Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 2: Brothers
The autumn wind is bleak.

As the sun sets in the west, smoke rises up from cooking fires, wisps of it reflecting the golden sky. The white silk blends into the twilight. On the roof of the old bricks and tiles next to the chimney, a few withered foxtail grasses are swaying stubbornly in the autumn wind, and small shadows are cast diagonally, making the gravel-paved gate courtyard look particularly lonely.

In a corner of the courtyard, Zhang Yanling was sitting on a chair woven from ancient rattan. He was unaware that the clothes draped over his back had slipped down and served as a cushion. His throat seemed to be blocked by something, and he finally couldn't help sobbing and almost cried.

"You are just talking nonsense when you are drunk, God, do you take it seriously?"

"I was just joking, just to vent my anger."

"Let me wake up! I want to enjoy the prosperity of the world again. Mobile phones, computers... those are my spiritual sustenance that I will never give up..."

Someone was a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine in his previous life.

It sounds very impressive. He finally got into a Class 3 Chinese medicine hospital in a certain city with the help of academic qualifications and connections. However, he is just a small-time role who just works as an errand boy for various directors and deputy directors.

It would have been fine if I had to work like a slave, but the only thing I could lament was that the hospital was deserted, in stark contrast to the hustle and bustle of a large comprehensive hospital across the street.

One day, I was drinking with my college classmate who is now doing well in the medical device industry. We talked about the development of traditional Chinese medicine, and I was severely ridiculed by him.

The general meaning is that the higher your academic qualifications and the less clinical experience you have, the harder it will be to get by, so it is better for you to quit your job and start your own business early.

But he firmly believes that traditional Chinese medicine is worthy of its reputation as an intangible cultural heritage, it's just that many ancient prescriptions have not been discovered. He always uses the outstanding efficacy of Qingfei Paidu Decoction in the treatment of COVID-19 as evidence.

"If I could go back to ancient times and learn all those ancient prescriptions, I would be able to cure many difficult and complicated diseases. Chinese medicine culture is extensive and profound..."

Awesomeness is achieved through bragging, while a bright future depends on vision and imagination.

But he also knows that it is just an unrealistic delusion. No matter how great your medical skills are, you still need to go through the experience of working in the workplace. It doesn't matter if you are good enough or not. Being a doctor does not rely on great prescriptions but on the accumulation of experience.

Then, as if God was inspired, he really sent him back to the middle of the Ming Dynasty.

The memories are not over yet.

He shifted his gaze slightly and fell on a square face next to him, a boy no more than thirteen years old, a little childish, but with an annoyingly mature look. There was an indescribable weird smile on that big face at first, and then a nervous look of concern emerged.

"Second brother, why are you here?"

"Who pushed you out?"

"What should I do if I catch a cold?"

"How come you're standing up? Can you get out of bed? Hey, it's time for me to thank the gods again!"

"Put on your clothes quickly. You are so skinny, and you still want to show off?"

"I should have told you that you're stupid. Not only are you stupid, but your brain isn't working well either... Why don't we just hide behind and drink some soup? You insisted on rushing forward at the instigation of Hu Lao Er. With your small body, you're lucky you didn't die after those two blows... You're stubborn and you still refuse to obey after being beaten. If they don't beat you up, who else can they beat?"

Big brother.

Zhang Heling.

What a good name, he thought. One is Zhang Heling, the other is Zhang Yanling. It is now the late autumn and early winter of the 22nd year of Chenghua. According to the development of history, in three months, their elder sister will become the crown princess of the Ming Dynasty, and in another year, their family will be rich and prosperous...

Just don't be too perfect.

But there was just a small flaw. As glorious as the first half of this gentleman's life was, the second half was as miserable. He was thrown into a cell at the age of fifty, counting the days until his beheading.

"Why are you back? Where's Dad?"

He looked at the guy in front of him and couldn't feel happy at all.

This whole family is stupid!

Historically, people thought that the two sons of the Zhang family were incompetent, but no one thought that a son is like his father. Even if the father was a scholar and had a certain social status, he was very pedantic and out of touch with the world.

