Chapter One, This is the Great Tang

Li Jing was initially perplexed by all this wonder, but after a night of contemplation, his usual open-mindedness led him to understand that although he did not know how he had arrived here, it was already impossible to return.

The wind blows, gradually dusting the clothes with a touch of coolness. The autumn sky is high and clear, with light clouds and a gentle breeze. A few birds flying south disappear into the sky, searching for their winter home. On the horizon, several clouds are tinged with crimson, falling directly into view, bright and clear. In sight, in the village, the walls of houses built from piled stones rise high, topped with thatched roofs made of sea grass, their peaks sharp like stacks, in a light brown hue with grayish tones, exuding a deep and ancient charm.

Now, the newly crowned Li Jing has become the pillar of this family, which is marked by a tumultuous fate

It is a pity that misfortunes do not come alone; within a short span of just over ten years, the Li family has lost three of its main men, a blow that is immensely heavy for the Li family

Shaking the layered robe on his body, Li Jing seemed to be engulfed in the swirling dust illuminated by the golden sunset

In addition to them, there is a new servant girl named Wan'er at home, who is one year older than Fifth Sister and has just reached the age of coming-of-age this year

This is the Tang Dynasty! Li Jing silently sighed in his heart. Although he had not been in this world for long, the memories of the past twenty years that he had received in his mind were unmistakable.

Li Jing's family consists of a widowed mother, two widowed sisters-in-law, two unmarried younger sisters, a maid named Wan'er, and Li Jing himself, totaling seven members. In this household of seven, only Li Jing remains as the sole man.

Li Jing nodded and smiled at the young girl. She was Wan'er, who, nine years ago, had crossed over from Silla to Dengzhou with her family to seek refuge with relatives. However, with eight children plus their parents, there were ten people in the family, and they had no money, making it difficult to survive. Later, her father sent the three younger sisters, including Wan'er, to work as maids for others, which was a way to ensure their survival. Yet, life was hard for everyone; even if one did not have to pay for a maid, most people could not afford to feed them. Eventually, Wan'er's family learned that the Li family was relatively well-off, and they brought their children to plead desperately for a chance at survival. Li's mother, being kind-hearted and unable to bear such a pitiful sight, ultimately took Wan'er in.

Under the twilight, the village is painted in vibrant colors, resembling an ink wash painting, immersed in the dusk, as if in a dream.

Li Jing stood at the entrance of the siheyuan, gazing somewhat absentmindedly at the not-so-straight village road. The autumn wind stirred the dry grass leaves by the roadside, swirling and dancing, along with the dust on the dirt road rising and scattering.

However, all of this is far removed from Li Jing, who is currently just an ordinary commoner in a small village by the sea in Dengzhou, Henan Province. He has an elderly mother who is fifty years old and two sisters-in-law, both of whom are also widows. Besides his two deceased older brothers, he has five sisters, three of whom have already been married off to families in the vicinity. Currently, there are still two younger sisters at home who have not yet married; the fourth sister, Wan Jing, is sixteen this year and has already reached the age of maturity, while the fifth sister, Wan Ting, is also fourteen this year. According to the customs of the late Tang dynasty, both of them have reached the age for marriage.

Elder brother Li Yan became a pillar of the family, but four years ago, Pang Xun led the troops from Guilin to rebel, making his way back to Xuzhou with a path of bloodshed. Li Yan was conscripted by the authorities as a laborer to transport grain to Xuzhou, but once he went, he never returned, dying at the age of twenty-two

Li Jing, well-versed in the history of the Tang Dynasty, naturally understood that this Li Xuan was only twelve years old this year, another emperor supported by eunuchs during the late Tang period. He would also be the third-to-last emperor of the great Tang, and it was not far from the establishment of the Later Liang after the fall of the Tang.

Since we have come, we shall make ourselves comfortable

The sound of footsteps approached from the courtyard behind. Li Jing turned around to find a youthful woman in a gray ru skirt standing before him. She had a slender figure and a slightly pale oval face, with delicate features and a pleasing appearance. Unfortunately, she appeared rather frail. At a glance, Li Jing could tell that this was due to the girl being in her growth phase, yet her nutrition was insufficient, compounded by the need for prolonged labor, which had resulted in her current condition

As the sun sets in the west, wisps of smoke rise into the sky above Wangli Village, accompanied by the barking of dogs and the cries of children, while the villagers who have been working outside begin to return one after another

This is the Great Tang, in the fourteenth year of the Xiantong era. Xiantong is the era name of Emperor Yizong, who is the seventeenth emperor of the Great Tang, following Wu Zetian, with the temple name Li Zhuang. Since the temple name has already been established, it is evident that Li Zhuang has passed away. In July of this year, Li Zhuang passed away, and the current emperor, Li Yan, has officially changed his name to Li Xuan, becoming the eighteenth emperor of the Great Tang.

