Inside the jail cell of Dafeng's Jingzhao Courts, Xu Qian woke to the smell of damp rot—the stench unsettled his stomach.
'Where is the smell coming from? Did Erha poop on the bed again? Judging from the smell, it might be near my head…'
Xu Qian had a Siberian Husky named Erha.
He had moved to Beijing and spent the past ten years working. The loneliness prompted him to adopt a dog for companionship and recreation...not in the sexual way, mind you.
Eyes opened, he surveyed his surroundings and was dumbfounded.
There was a stone wall with a window the size of three rice bowls—sunlight streamed in from the uncharitable opening. Xu Qian was on a tattered straw mat, the light illuminating his chest and the motes of dust in the air.
'Where am I?'
Xu Qian spent some time in a trance-like state thinking about life. He began to doubt reality.
'Did I die?'
Before he could react, a wave of memories crashed against his mind. The information was swiftly uploaded into his brain.
Xu Qian—
His father was a soldier who died 19 years ago in the Battle of Shanhai Pass. Soon after, his mother passed away due to sickness. Xu Qian felt a twang of sympathy.
Everyone knew it was rough to lose both parents.
Xu Qian felt his teeth ache. "The cop life chose me even in reincarnation."
In his previous life, Xu Qian had graduated from the police academy and joined the forces. It had been a secure job.
The career path was endorsed by his parents but his heart was never in it. He never took to being a public servant.
He liked being free and unconstrained and he appreciated a life of luxury and materialistic wealth. The words left by Ji Xianlin in his diary echoed with him.
Hence, Xu Qian decided to quit his job and start a business venture.
"But how did I end up in a jail cell?"
Xu Qian sifted through the memories in his head to find the answer.
Orphaned, Xu Qian was raised by his uncle, Xu Pingzhi. As Xu Qian practised martial arts, his uncle had spent more than a hundred silver taels each year on his lessons—a fact that made his aunt dislike Xu Qian.
At the age of 18, Xu Qian reached maximum refinement and the lessons stopped. Under the insistence of his aunt, he moved out of the Xu family house.
Through his uncle's connections, Xu Qian managed to land a job in the county courts as a constable. Life was pretty good…
Three days ago, his uncle—a seventh-ranked official stationed in the Armed Guards—was delivering a cargo of silver taels to the Ministry of Revenue. During the journey, an incident caused them to lose some of the cargo.
A total of 150,000 silver taels was found missing.
The courts and the people were shaken. Furious, the Emperor demanded Xu Pingzhi to be executed within five days. The punishment extended to three generations of the Xu family—the men would be banished to the kingdom borders while the women would be sent to the Entertainment School.
As Xu Pingzhi's nephew, Xu Qian was unsurprisingly sacked and thrown into jail.
Two days!
In two days, he would be banished to the harsh, deserted borderlands. There, he would be expected to toil for the rest of his life.
Xu Qian felt a shiver down his spine. There was little hope in his heart as he muttered, "Already at a disadvantage from the start. Is this some sort of hell?"
The memories told him he was in a feudalistic period—human rights were non-existent and he dreaded to think how life at the borders were like.
The lands were barren and the weather was horrid. A majority of the criminals sent to the borders did not live past ten years and many died from accidents and disease before even reaching the borderlands.
As the thoughts filled his mind, Xu Qian felt a chill on his scalp.
"System?"
Xu Qian's tentative voice broke the silence in the jail cell.
There was no response.
"System… Father System, come on out," Xu Qian pleaded.
Pindrop silence greeted him.
There was no System. How could it be?
This meant there was no way he could change his circumstance. Two days later, he would be sent to the borders in shackles. His physical health suggested he would survive the trip.
Surviving was not all that ideal. Xu Qian had been a tool for the courts and the remainder of his life would be squeezed out of him through hard labor.
Horrible, just horrible!
Any grand illusions Xu Qian had about the ancient period was quickly shattered and replaced by anxiety and fear.
"I have to find a way to get myself out of this situation. I can't just die like this."
Xu Qian paced around in the tiny jail cell, his anxiety palpable. Like a cornered beast, he racked his brain for a solution to his predicament.
'I am a martial artist with maximum refinement. I have an impressive physique but in this world, I am only second to last on the hierarchy. Escaping is impossible…'
Was he to rely on family and friends?
