Phoenixes are reborn through nirvana to become true phoenixes, and caterpillars break out of their cocoons to become free-flying butterflies.
"Clang... clang... clang..."
"Eating, always eating, all day long it's just eating and sleeping."
In the land of Yanyun, in Luoyan Village, Youzhou, a farmer's wife deliberately banged a wok against an iron pot, creating a jarring noise, while muttering complaints.
"What's happening? Is she talking about me?" Zhou Fugui, famished and groggy, was awakened by the commotion outside and asked, still half-asleep, from his bed.
"Second Brother, why are you up? Is your... injury alright?" Zhou Fugui's third sister, twelve-year-old Zhou Xiaomei, asked with concern.
"It's fine, Little Sister. What exactly happened? How did I faint all of a sudden?" Zhou Fugui touched the wound on his head and asked Zhou Xiaomei.
Transmigration, the most popular thing nowadays, had happened to him? Zhou Fugui was extremely surprised. Transmigration was one thing, but upon arriving, Zhou Fugui had been struck on the head, rendering him unconscious...
The Zhou siblings numbered three. Their father had died early, their mother was Madam Liu. The eldest, Zhou Dashan, was already married. The second, Zhou Fugui, was two years shy of his majority. The third was Zhou Xiaomei.
The Zhou family only possessed a few mu of land, so the name Fugui (wealth and honor) was entirely unfitting. At best, they could eke out a living.
"The other day, you had an argument with the Duan family and were beaten. Second Brother, do you really not remember anything?" Due to perpetual hunger, Zhou Xiaomei was somewhat malnourished, her face sallow. This made her eyes appear exceptionally large. She looked at Zhou Fugui, her eyes darting, and asked with concern.
"This... Little Sister, why was I beaten? Who are the Duan family? Why did they strike with such malice?" Zhou Fugui had inherited most of the memories of this body, but perhaps not entirely, as he couldn't recall certain things. So he asked.
Furthermore, this body belonged to an eighteen-year-old youth who didn't know much.
The dynasty Zhou Fugui found himself in was the Great Yan Kingdom. The Great Yan Kingdom was a dynasty founded by northern nomadic peoples who had driven out the Central Plains' Great Xia Kingdom and then dominated the north.
The Great Xia Kingdom, primarily Han Chinese, was forced to migrate south, establishing a kingdom south of the Great River and continuing its lineage. This is what is referred to as "The Migration of the Elegant and Learned" or "The Southern Relocation of Altars and Temples."
The Great Xia Kingdom was predominantly Han Chinese, while within the Great Yan Kingdom, though there were many Han Chinese, power was held by the Hu people. Zhou Fugui's family was among the Han Chinese of Yan and Yun.
Great Yan Kingdom? Great Xia Kingdom? These two dynasties completely bewildered Zhou Fugui. He couldn't recall which dynasty he had arrived in. He was utterly confused.
"Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, Qing," he mused, when were there ever Great Xia or Great Yan?
Could it be the Sixteen Kingdoms of the Five Barbarians? Zhou Fugui wondered inwardly.
"Alas, Second Brother, you don't even remember the Duan family. It seems you were truly beaten..." Zhou Xiaomei said with a distressed look, resting her chin on her hands as she looked at Zhou Fugui, her voice laced with worry.
"Beaten silly, you mean?" Zhou Fugui, feeling a bit embarrassed, touched his head and chuckled, "Your Second Brother is a bit confused. I remember some things, and some I don't."
"It's early in the morning, and Mother isn't even awake yet. What mischief are you up to now?"
"Mischief? It's your brother who wants to eat, forcing me to get up so early to prepare food. Am I the one causing trouble?"
"Uncle has been bedridden for two days, not eating or drinking. Now that he's awake and wants something to eat, can't you accommodate him?"
"Am I not enough, serving this whole family? With you outside and me inside, this family would have fallen apart long ago."
At this moment, a fierce argument erupted outside. After a moment, only the scolding of a woman, Zhou Fugui's eldest sister-in-law, Madam Gu, remained.
"Little Sister, help me out," Zhou Fugui commanded with a dark expression.
He had "traveled" all this way to the Great Yan Kingdom, and upon waking, his stomach growled, and his desire for food led to an argument between his brother and sister-in-law, which also filled him with anger.
"Second Brother, what are you trying to do?" Zhou Xiaomei looked at Zhou Fugui with confusion but still helped him outside the door.
It was autumn, and the autumn in Yan and Yun already carried a chill. A gust of cold wind blew, making Zhou Fugui shiver.
"Eldest Brother, Sister-in-law, please stop arguing..." Zhou Fugui came out, glanced at his sister-in-law, Madam Gu, and said, "It's fine if there's no food. As they say, harmony brings prosperity. Why make everyone unhappy over a mouthful of food?"
"Fugui, your body hasn't recovered yet. Why are you out here? Be careful not to catch a chill. Go back inside quickly. I'll bring food to your room later." Zhou Dashan, who had been squatting under the eaves, was slightly surprised by Zhou Fugui's discourse today. Seeing this, he stood up and said.
