Chapter 139

Yun Yaoyao’s gaze grew distant as she dug out the memories buried deepest in her heart and told Tu Shanjin about them piece by piece.

She began by telling him who she was.

“I had a pair of parents who loved me dearly, an older brother who was always there to protect me, and an older sister who thought of me in everything she did. The five of us were a very happy family…” This was the family she had imagined over and over again in her dreams.

“The world I came from was fascinating too.”

“It was a world where everyone was equal. The imperial system had been abolished more than a century ago…”

“Everyone there was required to receive an education. We called it private school—or rather, public school would be more accurate. Everyone enjoyed nine years of compulsory education…”

“After completing their studies, people began to be divided into different classes. Some were born in Rome, while others were born to be beasts of burden… We generally called the latter ‘corporate slaves.’ I was one of them back then…”

“Corporate slaves…” Tu Shanjin listened with rapt attention and asked curiously, “Does that mean livestock belonging to the state? Or does it refer to people who work excessively hard?”

Yun Yaoyao nodded with a smile. “Besides corporate slaves, there were also ‘study slaves.’ They spent every day studying, working as hard as livestock. The academic pressure was enormous. Once they reached high school, they truly had to race against time. They even had to study while… relieving themselves. Their toilet paper was practically covered in knowledge.”

Tu Shanjin sighed. “The study slaves of your world seem to have a harder time than even this emperor.”

Yun Yaoyao went on to describe skyscrapers, cars, and airplanes. By the time she was done, she had transformed the tyrant from a ruler of a country into an ignorant country bumpkin who had never seen the world.

“There are buildings more than a hundred stories tall! A single one of those buildings could truly fulfill the wish of ‘a thousand rooms beneath spacious roofs, sheltering all the poor beneath the heavens.’”

“Airplanes can carry people straight up ninety thousand li, soaring through the sky like a great roc riding the wind!”

“High-speed rail can take you from the capital to Shu in just half a day!”

Yun Yaoyao’s descriptions seemed to open up an entirely new world for the tyrant, who kept exclaiming in astonishment.

“And then there’s this miraculous refrigerator!”

“Televisions…!”

“But the most wondrous thing of all is the mobile phone, no bigger than the palm of your hand. It can be used to make purchases, function as a television, keep in contact with others, and even serve as paper and brush… It truly is an all-purpose object!”

Yun Yaoyao then began talking about the language and culture of her world.

“Our language has been passed down from yours, though our written characters are simplified, making them easier to write. We also have a new form of linguistic culture that’s very popular. We call it memes…”

Tu Shanjin: “Memes?”

Yun Yaoyao nodded and gave him several examples.

Tu Shanjin could not understand a single one of them, but in order to close the generational gap with his wife, he transformed into an inquisitive student.

“What does ‘attention-seeking clown’ mean?”

“And what kind of spicy food is ‘so freaking cool’?”

“What sort of fish is a ‘nine-leak fish’?”

“‘She’s really hungry’… Is she truly hungry or only pretending? Why use hunger to mock someone?”

“I’m the domineering CEO of the novel world? I don’t even have any children yet, so how can I be called a father?”

His series of earnest questions made Yun Yaoyao burst out laughing. Patiently, she explained each one to him.

“An ‘attention-seeking clown’ describes someone who loves to show off and draw attention, but ends up embarrassing themselves in the process. It’s similar to someone like Gao Chongguang.”

“‘So freaking cool’ doesn’t have anything to do with spiciness. It means…”

“…”

Tu Shanjin listened earnestly as he pushed the swing. Her light, melodious voice rang constantly beside him, and the corners of his lips unconsciously curved upward.

Tu Shanjin thought that if he could see Yun Yaoyao every day after court, push her on the swing, and chat with her, life would surely be wonderfully fulfilling.

They did not know how long they had been talking.

Suddenly, Yun Yaoyao turned her head. Her brows and eyes were half veiled by the light and shadows of early spring. Though she was smiling, a faint sorrow lingered in her voice.

