History of Women in the Wei Dynasty

Chapter 40: Determination and Striving [Available for purchase tomorrow]

This story is about a young man named Lu Jimei who lived with his elder brother and sister-in-law after his parents died. His brother and sister-in-law were not kind people, and Lu Jimei was always hungry and sleepy. Hearing that people could be reincarnated after death, Lu Jimei had the idea of ​​committing suicide.

The first time he tried to kill himself was by jumping into a well, but the well opening in the village was small, and "Lu Jimei" got stuck upside down for half the night. He was rescued, but was beaten by the whole village.

The second time he attempted suicide, he threw himself into the river. The riverbank was full of silt, and "Lu Jimo" stood in the silt for half the night before being pulled out by the villagers. He was then severely beaten by his brother and sister-in-law.

In the third chapter, "Lu Jimo," Lu jumped off a cliff during the day and landed right on a tree at the bottom. He screamed in pain and fainted. His screams alerted others, who rescued him. Lu Jimo was found dead.

The story ends here, which is exactly the last part of this volume of notes.

Wei Jing opened the books in the wooden box and tossed them aside, opened them again and tossed them aside, becoming more and more anxious as he couldn't find them: "Why aren't they here? I only see 'Lu Ji Mei' (鲁饥没), what happened? Really, Wang Yan, if he had written the characters smaller, the story might have been finished. Lu Ji Mei, Lu Ji Mei, it's gone at the crucial moment."

Wei Yao couldn't listen anymore and said, "I have to go home."

Wei Mao first told Wei Jing, "Ah Jing, take your time looking," and then said to Wei Yao, "It's getting dark, I'll take you back." However, he gestured for Wei Yao to wait a moment and instructed the servant named "Jian Sheng," who had been serving there, to pick out several bundles of bamboo slips and give them to Wei Yao, along with all the cut ones, so that she wouldn't have to find bamboo slips to write on and then cut them after she got back.

Wei Yao did not refuse. As the two stepped out of the bookstore, they immediately smelled the aroma of crucian carp soup from the food stall across the street, where many Xianbei people dressed in embroidered brocade were queuing to buy it. When Wei Mao saw Wei Yao smile slightly when she smelled the aroma, he immediately gave a signal to his servant to go and buy some.

Previously, wealthy Xianbei families only ate delicacies from land and sea and mutton soup, considering crucian carp soup to be a lowly dish, favored by the poor and island barbarians. It was only after the legend that General Wang Su, the General Who Guards the South, enjoyed crucian carp soup that this dish gradually became popular among the powerful and wealthy.

Having bought the fish soup, Wei Mao's horse-leading servant cleared the way, while servants carrying food boxes pushed and shoved the people on both sides. This kind of arrogant and domineering way of traveling could be seen in every street and alley of Pingcheng Night Market when viewed from above.

As you move away from the city center, away from the noise and the glow of the colorful lanterns, the night suddenly unfolds the charm of an infinite starry sky.

Wei Mao escorted Wei Yao all the way to the gate of her house in Chiyang Lane, then stepped back. When he saw her mother come out, he bowed respectfully from a distance, regardless of whether the mother and daughter could see him, before turning back.

Walking back onto the street, Wei Mao recalled the scene of them reading together in the bookstore, and her embarrassment at the time. He couldn't help but chuckle softly, and muttered to himself, "Lu...no..."

Wei Mao had to admit that he wasn't as quick to react as his fellow disciple Yao.

"Lu" is definitely a homophone for the Qi people's insult to Wei, calling them "barbarians." The phrase "Lu Meiji" (鲁没饥) meaning "Lu without hunger" (鲁没饥) riding a tree isn't just a sarcastic reference to a young man's infertility; it's a curse wishing the Xianbei people to be childless. Hmph, the Qi army, suffering defeat after defeat on the battlefield, could only vent their anger in writing.

As Wei Mao gazed at the horizon where the earth met the stars, and looked around at the city, cold and hard as iron under the night sky, a surge of heroic spirit welled up within him, and he longed to roar to the heavens! However, heroic spirit alone could not develop his abilities. From now on, he had to study diligently, mastering both literary and martial skills, so that he could one day lead an army loyal to him to march south and crush the island barbarians!

On this night, Wei Mao was not the only one determined to strive.

