Chapter 6 This Year

Outside Liangjiaping Fort, Huang Laifu took a brief rest, allowing the horse to regain its strength before continuing on the journey. Soon, the three of them arrived at the entrance of the small path where Huang Laifu had encountered the incident.

The Wanli period was a time of significant changes in the attitudes and customs across various social strata. The development and prosperity of the commodity economy, along with the rise of a culture of indulgence in wealth, were accompanied by a surge in behaviors that transgressed established norms, leading to an uncontrollable situation

On one hand, during the Wanli period, the trend of land consolidation became even more intense, driven by inflation caused by the massive overseas trade, which led to rising prices of goods and grain. Coupled with the fact that the entire Wanli period was marked by the Little Ice Age, severe disasters and droughts in the north resulted in a further scarcity of food, causing grain prices to soar, which in turn created numerous social issues. Additionally, the irrationality of the financial system exacerbated social conflicts.

As we journeyed along, human and animal presence was virtually nonexistent, and the vast, desolate wilderness surrounded us. To the east of the road lay the faint outline of the Kela Mountain range, with a few white poplar and bell trees standing solitary along the path. Most of these trees had shed their life-affirming green leaves, leaving only bare trunks and branches, standing starkly and dry.

Jiang Dazhong and Yang Xiaolu did not understand why Huang Laifu had come here, and they did not dare to ask. Upon hearing this, the two became somewhat worried; last time, Huang Laifu had encountered trouble here. If something were to happen again this time, they would be doomed. Jiang Dazhong anxiously said, "Young Master, would you let us accompany you down?"

Yang Xiaolu awkwardly patted the horse's leg and touched his head in embarrassment, just as Jiang Dazhong was about to mock him. Huang Laifu had already galloped away, and the two hurriedly mounted their horses to catch up.

This is it, Huang Laifu stood still for a while, feeling somewhat contemplative, wondering why he had come here. Perhaps only heaven knows.

In the early Ming Dynasty, the ceremonial attire of civil officials was adorned with various patterns of birds and flowers, corresponding to their respective ranks, and no one was allowed to mix them. During the Wanli period, even the musicians of the Imperial Music Bureau wore garments decorated with bird motifs, their attire being indistinguishable from that of court officials

In this year, the 17th year of the Wanli era, corresponding to the year 1589, Huang Laifu arrived in the Ming Dynasty

In addition to these economic and cultural changes, the Wanli era was also a time of political and military intrigue, marked by significant fluctuations. The historically renowned Three Great Campaigns occurred during this period

On the other hand, during the Wanli period, due to the significant development of the commercial economy, cities continuously expanded, the power of the urban middle class grew stronger, and various forms of popular literature and folk art exhibited a vigorous trend of development

Following this impression, indeed, there is a flat area in front of a massive rock. On the flat ground, there are some dried bloodstains. Beside the rock, there are several poplar trees and bell trees, and a mountain spring flows past a few of the poplar trees, producing the sound of flowing water

Jiang Dazhong and Yang Xiaolu were somewhat hesitant. Just a few days ago, Huang Laifu had encountered an incident, and now they were expected to be on the move again. To be honest, both of them felt a bit worried; as the saying goes, once bitten by a snake, one is afraid of a rope for ten years. However, having long been under Huang Laifu's influence, how could they dare to refuse?

In addition to these military fortresses, one can also encounter several civilian fortifications scattered along the roads. These fortifications were spontaneously organized by the local populace to protect against bandit raids, with one or two villages collaborating to build a fortress, while larger villages might construct a single fortress or several fortifications.

What’s the matter, is there a problem? Huang Laifu naturally perceived the thoughts of the two. He patted each of them on the shoulder and jokingly scolded, "You two, do you think that just because I, your young master, have had an incident once, I can never go out of the city again?"

In the early Ming Dynasty, commoners were prohibited from wearing clothing adorned with dragon patterns; however, during the Wanli period, the patterns of coiled dragons and standing dragons had already become common designs used by ordinary people.

Young master, this ... ...

During the Wanli period, the creation of long novels reached an unprecedented prosperity. The genres of supernatural novels and short stories also exhibited a flourishing scene. "Jin Ping Mei," "Feng Shen Yan Yi," "Du Shiniang Angrily Sinks the Treasure Box," "Le Xiaoshe Struggles to Find a Partner," and "Yu Tang Chun Faces Misfortune and Meets Her Husband" are all representative works of that time

Huang Laifu stood silently for a while, feeling an indescribable sensation in his heart. Suddenly, he was stirred and began to search around him, harboring a vague expectation for something.

