Friend 01

Little Hei complained the entire way—a rare occurrence.

"Just one try, just one try—it was all your urging that nearly got me struck dead!"

Fang Zhiyi shrugged. "Can you even die?"

Little Hei conjured two hands. "Well, no, but it still takes effort, you know."

Fang Zhiyi stared. "What’s that in your mouth?"

"The Heavenly Dao. Took a bite."

Curious, Fang Zhiyi leaned in and saw only a glowing mass, writhing as if it had a mind of its own.

"Ew, disgusting."

"Shut it." Little Hei loosened its grip, and Fang Zhiyi plummeted downward.

When he opened his eyes, he was dressed in filthy rags, his hands covered in soot. A young man beside him called out excitedly, "Ayi, hurry! We’re almost there!" He pointed at the towering city walls in the distance.

Fang Zhiyi followed his gaze. Two bold characters—"Shengjing"—came into view.

At the same time, the backstory flooded his mind.

Lin Chengze and Fang Zhiyi had grown up together in Xinghua Village. Lin Chengze was handsome, with an air of natural charisma, and a silver tongue that endeared him to the village elders. Fang Zhiyi, on the other hand, was introverted, awkward, and rarely spoke. Whenever mischief was afoot, Lin Chengze was the mastermind, but Fang Zhiyi always took the blame—not that he minded. Lin Chengze was his brother, after all.

The tragedy struck at dusk. First, a few bloodstained fugitives stumbled into the village, begging for food and water before fleeing. Then came the masked cavalry, slaughtering everyone in sight and checking their victims against a portrait.

In the chaos, Fang Zhiyi’s mother shoved the two stunned boys into the vegetable cellar.

Fang Zhiyi choked back sobs as his mother’s screams echoed outside, but Lin Chengze clamped a hand over his mouth.

When silence finally fell, they crawled out of the cellar, trembling, only to find the entire village massacred. Fang Zhiyi was heartbroken, but Lin Chengze wasted no time dragging him into a desperate escape.

"If they come back, we’re dead!"

Through begging and scavenging, they finally reached Shengjing—a city they’d only heard of in stories, where the emperor himself resided. But what could two penniless boys do?

Starving, Lin Chengze spotted a wonton stall. He pulled Fang Zhiyi down and ordered a bowl without hesitation. Fang Zhiyi stared in alarm, but Lin Chengze’s reassuring look calmed him. Aze was clever; he must have a plan.

After wolfing down the meal, Lin Chengze suddenly stood. "Run!"

Fang Zhiyi froze, but his legs reacted faster than his mind. He sprinted after Lin Chengze as shouts erupted behind them. "Stop!"

Fang Zhiyi didn’t dare look back—until he heard Lin Chengze’s cry for help. Another vendor had grabbed him. Stalls here stuck together.

To save Lin Chengze, Fang Zhiyi turned back and yanked the vendor away. "Aze! Go, run!" He wrapped his arms around the man, holding him back.

Lin Chengze bolted without a second glance.

The vendors caught up. A pole cracked across Fang Zhiyi’s back, and a kick buckled his knees. By the time they were done, two ribs were broken, and he lay half-dead on the roadside.

Lin Chengze, fleeing blindly, crashed into a carriage. The coachman roared, but a voice from inside stopped him. The curtain lifted, revealing a breathtakingly beautiful face.

Lin Chengze’s silver tongue worked its magic. A few honeyed words had the girl laughing, and she promptly took him in as an errand boy.

Only after entering her estate did Lin Chengze realize his luck—she was the daughter of Vice Minister Liu. He settled into the Liu household, never bothering to check on Fang Zhiyi’s fate.

With his wit and charm, Lin Chengze soon won over Vice Minister Liu and his wife, even thriving among the household staff. He often eavesdropped on the minister’s political debates, absorbing knowledge like a sponge. But his lowly status gnawed at him—until fate intervened.

During an errand, he helped Xu Yan'er recover her stolen purse, forging a connection with the Xu family, who traded in tea and horses.

Xu Yan'er was sharp as a blade. Lin Chengze, with his smooth talk and ties to Vice Minister Liu, became a frequent companion. Through her, he gleaned countless court secrets.

Around the same time, he also caught the eye of General Zhenyuan’s concubine. While the general was away, the two grew… intimately acquainted.

Fang Zhiyi was beaten unconscious that day. Fortunately, someone took pity on him and brought him home to nurse him back to health. Though he survived, he didn’t want to burden his rescuer, so he decided to make his own way. After a long search, he found work as a laborer. Still weakened by his injuries, he worked slower than others, earning him frequent shoves and insults.

Yet his thoughts never strayed far from Lin Chengze’s whereabouts—after all, to him, Aze was the only family he had left.

Their reunion happened outside the Liu estate. Fang Zhiyi was hauling a heavy load when he caught sight of several servants brandishing wooden clubs rushing into an alley. Curiosity made him glance over, and there he saw a familiar face: Lin Chengze. The boy looked well-fed, even a little plumper than before.

"He actually sneaked into our young lady’s chambers! Beat him to death!" the lead servant shouted.

Fang Zhiyi dropped his burden and charged forward.

Though untrained in combat, he was tough enough to endure blows. Just like last time, he threw himself into the fray, shielding Aze from the attackers. "Aze! Run!"

Lin Chengze stared at him, startled and ashamed, but quickly scrambled to his feet and fled.

This time, he returned swiftly—with Xu Yan’er and her entourage in tow. The servants were soundly thrashed.

Lin Chengze swaggered with triumph. "You dare bully me? Do you even know who you’re messing with?"

Battered and bruised, Fang Zhiyi lay sprawled nearby. Watching Aze so full of vigor, he felt a quiet relief. Once Lin Chengze had finished his grand display, he remembered Fang Zhiyi and promptly brought him back to his newly acquired courtyard, arranging for a physician to tend to his wounds.

Having risen in status, Lin Chengze saw no issue in helping a fellow villager. More importantly, Fang Zhiyi was one of the few people he truly trusted. So Fang Zhiyi left his laboring job behind and began running errands for him, serving almost like a loyal retainer.