Chapter 1: Chapter 1: Just Transmigrated and Already Dying? What Sort of Human Sorrow Is This?_1
Da Feng Dynasty, Huai Shui County, Qingshi Town.
Within Luo Family Ancestral Land in Qingshi Town, known as one of the four great families.
Luo Changfeng was struggling to open a pair of somewhat cloudy and unclear eyes.
He lay half-reclining on an ancient Taishi Chair, where the lacquer had come off in several places, not knowing how many years it had existed.
In front of him stood three middle-aged men with different expressions.
The constant noise of animated discussion was carried into his somewhat sluggish mind.
“I… have transmigrated?”
Luo Changfeng looked at the two people in front of him who were arguing non-stop and at the silent one.
He then looked at his own arm, which was extremely withered, covered in wrinkles, and as rough as tree bark.
He confirmed once again the fact that he had transmigrated to another world.
But, with transmigration set aside,
why is it that when others transmigrate, they’re either the Young Master of a family or the son of a Sect leader?
And if not that lofty, at least they are the core disciples or the direct disciples of a great Sect.
Generally, their safety is somewhat assured.
But he, Luo Changfeng… had transmigrated into the Ancestor of the Luo Family whose lifespan was nearly exhausted, and was already half into the grave.
I mean, what is this all about!
…
“Ancestor, the Da Feng Dynasty is already in chaos, and now after years of severe drought, countless commoners have started rebelling.”
“If our Luo Family fails to act at this time, with the passage of time, we will surely be destroyed by others and become mere dust in history.”
Among the three middle-aged men in front of him,
stood Luo Yong, who was two meters tall and had a physique as robust as a tiger or a wolf.
His face was covered with fleshy scars, even sporting a fierce slash mark.
Seeing that he was somewhat at a loss for words, he turned his head and spoke to the Ancestor of the Luo Family, Luo Changfeng, with some agitation.
“Ancestor, although what the third brother has said is true,”
“the Da Feng Dynasty is still the Da Feng Dynasty after all. The old saying goes, ‘a starving camel is still bigger than a horse.’”
“If our Luo Family becomes targeted by the people in the Da Feng Dynasty for gathering a rebellion, becoming that conspicuous target,”
“our Luo Family will certainly face destruction as the inevitable outcome.”
In the somewhat dimly-lit room,
clothed in a Confucian robe, with a height of about one meter eighty,
the seemingly frail Luo An
was already disregarding his own dignity, hurriedly speaking in detail to his Ancestor sitting in front of him.
And in front of these two, dressed in blue, expressionless,
and with an aura of majesty faintly radiating from him, the current Family Head of the Luo Family, Luo Ping,
appeared as if he was an unconcerned person,
simply bowing his head slightly, his eyes on his nose, his nose on his heart,
without any intention of joining the discussion of the two brothers beside him.
“Enough!!!” Seeing that Luo Yong and Luo An seemed to want to continue bickering,
Luo Changfeng frowned slightly and stopped their argument.
He also extended his hand somewhat helplessly and massaged his temples.
As one ages, one cannot stand the quarreling of others.
“You two, leave us,” Luo Changfeng said after massaging for a while, until his head hurt less.
He then spoke to Luo Yong and Luo An in a lower voice.
“But, Ancestor…” Luo Yong swallowed hard, hesitating.
He seemed to want to persuade his Ancestor of something else.
Based on his understanding and judgment of the current state of the world,
choosing to absorb the refugees and build up his own strength was definitively a great choice.
Even if they did not rebel, couldn’t they at least protect themselves in this chaotic world?
“I’ve said, step back,” Luo Changfeng lifted his head slightly, his expression growing colder as he looked at Luo Yong before him.
“But…” Luo Yong stopped mid-sentence.
Finally, under the cold gaze of his Ancestor,
he reluctantly and rather angrily turned away.
Silently, he walked towards the exit of this room.
Dressed in a scholar’s robe, the somewhat frail Luo An, upon seeing this, gave a fist and palm salute to the Ancestor of the Luo Family before also leaving the room.
…
Following the departure of Luo Yong and Luo An,
the dim room gradually became quieter.
It even became so quiet that the sound of breathing could be clearly heard in one’s ears.
“Ancestor, if there’s nothing else, I will take my leave…”
Luo Ping said, bowing slightly, his expression full of respect.
“Wait,” Luo Changfeng said while narrowing his eyes, carefully observing the current Family Head of the Luo Family in front of him.
The former Ancestor of the Luo Family may not have been too sharp-witted, perhaps not understanding the implication of bringing the other two brothers here.
But Luo Changfeng, as a transmigrator, how could he not fathom what this little fellow meant.
It was nothing more than trying to kick this difficult problem over to his side.
And have him, the Ancestor of the Luo Family, balance the conflict between Luo Yong and Luo An.
“You must have heard everything Luo Yong and Luo An said.”
“What are your thoughts on this matter?”
After a long silence, Luo Changfeng finally sorted out his chaotic thoughts through his somewhat dull brain.
He then asked the current Family Head of the Luo Family, Luo Ping, in a low voice.
“This…” Luo Ping, somewhat surprised, raised his head and stole a glance at the Ancestor sitting in the principal seat.
Then he lowered his head again.
He seemed to be astonished that his family’s Ancestor would ask him such a question.
“Just speak plainly,”
said Luo Changfeng, seeing that Luo Ping was hesitating in his speech, prompting him to speak again.
“Ancestor, since it’s like this, I will speak frankly…”
“The third younger brother is right, in chaotic times, possessing military authority is very important.”
“But the second brother’s words also make sense.”
“The Da Feng Dynasty is still the Da Feng Dynasty after all, its foundations remain.”
“Being the first to stand out is not an enviable position.”
“So…”
As he spoke, Luo Ping once again quietly raised his head, carefully glancing at the Ancestor’s expression.
Seeing that his Ancestor still had his eyes slightly narrowed, his expression unchanged,
he couldn’t help feeling increasingly nervous, to the point where he didn’t even dare to take a deep breath.
…
Although Luo Changfeng was somewhat unsatisfied with the current Family Head’s response,
he eventually still allowed the young man to leave.
Then, after about half an hour of deep contemplation,
Luo Changfeng finally cleared all the memories in his mind.
The situation of the Da Feng Dynasty was already not good.
Now, there had been a great drought for several years.
Officials were greedy, exploiting the common people crazily.
Some people seized the opportunity to rebel, some became bandits taking to the mountains, declaring themselves kings.
Others, unable to afford food, resorted to cannibalism by trading their children for grain.
The saying, “Behind the vermilion doors meat and wine go to waste, while out on the roads lie the frozen bones,” couldn’t be more appropriate to describe the present times.
Even though Huai Shui County is located by the Huai River, with a reasonably sufficient water supply,
Qingshi Town lies within this Huai Shui County.
The officials within the town impose some limits on their exploitation of the people.
Yet the lives of the commoners in Qingshi Town are still extremely difficult.
However, no matter the current state of the Da Feng Dynasty,
what does it have to do with him, the Ancestor of the Luo Family, whose longevity is nearing its end, whose vitality is so depleted that just walking is difficult,
and who is, in fact, halfway into the grave?
“To transmigrate only to die?”
“What sort of human suffering is this?”