I'm coming clean: I'm the reincarnation of the God of Literature.

Dafeng, Qingshan Village.

The spring rain in March pattered on the eaves of the thatched cottage.

It's the season for collecting debts from Qingmiao Loans.

Inside the Gu family courtyard, blood from Gu Ang's elder brother seeped from his cracked lip and dripped onto the back of Gu Ci's hand.

"Snapped!"

The money clerk's hand fell.

"You dare talk back? You little brat, you need to be taught a lesson!"

"Twenty taels of silver, pay it back within three days! Otherwise, your whole family will have to work for the government!"

Gu Mingzhe knelt on the ground, his forehead covered in dirt.

"Master Qian, please grant me a few more days... I borrowed this money to buy scriptures and books for me and Ang'er, but I failed the exams three times in a row. The money is all gone, and I haven't even gotten the title of Xiucai (a scholar who passed the lowest level of the imperial examinations)..."

"Can't produce it?"

The official sneered.

"Why didn't you say you couldn't pay when you borrowed the seedling loan? Now the interest is compounded, the principal and interest total twenty taels, and you can't pay a single penny less!"

Gu Ang clenched his fists, veins bulging.

"This is usury! You agreed on 30% interest, how come it's now 80%?"

Qian Li kicked Gu Ang in the chest.

"You little brat, do you even know what a 'Green Seed Loan' is? You dare question the imperial court's grace?"

Gu Ang was kicked to the ground, and the blood at the corner of his mouth became even more abundant.

Lin held five-year-old Gu Qingqing in her arms, tears streaming down her face.

"Please, we really don't have that much money..."

"No money?"

The clerk's gaze lingered on Lin.

"I think your wife is quite pretty, otherwise..."

Before he could finish speaking, Gu Ang suddenly sprang up from the ground, his eyes bloodshot.

"You dare!"

The official was taken aback by the murderous aura, and then became furious.

"Oh, so you dare threaten me!"

He swung the water-and-fire stick in his hand and smashed it down on Gu Ang's head.

Just then, a small hand grabbed Gu Ang's clothes.

"elder brother."

Gu Ci's voice was very soft, but everyone heard it.

The official was taken aback for a moment before noticing an eight-year-old child in the corner.

"Oh, is this the young scholar of your household?"

The money collector put away his fire-and-water stick, squatted down, and said, "Little brat, your parents owe me money. What do you say we do about it?"

Gu Ci raised his head.

There was no fear in his clear eyes, only a calmness beyond his years.

"The Green Sprout Loan you mentioned, sir, is subject to the law of the court, which stipulates that the annual interest rate cannot exceed three percent. The eight percent interest rate you just mentioned is probably inappropriate."

The official's expression changed.

"You little brat, what do you know?"

"I don't understand."

Gu Ci shook his head. "But I know that the county magistrate is currently investigating a case of usury. I heard that three yamen runners have already been dismissed and are under investigation."

Upon hearing this, the clerk turned pale.

There were indeed rumors circulating a couple of days ago that the authorities were going to thoroughly investigate the implementation of the Qingmiao Loan program.

"What nonsense are you spouting, you little brat?"

"I'm not lying."

Gu Ci stood up. Although he only reached Qian Li's waist, his imposing manner was not inferior.

"If you don't believe me, sir, you can go to the county government office and ask."

The official felt guilty.

He did indeed tamper with the loan, turning a 3% interest rate into an 8% one.

If it's really discovered, I'll lose my job, and I won't even keep my head.

"Then...then your family's money..."

"According to the imperial law, the principal is five taels, with an annual interest rate of three percent. The principal and interest due at maturity shall amount to six taels and five mace."

Gu Ci calculated everything perfectly.

"Our family can return it."

Gu Mingzhe was stunned.

Where did the family get six taels and five mace of silver?

But Gu Ci continued to speak.

"However, since you just hit someone, according to the law you should pay three taels of silver for medical expenses. So, after all that, our family only needs to give you three and a half taels."

The official was confused by the child's logic.

"What...what kind of calculation are you making?"

"It's a very simple account."

"If you think this is wrong, sir, we can go to the county government office together to have the magistrate settle the matter."

Go to the county government office?

