The rich feast while the poor starve; bones of the frozen line the roads.

Reborn into a prestigious Ming dynasty family, James Bolton is nothing more than a half-grown child who is not valued.

The chaos of the Jingnan Rebellion has passed, Zheng He’s fleet is already sailing the seas, and the family already boasts high-ranking officials and nobles... Is he really destined to do nothing but idle away his days?

In a flourishing age, even the wealthy must seek stability amidst their prosperity. To resolve the affairs of family and country, and then, with wife and child, drift leisurely in a small boat.

Volume One: The Journey of a Child

Everyone’s childhood has its regrets. Now that James Bolton has been reborn into the illustrious Zhu family during the Ming dynasty’s golden age, should he immediately show his sharpness and act invincible, or should he unite with all those he can, step over those he must, and strive to make himself more likable within the family?

Chapter One: A Second Life

“I wonder what’s happening outside right now!”

“Madam lost her temper for the first time ever—didn’t you see how Master couldn’t even stop her just now? At this moment, Madam is probably crying her heart out in front of the Old Madam.”

“But what good will crying do? Everyone knows the Old Madam dotes most on the two young masters from the second branch, and barely spares our young master a glance. Besides, Madam is an honest person—how could she possibly outmatch the Second Madam?”

“That’s true. At least the eldest and second masters are both officials, but our master never really caught the Old Madam’s eye. The young master is a good person, and always treats us kindly, but he just can’t win the Old Madam’s favor. This time, after being egged on by the eldest and second young masters to climb a tree, he fell and nearly lost his life. It’s been three days and he still hasn’t woken up—how could Madam not be anxious?”

“Let’s just hope the young master wakes up safe and sound... Sigh, after all, Madam only has this one...”

In a daze, William Carter vaguely heard the idle chatter of two women. Unconsciously, he opened his eyes. Seeing the two girls with their backs to him, their tall hairdos and the hairpins atop their heads, he suddenly recalled the conversation he’d just overheard in his half-awake state, and his mind instantly went blank.

He gently shook his groggy head and twisted his neck, finally managing to make out a few furnishings in the room. Whether it was the blue gauze canopy above, the silk-threaded bed beneath him, the vase on the desk by the window, or the screen and other items, all of it hinted at something. When he looked down at his own hand, he instinctively let out a miserable cry—his upper and lower teeth chattering uncontrollably.

Good heavens, this hand clearly belongs to a child!

“The young master is awake!”

Hearing this excited exclamation, William Carter quickly looked up. Before him were two unfamiliar faces, their elaborate hairstyles and strange clothing utterly different from modern people. Moreover, the two girls stared at him for a long time, their eyes filled with shock and joy, making his skin crawl.

After a moment, one of the girls suddenly dashed out like the wind, while the other was overjoyed, pressing her palms together and chanting “Amitabha” several times.

Coming back from the dead is certainly a good thing, but to return to the world only to face such a drastic change—even someone as renowned for adaptability as William Carter was at a complete loss. Yet before he could even try to reason with himself and adjust his mood, a commotion erupted outside. The next moment, the door that had just been closed was flung open with a bang, and a figure stumbled in.

“Yue’er... Yue’er, you’re really awake?”

William Carter didn’t even have time to see who it was before he was pulled into a tight embrace, the force nearly suffocating him. Tears fell onto his face, hands, and clothes—their warmth made his heart tremble, but even more so, he felt lost. After a long while, the arms holding him finally loosened a little, and he was able to see the person before him clearly.

It was a woman in her early thirties, her face seemingly untouched by makeup, looking a bit sallow. Her eyes were red and swollen, but at this moment, a faint smile of joy hung on her lips. Her hands trembled as she cupped his face, her lips parted as if to say something, but for a long time, not a word came out.

William Carter didn’t know what to feel inside.

Even the dullest person could more or less guess the situation, and he certainly understood. But understanding was one thing—suddenly bidding farewell to his past and accepting this new identity was something he simply couldn’t do right away. After reminding himself several times, he finally reached out and gently grasped the woman’s hand, but he just couldn’t bring himself to call her “mother” or “mom”—it was simply too absurd!

“Yue ge’er is awake?”

Suddenly, a dignified voice rang out in the room, breaking the warmth that had just filled the air.

William Carter looked up and immediately saw an old lady entering, supported by two maids. She wore a fur wrap around her hair bun, with a deep blue gem set in the center. Her long robe was decorated with blue lotus and osmanthus patterns, her silver hair perfectly neat, held up by a single jade hairpin, and her face bore an imposing solemnity that could not be ignored.