Young people, full of youthful vigor, often do willful and foolish things, but they learn the true meaning of growth beyond gains and losses. This kind of understanding is far more convincing than the lectures of their elders.

Xi Jiao was just like that. If he hadn't lost the literary contest so badly, he would have really thought that he got into the Academy of Learning on his own merit. As night fell, his resentment at losing grew heavier with the darkness. With the thought that he had to win back his pride, he went straight to the Pet Forest after returning home.

The courtyard walls here were much higher than those of ordinary houses, and the buildings inside were few, connected by lush greenery and overflowing with exotic flowers. Feiming and the other servants, as usual, all stopped outside the gate, their duties of service taken over by the beast slaves in the Pet Beast Forest. As Xi Jiao stepped inside, the shadows and leaves around him rustled rapidly, and soon, strange sounds of walking or running could be heard from the ground. A squeak rang out from above, and a wiry-tailed monkey with a short wooden stick strapped to its back leaped to a spot a few feet ahead of Xi Jiao, leading the way.

Normally, Xi Jiao would call it by its name "Mu Kong" immediately, but tonight he kept a serious face and didn't say a word.

Immediately afterwards, a spotted leopard cub half-flew, half-jumped to Xi Jiao's feet, lay down, and made ingratiating "mmm-mmm-maow" sounds. It also had a name, "Qi Yi," and was also physically disabled, missing its left front paw. Seeing its owner step over it and ignore it, "Qi Yi" obediently rolled up and followed behind.

A dozen or so large yellow and brown dogs surrounded and followed.

A black sable missing its left eye was being carried by a large tortoise missing its right eye, also hurrying towards the area. They were so slow that they could barely see their owner before disappearing again. The great owl named "Killing Life," which Xi Jiao had only recently tamed, was different. Seeing its owner arrive, it flew away to forage for food.

Outside the courtyard gate, Fei Ming and his servants all looked at the dark shadow gliding through the air, and then heard the beast-keeper sigh, "Young Master is truly a compassionate man. Apart from that owl, all the other pets in the forest are either injured or extremely ugly."

Another beast slave said, "I heard that the young master often gives alms outside and never bullies the people. Some people even say that the young master is a reincarnation of a god."

"No wonder he's so handsome."

Feiming, having nothing better to do, heard every word. The image that flashed through his mind was of the animals the young master used for archery practice—each one lively and energetic. The young master showed no mercy as he raised his bow and shot arrows. Indeed, the young master never bullied the common people and strictly forbade his servants from doing so. In this respect, Feiming felt the young master's kindness was excessive. Not all poor people deserved pity; for example, that young lady Wei!
In the center of the beast forest, Xi Jiao entered the room where he used to sleep and ordered the beast slaves: "Clear out the furnishings in the room. I will not spend the night here again."

He then went to the storeroom next door, which was full of his pet training equipment and several boxes of clothes for dressing up his pets. "Get rid of all of that!"

He had just turned around when the leopard Qi Yi lay down on the ground again to make him laugh, and Xi Jiao hardened his heart and stepped over again. When the monkey Mu Kong realized that its master was leaving, it also became anxious and began to scratch its ears and cheeks, while more than a dozen yellow dogs whimpered from their throats, begging their master to stay.

"Should we stay here for the night?" Xi Jiao hesitated for a moment, then quickly took out a drawing paper from her bag. When she unfolded it, it was full of holes. Needless to say, it was the drawing that had made them lose face during the day. Now, all that was left on it was a "silkworm" with a double bun hairstyle and two curved "antennae" writing.

"Wei, Tong, Men, before we leave Heijo, I will surpass you!"

With the courtyard gates closed, my fondness for trinkets was cut off!
The night grew deeper.

Most of the shops in Dongsi Lane were closed. Bingfang Flower Shop, which was raided during the Spring Festival, still had its doors sealed shut because the case was not yet closed. In a short alley not far away, a dirty girl poked half her body out to observe the situation. Judging from her figure, she was about the same height and build as Wei Yao.

The girl, unaware of anything amiss, still shrank back in fear.

Suddenly! A rope dangled from the top of the wall!

On March 1st, which is tomorrow, the book will be available for purchase and will be available for VIP access. Updates will be twice a day. Hehe, I heard that initial subscription results are very important to authors. I sincerely thank all my readers for their support. Thank you so much!

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(End of this chapter)