Chapter 2, A Fortuitous Encounter

The old man hesitated for a moment and said: "This is something no one could have anticipated, who would have thought the idea would be so difficult to grasp"

After sitting for a while, he said, "Alas, that little girl was too ruthless, beating the young master like this"

Young master, you are awake

Fortunately, there are still six years until Li Yuan raises his banner in Jinyang. The current situation has not yet reached its worst. At this moment, the court is still that seemingly flourishing and prosperous Sui Dynasty, vibrant as flowers and rich as oil.

Watching him pick up his chopsticks and take a bite, the wrinkles on the other person's face immediately relaxed. He then began to peel the eggshell. This elderly man peeled the eggshell very carefully, as if afraid to expose even a little bit, and he did not overlook the egg membrane either. This indicates that his living conditions are not very affluent

Just as he was about to eat the noodles, a surge of memories that did not belong to him suddenly invaded his mind. At that moment, an image appeared before his eyes. A woman looked at him with pity as he lay on the ground.

Hurry up and eat, don't let it get cold

The old man hurriedly said: "Young master, one must not doubt the words of the immortal teacher"

Ah!

Third Lady, Tang Guogong's residence. It can't be such a coincidence, can it

The Emperor with Heterochromia, in ancient times, those with heterochromia were regarded as saints. In the seventh year of the Daye era, Li Chongji made a decisive statement. The Kaihuang era lasted a total of nineteen years, the Renshou era lasted four years, and the Daye era lasted seven years

Emperor Gaozu of Tang, Li Yuan, also known as Li Shude, was the hereditary Duke of Tang, who later adopted the name of his state as the national title. Therefore, the residence of the Duke of Tang is essentially the residence of Li Yuan. The woman who was injured, likely Li San Niang, is probably Princess Pingyang, the daughter of Li Yuan

The old man, upon hearing Li Chongjiu's question, was immediately taken aback and said, "Young master, you haven't come down with a case of soul loss, have you"

Li Chongjiu smiled as he touched the wound on his chest and said: "With my skills, being severely injured like this is truly priceless. Forget it, by the way, it was a woman who did this to me."

Alas, look at my memory. I should eat this soup pancake quickly

The other party clapped their forehead with their left hand, then immediately took the food box from beside them and opened the box.

Just now, these people referred to the Fourth Master. It seems that only mountain bandits and outlaws use such terms in this world

The old man shook his head and said, "It is one person, the woman who fought against the young master."

As for Shao Dangjia, his father truly is a bandit leader

Confirming this information, at this moment he finally lifted the quilt and sat up from the bed

Who was the person that inflicted the injury?

How tense it is? He couldn't help but feel a bit moved

The old man then suddenly realized and said: "Young master, you have been unconscious for a full three days, unaware of the world. Alas, the current dual-eyed emperor has been on the throne for seven years now"

Liaodong stretches for hundreds of miles to the east, with the Greater Khingan Range to the north. First, we can rule that area out, as it is inhabited by indigenous peoples and is certainly not reflective of the customs of the central plains. As for the country to the east, it can also be excluded; although the accent of the recent individuals was peculiar, it was undoubtedly a form of Chinese. Regarding the south, well, entering Liaodong from Hebei does not necessarily require traversing so many mountainous paths. Therefore, the most likely scenario at present is that I am located to the west of the Taihang Mountains, in the Zhao region of Yan and Zhao, which is now Shanxi.

"Indeed, you are the only hope of the Li family, the lifelong expectation of the head of the family rests on your shoulders. The young master must understand this." As the old man spoke, his expression was not calm; in his murky eyes, it seemed he was on the verge of tears.

Within this house, that crossbow is undoubtedly a superior weapon, one that is not typically used by ordinary soldiers in the military, as it is designed for elite troops. It is not the kind of hunting bow that common folk would use. Of course, given one's status as a provincial army member or a county soldier, it is not entirely out of the question. However, it is unlikely that there would be anyone referred to as the Fourth Master within the provincial army. This inference brings us a few steps closer to the realm of bandits and outlaws.

For this sea cucumber husband, he traveled several hundred miles over the mountains, having bought it from the Mohe people back in the day... Little Jiu's life was considered saved... The fourth master wild ginseng...

