It is said that Qin Shihuang was controlled by a daughter

Xi'an, a certain office
This is an old research building with a quaint and antique feel.

The new project had been progressing smoothly for the past three months, but the problem lies with an ancient person... The academic community has never reached a conclusion on his birth and death dates, and his activities are closely related to the Qin and Han dynasties. There is little information about him, and he is also very famous.

With the holiday approaching, time is tight and tasks are heavy, and everyone is feeling tired and anxious.

"I originally thought it would be better to move it here from the Xianyang Palace ruins, but it's about the same... Sigh, the soil can't be moved, and we can't build anything on it. A lot of data hasn't been transferred yet, so we can't figure out the relationship between Zhangtai Palace and Weiyang Palace during the Qin and Han dynasties in such a short time... We're not in this specialization, sigh, this task is too complicated." Wang Cheng couldn't help but complain.

“I know everyone has been working hard lately. But we’ve got the project all set up so we can use it immediately for the conference after the holiday. There will be top domestic experts and a collector from the US in attendance,” Team Leader Chen reassured them, placing the Mid-Autumn Festival mooncake gift boxes for the four members of his team on a table against the wall. “But don’t be too stressed. Let’s enjoy the holiday first, and then we’ll be off work soon.”

Tian Tian's eyes lit up. "I found some rumors online that the collector might return some of the artifacts to us unconditionally."

Hearing this, Wang Cheng's fighting spirit was rekindled. He handed a stack of documents to Team Leader Chen, "However, we still have one place here that we need to conduct field research on... It was just transferred here. They probably just found it over there as well."

"Where?" Captain Chen asked.

"Yingchuan Chengfu".

Yingchuan. Chengfu.

Hearing those four words, Xu Zhixin felt a little flustered. Even after so long, she admitted that she still felt a palpitation subconsciously.

Wang Cheng continued, "...Sigh, they've already gone to a village in Likou Town, Henan. It's almost holiday time, and tickets are hard to buy..."

Team Leader Chen looked troubled; the four of them hadn't had much rest in three months.

"Henan is a great place. I discovered many projects there when I was young. I know that place well."

“Team Leader Chen, didn’t you just say you were going home to spend the Mid-Autumn Festival with your son?” Following his usual practice when he first joined the team, Wang Cheng volunteered. “I’ll go. After Teacher Wang retired, he gave me some advice. I still have a lot to learn, so I’ll treat it as a trip.”

Tian Tian interjected, "Have you all forgotten that my home is in Henan? I'm going home right now."

“But your home is in Anyang, which is very far from Likou Town in Pingdingshan. I just checked, and it’s already a long drive from Xi’an to Anyang, and it takes at least seven hours to get there and back.”

“It’s fine to go a little further. Besides, it might be hard to drive in that village. Your sister Tian has a C1 license and can even drive up small dirt hills.”

While they were still discussing it, Xu Zhi had already bought the plane and train tickets.

"Teacher Xu, I heard from Captain Chen that you just got back from a series of business trips... Well... after this meeting, the Japan Society will also invite you to Gansu."

She waved her hand and smiled, "Alright, it's settled then. It's not a long holiday, so you should all enjoy your break. During this holiday, Captain Chen should go back to Hanzhong to spend more time with Xiao Kai. Tian Tian, ​​you should take the high-speed train home. You should also take your mother on a vacation or something."

"...Ah Zhi, should I drive you to Pingdingshan first?"

"No need." She patted her arm. "Chengfu is a place I know very well, don't worry."

She didn't give Wang Cheng a chance to speak at all, "I heard you say the other day that you were going to see 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' with your girlfriend. There will be a lot of people during the National Day holiday, so remember to go early."

Wang Cheng nodded. Ever since he joined the group, this senior colleague had given him a feeling, a vague sense of strange pressure...

Team Leader Chen didn't say anything more, he just handed over the data and equipment to her.

The second hand of the watch on my wrist ticked quietly, and time seemed to slow down.

She landed at Zhengzhou Airport and, after half a day of travel, got closer and closer to Chengfu.

Unexpectedly, the second time she voluntarily set foot here was two thousand years later.

Likou Town was much more lively than she had expected. Small shops and carts selling fried skewers and sweet potatoes were bustling with people. Some people said there were even intangible cultural heritage performances at 10 p.m.

She stared at the bulletin board for ages but still couldn't figure out what the old-fashioned print with only red lines depicted was...

She took a picture for Sweetie.

Oh, this is a silk painting. The analysis says it's from the Warring States period. It's quite abstract; I can't really tell.

"Sigh, I can recognize the characters, but I really don't understand this painting."

An uncle filming nearby chimed in, "Iron flower performance, huh? Young lady, you look very friendly, but you're obviously from out of town. We have this custom every year."

"It happens every year, is there any explanation for that?"

"Haha, the young lady speaks in a very refined manner."

Xu Zhi paused, muttering to herself, "...I haven't corrected it yet?"

“The little girl looks a lot like my son,” Uncle Zhang said with great enthusiasm. “My son is a teacher of philosophy and religion.”

"Uncle, I'd like to know what this 'iron flower' performance is?"

