…Why was it that after finally time-traveling to ancient times, the very first thing that happened was getting hit on by another man…
Ning Xuan desperately suppressed the urge to roar back, “I’m not interested in creepy old men!” But the hesitant expression on his face was instead interpreted by the man as fear and nervousness, causing the fellow to beam even more brightly.
“Don’t be afraid, little brother. Judging by the way you look, you must’ve only just arrived in the imperial capital, right? Having no family or connections in this city isn’t good at all. Sure, this is the Son of Heaven’s territory, but there are still plenty of things even the Emperor has to turn a blind eye to. How about I introduce you to a place? As long as you work hard, I guarantee you’ll live well and eat well!” The man looked eager and enthusiastic, but Ning Xuan’s face darkened.
What the hell kind of situation is this…
Seeing Ning Xuan standing there in silence, the man’s already-limited patience completely ran out. He simply bent down, hoisted Ning Xuan up like cargo, and slung him over his shoulder in one smooth motion.
Ning Xuan instantly felt the world spin. His head swayed violently from the rough movement while the man’s bony shoulder dug directly into his stomach, making his empty belly cramp painfully.
Damn it! Not only did I fail to get soft beds, peerless martial arts, and all that fantasy nonsense after transmigrating, I even got hit on by a man—and the important part is that the guy hitting on me is a freaking human trafficker!
“Let me go!” Ning Xuan struggled furiously while his brain spun at high speed searching for vocabulary that ancient people would understand. “In broad daylight you dare abduct an innocent man by force?! Is there no law anymore?!”
Even though he was being jostled so hard he felt sick, Ning Xuan still delivered his speech in the most righteous and imposing tone possible, fully intending it to function as both persuasion and intimidation. Of course, that was assuming one ignored the weakness trembling at the end of his voice and his utterly ridiculous position.
The man froze briefly, though his footsteps never slowed in the slightest. He merely looked up at the sky and chuckled.
“Of course there’s law. But right now it’s nighttime. Even the law needs to rest, doesn’t it?”
Hearing that, Ning Xuan nearly burst a blood vessel from rage, his eyes widening so hard they practically threatened to pop out of their sockets.
Now he’s arguing back too?! Truly, rough places breed rough people—those old sayings weren’t lying!
What Ning Xuan failed to realize, however, was that it truly was the dead of night—the perfect hour for thieves and shady dealings. Even government officials would already be back home buried in soft embraces and warm beds by now. As for the “rough place” he was mentally insulting, he currently happened to be in the imperial capital of the mighty Hua Dynasty, the capital city of the largest empire on the continent. In daylight it was probably dazzlingly prosperous and thriving beyond imagination.
Unfortunately, he simply had no chance to witness that yet.
Being carried over the man’s shoulder for such a long time left Ning Xuan dizzy and seeing stars. The two men feared he would shout too much along the way, so they casually stuffed a rag into his mouth, leaving him unable to cry out or call for help. Between the restricted breathing and the violent shaking, Ning Xuan soon lost all strength in his limbs. At this point, his only wish was for the two uncles to hurry up and stop moving already.
After twisting through countless alleys and turns, the pair finally seemed to arrive somewhere unfamiliar. In his haze, Ning Xuan vaguely heard them speaking to someone, sounding especially submissive and respectful. Those extra bows and nods jostled him so badly he nearly blacked out. Before fainting entirely, Ning Xuan still managed to cast the most sincere admiration toward the other unfortunate soul wrapped inside the sack nearby.
Brother, your endurance is truly monstrous…
“Pa!”
Ning Xuan’s second awakening came from the sharp crackling sound of a candle bursting.
Rubbing his dazed eyes, he looked around at the room’s furnishings: antique-style tables and chairs, a simple landscape folding screen, and behind it, the faint outline of a bronze stand inside the inner room. Every wall had been painted white. Judging from the size and orderly arrangement, this should at least belong to a wealthy household by ancient standards. Yet the furnishings themselves were plain and entirely lacking in luxurious decorations such as porcelain, jade, or anything remotely extravagant. It felt more like the home of ordinary commoners.
Ning Xuan was confused. He could not figure out where exactly he had ended up. Had the era become so prosperous that even ordinary citizens could afford to buy people from traffickers as servants? Just how rich was this country?
Glancing to the side, Ning Xuan finally got a clear look at the unfortunate sack-wrapped companion. The boy appeared delicate and refined—not stunningly beautiful, but certainly handsome enough. He looked around fifteen or sixteen years old, roughly the same age as Ning Xuan himself. The youth stared around in shock just like he did, eyes wide and lips slightly parted.
The difference was that Ning Xuan’s shock came from the bizarre household setup, while the half-grown youth seemed completely stunned by Ning Xuan himself.
Just as Ning Xuan intended to walk over and strike up a conversation, the sound of approaching footsteps behind him abruptly stopped him.
“These are the two new servants?” The voice was stern and emotionless, instinctively inspiring fear.
Servants? Then this should be some declining noble household. Combining the room’s layout and the conversation, Ning Xuan silently reached his conclusion.
“Yes.” The rough-clothed man behind immediately answered respectfully.
Ning Xuan looked up, using the lantern in the man’s hand and the room’s candlelight to examine the two newcomers.
They didn’t seem like the typical sycophantic lackeys described in books. Especially the younger-looking man—his posture remained perfectly straight, giving him an imposing air.
While Ning Xuan studied them curiously, the younger man also lowered his gaze to inspect the two boys. When his eyes met Ning Xuan’s openly curious stare, his brows furrowed slightly.
“Where did you find these people?”
“This…” The older man suddenly became awkward and nervous.
“I said I only wanted two servants capable of working. I don’t care whether their backgrounds are perfectly clean, but I certainly don’t intend to bring in more people who’ll seduce their masters.” Though his tone barely changed, the older man behind him immediately began trembling.
But the trembling wasn’t limited to that man alone. The young boy nearby also stiffened visibly.
“N-No…” the older man stammered nervously. “This servant investigated thoroughly. They both came from fallen official households. Since they’d end up becoming government slaves anyway, this servant thought…”
As though afraid the superior man would not believe him, he hurried over and grabbed Ning Xuan’s sleeve, shaking it vigorously.
“Look at this fabric! It’s not the sort worn by the truly wealthy, but ordinary people still couldn’t afford it. If he really came from places like brothels, how could he possibly be dressed like this?”
The superior man neither agreed nor denied it, but the older man beside him visibly relaxed in relief.
Ning Xuan, however, was thoroughly displeased.
Setting aside how he—a perfectly healthy, respectable young man—had somehow been associated with brothels and selling his body, just what was this nonsense about grabbing his clothes whenever they pleased? These garments had literally been bestowed by the heavens! Did this idiot not know disrespecting heaven invited divine punishment?!
Turning his head away from the man’s rough dark hand, Ning Xuan comforted himself internally.
This is called generosity. This is called a great man not stooping to the level of petty people!
But then another thought suddenly struck him.
Wait a second… becoming a servant means I got sold off, doesn’t it? …But why the hell was I the one being sold without even getting the money?! Forget not receiving any silver—why didn’t they at least let me count how much I was worth first?!
Futile Devices Scans 
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