Chapter 1, Shi Wu, please present your identification card
"It's so late and there are still people coming." He muttered a curse and then slowly moved over to open the door
Thinking of his future, he shuddered. The television program mentioned that the letter was written by Heifu in the military camp. The two brothers were merely ordinary soldiers of the Qin army, facing not only combat missions but also a lack of clothing and food. They had to write letters home requesting money to buy clothes, stating that if the money was not sent soon, it would lead to loss of life. Urgent, urgent, urgent!
Shang Yang was driven to a dead end by the very system he had established, which is indeed a great irony. However, this is also a good thing; those residing in the inn are unlikely to be fugitives or villains, as everyone is a good citizen of the Qin state, allowing for a peaceful night's sleep
Only
The thin, dark-skinned young man sitting next to Heifu, named "Ji Ying," suddenly lowered his voice and said to Heifu and the others: "I heard from people from Guanzhong that last month, a Yan Kingdom assassin actually dared to attempt to assassinate the king in the palace of Xianyang!"
Heihou was well-prepared and answered one by one, and there was no issue with the verification. Only then did the attendant let him go, saying: "So you are one of the soldiers serving in the county, please come in with me."
At the farewell outside the door, his mother and elder brother repeatedly urged him with countless reminders, which made Heifu, who had lost his mother at a young age and had a lonely childhood in his previous life, feel a trace of warmth from home, gradually beginning to accept this identity
It is good to understand. The scholar still had the black servant hand over the weapons he was carrying before he opened the door to the large room with a sullen face, and a wave of warmth immediately rushed over him
Heihei began to rack his brains, pondering how to avoid the fate of dying in battle in the future. Before he could come up with any ideas, the local village chief (Lizheng) suddenly came to his door, specifically requesting to see him
Please wait a moment, I will go prepare the hot soup
Similar to modern times, in the Qin state, individuals without identification cards and letters of introduction were not allowed to stay in hotels. If a hotel owner dared to accommodate such individuals, they would face fines and even risk losing their livelihood
He cannot help but feel guilty, for his identity can be said to be both real and false
Subsequently, he followed the attendant to a large room built against the east wall, but just before entering, the attendant suddenly turned back and said: "Do you know that fighting privately in an inn is a serious crime?"
Heifu said: "I understand, I will never cause trouble." The State of Qin encouraged public warfare while strictly prohibiting private duels. Those who engaged in fights with others would have their hair and beards shaved off, which was considered a great humiliation by people of that time
Thus, Heifu cast aside his anxiety and began to curiously observe this country referred to as "the Tyrannical Qin" in historical texts
In the twentieth year of King Zheng of Qin (227 BC), in September, in Anlu County of South County, Qin State, during the evening, rain began to fall by the Yunmeng Marsh, stirring up ripples in the lake, causing the banana leaves to scatter in disarray, and finally landing on the roof of the inn, only to be reluctantly blocked by the tiles.
The "verification" is the identity card of the Qin people, made from a plank of yang wood that is the width of a palm. It is inscribed with the identity of Heifu: "From Nanjun, Anlu County, Yunmeng Township, a person from Xiyangli, named Heifu, the second son in the family, a member of the Shiwu, standing seven feet and five inches tall"
At this moment, Heifu was taken aback, thinking he was about to be conscripted to the battlefield. Although he had received some training at the police academy in his previous life and had seen blood during his internship, fighting alone was one thing, while being on a battlefield with millions engaged in combat was another.
The term "Shiwu" refers to the common people of the Qin state who did not hold any noble titles. Furthermore, the citizens of the Qin state lived in close proximity to one another, with five households forming a "wu" and ten households forming a "shi." On ordinary days, they were required to diligently farm their land and were not permitted to leave their hometowns at will. If one wished to travel far, not only did they need a valid reason, but they also had to obtain a certificate from the village head (Lizheng) and the local police chief (Tingzhang) of their place of origin, which was known as a "chuan," serving as a letter of introduction for the people of Qin.
Lao She, being advanced in age, moves slowly in all his endeavors. The guesthouse only provides meals for official travelers, while ordinary citizens are left to gnaw on their own provisions. To offer them a bowl of hot soup for free is already an act of great kindness.
Will I die on the battlefield, leaving no bones behind
It turns out that Heifu has turned 17 this year. According to the laws of the Qin state, as an adult male, he should be "registered" in the household registry, which means he must register his name and assume the obligation of military service
The visitor stumbled in, dressed in a damp brown robe, with trousers below and straw sandals on his feet. He used a wooden stick as a hairpin to secure his bun on the left side of his head. As he raised his head, it was evident that his skin was dark, his features well-defined, with thick eyebrows and large eyes. He had no beard on his chin, appearing to be a young commoner of about seventeen or eighteen years old
As the conversation progressed, the topic gradually shifted from daily life to recent significant events in the world.
By this time, Heifu felt much more at ease. He thought to himself, "Since I am here, I might as well settle down. After all, there is still a long way to go before the great battle that will determine my life or death. Worrying is of no use; it is better to observe and listen more, to thoroughly understand this era, and to gradually devise a strategy for survival."
