Siheyuan: Starting from the Old Society

Sha Zhu felt a burning sensation in his chest, as if a branding iron had pressed hard against his heart. He looked down in astonishment, and the jade pendant, which had been dull and dim, was now emitting a dazzling light, like a firework that suddenly exploded in the night sky, illuminating the entire room.

Qin Huairu was also startled by the sudden light. She hurriedly got up from Sha Zhu's arms, stared at the jade pendant with doubtful eyes, and stammered, "What...what's going on? Sha Zhu, come and have a look, is it on fire?"

Sha Zhu shook his head blankly. He had lived for thirty years and had never seen anything so bizarre. He subconsciously reached out to touch the jade pendant, but was bounced away by an invisible force.

"Hiss——" Sha Zhu took a breath of cold air. How come this jade pendant is still electrified?

The light of the jade pendant became brighter and brighter. Qin Huairu covered her eyes in fear and screamed, "Silly Zhu, I'm scared. What on earth is this?"

Sha Zhu was also panicking. He hugged Qin Huairu into his arms and kept saying, "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid. I'm here. I don't believe this broken thing can eat us."

As soon as he finished speaking, the light of the jade pendant suddenly dimmed, and the room returned to calm, as if nothing had happened.

Sha Zhu and Qin Huairu looked at each other, and dared not even emit two spores of air, for fear that the strange light would appear again.

"Shazhu, this...what is going on?" Qin Huairu's voice was trembling. She tightly grasped the corner of Shazhu's clothes, as if she was grabbing a life-saving straw.

Sha Zhu swallowed his saliva. He didn't know how to explain it, so he could only pretend to be calm and said, "It's okay. Maybe this jade pendant has been in disrepair for a long time, so..."

Before he could finish his words, Sha Zhu felt dizzy, his eyes went dark and he lost consciousness.

When he woke up again, he found himself lying on a carved wooden bed, covered with a thick quilt. He struggled to sit up, but found himself weak all over.

"Are you awake?" A clear and pleasant voice came from the bedside.

Sha Zhu turned around and saw a girl in a yellow dress sitting beside the bed, holding a bowl of steaming medicine in her hand. The girl had eyebrows like distant mountains, eyes like stars, and skin whiter than snow. She was even more beautiful than the fairy in the painting.

"Who are you? Where is this?" Sha Zhu looked at the unfamiliar environment and people in front of him, his heart full of doubts.

The girl smiled and said, "This is the Prime Minister's residence. I am the Prime Minister's daughter. My name is Lin Wan'er. You fainted on the street yesterday, and it was my father who saved you."

Prime Minister's Mansion? Lin Wan'er? Sha Zhu was completely confused. He clearly remembered that he was in the courtyard. How did he end up in the Prime Minister's Mansion when he woke up?

He tried hard to recall what had happened before, the light of the jade pendant, Qin Huairu's exclamation, and then... then he knew nothing.

"Where is Huairu? Where is Qin Huairu?" Sha Zhu suddenly remembered something and struggled to get out of bed.

Seeing this, Lin Wan'er hurried forward to support him and said softly, "Don't be anxious, tell me slowly, who is Qin Huairu?"

Sha Zhu then realized that something was wrong. He looked around and this antique room with carved beams and painted buildings didn't look like the courtyard house he was familiar with.

"Where... where am I? What dynasty is it now?" Sha Zhu's voice trembled a little.

"This is the Tiansheng Dynasty, and the current emperor is..." Lin Wan'er was interrupted by Sha Zhu before she could finish her words.

"Tiansheng Dynasty? What the hell is that? How come I've never heard of it?" Sha Zhu suddenly sat up from the bed, grabbed Lin Wan'er's arm, and asked with wide eyes: "I'm telling you, my name is He Yuzhu, and I live in a courtyard house by the Shichahai Sea. If you dare to lie to me, I..."

Before he could finish his words, he saw Lin Wan'er pointing behind him with a look of horror, stammering, "You...behind you..."

Sha Zhu was startled, a chill ran up from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. He turned his head stiffly, only to see...

Sha Zhu felt a burning sensation on his chest. He looked down and saw that the jade pendant was like a red-hot iron, so hot that he suddenly retracted his hand. Qin Huairu was also startled by this sudden change and exclaimed, "Sha Zhu, what's wrong?"

Sha Zhu didn't bother to explain and tore open his collar, only to see a strange symbol appear on his chest, which looked like a hovering dragon, emitting a strange red light and still slightly hot.

Before the two of them could come to their senses, the jade pendant suddenly shone brightly, and the whole room seemed to be on fire. The dazzling light made Sha Zhu and Qin Huairu subconsciously close their eyes.

When they opened their eyes again, the scene before them left them stunned.

The originally small and shabby room was gone, replaced by a magnificent hall with carved beams and painted buildings. Sha Zhu and Qin Huairu, wearing coarse cloth clothes, stood stupidly in the middle of the hall, which was out of tune with the magnificent environment around them.