"Grandma's bear!" Huang Laifu cursed, his feet never stopping. He quickly arrived at the bottom of the valley. Of course, the later version of him did not know the exact location of Huang Laifu's incident, but the earlier Huang Laifu had some vague memories.

Huang Laifu, riding on horseback, passed by these civilian fortresses and could see some children playing outside the fort, as well as some adults engaging in activities nearby. The sounds of chickens and dogs from within the fort added a touch of liveliness to the surroundings. In contrast to the military fortresses, the residents of these civilian fortresses, both in their attire and demeanor, appeared more vibrant than those of the military households, evoking a sense of reflection.

For the time being, let's not discuss the technological aspects; any historical information that circulates from within could potentially have a significant impact. Huang Laifu was continuously browsing through the computer, particularly focusing on some historical materials from the Ming Dynasty during the Wanli period.

Exiting from Wuzhaibao, there are three roads: west, north, and south. Along these roads, several hundred households are distributed, all under the jurisdiction of Wuzhaibao. On the road heading northwest, there are Xiaohutou Fortress, Sanchaba Fortress, and Lijiaping Fortress. On the road heading south, there is Sunjiaping Fortress, among others

In the early Ming Dynasty, the use of yellow was prohibited for both scholars and commoners. Women of the populace were restricted to wearing purple, green, peach red, and various light colors. During the Wanli period, households of moderate means would only wear embroidered garments in bright red, while the maids of wealthy families would not adorn themselves without bright red clothing. Moreover, the attire of the lower officials increasingly resembled that of the merchants.

Huang Laifu descended into the valley. The path was lined with strange rocks and tangled grass, and it seemed that this valley was situated in a wind corridor, as a biting cold wind made Huang Laifu shiver.

The civilian fortresses and military fortresses share similar defensive characteristics; however, the military fortresses place greater emphasis on strategic locations and natural defenses. In contrast, civilian fortresses are primarily residential and are often situated in flat areas with ample water sources and relatively convenient transportation. Generally, civilian fortresses with sufficient funding tend to be important centers for trade and exchange

Of course not, of course not! Yang Xiaolu hurriedly nodded and replied, while both of them felt that they were somewhat overreacting. In the past, they had followed the young master running all over the mountains and fields, hunting and riding, and had never encountered any incidents. Could it be that just because the young master had an incident a few days ago, another one would occur?

Indeed, Huang hetushu.com.com suddenly shuddered, the laptop bag! Behind that massive boulder, a black laptop bag lay quietly. It was the beloved laptop that he had placed on the right side of the car before his journey, which had also crossed over with him.

Having lived a mundane life in later generations, at this moment in this rapidly changing era, if I do not strive for something significant, how can I justify to the heavens that sent me to the Ming Dynasty? — If it were not for the heavens, how would I have come here? Why was I chosen by the heavens and not someone else?

Huang Laifu dismounted and looked down at the valley beside the road. After a while, he said to Jiang Dazhong and Yang Xiaolu, who had also dismounted, "Dazhong, Xiaolu, you two stay here. Remember, do not let anyone go down."

During the Wanli period, Ming dynasty legendary dramas and miscellaneous plays reached their peak. Tang Xianzu's "The Peony Pavilion" is an outstanding representative of this climax

Three individuals exited the city through the castle gate. The guard on duty, upon seeing Huang Laifu, hurriedly nodded and bowed. In no time, Huang Laifu and the others had vanished from the city.

In the early Ming Dynasty, it was stipulated that only the noblewomen of official families could adorn themselves with gold, pearls, and jade as headpieces. However, during the Wanli period, even courtesans could flaunt themselves in full headgear of pearls and jade while parading through the streets

Yes, Huang Laifu said to himself

At this time, the autumn harvest has long passed, and the weather is becoming increasingly cold. Everyone is preparing to stay cozy at home for the winter, so who would casually venture out

"Get on the horse, you sycophant!" Huang Laifu laughed and scolded, then turned over and mounted the horse

Huang Laifu was overjoyed; he retrieved the laptop bag, which showed no signs of damage from the outside. Upon opening the bag, he took out the laptop. After pressing the power button, it started up completely normally. Gazing at the familiar screen, Huang Laifu nearly shouted with joy

Huang Laifu's direction was towards Liangjiaping Fort, and the location of the incident was in a valley by a mountain road a few kilometers away from that fort. Continuing south from Liangjiaping Fort also leads towards Kelaizhou, which is simultaneously the site of the Zhenxiwei Walled City.

