It was the seventh year of the Yuanfeng era of the Great Han Dynasty and Liu Bingyi was in Chang'an County Prison.
Liu Bingyi awoke in pain.
"Stop playing dead! You're a jinx, a cursed star who brings misfortune to your parents! The Emperor's great-grandson?" Bah! In this county prison, you're not worth a stray dog!'
These sharp and sarcastic words were accompanied by a calloused foot slamming into his ribs. He groaned, but his consciousness instantly reformed like shattered film. He had once been the 'Man of a Thousand Faces' of the modern film industry, having just won a grand slam of awards, but he had fallen from a great height due to a broken wire.
Now, he was in the Great Han County Prison, where the stench of urine, mould and blood assaulted his nostrils.
[Ding! God-level Movie Emperor System loaded.] [Current Environment: Great Han Dynasty Prison (Desperate Situation)]
[Identity: Liu Bingyi (Sinner, Fallen Great-Grandson of the Emperor)]
[Newbie Gift Pack Issued]
[God-Level Mimicry (Beginner)]: Perfectly mimics anyone's micro-expressions with a 100% deception rate.
[Imperial Guard Combat Techniques (Entry Level)]: Integrates ancient and modern special operations skills to enhance physical attributes.
[Eye of Insight]: Allows viewing of the target's loyalty and real-time psychological dynamics.
Liu Bingyi suddenly opened his eyes. Standing before him was a burly jailer with a menacing face. He was cursing and unbuckling his belt, preparing to 'pour some water' on Liu Bingyi's head.
[Eye of Insight activated!] Target: Jailer Zhao Da
Status: Extremely excited, acting under orders.
Thoughts: 'The head steward of the Huo family said that as long as this kid "dies of illness" in prison, the fifty gold coins are mine.'
Liu Bingyi's eyes narrowed slightly. 'Fifty gold coins? What a generous offer! In this Chang'an city, fifty gold coins to buy the life of a fallen imperial grandson is a bargain.'
Do you want to kill me?' Liu Bingyi asked suddenly, his voice hoarse and chillingly calm.
Zhao Da froze, then grinned maliciously. 'What if I kill him? Your convicted grandfather is long gone. It's true that the current emperor is surnamed Liu, but in the Han dynasty, the true Son of Heaven is surnamed Huo!"
'Is that so?' Liu Bingyi slowly propped himself up. In Zhao Da's eyes, the boy who had previously cowered in a corner trembling suddenly changed his demeanour. He was no longer the fallen imperial grandson, but a cold-faced monarch emerging from a mountain of corpses. [God-Level Mimicry: The Prosperous Era of Emperor Wu of Han – The Solitary State of His Later Years]
The muscles on Liu Bingyi's handsome face twitched subtly; his eyes were as deep and cold as a still pool. The overwhelming aura emanating from him caused Zhao Da's legs to buckle and he collapsed to the ground, his belt undone.
'You... you...' Zhao Da retreated as if he had seen a ghost.
'The Huo family gave you fifty gold pieces. Is it to kill me, or to buy a coffin?" Liu Bingyi approached step by step. Despite wearing tattered hemp prison clothes, he walked with the gait of someone who had travelled the world.
'I... I have a knife! Don't come any closer!' Zhao Da trembled as he tried to draw his sword.
'Move!' Liu Bingyi shouted inwardly, unleashing the Imperial Guard's fighting techniques instantly; his body was like a fully drawn bow. The moment Zhao Da touched the hilt of his knife, Liu Bingyi was pressed against him, delivering a vicious chokehold followed by a heavy knee strike to the man's chest — a cracking sound of breaking ribs.
Zhao Da was slammed against the cold wall like a dead dog, his face flushing red. 'Since this big man's surname is Huo, I'll tear a hole in the sky.' Liu Bingyi whispered in his ear, his tone gentle, as if reciting a script, yet sending a chill down Zhao Da's spine.
[Ding! Congratulations to the host for completing 'First Counterattack'. Reward: Reputation +100 and unlocking the prototype of the intelligence organisation, 'The Beggar's Secret Reporting Office'.
