Chapter 2: The Twilight of Empire

  Di Lie woke up to find himself in a place that looked like a concentration camp: a very dilapidated big house, surrounded by people with strange attire, disheveled hair and dirty faces. Hundreds of people were either sitting or lying down, cramming the less-than-fifty-square-meter room to the brim, and the air was filled with a pungent smell that made one want to vomit, a mix of stinky sweat, blood, festering wounds, and feces.

  Outside were several savage-looking guards dressed as cavalrymen, who occasionally cursed and beat the people inside, while the many prisoners inside looked on with numb faces.

  Di Lie slowly thought back and finally confirmed that he had been captured by the group of barbarian cavalrymen. The big-bearded man, who had been tossed around by him until he was covered in dust, hadn't actually let him off easy, but instead had pulled his horse back, then charged at him with great force... The impact exceeded one ton; if Di Lie's body hadn't undergone a variation, he would have either died or lost half his life, and might have even become disabled. But now, apart from a dull ache on his back, he didn't feel like anything was seriously wrong.

  This time it's really a big profit - not only has the power increased greatly, but the physique has also been strengthened, and even injuries are healing at more than ten times the normal speed!

  Haha, great, I'm fine, but you're in trouble, Big Beard!

  This time being attacked and captured without reason was a profound and painful lesson for Di Lie. From this moment on, he secretly vowed that the next time he saw people dressed in the same attire as these barbarians, he would first turn them upside down before considering communication issues.

  Just as Di Lie was pondering whether to bring in the guards outside the door to settle the matter, a faint rustling sound came from beside him. A thin hand reached out and touched his arm, feeling the pocket on the outside of his sleeve where he had stored wine-filled chocolates and mints. However, it was clear that the owner of the hand didn't know how to open this type of adhesive pocket. Although they felt around and were certain there was something inside, they couldn't get in.

  Di Lie furrowed his brow, previously wanting to find a living person but couldn't find one, now he ran into a large group, yet not one of them was normal, either randomly hurting people or stealing. With anger rising in his chest, he grabbed the hand of that ***, considering whether to break it or just twist it and let go, but the owner of the hand let out a faint cry of surprise, causing Di Lie to involuntarily release his grip - only then did he clearly see that it was a 13 or 14 year old, a thin and weak-looking boy with a dirty face.

  Di Lie just opened his mouth, but remembered that speaking with the people here was like talking to a wall, so he closed his mouth in frustration. Unexpectedly, an old man with white hair beside the young man spoke up: "This young fellow, I'm really sorry, my nephew has been hungry for two days and is dizzy, saying that your pocket has a sweet smell, so he made a mistake... I apologize on behalf of my nephew."

  What a surprise! It's absolutely a huge surprise!

  What the old man said, Di Lie could not only understand, but also in Mandarin Chinese, even with a hint of Shandong accent.

  Di Lie was overjoyed, originally lying on the ground, suddenly sat up with a start, but didn't know where to begin with all the words in his belly.

  The young man's already anxious expression became even more flustered, and he hastily retreated behind the old man. Di Lie also realized that his behavior was too agitated and might be misunderstood. After a moment's thought, he came up with a good conversation starter. He immediately tore open the pocket on his upper arm, unwrapped the package of chocolate candies, poured out two pieces, and handed them to the young man, saying: "Don't blame your nephew, old sir. His intuition is correct - I do have something edible in my pocket, and it's sweet treats."

  Although the young man was still a bit afraid of this strangely dressed, robust monk (because Di Lie's short hair and strange clothes made him think he was a Western monk), he couldn't resist the temptation of food, grabbed the chocolate and stuffed it into his mouth. Suddenly, his eyes widened in surprise and unbelief.

  "Uncle, this is really delicious! You try some too." The young man handed the other piece of chocolate to the old man's mouth. The old man was embarrassed to accept the gift in front of Di Lie, but he couldn't resist the unique sweet aroma and opened his mouth to take a bite, his expression identical to that of his nephew.

  Di Lie hadn't had time to speak, when a burly man suddenly stood up from the crowd, taking three steps in two strides, and rushed over to ask that young man: "A Ji, what's so delicious?"

