Chapter 2

By pretending to have amnesia and chatting with the old butler Qin Heng, Zhao Jian basically understood the current situation of this 8-year-old body. After all, as an 8-year-old, there isn't much life experience to speak of from the time he became aware until now.

The good news is! Zhao Jian is still "Zhao Jian." It seems he has transmigrated to a parallel world where he hasn't changed, and even his parents are still the same. This greatly alleviates the discomfort brought by the transmigration.

The bad news is! His parents unfortunately died in a maritime disaster four days ago, and after learning this tragic news, little Zhao Jian cried for three days straight, eventually dying from excessive grief. It's likely that Zhao Jian's soul took advantage of this opportunity to enter the body.

In this world, Zhao Jian became an orphan at 8 years old, and the younger brother who was supposed to be born "accidentally" at 9 years old no longer exists. However, his parents here seem to be very capable people, and their family's financial situation is far better than what Zhao Jian had before transmigrating, by more than a hundred times!

In this world, Zhao Jian's father, Zhao Teng, still looks like a tough guy, but he is no longer a physical education teacher. Instead, he is a newly promoted naval commander, commanding one heavy cruiser and several destroyers. His mother, Zhao Xiangming, is still a hopeless tough guy enthusiast and continues to sell tea, but the scale of her business is much larger than Zhao Jian could have imagined.

In the original world, Zhao Jian's mother ran a small tea shop of less than 30 square meters, with no employees. Apart from occasional help from him and his father in purchasing supplies, she basically handled everything herself. Here, Zhao Xiangming has transformed into the only daughter of the "Tea King of Northern Jiang," with thousands of acres of tea plantations, and her tea is sold both domestically and internationally, making her a well-known tycoon in Shandong!

It's worth noting that Zhao Jian's father is a赘婿 (a man who marries into his wife's family), but fortunately, he was already surnamed Zhao, so there's no issue of "a man changing his name and surname." Although Zhao Xiangming is shrewd and strong in business, she is very gentle and dependent on her husband, and their relationship is incredibly harmonious.

With such a solid family background, as long as Zhao Jian isn't a wastrel, his life will be worry-free. However, when he learned about the historical background of this world, he was truly shocked!

It's actually 1929! Is that right?

World War II will start in ten years! Is that right?

I can't watch new anime or play computer games here! Is that right?

...

Alright! The last point is just the whining of a 12-year veteran otaku!

Like most (or so it seems) Chinese people who transmigrate to this era, Zhao Jian's first thought was to fulfill his duty as a Chinese person and save the impoverished and weak "old China," and maybe even wipe out the United States and Japan. However, he soon discovered that the timeline of this world has changed... quite a bit!

In his previous life, Zhao Jian, a physical education student, probably excelled in "history" more than any other subject. But if he were to use the historical knowledge from his previous life to take an exam here, the history teacher would likely spit blood all over him.

The correct order of Chinese dynasties, excluding the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, should be Xia, Shang, Zhou, Qin, Han, Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, Sui, Tang... After the Tang Dynasty, there should be the Five Dynasties, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing, marking the end of the feudal era, and 1929 should belong to the Republic of China. But...

Coach! Where's the Republic of China? What's this "Great Tang Empire" on the newspaper?

As for the bizarre news like "Liaoning-class space battleship successfully launched" and "new generation of armored mechs officially deployed," Zhao Jian is at a loss for words. His attempt to dominate history has been preempted by history itself!

This world feels like A社's "Great Empire." What should I do?

In the history Zhao Jian is familiar with, the An Shi Rebellion broke out at the end of 755 AD, severely weakening the Tang Dynasty and leading to its eventual downfall due to regional warlords. However, in this world's history, there was a "small change": one of the key figures in the An Shi Rebellion, "An Lushan♂," became... "An Lushan♀"!

"W~T~F~!"

Alright! Historically, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang was indeed unusually fond of An Lushan, but here, it's taken to a whole new level!

According to historical records, An Lushan was a beautiful Turkic woman who disguised herself as a man and joined the Tang army with her "childhood friend" Shi Siming. Later, due to her military achievements, she was able to meet the emperor in Chang'an, where Emperor Xuanzong immediately saw through her disguise and fell in love with her.

