Chapter 3: The First Day of the Ming Dynasty

Chen Xie was fortunate; while the derogatory terms were still brewing, the watch vibrated, and the screen displayed a line of text again: something happened. Everything is in the bag; you do not need to see it. Before it is exhausted, all you can see are these. Alright, I will enter a dormant state. For the next month, if you do not return to the modern society's distant view, do not disturb my slumber

Seeing this, Chen Xie could not help but raise his hand and say: "Wait a moment, what illness does the old gentleman have? I have some knowledge of medicine and possess a few remedies that might be of assistance."

Feeling that he had finally regained a bit of face, Chen Xie mustered his courage, shouldered his large denim backpack, and strode forward with determination. After taking a few steps, he realized that the weight seemed to be only about thirty to forty pounds; how could so many items weigh so little? Never mind!

I see, thank you for your guidance, sir. However, how should I enter that Dengzhou city? Chen Xie felt a bit dizzy; that damned shuttle had left him in this place, and it was still a military town. To enter a city, one still needed a letter of introduction

Hastily making his way back, he did not expect that halfway through, the axle broke. It would take at least ten miles to walk back, and Zhang Yao certainly would not be able to manage it, so he had no choice but to send a servant on horseback to return and fetch a carriage. While waiting, he saw a young man dressed in peculiar attire approaching. At first glance, he thought nothing of it; the young man wore a short shirt, likely a common traveling merchant. However, as he drew closer, it became apparent that this young man possessed a very special aura—how should one put it? He was particularly confident! Moreover, upon closer inspection of his clothing, something seemed off. The short shirt, with its black and white checkered pattern, was not something that could be easily dyed (a checkered T-shirt). Looking at his pants (durable denim), they were of an unusual shade of blue, one that had never been seen in the entire Denglai region, and the fabric appeared exceptionally sturdy. Looking down at his feet, he wore a pair of shoes (special sports shoes bought on sale) with a particularly unique style; the ease with which he walked indicated that these shoes were extraordinary. The fabric of his clothing was unlike anything seen in the books, and it was evidently very durable. Observing the large bag slung over his back, which matched the color of his pants and had an extremely odd design, he noticed that despite carrying such a large bag, the young man showed no signs of fatigue. At first glance, this youth resembled a monk, but upon closer inspection, he was tall, with a fair complexion, and appeared impeccably clean, clearly not someone from a family that lived on wild vegetables and coarse bread. As for his attire, it was not that of a monk, and it was unclear where he came from.

"In this way, will it not implicate you, sir?" Chen Xie still had a sense of conscience and did not disregard others' lives. Zhang Yao laughed heartily and said, "In Dengzhou City, I still have a bit of face. Young sir, please do not be anxious. I will send someone to take you to the yamen to clarify your background. I, Zhang, will ensure that you can move about freely in Dengzhou."

The horse-drawn carriage moves very slowly, not because the horse cannot run, but because the road is too poor, filled with potholes and uneven surfaces. It is hard to tell how long it has been since it was last repaired. This dirt road becomes impassable when it rains, and there is a high likelihood of getting stuck in a pit.

Zhang Yao's expression changed in shock, and she immediately grasped Chen Xie's hand like a drowning rat seizing a lifeline, urgently asking: "The doctor said my father has tuberculosis; do you have any way to treat it?"

So it turns out to be Dengzhou, which is indeed the Jiaodong Peninsula. Chen Xie’s geographical knowledge is fairly decent. After muttering to himself, he clasped his hands towards Zhang Yao and said: "In that case, thank you, sir. I shall head to Dengzhou now."