  Young Ah Qi was delighted: "I don't know what it is, I've never had it in Bianjing before, but it's really delicious..."

  Han's head tilted to one side, his hand stretched out, and he stared at Di Lie with bulging eyes: "Bring it here!"

  The old man hesitated and said, "Lu Lao Er, isn't this not quite right? Such behavior is no different from that of a strongman. Although the craftsmen in our workshop are of low status, they have always been honest and upright for generations. How can we do such things..."

  Lao Er let out a snort of air, unmoved: "Old Master Zhou, we respect you as a senior in the craftsmanship workshop, and won't bother with you. But don't think about stopping us either. When people are on the verge of starving to death, what's the point of talking about dignity? Being a bandit is still better than being hungry. Look at those Jin people, aren't they all thieves? Yet they're living a life many times more carefree than us honest folk!"

  Lao Er's words obviously touched the pain in everyone's heart, and for a moment, there was a suppressed low response from around.

  The old man sighed and said to Di Lie, "Young brother, just give him the things. Lu Lao Er is not bad, it's just that his temper is a bit violent, he's also starving..."

  Di Lie smiled faintly, put the chocolate back in his pocket, patted it casually, and said to Lu Lao Er: "How do you know I'm not that kind of strongman you mentioned? Want to play violently? Okay, show me your skills."

  Lu Lao'er was taken aback, and his face immediately turned bright red with rage. Before Di Lie had a chance to get up, he pounced on him like a starving tiger.

  Young Ah Ji let out a worried cry. Di Lie turned his head to him and smiled slightly, with a calm expression. He wasn't unable to stand up in time, but rather he simply didn't plan on standing - it could be determined from the opponent's clumsy movements that even sitting down he could toy with him to death.

  When Lu Lao Er stepped into Di Lie's double-foot control range with a fierce momentum, Di Lie stretched out his left foot and hooked it around Lu Lao Er's right heel. His right foot lifted up, and the toe of his big leather boot lightly tapped on Lu Lao Er's shinbone.

  Lu Lao Er's momentum came to an abrupt halt, his dark face twisted, his cow-like eyes bulging out, and his mouth agape, before he could even let out a cry.

  Di Lie hooked his left foot under Lu Lao Er's heel and suddenly exerted force, sending Lu Lao Er's massive body flying three feet off the ground. With a loud crash, he heavily fell to the ground and couldn't get up for half a day.

  Everyone in the room was shocked, and in everyone's eyes, Lu Lao Er, who had already taken the upper hand, suddenly flew out without warning, it was unbelievable. Although the people in this house had more or less some connection with Lu Lao Er, at this moment, everyone looked at Di Lie with a hint of fear, and no one dared to go forward to check on Lu Lao Er's situation, let alone speak up for him.

  The commotion in the house alarmed the guards outside. One of the guards, wearing a fur hat and leather armor, kicked open the door and rushed in, shouting loudly. Although I couldn't understand what he was saying, I guessed it was probably the usual phrases used by guards, such as "What's all the noise about? Are you itching for a fight?"

  The room fell silent, with everyone lowering their heads and remaining speechless.

  The guard didn't notice anything unusual and probably thought playing the cow's zither was meaningless, so he scolded and left.

  Di Lie reached out and lifted up Lu Lao Er's head, pinching his philtrum for a while until he woke him up. Although Lu Lao Er was shaken quite heavily this time, fortunately, he didn't hurt any bones or muscles. His heart had already turned cowardly, and with his head hung low, he limped away, no longer daring to provoke this young man who looked somewhat delicate but had a strong and fierce demeanor.

  Finally, without anyone disturbing him, Di Lie eagerly asked the old man who claimed to be Zhou Dewang about the situation. Not listening was fine, but after hearing it, he was shocked - now it's actually the chaotic era of the late Northern Song Dynasty, when the Jin army broke through Bianjing and took away two emperors!

