Chapter 182 Dawn [The Present World] The truth of history.
Xie Yunying suddenly opened her eyes, propped herself up, and sat up, breathing heavily.
The blinding white light gradually faded, and she could see the down comforter piled on her nightgown, as well as the bear print on the bedding.
Xie Yunying froze, then looked up.
Modern tiled floors, familiar room furniture and decorations, a computer screen glowing in the distance, a half-finished academic paper and midterm assignment still messily spread out on the table.
Xie Yunying accidentally touched her phone as she pulled her hand away. When she looked at it, the lock screen slowly lit up.
1:35 PM on April 10, 2026.
The idea that had been swirling in her mind since the very beginning, yet which she dared not believe, was finally confirmed.
She actually came back, back to the modern world.
This is her room, the place where she has lived for almost twenty years. She doesn't need to search to know what's in every drawer and corner of every cabinet.
However, Xie Yunying dared not move for a moment. She stared at them blankly, not knowing whether the scene before her was real or an illusion.
The clock on the wall had only lazily moved its hour hand a tiny increment.
One hour.
She spent two thrilling years in the magnificent world of the book, while in reality, time only stingily passed by for an hour.
"...System?" Xie Yunying was bewildered. She tried calling out, "System?"
There was no response.
Xie Yunying was about to call it a couple more times when suddenly a series of footsteps approached from afar.
Immediately, her bedroom door was pushed open, and before she even entered, a loud voice rang out: "Yingying, don't you have advanced mathematics class this afternoon? Don't oversleep again, get up and go to school—"
As soon as Xie's mother peeked in, she was caught off guard and stunned to see Xie Yunying sitting on the bed.
"Oh, you're up? I just knocked on the door and you were still sleeping like a log."
"Since you're up, hurry up and get ready, don't dawdle..." Xie's mother was only halfway through her sentence when Xie Yunying jumped off the bed, rushed over and plunged into her mother's arms, almost knocking the fifty-year-old mother away.
After holding her daughter firmly, Xie's mother opened her mouth to scold her, but then she heard Xie Yunying's voice, which was trembling with tears:
"mom!"
Mrs. Xie paused, looked down, and exclaimed in surprise, "Hey, what's wrong? Why are you crying?"
Xie Yunying hugged her mother tightly, crying uncontrollably, "I missed you so much, Mom... Why did it take you so long to come find me...?"
When Xie's mother, who had been so fierce, saw her daughter crying so pitifully, her voice softened and became unusually gentle.
She patted Xie Yunying on the back and comforted her, "Did you have a nightmare?"
Xie Yunying cried for a while before stopping, sobbing softly. Her mother blew her nose with a tissue, and she blinked her tear-streaked eyelashes, muttering, "...Mmm."
"At your age, to cry like this over a nightmare, how pathetic."
Xie Yunying didn't say that she hadn't had a nightmare.
She truly lived in someone else's body for two years, experiencing another "Xie Yunying's" life.
She thought it would be a very long time before she could return to the real world and see her dear parents. She wasn't a crybaby who would cry over the smallest things; she was actually very strong and hadn't shed a tear during the time she was away from them.
But Xie Yunying didn't say anything.
From that day on, her life, which had been out of sync due to transmigrating into the book, seemed to return to normal.
The familiar electronic voice never sounded in her mind again; the system from another world seemed to have vanished into thin air.
She hadn't even finished her mission, yet it pulled her out of the book, sent her back from ancient times to reality, and then left without a word, leaving her standing there, holding a whole bunch of questions, bewildered and helpless.
It took Xie Yunying a while to recover from this feeling of disappointment.
Since then, she has continued to go to and from school as usual, spend time in the library preparing for the postgraduate entrance examination, complete group assignments with classmates, run errands for college teachers, chat and eat with her parents, and go shopping, have meals, and play games with friends.
Only occasionally would she recall the days she lived as Xie Yunying, the second young lady of the Xie family, in the book "Yining," like a dream, as if from another world, making it difficult to distinguish between reality and illusion.
Students at Huajing Normal University are required to take two elective courses in their junior year. Xie Yunying only remembered this when she refreshed her timetable and discovered that new courses would start next week.
She had been in the book for two years, which meant that she had no recollection of the courses she had chosen just two months ago.
Xie Yunying glanced at it and paused for a moment when she saw the teacher's name.
Wei Bangyuan.
That name sounds so familiar.
But... why does this name sound familiar? Does she know this person?
Xie Yunying racked her brains for a long time but couldn't come to a conclusion. She suspected that she had remembered it wrong and that she shouldn't know any teachers from other colleges.
On the day of class, Xie Yunying arrived at the classroom fifteen minutes early and chose a seat that was neither too far forward nor too far back. Because it was a large class with a capacity of one hundred people, there were already some people sitting in the lecture hall, but more university students would flood in in the last five minutes, which was a natural law.
Xie Yunying then remembered why she had chosen this course in the first place. Because she didn't have enough points, she couldn't get into any of the easy courses with good ratings, so she settled for this course that seemed like the final assignment wouldn't be too difficult—but the course was about archaeology, which was completely unrelated to her major.
In short, she wasn't interested at all.
Xie Yunying opened the document, intending to finish her professional assignment in the long two hours. She buried herself in the outline for a while, and only looked up when the bell rang, just in time to see the teacher striding into the classroom.
As expected, her classmates kept running in through the front and back doors, but the female teacher didn't even glance at them.
