Elysium Kingdom.
In a study of a courtyard in Langzhou City, a young man dressed in blue sat upright, holding a scroll of books.
His name was Ethan.
Three years ago, in the first year of Jia Qing, he transmigrated here.
To a world where one could cultivate the myriad paths to immortality!
As a benefit of being a transmigrator, he was also bound to the Scholar System.
As long as he read books, he could gain Confucian cultivation, and even true martial arts skills and divine treasures.
However, none of these were enough to excite Ethan.
Because he knew this was actually a novel world, and it was one he was very familiar with from his previous life—a story that was abruptly ended!
And he was merely an obscure, handsome side character in the plot, not even a villain.
As a prudent reader of various protagonist-centered novels, Ethan had a strong sense of self-preservation as a side character.
Stay low and don't make waves!
No matter how strong you are, fear the backlash of fate.
Knowing that the protagonist and the main villain would cause havoc in the capital, Ethan chose to relocate to Langzhou, far from the court, to watch from a safe distance!
...
"According to the time, my wife and Sophie should be back soon."
At this moment.
Ethan put down the scroll, looked at the snowy scene outside the window, and murmured softly.
Today was Little New Year, and the nearby people had gone to Dajue Temple to offer incense and pray, and Emma was no exception.
She said early in the morning that she would pray for Ethan's safety and success in the upcoming imperial examination.
Thinking of his wife, Ethan's eyes filled with tenderness.
They had married six months ago, without the orders of parents or the words of a matchmaker, purely meeting and falling in love at a temple fair.
Over the past six months, they had lived in harmony and mutual respect, with Emma being a virtuous and capable wife, making their family life better and better. They had even opened a teahouse a few days ago, and business was booming.
The neighbors all envied their perfect match, saying the couple's love was predestined from a previous life.
In this foreign world, what Ethan cherished most was this ordinary yet incredibly happy relationship.
He wouldn't trade it for anything, not even the role of the protagonist!
"Old John, my wife will be back soon. Start cooking the porridge and add more brown sugar and dates!" Ethan instructed towards the door.
"Got it, young master. Knowing how much you care for the lady, I've already started cooking it!"
Old John's cheerful voice came from outside the study, "Young master, you really do care for your wife. I haven't seen many like this in all the households I've served..."
Ethan smiled knowingly and continued reading his book.
...
In Pear Blossom Alley of the Ethan residence.
A plain horse-drawn carriage pressed through the snow, slowly approaching.
Inside the carriage, a woman in a white fur shawl was dozing, while a green-clad maid sat upright beside her, with an empty tribute basket at their feet.
If one ignored the woman's stunning beauty, noble aura, and the terrifying cultivation that ordinary people couldn't detect...
One might think she was just a regular woman returning home after praying!
She was Emma.
Besides being Ethan's wife, she was also the current Empress of the Elysium Kingdom!
At this moment, Emma was listening to her maid Sophie read a secret report about the famine that had left the southern region's people starving and dead this year.
"Your Majesty, the drought in the southern region isn't a new issue and can't be solved overnight. It requires long-term planning..." Sophie advised, seeing Emma's brows furrow deeper.
"Sophie, the drought in the southern region is just a symptom."
Emma opened her beautiful eyes and sighed, "Since I ascended the throne, the northern barbarians have invaded our borders, burning and looting countless times since the first year of Jia Qing."
"Two years ago, bandits in Jinzhou were rampant, and there were even reports of entire cities being massacred!"
"Last year's flood in Huangzhou also resulted in the current situation."
"Over these years, one crisis after another has arisen before the previous one is resolved... It seems to fulfill the old astrologer's prophecy: the kingdom's fortune is declining, and chaos is everywhere..."
"Your Majesty..." Sophie felt these words were ominous and wanted to interrupt.
At this moment, the jolting stopped, and the carriage had arrived at the Ethan residence.
Emma waved her hand, "No need to say more. Order Minister Sima and the Ministry of Revenue to handle the disaster relief as usual. For now, we can only take one step at a time."
