Chapter 1

In the first year of Emperor Xiaozong's reign during the Southern Song Dynasty, it was early March, a season when grass grows and orioles fly. The scenery in Chuzhou was picturesque and the spring atmosphere was vibrant, with the drizzle adding a poetic touch.

In the southern corner of Qingliu County, there was an abandoned small courtyard, small but very tidy. Beside a stone table, a young man sat on a chair, staring blankly at the sky where the spring rain fell.

His name was Ye Yu. An accident had transported his soul across a thousand years to this era of the Southern Song Dynasty, where he became a young man. As he tried to adapt to this world, he discovered that his legs were already paralyzed.

The original owner of this body shared his name, Ye Yu. The Ye family was a prominent clan in Chuzhou. Ye Menggeng and his brother Ye Mengxin had built a substantial fortune through the tea and porcelain trade, with Ye Menggeng being Ye Yu's father.

Six months ago, Ye Menggeng and his wife died of severe illness one after another. Ye Mengxin then secretly colluded with the local government to seize his brother's estate. He then expelled Ye Yu from the family, claiming that he was not a legitimate descendant of the Ye family.

Ye Yu had tried several times to seek justice, but not only did he fail, he was also brutally beaten by the vicious Ye Mengxin, breaking his legs. Due to a lack of money for treatment, his legs had become permanently disabled over the past six months.

He sat there, lost in thought, allowing the rain to soak his pale blue robe. At this moment, he resented his bad luck, having been reborn as a destitute cripple.

Creak!

The courtyard gate opened gently, and a girl of about fourteen or fifteen walked in. Her hair was already wet from the rain, and she was struggling to carry a large wooden basin in her right hand.

Seeing Ye Yu lying in the courtyard, the girl hastily dropped the basin and rushed over, anxiously asking, "Young Master, the cold spring rain can harm your health. What will you do if you get sick again after just recovering?"

The girl then extended her arm to help Ye Yu into the house, but he remained motionless, saying sarcastically, "What difference does it make if I'm like this, compared to being dead?"

Though Ye Yu spoke softly, his words were filled with anger and despair.

The girl fell silent, tears welling up in her eyes, and she comforted him with a pleading tone, "Young Master, don't worry. Once Qiu Lan has saved enough money, I will definitely find a famous doctor to treat your leg!"

Two streams of clear tears, like crystal beads, fell from the girl's cheeks. Ye Yu, feeling a pang of sympathy, reached out to wipe away her tears.

The girl's expression suddenly tensed, clearly startled by Ye Yu's action. However, she did not pull away, allowing Ye Yu to awkwardly wipe away her tears.

"How easy is that?" Ye Yu said, his heart heavy with sorrow.

Ye Yu's words were not baseless. Even if they could save enough money, it would be difficult to find a skilled doctor, and even if they did, it might be in vain. He was not an expert in medicine, but he knew that his legs, which had been broken for half a year, had already healed into a solid mass, making it almost impossible to walk again.

Moreover, the medical standards in the Song Dynasty were far behind those of the future.

"Even if Young Master can't walk for the rest of your life, Qiu Lan will serve you for life and be your crutch!" The girl held Ye Yu's cold right hand in hers, her rain-soaked face showing determination.

Ye Yu's heart suddenly jolted. He slowly straightened up and looked at the face before him, unable to distinguish whether it was rain or tears. A long-lost warmth and gratitude welled up in his heart.

The girl's name was Qiu Lan, who had been a maidservant to Ye Yu's mother. After Ye Yu was expelled from the Ye family, all his relatives and friends abandoned him, but Qiu Lan continued to take care of him, the cripple.

To make a living, Qiu Lan worked tirelessly day and night, transforming from a carefree maid in the mansion to a hardworking laundry woman.

"Why go through so much trouble?" Ye Yu looked down at Qiu Lan's rough, cracked hands, unsure of what to say.

Qiu Lan, though not a beauty, was a graceful and refined young girl, with no shortage of potential suitors.

In his memory, Ye Yu had once given Qiu Lan the indenture contract, hoping she could regain her freedom and find a home. However, he never expected that Qiu Lan would remain by his side, steadfastly caring for him, the disabled man.

"Madam saved Qiu Lan's life. Now that Madam and Master have passed away, how can Qiu Lan abandon Young Master!" Qiu Lan, moved to tears, sobbed uncontrollably.

Ye Yu remained silent for a long time, his eyes gradually moistening. Finally, he threw his head back and laughed wildly, "Ye Yu, what more do you desire? If Qiu Lan can be so devoted to you, how can you easily give up? Without legs, you still have a thousand years of wisdom. Your fate is in your own hands; what do you fear?"

"Young Master, what are you doing?"

Qiu Lan was frightened by Ye Yu's sudden madness, thinking that his illness had not fully healed after the major illness three days ago.

