Chapter 1: Rebirth

Darkness! Endless darkness!

Du Rui wanted to open his eyes, but despite struggling for a long time, he failed. His mind was a chaotic mess, as if someone were constantly speaking to him.

"Is it not pleasant to learn with a constant perseverance and application?"

"By not exalting the talented, you will prevent the people from contending. By not prizing goods that are hard to get, you will prevent the people from becoming thieves. By not displaying what is desirable, you will keep the people's hearts from being confused. Therefore, the sage governs by emptying their hearts, filling their bellies, weakening their ambitions, and strengthening their bones. He always keeps the people without knowledge and without desire. He makes those who have knowledge not dare to act. Practice non-action, and there is nothing that cannot be governed."

"Promote the benefits of the world and eliminate the harms of the world."

"The nature of the people is such that when hungry, they seek food; when tired, they seek rest; when suffering, they seek pleasure; when humiliated, they seek honor; when living, they calculate for profit; when dying, they worry about their reputation."

"A tiger caught a fox. The fox said, 'You dare not eat me! The Heavenly Emperor appointed me to lead all the beasts. If you think I am lying, follow me and see if any beast dares not run away when they see me.' The tiger thought this was true and walked with him. All the beasts saw them and fled. The tiger did not know the beasts feared him, but thought they feared the fox."

"Measure the fertility of the land to establish towns; build cities according to the land; size the cities according to the population; size the population according to the grain. If these three are in balance, one can defend from within and conquer from without. Conquer from without, prepare the master from within; use victory and preparation together, just like matching two halves of a tally—there is no other reason."

The various famous quotes and aphorisms of the Hundred Schools of Thought flooded into his brain like a torrent, causing his head to ache as if it were splitting. Finally, as if he had broken through heaven and earth, his mind cleared.

Opening his heavy eyelids, the first thing that met his eyes was dimness, as if it were night. Du Rui only remembered drinking at a roadside stall; how did he get here? What was beneath him? A bed?

Who brought him back? Could there really be a Comrade Lei Feng in this society? A bitter smile couldn't help but hang on Du Rui's face, but soon he couldn't smile anymore. After his eyes adjusted to the dim light, he suddenly saw the objects around him: all-wooden furniture. What kind of bed was this?

Du Rui only remembered seeing such beds in historical dramas; they were like small houses, and once the curtains were drawn, they formed a completely enclosed structure. But how could he be in such a place?

Filled with confusion, Du Rui struggled to sit up, and then he was shocked again. The clothes on his body had changed; they looked like Tang dynasty attire—real, authentic Tang attire, not the kind that looked like burial shrouds. Du Rui was well-informed and not unfamiliar with the clothing of the Tang Dynasty.

A round-collared robe with wide sleeves, a cross-collar, and a wrapped belt—this kind of clothing should have been in a museum long ago, so why was it on his body now?

Du Rui felt his head ache even more. He stood up dizzily and walked barefoot to a desk. On it sat a bronze mirror, but unlike the rusted ones he had seen in antique markets, this mirror looked quite new. He reached out to touch it; it was cool to the touch, making Du Rui shiver.

By the moonlight, Du Rui looked into the bronze mirror. He had always loved antiques and naturally adored this exquisite mirror, but soon, he lost the desire to admire it. Through the mirror, he saw a person—a completely unfamiliar face, the face of a boy who looked only about ten years old. What terrified Du Rui even more was that the boy actually had his hair tied in a bun on top of his head.

"Ah~~~~~~~"

Du Rui let out a loud cry and pushed the mirror aside. He turned around to look, but saw no one behind him. With trembling hands and a face full of disbelief, he picked up the mirror again.

Du Rui opened his mouth wide, and the boy in the mirror did the same. Du Rui shook his head, and the boy in the mirror shook his head as well.

Could it be~~~~~~

An absurd thought suddenly flashed through Du Rui's mind: could this be time travel?

Like many young people who lived in dreams, Du Rui, who had once been obsessed with the internet, naturally hoped that one day he could be like the protagonists in web novels—traveling to the past and, relying on the knowledge he possessed, conquering the world and achieving great things. Unlike many shut-ins in society, Du Rui himself had extraordinary talent, but he lacked connections and his talents went unrecognized.

But that was just a thought. Du Rui had never really wanted to leave the world he lived in for an unfamiliar environment. At this moment, his heart was filled with immense panic. What should he do? What was he to do?

Du Rui stood up blankly, and suddenly his head throbbed. The world spun, and he fell backward onto the floor, losing consciousness again.

Darkness! Darkness again!

Suddenly, there was a glimmer of light in the darkness. The boy Du Rui had just seen in the mirror stood before him. Thin and weary—that was the impression the boy gave Du Rui. Yet, despite this, the boy's delicate and indifferent face made Du Rui feel a sense of yearning. After all, in his previous life, Du Rui only possessed an average face and a mediocre height. Although he had never felt inferior because of it, as a normal person, he still had a longing and desire for beautiful things.

"Who are you?" Du Rui asked tentatively.

The boy smiled indifferently, lowered his eyelids, and said, "I am Du Rui!"

"Du Rui!? You are Du Rui!? Then who am I?"

The boy seemed to see through Du Rui's heart and said, "You are me, and I am you! From now on, you and I are one! I only hope you can live well for me!"

Du Rui suddenly understood and said apologetically, "I'm sorry! I think I killed you!"

The boy smiled dismissively and said, "Why say such things? What joy is there in living, and what bitterness in dying? I was never meant to be in this world. Although I held the title of a young nobleman, I lived the life of a servant. I have no attachment to this world; even if you hadn't come, I would not have wanted to live anymore! Only~~~~~~"

Seeing a trace of attachment flash in the boy's eyes, Du Rui hurriedly asked, "Is there something you still cannot let go of?"

The boy nodded and said, "My little sister, Lian'er, is young. I hope that, since we are now one, you will look after her. Then I can be at peace."

So it was his young sister he couldn't let go of. Hearing this, Du Rui felt a sense of sorrow in his heart. In his previous life, he had also had a happy home—a father, a mother, and a sister. But an "accidental" fire had taken the lives of all his loved ones. His sister was only four when she left—that little sprite who often hugged his neck and acted spoiled. Before she could enjoy the beauty of this world, her age was frozen forever.

"Don't worry! I will take care of her with all my heart!"

Seeing Du Rui agree, the boy smiled with relief, as if a heavy stone had been lifted from his heart. "Since that is so, I have no more desires! I only hope you will not forget what you promised me today!"

Du Rui nodded vigorously, and just as he was about to say something, another voice reached his ears.

"Young Master! Young Master! Wake up! Please wake up!"

The boy before Du Rui suddenly seemed to be sucked into a vortex, drifting further and further away, even as he continued to shout at him: "Take care of Lian'er, you must take care of Lian'er!"

"Who? Who is there? Who is speaking?" Du Rui shouted.

Answering him was the voice of an old man, laughing through tears: "Young Master! You have finally woken up! This old servant has finally not failed the mistress's entrustment. Truly, Heaven has eyes."

Du Rui opened his eyes abruptly, staring blankly at the old man weeping before him. Even with his deep composure, seeing a strange old man at this moment made him panic. He asked with a trembling voice, "You~~~ who are you?"

"Me?" The old man was also stunned. "I am your old servant, Du Zhong!"

"Du Zhong?" Du Rui repeated the name to himself, lifting his arm to look at his round-collared robe. He knew that everything before was not a dream; he must have hit the jackpot.

"What year is it now?"

"The fourth year of Zhenguan!"