Wei Nisheng had wandered around the Capital for quite some time before Wei An spoke up.
"Second Young Master, shall we head back?"
"No." Wei Nisheng shook his head. "I rarely get to come out. There are still things I need to do."
In his previous life, he had been a transmigrator, but his knowledge of this "Great Zhou Dynasty" was limited to the scattered scraps he had gleaned within the Wei Residence.
There was much about Great Zhou that he knew nothing about.
And to survive in this era, he first needed to know what sort of era it was.
"Grandpa Wei An, is there a bookshop nearby?"
"A bookshop? You want to buy books, Second Young Master?"
Wei An paused, a glimmer of delight flashing through his eyes.
Out on the street earlier, he had worried that the bustle outside had dazzled the boy.
After all, however precocious he was, he was still a child at heart.
Having stayed indoors for ten years, how could he not be tempted by all these novel sights?
That was why Wei An had suggested going home just now.
Yet, to his surprise, the boy still remembered his studies.
Master, your legitimate grandson has the makings of a scholar too!
"Uncle Wei, what are you saying? Of course we're going to the bookshop to buy books and read."
"Exactly! Read! You absolutely must read!"
Without giving Wei Nisheng a chance to respond, Wei An grabbed him and whisked him across two streets in an instant.
Only a thoroughly bewildered Cui Fu was left behind.
"Seriously, is that old fellow really in his forties?"
Soon, Wei An brought Wei Nisheng to the entrance of a bookshop.
It was a sizable establishment, with a black sign bearing gold lettering hanging over the entrance-"Gathered Worthies Hall."
Rows of bookshelves stood inside, and the fragrance of ink drifted through even the doorway curtain.
Quite a few customers were browsing the books, occasionally pulling one out, leafing through a couple of pages, then putting it back.
As Wei Nisheng approached, a shop assistant quickly came forward, all smiles.
"What would you like to buy, young master? The primers are on your left. Do you need-"
"Do you have history books?"
The assistant blinked.
Didn't children usually come here to buy primers?
Yet this one had asked for history books the moment he opened his mouth.
"Yes, yes..." Recovering, the assistant led him farther inside. "This way, please. The history books are all on these shelves."
Wei Nisheng walked up to the history shelves and swept his gaze over them.
Geographical Records of Great Zhou, Collected Statutes of Great Zhou, Annals of Emperor Taizu, Veritable Records of Emperor Taizong...
He pulled out several volumes, squatted down right there, and opened one to read.
The assistant parted his lips, about to offer a recommendation.
But Wei An quietly handed him a few copper coins. "Let our young master read in peace for a while. We won't interfere with your business."
The assistant accepted the money, said no more, and turned to attend to the other customers.
Wei Nisheng paid none of this any attention. His gaze was already fixed on the pages.
The Geographical Records of Great Zhou stated: Great Zhou had succeeded the Tang Dynasty and stood for one hundred and forty-three years. It maintained the Northern and Southern Capitals. Emperor Taizu had held the Northern Capital against the Khitan; Emperor Taizong had peacefully settled in the Southern Capital.
Its present territory stretched from Liaodong in the east to Jiayu in the west, and south to Qiong...
From Liaodong in the east... isn't that almost the same territory as the mid-Ming Dynasty in my previous life?
The two capitals and thirteen provinces that our Junior Grand Secretary bore upon his shoulders.
Having established the extent of its territory, Wei Nisheng flipped through a few more pages, then picked up the Annals of Emperor Taizu.
He did not particularly want to read this one. His childhood tutor had praised Emperor Taizu so endlessly that his ears had practically grown calluses.
What he most wanted to know now was something else...
Whether the lyric poets and famous works from his previous life existed in this era. And so he read on, line by line.
Suddenly, his finger stopped.
"In the twelfth year of Emperor Taizu's reign, generals were dispatched against Southern Tang. Jinling fell, and its ruler's entire clan was executed. Southern Tang perished. The Qian Clan of Wuyue, stricken with fear, surrendered its lands and submitted a memorial declaring allegiance."
Its ruler's entire clan was executed?
Wei Nisheng froze.
Historically, after Southern Tang fell, Li Yu had been taken captive to Bianjing and granted the title Marquis of Disobedience. After several humiliating years, he had finally been poisoned by Emperor Taizong of Song.
But here...
Before he had even had his turn on the throne, had he been beheaded as an incidental casualty in a game of wipe-out-the-whole-clan?
At that, Wei Nisheng hurriedly flipped farther back, then stood up and searched through several other histories, literary collections, and discussions of poetry...
There were no lyrics by Li Yu.
No "When will spring flowers and autumn moon ever end," no "a river of spring water flowing east."
No Su Shi of the Northern Song, no Fan Zhongyan, no Yan Shu, Yan Jidao, or Liu Yong.
Not a single one of the names so familiar from his previous life appeared.
The only name he recognized was Kou Zhun, the chief grand secretary during Emperor Taizong of Zhou's reign.
But even he appeared in the histories only as a minister.
No poems, no lyrics, just a pile of political achievements.
Wei Nisheng closed the book and drew a deep breath.
So... this "Great Zhou" is a fork in history?
China went through the upheaval of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, but what emerged instead was this "Great Zhou."
An alternate dynasty with a Song-like economy and literary culture, but Ming-like territory and official institutions!