The classroom was full of students, but only a few sat in the front row. Most of them sat in the back row or, like Xie Yunying, stayed in the corner of the classroom.
The students, still reeling from spring lethargy, hung their heads, looking listless and uncertain. Meanwhile, the female teacher stood ramrod straight, her high heels clattering as she walked briskly to the multimedia podium, placing her new Coach handbag with a clinking sound on the metal tabletop.
The entire series of actions was clean, efficient, and executed in one smooth motion.
Xie Yunying froze, gripping her pen, motionless.
Time seemed to stand still.
The female teacher turned her face, revealing familiar, spirited features and an air of composure like a pine or cypress.
She squeezed the microphone and said, "Hello, students. I am your instructor for this course, and my name is Wei Bangyuan."
She finally remembered.
The scene of the listless college students below the stage and the radiant female teacher on the stage was deeply imprinted in her heart, and she could still suddenly recall it when talking to Xie Qingyu after she traveled to the world of the book.
Wei Bangyuan began her lecture. The students in the audience signed in, but most of them started playing on their phones or doing homework. Very few people looked up and listened to the PowerPoint presentation.
Xie Yunying, who had originally planned to use this time to write her professional assignment, did not lower her head again.
Two hours later, the bell rang, the doors of the lecture hall were opened, and the students filed out.
As Wei Bangyuan stood on the podium checking messages on her phone, she suddenly heard a timid, delicate voice beside her: "...Hello, Ms. Wei."
Seeing Wei Bangyuan look up at her, Xie Yunying panicked and began to stammer, "I... I was a freshman who took your history class. I didn't do very well in class, so you probably don't remember me, but... but..."
"I really enjoyed the class you taught us, the class about a female hero in ancient Chinese history who is rarely mentioned. I... I later read a lot of extracurricular books related to this period of history and gained a deeper understanding. It really touched me... I..." Xie Yunying's words were incoherent and she was almost going crazy. She could only end the sentence dejectedly, "...I'm sorry, teacher, I'm not good with words."
"I just wanted to say that I really enjoyed Professor Wei's lectures! I will definitely study this course diligently!"
Xie Yunying didn't dare to look up, her eyes fixed on the amber button on Wei Bangyuan's collar as she spoke.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Wei Bangyuan put down her phone. Immediately afterward, the female teacher's voice rang out clearly, "What's your name?"
"Xie Yunying. Xie as in thank you, Yun as in long cloud, and Ying as in red tassel."
"Xie, Yun, Ying." Wei Bangyuan repeated her name. Xie Yunying finally heard her tone clearly this time. She was stunned for a moment, then looked up and saw Wei Bangyuan's smiling eyes. "I'll remember you."
"Thank you for coming to me and telling me that you really enjoyed the classes I taught," Wei Bangyuan said, her eyes crinkling with joy. "Really, teacher, I'm so, so happy."
“The lesson you mentioned was one of the lessons I prepared most diligently in my teaching career. When I was lecturing, I was quite disappointed to see that most people weren’t listening. But it turns out that some people actually listened attentively and even developed an interest in this period of history, which they still remember to this day.” Wei Bangyuan smiled broadly, her radiance no longer concealed. “You have no idea how happy I was to hear you finish speaking.”
"This is the best reward for every teacher who teaches diligently."
Because of this impulsive confession, Xie Yunying added Wei Bangyuan on WeChat.
Wei Bangyuan knew that Xie Yunying was not a history major, but she valued her sincerity very much, so she added her to a history enthusiasts' exchange group.
She said there are many students in the group who, like Xie Yunying, are very interested in niche history topics and have a strong spirit of inquiry. If you want to learn more, you can read more of the discussions in the group, gradually participate, and exchange ideas.
The group members were very friendly to Xie Yunying, who was a history idiot. For the first few days, reading the group messages was like reading gibberish. Although they were all in Chinese, the combined reading effect was like reading Arabic.
Later, Xie Yunying got to know several other students from Huajing Normal University in the group and realized the true value of what Wei Bangyuan called a "history enthusiasts' exchange group".
The group has fewer than 500 members, and if you throw a stone at them, you'll find that they are all undergraduate, master's, and doctoral students from top universities in China, studying in the fields of history, archaeology, paleography, and literature. Some of them have even published articles as independent authors in top national core journals during their undergraduate studies.
There are dozens of young scholars in the group, like Wei Bangyuan, including researchers who have personally participated in large-scale archaeological excavation projects, specially appointed professors working at the National Museum's Cultural Relics Appraisal Center and the Institute of Social Sciences, and one or two academicians who almost never speak but are indeed in the group.
After listening to her senior Wan Tongtong's explanation, Xie Yunying roughly understood that she had mistakenly entered the Heavenly Family.
So this group consists of historians from major research institutes and top universities in China, experts whose names appear on the back of the first page of history textbooks, or their promising and prized students.
Well, young talents and academic giants have gathered together. As a student from a non-history-related major, she is no different from a complete novice among this group.
The group regularly discusses cutting-edge theoretical and historical research. The extensive citations, meticulous logic, and unique perspectives often leave Xie Yunying, an outsider, dizzy and speechless, only able to look up in awe at the brilliance of the group.
It was another ordinary morning.
Xie Yunying had just finished a drowsy professional class and, while waiting for lunch, habitually opened WeChat and ate a meal.
This history enthusiast chat group, which she had pinned to the top of her chat list, displayed a shocking "999+" unread messages, and the number was still jumping rapidly.
She was stunned.
