Chapter One, Greetings to the Zhenguan Era
One should truly be grateful to the old man for not throwing this burden into the well while Li Su was still in her confinement and then remarrying, which clearly demonstrates how benevolent and righteous the peasant man is
I was born so handsome and fair, yet my family is out of food!" Li Su murmured to herself with a grim expression
Li Su certainly did not stand firm, sighing across the table: "Father, can we reason this out?"
Moments later, a roar erupted from the dilapidated and humble little house, a sound as thunderous as a landslide, articulated in the precise and resonant dialect of Guanzhong.
Li Su is being beaten
Reluctantly returning home, Li Su carefully surveyed the situation and discovered her father lying on the bed fully clothed, unsure whether he was asleep or not
A simple bed, a worn low table, a broken plow head used for farming, and a battered iron pot with chipped edges, along with two ceramic bowls and two pairs of chopsticks
In the tenth year of the Zhenguan era, a severe drought struck Guanzhong, leading to a poor harvest. Despite the government and landlords repeatedly lowering grain rents, the peasant households still struggled to make ends meet. Emperor Li Shimin, accompanied by the entire court of civil and military officials, burned memorials and prayed to the heavens in front of the Taiji Palace, crying out for the heavens to show mercy and grant a few drops of rain. Moved by the moment, over a thousand officials and subjects wept bitterly.
"To be honest, I am not good with words, but today I just want to beat you to death!" After saying this, the old man fiercely swung the rattan several times, the sound of it cutting through the air made people change color.
Thinking of this, the resentment from having been beaten during the day inexplicably diminished significantly
In the tenth year of the Zhenguan era of the Tang Dynasty, this was a magnificent and grand epoch. Six years ago, Li Shimin washed away the humiliation of the Weishui Alliance with swords and blood, capturing the Eastern Turkic Khagan, Qieli. The military might of the Tang Dynasty finally began to reveal its formidable edge, one that was daunting to behold.
From time to time, the farmers from the same village would brush past, smiling at Li Su, and the meaning behind their smiles made him wish he could slap their faces with the soles of his shoes
"Will you change it, to put it plainly?" A hint of expectation was revealed in the old man's gaze
Die, you coward!
His mind is in turmoil, and he still does not adapt to this young body, always feeling awkward all over
Continuing like this is not a solution, so Li Su decided to break the deadlock
It is completely empty inside, not a single grain of millet can be found
The reason for being beaten today is not complicated at all
In the same year, the spirited Li Shimin lost his beloved Empress Changsun, a woman who has received the highest praise throughout history. With her lifelong image of virtue and gentleness, she perfectly took her final bow in the eyes of the world
Lack of manners
An unexpected accident, a spirited middle-aged man, inexplicably arrived in this unfamiliar era, entering the body of a fifteen-year-old boy.
In a humble household, there emerged such a shameless individual, no, a person of excessive pride, how could the father not be filled with rage? Thus, he seized the nearest rattan stick, ready to deliver justice and eliminate this ungrateful offspring beneath his blows
Li Su cried out in pain, rising to save herself, taking a few steps to evade the sudden onslaught of the vine's shadows, maneuvering around the only old table in the house while dodging her father on both sides
Regardless of the time or place, who could resist taking a glance at such an extraordinarily handsome man who is a sight to behold
Although there may have been thoughts of it, given the miserable state of the household, coupled with the burden of Li Su, who is already fifteen years old, it is likely that no woman would be willing to marry into this situation
In the winter of this year, Li Su arrived
It is only natural for a father to discipline his son, regardless of the era. There are many such unreasonable yet accepted practices, such as "beating children on a cloudy day, since there is nothing else to do," and also, "a filial son emerges from under the stick," as well as, "if you don't spare the rod, you won't catch the wolf"
It is not acceptable to ignore it, after all, he is his biological father. Throwing him into the well as a form of revenge is rather impolite
... ...
Although I have such an impolite and uncultured father, we are ultimately dependent on each other as father and son, and I cannot let him starve to death
The father and son circled around the table persistently for several rounds, and the situation reached a stalemate
A black and purple vine was grasped in the hand of Li Su's father, swung with great force, exuding a vigorous energy, reminiscent of a general beheading an enemy commander amidst a thousand horses. With a single stroke of the vine, it landed forcefully on Li Su's backside, producing a sharp crack.
Despite the lack of any causal logic between the two, this is how Li Su feels at present
The emperor is the Son of Heaven, the child of the Almighty, but it is highly likely that Li Shimin was born to Uncle Wang, who lives next door to the Almighty, thus the Almighty does not intend to grant Li Shimin this favor
Immersed in complex thoughts, Li Su did not realize how long she had been sitting by the river until the gradually darkening sky enveloped the heavens. Finally, Li Su came to her senses, looked up at the sky, sighed, and then stood up
This directly resulted in Li Su's family running out of grain before the spring sowing had even begun
What could be more important to the hearts of the people fleeing from war than the two words "peace"?
Thus, Li Su took a second glance, a third glance...
... ...
... ...
Li Su finally burst out of her home, walking unevenly along the rural paths of the fields.
