Chapter 1: The Child Bride

“Heavens above, is there really such a thing as fate so cruel?” Though it was only September, the weather was already as abnormal and unsettling as the Great Qian Dynasty teetering on the brink of chaos; snowflakes drifted down in dense, silent flurries.

Central Qizhou.

In the remote mountain village of Springwell.

Inside a dilapidated thatched hut on the village’s edge, Li Yuanjing leaned against the doorway, watching the snow fall from the sky, unable to suppress a bitter smile as he accepted his new reality.

He had truly crossed over...

No longer was he the much-favored Mr. Li of the future world, the prospective son-in-law of a billionaire tycoon and CEO of a listed company. Now, he was merely a boy from a lowly, outcast craftsman family in this so-called Great Qian Dynasty...

Rubbing his temples, Li Yuanjing tried to sort through his throbbing thoughts. The body he now inhabited was also called Li Yuanjing. As the son of a craftsman family under the “mean household” register, the Lis were forbidden from owning land and could only scrape by doing odd jobs for others.

Fortunately, Li Yuanjing’s father, Honest Li, though taciturn and reserved, was an exceptionally skilled mason and had a solid reputation throughout the neighboring villages. This allowed their family of four to maintain a meager but barely sustainable life.

Perhaps it was the bitterness of their lowly status that made Honest Li determined from early on to send his son to study at the county school, hoping Li Yuanjing might one day earn a scholarly title, escape the bonds of their class, and bring honor to the family.

Alas.

The original Li Yuanjing was as dense as a block of wood, spending over a decade reading, reaching the age of adulthood without even passing the lowest-level exam. He had truly failed his father’s painstaking hopes.

Worse yet...

Destiny loves to break the already fragile; misfortune preys on those least able to bear it...

Just seven days before, Honest Li and his wife, returning from a job in the neighboring county, were set upon by bandits. Not only was their meager two months’ wage stolen, but they also lost their lives...

Though the officials eventually returned the poor couple’s bodies, all the family’s savings were spent on their burial. Worse still, they had to borrow four taels of silver from the town’s great landlord, “Kind-hearted Xue,” to cover the funeral costs.

And the former Li Yuanjing, slow-witted as he was, got into a quarrel with the laborers sent by Xue during the burial over a few copper coins. The result...

He was struck on the head from behind...

Thus giving the new Li Yuanjing the chance to seize this life.

“Yuniang~~~.”

“Auntie’s been talking to you all the way—why won’t you listen, girl? If you’re so dead-set on sticking by that sickly good-for-nothing Li Yuanjing, how will you survive in the future?”

His thoughts in disarray, Li Yuanjing was startled by voices outside, especially when he heard his own name mentioned.

Spotting a pile of dry firewood by the wall, he climbed up, peering over to see what was happening.

He saw—

A middle-aged woman in a garish red cotton jacket, her face powdered, was pestering a slender young girl burdened with an enormous bundle of firewood on her back.

And that slender girl—who could it be but his child bride, Yuniang?

“Yuniang~~~~”

“Would Auntie ever harm you?”

“You think about it.” The red-coated woman pressed on. “That sickly Li Yuanjing—failing the exams is one thing, but at least his parents were alive to support him. Now they’re both dead, the autumn tax is due, you owe ‘Kind-hearted Xue’ four taels, and the Cold Mountain bandits will soon demand their toll.”

“Do you think your family can raise at least ten taels of silver?”

“Yuniang~~~~ Auntie’s been through this herself. Take my advice: sell yourself now for some silver. That’s the only way to truly help that sickly husband of yours!”

Seeing Yuniang unmoved, the woman hurried after her, intensifying her persuasion.

Li Yuanjing’s expression grew ever darker.

He recognized the red-jacketed woman—she was Wang Cuihua, the matchmaker of their village!

So this was it? He’d only just awakened, and already this vulgar matchmaker wanted to steal away his intended?

