Chapter 1: The Boy with the Ape Arms

Liang Xiao was also somewhat annoyed, a surge of anger welling up from within him, and he could not even understand where this anger was coming from. "We are merely strangers who have crossed paths; why should I tell you my name? Looking at you, you don't seem like a good person. Are you perhaps someone who has just escaped from prison?"

Having two or three poached eggs every day has endowed him with a relatively strong and robust physique among his peers

"It is precisely because Mother is in a rush to meet the deadline that she allows you to eat," Liang Xiao insisted. "Mother is the pillar of the family; if you wear her out, who will support this family?"

Liang Xiao caught a chicken and headed straight to Granny Chu's house. Granny Chu's home was not in the same neighborhood as the Liang family, and after leaving his house, Liang Xiao still had to pass through the neighborhood gate. He had often seen such descriptions in the documents before, but now, seeing the tall neighborhood walls on both sides of the road with his own eyes, he couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder.

This is wonderful; it seems that Granny Chu is indeed very effective, and it worked in just one try. Xiao'er, later you should catch a chicken to thank her. Also, go check on Tu Niu'er; he has been quite scared these past two days because of your illness and has come a few times but didn't dare to enter.

Liang Xiao made a trip to Grandma Chu's house, but she was not at home, and the front door was locked. It was unclear where she had gone to swindle money again. Liang Xiao then carried the chicken and, following the route he remembered, groped his way westward, preparing to leave the city for the western suburbs. The west side of the city is a gathering place for rascals, and if he guessed correctly, Tu Niu'er would most likely be hanging around there.

Upon leaving the city, Liang Xiao occasionally looked up and was momentarily taken aback, as a feeling of having crossed into another world suddenly surged in his heart

"Xiao'er, is that you?" A clear voice came from the west chamber. "How come you are up? Are you feeling better?"

In a quaint yet tidy little courtyard, a young boy tilted his head back, squinting his eyes as he watched the chirping little birds in the trees. He let out a soft sigh and muttered, "This is really... a total letdown."

For several days now, Liang Xiao has been unable to comprehend how such a melodramatic event could occur. I merely yearn for the Han Dynasty and have a slight understanding of its history, but I never imagined I would traverse back to the Han Dynasty

Before me lies a vast expanse of water, boundless and infinite, stretching all the way to the horizon. Along the water's edge, clusters of reeds sway, and the surface of the water is dotted with the silhouettes of sails, presenting a picturesque scene of wetlands.

Liang Miao was momentarily taken aback, then smiled and said: "Silly boy, this is made by your mother, how could your mother eat it? Quickly take it away, don't dirty the brocade. I need to hurry and finish weaving this piece of brocade, the Ding family has already urged me twice, it would not do to delay the schedule."

The Liang family does not own any land, as it is a single-parent household without strong laborers. Liang Xiao's mother, Liang Miao, is skilled in weaving brocade but is not adept at farming, which is why she has never cultivated any land and relies solely on weaving for a living. This is likely the reason she hopes Liang Xiao will become an official—she cannot expect her son to inherit the craft of brocade weaving, as that is work for women.

He calls himself Liang Xiao, originally just an ordinary Han youth, but now he possesses a soul from two thousand years in the future

It is precisely the time for spring plowing, and most adults have left the city to work in the fields. Even underage children will join in, doing whatever farm work they are capable of—life in the countryside is demanding, and there is no room for idlers—only rascals like Liang Xiao would be idle, wandering around aimlessly

Jiangdu State, Guangling City, Qingyun Lane

The prisoner was taken aback, yet he did not get angry; instead, he laughed heartily and walked away with a limp. "Interesting, I misjudged him; it turns out he still has some spirit. Young man, take care of yourself and do not squander your talent"

Alas, he must be afraid that I will hit him, which is why he deliberately speaks well of me to deceive me, seeking an opportunity to slip away

"Mother, please eat." Liang Xiao walked up to Liang Miao, pressed down on the loom, and handed the bowl to her. Liang Miao, seeing the untouched fried egg in the bowl, couldn't help but feel a bit curious. "Why haven't you eaten?"

He stood up. "Mother, I am going to thank Grandma Chu, you can eat the eggs... the chickens, it's up to you to fulfill the task of becoming rich and prosperous." Without waiting for Liang Miao to respond, he slipped out—he simply could not swallow that greasy fried egg, so leaving was the best option.

... ...

Young man, looking at your impressive appearance and innate charisma, how can you be so lacking in ambition. Tsk tsk, it is truly a pity to waste such a fine exterior

Family wealth is merely a basic requirement for entering the officialdom; it does not mean that possessing family wealth guarantees entry into the official ranks. Moreover, there is a vast difference between entering the officialdom and being granted titles or military ranks. Clearly, my mother has underestimated this matter, believing that hard work can truly lead to wealth and that meeting the standard of family wealth is sufficient to enter the government. How naive this is

He was carried back by Tu Niu'er from Jinkui Mountain in the western suburbs, which is the place with the best feng shui in Guangling County and has the most graves. However, Tu Niu'er did not inform Liang Miao of this matter, and Liang Miao might not know that he is a rogue, still considering him a good boy

Do not let me see you again next time, or I will make you pay for it. Liang Xiao shook his fist at the surface of the water, trying hard to put on a fierce expression. However, after looking again, he still felt that he was not fundamentally bad and should belong to the type that could still be educated.

The young man raised his hand, rubbed his brow, forced a smile, and replied loudly: "Mother, I am feeling much better."

At this moment, he is holding a coarse earthenware bowl, in which lie two oily fried eggs. Upon seeing the bright yellow oil, he feels nauseous. As someone accustomed to the concepts of green and environmentally friendly nutrition, he has a very poor impression of these fried eggs and truly has no appetite.

