The thought of rebelling and becoming emperor was something that Xie Wenyuan naturally entertained. He was never one to be content with the status quo. In his past life, the next emperor of the Chu Kingdom had mercilessly wiped out the Xie family, executing all nine clans, and he expected loyalty from him? What a pipe dream!

However, plotting to usurp the throne was indeed a daunting task. Without any certainty, it was best to just think about it. He wasn’t afraid of death, but he wasn’t keen on seeking it out either. Of course, if an opportunity arose, Xie Wenyuan wouldn’t mind fighting for it. After all, who says that princes and nobles are born with a special privilege?

He had talent and intelligence, so why should he just play the obedient role? As long as he didn’t get caught off guard, once he found a loophole, he absolutely wouldn’t settle for being beneath anyone.

But.

There was no need to voice such ambitions outright. Xie Wenyuan quickly tapped his younger brother’s forehead, giving a serious reminder.

“Don’t say such treasonous things! If word gets out, our whole family could lose their heads. From now on, keep your mouth shut.”

Some thoughts could be kept to oneself, but they must never be spoken aloud—not even as a joke. What if he got used to it and accidentally let something slip in the future?

Xie Father and Xie Mother quickly caught on and scolded him.

“Exactly, what nonsense are you spouting? Our family has been farming for eight generations, and we are very honest. Our family motto is just four words: loyalty to the emperor and love for the country!”

Xie Little Brother: …

When it comes to thick skin, he was still a bit lacking in this family. But he really had been careless with his words.

Xie Little Brother immediately reflected on himself, giving his own mouth a couple of hard slaps, tears welling up in his eyes as he said, “Brother, I know I was wrong. I will definitely think twice before I speak in the future and won’t hold you back.”

“Yeah, just remember that. Next time, don’t hit your face. You’re good-looking; what if you hurt yourself?”

Xie Wenyuan nodded, feeling a bit heartbroken as he patted his brother’s head.

In his past life, he valued this brother mainly because of his good looks, which could help him in marriage alliances and bring benefits. But they were still blood brothers, and he genuinely cared for him. Especially after he was exiled due to his brother’s misfortunes, the brother didn’t blame him. Instead, he even took the initiative to cozy up to a managing officer to take care of his useless older brother.

So in this life, he was determined to let this brother enjoy wealth and honor, living freely without suffering any hardships. A brother as obedient as this deserved to be spoiled.

With that thought, Xie Wenyuan took a deep breath, revealing his newfound ambition.

“Father, Mother, Little Brother, you’re right. Whether the dream is real or not, nothing has happened yet. I really shouldn’t be afraid. The future will depend on my own abilities and choices.”

“The most important thing now is not to be anxious or scared, but to verify whether the dream is real. If our ancestors truly show their divine guidance to me, their descendant, then that would be our Xie family’s opportunity to rise!”

Seeing this, Xie Father and Xie Mother immediately felt relieved and proud.

They were happy and proud, saying, “Our son is indeed smart and hardworking.”

Xie Little Brother started to think.

“Verifying whether the dream is real isn’t difficult. Brother, didn’t you say in the dream that tomorrow, our uncle and Fourth Cousin would get injured while hunting in the mountains, and that Fourth Cousin’s body would be possessed by a soul from another world? Then we just need to wait and see what happens tomorrow.”

Xie Mother nodded, “If he really has changed souls, according to Wenyuan, that otherworldly soul is a kind-hearted and upright person. We might have to temper our tempers a bit in the future; such good-hearted people probably won’t tolerate any nonsense.”

Xie Father nodded in agreement.

The three of them from the third branch were indeed a bit extreme, but they were self-aware enough not to do anything foolish.

“That’s not necessary. We were what we were, and we’ll continue to be the same. But let’s not focus on taking advantage of Uncle and Second Uncle anymore…”

“We may not be good people, but that’s only towards outsiders. Inside the family, we are all loving relatives.”

Xie Wenyuan smiled seriously.

Being extreme was annoying, but if the target of that extremity was himself, then his thoughts would probably be different.

He remembered what his transmigrated cousin once said: the essence of humanity is double standards.

His transmigrated cousin was upright, but he was very protective of his own. Once someone became a recognized family member or friend, even if they had flaws in character, as long as they weren’t utterly wicked, he would defend them to the end.

Moreover, when the Xie family was exterminated in his past life, his cousin was able to let him, the “disaster,” go, which showed that there was a fierce side to him as well.

That was why he chose to win him over.

If this transmigrated cousin were a naive good person, no matter how talented he was, he would have been dealt with directly.

Xie Father, Xie Mother, and Xie Little Brother were all smart people. After hearing Xie Wenyuan’s words, they understood what they needed to do in the future.

“Right, our Xie family members have a good relationship.”

The four of them exchanged knowing glances, their smiles sincere and bright.

…

After a round of conversation, the relationship within the third branch became even more harmonious.

However.

