I'm Ximen Qing, living in a ghost story!

The Great Liang Dynasty, Guobei County.

Autumn is high and fresh.

The backyard of a three-courtyard mansion in the north of the city.

Under the grape trellis, birds sing and twitter.

Several graceful young women dressed in light gauze were fawning over a young man who was reclining in a rocking chair with his chest half-open.

"Young master, come on, come on."

"I haven't seen you in so long, I've missed you terribly."

"Young Master, ignore them! I've just learned a new move, Flying Dragon in the Sky, and I've been waiting for this day. Watch closely, Young Master..."

With fine wine and a beautiful woman in his arms, the young man looked lost and had empty eyes.

One second he was enjoying the "blessing" of working 996 in some cubicle, fixing bugs for a trashy, money-grabbing card game that was going to launch tomorrow.

The next second, where the hell did I end up? This is supposed to be in China... ugh! This definitely isn't in China! It's too business-like!

Wait, could it be...?

Just as he was about to speak, several bodies pounced on him.

A blur of white lay before me, a whirlwind of projectiles, a truly terrifying and menacing sight, marked by deep scars.

And with her clothes fluttering and so colorful, it almost gave him motion sickness. Damn, it's so evil.

They must be severely criticized!

Just as his gaze focused, preparing to disregard everything else and properly critique the colossal evil before him...

A commotion suddenly erupted at the courtyard gate, followed by a high-pitched, hoarse voice:

"Young master, it's terrible!!! The master is back!!!"

The warbling and dancing under the grape trellis abruptly ceased, replaced by a chorus of exclamations.

"ah!!!"

The once wealthy and generous young ladies suddenly became like frightened birds, darting away and disappearing in an instant.

All that remained was the ribbon tied to the grape trellis by the young lady who had just demonstrated the "Flying Dragon in the Sky" technique, fluttering in the wind, leaving him stunned.

Before he could figure out what was going on...

At the door, a bear-like figure strode in, carrying the man with the hoarse voice who had just delivered the message. He cursed as he walked, "You spineless coward! The steward told me you'd called more people, but I didn't believe him. Couldn't you even wait a few months? I'll beat you to death, you spineless coward!"

After saying that, the man raised his fist, which was the size of a sandbag, and punched the young man.

"Holy crap?"

The young man only had time to utter a single curse word before he was lulled to sleep again by physics.

She slept peacefully.

However, just before he went to sleep, he heard a wailing sound like a pig being slaughtered in front of him:

"Qing'er? Qing'er!!! You used to dodge so quickly, why didn't you dodge today! It's all my fault!!"

……

As the saying goes, "If there is no pain, there is no flow."

One punch landed.

Countless memories flooded his mind, instantly occupying all his thoughts. After an unknown amount of time, the young man finally gathered all his thoughts together and pieced together the complete picture of his memories.

During the Great Liang Dynasty, in Guobei County, Qingzhou.

There was a powerful landlord family that started by running a medicinal herb shop, whose surname was Ximen.

In his early years, the head of the family, Ximen Da, traveled all over the country, making friends with talented and extraordinary people. He was proficient in the art of fierce battle and the art of Xiong Ge.

He possessed several unique prescriptions, all potent drugs for sexual intercourse. With these, he befriended powerful figures and gentry, making a fortune.

In recent years, he has formed caravans and no longer leads them out, staying at home to educate his only son, Ximen Qing!

At this moment, the miserable 996-blessed programmer finally realized one thing—

Oh no! I've really become Ximen Qing!

In an instant, the ominous sign of death on his forehead began to flash wildly. He thought of a mortal god named Wu Song, and of Sister Jinlian, whom he had never met...

That's right. When he first woke up, he already had a guess in his mind, and now he's just certain of it.

There's a saying: "Wearing leather pants over cotton pants, there must be a reason for it."

Based on his years of experience reading time-travel novels on a certain website—that is, Ximen Qing in his current life—he must have been tricked by the game his idiot boss created.

Because that pay-to-win gacha game is based on the Water Margin.

Moreover, in the last moment of his memory, he was modifying Ximen Qing's cards on the computer.

It matches up! Everything matches up!

But why is it Guobei County and not Qinghe County?

Ximen Qing chuckled to himself, adjusted his mindset, and thought, "Well, since I'm here, I might as well make the best of it."

At most, I'll stay away from Sister Jinlian a little in the future, just a few glances and then I'll leave!

