Go back to the prosperous days and become a layman

Chapter 495 494 Family
The hound heard the noise and barked twice. Tang Zhitong immediately ordered, "Go, scratch the door, and call the people out."

With the memory of previous feeding in mind, the dog obediently shut up and started scratching the door.

Tang Wenbang was sleeping soundly, dreaming of chewing a pig's head, when he was suddenly woken up by his wife: "Dad, the dog is scratching the door."

"I'll go and take a look." Tang Wenbang listened carefully and found it was true, so he stood up, put on his cotton jacket and trousers, and put on a worn leather jacket, put on his cotton shoes and walked out.

The hunting dog was alert. Since there was no barking, it must be a familiar face and not dangerous.

"Stop scratching, go away." Tang Wenbang opened the door, drove the two dogs away, and asked outside the door, "Who is it? It's late at night."

"Uncle, I'm Anzi." Tang Zhitong hurriedly spoke when he heard Tang Wenbang's question.

"Hey! Anzi! Why are you here so late?" When Tang Wenbang heard that it was Tang Zhitong, the crunching sound of his footsteps on the snow became faster, and he trotted over to open the door for his nephew.

"Hey, it's snowing heavily, and the road is hard to walk on. We're a little slow. Uncle, you hold the torch first, and I'll pull the things in." Tang Zhitong handed the torch to Tang Wenbang, then tightened the rope with both hands, leaned forward, and slowly pulled the sled.

There was no threshold at the door of Tang Wenbang's house, and there was snow inside and outside, so it could be pulled straight in.

Tang Wenbang ran behind the sled, pushed it in with one hand, and helped his nephew carry it in.

After Tang Zhitong entered the room, Tang Wenbang tugged at his leather jacket which was already tilted, squeezed the torch between the sacks of the sled, took a broom and went out to sweep the ruts clean.

"Uncle, let me do it." Tang Zhitong hurried forward to grab it, fearing that his uncle would follow the traces to find it. That would really cover his secret, and his method of using space to pull things out would be exposed.

"Just sweep it lightly. The sky won't clear up for a while, so it will be covered tomorrow." Tang Wenbang didn't grab Tang Zhitong and instructed while standing at the door.

"Okay." Tang Zhitong walked a few more steps outside and swept the section of his uncle's door flat with a broom, walking backwards while sweeping.

After Tang Zhitong fell into the gate, Tang Wenbang locked the gate again.

"You didn't come the past two days, I thought you would come next week." Tang Wenbang said to Tang Zhitong while knocking on Tang Gang's window: "Gangzi, don't sleep, your brother is here."

"Uncle, don't call me brother. I'll put these in the house first and have a sleep. We'll talk about it tomorrow morning." Tang Zhitong pushed the sled towards the door again and said.

"How can you come here without eating? You go into the house and rest first, I'll heat up some food for you." Tang Wenbang's wife had been listening to the noise outside. After hearing that it was Tang Zhitong who came, she also put on her clothes. At this moment, she heard Tang Zhitong's words and pushed open the door and replied.

"Auntie, that's not necessary. I brought my own food and ate it on the way." Tang Zhitong spoke up to stop her.

"Once you are here, just listen to me and your uncle. Eat whatever is available. Just be sure you don't mind." Tang Wenbang's wife didn't listen to Tang Zhitong at all. She turned around and went back to the house to busy herself.

"It's because of this incident." Tang Zhitong touched his head, feeling a little embarrassed. He came in a hurry and made his uncle's family unable to sleep well.

"I was thinking you would come two days ago. I waited for you at the train station for a long time, but I didn't see you." Tang Gang came out of the house yawning, and Jin Yumei came out with him.

Jin Yumei smiled at Tang Zhitong and said, "It's cold outside. You guys go inside and chat. I'll go light up the kang in the side room."

"Thank you, sister-in-law." Tang Zhitong thanked Jin Yumei, picked up a sack of corn, pulled it onto his shoulder, and prepared to carry it into the house.

"Gangzi, carry these things your brother brought into the house first. You don't know how to look at them." Tang Wenbang kicked Tang Gang lightly and urged him.

Tang Gang did not say anything back. He went forward and grabbed it. He realized it was corn, but he staggered and cried out, "It's so heavy!"

Although it was very heavy, the food inspired his strength and he managed to carry the bag into the house.

When Tang Zhitong put it down and came back, Tang Wenbang was trying to carry the last bag.

"Uncle, let me do it." Tang Zhitong hurried forward to lend a hand. His old arms and legs were weak, and if he dodged, it would be no joke.

"Alas, I'm old. When I was young, I could carry ten bags in a row without taking a break." Tang Wenbang put down the sack and patted his old waist.

