Rebirth

Year 189, Luoyang, Suzaku Avenue, Drunken Immortal Pavilion.

Yuan Xi couldn’t help but blush as he thought about it—what an embarrassing predicament. Yet that Li Guo’er was truly extraordinary; such a pity.

............................................

“Stop hitting! Falling from here will kill you!” The rope swung wildly back and forth, causing cold sweat to break out all over Yuan Xi’s body. Damn it, this was the eighteenth floor.

However, Yuan Xi snapped out of his fantasy—this was deadly serious.

What had he done? Blinded by lust and greed, he had truly mistaken himself for the protagonist of a novel. In reality, such recklessness would mean death.

“That damned pervert! May lightning strike you down for daring to touch me!” Li Guo’er paid no heed to the loss of her twenty years of purity, now taken by a stranger—such a great injustice.

At that moment, as Li Guo’er cried out in indignation,

Suddenly, a streak of purple lightning flickered faintly in midair. Seconds later, the lightning seemed to have eyes, directly targeting Yuan Xi.

In that flash of lightning, Yuan Xi was spectacularly struck down and vanished.

Li Guo’er stared, stunned, at the spot where Yuan Xi had been struck.

Then, seemingly realizing the gravity of the situation, she exclaimed, “I actually summoned lightning and struck him! I didn’t mean to.”

“This isn’t a game—I’ve never practiced magic before!”

Startled beyond measure, Li Guo’er began to weep amidst the drizzle.

Legend had it that to travel through time, one must trigger one of three conditions: lightning strike, car accident, or fall from a height.

Later, when Yuan Xi returned from his time slip, it was in Donghai City.

At the peak of the apocalypse, besieged by zombies, Li Guo’er was rescued by Yuan Xi.

Under Yuan Xi’s strong influence and Li Guo’er’s half-hearted acceptance, they naturally became entangled.

But when Li Guo’er’s boyfriend, a man with military ties, came to pick her up,

She decisively left Yuan Xi behind.

Yuan Xi’s guardian general, Xu Chu, attempted to kill Li Guo’er,

But was stopped by the sly-faced Yuan Xi.

“Ah, my head hurts so much!” Yuan Xi rubbed at his splitting skull, struggling to open his eyes. After much effort,

He finally broke free from the grip of darkness and forced his eyes open.

“Hmm? Where am I?”

Thus began Yuan Xi’s new life.

To be continued............................................

June 10, 176 AD, Luoyang, the Yuan Residence.

Though not lavish, the Yuan household exuded a classical charm.

Outside, various exquisite and magnificent carriages were parked, dazzling the eye. Nearly every notable figure in the Eastern Han dynasty had gathered here.

Inside the antique-style drawing room, a group of people of various appearances surrounded a vigorous, capable man in his sixties, bombarding him with questions.

“Old Luo, how is it inside?”

“Old Luo, how is our honored teacher?”

“...”

These men were all prominent figures of the Han dynasty.

They were accustomed to being flattered and fawned upon by others.

Yet now, they treated this seemingly ordinary old man with such courtesy.

Indeed, this man known as “Old Luo” was nothing more than the steward of the Yuan household.

Old Luo calmly looked at the anxious crowd and slowly said, “Please understand, the young madam is having a difficult labor. The master is temporarily not receiving guests.”

“Ah?”

Someone gasped, only to be immediately shot down by disdainful looks from the others, unable to raise their heads. Another quickly added, “Fortune favors the brave. Please convey to the teacher not to worry his health...”

“Yes, mother and child will surely be safe...”

The guests in the drawing room eagerly offered well wishes.

Though night had fallen, no one showed signs of leaving.

In a study, an imposing elder paced anxiously.

A handsome man just past thirty was also extremely tense.

Sweat poured from his forehead as he nervously awaited news.

Passing servants and maids chuckled softly at the scene, their delicate laughter in stark contrast to the grim expressions of the men inside.

In the delivery room, laughter and cheerful voices were heard.

“Doctor, it’s been nearly two hours. Why hasn’t she delivered yet?” asked a maid quietly.

The attending midwife frowned and muttered to herself, “Strange, strange. Neither mother nor child shows any danger signs. Why is she not giving birth yet?”

She had never encountered such a peculiar case.

Lying peacefully on the bed, Liu Yu chatted happily with another maid, occasionally bursting into laughter.

By any measure, she hardly looked like a woman about to give birth.

The doctor watching felt a secret shiver and admired Liu Yu’s composure—truly the daughter of a great family.

Back in the study, the stern expression on Master Yuan’s face had softened. Having made a decision, he said to the wise elder, “Father-in-law, I can no longer hold back. If necessary, use medicine. The safety of mother and child is what matters.”

“Agreed.”

Master Liu nodded, seeming relieved.

As head of the Liu family and a royal minister, he had not felt such tension and hardship in many years.

“Benchu, what do you think?”

Master Yuan looked at the handsome man beside him and asked.

“Me? Of course, I respect your decision, elders.”

Yuan Shao exhaled in relief, answering respectfully.

In his heart, Master Liu silently prayed. Liu Yu was his treasured daughter. The unborn child, whether boy or girl, would be the sole heir of the Liu family. There could be no mistakes.

Yuan Shao also prayed inwardly. In his youth, he had been a carefree and charming gentleman until he met Liu Yu, his destined love.

After two years of courtship, they had conceived this child.

He feared something might go wrong.

In this era, childbirth was fraught with danger for women.

In the delivery room, the doctor receiving instructions sprang into action.

“Hehe, what’s this? Running out of steam?” Liu Yu asked calmly, watching the busy scene.

An elderly maid replied, “Madam, we’re fine, but... the young master and the two masters seem about to lose it.”

“Oh? What’s wrong with them?”

“They pace anxiously in the study, frowning deeply. I fear if this drags on, something might happen...”

“Look at their abilities!” Liu Yu scolded lightly. “A bunch of grown men so nervous!”

“You all can stop fussing. I’ll just push this brat out myself!”

As if planned, at the dawn of June 10, 176,

A baby burst into the world, destined to change this world.

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Gao Yue, courtesy name Wugou, second daughter of the Gao family.

Father: Chief Physician Gao Jing; elder brother: Gao Rou; husband: Yuan Xi.

She was also Yuan Xi’s first wife, the first empress of the Jin dynasty.

Whenever Yuan Xi went to war, she managed household affairs with impeccable order, his virtuous helper.

Later, when Yuan Shao grew suspicious of Yuan Xi, she skillfully mediated between them. Gentle and gracious, she was deeply respected by the women of the harem.

But she was later assassinated by royalist forces behind the Princess Wannian.

At the time of her death, Gao Yue was only thirty—how tragic.

Emperor Xuanwu Yuan Xi’s temperament changed drastically afterward.

He never appointed another empress and built a shrine in her memory.

Despite repeated counsel from Tian Feng, he refused.

Gao Yue bore Yuan Xi two sons and a daughter: Yuan Yong, Yuan Zhi, and Yuan Xin.

That same year, Yuan Xi massacred Baima Temple.