He arrived in the Tang Dynasty, but only caught the last train of the Tang Dynasty

Li Jing's father, Li Gang, was once a minor official of no repute. When he was seven years old, Li Gang served as a county clerk in Tancheng, located in eastern Zhejiang. That year, the people of Yuezhou, led by Qiu Fu, rebelled in Zhejiang and captured Tancheng, resulting in Li Gang's death amidst the chaos of the uprising.

However, after he整理了 the memories of that original body in his mind, he couldn't help but sigh.

In later generations, Li Jing was originally a student who had completed a six-year integrated program at the National University of the Republic, majoring in Chinese Studies, and was about to graduate. He was a refined and cultured student. However, in this life, although Li Jing possessed a strong physique, he had actually been learning under the guidance of his father, Li Gang, from a young age. After losing his father at the age of seven, he continued his studies with his mother, who also had considerable literary accomplishments.

Li Yu and those three young men were lost just like that. Although Li Jing escaped with his life at that time, upon returning, the knife wounds on his body flared up, and he suffered from a persistent high fever. The doctor had already shaken his head, declaring there was no hope. Just as the family was preparing the coffin, Li Jing unexpectedly woke up. However, no one knew that this awakened Li Jing was no longer the same Li Jing from before.

This is also the great Tang dynasty, the great Tang dynasty where one cannot even have enough to eat!

Second brother Li Yu is only one year older than Li Jing. Just a few days ago, Wang the blacksmith from the same village was preparing to build a seaweed house next year, and his son came to invite the brothers Li Jing and Li Yu to the seaside to collect seaweed. As a result, they happened to encounter a group of government salt officers pursuing a group of salt smugglers at the beach. It is unclear whether it was a genuine case of mistaken identity or if the salt officers intended to kill innocents to gain merit. That day, four out of the five young men from Wang and Li villages who went along were killed. Li Jing narrowly escaped with his life, thanks to his brother's protection, as he jumped into the sea.

Until now, Li Jing still found it hard to believe all of this. However, he had already looked into the bronze mirror at home countless times. Although the mirror was not very clear, it still made him realize that the body he currently possessed was not his original self. This was a strange body, standing over 6 feet tall, with sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes, red lips and white teeth. His long hair was tied up in a bun, and there was a slight stubble emerging from his chin. The strong physique and robust build showcased the demeanor of a young man from the Tang Dynasty who had just come of age.

By the year of his elder brother's passing, he had already received a letter of recommendation from the state and county, becoming a local tribute scholar, preparing to travel to the capital for the imperial examination. However, after the elder brother's death, the sixteen-year-old Li Jing ultimately chose to stay behind to handle his elder brother's funeral affairs, and from then on, he and his second brother took on the entire burden of the family.

The attire I am wearing is Tang clothing, and the place before me is also the Great Tang

This is the great Tang Dynasty, a prosperous era that many long for. As a Chinese person, being able to come to such a time, and as a student of the National Academy, after the confusion and panic, what rises in Li Jing's heart is more excitement and exhilaration.

This is a long robe made of white linen with a round neckline and straight hem, complemented by a leather belt around the waist. Additionally, the outfit includes a gauze cap on the head and black leather boots, making this attire a standard representation of men's clothing during the Tang Dynasty

In recent years, he has been shouldering the entire burden of the family alongside his second brother, while also beginning to learn martial arts. Although Li Jing's father, Li Gang, was a scholar and a civil servant, the ancestors of the Li family for several generations were minor military officials in the Ziqing Pinglu Army. However, after an incident occurred, the entire family moved from Qingzhou to the coastal Shandong Peninsula.

He indeed arrived in the Tang Dynasty, but it was not during the prosperous era of the Tang, neither the Zhenguan era of the early Tang nor the Kaiyuan era that followed, nor even during the revitalization period of Emperor Xianzong. He did not even reach the minor Zhenguan era of Emperor Xuanzong.

"Let's go inside together," Li Jing said to the young girl. As they returned to the house, Li Jing walked ahead while Wan'er lagged two steps behind, turning back to look at this frail girl, and Li Jing felt a myriad of emotions in his heart

Although in name Wan'er is a maid of the Li family, Lady Li has always treated her like a foster daughter, providing her with clothing and food just like her own daughters. However, the Li family is currently facing difficulties, especially this year with a drought followed by a locust plague, resulting in crop failures for every household. It is already quite fortunate to have enough food to eat.

This is Wangli Village, Qingning Township, Wendeng County, Dengzhou, Pinglu Town, Ziqing, Henan Road, in the Great Tang Dynasty

Saburo, have you had dinner