[No romance + a lightly ensemble cast; the tags were changed automatically, and I’m appealing]
You transmigrate to a dynasty that never existed in history. You’re an orphan living under someone else’s roof with your widowed mother, and you’re also pretending to be a boy. What would you do from the start?
The answer: Though I know a little about everything, after weighing my options, becoming a teacher seems like the easiest and most comfortable choice.
As the ancients say, “Once your teacher, your father for life.” As a teacher here, not only will your students respect you like an elder, you’ll also enjoy a certain social standing. It’s practically the perfect job for Xiao He.
That was the career plan Xiao He made for himself after transmigrating. Who knew that, somewhere along the way, the path would veer wildly off course, and he would end up witnessing the rise of a glorious age.
Later generations recorded: “Think back to the Prosperity of Yuanfeng: the rivers ran clear, the seas were calm, and ruler and ministers were virtuous. Emperor Xianzong, Marquis Xiao, and Chancellor Cong stood above all as exemplars. Their bond between sovereign and ministers was the very model of a wise ruler and capable subjects, unmatched for a thousand years.”
* The alternate setting borrows from Tang dynasty institutions. Anything that doesn’t fit is made up; this world is very much its own!
* Maybe there’s a golden finger? Either way, I’ll do my best to make the wish fulfillment feel believable.
