Chapter 1: Arrival at Lingyun

  The warm spring sunlight, like a gentle maiden's hand, caresses the pavilions and towers of Yan State's Lingyun City. The city's high-rise buildings stand tall, with sharp corners and edges, as if they reach the clouds. The vendors' cries in the market are endless, and the prosperous scene is breathtaking.

  Outside a large mansion in the city, many young talents were crowded together. Those who didn't know thought something big had happened here. But the people of Lingyun City knew that today was the day when Shenfu recruited guards. Who in Lingyun City didn't know about Shenfu? Shenfu was a prominent wealthy family in Lingyun City, with assets worth millions, not to mention that Mrs. Shen was also the younger sister of the current imperial noble consort, a true royal relative.

  Even as a small servant in the Shen household, he was arrogant and proud. What's more, being a protector of the manor, which is at least one level higher than a servant, naturally attracted countless young men to come and sign up.

  But all these are secondary, the most important thing is the eldest daughter of the Shen family. According to rumors, Miss Shen has a stunning beauty that can topple cities and states, even those who have only seen her once cannot forget her forever, and it's inevitable to attract countless men's admiration. As the saying goes, "near water tower first gets moon", entering the Shen mansion, are you afraid of not seeing Miss Shen?

  Whoever sees her would still worry about failing to conquer her heart?

  Although Miss Shen is as beautiful as a fairy, she has a little-known story. She was engaged from childhood, but unexpectedly, when she reached the age of marriage, her fiancé ran away and disappeared without a trace.

  As for this brother's runaway marriage, the unmarried young men in Lingyun City were all indignant: "What a brainless thing! With such a beautiful wife, he didn't marry her and ran away... Isn't it just a matter of marrying into her family? If I were him, they would chase me away... Unfortunately, I don't have this fate..."

  In front of the Shen Mansion's main gate, only two giant stone lions were seen sitting in front of the two red lacquered wooden gates. A golden plaque hung above the gate, engraved with the two large characters "Shen Fu". The walls surrounding the mansion stood tall on both sides, stretching endlessly, revealing the grandeur of the estate.

  At this moment, the Shen Mansion's gate was tightly closed, and those waiting outside could only anxiously wait with patience.

  "Gentlemen, it's also boring to just stand here doing nothing. Why don't we have a game of couplets instead?" said a stout young master with a white long shirt and a prominent belly, waving his fan and smiling slightly in front of the main gate of the Shen residence.

  Several young masters following him also smiled and said in front of the Shen Mansion gate, "Liu brother, good idea, please come out with a couplet!"

  Their conversation suddenly attracted the attention of many people, under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Brother Liu proudly nodded his head and slowly recited: "Heaven adds years to our age, man adds longevity!"

  "Good match," Liu Gongzi immediately responded with a poem, and applause erupted. It was clear that Liu Gongzi had invited people to cheer him on, but he indeed had some literary talent. "Years increase as heaven's blessings grow, human life lengthens..." - it was an excellent couplet.

  "With Liu Gongzi's literary talent, Miss Shen will surely fall in love with you!" Another person flattered shamelessly.

  Miss Shen will look up to you? Many talented scholars sneer at you, with your appearance, it's really a shame to Miss Shen's reputation.

  "Is this a recruitment for nursing homes or for these young and pretty faces?" The silent sigh actually echoed in the heart of the one who was truly recruited.

  This round, some of the disgruntled scholars had already hung their heads in shame, carefully racking their brains, but after half a day, not one person came up with an answer. All they saw were the scholars' faces filled with difficulty, afraid that they wouldn't be able to come up with a response.

  Liu Gongzi shook his head and sighed, a pleased expression on his chubby face. He waved the folding fan in his hand and chuckled: "After all, matching couplets is just a way to pass the time, gentlemen don't have to be too serious about it."

  That fatty's words are clearly saying that since there is no real material, why bother thinking about it and waste time.

  "Hmm..." The crowd hummed softly, but couldn't say anything, and could only secretly resent themselves for not even being able to get the fat guy's pair right.

  "Pigs fill the universe, pigs fill every household!"

  Among the crowd's murmurs, a slightly hoarse voice was heard entering one's ears.

  Just a slight aftertaste, only to hear a "pfft" sound, some people have already burst out laughing: "Heaven adds years and people add longevity, pigs fill the universe and pigs fill the door, right, great, awesome!"

  Isn't this self-abuse! At this moment, Liu Gongzi's face had turned into liver color, and the angry onlookers around him hoped to find out who said the next couplet.

  Looking closely, under the willow tree not far away, there was a person watching the commotion with great interest. This man had sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes, his facial features were chiseled like a knife, exuding a strong masculine aura. His slightly dark skin made him stand out from those pale and refined scholars.

  The man wore a worn-out blue shirt and tattered cloth shoes, looking extremely shabby, which was quite out of tune with his handsome appearance.

  The sound is coming from there!

  Good kid! Mr. Liu cursed and immediately led several friends to him, saying angrily: "What kind of lower hem are you coming up with? It's simply nonsense!"

