You Have Science, I Have Martial Arts-Chapter 517 - 243: You’re Not Wrong, Just Simply Incompetent (3)
Buzzing~
Behind Ye Qingzhou, the Sword Spirit of the Celestial Punishment Sword emitted a buzzing hum, evidently longing for Chiyou’s Path of Heaven Fighting.
The Path of Heaven Fighting inherently carried the intent of conquest and slaughter, perfectly aligning with the Dao embodied by the Celestial Punishment Sword.
"Well, do you want to accept this trial?"
Chiyou immediately reminded, "Think clearly, the previous death was unreal. If you give up now, you can leave the Spiritual Realm and return to your body. But if you accept the trial, then if you fail, you will truly die."
"I accept."
Ye Qingzhou agreed without hesitation.
Boom~
At the moment of agreement, Ye Qingzhou’s consciousness was swept into a torrent formed by Thought Ability, into a strange world, where he became a citizen of the Great Qi Kingdom.
Illusory dreams, seemingly real yet illusory.
Ye Qingzhou discovered he had become an infant who had just been born, unable to control his body, only able to observe the host’s life through a third-person perspective.
The host’s name was Brother Aniu, and he was very unlucky. After all, being born into a peasant family in ancient times, wasn’t this a calamity accumulated over several lifetimes?
Ever since Brother Aniu became sensible, he had to do chores for the family and perform tasks within his ability.
By the time he was ten, he had to start working in the fields, engaging in heavy labor.
At fifteen, upon reaching maturity, the family began arranging for Brother Aniu’s marriage.
The surplus grain saved over several years was quickly spent to marry him to a bride of equal family status. Though she was not pretty nor could she be called virtuous, Brother Aniu’s family still ended up in significant debt.
This was extremely dangerous for Brother Aniu, as it meant the family’s economic situation would be exceptionally fragile during the years of having the bride.
Any mishap could lead the family to fail to repay the debt, becoming tenant farmers without land, or even refugees.
Thus, during the day, Brother Aniu had to work desperately in the fields, and after the farm work was done, he had to work at the landlord’s house.
At night, he had to ensure he and his wife were having children as quickly as possible, leveraging her young and robust reproductive capacity to bear as many children as possible.
In the agrarian era, a woman’s fertile period was very short, typically unable to conceive once past thirty.
Why?
Because soon after giving birth, they had to return to the fields, leaving behind illnesses preventing further childbearing, with their bodies’ potential utterly exhausted by the harsh life.
Some older women, in severe cases, couldn’t even walk.
At four in the morning, Brother Aniu had to work in the fields with only the faintest light, till the sun set at six in the evening, typically having just one meal on the ground during the day, then another at home at night.
The meals were very bland because of the government’s monopoly on salt and iron, so Brother Aniu could only consume high-priced salt. Only when farm work was particularly heavy and he was sweating a lot would he sparingly add more salt to his meals, without which he couldn’t muster the energy to work in the afternoon.
With his face towards the soil and back towards the sky while drenched in sweat under the scorching sun, occasionally Brother Aniu would take a short rest in a shaded area, boldly wondering what kind of life the Emperor was living.
Ye Qingzhou fell silent.
This was the life of countless oxen and horses, exhausted to their limits, never considering why they lived so miserably.
In the eyes of the powerful of Great Qi, people like Brother Aniu were not seen as humans but merely as ’livestock’ reproducing and sustaining on this land.
Their sole purpose for existence was to support the nobility.
Brother Aniu’s life, possibly like his father’s, would not surpass the age threshold of thirty-five, yet he lived on content with poverty, continuing to work hard.
With diligence day in and day out, he tilled his small plot of land, cared for his aged mother, looked after his wife and children, even as it bowed his figure more each day.
Unfortunately, his efforts soon became meaningless.
Natural disasters destroyed his hopes while the Empire’s heavy taxes forced him to sell his beloved daughter.
Even so, the subsequent natural disasters, famine, and plagues continued to take away his mother, wife, and son, one after another...
Ultimately, at the age of thirty-five, he lost everything, becoming a man with nothing left to lose.
Ye Qingzhou could only helplessly watch all this happen, unable to do anything, his voice unable to reach Brother Aniu’s ears.
On the mass grave mound, Brother Aniu, with a withered figure, cried hoarsely, unable to comprehend what life meant to him, now filled only with indignation: "Was I born just to suffer?"
"Why do I have to endure such misery!"
The spark of anger was finally ignited at that moment, though just a tiny spark, it already had the potential to spread into a vast wildfire.
Because, across the vast expanse of the Empire’s lands, there were hundreds, thousands, even tens of thousands of people like Brother Aniu.
"Because you are weak."
For the first time, Ye Qingzhou’s words reached Brother Aniu’s ears.
Brother Aniu, after a brief astonishment, quickly accepted the fact.
Because in the turbulent world, ghosts and spirits were not fearsome, especially to someone already deep in despair, ghosts and spirits instead easily became a belief.
Quickly, under Ye Qingzhou’s guidance, Brother Aniu diligently practiced Martial Arts and soon joined the Rebel Army, relying on his sharp Swordsmanship, he slaughtered in the battlefield, gained appreciation, and became the son-in-law of the Rebel Army leader.
After the leader of the Rebel Army fell in battle, he took over command, continuously victorious, defeating various heroes, and even repeatedly crushing the Empire’s forces sent to suppress the rebellion.
Ten breakthroughs in ten decisive battles, advancing triumphantly, they reached the Celestial Capital.
The Empire sent a beautiful Princess carrying a peace proposal, guaranteeing noble titles as long as Brother Aniu would cease hostility.
"Master Ye, should I accept?"
Brother Aniu looked at the gentle and beautiful Princess, then thought of the noble Prince title at his fingertips, his heart was tempted.
Ye Qingzhou sneered coldly, "Conspiring with a tiger leads to being devoured. Did your years of enduring humiliation ever bring you the beautiful life you desired in your heart?"
