Chapter 3
Just as Lu Hanzhi was thinking about “mental blocking,” a notification sounded in his ear once again: “Mental blocking time is limited to 12 hours. Please cherish it, Host.”
Lu Hanzhi raised an eyebrow—this system seemed to be able to communicate with his thoughts.
So he asked, “May I ask who you are?”
The system’s voice responded once more: “Welcome, Host, to the humble “Faithful Servant’s Rebellion System’ You may choose between the ‘Commoner’s Path to Wealth’ or the ‘Imperial Court Path to Absolute Power.’ Which route would you like to take?”
Lu Hanzhi: ??????
From the moment the system had spoken, Lu Hanzhi had already guessed—just like countless others who had been transported into books, he had acquired some kind of miraculous system.
But this wasn’t necessarily a good thing. Generally, while systems brought benefits, they also came with drawbacks.
He just didn’t know yet what kind of trouble this particular system would bring him.
As he stared at the options that had suddenly appeared in front of him, Lu Hanzhi glanced left and right before asking, “What’s the difference between these two paths?”
The system answered: “The ‘Commoner’s Path to Wealth’ will keep you far from the imperial court and the center of power, focusing instead on generating income and boosting the nation’s economy.”
“The ‘Imperial Court Path to Absolute Power’ will allow you to rise through the ranks, overcoming all obstacles until you become a high-ranking official second only to the emperor.”
Both paths sounded… quite thrilling.
But Lu Hanzhi wasn’t so easily deceived. He lay on his bed, let out a sigh, and said, “Just tell me straight—what’s the price for each of these?”
The system replied: “Under heaven, all land belongs to the king. Within the borders, all are his subjects. The Host must remain loyal to the monarch for life and raise their loyalty level to that of a ‘devoted minister and valiant general.'”
Lu Hanzhi: ??????
I went through all this trouble to avoid entering the Crown Prince’s residence just so I could stay away from the main storyline.
And now you’re telling me I still have to become a ‘devoted minister and valiant general’?!
Then what was the point of all my effort to distance myself from the heart of the plot?
But…
Lu Hanzhi asked, “Does the ‘Commoner’s Path to Wealth’ truly keep me away from the imperial court and the center of power?”
The system answered: “Yes.”
Lu Hanzhi let out a breath of relief—it seemed like he still had a way out.
He nodded and said, “Then I choose the ‘Commoner’s Path to Wealth.'”
A notification rang out instantly: “Congratulations, Host! You have successfully chosen the ‘Commoner’s Path to Wealth.’ You are awarded one free targeted exchange point. Please designate a monarch to whom you will pledge loyalty in order to unlock future system tasks.”
Wait… what? Why did he still have to designate a monarch?
Oh, right—this system was called the ‘Humble Faithful Servant’s Counterattack System.’ It made sense that he needed to establish which monarch he was supposed to serve.
Inside the system’s mental space, five names were listed in front of him. At that moment, Lu Hanzhi felt as if he were an emperor selecting concubines.
The first name that caught his eye was Yuwen Jue, the eldest prince. Although he was the first to die in the original novel, his maternal family was the powerful General Rong Di of Wuwei. If he were to compete for the throne, his backing would be the strongest.
Unfortunately, from beginning to end, he had never wanted to be emperor—he only wished to leave for his fiefdom as soon as possible and live a carefree life, free from political struggles.
Thus, Yuwen Jue was the first one Lu Hanzhi eliminated.
The second name was Yuwen Jun, the current Crown Prince.
His claim to the throne was the most legitimate. He had the necessary resolve, the capability, and even the commanding aura of a protagonist.
However…
He had an unruly younger brother, a troublesome uncle, and a mother who was incapable of keeping herself out of trouble.
In the original novel, the Crown Prince was depicted as righteous and dignified.
But…
He personally killed Lu Hanzhi.
Lu Hanzhi clicked his tongue—pass!
The third name was Yuwen Jing, an aggressive contender for the throne.
Though not the brightest, he had immense destructive power.
His mother was a foreign princess—bold, arrogant, and fierce.
Even Concubine Li, the current Empress, feared her and dared not confront her head-on.
