Chapter 1, the disabled man in Xujia Town

Xu Zhongruo, having no other matters to attend to, arrives here early in the morning to see off his fellow clansmen, the comrades from past battles, as they head out with their hoes to work. He exchanges a few casual words with them. In the evening, he also comes here with his cane to wait for everyone to return after a day's labor, gathering together for a while to chat. In this way, Xu Zhongruo can finally sleep soundly at home.

Before Xu Zhong was discharged from the military, he was urgently appointed on the battlefield and briefly served as the commander of the Frontline Tiger Battalion, leading a force of two thousand armored cavalry soldiers, who were the elite vanguard. However, due to the circumstances at that time, this position was not formally conferred upon him. Nevertheless, all four brothers had distinguished military achievements; otherwise, Xu Zhong would not have had the qualifications to temporarily assume the role of commander.

In that battle, the elite forces of the Great Hua Dynasty suffered a loss of more than half, with five hundred thousand troops and countless casualties. Xu Zhong and the soldiers from Xu Family Town were the vanguards of that battle. They were also the elite among the only twenty thousand cavalry of the Great Hua Dynasty. After the battle, out of more than three hundred, only one hundred and twenty-eight remained alive

Upon crossing over, Xu Jie, even while still in the cradle, was aware that his mother had died in childbirth. Now, in the household, there are only his grandmother and his second uncle as his closest relatives, along with a few servants.

The tall and muscular Xu Hu, with a fierce appearance, said: "Zhong Bo, Jie Ge, you should quickly go to the riverbank and take a look. There are dead bodies by the river, several of them, and it is extremely tragic. There are also several burlap sacks by the riverbank."

However, among the four brothers of Xu Zhong, only I remain with a disabled body. Above me is an elderly mother, and below me is my elder brother's son who is still in swaddling clothes. My heart is like dead ashes, and thus I resolutely decide to return home. In fact, the army does not support disabled men. Xu Zhong returned home, and one hundred and twenty-eight men from Xu Family Town also returned home, more than half of them. Not for any other reason, but to save their lives, they only think of fulfilling their filial duties before their parents and enjoying the company of their children. They also wish to pay some respect to those deceased brothers of the same clan.

Someone laughed and said: "Brother, you are not lacking food to sustain yourself at home, why not find a wife? It is indeed difficult to go through life alone. If you don't find a wife soon, you will really grow old. Having a wife means someone can take care of you, so why not?"

Xu Jie's words are all sincere. This Xu family town has a population of about two to three thousand people, and it is not far from the city of Qingshan County. Following the river downstream, it is also not far from the city of Qingshan County to the city of Dajiang County. Along this waterway, the area is relatively prosperous. Most of the people in the town share the surname Xu and are very united. Xu Jie's family is subtly regarded as the foremost family in this town

Xu Zhong listened to Xu Jie's words, looked at Xu Jie, and smiled broadly, clearly very pleased with this nephew. He spoke up, saying: "Jie'er, you are exceptionally intelligent, able to read poetry and books, and also capable of planning affairs. As your second uncle, with my disabled body, marrying would only bring harm. It is indeed true."

Among the details, Xu Jie was also unaware. In fact, it was Xu Jie who first learned about this matter through his own reading, and only later did he hear scattered fragments of words from these men.

The young boy, named Xu Hu, had a robust and lively appearance, resembling a little tiger. His father was also a soldier in his youth. Xu Hu was of a similar age to Xu Jie, being just one year younger. Growing up, he had always followed Xu Jie, calling him "Brother Jie". In this age group, there were certainly more than a hundred boys in the town, most of whom were familiar with one another. However, not many of them were educated; most were just farmers. Xu Jie, being the only one among them who studied, naturally became the leader of this group of children.

Xu Jie was an unsuccessful businessman in his previous life. In this life, he is compelled by Xu Zhong and his grandmother to study and cultivate his literary skills. He cannot bear to see the tears of hope in their eyes, and coupled with his own curiosity about the world, books become the most direct means to understand it. Thus, he has studied for over ten years. As for his exceptional intelligence, it is naturally a benefit of having lived two lives.

Xu Zhong is clearly not referred to as "Big Brother" merely because of his age. Xu Zhong originally had three brothers, and he himself was the second eldest, but all three of his brothers passed away over a decade ago. Furthermore, many people of this generation in the town have also died. Every year during the Qingming Festival, the lines of people visiting graves are filled with cries, and the entire town is shrouded in a somber atmosphere.

Men in their thirties and forties, numbering around twenty to thirty, have finished a day's work in the fields and are gathered under the trees in the evening, chatting and joking with one another

It is impossible for a farmer from a rural area of a large river county to attain such a mid-level military officer position in the face of battle without having achieved war merits that far exceed those of individuals with connections and resources

At the entrance of the town, there stands a thousand-year-old tree with lush branches and leaves. In front of the old tree is the town's archway, and beneath the tree gathers a group of men in their thirties and forties. These men are dressed in ordinary gray linen clothing typical of farmers, with some even carrying hoes. However, it is evident that these men possess a somewhat distinct demeanor; unlike ordinary farmers who tend to hunch over, each of them stands tall and walks with their heads held high.