Liu Bingyi snatched the keys from Zhao Da. Instead of rushing to escape, he slowly wiped the blood from his hands with Zhao Da's prison uniform. He knew this was only the beginning.
Meanwhile, outside, Huo Guang, the powerful Minister of the Han Dynasty, held immense power, while his beloved wife, Xu Pingjun, waited for him in the slums while he went to buy rice. This seemingly unbreakable Han Empire was already rotting from within.
'Since Heaven has given me a second chance at life, and even this "Actor System"...' Liu Bingyi looked at the sliver of sunlight outside the prison cell, a wicked smile creeping across his face.
'Then I'll be the leading man in this great Han Empire!'
Zhao Da's throat made a gurgling sound and his eyes bulged. He never expected the so-called 'Imperial Grandson Liu', who wouldn't even dare kill a chicken, to be stronger than the noose at Changmen Palace.
'Spare my life...'
Liu Bingyi didn't strangle him directly. Instead, his gaze softened and his 'divine mimicry' instantly switched. He transformed from the 'solitary emperor' into a streetwise gangster.
Releasing his grip, he casually slapped Zhao Da's cheek. The slap wasn't hard, but it was humiliating.
"Zhao Da, let's settle this." Liu Bingyi squatted down and casually fiddled with the dagger he'd snatched from the jailer. 'The Huo family gave you fifty taels of gold — that's enough to buy your life. But do you think you'll live to take it, or even live to spend it?"
Zhao Da clutched his neck and coughed violently. 'You… what do you mean?'
'Kill me and you'll be the obvious suspect; don't kill me and the Huo family steward will accuse you of incompetence. In their eyes, you're not worth as much as the mud in the cracks of Chang'an's city walls." Liu Bingyi spoke slowly, but his words struck precisely at Zhao Da's nerves.
'Eye of Insight' indicated: Zhao Da's psychological defences were crumbling and his loyalty had dropped by 50 points (in a state of flux).
'Then… what do you want me to do?' Zhao Da was utterly terrified.
Liu Bingyi pulled a worn jade pendant from his pocket — the only valuable thing he owned. He casually tossed it to Zhao Da in an unusually arrogant tone: "Take this and go to the Guihong Tavern in the south of the city. Find a beggar called Blind Seven and tell him that Liu Bingyi wants a sip of his cheap prison wine."
'That's it?' Zhao Da was stunned.
'That's it.' Liu Bingyi smiled. 'As long as he hears this, dozens of thugs will cause trouble at the prison gates first thing tomorrow morning. While they're at it, spread the news that I'm dying of illness and prepare a clean set of clothes for me. I'll help you earn fifty gold coins."
This was the first piece of foreshadowing that Liu Bingyi had planted. Before transmigrating, he had spent six months experiencing life at the bottom of society in order to portray a 'gangster boss' more convincingly. The original Liu Bingyi was a well-known 'cockfighting and horse racing' enthusiast in Chang'an, and he had befriended a group of reckless wandering knights and beggars.
This was the prototype of his 'intelligence network'.
'Okay! I'll go right now!" Zhao Da scrambled to his feet. Looking at the young man before him, Liu Bingyi saw a glimmer of ambition in his eyes — an ambition capable of devouring the entire Han dynasty.
Late at night, the cell was silent.
Liu Bingyi hadn't slept; instead, he had begun practising the 'Imperial Guard Combat Technique' in the cramped cell.
Explosions echoed in the air. Although his body was extremely weak, his muscle fibres were remodelling thanks to the system's enhancements.
'Huo Guang, you want me dead? I'll walk out of this door in style.'
Liu Bingyi stopped and gazed at the lonely moon outside the window. The gentle image of his wife, Xu Pingjun, surfaced in his mind.
'In this script, no one can kill me.'
'Ding! The host has completed the first phase of power deployment. Reward: 'Special Forces Combat – Instant Kill Technique'. System mission updated: Escape from prison and gain the trust of one of the Huo family's retainers within three days using your acting skills."