Chapter 0001: Millennium

Water Dragon Chant · Inscription on "Power Over the South and North"

The wild geese fly in a formation, the longing is unresolved, the yearning is difficult to comprehend

Before the time travel, Li Jincheng, male, born in the 1980s, had no house, no car, and no wife, referred to as "the three nos." Li Jincheng loved studying since childhood, but he just couldn't learn well. His Chinese was decent, but his math and English were a complete mess, making him somewhat of a cripple in academics. As a result, he barely passed the entrance exam for high school. He excelled in history and geography, but his performance in ideological and political education was unbearable, preventing him from becoming a liberal arts student. Fortunately, he managed to do well enough in physics, chemistry, and biology, which allowed him to become a science student. However, he was still burdened by the two mountains of math and English, and he only barely passed the first-tier university entrance exam. According to the evaluations from several of his teachers, this child was smart, but precisely because he was smart, he would study diligently and perform well in subjects he liked, while he always found ways to slack off in subjects he disliked without letting anyone notice.

Instantly, Li Jincheng couldn't help but roll his eyes. If he did not attempt to change and simply remained a carefree, idle traveler in this village, he would eventually have to face another unknown war with great difficulty. Moreover, before that, there were the various means by which Emperor Yang of Sui sought to conscript able-bodied men and squander resources.

The wind rustles the verdant bamboo leaves, and in a house located halfway up the mountain, the window is half-closed, allowing the faint sound of someone coughing to be heard.

By the time he wakes up, he will already be here, having ended his thirty years of mediocrity

This is not fighting fire with fire, this is a matter of life and death

It is truly a chaotic time, and Li Jincheng feels a sense of helplessness akin to wanting to cry without tears. Having lived for so many years in the previous life, he has never actually encountered a living bandit.

Since your departure, I have witnessed the flowers wither in vain, observing the flowers' demise in their entirety

However, what others cannot see is a heart that is tumultuous like a raging sea

The old man received a crisp reply, and the little girl standing beside him blinked her big eyes and nodded, reaching out to hold the old man's sleeve as they walked outside

Half of the Han family's territory is lost, yet the three armies do not retreat, nor does a single man falter

Come, dear child, drink this bowl of water and you will no longer be hysterical; otherwise, your ramblings these past few days have truly been frightening! The voice speaking is quite aged, clearly carrying a Southern accent, yet the words resonate with nothing but concern.

As for this year, it is the ninth year of the Tai Jian era of the Southern Chen and the first year of the Xuan Zheng era of the Northern Zhou (Author's note: the year 578 AD). Although Li Jincheng is not very familiar with the names of these two dynasties, as a top student in history at that time, he is well aware of when this was.

This year I am nineteen years old, and in ten days it will be the ceremony of coming of age.

As the white robes billow, the mountains and rivers are concealed behind, accompanying each other on the crane's back

The Northern and Southern Dynasties. Approximately from the year 500 to 600 AD

The two dynasties in the north and south are locked in a tug-of-war in Huainan and north of the Yangtze River, fighting like a meat grinder, day after day, year after year, and this small village located at the junction of Henan and Huabei is also unable to find peace

Moreover, Li Jincheng's memory reminded him that this village was also not safe

As Li Jincheng slowly lay down, the old man by the bedside smiled and nodded, saying with great satisfaction, "Child, aren't you being good now? This medicine is worth the price of an old hen! A few days ago, you were shouting about 'going back' and 'it was a mistake,' which scared this old man out of his wits. Now, just rest well here. Come on, girl, let the child have a good rest."

As Section Chief Li, who had been skirting the edge for half his life, walked along the riverbank contemplating the future—essentially daydreaming—an oncoming vehicle approached. Once again, it was a near miss; Section Chief Li was not hit, but he lost his footing and fell headlong into the river.

Leaning on the thick bamboo pole that formed the edge of the bed, Li Jincheng slowly sat up

However, Li Jincheng had no choice but to drink it, as he truly did not want to engage in such a futile refusal and struggle, nor did he want to continue reliving this feeling tomorrow

Li Jincheng, lying on the bed, had his eyes closed, as if he were asleep

Although it is a name, it is separated by a thousand years

For instance, they have already clashed with a group of bandits beyond the two mountains to the north three or four times, with both sides suffering casualties. Although that group of bandits ultimately retreated, the elders in the village estimate that they will certainly not let the matter rest.

Birds soar through the sky, and the village, with its rising smoke from cooking, is nestled deep within the bamboo forest

However, he still held back. Although he knew what he was drinking, in order to avoid having a second bowl, Li Jincheng gritted his teeth and held his breath, refusing to say another word, as if opening his mouth would cause the water he had just swallowed to spew out.

With the jingling of the pendant, the wind stirs the flowing garments, casting mottled shadows, as tears fall in pairs.

