The Vigilant Guardian

Chapter One: The Misfortune of Imprisonment

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The Turmoil of the Capital

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In the capital of the Great Feng Dynasty, the jailhouse lay shrouded in a damp, foul odor that clung to the air, making Wei Wuji stir from his restless slumber. The stench was unbearable, reminiscent of a mischief-making husky leaving its mark on his bed...

He had kept a dog, a Siberian Husky, to stave off the loneliness that came with a decade spent drifting in the northern city—an empty life that craved companionship.

As he opened his eyes and surveyed his surroundings, confusion clouded his mind. Stone walls loomed around him, with three small square windows letting in slivers of light that danced on the cold, tattered straw mat where he lay. Dust motes floated in the beam, mocking his bewilderment.

Where am I?

In the throes of existential doubt, realization dawned upon him like a crashing wave: he had traversed time.

Memories surged violently, thrusting into his mind without warning—Wei Wuji, also known as Ning Yan, was a constable under the jurisdiction of the Chang Le County office in the capital, earning a meager salary of two taels of silver and a stone of rice monthly.

His father, an old soldier, perished in the "Battle of Mountains and Seas" nineteen years ago, followed by his mother's illness soon after. The thought brought a bittersweet comfort; after all, orphans were often seen as extraordinary individuals.

"Who would have thought that even in a second life, I'd be destined to play the role of a constable?" he mused, a twinge of bitterness evident in his tone.

In his previous life, he had graduated from the police academy and secured a stable position within the system, holding a golden rice bowl. Yet, the path chosen for him by his parents felt confining; he longed for freedom, for the intoxicating allure of life unfettered. He often recalled a line from Ji Xianlin's diary—how he had resigned and plunged into commerce.

"But how did I end up in prison?"

As the memories settled, the weight of his current predicament became clear. Raised by his uncle, he had trained in martial arts, consuming over a hundred taels of silver annually, much to his aunt's chagrin. Upon reaching the peak of his training at eighteen, he faltered, and under familial pressure, he moved out of the Xu household.

Through his uncle's connections, he secured a position as a constable and lived relatively well—until three days ago when his uncle, a sixth-rank officer in the Imperial Guard, suffered a mishap while escorting a large shipment of tax silver to the Ministry of Revenue.

Fifteen thousand taels were lost.

The court was thrown into chaos; the Emperor's wrath was palpable, and he decreed the execution of Xu Pingzhi within five days, along with the execution of his entire clan—male members sent to the borderlands, and the females relegated to the brothels.

As Xu Pingzhi's nephew, Wei Wuji was stripped of his position and cast into the capital's jail.

Two days!

In two days, he would be exiled to a desolate border, condemned to toil for the remainder of his life.

"Is this how it begins? Hell mode activated..." A chill crept up Wei Wuji's spine as despair settled deep within him.

This world, governed by a feudal dynasty, was devoid of human rights. What awaited him at the borders?

Desolation, harsh climates; most exiles perished within ten years. Many never even made it to their destination, succumbing to misfortune and illness along the way.