Younger by at least 20 years than in the history Zhao Jian knows, the middle-aged and "richest and most handsome man in the world" Emperor Xuanzong Li Longji quickly won the heart of the beauty with his exceptional status and charm. Shi Siming, who was cuckolded, rebelled, but was ultimately defeated by An Lushan.

After this incident, the Tang Dynasty not only did not decline, but Emperor Xuanzong also realized the need to reduce the power of regional warlords, preventing the later "regional warlordism."

Thus, the Tang Dynasty, which should have ended in 907 AD, extended its life to 1929 and became very powerful. Unlike the late Qing Dynasty, which had a "world's highest GDP" but was weak in other areas, the Tang Dynasty is leading in politics, military, economy, and culture. The country doesn't need to be saved; it needs to save others!

While Zhao Jian hopes to see a strong homeland, this one is unexpectedly strong! Not only is it not being bullied, but other countries should be grateful if they aren't bullied by it. The biggest problem Zhao Jian faces now is that he can't find a grand cause to strive for!

Can I still have fun? Do I have to just inherit my mother's business and become the next Tea King?

To be honest, being a wealthy and powerful young master isn't bad, but Zhao Jian, deeply influenced by "a certain point" literature in his previous life, feels that such a life is a waste of his "transmigrator" identity. If he can't be a king or a hegemon, at least he should have a harem, right?

Wait! As long as I have money, I can have a harem too!

The Tang Dynasty's laws stipulate that a man can only have one wife, but there is no limit to the number of concubines. As for maids, as long as they are paid, the number is determined by one's financial capability. The thought of achieving his "harem goal" makes Zhao Jian a bit excited.

"Muahaha..."

"Master, what are you looking at? You seem so happy!"

Just as Zhao Jian was lost in his fantasies in the study, the old butler Qin Heng and the maid Hongling entered, with a steaming bowl of nourishing soup on Hongling's tray.

Qin Heng, 66 years old, was the late grandfather's servant and has served the Zhao family for 60 years, diligently serving three generations. As the most loyal butler, Qin Heng's status in the family is almost like a family member, and it's not unreasonable for Zhao Jian to call him "Uncle Qin."

Hongling, the same age as Zhao Jian, is a very cute little girl. She is said to have one-quarter Slavic blood, with fair and rosy skin, a head of black, lustrous hair, and a well-developed figure for her age. Zhao Jian believes she will grow into a beauty in a few years. Unfortunately, she is a contract maid, bought by the Zhao family.

A "contract maid" is a family member who has been implicated due to a family member's serious crime, and they have no basic human rights in the Tang Dynasty, with a social status equivalent to a slave. If being executed with the entire family is a quick death, then this is a life of suffering, one of the most severe punishments in the Tang Dynasty.

Seeing Qin Heng and Hongling enter, Zhao Jian quickly hid his lecherous smile to avoid "exposure." However, from Qin Heng's perspective, his smile still looks "innocent and pure"!

"Uncle Qin, can I take this book back to my room?"

"Of course! Master, you can read any book you want. If you can't reach the bookshelf, just call Wangcai to help you. If you want to eat something, just call Hongling, and she will arrange it for you."

The "Wangcai" Qin Heng mentioned is another of Zhao Jian's personal servants. Since there were no Star Lord movies at the time, no one found it odd that a servant was named "Wangcai," but Zhao Jian couldn't help but twitch his lips every time he heard the name.

A very down-to-earth person, almost to the point of being a bit silly, with a bit of an "Apu" feel! He is as naive as Apu, often taking jokes seriously. While he may not be suitable as a personal servant, he is perfect for heavy labor.

"Uncle Qin, it's almost September, and I'm 8 years old. Shouldn't I start school?"

"Master, your health hasn't fully recovered yet. Let's wait a bit longer before you start school."

"It's fine, Uncle Qin! I feel much better, and besides, school shouldn't be too tiring, right?"

Seeing his master's eagerness to learn, Qin Heng was very pleased. Zhao Jian was in a hurry to go to school because he wanted to quickly catch up on the "common knowledge" of this era, and school was a place where he could ask questions without revealing his ignorance. After all, students are praised for being "diligent and inquisitive," and teachers, who know a lot, are not familiar with his habits.

