——“My name is Olivia Miller, and it’s not a joke.”

——“Marry a princess? Don’t kid me, I’m an imbecile.”

Reborn as a fool, he planned to play the pig to eat the tiger and give everyone a shock, but on his very first day out, he was pinned down on the couch… no, on the bench.

Amidst the trivial daily life of the capital, behind each bizarre event, layer upon layer of schemes targeting him are laid out, revealing the calculations within people’s hearts.

In the halls of power, the old foxes turn their heads to look, their calm gazes hiding murderous intent. He wears purity as a mask, maneuvering step by step into the abyss of power.

As the nation teeters on the brink, thirty thousand iron cavalry ride into Liaodong.

Mountains and rivers shattered, the land divided into five—will the Divine Land truly sink?

……

At first, he was just a seemingly innocent and kind-hearted fool…

Volume One: Washing Creek Sand

Chapter 1: The Fool

On the long street, a delicate and lovely young maid walked by.

By the window on the second floor of the teahouse, Henry Bolton’s gaze fell upon her, and his eyes lit up.

A maiden in her prime, radiant with youth.

Just as he was inwardly praising her, Henry Bolton saw that the maid was pulling along a richly dressed young man.

The youth was about fifteen, yet as flawless as fine jade, with a gentle and calm demeanor, his bearing anything but ordinary.

“Who is that?” Henry Bolton asked.

Sitting across from him at the tea table was a middle-aged man named Richard Benson, an old clerk of the Five City Patrol Division in the capital, quite familiar with the area.

Richard Benson glanced out the window and immediately knew whom Henry Bolton was asking about, but still confirmed, “Is the lord asking about that young gentleman?”

Henry Bolton smiled faintly. “Though young, he seems rather extraordinary. He must be someone of note.”

What he meant was: if the other’s family background was impressive, he might consider befriending him.

Richard Benson attentively refilled Henry Bolton’s teacup and said, “That’s the third young master of the Wang family, named Olivia Miller.”

“The Wang family that sells wine?”

“Lord Bolton knows them too?”

Henry Bolton chuckled inwardly. No matter how wealthy the Wang family was, they were still merchants, while he himself was a distinguished scholar. Befriending them was fine, but he shouldn’t be the one to make the first move.

Thinking this, he feigned surprise and said, “So that’s Jane Miller’s third brother? I only heard he had a second brother skilled in business, but never that he had a third.”

After speaking, he sighed slightly and shook his head. “Jane Miller and I are both candidates in this year’s imperial exam. I was fortunate enough to pass as a jinshi, but Brother Miller was a bit unlucky. What a pity. His essays aren’t bad—if he studies for another three years, he might make it.”

Richard Benson, an old hand, could easily detect the subtle pride in Henry Bolton’s words and flattered him, “My lord passed the exam at such a young age and is both talented and handsome. Surely a brilliant future awaits.”

Henry Bolton waved his hand with a smile. “What’s the use? The officialdom is unpredictable. One may never amass the wealth of the Wang family in a lifetime.”

“My lord is a nobleman; merchant families can’t compare, can’t compare.”

Henry Bolton continued, “Jane Miller is really something. We’re close friends, yet he never mentioned how many brothers he has at home.”

Richard Benson smiled and said, “There’s something you may not know, my lord. That third young master of the Wang family may look remarkable, but he’s actually… a fool.”

“A fool?” Henry Bolton was taken aback, then showed an amused smile and said casually, “He doesn’t look it.”

“He’s been slow since childhood, not even as clever as a five-year-old, but he’s quiet and never causes trouble—just sits there quietly. Even at fifteen, he still speaks like a child,” Richard Benson sighed.

“To be born into such a wealthy family, being a little slow is no big deal.”

Richard Benson added, “Speaking of which, the eldest Wang son probably won’t take the next exam.”

“Why?” Henry Bolton was a bit surprised.

Privately, he still hoped Jane Miller would try again.

Better yet, fail a few more times.

That’s what Henry Bolton thought—not for any particular reason. First, since he himself had passed, he wanted to see others fail; second, as the son of a merchant, Jane Miller was someone he claimed to admire, but in truth, he rather looked down on him.

Then Richard Benson said, “That third young master downstairs is about to marry Princess Chunning. If the Wang family becomes imperial relatives, the eldest son naturally can’t pursue the imperial exams anymore…”

“Marry a princess?” Henry Bolton exclaimed. “A fool, and he can marry a princess?”

The word ‘marry’ that Henry Bolton used carried a slightly heavier tone, because in this context, it meant becoming a royal son-in-law, not just a husband.

Richard Benson explained, “According to the custom of this dynasty, once you marry a princess, you can’t take the exams or become an official. So anyone with some talent wouldn’t consider it. Besides, though it sounds grand, it’s really just marrying into the royal family. From then on, you can’t take concubines, can’t visit brothels… There are many rules. The couple may only see each other once a year, like a widower—most people can’t stand it.”

Henry Bolton nodded, thinking of his own twenty years of hard study, and how passing the exam brought such honor and joy. If he were to become a royal son-in-law, it would be like tying himself to a single tree for life—no way would he ever trade places.