Upon hearing the words of this one-legged man, everyone wore an expression of deep regret

When Xu Jie was young, he did not understand the reason behind all of this. Now at the age of sixteen, he naturally knows what it is all about. In Xu Family Town, over a decade ago, more than three hundred soldiers went to war for the country, and only one hundred and twenty-eight survived. Xu Zhong's three brothers all perished on the battlefield. Only Xu Zhong returned in a disheveled state with over a hundred men.

Fifteen years ago, a great battle occurred when the Northern steppe Shiwei people broke through the border town of Datong. The Great Hua mobilized the entire nation, assembling an army of 500,000 to engage the Shiwei people in a decisive battle on the eastern bank of the Yellow River. The elite cavalry of the Shiwei numbered 80,000, but after the battle, only a few thousand remained, retreating back to the steppe, severely weakened, and they have not ventured southward again in the past fifteen years

Yet, Xu Zhong remains unwilling to marry! Even when he looks at his only remaining leg, he still refuses to take a wife. His original excuse was that he did not want to marry and have children, thereby neglecting his elder brother Xu Yuan's son, Xu Jie. Now, under various forms of care, Xu Jie has grown to the age of sixteen, yet Xu Zhong still does not wish to marry.

Four brothers went to war together, but only Xu Zhong returned, a disabled man. The other three brothers all died before his eyes, leaving Xu Zhong to recall such sorrow. Just thinking about it brings tears to his eyes.

Five corpses, half submerged in the river and half on the shore. Each body is marked by wounds from knives and guns, the injuries long ceased to bleed, and the exposed flesh has turned pale.

Xu Zhongwen furrowed his brows upon hearing this, looked around, and asked, "Is there a dead person by the river? Why did no one see it this morning? Why has no one gone down to the river to catch a few nets today?"

Over the past decade or so, Xu Zhong's meticulous care has deepened Xu Jie's feelings, which is why Xu Jie is even more concerned about his second uncle Xu Zhong's marriage. He quickly said: "Second uncle, our family has plenty of land and sufficient grain stored. If you marry Second Aunt, it will only be a life of enjoyment; there is no way it will be a life of hardship. So please go ahead and marry someone."

However, from the book, Xu Jie learned a general idea about that great battle

Among this group of men, the one sitting on the stone bench under the large tree, in the slightly chilly weather, has both hands hidden in his sleeves. Upon closer inspection, one can also see a cane placed on the other side of the stone bench, revealing that this man actually has only one leg

There were even two individuals holding long knives, stabbing each other to death, with the knives still embedded in each other's abdomens, yet to be withdrawn

Xu Zhong was addressed as "Big Brother" by these farmers, and this was the reason. These farmers, in their teenage years, were all valiant elite warriors during the war. After that battle, most of them returned to their hometowns with Xu Zhong, having received rewards in the form of gold and silver, as well as promotions and titles.

After a day's labor, many men gather here in the evening. The number of people continues to increase, and this has been a consistent occurrence for over a decade.

At this moment, a half-grown boy came running to the small dock by the river in front of the town, shouting incessantly: "Something has happened, something has happened, Zhong Bo, you must come and take a look..."

Xu Jie traveled through time and arrived as an infant

A group of idle farmers gathered around

Datong Bian Town has naturally returned to the control of the army of the Great Hua Dynasty, and the continuous Great Wall has once again become a complete line of defense

A small courtyard was also arranged for Xu Jie to reside in while studying at the county school. Therefore, Xu Jie's words are indeed true; whoever marries Xu Zhong will only enjoy blessings and will not suffer hardships

Xu Jie was also taken aback. Salt has always been a government-controlled commodity; only the authorities have the right to sell it. Even if it is not the government, it must be merchants designated by the authorities who hold a salt license to trade in salt. At this moment, however, two to three thousand jin of salt had appeared in Xu Family Town, and a few people had died nearby. This matter was clearly not so simple.

Sixteen-year-old Xu Jie sat on the other side of the stone bench, watching the middle-aged man, who was missing a leg, banter and argue with those around him.

This is not the first time Xu Jie has tried to persuade these men, and he has not succeeded before. Today is likely to be no different.

The Xu family, although not extraordinarily wealthy, has received a considerable amount of compensation earned through the hard work of the previous generation. The Xu family town possesses a significant amount of farmland, and even extending eastward towards the western side of Qingshan County, there are large tracts of land belonging to the Xu family town, primarily owned by Xu Zhong. Such wealth would already be considered extremely prosperous in an ordinary household. There are even several small shops for rent along the streets in Qingshan County.

