Chapter 3, A Flaw in the White Jade

... ...

Old Uncle Shi nodded repeatedly, looking at Li Su with an eye for talent, his tone filled with admiration: "Knowledge, great knowledge indeed! Your son is capable, a learned person who can manage even the most trivial matters..."

The old historian looked astonished: "You still don't know? This thing was made by your son. The Hu family's steward has been going around the village these past few days, saying that it is very pleasant to relieve oneself while sitting on that thing..."

Posthumously honoring ancestors is not an issue, and Li Yuan expressed that he felt no pressure. As a result, he presented the family tree to the ministers, who were immediately put in a difficult position. Why? Because the Li family's ancestors did not have sufficiently prominent names! The most famous among them was "Li Gao," the founder of the Western Liang during the Sixteen Kingdoms period, while the others were all relatively unknown.

However, with the heavy rice bag on her back, Li Su suddenly felt a sense of stability she had never experienced before

Li Daozheng is still in a state of confusion: "What is that... a barrel, what does it have to do with my family? Why are you looking for Li Su?"

Perhaps, having burned too much firewood, life should be a bit more frugal... Li Su murmured to herself

Spring is coming soon, the Xu family in the east is digging a ditch, I spent the whole morning digging and exchanged it for this bag of grain... Hurry up and cook, we can't afford to go hungry.

Now that it has come, let us live well

... ...

Li Su clumsily lit the fire and washed the pots. While waiting for the rice to cook, she noticed the pile of firewood in the corner of the kitchen

As is well known, after Li Yuan, the founding emperor of the Tang Dynasty, established the nation, he dealt with all those who were disobedient, and then eagerly awaited his ascension to the throne facing south and turning his back to the north. Becoming an emperor, especially a founding emperor, is not a simple matter; in addition to the complicated rituals, it is also necessary to posthumously confer the title of emperor upon all ancestors from eighteen generations and beyond. Only when all ancestors are conferred the title of emperor can it be demonstrated that the living founding emperor is indeed the one chosen by heaven—after all, the notion of becoming an emperor had been brewing since eighteen generations ago; how could the mandate of heaven not be bestowed?

After an unknown amount of time, Li Su finally gave a loud sigh of resignation and murmured, "I really... can't endure it any longer"

It is now winter, the height of winter, the coldest time in Guanzhong, on such a cold day, jumping into the water bare-chested to dig a ditch

Regardless of whether one is willing to face it, Li Su has become a part of the Tang Dynasty during the Zhenguan era, an ordinary and unremarkable citizen under the rule of Li Shimin

... ...

Li Daozheng has not yet returned; he left early in the morning, and it is unknown what he went out to do

Later, Li Su gradually realized that something was amiss

Li Su's eyes reddened for a moment, then she turned and silently returned to the room, covering the only mattress in the house over Li Daozheng. Li Daozheng chuckled, waving his rough hand: "Go cook, hurry up, don't mind me"

Father, please keep warm, I will boil some hot water for you

Having finished stacking all the firewood, Li Su straightened his back, looked at his recent meaningless masterpiece, and sincerely let out a sigh, saying joyfully: "Now this looks right, how can a man of honor not do things neatly?"

... ...

Li Su believes she is perfect, both in appearance and character. As for her slight obsessive-compulsive tendencies, they can at most be considered a minor flaw in an otherwise flawless gem

Although in the strictest sense, the father and son had only known each other for three days, Li Su still felt a tightening in her heart and hurriedly approached.

Li Su does not like to eat wild vegetables, and even when hungry, she is unwilling to take a bite. Despite living in such a destitute manner, she still maintains her style. Li Daozheng truly should beat his son to death.

People from Guanzhong enjoy eating noodles, whether they are noodles, flatbreads, or steamed buns; they cannot be happy without noodles

Laozi has become an ancestor, and Taoism naturally became the state religion of the Tang Dynasty. Taoism reveres nature, and humans belong to nature; wild vegetables, of course, also belong to nature. Especially for impoverished families, when there are no vegetables to accompany their meals, digging up a few wild vegetables to eat not only supplements vitamins but also benefits their ascension to the celestial realm

Since last night, not a single grain of rice has been consumed, and Li Su is so hungry that she is nearly out of strength, so she hurriedly prepares a meal

When the curling smoke from the Li family kitchen rose, Li Daozheng finally returned. Upon his return, his complexion was somewhat pale, his lips had a bluish tint, and his hair was quite disheveled

There is no escape!

After returning home, she carefully poured the millet from the bag into the rice jar. A few grains mischievously fell outside the jar. Li Su crouched down, picked them up one by one, blew off the dust, and placed them back into the jar

When it comes to diet, it is indeed a vast topic. In the Guanzhong region, aside from noodles, the most commonly consumed food is wild vegetables, such as water shield, shepherd's purse, smartweed, cocklebur, and purslane. Both the nobility and common people have the habit of eating wild vegetables, partly due to the backwardness of agriculture, which makes it difficult to access green vegetables in winter, and partly due to religious beliefs

Every time Li Su sees them, she feels a heart-wrenching turmoil, always unable to bear to look directly at them

Li Su suddenly had the urge to crumple this old scoundrel with the surname Shi into a ball and throw him into the toilet, then flush him down into the cesspool; that feeling was simply delightful

One day, the elderly Shi family neighbor came to visit and spoke in an exaggerated tone about the new gadget from the landlord Hu family

Old Master Shi hurriedly said: "Toilet, flush toilet, pull the cord to flush after using it, oh my, it's very beautiful, very beautiful... Can the Li family boy build us a toilet that directly flushes into the fields with just a pull of the cord? The one from the Hu family is not useful for us farmers, what a pity..."

