Chapter Five: A Single Thought Expands the World

Lying on the heated bed at night, Bai Yu recalled a saying he had encountered in his previous life—“The influence of one's original family requires a lifetime to heal.”

If he continued living like this, that saying might truly apply to him.

Reflecting on his current situation, Bai Yu fell into deep thought.

He was a bona fide time traveler with an AI system as his auxiliary tool—so why was he still being suppressed?

After much contemplation, he concluded it was likely because his environment was too low-level, rendering the AI assistant useless.

For example, the AI might thoroughly analyze the reigning Emperor Jia Jing, but it was powerless against an obscure figure like his father.

Even if the AI helped him speak eloquently, it was of little use in a chaotic courtyard full of struggling commoners.

Therefore, the fault was not his, but that of this world! With this conclusion, Bai Yu finally found clarity.

Anyone who has fallen into a swamp knows the harder you struggle, the deeper you sink.

Hence, the wisest choice now was to break free from the low-tier realm and proactively seek a high-tier one, where the AI assistant’s capabilities could truly shine.

Before dawn the next day, Bai Yu quietly rose, stepped out, and walked alone beyond the courtyard.

Passing by the back house near the main gate, he met old Li, the bricklayer, also up early.

“What brings you out so early?” Old Li asked curiously.

Bai Yu replied, “Please tell my father that I will be traveling for a few days. There is no need to worry!”

Indeed, Bai Yu had resolved to do something quite fitting for a fifteen-year-old boy—run away from home!

Unable to openly resist his “fatherly love,” his best strategy was to flee.

Breathing in a few breaths of freedom on the street, Bai Yu strode eastward.

Breaking free from his cage, the world seemed vast and boundless! Running away was the last stubborn act of a youth confronting paternal authority.

The original Bai Yu had been a good-for-nothing street kid, so he was fairly familiar with the nearby streets.

Moreover, the capital city’s roads were mostly grid-like and easy to navigate, so Bai Yu was not worried about getting lost on his first solo outing after transmigration.

The main civil and military offices of the Ming court were mostly situated south of the Imperial City, lining both sides of the Thousand-Step Imperial Avenue.

Southeast of the Imperial City was the Qinglong district, home to civil officials’ offices; southwest was the Baihu district, for military officials.

Turning north from West River Rice Alley into Baihu Street, the first government office was the famed General Bureau of the Embroidered Uniform Guards.

Especially in recent years, since the emperor’s sworn brother Lu Bing took charge of the guards, the power of the Embroidered Uniform Guards had surged, even surpassing the Eastern Depot.

Besides the main officials, the General Bureau housed three departments collectively known as the “Inner Three Departments.”

They were the Northern Pacification Department, overseeing judicial matters and prisons; the Southern Pacification Department, managing internal affairs of the guards; and the Experience Department, responsible for documents and archives.

Bai Yu stood at the street corner, gazing towards the main gate of the General Bureau, observing the comings and goings.

Clearly, Bai Yu had chosen the Embroidered Uniform Guards’ headquarters as his first high-tier “dungeon.”

Though the Bai family’s household registration belonged to the Embroidered Uniform Guards, the gap between them and those working at the General Bureau was vast.

Had Bai Yu not stolen his father’s willowwood waist token from the “Elephant Training Office” and claimed official business, he would have long been dealt with by the patrolling military police.

Though the Elephant Training Office was lowly and insignificant, it was still part of the Guards’ system, barely counting as being “one of us.”

At fifteen, Bai Yu stood outside the General Bureau like a lackey.

In the late morning, the bureau’s clerk Shi Chaobin leisurely approached the gate, showing no sign of concern over being late.

To be honest, Shi Chaobin did not like his job.

A few years earlier, he had been a fifth-rank assistant magistrate in the Ministry of Justice, participating in the trial of the stubborn minister Yang Jisheng.

He had strongly opposed Yang’s execution, which angered the prime minister Yan Song.

Thanks to the protection of Lu Bing, a powerful figure in the Embroidered Uniform Guards, Shi Chaobin narrowly avoided dismissal and exile but was demoted to a seventh-rank clerk in the Experience Department.

In modern terms, this role was akin to being Lu Bing’s chief secretary.

Though grateful for Lu Bing’s favor and rescue, Shi Chaobin was inwardly uncomfortable, having fallen from a clean officialdom in the Ministry of Justice to a muddled military clerkship.

From a scholar’s perspective, this was a severe loss of status—being dismissed might have been preferable, as his moral reputation would have risen.

But he could not refuse Lu Bing’s kindness; offending both the powerful Yan Song and Lu Bing would have meant utter ruin.

Such is the helplessness of life! Just as Shi Chaobin was lamenting the difficulties of officialdom, a clear voice called from behind, “Sir officer, please wait!”

He turned to see a shabby, patched-up boy who promptly bowed in the scholar’s manner and said, “I am Bai Yu of the Elephant Training Office. May I ask if you are the official clerk of the Experience Department?”

Shi Chaobin asked, “We have never met before. How do you recognize me?”

Bai Yu pointed to the embroidered badge on Shi Chaobin’s official robe and replied, “Your scholarly elegance is unmistakable at a glance.”

Within the entire Embroidered Uniform Guards, only the Experience Department’s seventh-rank clerks and ninth-rank officers were civil officials, marked by bird insignia on their badges; all others bore beast symbols.

This was true not only for the Guards but for all military units under the Ming.

Since the military officials’ general lack of education was a concern, the court appointed civil officials to the Experience Departments specifically for handling documents and archives.

All this was information Bai Yu had gleaned through his AI assistant.

Seeing Shi Chaobin’s cold and wary expression, as if fearing trouble, Bai Yu quickly explained his purpose:

“I wish to take the imperial examination and today have come to register with the Experience Department. I humbly request you to issue me a certificate.”

He spoke in such detail mainly to show that his request was simple—a normal procedure, just a “proof” document—so the official need not be so guarded.

The scholar Shi Chaobin’s indifferent expression finally showed some change. He glanced at the boy’s patched clothes in surprise and said:

“You? Planning to try the imperial exams? Have you studied the Four Books? Can you write the Eight-Legged Essay?”

Bai Yu’s face was resolute as he declared, “I am ready for your examination, sir!”

Shi Chaobin imagined this was a poor but ambitious youth.

Then he resumed his earlier aloof tone and said, “Come with me inside and we shall talk.”

Bai Yu’s heart leapt with joy. Today’s luck was better than he had imagined!

His decision to break out of the low-tier realm was indeed the right one! Tackling high-tier “dungeons” was truly his strength!