Hard to Survive in Troubled Times

[May every honored reader who clicked in to read this have all their wishes fulfilled, everything go their way, live to a hundred, get rich every day, and enjoy a future as splendid as brocade!!!]

"Where's that spineless wimp of yours?"

"Brother Heng still hasn't woken up..."

"Why not just give in to me? What's so good about that wimp? Follow me, and I'll let you properly taste what it means to be a woman!"

"Get lost! Brother Heng will definitely be fine. We'll certainly pay the incense money you're owed!"

After a bout of heaven and earth spinning, Cheng Heng vaguely heard the conversation outside the door.

The man's tone was full of coercion, while the woman refused to yield an inch!

"Hurts..."

Cheng Heng used all his strength to turn over on the bed. When he opened his eyes, he found himself in an environment utterly unlike the one from before.

"Where is this?"

"Wasn't I pulling an all-nighter writing, waiting for the editor to approve my contract?"

Then, a violent pain swept through his mind. A flood of fragmented memories surged into Cheng Heng's head, making him completely understand his situation.

I transmigrated!!!

Fuck!!!

This place was called the Outer City of Gaoyang County, an inconspicuous little county within the Great Gan Dynasty.

The original owner of this body was also named Cheng Heng. He was a poor scholar who lived off his family's savings, did no productive work, and had always relied on his father to earn money and support the household.

The family's life had originally been passable!

But a month ago, his father had gone to perform corvée labor in place of his second uncle, and from then on, the family's circumstances had plunged straight downhill!

After consuming every last bit of their savings, the original owner had also fallen seriously ill. That was what had indirectly led to Cheng Heng's arrival.

"B-Brother Heng? You're awake??"

A woman entered the room and cried out in delight when she saw Cheng Heng awake.

She ran over joyfully, and her already somewhat undersized clothes could no longer contain the two white rabbits before her chest. They bounced adorably with every step!

This woman was named Li Qingwan.

She was this body's bargain wife, his father having arranged their childhood betrothal long ago.

Ever since his father had left, Li Qingwan had tirelessly taken care of Cheng Heng.

Only...

The original owner had fancied himself a scholar and seemed to look down somewhat on his own wife.

Cheng Heng laughed at himself. He did not even look at what kind of man he was, yet he still had the nerve to despise her.

"Brother Heng? How are you feeling?"

Li Qingwan sat by the bed and placed a pair of rough palms against Cheng Heng's forehead.

"No fever? Heaven has blessed us—Brother Heng, you're all right!"

Cheng Heng sat up and moved his body around. Aside from some weakness, there was nothing else wrong with him.

"Brother Heng, wait here a moment. I'll make you something to eat!"

Li Qingwan was overjoyed. Her husband had returned to normal; that was wonderful news!

After watching Li Qingwan's slender figure leave, Cheng Heng took quite some time to accept his current reality.

He had really transmigrated?

And he had gotten such a well-built wife for free?

Where's my golden finger? Wouldn't that make it double happiness at the door!

As he was pondering, a pale blue panel suddenly appeared in Cheng Heng's mind:

[Fate: Heaven Rewards Diligence]

[Persevere without ceasing, and achievement will surely follow.]

[Martial Dao Space: Locked]

Beautiful!

The golden finger had arrived!

The Heaven Rewards Diligence fate meant that no matter what martial arts he cultivated, as long as he put in the effort, he would reap rewards. And once attained, it would remain attained—he would never regress!

This was secure!

This round was in the bag!

Before long, Li Qingwan entered the room carrying food.

Two coarse bran buns and a bowl of pickled vegetables—the meal was truly shabby.

Ever since the original owner's father had left, the household expenses had been supported entirely by Li Qingwan's odd jobs. It was already good enough that they could barely fill their stomachs. How could they dream of fine fish and meat?

"Were those people from the Black Tiger Gang just now?"

Cheng Heng bit into the hard bun and asked.

"Yes..."

Li Qingwan nodded gently.

"Were they here to collect incense money? How much do they want?"

"Five hundred copper coins!"

Cheng Heng paused. "How much money is left at home?"

Li Qingwan's face reddened as she cautiously said, "At home... there isn't... there isn't a single copper coin left..."

Damn it!

Cheng Heng cursed inwardly.

This opening was a little rough. I had to quickly find a way to get some money!

The Great Gan Dynasty had already endured for more than eight hundred years. Harsh and miscellaneous taxes and corruption had become exceedingly severe. Coupled with the gradual weakening of military strength, taxes had risen year after year.

These commoners at the bottom still had to suffer the exploitation of bandit gangs. This really was hell difficulty right from the start!

"Brother Heng, don't worry."

Though Li Qingwan was anxious inside, she still tried to comfort him.

"I recently found work at a tailor shop in the Outer City. As long as I'm willing to work, the household expenses will still be manageable."

Cheng Heng was somewhat speechless. Clearly, the former owner had done no work at all and had relied entirely on Li Qingwan to support him.

What kind of luck did that useless original owner have, to marry such a good wife despite being so hopeless!

This could not continue. He had to first find a way to earn money, then carefully consider the road ahead.

Otherwise, leaving everything else aside, if they could not pay the urgently due incense money, the bloodsucking Black Tiger Gang would never let them go!

Li Qingwan raised her eyes and secretly studied Cheng Heng. Nervously, she said:

"Brother Heng, don't worry. I'll bear the household expenses. Just don't... don't sell me!!"

With that, Li Qingwan burst into tears.

Cheng Heng slapped his forehead. This was another rotten idea from the former owner.

He had actually wanted to sell his own wife to the Black Tiger Gang for two taels of silver. What a complete piece of trash!

"Don't worry. I won't sell you. I'll find a way to make up the money the family lacks!"

Cheng Heng comforted Li Qingwan as he watched her weep like a pear blossom drenched in rain.

After finally coaxing Li Qingwan into calming down, Cheng Heng sat cross-legged outside in the courtyard and began seriously considering his future path.

This world was different from his previous one. Here, martial strength was revered above all, and martial artists held extremely high status!

Therefore, he absolutely had to learn martial arts. With his [Heaven Rewards Diligence] fate, he was practically tailor-made for martial training.

But before that, he first needed to solve the problem of putting food on the table.

The former owner had only been a frail scholar. Aside from knowing some characters, he had no other strengths.

The only valuable things in the house were the Four Treasures of the Study he had used for reading and writing.

There was not even food left. Why care about studying or not studying?

Tomorrow, he would pawn all of those things and first get through their current hardship!

Those brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones had cost his father a great deal of money to purchase. They should be worth quite a bit of silver!

Also, his father had gone to perform corvée labor in place of his second uncle. Tomorrow, he would go to his uncle's home and borrow some silver. Surely his uncle would not refuse him, right?

At that thought, the great stone weighing on Cheng Heng's heart finally fell to the ground. They could finally get past the hurdle before them.