Chapter 230 Extra 1

Chapter 230: Extra Story 1

A Future Classroom.

"Time": New Calendar Year 232, Autumn Semester

"Location": Royal Academy of Star Sea City, Lecture Hall A-01

"Lecturer": History Professor Li Yan

Professor Li Yan walked to the podium with his usual kind smile and composed steps. As he deftly activated the holographic course projection, he addressed the full classroom in a warm, clear voice:

"Good morning, students. Seeing the turnout today, I take it you've all been looking forward to this class for a while?"

His gaze swept across the room, his smile deepening. "That's right—today we're focusing on the founding emperor of our Hua State, a name that will forever shine in the river of history—Han Qinzhang."

"Han Qinzhang, his courtesy name was Qingcang, originally from Quyang, Yanzhou. He's not just universally recognized as an outstanding statesman, military strategist, and tactician, but for his unmatched civil and military achievements, later generations honored him as 'Emperor Shengwu.'"

"Emperor Shengwu's life was nothing short of legendary. He earned the top score in the imperial exams at twenty, brilliant and talented, but his unyielding integrity offended the all-powerful Chang Gongjun Jiayou of the Zhao State at the time, and he was quickly promoted in name but demoted in reality—banished to Yunyang, a remote outpost in Yanzhou, to serve as prefect..."

"At thirty, he took the throne amid turbulent times, ushering in a new era. Politically, he abolished serfdom, redistributed land, curbed the powerful, and welcomed criticism..."

"On the economic and livelihood front, he promoted high-yield crops, established free schools nationwide, vigorously pushed script simplification and literacy campaigns, and prioritized infrastructure development..."

"It was precisely Taizu's thirty years of diligent governance—social stability and technological leaps—that laid a solid foundation for the later Taizong and Wuxuan emperors to unify the entire globe."

"Taizu's brilliance wasn't in conquering the realm from horseback, but in breaking old systems with firearms and ushering in ten thousand generations of peace with new learning. An emperor for the ages—truly worthy of the title..."

At this point, Professor Li Yan paused, then added with humor:

"However, as everyone knows, beyond our Taizu's monumental achievements, what people still talk about most—even centuries later—is his legendary love story with the Empress Zhaosheng Xian."

"In Emperor Shengwu's personal journals, our Taizu himself admitted that his fateful bond with the Empress Zhaosheng Xian began because he wanted to 'eat soft rice' (i.e., live off his partner)—at the time, Taizu was at rock bottom—poor and uncertain of the future..."

"Taizu confessed in his journals that he was not the flawless, noble figure later generations imagine. Like all of us ordinary folks, he had selfish and dark sides."

"If the Empress Zhaosheng Xian hadn't shown up, he might have become a treacherous minister, a warlord, or even a scumbag... She's the one who changed him."

"Taizu never concealed his flaws, even encouraging court historians to record the truth faithfully. This incredible honesty about himself leaves later generations in awe, and it makes his character all the more vivid, real, and endearing..."

"But no matter how Taizu dissected or even belittled himself in his journals, saints are judged by their actions, not their thoughts. Our Hua State's unification of the globe and our lives today all rest on the foundation Taizu laid..."

"And from these precious journal fragments, we also get a glimpse that the bond between Taizu and the Empress Zhaosheng Xian ran far deeper than the official records suggest..."

"To be honest, your teacher is also totally fascinated by this love story that transcends time, so I specially asked my friends at the archives for a high-definition restoration of a treasured painting of the two."

With that, Professor Li Yan tapped lightly on the control panel. "Let me share it with you—this painting is titled 'Riverside at Dusk'..."

As he moved, the massive projection screen behind the podium switched images.

A meticulously detailed, vividly colored traditional Chinese painting slowly appeared.

It depicted a scene at sunset: by a shimmering river, a group of silver-haired but spirited elderly folks were fishing, drinking tea, and feeding each other fruit in a warm, cozy scene.

At the center of the painting stood a handsome, distinguished middle-aged man in casual robes, his commanding presence impossible to miss. He was leaning in slightly, gently placing a flower crown woven from wildflowers onto the hair of a beautiful man before him who looked no older than forty, with delicate, ethereal features.

Their hands were clasped tightly, their eyes locked, gazes intertwining with deep, tender affection—as if time itself had stopped for them...

The wordless love made the students in the classroom feel happy too.

One student couldn't help whispering to a neighbor:

"Oh my god, how can Emperor Shengwu and the Empress Zhaosheng Xian be this cute together? One's handsome and majestic, the other's beautiful and elegant—truly a perfect match, a match made in heaven!"

"Haha, you nailed it!"

Another student immediately chimed in, "Apparently the Empress Zhaosheng Xian was super vain and cared a lot about his looks. Unofficial histories say Emperor Shengwu stepped down at the peak of his fifties not just to groom a successor, but partly because he was afraid of aging into an old man on the throne and being rejected by his husband."

"Not only that—the couple spent their later years either maintaining their health or on the road to doing so! Once they got too old, they both refused to be painted or photographed!"

"The Empress Zhaosheng Xian also repeatedly stressed that any portraits used in textbooks and official records had to show him and Emperor Shengwu at their most handsome and beautiful youth, or he'd get upset. So adorable..."

"According to the Empress Zhaosheng Xian's journals, at the time he was at a low point due to broken engagement rumors and had planned to enter the imperial selection, but he never expected that one outing would see him 'hooked' by our Taizu, who had dressed up all fancy to go fishing—because young Emperor Shengwu was just too handsome, haha..."

"Of the thirty-six stratagems, the beauty trap is the best, right? Haha..."

The classroom buzzed with happy historical gossip.