"Uncle, you are not old, you are just hungry." Tang Zhitong glanced at Tang Wenbang's face in the light of the torch. He looked thinner than the last time they met.

Tang Wenbang sighed when he heard this. Who isn’t hungry these days?

After Tang Zhitong carried the sack into the house, Tang Wenbang picked up the remaining small packages, pushed the torch into the snow to put it out, stood it up at the door, and followed him into the house.

Tang Zhitong threw down the sack, went back outside the door, stomped his feet, took off his officer's uniform, shook off the snow on it, put it on again, and closed the door when he returned to the house.

"Is everything okay at home?" Tang Wenbang put his things on the big table, went into the inner room, took off his shoes and got on the kang.

"Well, everything is fine. My mother is very concerned about you." Tang Zhitong walked over and sat on the kang with Tang Gang.

"Don't worry. There are mountains and water here. You won't starve to death." Tang Wenbang took his pipe from the bedside, emptied a pot, took off the lampshade of the kerosene lamp, and leaned over to light it.

"You can't get sick from hunger." Tang Zhitong took out a cigarette, gave one to Tang Gang, took one for himself, and put the rest directly on the small table on the kang.

"Have you been here for several days?" The kerosene lamp was not on. Tang Gang moved forward, lit it himself, and then moved the lamp towards Tang Zhitong.

"Well, it's Thursday. I came out from the staff passage. I guess we went in different directions." Tang Zhitong came over to light it and covered the lampshade.

From some small details, one can see how much importance his uncle attached to his trip. Not only did he send a telegram to inform him that it was difficult to travel in the ice and snow, he also arranged for Tang Gang to pick him up at the station.

"Hey, that's not necessarily the case. Were you wearing the same outfit that day?" Tang Gang asked, looking at his cousin's tall and slim woolen coat with envy.

"Yeah, you came here wearing this." Tang Zhitong was stunned.

"You're not allowed to park sleds at the station entrance, so I was a little further away. When I saw someone wearing this outfit, I thought it was an official, so I didn't look at it for long. Plus, you were wrapped so tightly that I didn't recognize you." Tang Gang touched his head in annoyance.

"You unlucky child, why didn't you go up and ask? You didn't even tell me when you came back." Upon hearing this, Tang Wenbang glared at Tang Gang and complained.

"Who would have thought that Anzi would have such clothes." Tang Gang felt that he was wronged and defended himself.

"Uncle, don't blame big brother. It's normal that he didn't recognize him. This outfit is indeed only available to people of a certain level. My wife borrowed it from my mother-in-law." Tang Zhitong also defended Tang Gang. It was lucky that he didn't recognize him. Otherwise, if he had appeared twice, he would have lost the package and had rabbit leather shoes on him, and he would have been exposed.

"Tsk tsk, your father-in-law is of quite high rank?" Upon hearing this, Tang Gang's attention was diverted and his eyes lit up.

"He passed away two years ago. I didn't ask him what level he was in." Tang Zhitong explained. "Okay, stop asking questions. It would be better for you to come to the forest farm first. You can arrange for food to be delivered directly to the station when you leave, so you don't have to haul it here in the cold weather." Tang Wenbang complained with heartache.

"Uncle, these are for you and my aunt. My share is kept by a friend." Tang Zhitong made up a "friend" out of nothing.

"For us? That won't do! Food is so expensive and scarce right now. You take it back and we can buy some ourselves if we're short of it." Upon hearing this, Tang Wenbang immediately shook his head and refused to take it.

"Oh, don't refuse. My family hasn't finished eating all the dry goods you brought over last year. It's settled!" Tang Zhitong didn't listen to Tang Wenbang and his attitude was very firm.

"No, no, I'm your uncle, isn't it my duty to give you something?" Tang Wenbang was still stubborn.

"We are all family, and you should take care of the younger generation. But as a younger generation, since I have the ability, it is also my duty to respect you and my aunt, right? If I take her back again today, I'm afraid grandma will beat me in her dream." Tang Zhitong had no choice but to carry the old lady out. If the old man were still alive, he would probably support him in doing so.

"Why are you talking to the child in the middle of the night? Let Anzi eat first." At this time, Tang Wenbang's wife came in with a plate and a bowl. There were three cornmeal steamed buns on the plate and chopped sausages in the bowl.

"Well, I'll eat first. I've been missing what Auntie made on the way." Tang Zhitong chuckled. He had already kept the food, so he didn't worry about whose food this meal came from.

"The food is not good, a bit tacky, just make do with it for now." The old lady put it down, turned around and brought in two bowls from the outer room, one bowl of pickled vegetables and the other bowl of corn grits porridge, and handed Tang Zhitong a pair of chopsticks.

