Xu Jingzhou paused and said, “If we really did transmigrate into this book, then it also explains why I look exactly like that monk.”
“When I was following this novel, I tipped the author a lot, asking them to write me into it as an important supporting character. The author agreed, but because my popularity couldn’t surpass the main characters, I was given traits like greed, lust, and a fondness for violence, and ended up as a monk.”
As the plot progresses, my character will eventually be redeemed, but the moment of redemption is also the moment of my death. The author called that my ‘highlight moment.’”
Xu Jingzhou shrugged as he said this.
“I told you to leave with me before not only because my identity might be exposed, but also for this reason. If Chao Ziyu really is a fallen crown prince, staying by his side is extremely dangerous. After all, he’s already dead. As his concubine, what kind of ending could you possibly have?
We can change our names, do business properly. In a chaotic age like this, we might even become a regional power, unify the Central Plains, establish a kingdom, and declare ourselves emperor. Who knows.”
I’m not willing to be a lamb waiting to be slaughtered in this chaotic world, and I also don’t want to watch the people around me die. Since I’ve come here, I’m going to use what I know of the plot to make something of myself.”
You might think I’m being arrogant, but why shouldn’t I be at my age? If I don’t even dare to be arrogant, how am I supposed to do anything great?”
As he spoke, Xu Jingzhou’s eyes lit up with an intense, almost burning light. Gu Yun could see his ambition clearly.
But it made sense. Xu Jingzhou came from a single-parent household; his father had raised him well and supported every decision he made. From a young age, he insisted on becoming the leader among children. Later, after learning that China wasn’t the largest country in the world, he dreamed of serving his country, devouring military history books and strategy games.
If this world really was a novel, and the future followed its plot, then for someone like him—capable, sharp-minded, aware of the plot itself—it wouldn’t be impossible to unify the Central Plains and found a dynasty.
Perhaps from the moment he arrived, he had already become the protagonist.
Gu Yun didn’t read many novels, but he had seen similar stories: modern people entering books, replacing the original protagonist, and becoming the new lead.
Right now, though, that wasn’t what concerned him most. What concerned him was why the Xuan Dynasty would fall.
From Xu Jingzhou’s words, the dynasty would collapse shortly after Chao Yan’s accession.
Xu Jingzhou was nineteen now. If he intended to make a move, it wouldn’t be when he was old and grey in his fifties or sixties, but in his prime. Say around his forties, that would be more than twenty years from now.
That was a very short span of time. Although the current emperor looked frail, people like that often lived longer than expected. Another ten years would not be surprising. Even so, Chao Yan would have already been on the throne for at least a decade by then. With his ability, the realm should have been stable by that point.
So why did the Xuan Dynasty fall instead? Was the dynasty already rotten to its core?
But from what he had seen, it didn’t look that way. Even historically, dynasties in far worse condition had lasted much longer. With a capable ruler, it should not have collapsed so easily.
Unless some problem arose that even Chao Yan could not resolve.
Foreign invasion? Or natural disaster?
Xu Jingzhou confirmed part of his suspicion: “In the novel, the Xuan Dynasty fell because of natural disasters and foreign invasions. Chao Ziyu ruled for eight years, and then the dynasty collapsed.”
Gu Yun fell silent.
Xu Jingzhou continued, “Chao Ziyu was an unlucky ruler. After taking the throne, he governed diligently, and the dynasty was gradually improving. But then a little ice age arrived, bringing continuous disasters. Society fell into chaos, and people believed the emperor had lost the Mandate of Heaven, so rebellions broke out everywhere, forming multiple rebel armies.”
“At the same time, northern states were facing the same environmental crisis. To relieve internal pressure, they launched external wars. The Xuan Dynasty was crushed by pressure from both inside and outside, and it collapsed not long after.”
“Chao Ziyu was forced to hang himself. The northern states tried to seize the dynasty’s territory, but none of them could defeat either each other or the rebels, so it became a stalemate. Over time, several major powers emerged, and…”
The shouts calling for Gu Yun grew louder. The searchers were getting closer.
Xu Jingzhou looked up and stopped talking. “I’ll tell you the rest next time. I remember most of the plot. Hurry back. I have to go too. If we get caught, we won’t be able to explain ourselves.”
Gu Yun quickly asked, “In the novel, what are Chao Yan’s relatives called? Is there a Consort Shu? Or Zhao Xun?”
Xu Jingzhou shook his head. “I don’t know. Chao Ziyu is just a supporting character; his family wasn’t really described. But if the emperor dies, his relatives definitely won’t have a good ending.”
Gu Yun asked again, “Then what is the name of the rebel leader?”
Xu Jingzhou replied, “You mean the strongest rebel leader? The one you want to confirm whether we’re inside the novel? His surname is Guo, like ‘Guo’ in Dongguo Xiansheng. His name is Yangquan, ‘yang’ as in yin and yang, and ‘quan’ as in spring water. He named himself after a spring in his hometown called Yangquan, said to have been drunk by immortals.”
Gu Yun said, “I’ve noted it down.”
They parted ways there.
Gu Yun walked back along the same path. Compared to the ease he had felt on the way there, his mood now was heavy and suffocating, as if he had swallowed a mouthful of sand that scratched painfully at his throat.
What if it really was a novel? Would he just be able to watch everything unfold according to its predetermined ending?
Watch everyone around him meet a bad fate? And what about him? Would he end well? Why couldn’t the world simply stabilise, and the people live in peace?
Was there really no way to change it?
He twisted his sleeves tightly, his brows furrowed. To avoid stumbling in his agitation, he lowered his head and focused on the steps beneath him.
When he reached the end of the steps, he suddenly noticed a pair of pitch-black shoes on his left. Startled, he looked up.
Someone was standing there. Looking more closely, he recognised the figure immediately. It was Crown Prince Chao Yan.
Chao Yan smiled gently at him, then said in a slightly cold tone, “I thought you wouldn’t recognise me.”
Gu Yun, feeling guilty about secretly meeting his friend, immediately hugged him and said, “How could I not?”
Chao Yan stroked his ear.
Gu Yun said, “It was too dark. That’s why I didn’t recognise you straight away.”
Chao Yan gave a soft “mm”.
Gu Yun released him. “Let’s go back. I’m tired.”
Only then did Chao Yan ask, “What were you doing wandering around on your own?”
Gu Yun had already prepared his excuse. “I heard a noise in the distance and went to take a look. That’s why I left my spot. I was wrong. I won’t do it again.”
Chao Yan replied, “Is that so?”
Gu Yun nodded earnestly.
Chao Yan said lightly, “I thought you went to meet a monk.”
Gu Yun: “…”