Hearing the helplessness in the Empress's words, Sophie sighed slightly.
In this world, the rise and fall of dynasties are determined by fate, an incredibly mysterious force!
Even an Empress with swordsmanship as powerful as hers couldn't control the unseen and untouchable fate of the kingdom.
She remembered the old astrologer's prophecy and the only suggested solution!
"An emperor must enter the mortal world."
That was what the old astrologer said before he passed away.
He also revealed a hidden technique that could conceal one's aura!
Could an emotionless royal family member's renunciation of their identity and immersion into the chaotic mortal world save the kingdom's fate?... Emma didn't know.
It seemed too vague and elusive.
But she knew that even though she had hidden her identity and aura as the Empress and taken on a mortal name...
She might only be able to find a true saint or take that final step herself to reach the sword saint realm capable of altering the laws of heaven and earth to prolong the kingdom's fate.
Returning to her thoughts.
Emma took a deep breath, looked up at the Ethan residence's signboard, and her eyes gradually softened with affection.
"Husband, I'm back."
Her voice was gentle, devoid of any imperial authority.
From the dining hall where the family was eating, a few grumbling voices could be heard.
"I said all the dates should go into the lady's bowl, Old John, why did you secretly put some in mine?"
"Young master, there are enough dates!" Old John's voice defended, "The lady's bowl barely has any rice left..."
"You... didn't have to put so many, though. Oh, wife, you're back!"
Ethan's eyes brightened as he saw Emma enter the room.
"Since it's that time of the month for you, I specially made porridge to nourish your blood."
Ethan gently helped her sit down and spoke softly.
Emma looked at the bowl of red porridge and couldn't help but laugh. She quickly took a few dates and put them back in his bowl, "Husband, you read diligently every day, you should have more."
"With you by my side, reading is not hard."
Ethan took a bite of food, effortlessly charming with his sweet words.
Old John chuckled quietly while eating his meal.
Emma's face blushed slightly.
Such a warm scene was unseen in the palace, and immersed in it, even the Empress and Sophie felt a sense of longing.
"If only I could always be by Ethan's side, the Empress would always be happy, that would be nice..."
Though she knew it was impossible, Sophie couldn't help but think so.
Just then, Ethan's gaze fell on her, "Sophie, do you seem to have something on your mind?"
Ethan hadn't realized that due to cultivating Confucian righteousness, his perception was quite strong, making it easy to sense the emotions of those around him.
Even if it was just a fleeting moment.
Emma and Sophie exchanged a glance.
Sophie put down her bowl and chopsticks and quickly fabricated a story, "Young master, today at Dajue Temple, I saw a few refugees, starving and pitiable, which made me feel sentimental about the food."
"Refugees, indeed, are quite pitiful."
Ethan shook his head in sympathy.
"Are they from Huangzhou?" Old John suddenly asked.
He had fled from Huangzhou many years ago, and the question came out of concern for his hometown.
"No, they're from the southern region, which is suffering from a drought."
Ethan answered without thinking.
He remembered that the novel had described this plot in detail.
In the third year of Jia Qing, the southern region experienced a severe drought, followed by various natural and man-made disasters, causing great suffering among the people.
A villain was involved in this plot, making it particularly memorable for Ethan.
Upon hearing they weren't his countrymen, Old John nodded and continued eating.
But while the speaker was unintentional, the listener was attentive.
Emma was suddenly stunned and slowly looked at Ethan.
"Husband... how do you know it's the southern region's drought?"
Because such disasters could cause panic, they were reported in secret letters by the Emperor's special envoys.
Delivered thousands of miles with great urgency, flying non-stop with swords! m.sbooktxt.com
But even at that speed, it was only this afternoon that it reached the Empress's desk!
Ethan, who usually immersed himself in books and paid no heed to outside matters, knew about it so quickly?
And with such accuracy!
PS:
The cultivation systems in this book, from low to high: Life, Scholar, Master, Houtian, Xiantian, King, Emperor, Immortal, Saint.
Special constitutions and fortune levels: Black,