Qin Official

Zhong was startled and quickly went to help the man up. When did he have a younger brother?

Hei Fu also smiled and asked, "Ji Ying, what are you doing?"

Ji Ying raised his head and grinned: "Hei Fu's brother is my Ji Ying's brother. He should be treated as a brother when he meets his brother!"

As he spoke, he waved, and everyone in Guishi came over one after another.

"That's right, Shi Chang's brother is also our brother."

Led by Dongmen Bao, in addition to the older Chao Bo, other young people such as Xiao Tao and Zhen also imitated Ji Ying's example, bowing to each other and calling them uncle...

"This...I really can't bear it."

Zhong was a little at a loss, but Heifu knew that his eldest brother didn't like to be the center of attention, so he quickly stopped everyone's overly enthusiastic welcome and invited Zhong into the house.

But this simple greeting showed Heifu's prestige in Shizhong.

"Brother, it's a coincidence that you came here today. We are just about to put meat into the cauldron!"

Surrounded by everyone, Zhong followed them to the hut, where three or four others, including Chao Bo and others, were squatting.

In the simple earthen stove, the firewood was blazing. A tall man squatted next to it, puffing up his cheeks and blowing on the fire. A pottery cauldron was placed on it, and the soup inside was already boiling.

Chao Bo asked Ping to cut the dried meat with a dagger and slowly put it into the cauldron. He also directed the two brothers, Yes and No, to add yellow and orange corn to the cauldron. He squinted and solemnly took out a handful of corn from his arms. Small packets of salt, sprinkle them thinly like millet seeds, and season the soup...

"After I started cooking for myself a few days ago, I found out that Uncle Chao had served as a fireman in the army. We are very lucky."

Heifu said and invited Zhong to sit down.

Everyone comes from a poor background, and there is no need to imitate the aristocrats to kneel down and show courtesy. After bowing to each other, they sit cross-legged, wearing earthenware bowls that are dusty on the outside but washed with stream water on the inside. The emperor divides the meat with wooden ladles. Porridge.

Because he was reluctant to add salt, the taste of the porridge was a little lighter, but the dried meat already had a salty taste and was very delicious when chewed. At least Heifu felt that it was better than the millet he ate at the street restaurants in Anlu County that day. It's much more delicious.

But Chao Bo didn't seem to be satisfied with his craftsmanship. After taking a bite, he said with a smile that it would be better if it wasn't winter yet. He could also go outside to find some okra and put it in the soup, which would make it even more delicious. .

Even so, everyone regarded this as a delicacy and drank it down in a hurry. Mu and Ji Ying, the two guys who were reincarnated as hungry ghosts, were the first to finish eating. They immediately straightened their arms with a shy face and handed the pottery bowl to the court. In front of Bo: "One more bowl!"

Zhi was not as reckless as them, eating meat porridge in small bites. When the mother was at home, she often sighed, thinking that her second son would suffer hardship when he served in the army. Now it seems that not only did he not suffer hardship, his life was still very nourishing, and he was not in danger of being cold. Eat meat! Now he felt relieved.

At this time, Uncle Chao also came over to say hello to him. The two were similar in age and were both from Yunmeng Township, so they both felt that the other person was kind-hearted. After asking, I found out that the two had served in the military together and participated in the same war, but not in the same chapter.

"My younger brother is serving in the army for the first time. Thank you Uncle Chao for taking care of me during these days." Zhong was an honest and humble man and immediately thanked Uncle Chao.

Uncle Chao quickly stopped him: "How dare you, how dare you, our commander is clearly supporting us, otherwise we wouldn't be able to live a life of meat and porridge. This has never happened in the past dozen or so times of service! Do you think so? ?”

"Yes! Thanks to Heifuchang, today is possible!"

Everyone agreed with Uncle Chao's words, and then starting from Ji Ying, they talked about Heifu's heroic deeds in the past half month.

From encountering thieves near Huyang Pavilion and fighting one against three, to the county jail to outwitting Bo Gongtang, from being a soldier in the army and being made things difficult for hundreds of generals, to winning the first place in the ten-day competition, the grudges were avenged, and the county's reputation rose. Wei praised him, and the bowls filled with praises...

Under Ji Ying's eloquence, these things gurgled out and were baked by the warm stove fire, and turned into a thrilling story!

Zhong forgot that he was still holding a pottery bowl in his hand. His eyes widened and he couldn't believe that these things were all done by his dull and honest brother who didn't talk much since he was a child?

"Brother Zhong, is this really true?" After a while, Zhong finally closed his mouth and looked at Hei Fu.

"These days, Hei Fu seems to be in a dream. Thanks to my good luck and the blessing of my father's spirit in heaven, even if I encounter some obstacles, everything will be fine after all."

