Chapter 2: Smuggling Through Time and Space

Eh? What was said? There is no evidence, who claimed that we helped him travel through time? Hehehe, a person who should have died in two years, if he truly lives to be over a hundred, by then the world will have changed so much that no one will be able to trace back to who did it. Clearly, this kid is also part of the time-traveling group.

Judge Cui said with a stern face: "If you dare to come back to life before the appointed time, I will invite you to be a Grand Minister for 9,000 years"

Going to ancient times? Zheng Shaopeng could not help but feel a surge of excitement: "I only have two years to live, so a trip to ancient times would be nice. However, since I only have two years left, I won't have the chance to fight on the battlefield or enjoy the taste of being a great hero. Hmm... I should really enjoy myself during these two years. To be like King Zhou? Emperor Yang of Sui? They certainly had their share of pleasures. It's not about quantity but quality; perhaps it would be better to be like Chongzhen, as there were the Eight Beauties of Qinhuai, Hong Niangzi, and Chen Yuanyuan back then."

In the first eight instances of cheating, the Ox-Head and Horse-Face personally took him to the human realm to find a suitable host. However, this time, it is through the Wheel of Six Paths that he is reincarnated. This wheel is a Buddhist treasure that determines a person's fortune and destiny throughout their life

Zheng Shaopeng, with a beaming face, asked: "Do you want me to become the emperor?"

The bull's nose was twisted in anger, and it gritted its teeth, saying: "You are truly the greatest waste of space in the world, utterly shameless, and you really bring shame to modern humanity"

He spoke with great fervor and spittle flying, saying: "What am I, after all? Feng Qingyang is indeed easy to find, but would he be willing to teach me martial arts? That old fellow has been hiding in the mountains for decades without taking any disciples. In his old age, he took in Linghu Chong; do you really think he is that great? Who doesn't know that one should not let fertile water flow to outsiders? After all, that is his disciple from the Huashan School, and even that took a long time to consider. I would rather not have any dealings with the martial world; otherwise, if Feng Qingyang does not accept me, I might end up being abducted by Tian Boguang to become a lecherous thief."

From the center of the great wheel, six rays of light shoot out, piercing through the wheel and dividing it into six parts. These correspond to the realms of Heaven, Humanity, Asura, Animal, Hungry Ghost, and Hell.

Zheng Shaopeng was brought before Judge Cui, who stroked his beard and wore a benevolent smile, saying: "Zheng Shaopeng, although we have detained you three years in advance, the person you are to possess is either wealthy or noble, which is quite fair to you. However, you still find it insufficient, returning to your body eight times within a year. Very well, do you modern people not enjoy traveling through time to the ancient past? Since this judge has made a mistake, I will send you on a journey through time to the ancient era. What do you think?"

What is the matter, Brother Tushunian?

The Ox-Head and Horse-Face spoke as they walked out, with their arms around each other's shoulders

Did Ma Xiandi remember who he just threw it at

Judge Cui's expression stiffened upon hearing this. He suppressed his rising anger and feigned a pleasant demeanor as he said: "To hang up a pot and save the world, to be a master of the apricot grove, though it is glorious, still... if one cannot, then one cannot. Let me ask you, can you formulate gunpowder and develop modern weaponry? To slay generals and seize flags, to achieve great deeds, is also a joy in life"

Judge Cui was also so infuriated that he felt dizzy. Helplessly, he turned to the Minotaur and asked, "In ancient times, were there any individuals who could do nothing and simply wait to die while being fed?"

Judge Cui stared blankly at the incessantly chattering fool, and after a long while, he helplessly said: "Well... at least you should know the course of history, who gains power and who loses it; you must know something about that, right? If you can climb up a big tree, you can live a stable life for the rest of your days"

With a sound of "ka," the wheel of reincarnation came to a halt. The six rays of light emitted from the wheel suddenly turned into a golden brilliance, gradually condensing into a beam. The beam rotated and illuminated Zheng Shaopeng, whose body was pierced by countless strands of light, becoming almost transparent. Immediately afterward, his feet lifted off the ground, and his entire figure swiftly shrank, vanishing into the golden light in an instant

Judge Cui trembled all over, his eyes nearly bursting with fire. After a long while, he stammered, "Then... how about I send you to the end of the Song Dynasty or the end of the Yuan Dynasty? Find a copy of the Nine Yang Divine Art or the Dugu Nine Swords, and become a great hero of the age"

Zheng Shaopeng curled his lips and said, "Brother Mamen, you wouldn't be suggesting this idea just so you can see me often, would you?"

