Chapter One: Qin Feng

  April 183 AD.

  In a remote corner of Luoyang City, there was a dilapidated temple. On the worn-out dirt street in front of the temple, people wearing coarse linen clothes hurried by. Inside the temple, there was a pile of hay, and someone was snoring away on it, with a faint smile at the corner of their mouth, occasionally laughing as if they were having a wonderful dream. Wearing a T-shirt and jeans, with a pair of travel shoes on his feet, he stood out from the passersby outside. This person was none other than Qin Feng, who just a month ago was still a student in the 2011 class at a certain drama academy.

  At this time, a beggar in tattered clothes rushed in, with blood-stained bandages wrapped around his legs and arms. As soon as he came in, he excitedly shouted: "Brother Qin Feng, Brother Qin Feng, look what the big cow bought today, and how much money is left!"

  Dà Niú was a beggar in Luoyang City, often going hungry and cold. But after meeting Qín Fēng, his life underwent a dramatic change, and he could eat and drink to his heart's content every day. For Dà Niú, this was like living in heaven, so he deeply admired his big brother Qín Fēng.

  Today, Da Niu listened to Qin Feng's words and disguised himself as a beggar with severe injuries. It was indeed effective. "After being severely injured, begging for food is simply too easy! I can even get a few coins, making other beggars jealous enough to hit the city wall!" He saw that Qin Feng was still sleeping, so he threw aside the crutch pretending to have a broken leg and walked over quietly.

  "Brother Qin! Brother Qin Feng!" Big Cow called out softly as he walked near.

  Qin Feng had actually woken up when the big cow came in, but he was feeling depressed and didn't get up. At this moment, he sat up from the haystack, shook his head, and some hay fell off. "Big Cow, you've already made a profit so early?" He said lazily, looking at the outside sky.

  "Hey, Qin Feng big brother, you don't know, today Big Cow followed your new method with a blood-stained bandage and crutches, lying on the ground, and immediately someone gave him alms. A rich old lady even gave him a lot of money! Big Cow bought two large pancakes and still has some left over." Big Cow proudly said, handing over several five-cent coins.

  Qin Feng simply took a big pancake, took a bite, and couldn't help but scold himself for suddenly coming to the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty. You say others cross over, either with famous fathers or attached to famous people themselves. And he was alone, with nothing, this month has been a real bad luck. He savagely bit into the pancake, but it's also good that his appearance hasn't changed and his parents can't take advantage of him, after all, being called a stranger's father is something even a Three Kingdoms genius wouldn't be happy about.

  What a pity for the good dream just now, Diao Chan, tsk tsk...

  Just as he was savoring the moment, many people rushed past the broken temple gate, looking anxious and flustered.

  The big cow was a bit curious, so it walked out to take a look, and after a while, it wandered back carelessly.

  Qin Feng was eating a pancake, thinking about the way to stand out from the crowd. Seeing the big cow coming back, he casually said: "What's going on? Why are these people running?"

  "Master Cai Yong's mansion has a job opening, but only one spot is available. The pay is quite good, so many people have gone to try out," said Big Cow. In fact, he also wanted to give it a shot, but thinking that he was illiterate and just a beggar, he clearly had no chance.

  Qin Feng smiled slightly, Cai Yong was a great man, good at writing and mathematics, astronomy, especially skilled in music. In addition to being well-versed in classics and history, he was also skilled in literature and calligraphy, particularly in seal script and clerical script, with the deepest attainments in clerical script. This person was a leading figure in the literary world of the Eastern Han Dynasty, equivalent to an academician in modern times.

  Wait! He was moved in his heart and hastily said: "You say there's a job opening at the Cai Manor?"

  "Really!" Big Cow didn't know how Qin Ge, who had been depressed all the time, suddenly became spirited, with bright and shining eyes.

  Because Qin Feng suddenly thought that if he had the opportunity to pull up his relationship with Cai Yong, it would also be a shortcut to promotion...

