He awoke from a daze, seeing a white mosquito net above him. His head throbbed slightly, and he couldn't quite figure out where he was. Closing his eyes and thinking for a while, he let out a faint sigh.
He wasn't dead.
So, was he being held captive?
He pushed the quilt aside and sat up. It seemed he had been unconscious for a long time, and his body still felt uncoordinated. Looking down, he saw that his clothes were strange and poorly made. Only after standing on the wooden floor did he realize that many things were out of place.
The house was old-fashioned—the bed, the tables, and chairs were all in an ancient style. Though the materials and craftsmanship were good, the entire room was filled with an antique atmosphere. There were beautiful porcelain pieces, but not a single modern electronic device. What's going on, Tang Mingyuan? He cursed the man with glasses in his heart. Then…
Even his hands had changed. They didn't look like his own.
He examined his pale hands. After a moment, he sat down by the table and undid his clothing. This body… had no bullet wounds. What kind of joke was this? He clearly remembered being shot at from all directions, front and back. Could it have been plastic surgery? No, this body wasn't his. Every feature suggested something had changed. When he looked in the bronze mirror and saw the unfamiliar reflection, it confirmed his suspicions.
What are you up to, Tang Mingyuan? He had been one of the most financially powerful men in the world. Building an empire from nothing, he wasn't the type to be easily overwhelmed by confusion. With modern technology, anything seemed possible—even a full-body transformation. But what was the point? To make him believe he was someone else and give up the fight? Tang Mingyuan had always been indecisive, so doing something drastic like this to protect himself wasn't impossible. But why arrange this old-fashioned room?
His head, still wrapped in bandages, ached faintly. He pushed open the door, and bright sunlight poured in, causing him to instinctively raise his hand to shield his eyes. He was on the second floor of a wooden building, and from the doorway, he could see rows of courtyards and gardens stretching into the distance. The architecture was clearly in the traditional Suzhou-Hangzhou style, with ponds, rocks, and elegant buildings spreading out before him.
No skyscrapers. No signs of anything modern.
He inhaled deeply and exhaled. How much money did you spend on this, Tang Mingyuan? After a quick glance around, he began walking away, only to hear a voice behind him: "Sir, you—" Oh, a background actor.
He wasn't in the mood to engage. When a young maid approached, he shot her a glance and pointed at her. Having once built a vast financial empire, his commanding presence was unmistakable. With just a look, the maid froze, standing there nervously. "Sir, you've woken up..." she stammered.
He walked past her but stopped after a few steps. Lazily, he grabbed the robe she was holding, meant for him, and unfolded it with a sigh. "How do I wear this?" He realized she was speaking in a dialect from the Jiangsu-Zhejiang region, so he switched to the local dialect. "How do I put this on?"
"I-I'll help you, sir," the maid stammered, moving quickly to assist him. She glanced at him curiously as she dressed him in the robe. As she worked, she called out, "Sir has woken up, Sir has woken up!" More people began emerging from the courtyards around them.
Once dressed, he pushed through the gathering servants and walked out of the courtyard without looking back.
But in the end… they stopped him from leaving.
Ten days later, he sat on a corridor, watching fireworks light up the sky with a sigh.
He had eventually ventured out into the vast city, only to find no trace of modern life. The buildings, the people, and even the surrounding mountains and lakes all told him he was in an ancient era. No amount of wealth or power from his past life could have created such a perfect, seamless world. It wasn't a movie set—no one could act this convincingly for so long. This wasn't The Truman Show, and he wasn't Truman, trapped in a studio his whole life.
His current identity had become clearer: his name was Ning Yi, and he had the courtesy name Li Heng (a secondary name traditionally given to men upon reaching adulthood, used formally by peers). He was the live-in son-in-law of the wealthy Su family in Jiangning (historically, a name used for the city of Nanjing during certain Chinese dynasties). This wasn't exactly an honorable status, but it was his reality now. And even within the family, things were complicated.