This is unprecedented. Generally, group chats are very quiet in the morning, and usually there are less than 1,000 messages in a whole day. How come there are so many messages in just one morning today?
With a hesitant tap, Xie Yunying was immediately bombarded with a stream of information, which refreshed at a speed that left her dizzy.
The screen was filled with intense technical jargon, uncontrollable exclamation marks, and rapidly scrolling images and file links, interspersed with a series of question marks and exclamation marks from a few usually very composed senior students.
Xie Yunying couldn't understand it at all, and felt a wave of dizziness.
Looking at the more than one thousand history messages, Xie Yunying was stunned. Just as she was about to log out and take a break, she discovered that Wan Tongtong, a senior from the same school's history department whom she had met in the group, had also sent her new messages, bombarding her with a full one hundred private messages.
When Xie Yunying opened it, a dense stream of chat messages flooded in, almost overflowing the screen, filled with incoherent excitement.
Wan Tongtong: [Yun Ying!! Look at the group chat!!!]
Wan Tongtong: [My God, I still can't believe this is real...]
Wan Tongtong: [Images][Images][Images]
Wan Tongtong: [The news has spread throughout the history departments of several universities in Beijing. My senior, who studies the history of the Eastern Yuan Dynasty, is in an uproar! She said her advisor lost control during a group meeting and went to make a phone call in the middle of the meeting and hasn't returned yet!]
Xie Yunying felt dizzy again after looking at the words for a long time.
Xie Yunying: [What exactly happened?]
Wan Tongtong: [Oh dear! I forgot you don't study history anymore! You probably won't understand the transcript, so I'll forward you a transcribed version of the news!]
A forwarded message quickly popped up on the other end. Xie Yunying clicked on it and finally understood it.
The incident began about three or four days ago in another large group of history enthusiasts known for its large number of members and diverse backgrounds, "Ancient and Modern Horizons," when someone mistakenly forwarded a merger message, which instantly ignited the group chat.
The person who mistakenly transferred the information was a master's student under a professor at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of History.
The graduate student intended to forward the merger message to a small internal group within the research institute, but due to a typo, the message was accidentally sent to a large non-professional history enthusiasts' group with thousands of members.
By the time this person realized they had forwarded the message to the wrong group, the deadline for retraction had already passed, resulting in a serious mistake.
The content of this merger announcement is like a nuclear bomb.
It details the preliminary results of an archaeological excavation that took place a month earlier in Qingjiang City.
A landslide caused by days of torrential rain exposed a corner of the tomb, which was discovered and reported by local villagers. Upon receiving the news, local authorities quickly contacted the National Academy of History's Southeast China Archaeological Team, which led experts to conduct a rescue excavation.
The information leaked in this merger announcement includes not only high-resolution photos of the tomb structure, original location diagrams of the coffins, panoramic views and close-ups of the epitaphs, but also multi-angle images of several key burial objects.
The most significant document is a scanned copy of the "Preliminary Excavation Report of Qinghuai M1 (Internal Reference)" with an internal research institute number, as well as infrared scans of several pages of silk manuscript fragments and the preliminary deciphered and organized interpretation text.
According to leaked information, the owner of this tomb, numbered "Qinghuai M1", was He Chan, a key figure in the history from the late Eastern Yuan Dynasty to the early Northern Jin Dynasty, who was the leader of the peasant uprising that overthrew the Eastern Yuan Dynasty.
The period from the end of the Eastern Yuan Dynasty to the beginning of the Northern Jin Dynasty was a chaotic period lasting a century. It is a historical period that is far removed from the present day, with few verifiable historical records and relatively low importance.
Judging from historical documents, the compilation of the national history of the Eastern Yuan Dynasty was not valued by the rulers at the time and started too late. As a result, only half of the history of the dynasty was completed when the country was destroyed. The official history that has been passed down was compiled and supplemented by the historians of the later unified foreign dynasty, Beijin. Its credibility has been debated in the academic community. Moreover, the records of the century of chaos after the end of the Eastern Yuan Dynasty by the Beijin historians were very sloppy, and many places were mentioned in a glossed manner.
From the perspective of physical historical materials, no tombs of important figures from this historical period have been excavated in archaeological work across the country since the founding of the People's Republic of China. The few artifacts that have survived from the Hokujin and Dongyuan dynasties also make it difficult to systematically study this century-long history that was caught in the middle.
Such difficulties have led to a near-complete lack of academic research on this period of history, with many conflicting opinions.
Today, the tomb of He Chan, the leader of the peasant uprising that destroyed the Eastern Yuan Dynasty and a key figure who is rarely recorded in the official history of the Eastern Yuan Dynasty, has been excavated.
If its authenticity can be basically determined, He Chan's tomb will provide an absolutely reliable spatiotemporal anchor point for this century of chaos.
The unearthed series of historical documents and artifacts will become the most authoritative basis for correcting and connecting lost historical facts, thereby promoting a landmark breakthrough in the domestic research on the history of the Eastern Yuan and Northern Jin dynasties. Its profound significance is enough to leave a strong mark on the history of academic research.
However, just as everyone was getting excited, the first group of amateur history enthusiasts in the group who had completely verified these leaked materials suddenly erupted in chaos.
One of the attachments in the document is a "Preliminary Identification Report of Human Bones". In the remarks column, it is stated: "Based on a comprehensive analysis of multiple indicators such as pelvic morphology and skull characteristics, the individual gender of the tomb owner can be identified as female, and the estimated age is between fifty and sixty years old."
