Chapter 2: CH 2

Cui Xie’s sleep was not smooth and steady. In his dreams, he had returned to yesterday evening when his roommates had given him some advice on what matters to pay attention to if he were to transmigrate.

He wanted to tell them that he did not want to transmigrate at all, but just as he opened his mouth, his three roommates and the dormitory he had lived in for the past four years suddenly vanished. Surrounding him on all four sides was pitch-blackness, but he was clutching two things in his hands—a book on ancient chemistry and a black portable hard disk.

He lowered his head, glancing at the chemistry book. That book floated from his hand and hovered in the air by itself. The black portable hard disk followed after, aligning itself on the other side. When he looked over, a computer operating system window unfolded midair. Within the newly opened screen, dozens of gigabytes of video software were neatly arranged inside, the file names ranging from ‘Mature Older Woman’ to ‘Lolita’, and it was a very comprehensive collection. There were also several folders containing various internet novels formatted as .txt files.

Among them, there was a .txt file icon that had its frame bordered in light blue. He took a closer look. The name of the file was 《The Secret Annals of Wang Zhi》. It seemed that his third eldest roommate had been reading this very novel before Cui Xie had transmigrated. At the time, he had occasionally taken a few peeks over the third eldest’s shoulders, and had seen that this seemingly erudite and scholarly written article was not like a typical internet novel. He had also asked the third eldest at the time and had heard it was an ancient novel, the contents pertaining to Wang Zhi, a palace eunuch, documenting his unofficial history with the consorts of the Imperial Harem.

Was this a dream? Or were these the supplementary benefits he had been granted after transmigrating?

What was so special about this 《The Secret Annals of Wang Zhi》?

Cui Xie, not wanting to see what videos his roommate uploaded on there, reached for the hovering chemistry book instead. He turned a few pages, the book containing both texts and pictures in it. The first few chapters were about metallurgy, firing Chinese porcelain, and other similar artisanal techniques. The book contained thorough and exhaustive texts describing the tedious details in full. These descriptions were also equipped with detailed chemical formulas. He attentively looked at a couple of pages but was unable to make sense of what he was looking at, even the fundamental and elementary formulas looked confusing to him. 

Too real! Too pragmatic!

He was so scared that he awoke with a violent jolt. When he opened his eyes, he caught sight of an entire bed swathed in brightly-colored cotton-padded quilts. He was still lying on top of the bed, his hands clutching a pillow on both sides, his palms otherwise empty.

It turned out to be a dream.

As expected, his soul had really transmigrated into an ancient person’s body, and he had brought nothing from the modern world. At this time, he even began to miss the chemistry book, even if the content of it was too hard to understand. At least it was a modern object, looking at it would have been familiar and comforting.  

While he had been ruminating over the chemistry book, that ancient chemistry book suddenly flashed into the center of his vision, and he almost crawled up in shock. On the edge of the kang bed, manservants and maidservants bustled about with their work. There were only five or so people. Fortunately, they were all focused on packing and organizing, so no one paid attention to him and his abnormal behavior hadn’t been found out.

An example of a kang bed and how it works. It is a heatable brick bed.

Cui Xie started to feel a bit guilty watching the nearby servants tidy up various things, taking more than a few glimpses at them. 

Watching the servants working proved to be a good distraction as it caused him to momentarily forget about the contents of the book, which had disappeared from his vision. As such, he buried his head into the cotton quilts, concentrating on recalling the cover of the chemistry book. Promptly, a projection of the book quickly floated into his vision again.

He experimented and fiddled with it a few times, finally confirming that the two objects his roommate handed to him had transmigrated with him. As long as he concentrated on thinking about either object, he would be able to summon them. Using this projection, he was able to use his mind to flip the pages of the book or click on various files located within the folders on the hard disk. 

This was probably because when he was electrocuted, these two things had also passed through the electric current when he transmigrated. The last memory he had before crossing over emerged into Cui Xie’s mind—a blue electric arc crackled from his laptop, slashing across the chemistry book and the black hard disk, before pouncing onto his hand. After that, he was most likely electrocuted, his soul leaving his mortal body and he had transmigrated into this interesting and appealing antique era. These two objects accompanied him, fully integrated into his brain.

But why didn’t that laptop, which had also emitted arcs of electricity, crossed over together? He had also had some classical Chinese literature materials downloaded on his laptop. If it had crossed over, it would have been just as useful as the other two objects!

