Chapter 4, Who Am I

Zhu Eighty-One's elder sister was assigned the number Zhu Thirty-Two. Due to her relatively decent appearance, she caught the eye of a Li surname inspector in his fifties from the yamen, who took her into his household as the fifth concubine. Thanks to the connections of her brother-in-law, Zhu Laonian was "fortunate" enough to be sent to work as an unpaid apprentice under a butcher at the age of eight. After his master passed away, he inherited the slaughterhouse, where he slaughtered pigs, butchered sheep, and castrated cattle, relying on this work to support his family. Thanks to the connections of her brother-in-law, Zhu Laonian was "fortunate" enough to be sent to work as an unpaid apprentice under a butcher at the age of eight. After his master passed away, he inherited the slaughterhouse, where he slaughtered pigs, butchered sheep, and castrated cattle, relying on this work to support his family.

As for the identity of the host, it is that of a destitute refugee, reduced to the lowest of the low. Ten years ago, he lost his home and parents due to the breach of the Yellow River and fled to Xuzhou with his sister. He was then taken in by the authorities and assigned the number 81, thus he is named Zhu 81, with the nickname Zhu Laonian.

Zhu Dapeng originally had a very thick skin; otherwise, he would not have dared to harm others without clarifying whether he was in a virtual world or the real world. After realizing that he was in a difficult position for impersonating the Deputy Hall Master of the Maitreya Teaching's Great Wisdom Hall, he thought for a moment and simply admitted to it.

By the time "Master Zhu" had somewhat recovered from his shock, not only had the Mule Horse Alley behind him become his territory, but also the nearby Brick Tile Alley, Charcoal Alley, Bitter Water Alley, Grass Shoe Alley, Donkey Dung Alley, and most of Craftsman Alley had, in a muddled manner, become the "sphere of influence" of the Maitreya Sect's Great Wisdom Branch. Among the five to six hundred households within, regardless of their poverty, nearly all had joined the Maitreya Sect on the front lines, becoming loyal followers. Following Master Zhu, they recited the Maitreya Reincarnation Sutra temporarily concocted by Mr. Su, vowing to "expel darkness and welcome light!"

As for the subsequent events, there is no need for Mr. Su to elaborate further. Zhu Dapeng is likely the person who understands the ins and outs of this world better than anyone else. Zhu Laonian was killed by Mr. Li with an iron ruler, or rather, his soul was forced out of his body. Meanwhile, Zhu Dapeng, a technology enthusiast from the 21st century, found his soul leaving his body due to excessive physical exhaustion from gaming all night. Under a series of coincidences that cannot be explained by science, he ended up in Zhu Laonian's mind. Confused about whether he was in the real world or a virtual one, he rose up in rebellion and defeated the wealthiest merchant in Xuzhou, Kong Mu, treating him like a minor boss in a game. Although he didn't even manage to obtain a single piece of green gear, he inadvertently triggered an uprising of the Red Turban Army's hidden forces within the city. The main forces of the Red Turban Army, which had long been lurking outside the city, immediately launched a full-scale attack.

Speaking, he turned his head to signal the white officers and the small jailers around him. Those white officers and small jailers, who usually bowed and submitted to Mr. Su and the other archers, at this moment became like grasshoppers on the same rope, even more obedient. They all nodded in agreement, saying, "Yes, yes! Master Zhu, have you forgotten? You have always been at home burning incense and worshipping Maitreya; we all know that. We have been covering for you all along!"

"The leader of the Red Turbans, I am one of those righteous soldiers outside. Who is their chief?" Thinking about the inevitable interactions he would have with the Red Turban army in the city, Zhu Dapeng pressed his already overheating head, which had been overworked in a short period, and weakly inquired.

You, you are the esteemed Master Zhu Baishi of the Great Wisdom Hall!" Mr. Su raised his eyes to secretly glance at the expression on Zhu Laonian's face and responded in a low voice. Seeing the other party's eyebrows about to furrow again, he immediately recalled the incident when this person was once knocked unconscious by his colleague Li Forty-Seven from the yamen with an iron ruler. He quickly moved back a few feet and repeatedly explained, "My lord, please do not be angry, I just remembered, I just remembered. You have just been possessed by Maitreya Buddha, and your spirit has been greatly exhausted, which is why you forgot your worldly identity. Seeing the other party's eyebrows about to furrow again, he immediately recalled the incident when this person was once knocked unconscious by his colleague Li Forty-Seven from the yamen with an iron ruler. He quickly moved back a few feet and repeatedly explained, "My lord, please do not be angry, I just remembered, I just remembered. You have just been possessed by Maitreya Buddha, and your spirit has been greatly exhausted, which is why you forgot your worldly identity. Later, I will go to Doctor Hu's house to fetch you a prescription for calming the mind...

