Logging into the Game World Early and Starting with a Royal Marriage to the Empress

Xu Xingchen trailed behind a Lamplighter, his countenance marked by exhaustion and his eyes suffused with bloodshot veins, yet within his gaze flickered a trace of fervent excitement.

Last night, he remained awake throughout the entire night, unable to find repose despite the passage of hours; though he had already accepted his fate, sleep still eluded him. He pondered a multitude of thoughts, and at the end, he sensed that he had, as if guided by some unseen force, seized upon certain elusive insights.

Why did Xia Chen insist on troubling him—was it merely to toy with him?

He was the legitimate son of a marquis’s household, the Imperial Son-in-Law, and now the Division Head of the Lamplighters—while Xu Xingchen was but an ordinary student of the Imperial Academy, their statuses worlds apart. Xia Chen could crush him as easily as one might squash an ant.

Would such a man truly act solely to indulge a perverse whim and torment him?

Xu Xingchen deemed it improbable—there must be a deeper reason he had yet to uncover!

As dawn neared, a sudden clarity pierced Xu Xingchen’s mind; he bolted upright in bed, his body trembling violently.

Xia Chen knew of his intent to rebel, his desire to seek an enlightened lord—yet instead of seizing him, he had summoned him to serve as a clerk!

This…

“Is it he who harbors ambitions of rebellion, or could it be that the Xia Clan itself intends to rise in revolt!”

Xu Xingchen’s realization dawned like a thunderclap, the fog of confusion and bitterness dissipating as this startling deduction jolted him.

A man of superlative intellect, he should have grasped this sooner—yet Xia Chen’s misdirection had ensnared him in a mental mire, and only in a drowsy haze near slumber did the truth emerge.

A dazzling brilliance erupted within Xu Xingchen’s pupils—excitement, exhilaration, and bewilderment intermingled!

“As the Imperial Son-in-Law, with His Majesty presently favoring him so heavily, why would Xia Chen contemplate rebellion? Is it the Xia Clan, then? Yet despite their current might, all signs suggest the Xia Clan remains loyal to the royal house…”

Xu Xingchen grew perplexed; even his keen mind struggled to unravel this. Yet he harbored no thought of exposing them—for if he dared denounce Xia Chen or the Xia Clan for plotting treason, he’d likely meet an untimely end before the words left his lips. Be it the Xia Clan, Xia Chen, or the royal house, all would see him silenced…

The royal house would never rupture ties with the Xia Clan at this juncture.

Having pieced this together, a gleam of exhilaration shone in Xu Xingchen’s eyes—only through collapse could prosperity arise; without breaking, there could be no building. Was this not precisely what he had long yearned for?

Xu Xingchen stepped into the Lamplighters’ Government Office, his eyes darting about inquisitively; rumors circulating beyond its walls had long described the Lamplighters’ Government Office as akin to a hellish abyss of terror.

Yet now, as he entered, he found people coming and going—no trace of the sinister dread he’d expected.

“Here we are—go inside!”

The Lamplighter guiding him led Xu Xingchen to a small courtyard, gesturing for him to proceed alone.

“Division Head!”

Xu Xingchen knocked on the door, entering only after a voice beckoned from within.

Upon stepping inside, he beheld an exceedingly handsome youth seated at a desk, engrossed in work, while another tender-faced boy in the room regarded him with curious eyes.

“Did you not sleep well last night?”

Xia Chen, seated at the desk, didn’t raise his head—yet he seemed to perceive Xu Xingchen’s condition with uncanny clarity.

This deepened Xu Xingchen’s sense of Xia Chen’s unfathomable nature.

“Last night, in a moment of exhilaration, I found myself somewhat unable to sleep well!”

Xu Xingchen clasped his hands, replying candidly.

“Because you suspect I harbor seditious intent, and that excited you?”

Xia Chen still didn’t lift his gaze, poring over documents on his desk, annotating as he went; his voice remained utterly tranquil—yet to Xu Xingchen, it resounded like a chilling wail from the depths of the netherworld, plunging him into an abyss.