When others transmigrate, if it was not a dimensional space, one would acquire a guided system. If it was neither of those, some could even bring a conversion system, where one could make transactions with another plane of existence to receive convenient, cheap goods. Any of those would have been nice, not to mention advanced artificial intelligence. He hadn’t even been able to bring his laptop, which was using the latest WIN10 driver. Now, all he had was an incomprehensible ancient chemistry book and a hard disk full of pornographic waste…

Forget it. He’d have to make do and proceed without a plan for now.

His parents had passed away, and he had been sent to live with his various relatives for many years. But hadn’t he also had a part-time job while studying, earned four years’ worth of university tuition, and had finally been admitted to university? Now, in his possession, at least he had a chemistry book. So he wasn’t totally helpless. If he couldn’t smelt steel, he could always smelt lead pills and cinnabar. If he became a trickseter Daoist priest and left this household, it wouldn’t matter where he went, couldn’t he still make a living to feed and clothe himself?

Thinking of this, Cui Xie’s worries were assuaged, and his mentality and psyche slowly stabilized. Shutting his eyes, he concentrated on conjuring the ancient chemistry book again.

After a closer examination, he discovered that although the book contained numerous formulas and procedures, they had relatively simple formulations and industrial manufacturing processes. As long as he disregarded the actual chemical principles behind them, they were easy and fun to read. After flipping through it, he gradually became immersed in the content, diligently marking down in his heart any practical or useful content. If he did not understand it, his brows occasionally furrowed together, and he would ponder over it. Because all of his energy was concentrated on reading the book, his physical pain became fuzzier, and he felt better than when he had first woke up.

But to outsiders, he appeared to resemble a heavily-wounded patient, laying there in a stunned, disoriented coma. Once in a while, his brows would knit together, as if he was experiencing fierce pain, his dreams also turbulent and unpeaceful.

The young manservant who brought him his medicine looked at his current state and could not help but feel a little worried. He carefully felt Cui Xie’s forehead and whispered, “Da-ge, it’s time to take the medicine.”

Cui Xie had long heard the approaching footsteps. He opened his eyes and reached out to receive the medicine bowl. That young manservant did not hand it over, instead, taking out a porcelain spoon to scoop the medicinal soup, only personally bringing it to his mouth after lightly blowing on it, the piping mouthful turning colder. While feeding him, the manservant said, “Da-ge, you got into big trouble this time. On the back of er-ge’s head, a bump the size of a red jujube swelled up. He is still lying on the bed. Although your stepmother insisted it was not your fault, your father has already issued a set-in-stone command. You are to be sent back to the ancestral home today, and he will only allow my father and me to accompany you. No one else is allowed to be taken, he said it was to grind and wear down your temper.”

What ‘your father’, ‘your father’? Just why were there so many fathers in this family? Cui Xie frowned and his brows wrinkled. Drinking a spoonful of medicine presented to his lips, he slowly probed with his words: “How did er-ge get hurt? I don’t remember how I pushed him at the time. I should have visited him and apologized in person. But now, I can’t move, so I can only ask you. After he slipped, the servants had reacted timely and attended to him, just what did the physician say?”

The manservant did not suspect that the person in front of him was fundamentally different at the core, so he honestly replied: “Er-ge is still unconscious. The physician diagnosed that he had knocked the back of his head and was prescribed a few medications. When he slipped and fell in the garden, he had been talking to da-ge, and it seemed like you two were discussing something about studying and entering the academy, but I could not really understand it. Er-ge also had a few maidservants beside him, so I walked a bit farther behind. Later, for some reason, I suddenly saw er-ge slowly falling backward. It was hard to tell whether your outstretched hand had been to push him or to catch him. When I finally squeezed into the crowd, all those jiejie were yelling murder, saying that you deliberately pushed er-ge.”

jiejie: older sister

Reminder:

da-ge: eldest brother; can be used by both family servants and relatives

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er-ge: second brother; can be used by both family servants and relatives

This child had clearly said he had not witnessed it, but he had explained the cause and effect of the matter clearly.