The Xu family was not huge—many of their kin were scattered across the lands. Regardless, the 150,000 missing silver taels would make anyone hesitate to help. Who would dare to beg for mercy in this crucial moment?
According to the laws of Dafeng, atonement for one's crime could exempt one from capital punishment.
Finding the silver…
Xu Qian's eyes glimmered as if he had a solution, like a drowning man clutching at straws.
He was a true-blue graduate of the police academy—logic and reasoning were his strong suits. He had a wealth of theoretical knowledge and notable experience in investigations.
Perhaps he could put the skills to use—solve the case, return the silvers and clear his family's name.
However, the light in his eyes dimmed after a thought came to mind.
To solve the crime, he had to have the case file and understand the details. An investigation required solid facts and evidence for a breakthrough.
Trapped in a jail cell, there was nothing he could do without a divine intervention. Another two days and he would be sent to the borders.
He was in a bind!
Xu Qian's eyes unfocused as he sat on the ground.
He had had too many drinks a day ago and passed out drunk. The next thing he knew, he was in jail. Did he die of alcohol poisoning and crossed over to this era?
The gods must have wanted him to suffer. Why else would he be reincarnated as a prisoner in the ancient period.
In the olden days, banishment was just a stone's throw away from capital punishment.
He had been beaten down by society but at least life was peaceful and prosperous in the modern era. If given a second chance, he would have stolen his parent's money to buy a house.
Then, he would conspire with his mother to break his father's hands to keep the man from losing money in the stock market.
As these thoughts swirled in his head, the sound of a sliding chain could be heard at the end of the corridor—the door was unlocked.
Footsteps followed.
A jailer was escorting a handsome but weary scholar. They stopped in front of Xu Qian's cell.
The jailer eyed the scholar. "
The scholar folded his hands in obeisance and nodded. Once the jailer was out of the earshot, the scholar turned to face Xu Qian.
He was dressed in an ivory robe and his long black hair was held up with a jade hairpin. He had a striking profile—sharp eyebrows, sparkling eyes and thin lips.
Memories relevant to the scholar surfaced in Xu Qian's mind.
The man was Xu Xinnian—the second son in the family.
Xu Xinnian was the first biological child of Xu Pingzhi, making him Xu Qian's cousin. The scholar had just passed the autumn imperial provincial exam this year.
Xu Xinnian gave Xu Qian a level stare as he said, "The soldier escorting you to the borders took the money, 300 silver taels was all we have left. Rest assured the journey will be as safe as it can be."
"How about you?" Xu Qian asked out of unusual concern. The memories told him the relationship between the cousins was strained.
Due to the aunt's dislike toward Xu Qian, his cousins kept their distance from him. Only his uncle truly treated him as family.
Additionally, the host's memories also informed him about Xu Xinnian's skill for words, profanities in particular.
Xu Xinnian answered impatiently, "My name has been expelled from the list of scholars. The academy has vouched for my character, as such I am exempted from banishment. Focus on your own well-being. When you're at the borders, reign in your temper and survive. A year alive is a year blessed."
Xu Xinnian had been studying in the famous White Deer Academy in Jingzhao City. He was acknowledged to be a gifted scholar, having just recently passed the imperial examination. Therefore, the incident with his father did not see him thrown into jail. Xu Xinnian was not allowed to leave the city but he had kept busy the past few days.
Xu Qian was silent. He did not believe the Xu family would have it any better here in Jingzhao City. In addition to having his scholarly titles revoked, Xu Xinnian would be blacklisted. His children and grandchildren would be barred from the imperial examinations and kept out of the courts.
Two days later, the women of the Xu family would be sent to the Entertainment School to be humiliated.
Xu Xinnian was a born and bred scholar. How would he survive in Jingzhao City? Being banished might be a better alternative for him.
A thought crossed Xu Qian's mind. He stepped forward and gripped the bars between them. "You plan to commit suicide?"
An unexplainable sadness filled his heart…'I don't even know this man.'
Xu Xinnian kept his hands in his sleeves. With a neutral expression, he said, "It's none of your business."
A moment later, the scholar averted his eyes. His expression softened as he said, "Live."
With that, he turned to walk away.
"Wait!" Xu Qian grabbed the man's sleeves before he could leave.
Xu Xinnian paused and looked at Xu Qian.
"Can you tell me about the case? The missing tax money."