Being a teacher can at least ensure food and clothing for the family, but unfortunately his father, who is over 40 years old, is still dreaming of taking the imperial examination and becoming rich overnight. He has a wife, a concubine, two sons and two daughters to support, but he does not work. The dilapidated and desolate courtyard in front of him is a true portrayal of the family's life.

"I'm back. I'm drinking with Lao Wang at the entrance of the village. Lao Wang has a son again, and his father is so envious... I'm hungry, so I'll go in and ask my mother to get me something to eat."

As they were talking, a woman in her forties wearing a coarse apron walked out of the house. Even her plain clothes and hairpin could not hide the charm of a mature woman. She put on a stern face and picked up the carrying pole beside her.

Zhang Heling's face fell when he saw this, and he called out timidly, "Mom."

"go out!"

This person was none other than Zhang Luan's legal wife, and also the mother of the Zhang brothers, Jin. Jin drove Zhang Heling out of the door, made her son stand in front of the door god sticker, put down her carrying pole, picked up a peach tree branch with dead leaves hanging on it and beat her son with it, muttering as she did so: "Gods, protect my son, and all diseases and evils will be eliminated..."

After a lot of trouble, Zhang Heling was finally allowed to enter the hospital again.

Jin said, "Wait for your father to come back and help him fight."

Zhang Heling pouted: "Let my sister go... Mom, I'm hungry, is there any food? You didn't even give me money to spend, and Dad was hungry all day."

Seeing her son rushing into the kitchen, Jin asked hastily, "Did you get any news from the trip to the city?"

"Ask dad. He never lets me go with him anywhere. He just leaves me outside people's doorsteps. I don't know."

Sunset, sunset.

Zhang Yanling stood up and looked at the scenery outside the low courtyard wall. He suddenly realized that he should go out for a walk and get to know the new living environment he was facing.

……

...at night.

Under the dim tung oil lamp, in front of an old square table made of yellowed wooden boards, my father Zhang Luan, reeking of alcohol, occupied the seat on the east side.

Zhang Yanling and Zhang Heling were sitting on the north side, and sitting across the table from them was her elder sister Zhang Yu, who was eating with a bowl in her arms and a sad look on her face.

Although Zhang Yunian had just reached the age of marriage, she had an amazing beauty that did not belong to this crude countryside. Her eyebrows were like spring mountains, her eyes were like autumn water, and her bright eyes were flowing, which made people fascinated. She had a delicate oval face, fair and tender complexion, a white nose like jade, and cherry lips that were delicate and beautiful.

The future Empress of the Ming Dynasty, who would rule the country, is now just a rural girl waiting to be married. It is truly a case of a pearl in the dust.

Sitting to the west were Zhang Luan’s concubine Tang and his youngest daughter, the eight-year-old Zhang Yi, who had a lively look on her face.

Mother Jin was not sitting at the table. She was leaning against the window, complaining about something, almost wiping away tears.

Finally, Zhang Luan broke the silence at the dinner table.

"I've said it before, things are different now. After Mr. Chen retired, our Zhang family also fell into decline. Before, no one could curry favor with us, but now everyone refuses to see us. I'll go to the mansion tomorrow and discuss things with his second master..."

Even though Zhang Luan seemed lonely, he still had the demeanor of a head of the family.

Jin said, "Will the mansion still give us face? How many times have you been there? Have they ever given us a good face? We are not born by the same father. They only care about their own descendants. Who cares about our family?"

Poor couples have many worries. Although Zhang Luan and Jin did not discuss money issues openly, they actually talked about them every day.

"The little one goes in first."

Zhang Luan valued his reputation and said in a deep voice.

Tang pulled her daughter into the inner room, and the beautiful Zhang Yu also put down her bowl and chopsticks and followed them in. Zhang Heling yawned and was about to leave, but was pulled back by Zhang Yanling.

"Dad, should we go and borrow money from the Second Master?" Zhang Yanling asked.

