Chapter 1: Chapter 1: I Am the Shadow

“Your Majesty, what do you think of this person?”

“Like, truly alike, it’s as if they were carved from the same mold.”

In a daze, two entirely different voices suddenly echoed in Zheng Yi’s ears.

One was sharp, the other hoarse.

“Hehehe, Your Majesty, we painstakingly found this person. With him, you can rest easy.”

The sharp voice sounded, clearly ingratiating.

“Hehehe… you’ve done well, Chief Eunuch. I will reward you. Cough, cough…”

The hoarse voice coughed dryly and then said, “It’s just that he’s a bit dark, his figure is quite slim, and his demeanor is somewhat different from mine.”

“Your Majesty is the True Dragon Emperor; a humble villager resembling Your Majesty by even thirty percent is already a great blessing, how could he truly compare to Your Majesty?”

The sharp voice continued, “Rest assured, Your Majesty, with a bit of care over time, he will become indistinguishable from Your Majesty.”

“I will find someone to teach him etiquette and cultivate him further, to relieve Your Majesty’s worries…”

“Very well.”

Zheng Yi struggled a bit, and finally, a faint beam of light seeped through his vision, quickly bringing him to consciousness.

He realized that in front of him was a room carved with dragons and painted with phoenixes, exquisitely crafted.

And before him, stood two completely different figures.

One was about forty, with a clean-shaven face and no beard, wearing a purple Python Robe, holding a Duster, his waist slightly bent, filled with smiles, resembling a eunuch.

The other was about twenty, slim, with a flushed face, dressed in a bright yellow five-clawed Dragon Robe, and eyes shining brightly, curiously observing him.

“Who, who are you people?”

“Your Majesty, this person has awoken.”

The eunuch shadow stepped forward and said, “Bold! Did you forget what our family instructed you before you came? Hurry up and greet Your Majesty!”

Zheng Yi’s mind shook, and soon an unfamiliar memory quickly flooded his mind.

It turned out he… had transmigrated!

The previous night he was still in the dormitory playing games all night, and the next second found himself in this country named ’Great Yu’.

In his memories, ’he’ was just a humble villager, with the same name as himself, Zheng Yi.

One day, while selling firewood in the city, he was suddenly abducted, monitored by a specialist, and brought here while masked.

Later he learned that he was coveted by the Chief Eunuch Wang Zhongyi beside King Zheng because of his nine-parts resemblance to His Majesty Great Yu, secretly captured into the Imperial Palace to become the Emperor’s shadow!

The so-called shadow is a substitute, specifically handling matters and places the Emperor does not need to personally risk.

According to Zheng Yi’s understanding, this world is somewhat akin to his past life’s Spring and Autumn Warring States era, where over a dozen countries conflicted and waged wars frequently.

Emperors, princes, and dukes specifically nurture or seek out similar-looking individuals as shadows to ensure their own safety.

And at this moment, Zheng Yi was undeniably found by the current Great Yu Emperor ’Emperor Zhengyong’ Zheng Yuanluo to be his shadow!

Isn’t this just like that movie he had seen in his past life!

“Sigh~ no need to be tense, Chief Eunuch.”

Emperor Zhengyong waved dismissively, “This person will become my shadow, so how could he be doing something as humble as kneeling? What if he becomes used to it and cannot replace me?”

“Your Majesty is wise!”

“Alike, truly alike, I have never seen someone so similar.”

Emperor Zhengyong marveled, then said, “Zheng Yi, right? From now on, you are my shadow. As long as you behave obediently, I will ensure you a life of wealth and fortune.”

Zheng Yi now understood; since he was here, it was best to go along with it for now, getting past the current crisis without revealing that he is no longer the original Zheng Yi.

He could only feign alarm and tension, nervously saying, “Y-yes, commoner understands.”

“Hmm, not bad, the voice is similar too, just press down the pitch a bit more.”

