadn’t even caught a glimpse of the Northern Pacification Army. Xiao Rong unfairly blamed Qu Yunmie, whom he hadn’t met, but he also bore some responsibility.

When the system left, Xiao Rong calculated that he had over two years left. Since he was forced into this, he resisted seeking Qu Yunmie.

He wandered slowly, reaching Huaiyin, where he discovered that Qu Yunmie, who had convened with three armies, had already left. He felt relieved.

But the turning point came when he experienced his first bout of illness without pain...

Though he couldn’t die, he felt extremely weak, needing support to move. This severely damaged Xiao Rong’s self-esteem.

Xiao Rong was an art student, trained in dance since childhood, and majored in choreography. In his field, the gender ratio was roughly one-to-two, with five out of ten men being either scoundrels or gay.

Scoundrels weren’t necessarily straight, and gay men weren’t always faithful.

Xiao Rong's appearance could charm countless people in ancient times, and even in modern times, he was no less captivating. Almost everyone who saw him thought he was gay, except for himself.

In an environment where there were many more ones than zeros, a bunch of people were willing to be the one for love. A couple broke up after meeting Xiao Rong and chased after him together. They didn't catch him, but they ended up fighting in public. This incident made Xiao Rong famous overnight, earning him the title of the ultimate heartthrob in the gay community. Despite his repeated angry explanations that he wasn't gay, no one believed him.

Being mistaken for gay didn't bother Xiao Rong much, but being assumed as a zero infuriated him.

He started lifting weights, stopped caring about his clothes, and watched action-packed manga every day. It seemed like all his hard work over the years had been undone in an instant.

What he hated most was being underestimated. Now, without anyone else's help, he felt weak and powerless.

With new grudges added to old ones, the system had already run away, leaving Xiao Rong with no way to vent his anger. So, he piled all the blame on Qu Yunmie, whom he hadn't even met yet, making him the person he despised the most in his life.

Despite hating him, he still had to help him.

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. Just as Xiao Rong was about to turn into a pufferfish from rage, Ah Shu entered. He was tall but only fourteen years old, and he followed Xiao Rong wherever he went, always willing to serve.

"Master, the innkeeper has prepared breakfast."

Ah Shu was good at everything except he was a bit timid, which was due to his past experiences. In front of him, Xiao Rong tried not to show his emotions. If he got angry or showed any signs of worry, Ah Shu would become extremely concerned.

Adjusting his expression, Xiao Rong smiled. "Alright, let's go down together."

This was a time fifteen hundred years away from Xiao Rong's era. The food in ordinary inns was quite rough, but the expensive dishes were beyond his reach. Even this inexpensive meal was considered a delicacy by the common folk outside.

The waiter silently brought the breakfast over, feeling conflicted as he looked at Xiao Rong's otherworldly beauty.

The coachman hadn't lied. When this young master arrived, he was unconscious. After waking up, his first act was to negotiate the price with the innkeeper. After some back-and-forth, the innkeeper unfortunately lost and agreed to give him five nights' stay with one night free.

As they went upstairs, the young master still looked regretful. The waiter heard him muttering softly, "Lost out. Should have asked for three nights free."

Regardless, Xiao Rong planned to stay here for a while.

Actually, he wanted to find Qu Yunmie. If he traveled north for three hundred miles to Yanmen County, he would reach Qu Yunmie's base. The Northern Pacification Army now claimed to have eight hundred thousand soldiers, though there was a lot of exaggeration. Still, tens of thousands were stationed at Yanmen Pass.

Firstly, it was Qu Yunmie's hometown; secondly, it was to keep an eye on the Xianbei, preventing any unexpected moves.

Going there directly was one option, but Qu Yunmie often traveled elsewhere. If Xiao Rong waited, he might never see him. Without seeing him, Xiao Rong couldn't restrict his actions and prevent him from taking reckless risks.

After much consideration, Xiao Rong decided to build his reputation first. With fame, everything would be easier, and he wouldn't be overlooked when entering the army. He was there to save Qu Yunmie and himself, not for promotion or wealth. Starting from the bottom was useless; he needed to leap straight to the top and stay close to Qu Yunmie.

But how could a commoner quickly gain fame?

There were two ways: assassinate the most famous person, or make predictions about the most famous person.

In short, riding on someone else's popularity was the key.

Assassination was out of the question; his physical condition wouldn't allow him to leave Pingyang City.

So, he was left with making predictions.

Feigning supernatural abilities and striking first was a favorite tactic among renowned scholars. Xiao Rong was better than them because what he said would definitely come true.

