They Say I Was a Deity Who Descended to Earth

In the winter of the twenty-second year of Taihe in the Qi Dynasty, the emperor and his trusted ministers dream of ascending to immortality.

Above the clouds, a sea of lights blazes through the night, voices travel a thousand miles, jade palaces touch the clouds, and steel armies surge across the land. Everywhere they look, they see magnificent wonders beyond the reach of mortals.

Then everyone realizes that the dream's master is none other than the neglected Seventh Prince, Shen Mingyan, living in the palace's most desolate quarters.

The Seventh Prince snaps his fingers, and the room lights up like broad daylight.

The Seventh Prince gives a casual command, and a spirit artifact answers him.

The Seventh Prince travels with divine beasts and keeps magical treasures at his side.

The Seventh Prince is also skilled in music, horsemanship, archery, mathematics, physics, and chemistry. With mastery of the six arts of the gentleman and the powers of immortals, what else could he be but a deity?!

It's confirmed: the Seventh Prince is a deity descended to the mortal world!

Everyone: !!!

Talk about accidentally trespassing in the imperial household!

The ambitious and far-sighted emperor's expression darkens. He will not tolerate anything threatening his imperial authority, not even a deity.

*

Shen Mingyan has grown used to his strange transmigration. Every Friday, as soon as he falls asleep, he becomes the Qi Dynasty's forgotten Seventh Prince. After spending a full month in ancient times, he returns to the modern world. The two timelines don't interfere with each other.

Shen Mingyan has accepted this arrangement quite well. After all, it's like getting an extra life for free.

Besides, life in the Qi Dynasty is pretty interesting, and it gives him plenty of gossip to share with his friends.

On his next trip back to the modern world, Shen Mingyan mutters gossip about people behind their backs, completely unaware that a few ghosts have followed him.

Friend A: “Sounds like the old emperor wants to weaken the regional lords. Pretty mediocre approach.”

Friend B: “Terrible.”

Friend C: “If you want to weaken the regional lords, use the ‘Order of Favorable Partition,’ the greatest masterstroke in history.”

Emperor: ??? Old man?

Ministers: Uh, Your Highness... Is this something we're allowed to hear?

(They look like they want to say something but don't dare.)

...But wait! What is the “Order of Favorable Partition”?

“Winter must be freezing over there. Are you doing okay?”

“Don't worry. I've already invented briquettes, so it's not too bad.”

...What's a briquette?

“No phone, no computer. It sounds so miserable.”

“It's a bit rough, but on the bright side, I invented papermaking first, so at least I can write papers. I have four times as much time to study now, which is pretty great.”

...What's “papermaking”?

*

Shen Mingyan thinks life in the Qi Dynasty has been very strange lately.

His home is remote and desolate, yet somehow an emperor and several high ministers keep appearing there.

That very day, his palace mysteriously catches fire, and he is “forced” to move into an even more beautiful and magnificent palace.

After that, rumors suddenly spread through the palace that Shen Mingyan is the apple of the emperor's eye.

Shen Mingyan: ???

His friends are horrified when they hear this. “The old man's definitely up to something!”

“That's how it always goes in novels. He'll use you as a shield to protect the son he really cares about. Be careful, Mingyan!”

Shen Mingyan nods solemnly.

Emperor: ...

Ministers: ...

*

That year, heavy snow fell in the capital, and countless people froze to death. Bodies lay stiff in the streets.

Shen Mingyan feels no attachment to the Qi Dynasty, but when he sees this, he can't bring himself to turn away.

But once you choose to take part in a story, it's no longer easy to stand apart from it.

“Mingyan, are you really going to start a poverty-relief program in ancient times?”

“...Yes. I can't bear to see people suffer.”

PS:

1. The modern and fictional ancient storylines run in parallel, with more of the story set in ancient times. The protagonist never knows that people in the modern world can see his life there.

2. The ancient setting is entirely fictional. Confucian ideas of male superiority and female subordination have not yet taken hold, so don't be surprised to see women officials at court. It's perfectly normal.

Theme: Live well. Everything happens for the best