If one were to truly gather these houses together and calculate their total size, it is likely that it would not even amount to half of an ordinary village in the Central Plains

"The sunlight from fifteen hundred years ago," Li Jincheng murmured, reaching out to gently caress the texture of the bamboo pole, also touching the life from fifteen hundred years ago

......

Sighing at the many trials of the world, I often bid farewell to departing guests at the hall entrance

This bowl of water was originally clear and refreshing mountain spring water, but it became more complicated once the ashes of the talisman were added. The distinct bitterness of inferior paper, the intense burning odor after combustion, and even the faint metallic scent of the talismans' writer's blood, all of these unpleasant elements, which would be off-putting on their own, successfully blended together.

After three days, he gradually adapted to this body, calming down from the initial chaos and confusion, and accepted the memories left by the original owner of this body. Upon reflection, Li Jincheng suddenly felt a sense of shame, realizing that his previous self before the transmigration seemed to have been even more pathetic than the original owner of this body.

Ask the myriad heroes, who can stop the moment

Li Jincheng was not very clear about what exactly happened in this year, but his decent historical knowledge informed him that in less than five years, the Sui Dynasty would be established, and in about ten years, the Chen Dynasty, as the last dynasty of the Southern and Northern Dynasties, would vanish into thin air

... ...

Thus, Li Jincheng was born an orphan

Having arrived in this world for three days, it is less accurate to say that he has perfectly merged with the original owner of this body, and more accurate to say that he has been compelled by the recent medication to acknowledge that he is indeed Li Jincheng, the Li Jincheng of this era, rather than the amateur history enthusiast and incompetent office worker who has already died in an accident.

The sunlight outside is just right, streaming through the window and casting its glow upon him

The green mountains stretch endlessly, and the bamboo sea surges with waves

In this life, Li Jincheng is a child rescued by the village. At that time, his family was fleeing amidst chaos and turmoil; his father had died, and his mother, pregnant with him, ran all the way down the mountain while in a state of extreme weakness. They were saved by the villagers. However, just two months later, his mother gave birth to this child, but she passed away due to the shock she experienced before childbirth and excessive blood loss during delivery

If one could overlook from the sky like a bird, one would discover that the entire village ascends along the mountain slope in layers, with each platform consisting of only two or three houses, constructed from bamboo and thatch, essentially blending into the surrounding bamboo forest, making it nearly impossible to discern how many houses there actually are. The entire village stretches from the mountainside to the summit, and what is essentially a small village appears quite vast as it spreads along the mountain.

After graduating from university, Li Jincheng followed the new trend and pursued further studies, but he barely scraped by and ultimately did not pass the entrance exam. Fortunately, he found a job, but as he struggled and worked hard, the younger generation surpassed him. He remained a senior employee, and after much effort, he finally became a section chief at the age of thirty. However, he was in charge of the company's logistics, officially titled "Chief of Material Management Section," but in less flattering terms, he was merely "the warehouse supervisor." He had only two nearly retired old men under him, with no benefits to speak of, lacking both power and wealth. Now single, the term "useless white-collar worker" seems tailor-made for him.

The long spear pierces the heavens, I sing a song for you, a golden cup stands alone.

Perhaps if one could quietly spend ten years hidden in this village, one could await the arrival of a peaceful and prosperous era... However, upon further reflection, the Sui Dynasty did not last long either, and in one's old age, one would still have to face the turmoil of the Sui and Tang dynasties

In short, it is one thousand five hundred years before the era in which Li Jincheng once lived

If it were not for the guiding smoke and laughter, perhaps no one would believe that in these deep mountains, far from the bustling world, there are still villages and traces of people. Yet, often human life is so humble and resilient, capable of taking root and flourishing in any corner of the world, including these remote mountains.

However, he is not alone, as many people in the village share his identity. The villagers have saved countless lives in the repeated wars that have torn the north from the south. Li Jincheng is quite remarkable; at least he knows his own birthday

The warm spring sunlight bathes every inch of the land, enveloping and nourishing all things in the world. The curling smoke from cooking drifts westward in the spring breeze, and faintly, one can hear the joyful laughter of children playing in the water in the mountain stream

The sound of coughing still echoed, but evidently the person drinking water no longer resisted, simply drinking while allowing the old man to gently offer comfort

Lying on a bed made of bamboo, Li Jincheng's face was pale and gray, and one could even say he was in tears. The burning pain in his throat and the bitter taste that kept rising made him feel as if he wanted to vomit the sour bile and bitterness from his stomach.

To speak frankly, Li Jincheng truly does not possess any grand ambitions of "heroes emerging in chaotic times". However, even for the sake of survival, he must stand up and step out. Even if it is just to live his later years more freely.