The subsequent events increasingly resembled a dream. Observing that Old Zhu did not reject the allegiance of Mr. Su from the library and others, the neighbors who had previously vanished without a trace also emerged one after another, wrapping their heads in red cloth and brandishing door bolts, collectively blocking the entrance to the alley.

Another person has exhausted themselves to death while gaming! In the 21st century on Earth, at Beijing Tiantan Hospital, a nurse sighed as she pulled up a white sheet to cover a young and pale face

Get lost! Zhu Dapeng kicked the other party again, knowing that he had definitely become the leader of the Maitreya Sect today. Gritting his teeth, he decided to temporarily let this topic go. "I am not asking you about being a leader or not. I am asking, who am I, really?! Hurry up and tell me everything you know! Move it!"

However, Mr. Su and the nearby residents had pushed Zhu Laonian to serve as a talisman, and he never found the opportunity to explain the truth to the righteous army. By the time the sky began to brighten and the sounds of shouting and killing gradually subsided, he no longer needed to explain anything to anyone. The soldiers of the Red Turban Army under the command of Li Er had given him enough face as "Master Zhu." If he were to suddenly turn his back on them now, well, the outcome would be naturally predictable

"Lord Hall Master, spare my life!" Mr. Su rolled on the ground and immediately knelt again, his head bobbing like garlic being pounded. "Lord Hall Master, spare my life! I had no intention of prying into your position! I truly did not!"

On that night, the rebel forces and the government troops engaged in fierce battles on the streets, while local ruffians took advantage of the chaos to loot. In the turmoil, it is unknown how many thatched cottages and blue-brick courtyards were set ablaze, and how many innocent lives were lost in confusion. Surprisingly, the alleys of Liu Tiao Xie Er Fang, Mule Ma Xiang, and several nearby lanes remained remarkably peaceful. Only the bodies of Kong Mu Ma Ha Ma and Mr. Li, the archer, along with seven or eight others, hung limply from the trees, serving as a warning to those attempting to profit from the chaos of war to stay away from this place, lest they fall victim to Zhu Tang Zhu and lose their lives for no reason.

Sesame Li? Zhu Dapeng was desperately rubbing his temples, and before him, everything was swirling into darkness, with countless little stars dancing up and down. He knew about Zhu Yuanzhang, about Monk Peng, and also about Zhang Shicheng, Shen Wansan, and so on. He was aware that in the end, Zhu Yuanzhang seized the world, while the others perished like waves on the shore. But where should Zhu Yuanzhang be at this moment? Is he still a monk or has he already joined the Ming Cult? And where is that foot fetishist Zhang Wuji, who knows the Nine Yang Manual? He knew about Zhu Yuanzhang, about Monk Peng, and also about Zhang Shicheng, Shen Wansan, and so on. He was aware that in the end, Zhu Yuanzhang seized the world, while the others perished like waves on the shore. But where should Zhu Yuanzhang be at this moment? Is he still a monk or has he already joined the Ming Cult? And where is that foot fetishist Zhang Wuji, who knows the Nine Yang Manual? Has the Lion Slaughtering Conference already been held? The Martial Mu's Legacy and the Nine Yin Manual, who currently possesses them? If parallel universes exist, what is the relationship between the planet I am on and Earth?

"What nonsense!" Zhu Dapeng scolded with a frown. "If I were the hall master of the Maitreya Sect, you would be my incense masters, advisors, and wielders of the twin red flowers!"

After a lengthy and tedious explanation, Zhu Dapeng finally began to understand. It seemed that he had won a special grand prize of the twenty-first century: a ticket for time travel. Moreover, it was a soul-transcending journey, one that offered no return.

In order to prove their affiliation with the other Red Turbans in the city, they did not hesitate to carry the bodies of Ma Kongmu, Mr. Li, and the several soldiers who had been killed to the entrance of the neighborhood, directly hanging them from the nearby branches to demonstrate their "meritorious service in the initial uprising"

Those who can infiltrate the government offices as temporary workers are certainly not foolish. Upon discovering that their methods of taking advantage of the chaos are indeed effective, the clerks and minor jailers immediately began to slip away to fetch their relatives and friends for refuge. The neighbors in Mulema Alley are not monkeys that sprang from the cracks of stones; each person inevitably has a few relatives and old friends. To ensure that their loved ones are not affected by the chaos of the soldiers, they also rushed out with red cloth, acting in the name of Zhu, the head of the Maitreya Sect's Great Wisdom Branch, to "bestow blessings widely."

