The Frontier Prince: Starting From Scratch - Chapter 1 - The Mad Prince

“With a mortality rate close to one hundred percent, are you sure you want to proceed?”

Inside the X Research Institute.

In a room filled with the scent of alcohol and disinfectant, Zhao Xu lay quietly on the operating table.

“Yes, I’m sure.”

After losing his job at the beginning of the year, he had tried his hand at street vending and delivering food, hustling to make ends meet.

Six months ago, he found a new job, but disaster struck on his first day. A runaway car hit him, leaving him severely injured.

When he awoke in the hospital, the doctor informed him that he was paralyzed from the neck down, with only his head able to move.

His girlfriend, who had promised to stay with him forever, visited him just once after hearing the news and then disappeared without a trace.

His life had plunged into its darkest hour.

It was then that he received an invitation from the X biological chip research team.

Participating in their experiment could potentially restore his health and offer additional benefits.

The cost, however, was a high failure rate, with failure resulting in death.

Naturally, he found it hard to believe such a ridiculous proposition.

Yet, he agreed.

After all, life held little interest for him.

“Surgery begins, administer the anesthetic.”

“Implant the chip.”

“Chip implanted successfully, neural connection established, data transmission underway.”

“Report: overload warning, the subject’s brain waves are weakening… disappearing.”

“Damn it! Another failure. Is the human brain truly incapable of handling the knowledge contained in this biological chip?”

…

Dasong Dynasty.

Yan Province.

Yan Prefecture.

Yan City.

As dawn broke, the servants and maids at Prince Yan’s Mansion began their busy day.

“Last night, Prince Yan went mad again, spouting all sorts of nonsense.”

Under the willow tree, a maid whispered gossip to a servant when no one else was around.

The servant craned his neck: “What kind of nonsense?”

“My legs can move? My hands can move too? Am I dreaming? No, have I transmigrated? Who am I now…”

“Transmigration? That’s a new one,” the servant chuckled, “What nonsense, forgetting who he is? Has he forgotten Feng’er and Luan’er too?”

The maid glared at the servant and scolded, “Look at you, just like all men, always eyeing what’s in the pot while eating from the bowl. Are you thinking about those two as well?”

“I’m just pitying Feng’er and Luan’er, such beautiful women, having to serve a mad prince. What a waste!” the servant defended himself, sheepishly holding the maid’s hand, “My heart belongs to you.”

The maid snorted, jealousy making her words venomous, “They can only blame their bad luck. Chief Counselor Zhang just went to the back courtyard alone again. Who knows if he’ll succeed this time.”

“Beast!” the servant spat.

…

In the back courtyard of the Prince’s Mansion.

Bedchamber.

Zhao Xu sat on the bed, surrounded by filthy, greasy bedding that emitted a sour stench, keeping him wide awake.

When he first awoke, he suspected he was dreaming.

But after being overwhelmed by the smell all night and merging with the memories of this body, he finally confirmed he had transmigrated.

Just like his name, the owner of this body was also called Zhao Xu, but his status was that of the ninth prince of the Dasong Dynasty.

In his memories, this ninth prince was often bullied by other princes in the capital.

At thirteen, during yet another conflict, he was struck on the head by the sixth prince, leaving him mad and foolish.

Three years later, in early spring, Emperor Zhao Heng fell gravely ill.

Rumors spread through the palace that the ninth prince was an ill omen, and the emperor’s illness was due to his fate being tied to the imperial star.

The solution to this misfortune was to exile him from the capital and send him north.

Emperor Zhao Heng, with many offspring, never favored this mad prince. Though he was half-convinced by the rumors, he ultimately took them to heart and completely abandoned him.

According to imperial tradition, he was merely granted the title of Prince Yan and given the most dilapidated fief in Yan Province.

A haphazard group of officials was assembled for the Prince’s Mansion, with a man named Zhang Han appointed as the chief counselor to assist him, sending him away to his fief.

This Zhang Han was nothing more than a street ruffian, having bought the position of chief counselor with silver¹.

