Volume One, Chapter Ten: Departure for the County Town

Just a short distance from the dilapidated entrance of Xiao Family Village, Xiao Ning’s sharp eyes caught sight of an old donkey cart ambling slowly along the dirt road ahead. The hunched figure driving it resembled a dried orange peel, wrapped in a tattered padded jacket—it was none other than the village’s elderly uncle! A surge of joy welled up in his heart.

The journey from Xiao Family Village to Shangwan County Town stretched over a dozen miles, all on foot. For the grandfather and grandson duo, the round trip would easily consume five or six hours. If they could hitch a ride on this cart going their way, it would take just over an hour! The time and energy saved would be invaluable.

“Uncle! Uncle! Wait for us!” Xiao Ning immediately raised his voice, vigorously waving his small hand toward the cart. His clear, bright child’s voice carried on the chill spring breeze, successfully prompting the old man to rein in the reins.

Seeing this, Xiao Ning hurriedly jogged alongside the cart, gripping the shafts and panting lightly. Looking up with his cherubic face, he forced the most charming smile he could muster. “Uncle, my grandmother and I need to run some errands in town, and I just happened to see your cart heading that way! Please, could you be kind enough to give us a lift?”

The old man squinted, recognizing him, and a smile crept across his deeply lined face. “So it’s you, Ning! What’s this about giving a ride or not? Hop on! It’s on the way anyway!” He patted the worn wooden side of the cart.

“Oh, thank you, Uncle!” Xiao Ning chirped, deftly bracing his hands on the cart’s edge and nimbly swinging himself up. Settling in, he immediately waved to his grandmother, who was hobbling behind, and called out in a clear, somewhat urgent tone, “Grandma! Hurry! We’ve got a donkey cart!”

Grandmother Yu had already quickened her pace when Xiao Ning shouted. Now, supported by her grandson, she struggled to climb aboard and sit steadily before registering the situation. She shot Xiao Ning a sharp look. “You little rascal! Your thoughts are as numerous as sieve holes! Since when did I agree to take you into town?” She spoke with mild reproach, though the fatigue from their long walk softened her tone to a mere token scolding.

Instantly, Xiao Ning adopted an expression of utmost obedience, inching closer to her and smiling sweetly. “Grandma, you’re the best! Rest assured, Ning promises to be good and causes no trouble!” As he spoke, he raised a small fist and lightly pounded her stiff, weary leg with clumsy but earnest taps.

Yu’s heavy heart, burdened by worries, felt a surprising lightness from her little grandson’s earnest affection. She couldn’t help but smile. Gazing down at Xiao Ning’s face—weathered by rural winds and sun but still showing clear innate refinement, especially those lively, bright black eyes—she felt a flicker of surprise. Since that day he had fallen into the water and awakened, Ning seemed far sharper and more perceptive than before. If only… if only he could attend a proper school to learn to read and write, he might truly be a rare scholarly talent…

Alas…

That faint flicker of hope was instantly extinguished by the harsh reality of their family’s poverty. A heavy wave of guilt rose in her chest, softening her voice involuntarily. “Once we get into town, you must stick close to your uncle. Grandma has urgent matters to attend to. When finished, I will come find you. Don’t run off or wander about, and especially don’t cause trouble! Understood?”

Seeing Xiao Ning nod vigorously in agreement, Yu’s anxiety eased somewhat. She added soothingly, “If you behave, I’ll buy you… a big meat bun for lunch!”

The old donkey cart wobbled forward. After about an hour and a half, on the gray-yellow horizon ahead, a towering city gate built from enormous blue flagstones came into view. The massive city walls bore the marks of weathering and age. Above the gate hung a weather-beaten stone plaque inscribed in bold characters: “Shangwan.” The bustling crowd surged about—wheelbarrow porters, hawkers carrying shoulder poles, merchants on mules, women with children—a vivid and noisy tapestry of city life.

Xiao Ning’s gaze clung to the ancient, majestic gate and the ceaseless flow of people, his eyes wide and unblinking.

A dream spanning centuries…

He stood stunned, absorbing this unfamiliar clamor and the steaming vitality of the human world. The last drifting sense of rootlessness in his soul finally settled heavily. The shadow of this city gate marked the divide between two worlds.

Behind him was the eight-year-old shell called Xiao Ning and the inescapable poverty of Xiao Family Village.

Ahead lay the kingdom he was destined to face in this life—the dynasty of Dayu.

From now on… here, he would live again!

A remarkably clear thought rose quietly in his heart, accompanied by the calm finality of dust settling.

Shangwan County belonged to the Southern Wan Prefecture. Due to the unique status of having both the prefectural and county governments within the same city (with separate administrative offices), this city—both the county seat and the prefectural seat—was far more prosperous and bustling than an ordinary county town.

Passing through the gate felt like stepping into another dimension.

Yu steadied herself on the cart’s edge and disembarked, thanking the old uncle repeatedly. Still uneasy, she cautioned Xiao Ning once more, then tightened her heavy cloth bundle against her chest. Stooped and resolute, she hurried into the crowd, heading toward the pawnshop. Her small, determined figure was like a spear piercing through the turning point of fate.

“Sit tight, Ning! We’re off to the market!” the old uncle called, flicking the whip gently. The donkey cart, laden with baskets of fresh eggs still flecked with straw and several river fish covered with damp grass, trundled down the now broader street toward an even louder, livelier district. The air grew thick with dampness and fishy tang, mingling with the complex aromas of fried food and spices.

They still had two hours before the agreed meeting time at the city gate.

Xiao Ning’s spirit immediately sparked to life. Eyes wide open, he silently surveyed this bustling Southern Wan city with wonder.

At the door of a paper offering shop hung colorful paper ingots and figures; a tooth-brushing stall owner waved a bone-handled pig bristle brush to attract passersby; queues formed outside headscarf and cosmetic shops; the pungent bitter scent of herbs wafted from the pharmacy; the treasure shop’s open curtains shimmered with jewels and gold; the thread shop’s colorful yarn cascaded like a rainbow waterfall; hat shops displayed an array of square kerchiefs and turbans. Further along, the noise swelled dramatically—rows of meat, vegetable, and rice markets stood side by side, the clamor of live poultry, the fresh scent of greens, the grain's fragrance, and the merchants’ overlapping shouts blended into a vivid, living—

The Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival!

In an instant, the legendary painting flashed through Xiao Ning’s mind. This Southern Wan city, though customs resembled Kaifeng, radiated a bustling prosperity and thriving industry that perfectly echoed the spirit of the artwork! It was as if he truly was “a visitor within the painting”!

“Commercial prosperity, the flow of wealth—this is the convergence of time and place!”

A warm surge rose in Xiao Ning’s chest. This lively market was the greatest blessing! With a sharp mind, if he could find even a small niche in this ocean and catch a few shrimps and fish (silver coins), it might be possible!

But then—

He froze.

An eight-year-old child!

No matter how much business sense he had, what could he do? Who would trust him? Who would dare cooperate? Where would the startup capital come from?

The stark reality slammed down like cold water.

He clenched his tiny fists, eyes clouded with an indescribable anxiety, scanning the market stalls, the flowing crowd, and every possible opening, over and over with the intensity of a searchlight.

His family’s dire straits felt like a blazing fire; ten taels of silver weighed on him like a mountain. His grandmother was pawning their last dignity at the pawnshop, struggling bitterly. This rare opportunity to enter the county town was nothing short of a godsend. If he failed to find a way to earn money, he would not only betray this chance but also the thousand-year wisdom surging in his mind. No matter what, within these two hours, amid this bustling market tide, he must grasp the straw that could pry open his fate.