Zhou Dashan was more than ten years older than Zhou Fugui. When their father died, Zhou Fugui was less than seven years old, and Zhou Xiaomei was just a month old. Their father had left the family and passed away. As the eldest son, Zhou Dashan had long shouldered the responsibility of raising Zhou Fugui and his siblings.
Due to years of working in the fields, with his face towards the loess and his back towards the sky, Zhou Dashan's skin was extremely dark and rough, and he was a simple and honest man.
"Why is that city over there so hazy?" Zhou Fugui waved his hand and sat in front of the house, looking at a dimly visible city in the distance and asking.
The Zhou family's thatched cottage was situated on a hillside outside the city, from where the city could be faintly seen.
"That's Youzhou City," Zhou Dashan replied and exchanged a glance with Madam Gu.
Madam Gu glared at Zhou Dashan before slamming a bowl of buckwheat porridge down beside Zhou Fugui and huffing, "Eat slowly, don't choke. If you choke, your Eldest Brother won't forgive me."
"Sister-in-law..." Madam Gu's words were harsh, and Zhou Xiaomei was angered.
"Thank you, Sister-in-law." Madam Gu's mouth was sharp, but her cooking skills were indeed excellent. The steaming buckwheat porridge exuded an aroma that made Zhou Fugui's mouth water. He picked up the porridge and began to eat with gusto, expressing his gratitude, "A drop of kindness should be repaid with a gushing spring. Brother will surely repay this delicious meal handsomely one day."
Based on the memories of that unlucky fellow, Zhou Fugui knew that his sister-in-law, Madam Gu, indeed had a sharp tongue and was unforgiving. However, Madam Gu was capable in both domestic and external affairs. Without her managing the Zhou family's affairs, the family would likely have fallen apart. Therefore, Zhou Fugui did not argue with her.
"Re...pay? Repay what?" Zhou Fugui suddenly changed his demeanor, becoming somewhat polite, which caught Madam Gu off guard. She stammered.
Zhou Fugui, relying on his martial arts skills and his proficiency with weapons, used to often argue with Madam Gu. He had never been like this before.
Could he have become enlightened after being hit by the Duan family?
"Fugui has become sensible. Why aren't you going to serve another bowl?" The bowl of buckwheat porridge was quickly finished. Zhou Dashan said happily to Madam Gu.
"Sensible? If he were sensible, he wouldn't have been beaten and caused trouble for us." Zhou Fugui suddenly became sweet-tongued. Madam Gu just muttered a bit before going to serve Zhou Fugui porridge.
"Fugui, your sister-in-law has a sharp tongue but a kind heart. Don't take her harsh words to heart." Having lost his father early, Zhou Dashan treated Zhou Fugui and Zhou Xiaomei as his own children. He looked at Zhou Fugui kindly and asked, "Fugui, what are your plans for the future?"
"Plans?" Zhou Fugui glanced at the house and said, "Our Zhou family cannot continue like this. We need to find a way to escape poverty and become prosperous."
Although Zhou Fugui's name contained "Fugui" (wealth and honor), his family was in extreme poverty, barely able to make ends meet.
"Escape poverty and become prosperous? That's a fresh idea." Zhou Dashan shook his head. "Everyone poor wants to become rich. But your previous methods... I think it's best to forget them. Our family is poor, but we can still manage. Just be content. After some time, when I've saved enough for a betrothal gift, I'll arrange a wife for you, and then this matter will be settled. You can then live at ease."
In the past, Zhou Fugui's methods of getting rich involved stealing chickens and dogs, and gambling. In the end, he didn't get rich but got his head broken...
"Wife? I'm engaged?" Zhou Fugui asked in surprise.
"Oh, Second Brother..." Before Zhou Dashan could answer, Zhou Xiaomei touched Zhou Fugui's forehead and sighed, "You really were hit silly... My future sister-in-law is the daughter of the Zhuangzhu of Qin Village. She's a renowned beauty around here."
"Ah? A great beauty?" Zhou Fugui frantically searched his memories, but couldn't recall what the Qin family daughter looked like. Still, he felt a bit of anticipation.
Even though they were poor, having a delicate and beautiful wife wouldn't be bad, Zhou Fugui thought to himself.
The Han Chinese in the barbarian lands generally followed some Han customs. Before marriage, one usually didn't know the appearance of the other.
"Marry?" Madam Gu, who was the fifth among her siblings, hence often called Gu Wuniang, interjected, "Does she still look down on our Zhou family now? Or on Uncle?"
"What are you saying? A woman, what do you know?" Zhou Dashan's face darkened. "The decree of parents and the word of the matchmaker. Fugui's engagement was settled when Father was alive. They cannot break it."
So it was a childhood betrothal. Zhou Fugui was secretly delighted. That deceased old father had done one good deed.
Zhou Fugui was rather impatient to meet this woman and see just how beautiful she was.
"I don't think so," Gu Wuniang pouted. She glanced at Zhou Fugui again and said, "Only I, Gu Wuniang, made a mistake in my judgment and married into your Zhou family."
"You..." Zhou Dashan was so enraged he couldn't speak and squatted under the eaves, sulking.
"Is Zhou Dalang at home?" At this moment, someone shouted loudly from outside the Zhou family's dilapidated house.
Zhou Dashan quickly went out to meet them. Upon seeing the visitors, he was greatly surprised and also puzzled.