Fortunately, I did not wear it and the books have not reached south of the Sahara or Latin America; this is indeed a stroke of luck amidst misfortune. Otherwise, I would have had to start my struggle from the Stone Age, living off raw flesh and blood. Upon realizing this, he felt a sense of relief in his heart, his thoughts became more agile, and the things he began to deduce increased in number.

The most important thing at the moment is to confirm his identity. He pondered for a moment whether to pretend to have amnesia, which is the most common method of time travel. However, seeing that the old man appeared rather simple-minded, he decided to first draw out the other party's words.

A rich aroma of chicken soup wafted through the air. The old man first took out two golden-yellow eggs and set them aside, then brought forth a black clay pot. Carefully, the other person placed it in front of him, lifted the lid of the pot, and instantly, a steaming bowl of fragrant chicken noodle soup appeared before his eyes

What is this? Residual memories of a former partner?

Hearing the concern in the other person's words, he felt a slight relief in his heart

As for the one just called "Little Jiu," it seems to be a nickname for oneself. Only those who are very close can call someone by their nickname. These individuals went so far as to use sea cucumbers to treat oneself, which clearly indicates they must be family or relatives. Therefore, it is evident that one is not a victim of bandit kidnapping, but rather is in cahoots with the bandits, and there is an important family member among the bandits with a significant status.

During the Sui Dynasty, if individuals only addressed each other by name, it was generally based on their family rank. For instance, before Li Shimin ascended the throne or was conferred the title of Prince of Qin, one could boldly call him Li Er, and it would be respectful to refer to him as Li Erlang. However, it was better to avoid calling him Brother Shimin.

In the Sui Dynasty, the rank below that of a prince of a state is the duke, and thus there were only a few families in the realm that could be referred to as dukes

Is there some entanglement within oneself

Li Chongjiu recalled that scene in his memory and tentatively explored it

At this moment, Li Chongjiu also disregarded the probing question and immediately asked: "Which emperor has ascended the throne at present, and how many years has it been?"

Li Chongjiu smiled and said, "It seems that I have slept for a very long time, so I am feeling a bit dazed and cannot remember clearly."

An elderly man, around fifty years old, appeared outside the door. He had a rather honest appearance and was struggling to carry something resembling a food box with one hand as he walked into the courtyard. Judging by the way he walked, it seemed he had suffered some injury or was afflicted by some illness.

Meanwhile, a man exclaimed loudly: "Third Lady, this group of scoundrels dares to provoke even our Tang Duke's residence; is this not inviting humiliation upon themselves?"

During the Sui Dynasty, both the government and the populace used meat and silk as circulating currencies. Silver, at that time, was still a rare commodity. The entire empire produced only about 10,000 taels annually. It is needless to mention that during the Ming Dynasty, using official silver ingots for purchases was common; even silver coins were quite rare.

Fortunately, the leader, disregarding the wanted notice posted on the city wall, took the risk to go to the county town to buy wild ginseng for your injury

The other party is quite formidable; three individuals defeated more than twenty of us

Li Chongjiu seemed to understand something

No, this is not the pain of a wound... rather it is... it is. Damn it, only this little clue is left for myself, nothing else.

After a long while, the old man hoarsely said, "It is strange. Logically speaking, Xiao Jiu's injuries should have healed significantly by now. Even if he were to wake up today, why is he still in a coma?"

He is truly an unfortunate young man. Rubbing his bruises, a sharp pain courses through him; this injury is no trivial matter

It seems to be a case of robbery in progress. Subsequently, I, as the young leader, led more than twenty people, preparing to take down the three opponents. However, unexpectedly, the other side was playing possum; all three were skilled fighters who counterattacked. As a result, my group was completely annihilated

After the old man placed the food box down in the room, he walked in front of me and quietly observed for a while. There was a faint smell of mutton on him, but it was not strong.

What?

"Little Master? Little Jiu?" the old man asked with concern as he got up, "Is your wound hurting again?"

Not good, the Tang Guogong Mansion

At that time, the leader was very pleased to hear this

He made an effort to recall the books and remembered several key points from those words

He cautiously inquired, and upon seeing the old man, nodded in confirmation. The term "Double Ninth" refers to the ninth day of the ninth month, also known as Chongyang. At that time, common people often named their children based on their birth date and the weight of the newborn, such as "Qiqi," "Chujiao," "Liujin," and so on.

