Fishing in the Cold River: I Summon Heroes from Past and Present in the Northern Song Dynasty

On the frozen river in Bianliang, a bamboo pen dangled like a fishing rod.

In a secluded spot by the icy river, Lin Linfu, an orphan from the outskirts of the city, crouched down. The half-rotted pen shaft suddenly glowed blue. He had used half a steamed bun, earned by copying books, as bait, and somehow hooked a wisp of a soul clad in silver armor!

“Huo… Qubing?” The boy trembled as he caught the soul wrapped in the winds of the desert. A System notification rang in his ears: “The History-Fishing Brush has been activated. History is the hook, achievements are the bait, and all heroes from past to present are yours to catch!” At that moment, Bianliang’s offices were packed with redundant officials, its granaries drained by redundant troops, Western Xia’s Yuanhao was sharpening his butcher’s knife, and the Liao were counting their provisions in Youyun. Who could have imagined that this boy, once crouched outside a soup shop chewing on frozen buns, would use a broken pen to reel in Wei Qing’s cavalry tactics and Shen Kuo’s Dream Pool Essays, stirring up a storm in the dying Song court on the eve of the Qingli Reforms!