Zheng Shaopeng thought for a moment and said: "Well, the prince is not bad either. When there’s nothing to do, he leads a few lackeys to tease respectable women, acting like a tyrant... It’s good in a way, but once criticized, one is scolded for thousands of years. Being a prince is quite nice!"

"Exactly, exactly, dead friends, do not die poor Taoists, what does it have to do with us, hahaha... Ma Xiandi, yesterday I managed to get a jar of good wine for my brother, I invite you to come and taste it..."

Yan Song's wife was quite strict in disciplining their son, and Yan Shifan was not the type of high-ranking official depicted in novels. Old Yan dealt with political adversaries by defeating them, but figures like Xu Jie and Gao Gong were ruthlessly targeted. However, those individuals met with a peaceful end, and historians dared not omit a measure of respect for them. After all, Yan Song was executed. Alas, history books can be deadly.

The fortress was indeed most easily breached from https://mhetushu.com. The Ox-Head and Horse-Face found a pretext to deceive the guarding ghost officer and immediately rushed to the human realm. Upon careful observation, they slowly turned back the second layer of the time wheel in the great wheel. The marvel of this法轮 (law wheel) was that as the time wheel was adjusted, the third layer of the identity wheel also emerged, revealing various identities from that society. The Ox-Head ghost officer set the third layer of the法轮 to the position of nobility.

Unexpectedly, he was a spirit, and so were the Ox-Head and Horse-Face. He rushed forward impatiently and bumped into the elbow of the Ox-Head. The wheel of time shifted slightly, yet none of the three noticed.

I know that during the Tang Dynasty there was a Li Shimin, under whom were Li Jing and Wei Zheng. As for Cheng Yaojin, I am unsure whether he truly existed in history or was merely a character from a novel. In the Song Dynasty, I learned of Kou Zhun, only to later discover that he was not a poor old man, but rather came from a wealthy family. A loyal minister is indeed a loyal minister, yet he was quite corrupt, reflecting the limitations of history.

Zheng Shaopeng shook his head vigorously like a rattle drum: "No, no, what does that bit of history matter? I do know that Qin Shi Huang would definitely unify the realm, but what abilities do you have? Just because you say he can achieve that, does that mean you are loyal to him? Will he support you just for that?"

That means ... ...

Zheng Shaopeng said: "I don't remember much about the reforms in ancient times, but I do recall someone named Shang Yang, who was quite supported by the ruler. This fellow didn't implement any major reforms; he merely encouraged agriculture and weaving, abolished the hereditary privileges of the nobility, and awarded titles based on military merit. As a result, he faced strong opposition from the entire ruling class and was ultimately torn apart by five horses.

This ... ..., didn't you note it down, Brother Nian?

Judge Cui let out a bitter smile; he only wanted to quickly send this gentleman away. However, considering that cheating him into the ancient times was not an easy task, if he did not stay peacefully for two years and then died, it would be quite troublesome to keep doing this. Thus, he composed his expression and said: "Alright, I will send him to be reincarnated as a prince. However, for these two years, you must properly fulfill your role as a prince and not cause me any more trouble. Otherwise... hmph! The next time I see you, I will immediately kick you back to the ancient times and make you a higher official than a prince."

Was Wang Anshi of the Song Dynasty really that incompetent? Wasn't he merely seeking slight improvements within the existing system? He aimed to promote commercial development, enhance the combat effectiveness of the military, and make minor adjustments to the imperial examination system. Despite these seemingly insignificant changes, he, as a prominent chancellor backed by the emperor, still could not manage to implement them effectively. He called for reform from above, yet local officials completely disregarded his directives. Even after several changes in personnel, the situation did not improve, ultimately leading to his dismissal as chancellor on two occasions, leaving him utterly frustrated.

