The protagonist, a modern office worker who died from overwork and transmigrated into the body of a poor scholar named Shao Yi (styled Yanzhe). He is rational, pragmatic, and initially reluctant to take the Imperial Examination but changes his mind after realizing the financial benefits of becoming a Xiucai. He is already a Tongsheng and plans to continue transcribing books at a bookshop for income. He showed kindness to a black cat by feeding it fried fish.
