Volume One: The Son of a Treacherous Minister

Chapter 1: The Son of a Treacherous Minister (Part 1)

Memory is unreliable, and sometimes forgetting can be a blessing.

Little William feels no attachment to anything from his past. He can't even be bothered to recall it. His previous life was far from pleasant, so in this life, he would rather choose to forget.

He finally understands that the true meaning of life is to enjoy it. No more lofty ideals, no more grand ambitions—he just wants to be a carefree, well-off young master in this world, spend a little money every day, then find a gentle and pretty woman to marry and have children with. Ideally, he’d have two kids, a girl and a boy. When his daughter marries and his son starts his own family, he’ll begin to enjoy his twilight years. On a warm afternoon, with a loyal old yellow dog by his side, he’ll sit in a fragrant courtyard, bask in the sunlight, brew a pot of fine tea, play a few games of chess, and live a peaceful, leisurely life surrounded by his grandchildren.

Originally, he should have been able to achieve this dream with ease, because his father is Edward Howard, the Minister of Revenue of Da Kang. In Little William’s memories, this position is equivalent to a Minister of Finance. In Da Kang, it is a third-rank official post, holding the financial power of the empire, deeply trusted by the royal family, and having served two emperors, his status has always been rock solid.

As the only son of this high-ranking official, the sole heir for three generations, Little William was naturally the apple of the family's eye. Unfortunately, there are always regrets in this world. The spark of Little William’s consciousness only began half a year ago. On the fifteenth of October last year, a strange phenomenon occurred: a red moon hung in the sky, and the century-old iron tree in the rear garden of the Minister’s residence bloomed that night. Almost at the same moment, this young master, who had been mute and mentally challenged for sixteen years, suddenly regained his senses.

The first thing Little William remembered upon awakening was that he still had two surgeries left to perform. Before that, he had already been on the operating table for thirty-two consecutive hours. Exhausted, William Howard died on the operating table. His consciousness, after drifting across the river of time and space and wandering through three thousand worlds, finally settled in the body of this mentally challenged youth in the Minister of Revenue’s mansion in Da Kang.

His age had miraculously become sixteen, and his name had gained the character "Xiao"—from that day on, William Howard became Little William. The mind of a twenty-eight-year-old was now fused into this empty shell. Fortunately, his appearance hadn’t changed much, just looked a bit younger and more innocent. From that day forward, he decided to start enjoying life and live this life with ease and comfort. However, life rarely goes as planned. If you can’t forget your memories, you can’t escape your troubles. It didn’t take long for Little William to realize that being smart isn’t necessarily happier than being a fool.

In the eighth year of Longqi in Da Kang, it was late April. Little William lounged lazily in an exquisite main room. The room was ornately decorated, and the furnishings were luxurious. Outside was a long corridor, with eight vermilion pillars dividing the sunlight. Beyond the corridor was a square courtyard of about an acre. Spring flowers bloomed in clusters, competing in beauty among the tender yellow leaves. When the breeze passed, vine-like tendrils swayed gently, and a subtle fragrance drifted in, refreshing the mind.

Sunlight filtered through the branches and window lattices, casting dappled shadows. Little William took a deep breath of the floral scent, clasped his hands behind his back, and slowly walked into the light and shadow. Every blade of grass and tree felt so familiar, so intimate, no different from his memories. Yet in the past, he had never paid attention to the beauty of life, let alone enjoyed it. For him, memories were dull and tedious. Apart from immersing himself in medical research, he could find no other source of joy. No family, no friends, no love—such a life was not worth longing for.

Robert Bennett, a plump man in a blue robe and cap, was a servant in the Minister’s residence. He had been assigned to serve the young master half a year ago. He tiptoed over, and upon seeing Little William, his face immediately lit up with a broad smile. His small eyes narrowed into slits, his mustache curled up, and the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes made his big face look like an oversized meat bun: “This humble servant congratulates the young master! Congratulations!”

The humble servant was himself, and the young master was, of course, Little William.

It had taken Little William a full six months to understand and adapt to all the changes around him. Now, he could face everything calmly and handle it with ease. This is what people call truly stepping into the role.