Zhuang Yubai lay curled up on the bed, his hands and feet bound, eyes darting around as he lamented his misfortune. Sacrificing to the river, being chased by a dog, getting tied up—wasn’t this too much drama for the first day of his transmigration?
But this time, he had to admit he was at fault. How was he supposed to know that the person he encountered was the homeowner? The guy was built like a bear, with the presence of a black panther. Who comes home in the middle of the night and sneaks in quietly? Sure, it was wrong to attack, but you weren’t hurt, right? So why tie me up like a dumpling?
Seeing the person on the bed stubbornly refusing to speak, Meng Zhizhang began to pace slowly. His tall shadow loomed over the ceiling, casting a dark and cold presence over Zhuang Yubai.
“According to the ‘Daheng Penal Code,’ Volume 18, Theft Laws, anyone who enters a home at night without reason shall be flogged forty times. If the homeowner kills them on the spot, it is not considered a crime.”
Meng Zhizhang glanced at the stick that had rolled to the floor, then at the person on the bed.
“Volume 19 states that anyone who robs with a stick, regardless of whether they have stolen anything, shall be sentenced to death.”
The person on the bed blinked like a startled deer, unsure if he didn’t understand or was too scared to respond.
Meng Zhizhang stepped closer, leaning down with a gaze that seemed to look down on everything: “I see you’re young, why are you seeking death?”
The overwhelming presence pressed down on Zhuang Yubai, making his back tense. Hearing the words “seeking death,” his hair stood on end.
“Who’s seeking death?”
Zhuang Yubai thought to himself that he had encountered a tough opponent. Not only was the other person skilled in martial arts, but his verbal skills were even more formidable.
As the other person leaned closer, Zhuang Yubai found it hard to handle and quickly translated “Big brother, spare me” in his mind: “Brother, you have great skills! I thought a thief had broken in, so I was helping you… punish evil and promote good. It’s all a misunderstanding… a misunderstanding!”
“Punish evil and promote good? A misunderstanding?”
The flickering light from behind made it hard for Zhuang Yubai to see the person’s expression, let alone guess his thoughts.
“Big brother, hero, brother… it’s really a misunderstanding! I’m just a passerby… a good person. Otherwise, you can check if anything is missing from your home… except for those few pancakes.”
A brave man isn’t scary; what’s scary is a brave man with knowledge. Zhuang Yubai hadn’t expected someone who was both literate and skilled in martial arts. According to what he said, even if he were beaten to death today, it would still be within the law. He had neither martial prowess nor legal knowledge.
“My family encountered difficulties, so I came out to find something to eat.” Seeing that the other person wasn’t pressing further, Zhuang Yubai quickly played the sympathy card. This was a hastily made-up excuse to justify eating the man’s pancakes.
The shadowy figure leaned closer, the scent of ink becoming more apparent. The pressure was so intense that Zhuang Yubai held his breath, struggling not to suffocate… Fortunately, the shadow suddenly withdrew.
“Are you from Pingning Prefecture?” The voice above softened, as if about to turn away, but then seemed to remember something, “In this area, only Pingning Prefecture had a flood recently, but half of the grain fields were saved, and last year was a bountiful year, with the summer harvest approaching. Why would you need to flee?”
The ropes binding him were uncomfortable, and Zhuang Yubai struggled a bit, sweat beginning to form on his forehead. How was he supposed to know why he had to flee? He couldn’t exactly say he failed to die in a river sacrifice. If he were sent back, wouldn’t he have to die all over again?
“I ate your pancakes today, and I swung a stick at you. Things have come to this, I have nothing to say. Do what you will!”
Under the cover of night, Zhuang Yubai’s temper flared.
A thin layer of moonlight covered Zhuang Yubai, who was tied up like a ball. His wrists were slender and pale, exuding a stubborn resilience.
Meng Zhizhang frowned slightly, his gaze lingering on the person before him for a moment before he turned and left the room.
Judging by the sound, he went to the kitchen. Zhuang Yubai felt a sense of relief, the intense pressure disappearing along with the person’s presence.
He turned slightly on the bed, taking a few deep breaths, but before he could catch his breath, he stopped abruptly.
The courtyard was empty and silent, the sounds from the kitchen growing clearer and more piercing.
“Clang—” the clash of metal,
“Creak—” the tightening of ropes,
…
Zhuang Yubai’s eyelashes trembled, his heart sinking bit by bit. …Could it be that today he would really meet his end here?
He strained his ears, trying not to miss any subtle sounds. Scenes from dismemberment documentaries flooded his mind—binding, dismembering, burying… Who would have thought he’d soon be part of a dismemberment case in this world?
What kind of place had he transmigrated to, with river sacrifices and nighttime dismemberments? Zhuang Yubai regretted his earlier bravado.