Now, the Breeze Sect was prevalent throughout the Central Plains, and everyone revered the supernatural. Qu Yunmie, that big fool, couldn't escape this belief either.

Confident in his plan, Xiao Rong began building his reputation. First, he sent Ah Shu out to proclaim his identity, saying he was a young master from the Linchuan Xiao family and knew some divination skills. Then, he spent half an hour each day giving free predictions to those who came seeking his advice.

However, everyone who asked received the same response: he only predicted major events, not trivial matters. Naturally, the commoners left, while those who suspected him of being a fraud watched him closely, trying to gauge his true abilities.

Finally, when almost everyone in Pingyang City knew about him, Xiao Rong stood by the window, his brows furrowed as he gazed at the sky. Raising his finger, he made a few gestures he didn't even understand before solemnly declaring,

"Something has happened in Yizhou."

At first, no one believed him, but within a few days, the governor of Pingyang received news that Shenli County in Yizhou had been seized by rebellious farmers. The entire area was scorched, and the crops had been looted.

These farmers, led by commoners, were advancing northward.

Everyone was stunned. They admired Xiao Rong immensely, and people from noble families and high-ranking officials, including spies from Southern Yong, sought to meet him.

But the Northern Pacification Army remained silent.

Xiao Rong began to doubt himself, but using predictions too often was risky. After all, he was just an ordinary person and couldn't always be accurate. Overusing this method could bring disaster before attracting Qu Yunmie.

Xiao Rong decided to wait and see. After a few days, he found a notice posted by the Northern Pacification Army in Pingyang City, stating that the Northern Pacification King was recruiting talented individuals regardless of their background or past, as long as they believed they had real skills.

Standing in front of the notice, Xiao Rong was speechless.

Everyone in Pingyang City was talking about him, forcing him to hide whenever he went out. If the Northern Pacification Army had reached here, they must have heard his name. Posting a notice was usually the last resort when all other methods had failed.

In other words, the Northern Pacification Army hadn't considered recruiting him at all.

There were only two reasons: either the Northern Pacification Army looked down on him, or Qu Yunmie did.

Ah Shu cautiously observed Xiao Rong's face. The coachman didn't know Xiao Rong well enough to realize that his biggest flaw was—

Being extremely vain.

Even Ah Shu could tell this was embarrassing, so Xiao Rong definitely noticed it too. He hesitated for a moment before gathering his courage and saying, seemingly nonchalant, "Alright, if the mountain won't come to me, I'll go to the mountain. Perhaps they haven't heard of me. I'll just apply then."

With that, Xiao Rong tore down the notice, and a guard led him away. Xiao Rong followed with a smile.

Ah Shu patted his racing heart and followed anxiously.

Dressed as a scholar, Xiao Rong was led into a room by the guards, who were newer recruits and thus had no prejudice against scholars. Jian Qiao, upon hearing that someone had finally applied, hurried over. On the way, the guard introduced Xiao Rong.

"He's a scholar named Xiao Rong, sir. I've heard he's skilled in divination."

Jian Qiao paused for a moment, then continued walking after a brief hesitation.

After so many days without finding a suitable candidate, the unrest in Yizhou had alarmed The King, who was already in a foul mood. Mr. Gao kept urging him to hurry up and find someone quickly. In the past, he could strictly adhere to those six criteria, but now, forget it; he would have to relax them a bit. After all, it was just one criterion.

When he entered the room and saw Xiao Rong, Jian Qiao froze on the spot.

Wearing a fur coat even though it was warm spring weather → Effeminate.

Face as pale as gold paper, lips turning white → Short-lived.

Daring to maintain eye contact without faltering → Definitely not timid.

Eyes constantly roving over the trinkets in the room → Greedy.

Able to perform divination → Superstitious.

Causing him to be dazed until now → Beautiful.

Xiao Rong stared at him in confusion, wondering why he was just looking at him without speaking. Since he had taken the initiative this far, taking another step wouldn't be too much. Just as Xiao Rong was about to bow and start a conversation, he saw the general opposite him snap back to reality, give a quick salute, and point towards the door he had entered through.

"Thank you for coming, sir, but we have already filled the positions we needed. Please leave at your convenience."

Then, Xiao Rong was escorted out in utter bewilderment.

"..."

"..."

"..."

Standing on the dirt road outside, Xiao Rong slowly clenched his fists and made another vow.

Qu Yunmie, just wait. Once I put you on the throne, I will kill you with my own hands!!

Author's note:

Jian Qiao: And thus, I lost the position of future Marshal.