Chapter 0001 Yang Feng

I never expected that the mirror passed down in our family actually has a teleportation function, but this is not the kind of ability I wanted!" Standing in the cold wind, Yang Feng shivered as he vigorously waved his fist. Looking at the two city guards not far away who were watching him with vigilant eyes, Yang Feng deflated like a punctured balloon, becoming listless.

The year is 5 of the Apocalypse, which corresponds to January 1, 1625 in the Gregorian calendar. The once-mighty Ming Empire has gradually begun its decline.

After staying in the village for two days, Yang Feng could no longer endure it. Although he was merely a worker with a high school diploma in the 21st century, having struggled for several years, he remained a typical member of the "living paycheck to paycheck" class, undeniably part of the lower social strata. Nevertheless, he could at least eat his fill at every meal and occasionally indulge in a little drinking and some treats. However, in the two days since arriving in this era, he had only consumed four coarse grain cakes mixed with a large amount of wild vegetables. This morning, unable to bear the hunger any longer, Yang Feng finally left the village. After walking for more than two hours, he arrived at the city gate of Nanjing. He had made up his mind: if he could not find a way back, he would rather starve outside than endure that suffering again.

Although what Yang Feng said was indeed the truth, the old farmers from neighboring villages or the villagers who came to the city to sell goods were naturally not asked for a travel permit. However, upon seeing someone as oddly dressed and looking as Yang Feng, the two soldiers guarding the city still did not dare to let him in casually. After hesitating for a moment, the older soldier said, "Please wait a moment, I will go ask the superior."

"Qi Laoliu, what the hell are you doing here instead of on duty in the front?"

Yet, even so, Yang Feng's days in the past two days can be described as being in deep water and intense fire. During these two days, Yang Feng often fantasized that this was just a dream, but the bone-deep cold and painful sensation constantly reminded him that this was not a dream; he had indeed traveled from the 21st century to the Ming Dynasty over three hundred years ago

Yang Feng wrapped his clothes tightly around him, stood up straight, brushed off the snow that had settled on him, and looked up at the remnants of the city wall that had stood for hundreds of years, now reduced to mere ruins. Only then did he calmly walk towards the two soldiers guarding the city.

The elderly soldier shouted, "Where are you from? Do you have a travel permit?"

No, I must go back; otherwise, if I continue to stay here, I will either go insane or starve to death, there is no third option

It is said that the soldiers guarding the city would not be so courteous to a stranger without a travel permit, but throughout the ages, it has been a tradition to judge people by their appearance. After all, they are stationed here every day, and if they inadvertently offend someone they should not, they might lose their livelihood. Although this livelihood only provides a few dozen jin of coarse rice and less than one tael of silver each month, there are still many people eyeing this seemingly humble job. He certainly does not want to lose his means of support for no reason. Furthermore, once he reports to his superiors, the responsibility will no longer rest on him, and in the future, any issues that arise will not fall upon him.

"Song Tou, you have wronged me; how could I dare to be lazy!" The soldier known as Qi Lao Liu complained, "Isn't it true that a person dressed in strange attire has come from the South Seas, claiming to want to enter the city? I, a mere subordinate, do not dare to make decisions on my own, so I have come to consult you about this matter."

However, the physical pain was only one aspect; what truly drove him to despair was the fact that this overwhelming era had advanced more than three hundred years from the time he had grown up, a span long enough to make anyone feel utterly crushed

Seeing the older soldier arrive, the young flag-bearer sitting by the campfire shot him an annoyed glance

It is a winter filled with heavy snow, and the vast expanse of snow has draped the ancient city of Nanjing in a thick layer of silver. The pedestrians on the streets, almost all wearing bamboo hats and cloaked in raincoats, are struggling to wade through the snow that has already reached their ankles. Nanjing, known for its "800,000 residents and the fragrant beauty of the Qinhuai River for ten miles," now sees its once-bustling official roads rendered impassable even for horse-drawn carriages. In this harsh weather, even the flower boats that used to weave through Xuanwu Lake have come to a halt. Nanjing, known for its "800,000 residents and the fragrant beauty of the Qinhuai River for ten miles," now sees its once-bustling official roads rendered impassable even for horse-drawn carriages. In this harsh weather, even the flower boats that used to weave through Xuanwu Lake have come to a halt.

Yang Feng squatted down while thinking, grabbing a handful of snow and vigorously applying it to his face. The biting cold penetrated his body, simultaneously calming his previously restless heart.

Due to the scarcity of pedestrians, the soldiers guarding the city of Nanjing have also become quite negligent. Many soldiers who were supposed to be stationed at the city gates casually leaned their long spears against the city wall, while they themselves walked back and forth, rubbing their hands together. As they walked, they cursed the dismal weather, and occasionally a few farmers carrying charcoal or vegetables would pass by. These soldiers, who traditionally practiced extorting from those who passed by, were too lazy to check and simply waved their hands to let them through.

Upon seeing Yang Feng approaching, the two city guards who had been curiously watching him quickly tightened their grips on the long spears made of ordinary timber. One of the slightly older guards shouted, "Halt, what is your purpose?"