However, all existing official histories clearly record that He Chan was male.
All the evidence in this tomb—from the crystal-clear names in the epitaph rubbings, to the ornaments and artifacts in the burial goods that clearly belong to women, and the gender-specific narratives in the silk manuscript such as "a mother's strength" and "pity for women"—points to a revolutionary fact.
This illustrious leader of the peasant uprising was a female general.
Her real name is He Chan.
The "Chan" in "Chanjuan" is not the "Zen" in "Zen philosophy".
Wan Tongtong felt that sending a message was not enough to express her excited and excited feelings, so she directly made a call. Xie Yunying could only continue reading the rest of the message while listening to her chatter: "Yunying, did you see that? That sword! The heavy iron sword in the burial goods catalog, placed on the right side of the coffin! That is definitely General He Chan's personal sword 'Qingtianmang'!"
"Both 'Dongyuan Yishi·Bingqi Kao' and 'Beijin Zalu' clearly record that He Chan's sword had a unique star and moon interlocking pattern on the hilt. All the characteristics of the sword in the picture, including the pattern, size, and shape, match perfectly! I don't care what they say! In my opinion, this tomb is undoubtedly the tomb of General He Chan from the end of the Dongyuan era!!"
"I can't take it anymore, I'm just too excited... Let me rest for a bit, I haven't shouted like this in ages..." Wan Tongtong's voice suddenly went weak, then inexplicably rose again, "Oh right, right! Look at that inscription interpretation appendix! I think this document is the most convincing! My God... I was stunned after reading it, it's practically rewriting history!"
Wan Tongtong sent several pictures taken at the He Chan Mausoleum Stele Forest. Some of the inscriptions on the steles have been deciphered, and the first version of the interpretation text is marked next to them.
Ancient Chinese characters are archaic, possessing the conciseness and solemnity unique to inscriptions on metal and stone.
"When I was young, I was a butcher named Chan from the He family of Qinghuai. During the late Yuan Dynasty, the government was corrupt and the people were immoral. My family suffered misfortune and my beloved daughter was killed. Filled with grief and indignation, I raised the banner of righteousness at Qiming Mountain in Qinghuai. At first, I took in women and children who had been displaced from all over the country. Later, I gradually gathered heroes from all over the world, hoping to cleanse the filth and oppose the great way of justice."
"However, due to his youth and lack of knowledge, he mistakenly formed an alliance with Huang Zhuo, which nearly led to the collapse of his foundation and the bloodshed of his soldiers in the mountains and fields."
"At this critical juncture, I was fortunate to receive the generous assistance of the Yue family, who provided military supplies and strategies, helping me to regroup and rise again. This kindness is heavier than ten thousand mountains, and I have never forgotten it for a single day... For the next ten years, I trained my troops diligently, not for personal grudges, but because I saw the people in dire straits. Finally, I conquered the Yuan capital, divided the land, and hoped to usher in a new era of peace."
"However, my benefactor passed away early, and I was unable to meet him in person or repay his kindness. Whenever I think of this, I feel deeply saddened."
"Looking back now, I am grateful for the selfless dedication of Generals Fei Yan and Yao, the strategic brilliance of Master Chi Yin, and the courage and sacrifice of countless soldiers, which enabled us to achieve this small but significant feat. Throughout my life, I have risen from humble beginnings and experienced life and death, yet I have never betrayed my principles or those who followed me. With peace prevailing throughout the land, I am content and can say that I have no regrets."
This merger news spread like a virus, igniting the "Ancient and Modern Perspectives" group and gradually engulfing all history enthusiast exchange groups with shared members within just a few days. The number of reposts surged, and it spread to a considerable scale in the history and archaeology community. Finally, on this morning, it reached Xie Yunying's small group, and as expected, it sparked heated discussions among the group members.
Professionals and non-professionals alike have repeatedly verified and validated this information, and more and more scholars are speaking out within the field, which has gradually increased the credibility of this data.
If the inscription is accurate, then at least one thing can be confirmed: at the end of the Eastern Yuan Dynasty, He Chan, the leader of the peasant uprising, established a separate regime after destroying the royal family and became the ruler of a country. She is the earliest recorded female emperor in history.
For many years, academic research on General He Chan has been based on her male identity. If this is completely overturned, the chain reaction it would bring is unimaginable.
This will overturn and even reshape the traditional historical narrative from the late Eastern Yuan Dynasty to the early Northern Jin Dynasty. Some conclusions that have been used by the academic community for decades based on this may face fundamental revision and challenges.
"Yun Ying, do you understand what this means? This is not just about correcting the gender of a historical figure!" Wan Tongtong said excitedly. "It means that the Beijin Dynasty, the unified dynasty that was later regarded as the legitimate dynasty, systematically and deliberately altered key historical facts of the previous dynasty from the very beginning of its establishment. Their compiled history of the Eastern Yuan Dynasty may also contain errors!"
If the official history of the Eastern Yuan Dynasty compiled by the Hokjin Dynasty is unreliable, then fallacies such as "falsifying the gender of key historical figures" can only be considered minor details.
Is there any deliberate distortion of important historical facts? Is there any intentional concealment of key historical figures? All academic inferences based on this, whether currently underway or already completed, must be questioned.
"Moreover, General He Chan's tomb is just the beginning. The two generals mentioned in the inscription are very likely He Chan's two trusted generals whose images are vague in official history, Fu Yao and Jiang Feiyan! Their names are also incorrect; their real names are Fu Yao and Jiang Feiyan!" Wan Tongtong said excitedly, "These names sound like women's names!"