"Auntie, this meal is not just mediocre at all, it's very good." Tang Zhitong was really a little hungry. He threw away the cigarette butt, stood up, washed his hands, rubbed the water on his body, picked up the chopsticks and started eating.

The sausages are probably made from the same wild boar meat as last time. As for the taste... just give it a try. Pickles are more to my liking.

"Eat more meat, don't just eat the pickles." Tang Wenbang reminded his nephew as he watched him wolf down the food.

"The pickles are delicious. Auntie, must you pickle them yourself?" Tang Zhitong asked with his cheeks puffed up and he chewed a little.

"Eat slowly and don't choke. We still have a lot at home. If you like it, I'll bring some back with me." After cleaning up the outer room, the old lady added some firewood to the kang and said.

"Well, this is fine. I like it." Tang Zhitong grinned after swallowing it.

Some people wish pie would fall from the sky, and it has to be their favorite filling and fall directly into their mouths.

However, some people firmly believe in "no reward without merit". If they take advantage of others for free, it will be like a knot in their heart. They will think about it from time to time and feel uncomfortable.

Tang Zhitong said this on purpose, wanting to give his uncle at least some money so that they could accept the food with peace of mind.

"Anzi, the kang is lit, you should sleep in Wangzi's room." Jin Yumei came in from outside, stomped her feet and said.

"Okay, thank you sister-in-law. I brought you some mountain red from home, you can try it later." Tang Zhitong grinned and smiled at Jin Yumei.

"Oh, thank you for thinking of me. I'll thaw some pears for you tomorrow." Jin Yumei felt a little embarrassed.

"That's great. I often hear people talk about frozen pears, but I haven't eaten them yet. Thank you, sister-in-law." After saying this, Tang Zhitong continued to eat, mainly drinking porridge.

I have already finished a steamed bun. It’s not good to eat too much in the middle of the night. I just need to drink some porridge to fill my stomach.

"Eanzi, please eat more." Seeing that Tang Zhitong had no intention of picking up his chopsticks, the old lady gave way.

"Auntie, just eat this. It's hard to digest if you eat too much in the middle of the night. Eat tomorrow." Tang Zhitong drank the porridge slowly, poured some water in it and drank it down, then put down his chopsticks completely.

"Okay, let's eat tomorrow." Seeing that Tang Zhitong had no intention of eating anymore, the aunt and Jin Yumei, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, put away the things on the table.

"Uncle, when I entered the forest farm gate, the guard was sleeping, so no one saw me coming all the way here. When daybreak comes, the traces of my coming will be covered by snow. I can quietly collect the food and share some with my aunt later. It will be enough to supplement the fixed amount. It should be enough to last for more than half a year. After we finish eating, we can think of a way."

Tang Zhitong had almost finished his meal and told Tang Wenbang about his plan.

"It's getting late. You should go to bed first and we'll talk about it tomorrow." Tang Wenbang puffed on his cigarette with a frown on his face. He really didn't want to collect Tang Zhitong's grain.

"Okay! I'm really a little tired, so I'll go and rest first."

Familiar room, familiar bed, familiar bedding.

Tang Zhitong lay on it, but did not fall asleep immediately. Instead, he counted the harvest he had pulled out of the river this afternoon.

There were about a thousand kilograms of corn, about two hundred kilograms of rice, more than four hundred yuan in the cash box, and six small yellow croakers.

What a great harvest!
No wonder merchants had such a low status in ancient times, but there were still so many people willing to come and do business. How could hard work bring such huge profits from business?

The grain was slightly wet, and Tang Zhitong separated the surface moisture to ensure that it would not deteriorate when taken out.

After dealing with all this, Tang Zhitong yawned and fell into a deep sleep.

Tang Wenbang in the main room couldn't sleep and kept sighing.

"Isn't Eucalyptus' family doing well? Why are you sighing?" his wife asked when she heard him sigh.

"I feel sorry for my second brother. He is gone, and I have been complaining about him for so many years."

"Didn't you know this before? Burn more paper for our brother during festivals."

"Burning paper is useless." Tang Wenbang retorted.

"Then when we are both buried, I will accompany you to apologize to the Wu Kingdom. Let the children cook some wine and food for us, and you two brothers can have a few drinks."

"The person is gone, what's the point of having that."

"This won't work, that won't work, what do you want to do?"

"I just feel uncomfortable. As an uncle, I feel bad asking my nephew to buy food for us." Hearing his wife suppressing her anger, Tang Wenbang softened his words.

"We won't ask for it for nothing. We'll give him the money when he leaves."

"Oh, this is the only way." Tang Wenbang knew the situation at home very well. Although he didn't want Tang Zhitong's food, the ration was not enough!
Tang Wenbang knew that food was expensive, and he also knew that he might not be able to afford the price of all this food, but what could he do?

(End of this chapter)