Chapter 1, Atypical Transmigration

After completing a day's work, Zhao Ran returned to his humble earthen house and opened the wooden window. The afterglow of the setting sun streamed into the room, bringing a glimmer of light to the dark space. Zhao Ran, using this little light, served himself a bowl of thin porridge that had been cooked the day before, and rummaged through the ashes of the stove to find two sweet potatoes. After a moment's thought, he put one of them back.

In the twelfth year of the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty, in the third month, in the Long'an Prefecture of the Sichuan Provincial Administration.

Regardless of the circumstances, Zhao Ran ultimately decided to sell the property directly to his fourth uncle, as this would allow him to set a higher price. As for the issue of livelihood, he was no longer willing to consider it. Even if he were to starve, he could not remain trapped in Zhao Village

Zhao Ran is not a native; his desire for land is not as intense as that of farmers who have cultivated it for generations. To be frank, he would absolutely refuse to truly become a farmer who toils in the soil. He is also contemplating whether to simply sell his land and make a living as a traveling merchant, seeking opportunities during his travels, which could also be a viable path. However, this would mean that his identity would shift to that of a merchant, and this world similarly looks down upon merchants. Zhao Ran's desire to join the Daoist sect is not merely for the identity of a fire worker; he is also considering whether selling his land to become a traveling merchant is a feasible option. Yet, this would again make him a merchant, and this world also scorns merchants. Zhao Ran wonders if his merchant background might hinder his development within the Daoist sect. He feels that it is quite likely.

Zhao Village, located one hundred and twenty li east of the county, has the sun setting in the west. Zhao Ran leans on his hoe with both hands, gazing at the rice fields below the ridge, his forehead drenched in sweat

If it were a normalized occurrence of time travel, Zhao Ran might clap his hands in laughter, celebrating his good fortune in winning a grand prize. The ability to play a game where one can wield great power to stand out and even change dynasties is a desire that every time traveler yearns for.

If it were not for the waves of hunger coming from his stomach, Zhao Ran might have felt a bit sentimental at this moment, perhaps reciting a few lines from Tao Yuanming's pastoral verses. However, this hunger truly left him feeling powerless, and Zhao Ran had no inclination to contemplate art. The only thought occupying his mind was a single question: Should he lend this money or not

However, it is regrettable that Zhao Ran can only wrap a coarse linen cloth around his waist, tread in tattered straw sandals, and toil bare-chested in the fields. The Ming Dynasty was fundamentally agrarian, and as a farmer, one must adhere to their duties, diligently working at the bottom of society, contributing to the foundation of the nation. This is Zhao Ran's fate. Yet, how could Zhao Ran, as a time traveler, willingly accept such a fate?

The event that led Zhao Ran to completely abandon his studies was a grand ritual. The clan leader did not survive past seventy years of age and passed away at the end of the year. The newly appointed clan leader, Zhao Ran's fourth uncle, invited several Taoist priests from Qinghe Temple to perform the rituals for a full seven days. Zhao Ran, who was literate and could do calculations, assisted in the accounting at his uncle's house. He witnessed firsthand more than a dozen baskets of fruits and vegetables, dozens of dou of rice, seven live chickens, and three sheep being sent to Qinghe Temple, causing him to have restless nights for several consecutive days.

Only Uncle Zhao was implicated, which made Zhao Ran feel quite guilty

When the ten guan Jiajing Tongbao coins were loaded onto the cart and taken out of Zhao Village, Zhao Ran finally abandoned the thought of studying. He was entirely focused on figuring out how to gain entry into the Daoist sect.

Even the Shiquan County of Long'an Prefecture in the Sichuan Provincial Government, where it is located, cannot be certain whether it is the foremost county for sericulture in the western region between the Qinling and Bashan mountains

Visiting a renowned master to ardently seek the path of immortality is undoubtedly the first choice. For a time traveler, the intensity of this desire requires no explanation; however, the opportunity to cultivate immortality seems exceedingly remote for him

Because there is a Daoist gate in this world

Zhao Ran roughly understands that the Daoist sects are the foundation and pillar of the current dynasty, serving as the behind-the-scenes force in the governance of the world by the authorities. The reason for saying "roughly" is that, given Zhao Sanlang's qualifications, Zhao Ran is unable to comprehend the deeper layers of the "hidden agenda".