"And another thing! He Chan also mentioned a national advisor named 'Chiyin,' who is not recorded in official history at all. All the evidence in the research materials points to one possibility—this woman named Chiyin is very likely the world's number one divine physician, Jiang Chiyin, who only exists in unofficial historical notes!"
"Although there isn't much more evidence to prove it yet... but! But!" Wan Tongtong was practically wailing, "Just hearing about these findings has already driven me crazy with excitement!"
They are witnessing history.
An epic of women's history, deliberately sealed away, a magnificent era in which women shouldered heavy responsibilities in a chaotic world, but which was ultimately completely distorted by historical writing, is slowly being brought back to light before their eyes.
A large number of silk books and documents were unearthed from He Chan's tomb, mentioning many previously unrecorded clues. The burial locations of her two generals, Jiang Feiyan and Fu Yao, as well as the divine physician Jiang Chiyin, are likely hidden in the deciphered information.
Once the investigation and exploration are carried out, and it is confirmed that these key assistants are all women... Xie Yunying can almost foresee the terrifying wave of public opinion that will be stirred up on the Internet.
Xie Yunying's mind went blank for a long time before she heard Wan Tongtong's voice on the other end of the phone: "Yunying? Yunying, are you listening?"
"...I'm here!" Xie Yunying suddenly snapped out of her daze. Her throat was a little dry, and her voice was unreal and dazed. "Sister Tongtong, what did the authorities say? Has the research institute responded?"
Mentioning this, Wan Tongtong's tone immediately turned indignant and puzzled: "It makes me so angry! I don't know what's going on, the research institute hasn't made a single move!"
"Logically speaking, the excavation of Qinghuai M1 happened a month ago. Not to mention related reports, even the professors in our group who are usually the most well-informed, and my supervisor, said privately that they hadn't received any news about it. This is too abnormal! For a discovery of this level, even if it's not fully disclosed for the sake of safety, shouldn't there at least be some communication or small-scale discussions among scholars within the academic community?"
"Professor Zhang just said in the group that with the difficulty of analyzing these materials, it shouldn't take long at all. He has already analyzed more than half of them. This is a huge tomb complex. The location of the tombs of General Jiang Feiyan and General Fu Yao can be roughly estimated based on the data. If the project is progressing smoothly, the archaeological team should have already excavated the tombs of these two generals. How come they are still at the briefing stage inside the first tomb?"
Wan Tongtong's voice was full of doubt and resentment, "The current situation is that there is no news of any further actions, as if someone is deliberately blocking information. Isn't that strange? What are those leaders at the top worried about?"
As Xie Yunying listened, a sudden chill ran down her spine, extinguishing the burning flames in her chest.
Wan Tongtong noticed there was no sound on the other end of the phone again, and her incessant chatter stopped: "Yun Ying? Yun Ying? Are you still there?"
"...Sister Tongtong," Xie Yunying murmured, "I think I know why..."
Xie Yunying recalled what Xie Qingyu had once told her, and his experiences and misfortunes.
If she remembers correctly, Xie Qingyu is a researcher at the National Academy of History and Social Sciences.
Wan Tongtong didn't hear clearly and exclaimed, "What did you say? Is your signal bad? Maybe I should hang up and we can talk in the WeChat group."
"..." Xie Yunying pursed her lips and said softly, "Okay."
"Goodbye, Sister Tongtong."
After hanging up the phone, Xie Yunying didn't open the WeChat group again; instead, she opened Weibo.
At this moment, the world is calm and peaceful; even if there are turbulent waves, they are merely the rumbles and tremors in a certain corner.
Xie Yunying felt an unprecedented burning sensation in her heart, so intense that she wanted to cry. Those past events she had deliberately sealed away in her memory, those she didn't want to touch or recall, those people and things she couldn't forget, surged into her heart once again.
She took a deep breath, and when she opened her eyes again, there was a slight change in her expression.
She opened her Weibo following list.
Late at night a day later, a popular history blogger with millions of followers posted a well-organized long Weibo post with a striking title: "Explosive! From a tough guy in official history to an empress? A deep dive into the past and present of the leaked files from the tomb of He Chan of the Eastern Yuan Dynasty."
This Weibo post integrates fragmented information from WeChat groups into a clear timeline and chain of evidence, accompanied by high-definition images of cultural relics and explanatory texts. The blogger also uses many popular memes to make dry and boring historical knowledge interesting and humorous, greatly lowering the threshold for understanding. Even people who know nothing about this period of history can read it in its entirety.
Immediately, the hashtag "#General He Channu#" skyrocketed, instantly climbing to the top of the entertainment trending topics list.
The comments section completely exploded:
"Holy crap?! I wasted my time studying history???"
"If this is true, how guilty must the historians and emperor of the Northern Jin Dynasty be? Afraid that a woman would overturn your legitimacy?"
"They even changed people's names, I'm laughing so hard, it's just too low."
"Holy crap, this is terrifying to think about... If He Chan could be changed into a man, how many other women in history would have been forced to 'disappear'?"
"Come on, do we really need to go through all that trouble to find evidence? The names don't match, that's a fact! Jiang Feiyan, Fu Yao, Jiang Chiyin—these names are obviously female!"
"When will they start excavating the rest of the tombs? It's been a month, and they've only dug up this little bit?"
"Help! Have the official media outlets all fallen silent? There's not a single report on such a big event?"
