Summary
Highlights
Chen Qing, a modern man, wakes up in ancient times with a new wife after falling into water to save her. He learns he's in a poor family and is sickly. A 'Hegemony System' is activated, promising to help him rise from the bottom to dominate the world. The system cures his illness, makes him strong, and gives him a mission to gather food, granting him traps and storage space as rewards.
Chen Qing successfully hunts a rabbit, earning system rewards. He impresses his wife and the villagers with his hunting skills and his innovative traps. He promises to hunt a boar, triggering a new mission and a crossbow reward. He gains trust and respect within the village, eventually selling a wild boar for five taels of silver, which helps the entire village and marks the first stage of his 'Hegemony' goal: becoming rich.
Chen Qing defends his wife against Zhao Jian, an idle scoundrel, injuring him with a crossbow. When Zhao Jian sues him, Chen Qing is cleared with the help of villagers' testimonies and is rewarded a store in Yun Town. He decides to produce and sell soap, an unknown commodity in this era. He partners with Mrs. Liu, and their soap business flourishes, expanding to neighboring towns and even catching the attention of the capital.
Chen Qing discovers that the richest man in Yun Town, Li Fu, is secretly manufacturing and selling weapons to barbarians. He refuses Li Fu's offer to buy the crossbow designs, leading to his capture. The system rewards him with artillery-making drawings for escaping. He uses his knowledge and the crossbows to defeat Li Fu's men, rescuing captured Bayin tribesmen and exposing Li Fu's treason. He is rewarded with half of Li Fu's fortune, including his mansion.
Chen Qing settles into Li Fu's mansion and hires workers with iron forging experience to make artillery in the secret cave. When barbarians attack Chen Village, he uses the newly made artillery to repel them, gaining fame and a plan to sell artillery to the court. He also develops a divine wine recipe and starts a brewery, further expanding his business ventures and preparing to establish a caravan system across Dali.
Chen Qing plans to transport wine and soap across Dali but acknowledges the danger of bandits due to recent barbarian invasions. He strategically recruits former bandits from Xu Village, displaced by barbarians, into his caravan security detail. He offers them jobs and food, transforming them from outlaws into loyal employees. He also receives a mysterious token and a letter from the Bayin Prince, hinting at a new mission.
Chen Qing travels to Bayinbu to mediate between the Bayin tribe and Dali, who had a damaged alliance due to a leaked plan. He uses his intelligence and a 'Transfiguration Elixir' (granted by the system) to expose Butuan, a Bayin minister who was leaking information to the barbarians. With the traitor revealed, the Bayin Prince agrees to renew the alliance with Dali, providing military support against the barbarians.
Chen Qing learns of the barbarians' aggressive advances on Dali and the precarious situation at Yuzhou, where the Crown Prince is struggling. He devises a plan to transport artillery, which was previously deemed impossible due to mountainous terrain, to Yuzhou. Using his system's storage space, he swiftly moves the cannons, helping the Crown Prince defend the city and repel the barbarian invaders, forcing them to sign a peace treaty.
With Dali secured, Chen Qing achieves the fourth stage of his hegemony goal. He returns home to find that King Xian has attempted a coup, ambushing the Crown Prince and imprisoning Mr. Chang. Chen Qing uses his resources to search for the Crown Prince and learns about the Emperor's secret succession edict. In a daring move, he infiltrates the palace using the Disguise Elixir to retrieve the edict and expose King Xian.
Chen Qing impersonates the Crown Prince and uses his knowledge to expose King Xian's treachery. The real Crown Prince arrives with evidence of King Xian's corruption, leading to his arrest and the Crown Prince's ascension to the throne. Chen Qing offers the new Emperor a 'Food for Work' plan to rebuild the war-torn country. As a reward for his invaluable contributions, Chen Qing is offered the hand of the Princess in marriage and the position of Prime Minister, completing his 'Hegemony' goal and unlocking his return to modern times.