Moreover, this foreign princess was extraordinarily beautiful and deeply favored by the Emperor.
Yuwen Jing had been granted the title of prince early on and had already established his own estate outside the palace.
With the support of his foreign uncles, he was practically snatching power in broad daylight.
The fourth name was Yuwen Min—sounds familiar?
Yes, he was none other than the father of that brat in bed.
Lu Hanzhi didn’t even want to hear his name.
That’s right—the tyrant.
The very same bloodthirsty demon described in the novel as eerily handsome yet twisted and depraved.
The author had once stated that he was a psychologically warped, once-in-a-lifetime military genius. Considering his tragic past, it was no wonder he ended up so twisted.
It was said that the Fourth Prince’s mother had once been a young consort in charge of keeping vigil at the late emperor’s tomb. However, she was accidentally taken by the current emperor while he was drunk.
And from that one night, she became pregnant.
Since it was his own child, the emperor couldn’t simply cast the baby aside.
But having slept with his own father’s woman—his own stepmother— was a stain on the emperor’s reputation that could never be erased.
This kind of thing violated moral principles and was something people despised.
The emperor was utterly disgusted and naturally did not care for that imperial concubine, nor did he care for the child.
Later, the young concubine was sent to live in a secluded palace, only to die in childbirth on the day her child was born.
Anyone with a bit of sense understood that it wasn’t a case of difficult labor but rather a deliberate decision to keep the child and discard the mother.
The poor Fourth Prince grew up in isolation, with only an old eunuch by his side, lonely and deprived of love.
It wasn’t until he was around ten years old that the emperor finally remembered he had such a son.
The emperor brought him back to the palace and entrusted him to Concubine Rong’s care.
Concubine Rong was a gentle and kind woman who had been a side consort to the emperor since his days as the crown prince and had given birth to the eldest prince, Yuwen Jue.
Seeing the thin and cold little boy, her maternal instincts surged, and she cared for him meticulously, treating him as her own.
At last, this neglected child found an emotional anchor and came to see Concubine Rong as his own mother.
But alas, fate had other plans.
Later, the eldest prince was falsely accused of treason and unjustly executed, while Concubine Rong was shot dozens of times while protecting Yuwen Min as he fled, dying a tragic death before his eyes.
This was the pivotal moment in Yuwen Min’s descent into darkness.
Watching helplessly as the people he cared about perished one by one in front of him—how could he not be twisted by it? Lu Hanzhi sighed. A tyrant was indeed a tyrant, but he was also truly pitiful.
Lu Hanzhi continued reading, and the next name was Yuwen Mingji.
Seeing this name, Lu Hanzhi sneered disdainfully. Ha, what a despicable bastard.
He was a pure schemer—the one who framed the eldest prince for treason.
And in the end, he suffered the worst fate of all. It was said that Yuwen Min personally stabbed him seventy-two times with bamboo skewers, the same number of arrows that had pierced Concubine Rong.
Sigh, at least he was someone with deep emotions.
But unfortunately, he was also someone Lu Hanzhi couldn’t afford to provoke.
Yet, when it came time to choose a ruler, Lu Hanzhi hesitated for a moment before selecting Yuwen Min.
He had no choice—the Yuwen family was full of lunatics.
No matter which one he encountered, he wouldn’t stand a chance.
He chose Yuwen Min in the faint hope that if they ever crossed paths in the future, Yuwen Min might spare his life for the sake of the child he had given birth to.
At last, the system’s notification rang: “Congratulations, Host. You have successfully sworn allegiance to your chosen ruler and obtained commoner status. You have received one targeted free exchange point. A system task has been issued. Please complete it as soon as possible.”
Lu Hanzhi: ??? Commoner???
Well, fine. A commoner was still better than nothing.
At least he had never wanted to be an official in the first place; otherwise, he would have chosen the court route.
Lu Hanzhi asked, “What can I do with the free exchange point?”
The system replied, “You may use it to exchange for items in the system store.”
Lu Hanzhi asked, “What kind of items are in the system store?”
The system responded, “Please accept the task prompt. Once the task is completed, you will gain access to view the store’s available items.”
Lu Hanzhi: …This was obviously a trap. First, they made you take the bait, then they reeled you in.
