Chapter 2 Dragon Brothers and Tiger Brothers
The autumn wind is desolate.
As the sun sets over the Western Mountains, the smoke from the cooking pots curls up, reflecting the golden color of the sky. The plain silk blends into the dusk. On the roof of the ancient bricks and tiles next to the chimney, a few withered yellow dogtails are swaying stubbornly in the autumn wind. The shadow was cast diagonally, and the gravel-paved entrance courtyard looked particularly lonely.
In a corner of the small courtyard, Zhang Yanling was sitting on a chair woven from ancient rattan. The clothes on her back fell down and became a cushion. Unknown to her, her throat seemed to be blocked by something, and she finally couldn't help but whimper, almost crying.
"You talk nonsense when you're drunk, for God's sake do you take it seriously?"
"I was just joking, just for fun."
"Let me wake up! I want to enjoy the prosperity of the world again. Mobile phone, computer...that is my spiritual sustenance that I can never let go of..."
Someone was a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine in his previous life.
It sounds awesome. I finally got into a tertiary traditional Chinese medicine hospital in a certain city by relying on my academic qualifications and connections. I was just a small role with mixed qualifications, working as an errand boy for various directors and deputy directors.
It's just a matter of being a cow and a horse, but I lament that the hospital's entrance is deserted, which is in sharp contrast to the bustle and bustle of a general hospital opposite.
One day, I was drinking with my college classmate who is now very successful in the medical device industry. When we talked about the development of traditional Chinese medicine, I was ridiculed.
The general meaning is that the higher your academic qualifications and the less clinical experience you have accumulated, the harder it will be to get around. It is better to resign early and go it alone.
However, he firmly believes that traditional Chinese medicine is well-deserved as an intangible cultural heritage, but there are many ancient prescriptions that have not been discovered. He often cites the outstanding efficacy of Qingfei Paidu Decoction in the treatment of COVID-19.
"If I could go back to ancient times and learn all those ancient prescriptions, I would be able to overcome many difficult and complicated diseases. Chinese medicine culture is profound and profound..."
Awesomeness depends on bragging, and a glorious future depends on vision and imagination.
But he himself also knows that it is just an unrealistic delusion. No matter how good your medical skills are, you still have to undergo experience in the workplace. It doesn’t matter if you are good or not. Being a doctor does not rely on good prescriptions but qualifications. accumulation.
Then God seemed to be inspired and really sent him back to the middle of the Ming Dynasty.
The memory killing is not over yet.
His gaze shifted slightly, and landed on a face next to him that was no more than thirteen years old, slightly childish, but with an annoyingly juvenile look. There was an indescribable and weird smile on the big face at first, and then there was another. There was a hint of concern in the nervousness.
"Second brother, why are you here?"
"Who pushed you out?"
"What should I do if I catch a cold?"
"Why are you still standing up? Can you get off the ground? Hey, it's time for me to reward the gods again!"
"Hurry up and put on your clothes. You're so skinny. How dare you still show off?"
"I told you that you were stupid. Not only are you stupid, but your brain is not working well... Can't we just hide in the back and drink some soup? You had to listen to Mr. Hu and rush forward, and with your small body, you were beaten It’s good that you didn’t die in those two blows... You’re a tough-talking person, and if you don’t accept being beaten, who can’t they beat you so hard?”
Big brother.
Zhang Heling.
This is a good name, he thought to himself, one is Zhang Heling and the other is Zhang Yanling. At the end of autumn and early winter of the 22nd year of Chenghua, according to historical development, in three months, their sister will become the Crown Princess of the Ming Dynasty, and in another year Their family is about to become rich and prosperous...
Just don't be too perfect.
But there is just such a small flaw. As prominent as this man was in the first half of his life, he was so miserable in the second half. At the age of fifty, he would be thrown into a cell and count the days until he could be beheaded.
"Why are you back? Where is dad?"
He looked at the guy in front of him and couldn't be happy.
This whole family is so heartless!
Historically, it was thought that the two sons of the Zhang family were not good enough, but they never thought about what kind of son the father would teach. Even if the father was a scholar and had some social status, he would be pedantic and unworldly.