The bull-headed figure replied confidently: "Your Highness! Being an emperor still requires one to worry about state affairs; being a prince is far better, as one does not have to manage anything. In fact, trying to get involved may lead to trouble. After all, one is a royal relative, so one can simply eat and wait for death. They are essentially a machine for producing waste, a parasite of society, which suits him perfectly."

As for modern weaponry... you should first send me to the armory to study for three to five years. Moreover, the iron from ancient times is also substandard; if it were truly forged, wouldn't it explode? You should first send me to learn for a few years how to mine, how to smelt steel, how to forge, and how to manufacture machine tools. I estimate that the skill level of technicians is inadequate; at the very least, I need to achieve an engineer's level. Additionally, in terms of modern industrial standards, none of these processes can be accomplished by a small workshop. In ancient times, the entire social productivity and technological capabilities were insufficient; possessing the skill to slay dragons without any dragons in existence is simply absurd.

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Ma Mian shrank his neck and said: "This... um... it seems that there is now a population census in the underworld. It appears that those over one hundred years old will be registered and monitored by the Yinsi, so there shouldn't be any cases like Peng Zu slipping through the cracks."

The long face of the donkey was stretched out, and the veins on his forehead were bulging. He suppressed his anger and said: "You are not capable in literature, nor in martial arts. You cannot lift with your hands, nor can you carry with your shoulders. What can you do? With that mouth of yours... this mouth... right, how about entering a family of officials? At least you understand quite a bit about the modern social system. Just a little of that would be a tremendous innovation and progress in ancient times. Being a capable minister in governance wouldn't be bad either"

Niu Tou couldn't help but roll his eyes and said: "Really useless. Then how about something simple, like brewing wine? Or making glass? You won't become a divine doctor or a hero, but being a wealthy merchant isn't bad either."

Ma Mian stared blankly and said, "What happened?"

Zheng Shaopeng shivered upon hearing this and hurriedly said: "No, no, being a prince is quite good, I... uh, this prince is content, ah, I haven't finished speaking yet, what are you two gentlemen doing?"

Hi, what are you looking at? Even the workers in a glass factory only understand one process, right? However, I do know that there is a type of glass called fiberglass, and another type called sugar glass, which is used for special effects in movies. You might not know this. Hmm... I wonder if these ideas could inspire the craftsmen who make glazed tiles to invent something new.

Zheng Shaopeng felt no shame but rather pride, and said with great satisfaction: "It is just the way it is. No matter how powerful the Qing Dynasty was, once it entered the Central Plains, it was still assimilated by the Han people, who made up the absolute majority. A mere individual going back to ancient times, still harboring the delusion of changing this world? It is better to be honestly assimilated by the ancients. Is being a modern person really that impressive? Modern social sciences are so finely divided, and social division of labor is so clearly defined, that an individual is like a frog at the bottom of a well; apart from their own little area, they only know that things are the way they are, but not why they are that way. Would that be useful in ancient times? As for modern thought, it is fundamentally the root of trouble when it arrives there; it is better to have none than to have it."

Zheng Shaopeng only thought about enjoying a few years. Upon hearing his words, could he possibly expect me to start my own business and become a miraculous doctor? So I laughed and said, "No, if I have a headache or a cold, I can still manage to go to the pharmacy and buy some medicine myself. As for the ingredients of those medicines, who has the time to memorize that?"

Zheng Shaopeng sighed: "Gunpowder, huh... I seem to remember that it requires saltpeter, sulfur, and one more thing that I can't recall. It wouldn't be charcoal, would it? As for the proportions, I can't remember those either. Nobel was an expert in explosives; he was blown to bits while researching it. For someone like me, a novice, to study this, isn't that akin to an old man hanging himself, complaining that he has lived too long?"

The golden light paused for a moment, then scattered into six faint beams. The Dharma wheel began to turn slowly again, and the Ox-Head and Horse-Face clapped their hands in great laughter. After laughing, Ox-Head suddenly hesitated for a moment, his pair of bovine eyes glancing at Horse-Face and saying: "Ah—, dear brother."

