This scoundrel was first a prodigal son, then, when he hit rock bottom, he went off to become a live-in son-in-law. His character was so base, it was obvious to anyone.

However...

Though it was truly disgraceful, at least in the worst-case scenario, he’d still have something to eat.

James Bolton tried hard to make himself accept this reality.

Well, at least he wouldn’t have to worry about finding a wife.

So he asked, “I’m the live-in son-in-law of the Marquis of Nanhe, then who is my wife?”

The person beside him sighed and said gloomily, “Where could you find such good fortune?”

“……”

“You went to the Marquis of Nanhe’s residence, but the Marquis drove you out, saying your conduct was despicable. Even if every man in the capital died, he still wouldn’t let you marry into his family.”

For a moment, James Bolton didn’t know whether to feel happy or sad.

Obviously, as a man, he finally didn’t have to live off a woman and could stand tall and be himself.

But why did this outcome still feel a bit strange?

“So, am I completely out of options now?”

“Not exactly.” The person immediately brightened and said, “Just when you were at your wits’ end, who would have thought that Master, after surviving countless dangers in Liaodong, actually returned alive, and even achieved great merit, being promoted to Deputy Commander of the Jinyiwei. As soon as Master came back, the family business flourished again.”

What a shock!

James Bolton felt like he was on a roller coaster—first a prodigal, then a fallen pauper, then a live-in son-in-law, and now, suddenly, he’d turned things around again.

“But... but...” The person’s voice grew gloomy once more.

James Bolton felt his heart skip a beat when he heard this. “But what?”

“It’s just that yesterday, Master was taken by the Eastern Depot, accused of failing in his duties. Originally, Master’s new post as Deputy Commander was to investigate the whereabouts of the bandit King Zhao! King Zhao has been active in northern Zhili and Shanxi, and the court’s repeated campaigns have failed, causing a stir in the imperial court. His Majesty was furious and ordered the Eastern Depot and Jinyiwei to gather intelligence on the bandits.”

“But that bandit Li is as cunning as a fox. When the eunuchs of the Eastern Depot saw that His Majesty was about to question them, they shifted the blame onto Master. Just yesterday, Master was thrown into the imperial prison to await punishment. You, young master, heard this news yesterday, and in a fit of rage, fainted dead away.”

The person paused, then continued, “Young master... Master has already sent word from the imperial prison, saying that this time, he’s doomed for sure. He wants you to make plans early, that you can’t stay in the capital any longer, and should hurry and escape. As for Master, you needn’t worry about him anymore. He only hopes you can live well.”

“……”

Just now, James Bolton had felt so weak he couldn’t move, but after hearing this, some strength slowly returned to his body. He couldn’t help but think: Damn it, after all that, I’m now the son of a criminal?

“No, wait, why are you so long-winded? I haven’t even asked much, and you’ve already spilled everything.”

The person said worriedly, “Young master, you must have forgotten again. These past few days, you’ve been muddle-headed, always unable to remember the past. Every time you wake up, you ask about your background all over again.”

So that’s how it was.

James Bolton mustered his strength and slowly sat up. The furnishings of the room finally came into view.

The side room wasn’t large, but it was spotless. Beneath him was a pearwood bed, above which hung a blue gauze canopy, hooked up with brass hooks.

Beside the bed sat a man with a bitter melon face, dressed in a blue robe and small cap, looking every bit the servant.

This man looked at James Bolton with a look of despair, but was also somewhat relieved to see James Bolton suddenly sit up from his sickbed: “Young master, the two lads have already prepared the carriage and horses. They’re just waiting to escort you on your way. If we don’t leave soon, I fear trouble will come if we delay.”

Looking at the servant before him, James Bolton was now completely certain that he had arrived in a strange era.

Before coming to this place, he had actually been a young and promising project manager at a real estate company.

Thinking back to his previous life, he had been working on a new project, located somewhere beyond the sixth or seventh ring of the capital—walk a bit further, and you’d be in Hebei.

It was a bit remote, but it was still the capital, right?

So, in the project’s planning, it was necessary to highlight some selling points.

The project was in the middle of nowhere, nestled against rolling mountains but with no water source. But in real estate, if you don’t have some “mountain and water” or “lakefront” features, it just doesn’t feel right.

So, in the planning, they decided to dig a small ditch and fill it with water. That way, there’d be both mountains and a lake—perfect.

But the trouble started with that little ditch. No matter how James Bolton thought about it, he couldn’t understand how digging a small ditch, with just one scoop of the excavator, could end up unearthing cultural relics.

For a project manager, the worst thing is to dig up relics. There were quite a few people on site at the time, so he made a snap decision and reported it immediately.

This had James Bolton running around in circles with anxiety. If he’d known this would happen, he wouldn’t have dug that ditch. Why insist on a lake view? Even without the ditch, if the model homes looked grand enough and you planted a few more trees, you could still call it a “forest oxygen bar” and a “health retreat.”