For a long while, Wei Nisheng remained squatting there, holding the book without moving.
Just then, a soft, sweet voice came from beside him.
"What are you reading?"
Wei Nisheng looked up.
A little girl stood beside him, her head tilted as she studied him.
She was seven or eight, wearing a goose-yellow jacket and skirt beneath a red cloak, with snowy white rabbit fur trimming her collar and cuffs.
Framed by that fluffy edging, her fair, tender little face looked especially plump, like a little bun fresh from the steamer.
Her eyes were dark and bright, brimming with curiosity.
Wei Nisheng stared for a moment, then blurted out without thinking.
"Where did this little meat bun come from?"
The little girl blinked. Evidently, people at home often told her she looked like a bun.
At his words, she puffed out her cheeks, making her face even rounder.
"Y-you're calling me names! You're the little meat bun! Your whole family are little meat buns!"
Wei Nisheng caught himself and quickly apologized.
The little girl was not one to hold a grudge either, and on account of Wei Nisheng's good looks, she grudgingly forgave him.
Then she leaned closer again, staring at the book in Wei Nisheng's hands as she asked,
"What are you reading that's got you so absorbed? A new collection of lyrics? Or a collection of Tang Dynasty poetry?"
As she spoke, she leaned in to look, and her little face fell.
"A history of Great Zhou?"
Disdain filled her face, her brows and eyes scrunching together. "Why read this? It's so boring!
"You'd be better off reading poetry! Or Li Xinzi's newest lyrics."
The Li Xinzi she mentioned was a recently popular lyric poet of Great Zhou's graceful, restrained school, much loved by girls.
Looking at her little expression of disgust, Wei Nisheng could not help laughing again.
This little meat bun is rather interesting.
"Oh, which family are you from, young sir? How come I've never seen you before?"
"The Wei Family."
"The Wei Family?" The little girl blinked and tilted her head in thought. "You're a young master of the Wei Family? Impossible!
"The Wei Family's eldest son is so plain-looking. You're so handsome-how could you be one of them?"
Wei Nisheng smiled faintly. "The 'plain-looking' person you're talking about is my elder brother. I'm the second son. I don't go out much."
"Oh!" Understanding dawned on her, only to give way to fresh confusion. "Then what's your name?"
"Wei Nisheng."
The little girl frowned. "That's such a strange name. What does it mean?"
Wei Nisheng fell silent for a moment.
Looking at that innocent little face before him, for some reason,
The words he ordinarily never voiced simply slipped out.
"When I was born, my mother died in childbirth, and my grandfather passed away too.
"My father said I was born against the natural order, bringing doom to my kin the moment I entered the world. That's why he named me Ni Sheng."
He said it calmly, as though speaking of someone else.
The little girl, however, froze.
First came surprise. Then she suddenly patted Wei Nisheng's shoulder and said earnestly,
"Why would you think that?"
"Your mother must have loved you!" Her little face was taut with seriousness.
"She fought so hard to bring you into the world. How can you say you brought doom to your family?"
"My mama told me having a baby hurts terribly, terribly badly. Every mother risks her life to bring her child into the world.
"If your mother knew you were saying that about yourself, she'd be sad, and her heart would ache for you."
Now it was Wei Nisheng's turn to freeze.
He looked at the plump little girl before him and gave her a heartfelt smile. "You're right."
"Mm!" Seeing him smile, the little girl smiled too, her eyes curving into crescents.
"Since you know my name now, fair is fair. What's yours?"
At Wei Nisheng's question, the little girl blinked, suddenly looking a little bashful as her hands twisted the hem of her clothes.
"Grandpa says girls shouldn't tell boys their names casually... but since you're so handsome..."
"Y-you can call me Fu Niang."
"Fu Niang?" Seeing her shy expression as she tried to act gracious and composed, Wei Nisheng wanted to laugh again.
Not only was she a little admirer of pretty faces, she really did look brimming with good fortune.
"Mm! That's what Grandpa calls me at home."
"All right, Fu Niang." He nodded. "My name is Wei Nisheng. Have you remembered it?"
"I have!" She nodded hard, her eyes and brows curving as she smiled. "Wei. Ni. Sheng."
Just then, a call rang out from farther away. "Young miss! Young miss, where are you?!"
Hearing the calls, Fu Niang stuck out her tongue and waved at him.
"The woman from my household is looking for me. I have to go!"
With that, her little figure ran out the door. Her red cloak flashed at the entrance, then vanished into the crowd.
Wei Nisheng stood where he was, looking in that direction without moving for a long time.
That little meat bun...
After Fu Niang left, Wei Nisheng stayed in the bookshop for another hour.
This time, instead of reading histories, he went to the classics shelves and began selecting books carefully.
The Book of Documents, the Book of Rites, the Arithmetical Classic, the Zuo Commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals, and the Gongyang Commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals.
Five books, all required reading for the autumn provincial examinations.
Once he had finished choosing, he carried them to the counter. The assistant calculated the price, then looked up. "Three taels and eight mace in total."
So expensive.
But there was no helping it. Books were a necessity.
"Second Young Master, books are priceless. When the master bought them in the past, he never complained about the cost."
"Uncle Wei, have you considered that Grandfather might have been buying unique surviving copies of works by great scholars from the previous dynasty?"
Before you continue