This laptop is a state-of-the-art solar-powered design from the future, equipped with a solar collection panel that resembles a book. By simply placing it under the sun for a certain period each day, it can generate several hours of power without the need for an external power source. It cost Huang Laifu a considerable amount of money at the time of purchase

Jiang Dazhong and Yang Xiaolu still wanted to say something, but Huang Laifu frowned. Seeing that Huang Laifu seemed about to get angry, the two had no choice but to agree reluctantly. They drew their waist knives and stood guard by the roadside, but in such weather, it was impossible for any passersby to come by.

In this year, Wei Zhongxian was selected to enter the palace, serving under the eunuch Sun Xian of the Directorate of Ceremonial, responsible for cleaning and service duties. Soon after, he ingratiated himself and was transferred to the Jiaziku.

There is historical data from various dynasties and eras, both ancient and modern, from around the world. There are various types of scientific knowledge and information from both ancient and contemporary sources. There are biographies of notable figures, as well as books on science, military affairs, and engineering. Additionally, there are various popular novels, songs, movies, and television series.

After getting everything in order, Huang Laifu could not contain his inner excitement. If in the morning he still had some doubts about the future, at this moment, his confidence was overflowing. The information in the computer provided him with sufficient resources, and he believed that he could carve out his own territory in the Ming Dynasty.

The most important aspect is the data within the computer; aside from some client information from later generations that is of no use, there is a wealth of valuable information contained within.

In the early Ming Dynasty, the clothing system was strictly enforced, but by the Wanli period, it had become a time when the entire populace was competing to violate and overstep these regulations

This year, the Deputy General of Ningxia, Ba Bai, retired, and his son, Ba Cheng'en, succeeded to the position

Huang Laifu looked to the west and saw a breathtaking expanse where the sky and earth merged in a magnificent scene. He could not help but slowly exhale, silently saying: "The Ming Dynasty, I have arrived"

In this year, Henry IV of France commanded an army of 8,000 troops, achieving a great victory over the Catholic League and the Spanish coalition, which consisted of 24,000 men, through his exceptional tactics and powerful artillery fire

After a long while, Huang Laifu finally turned off the computer, placed it into the computer bag, and carefully wrapped the bag around his waist, covering it with his outer garment

Huang Laifu rode on horseback, galloping freely. In later generations, there was no one who rode so wildly. In fact, in later generations, he had never ridden a horse at all. The cold wind struck his face, carrying a few snowflakes, which not only did not make Huang Laifu feel cold, but instead made him somewhat exhilarated

At that moment, Yang Xiaolu said: "Young Master, no matter where you go, Xiaolu will always follow you!"

During the Wanli period, what most displeased the virtuous gentlemen was that all the servants wore the official shoes of the third rank, indistinguishable from the scholars and officials, and the scholars and officials also took pleasure in the servants' attire; this was the most detestable custom.

The Ming Dynasty was a vibrant and colorful era, and during this time, the Wanli period was particularly at a critical turning point within the entire Ming Dynasty

I came into this world in the 17th year of the Wanli era, a year that concealed undercurrents within its tranquility, standing at the forefront of change. Two years later, the Ming Dynasty would experience the Battle of Ningxia. In the same year, the First Korean War would also occur, followed by the Second Korean War six years later. One year after that, the Battle of Bozhou would take place, and seventeen years later, Nurhaci of Jianzhou would rebel against the Ming.

Perhaps one can change something. Change one's own destiny, change the destiny of one's family, and even change the destiny of the entire Ming Dynasty

All of the above are the drastic changes that are about to occur in the Wanli era. What will I gain from these changes? However, it is certain that, regardless of the circumstances, I will strive to make an effort

Huang Laifu came here to explore the traces of his own journey; how could he allow others to follow him? He said, "Don't worry, I will be fine. You all stay here and remember not to let anyone go down!"

There is even more than this; it contains various satellite electronic maps, maps of mountains, rivers, and mineral resources from different regions. It fills a computer hard drive to the brim. All of this was painstakingly collected by Huang Laifu as a hobby in the past. It can be said that with these materials, Huang Laifu feels as though he has the entire world at his fingertips and fully understands it.

This year, the newly appointed Liu Zhitai of Zhaoqing Prefecture in Guangdong issued an eviction order to the Western missionary Matteo Ricci, instructing him to leave Zhaoqing but allowing him to choose a place to reside in Shaozhou.

In this year, Nurhaci unified the five tribes of the Jianzhou Jurchens, and the Ming government appointed Nurhaci as the "Deputy Commander of Jianzhou Wei".