Xu Jie is quite accustomed to these matters, and sometimes it is necessary for him to go from house to house to find his drunken second uncle, who is often in a daze. If he does not go looking for him, Xu Jie worries that these men lack restraint and may allow his second uncle to drink excessively, leading to unforeseen accidents. This is also a primary reason why Xu Jia Town has suddenly become more united than ever after several hundred years.

Xu Zhong shook his head, truly unwilling. At the age of forty, he had already begun to show some gray hair, and no matter what, he was not willing to marry. However, looking at his nephew Xu Jie with a face full of smiles, he probably felt a bit too satisfied with his nephew, and this feeling was a sense of happiness and accomplishment.

Someone also said: "Elder brother, marrying a wife is for enjoyment, not for suffering. Now that Jie has grown up, you should have no excuses left. Just marry someone; if you are willing, we will all help you find one, and we guarantee to find a good wife for you"

The one-legged man, referred to as "Big Brother," replied: "As for a wife, forget it. I have an elderly mother to support and a nephew who is still underage. Moreover, I am disabled with this one leg, so marrying a wife would only bring her suffering. It's better to let it go."

Looking again at the riverbank, a large pile of burlap sacks lay scattered in disarray

The Great Hua Dynasty spans vast territories. The Central Plains, the Northwestern regions, the land of Shu, the Jiangnan and the two Zhe regions, and even the more distant areas of the two Guang regions, all fall within its domain. The Jiangjun where Xu Jie resides is naturally located in the heart of the Great Hua Dynasty, situated on a tributary of the Yangtze River.

Xu Jie hurriedly rushed to the front and directly asked Xu Hu: "What is the matter that has you so flustered?"

This one-legged man, named Xu Zhong, is now subtly recognized as the patriarch of the entire Xu clan. Once the old patriarch passes away, it is a foregone conclusion that Xu Zhong will assume the role of clan leader. The farmers around all refer to him as "big brother," which reflects the people's sentiments.

Sometimes, we would gather for a meal with some old wine at someone's home. One person would bring a few bottles of wine, another would bring two dishes, and we would all come together at that person's house to indulge in a drunken revelry.

Yet the farmers around remained unfazed, as if they were accustomed to such sights. Xu Zhong, leaning on his crutch, walked over to the pile of corpses, bent down, and reached out to touch a nearby burlap sack, then licked it with his mouth. Frowning, he said: "It is salt"

The road to Shu is difficult, more difficult than ascending to the blue sky. Beneath the blue sky of Shu, the mountains stretch endlessly, with springs in the mountains gathering into streams, and the streams converging into rivers, thus forming this Fushui Lake. Connecting Fushui Lake to the great river flowing eastward is the Fushui River, which lies before Xujiatun.

The Xujiacun town is now more prosperous than the average village, and this prosperity has been earned through the lives of these people

Xu Jie also looked up at the one-legged man and said, "Second Uncle, if you marry one, then marry one. I, your nephew, also think it is time to marry. Having a younger brother or something would help our Xu family to branch out, right? Otherwise, the Xu family will only have me as the sole descendant."

In front of Xujia Town, there is a bend in the river. Although it is not as wide as the great rivers, it still accommodates countless vessels. The river flows eastward, directly leading to the great river, extending a thousand miles into the sea. Flowing westward, it connects to the Fushui Lake, and beyond Fushui, it can reach the land of Shu.

Those who looked around all shook their heads, clearly indicating that today there were indeed no people going into the river to catch some river delicacies. It is also winter at this time, and with the Spring Festival approaching, there are not many people fishing in the river. With spring just around the corner, there is still land to be turned over, waiting for the time to begin planting.

Upon hearing this, Xu Zhong stood up, took his cane, and walked towards Xu Hu, while asking, "Huzi, what happened?"

Xu Hu led the way, and the group followed him to the small dock made of several planks joined together, then walked upstream for several dozen steps on the dock

The farmers on both sides, upon hearing Xu Zhong's silence and merely watching Xu Jie with a silly smile, all wore expressions of regret and ceased to speak further. This attempt at persuasion was not a new occurrence; it had happened countless times before, and everyone likely knew it was a futile effort.

Everyone frowned, and even Xu Jie could not help but frown repeatedly. Although he had seen dead bodies before, having witnessed the passing of many elders in his clan, this was truly the first time he encountered such a horrific scene. Despite the absence of any foul or bloody odor in the air, Xu Jie still found himself frowning tightly.

To say that Xu Jie can be the king of the children is actually not much related to studying. It is much more related to his experience of having traversed time and lived two lives. These simple rural boys are very innocent, so there is no need for any elaborate means; thus, it is only natural for Xu Jie to become the king of the children

Xu Jie calls Xu Zhong "Second Uncle," which also indicates that Xu Jie is the son of Xu Zhong's elder brother

It was not until the age of eleven or twelve that I began to grasp a general understanding. Even then, I only knew these matters. The men in this town seldom spoke of such sorrowful things. Even when Xu Jie dared to ask, Xu Zhong could only weep profusely, shaking his head repeatedly