“Tu Shanjin, that is my entire story.”

“I don’t belong to this world. I don’t know why I ended up in this body, which has the same appearance and name as me, and then exchanged souls with you.”

“I’m a little afraid. Just as I suddenly arrived in this body, I might suddenly return one day.”

Tu Shanjin’s hand abruptly tightened, and his smile froze.

She had finally been willing to reveal her truest, most complete self to him. Yet a new and very real problem had appeared.

She did not belong to this world. There was a possibility that she might leave.

If he had never met Yun Yaoyao, he could have endured an isolated and emotionally barren life. But she had come into his world. She was lively and bright, passionate yet gentle, and she could easily win over anyone’s heart—including his.

From then on, he had hope at sunrise and longing at sunset. His heart had something to look forward to. He was busy, but no longer lost, and he could slowly savor each ordinary day with joy.

How could he bear to let her go?

Tu Shanjin clasped Yun Yaoyao’s hand tightly in his palm, his gaze dark and unreadable.

“It doesn’t matter. I’ll solve it.”

Whenever there was a problem he could not resolve—especially one involving the supernatural—he would seek out the National Master.

Perhaps the National Master knew a way to make Yaoyao remain in this world forever…

The next morning, portraits of the National Master were posted throughout the streets and alleys of the imperial city, and even in many places across Yan Chi.

Curious citizens crowded around the notices, pointing and whispering among themselves.

“Eh? Isn’t this the National Master?”

“His Majesty is offering ten thousand taels of gold for information leading to the National Master. The reward is so high—did the National Master steal the treasury?”

“The payment is incredibly generous, yet even His Majesty can’t find him. Now that so many people know about it, being the first to locate the National Master will be extraordinarily difficult. Forget it, forget it. Ordinary people like us certainly don’t have the ability or the luck.”

“Since you’re not looking, then I won’t look either. Hehe~”

The citizens continued reading down the notice, but then their gazes suddenly stopped.

“What?! The Goddess is ill, and only the National Master can cure her?”

“This concerns all of Yan Chi! We have to find the National Master as soon as possible!”

“I won’t say another word. I’m going home right now to mobilize my father, mother, aunts, uncles, sisters, brothers, and every distant relative I have!”

“I’m going too! Everyone should contribute whatever they can—money if they have it, effort if they don’t. We must find the National Master as soon as possible and have him treat the Goddess!”

Upon learning the news, the people of Yan Chi sprang into action. They searched for the man while spreading the word. The news passed from one person to ten, from ten to a hundred, from a hundred to a thousand, from a thousand to ten thousand, and from ten thousand to countless others…

The first wave said, “The Goddess is ill, and the National Master knows how to treat her!”

The second wave said, “The Goddess is seriously ill! Only the National Master can save her!”

The third wave said, “The Goddess is at death’s door! If the National Master cannot be found to save her, Yan Chi’s fate will fall alongside hers, and the entire kingdom will perish!!!”

There was no doubt that the power of the masses was immense. And when those masses possessed unprecedented unity and unwavering conviction, their strength became truly overwhelming.

Thus, on the second day after the imperial notice was posted, the National Master—who had been living in seclusion in a picturesque village nestled among verdant mountains and clear waters—was found by the people.

At ​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‍the time, he was standing there in a daze, preparing to water the cabbages he had planted, when he saw a large group of citizens charging toward him with tremendous momentum.

When they reached him, they hoisted him onto their shoulders and ran even faster, turning the journey into an extraordinarily urgent relay race.

They went from human power to horsepower, then from horsepower to water power, and finally back to horsepower. Traveling day and night without rest, they finally reached the imperial palace one day later.

One of the Dragon Shadow Guards, famed for having the finest lightness skills, had been waiting for quite some time. As soon as he took the person from the horse, he activated his qinggong and sped toward Qianqing Palace, shouting excitedly as he went:

“Your Majesty! Your Highness! The person has been delivered!!!”

The National Master, who had gone a full day and night without closing his eyes: “…”

What is this, cabbage delivery?