Festivals were naturally lively affairs. From today until the fifteenth day, Chang’an City would lift its curfew restrictions. On Dragon Slope, countless people performed ancestral worship from afar. Looking from a distance, the entire hillside was covered with candlelight connecting with the stars—a magnificent sight. Perhaps this was the closest distance between heaven and humanity.

All along, Yun Ye had viewed everything about the Great Tang from an outsider’s perspective, placing himself in the position of a prophet. It was as if he had transmigrated into an extremely realistic yet extremely lengthy historical drama. He knew when Li’er would die, knew when the Empress would die, knew Li Chengqian’s inevitable fate. Because of this, he had no sense of reverence for the imperial family.

Now, the dream had crashed into reality. The characters in the drama had suddenly become a threat to him, leaving Yun Ye bewildered and at a loss. He blamed himself a bit—knowing full well that neither Li’er nor his wife were easy to deal with, yet he still provoked them. How was this different from swatting flies on a tiger’s head? If there had to be a difference, it was that what he had swatted wasn’t tigers, but two tyrant dinosaurs.

Old Cheng was right. If you enter the world, you must have the appearance of someone who has entered the world. Don’t let your body be in the world while your mind still follows the ways of someone outside it—sooner or later you’ll suffer losses, and big ones at that. How incisive! The rough-faced Old Cheng was the true sage.

The old grandmother was extremely reluctant to give up their current life. It had both prestige and brought glory to their ancestors—such wonderful circumstances that even breaking one’s head couldn’t obtain, who could bear to give them up? Yun Ye understood that as long as he abandoned his dignity and cast aside his pride, with his temperament he could definitely win Empress Zhangsun’s favor and become a thorough subject of the Great Tang. This kind of happy life would continue indefinitely, and it might even become happier.

Persist in his own dignity? Persist in his own pride? These things didn’t exist in feudal society. The family-as-nation system meant there would always be someone standing above your head, bossing you around. Unless you got rid of him. Whether in history or in romance novels, Li’er was an outstanding protagonist. His reputation as an emperor for the ages wasn’t gained for nothing. Rebelling against him was purely asking for death.

The garden was utterly quiet, with only the rustling sound of wind blowing through withered leaves. There was no moon in the sky. The curtain-like sky was studded with gems, twinkling as if winking at you. But they couldn’t be pulled down! They were millions of light-years away. Every thirtieth and first day of the lunar month, the moon turned its dark backside toward Earth, shamelessly fawning over the sun. Should he fawn over that golden phoenix? Although the old grandmother said that phoenix was extremely beautiful, Yun Ye didn’t want to lower his head. Coming to this familiar yet strange world, the only thing he could possess was his own spirit. Chairman Mao once said that people must have some spirit. Following the old man’s teachings, Yun Ye wanted to preserve his spiritual world from being occupied by feudalism. Yun Ye’s mind was running wild with chaotic thoughts.

Xiao Ya struggled to carry a large cloak through the moon gate. She had been peeking from outside the gate for quite a while—her brother sitting alone on the swing frame in a daze. Grandmother wouldn’t let her go in to disturb him. Brother was shivering from cold, having committed some unknown error and being punished by Grandmother. She secretly brought brother’s cloak to him, hoping Grandmother wouldn’t see her. The little girl thought this way.

Yun Ye didn’t notice Xiao Ya. He was just immersed in the terrible scenarios of his wild thoughts. Fang Xiaoru had indeed persisted in his principles. Facing the Ming Emperor Chengzu Zhu Di’s threat to execute his nine familial relations, he responded firmly: “What of it if you execute my ten familial relations?” His integrity was steadfast, his position resolute, so one thousand three hundred people accompanied him to the Yellow Springs. Did persisting in one’s pride and persisting in one’s will require paying such a price?

Xiao Ya couldn’t reach his shoulders, so she draped the cloak over Yun Ye’s legs. She didn’t know that this small action of hers had completely destroyed the self-confidence Yun Ye had just built up. Using the entire family as a wager—this was brain-dead behavior. Not to mention the entire family, even using a single hair of Xiao Ya’s as a bet would be unforgivable. Playing the bear was playing the bear; for Xiao Ya’s sake, playing the turtle was also no problem.