Li Yuanjing’s mind sharpened. In his memories—

The Great Qian Dynasty had lasted nearly three centuries, now as frail as a toothless old man, tottering on the verge of collapse.

At court, traitors held sway; corruption and filth reigned. Beyond, the northeastern Liao tribes grew ever stronger, causing endless trouble, while the northwestern steppe tribes harassed the borders daily. To make matters worse, the weather had become wildly erratic—bitterly cold. The north suffered drought year after year, the south was ravaged by floods, and the court, desperate to quell the barbarians, piled tax upon tax.

Even the mountain bandits nearby demanded protection money from the common folk.

With so many layers of exploitation, unrest was everywhere, and the air reeked of impending doom.

Here in Springwell Village, the outlook was even bleaker. Many had begun selling their children just to survive.

“Aunt Wang!”

“Thank you for your concern, but I don’t need it.”

As Li Yuanjing’s face shifted through a spectrum of emotions, Yuniang, carrying a load of firewood nearly twice her own weight, suddenly stopped.

Her little face set in seriousness, she addressed Wang Cuihua:

“Aunt Wang, my parents raised me, and I am my brother’s in life and in death! Please go. As for our debts, I will find a way to pay them myself!”

With that, Yuniang ignored Wang Cuihua and strode resolutely toward home. At the door, she tightly clasped the black jade pendant she’d worn since birth, murmuring with quiet determination:

“Brother, I promised Father and Mother I would take care of you. Even if I must sell this pendant, I will repay our debts!”

“Hmph! Ungrateful little hussy!” Wang Cuihua cursed, but seeing Yuniang already inside the yard, she had no choice but to give up. Her lips curled in a cold sneer as she muttered,

“Little wench, you think you can escape the task ‘Kind-hearted Xue’ gave me? Just you wait!”

With that, she twisted her ample hips in a vulgar display and hurried down the mountain.

...

“Oh!”

“Brother, you’re still not well—why are you out here in this cold?” In the courtyard, Yuniang, startled to see Li Yuanjing standing outside in nothing but a worn sheepskin coat, rushed over with concern.

She set down her firewood and quickly went to support him.

“Brother, go inside and rest. I’ll gather more firewood and make you something to eat…”

Li Yuanjing managed a faint smile, about to speak, but suddenly froze.

Because—

For the first time, he truly saw Yuniang’s face.

Even though Li Yuanjing had seen many beauties in his previous life, he was still struck by her loveliness.

Yuniang was only fourteen, but her figure was already graceful and her features flawless. Her round, delicate face was framed by eyes clear as autumn water, a straight little nose, and lips as tender and rosy as jelly. Her skin was creamy and soft, surpassing even the snow for fairness.

There was none of the roughness common to village girls.

This was not the work of expensive modern cosmetics, but the result of truly remarkable natural genes.

Though not fully grown, Yuniang’s beauty could already outshine ninety-nine percent of modern celebrities.

Li Yuanjing had never realized his child bride was so beautiful. Why did the original owner have so little impression of her in his memories?

“Ah.” After a moment, Li Yuanjing slapped his own forehead, the reason finally dawning on him.

The former Li Yuanjing was a dolt.

All those years at the county school, he’d learned little of scholarship but much of the pretentious airs of would-be scholars.

He’d always fantasized about passing the exams, marrying a noble lady, and never once truly looked at Yuniang...

“Brother, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?” Alarmed by his strange behavior, Yuniang bit her lip, hesitated, then said firmly,

“Brother, wait here—I’ll go to town and fetch the doctor right away...”

Seeing her about to set off for the distant town, Li Yuanjing snapped out of his daze and hastily grabbed her arm, his voice hoarse:

“Yuniang, I’m fine. Why would you run about in this freezing weather? What if you catch cold?”

Startled by his serious tone, Yuniang looked up at him in wonder.

Brother...

Is he... worrying about me?

Does he no longer find me so disagreeable?