Being a teacher can at least ensure food and clothing for the family. Unfortunately, his father is still dreaming of taking the imperial examination in his forties, thinking of reaching the sky in one step. The family has a wife, a concubine, two children and two daughters to support, but he is not engaged in production, and the situation in front of him is dilapidated and desolate. The courtyard is a true reflection of family life.
"I'm back. I'm drinking with Lao Wang at the end of the village. Lao Wang has hugged a son again, which makes my father extremely envious... I'm hungry, so I went in to find my mother to get some food."
As he was talking, he saw a woman in her forties wearing a coarse cloth apron walking out of the house. The commoner and Jingchai could not hide the charm of a mature woman. With a straight face, she picked up the pole on the side. stand up.
Zhang Heling's face collapsed when he saw this, and he timidly called out: "Mother."
"go out!"
This was Zhang Luan's first wife, Mrs. Jin, who was also the mother of Zhang's brother. Jin drove Zhang Heling out of the door and asked her son to stand in front of the door god poster. She put down the pole and picked up a peach tree branch with dead leaves hanging on the side to support her son. He slapped his body and chanted: "The gods will protect my son, and all diseases and evil will disappear..."
After a lot of trouble, Zhang Heling was allowed to re-enter the hospital.
Jin greeted: "When your father comes back, I will give him a beating."
Zhang Heling pouted: "Let sister go...Mom, I'm hungry, do you have anything to eat? You don't even give me any money. Dad has been hungry all day."
When Mrs. Jin saw her son hurriedly entering the kitchen, she hurriedly asked, "Do you have any news about this trip to the city?"
"Ask dad. He doesn't let me follow him wherever he goes. He just hangs me out in front of people's houses. I don't know."
Sunset, sunset.
Zhang Yanling stood up and looked at the scene outside the low courtyard wall. Suddenly she realized that she should go out for a walk and get to know the new living environment she was facing.
…
...at night.
Under the dim tung oil lamp, in front of an old square table made of yellowed wooden boards, his father Zhang Luan, smelling of alcohol, occupied the seat to the east.
Sitting on the north side were Zhang Yanling and Zhang Heling, and sitting across the table was my sister Zhang Jue who was eating with a bowl in her arms with a sad look on her face.
Even though Zhang Yunian has just grown hair, she has an astonishing beauty that does not belong to this rough country. Her eyebrows are like spring mountains, her eyes are full of autumn water, and her big, bright eyes are mesmerizing. She has a delicate melon-seed face, fair and delicate face, a beautiful nose as white as jade, and delicate cherry lips, which are extremely beautiful.
The Empress of the Ming Dynasty, who will be the mother of the world, is now just a little rural girl waiting to be married. She is really a pearl covered in dust.
To the west sat Zhang Luan's concubine Tang and his youngest daughter Zhang Yi, who was eight years old and had a lively look on her face.
Mother Kim, on the other hand, was not sitting at the table, but leaning against the window, complaining about something and almost wiping tears.
Finally, Zhang Luan broke the silence at the dinner table.
"I have already said that things are not as good as before. After Mr. Chen became an official, my Zhang family also declined. In the past, others could not fawn over them, but now they are all closed doors. Tomorrow I will go to the mansion again to discuss with his second master... "
Even though Zhang Luan looks lonely, he still has the demeanor of the head of the family.
Jin said: "Will the mansion still give us face? How many times have you been there and people have looked good on you? You are not the son of the same father. They only care about their own children and grandchildren. Who cares about our family?"
Poor and humble couples suffer from everything. Although Zhang Luan and Jin did not openly discuss money issues, they actually talked about each other.
"The younger ones go in first."
Zhang Luan kept his face and said in a deep voice.
Mrs. Tang took her daughter into the inner room, and the beautiful Zhang Ju also put down her bowls and chopsticks and followed her in. Zhang Heling yawned and was about to leave, but Zhang Yanling pulled her back.
"Dad, are we going to borrow money from the second master?" Zhang Yanling asked.