The Su family was one of the most prominent merchant families in Jiangning. The current head of the family, Su Boyong, had no sons—only a daughter named Su Tan'er. He had yet to meet his wife, as on their wedding day, a batch of fabric from the Su family business had an issue, and Su Tan'er had rushed off to resolve it. In short, it was clear that she didn't approve of the marriage and had, in a sense, fled the wedding.
As for Ning Yi himself, his grandfather's generation had been close with the Su family's patriarch. They had even arranged a marriage pact, but neither family had daughters. The pact was passed down, and when Ning Yi's family fell into decline, he became the match by default. Both of his parents had passed away, and although he had read a bit and could be considered a scholar, he lacked any significant talent. His one virtue was that he was honest, which was why the Su patriarch had chosen him as a son-in-law. Whether Ning Yi had been willing or forced into the marriage was unclear, but it was evident that many in the Su family were unhappy with it. On the day of the wedding, the bride had run off, and Ning Yi had been knocked out cold by a wealthy suitor who had his own interest in Su Tan'er. Ning Yi remained unconscious for several days.
Over the past few days, Ning Yi had pretended to be slightly disoriented due to the injury, meeting various members of the Su family, including Su Boyong. He quickly grasped the situation. Though Su Boyong was in good health and still the true leader of the family, the Su family was now in its fifth generation, and its descendants had varying talents. Ironically, the one most gifted in business was Su Tan'er, a woman.
If her brothers had been more capable, or if Su Tan'er hadn't been born into the main branch, or if she didn't have a talent for business, things might have been different. But now, it was clear that Su Boyong was grooming her as his successor. Ning Yi had been chosen largely because he was considered easy to control.
As a result, many in the family's other branches were displeased with his presence. For years, they had tried to marry Su Tan'er off to a wealthy man from another family, hoping that once married, she would be out of the picture and no longer a threat. But Su Boyong had honored the old marriage pact, bringing Ning Yi into the family and making him a target of resentment. The brick to his head might have been the work of one of these disgruntled individuals.
Thinking back on his past life—filled with corporate wars, power struggles, and betrayals—he found it all rather amusing now. He had spent that life in a constant state of defense, and in the end, had still been outmaneuvered by his own brother. Now, seeing these petty schemes unfold before him, he found it hard to care. He figured he'd save up some money and then leave. Being a son-in-law didn't mean much to him. But being constantly watched was bothersome.
As for this world, he was still figuring it out.
Jiangning—historically, the name for Nanjing during the Song Dynasty—was clearly not part of the Song Dynasty. That much was clear. The history books he had studied over the past few days were full of details that didn't align with the future he knew. For example, the current dynasty was called the Wu Dynasty, and its capital was Lin'an, much like the Southern Song Dynasty. But many key historical details had changed, starting from around the Sui Dynasty, and the differences only became more pronounced by the Tang Dynasty. Some famous figures from history were still around, but their fates had changed. For instance, Li Bai, the renowned poet known as the "Immortal Poet," had died young in a sword duel in Chang'an. Du Fu, another famous poet, had served as an official but was executed for his mistakes—a minor footnote in the historical record.
What was this place? A parallel universe? Some kind of quantum mechanics at play? A multiverse?
The sheer oddity of it all made his head spin.
Su Tan'er was undeniably beautiful, with all the grace and delicacy one would expect from a woman of the Jiangnan region. Though her demeanor showed hints of inner strength, she presented herself with a quiet elegance, combining her poise with a scholarly air. From an objective, professional standpoint, Ning Yi couldn't help but admire her. But when that commanding presence was directed at him, he found it amusing.
Along the way, they exchanged a few pleasantries that seemed affectionate on the surface but kept a certain distance. Ning Yi responded casually, and when they arrived at the courtyard, Su Tan'er finally let go of his arm. "My Lord, you're still recovering from your injury. Take good care of yourself these days. If you need anything, just ask Chan'er," she said.
