Sui Yan, a young college student, dies suddenly and transmigrates to ancient times. A paddy field falls from the sky and crushes the water buffalo plowing A Zheng's field.
With a kind heart and the thought that saving someone would make it easier to collect a debt, A Zheng takes Sui Yan in. From then on, he has a helpful laborer for life, one he only needs to feed and charge interest on interest.
Who knew the guy would be useless at everything...
A Zheng tells him to recover from his injuries and, while he's at it, raise pigs and cook at home. A month later, even the pigs have grown thin and sallow, and the cooking pot has burned through...
Since he can't manage at home, A Zheng takes him out to work. But the guy can't transplant rice seedlings, sow seeds, dig holes, or weed. A Zheng has no choice but to teach him on the spot.
It's fine. He's a very patient person. (It's definitely not because Sui Yan acts cute to sweet-talk him into letting him slack off.)
The villagers all laugh that it's like he's taken in a clueless little wife, not an orphan who's supposed to work off his debt.
When Sui Yan hears the village women laughing at him, he gets fired up. In less than half a month, he learns everything A Zheng has taught him.
Now Sui Yan can work off his debt without owing more, but A Zheng doesn't want him to leave...
So scheming Zheng keeps digging new "pits" for him to fall into. Before long, Sui Yan is deep in debt all over again...
Their happy days come to an end when an important court official finds A Zheng and tells him he is a prince who was lost among the common people.
A Zheng is unhappy, but Sui Yan is delighted.
After Sui Yan persuades him with his silver tongue, A Zheng agrees to return to the palace.
Sui Yan thinks he's about to rise to the top and become a favorite of the new emperor, but instead he's appointed head eunuch. In Sui Yan's words: the head of all the eunuchs.
There's no way he can do that!
A Zheng: With interest on interest on interest, plus that cup of fine tea you just stole from me, you owe me one hundred taels in all. You don't want to be a eunuch? Fine. Pay me back.
Sui Yan: I'd rather die than suffer such humiliation!
A Zheng: You don't have to be castrated. Your monthly salary is fifty taels of silver, with no deductions for rewards or punishments. You get the treatment of a noble consort and your own palace. Once the debt is paid off, you'll be free. Who knows, if you make great contributions, I might even have a good reason to make you a carefree, wealthy prince.
Obsequious Sui Yan: This servant will serve Your Majesty with all his heart!
The next day, Eunuch Sui is docked pay for stepping through the door with his right foot first!
The day after, Eunuch Sui is docked pay for secretly eating a meal without Your Majesty!
His debt keeps growing. A higher-ranking official can crush a lower one, and his protests are futile. Fortunately, Sui Yan has watched plenty of TV dramas and read plenty of novels, so he can earn money by offering advice.
But Sui Yan, who is determined to make great contributions and enjoy a life of wealth and power, keeps offering himself up until he gives himself away...
Now in his thirties, Sui Yan has gained the immense power and wealth he wanted most, but he can no longer feel happy.
On a bright spring day, Sui Yan lounges in the rocking chair the late emperor had custom-made just for him in the imperial garden. He kicks his legs, taps out a beat on his thigh, and sings the Spring Banquet song he taught A Zheng:
"My first wish: may my beloved live a thousand years. A cup of green wine, a song to hear."
"My second wish: may the strings and bamboo play sweetly. Spring clouds drift by, flowers fill the sky..."
A gentle reminder: This story is monogamous, and the main character has no harem of women. However, it has a BE ending, and one of the main characters will die. Please read with caution if you're uncomfortable with that.
Theme: Let me give my life for my country, so why should I avoid danger for the sake of fortune or misfortune?