The long post by a popular science blogger was forwarded over 100,000 times in just a few hours, and its readership soared to hundreds of millions. History and archaeology bloggers continued to debate, verify, and re-analyze the article's content, further expanding its influence.
After the initial shock and outcry spread across the internet, dissenting voices quickly emerged, representing skepticism and scrutiny.
"Hilarious! Another one where they start by posting a few blurry screenshots of WeChat group chats. What are we going to do with this blogger's 'floodwood' account?"
"Can AI rewrite history by generating a few baseless excavation photos?"
"Are netizens these days so easily fooled? Then I declare that Qin Shi Huang was also a woman, and please change the makeup of the Terracotta Warriors."
"Seriously, bro? Did you even ask for my opinion before changing my husband He Chan to a woman???"
"Can't you think independently for a second? What about the official statements? What about the authoritative experts' opinions? All you're getting excited about is some dubious information that's been leaked?"
"I feel like someone's stirring up trouble. They're dragging historical figures into this gender antagonism? Is the next step to say that Qin Shi Huang built the Great Wall to make short videos?"
The unique characteristics of online public opinion—opposition, diversity, and noise—are fully displayed.
Although these criticisms were harsh, they objectively fueled the discussion, causing its popularity to rise and attracting more outsiders to stop and watch.
After anonymously submitting the article to a prominent online figure, Xie Yunying remained a bystander in the eye of the storm, coldly watching public opinion escalate.
Online discussions about the "tomb of He Chan, leader of the uprising at the end of the Eastern Yuan Dynasty" spread like wildfire across various social media platforms.
The two groups argued fiercely, each vehemently opposing each other, wishing they could dig up each other's ancestral graves.
However, just as the tug-of-war between questioning and counter-questioning was in full swing, a peculiar force quietly entered the fray, subtly reshaping the battle on the fringes.
"Am I the only one who got hit on the head...? 'Feiyan is fierce and often goes against my will, but she is unparalleled in loyalty and bravery. She always takes the lead in battle and protects me in the midst of ten thousand troops. I regard her as my limbs and as...' Isn't this just one person being arrogant because of my favor, and the other tacitly approving and indulging in her pampering?"
"Founding Empress x Loyal Female General... I thought I'd never find a ship like this in my lifetime..."
“There’s definitely something in that worn area! What comes after ‘like’? ‘Like a confidant’? ‘Like an arm’? Or ‘Like a beloved’?! If no one refutes me, I’ll start spreading rumors!”
"My God, after He Chan died, the throne actually went to Jiang Feiyan?! This is like two female generals turning into two female empresses!"
"kswl, it's finally my turn to eat this absolutely gorgeous lily rice bowl..."
"I forgot the beginning and the end, but anyway, please save Grandma! Don't tell me there's only this little bit! Ughhhhhh!!"
"Replying to the comment above, I've already read all the analysis posts mentioning these two people in the tags these past few days. I'm just using this popular science content as a substitute for meals... I'm reading them repeatedly with great eagerness..."
"I can't cook anymore, who's going to cook? My child loves this so much, it's exactly the right flavor, please, my child is starving..."
On fan fiction platforms such as LOFTER and AO3, fan fiction, short comics, and illustrations featuring He Chan, Jiang Feiyan, and others have emerged rapidly.
On short video platforms such as Bilibili, Douyin, and Kuaishou, bloggers are showing off their talents. Some edit movie and TV drama clips into CP-themed short videos, some use game editors to build scenes to recreate classic historical scenes, and some even appear in real life to shoot funny or satirical jokes, creating well-known hot memes such as "Are your roots studded with diamonds?" and "The strongest head transplant in history", which often get millions of likes.
Thus, this incident of leaked archaeological excavation data, which was originally confined to the field of history, has completely broken out of its original scope.
From professional fields to lower-tier markets, the situation has been completely overwhelmed, causing an uproar and constant verbal battles. The voices of various parties have become increasingly loud, and after dominating the top of the charts on major social media platforms for three consecutive days, the official media has finally been forced to respond.
The official media response was lengthy, but in summary, it boils down to the following three points:
First, this chat log is indeed real; it is genuine information that was accidentally leaked, and the content inside is also true.
Secondly, the archaeological team has now excavated the tombs of Generals Jiang Feiyan and Fu Yao, and is currently exploring the tomb of Jiang Chiyin. At the same time, the research institute is also accelerating the analysis and deciphering of the materials brought out from these tombs.
Third, we thank the public for their supervision and attention. In response to everyone's enthusiasm, we will keep you updated on the progress of the entire cemetery development. Please rest assured that there is absolutely no conspiracy theory as some netizens have speculated.
The release of the official joint briefing was like a thunderbolt. All previous doubts about "fabrication" and "rumors" crumbled instantly in the face of the authoritative confirmation from official media.
The heat did not subside after the truth came out; instead, it burned even more fiercely, like a fire fueled by dry tinder.
Following the official statement, major authoritative media outlets, renowned historians, and university research institutions, which had previously remained silent, began to speak out, providing evidence and interpretation of this unprecedented discovery from different perspectives, and calling on the public to pay more attention to and look forward to subsequent archaeological findings with a more rational and open attitude.
On May 9, 2026, the identities of the tomb owners Jiang Feiyan and Fu Yao were confirmed, and the research institute officially announced the preliminary excavation results of Qinghuai M2 (Jiang Feiyan's tomb) and Qinghuai M3 (Fu Yao's tomb). The epitaphs and funerary documents confirmed that both women were female.