Zhang Yao saw him turn and leave, and she was certain he had no ulterior motives, which indicated that what he said was true. She quickly raised her hand to stop him and said, "Brother Chen, wait!" Chen Xie halted and turned back, his eyes filled with questions and a hint of caution. It is said that the late Ming Dynasty was very chaotic, with local tyrants and corrupt gentry everywhere. Many gentry colluded with bandits, oppressing the local populace. The Chongzhen era was even more tumultuous, with both the Jurchens and the wandering bandits, a typical era of chaos. It is said that the late Ming Dynasty was very chaotic, with local tyrants and corrupt gentry everywhere. Many gentry colluded with bandits, oppressing the local populace. The Chongzhen era was even more tumultuous, with both the Jurchens and the wandering bandits, a typical era of chaos.

Upon returning from the Americas, having traveled countless miles through numerous hardships, with all companions perishing at sea, the moment I set foot on my homeland was truly a mix of emotions. Chen Xie delivered his concluding remarks, and Zhang Yao listened attentively, not detecting any clues. He was uncertain whether the Americas existed, but he was certain that the West did. In Dengzhou, there were indeed some Frenchmen from the Guangdong region of Haokeng.

After carefully reading through these words, Chen Xie felt a sense of emotion; this guy is not entirely without merit. A line of text quickly flashed on the screen: Do not use derogatory terms towards me again, or I will initiate the program to lower the service level.

Chen Xie was not polite; being new to the place, he was completely in the dark. It was a good thing that someone was willing to guide him. After all, with a pistol in hand, it was unlikely that the swords and clubs of the Ming Dynasty would be able to stop him. This young man was not foolishly bold; rather, he had little choice. He secretly reminded himself to be cautious and to take one step at a time.

Chen Xie was fully prepared for such irresponsible actions by the shuttle. He touched the holster at his waist and recalled the famous saying, "The hard one is still there." Back during military training, he had bribed the instructor with a pack of Lihun cigarettes and fired a handgun, humph!

I see, in that case, the young man must know about the Franks. Zhang Yao made one last attempt to probe, after all, Chen Xie had an unknown background, so it was worth probing once more

"So it is Mr. Zhang, may I ask where this place is?" When Chen Xie asked this question again, Zhang Yao felt a bit confused, thinking to herself, you don't seem to be new here, how could you not even inquire about the place? Upon careful consideration, she felt she had found the answer; this young man's attire, not to mention ordinary people, even she herself felt a bit inclined to avoid him.

I promise! '' Chen Xiexin felt a sudden panic and raised his hand to indicate his concession. A smiley face appeared on the screen, gradually fading.

"Tuberculosis? Yes, it is pulmonary tuberculosis. There is treatment; I have streptomycin with me. However, the treatment duration is relatively long, and it is estimated that it will take at least six months to recover. Even if one recovers, it may not be completely eradicated. In the autumn and winter seasons, if one is not careful, it can easily relapse. In any case, one will definitely not die within three to five years."

At that moment, a carriage approached from the opposite side. Zhang Yao smiled and said, "The carriage has arrived; we might as well get on and talk while we travel"

Zhang Yao is a well-known gentleman in Dengzhou City. He has a manor outside the city and received news from the servants at the manor early in the morning, stating that his elderly father’s illness has recurred. In the past, the illness was more severe during the autumn and winter seasons, but this year it has flared up in the height of summer, indicating that he should prepare for the final arrangements.

Historically, only the Portuguese managed to stay in Macau through deceitful means during the Ming Dynasty, and Chen Xie was aware of this. As for whether Macau was previously called Haoging, Chen Xie did not know. Whether he knew or not is not the main point; Chen Xie felt that it would not be difficult to deceive a Ming Dynasty individual who had a fundamentally incorrect understanding of the world.

Is the gentleman referring to the Portuguese? There are nearly a hundred countries in the West, including Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, England, France, and so on. These Westerners all look quite similar, yet they speak different languages. Generally speaking, English is the primary lingua franca. Chen Xie pretends to understand but is actually misleading; in reality, English has always been the language of the unrefined in Europe, while French is the mainstream language. Currently, Spain is the dominant power in Europe, and the British Isles and their pirates have nothing to do with it. In fact, English has always been the language of the unrefined in Europe, while French is the mainstream language. Currently, Spain is the dominant power in Europe, and the British Isles and their pirates have nothing to do with it.