Li Yuan's expression thus became rather unpleasant, and it is uncertain whether he harbored a hidden resentment towards his ancestors for their lack of ambition. As he was on the verge of becoming emperor, he felt that the ineffectiveness of his forebears had diminished his own authority. He was truly exhausted and no longer wished to ascend to the throne

(Author's Note: The earliest verifiable ancestor of the Li family is Li Ao. As for whether Gao Yao and Laozi are indeed ancestors of the Li family, there remains ongoing debate. In any case, the author personally believes it is absolutely impossible for a single family to produce both sages and emperors; the feng shui would have to be extraordinarily favorable to an unimaginable extent)

If a person has never experienced poverty, they will never understand how precious food is. Reflecting on her past self, who was picky and wasteful during meals, Li Su felt a strong impulse to slap herself, but fearing the pain, she refrained from doing so

Father, what is the matter?

Today is no different; after entering the kitchen, Li Su kept her head tilted, making a concerted effort to restrain herself from looking at that damned pile of firewood

At the awkward moment between the monarch and his ministers, a devoted supporter of Li Yuan among the officials had a sudden inspiration and proposed an idea: "A true man does not concern himself with trivialities. If our ancestors are not well-known, we can simply fabricate a few more. As long as they are renowned in history, they will be considered ancestors of the Li family. Who would dare to question it? My brothers will ensure that he is pursued from the Southern Heavenly Gate to East Penglai Road..."

Indeed, it is related to faith

The topics in Taiping Village have inexplicably increased

Yes, obsessive-compulsive disorder, a bad habit carried over from a past life, Li Su does not even know when she developed this condition. She feels a deep discomfort at the sight of disorderly and irregular things, and she must correct them according to her own preferences before she can feel at ease

Li Daozheng opened his mouth, seemingly wanting to laugh, but then shivered, and threw a tattered, patched small cloth bag to him: "I managed to get two jin of millet, eat this first"

Li Daozheng looked at Li Suyi in surprise and pointed at him, saying: "You mean this cowardly kid did it?"

The country road was uneven, yet Li Su's steps grew increasingly steady. The young and handsome man's lips curled up slightly, and in his previously dull and honest eyes, there emerged a mischievous glint that no one had ever seen before.

Initially, Li Su did not pay much attention to it; rumors and gossip have existed since ancient times, filled with mysterious and secretive elements. Li Su has never liked to get involved in such matters, which is a kind of inherent flaw. However, the common people do not possess such awareness and continue to indulge in it with great enthusiasm

In the silent kitchen, Li Su quietly tended to the fire, adding fuel. The bright red flames illuminated his once handsome face, which at this moment appeared extremely contorted...

Li Su put down the bowl, looking at the pancakes and the cold mixed vegetables in front of her, completely losing her appetite

As for the second-generation ancestor of the Li family, under the scheming of a group of unscrupulous rulers and ministers, he was soon brought to light. The founder of Taoism, Laozi, also known as Li Er, was unfortunately caught in the crossfire of his own family's misfortunes. It is both a matter of misfortune and a cause for celebration... The Taoist priests from across the country sent congratulatory messages...

Li Su then stood up and faced the pile of firewood, methodically removing each piece of the disordered wood one by one. He then arranged them in order of length, neatly aligning them from left to right, starting with the shorter pieces and progressing to the longer ones. The arrangement was systematic and orderly, as precise as a military parade. Li Su worked tirelessly, and as the firewood became increasingly organized and regular, the troubled expression on his face gradually relaxed. The fine beads of sweat on the tip of his nose seemed to exude a sense of joy.

Old man Li Daozheng was bewildered and did not come to his senses: "What barrel?"

Li Su was carrying three liters of glutinous rice on her back as she walked home, yet her mood was fluctuating.

Li Su is a refined man who simply cannot tolerate others discussing matters related to using the restroom while dining

For three days, he has been evading something, perhaps fleeing from this unfamiliar era, or perhaps avoiding the bizarre truths he is unwilling to accept, even evading this body that does not originally belong to him

The cooking smoke rises, curling and swirling above the Li family's courtyard. Inside the house, it is still the father and son, yet inexplicably, Li Su suddenly feels that the room has become much warmer

The biting cold wind of winter stings the face, yet the sun in the sky unexpectedly radiates a blinding light.

One's existence is perceived as real in the eyes of others. During the Zhenguan period of the Tang Dynasty, one had their own identity, albeit not a high one, yet it existed. Therefore, a father could scold and reprimand without reservation, neighbors and villagers could display various expressions towards oneself, and the steward could express both affection and reproach towards oneself

This thing was actually conceived out of desperation. The rural households are unlikely to use it in large quantities; only a prominent family like the Hu family would be willing to try something new. Li Su can only promote it to the Hu family, as other farmers would prefer to use manure for fertilizing their fields. Who would use this?

Li Su furrowed her brows and said, "How did you manage the grain?"

The pile of firewood is quite normal, stacked high in the corner, cut down by the father and son before winter as they went up the mountain

Li Su is feeling a bit unwell

As for the invention of the flush toilet, Li Su wanted to laugh

The brainless fans came up with a rather shameless idea, and it is estimated that Li Yuan's moral standards were not particularly high either. Upon hearing this, his eyes lit up, and he was greatly pleased, thus... the first ancestor of the Li family was freshly concocted. Li Yuan honored him as "Emperor Deming." This unfortunate ancestor was named "Gao Yao," who had assisted the three sovereigns, Yao, Shun, and Yu, and was in charge of justice... This boast is not merely fresh and unconventional; it is simply outrageous. The first ancestor of the Li family was freshly concocted. Li Yuan honored him as "Emperor Deming." This unfortunate ancestor was named "Gao Yao," who had assisted the three sovereigns, Yao, Shun, and Yu, and was in charge of justice... This boast is not merely fresh and unconventional; it is simply outrageous.