However, his work only lasted two days before he was seized by the soldiers and thrown into the county jail's dungeon.
The reason was that someone had seen him kill a man.
Nian'an remembered that man, and his heart instantly turned cold.
In truth, the man had frozen to death, but since someone had witnessed him fighting with the man, he was naturally pinned with the blame.
He felt this winter was bitterly cold, and once again, resentment towards the West Suburb welled up within him.
In contrast, Lin Yanqing was wrapped in thick furs, warming herself by the fire. From behind the screen came the voices of her father, Lin Kunyuan, conversing with the County Magistrate.
"That piece of land, I wish to acquire it to expand my business..."
"But I've heard that recently, that so-called Mianyue Brothel has become quite famous, with those lottery tickets. Quite a few people in the city are buying them."
"Magistrate Hu, although that place is a refugee settlement, it still falls under your jurisdiction, does it not?"
"But those people... they are all vicious characters. If this official wishes to do something, he must have some substantial evidence, no?"
"Eliminate evil completely, for the sake of the people—isn't that reason enough?" Lin Yanqing could listen no longer and rushed out from behind the screen.
The County Magistrate was taken aback.
Lin Kunyuan frowned. "Outrageous! When the Magistrate and I are speaking, what right do you have to interrupt? Go inside!"
"But it's only right! When dealing with those bullies who oppress the common people, what use is reasoning? Don't tell me you're actually afraid of those villains?" Lin Yanqing felt she was entirely in the right.
Magistrate Hu felt somewhat awkward. He truly was afraid—a man only has one life. If he were to arrest people without evidence and those fierce refugees resisted, trouble would surely ensue.
"Enough! Magistrate Hu, my apologies. My daughter is truly unruly." Lin Kunyuan offered his apologies.
Lin Yanqing pouted. "Fine, I'll leave. You're no better than me. That son of Fang Zhiyi followed me around, and didn't I turn my back on him without a second thought?"
At these words, Magistrate Hu's eyes widened, and Lin Kunyuan also exclaimed in surprise, "What did you say?"
Lin Yanqing turned back, puzzled, her face full of confusion. "What? What do you mean?"
Nian'an never expected that just as he was about to freeze to death, the jailer took him out. Facing the Magistrate's interrogation, Nian'an's mind was now solely focused on survival, so he poured out everything he knew.
"Are you willing to atone for your crime by performing a meritorious service?" The Magistrate squinted at this young man.
Nian'an nodded repeatedly, then asked, "Doing what?"
The Magistrate smiled. "Identify Fang Zhiyi as the one who robbed official grain! Oppressing the people, wreaking havoc in the region!"
Nian'an was stunned for a moment, then nodded without hesitation. "Of course I'm willing! For justice! For the people!"
The Magistrate looked at him, thinking to himself, This kid is even more shameless than I am.
But never mind. With this kid's testimony, he could request some manpower from his superiors to assist in the arrest, which would make things much safer.
Lin Yanqing never expected to see Nian'an again, and in her own home, no less.
"You... you scoundrel! What are you doing here again?" she exclaimed, agitated.
Lin Kunyuan remained silent. Nian'an hurriedly explained, "Listen to me! Qing'er!"
This form of address made Lin Kunyuan glance at him sideways from where he stood.
Nian'an didn't notice, only anxiously continuing his explanation.
"Listen to me."
"I won't listen, I won't listen."
"Let me explain."
"I won't listen, I won't listen."
Heavy snow fell.
The Magistrate needed to submit a document to his superior explaining the situation, then await reinforcements before taking action. Coupled with the heavy snow, the operation was essentially postponed until after spring.
Nian'an was driven by the steward to live in the stable. Unbeknownst to him, his behavior was observed by Lin Kunyuan. Unlike the original course of events, this time he had committed violence in public, making him just as vicious as Fang Zhiyi. Then, to save his own skin, he betrayed his sworn father. Therefore, Lin Kunyuan did not think highly of him; instead, he guarded against him as if he were a thief.
Fortunately, Lin Yanqing forgave him, especially when she heard he was going to turn against his own kin for the greater good. Lin Yanqing was delighted.
Fang Zhiyi held a warming brazier, reclining on a lounge chair. The expanded main hall was filled with many people. Some were drinking and eating meat, others playing cards or finger-guessing games. At several tables, groups of girls chatted and laughed merrily. While entertaining guests with conversation and poetry, they had to maintain a certain decorum, but now during their break, they had all become much livelier.
Someone opened the main door, letting in a gust of cold wind. Everyone glanced over but then returned to their amusements.
That person hurried to Fang Zhiyi. "Big Brother, the snow is too thick. The roads are blocked."
Fang Zhiyi nodded. This way, they would have enough time.
"Let the music play on! Let the dancing continue!"
The hall erupted in jubilation.
Winter passed quickly. That winter, the West Suburb created a miracle. While dozens had frozen to death in the city, not a single person in the West Suburb died that winter. During the coldest days, Fang Zhiyi had arranged for the residents to be grouped, several households together in one room. This arrangement conserved firewood and crushed charcoal while also pooling body heat for warmth.
Except for one fool who sealed the doors and windows, nearly killing himself and his neighbor's entire family. Fortunately, the patrol noticed something amiss, averting the tragedy.
On the day the snow began to melt, Fang Zhiyi sent out a letter and continued planning the year's arrangements, including holding mobilization and production meetings for his subordinates and resident representatives.
The Magistrate also made his move. As the snow melted, he sent out his request for troops.
Right at the start of the year, the Mianyue Brothel had a joyous event. A young gentleman from a wealthy family was determined to marry one of the brothel's girls, even going so far as to seek out Fang Zhiyi. Fang Zhiyi merely asked for the girl's opinion, then took the young man into the back hall. No one knew what they discussed, but when they emerged, the young man looked hesitant. However, upon seeing the girl again, his resolve solidified.
