Chapter 1: The End of the Sui Dynasty, Hello

"Mother." Li Xin gazed at the woman before him; the ravages of time could not obscure her former beauty. This was his mother in this world. He had originally been an ordinary physical education teacher, influenced by the online stories of female teachers, and had boldly written in his resignation letter, "The world is so vast, I want to see it." He set off on his journey as a traveler, only to find himself caught in the Nepal earthquake while climbing the world's highest peak, falling into a snow cave. When he awoke, he found himself in the ancient Sui Dynasty.

However, what brought great joy to Li Xin was having a good mother. In the Li residence, his mother, Gao Mingyue, did not gain favor simply because she gave birth to Li Xin. The main reason was that Li Xiong's legitimate wife, Liu, was arrogant and domineering, and she did not want Li Xiong to associate with other women, let alone have a so-called illegitimate son. Thus, she harbored a deep disdain for Li Xin's existence and secretly plotted against Gao. Unexpectedly, Li Xin was resilient and managed to come into this world, but the effects of the poison were evident; he was born a fool. This only intensified Li Xiong's disdain for both Li Xin and his mother.

"Come, come, take your medicine." Gao Mingyue quickly brought over the traditional Chinese medicine, took a soup spoon, gently blew on it a few times, and then offered it to Li Xin, her gaze filled with affection

"Xiner, Xiner." The composure on the woman's face vanished without a trace, replaced by panic and surprise

Li Xin also discerned an expression of disbelief in his gaze. A thought crossed his mind; perhaps the unfortunate fate of this body was closely related to this Li Peiran.

Hmph! Madam, do you not know why my son has become a fool?" The voice of Wenhe from m.hetushu.com suddenly rose in pitch, clearly indicating that there were hidden reasons behind the young man's transformation into a fool

"What nonsense are you talking about?" Li Peiran's eyes revealed a hint of panic, and he couldn't help but take two steps back, pointing at Li Xin and saying, "What does it have to do with me if you were beaten by someone!"

"Good, good." Gao Mingyue nodded repeatedly, raised her head, gently wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, and said: "It makes your mother very happy that you can come back to life. By the way, this is the medicine that Doctor Yao from Dongmen prescribed for you. Doctor Yao is a renowned physician in Shouyang; over the years, we have relied on him, otherwise, the silver earned by your mother would not have sustained us until now"

On the bed in the chamber, a young man lay with a pale complexion. If it were not for the faint rise and fall of his chest, one might have thought that he had long since ceased to breathe

Over the years, the reason Li Xin has been able to survive is entirely due to the exquisite needlework of the Gao family, which has nurtured him to adulthood. However, not long ago, Li Xin was ambushed and struck on the head with a wooden stick, falling into a coma that lasted until now. Gao's family was heartbroken; although the Li family had even prepared a coffin, Gao insisted on treatment, and unexpectedly, it truly brought Li Xin back to life

"Xiner, are you alright?" Gao Mingyue felt an overwhelming joy and couldn't help but embrace Li Xin, crying uncontrollably. Years of hard work and struggles erupted all at once; even though she had a noble character, she finally let it all out at this moment

Li Xin not only did not feel any awkwardness, but instead felt warmth. This is maternal love; Gao Mingyue is undoubtedly great, having cared for Li Xin for over a decade, one can imagine the pain endured over the years.

Cough cough! Inside the compartment, a sudden fit of coughing erupted. The sounds in the living room abruptly fell silent. This quickly led to a wave of panic.

"I have disappointed my second brother, but the younger brother has survived," Li Xin said with a smile. "Speaking of which, I must thank the person who attacked me from behind! They actually woke me up. My mind is completely clear now!"

Li Xin trembled as he extended his hand, hesitated for a moment, then patted Gao Mingyue's shoulder and said, "Mother, I have come back to life. That blow has awakened me. From now on, I will never let you suffer again; I will take good care of you."

After hearing this, Liu could not help but let out a cold snort, glaring fiercely at her incompetent son. The other party said nothing; wasn't her son just confessing without being prompted?

Madam, regardless of the circumstances, Sanlang is the bloodline of the master. He is my son, Gao Mingyue, and even if he is a fool, it does not change this fact. I, Gao Mingyue, do not steal or rob; I raise my son, and as long as he is alive, I will support him without using a single coin of the master's money. If the Madam has nothing else, please take your leave.

Shouyang County, located in the central part of Bingzhou, is a place where the most powerful figures are not the county magistrate but the prominent families of the Liu and Li clans. The Liu clan is a local power, while the Li clan is not originally from this area; it is a branch of the Li family from Zhao County. Although it is a branch, it is still ranked among the five surnames and seven influential families, holding significant influence across the realm. In Shou County, a small county town, even the local strongman Liu clan does not dare to easily offend the Li clan.