"Qiu Lan, rest assured! From now on, I will no longer speak of life and death!" Ye Yu's laughter gradually subsided, and he gently patted Qiu Lan's hand to comfort her.

Ye Yu's words instantly turned Qiu Lan's sorrow into joy. Seeing the renewed spirit in Young Master's eyes, Qiu Lan was overwhelmed with emotion, wiping away her tears with her sleeve and smiling through her tears, "Yes, Young Master..."

The master and servant shared a smile. At this moment, the light rain had stopped, and a beautiful rainbow appeared in the western sky.

...

The turmoil had settled, and the madness had subsided. Looking back, the past was like a fleeting cloud. What Ye Yu now faced was how to survive.

The two rooms Ye Yu currently lived in were once part of the Ye family's property in Qingliu County. After Ye Mengxin seized his brother's estate, he intended to reclaim them to cut off Ye Yu's means of survival.

However, to maintain his reputation, he pretended to be benevolent and gifted the property to the disabled Ye Yu. Ye Yu was grateful for his uncle's one act of kindness, otherwise, he would have been homeless.

One afternoon, Ye Yu sat at a stone table in the courtyard, sketching diagrams and making notes in the blank spaces. He was pleased to find that the original owner of this body, though disabled, had a wealth of knowledge that amazed him.

Initially, Ye Yu was concerned about writing, but it turned out to be a needless worry. He thought that if he were not disabled, he could have achieved a good rank in the imperial examinations. Thinking of this, Ye Yu paused, shook his head with a bitter smile, and then continued writing.

Suddenly, Ye Yu heard hurried footsteps outside the courtyard. When he looked up, he saw Qiu Lan running in, holding a wooden basin and looking panicked.

Ye Yu frowned and was about to ask what was happening when a servant in a green robe kicked open the half-closed courtyard gate and stormed in. Following a slight cough, a young man strolled in from outside the gate.

Ye Yu focused his gaze and saw that the young man was about twenty years old, with a handsome appearance. He wore a hat with a tassel, a green silk robe, and a brocade belt, and held a gold-embossed fan, exuding a scholarly air.

However, when Ye Yu saw the young man's eyes, he felt a sense of displeasure, as the young man's eyes never left Qiu Lan. Ye Yu immediately understood that Qiu Lan must have encountered this lecherous man on her way back.

"Sir, may I ask what brings you to my humble abode?" Ye Yu, though he had a good idea of the young man's intentions, still asked politely.

The green-robed man paid no attention to Ye Yu's words, continuing to stare at Qiu Lan with a burning gaze. Seeing the green-robed man slowly approach her, Qiu Lan, in a panic, threw the wooden basin at him and quickly ran to Ye Yu's side.

The basin missed its target, and the green-robed man easily dodged it. Only then did he notice Ye Yu.

"Who are you?" The green-robed man asked arrogantly, lightly fanning himself and then disdainfully looking away.

Ye Yu found this amusing, thinking that the roles of host and guest were reversed. He coldly smiled and said, "Sir, I believe you are a learned and polite person. Do you not understand the difference between host and guest? This question should be asked by me, the host!"

"Master, this rogue wants to..."

Qiu Lan's eyes were red with委屈, and her body trembled slightly. She wanted to explain the situation to Ye Yu, but he waved her off, and she reluctantly held back her words.

The green-robed young man had not yet responded, but the servant beside him pointed at Ye Yu and scolded him with disdain, "My master's inquiry is a great honor for you! Don't be ungrateful!"

"Is that so? I am unworthy of such honor! The door is there; please leave as you please!" Ye Yu, though unwilling to cause trouble, found the arrogance of the two men unbearable, especially since it involved Qiu Lan. His tone became cold and firm.

The servant was enraged by Ye Yu's words and was about to attack, but Qiu Lan stepped in front of Ye Yu to protect him. Her face flushed red as she glared at the servant, shouting angrily, "Do not harm my Young Master!"

The green-robed young man was initially taken aback but then his greedy gaze intensified. He gave the servant a nod, and the servant stepped back. Then he smiled lightly, closed his fan, and said proudly, "I am Lu Zheng. And you are?"

Qiu Lan's act of protecting her master surprised and moved Ye Yu. He gently advised her, "Qiu Lan, step aside for now."

After Qiu Lan reluctantly stepped aside, Ye Yu stared at Lu Zheng for a moment and then bowed, "I am Ye Yu."

Lu Zheng nodded and pointed at Qiu Lan with his fan, asking in a calm tone, "This Qiu Lan is your maidservant. I am interested in buying her. Would you be willing to part with her?"

Note: This book is set in a historical context similar to the Southern Song Dynasty but is not strictly accurate. Readers who are overly critical should be prepared...

— History as the foundation, imagination as the wings, the soul of Chinese culture, a grand and sweeping narrative.

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