The courtyard consisted of two small buildings. Across from Ning Yi's quarters was a newly decorated room still adorned with red wedding banners—clearly Su Tan'er's former boudoir. Since waking up, Ning Yi had stayed in the other building and had never entered her room. After bidding him a polite farewell, Su Tan'er returned to her own quarters with her maids, and Ning Yi waved her off with a smile, understanding that this would be the dynamic for a long time.
That was fine. As long as she didn't bother him and he wasn't dragged into the family's internal conflicts, life would be peaceful. He could live with that.
Ancient life wasn't so bad after all.
Su Tan'er returned to her room, which was an ordinary, tastefully decorated boudoir. Bright reds and greens filled the space, with various trinkets on display. There were fewer pieces of embroidery than one might expect, but there were plenty of books—though nothing out of the ordinary.
The eighteen-year-old bride stood by the window for a moment, untying the ribbon from her hair. She glanced across the courtyard at Ning Yi, who was sitting on the roof watching fireworks, and sighed softly. "Xing'er, come here. Juan'er, go fetch Chan'er," she called out.
Soon after, Chan'er arrived. Xing'er was busy rearranging the decorations in the room under Su Tan'er's instructions. As Su Tan'er wiped her face with a towel, Chan'er rushed over and took it from her. "Young Mistress," she said.
"How has the current patriarch been these past few days?" Su Tan'er asked.
"Mm, the patriarch's injury has healed, but he still seems unfamiliar with many things. The doctor said he might have forgotten some things because of the blow to his head," Chan'er replied.
"Forgotten?" Su Tan'er looked surprised.
"Yes, that's what the doctor said," Chan'er nodded. "The patriarch has been walking around the city these past few days. I sent someone to follow him, and he hasn't been visiting anyone—just wandering around the city, as if he's forgotten many things."
"Let him be. Anything else?" Su Tan'er asked.
"Yes, the patriarch has been running every day," Chan'er said.
"Running?" Su Tan'er asked, puzzled.
"Yes, he gets up before dawn and jogs by the Qinhuai River, saying it's for exercise. And in his room, he does strange things…" Chan'er imitated a push-up, her face full of confusion. "He lies on the ground and pushes himself up, saying it's also for exercise. It's so strange."
Su Tan'er and her maids looked confused for a moment before Su Tan'er shook her head. "Exercise... Let him be. Anything else?"
"No, nothing else. The patriarch has been polite to everyone—he met with the eldest patriarch, the current patriarch, the eldest young master, and the second young master, and he's been courteous to everyone... Except…" Chan'er hesitated.
"Except what?" Su Tan'er asked.
"Well… I'm not sure if I imagined it, but on the day the patriarch woke up and walked out of his room, his gaze was... frightening. Not scary, but… commanding, like the eldest patriarch," Chan'er said, searching for the right words. "It was only for a moment, but I couldn't move at all when he looked at me. Maybe I imagined it…"
Su Tan'er smiled at this. When her grandfather had arranged for Ning Yi to marry into the family, she had investigated him thoroughly. The reason her grandfather chose Ning Yi was not only because of the old marriage pact but also because Ning Yi was known to be docile and easily controlled. His family was poor, and though he was technically a scholar, he hadn't read much and lacked the pride typical of most scholars. What kind of commanding presence could he possibly have? Chan'er must have been mistaken, frightened by his dazed appearance after being struck.
Still, the brief encounter earlier had left Su Tan'er slightly perplexed. When she linked arms with him and spoke to him, it felt as if a new chapter was beginning, one that held both uncertainty and the promise of change.
"It's fine. He probably understands that this is how things should be. As long as he stays quiet and behaves, it's enough. The current patriarch has already agreed, so I can live like this... Let it be." She sighed, "But you all, you must show respect to the son-in-law. Whatever happens between me and him, you are not to gossip about it outside. No matter what, as long as he hasn't done anything to harm the Su family, he is still my husband. Understand?"
Sometimes, the future can seem filled with hope, but in the end, you have to accept your fate, especially as a woman. She had it better than most women, but when it came to this matter, for now...
She had to accept her fate.