When the car stopped in front of a large courtyard, an elderly man hurriedly approached and said: "The master has returned, the doctor left a message, it is tuberculosis, the old master is likely not to survive this winter"

As Chen Xie continued forward, he soon arrived at the front of the carriage. A middle-aged man dressed like a certain wealthy gentleman from a movie, accompanied by two servants wearing patched short shirts, looked at Chen Xie with expressions of surprise rather than suspicion. The middle-aged man even took the initiative to step forward and clasped his hands, saying: "This young man, please!"

Brother Chen returned across the sea from the Americas, and it seems he does not have a travel permit. Dengzhou is a military garrison, and there are soldiers checking at the city gate. Without a travel permit, one might be mistaken for an Eastern barbarian spy and captured. These rough men are brutal and unreasonable; capturing Brother Chen could yield them a small profit, so why wouldn't they take the opportunity? Zhang Yao's words were understood by Chen Xie. In the Ming Dynasty, one needed a local introduction letter to travel. Without such a document, soldiers could legally rob travelers. If he were truly a local, it would be one thing, but Chen Xie is a time traveler from your mother’s era; who would come to his aid then?

"If Brother Chen goes like this, he probably won't be able to enter the city," Zhang Yao explained with a smile. Chen Xie, puzzled, asked, "What do you mean by that?"

This gentleman has introduced himself, I am Chen Xie, a descendant of the Southern Song loyalists from across the ocean in America. Seeing you here, may I inquire your esteemed name? This is the identity that Chen Xie has prepared, and it is likely that this country bumpkin cannot discern any flaws.

With a sigh of relief, Chen Xie finally had the opportunity to examine his luggage. He opened his denim backpack and noticed that the contents had changed. The box was still there, but the instant noodles had been reduced to one pack, the canned goods to one can, and various medicines and supplies were now only as numerous as the books. Chen Xie felt a bit anxious; was this all there was? What happened to the other supplies?

In other words, Zhang Yao completely did not understand these matters, and upon hearing him speak in what seemed to be a very knowledgeable manner, she believed him.

Two people were chatting in the car, with Zhang Yao asking about the background and Chen Xie responding. Fortunately, Chen Xie had prepared quite thoroughly beforehand, conveying the general idea that he is a descendant of the remnants of the Southern Song Dynasty, having traveled thousands of miles to trace his roots, enduring countless hardships, and finally returning to his homeland

Zhang Yao from Dengzhou speaks excellent Mandarin. The Mandarin of the Ming Dynasty is based on the Nanjing dialect (some say it is the Fengyang dialect). Chen Xie’s hometown is only about 200 kilometers from Nanjing, so his accent is significantly influenced. To Zhang Yao, who is from Shandong, it sounds like Mandarin. In reality, it is not very standard; it is just somewhat close.

Zhang Yao was struck as if by lightning, her body swayed for a moment, nearly losing her balance, and the rosy hue of her plump face drained of color

The vehicle swayed as it entered a village, and along the way, several emaciated villagers bowed their bodies to greet Zhang Yao. Zhang Yao, quite haughty, held her head high and nodded slightly, as if that sufficed as a greeting.

Seeing the young man approaching, Zhang Yao decided to take action

If the young man trusts Zhang, he might as well follow me along the way. I will return later, and the young man can enter the city with me.

Hehe, this is Dengzhou Prefecture. If you turn around and walk ten miles along the main road, you will reach Dengzhou. Zhang is from there and is just about to head to his own village. Unfortunately, the axle of the cart broke halfway, so Brother Chen can take his time. Although Zhang Yao was curious about Chen Xie's background and wanted to chat with him to relieve his boredom, he found it exceedingly dull waiting. This young man clearly appeared to be well-educated; although his attire was somewhat peculiar, everything he wore was unusual, such as the watch on his wrist, which Zhang Yao had never seen before. Zhang Yao's words also carried a hint of probing, as he observed Chen Xie's reaction.