Chapter One: A Dream of Five Hundred Years (Part One)

Noticing the change in his expression, Shen He quickly wiped his tears and said, "What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?" Seeing Shen Mo looking at the medicine bowl, Shen He awkwardly said, "I almost forgot." He then picked up the bowl, scooped a spoonful of the brown medicinal soup, blew on it a few times at the edge of his mouth, and carefully brought it to his lips.

The hazy moonlight casts its glow upon the clear little river, where the water flows gently beneath the arched bridge. On the riverbank stand two or three layers of small black-tiled houses, arranged in neat rows. The walls, stained by water, are covered with traces of green moss, and some are entwined with evergreen ivy, revealing only a row of windows facing the river.

Shen He, born into a collateral branch of the prominent Shen family in Shaoxing, came from a relatively well-off background. He received his early education in the clan school and was quite knowledgeable. By the age of eighteen, he had successively passed the county, prefectural, and provincial examinations, becoming a stipend student who received monthly rations from the government. A stipend student is equivalent to a xiucai, but not all xiucai are stipend students, as only a select few who achieve first-class results are granted state support

It is now half past three in the dead of night. Apart from the croaking of frogs in the river and the barking of dogs at the end of the alley, there is no other sound to be heard. Only from a narrow window at the eastern end does a dim yellow light shine, accompanied by faint voices drifting in the air

As the saying goes, misfortunes never come singly, and this is certainly true. A few days ago, Shen Mo went to the mountains to forage for wild vegetables, only to be bitten on the calf by a startled venomous snake. When he was brought back by his companions, his face was already dark and he appeared to be on the verge of death

At this time, the family's only source of income was the rice provided by the county school, amounting to six dou per month. In theory, if they were frugal, it could barely suffice, but "the young boy will starve his father to death." Shen Mo was at a growth stage, and his appetite was even greater than his father's. How could this amount of japonica rice be enough? Scholar Shen had no choice but to exchange it at the grain shop for the lowest quality indica rice, which allowed him to obtain nine dou. Shen Mo then went to the countryside to dig up some wild vegetables and catch some loaches, which barely sufficed for the two of them's meals. Scholar Shen had no choice but to exchange it at the grain shop for the lowest quality indica rice, which allowed him to obtain nine dou. Shen Mo then went to the countryside to dig up some wild vegetables and catch some loaches, which barely sufficed for the two of them's meals

Silently and weakly nodding, seeing Shen He consume two more at the same speed, he wiped his fingers on the cloth, drank a bowl of water, and with a satisfied expression said: "Having had dinner, it's time for us to sleep."

Once he opened his heart and accepted his new identity, memories belonging to that youth surged forth like a tide. He knew that his name was Shen Mo, with the childhood name of Chao Sheng, aged thirteen. He was the only son of Shen He from Yongchang Fang, Kuaiji County, Shaoxing Prefecture, during the Ming Dynasty.

He suddenly developed many emotions belonging to that young man, which made him feel somewhat uncomfortable

Seeing him cry, the tip of my nose felt a bit sour in silence. I wanted to say something to comfort him, but it was as if my throat had been blocked, and I couldn't utter a single word

"Has the Land God never eaten anything good?" He rolled his eyes in silence, but Shen He mistakenly thought he was complaining about him eating alone, and quickly explained, "It is not that I do not wish to share with you, but the doctor has advised that you should not consume anything hot, cold, sour, or hard. It is better to wait until you have fully recovered before discussing this further."

He was originally a young deputy director, at a stage of life filled with success, but upon waking from a deep sleep, he found himself in the body of a dying youth. In the moment when the youth's spirit was weak, he inexplicably merged with him, gaining the consciousness and memories of this boy, thus becoming this youth from five hundred years ago

He wiped Shen Mo's mouth with a towel, then laid him back down with the book. Shen He let out a long sigh of accomplishment, as if he had completed a significant task. Only then did he sit up straight, placing the empty medicine bowl and the broken bowl on the table, and sat down heavily on the stool, bending over wearily and taking a deep breath.

The cool breeze gently blows, the night is enchanting, and a gossamer-like mist envelops the tranquil county town

Survival of the fittest, therefore one must adapt. Shen Mo silently said to himself

Gazing intently at a spider diligently spinning its silk, he silently listened to his father say, "Alright, alright, Chao Sheng has taken his medicine." He was then helped to sit up. Leaning against the pillow, he scrutinized the man he would henceforth call father. The man's hair and beard were disheveled, his complexion pale, and there were already wrinkles at the corners of his eyes. The corners of his mouth seemed to bear some bruising, and there were fresh wounds on his cheekbones. His robe was both dirty and tattered, as if he had been in a fight and, unsurprisingly, had lost.

The youth on the bed let out a soft sigh, thinking to himself, "This must be the thirtieth time I've heard this, right?" However, knowing it was out of concern for him, he did not hold it against the person. Slightly turning his head, the youth saw the familiar yet strange face, drenched in sweat and urgency, and felt a warmth in his heart. Realizing that the person would not be able to finish anytime soon, he slowly closed his eyes, reflecting on the incredible events of recent days.

