Chapter 1: The Maiden Undresses, Her Name is Diaochan!

Eastern Han, third month of the sixth year of the Guanghe era (183 CE).

Bingzhou, Taiyuan Commandery, Jinyang, Wucun Township.

At the village head, in a courtyard of three dilapidated thatched huts, curses rang out from the middle room.

"You damn girl, I sent you to fetch water—why'd you drag a person back!"

"Hurry up and get in there for water. If there's no hot water for foot-soaking later, see if I don't whip you!"

"Go, throw this fellow in the side room, strip those clothes off him."

"If he's dead, toss him far away."

"If he's alive, wait till tomorrow and sell him off."

"Hurry up, what are you standing there for?"

Creak~

The door was pushed open from inside.

A frail young girl in coarse gray hemp clothing, her frozen-red cheeks puffed out, dragged a heavy, unconscious man toward another side room.

Perhaps because the man was too heavy.

The girl clenched her teeth, dragging him with great effort.

From inside the room came another roar from the middle-aged man: "Damn girl, if you tear your clothes dragging him, see if I don't whip you!"

Hearing this, the girl could only turn her head toward the nearer room.

Then, pressing her lips together, she dragged the man into her own room.

The room, lit by a charcoal fire, was much warmer than outside.

After entering, the girl quickly shut the door to prevent the warmth from escaping.

She glanced at the man before her.

The girl was somewhat at a loss.

The unconscious man was tall, with handsome features and striking brows.

He wore a set of jungle camouflage clothing.

On his feet were a pair of black military boots.

His face was bluish from the cold, his breathing very faint.

"I'm sorry......"

"I didn't know....."

"I just wanted to save you......"

"If you wake up......I.....I'll return your clothes to you."

Saying this, the girl reached out to undo the man's clothes.

But clearly, the girl had never seen this kind of clothing and didn't know how to unfasten the buttons.

She grew so anxious that beads of sweat formed on her forehead.

Just as the girl, frantic with worry about being whipped, hurriedly tried to undo the man's buttons—

A pair of powerful hands suddenly seized her delicate small hands.

"Ah~"

The girl cried out in alarm, falling back onto the floor in panic, her eyes terrified.

The man's eyes snapped open, and the next moment he sat upright.

His gaze was filled with heart-stopping cold light.

The girl turned pale with fright.

She was about to explain, but the man closed his eyes and fainted again.

Who knew how much time passed.

Duan Yu slowly opened his eyes.

It felt as if his eyelids were glued shut, difficult to open.

And his head felt like it was about to explode.

"I......"

Duan Yu, having finally opened his eyes, gently shook his head.

"I'm not dead?"

Duan Yu's gaze swept around.

Earthen yellow walls, a wooden table—perhaps a dressing table.

Two worn-out cabinets.

Overhead were wooden beams, with a straw-thatched roof visible.

"Th-,...."

Duan Yu was somewhat dazed.

What place was this?

Wasn't I on the battlefield?

Was this a temporary field hospital?

Or......

Duan Yu forced himself up from the bed.

His bare-bodied upper torso was immediately exposed to the cold air.

Goosebumps immediately rose on his skin.

Duan Yu looked down and felt even more puzzled.

His clothes were gone.

What covered him wasn't a cotton quilt either—seemed to be just a layer of coarse hemp.

Though there did seem to be a faint fragrance.

Just as Duan Yu was wondering where this place was.

A young girl carrying a wooden basin full of hot water walked in from outside.

Their eyes met; for a brief moment, neither spoke.

Yet they both opened their mouths at the same time.

"You....."

"Where is this place?"

The girl looked at Duan Yu with what seemed to be timidity in her eyes.

Duan Yu, meanwhile, rubbed his aching head as he looked at the girl.

"Th.....th.....this is Jinyang, Wuxiang Village."

The girl glanced at Duan Yu, then immediately lowered her head with a flushed face.

Recalling the scene of undressing the man just now, the girl's face grew even redder.

Jinyang?

Duan Yu was stunned.

Wasn't Jinyang Taiyuan in Shanxi?

What kind of joke was this—when he'd lost consciousness, he'd been in Europe.

How had he suddenly arrived in Jinyang, Shanxi?

Could it be that he'd been unconscious on the battlefield for a very long time?

That couldn't be right?

Duan Yu asked again in confusion: "What year and month is it now?"

"I-...it's the third month of the sixth year of Guanghe," the girl replied, head lowered.

Duan Yu's eyes widened.

"Gua-...Gua-...sixth year of Guanghe?"

The girl hurriedly nodded.

An era name.

A girl in ancient costume.

A dilapidated ancient hut.

Sixth year of Guanghe.

Having reacted, Duan Yu roughly guessed what was going on.

However, before Duan Yu could answer or confirm further, an electronic synthesized voice rang out in his mind.

[Ding, congratulations to the host for transmigrating to the late Eastern Han. Currently loading the system for the host; please wait a moment.]

[System loading in progress, acquisition at one percent.]

Duan Yu: "......."

Well, damn.

No need to ask anymore.

The system had already appeared.

The fact of transmigration was set in stone.

Late Eastern Han.

Sixth year of Guanghe.

Even without asking, Duan Yu knew where he had arrived.

Lowering his head to glance at his bare upper body and the single pair of underpants remaining on his lower half, Duan Yu looked at the girl in confusion and asked:

"Can I ask, where are my clothes?"

"Or rather, when I arrived.....was I not wearing any?"

Looking at his familiar body, Duan Yu already knew he hadn't soul-transmigrated but had arrived in the flesh.

Since it was a physical transmigration, he couldn't have come bare-assed.

Before losing consciousness, he'd clearly been wearing training camouflage.

The girl's face flushed red in an instant.

"I-...I'm sorry....."

"I originally......originally just wanted to save you....."

The girl said with lowered head: "I went to the river to fetch water and saw you lying in the snow, afraid you.....afraid you'd freeze to death."

A good person.

Duan Yu felt grateful in his heart.

He truly owed much to this girl before him.

Otherwise, even if he hadn't frozen to death, he might have needed amputation.

But given the medical standards of this era.

Amputation was clearly unrealistic; at worst he'd die of tetanus or infection.

"But....."

"But my uncle took a liking to your clothes and had me.....had me remove them from you."

Duan Yu: "......"

Well, damn.

This family really wasn't polite.

Truly worthy of the late Eastern Han.

If this were modern times, this sort of thing probably wouldn't happen.

After all, it was just a set of camouflage.

Even a scavenger might not want it.

Removed, so be it.

Consider it repayment for the life-saving grace.

Seeing the girl's guilt, Duan Yu quickly said: "It's fine, removed is removed, just a set of clothes."

"I should be thanking you for saving me."

"If you hadn't saved me, I might have frozen to death."

"Right, I still don't know your name."

Duan Yu looked up at her holding a wooden basin of hot water and asked.

The girl shyly raised her head, glanced at Duan Yu, then quickly lowered it again and said: "I-...I'm Ren Hongchang, courtesy name Diaochan."

Ren Hongchang.

Hmm.

Duan Yu nodded.

Wait!

Duan Yu's eyes suddenly widened as he looked at the girl and asked: "You said your name is Ren Hongchang?"

Diaochan nodded, puzzled: "Young master.....why is the young master so surprised?"

Surprised?

Not surprised would be strange.

Eastern Han.

Taiyuan Commandery.

Surname Ren.

Given name Hongchang.

Childhood name Diaochan?