"Ahem, our activities have a long history, dating back to the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods. This place was a good place for smelting iron ore a long time ago, and the workers back then would perform rituals to start their work. Later, Taoism also incorporated them."

Before he could finish speaking, he heard someone call out to him, "Uncle Zhang! Your whole family is waiting for you, hurry up and go eat."

"Young lady, we're all guests here. Would you like to join us?"

Xu Zhi felt that he looked familiar, but she couldn't remember where she had seen him before.

"This is your family dinner. I won't disturb you any longer."

The Mid-Autumn Festival is also a festival for family reunion.

Xu Zhi stayed in Likou Town for four days. Today is October 6th. The museum researchers are all on holiday, and the Historical Documents and Archives Bureau only has electronic versions.

After leaving the small town, she took out her phone but didn't know who to call. After sending her mother a picture of the moon abroad, the surroundings fell into true silence.

She located the stream on the map; it was now in a park. She sat under an osmanthus tree, and her phone vibrated for a moment. It was a message from Captain Chen: "I saw some information your father had from twenty years ago about the Luoshu (Lo Shu Square). Try using instruments to locate that place."

She read the message.

The location on the software was right where she had just been talking to the old man.

She gripped the Hetu in her hand tightly; only the appearance of the Luoshu could reopen the time tunnel.

The golden sunset filtered through the sparse shade of the trees, and the osmanthus blossoms were still in bud, emitting a faint fragrance.

Team Leader Chen made her a voice call. Then she pulled out a notebook from her private archive: written in Russian, with English and traditional Chinese characters below.

[The moon symbolizes the hope that on the Mid-Autumn Festival, all separations and regrets in the world can be made up for. — Tang Zhipei and Xu Kai, Yenching University Library, 1927]

How long can a single step traverse?
How can the gap of two thousand years be bridged?

The bright moon will tell her the answer.

Suddenly, something very bright flashed before her eyes.

"Now that you're back, why don't you come over for a simple meal?"

The sound, accompanied by the gurgling of flowing water, rang out in front of her, carrying a hint of hesitation.

His voice was clear and gentle, like water flowing over pebbles in a mountain stream. There was no excessive excitement or fervor; everything was contained within his vibrato.

Like a seabird that has flown across oceans, it longs for the land it once landed on.

Their eyes met, and without needing any more words, they recognized each other.

She thought it happened a thousand years ago.

He was an unavoidable topic for her.

Today it is today.

A gust of wind blew, and some of her bangs fell across her forehead, obscuring the weariness in the corners of her eyes. She looked surprised, hesitant, as if in a dream.

Zhang Liang was wearing a plain cotton-linen shirt with the cuffs neatly rolled up to his forearms. His shoes were a little muddy. He had run there, afraid that if he had been any later, she would have disappeared completely again.

Xu Zhi was at a loss, her mind blank. "...Uncle Zhang from earlier?"

He smiled gently. "Zhang Ping, my father."

She was stunned for a moment, forgetting that she was still on a voice call on her phone. "Xiao Xu, what's your location?"

Zhang Liang frowned slightly, but quickly relaxed and said, "She has been found."

"That's great! It seems you've managed to get in touch with Professor Zhang. That's wonderful! Professor Zhang has a lot of materials that he doesn't research or disclose publicly, which is very important to us as well."

The people speaking are communicating across time and space.

Team Leader Chen was far more excited than the two people present, saying, "I can finally relax about the meeting the day after tomorrow."

He placed a delicate lamp that he was carrying into her hands.

“My father just said he hoped we could get to know each other again, but I don’t want us to get to know each other again.”

She paused for a moment, then said, "...I don't remember many things and many people clearly."

"It's ok."

He smiled, like a piece of jade slowly polished by time, without sharp edges, only a warm glow.

When she got up, her legs were numb and she looked a little uncomfortable.

Zhang Liang offered to carry her on his back.

"You don't need to do this." After experiencing so much in life, her heart could no longer stir with too many emotions. But she dared not look at him for long, forcing herself to avert her gaze, and leaned against the tree trunk beside her. "It's unnecessary."

"My home is far away and remote, separated by a stream, and it's difficult to get there."

The withered branches and fallen leaves all carried the early signs of autumn, crunching underfoot, just like the snow-covered ground many, many years ago.

She still asked that question, "Why waste the power of the Hetu and Luoshu?"

“Ah Zhi, if I want to see you, I will do everything I can to see you.”

Have we crossed the two-thousand-year gap?
There are no national or personal grudges here, no life-or-death calculations.

There is no war, no killing, no bloodshed here.

There was no strict hierarchy, only the clash of swords and the roar of cannons.

Only in this way can we cross this insurmountable barrier...

She hugged his neck tightly, tears streaming down her face. "Zifang, I miss you, I miss you so much."

Like stars shining brightly, and under the moonlight, that's what true reunion is all about.

The Records in The Imperial Capital state:

"On the fifteenth of the eighth lunar month, people worship the moon. The cakes must be round, and the melons must be cut into irregular slices, with the petals carved like lotus flowers. ... Women who have returned to their parents' homes must return to their husbands' homes on this day, which is called the Reunion Festival." (End of Chapter)