Zheng Shaopeng sighed innocently, saying: "When reading, I do not seek deep understanding. Old Jin did not draw a map in the book. Where am I supposed to find the vast Kunlun Mountains? I only remember Zhang Wuji being chased and then falling off a cliff to discover the Nine Yang Manual. I can't possibly carry a bundle of ropes to search one cliff after another, can I? I see that I would either fall to my death from a broken rope or be bitten to death by wild beasts. Even if I really found it, do you think it would be like a comic book? The highest level of martial arts secrets is like a university course; it certainly would not start with basic knowledge. Can I understand that? I see that I would either fall to my death from a broken rope or be bitten to death by wild beasts. Even if I really found it, do you think it would be like a comic book? The highest level of martial arts secrets is like a university course; it certainly would not start with basic knowledge. Can I understand that? If I don't die from going mad, I would go insane."

Ah... it seems we have made another mistake... This time it involves traversing time and space. We cannot personally escort him; if he does not wish to die, the person he has possessed has already passed away and has had his account closed in the underworld. Where shall we go to retrieve his soul then?

Even if I were to mention those scientific names, I wouldn't be able to remember them. As for cranial surgery, don't make me laugh. The divine physician of Huatuo, known for his skills, was executed simply for suggesting to perform a cranial surgery on Cao Cao. Even if I could do it, I wouldn't dare to flaunt my abilities in ancient times. People back then were too ignorant; they didn't trust even the greatest physicians. If I were to show off, it would be strange if I weren't treated as a heretic and killed on the spot.

Judge Cui stroked his beard, slightly closing his eyes, and said with a shake of his head: "Zheng Shaopeng, in this life, I will have you reincarnated into ancient times. I must find you a suitable family. Let me ask you, do you understand medical skills? Such as performing cranial surgery, dissecting, or developing Western medicine as a means of livelihood?"

The Ox-Head and Horse-Face ignored him, pulling him and soaring out of the Hall of Yama, swiftly crossing the Bridge of Helplessness, and casting him into the vast sea of clouds

Zheng Shaopeng said: "Brewing... I can't do it, but I can drink. I think Red Star Erguotou tastes better than Moutai, and it doesn't give me a headache. ... Why are you staring? Go find out how many people can brew; who isn't in that line of work and understands that stuff? As for glass... I only know it's made from sand, and I don't know anything else... I only know it's made from sand, and I don't know anything else..."

You say that these ideas are merely the musings of great politicians who stand slightly elevated above history. As someone who knows nothing about ancient systems or the ruling class, what can I possibly say about modern systems? Not to mention whether they align with the needs of productivity development at that time, I fear that if I express such advanced ideas, even reformists like Shang Yang and Wang Anshi would turn into conservatives, and I would be the one subjected to dismemberment by five horses. Alas, this is purely idle talk; such discussions not only mislead the nation but also mislead oneself.

What is even more terrifying is that if one were to seek the favor of such figures based on the personalities and characters depicted in historical texts or storybooks, one might not even know how one would meet their demise. In my previous life, I was a pop star and made a guest appearance in a historical television drama. I heard a historian we invited say that in history, the infamous treacherous minister Yan Song served as the chief minister for over ten years, yet the wealth confiscated from his family at the end was still more than a quarter of that of Xu Jie, a high-ranking official who had only served as chief minister for six years. Both of them started from the same starting line in their official careers.

The Wheel of Six Paths is a circular giant wheel three stories high, slowly rotating. The outer edge of the wheel is inscribed with the four golden characters "Wheel-Turning Holy King." On the wheel stands a golden statue of the "Three-World Buddha." This Buddha has an ugly visage, with disheveled hair and protruding fangs, standing on the head of a giant turtle, holding the rim of the wheel in his mouth, and embracing the giant wheel with both arms, baring his teeth as if to indicate that even with his divine power, he cannot alter the "karma" of life.

Zheng Shaopeng felt quite curious and couldn't help but run forward to take a look. Upon seeing it, he indeed found it positioned at the place of the nobility, and he couldn't help but feel great joy