  The man under the tree showed no fear towards Liu Gongzi, who was approaching with a fierce momentum. With a thin willow branch in his mouth, he smiled slightly and said, "You're getting a bit too fat!"

  The two words "lose weight" are vague to many people, but when they think about the second half of the sentence, they burst out laughing - this fatty really needs to lose weight!

  "You little brat, are you looking for death?" Liu Gongzi's face had already twisted in anger, gritting his teeth as he spoke. The several followers beside him also seemed eager to give that person a lesson.

  "Hmph... " The man sneered and laughed a few times: "Didn't you say that the match was just for entertainment, brother? What's this, do you want to fight and test each other?"

  After finishing speaking, the figure leaning against the willow tree slowly stood up straight, its majestic silhouette was over 1.8 meters tall, which was intimidating to these pale and refined young masters.

  Liu Gongzi looked at the cold, distant glint in that person's eyes and his tall stature, and the harsh words he wanted to say were swallowed back down. He pretended to be nonchalant and hummed a tune: "This young master won't bother with you, lest I tarnish my own refinement." After finishing speaking, he immediately led several attendants back to the front gate of the Shen manor once again.

  "What a thing!" Many people are ashamed of that cowardly and timid fat man.

  "Brother, what a great writing style! It's really refreshing," Many people gathered around the willow tree, clasped their fists and smiled at him: "May I ask your honorable surname and name?"

  The man narrowed his eyes, paused for a moment, and then clasped his fists together in greeting: "I am Zhu Ziming"

  。”

  The man standing in front smiled and said: "So it's Brother Zhu, I'm Zhang Zhongyun."

  Zhang Zhiyun had a square face, an eagle nose, and was tall and sturdy, wearing a slightly old long shirt. He looked like he came to Shen's house to eat the rice bowl of Shen's protector, not like those idle good-for-nothing scholars who came to flirt with girls.

  "Zhang brother, you are here to answer the call of the nursing home," Zhu Ziming said.

  He asked with a smile.

  Zhang Zhiyun nodded: "Brother Zhu should be too."

  "Me?" Zhu shook his head: "I'm here to deliver a message to the Shen residence on someone else's behalf."

  "Oh... then Brother Zhu shouldn't be from Lingyun City, right?" Zhang Zhiyun felt that Brother Zhu's accent was unfamiliar and asked: "May I ask where Brother Zhu is from?"

  Who is this person, mentioning this, Zhu Ziming

  All of a sudden, many past events came to mind, at this moment Zhu Ziming

  Thought no one was more unlucky than himself, after graduating from university and working hard, he finally had time to return to his hometown in the mountains to visit his elderly mother. As he walked to the village entrance by the small river, he couldn't help but admire the small village he hadn't seen for many years. At this moment, a large wild boar suddenly rushed out of the grass behind him, catching him off guard, and with one hit, he was knocked into the small river and drowned... He didn't know what happened, but when he opened his eyes again, he had already arrived in this strange ancient world.

  At that time, Zhu Ziming

  My first reaction was, I've crossed over!

  What's even more wonderful is that this seemingly ancient world is actually Zhu Ziming

  Never heard of dynasty - Yan Dynasty, for this completely strange dynasty, Zhu Ziming

  It's a pity, it seems I've wasted my time reading those history books before.

  Zhu Ziming

  A belly full of bitter water doesn't know where to go, even in one's own world it's hard to mention, could it be that I was beaten by a pig? And still crossed over!

  It's okay, Zhu Ziming

  He was open-minded and didn't have the urge to crash into walls, but he had such an impulse. Thinking that they were from the same family as this "pig" brother, he sighed deeply: "Originally from the same root, why are we so anxious to harm each other?"

  "Good poem!" Zhu Ziming

  Before he had finished speaking, a chorus of praise erupted from all sides.

  "What nonsense!" Liu Gongzi cursed secretly, but had to admit that it was a good poem.

  What the hell! At this moment, Zhu Ziming is extremely depressed.

  I'd like to kick them, you guys don't understand anything!

  "Miss Tiao, that person is really interesting," Meanwhile, the gate of the Shen residence was also opened a small gap, and two small heads poked out from the gap.

  They had already heard all the commotion outside just now, and Zhu Gongzi's next line was really so funny that it made people laugh.

  "We were born of the same root, why must we be in such a hurry to kill each other?" Miss Biao lowered her head and pondered for a moment, shaking her head: "This poem has profound implications..."

  Even if Miss Biao thought about it again and again, she would hardly think that this poem is a story about a man and a wild boar.

  It seems to feel the whispers in the Shen Mansion's gate, Zhu Ziming

  His gaze drifted there involuntarily, and what entered his eyes was a beautiful face with dark eyebrows and autumnal eyes, red lips and white teeth, especially those sparkling eyes, pure and lovely, innocent and carefree, revealing a hint of smile.

  Those bright eyes made Zhu Ziming

  Her heart skipped a beat and she stared blankly...

  Miss Bai felt Zhu Ziming

  Scorching gaze, suddenly both cheeks flew red, shame can't be suppressed, who has the audacity to look at me like that.