By the river, a smooth stone was moved. Li Su carefully brushed off the fine dust from the surface of the stone until it was completely clean. After that, she squatted by the river and vigorously washed her hands. Only after completing all this did Li Su sit on the stone and fall into a daze
There are no women in the household. It is said that the mother passed away during childbirth when giving birth to Li Su. Since then, the father and son have relied on each other for companionship, and the father has no intention of remarrying
Upon lifting the lid of the rice jar, Li Su's expression changed.
Early in the morning, Li Su got up to fetch water from the well, preparing to fill the water tank at home. After carrying a few buckets, he suddenly saw his reflection in the water tank—these days, poor families struggle to have three meals a day, and items like copper mirrors are simply unaffordable. As he gazed at his handsome face rippling gently with the water's surface, Li Su was momentarily entranced. He realized he was quite handsome, not only handsome but also fair-skinned. What was striking was that he even possessed a hint of melancholic charm.
Father, if you think I have done something wrong, can't you just say it directly? Li Su helplessly tried to reason with this unreasonable father, her tone very sincere
However, it is ultimately still too unfamiliar
The village is not large, with only a little over one hundred households. It is located downstream of the Jing River, under the jurisdiction of Jingyang County, and is very close to the capital city of Chang'an, approximately sixty li away. The village did not have a name initially. Over one hundred years ago, during the Northern and Southern Dynasties, families fleeing from the Turkic invasions in the far north migrated here. By fortunate chance, they found this fertile plain by the banks of the Jing River. A few households grew into a dozen, and eventually, over one hundred households settled together. Several respected elders convened and decided to name the village "Taiping." Later, when the Sui Dynasty unified the country and ended the chaotic times, the name of Taiping Village was officially recorded by the authorities, and this name has continued to the present day in the Tang Dynasty during the Zhenguan era.
"You little brat, stop right there, or I'll make you regret it!" The old man panted heavily, glaring fiercely at Li Su
To be honest, Li Suzhen felt that her father should seriously reflect on himself, questioning why a nearly forty-year-old man has ended up in such failure. With this little wealth, it seems that even a beggar on the street could stand tall in front of the father and son, pretending to be wealthy.
The father and son were suddenly enveloped in a brief silence
Standing in front of the empty rice jar, Li Su's expression was one of fluctuating emotions.
These constitute the entirety of a family
Li Su's father, of course, also bears the surname Li, and his name is Li Daozheng. It is quite strange that an ordinary peasant man has such a profound and cultured name, which raises significant doubts. Li Su once suspected that his origins must be of extreme wealth and nobility, but his father and that distinguished family deliberately made him live in this impoverished peasant household to test his character. They intended to wait until he completed various trials such as 'tormenting his mind, laboring his muscles, and starving his body' before bringing him back to enjoy wealth and honor, thus leading a splendid life of teasing the daughters of peasant families with his lackeys. However, his father and that distinguished family, in order to test his character, intentionally made him live in this impoverished peasant household, waiting for him to complete various trials such as 'tormenting his mind, laboring his muscles, and starving his body' before bringing him back to enjoy wealth and honor, thus leading a splendid life of teasing the daughters of peasant families with his lackeys.
At the end of the field lies a small hillock, on which several ginkgo trees, thick enough to embrace, are planted. Beside the hillock flows the famous Jing River of Guanzhong, where thin sheets of ice float on the water in winter, quietly drifting with the current
After the old man snorted twice in anger, his expression softened slightly. The son, slippery as an eel, had evaded him for a while, and now he was somewhat exhausted from the chase, showing signs of wanting to back down gracefully.
Look at these nonsensical words that have been passed down for countless years, what has the child done to deserve this?
This is a dilapidated home, very poor and very bitter, aptly described as "a house with bare walls"
Li Su stood by the riverbank, silently watching the flowing water, feeling somewhat melancholic
Undeniably, this is a healthy body, young and full of vitality, certainly free from bad habits such as smoking, excessive drinking, and indulgence in lust. Apart from being slightly frail, it is incomparably better than the body from his previous life, which had been drained by tobacco, alcohol, and sensual pleasures.
Of course not, I am afraid you might get sick from holding it in...
Even if it is entirely justified for a father to discipline his son, Li Su has only been in this unfamiliar era for three days. Within the body of a fifteen-year-old lies the soul of someone over thirty. More importantly, he is not even familiar with his current father. How can two strangers coexist? Even if they cannot treat each other with utmost respect, it is unacceptable to resort to such violent measures.
From one's own body to every blade of grass and tree in sight, and then to the entire purely agricultural society that, in Li Su's eyes, is hardly better than primitive society, everything feels so strange as if in a dream; one seems merely a passerby, observing the joys and sorrows of the world with a detached gaze
This glance alone revealed that a little more than half an hour had passed, and Li Su was deeply engrossed in his own handsome appearance, completely oblivious to the old man's face, which was sitting on the threshold and twitching incessantly
Old Dad sneered; he is a typical man from Guanzhong, preferring to take action rather than make a fuss.
... ...
Three days later, Li Su realized that she had indeed overthought things; the shattering of her beautiful dreams left her in tears
Holding a ceramic jar, Li Su sighed as she walked to the rice jar and began to prepare dinner