  Zhou Dewang, an old man, was just a ordinary soldier under the jurisdiction of the Imperial Guard in Bianjing City. He had very limited knowledge of the major military and national events of this era. However, several key words revealed in his speech, such as: Great Song, Golden Army, Bianjing, Two Emperors being captured, Jingkang Second Year... etc., for someone like Di Lie who was not particularly well-versed in history, were enough to piece together a complete era: the fall of the Northern Song Dynasty, the establishment of the Southern Song Dynasty, the iron hooves of the Golden Army trampling the Central Plains, and the magnificent tragic song of "Man Jiang Hong" that dyed the Red River Mountains!

  In the year 1127 AD, the shame of Jingkang!

  Dilute's eyes widened in astonishment as he reached this conclusion - could it be that the Gulf of Aden also had a mysterious space-time portal like the Bermuda Triangle?

  Considering the current dangerous situation, Di Lie had no choice but to suppress the anxiety in his heart and continue to ask Zhou Dewang for further information.

  According to Zhou Dewang, all of these people were from the imperial armory workshops in Bianjing: the Yuqian Yingfeng Workshop, which belonged to the "Neiting" (Imperial Court) craftsmen. Next door were several hundred "Waiting" (Court) craftsmen. There were Dongxi Workshop, Dongxi Guangbei (also known as Guangbei Gongcheng, specializing in gunpowder and firearms), Wanquan Workshop, Bow and Crossbow Institute, Qixie Workshop, etc., totaling over a thousand people. All of them were skilled craftsmen who had been rounded up by the Jin people from Bianjing, ready to be taken captive to the Jin territory.

  Di Lie nodded silently as he listened, these Jin people may not be fully civilized yet, but at least they understood the importance of technical personnel to a country, compared to the Confucianism held by the Central Plains dynasty, which viewed skilled craftsmen and technological inventions as "clever tricks".

  Zhou Dewang said, looking at Di Lie with a probing gaze: "We craftsmen are all hereditary craftsmen. Even my young nephew, who is only fourteen years old, has already become an apprentice in the manufacture of gunpowder and siege engines. All the craftsmen in various workshops, I know them all, but you, sir, look unfamiliar, could it be that you are a civilian craftsman who was recently 'brushed' (forcibly recruited)?"

  Di Lie was also stunned, right? The people imprisoned here are all artisans, why would they throw themselves in here? Could it be...

  Di Lie quickly searched his entire body equipment, except for the gun box and the guns, ammunition, helmet and two explosive packs inside, everything else was there. It's estimated that Jin Bing didn't search him either - probably because in Bianjing, this great Song Dynasty capital, the most prosperous and richest place in the world, they had already scooped up a full load of riches. For a lowly "artisan" wearing a "hundred-stitch robe", not a single Jin soldier had the interest to pick up scraps.

  Di Lie understood a bit, it should be that the Jin people found the guns in the gun case. They wouldn't understand what these things are, but the exquisite metal shape of the firearms would definitely have a certain attraction to them. It's natural for them to think they're blacksmiths and put themselves in this artisan concentration camp.

  It suddenly occurred to him that he was fortunate not to have set a password lock on the gun box for convenience. Otherwise, those barbarians wouldn't have been able to open it and might have killed him on the spot, without even giving him an identity as a "craftsman".

  Di Lie Zheng's heart was filled with emotion, but before he could respond to Zhou De Wang, the door creaked open. A Jin soldier walked in, scanning the room with his eyes, then fixed his gaze on Di Lie, pointing at him and beckoning him to come out.

  It's coming and can't be avoided! Di Lie took a deep breath, stood up, and suddenly felt a hand lightly tugging at the hem of his clothes. He looked down to see young Aji looking at him with a worried expression.

  Di Lie smiled comfortingly at him, intending to give him the whole package of chocolate. But then he thought better of it and patted his little head: "Sugar is not filling, wait here, I'll get you something that will fill your belly. Hopefully the food provided by these Golden Soldiers won't be too bad..."

  When Di Lie's tall figure disappeared from the eyes of the crowd, no one would have thought that from the moment this man walked out of the gate, whether it was the ambitious Jin State or the soon-to-be-established Southern Song Dynasty, and even the entire Chinese history, would undergo an irreversible earth-shaking change.