Yin Dynasty, the twenty-fourth year of Yongchang.
That year, a drought struck Guanzhong, and cannibalism broke out in Yuzhou.
Prince Qi, Yun Qi, and the Sixth Prince, Yun Shen, were ordered to provide disaster relief. Passing through Luming, they distributed porridge at the city gates.
By the roadside, a “corpse” suddenly twitched its finger slightly. Fortunately, no one had the leisure to notice.
Shen Mingyuan opened his eyes.
A blur of dark shadows filled his vision at first. Once he regained his bearings, he turned his neck and saw gaunt, skeletal figures, malnourished children, and elderly people hunched over in sickness not far away.
Their reed-thin legs stumbled toward the same direction, accompanied by occasional low, guttural groans.
The surrounding trees had been stripped of every leaf, even their bark peeled away. Not a single blade of green grass could be seen on the ground.
The famine had cast a withered, yellow pallor over everything.
[Hello, Master. I am very unpleased to be at your service,] the Companion System greeted politely. [How are you feeling right now?]
[Xiao Qi.] Shen Mingyuan was perplexed; he simply could not understand it. [The Companion Systems of other Heavenly Daos are professional and composed. Why do you have this sort of temperament?]
[I suggest the Master reflects on himself first. Like pet, like owner.]
Shen Mingyuan corrected it: [You are not a pet. You are my best friend, my other half.]
The system fell silent for a moment. After a long while, it sighed: [That truly touches this system. Fine, as a gesture of reciprocity, I should also show some concern for you—Master, are you hungry?]
[I think I’m okay?] Shen Mingyuan answered uncertainly.
The original owner of this body had starved to death, but other than a sense of physical weakness, Shen Mingyuan felt no other discomfort.
He propped himself up on his elbows to sit up. Yet, even with such a simple movement, he felt a wave of frailty wash over his entire body.
The system analyzed calmly: [It seems you’ve passed the point of feeling hunger. Congratulations, Master. Looking at it this way, you will soon be able to leave this body.]
The system set off an electronic firework.
[Thank you,] Shen Mingyuan said. [But please, try to wish me well.]
Hoofbeats kicked up dust as several figures approached on horseback in the distance.
Shen Mingyuan squinted to look.
He was currently collapsed outside the city. It seemed the original owner had also wanted to beg for a bowl of porridge at the city gate but died before reaching it.
Horses were not allowed inside the city, but there was no such restriction outside. Thus, Shen Mingyuan saw two men on two horses approaching at a gallop.
The youth in the lead whipped his horse forward. It should have been a scene of elegant abandon, yet for some reason, it lacked any sense of carefree spirit.
He looked as if he were weighed down by something heavy; a persistent gloom was frozen between his brows, and even his breathing seemed labored.
“Whoa—”
Yun Shen pulled the reins and gave a cold, indifferent glance at Shen Mingyuan, who was lying by the road.
“Give him something to eat,” he commanded curtly. Without stopping, he raised his whip and galloped away once more.
Du Xiao responded and took a bundle hanging from his saddle, tossing it toward Shen Mingyuan without regard for whether it would hit him, before hurriedly following his master.
Though harvests had been poor in recent years, a prince would not yet go hungry.
The bundle landed by Shen Mingyuan’s hand, a corner spilling open to reveal dried meat and naan bread.
Shen Mingyuan could hear several loud gulps from those around him. He lowered his eyes and tried to move his wrists.
As expected, someone soon pounced, disregarding even the fact that the noble’s carriage had not yet gone far—Yun Shen and his servant moved quickly, but a large retinue followed behind them, with the leader dressed even more exquisitely than Yun Shen.
Their horses trotted leisurely as if they were on an outing.
However, no spring scenery could be found in these parts.
Shen Mingyuan accurately caught the wrist of the person trying to snatch the food. Because of his weakness, his movements weren’t large; he simply rolled over and half-knelt on the ground, his right hand pinning the person’s neck into the yellow earth.