Before Hei Fu crossed over, he had heard this story. After the death of Duke Xiao of Qin, the nobles whose interests were affected by the new laws united to label Shang Yang as a traitor, leading to a nationwide manhunt. Shang Yang fled to an inn seeking accommodation, but was turned away by the innkeeper due to his inability to provide a verification of his identity.
One does not know until one looks; upon seeing, one is taken aback. Throughout this journey, the completeness of the Qin state's system and the strictness of its laws have astonished Heifu greatly. He thought he had entered the wrong scene; is this still ancient times?
Heihei felt a great weight lift from his heart and secretly rejoiced, saying: "Fortunately, I did not follow in the footsteps of Shang Yang."
The inn is not large; it is merely a courtyard with two entrances. As he passed through the courtyard, Heifu noticed a carriage parked here, likely belonging to an official staying at the inn
Black Husband
Thus, the personnel were meticulous in questioning He Fuzai, to the extent of confirming how many people were in his household, what their occupations were, and even inquiring about the names of several elderly individuals in Yunmeng Township at sunset, as well as their health, in order to ascertain the authenticity of his identity
It turns out that he was no longer the original Qin person "Heifu", but rather a student from a police academy in a certain province in the 21st century. After graduating, he was assigned to a county police station. While celebrating with friends by the lakeside, he tragically drowned while attempting to save a little girl who had fallen into the water
I am Shi Wu from Yunmeng Township, Anlu County, you may call me Heifu
Upon waking again, he found himself lying on a hard bed, surrounded by a group of simply dressed "strangers" who were inquiring about his well-being. It was only later that he learned they were his mother, older brother, younger brother, and others. He realized that he had likely encountered a clichéd plot known as "time travel" in novels, and had unexpectedly returned over two thousand years into the past, becoming a young man named "Heifu" from Anlu County in the Qin state
Thank you very much, esteemed father-in-law
In a humble inn by the lakeside, the innkeeper, with graying temples, was busy humming local folk songs when he suddenly heard a commotion outside, followed by heavy knocking at the door
The resident has quite a few acquaintances in Yunmeng, yet he has never heard of this particular individual. His gaze wandered back and forth between "Yan" and the face of the black servant, and this seriousness gave the black servant a sense of déjà vu, as if he were being checked for identification by the police in a past life, ... in an instant, cold sweat broke out ...
He listened attentively, occasionally responding with a few words. He was not talkative, but he enjoyed listening to others converse, as it allowed him to more vividly experience the people and events of this era, while also absorbing useful information
He had watched some programs reporting on the Yunmeng Qin Jian, and was particularly impressed by the "Heifu Mudu", yet he never expected that he would become the owner of that letter
Heihe found a comfortable position and sat cross-legged, roasting his clothes while observing the few people under the same roof. Their attire was similar to Heihe's, all dressed in brown, damp from the moisture. ... Those who venture out to work in such weather are not having an easy time; after a short while, the group began to chat, discussing today's weather and then moving on to the autumn harvest...
It is unknown whether the clothes and money that Heifu requested from home were sent, but one thing is certain to archaeologists: during the excavation, there was only this letter in the tomb and no remains of Heifu. This indicates that Heifu likely died in the war when Qin destroyed Chu, leaving behind only this letter, which was brought into the tomb by his family as a memento.
The Qin state was quite thorough in this regard. As it was his first time serving, Heifu only needed to serve as a "garrison soldier" in Anlu County for one month, helping the government with city repairs and standing guard, or undergoing military training, without being sent to the battlefield. Heifu then breathed a sigh of relief
The young man wiped the rain from his face, revealing a set of white teeth, and bowed to the innkeeper, saying: "Old sir, the rain has made the road impassable. I would like to stay at the inn for one night, if that is acceptable"
Heifu, isn't this the soldier from the State of Qin in the 'Earliest Family Letter of China'
Can it be verified and transmitted
The young man buried his head in the bag and rummaged around, carefully taking out the "verification" made of poplar wood and the "transmission" carved from willow branches. Seeing that the text on them had not been dampened by the rain, he finally breathed a sigh of relief, handed them over to the attendant, and began to introduce himself.
There is verification.
His elder brother "Zhong" laughed heartily after hearing his concerns and addressed Heifu's doubts
The deadline for the assembly of the recruits in Anlu County is the first day of October. Now it is already the end of September, and the time for service is pressing. The laborers can only hurriedly pack their bags and set off.
Have you heard the rumors
There were already four or five people indoors, gathered around the stove to warm themselves. Upon seeing that Lao She had brought another guest, they all squeezed together a bit. One particularly thin, monkey-like young man greeted warmly, saying: "Little brother, come and sit here"
For instance, when he came to stay at this inn, the innkeeper requested the "verification" and "transmission".
Upon hearing that this person intended to stay at the inn, the innkeeper instantly transformed from an ordinary old man from the countryside into a shrewd individual, his gaze sweeping towards the young man's short sword at his waist