The male supporting character was actually myself.

“Nephew, your father’s illness…” The well-informed prefect, after observing the Xue family man who was sometimes mad, sometimes talking to himself, sometimes laughing, and sometimes wailing, called Jiang Chen aside with a troubled expression. “In my opinion, it seems like he has lost his mind.”

"Huh?" Jiang Chen feigned surprise. "Really?"

My father was fine just two days ago, but yesterday he suddenly became depressed and irritable.

This morning I noticed that my condition wasn't good, so I called the family doctor, but he couldn't find anything wrong with me.

If it's madness...

What should we do?

The prefect stroked his beard, frowned, and sighed, "The reward has been issued. Are there any talented or extraordinary individuals who will respond?"

If all else fails, my dear nephew will have to shoulder the responsibilities of the household and allow your father to rest and recuperate for a while. Perhaps his mood will improve and he will gradually recover.

“Are truly capable people so easy to find?” Jiang Chen sighed. “The Taoist priest who cured my long-standing ailment the other day has also taken his leave and gone on a journey somewhere. If he were still alive, there might still be a chance.”

"I think this situation is not a problem for the time being."

Let your father rest well first. You take care of the family business and the household affairs. If you need help, you can come to me anytime.

If it can be improved, that would be ideal.

If it doesn't get better, you're old enough to take over the family business and shoulder important responsibilities.

Having received the government's approval, Jiang Chen solemnly declared that he would certainly live up to everyone's expectations!

Chapter Twenty-Five: I Advise You to Be Kind!

[Mission: Lead Lin Mubai to the poetry gathering and get him into the venue. Reward: One-time use C-grade item.]

Before we knew it, the day of the poetry gathering arrived, and the main system issued a task early in the morning.

Jiang Chen glanced at the script, which was still being updated, and couldn't help but laugh, "I haven't figured out how to write the later parts of the story yet, but I will try to find opportunities to benefit the protagonist."

"Host, why don't you take him along?" The little white cat grinned mischievously. "If he really wants to show off but isn't under our control, I'll just throw him a 'Shut up' gadget and make him speechless and embarrassed on the spot!"

"That's fine, but I, as the master, will also lose face."

Little white cat: ……

I still can't keep up with the host's train of thought, meow?

Hearing that the young master was going to take him to the poetry gathering hosted by the son of the prefect, Lin Mubai was so happy he almost jumped for joy!

What is the biggest obstacle after I time-traveled?

It's just about status and position!

The original owner was from a poor family and had to support elderly parents and raise children, so he couldn't save much money at all.

He had never been to school or learned to read, had no access to upper-class circles, and no money to buy raw materials to accumulate initial capital.

Now look what's happened! Young Master Xue actually wants to take me to the poetry gathering!

Joining the Xue family was indeed a brilliant move.

Wouldn't following the upper class immediately allow one to enter the upper echelons of society?

As long as one can showcase their extraordinary talent and amaze the audience at the poetry gathering by relying on their years of accumulated poetry and prose.

Just like other time travelers in novels, one should possess exceptional talent that commands respect, and ideally, have a mysterious distinguished guest present at the banquet, ensuring a meteoric rise to power!

Feeling pleased with himself, Lin Mubai straightened his servant's clothes and followed closely behind the pageboy Han Hong.

"Mu Bai, this is the first time you've gone out with me since you entered the manor." The elegant young nobleman Jiang Chen, holding a paper fan, said meaningfully before boarding the carriage, "I suppose the instructors have already taught you quite a bit about etiquette."

I'll give you some advice on how to be a good person.

Do not do evil because it is insignificant, and do not neglect good because it is insignificant. As human beings, the first thing we must maintain is kindness.

Remember this well: when you're out doing business with me, always be kind and compassionate. Never be impatient for quick success, overly competitive, or lose sight of your responsibilities.

"Thank you for your guidance, young master." Lin Mubai's attitude appeared respectful, but his mind was actually elsewhere.

His heart had already flown to the poetry gathering, and he even wondered if, like in some novels, he might form a strange romance with a delicate little princess who was traveling incognito while reciting poems...

The carriage swayed, and Jiang Chen sighed, fanning himself with a paper fan, "This protagonist is hopeless."

"Huh?" The little white cat perked up. "Host, what did I miss?"

"My intention was to subtly remind Lin Mubai to be kind while the script was still being updated and wouldn't have any guiding influence on him."

Unfortunately, he's only interested in making money and showing off, so he probably won't take my advice to heart.

That ultimate luck system, seemingly risk-free and highly profitable, actually lures people into harboring malice. Because if you want to get the rewards, you have to steal other people's luck points.

A true gentleman would never rely on robbing others to strengthen himself.