From another perspective, even if Zhao Ran still wishes to study hard for the imperial examination, the circumstances at home absolutely do not permit it

Thus, Zhao Ran has been anxiously contemplating for over a month, and even now has not made up his mind

Zhao Ran had also considered borrowing some money from the newly appointed clan leader under the pretext of pursuing his quest for famous mountains. However, although his fourth uncle held the title of "uncle," he clearly did not possess the awareness of being a "relative." The fourth uncle agreed to lend Zhao Ran ten guan of copper coins or twelve taels of silver, but required Zhao Ran's ancestral three acres of land as collateral. In plain terms, the fourth uncle did not believe that Zhao Ran would be able to repay this loan, and Zhao Ran himself felt he could not repay it either, so this loan was essentially equivalent to selling the land.

Zhao Ran was very angry, yet deeply helpless. Not to mention the authority of the clan leader in a patriarchal society, even the several strong young men and servants from his fourth uncle's family were not something Zhao Ran and Uncle Zhao could provoke, let alone the fact that three out of ten families in Zhao Village were tenants of his fourth uncle. Whenever Zhao Ran was infuriated, he would pick up the only broken kitchen knife in his home, ponder for a long time, and then sigh as he put it down. The sixteen years of education in school and twelve years of experience as a civil servant in his previous life had instilled in Zhao Ran a natural habit of carefully considering the consequences before taking action. Unless absolutely necessary, he would never resort to drawing a knife and spilling blood in a fit of rage.

The traversed Zhao Sanlang, or rather Zhao Ran after the traversal, has seen a decline in his academic performance. The reason is simple: Zhao Sanlang not only left Zhao Ran with a physical body but also generously bestowed upon him all the memories in his mind

Thus, Zhao Ran ceased to pursue his studies

The era name remains Jiajing, yet the emperor is no longer Zhu Houzong

Zhao Ran vaguely knew that there seemed to be true immortals within the Daoist sects, and that the cloud-riding and mist-driving, as well as the magical flying swords from novels of his past life, were not merely legends. However, Zhao Ran had never seen them with his own eyes; it was just that people spoke of them this way— from this perspective, these things remained legends, yet they were more credible than in his previous life

Zhao Ran was aware that the clan leader's family was quite affluent, but only upon witnessing it firsthand did he truly comprehend the extent of their wealth. It is worth noting that Zhao Ran had been in this world for over six months and had yet to eat a single piece of meat

Therefore, Zhao Ran's footsteps are inextricably linked to Zhao Village, and seeking a way to join the Daoist sect is merely a delusion. Even inquiring about some news is difficult, as the villagers are impoverished families who have never seen the world, and they are not as knowledgeable as the deceased Zhao Sanlang.

Turning to seek alternatives, even if one cannot learn the way of immortality, it is evident that joining the Daoist sect offers more hope for establishing oneself in this world than joining the government. For Zhao Ran, who had spent over ten years in government departments and was already a substantive official at the deputy department level in his previous life, this choice was a natural and unconsidered decision.

Even though Zhao Ran is a time traveler, he must carefully consider the matter of selling off his assets. The amount of money that his fourth uncle has agreed to lend can sustain Zhao Ran's livelihood for a period of time. If he stays at home and consumes his resources, it could last for more than a year; however, if he ventures out to travel, it would be exhausted in at most six months. This means that Zhao Ran is trading his life for six months of time. If he cannot find an opportunity within that half year, he is very likely to become a starving corpse, becoming a tragic failure of time travel.

It is said that the clan leader comes from the ranks of the fire workers in the Daoist temple, and his vast fortune was accumulated within the temple. After descending from the mountain gate, he was elected as the clan elder upon returning to Zhao Village, and within two years, he took over the position of clan leader. Zhao Sanlang, of course, does not know what a fire worker actually does, but Zhao Ran, being a time traveler, understands without much thought that this identity is likely akin to a handyman in the Daoist sect. The fact that even a handyman can do so well indicates a glimpse of the power of the Daoist sect.

