EPISODE 2

Minghe looked down at his arm, thought for a moment, then seemed to recall, "Um, I fell."

"How did you fall?" Xiao Yu examined the wound closely; it looked like a scrape.

Minghe explained, "The mountain was really slippery. When I was collecting firewood, I slipped, fell, and then got hurt."

Indeed, it was a scrape. Xiao Yu asked further, "Did you get hurt anywhere else?"

"Anywhere else?"

Without waiting for Minghe's reply, Xiao Yu lifted the boy's tattered clothes, intending to check for injuries, but what he saw was a painfully thin little body.

Truly skin and bones!

It was his first time seeing a child so emaciated. A child this skinny had exchanged firewood for a steamed bun, not to eat himself, but to save for his uncle.

His heart was greatly shaken by this realization. He thought of how this sensible, independent, young, and dutiful child, after enduring the death of his father, the departure of his mother, and the death of his uncle, would have to face wandering, begging, and inhuman abuse, eventually dying in madness... It was just too cruel.

Both legally and morally, he couldn't stand by and watch this three-year-old child walk toward such a fate.

A strong resolve emerged in his heart – since he had transmigrated as the antagonist's uncle and already altered the plot of "Emperor's Dream," he might as well change it completely!

Yes!

Change it completely!

Just moments ago, he was unsure of what to do, but now he had a clear goal. He was determined to survive, to take good care of, cherish, and educate Minghe, and never let him walk down that tragic path.

His gaze refocused on Minghe's little face.

Minghe glanced at his emaciated body, seemingly indifferent, and instead looked at Xiao Yu, "Uncle, I'm not injured anywhere else. Just my arm, but it's already scabbed over and doesn't hurt anymore. Uncle, please eat the bun. I'll go to the mountain later to gather more firewood and then exchange it with Granny Hao for more buns."

"You must not go!" Xiao Yu raised his voice.

Minghe's face froze in surprise.

Xiao Yu's thoughts had just emerged from the novel, and his emotions were still entangled, which made him speak with more agitation.

He quickly calmed himself and apologized, "Sorry, my voice was a bit loud. What I mean is, Granny Hao's family isn't wealthy either, and they don't have spare buns to give us anymore."

Minghe wasn't the type to hold a grudge against his uncle, especially after his apology. Concerned about their sustenance, he asked worriedly, "Then what should we do?"

Xiao Yu let go of Minghe's clothes, his voice returning to normal after calming his emotions, "Don't worry, Minghe, your uncle will figure something out."

Minghe, with his young but worried face, said, "But Uncle, you're sick and can't think of a solution."

"I have a plan right now," Xiao Yu reassured.

Despite his young age, Minghe was already very considerate, asking, "What plan?"

Xiao Yu didn't hide his intentions, "To collect debts. Once we have the money, we'll be fine."

Minghe inquired, "Where will we collect the debts?"

"At the Wangyue Tavern," the place where the original character worked. The novel "Emperor's Dream" mentioned that when Minghe grew up, he learned that Yao, the manager of Wangyue Tavern, had bullied his uncle and embezzled his wages. In retaliation, Minghe brutally killed Yao's family and executed him mercilessly.

Xiao Yu wouldn't let Minghe repeat such actions. He would personally collect the debts to prevent the tragedy from its root.

"You can't, you'll get sick!" Minghe, unaware of the specifics, remembered how his uncle would return pale-faced from the tavern. The last time, his uncle had fallen gravely ill and almost died. He didn't want his uncle to go back to the tavern.

Xiao Yu smiled, "I won't this time."

"You will," Minghe frowned again.

Xiao Yu insisted, "I won't."

Minghe, equally stubborn, said, "You will."

"Then, how about you come with me this time?" Xiao Yu offered a compromise.

"To protect you?" Minghe asked.

Xiao Yu couldn't help but smile at the child's boldness, just three years old and wanting to protect others. "Okay, you protect me."

The little one, perhaps truly believing he was capable, immediately agreed to accompany Xiao Yu to collect the debt.

Xiao Yu took the steamed bun from Minghe's hand, "First, let's eat the bun. We need to be full to have the strength to collect the debt."

"I won't eat," Minghe declared.

Surprised, Xiao Yu asked, "Why not?"

Minghe gazed at the bun, swallowed hard, then firmly said, "If I eat, there won't be enough for you, Uncle."

"There will be enough."

Minghe shook his head, "No, it's just one bun."

Xiao Yu said, "If we soak it in water, it will expand enough for both of us."

Minghe looked puzzled.

Xiao Yu sat up again, leaning against the mud wall to ease his dizziness. He took the cold, hard bun from Minghe, broke it into small pieces, and put them in the water dipper.

The soaked bread pieces quickly expanded, filling up the dipper.

"Wow!" Minghe exclaimed excitedly.

Xiao Yu asked, "It's increased, hasn't it?"

Minghe nodded, "Yeah, so much more!"

Xiao Yu then asked, "Now it's enough for both of us to eat, right?"

"Enough."

"Then let's eat together."

Minghe agreed this time and ran to the kitchen to fetch a wooden spoon.

