Da Ming: The system granted me immortality; I clock in every day.

Just as the bandit leader was leaping into the air, his old strength exhausted and his new strength yet to arise.

"Stop your madness, you insolent fool!"

With a loud shout, a silvery-white light shot down from the top of the ship's deck to Gu Yannian's left.

That was the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard responsible for protecting the ship; he had been lying in wait in the shadows, ready to strike.

"Pfft!"

The Embroidered Spring Blade pierced the bandit leader's chest precisely from the side.

The immense impact sent the pirate flying horizontally through the air, slamming heavily onto the deck just half an inch from Gu Yannian's toes with a loud bang.

Blood gushed out, but miraculously, not a single drop splashed onto Gu Yannian's blue official robes.

All of this was within Gu Yannian's calculations when he moved the recliner by three feet.

The bandit leader twitched twice and then died.

The commander of the Imperial Guard drew his sword, turned around and kicked the corpse away, then turned to look at Gu Yannian, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

This civil official remained unmoved even when Mount Tai collapsed before him; such composure is truly rare.

"Lord Gu, you were frightened. The thieves were rampant, and I arrived a step too late."

The centurion cupped his hands in a respectful gesture.

Gu Yannian put down the purple clay teapot and said in a calm tone:

"General, your might is divine, your swordsmanship is superb, I admire you greatly. With you here, the bandits are nothing but clay chickens and earthen dogs."

Having said that, he picked up the novel again, as if what had just fallen at his feet was not a corpse, but a fallen leaf.

At that moment, flames shot into the sky from the distant water.

The elite navy surrounding the prince's ship finally reacted.

The massive warship rammed into the pirates' small boat formation as easily as crushing ants.

The cannons roared, and arrows rained down.

This small-scale looting quickly turned into a massacre in the face of overwhelming power.

Gu Yannian sat upright in the eye of the storm, listening to the screams and fighting around him, and smelling the strong stench of blood in the air.

Put a piece of dried sweet potato into your mouth and chew it slowly.

"This journey north is much more interesting than staying in the Hanlin Academy."

……

Winter of the eleventh year of the Yongle reign.

The massive fleet of ships, which had been traveling north along the Grand Canal, finally docked slowly at the Tongzhou Wharf.

After months of arduous travel, even the strongest and most robust soldiers showed signs of fatigue.

Not to mention the pampered families of civil officials.

However, when everyone stepped off the plank and onto the land of Shuntian Prefecture, they were not greeted by the gentle breeze typical of Jiangnan.

Instead, it was a chilling current that seemed capable of freezing one's very bones.

The harsh winter in the north, like a lurking beast, mercilessly gave these newcomers from the south a rude awakening.

Gu Yannian, dressed in a thick blue cotton robe, walked among the crowd with his hands tucked into his sleeves and an expression that remained unchanged.

Even in this freezing weather, he still felt as if he were in a warm spring day.

Shen Wan followed half a step behind him.

Although she was wearing three layers of padded jackets, her lips were still slightly purple from the cold.

But she didn't say a word, just silently carried a small package and followed closely behind Gu Yannian.

"The wind in this northern land is like a knife."

Gu Yannian stopped and took out a palm-sized copper hot water bottle from his sleeve, then turned and handed it to Shen Wan.

"Take these to warm your hands. Our lodgings have been arranged in Xuanwu Ward in the south of the city. We can get there in half an hour by hiring a carriage."

"Thank you, sir."

Shen Wan took the hot water bottle with both hands, feeling the warmth transmitted through the brass.

My frozen fingers finally regained some feeling.

She remained true to her duty and never uttered a single unnecessary word.

At this time, Shuntian Prefecture, or rather, the future Beijing, was nothing short of a gigantic construction site.

Because the Forbidden City was still under construction, Crown Prince Zhu Gaochi and the six ministries could only temporarily work in an old palace complex.

The wide streets were filled with oxcarts and mules transporting bricks and timber.

The sounds of shouts and curses rose and fell.

The air was filled with choking yellow dust.

Gu Yannian's new home is a small courtyard house located deep in a narrow alley.

Compared to the courtyard in Jinling, this place felt more cramped and old.

Some of the blue bricks on the courtyard wall have peeled off, and the roof tiles are covered with withered yellow grass.

Fortunately, there was a sturdy old jujube tree in the middle of the yard, which added a touch of vitality.

Pushing open the courtyard gate, Shen Wan immediately demonstrated her formidable ability to manage a household.

Ignoring her exhaustion from the journey, she quickly put down her bundle, drew water from the well to start a fire, and wiped the doors and windows.

In less than half a day, the dusty little courtyard was transformed into a brand new place.

They even lit a hot fire in the kang (heated brick bed) in the main room.

Gu Yannian sat on the scorching hot earthen bed, looking out at the hazy sky through the window that had just been covered with Korean paper.

"Ding! Today's roll call completed. Attribute point gained +1."

After silently completing the check-in, Gu Yannian added attribute points to "Constitution".

Beiping is now surrounded by crises, with the Mongols to the north threatening to raid it at any time.

Having a stronger physique is ultimately the safest way to save your life.

"Sir, what would you like for dinner?"

Shen Wan asked softly from outside the door.

"I just went to the market at the street corner. The north is not like the south. In winter, apart from Chinese cabbage and radish, there are very few leafy green vegetables. However, mutton is very cheap."

"Then let's have mutton hot pot."

Gu Yannian thought for a moment and then gave the instructions.

"Go and cut two pounds of sliced ​​mutton with a good balance of fat and lean meat, and also buy some frozen tofu and a jar of strong liquor. On a snowy day like this, we should eat something warm to keep ourselves warm."

After nightfall, heavy snow began to fall in Shuntian Prefecture.

The wind whipped up snowflakes, which rustled against the window paper.

Inside the main room of the courtyard, a copper pot was bubbling away, releasing a milky-white mutton bone broth.

Gu Yannian picked up a very thinly sliced ​​piece of mutton, dipped it in the boiling soup, then dipped it in chive blossom and sesame sauce before putting it in his mouth.

The savory flavor of the mutton blends perfectly with the rich sauce, and a sip of strong liquor ignites a fiery sensation down the esophagus.

He glanced at Shen Wan, who was sitting opposite him, taking small bites of cabbage, and casually said:

"Don't be shy, buy plenty of meat and eat as much as you want. In this northern land, if you don't eat your fill and get strong, you won't survive the winter."

Shen Wan nodded slightly before picking up a small piece of mutton with her chopsticks.

The center of power in the Ming Dynasty was shifting northward.

In this unfamiliar capital city, Gu Yannian still managed to firmly establish himself.

No matter how fierce the wind and snow were outside, he only needed to guard this small courtyard and go to the government office to report for duty every day.

Then the days won't be so hard to get through.