“My apologies,” Shen Mingyuan said gently. “I need this very much. I cannot share it with you.”
The person whimpered, “Spare… spare my life…”
“Song Feng, distribute the food we brought to the people.” The noble who arrived a step later was filled with pity, his brow slightly furrowed as if he could not bear to witness the suffering before him.
The attendant beside him responded, “Yes. Your Highness is truly kind-hearted.”
He took out all the snacks prepared for Yun Qi for this journey and called over the other guards to distribute them to the people nearby. “This is His Highness, Prince Qi. Today he distributes porridge and grain to save the people from their dire straits. You all must remember His Highness’s benevolence.”
“Too much talk,” Yun Qi scolded.
The people around were already heading to the city gate to beg for porridge. Now that food had appeared before they even reached it—and these millet cakes and rice cakes were more than twice as good as that watered-down porridge—they swarmed forward instantly.
“Thank you, Your Highness! Your Highness must be a Bodhisattva reincarnated! Thank you, Your Highness!”
“Thank you, Prince Qi! We kowtow to Your Highness!”
Seeing someone playing the hero, Shen Mingyuan leisurely put the torn pieces of naan back into the bundle.
This was a tribute from his “good son,” after all; he didn’t want to share it with others.
Shen Mingyuan took a bite of the naan and choked slightly. He swallowed with difficulty, thinking that this filial piety was a bit dry.
Yun Qi skillfully comforted the commoners for a few moments, then raised his head to look at Shen Mingyuan, who was sitting off to the side, minding his own business.
Shen Mingyuan was currently struggling with a piece of dried meat that was even harder than the naan. Sensing the gaze, he looked back in confusion.
As the incarnation of the Heavenly Dao, Shen Mingyuan possessed a powerful soul. As he walked the mortal realm through this body, the vessel was gradually transformed by his presence to resemble his true form, though no one nearby noticed the anomaly.
However, no matter how celestial his appearance might be, it was hard to tell under his current state of being sallow, thin, and covered in dust.
So, what was the reason for staring at him like this?
Yun Qi walked toward him, a kind smile on his face. “How should I address this brave warrior?”
“Shen Mingyuan.”
“Presumptuous!” Song Feng, standing beside Yun Qi, criticized. “Why do you not salute upon seeing His Highness?”
Shen Mingyuan replied lazily, “No strength.”
Yun Qi reached out to stop him, remaining refined and polite. “Song Feng, do not be rude.”
He said with a smile, “Warrior Shen, I see you have some skill. I wonder if you would be willing to work by my side?”
He sighed inwardly. The name “Shen Mingyuan” was not one a commoner’s child would have. Looking at the man before him, though his appearance was wretched, his bearing remained unmarred. He likely came from a family that had fallen on hard times.
He was qualified to serve him.
Shen Mingyuan quickly calculated the gains and losses in his mind.
He was the Heavenly Dao of another world. As an outsider, many of his actions were restricted, and he could not exceed the rules of this realm. If he could stay by the side of a Child of Destiny, he would surely be able to accumulate many resources in a short time.
However, there were too many eyes watching Prince Qi. It wasn’t free enough. Not ideal.
This consideration was lightning-fast. On the surface, Shen Mingyuan only hesitated for a brief moment.
He shook his head. “Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness.”
This was a refusal.
Anger clearly showed on Song Feng’s face. “Ungrateful! His Highness is willing to give you a chance to show your loyalty—this is a blessing you haven’t earned in eight lifetimes!”
Yun Qi was also stunned.
He hadn’t expected Shen Mingyuan to refuse. This man was clearly on the verge of starvation; why would he push away the wealth and status handed to him?
More than the slight of being offended, Yun Qi felt curiosity.
He asked, “Why?”
Shen Mingyuan smiled. “I have greater ambitions. Your Highness has no shortage of talented people. If I were merely saved by Your Highness as a refugee, how could I stand out? That is not my wish.”