Just as he made up his mind, an indescribable stench assaulted his nostrils, forcing him to open his eyes.

What came into view was an old sorceress with a missing front tooth and a foul-smelling breath, holding three sticks of incense in her hand and chanting incantations. Beside the bed was a bowl of dark, unidentified liquid.

The foul smell was coming from the bowl.

"Oh my! My child, you're finally awake! Granny Wang, you're amazing!"

At this moment, the burly figure sitting on the armchair next to Ximen Qing rushed to his side, looking at the purplish-blue fist marks on his son's face with heartache.

Simonda initially thought her son had just been knocked unconscious, but he slept for two days without waking up, so she hurriedly sought help from a shaman.

"Master Ximen, your young master is merely possessed by yin energy; it's nothing serious. Drinking this bowl of divinely bestowed talismanic water will absolutely dispel the evil spirits and restore his masculinity!"

As she spoke, Granny Wang sprinkled the ash from three incense sticks into the dark, foul-smelling talisman water, intending to bring it to Ximen Qing's mouth.

Faced with such treatment, what else is there to say!

Ximen Qing felt his body brimming with power. He leaped up from his canopy bed and, in the blink of an eye, delivered a golden kick with his right foot.

He raised his leg and slapped the old woman in the face:

"I'll drink your grandma's liquor!"

Ultimate Technique: Leading the Unbreakable Brothers!

There was a loud "bang".

The few remaining yellow teeth of Granny Wang flew out, then her body spun 360 degrees in the air before crashing heavily to the ground face down.

The room fell into a deathly silence.

Simon looked at his energetic son, then at the old sorceress lying on the ground barely breathing, shook his head, and sighed.

"You! Hey! Someone come here, carry Granny Wang back, and remember to confiscate her consultation fee!"

Several servants came in and quickly cleaned the room.

"Father, why are you sighing? That old witch Wang is always pretending to be a shaman, using dog urine to make talisman water every day. How can you believe her! I beat her on behalf of Heaven! To punish evil and promote good!"

Ximen Qing sat on the edge of the bed, looking at his father who was as strong as a bear, showing none of the confusion and restraint he had when he first arrived.

Ignoring everything else, Simon pulled up a chair and sat opposite him, his face full of worry.

"Am I worried about this? I'm worried about your marriage, son! I told you to keep a low profile these past few months and build up your reputation properly, but why did you bring back that prostitute from that brothel... cough cough, I mean, that skilled girl! If word gets out, the marriage I finally found for you will be ruined!"

"Marriage? Me?"

Upon hearing this, Ximen Qing searched his memory and it seemed that there really was such a thing.

I heard that the newly appointed Magistrate Nie has an only daughter whom he cherishes dearly. She is only 16 years old and is of marriageable age.

I came to Guobei County to take this opportunity to arrange my daughter's marriage.

The local gentry were delighted to hear this; becoming family with the county magistrate would bring them many benefits.

However, there weren't many young men of marriageable age in each family who weren't engaged, and the county magistrate's daughter couldn't become a concubine. So, after many twists and turns, the girl ended up with Ximen Qing.

Since the county magistrate was new to the area, he couldn't refuse and could only agree to give him a few months to observe his character.

Upon hearing this, Simon was overjoyed and immediately gave his predecessor a strict order: during the probationary period of several months, he must not act recklessly.

However, the predecessor clearly ignored it and didn't pay any attention.

Thinking of this, Ximen Qing couldn't help but purse his lips. Marriage? He hadn't had enough fun yet. Getting married so young was no good!

Seeing his son's resistant expression, Simonda had anticipated this and immediately took appropriate measures.

How could he not know his son? Wasn't he just a womanizer? So, Simon took out a scroll from his sleeve and slowly unrolled it:

"I bribed the county court's painter to paint this secretly. It's of the county magistrate's daughter, Xiaoqian, and she's absolutely gorgeous! You should be happy about this!"

Ximen Qing glanced at it. What could ancient meticulous paintings possibly be like... Holy crap? So beautiful? Is it fake?

and many more!

He suddenly muttered the name Xiaoqian, then looked sharply at his father, Simon Da, and asked in a trembling voice:

"Father! Say it again, what's the surname of our new county magistrate?"

"Nie!"

Pfft!

"Son, what's wrong with you? Why are you getting so agitated?"