Jiang Wen's days passed peacefully yet fulfilled as he dried herbs in the courtyard, a smile gracing his face as he watched his wife, Wen Ji, busying herself in the kitchen.
Now, he had a home, a wife, and no shortage of food or drink, with plenty of free time. Although materially he was far from wealthy, his life possessed a certain authenticity. On ordinary days, he could leisurely sit under the tree in the courtyard, reading or taking a nap.
He was content with this life and no longer yearned for more.
During the autumn harvest, Jiang Wen helped the villagers gather their crops. He also built a winnowing fan to assist them in their work.
"With Mr. Jiang here, we can surely expect a bountiful harvest," the old village chief said gratefully, clasping Jiang Wen's hands tightly. How could they ever repay the kindness of a scholar willing to work so hard for them?
Since Jiang Wen arrived in the village, the children no longer went hungry, and every household had some surplus left after paying taxes. Life was extremely comfortable.
"It's nothing, it's all I should do," Jiang Wen said with a gentle smile. Tall and fair-skinned, he stood out even among the villagers. If he didn't already have a wife, the matchmakers in the village would have worn out his doorstep.
Accepting the game sent by the village chief, Jiang Wen carried the items toward his home. The pheasant in his hand swayed as he walked, planning to make lotus root and pheasant stew today.
The courtyard was quiet, lacking the usual sounds of his wife's chores. Jiang Wen paused only slightly before calling out, "Wife, I'm back."
His voice echoed, but no one answered. For some reason, he felt a pang of panic, as if something was tightly gripping his internal organs, making it hard to breathe.
Anxiety surged like a tide, washing over him endlessly.
Steadying his trembling hands, Jiang Wen gently pushed open the door.
The courtyard was still tidy, and the dried bacon hung from the tree, swaying in the wind. Only the shadow of one person was missing, making it feel somewhat lonely.
He placed the pheasant on the stone table and slowly walked into the house. The weapons on the weapon rack were gone, leaving only a white letter on the table.
Jiang Wen took a deep breath, trying to steady his sinking heart. He picked up the letter and slowly opened it, recognizing his wife Wen Ji's handwriting.
"My Lord, may this letter find you well. I have departed, but do not worry. During a time of calamity, I was fortunate to have you save me, and I dared not be negligent in repaying your great kindness. Thus, I pledged eternal love with you, sharing our lives together. However, I still bear the Yellow Dragon within me, with immense responsibilities on my shoulders. Not for a day have I dared to slacken. The worries in my heart are like the tides of the Yangtze River, constantly returning, with many unspeakable secrets. Now, the affairs of the world depend on human effort, and the royal cause…"
"Every moment of loving you, my Lord, has filled me with happiness. But with the great cause imminent, I must leave. I hope you will not grieve or forget me, and I will surely reunite with you in the future."
"Your wife, Wen Ji."
"..." Jiang Wen stood silently in the hall, clutching the letter. His fingers tightened, and a wry smile appeared on his face.
"I knew it. How could such a good thing happen in this world? Saving a beauty, and then the beauty wants to marry you. I was so naively ridiculous," Jiang Wen choked out in self-mockery.
"In the end, it's my own inadequacy that made me unworthy in her eyes."
A mocking smile appeared on his face as he tore the letter to shreds. He flung his hand towards the house, scattering the fragments which fluttered down like snow.
Walking into the room, Jiang Wen easily spotted the package placed on the bed. Opening it, he found several gold bricks and various pieces of silver.
Just as the letter said, she had left him money as compensation for her departure.
"No wonder she was so silent that day when she saw the wanted poster. I thought it was just my imagination," Jiang Wen grinned, reaching for the package, intending to throw it out the window.
However, something seemed to occur to him, and he ultimately put the package back.
"Forget it, I can't be at odds with money. It's at least the earnings from selling myself these past few days," Jiang Wen muttered to himself, putting the package away.
He wandered around the house alone, eventually cooking and eating alone.
Lying in bed at night, the woman's scent still lingered. Thinking of their intimate moments, Jiang Wen found it hard to sleep. After all, after so many days together, he had developed feelings for the only person in this world he felt close to.
Closing his eyes and reminiscing about the past, he slowly drifted into sleep.
In a hazy dream, he suddenly heard sounds of fighting and shouting. Jiang Wen opened his eyes and saw a raging fire.
The crackling of firewood mingled with the suffocating heat that enveloped him.
"But his relationship with the master..."
"Those who accomplish great things must not be bound by trivial matters. The master certainly wouldn't care."
Just as Jiang Wen was bewildered, several bandits burst in. They brandished their swords at Jiang Wen, their faces twisted into sinister grins.
"Blame it on your bad luck. Hope you get a better life in your next reincarnation."
Before Jiang Wen could react, a gleaming broadsword came crashing down. He felt a sharp pain all over his body, and then he sensed an endless void approaching.
"Why, why would you do this to me?" Jiang Wen laughed miserably as his consciousness gradually faded into darkness.
When he opened his eyes again, the scenery before him was one of clear mountains and beautiful waters, the sun and moon shining brightly.
He was standing on a hillside, with a vast, boundless grassland stretching out before him. It was a scene of lush grass where cattle and sheep thrived, adorned with emerald green mists that stretched for a hundred miles. Just standing on this grassland, one could feel the breath of life stirring. A sense of tranquility arose spontaneously, spreading through his heart.
"Three hundred and sixty-first time," Jiang Wen murmured to himself, looking at the scene before him.
Ever since he entered that stone gate, he had been forever trapped on this grassland. It was a place without end, with only a clear sky and earth, and an endless grassland.
But whenever Jiang Wen stayed in one place for a certain amount of time, he would fall into an endless dream. In the dream, he would forget his identity, playing various roles in the world, experiencing all kinds of love, hate, and sorrow. Only at the moment of death could he break free from this dream.
Just like the dream he had just had, he had experienced another life in his dream.
"Wen Ji... Why would I dream of Wen Ji?" Jiang Wen felt that the dream was rather strange, mainly because there were too many elements.
Putting aside these thoughts, Jiang Wen looked at the grassland again. This secret realm was too strange, so much so that he didn't know how to get out. Whether flying through the air or exploring the earth, all directions seemed to be endless. There was no end in sight, nor was there a way back.
"Perhaps there's something wrong with my approach?" Jiang Wen looked at the sun that was always hanging in the sky, and a thought suddenly came to his mind.
"What would happen if I sealed a trace of my intelligence and then forcibly awakened myself in this dream?"