In the long wait, Meng Zhizhang returned, his large shadow looming as he placed a heavy bag in front of the bed, its contents unknown. He then took out a cloth bag, placing it before Zhuang Yubai.
What was this for?
The “spare me, hero” Zhuang Yubai had been rehearsing in his mind never came out, as the person before him spoke first.
“The rice and grain at home are limited, but with the hundred wen I earned today, it should be enough to support you back to Pingning Prefecture.”
Meng Zhizhang didn’t wait for the person on the bed to thank him, or perhaps he didn’t care about the reaction of this uninvited guest. He returned to the table, brightened the lamp, and began writing on paper as if no one else was there.
“You… won’t report me to the authorities, or kill me?” Zhuang Yubai was bewildered by this turn of events.
The pen in Meng Zhizhang’s hand made a half-circle in the inkstone, soaking up the ink: “It’s late tonight, you can stay here for now and leave in the morning.”
What was this about?
Not only was he not holding grudges, but he was also giving him money? Perhaps it was the light, but Zhuang Yubai felt the person’s image suddenly brightened. Even the oppressive shadow from before now seemed to have a soft glow in his eyes.
Setting aside his initial impression, just looking at his face, the term “noble young master” popped into Zhuang Yubai’s mind.
The flickering lamplight reflected in his eyes, and Zhuang Yubai didn’t know how to describe the person before him. Warm and composed, suitable for both near and far. Hmm… like a well-structured poem?
The moonlight was quiet, the lamplight gentle, and the person before him, unsmiling, was writing something on paper. The light softly caressed his high nose bridge, making his features even more mysterious in the interplay of light and shadow.
Having never met before, someone giving rice and money, out of courtesy, he should say something. Zhuang Yubai cleared his throat.
“Are you a book merchant?”
The ink moistened the paper, the pen gliding smoothly, leaving a line of scripture: “The past mind is unattainable, the present mind is unattainable.” Meng Zhizhang didn’t know why the other person would ask such a question. He dipped the pen in ink, continuing: “The future mind is unattainable…”
“I am, you could say, a scholar.” The pen didn’t stop, his gaze remained on the paper, but there was a hint of warmth at the corner of his mouth.
A scholar?! Zhuang Yubai’s eyes lit up, the flickering lamplight igniting a fire in his heart.
Studying was one of the few ways to rise in ancient times. Once successful, even the chickens and dogs would rise to heaven. Even in the middle of the night, with a thief in the house, he could still focus on studying by lamplight. He was a formidable character. It seemed that achieving fame was just around the corner.
Having just arrived and with nowhere to go, if he could “angel invest” in this person, when he soared, wouldn’t he also get to enjoy the world’s splendor?
A full meal now, or a lifetime of good meals in the future? Zhuang Yubai’s mind was abuzz with calculations.
He was a “little encyclopedia of agriculture,” a model young person of the new era, transmigrated to an ancient agrarian society. Wasn’t this a precise placement? A heaven-sent opportunity?
He hoped this poor young man would recognize his worth.
“Ugh ugh ugh ah ah ah—” Zhuang Yubai suddenly buried his face in the pillow, wailing, “My family is all gone… I’m the only one left, I have nowhere to go… wah wah wah… Young master, please… have pity on me wah wah wah…”
…
Zhuang Yubai had only intended to put on a show, but once he started, the bizarre experiences of the day truly brought out the grievances of surviving a disaster.
The world was vast, and he was all alone, looking around in confusion. If the other person didn’t take him in, where would he wander tomorrow? He couldn’t return to the original owner’s home, lest he be sacrificed to the river again.
And the vicious dog in the mountains, who knew if the next encounter would be with a real beast, leaving not even bone fragments. Once out of this door, he doubted he could survive three days…
Under the cover of night, Zhuang Yubai let himself sob, mixing truth with fiction, and even shed a few genuine tears.
The pen stopped on the other side of the desk, the air still for a moment, then after a long pause: “You want me to take you in?”
Dealing with smart people was indeed easier. Just as he was thinking about how to lay the groundwork, the other person had already given the answer.
The lamplight flickered a few times.
Through the blurry tears, Zhuang Yubai looked at Meng Zhizhang and nodded lightly. He couldn’t see the other’s expression, but since the person had given him rice and money, he hoped his fabricated tragic backstory had moved him.
Just as Zhuang Yubai was about to express his gratitude, two cold words hit him.
“No way.”
The reply was crisp, decisive, and final.
Author’s Note:
The legal codes mentioned by Meng Zhizhang are adapted from the “Song Penal Code? Theft Laws”:
Volume 18, anyone who enters a home at night without reason shall be flogged forty times. If the homeowner kills them on the spot, it is not considered a crime.
Volume 19, anyone who robs with a stick, regardless of whether they have stolen anything, shall be sentenced to death.
The past mind is unattainable, the present mind is unattainable, the future mind is unattainable. — “Diamond Sutra”