Even though they had decided to change their attitude towards the family, they couldn’t just flip the script immediately. They needed to find the right opportunity to clean up their image; otherwise, a sudden change would indeed raise suspicions.

So, after Xie Wenyuan’s family of four returned to the village in their ox cart, they still acted as usual.

Those who wanted to slack off did so, and those who were sweet-tongued continued to be so, with no significant changes.

They would just wait for tomorrow when the transmigrated cousin would arrive.

As for what would happen to the real cousin?

Xie Wenyuan could only wish him good luck in his next life. After all, when he was reborn, his uncle and cousin had already gone into the mountains to hunt. Even if he wanted to save someone, he wouldn’t have time.

A night passed without incident.

The next day.

Xie Wenyuan, just like any other day, didn’t sleep in. He got up early, washed up, and dressed in short clothes, practicing martial arts in the yard.

He wasn’t some weak scholar.

Due to his family’s poverty, he couldn’t afford to hire a teacher like those rich kids to learn the six arts of a gentleman. He was often mocked by classmates from wealthy families when he was young.

So, to avoid being laughed at when he went out, he learned martial arts from his hunting uncle.

This way, he could claim to be “well-rounded” and also build a strong physique, so he wouldn’t easily fall ill during the imperial examinations, wasting all the hard work he put into studying.

In his past life, it was precisely because of this that he was able to survive in harsh conditions.

After half an hour of training.

Xie Wenyuan didn’t rest. He washed up again, changed into clean clothes, and took out a book to read aloud in the yard.

He was able to pass the scholar examination at the age of 17, not only because of his innate talent for studying but also due to his hard work. He could dedicate ten out of twelve hours a day to studying.

Was it tiring?

Of course, it was tiring.

But Xie Wenyuan knew very well that with his background as a poor farmer, working hard might not guarantee that he would become someone important, but if he didn’t work hard, he would truly only live in the mud!

Having seen the splendor of the outside world, tasted the flavor of power, and experienced the bitterness of being bullied, he would not give up on his goal of climbing higher in this life, and he would work even harder than in his past life.

The reason his uncle and second uncle were sacrificing their own children to support him in his studies, aside from the demands of their parents, was also related to his diligent performance.

After all, they were honest and simple people, not fools.

If he turned out to be useless, who would want to throw their money away?

Of course.

Even if he succeeded, not everyone in the family was willing to support his studies wholeheartedly.

The two aunts had very strong opinions about the family spending all their money on him.

Xie Wenyuan could actually understand this.

Although everyone knew the benefits of having a scholar in the family, a mother who truly loved her children would find it hard to watch her own children eat plain food while her nephew enjoyed the good life without any thoughts.

However, this imbalance was resolved last year when he passed the scholar examination, which exempted the family from land taxes and corvée labor. His second aunt no longer had any objections to his studies.

Only the attitude of the eldest aunt remained unchanged…

Speaking of the eldest aunt, Xie Wenyuan couldn’t help but feel a surge of killing intent.

They say that the barking dog doesn’t bite, and his eldest aunt, Liu Shi, is a typical example of this!

Don’t be fooled by Liu Shi’s seemingly weak appearance; she looks like a simple, submissive woman who could be bullied by anyone, but in reality, she is a rat in the gutter.

The Xie family, in order to support his studies, although life was tough, it wasn’t to the point of being cruel.

But Liu Shi was something else; she used the mother-son bond to play the victim, tricking the children of the main branch into saving food for her, which she secretly sent back to her family to support them.

As a result, the children of the main branch became emaciated, and the villagers often whispered about how cruel his grandparents were. Even if they wanted to support a scholar, there was no need to treat the other grandchildren so harshly, right?

This made it impossible for his grandparents to clear their names when they divided the family in the last life, leaving them with the reputation of abusing their grandchildren.

Meanwhile, the real mastermind, the eldest aunt, successfully hid behind the scenes.

If it were just this, it would be fine, but there were plenty of women in the village who dug into their in-laws’ pockets to support their own families.

However, in his past life, when the Xie family was exterminated, Liu Shi and her family had a hand in it!

It was Liu Shi who, in order to save her family, listened to the instigators and, relying on her maternal identity, easily placed evidence of treason against the Xie family, catching the transmigrated cousin off guard.

Afterward, she acted all righteous, continuing to stand up and testify that the Xie family had treasonous intentions, solidifying their guilt…

If anyone was a true ingrate, it was his eldest aunt!

Fortunately, he was reborn now.

That old hag should be on her way out soon.

Xie Wenyuan’s thoughts were racing as he looked up at the sky to check the time, calculating in his mind.

A smile suddenly appeared on his face as he looked towards the gate of the yard.

Sure enough.

The next moment, the door of the Xie family was pushed open, and a villager rushed in, panting heavily as he shouted.

“Xie family! Hurry to the city to get a doctor! Your eldest and Fourth Son have encountered a bear while hunting in the mountains and are seriously injured!”

The author has something to say:
The unfortunate transmigrated cousin has arrived~