Wang Zhongyi humbly said, “Your Majesty is holy.”

“By the way, Your Majesty, I have already summoned the Imperial Household Department’s manager to personally carry out the castration on Zheng Yi, ensuring he can get out of bed in three days. At that time, I will personally lead people to instruct Zheng Yi.”

What?!

Castration?

Screw it!

This old fellow wants to geld me?

Zheng Yi finally realized, in the Imperial Palace, aside from the underage princes and rotating guards, there can only be one man, and that is the Emperor!

And he… to become the Emperor’s shadow, must stay in the Imperial Palace.

Wanting to remain in the Imperial Palace means he cannot be a man; he must be… a eunuch!

No way, I am still a virgin.

“This…”

Emperor Zhengyong spoke, “What if people find out about this person?”

A shadow must be secretive; presently knowing Zheng Yi’s identity, besides Emperor Zhengyong and Chief Eunuch Wang Zhongyi, there is no third person.

The guards who brought Zheng Yi here had already been dealt with secretly.

“Your Majesty needn’t worry, just put a mask on this person and enforce the prohibition on anyone investigating his identity…”

“Thus…”

Emperor Zhengyong said, “Do not castrate him yet; this person still has great use to me.”

Zheng Yi finally let out a long sigh, preserving his manhood, anything else is negotiable.

“This… understood!”

Wang Zhongyi hesitated a bit, then quickly thought of something and fell silent.

“Chief Eunuch, I’ll leave this person to you; start teaching him some rules from tomorrow.”

Emperor Zhengyong said, “In three months, he will attend the Grand Ancestral Temple to pray for blessings on my behalf.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Emperor Zhengyong left, and after leaving some words of half promise and half threat, Chief Eunuch Wang Zhongyi also departed.

Before leaving, he ordered the guards stationed around the room to kill without mercy should anyone inside attempt to exit.

“Sigh… What a headache, how did I end up in this world?”

Zheng Yi rubbed his temples, collapsing onto the bed.

After a brief contemplation, he learned from his memory that this world was actually a Martial Arts World.

Where martial artists easily leap over rooftops and injure with a flick of the fingers.

Furthermore, there were legendary Innate Experts, whose presence could span rainbows, controlling swords to slay, and taking the heads of generals amidst vast armies effortlessly!

When a hero violates the prohibition with martial prowess!

Precisely because of the existence of these martial dao experts, innumerable bloodshed cases frequently occurred, even emperors were assassinated by martial dao experts.

Previous Emperor… died at the hands of an assassin.

For this reason, the importance of a shadow becomes undeniable.

“In the Imperial Palace, not a eunuch, nor an Emperor, what shall I do?”

“Awaiting suggestions, it’s rather urgent.”

Zheng Yi slightly raised his head, “System?”

Being a night owl and avid bookworm, naturally, he knows the essential magical treasure for a transmigrator!

A few breaths later, no response.

He raised his arm, no ring, nor any jade pendant or jade beads on his waist.

“Old master?”

No response.

“Immortal?”

Checking himself, no tattoos.

“Monster?”

A few breaths later, Zheng Yi’s face changed, trying again, “This… Deep Blue?”

“Main God Space?”

“Transmigration!”

He jumped around like a shaman, bouncing around, yet nothing reacted.

Just when Zheng Yi was feeling a bit hopeless, a bright black-and-white light suddenly erupted in his mind.

It was… a mirror!

Or rather… an ancient bronze mirror!

Simultaneously, a faint psychic fluctuation appeared in his consciousness.

[Name: Yin Yang Treasure Mirror]

[Background: The first ancient mirror nurtured from Chaos, capable of growing with the passage of time, absorbing Yin and Yang Qi, traversing the long river of time, reflecting myriad worlds, bestowing immense power to its host.]

[Life Master: Zheng Yi]

[Talent: Yin Yang]

“This… Yin Yang Treasure Mirror? Golden Finger!”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep