Chapter 2: 001 One Punch

The general trend of the world is that long periods of division lead to unity, and long periods of unity lead to division.

After fifteen years of war and chaos, the Great Han of the Central Plains finally saw the establishment of the new Great Zhou Dynasty thirteen years ago. The scarred landscape began to catch its breath, and the world was in a state of recovery. In the fourth month of the ninth year of Chengqing, although the scent of gunpowder still lingered in the air of the capital, the flourishing lilacs had quietly bloomed throughout the streets and alleys of Qilin Ward in the north of the city.

The mansions established within Qilin Ward originally belonged to noble families with deep roots in the capital. However, as the dynasty changed, the circle of the gentry underwent a purge. Some of the capital’s new nobility also took a fancy to this auspicious location, constructing new residences on the sites of the former dynasty’s dukes and marquises, which had already become ruins.

At this moment, in this ward that symbolized wealth and peace, a hint of unpleasantness permeated beneath the lush, brilliant lilac trees.

"What’s so great about your Shen family? You talk a good game about being a scholarly family for generations, but what’s the use of reading? Can it drive away thieves and kill enemies, or can it pacify the nation? Your ancestors may have produced two prime ministers, but aren't you still having to play the submissive grandson in front of our Duke now? Our Gu family ranks among the dukes and marquises; that comes from real ability! In any dynasty, we are the pillars of the state. People like you aren't even fit to carry our young master’s shoes!"

Song Jiang, a cousin of the Duke of Rong’s mansion, pointed at Shen Ming and Shen Xin, who were dressed similarly to him, his chin raised higher than his nose.

Because the environment was exclusive and people of low status could not enter, this open space at the crossroads where two alleys met in the ward had always been a playground for the local children. Yet, today, a dispute had broken out.

Standing behind Song Jiang with his hands behind his back was a boy of about ten, dressed in fine silk robes. He looked down, the corners of his lips slightly curled, and his straight nose bridge revealed his determination. His features were excellent, but because of this expression, he inexplicably exuded an air of aloofness that made people afraid to approach him.

Facing the ridicule, both Shen Ming and Shen Xin’s cheeks flushed red, but after exchanging a glance, they bit their lips and lowered their heads.

When the current dynasty was founded, one prince, four dukes, six marquises, and eight earls were enfeoffed. The Gu family was one of the four dukes—the Duke of Rong. If Gu Song himself hadn't been here today, it would have been one thing; they wouldn't have cared about a mere Song Jiang. But Gu Song was the young heir of the Duke of Rong’s mansion, and he happened to be right here. Now that the dynasty had changed, the Shen family could no longer be as imposing as the legends their father spoke of.

Seeing them speechless, Gu Song sneered even more.

He straightened his not-yet-fully-grown body slightly and squinted at the floating clouds on the horizon.

Seeing this, Song Jiang turned back to Shen Ming and Shen Xin and said, "What are you still standing here for? Why don't you hurry up and go play somewhere else? From now on, this place is where our young master comes to walk and digest his food. You all need to clear out and stop blocking the way! Do you hear me?"

Song Jiang’s voice sounded strangely shrill due to his feigned arrogance.

A burst of laughter came from the side.

Everyone turned to look and saw a little girl standing outside the circle of onlookers. She looked to be eight or nine years old, her skin as smooth and fair as a peeled egg. She wore clothing made of finer fabric than even the legitimate young masters of the Shen family, Shen Ming and Shen Xin. Aside from a solid gold collar around her neck, she had no other ornaments, yet her light, muffled laughter revealed an unspoken, spirited cleverness.

She looked like a young lady, but there were no maids accompanying her.

Song Jiang’s face darkened, and he barked, "Who are you? What are you laughing at?!"

Shen Yan lowered her hand and glanced at him coldly. "What does it matter to you who I am? Even if the Gu family is remarkable, it doesn't change the fact that the Duke of Rong is blind. How could he recruit someone like you to smear the Gu family’s reputation? Our Shen family may lack military achievements, but we are still officials of the Ministry of Rites appointed by the Emperor. Does your Song family rank among the dukes and ministers, or do you hold a high position? Even if you are just borrowing the tiger’s might to insult a court official, I’m afraid this is a crime you cannot bear."

Song Jiang was startled and pointed at his own nose. "You say I’m borrowing the tiger’s might?!"

Shen Yan smiled sweetly, placed her hands behind her back, leaned forward slightly, and drawled, "No, I’m saying you’re a dog acting on its master’s power!"

Song Jiang was so angry his nose went crooked. He looked back at Gu Song, who was also staring at Shen Yan with an icy expression.

"Where did this stinking girl come from!"

Unable to contain his anger, Song Jiang rushed forward and shoved her.

Although he hadn't met her, he had already realized that Shen Yan was also from the Shen family. The Shen family had some status in the Great Zhou, so how could he dare to truly do anything to her? Although he used his full strength in that push, weren't Shen Ming and Shen Xin standing right there? He assumed they would definitely catch her and not let her suffer the slightest harm.

However, to his surprise, when Shen Yan was pushed, the Shen brothers not only failed to reach out to help, but subconsciously stepped back two paces, as if they didn't want to get involved. Thus, with no one to catch her, Shen Yan let out a cry of alarm as the back of her head struck a decorative pillar, and she fell to the ground.