Seeing the other person's concern for him, a warmth surged in his heart, and a smile appeared on his face.

He suddenly remembered that during the Sui and Tang dynasties, all types of wheat-based products were referred to as "bing". For example, steamed buns were called "zheng bing". Soup noodles were referred to as "tang bing", which are noodles that are scooped out from the broth. The oil floated on the surface, forming a thick layer that clung to the sides of the bowl, with a few sprigs of tender and lovely green onions adorning the noodles.

He suddenly thought of his eight siblings, and an overwhelming sense of dread washed over him. However, that did not make sense; as the young head of the family and a candidate for succession, how could he be chosen over the eight siblings who came before him

At that moment, he suddenly heard several rustling footsteps. The main gate of the courtyard creaked open. He squinted his eyes, turned his body slightly to the side, and fixed his gaze intently on the outside of the door

This is everything I can confirm for now. As for the other rooms, I am unable to search them at the moment

Li Chongjiu (officially renamed) laughed and said: "Then if what the fortune teller said is true, father will believe it. Whenever a child is born, one should step forward and say a few auspicious words, both to seek good fortune and to bring in wealth."

On the day of your birth, a fortune teller happened to pass by and came to say, "This child was born at the auspicious moment of 29, with purple energy coming from the east, destined for great fortune beyond words"

He barely propped himself up and looked out through the window frame, where he saw the thatched roofs covered thickly and the monotonous, earth-colored rammed earth walls. A simple courtyard, with high and solid earthen walls on all sides, and apart from the branches and leaves of a few towering trees, this was the entirety of the view outside the window, which had a somewhat insular feel. As for other sounds, there were only the calls of what seemed to be chickens and sheep, evoking a sense of familiarity akin to the saying "the sounds of chickens and dogs can be heard from each other's homes." A simple courtyard, with high and solid earthen walls on all sides, and apart from the branches and leaves of a few towering trees, this was the entirety of the view outside the window, which had a somewhat insular feel. As for other sounds, there were only the calls of what seemed to be chickens and sheep, evoking a sense of familiarity akin to the saying "the sounds of chickens and dogs can be heard from each other's homes."

The old man was also filled with a mix of surprise and joy

He raised his head and looked around, observing the clothing, the five-zhu coins, and the bow. Yet, he still could not ascertain the specific situation at hand. Just as he was about to search for more clues, a sudden realization struck him as he recalled what a few people had said earlier.

The Mohe people, indeed, are the ancestors of the Jurchens, and more closely related to the Aisin Gioro clan that later became well-known. The Mohe's area of activity was primarily in the Liaodong region during the Sui Dynasty, which corresponds to today's three northeastern provinces of China. If one were to travel several hundred miles, traversing mountainous paths, to purchase wild ginseng from the Mohe, it would be quite easy to deduce one's own location.

After my illness, is everything here all right?

Ah, Zhu Chongba, Wang Chongyang, it is a pleasure to meet you

He placed the five-cash coins back into the wardrobe; there were not many, only a little over twenty coins.

More than twenty brothers, yet the other side only has three people, and they still lost their composure.

The only descendant of the Li family

Hmm. After being taken aback, he nodded subtly without showing any emotion, while the old man still appeared delighted, chattering incessantly, clearly unable to contain his surprise

Xiao Jiu, yes, this is the second time I have heard this title

Li Chongjiu

He felt a sharp pain in his head

Li Chongjiu could not help but recall the stunning woman in the scene, and he nodded slightly, realizing that it must have been her who had struck him and caused his injury

At that time, I was lying in bed in a daze. I could only see a few figures moving in front of me, and then they were right before me, seemingly discussing something with concern. They spoke a lot, but I only vaguely remembered a few sentences. Looking at the alarming bruises on my body, I speculated about the past; I must have been injured by someone, and after being given herbal medicine and ginseng, I was saved from death.

So, is Xiao Jiu the same as Xing Jiu

Upon seeing the elderly man enter the courtyard, he immediately supported himself and returned to the pit. Just as he finished covering the wolfskin blanket, the elderly man pushed the door open and entered. He did not open his eyes, calmed his breathing, and continued to pretend to sleep on the bed, although his ears were perked up, listening to the sounds.