Zhang Luan had no biological brothers, so Zhang Yanling had no biological second uncle. However, Zhang Luan's uncle Zhang Jin had two sons. The eldest son, Zhang Qi, was a Jinshi scholar in the fifth year of Jingtai. He once served as governor of Liaodong during the Chenghua period. He committed a crime in the fourth year of his life and was dismissed from his post.
"...(April Gengzi in the fourth year of Chenghua) Zhang Qi, the censor of Qiandu in Liaodong, used private affairs to cause trouble and tortured the border troops, which was reported by the sergeants. He ordered Deng Shan and Zhou Zhengfang, a member of the Ministry of Criminal Affairs, to go to the incident. Of……"
Ten years after Zhang Qi passed away in Chenghua, the Zhang family has been headed by Zhang Qi's younger brother Zhang Yin.
Even though Zhang Qi became an official at an early age, he had a good relationship with Chen Yue, a Jinshi who was also born in Hejian Prefecture. According to the law, when Qi first entered the country, Peng Shao, the chief official, only spoke about his treachery and was impeached. Chen Yue and Qi's fellow villagers did not sign their names, and asked him to reward Shao and accuse Yue..."
Chen Yue was a Jinshi in the first year of Tianshun, a descendant of Zhang Qi, and a native of Xian County, Hejian Prefecture. He was promoted by Zhang Qi many times when he first became an official. Therefore, he did not sign his name when he was an official in the impeachment of Zhang Qi and was transferred to prison.
Later, Chen Yue also became the governor of Liaodong and used Zhang Qi's political resources, so he had close contacts with Zhang Qi's family. Later, Chen Yue became the Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs and the Minister of the Ministry of War until Chen Yue was accused and dismissed in the 19th year of Chenghua. The township party political system in Hejian Prefecture collapsed, and the Zhang family became weak.
Zhang Luan's expression changed instantly and he glared at his son: "What does it have to do with you?"
Zhang Yanling said: "I want to go with you tomorrow... I have recovered from my injury and want to go out for a walk. If dad comes with his injured son, we may gain sympathy, and maybe the second master will lend us money."
Zhang Luan was about to scold him when he suddenly thought about it and felt that what his son said made sense.
If you open your mouth to borrow money, you may not get it, but if you bring a weak and injured little son, maybe someone will lend you the money just for the sake of your fellow clan members.
Jin said: "Master, take the child with you and let him learn a lot."
Zhang Luan hesitated for a moment and did not answer.
Zhang Yanling added: "I think we should go to the Sun Mansion tomorrow."
Hearing "Sun Mansion", Zhang Jue, who had not yet stepped into the back room, cast curious and longing eyes over her, because the Sun Mansion in Zhang Yanling's mouth had a close relationship with her, and Sun Bojian, the son of the Sun family, was engaged to Zhang Jue.
The Sun family is a wealthy family in Xingji, and Sun Bojian is regarded by Zhang Jue as the prince charming who can save her from fire and water.
It's a pity that this prince charming is a sick man.
"Why go to Sun's house? Isn't it embarrassing enough?"
Zhang Luan naturally thought that his son was talking about borrowing money from his future in-laws.
Zhang Yanling said: "Go and cancel the engagement."
"What?"
Not to mention Zhang Luan, everyone in the family looked at Zhang Yanling with strange eyes.
Zhang Yanling argued hard: "The young master of the Sun family is frail and sick. Ever since he made an engagement with his sister, he has never recovered from his illness... My sister may become a widow if she gets married, so it is better to break off the engagement as soon as possible and let her find another good wife." People.”
When Zhang Yanling said this, the little girl Zhang Jue's eyes were full of grievance and anger, and she had the tendency to cut her brother into pieces.
You finally took advantage of the time when your family had some power and status to form a good marriage. You just want to back out? Are you not the one who is about to marry into a wealthy family?
Jin said: "His father, what the child said is reasonable."
Mother's words made Zhang Yanling keenly aware that the old couple had actually thought about breaking off the engagement a long time ago, but they were too embarrassed to mention it.
Whoever says it first will have different meanings in the future.
Zhang Luan waved his hand, as if he had something unspeakable, and said, "That's all. You go with your father tomorrow, wear old clothes that are not dirty and torn. Don't say anything after you go. Listen to your father."
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(End of chapter)