“He can discern even this—could he possibly wield the art of mind-reading? Fortunately, I never contemplated reporting him to the government office; perchance he has long since deployed his men, and should such a thought have crossed my mind, I might well have been slain mere steps beyond my doorstep…”

Cold sweat broke out across Xu Xingchen’s brow—he had once again danced upon the precipice of death.

“Henceforth, you’ll serve at my side as a clerk, assisting with case files and records. Additionally, your parents are advancing in years, and you’ve been away from home for many—Dawu is a realm founded on filial piety; tending to one’s parents is a duty we children must fulfill. Bring your parents from Ping’an County to the capital—I’ve purchased a small courtyard beside my own; you and your family shall reside there from now on!”

Xia Chen continued without raising his head, while Xia Wen, who had remained silent, quietly approached.

“Here are the keys!”

Xia Wen handed Xu Xingchen a set of keys; Xu Xingchen swallowed hard, realizing that accepting them meant irrevocably boarding this pirate ship—whether Xia Chen proved an enlightened lord or not, he was now committed to this path unto its end.

Yet he knew refusal was not an option—else he’d not be joining the Lamplighters, but languishing in their dungeons, his family ensnared alongside him. With luck, they might enjoy a grim family reunion in captivity, a “happy” clan united in doom!

“My thanks, Division Head!”

Xu Xingchen took the keys from Xia Wen’s hand, glancing at the boy’s guileless grin before bowing respectfully to Xia Chen.

Noon!

Desheng Building!

Xia Chen had reserved the entire second-floor hall. Desheng Building enjoys considerable renown within the capital; its cuisine is delectable and savory, and, more crucially, its name is auspiciously chosen—whether nobles or wealthy magnates of the capital, whenever there is a joyous occasion, they all favor this establishment for hosting feasts and entertaining guests.

“Not Boss Zhang—the whole second floor’s booked? Who’s behind this—so domineering?”

“Exactly—I always dine in the second-floor private rooms; now I’m relegated to the first-floor hall?”

“My cousin’s a Vice Minister of Revenue—I’ll see who’s bold enough to act so high-handed in the capital!”

…

In the first-floor hall, a crowd obstructed the way, voicing their discontent to Desheng Building’s owner, Zhang Youde.

Zhang Youde, a man of about forty, hastened to bow and clasp his hands to the irate patrons.

“Esteemed guests, you’re all longstanding patrons of my Desheng Building—this I well know! But today, the second floor is truly unavailable—it’s been reserved by the Lamplighters. Should any of you ascend and offend a dignitary, it could spell disaster—I’m only thinking of your welfare!”

“The Lamplighters?”

At the mention of that name, the crowd’s expressions shifted subtly.

“Precisely—it’s Division Head Xia Chen of the Lamplighters who personally reserved it! Please, dine in the first-floor hall today, or perhaps visit Deshun Building across the way—either is fine, but you mustn’t go upstairs and risk offending a noble!”

Sweat beaded on Zhang Youde’s brow; in the end, he even suggested they patronize his rival, Deshun Building.

The crowd glanced toward the second floor, their indignation fading; even the young man who’d boasted of his cousin, the Vice Minister of Revenue, fell silent…

Second Floor of Desheng Building!

“My friends—today marks the induction of my younger brother Xia Wen and my comrade Xu Xingchen into our ranks. I’m grateful you’ve all graced us with your presence—this cup, I drink first!”

Xia Chen poured a cup of wine, rising to his feet; he delivered a brief address as a leader, then offered thanks—his manner warm and approachable.

Xu Xingchen observed the genial Xia Chen, then the unusually docile Lamplighters filling the hall, and couldn’t help but marvel. This Xia Chen—outwardly as gentle as jade, devoid of airs, blending seamlessly with the crowd—yet he held them all in thrall, none daring to defy him.

Was this the essence of leadership?