This... this is the Yangtze River. Liang Xiao was stunned for a long time before he slowly realized that he was now in the city of Guangling during the Han Dynasty, and not in the 21st century city of Yangzhou. The mighty Yangtze River flowed directly to the foot of the city, with not even a shadow of the prosperous city of later generations, only a vast expanse of water, the emergence of which remained uncertain.

He originally intended to lie down for another two days to recuperate and adapt to the new environment, but when he heard that calling the spirit of the deceased would require offering a chicken, he could no longer stay in bed. For this family, a chicken was not a trivial matter; they only had a total of five chickens, all of which were laying hens that his mother had specially raised to provide him with nutrition.

In the west wing, by the window, there was a loom, and his mother, Liang Miao, was sitting behind it, deftly busy with her work. Hearing his footsteps, Liang Miao glanced up at him and continued her work. "Have you finished eating?"

Liang Miao affectionately pinched Liang Xiao's face. "Of course, my son is naturally good material for leading troops and fighting. In the future, he will achieve merit and be granted a title, and his descendants will be wealthy and noble, allowing me to enjoy a life of comfort."

Liang Xiao walked to the water's edge, gazing at the Yangtze River, hoping to see the opposite Beigu Mountain. Unfortunately, he saw nothing, just like the brilliant future his mother, Liang Miao, had longed for, which cast no shadow at all

Oh. The young man responded with a sound, once again revealing a helpless bitter smile, as images of an old woman and a young boy floated in his mind. The old woman had a face full of wrinkles, with painted eyebrows and lips, exuding a shrewd demeanor. The young boy was robust and strong, with a naive yet cunning expression.

I am dizzy, the future is bleak. Liang Xiao involuntarily quoted a line of literature: "Reflecting on the vastness of heaven and earth and the endlessness of books, how can one not be filled with sorrow and shed tears"

However, according to the remnants of Liang Xiao's memory, "he" is certainly not some red flower youth. To put it more directly, the real Liang Xiao is a rogue; petty thefts are child's play to him. He has also committed many unscrupulous acts, such as kicking down widows' doors and digging up the graves of the deceased. At the time of his possession, he was in the midst of tomb raiding, and for some unknown reason, he fainted. When he woke up, he had become the current Liang Xiao

Liang Miao blinked her eyes, seemingly finding it reasonable. However, she still did not take the bowl. "Xiao'er, your mother appreciates your intentions, but you should eat this chicken. Right now, it is your mother who supports the family, but in the future, it will depend on you. Without a good body, how can you serve in the military and achieve merit, be granted titles and honors?"

You are ... ...

"Are you worried that the family assets are insufficient?" Liang Miao seemed to have guessed her son's thoughts. "You need not worry about this. There are still a few years until your marriage. Your mother will endure some hardships and weave more brocade, and by that time, we will surely be able to save enough.

Liang Xiao is baffled. What talents do I possess? He just said I am a remarkable person, born with extraordinary features. Could it be that I am indeed the gifted one as described in legends? No wonder I have such confidence; it turns out I am indeed exceptional, even this prisoner can see it.

However, Mother, our family... Liang Xiao hesitated to speak. As far as he knew, being an official during the Han Dynasty was not an easy task. At that time, there was no imperial examination; one either relied on family connections or recommendations to become an official. Given the situation of the Liang family, it seemed that they could not count on either.

Liang Xiao walked to the water's edge, crouched down, and gazed at his reflection. After looking for a long time, he could not discern any difference from before. Although his features were well-defined, he could hardly be considered a striking figure.

These are the two clearest figures in his remaining memories, apart from the mother who is weaving in the west chamber: one is the witch who called his soul, whom he had just seen yesterday; the other is his childhood friend, whose name is Tuniu'er. True to his name, he possesses strength akin to that of an ox.

I am merely a prisoner, a disabled person. However, I cannot help but look down on someone as unambitious as you, which is why I feel compelled to say a few words. The prisoner looked him up and down, suddenly furrowing his brow: "Where are you from, and what is your name?"

Bestowing titles and appointing generals? Liang Xiao widened his eyes in shock. My dear mother, your expectations are too high; your son cannot achieve this.

It is evident that he has a mother who indulges him

A hoarse voice came from behind. Liang Xiao turned around to see a prisoner dressed in a somewhat worn ochre robe, with a scruffy beard and a gaunt face, who had lost one eye and was left with only the right eye. However, this remaining right eye shone brightly, fierce and intimidating, causing Liang Xiao to feel a chill in his heart

Liang Xiao pondered for a moment, then carried the bowl into the west wing.

"Hey, this child..." Liang Miao intended to call out to Liang Xiao, but seeing that Liang Xiao had already left, she had no choice but to give up. She looked at the egg in the ceramic bowl, shook her head, and smiled with satisfaction. "This child has grown up and knows how to be filial to his mother."

Mother, I am ready now, you may eat

Liang Xiao smiled wryly. Although he did not know where his mother’s confidence came from, she certainly had simplified the matter. As far as he knew, the Han Dynasty implemented a system of recommendation, commonly referred to as filial piety and integrity. Filial piety and integrity refer to dutiful sons and honest officials, with only one or two individuals from each prefecture being selected each year, making it even more difficult than being recommended for university. How could it possibly involve a poor boy like him

If he remembers correctly, this Guangling City is the same as the Yangzhou City referred to in later times as "In the third month of spring, I descend to Yangzhou amidst the flowers and mist." Unlike his impression of a city filled with commercial areas, at this time, the market and residential areas were separate, with uniform inner walls lining the streets, and there were hardly any shops or pedestrians on the road