The Return of Tianbao

In his previous life, Xu He was born into a poor family during the Tianbao era. Trusting the lies of his sworn elder brother and the Xu clan of Jingzhao, he handed over the hard-won recommendation that would let him sit the provincial examination. In the end, he was framed for taking the exam under a false identity, thrown into prison, and left to die. His mother was driven by pursuers to throw herself down a well, the family’s three mu of meager farmland was swallowed up by an aristocratic clan, and his entire family was disgraced. When Xu He opened his eyes again, he had returned to the age of seventeen, with three months left before the selection for provincial tribute candidates. None of those tragedies had happened yet. Carrying memories drenched in blood and tears, he swore this time to seize the imperial examination opportunity that could change his fate, take revenge on everyone who had betrayed him, and protect his mother and family. But thorns lined the road from the very beginning. The collateral descendants of the Xu clan of Jingzhao looked down on him for his humble origins and colluded with the examination officials to put obstacles in his way, hoping to force him off the selection list. His sworn elder brother, Pei Yan, still wore his mask of hypocrisy, lurking at his side and plotting to steal his achievements again. To consolidate his power, the current chancellor, Yang Guozhong, manipulated the imperial examinations and official appointments, giving every position to aristocratic families. It was a long-established rule that not a single candidate from a humble family would pass. Using his knowledge of the future, Xu He first exposed his sworn elder brother’s plot to steal the exam questions and secured a provincial tribute nomination. Then he fought his way through one challenge after another and advanced to the metropolitan examination. On the eve of the turbulent An Lushan Rebellion, he had to fend off attacks by aristocratic families while seeking reliable allies, all to defy fate and carve a path to success for the humble in the midst of chaos. He knew that failure would mean the destruction of his family all over again, but he had no choice. With nothing but courage in his heart, he would tear a bloody opening in the rigidly stratified Tang dynasty.