"Damn it, the history teacher died too early!" In the expectant gaze of Mr. Su and the crowd, Zhu Dapeng, no, Zhu Eighty-One suddenly uttered a phrase that no one could understand, rolled his eyes, and fainted completely

Thank you, Master Zhu, for the gift. Mr. Su secretly exchanged glances, leading the white-clad members and the young jailers to kneel down, prostrating themselves completely.

"Damn you!" Zhu Dapeng was furious, raising his foot and kicking Mr. Su to the ground. "You are the one who is the leader, and your whole family is the leader!"

As a technology enthusiast who frequently reads online novels, Zhu Dapeng does not reject the idea of time travel. However, he simply cannot accept that his treatment after traveling through time is so vastly different from that of other travelers. He has neither sworn brotherhood with the emperor nor does he have a powerful official father as a backing, and he has traveled to the late Yuan Dynasty, just as the Red Turban Army is beginning to rebel! The host is a butcher, who has never attended school for a single day and possesses no martial arts skills. Aside from a rented pig slaughtering knife and a half-collapsed meat shop, he has nothing at all!

Stop being so verbose, just tell me who I am! Zhu Dapeng was quite displeased with Mr. Su's roundabout way of speaking, and shot him a fierce glare, urging him loudly.

Mr. Su, after the threat of death gradually receded, also realized that most things tonight were amiss. However, he was unwilling to admit that he was the instigator of a series of misunderstandings. He sidled over to the familiar Zhu Laonian, squinting his eyes to reiterate, "Sir, you are joking again. In this neighborhood, who doesn't know that you are the head of the Maitreya Sect's Great Wisdom Hall? We have long been at odds with the authorities, which is why no one has reported to them. In this neighborhood, who doesn't know that you are the head of the Maitreya Sect's Great Wisdom Hall? We have long been at odds with the authorities, which is why no one has reported to them. If you don't believe me, just ask them!"

"Heavens, why are you treating me this way!" Zhu Dapeng, in the shell of the old Zhu, pressed his forehead, feeling waves of darkness before his eyes

Originally, life as a butcher was manageable; at least every day, whether before or after the knife, a few taels of scraps such as blood necks and large intestines could be obtained, which was better than eating chaff and vegetables. However, Zhu Laonian's fate was indeed somewhat "excessively precious." In Mr. Su's words, he was like "the earthly incarnation of Maitreya Buddha, a presence that ordinary people cannot conceal." At the age of thirteen, he inadvertently caused the death of his own sister and unborn nephew. Last year, his cheap inspector brother-in-law, during a banquet at the yamen, engaged in a wrestling match with someone and was accidentally killed when a guard of the Mongolian Daruhachi broke his neck, thus passing away.

However, he was unwilling to live in confusion for the rest of his life. First, he used his saliva to clean the arrow wound on his shoulder, then pointed with his finger at Mr. Su, who the common people automatically regarded as the second most important figure after themselves, and quietly commanded, "That Su, Mr. Su, right?! Come over here and let’s have a good talk about who I really am!"

Since the passing of the inexpensive brother-in-law, Zhu Laonian's life has been deteriorating. Not only do Mr. Li and others at the yamen always find excuses to bully him, but the local ruffians also frequently cause trouble at the butcher shop. However, Zhu Laonian possesses a "broad mind and does not stoop to the level of common people" (in the words of Mr. Su). He endures everything, never retaliating against blows or insults. Until yesterday evening, when he was knocked unconscious by Mr. Li with an iron ruler after he had overpaid for three months' worth of sharpening fees in an attempt to curry favor with him. Yet, Zhu Laonian still maintains his "broad mind and does not stoop to the level of common people" (in the words of Mr. Su). He endures everything, never retaliating against blows or insults. Until yesterday evening, when he was knocked unconscious by Mr. Li with an iron ruler after he had overpaid for three months' worth of sharpening fees in an attempt to curry favor with him.

"Yes, yes!" Mr. Su shivered again and stammered, "Your humble name is Zhu Eighty-One, from the beginning of the Zhizheng era, having fled from the north..."

"Your Excellency, you seem to have forgotten..." Mr. Su was taken aback and instinctively asked in return. As he spoke halfway, he glanced around and lowered his voice to correct himself, "Ah, I understand now, it must be due to the influence of Maitreya Buddha that you can't remember anything. That Sesame Li, Li Dazhang, must be an old acquaintance of yours. He used to come to the city often to sell sesame and has bought pig trotters from you several times before!"

This tactic indeed proved effective. A few men with their heads wrapped in red cloth rushed forward, and upon seeing the corpse hanging at the entrance of the alley and Mr. Su and others standing ready with weapons, they immediately changed direction and charged towards other alleys. Throughout the entire incident, no one inquired about the true nature of this "Red Turban Army" in Mulema Alley.