Chapter One: Returning Home After Suppressing Bandits—Nearly Robbed Upon Arrival

In the early days of the ninth year of Great Wei, the summer wind in the northern reaches danced lightly through the willow leaves, and the sun rose as it always did.

Zhao Mang, carrying a slightly bulging bundle on his back, hurried along the narrow path between the fields. Gazing at the adobe house within sight, he felt a surge of anticipation. After all, his body now harbored a soul from the twenty-first century.

“This must count as a chance to start anew,” he mused, adjusting the bundle on his back.

Perhaps it was fate or an unyielding attachment that drew him here. Revived on the battlefield, he hadn’t fled to the bandit strongholds, but instead chose to return to the home of his body’s former owner, taking up the responsibility of protecting his sister-in-law and little sister.

The original Zhao Mang had been a militia soldier, conscripted this time to suppress bandits. Though somewhat slow-witted and awkward, he had relied on sheer strength to slay more than a dozen bandits on the field. Just as he relaxed his guard, someone attacked him from behind, and he died on the battlefield.

It was then that the modern Zhao Mang crossed over.

In his previous life, he had practiced traditional martial arts, but in that era, it brought neither fame nor fortune. He worked as a bodyguard and died in an accident. In this life, he intended to make something of himself.

After waking on the battlefield, he stumbled to the nearly deserted military camp, relying on the memories in his mind. There, he quickly earned recognition and was commended by his squad leader, who even awarded him some merit.

His valor in the bandit campaign soon became well known, and Zhao Mang returned home with honors. He had only been gone a little over two months—half a month longer than expected—but in the end, he’d made it back safely.

His first thought on returning to the village was to surprise his sister-in-law and Qin Zhenzhen, who had waited for him so long. He bought the coarse cloth his sister-in-law needed most and the sugar-coated hawthorn sticks Qin Zhenzhen loved. Then he hurried home.

Meanwhile, his house was bustling with noise. It looked lively, but in truth, it was filled with his relatives—his uncles, their wives, and children—all taking turns trying to persuade Qin Zhenzhen.

At the center, before Qin Zhenzhen, sat his eldest uncle, Zhao You. This man, sporting a goatee and a hunched frame, spoke gently and coaxingly.

“Zhenzhen, Zhao Mang has been gone for days now. He was supposed to return last month. It’s been more than half a month overdue, and there’s not even a letter from him. He’s probably not coming back. Rather than waiting here in vain, why not marry Zhang Mo at the end of the village and start living a good life?”

Qin Zhenzhen clutched a small jade ring, battered and full of scratches, in both hands, her head lowered in silence. It was all she had left of value. Everything else of worth in the house had already been divided up by Zhao Mang’s relatives.

The matron, Li, grew exasperated seeing Qin Zhenzhen stubbornly silent and unmoving.

“What are you holding onto a dead man for? Our family has supported you all this time. Now that it’s your turn to repay us, you stay silent? Let me tell you plainly, you’re not getting away this time. Zhang Mo has already paid the bride price. There’s no way you’ll escape. Your sister-in-law died last time because she was selfish. She’s gone and left us with all the burdens. We need to eat, to clothe ourselves, to have a roof over our heads—where would we find money to compensate Zhang Mo? Don’t think you can avoid this marriage by pulling any tricks this time!”

After her tirade, Li glanced at the other relatives.

“If you ask me, there’s no point talking so much to this girl. Mang’s been gone ages and there’s not a word from him—what are you all afraid of?”

With that, she strode forward and pinned Qin Zhenzhen in place. “Tie her up and send her off to Zhang Mo. That’s that.”

At her words, the others shuffled back awkwardly—Zhao Mang’s relatives had come more than once before, but never so brazenly, and now they felt uneasy.

Eldest uncle Zhao You tugged at his sturdy wife’s sleeve and muttered, “Must you be so blunt? Have a little decency.”

But his wife, seeing him feign virtue after acting so shamelessly, cursed him to his face.

“Coward! Why pretend to be noble?” She then pointed at second uncle Zhao Kuan’s family behind her. “Don’t think hiding back there will save your reputation. Everyone here is in this together. Zhang Mo has sent people to urge us again and again—like it or not, she’s going today.”

Second uncle Zhao Kuan looked ashamed, not daring to meet Li’s gaze, but his wife, Aunt Xiao, muttered under her breath, “You reap all the benefits, but leave the dirty work to us. All we got was a little silver.”

Li flew into a rage. “What are you saying? Didn’t you get a share of the bride price from the Zhangs?”

Aunt Xiao shot back, “We received barely two out of more than ten taels.”

“And we’re still the ones doing all the hard and dirty work. You dare say that out loud?”

The two sides quarreled heatedly. Seeing the commotion, Qin Zhenzhen tried to slip away, but sharp-eyed Zhao You caught her and pressed her down.

“Enough! If you keep quarreling and this girl escapes, who among you will make up for it? Second brother, get a rope and tie her up. We’ll take her straight to the Zhangs.”

At this, everyone fell silent. Zhao Kuan, seeing Zhao You act first, hurried off to fetch a rope and bound Qin Zhenzhen tightly. She put up little resistance, only letting silent tears fall from her eyes.

Li pulled out a wedding veil from who knows where and threw it carelessly over Qin Zhenzhen’s head. They could wait no longer. After all, Zhang Mo was the village bully, and he had pressured them several times already. They dared not risk his wrath. If they didn’t deliver Qin Zhenzhen soon, even this humble farmhouse might be torn down. The land tax was due, their harvest was poor, and if they didn’t bleed Zhao Mang’s household dry while he was away, when would they ever get another chance? She was just an adopted girl. Not worth risking themselves for her.

With the group crowding around her, they were about to usher Qin Zhenzhen out the courtyard gate when suddenly, it creaked open from the outside.

Zhao Mang entered, carrying cloth and sugar hawthorn sticks, a broad smile on his face. The sight that greeted him was Qin Zhenzhen, hands bound and head covered in red, surrounded by his relatives and about to be taken away.

In that instant, Zhao Mang’s smile vanished. Fury blazed in his eyes as he shouted, “What are you all doing?”

…