My game can make money starting from the Three Kingdoms period.

"This is a vicious cycle!" Lu Xiao muttered to himself.

It seems that the rulers of Xuzhou regarded saving lives as a blessing and bestowed it upon the people.

Want to live? Then come and be my slave, working tirelessly without complaint.

I've already given you a chance to live safely, and you're still not satisfied?

"The only way to break this cycle is, as Lu Congshan said, to become an official."

However, even the minor officials in the townships are bound by family traditions, let alone the lower-ranking officials in the county.

That must be an impenetrable wall!

Why would they recruit a commoner instead of a member of a powerful family to serve as an official and expand their network?

Do you really think that having the virtues of filial piety and integrity is enough to be recommended for official positions?

In this era, who was recommended for official positions as a commoner?

Lu Xiao suddenly realized that he had been playing the game in the wrong direction.

Since the beginning of his career, Lu Dafu's lineage has had absolutely no chance of entering officialdom!

It's not that studying can't change one's destiny, nor is it that future generations lack ability or strength.

The rules of the times simply wouldn't allow it!

"Military merit! The only way to turn your life around is through military merit!"

Many people come into the public eye through their military achievements.

Most of the founding heroes were of commoner origin. They followed the leader to build the empire, and their wives and children were granted titles and privileges. Their descendants have become the powerful families that now band together and exclude commoners.

Even excluding those who rose to power through the ranks, figures like Yue Jin and Dian Wei of this era were all ennobled and appointed generals from commoner status.

"This is the most crucial step in building 'The Noble Family'!"

Lu Xiao was relieved that he had reacted in time.

But this path is not easy. One wrong step and you'll be beheaded, and the game will be over.

Time is accelerated to 200 years ago, during the Qingming Festival.

The Battle of Guandu had already begun, but because Lu Congtian and Lu Congshan were young and not yet of conscription age, they had no opportunity to participate.

Even if they had the opportunity, the brothers certainly wouldn't have served Cao Cao.

Cao Cao killed Lu Xiaoniu's father, and like many other people in Xuzhou who lost their relatives to Cao Cao, they were extremely hostile to Cao Cao's army.

"May our ancestors protect us, but please give us guidance!"

The mother and her two children sincerely kowtowed and burned incense.

At this moment, Ah Xiang was in mourning.

His mother, suffering from a cold and burdened by the loss of their family fortune and the heavy taxes, was overcome with anxiety and died.

Ah Xiang is on the verge of collapse.

She was no longer able to support her children's education and still had to shoulder the responsibility of cultivating 130 acres of land.

Refuse to cultivate? If you don't cultivate, the agricultural officials will bring people to beat and scold you the next day!

If it weren't for Ah Xiang's rough skin and faded beauty from years of hard work, this widow would have been trampled on long ago.

Knowing their current predicament, the two brothers sincerely bowed down.

Lu Congshan, in particular, had not received any instructions for five years.

To put his mother's mind at ease, he had made up some nice and proper words to appease her without her instructions.

In the end, he was just a little kid. Lu Xiao suddenly stopped passing on the teachings, and in his eyes, it seemed as if his ancestors were punishing him for his previous nonsense and no longer paying attention to him.

Little Lu Congshan was very flustered.

The family is on the verge of breaking up.

He has absolutely no idea how to make this up now.

He even attributed the family's decline to himself, blaming himself for lying, which led to the ancestors' instruction that his lineage should end with him.

If his mother and brother were to die from exhaustion or be beaten to death because of this, Lu Congshan would never be able to forgive himself.

Lu Congshan vowed that as long as his ancestors continued to give instructions, he would no longer fabricate or lie, and would say whatever was said, never again trying to be clever.

The mother and brother's gaze remained fixed on Lu Congshan.

"Did our ancestors give any instructions?"

As the incense was about to burn out, the mother's anxiety was written all over her face.

Suddenly, Lu Congshan burst into tears.

"Why is he crying so loudly from the mountain? Did our ancestors give us some instructions?" Ah Xiang was moved by her son's behavior.

Seeing Lu Congshan turn and kneel before A Xiang, he said, "Mother, hit me! Ever since I could hear the ancestors' instructions, I have never told them the truth. Now, the ancestors have not sent any messages for five years. I have harmed everyone..."

"What?! You mean you've been lying to me all these years?! Our ancestors no longer protect us?!"

Ah Cui was shocked, her eyes wide with disbelief.

"Yes……"

Enraged, Ah Xiang immediately raised her right hand, her face contorted in a ferocious expression.

But he hesitated to continue the fight because of Lu Congtian's wailing and crying.

"Mother, I was wrong. Hit me! Brother, hit me too!"

It seemed that only the beatings and scoldings from his mother and brother could alleviate his guilt.

Ah Cui took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

But his body went limp, and he knelt on the ground, utterly exhausted and powerless.

"Mother..."

Ah Xiang slowly stood up, seemingly delighted, "You guys go wash up, I'll go cook, let's have a happy meal together."

The two brothers were at a loss because of their mother's strange behavior.

Unaware that their mother had lost hope and was preparing to end the lives of her family of three with dignity.

Just then.

Lu Congshan exclaimed with wild joy, "Let's go to Xinye, wait for Liu Bei, and join the army!"

"What?"

"Our ancestors instructed us to proceed to Xinye and await Liu Bei's enlistment!"

"Mother! The ancestors have given instructions!" Lu Congtian was overjoyed and quickly called out to Ah Xiang.

Lu Congtian knew that as long as his ancestors gave instructions, everything that had been lost would eventually return!

Ah Xiang turned around blankly, but there was no joy in her eyes.

This is a look that Lu Congshan will remember for a lifetime.

Questioning, doubting, distrusting, and disappointed.

"Mom! It's true! I didn't change anything or lie this time!"

No matter how hard Lu Congshan tried to win her back, he could never again be trusted unconditionally by his mother like before.

Lu Congtian grabbed his younger brother's shoulders. "Brother! Swear! Swear you'll never lie to Mother again!"

"I swear! Mother~ everything I said is true~" Lu Congshan tried his best to repair the lost credibility.

He was already sobbing uncontrollably.

Ah Xiang took another deep breath, came to the memorial tablet, and solemnly kowtowed.

"Thank you for your mercy, my ancestors. Ah Xiang will follow your instructions and go to Xinye to wait for Magistrate Liu so that my child can join the army."

Lu Congtian was puzzled. "But Mother, we don't know when Magistrate Liu will go to Xinye. Also, if Magistrate Liu doesn't go to Xinye, won't we have waited in vain?"

Lu Congshan quickly said, "Brother, don't worry. Our ancestor must have had his reasons for giving such instructions! From now on, we must unconditionally carry out our ancestor's orders!"

Lu Congshan grasped at the straw that his mother had forgiven him: becoming a supporter like his mother.

Fortunately, our ancestors finally conveyed their message at the last moment, dispelling doubts and saving us in time.

Lu Congshan couldn't wait to obey the orders and join the army.

Unfortunately, he is still young and needs to grow a few more years.

Ah Xiang held one child's shoulder with each hand and whispered, "Fortunately, our ancestors forgave us and our children, finding a way to survive. We kowtow to our ancestors and swear that the Lu family will burn incense on Qingming Festival and will carry out our ancestors' instructions."

"I swear..."

"Mother, you've forgiven me, haven't you?"

"Your mother has never blamed you; I only blame myself for not raising you well. The fault lies with your mother."