This original body’s father had mentioned the Imperial Academy yesterday, yinjian, and electing officials. Presumably, his father had to be at least a seventh-rank official to be qualified to have his son become a yinjian. The original owner of this body and his younger brother were both scholars studying to enter into the prestigious Imperial Academy. However, this body’s father had the intention to send his eldest son to enter the Imperial Academy to study. To seize such a golden opportunity, the stepmother and younger brother deliberately fell down, framing the eldest son, entrapping him. This father could not distinguish between black or white and indiscriminately ordered people to beat the eldest son.

distinguish between black or white: idiom; not able to distinguish between right and wrong

yinjian: one of the many titles given to students during an Imperial examination, specifically the sons of officials in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Bureaucratic officials enjoyed this privilege where their sons could have an easier time if they had this title during the exams and based on what type of family you came from, there would be different titles, Imperial exam content and exam supervisors. Think of it as an alumni legacy privilege for colleges.

He had even been beaten to death. The original owner of this body had died, otherwise, Cui Xie would not have transmigrated over.

There was really this type of father who would beat this son to death without first conducting a proper investigation. In fact, the stepmother only needed to blow wind towards the pillow (meaning as the wife of Cui Xie’s father, she could have easily mentioned this matter while they were in bed) to obtain that yinjian title, but she went so far as to harm a person to death….

Cui Xie was being sent to Qian’an, but the original owner was the one who had actually ‘returned to his hometown’. 

Cui Xie sighed in his heart. After grabbing the bowl of medicine and blowing on it, he drank the piping hot concoction in one gulp and said to the young manservant: “My face feels hot, go fetch a mirror over.” 

The young manservant made an affirming sound and then ran off. After a while, he came in holding a bright, shiny bronze mirror and handed it over: “Da-ge’s mirror had already been packed away, so I just borrowed Meizhi jiejie’s mirror.” 

Cui Xie didn’t care who owned the mirror. He just randomly nodded and took the mirror, his appearance reflecting off from the shiny surface.

The face staring back at him, although blurry, it could be seen that its features were very similar to his original face. It also had a long, round face, a pair of phoenix eyes, the lower lip was slightly thicker, but the tip of the nose was faintly turned up, appearing excessively delicate and graceful. He had lived until he had almost graduated from university in his previous life. Then, his bone structure had already fully matured and grew out, his features a bit clearer and shapely. This current body looked like a junior high school student, both cheeks had a little bit of baby fat, and the chin was round, possessing a childish nature.

But what attracted him the most was not this similar face, but the black-netted headscarf worn on top of his head. This black-netted headscarf originated from the attires that Daoist Priests would wear. This style of dress had been determined in the Early Ming Dynasty, by Ming Taizu (given temple name), Zhu Yuanzhang, the first Ming Dynasty Emperor of Hongwu. It was mandated that all officials to the commoners were to dress this way, but it became an obsolete tradition during the Qing Dynasty. By seeing this black-netted headscarf, Cui Xie had been able to determine he had transmigrated into the Ming Dynasty. As for the other dynasties, he would have had to ask someone to figure it out.

A wangjin headscarf used to tie up Ming Dynasty males’ hair, a very symbolic type of dress, It is because “no one is noble or low, it is all wrapped up”. These headscarves were also the piece of clothing least associated with social hierarchy. Although this ornament was small, the social and cultural implications of the Ming Dynasty carried by it are extremely rich. They are typically woven from black silk, horsetail, brown silk, and other materials.

He thought for a while, then asked the young manservant standing next to the bed: “What year were you born and how old are you?”

The young manservant did not seem confused by this question and neatly replied: “This manservant was born in the fifth year of the Chenghua reign. I am 14 this year, and only younger than da-ge by two months.” 

TN: They are referring to the 5th year of reign of Ming Dynasty’s Ninth emperor, Chenghua Emperor, Zhu Jianshen; it would be approximately around 1469; Chenghua stands for ‘accomplished change’. Chenghua is not the emperor’s real name but the name he is given when he ascends to the throne. This title is used when addressing his reign/era and people use this term when mentioning the current emperor or his reign. After all, one cannot refer to the emperor by his real/birth name.

This child and he were both born in the fifth year of the Chenghua reign. When children were born in ancient times, they were regarded as already one-years-old. Since he is 14, then 13 years would have passed, and it should be the 18th year of the Chenghua reign, correct?

That means that Emperor Xianzong of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Jianshen, should still be on the throne, right?

Wait! Wasn’t Emperor Xianzong’s personal eunuch named Wang Zhi?