On May 16, 2026, the Qinghuai M4 tomb was unearthed, and the tomb owner was confirmed to be Jiang Chiyin, the daughter of the Jiang family of Suyang.
On May 20, 2026, based on map data and related documentary clues unearthed from the tombs of He Chan and Jiang Feiyan, the research institute launched an excavation of a large-scale tomb complex in the Heyang area.
On June 8, 2026, the archaeological excavation of the tomb complex in the Heyang area achieved preliminary results, with the discovery of the second large tomb from the late Eastern Yuan Dynasty (Suyang J1). According to the preliminary deciphering by experts from the research institute, the tomb owner was the founding emperor of the Beixuan regime in the late Eastern Yuan Dynasty, and the daughter of the Jin family, the richest family in Suyang at the end of the Eastern Yuan Dynasty. Her original name was Jin Lingxi.
On June 23, 2026, based on the data unearthed from the first two large imperial tombs from the late Eastern Yuan Dynasty, the research institute launched the excavation of a large tomb complex in the Yanmen area.
On July 3, 2026, the National Academy of History officially announced the excavation results of a large-scale burial complex in the Heyang area, with the Suyang J1 tomb as its center. Among the excavated tombs were two important ones: Suyang J2 and Suyang J3. The tomb owners were Li Daimei, a prime minister of the Beixuan regime and a member of the Li family of Suyang; and Jiang Hairong, a member of the Jiang family of Suyang and a member of the Jishi Marquis of the Beixuan regime. Epitaphs and burial artifacts confirm that both were women.
On July 10, 2026, the archaeological excavation of the Yanmen area cemetery achieved a phased result, with the discovery of the third large tomb from the late Eastern Yuan Dynasty (Yanjing Y1). It was confirmed that the tomb owner was the founding emperor of the Dongyong regime at the end of the Eastern Yuan Dynasty, a concubine of Emperor Chengwu during the Jiahe era of the Eastern Yuan Dynasty, and the daughter of the Gu family of Yanjing, whose original name was Gu Qinglan.
On July 27, 2026, the National Academy of History officially announced the excavation results of a large-scale burial complex in the Yanmen area, with the Yanjing Y1 tomb as the leading example.
Among the excavations were three important tombs: Yanjing Y2, Yanjing Y3, and Yanjing Y4. The tomb owners were Shen Liude, the Left Chancellor of the Eastern Yong regime, from the Shen family of Yanjing; Qiu Yuebai, the Right Chancellor of the Eastern Yong regime, from the Qiu family of Yanjing; and Zhou Congyi, the National Preceptor of the Eastern Yong regime, from the Zhou family of Luoshui. According to the epitaphs and burial documents, all three were women.
On September 1, 2026, the National Academy of History released the "Report on the Joint Archaeological Research Results of Three Major Tomb Clusters in the Late Eastern Yuan Dynasty (Draft)".
The report points out that within a year of the fall of the Eastern Yuan dynasty, the Southern Zhao, Eastern Yong, and Northern Xuan regimes were established in succession, with their capitals located in Qinghuai (present-day Qingjiang area), Yanjing (present-day Yanmen area), and Suyang (present-day Heyang area), respectively. Their territories mainly covered southeastern, northeastern, and central China, and their rule lasted until the early years of the Northern Jin dynasty. The existence of three kingdoms coexisting for a century at the end of the Eastern Yuan dynasty is indeed true.
On September 15, 2026, a large number of cultural relics were unearthed in Qingjiang, Heyang, Yanmen and other places. The research institute issued a report pointing out that the rudimentary form of the imperial examination system already existed in the Jiahe period of the late Eastern Yuan Dynasty, allowing women to enter the court as officials, and the ratio of men to women in politics was close to 2:1. The currently known official history of the late Eastern Yuan Dynasty contains major errors.
On September 28, 2026, the National Academy of History released the "Report on the Joint Archaeological Research Results of Three Major Tomb Groups in the Late Eastern Yuan Dynasty (Second Draft)".
The report points out that there were many exchanges between the three regimes that coexisted from the end of the Eastern Yuan Dynasty to the beginning of the Beijin period, including political, economic and cultural exchanges. Archaeologists discovered a "Treaty of Mutual Non-Aggression and Mutual Defense" in the documents of the three countries, which lasted for a hundred years.
The treaty clearly stipulates that the three parties shall maintain border stability, conduct mutual trade, maintain harmonious exchanges, and jointly resist invasions by barbarians and foreign tribes.
Currently, unearthed historical materials confirm that the century of chaos generally accepted by scholars is a historical error. From the late Eastern Yuan Dynasty to the early Northern Jin Dynasty, the land of China experienced an incredible century of peace and prosperity, during which the economy, society, and culture of the Three Kingdoms period flourished like never before.
After six months of tracing back, this historical reconstruction research, which involved the entire population, is finally nearing its end.
After the research institute released the second draft of the general report, the long-accumulated popularity of the event climbed to an unprecedented peak.
"Actually, I've wanted to say this before: I have absolutely no interest in history because, in my view, history has always been the history of men, not women. Women are always supporting characters in history, not the main characters, which really frustrates me. I'm sorry to be born a woman."
“I deeply resonate with the comment above… There are countless examples in history. Everyone knows that the French Revolution destroyed the centuries-old monarchical system. In 1789, women demanded equal rights from the National Assembly, but the subsequent laws deprived women of their right to vote. Everyone knows that Athens was the representative of ancient democracy, but Athenian women were prohibited from participating in the Assembly, holding public office, or serving as jurors, and their political rights were completely deprived.”