He asked again, “Can I reject this system?”
The system replied, “No. If you reject it, the plot will reset, and events will automatically follow the original storyline.”
…This system’s tricks were like a pig wearing a bra—layer upon layer.
Since it had come, it clearly wouldn’t let him leave empty-handed.
Though Lu Hanzhi was timid, cautious, and highly self-preserving, he was also adaptable.
Since he had already fallen into the trap, there was no point in resisting—he might as well embrace it head-on!
So, without any resistance, he allowed this seemingly useless system to pull him into his consciousness space.
In the next moment, Lu Hanzhi found himself inside a mental space.
Within the space, there were three Tai Chi-shaped entrances—one was gray, while the other two glowed brightly.
Lu Hanzhi guessed that the gray entrance was the one he had used earlier when he activated the mental defense function.
He then looked at the two glowing entrances—one was shaped like a pouch, and the other like a cross.
Lu Hanzhi had no idea what the pouch-shaped entrance represented, but the cross-shaped one was likely for medicine exchanges.
Since he didn’t need any medicine at the moment, he chose the pouch-shaped entrance.
The moment he stepped closer, he realized it contained far more than he had expected.
It turned out that the pouch-shaped entrance led to a general store. Inside, items were categorized into several sections: food, clothing, miscellaneous goods, and others.
After some thought, Lu Hanzhi entered the food section.
The moment he stepped in, he found himself inside a supermarket.
The shelves were filled with an abundance of goods, each with a label beneath it. However, instead of displaying prices, the labels showed exchange point values. The lowest value started at 0.1 exchange points, with no upper limit.
Lu Hanzhi was beyond excited. Just moments ago, he had been worried about how to raise the little dumpling. But now, there was no need to fret—this supermarket would allow him to exchange for milk powder to feed the child.
After thinking for a moment, he walked toward the infant supplies section. The moment he stepped in, he was startled by the price tags. Everything here was outrageously expensive.
Even a slightly better brand of infant formula cost two exchange points, yet he only had two food market-specific exchange points in hand.
After a long and hesitant selection process, he settled on a slightly cheaper stage-one infant formula and a small feeding bottle. Just these two items cost him one exchange point, making him feel a painful sting of loss.
He had no idea how to earn more exchange points quickly. Right now, he couldn’t afford to waste them—he had to be careful, or the little one might go without food.
After finishing his shopping, Lu Hanzhi left the exchange market with the can of formula and the bottle in his arms.
Outside, the rain had stopped, and the little dumpling was still asleep.
He gently pinched the child’s small, rosy hand, and suddenly, a wave of maternal affection flooded over him.
Pushing open the door, he turned to the maid waiting outside and said, “Go fetch some hot water.”
The maid’s expression showed a trace of fear—clearly, she had already been intimidated by the lady of the house.
She immediately responded, “Yes, Third Young Master.”
Before long, the maid returned with the hot water.
Lu Hanzhi poured a bowl and let it cool while reading the instructions on the milk powder can.
Just then, he heard the little dumpling let out soft whimpering cries. Quickly, he followed the instructions and mixed the formula, shaking the bottle to blend it evenly before placing the nipple into the child’s mouth.
Having gone an entire day and night without eating, the little one was starving. The moment the bottle entered his mouth, he started sucking hungrily without restraint.
The formula had a fragrant, sweet aroma, and the little dumpling seemed to love it.
He sucked with great enthusiasm, finishing the entire 30 milliliters of milk in just a few minutes.
Even after emptying the bottle, he was still unsatisfied. His tiny mouth instinctively searched for more, biting at the air as if seeking milk.
Lu Hanzhi’s heart melted at the sight of his adorable expression. How could he bear to let this little one go hungry?
So, he mixed another 30 milliliters and put the bottle back into the baby’s mouth.
After drinking a full 60 milliliters, the little dumpling finally settled down.
His eyes opened, though at this stage, he still couldn’t see anything. Even so, his distinct double eyelids and long eyelashes took Lu Hanzhi by surprise.
What a beautiful child. Who could bear to kill such a baby? And more importantly, wasn’t Lu Hanzhi this child’s biological father?
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