"I want to marry her!"
He declared resolutely.
Fang Zhiyi led the applause, and everyone joined in. Fang Zhiyi had simply told him about the Mianyue Brothel's past. Such matters couldn't be hidden; anyone who inquired diligently could find out. He had no desire to be a deceiver.
Starting from that day, a new wall appeared in the Mianyue Brothel. At the very top were written two names—the newlywed couple's names, written by their own hands.
Fang Zhiyi's meaning was clear: If you want to live your lives together, then live them well. Your names are right here for all to see. The Mianyue Brothel's reputation is growing. If the two of you fight all the time, then prepare to be shamed before all the talented scholars and beauties of the land.
Soon after, another girl married a scholar as his concubine. Fang Zhiyi did not intervene. This was the way of the times. After separately inquiring about both parties' thoughts, Fang Zhiyi simply nodded. He wasn't their father; he couldn't control everything.
Right after this event concluded, someone came running, panting heavily, to report.
"Master Fang! It's bad! A large group of government soldiers is heading towards the West Suburb!"
Instantly, the surroundings fell silent.
Fang Zhiyi slowly stood up, touching the scar on his face. "Heh, we have guests."
Chen Huaimin's face was grim. He had long been worried. Now that the West Suburb was developing so well, it was bound to attract the attention of the powerful and wealthy.
nd fell into a coma while saving his younger sister from an out-of-control car. He became a vegetable. No one knew that his consciousness had crossed into a world of cultivation. Over the course of sixty years, he began as the lowest kind of mine slave, struggling to survive amid mountains of corpses and seas of blood. By sheer chance, he eventually obtained the complete memories of a fallen Immortal King. Alchemy, medicine, formations, feng shui, physiognomy, artifact forging… Every great inheritance of the cultivation world was now his. But when he opened his eyes again, he discovered that ten full years had passed in the modern world. To pay for his treatment, his father had sold the family’s shop and house, leaving himself covered in lasting injuries and illness. His mother had cared for him day and night, and more than half of her hair had already turned white. His younger sister, who had been only fifteen back then, was now twenty-five. To help repay the family’s debts, she had been forced to lower her head and put on a smiling face in places of glittering lights and endless revelry. Only then did Chen Xuan understand that what he had lost was not merely ten years. He had lost the life his entire family was meant to have. The good news was that he had brought back the memories of an Immortal King’s entire lifetime. The bad news was that his soul had returned alone—his cultivation had not come with him. Spiritual energy was scarce, resources were depleted, and the modern world still had firearms, surveillance, capital, and laws. If he wanted to protect his family, break free from everyone’s control, and become truly invincible beneath the heavens, he would have to start all over again.
d intelligence to keep the plot moving, and sometimes even the protagonists are forced into absurdly dumb decisions. Why does the A-list celebrity heroine in urban romance novels ditch the top-tier movie star and become a lovestruck fool for a pockmarked male lead? Why do the leads in historical tragedy novels keep dancing between love and death, only for the blind healer to end up suffering the most? And Gu Wei never expected that after finally landing a villain role to stir up trouble, she’d pick the wrong gender! No choice now—she’ll just have to crush the protagonists as a girl!
e, Immortal Body, Transmigration, System, Progression Fantasy, Academy Setting, Third-Person Perspective. Alternate Title: Transmigrating into a High Martial World and Reading Live Comments. Bad news: I transmigrated. This is a terrifying high-martial world, and my original, pathetically weak body fell into a coma and never woke up. Good news: I got a Popularity Points system upon arrival. I can see live comments and even create an unkillable alternate identity. Starting out, the alternate identity has all stats at 1. The system tells me that to grow stronger, I must participate in the plot, gain popularity points to allocate stats and grow stronger, and ultimately awaken my original body. And so, carrying my original body on my back, I officially entered Huaqing Academy, where the story's protagonist resides. From that moment on, Chen Guan kicked the original plot to pieces. Live Comments: [Doesn't anyone find this mysterious coffin guy creepy? He can summon indescribable grey misty hands.] [Is this guy a hero or a villain? What kind of onion became a spirit?] [By the way, does anyone know who's in the coffin? Shouldn't the debt for saving his life be repaid by now?] [According to unofficial histories, the person in the coffin was Chen Guan's first love. Their love was once passionate and earth-shattering, but they were separated by life and death due to worldly circumstances. What a star-crossed pair.] ... Years later, the world knew of a demon god born from a coffin, shrouded in grey mist, impossible to gaze upon directly. His foremost divine emissary often wielded a scythe, reaping lives like the god of death. As war approached, facing former friends and a boundless sea of enemies, Chen Guan merely raised his scythe. "Would you like to dance as well?"
s the Eldest Princess, renowned for her cold and aloof detachment, became the most docile of lambs, obeying his every command without question. But when the final move was played on the chessboard, as Gu Chenghan seized everything and ascended on the verge of apotheosis, that very Princess suddenly embraced him from behind, her tone carrying a dependence never heard before: "Wait... you haven't yet... commanded me to love you forever." Gu Chenghan froze abruptly. She... hadn't been hypnotized?! ... [The Eldest Princess's Diary] [When my soul was extracted, becoming the sole spectator outside my own shell] [At first, there was overwhelming fury, until I saw] [How he used my sword to effortlessly shatter my inescapable doom] [How he wielded my authority to eradicate fatal conspiracies I had never even detected] [Like a deity, he rescued me from the deep mire I was trapped in] [If not for those annoying vixens, he and I would be a match made in heaven] [I think I am ill, gravely ill] [My deity should belong to me alone] ... "Hypnosis? Oh, it succeeded, my dear Master." "Only this time, it's my turn to hypnotize you."