Isn't that just walking into a trap?

"Alright, alright, considering your little one is so sensible, I'll just charge you three taels and five qian." The money clerk sheepishly put away his fire stick. "Remember to bring the money to the county office in three days."

After saying that, he slunk away with his men.

The courtyard fell silent again.

Gu Mingzhe got up from the ground, his face full of confusion.

"Ci'er, where would our family get three taels and five qian of silver?"

Gu Ang looked at his younger brother with a puzzled expression.

What he just said doesn't sound like something an eight-year-old child would say.

Gu Ci did not answer immediately.

Instead, she went to her brother's side and gently wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.

In his past life, he was in a university office and had never seen such real violence.

In this life, however, he has to use these tender hands to support this crumbling family.

"Brother, does it hurt?"

Gu Ang shook his head.

"It doesn't hurt."

Gu Ci knew he was lying.

My brother's left cheek is so swollen, how could it not hurt?

"Father, please take Mother and Qingqing back to the house first." Gu Ci turned around. "I have something to say to my brother."

Gu Mingzhe hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

In the end, they helped Lin into the house.

Only the two brothers remained in the courtyard.

Gu Ang squatted down to be at eye level with his younger brother.

"Ci'er, you just now..." He hesitated for a moment, "How did you know so much?"

"Brother, do you believe me?"

Gu Ci interrupted him.

"Of course I believe you." Gu Ang nodded without hesitation. "You're my brother."

These words warmed Gu Ci's heart.

"That's enough."

Gu Ci grasped his brother's hand.

"Brother, let's go to Wangjiang Tower tomorrow."

"Wangjiang Tower?"

Gu Ang was stunned for a moment.

"That's where the county's literati and scholars gather. What are we going there for?"

Gu Ci did not answer directly, but turned and walked towards his room.

The small room, less than five square meters in size, contained a dilapidated desk and several tattered ancient books.

He opened the writing implements on the table.

The inkstone is cracked, the brush is badly worn down, and only a small piece of ink remains.

"Brother, grind the ink for me."

Although Gu Ang was somewhat confused, he still did as instructed.

He carefully added water to the inkstone and slowly ground the ink with the ink stick.

The black ink slowly dissolved in the inkstone, emitting a faint fragrance.

Gu Ci picked up the yellowed piece of straw paper from the table and spread it on the surface.

This paper is used for practicing calligraphy; the edges and corners are already somewhat torn.

But today, it will mark a turning point in an era.

Gu Ci picked up his brush and dipped it in thick ink.

Memories of my past life flooded back.

Li Bai's unrestrained spirit, Du Fu's melancholy, Wang Wei's ethereal beauty, Su Shi's magnanimity...

These unparalleled poems, which had never appeared in the Great Feng Dynasty before, were now all in his mind.

But he did not choose those epic, groundbreaking productions.

He chose the simplest song.

"Spring Dawn" is so simple that even school-aged children can memorize it.

The brush moves across the paper.

The brushstrokes, carrying the weight of a thousand years of past lives, leave their mark on the paper.

The Slender Gold style of calligraphy.

This is a unique brush technique that he discovered while studying the calligraphy of Emperor Huizong of Song in his previous life.

Lean and vigorous, its side strokes resemble orchids and bamboo, while its front strokes are like withered vines.

In the Dafeng Dynasty, where the calligraphy style was monotonous, such a font had never appeared before.

"Spring slumber is so sweet, I don't notice the dawn; everywhere I hear birds singing."

After writing the first two sentences, Gu Ang was already stunned.

How can these characters be so beautiful?

Lean but not skinny, upright but not stiff, every stroke carries strength.

More importantly, these verses...

Although simple, it has a lingering charm, is easy to pronounce, and has a profound artistic conception.

Gu Ang had never seen such characters before.

I've never seen a poem like this before.

He opened his mouth, but found he didn't know what to say.

"The sound of wind and rain last night, how many flowers have fallen?"

The last two sentences were written.

Gu Ci gently blew the ink away.

Thus, a masterpiece was born in the Great Feng Dynasty.

Gu Ang stared blankly at the paper.

He was speechless for a long time...

Did my eight-year-old brother really write this?