Chapter 008: The world is vast, where is home

I know, I am not afraid

This middle-aged man, who calls himself Mr. Tu Jing, may not possess profound knowledge, yet he has a considerable understanding of the trends of the world. Wang Fo'er finally seized this opportunity to ask all the questions that had been on his mind.

The surrounding refugees all displayed expressions of sympathy; they had lived in the same county as Aunt Yan for several decades, being neighbors and naturally familiar with her son. During the last escape, he had indeed died, but no one dared to speak of it.

This group of refugees, with their homeland in sight, despite the raging fire in the city that has not yet been extinguished, feels even more desolate, yet there is also a heightened sense of anticipation

Hello! Although I am not quite sure if I am your son, if you keep covering me like this, I will definitely die once more...

At the sound of her mother's call, the middle-aged woman's face instantly radiated with joy. Although it was merely to placate the woman, this maternal glow struck a chord in Wang Fo'er, who suddenly thought: "If I were to be beaten to death by thugs, I wonder how my mother would cry upon hearing the news..."

The area of Middle-earth Shenzhou is vast and largely unexplored by contemporary people. The Great Qian Dynasty occupies the central region and has always regarded its culture as the legitimate heritage of the descendants of the ancient deity Xinggan. The Western Di consists of dozens of ethnic groups, each with different ancestors, and are derogatorily referred to as demon tribes by the people of the Great Qian Dynasty, occupying the western part of Middle-earth Shenzhou. However, both sides have a historical lineage spanning tens of thousands of years, with continuous migration and intermarriage, resulting in a highly mixed bloodline, making it rare to find individuals of pure lineage. The Western Di consists of dozens of ethnic groups, each with different ancestors, and are derogatorily referred to as demon tribes by the people of the Great Qian Dynasty, occupying the western part of Middle-earth Shenzhou. However, both sides have a historical lineage spanning tens of thousands of years, with continuous migration and intermarriage, resulting in a highly mixed bloodline, making it rare to find individuals of pure lineage.

At this point, his disappointment can only be described as extraordinary.

After this casual conversation, Wang Fo'er finally understood the general nature of this world

Moreover, in ancient times, the White Moon Demon Clan unified the world and intermarried with various tribes of the wilderness, which led to the emergence of the Hundred Lands Human Clan. The Da Qian Dynasty is merely one branch of the Hundred Lands Human Clan, born from the intermarriage between the White Moon Demon Clan and the descendants of the Giant God Xinggan.

The Confucianism passed down from the Great Qian Dynasty is particularly diverse, encompassing military strategies and formations, governance of the state, literary ethics, and legal regulations. It contains ten times more content than what he knew in his previous life regarding Confucian texts. Since ancient times, there has been a custom in the Central Plains of widely establishing academies, and Confucianism today is divided into dozens of schools, with political views that are remarkably varied.

Wang Fo'er carefully concealed the five great corpse soldiers, standing at the city gate with eager eyes. His only hope was to find someone to communicate with

Wang Fo'er did not know how to face this "mother" who deliberately followed Mr. Tu Jing to his residence

However, these schools are vastly different from those on Earth. He is currently troubled by where he should focus his efforts in order to secure a foundation for his future and make life a little better.

Although the room is somewhat messy, Mr. Tu Jing's home can be considered quite poor, with little of value, only some books scattered all over the floor. His residence is relatively remote, and it has not suffered from fire, so the situation is still fairly decent

As the two conversed, Aunt Yan felt quite reassured upon seeing them.

Officials and generals of the Great Qian Dynasty, nine out of ten, have experience studying in academies

Child! Mother knew you were not dead

Alas! Speaking of this, it relates to the great defeat we suffered in the Daqian Dynasty. The total governor of Lingzhou, Yanzhou, and Qianzhou, Mu Yuanzhi, was killed by Yan Chimei, a general of the Western Di's Fire Ape. The governors of the two nearby towns dispatched a total of 80,000 troops for rescue, but they were a step too late. Upon seeing the formidable reinforcements, the Fire Ape general retreated back into the territory of the Western Di. For the time being, there will be no more military conflicts in Lingzhou.

Wang Fo'er is certainly not a rustic product of an ancient, insular society; having been nurtured by various modern sources of information, his ability to discern character is exceptional. Among this group of refugees, there is a man dressed in a coarse blue robe, with disheveled hair, exuding a certain scholarly air, who is clearly the leader among them

Wang Fo'er pondered deeply; he had nearly grasped that this world also encompasses studies such as Confucianism, Daoism, agriculture, yin and yang, Buddhism, and astrology

Knowing that this middle-aged woman was merely comforting with a mother's love, one might wonder what this frail woman could truly protect against any real danger. However, Wang Fo'er suddenly felt a wave of warmth enveloping her, which provided a greater sense of security than the exquisite tower of fire and water that belonged to the red-robed general.

He was pondering how to strike up a conversation when suddenly a middle-aged woman, as if struck by an invisible whip, let out a loud cry and rushed over. She embraced Wang Fo'er tightly and began to weep uncontrollably

Recently, I have seen too many dead bodies, and my mind is almost distorted. My profession is that of an artist, specializing in painting nude beauties, not a hapless surgeon dissecting internal organs. Among this group... it seems there are no women with looks above eighty points!

These two institutions are the cultural orthodoxy of the Great Qian Dynasty, renowned for the saying "Three Hundred of Daolin, One Thousand Disciples of the Academy." However, in this world, there is a strong emphasis on martial prowess and courage, and regardless of the school, there is a particular focus on the study of various martial arts. The Daoist tradition, in particular, possesses some rather remarkable Daoist techniques for disciples and students to practice.

Unable to persuade, the scholar in the blue robe turned to look at Wang Fo'er. The complex expression in his eyes made Wang Fo'er instantly understand its meaning. He immediately shouted, "Mother! It's me, please let me go, you're almost suffocating me."

Upon thinking of this, tears immediately welled up in Wang Fo'er’s eyes. The middle-aged woman, on the contrary, continued to comfort her: "Xiao Bao, do not cry, please do not cry. With your mother by your side, no one will ever be able to harm you in the future"

After much effort, Wang Fo'er finally managed to escape from the newly appointed "mother" and approached the middle-aged man dressed in a blue robe, who exuded an air of scholarly elegance. He first performed a deep bow before inquiring about the current military situation, which was his primary concern.

The middle-aged woman refused to believe anything, although she usually held great respect for this learned gentleman; however, this time she clung to Wang Fo'er and would not let go

Since these people dare to return to the city, they naturally believe that the flames of war will not reach this place again. Wang Fo'er is eager to understand the current situation

The Daoist school encompasses astronomy, calendrical calculations, the five elements, and celestial bodies; nearly every field requires such talents.

After struggling several times, relying on his greater strength, Wang Fo'er finally managed to escape the possibility of being humiliated in such a manner again. He broke free, gasping for fresh air, feeling that it was truly a rare moment. The scholar in the blue robe approached, glanced at Wang Fo'er a few times, and sighed softly, saying: "Sister Yan, this is not your little treasure. You should not be too sad; everything will pass..."