Lin Zhixing opened his eyes and found himself in the Ming Dynasty, reborn as a six-year-old farm boy. His little sister was still by his side, only now she was a tiny three-year-old. His parents doted on him, and the family had fertile fields. There was just one problem: the world was sliding into chaos.
Fortunately, a Distinguished Minister System had appeared in his mind.
"The more capable you become, the more capable I become." Then he'd start with the imperial examinations and climb his way to the top.
At seven, he entered the exams and took first place at the county and prefectural levels, earning the title of Minor Triple Laureate. He came in first every time, leaving a crowd of child prodigy classmates in tears.
At court, he had great Confucian scholars as mentors and a whole clan of senior fellow disciples backing him. At the border, a clan uncle commanded the troops. At home, the granaries were piled high with improved seeds.
He improved farming tools, trained a new army, opened up maritime trade, and developed firearms, pulling the Ming Dynasty back from the brink of chaos.
Word spread among the common people: The God of Literature had descended to earth.
One day, a young gentleman calling himself "Zhou Huaijin" came to pay a visit to the "incarnation of the god."
His little sister, Lin Qingyue, blocked the entrance and grilled him about his background. "What's your surname, sir? How many mu of land does your family own?" The young Mr. Zhou could only smile at her questions.
Later, the new emperor ascended the throne, and the empress's coronation ceremony was held.
Wearing her phoenix crown and ceremonial robes, Empress Lin Qingyue winked at her brother below. "Big brother, I'll protect you from now on." The man seated on the dragon throne was the very same gentleman she'd once grilled about his family background.
Someone asked whether the new emperor was afraid of this brother-in-law.
The emperor replied, "I live off my empress. What do you think?"