Seeing Zhao Xu as mad and his mother holding a lowly position in the palace, unable to support him, Zhang Han’s true nature was revealed.

Upon arriving in Yan Prefecture, he confined Zhao Xu under the guise of preventing Prince Yan from harming others, but in reality, he was imprisoning him to seize control of Yan Prefecture.

He even set his sights on Zhao Xu’s personal maids.

However, Feng’er was fiery by nature, always resisting with her life, and Zhang Han feared causing a death, so he refrained.

Yet Zhang Han was relentless, often trying to deceive the two into submission.

These were things Feng’er secretly shared with Zhao Xu during her visits.

Zhao Xu, being mad, naturally couldn’t understand these things, leaving Feng’er and Luan’er heartbroken and in tears.

But these memories were inherited by him.

“Tap, tap, tap…”

The sound of footsteps interrupted Zhao Xu’s recollections.

The servant delivering his breakfast arrived at the door.

Grasping the inkstone on the table, he slipped behind the door.

In his memory, the bedchamber door only opened when meals were delivered.

Every time Zhao Xu tried to escape, he was caught by the servants arranged by Zhang Han.

Now, he had transmigrated.

He was still a prince.

How could he be confined like a madman until death?

To rule the world while awake and enjoy beauty while drunk was the true path.

Moreover, having died once, what was there to fear? In this life, he lived by four words: “Defy and fight!”

“Cre-eak.”

The door opened, and a servant in blue entered.

“Where’s that fool gone?” The servant muttered, not seeing anyone at first glance, “The chief counselor is determined to have Feng’er and Luan’er today, hehe, wonder if he’ll succeed?”

“Bang!”

The servant’s lecherous grin froze on his face as he fell straight to the ground.

Raising the inkstone in his hand, Zhao Xu spat, “From today, I am Prince Yan.”

Suddenly recalling the servant’s words, he realized something was amiss.

Maids Feng’er and Luan’er seemed to be in danger.

In his memory, Feng’er and Luan’er had been responsible for serving Zhao Xu since childhood.

Even after Zhao Xu became mad, they didn’t treat him with disdain like other palace staff, continuing to care for him diligently.

But after arriving at the fief, Zhang Han isolated them from him.

“Scoundrel, daring to touch my people, it’s outrageous.” Zhao Xu fumed.

Quickly leaving the bedchamber, he headed straight to the side room.

Feng’er and Luan’er’s residence was just thirty meters diagonally opposite the bedchamber.

At that moment, Zhang Han’s voice was heard.

“Feng’er, Luan’er, do you truly wish to remain chaste for this madman?” Zhang Han’s words were arrogant, “Let me tell you, today, I’m not leaving. Even if by force, you’ll be mine!”

“Scoundrel! How dare you be so shameless? Today, I’ll risk my life to seek justice from Commander Chang.” Feng’er rebuked.

“Hmph, do you think you can leave? I advise you to submit to me willingly, or I’ll sell you to the brothel.”

“You dare!” “Sister.”

Feng’er’s voice trembled, and Luan’er was almost in tears.

“Scoff, those who know the times are wise. Now, all of Yan Prefecture follows my lead. Rather than saying that mad prince is Prince Yan, it’s more accurate to say I am Prince Yan…” Zhang Han suddenly fell silent.

He saw someone walking in with hands behind his back-it was Zhao Xu.

“Zhang Quan, where are you? How did you let this madman escape? Quickly, capture him for me.” Zhang Han merely glanced at Zhao Xu, not taking this mad prince seriously at all.

Feng’er and Luan’er, however, covered their mouths in shock.

“Shout, keep shouting.” Zhao Xu took out the inkstone from behind, lightly tapping his palm, his smile sinister.

Zhang Han, seated in a silver robe, appeared dignified and scholarly.

Unexpectedly, he was so despicable and shameless.

Bullying Zhao Xu for his madness, he had seized the Prince’s Mansion, and now he was targeting his maids.

Intolerable!

Now, it was time to settle the score with him.

Footnote:

1. Silver(银子): In imperial China, silver ingots or loose silver were a primary form of currency, especially for large transactions.