No wonder, the 《The Secret Annals of Wang Zhi》was selected and highlighted on the hard disk, that means he probably might have transmigrated into this book!

Cui Xie quickly conjured the hard disk’s screen, carefully clicking on the novel and reading it carefully— Sure enough, Chenghua 18th year was when Wang Zhi was at the zenith of his power. However, two years later during the Chenghua reign, or Chenghua 20th year, Wang Zhi would fall from power, and this book would end…

Then from this point of view, it was better to avoid the storyline. Anyways, he was only 14-years-old and was about to be sent to the ancestral home soon. As long as he was careful, he could completely avoid the billows and waves that would soon occur in the capital. 

Chenghua, Hongzhi, Zhengde, Jiajing….these reigns were considered relatively stable. After surviving the Zhengtong reign and Jingtai’s Tumu Fortress Crisis, the current Ming dynasty was still decades away from the tumultuous period that would take place at the end of the Ming Dynasty. Other than the Vassal Prince of Ning’s rebellion in the middle, it was basically a peaceful and prosperous era.

Hongzhi, Zhengde, Jiajing, are all reigns that occur after Chenghua. Zhengtong’s reign and Jingtai’s reign was before the Chenghua reign. The Tumu Fortress Crisis was a frontier conflict between Northern Yuan and the Ming Dynasty and the First ruler of the Mongols of the Northern Yuan, Esen Taishi, captured Ming Emperor Zhengtong, on September 1, 1449. With him gone, the court put his younger brother, Emperor Jingtai , and he was put in charge. But then Zhengtong eventually returned and took back his throne. That’s why he was regarded as the sixth and eighth emperor of the Ming dynasty. I suggest you look at wikipedia for more information.

Although he was a transmigrator, he was confident he could survive in any environment. But now that he knew he was living in a peaceful and stable era, Cui Xie breathed a sigh of relief, his heart that had been hanging suspended in the air had also loosened somewhat. He handed the mirror to the young manservant and casually asked: “How will we get to Qian’an from here? Is the residence even fit to house people?” 

While Cui Xie no longer had many worries, the young manservant’s entire face was etched with anxiety: “The residence only has one carriage, my father has already gone to set up the carriage, the three of us are the only ones going. Da-ge’s books and medicine have all been packed, as well as a few trunks of other possessions are to be taken along. I heard that the old residence at the ancestral home has been empty for over a year, and no one is currently occupying it. I don’t know what it would look like now.”

While he had been talking, he saw Cui Xie’s eyes lower, looking pensive. Afraid that after hearing this, Cui Xie had felt uncomfortable and fearing that it would affect his body, the manservant quickly cheered up and comforted Cui Xie: “Actually, Qian’an is not far from the capital. It’ll only take a day or two by carriage to arrive. The old residence is actually much larger than the house in the capital, and it is also located in the county’s town. It isn’t such a remote or deserted place. Even if we go there, it will not delay da-ge’s studies. Don’t all of the students in the capital dislike the city’s noise, so they always go to study at a temple anyways? Let’s go back to your ancestral home and quietly study for two years, I’m sure it’ll be even better than the Imperial Academy.”

Actually, Cui Xie was not worried about how far Qian’an was. In fact, could it even be considered far to someone from 500 years in the future where the modern age had made traveling thousands of miles as simple as buying a plane ticket? Besides, as a transmigrator, it was safer to be as far away from this original body’s relatives as possible, lest they realize that he was not the same person they once knew. 

He sighed at the original owner’s unfeeling and callous family. He sighed inwardly at the death of the original and innocent owner. A mere 15-ish year-old child who had just taken a severe plank injury* was suddenly being sent to an old, unoccupied residence just like that, not even given the chance to properly recuperate. They were simply deliberately trying to kill him. Even if the original owner of this body had survived the beating, he would be tortured to death by this upcoming long journey anyways.

*The beating injury is referring to ancient Chinese corporal punishment in which someone takes a wooden plank and hits the person’s bottoms/buttocks. It is a rather cruel, but common punishment in those times.

Although these people hadn’t realized that the real Cui Xie was dead, he would sear this memory into his heart, and clearly remember—these three people from the Cui family were all murderers. No matter if it was the one who ordered the beating, or the one who secretly framed and provoked from behind…one day, he would seek justice for young Cui Xie.

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