"This...where is this?" Qin Huairu's voice trembled a little. She held Sha Zhu's arm tightly, as if only in this way could she find a sense of security.

Sha Zhu was also confused. He looked around and saw people standing on both sides of the hall. They were all dressed in gorgeous clothes and had extraordinary temperaments. These people looked at Sha Zhu and Qin Huairu with undisguised contempt and ridicule on their faces.

"How dare you! Who are you? How dare you trespass into the imperial palace!" A sharp voice rang out, and a woman in gorgeous clothes and a phoenix crown on her head walked out of the crowd, pointing at Sha Zhu and Qin Huairu and shouting angrily.

Before Sha Zhu could react, Qin Huairu was frightened by the scene and her legs went limp. She hid behind Sha Zhu and whispered, "Sha Zhu, let's... let's leave quickly."

Sha Zhu also felt that something was wrong. He was about to explain when he heard a burst of laughter from the crowd.

"Hahaha, these two dirt spores, are they from the countryside? They dare to break into the palace dressed like this?"

"I think they are here to make fun of me. I thought this was their backyard!"

"It's really hilarious. Nowadays, anyone can sneak into the palace!"

Listening to the laughter around him, Sha Zhu also became angry. He protected Qin Huairu behind him and said with his neck stiff, "What are you laughing at? Who said we dare not come to the palace? Let me tell you, we are..."

Before Sha Zhu could finish his words, he was interrupted by a majestic voice: "Shut up!"

When everyone looked in the direction of the voice, they saw a middle-aged man wearing a dragon robe and a crown on his head slowly walking up to the hall. His face was as calm as water, and he looked intimidating without even getting angry.

"How dare you, the bold lunatics, act so arrogantly in front of me! Come, take them down!"

At a command, dozens of guards rushed out from both sides of the hall and surrounded Sha Zhu and Qin Huairu.

Only then did Sha Zhu realize that he seemed to have gotten into big trouble...

Sha Zhu felt a burning sensation in his chest, as if he had a stove in his arms, and it made him frown. He looked down and saw that the jade pendant, which had been dull and lifeless, was now emitting a bright light, flashing like it was breathing.

"This thing is weird!" Sha Zhu exclaimed, pulled the jade pendant off his neck and threw it on the table.

The jade pendant fell on the table with a "pa" sound. Qin Huairu was startled and stood up suddenly. She looked at Sha Zhu with tears in her eyes: "Sha Zhu, what are you doing? Why are you so angry?"

Sha Zhu looked at Qin Huairu's tearful appearance and felt even more annoyed. He scratched his already thin hair and said irritably, "This broken thing is very evil. I feel uneasy wearing it."

Qin Huairu sniffed, reached out and picked up the jade pendant on the table, stroking it carefully, and murmured: "This is the memory your mother left for you, you can't..."

Before Qin Huairu finished speaking, the jade pendant suddenly shone brightly, blinding her eyes. Sha Zhu was also startled by the sudden change, and subconsciously reached out to pull Qin Huairu, wanting to protect her behind him.

But the moment he touched Qin Huairu, both of them felt dizzy and fainted.

......

After an unknown amount of time, Sha Zhu woke up in a daze. He opened his eyes and found himself lying on an unfamiliar bed. A dim oil lamp was lit on the bedside table, illuminating a corner of the room.

Sha Zhu struggled to sit up and looked around. He found that the room was decorated in an antique style, with carved wooden windows, quaint furniture, and a painting of a lady hanging on the wall. Everything exuded an indescribable weirdness.

"Huai Ru? Huai Ru!" Sha Zhu called a few times, but no one answered. He threw back the quilt, staggered to the door, and pushed it open.

Outside the door was a spacious courtyard, full of exotic flowers and plants, rockeries and flowing water, exquisite and elegant, and beautiful beyond words. Several maids in ancient costumes shuttled back and forth in the courtyard. When they saw Sha Zhu, they were all stunned, then they all knelt on the ground and said in unison: "This servant greets the master!"

Sha Zhu was stunned. What on earth was this? Master? He was just a cook. When did he become a master?

"You...are you acting? Where is Huairu? Where is my wife Qin Huairu?" Sha Zhu asked in confusion.

One of the older maids raised her head and said timidly, "Master, the mistress is resting in the room, you..."

"Rest? What the hell! My wife is missing, and I still want to rest! Let her out quickly!" Sha Zhu roared, pushed the maid away and rushed into the house.

He searched room by room, but could not find Qin Huairu. Instead, he saw many young women in revealing clothes, posing and winking at him.

Sha Zhu was immediately enraged. He grabbed one of the women's arms and yelled, "Tell me! Where is my wife? Where did you hide her?"

The woman was startled by Sha Zhu's sudden action and said delicately, "Master, what are you doing? I... I am scared..."