Chapter 1 - Transmigration (Edited version)

Chapter 1 : Transmigrated

~edited version~

With the help from AyangJie (a volunteer editor who supposedly Rin’s editor lol) , Thank you so much!!! ❤❤❤

Chapter 1 : Transmigrated

When Zhong Ziqi woke up from his muddled chaotic state, he found out that his situation was extremely far from good; he had actually woken up in an unfamiliar place!

He remembered that yesterday he had gone to his best friend’s wedding who he had been secretly in love with for a long time, after that he drank so much (that he couldn’t tell west from east), and tried to go home alone but ended up sleeping on the road. Did someone take him home?

But this house is quite poor. Zhong Ziqi stared at the dark roof and the curtain with an unknown color above him. He tried to get up to take a look around, but when he moved, he realized that his body felt weak all over and his head hurt. 

A ‘creak’ sounded as the door was opened, followed by the sound of footsteps approaching. Unexpectedly, it was a man with a face full of powder and a red mole between his eyebrows. He had his hair combed up in a high bun, and he was also wearing a dark blue Chinese traditional robe*.

[Editor additional note : Dark blue chinese traditional robe = navy qibao]

Zhong Ziqi only felt that his mind was now a bit confused.

The person who came obviously found that he had woken up, he immediately pinched his waist and said: “Yo, you kid finally woke up, if you didn’t wake up, I would have had to throw you out. I’m telling you, Zhong Ziqi, don’t die on me. Honestly, if you die, we can still save some rice and food, but now that you’re awake, it’s even better. Your marriage is the day after tomorrow. Don’t forget to pack up your things before that.” After saying this, he grunted, swung his hip and walked away.

Zhong Ziqi originally had a headache, now his head felt even more dizzy due to the current situation. After Zhong Ziqi listened to that person’s words, he was very puzzled and confused and could only understand the last sentence about getting married…then Zhong Ziqi fainted. 

When he fainted, many fragments of memory flashed through his mind, not particularly complete, but just enough for him to figure out what was going on.

It turns out that he has transmigrated back to ancient China, but in an alternative reality. The country he lives in is called DaZhe, surrounded by two other countries that are evenly matched, forming a triumvirate. There were no wars now so the people lived in prosperity and well-being.

This body also had the same name Zhong Ziqi, and he lived in a remote mountain village in the country of DaZhe — the Zhao Jiā village. As the name implies, most of the people in this village had the surname Zhao, so the Zhong family is a nonnative.

In Zhong Ziqi’s great grandfather’s generation, the raging fire of war engulfed the whole country, evoking chaos and causing turmoil everywhere*. In order to escape from the war, he fled with his wife and children. By lucky coincidence, he fled to Zhao Jia Village. Later, when the war came to an end, he discussed with his wife about settling here. The mayor of Zhao Jia Village was a kind-hearted man who saw that it was not easy for him to bring his family along and gave him a few acres of farmland after he agreed to settle down here. 

*[兵荒馬亂 bīng huāng mǎ luàn :soldiers unity and troops rebel (idiom); turmoil and chaos of war]

Zhong Ziqi’s great grandfather only had one son; Zhong Wansheng, who then married his current wife and had two sons, Zhong Zhenping, the eldest, and Zhong Zhenhang, Zhong Ziqi’s father.

Zhong Ziqi’s father was a talented man who knew how to read and write, and was cultured and knowledgeable*. At that time, he had the reputation as a tóng shēng* and he could have become a scholar if only he continued his studies.

*[識文斷字 shí wén duàn zì : literate / a cultured person] 

[tóng shēng : a candidate who has not yet passed the county level imperial exam]

But paper and ink were very costly. The Zhong family wasn’t that affluent to begin with, add to it that the eldest son, Zhong Zhenping was getting married and the family needed to save money for the betrothal gift. So the soft-hearted and credulous Zhong Wansheng listened to his eldest son to let Zhong Zhenhang quit school.

However, with his ability to read and write, he found a good job in the town. He married a beautiful Ger surnamed Shen, who had fled from a foreign country. They then had a little baby Ger, Zhong Ziqi.

At this point, Zhong Ziqi had the urge to complain once more. There were no women in this world, only people with bright red vermillion mole between their eyebrows called Gers, who can give birth to children. Zhong Ziqi didn’t really have a problem with that since he was gay himself, before he transmigrated, he even attended the wedding party of his long-time crush. However, What he did care about was the fact that men could give birth to children?

He just wanted to say ‘He he, Funny! Can I just transmigrate back?’

The image of himself with a big belly, sewing and mending at home was unbearable to watch, alright? He was a seven-foot bona fide man, so he was supposed to be on the battlefield, killing the enemy…… Okay? Hmm well, this was a bit unreliable. But, no matter what, he can still find another way to support the family. If he really was to get married in the future, he would find someone who really liked him and listened to him, so that he could avoid having children. Zhong Ziqi was so engrossed in his thoughts that he forgot one ultimate truth — he can’t go against God’s will!

Zhong Ziqi’s current situation was quite unfavorable. Not long ago, Zhong Zhenhang and Shen went out together, they were not expecting to encounter a gang of savage bandits and ended up not returning. At the age of 16, Zhong Ziqi was left alone, becoming an orphan.

Zhong Zhenping married Li Xiujuan, a Ger from the next village. Before marriage, Li Xiujuan was gentle and lovely, but after he got married and had one son and one Ger, his true form was gradually revealed and his shrewdness became obvious. When Zhong Zhenhang was alive, Li Xiujuan kept a low profile, therefore everyone could turn a blind eye whenever he took a little advantage or bullied people.

Unexpectedly, not even three months passed after Zhong Zhenhang died, Zhong Ziqi was immediately sold. In Li Xiujuan’s words, it was the right time and age to get married. He found a family for Zhong Ziqi and received one tael of silver.

If it was a good family, then so be it. But the one he found for Zhong Ziqi was a fool called Zhao Zheng’an from the same village. He became seventeen this year and will soon be crowned*. He was originally a clever and quick-witted youth, but one day when he went out to work, he accidentally fell on a rock and became a fool.

*[in ancient times, when a guy reaches adulthood, a crown ceremony is held]

His step Ger father (stepmother), Wang, saw that the man who used to bring in money every day was now useless (plus, a medicine jar too) and the family even had to pay for his decoction and medicinal herbs. In his eyes, the family fortune should be his son’s, so he came up with the idea of getting Zhao Zheng’an a marriage to split up the family and send him out to live apart from them. Zhao Zhengan’s father did not object since he was not happy to spend his money on a fool either. 

        Thus, the unlucky Zhong Ziqi was unknowingly sold to a fool. By the time he found out it was too late,even the whole village knew about it. Incredulously, he went to question his uncle and his grandparents then he found out that they too had already known about it,so he was the only one who was kept in the dark. His uncle even advised him to be open-minded and that he would definitely enjoy his marriage.

Looking at the ugly faces of this family, Just how long since his father and mother have been gone? At that time, he felt deeply hurt, so much that he went to knock his own head against the brick wall. He was so miserable yet they didn’t even call a doctor to treat him but simply had his head bandaged. In the end, he came back to life (woke up) as a modern-day Zhong Ziqi.

[Editor additional notes : Not literally ugly, but like, how ugly they are on the inside]

After looking at these fragments of memories, Zhong Ziqi let out a long sigh; As he thought, nothing was more deceptive than this. Fine! This time, he didn’t even need to search his own partner. They had already taken care of this matter. If he thought about it, his heart hurt so much, his husband to be is an idiot ah!

It seems that at the very least, he did not have to worry about his virginity….