(This is an alternate world, an alternate world, an alternate world. That's important, so I said it three times.) Zhou Xinjie, a nineteen-year-old young man from the twenty-first century, transmigrates to the era of the Five Barbarians ravaging China and becomes Sima Qing, the second son of the Prince of Xiyang. He is a contemporary of many people, including Zu Ti, Wang Dun, Wang Dao, and Shi Le. Perhaps his best way out is to enjoy the mountains and rivers and live the life of a prince who eats his fill every day. But what if he wants to reclaim the land? What if he resolves to smash the selfish schemes of the powerful families?
I gaze out from the perilous tower and sigh: how many people, past or present, have ever understood this? The work of ghosts and gods, people mistake it for a boundary set by heaven between north and south. A river stretches across the land, hills flank it on three sides, and together they form the stage for a contest of strength. What happened to the Six Dynasties? They became nothing but the private schemes of powerful families!
I laugh at the Wangs and Xies of old. They climbed high to gaze into the distance, and even they shed tears like heroes. They relied on the Yangtze, yet could do nothing as the north was overrun by barbarian hordes. Now is the time to press north in force. There is no need to look back: let us fulfill the oath made in the middle of the river. When a child can defeat the enemy, who cares how strong the opponent is once victory is assured!