Certainly, this is a refined way of speaking by Mr. Shen. In reality, it refers to a simple structure made of bamboo and wood, covered with thatch, forming a single-room grass hut. Although it is narrow and damp, at least it provides a shelter, does it not

Seeing him display a look of indifference, Shen He took a sip of plain water and said: "Chao Sheng, you have not tasted it yet. This bean meat is cooked yet not spoiled, soft yet not mushy. Chewing it brings forth a mouthful of rich flavor, fragrant with five spices, salty yet fresh, with a slightly sweet aftertaste. If paired with yellow wine, even the Earth God would want to give it a try"

Shen Mo furrowed his brows and took a small sip, but it was not as bitter as he had imagined; instead, it had a hint of sweetness amidst the bitterness. Seeing his brows relax, Shen He happily said: "You have never liked taking medicine since you were young, so I added some apricot blossom honey to it. The doctor said it would help with your recovery." He then assisted him in drinking a bowl of medicine.

However, as fate would have it, Mr. Shen, who first participated in the autumn examination at the age of 19, failed consecutively in four attempts. This is quite normal, as the Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions are renowned for their rich cultural heritage, and Shaoxing Prefecture stands out as a center of literary excellence in southern Jiangsu. In counties such as Yuyao, Kuaiji, and Shanyin, almost every family has children studying, making it a place of hidden talents. Each year, a large number of exceptionally talented scholars compete in the examinations.

This is a placeholder text and does not contain any translatable content.

What happened later was unknown to him. When he slowly awoke, he found himself in an attic. Although the beams of the roof were filled with spider webs and the air was permeated with a decayed, sour odor, it was still much better than the drafty, leaky, dark, and damp grass hut.

Being able to rely on this scholar who eats the imperial rations, Shen He has truly brought honor to his parents

The silent eyes widened in surprise, and Shen He said earnestly: "The sage says: 'Things should not be done more than three times.' The first time is called tasting, the second time is called enjoyment, the third time is called satisfying hunger; eating more than that is gluttony and waste." As he spoke, he winked at him and said: "Go to sleep." Then he blew out the oil lamp and lay down on the table to sleep.

Silent and embarrassed, he had never known that even eating a single bean could evoke such a profound sense of happiness

Ke Shen visited https://www.hetushu.com. A scholar spends his entire life studying; what is the use of not taking exams? Unwilling to accept failure, he took the exams for two more years, and the outcome was evident. Not to mention the precious time wasted, he also squandered his relatively substantial family fortune completely, leading to a life of extreme hardship, subsisting on little more than coarse grains and vegetables, with no sight of any meat.

Is it Zhuang Zhou or the butterfly? Is it the original me or the current silence? He has become completely confused, seeming to be both and neither, or perhaps it can be said that he has already become a brand new silence

He spoke in a hoarse voice with a Wu dialect accent, saying: "Chao Sheng, you must hold on a little longer. Wait for your father to prepare the medicine; once you take it, you will recover."

Last summer, Scholar Shen's wife suffered from heatstroke, and her frail body suddenly collapsed. In order to pay for her medical treatment, he even sold the three-courtyard residence where he originally lived. As a result, he was taken advantage of due to his urgency, and a property worth one hundred taels was forced down to forty taels. Scholar Shen, with his scholarly pride, was unwilling to borrow from relatives and friends, and truly gritted his teeth to sell the property. He rented a cheap small building in a remote alley, settled his wife and children there, and sought medical advice for his wife.

The money flowed out like a stream, and his mother’s illness grew increasingly severe, leaving her bedridden by autumn, and she finally passed away peacefully before the New Year. Shen He used the remaining money to bury his wife, only to find that he could not even afford to rent the cheapest small apartment, so the two of them had no choice but to "live in a humble dwelling".

After gazing at the bean for a long time, Shen He closed his eyes, slowly brought it to his mouth, and began to chew gently, as if savoring it endlessly, unable to extricate himself for a long time

Silence saw him fill a bowl with boiling water, and from a broken bowl, he picked up three greenish-yellow broad beans. After a moment's hesitation, he shook his hand slightly, letting two of them fall back into the bowl, leaving only one held in his hand

The number of places is limited, and the competition is fierce. Individuals like Mr. Shen would have already achieved success elsewhere, but in Shaoxing, he can only serve as a backdrop for others year after year. Later, after his parents passed away one after another, he observed a period of mourning for five years. By the time he was ready to take the exams again, he was already in his thirties, and the prime age for examination had long passed

This text appears to be incomplete or consists solely of symbols. Please provide a complete sentence or text for translation.

Looking through the open window, one can see only a table, a stool, and a bed. On the table sits a dim, black oil lamp, barely illuminating the space between them. A rough porcelain bowl with a chip rests on the long bench, containing eight or nine loquat seeds. A man, dressed in a tattered long robe and with disheveled hair and beard, appears to be in his forties. He squats beside a small clay stove, tending to it while conversing with a teenager lying on the bed opposite him.

Seeing Shen Mo open his eyes and look at himself, Shen He was filled with excitement and joy, exclaiming: "I must sincerely thank Miss Yin; if it weren't for her timely rescue, we would have been separated forever..." As he spoke, his eyes turned red, and tears began to fall.

The situation is indeed absurd, yet it has truly occurred, leaving him unable to face it for several days. However, upon reflection, he realized that as an unmarried orphan, he had no ties and could make a living anywhere. Moreover, having exchanged his original deputy department-level position for this body that is over ten years younger, it seems he has still come out ahead.

After a long while, Shen He slowly opened his eyes, slightly shook his head, and composed a poem: "Cao E brings fresh green beans, Qian Yu and Tong Xing provide fine soy sauce; Inviting skilled cooks from the East Gate, the taste in the mouth is soft and glutinous"

Because there is only a single bed in this room

This is a placeholder text and does not contain any translatable content.