"Oh my god! Hurry and help her up!"

Someone in the crowd screamed, and everyone swarmed forward. Seeing that things had gone wrong, Shen Ming quietly ran off toward the Shen mansion. Shen Xin hesitated for a moment but stayed behind.

Song Jiang panicked and stammered, urging Gu Song to leave. Gu Song glared at him fiercely, pushed through the crowd, and walked up to the unconscious Shen Yan.

He took a smelling salt from his pouch and held it under her nose.

Shen Yan felt a wave of dizziness!

Then her mind went blank, and following that, her consciousness was flooded with that all-too-familiar depression.

Her consciousness became extremely clear in an instant.

She knew she had been lying in a sickbed for nearly half a year; ever since her father died, she had been bedridden.

She had lived to be twenty-three, thinking she could endure all misfortunes, but in the end, she had overestimated herself. The poison on her mother’s lips, the blood flowing like a river in the Hua mansion, her father’s final monologue, the blood-stained dagger she dropped—these things were like malignant tumors that had completely eroded her soul, making people forget her original, peaceful, and proud self, turning her into a walking corpse soaked in hatred and regret.

Now, illness had made her a true walking corpse.

But she hadn't always been like this; she used to be spirited and free, never knowing regret or pain!

...She suddenly smelled a faint, elegant fragrance. She knew it was high-quality smelling salt; someone wanted her to wake up, but she couldn't open her eyelids. She had been strong-willed her whole life, unwilling to be controlled, and prided herself on being clear about her debts and grudges, yet her own father had ultimately died by her hand. How could she have the courage to face this festering life?

"Hey, wake up!"

Gu Song frowned as he looked at Shen Yan, who was being held in another girl’s arms, her brows tightly knit as she shook her head and gasped. A hint of worry finally appeared in his cold, arrogant eyes. She had only fainted and hadn't suffered any injury, so why was her expression so painful? He waited a moment, then hesitantly reached out, grabbed her chin, and shook her. "Did you hear me? Wake up!" It was the tone of a young noble who was used to having his way.

Shen Yan frowned; she had never liked this tone in boys.

Her head ached from the shaking, and she finally opened her eyes.

After her vision blurred for a moment, it focused. The arrogant boy in front of her, based on her memory, vaguely resembled the heir of the Duke of Rong. Why was he in front of her, and why had he become so small? And these people beside her—she vaguely recognized them all. Before she was married, she should have seen them often, but why were they all so young, and why had they all come to her side?

She suddenly thought of a term: the final flash of clarity before death.

Could it be that before she finally died, God was giving her a final flash of clarity, letting her remember these insignificant people?

For the first time, she realized that the final flash of clarity could come in such a novel way.

She shook her head, and the depression in her chest temporarily receded.

But why was this place in front of her so familiar? This wasn't the Qin family’s residence; this was clearly Pomelo Alley outside the Shen mansion!

She had only had one encounter with the heir of the Duke of Rong in Pomelo Alley, shortly after she returned to the capital from Jinling with her parents when she was nine years old. The Gu family’s people were ridiculing the Shen family in front of a group of children, and she had happened to pass by, said a few words in return, and was then pushed down by the Gu family’s cousin, Song Jiang.

—That was it, it was just something from over ten years ago, and she remembered it very clearly! Just like now, Gu Song was holding the smelling salt bottle, looking at her with impatience, surrounded by the neighborhood children.

She looked at herself and saw she was also dressed as a child, with her favorite creeping passionflowers embroidered on the hem of her skirt—not a single detail was off.

If this was a final flash of clarity, why was everything so realistic?

The long-standing depression in her chest was pushed aside by this anomaly. She stared blankly at Gu Song with wide eyes. She could clearly see her own reflection in his arrogant eyes; his eyes were black and white, not blurry or ethereal like in a dream—if this was a dream, if this was a hallucination before death, it was far too realistic.

It was as if she had returned to the age of nine!

Because of her excitement, her breathing became labored, and she began to cough.

"What are you dazed for!"

Gu Song was impatient at being stared at and reached out to touch the back of her head; he wanted to see if a bump had formed.

Shen Yan watched his face enlarge as he leaned in, her eyes suddenly deepening.

If she had returned to the age of nine, to the time when she had just returned to the capital, then her father hadn't been imprisoned yet, her mother hadn't died, and the Hua mansion hadn't been wiped out. All the tragedies hadn't happened yet!

Does this mean she would be able to see her father and mother when she got home?!

The sudden emergence of this thought made it impossible for her to even politely ask Gu Song to move aside.

She suddenly thrust her fist out, striking Gu Song in the face with lightning speed.

No one expected her to suddenly attack, and certainly not that she would attack Gu Song. Gu Song himself hadn't expected it either, so even though he had practiced martial arts since childhood as a member of a noble family, he didn't escape the blow. He let out a cry, clutched his right eye, and sat down on the ground, causing Song Jiang to scream and run over as if his feet had been scalded by boiling water.

Shen Yan stood up and bolted toward the nearby Shen mansion!