Putting on the cloak and holding the little girl in his arms, he wrapped them both tightly. The troubles in his heart were long since cast aside. The brother and sister sat on the swing frame, gently swaying.

“Brother, did you do something wrong?”

“Brother did something wrong. I regarded some trivial thoughts as more important than the sky itself. Now it’s fine—the troublesome matter is gone. Hold tight, let’s swing together.”

Hearing the laughter that came, the old grandmother’s taut heart relaxed. Little Ye’zi had finally crossed that mental hurdle. With hands clasped together, she devoutly prayed to Buddha that Little Ye’zi would never again have such torment.

The midnight bell sounded. The third year of the Zhenguan era had arrived.

Yun Ye decided to compromise, to compromise with the damned feudal dynasty, though he very much enjoyed his current life. In the later world, he also hadn’t had much dignity, but once he arrived in the Tang Dynasty, dignity became extraordinarily important. No wonder people said that one Chinese person is a dragon, but three Chinese people become worms—he had firsthand experience of this.

Drinking from large bowls and eating meat in large chunks—this was the house style of the Cheng family. The sun had just risen when the banquet entered its climax. A bearded man with three sons accompanied Yun Ye, who had come to pay New Year’s respects early in the morning. Cheng Chumo, Cheng Chuliang, and Cheng Chubi, aged eighteen, fifteen, and fourteen respectively—three fine fellows, three wine lovers. Flat-bottomed porcelain bowls filled with sanlèjiang were drained in one gulp with heads tilted back. Exhaling a breath of alcohol fumes, they stuffed inch-square pieces of braised pork in their mouths and swallowed without even chewing.

“You little rascal are just worrying for nothing. I told you long ago to steam more good liquor, but you just wouldn’t agree. With disaster victims, the Emperor will worry about them—what are you getting nervous about? Now there’s only sanlèjiang at home that can barely go down the throat. Just thinking about it is unlucky.” Old Cheng complained about Yun Ye while drinking.

“Uncle, that white liquor extremely wastes grain—three catties of grain can only steam out one catty of liquor. As you know, this time your nephew bet his life on a single statement from my master. If there really is a locust plague next year, keeping an extra mouthful of grain might save an extra life.”

“The Empress wants to personally instruct you. You little rascal have quite the face. It’s spread throughout the court, causing all sorts of discussions. If His Majesty hadn’t exercised his imperial authority and ordered people not to gossip, officials would have already submitted memorials impeaching you. How about that? Just became an official and you’re already at the eye of the storm. How does it feel to be fried in oil?” Old Cheng’s tone was gloating.

“What does it have to do with your nephew? It’s the Empress who wants to discipline me, not me climbing up the pole begging for it. Why impeach me? The Yun family is a small household that can’t withstand such turmoil.” He got angry just bringing this matter up.

“Oh? Getting cocky now, are you? The Empress is the nation’s mother taking a liking to you, fearing you’ll go astray and ruin a perfectly good rare talent, which is why she wants to personally instruct you. Given this face, you better catch it quick. What do you think you are? Throughout the world, there are plenty of rare talents and eccentric geniuses. Why do only you have this opportunity while others must huddle in grass huts eating chaff and drinking thin gruel? An unprecedented favor from the dynasty falls on your head and you still don’t hurry to express gratitude? Running here to freeload, put away that lofty disciple face of yours. Go study obediently. Whatever Her Majesty says is what it is. Right is right, wrong is also right. Understand?”

Yun Ye discovered that once anyone surrendered once, it would slowly become a habit. Last night when discussing with Grandmother, his belly was full of disagreement. Today, with Old Cheng cursing and forcing him to surrender, there wasn’t a trace of rebellion in his heart. Yun Ye knew he was naturally not cut out for great undertakings. For now, he would just muddle through in this big feudal family.