Late Ming: Starting a Rebellion from Scratch
In the chaotic twilight of the late Ming, as the last feudal dynasty of the Han people teetered on the brink of collapse, a great cataclysm loomed over the land of China. With the Ming, the Later Jin,
Page 1/3
Winter was coming.
The biting cold gripped the earth, and the yellow loess highlands lay deathly still.
At a bend on the muddy path that wound along the hillside stood a dilapidated courtyard.
On the eastern side of the yard was a ramshackle thatched hut, its mud-yellow walls riddled with cracks. A small pile of firewood leaned against the wall—a makeshift kitchen, perhaps.
At the far end there was a cave dwelling, shrouded in gloom. Through the dim light, one could just make out a figure lying inside.
He was tall, with sword-like brows and bright, starry eyes, the lingering innocence of youth etched across his face. Yet malnutrition had left his complexion sallow and shadowed.
Perhaps it was the bone-deep cold in the room, but the young man stirred, curling in upon himself as he slowly awoke, his head spinning with a wave of nausea.
Bracing himself on the edge of the bed, he tried to rise—only to find his limbs limp and powerless. With a heavy thud, he tumbled to the floor.
“Damn it, I swear I’m never drinking that much again,” he muttered through gritted teeth, grimacing in pain as he struggled to get up.
Just then, a noise sounded from outside. The door curtain lifted, and a woman suddenly entered.
She paused in surprise at the sight of him sprawled on the ground. Before Li Yi could react, she rushed forward and threw herself at him in a fit of emotion.
“Yi, you’re finally awake!”
“Whoa—easy, you’re going to break my back!” he gasped.
The faint fragrance from her hair drifted