The bread soaked in plain water, tasteless and cold, was not at all pleasant.

Yet, to the starving Minghe, it tasted delicious. He even cleaned the crumbs sticking to the sides of the dipper. Xiao Yu also found some energy in the soaked bread. As he slowly adjusted to his new body, he began to observe the thatched cottage. It wasn't large, divided into two small rooms - an outer and an inner room - by a rudely erected bamboo partition. The outer room served as the living area.

The inner room was the bedroom he was currently in, with a small window at the front. Through the gaps in the window frame, he could see the narrow fenced yard and a small vegetable patch at the entrance.

He wasn't sure what was growing there. There wasn't much else to see. Now that his strength was gradually returning, he got out of bed and, along with Minghe, washed their faces, combed their hair, and tidied up their clothes. It was then that he realized "Emperor's Dream" hadn't lied; he and Minghe looked very similar, both quite handsome.

Minghe, still in his cute childhood phase, had shiny black eyes, a straight nose, and chubby little lips. In the future, he was destined to become one of the most handsome high officials since the founding of the Great Jing.

As for himself, he was more handsome than he had imagined. With a fair, cold complexion and delicate features, especially a pair of clear, radiant phoenix eyes, he exuded a mischievous youthful charm, though quite thin.

"Uncle, you're really handsome!" Minghe looked up and said.

"Even in these tattered clothes, I look good?" Not only were Minghe's clothes ragged, but Xiao Yu's were also worn and old. He was concerned that, with autumn already here, they urgently needed to prepare seasonal clothing and bedding to avoid freezing.

"Yes, handsome! Uncle is the handsomest!" Minghe nodded affirmatively.

Xiao Yu went along, "Both Uncle and little Minghe are the handsomest."

Minghe smiled contentedly.

After getting ready, Xiao Yu said, "Let's go, we're heading to Wangyue Tavern in Qingshi Town."

Qingshi Town, located by the Zitang Great Canal in the Great Jing Kingdom, served travelers from the north and south and produced necessities for the surrounding villages.

As uncle and nephew passed through Jinxiu Village, Xiao Yu greeted the villagers warmly: "Aunt Wu, Uncle Yang, good morning."

Although Xiao Yu wasn't a native of Jinxiu Village and usually kept to himself, the villagers, seeing him greet them for the first time and noticing his appearance, were pleasantly surprised. Their initial reluctance towards an outsider dissipated, and they warmly responded.

Xiao Yu believed in fostering good relations with neighbors for a better future. After about half an hour of walking and greeting, he and Minghe finally reached the main road of Qingshi Town.

Xiao Yu was glad they had eaten the soaked bread that morning; otherwise, they wouldn't have had the energy to make it this far.

"Uncle, there are so many people." Minghe, who had only been to Qingshi Town a couple of times and hardly remembered it, was excited to see the lively scene he had always heard about from the villagers.

Xiao Yu, concerned for Minghe's health, asked, "Are you tired? Do you want to rest?"

"Not tired, no rest." Minghe was eager to enter the town and enjoy the bustling atmosphere.

Xiao Yu nodded, "Then let's keep going."

"Mm."

"The Emperor's Dream" repeatedly describes the Great Jing Kingdom as an imaginary, prosperous, and open country. The original protagonist also has some vague memories of Qing Shi Town.

However, Xiao Yu subconsciously thought that the ancient productive forces were weak, and Qing Shi Town, not being the capital, should be somewhat poor.

To his surprise, upon entering Qing Shi Town, he saw a bustling scene of crowded streets, luxurious fabrics, and fluttering tavern flags, reminiscent of the lively atmosphere in "Along the River During the Qingming Festival."

Indeed, it was flourishing!

"Turns out, it's just me who is poor," Xiao Yu couldn't help but mutter.

"Little uncle, what did you say?" Ming He asked, tilting his little face up.

"Nothing," Xiao Yu replied, reaching out to hold Ming He's little hand.

Ming He, puzzled, asked, "Little uncle, why are you holding my hand?"

"There are too many people; I'm afraid you'll get swept away by the crowd."

Ming He confidently said, "Even if I get swept away, I can find my way home."

"Ming He is really amazing," Xiao Yu said, yet he didn't let go of his hand.

The two of them, like Granny Liu entering the Grand View Garden, excitedly looked around everywhere, constantly expressing admiration at the bustling scenes.

Xiao Yu saw Ming He salivating over chestnuts, rice cakes, candied haws, and sugar figurines several times, but with his pockets empty, he pretended not to notice anything.

Soon, the two arrived in front of the Wang Yue Restaurant.

During the mealtime rush, Zhang Wu, a waiter at Wang Yue, with a clean cloth draped over his shoulder, greeted each customer with a smile: "Welcome, please come inside."

Xiao Yu led Ming He inside.

"Welcome, please—” Upon seeing Xiao Yu, Zhang Wu paused, quickly scanned the surroundings as if wary of someone, then grabbed Xiao Yu's wrist and pulled him aside, whispering, "Xiao Yu, why are you here again?"

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