Chronicles of the Tang Dynasty
The rice gleamed with luster, the millet shone white as snow; both public and private granaries overflowed with abundance. In the prime of the Kaiyuan era, farmers toiled with renewed vigor, and even the highest mountains and deepest valleys were cultivated, their plows and hoes filling the land. Prosperity flourished, and the people thrived. Poetry and prose reached their zenith; the magnificent Tang dynasty embraced diversity and brilliance. In this splendid age, a humble figure of pure talent and lofty ambition emerged—bearing deep aspirations and a heart encompassing the universe. Amid the grandeur of the Tang, a bright moon silently rose into the sky.
Chronicles of the Tang Dynasty
The ancient frontier was bleak and chilly, the autumn clouds hung low and vast. The wings of the yellow crane drooped with rain, while the hungry hawk pecked at the mud.
In Tianshui Village during the tenth month, frost had already arrived and the crops were ready for harvest. Tenant farmers sweated profusely in the fields, working with great vigor. Tianshui Village, nestled between mountains and water, was a place of picturesque beauty. Although it lay in the north and felt the chill earlier than the southern lands, the cold could not diminish its charm. The mountain forests remained lush, and the streams teemed with fish and shrimp. In every little fenced courtyard, vegetables grew in abundance, their leaves a vibrant green.
At the eastern entrance of the village, two small hills stood sentinel. From their summits, one could nearly take in the entire village at a glance. Groups of children played and tumbled on the hillsides, but among them, one boy stood out—a sturdy little fellow with a bright, clear gaze.
Like their parents, children of tenant farmers were wild and free, their bodies often caked with mud like little monkeys. Yet this boy was conspicuously clean, setting him apart from the rest. Standing atop the hill, this six or seven-year-old let out sigh after sigh, lamenting his turbulent fate and the twists of his life.
Such words from a child of six or seven would surely draw ridicule—what hardships could a child so young have possibly known? Yet this was no ordinary child. The soul within this body belonged to a modern, ambitious you
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