"Women have always been excluded from official history until the last hundred years. The modern history of the world is actually a history of women's liberation. I really hope that everyone can cherish the right to work, because a hundred years ago women could not work, could not participate in politics, and could not even leave their homes. Independence is difficult and hard, while dependence on others is simple and happy. I know this myself, but I want to say that the rights that some people discard are the result of countless women's sacrifices."
"How fortunate I am to have witnessed the rectification of history and the end of an era of rouge. It was like a shooting star, briefly illuminating the long night of eternity, brilliant yet fleeting."
"They truly emerged out of nowhere, a group of women who fought their way out of a sea of men! I admire them so much!"
"A history of emperors and generals, a world of impenetrable men, was somehow torn open by their brute force. I don't even know how to express the excitement I feel..."
"Although I'm just an ordinary person, seeing them makes me feel proud and suddenly I feel energized! They're amazing, is this the power of role models?!"
"It's true! Although I know I can't do something so great with my abilities, now that I know that other women have done it, I'm suddenly filled with hope for the future! I'm just bursting with confidence! Women are awesome!"
"Stop talking! Those guys on Sunba are still going crazy with impotence, saying that in five thousand years of history, women have only been powerful for about a hundred years. What's there to be so happy about? I'm so angry..."
"Even if this history is just a tiny, insignificant stream in the five thousand years of Chinese civilization, so what? Isn't the existence of Earth the same in the context of the universe? If we're going to compare, humans are losers in front of dinosaurs, and their statement is fundamentally wrong. The ultimate power of civilization lies in our awareness of our insignificance, and also in our understanding that we are shining brightly."
"Speaking of this, I recall my visit to the Heyang Museum, where I saw many portraits and accounts of Emperor Wu's deeds. Standing outside the sunlit city gate, gazing at the magnificent palace walls, I was suddenly filled with emotion. I wished women could also have the opportunity to rule the world and stir up the winds of change in China. I truly hoped for an era of unparalleled power for them! I never imagined that today, my wish would actually come true!"
"I cried... I don't know why, I didn't cry when I watched the news before, but seeing everyone's comments suddenly made me burst into tears..."
"Being a woman is really not easy, but if there is an afterlife, I still want to be a woman and be sisters with everyone again!"
"I was crying the whole time... but when I saw that report, I suddenly got so angry! The tombs of He Chan, Jiang Feiyan, and Jin Lingxi were all maliciously damaged. The archaeological excavation process revealed large-scale signs of human destruction, and yet some people are saying it was a mistake by the historians or a distortion of the rumors. Isn't all this evidence enough to prove that they did it on purpose? I'm so angry that I'm shaking all over!"
"I can't believe that a group of great historical figures could have their genders altered, their lives covered up, and their achievements buried by later historians... If these tombs hadn't been unearthed successfully, would we have continued to be kept in the dark, believing that there had never been any female emperors, female prime ministers, female officials, female national advisors, female generals, or female marquises in history... and thus be suppressed by false lies, living dejectedly for thousands more years?"
In an instant, the number of reposts, likes, comments, and posts all surged.
A topic leaped to the top of the trending search list, continued to climb, and finally firmly occupied the number one spot, followed by a bright red "hot" character, making it extremely eye-catching.
"#Can we have a history that belongs to women?#"
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The author says: "Later generations know very little about this period of history, only that it was an unprecedented era of peace and prosperity."
Wow! This chapter revealed so many foreshadowing elements in one go, so satisfying! [Keep it up!]
First, a disclaimer: I tried my best to be rigorous in this archaeological process, but my expertise is limited, so please just look at the general logic and don't try to find fault with it. I deliberately shortened the entire excavation time because I wanted Yunying to spend less time in the modern world.
Do you all remember this professor? She's the female teacher Yunying remembered when Yuyu told her the truth she had discovered during Yunying's conversation in Chapter 59.
Yun Ying has her mission. As an important supporting female character, her role in the story isn't as crucial as another important supporting female character, Wei Yihua. Her character design and abilities aren't particularly outstanding; she's not as perfect or dazzling as Yihua. But! She actually has her own arc! She will also undergo a transformative growth, it's just later, and now it's her turn [please].
What was Yunying thinking at that time? Perhaps she had already decided to let go of the love, hate, and obsessions from that unfamiliar time and space. But in class, from the moment she recognized Teacher Wei Bangyuan and chose to muster the courage to tell her her feelings, she was no longer the Xie Yunying she once was, but Xie Yunying who had truly lived as the second young lady of the Xie family. She realized that she could not ignore that past, because it had reshaped her and changed her.
Some readers are probably wondering why Fu Yao ended up with He Chan. I'll keep you in suspense for now and tell you in the next chapter.
The princess's tomb has not been discovered because it is very important and will be left until the end of the next chapter. The hint is also very touching... (I cried when I wrote down the inspiration, sob sob).
What Ningning did will only be explained in the next chapter, but some particularly clever readers may have already guessed it. Don't worry if you haven't guessed it or have skipped a lot of the plot; I will provide a summary in the author's notes in the next chapter, and you'll understand after reading it.
Don't worry about the concerns in the comments section, I'm aware of them all. Just take your time reading it. [shy]
This story is finally nearing its end. Wow, I'm filled with mixed emotions; it's been quite a journey! A heartfelt thank you to every reader who's followed this far—thank you for being with me!
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