Chapter Five: The First Encounter

After following them for what felt like an eternity, we finally arrived at our destination as dusk began to fall. My guess was correct: this was a military camp, likely from some ancient period of warfare, and quite a sizable one at that.

The camp stretched out before me, dozens of tents of varying sizes scattered as far as the eye could see. Once I met their general, I would likely be able to place the exact era in history.

I had no idea what awaited me next, but along the way, a thought had taken root—it might be my only chance to survive. Whether I succeeded would depend entirely on my ability to think on my feet.

Two soldiers escorted me into a large tent, which I assumed was the general’s quarters—the residence of the highest-ranking leader of this ancient army. A surge of anxiety quickened my heartbeat, perhaps born of fear of the unknown.

Inside, a fire burned warmly in a brazier. At its center sat a middle-aged man clad in steel armor, a finely crafted long sword hanging at his waist. The firelight revealed his tall, dark-skinned figure, with eyes sharp as cold lightning. His face was solemn and authoritative, radiating an icy aura that seemed capable of freezing everything around him.

He fixed his piercing gaze on me, his eyes as if trying to peer through me. Yet, oddly, he showed no surprise or disdain at my strange appearance—as if, in his eyes, I were just an ordinary person.

Suddenly, a wave of familiarity washed over me. Looking at his face, I felt as though I had seen him somewhere before. Could it be a character from a television drama? Surely I wasn’t actually on a film set?

Several soldiers clad in armor and grasping blades stood within the tent. Clearly, they were his personal guards.

The soldier who had brought me in pressed my shoulder, forcing me to kneel, and said, “Your Highness, while tracking the Yuan forces, we captured this woman. She claims to have urgent matters to report to you. We suspect she is a spy for the Yuan and have brought her here for your judgment.”

Your Highness? Yuan forces? Let me think—what dynasty is this? Song? Yuan? Ming? Qing? Ming!

My mind raced. The phrase “Your Highness” was a respectful address for a titled prince, and the Ming dynasty had many princes who fought against the Yuan. But this wasn’t the Mongols; “Yuan” was still being used, suggesting the Yuan dynasty still existed—likely the Northern Yuan, probably during the early Ming period.

The prince of the early Ming who battled the remnants of the Northern Yuan could only be one person: Prince Yan, Zhu Di.

So this must be the time when Zhu Di had been granted the title of Prince Yan and was stationed in Beiping (modern-day Beijing) to defend the northern frontier. I sensed a glimmer of hope for survival, for this slice of history was familiar to me.

Before I could gather my thoughts, the man addressed as Your Highness looked at me coldly and commanded, “Take her away. Kill her!”

Those words struck me like a thunderclap, leaving my mind blank—not because he intended to kill me, but because...

Wasn’t that the very voice I heard in my ear when I fell from the mountain? When I entered that dreamlike “black hole,” it was that voice whispering to me: “Qing’er, you have returned… you have returned…”

Before I could react, the soldiers grabbed me roughly and dragged me outside. I struggled desperately, shouting at Zhu Di, “Your Highness, Prince Yan, please spare my life!”

Then, with all my strength, I broke free from their grasp, quickly rummaging through my bag for my phone.

Yes, you read that right—I pulled out my phone. I hadn’t wanted to reveal it so soon, but who could have expected the prince to order my execution without even a word?

The soldiers around us froze, clearly stunned that a weak woman dared to resist so boldly in front of such a noble prince.

Seizing the moment before they could react, I turned on the phone’s flashlight—thankfully it still had power—and shone it into their eyes. Then I switched to video mode and filmed them all.

Everyone watched me in stunned silence, frozen in place.

They had never seen a phone before, nor could they imagine what I intended to do. Perfect—I had bought myself some time by frightening them.

I played back the video, showing their own astonished faces on the screen, then shouted, “I am a goddess sent by Heaven to assist Prince Yan in achieving greatness! Your souls are now trapped within this box. I dare anyone to move—beware divine punishment!”

In a modern setting, I might have been labeled insane and arrested by the police for saying such things. Honestly, I felt embarrassed myself.

But I had no choice—I was about to be killed!

People in ancient times were deeply superstitious and had never encountered such advanced technology. Even if they doubted me, seeing this with their own eyes forced them to believe.

Who in those days could have created moving images that captured living people in real time? Only a deity could do that!

As expected, everyone was paralyzed with fear, utterly still. The two soldiers who had seized me trembled uncontrollably.

Even Zhu Di, a battle-hardened prince destined to become emperor of the Ming, was visibly shaken, stepping back several paces. After all, he was still a man of his time. Secretly, I felt a surge of triumph.

My childish trick had worked.

Several swords clattered to the ground as the men panicked.

Suddenly, the soldiers around me knelt down, murmuring, “Divine one, please forgive us; do not bring punishment. Divine one, please forgive us; do not bring punishment.”

Seeing that I had regained control of the situation, I felt slightly relieved.

I then looked at Zhu Di earnestly. “Your Highness, I truly am sent to assist you. If you still do not believe me, I can tell you of events yet to come!” I had no idea how to explain which deity had sent me, so I chose to remain vague.

Though I couldn’t pinpoint the exact year, I knew this was likely the time when Prince Yan was campaigning north against the Northern Yuan commander Noyan Buka. I couldn’t be certain, but I had to gamble.

I continued, “Your Highness, a great snowfall will soon fall. The Northern Yuan will face severe shortages of provisions, and their morale will collapse. You will rise to fame in battle, capturing Noyan Buka alive and securing great merit for the Ming!”

At this, Zhu Di’s expression softened, recovering from his earlier fear. Yet his eyes remained full of suspicion; clearly, he did not lower his guard.

“Your Highness, may I keep this woman for your service?” a voice suddenly spoke from the corner.

I looked closely and saw a man I had missed in the earlier chaos. He approached, clad in worn gray monk’s robes, resembling a mendicant monk.

“Daoyan!” I blurted out.

Indeed, this was Daoyan, the greatest strategist of the Ming dynasty and Zhu Di’s most trusted adviser—a man of profound cunning and unmatched wisdom.

What fortune was this, to witness two historical luminaries in such a brief span! I was so moved I could hardly speak.

I knew this history well...

“How is it that the young lady recognizes me?” Daoyan’s calm was remarkable. Despite the earlier spectacle, he showed no trace of alarm, as if nothing more than an ordinary event had occurred. I admired him deeply.

“Master, you flatter me. My name is Yang Xiaoqing. I have come to assist Your Highness, so how could I not know the renowned minister at Prince Yan’s side?” I replied humbly.

Daoyan studied me keenly, his gaze sharp enough to see through me.

Under his scrutiny, I grew uneasy; my earlier confidence vanished. Zhu Di always heeded Daoyan’s counsel, making this man one not to offend lightly.

Would he see through my ruse? I dared not claim to be a goddess, lest I be exposed, so I gave my real name as a cover.

He fixed his eyes on the phone in my hand. “Is this the young lady’s treasure? What is its origin?”

Fearing further questioning, I evaded, “This is a magical tool given to me by my master before departure. It holds the secrets of Heaven...”

Daoyan fell silent, pondering my words.

My heart pounded with anxiety. Was I about to be unmasked? I couldn’t admit I had traveled through time—if they knew I was an ordinary woman, they would surely kill me.

I didn’t want to die!

Suddenly, Zhu Di spoke in a low voice, “This woman’s background is unclear. We shall investigate her identity before making a decision. With war imminent, do not disturb the troops’ morale. Take her away for now.”

I exhaled deeply. That hurdle was finally cleared.