At this moment, Yang Feng was completely devoid of any desire to appreciate the scenery; what he most wanted to do was to pass through the inspection of the two city guards and enter Nanjing.

Do not lose heart, there will surely be a way. Today, we either enter Nanjing City or starve to death outside the city!

Yang Feng controlled his somewhat chaotic thoughts and raised his head to survey the ancient city of Nanjing before him

Yang Feng tightly gripped the round object hanging from his collar, silently vowing that ever since he arrived here two days ago due to an "accident," his mind had fallen into a state of stupor. At that time, he looked at the villagers appearing before him as if they were aliens, while those villagers regarded him as if he were a madman. If it weren't for his tall and seemingly intimidating stature, he would have likely been robbed clean by a few local ruffians.

Yang Feng, who had long prepared his answer, shook his head: "My ancestors were from the Ming Dynasty. They accompanied the eunuch Sanbao on his voyage to the West and then settled in the South Seas. Now that I have just returned to the Ming, where would I find such a travel permit? Moreover, in today's peaceful world, how many people would carry such a thing when they go out?"

Since the establishment of the Ming Dynasty over 200 years ago, apart from the military disasters experienced by Zhu Di during his rebellion against his nephew, Nanjing has generally been free from turmoil. In such a peaceful era, there is even less to worry about. The two soldiers stationed at the city now only hope to finish their duty soon, so they can return home to enjoy a warm drink, and then cuddle with their wives on the kang for a good night's sleep. If they feel inclined, they might even extinguish the lamp and engage in some activities that men typically enjoy.

Soon, the soldier arrived at a concealed troop cave behind the city wall, where his commander, a junior flag officer, was sitting there warming himself by the fire

Yang Feng, dressed in a blue jacket, looked at the pale-faced city guards at the city gate with a vigilant gaze, his heart filled with an emotion known as despair

Yang Feng stopped in his tracks, looking at the two soldiers who were shivering in the cold wind yet were trying hard to maintain a brave facade. He forced himself to speak calmly, saying: "I want to enter the city"

The towering city walls, stretching endlessly, can be constructed in a winding manner, resembling a giant silver dragon that meanders into the distance. The moat, measuring a full four to five zhang in width, is filled with poplar trees, their branches adorned with shimmering "silver strips." Gazing at this scene, if it weren't for the occasional rumble of his stomach, Yang Feng might have also expressed his admiration.

This young flag bearer is around thirty years old, of medium height, with a long and thin face. However, unlike the two city guards with a sallow complexion, he appears to be in much better health. He is dressed in a worn-out outfit that can barely be recognized as originally red, a pair of mandarin duck battle robes. Of course, this set of mandarin duck battle robes is not the kind worn by generals, which includes a series of protective measures such as mountain-patterned armor, heart-protecting mirrors, helmets, leg guards, and short boots. This young flag bearer is at most wearing a red battle robe over his clothes.

"Is this still Nanjing? How can it be so cold?"

At this moment, he was forcing himself to accept a fact: it was January 1, 1625, and this place was Nanjing, the secondary capital of the Ming Empire. This was told to him by an old farmer who had come to the city to sell vegetables. He had already received confirmation of this matter from no fewer than six people.

The travel permit, in essence, served as the identification card for the common people in ancient times. Anyone leaving their hometown was required to obtain an official document from the local government, akin to a letter of introduction or a travel pass. The authorities and rulers of ancient times uniformly believed that the common people should remain obediently in their hometowns and not venture out casually. They feared that excessive population movement could lead to chaos. Therefore, without this document, the common people were unable to leave their hometowns. The ancient court aimed to bind the common people firmly to the land, preventing them from leaving their native places.

At this moment, under the Zhengyang Gate in the south, two soldiers guarding the city stood with their cold long spears, vigilantly watching the strangely dressed man before them, their eyes revealing a sense of caution. This man was tall, with fair skin, wearing a blue short shirt that appeared exceptionally soft, and on his lower body, he wore a pair of rarely seen straight trousers. What was most peculiar was that his hair was only about an inch long, a hairstyle that was neither monastic nor secular, exuding an indescribable oddity. This man was tall, with fair skin, wearing a blue short shirt that appeared exceptionally soft, and on his lower body, he wore a pair of rarely seen straight trousers. What was most peculiar was that his hair was only about an inch long, a hairstyle that was neither monastic nor secular, exuding an indescribable oddity.

Yang Feng stomped his feet vigorously. Although he is a native of Nanjing who has lived there for over twenty years, he has rarely encountered such cold weather in his life. According to his estimation, the current temperature is at least around 15 degrees, which is simply a torment for Yang Feng, who is only wearing a jacket

Of course, nothing is absolute. Just like in Nanjing, a place of unparalleled prosperity where thousands of people come and go every day, it is naturally unnecessary to check the travel permits of every individual. Otherwise, even a hundred times more soldiers would not suffice to guard the city. It was only because these two soldiers found Yang Feng's attire to be exceedingly unusual that they approached to conduct an inspection.