Chapter 1, The Fallen Prince

Zhou Bo's intervention was anticipated by Zhou Yi long ago. Although he was quite angry, he did not lose his composure. After some thought, he said: "Uncle Wang, your Imperial Guard consists of only 3,000 men. If all of them are dispatched to search for the prince, who will guard the palace? There is no need for you to argue, this matter is settled as it is, General Agu will go."

Child, I have finished eating, let us continue on our journey. The old man had eaten the steamed bun and drunk the soy milk, his strength gradually began to recover, and he stood up and said

Guxi County, inside the royal palace

Child, you can rest assured that I have a large house in the county town, with all kinds of delicious food available. When we get there, I will definitely make sure you eat your fill

No one spoke, but they all stared intently at the steamed bun in his hand. The young man continued, "You may leave; I will not give it to you." After saying this, he handed the bun to the old man behind him. The old man hurriedly took it and began to devour it greedily.

"Damn it, I would rather starve than become a beggar!" Wang Xu rolled his eyes, feeling a wave of frustration. The food here is already difficult to eat, so how bad could the things they bring be? He couldn't imagine.

Everyone was taken aback, and immediately two more individuals attempted to rush forward, but they were all stopped by the young man

A soldier rushed into the grand hall, and the dozens of singing girls who were dancing above immediately retreated. This is the ancestral system of the Hong Tian Empire; for any significant matters or frontline military situations, there is no need for a report, and all military information can go directly to the front of the hall

At this point, Zhou Bo no longer hesitated and said: "Your Highness, General Agu is the commander of the middle army in Gu Xijun, and his responsibilities are significant. It would be better for this matter of finding the prince to be handled by an old minister. As the leader of the Yulin Army, it is my dereliction of duty that I have not protected the prince well. I should seek to recover the prince to make amends for my shortcomings."

Wang Xu's eyes shifted as he recalled that the people in this place all worshipped the Dragon God; as long as one swore an oath to the Dragon God, they would keep their promise. Wang Xu chuckled awkwardly a couple of times and said, "Old man, I don't believe you have a big house in the county town. If you had a big house, why would you come here? To prove that you are not lying, would you dare to swear an oath to the Dragon God?"

In the desolate fields, refugees are seen everywhere; they are clad in tattered clothing, emaciated, and pale, their bodies having long been unable to bear the burden after prolonged walking

Wang Xu supported the elderly man as they walked forward and asked, "Elder, where are we headed? If we continue like this, I fear we will starve to death by tomorrow."

"Enough, Aguqie, put down the sword at once." At this moment, Zhou Yi was nearly driven mad by Aguqie. From the royal city to the palace, all were Zhou Bo's people. In addition to the three thousand Yulin troops, there were also the four garrison troops. If Zhou Bo were truly killed, how could he possibly survive himself

"Hello, elder, are you alright?" Seeing an old man collapse, a handsome young boy hurried over to help him up. However, the old man waved his hand and weakly said, "Child, you need not worry about me, just continue on your way. I am merely a bit tired from walking and wish to rest for a while."

Before Zhou Yi could speak, a fierce general emerged behind Zhou Bo. Clad in heavy black iron armor, standing seven feet tall, with thick eyebrows and large eyes, Zhao Qing declared loudly: "Please rest assured, young lord. If I cannot retrieve the prince, I am willing to behead myself in atonement."

Seeing that they could not obtain the food, the crowd wandered in place for a while before gradually leaving, leaving behind only their desolate figures. They were unable to break through the boy's defenses. Although the boy was physically weak, he was much more spirited compared to the others.

Zhou Bo, feeling helpless, could only grit his teeth and threaten: "Your Highness, I advise you to think carefully and not to act stubbornly. My 3,000 Feather Forest Army can seal off the royal palace in an instant, and no matter how brave General Agu is, he cannot protect you."

Aguqie set down his sword, and Zhou Yi secretly breathed a sigh of relief, continuing, "Uncle Wang, you mentioned that General Agu cannot go, and your Yulin Army is also lacking in troops. I wonder what good strategy Uncle Wang has in mind?"

Wang Xu suddenly stopped and carefully observed the elderly man before him. The old man was dressed in a long purple-gray robe, with a dragon-patterned belt tied around his waist and an ancient crown atop his head. Although he appeared dusty and disheveled, it was difficult to conceal the air of nobility that surrounded his face.

"Understood." Zhao Qing reluctantly accepted the order and turned to leave

The woman slowly stood up and walked away in disappointment

Zhou Yi cast a glance, and Aguqie immediately understood, rising to say: "This subordinate is willing to go."

"Aunt, look at you and all of you. You can run and jump, and those who are quick to snatch buns are just fine. How could anyone easily starve to death? Now look at this elderly man; he is so hungry that he has fainted. If he does not eat soon, he will truly starve to death. Can you bear to watch him die like this?" said the young man

Hongzhou Continent, Ancient Xijun, Jingliao County

Upon thinking of this, Zhou Yi's eyes sparkled with excitement as he glanced at his trusted confidant standing nearby and said, "But I wonder which general would be willing to go in search of the prince"

Zhou Bobo, with an unruffled demeanor, adjusted his clothing and replied: "Your Highness, I suggest that we dispatch one thousand soldiers from each of the four military garrisons to search for the prince, with General Zhao Qing in command. I wonder if this is acceptable."

"What Uncle Wang said is absolutely correct; my rashness almost led to a major mishap." Glancing at the speaker, it was none other than the younger brother of King Guxi, his uncle Zhou Bo, who commanded the three thousand Feathered Forest Army of the royal palace and was responsible for its security. For many years, he had faithfully protected the palace and remained utterly loyal to King Guxi, making him the greatest threat to Zhou Yi. With King Guxi now in peril, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity; as long as he could not return to the royal city, he would become the new generation of King Guxi.