Zhang Luan had no biological brothers, so Zhang Yanling had no biological second uncle, but Zhang Luan's uncle Zhang Jin had two sons. The eldest son, Zhang Qi, was a Jinshi in the fifth year of Jingtai, and served as the governor of Liaodong during the Chenghua period. Unfortunately, he committed a crime in the fourth year of Chenghua and was dismissed from office.

"… (April 1644, Gengzi) Zhang Qi, the governor of Liaodong and the deputy censor-in-chief, used his personal connections to persecute the border troops, which was reported by the soldiers. The Imperial Censor Deng Shan and the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Justice Zhou Zhengfang were ordered to investigate…"

After Zhang Qi passed away in the tenth year of Chenghua, the Zhang family was always headed by Zhang Qi's younger brother Zhang Yin.

Although Zhang Qi retired early, he was good friends with Chen Yue, who was also a Jinshi from Hejian Prefecture. "... Supervisory Censors Zheng Yi, Zhang Gao, and Xie Wenxiang jointly impeached the Minister of Rites Yao Kui for recommending Zhang Qi, and requested that he be punished according to the law. Moreover, since Qi had just been promoted, the chief official Peng Shao was the only one who spoke of his treachery. When he was impeached, Chen Yue, the Left Imperial Censor, was from the same hometown as Qi, but he did not sign his name. They also requested that Shao be rewarded and Yue be punished..."

Chen Yue was a Jinshi in the first year of Tianshun. He was a descendant of Zhang Qi and a native of Xian County, Hejian Prefecture. In the early days of his office, he was supported by Zhang Qi many times. Therefore, he did not sign his name when the censors impeached Zhang Qi and was impeached.

Later, Chen Yue also became the governor of Liaodong. He used Zhang Qi's political resources, so he had close contacts with Zhang Qi's family. Later, Chen Yue became the Minister of Revenue and the Minister of War. It was not until Chen Yue was questioned and dismissed in the 19th year of Chenghua that the local party political system of Hejian Prefecture collapsed and the Zhang family began to weaken.

Zhang Luan's expression changed instantly, and he glared at his son: "What does this have to do with you?"

Zhang Yanling said, "I want to go with you tomorrow... I am healed now and want to go out for a walk. If Dad brings his injured son to visit us, maybe he can gain sympathy and maybe the Second Master will lend us some money."

Zhang Luan was about to scold his son, but suddenly he thought about it and felt that what his son said made some sense.

If you ask for money without any reason, people may not give it to you. But if you bring a weak and injured little son with you, perhaps people will lend you the money because you are from the same clan.

Jin said, "Master, take the child with you and let him gain some experience."

Zhang Luan hesitated for a moment and did not answer.

Zhang Yanling added: "I think we should go to Sun's mansion tomorrow."

Hearing the word "Sun Mansion", Zhang Yu, who had not yet stepped into the inner room, cast a curious and longing look over, because the Sun Mansion that Zhang Yanling mentioned was closely related to her, and Sun Bojian, the son of the Sun family, was engaged to Zhang Yu.

The Sun family was a wealthy family in Xingji, and Zhang Yu regarded Sun Bojian as the prince charming who could save her from danger.

It's a pity that this prince charming is a sickly person.

"Why go to the Sun family? Aren't you ashamed 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, the whole family, young and old, looked at Zhang Yanling with strange eyes.

Zhang Yanling argued: "Young Master Sun is weak and sickly. He has never recovered since he made the engagement with my sister... If my sister gets married, she might become a widow. It is better to cancel the engagement early and let my sister find a good family."

When Zhang Yanling said this, little girl Zhang Yu glared at him with eyes full of grievance and anger, as if she wanted to tear her brother into pieces.

You finally found a good marriage when your family had some power and status, but you want to back out? It's not you who is about to marry into a wealthy family?
Jin said, "His father, what the child said is reasonable."

His 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 just didn't have the courage to mention it.

Depending on who says it first, its future meaning will be different.

Zhang Luan waved his hands, as if he had something to hide, and said, "Well, you go with me tomorrow. Wear an old but not dirty or torn piece of clothing. When you go, don't say a word. Just listen to me."

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(End of this chapter)