Even without doing any tasks, Lin Mubai could quickly accumulate enough money to buy materials to make soap by working hard after getting the system. Then, he could change his destiny step by step with the knowledge in his mind.

His system has no penalty mechanism.

It's just that I won't get the reward. It's much better than me, who will die if I don't do the tasks or if I do them diligently. I can only survive in the cracks!

Driven by the prospect of an unknown reward, Lin Mubai's motivation shifted from initially taking advantage of others to later intentionally harming them.

If he doesn't repent, he will eventually have the idea of ​​killing someone.

"By then, Lin Mubai will be no longer safe."

The little white cat blinked its deep blue eyes, looking completely bewildered. "What if... the protagonist, because of your persuasion, starts to give up the mission and live a more honest life?"

"Why not leave him the means to make money, like soap making and glassmaking?"

"So that's why the host has been paying people to train them but hasn't started working yet?"

My host is so kind! I'm so touched!

"What are you saying? Haven't I always been a good person?"

"Yes, yes, yes! Host is the best!"

……

The wheels rolled on and soon came to a stop in front of the elegant and grand Jiu Xian Ju restaurant in the most bustling part of the street.

It was still early, but a lot of people had already gathered on the street to watch the spectacle.

They gathered around and whispered among themselves, wondering whose son this was and whose daughter that was.

The talented men were all in high spirits and full of energy;

The talented women wore veils to cover their faces, but their unique and ingenious style was still evident in their attire.

This person is wearing a filigree gold hairpin;

That earring features a large, round pearl from the East China Sea.

The talented women were vying for attention, making Lin Mubai secretly swallow his saliva.

These girls are not only completely natural, but they also live a life steeped in the traditional culture of traditional Chinese mansions.

In January, I compose poems while treading through the snow; in February, I search for plum blossoms on a cold night.

In March, they play chess in the quiet hall; in April, they sway in the winding pond.

In May, the flowers bloom in vibrant colors; in June, fish are admired in the ponds and gardens.

In July, lotus flowers are picked in the pond; in August, the Qixi Festival is celebrated under the shade of the paulownia tree.

Enjoy the moon at Qiongtan in September; admire chrysanthemums in late autumn in October;

In November, we do embroidery at the Wen Pavilion; in December, we gather around the stove to collect antiques.

They lived idyllic lives, and each of them was gentle, lovely, and devoted to their husbands, a world apart from the materialistic women of today.

Today, I must give it my all for these beautiful ladies!

Lin Mubai was both excited and nervous. After all, he had only studied poetry and songs in school, but he knew nothing about ci poetry, tonal patterns, rhyme schemes, or meter.

If I encounter a scenario where there's no suitable setting, I'll be in trouble.

Hopefully the poetry competition will have simple themes...

"Remember your place, and don't look around!"

Just as Lin Mubai was lost in his drooling over the beautiful woman, his pageboy Han Hong grabbed him and dragged him to the back of the crowd, warning him in a low voice, "You are a servant!"

There's no reason for someone to hang around me like that!

If you dare to overstep your bounds even half a step, I'll immediately have my servants drag you away and beat you half to death!

"This is your first time serving under the master, and you can't even remember these basic rules? What are you good for?"

After being scolded, Lin Mubai dared not utter a word.

He knew that this kid had practiced martial arts since he was a child and was incredibly skilled; he couldn't be fooled by someone who knew a few Tai Chi moves.

She could only glare at Han Hong fiercely when he wasn't paying attention, while in her heart she had already cursed him countless times and wished him a thousand cuts.

"I'll have a chance when the poetry gathering starts..." Lin Mubai thought to himself as he carried Young Master Xue's small suitcase up to the third floor.

The son of the prefect was hosting a poetry gathering for the son of the governor and the third prince, so the scale of the event was naturally considerable.

Jiuxianju Restaurant had already been completely booked.

All the tables and chairs in the dining area on the third floor were removed and replaced with lower tables and cushions that are more suitable for the habits of literati.

On the left sat many talented men, seated according to their social status;

On the right, a light gauze curtain hung, only vaguely revealing figures; these were the talented women from various mansions who had taken their seats.

Chapter Twenty-Six: From this day forward, I will be famous throughout the world.

As the organizer and the most prestigious young man in Jinzhou City, Fang Anyi, the son of the prefect, naturally sat in the seat of honor.

Jiang Chen noticed a dark curtain hanging behind him, completely obscuring the view, and assumed that the mysterious guest was sitting inside.

"Stand properly! Don't embarrass me!" Han Hong glared at Lin Mubai, clearly not satisfied with his posture.

The latter could only temporarily avert his gaze and stand properly among the servants at the far end.

Fang Anyi saw that everyone had arrived, and the Third Prince, who was sitting inside, had already ordered someone to hand him a slip of paper with the topic of today's poetry gathering written on it.