On a magnificent and beautiful mountain stood an elegant pavilion, with the words "Taiping Pavilion" inscribed above its entrance. A couplet adorned the pillars: on the left, "Uphold righteousness and give your life to quell the world," and on the right, "Pacify the nine lands, and let all willingly submit." Inside the pavilion stood a table. A middle-aged scholar, dressed like an ageless sage but showing signs of age, sat at it, brush in hand. He wrote four large characters: "Tales of Jiugu," then signed his name: "The Old Man of Jiugu." The Old Man of Jiugu then took out a fresh sheet of paper and wrote: "In the thirty-second year of Xianren, the emperor passed away and Wude took the throne. Thereafter, strife raged without end, and war never ceased. Brilliant heroes and outstanding champions rose one after another. I have written this book only to commemorate those stars."