It is unclear when, but the young man slowly opened his eyes, struggled to move his head, glanced around, and gradually revealed a look of terror in his eyes

"Good." Li Xin did not notice the hesitation in Gao's gaze. He himself was proficient in martial arts, and Baji Quan was the culmination of boxing techniques, truly not inferior to the martial arts of this era when practiced properly. Moreover, he only sought self-defense. The Baji Quan he had learned was sufficient to protect himself. As for inviting others to teach him, Li Xin did not have such thoughts at the moment. He planned to start practicing martial arts once his body had healed.

Li Xin was taken aback upon hearing this, and a memory quickly surfaced in his mind. Although the Shouyang Li family is a branch of the Zhao County Li family, it also emphasizes the tradition of literary and scholarly heritage, being a family of etiquette. They have high expectations for their family disciples, requiring them to be well-versed in the classics and historical texts; otherwise, they would not recommend them to the government for official positions.

"What a lucky life, to have survived again." A brazen voice echoed as a middle-aged beauty led a young man over. The beauty's complexion was rosy, her skin fair, but she possessed a pair of slender, phoenix-like eyes that glimmered with a cold light. Behind her, a handsome young man was gazing at him with a chilling expression. He was none other than Li Peiran, the son of Li Xiong, the nominal brother of this body.

"Mother, I have decided not to continue my studies; I want to learn martial arts," Li Xin said to Gao. In his previous life, he was a physical education teacher, proficient in Baji Quan. Later, he traveled the world, not only to experience the beauty of various places but also to seek out extraordinary individuals and events to enhance his martial arts skills. Now that chaos is about to descend upon the world, learning martial arts is essential for survival and to establish oneself in turbulent times

You. You are outrageous! The lady's voice was sharp, filled with a kind of panic that follows the eruption of a conspiracy

"I say, Gao, you need not waste your wealth any longer. Sanlang is dead, and for him, it is also a form of liberation. Why waste money here?" A faint voice echoed in his ear, and the young man slightly furrowed his brow. Subconsciously, he felt a strong aversion to this voice, along with a hint of fear.

In the corner of the courtyard, a middle-aged woman is staring at the fire in front of her. Above the fire, there is a medicinal pot. The woman is dressed in a blue garment, which, although appearing quite worn, is very clean. Her face, marked by the passage of time, still reveals traces of her former beauty. From time to time, she glances towards the nearby wing room, her eyes filled with deep sorrow and concern.

Although Li Xin is a fool, he has been arranged to study in the clan school. Unfortunately, his intelligence not only prevents him from learning anything, but he is also ridiculed by other disciples of the Li family.

This is an era on the brink of chaos. Emperor Yang of Sui has already commenced the first campaign against Goguryeo, stirring up widespread discontent among the populace. At this time, Li Yuan may have already been sharpening his blades, while Li Mi and others have just begun to emerge. Various rebel leaders have also appeared across the regions. As for myself, I was born in the small city of Shouyang. Although the Li family boasts a connection to the Zhao Commandery branch, it has not brought any advantages to Li Xin, who is merely a illegitimate son. He is the product of Li Xiong, the head of the Li family, after a night of drinking. Although the Li family has the title of a branch from Zhao Commandery, it has not brought any advantages to Li Xin, who is merely a illegitimate son. He is the product of Li Xiong, the head of the Li family, after a night of drinking.

The Li family's mansion is located in the southern part of the city, surrounded by several hundred steps of the Li family's residences, all of which symbolize the power and prestige of the Li clan. Within the courtyard, pavilions, towers, ponds, and small bridges are arranged in a harmonious display, while rockeries and trees are interspersed throughout, giving this grand residence an elegance reminiscent of the landscapes of the southern regions

"Xiner, although you have already recovered, your constitution is still quite weak. It would be better if you refrain from going to the academy for the next few days," Gao Mingyue said hesitantly

In the future, the child will report well. Li Xin continuously comforted.

Since you are alive, you should live well from now on. Do not wander around aimlessly; this time, you have survived thanks to the blessings of your ancestors, but next time, such good fortune may not come your way. The madam cast a glance at Gao and Li Xin, then flicked her sleeve and turned to leave with Li Peiran and several maidservants.

However, in the northwest corner of this grand mansion, there is a relatively dilapidated courtyard, where the scent of traditional Chinese herbs can occasionally be detected, accompanied by intermittent sighs. This courtyard appears utterly incongruous with the opulence of the Li family residence, resembling a place where servants might reside

Although in this era the court has already established a system for selecting scholars, the imperial examination system of the Sui Dynasty was not yet perfected. Even by the time of the Tang Dynasty, the aristocratic families still held significant advantages within the examination system

"You wretched servant, how dare you speak to my mother in such a manner? Hmph, you are nothing more than a fool, yet you have the audacity to claim to be of the Li lineage?" A haughty voice rang out.

This, where is this! Ah! The young man suddenly felt a sharp pain in his head, as countless pieces of information flooded into the depths of his mind. Unable to suppress a muffled groan, he fainted again, and in a haze, he could faintly hear a scream nearby

"Martial arts?" Gao Mingyue hesitated for a moment, her gaze revealing a hint of complexity, and then sighed, "Let's not consider these matters for now. We can discuss it again once you have fully recovered."