After his demise, Xue Fuguang realized that he was merely a dispensable character in a novel, born to elevate Xu Jin by cushioning his falls, shielding him from disasters, and accentuating his presence like a sewer rat.

From the lofty status of a prince’s son, he plummeted to a prisoner, and the execution of more than five hundred members of his household was the protagonist’s gift.

Awakening one day, Xue Fuguang found himself reborn, back to the eve of his family’s downfall and the impending seizure of their property.

He resolved to fight against the plot by any means necessary.

Xue Fuguang had a shadow guard by his side, a spy from the Ying dynasty infiltrated into the Jing country.

This man surfaced at pivotal moments in the story, nearly defeating the protagonist, Xu Jin, and remaining unfazed by him.

Xue Fuguang believed that changing the fate of his family and contending against the plot’s turning points depended on this man, so he spared no effort in winning him over.

Winning him over went surprisingly smoothly. If Xue Fuguang told him to go east, he wouldn’t go west; if told to set a fire, he wouldn’t harm a soul, displaying a startling level of obedience.

He asked the spy, “What do you desire? Whatever it is, I shall grant it.”

The man, with his head bowed and hands clenched, dared not look at him. After a long pause, his voice hoarse, he replied, “I desire nothing.” His loyalty was indeed unwavering.

As time passed, even Xue Fuguang began to believe in this man’s absolute loyalty. Just when he started to feel remorse for using him,

He suddenly saw a familiar embroidered sock fall from the man’s embrace — one that he had lost a long time ago.