  He scratched his head, threw away a grass awn and stood up with a faint smile. It had been over a month since he arrived in the Eastern Han Dynasty, and he had gained some understanding of it, but he didn't want to waste this great opportunity to travel through time. No matter what, he wanted to achieve something in the late Eastern Han Dynasty, unfortunately, he had not found a way yet, but now...

  Cai Yong is a great literary master, and his home must have been frequented by talented people. With his own methods 1,800 years later, he showed off his skills and was noticed by the talented people, isn't that a way to stand out? Moreover, Cai Yong's daughter Cai Yan is a great talent of the Eastern Han... Her reputation in later generations is no longer inferior to Diao Chan's. If she can establish a relationship... it won't be a waste to come to this Eastern Han for a while, heh heh...

  The big cow was eating a large pancake when it saw Qin Feng reveal an evil smile, and its heart felt afraid. It carefully said: "Qin Feng big brother, wh...what's wrong?"

  "Here comes the chance!" Qin Feng feared that if he went late, someone would seize the opportunity first, so he threw down this sentence and rushed out.

  "Qin Feng big brother, wait for me!" Big Cow hastily stuffed the money back into his pocket and chased after him with a pancake in his mouth.

  ……

  "This is the Cai Manor! The home of the talented lady Cai Yan!" Qin Feng saw the spacious vermilion gate with an extraordinary air, and the golden plaque above it with the words "Cai Manor", and walked over.

  At this time, the entrance of the Cai's residence was crowded with people who came to do something. The crowd was surging, mostly consisting of ordinary civilians wearing coarse cloth clothes. There were many people at the entrance, and he couldn't squeeze in for a while, so he said: "Wow, there are so many people, what a great attraction!"

  The person in front of him, seeing him squeeze in with force, was very dissatisfied and said: "This brother, do you understand who came first and who came later? Don't squeeze recklessly, and don't lean on me in the front. If you want to lean, go lean on the back."

  Qin Feng almost spat out the big pancake he had just eaten. This person obviously misunderstood, and thought to himself: "I still rely on you from behind, if you are Cai Yan I wouldn't mind, but if Cai Yan has a face like yours, then I'm not interested in relying on him either."

  Another person next to him said kindly, "The Cai household has an opening for a servant position. Mr. Cai is very kind and pays well. Moreover, if you have the heart, once you enter the Cai household, there's also the opportunity to learn to read and write, which is a rare chance."

  Qin Feng was taken aback, recognizing that in ancient times being literate was a symbol of status and also came with high wages, no wonder so many people were fighting for one spot. Seeing the crowd surging forward, he couldn't help but think of the scene at modern big companies recruiting employees, it was indeed lively and bustling.

  "Get out of here, you beggar!"

  "Qin, big brother!" Da Niu shouted urgently as he was blocked outside.

  "Oh, you wait for me at the back." Qin Feng said as he turned his head.

  The main gate of the Cai residence had been tightly closed, and just as Qin Feng was getting impatient, the door opened. Several people walked out from inside, among whom a middle-aged man wearing a silk changshan robe walked in front, and this attire alone could show his superior status.

  This man was Cai Lin, the steward of the Cai household. Seeing that dozens of people had come for some errand, he waved his hand to signal to Cai Ping, who was in charge of affairs by his side.

  Cai Ping saw him and first bowed his hands in greeting, then turned around and shouted, "Everyone listen up, is there anyone among you who can recognize characters?"

  People saw someone coming out of the government office, originally very nervous, but after hearing the words, they calmed down a lot in an instant, and even the chirping of birds on distant trees could be heard clearly.

  Cai Lin saw no one responding, so she knew they were also illiterate people. With a lack of interest, she turned around and walked towards the government office, saying casually: "Choose a local good family with five officials who are upright and select one."

  "Yes." Cai Ping replied.

  Qin Feng vaguely heard Cai Lin's words, if he were to choose a local person, he would have no chance. In order to make a name for himself as soon as possible in the late Eastern Han Dynasty and to meet the legendary talented woman Cai Yan, he also went all out. He shouted: "I can read!"

  The crowd stirred and looked over.