This way, Zhao Jian wouldn't have to worry about his tone and posture raising suspicions when asking questions, and he could use "the influence of school" as an excuse to gradually become "himself" at home, a perfect strategy!

Two weeks later, under the watchful eyes of the household staff, Zhao Jian and Hongling, who was accompanying him as a study maid, got into a car and headed to school.

In his memory, the first time he went to school in his previous life, his parents encouraged his independence by letting him walk to school alone. However, whenever he looked back, he could see his father, with shoulders nearly 80 centimeters wide, hiding behind a tree with a diameter of less than 20 centimeters, and his mother squatting in the grass pretending to be a radish.

To be honest, this memory made Zhao Jian feel both embarrassed and warm, but unfortunately, his parents in this life had already passed away, so he could only look out the car window at the children accompanied by their parents, feeling a bit envious.

"Master, we've arrived at the school."

"So fast? I should have walked."

Zhao Jian originally thought he would be going to a traditional private school, where a dozen or so children would follow the teacher, swaying their heads and reciting the classics. However, he learned that since the implementation of "compulsory education," the large population has led to a high demand for schools, and traditional private schools can no longer meet the needs. Thus, "large schools" have emerged. Despite the large number of students, there are also many teachers. These schools not only provide more comprehensive knowledge but also have better teaching conditions, so even rich second-generation students like Zhao Jian attend them.

Upon entering the classroom, Zhao Jian's first action was to claim the second-to-last seat by the window. In his view, this seat, which has always belonged to the "main character," must be secured. He saw that a little boy was already sitting there, so he offered two candies and peacefully resolved the "territorial dispute," and also secured the seat behind him for Hongling.

Waving goodbye to Uncle Qin, who had accompanied him to school, Zhao Jian turned to chat with the slightly nervous Hongling. There were 40 children in the classroom, some excitedly shouting, some crying because it was their first time away from their families. In comparison, Zhao Jian and Hongling were the calmest in the class.

"These brats, can't they be a bit quieter?"

"Master, it's not nice to say that."

"Don't worry, they're all too busy making noise to hear us."

Complaining about the noise in his heart, Zhao Jian took the opportunity to observe the appearance and clothing of the children before the school uniforms were issued. Although he couldn't quite remember what traditional Tang Dynasty clothing looked like, he remembered that the "open policy" of the Tang Dynasty made the Chinese very accepting of foreign clothing.

In other words, they wore anything, the brighter the better!

This acceptance has clearly been passed down with the longevity of the Tang Dynasty. In the Tang Dynasty's laws, except for traditional activities like ancestral worship, which require wearing Han clothing as "formal wear," people can wear whatever they want as long as it's not too indecent. For example, in the class, Zhao Jian and some boys wore small suits and suspenders, others wore mandarin jackets, and many mixed and matched. The girls' styles were even more varied, with some wearing Western princess dresses, others wearing women's mandarin jackets, and some wearing children's cheongsams with two "buns" on their heads, which was simply amazing!

In comparison, although Hongling had the potential to be the class beauty, as a study maid, her clothing was like that of a village girl. This made Zhao Jian think that he should get her a "revised" maid outfit, which would be very eye-catching!

"Hey, Hongling, how about getting you a new outfit in a few days?"

"Eh? What did you say, Master?"

"Getting you a new outfit, a pretty one. Your current clothes are too plain."

"But, but how can I? I'm just a maid..."

"But you're my maid! If you look prettier, I'll have more face, right?"

"Um..."

Zhao Jian's eyes sparkled as he looked at Hongling, making her heart race. In her view, Zhao Jian has changed a lot since he recovered from his illness. Qin Heng attributes this to the shock of losing his parents, but as a peer and Zhao Jian's personal maid, Hongling has noticed more suspicious changes.

However, children's thoughts are simple, and noticing more doesn't mean thinking more. Plus, the transmigrated Zhao Jian treats her better than before, so the little girl doesn't see this as a bad thing. In fact, his occasional kindness makes her heart race, completely unaware that he is preparing to "conquer" her in the future.

"Hey, Hongling, how about getting you a new outfit in a few days?"

"Eh? What did you say, Master?"

"Getting you a new outfit, a pretty one. Your current clothes are too plain."

"But, but how can I? I'm just a maid..."

"But you're my maid