The year 1024 simmered with heartbreak and hope. Indeed, before it was over, a hungry man would be eternally full, an Empress would lose weight and a Dynasty would achieve great monetary change.

In the dark hours of that morning, Fu Ming woke hungry. He was a peasant, not a superhero, and could not help but be miserable. He attempted to distract himself by carving a wooden block. Finished, he walked down to the stream to wash away its shavings. There – a vision: the Empress, resting like a fairy nymph next to the Royal Treasurer, Lu Zhu. Her guards were upstream fishing for delicacies for her breakfast.

Now an Empress could never love the funny man who reeked of horse, earth and sweat. So, she rebuked him. “What idle wasted glances bony one…but I will riddle you this: each day I travel with heavy purses, coins of silver, copper and gold. Relieve me of my weight, and you’ll never hunger again. Answer poorly, and you’ll never be so bold as to look at Royalty.”

Lu Zhu held his breath.