After all, the bond between Han Zhang and Shen Qinglan was widely recognized as a model of love in history, and Han Zhang's devotion to Shen Qinglan was likewise historically acknowledged as an emperor's unmatched favor—unmatched to this day.

—

Of course, not everyone shipped their romance.

Du Wei, sitting in the corner, was one of the few exceptions.

Moreover, he was a devoted solo fan—he only admired Han Zhang and couldn't stand any discussion of pairing him with anyone, even Shen Qinglan, the officially recognized historical match!

Although Shen Qinglan had made notable contributions in historical records and had served as one of the outstanding chairpersons of the Women's Federation, earning widespread praise, Du Wei still felt Shen Qinglan wasn't worthy of Han Zhang—that he had nothing but his looks.

Especially since history recorded him as willful and spoiled, always showing off and boasting—utterly shallow in Du Wei's eyes.

"What Empress Zhaosheng Xian? If he hadn't married Emperor Shengwu, he'd just be an old bachelor who'd been rejected three times and unwanted!"

"Emperor Shengwu, so handsome, so brilliant, so extraordinary—an emperor for the ages—his one and only flaw in life was this Shen Qinglan!"

"The historical records must be wrong. The Emperor wasn't some lovesick fool. He just had principles, was a perfectionist, and refused to abandon his humble spouse after achieving fame—that's how he became the deeply devoted emperor later generations praise..."

Du Wei muttered angrily, clutching his history book.

In his heart, Emperor Shengwu Han Zhang was a supreme, untouchable god—no one deserved to stand beside him.

If he could travel back in time, he'd stop the two from ever meeting and let Emperor Shengwu shine alone!

Just as Du Wei was lost in this fantasy...

Suddenly, a qi-absorbing force passing through this small world detected his intense wish fluctuations, along with Han Zhang's immense imperial fortune as an emperor for the ages.

The system got excited, swiftly approached, and emitted a seductive electronic voice:

"Ding! Eligible host detected. Du Wei, hello—I'm Strategy System 007. Your soul's compatibility with this system is 99.99%!"

"This system can make your time-travel wish come true. In exchange, you must complete the task of winning over Han Zhang. If you succeed, you'll get three extra wishes. Want to bind now?"

System? Time travel? Romance Han Zhang?

Didn't this mean he'd get to see his idol in person?

Romance? Wait, so he was supposed to have some epic love affair with Emperor Shengwu?

Du Wei's eyes immediately lit up, and he nodded almost without thinking:

"Yes! I'm in! I'm so in!"

He hated the idea of his idol being shipped with anyone else—but if the ship was with himself, that was a whole different story!

As for why the system said Han Zhang instead of Han Qinzhang, Du Wei didn't even notice, just brushing it off as no big deal...

"Great, binding successful. Please prepare, host. You'll be transported in three minutes."

"To help you complete your mission, here's a beginner's gift pack. Want to open it right away?"

"Open it!"

"Ding! Congrats, host! You've received a cheat ability: Life Simulator."

"Life Simulator: In the system space, you can simulate different life paths based on your choices, see the outcomes, and avoid risks."

"Good luck, host. Time travel activated—"

The moment the words faded, Du Wei was hit by a wave of intense dizziness.

When he came to, he realized the scene around him had changed from a modern university classroom to an old-fashioned, elegantly decorated boudoir.

The memories flooding his mind told Du Wei he was now a young nobleman from the family of a Third-Rank Official—the Left Vice Minister of Works—during the reign of Emperor Taixuan of the Zhao State.

Not only was he drop-dead gorgeous, but he was also doted on by his parents and brothers.

And this year, Han Zhang had just turned twenty. He was still studying hard at the academy and hadn't met Shen Qinglan yet...

"Twenty years old... I remember the professor saying that at this point, the Emperor came from humble beginnings with no clear future, and he wanted to marry into a good family to make up for his background. That's why he took the initiative to pursue Shen Qinglan, who came from a prominent family..."

"And now I'm the son of a Third-Rank Official, doted on by my parents and brothers, with both status and looks—this is like a dream come true!"

"I'm exactly the ideal match in Emperor Shengwu's eyes right now. As long as I meet him before Shen Qinglan does, won't this mission be a total cakewalk?"

Convinced he had the upper hand, Du Wei's confidence skyrocketed. He eagerly opened the system panel and activated the Life Simulator.

The screen flickered, and text began to scroll:

"Host, you've traveled back in time and become a handsome young nobleman—the son of a Third-Rank Official—during the reign of Emperor Taixuan of the Zhao State."

[You're super confident, believing that with this family background and appearance, as long as you meet Han Zhang—who's looking to "marry up"—before anyone else, he'll surely choose you as his wife.]

[After some scheming, you "coincidentally" run into Han Zhang in the marketplace and pretend it's love at first sight. After a few chance encounters, you pour your heart out to him, hoping he'll come propose.]

"You're sure you've got this in the bag, but then—Han Zhang coldly rejects you, saying your acting sucks, and whatever you're after, stop bothering him, or he won't be nice about it."

"You're shocked! You're confused! You're totally lost!"

"You think your feelings are real—your admiration, your affection, your deep-rooted love for Han Zhang!"

"After all, you're willing to give up your cushy modern life and suffer through ancient times for him! If that's not love, what is?"

[However, you feel wronged, but you don't give up. You believe that 'the harder the chase, the sweeter the prize,' and that where there's a will, there's a way.]

"You don't take Han Zhang's warning to heart, since Emperor Shengwu is such a righteous and honorable man, so you continue to pester him, and then—"

"Then you die. You're killed by Han Zhang, and your body is dumped in a remote mountain, where wild animals eat every last scrap of you."

"Han Zhang stands nearby, cursing at your remains: 'Psycho!'"

Du Wei: "..."