Hello, stop.

The middle-aged woman lamented, "Child, look at me, I haven't eaten anything for several days, and without food, I am about to starve to death. I beg you, please return the steamed bun to me."

The old man had been in despair, but upon seeing the food offered by the young boy, his eyes immediately lit up. He quickly grabbed a steamed bun and was about to put it in his mouth. However, before he could take a bite, more than a dozen elderly, weak, women, and children had already rushed over, snatching the bun and running away

Wang Xu continuously demanded that the old man swear an oath to the Dragon God, while the old man repeatedly retorted angrily at Wang Xu. The two of them argued all the way to the county city

No! Zhou Yi's command was like a decree to Aguqi. Upon hearing the order, though reluctant, he set aside his sword and stood to the side

The songstress withdrew, and a soldier entered the hall, kneeling on one knee in haste to report: "Your Highness, the prince's carriage passed through Jingliao County, but unexpectedly came under attack by the bandits of Tianyun Village. Hundreds of the Feather Forest Army were completely annihilated, and the prince is also missing, his whereabouts unknown"

"Elderly gentleman, you should not overexert yourself. Just look at how famished you are!" The young man helped the old man up, took out a steamed bun and a bag of soy milk from his pocket. Due to the hot weather, both the bun and the soy milk were warm. He handed the bun and the soy milk to the old man and said, "Elderly gentleman, here, this is what I brought from my hometown. Give it a try."

"How can this be? Who do you think I am? Now that I have spoken, I will certainly follow through on my words. Such a trivial matter should not trouble the Dragon God!" The old man, with a face full of anger, said sternly, "Rest assured, once we reach the county city, I will make sure you have your fill."

"Bold bandits, how dare they attack the prince's carriage! Come, immediately mobilize three thousand troops to eliminate the bandits." A commanding voice echoed in the grand hall, as Zhou Yi, the son of King Gu Xi, governed in place of his father during his absence from the palace.

The blazing sun shines brightly, and the vast rice fields have long since dried up. The sparse rice ears are covered with locusts. Originally, this place should have been filled with golden rice, but after several years of severe drought, the rice fields have now become a thoroughfare for all. The already sparse rice ears have completely perished under the countless footsteps of people

Zhou Yi rolled his eyes. Zhao Qing is Zhou Bo's disciple. What difference does it make whether Zhao Qing goes or Zhou Bo goes? Sigh, it is already too late for today. If this continues, it will be of no benefit to myself. Zhou Yi nodded and said, "Alright, since it is so, let General Zhao go. But if you cannot bring back the prince, do not blame this young master for being merciless in military law."

The only similarity with Earth is that there is also an emperor here, whose surname is Zhou, and the state is called Hongzhou. Since the day the Hongzhou continent came into existence, it has been ruled by the Hongtian Empire for 972 years, nearly a millennium of imperial continuity, which has led to the current emperor no longer possessing the initial benevolence; officials are corrupt, oppressing the common people, the land is filled with lamentations, and the populace is struggling to survive

Good, General Agu's loyalty and dedication are commendable, this heir commands...

The young man's name is Wang Xu, a person from the 21st century, who inadvertently arrived here. After two days of inquiring around, Wang Xu finally discovered where he had come to.

Old fool, do you wish to fight? I can take your head in an instant" Aguché drew his long sword, pointing it angrily at Zhou Bo

"Going to the county town? Going to beg for food?" Wang Xu chuckled self-deprecatingly. While others traverse to seize power and indulge in the beauty of the world, he never expected to find himself in a different realm begging for alms. Truly, fate plays tricks on people.

"I am talking to you, stop right there!" The youth reacted quickly; as soon as the bun was threatened by the gun, he immediately rushed forward. "Hand it over!" He ruthlessly snatched the bun back, smirking as he said, "Auntie, I must say, your reflexes are quite impressive; with so many people around, none could outpace you in grabbing it."

Child, I know you are also very hungry, but we must move forward; only by reaching the county town can we survive

Here, there is no Luoyang or Chang'an, no Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, and certainly no Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, or Qing dynasties. This is a different realm, where everything is isolated from the outside world, an independent space, and everything on Earth has no relation to this place

"Hold on. Everyone knows of Zhou Yi's malicious intentions. As the commander of the Yulin Army, Zhou Bo is well aware of this and has taken numerous precautions against his nephew. This time, regardless of whether there is any connection to the prince's misfortune, given Zhou Yi's nature, he would never allow the prince to return safely to the royal city.

Although the royal palace of Guxi County is not as magnificent and grand as the imperial palace in the capital, it is only slightly smaller. Its style is also constructed in imitation of the imperial palace. The golden glazed tiles shine with dazzling brilliance under the sunlight. Surrounding the main hall, ancient trees tower high, providing ample shade, with red walls and yellow tiles, creating a splendid scene. On the golden lacquer throne within the hall sits a ruler who gazes down upon the world. Below, there is a scene of peace and prosperity, with flowing sleeves; the ringing of bells and the striking of chimes create melodious music. The sandalwood incense lit on the platform swirls in the air, enveloping the deep palace in a haze. The decadence and indulgence within these walls lead to the complete corruption of human nature.

And wait, my lord, the prince is in peril, his life and death unknown. We should immediately send someone to search for him. As for the bandits, they are but a trifling matter; there is no need for a large army to suppress them. It suffices for the local county troops to eliminate them.