A flash of interest crossed Yun Qi’s eyes. “Do you mean to say that you wish to first achieve something to prove your ability before coming to serve me?”
Shen Mingyuan smiled slightly. “I feel that day will not be far off.”
Prince Qi was favored, and the current Crown Prince was his brother from the same mother. Even the most arrogant officials in court had to be polite to him.
Shen Mingyuan was neither haughty nor humble, showing no sign of subservience. This truly piqued his interest.
Yun Qi asked, “Observing your words and behavior, have you studied?”
“I have read a bit,” Shen Mingyuan said slowly. “Yi Yin carried a cooking pot to persuade King Tang of Shang; Jiang Shang fished with a straight hook to meet King Wen of Zhou; Kongming’s Longzhong Plan determined the tripartite division of the world. If I had not read history, how could I yearn for such harmony between ruler and minister? How could I long to meet a brilliant lord worthy of my strategic talents?”
These words were bold. However, firstly, there were no outsiders here, and secondly, Yun Qi was not lacking in courage himself. Thus, after a moment of shock, he quickly regained his composure.
Shen Mingyuan was too calm. Yun Qi, harboring a bit of a competitive spirit, forced himself to maintain a serene and steady expression.
“What grand talk,” he said with a light smile. “To dare compare yourself to the virtuous ministers of old.”
Shen Mingyuan asked, “Then, does Your Highness have the heart to become a sage and enlightened ruler?”
Song Feng was struck with horror.
He quickly gave a look to the surrounding guards. The guards understood and drove the remaining commoners a bit further away.
Yun Qi spoke as if giving a reminder: “Our dynasty already has an established Crown Prince.”
To most, the relationship between the Crown Prince and this younger brother was excellent. The elder brother was loving, and the younger was admiring—they were the very definition of “deep brotherly bonds.”
The Crown Prince was benevolent, both the legitimate and eldest son. Although his natural talent was not outstanding, being a ruler who maintained the status quo wouldn’t be a problem.
As for Prince Qi? In the minds of the ministers, being a carefree and idle prince was also quite good.
Shen Mingyuan did not panic. He said with a smile, “But in this world, is there truly any prince who does not wish to be Emperor?”
His tone was casual, as if he didn’t know what a terrifying topic he was discussing, as if he were merely chatting about today’s weather.
Yun Qi gave him a deep look. “Sowing discord between this prince and the Crown Prince… do you know that based on these words alone, I could sentence you to death?”
“I am terrified.” Shen Mingyuan stood up and cupped his hands in a salute. Though his clothes were tattered, he somehow made one see the meaning of “a gentleman like jade.”
His frame was thin, but his back was ramrod straight. Yun Qi couldn’t help but think of the “literary integrity” described in books.
Every monarch who achieved great things had a capable minister by his side, and their meetings were always the subject of much fascination.
Yun Qi wondered: could Shen Mingyuan be his destiny?
Shen Mingyuan smiled. “It was merely an example. It was my fault for causing Your Highness worry. My desire to serve Your Highness is because I believe in you as a person. It has nothing to do with which fief Your Highness will go to or what position you will hold in the future.”
He understood the principle of quitting while ahead.
Yun Qi had ambition, but it was still too small and shallow, not enough for him to gamble his current comfortable life and go to war against the brother who doted on him.
Yun Qi also laughed, smoothly moving past the previous “example” as he teased, “Sir’s words make me wonder if you were waiting here specifically for me.”
Shen Mingyuan let out a light laugh. “It is not a misunderstanding.”
Yun Qi’s smile stiffened for a moment. He felt that as those four simple words fell, a certain emotion suddenly surged like thunder in his chest, and his heart beat like a rapid drum, vibrating against his eardrums.
There was a person who recognized him, followed him, and for that reason, traveled thousands of miles to find him.
To be able to make a virtuous talent surrender his heart so completely… could it be that he truly was the enlightened ruler chosen by Heaven?