Prologue

Wu Hao strained to lift his neck, looking around. This definitely isn't a hospital... Why does it look like a prison cell?

Two men dressed in round-collared robes, wearing caps and with flowers tucked behind their ears, entered. The light in the prison cell was too dim to discern their features. One of the men approached the dazed Wu Hao, crouched down, and reached out to touch his nostrils. Then, in a very peculiar accent that Wu Hao could nonetheless understand, he said to the other man: "Master Chen, this fellow Wu Haogu has come back to life."

What made Wu Hao feel even more as if he were in a dream was that the memories in his mind told him that it was not the 21st century, but rather the first year of the Yuanfu era of the Zhao family's Song dynasty!

Did I really get caught for violating traffic regulations after an accident? I was just caught, but this cell is rather shabby, isn't it?

A harsh sound rang in Wu Hao's ears as he slowly opened his eyes, surveying the prison cell before him once again

Didn’t it clearly end in a crash? Wu Hao recalled working overtime at the game development company, drawing the original artwork, and only driving home late at night. Perhaps due to extreme fatigue, he felt dizzy on the road and ended up flipping the car over

Did you still get into an accident and damage your brain

Wu Dalang? And Wu Song...

What is this? Wu Hao thought, could it be a soul crossing?

Then, Wu Hao's soul somehow entered this body

Why bother with him? If he dies again, who will go find what the noble wants? His brother knows nothing at all, and he is still a student in the mansion, so it is not good to meddle too much. Moreover, the calligraphy and painting industry has its own rules, and one cannot go too far with it

What treasure? What kind of treasure?

Creak creak

However, he is not the short Wu Dalang who sells pancakes; he does not seem to be short either. He is the young master Wu Dalang of the Wu Family Painting Studio located on Panlou Street in Kaifeng, and Dalang is not his given name. His name is Haogu, and he also has a courtesy name, Chongdao.

In the midst of his confusion, Wu Hao searched through the chaotic fragments of memories in his mind and indeed discovered a wealth of information about precious paintings and calligraphy, including works by Wu Zongyuan, the father and son Huang Quan and Huang Juzhi, Cui Bai, Guo Xi, Li Tang, as well as Mi Fu and Huang Tingjian, and it seemed that they were all authentic pieces

How could there be such absurd memories? These treasures might not even be gathered in the Palace Museum, how could one possibly own them at home

When Wu Hao was in a state of confusion, the man who was called Wang Yasi spoke again, and this time it seemed he was addressing Wu Hao: "Wu Dalang, stop pretending to be dead, get up quickly, today you will be released."

The slanting sun, with its fading red hue, shone through the high-hanging, small prison window into the cell, creating an exceptionally desolate atmosphere

If it were true, one would be a wealthy and handsome tycoon, and would not have to work overtime day and night drawing diagrams. Yet, on the way home while driving...

The man known as Chen Daguangren let out a sigh and said: "Alright, alright, as long as he is alive... Wang Yasi, I never expected this fellow to be so timid; he could be scared to death just by fright."

Master Chen suddenly raised his voice and snorted: "The treasures of the world belong to those of virtue! What virtue do the Wu family possess? Do they deserve to hold such treasures? If you do not hand them over, the suffering of your Wu family has only just begun!"

That's not right

A light rain has just fallen outside, and the gentle spring breeze, carrying a hint of moisture, blows in, dispersing the mold and foul odor that linger in the prison cell, infusing the oppressive atmosphere with the vibrant essence of spring.

Indeed, it is a new body! At least in the chaotic memories of Wu Hao, the vessel in which his soul now resides is not the original one! ... This matter is so bizarre that Wu Hao did not notice that someone had already entered his cell

The official is correct, should we continue to detain them

Upon thinking of the name "Wu Dalang," an astonishing thought suddenly emerged in Wu Hao's mind—he actually considered himself to be Wu Dalang

Measuring only about ten square meters, some dry grass was piled against the earthen wall, and Wu Hao's new body lay weakly on top of it

And... are these treasures really from our own home

What is going on? Am I dreaming?

He is no longer a concept artist in the game production industry of the 21st century, but rather a mere merchant of calligraphy and painting in the Kaifeng Prefecture under the reign of Emperor Zhezong of the Song Dynasty. It seems that due to a rare treasure, the nature of which he himself does not understand, he was captured by the Imperial City Division and imprisoned in the Kaifeng Prefecture jail. As a result, the timid Wu Dalang, who had never encountered any major storms in life, was so frightened in the jail that he unexpectedly passed away.