A slender crescent moon hangs on the branches of the old apricot tree in the courtyard, though one cannot tell when it arrived. The myriad stars in the sky accentuate the deepness of the dark distant mountains. Occasionally, unknown mountain birds emit crisp calls, accompanied by the sporadic croaking of frogs, creating a picturesque rural scene

The body that Zhao Ran has traversed into belongs to Zhao Sanlang. What surprises Zhao Ran is that the two share the same name and surname, which inevitably leads him to ponder whether having the same name and surname is one of the necessary conditions for traversing.

The government still governs the people, but no longer possesses absolute authority

However, Zhao Ran indeed witnessed with his own eyes the manner in which the county magistrate, along with local officials and prominent gentry, bowed and scraped before the Taoist priest; that scene left a profoundly deep impression on him

After much contemplation, he couldn't help but smile to himself. He hadn't even touched the threshold of the door, yet he was already fantasizing about future developments. Wasn't that a bit too unrealistic?

The current dynasty is still referred to as the Great Ming, but it is not the Great Ming that Zhao Ran is familiar with, as there are still the Xia Kingdom and Tubo to the west

Unfortunately, the family is impoverished and has no surplus funds. If Zhao Ran were to leave home for twenty miles, he would surely go hungry. If it were not for the assistance of Uncle Zhao, their neighbor, Zhao Ran might not even survive this winter. Even the ancestral three acres of thin farmland have been poorly managed. In the foreseeable future of the next six months, Zhao Ran will still have to rely on Uncle Zhao to make a living

If I borrow the opportunity, can I find a way to enter the Daoist sect? Daoist temples are everywhere, but becoming a Daoist priest is extremely difficult. If the Daoist sect insists on not accepting me—this possibility accounts for ninety percent, or rather, ninety-nine percent—what should I do? How can I manage to infiltrate the Daoist sect? Although I am a traveler from another world, the "ancients" in this world are not fools. Why should I be able to find a way through when the vast majority cannot? Should I rely on the knowledge I had before my journey? Would I be considered a demon or evil and be suppressed by the Daoist sect? Although I am a traveler from another world, the "ancients" in this world are not fools. Why should I be able to find a way through when the vast majority cannot? Should I rely on the knowledge I had before my journey? Would I be considered a demon or evil and be suppressed by the Daoist sect?

If one does not borrow, how can one endure under the chief's coercion? The key is how to gather enough funds. Zhao Ran has never seen a pie falling from the sky, nor does he believe that such good fortune exists. Life experience tells him that only by taking action can one see opportunities—even if such actions are akin to a headless fly flailing about.

However, ever since Zhao Ran disclosed his intention to borrow money to his fourth uncle, the situation gradually slipped out of his control. The irrigation water for the fields was often intercepted by his fourth uncle, forcing Zhao Ran to laboriously fetch water from the stream for irrigation; the plow oxen and lambs from his fourth uncle's household frequently "went missing" in Zhao Ran's fields, leisurely grazing on the seedlings; even his Uncle Zhao, who had been supportive, faced threats and occasionally suffered the same treatment as Zhao Ran.

At the end of last year, Zhao Sanlang's parents both passed away due to illness, and the responsibility of mourning inevitably fell upon Zhao Ran, who occupied Sanlang's body and memories. Due to the mourning period, Zhao Ran could no longer attend school and had to return home to observe the rites. The teacher advised him not to neglect his studies, but it was evident that Zhao Ran did not take this to heart

By the time they finished eating, the room was already shrouded in darkness. Zhao Ran lay down on the bed, and the worn wooden planks creaked several times. He rested his hands behind his head and quietly gazed at the night sky through the wooden window

Behind this decision, it must be said that there is a certain element of luck involved—Zhao Ran feels that since he is a time traveler, he should enjoy a certain degree of protagonist's halo. If he were to truly starve to death halfway through, then...? Zhao Ran cannot help but ask: Author, do you intend to conclude this book after just one chapter?

Before last year, Zhao Sanlang's life was quite promising. His parents lived frugally to support Sanlang's studies at a private school in a neighboring village, and Sanlang did not disappoint their efforts, excelling in his studies. However, Sanlang, who originally had great hopes of passing the childhood scholar examination, was interrupted by Zhao Ran's time travel.