Hei Fu spread his hands, a little bit surprised that everyone was talkative. In his impression, the eldest brother was a person who didn't want to cause trouble and liked to live quietly. Why did Ji Ying, a talkative person, deliberately tell things in such a tortuous and sinister way? Looking for a fight!

Unexpectedly, Zhong stood up suddenly after being silent for a while, patted Heifu on the shoulder, and laughed.

"My middle brother has grown up and is promising! I am very happy for my brother!"

…

Although the watchman allowed his relatives to send him clothes and money, he was not allowed to stay overnight. After eating and chatting for a while, Zhong had to leave before dark. He planned to spend one night in a guesthouse in the county and return tomorrow morning. Go home slowly.

Heifu let everyone disperse, and he walked out alone with Zhong. Seeing that there was no one around, he took out a heavy robe from his arms and stuffed it into Zhong's hand...

Zhong's right hand was already holding the five dried meat sticks left by Hei Fu at home. He took the robe with his left hand and it suddenly felt heavy. When he touched it, he knew it was full of money, and he was shocked.

"Brother Zhong, this is..."

"This is the money I got from Na Yuanbai."

Heifu smiled and said: "I originally had four thousand, but I divided some with everyone in Shizhong. These 1,500 belong to me, plus the rewards for catching robbers before, a total of two thousand, all in it. I still have to do it for half a month. There is no use in doing labor here with me, it is better to give it to my uncle to take back."

"Then what are you going to do with the money?"

"I have three or four hundred left, which is enough to spend."

He was a little hesitant, but Hei Fu reassured him and kept telling him: "Hei Fu is not at home. He is frightened and naughty and ignorant. For my mother, I have to rely on my uncle and Aunt Qiu to take care of me. My mother is not in good health. My legs and feet are afraid of the cold in winter. Brother, I can go to the market tomorrow morning and buy a sheepskin jacket and let my mother cover my legs to keep out the cold."

"The farm tools at home are old and broken. We can't delay the spring farming. Brother, I will buy some farm tools when I go back. Remember to buy iron ones, they are easy to use."

"Sister-in-law Qiu has been married to my uncle for seven years. Many things have happened to the family one after another, and she has become increasingly poor. She can't buy any new clothes all year round, and all the money she gets from weaving day and night is reserved for the two elders Jing and I. The food is enough to fill the stomach.”

"Hei Fu was ignorant before, but now he understands the difficulties of my uncle and Aunt Qiu. He also asked my uncle to look at the suitable silk and cloth in the market and buy some to make clothes for Aunt Qiu and his nephews and nieces. . None of them have anything to wear, and my nephew is even naked. When guests come, they can only hide in the room. It makes me sad just thinking about it..."

As he talked, Heifu felt a wave of sadness in his heart. After all, his family was a civil servant, so he was no longer the poorest among them, but it was still so difficult for everyone in the family to have enough food and clothing.

The eldest brother is the backbone of the family. He is like a father. In the past few years, he gritted his teeth and worked hard to prevent Heifu and Jing from starving. As a result, at a young age, he himself had several gray hairs on his temples and a slight stoop. Life in this era was really not easy.

Therefore, the kindness he wants to repay is not only to his mother, but also to his elder brother.

Hei Fu finally said: "As for the surprise, tell him to settle down and serve his mother, take good care of his nephews and nieces, and when I go back, I will choose a good dagger for him!"

"Brother Zhong, if you do this, five or six hundred dollars will be spent..."

Zhong looked at his second brother and didn't know whether to be relieved or helpless. If he spent money like this, he wouldn't be able to live well. In his opinion, all the money should be given to his mother and saved under the bed, waiting for the black husband to build a new house and marry a wife when the family is divided.

But Hei Fu smiled disapprovingly: "Brother, don't worry, Hei Fu hereby promises that our family will be better and better in the future! If the money is gone, it will come back again!"

“If a thousand pieces of gold are gone, it will come back again…”

Zhong repeated this sentence, feeling a little frightened, and cursed: "I only got three or two thousand yuan on hand, how about a thousand yuan, you..."

He couldn't laugh or cry, but his heart felt warm. It was a good thing that his younger brother had such ambition. He didn't want his two younger brothers to be like himself, doing nothing and passing half of his life in a muddle.

It was getting late, and the two of them bowed to each other and said goodbye. When Zai Zhong carefully collected the money and limped out, Hei Fu called out again from behind.

"Brother uncle!"

Zhong turned around and saw Hei Fu bowing to him: "Brother, my legs and feet are inconvenient, and I have bought a lot of things. When I go back, don't walk, rent an oxcart that comes along the way! Remember, remember! Don't be reluctant to part with it. Spend money!”

"The same goes for Heifu! I will tell my mother what you said. See you in half a month!"

Zhong reluctantly waved to him and asked Heifu to go back quickly. It seemed that he had to be extravagant and took a car to go home.

"My family's life will get better and better..."

He turned around, looked at the setting sun, and smiled happily: "I hope so!"