Be a small county magistrate in ancient times

Chapter 654 Unfamiliar
"Where's your dad?" Meng Changqing was such a gossip.

“My dad was jealous of my mom’s good life, but I protected her, and Xichun protected her too, so he didn’t dare to do anything to my mom. He could only take his anger out on his brother.” Xidong spoke of this with undisguised satisfaction on his face. “The two of them argued every three days and fought every five days. Although my uncle had a loud voice, he was no match for my dad’s strength, and my dad often gagged him and beat him.”

The two walked and talked along the ridge of the field.

“My dad is angry with my uncle. Now he doesn’t believe anything my uncle says, and he won’t let him touch the food at home. He can only get a meal every two or three days.”

He was already thin, and lately he hasn't had much to eat. In addition, he's been beaten frequently, so now he doesn't even have the strength to walk. He lies on the kang (a heated brick bed) all day and tries not to move as much as possible.

But my dad just can't stand his lazy attitude. Plus, it's been busy with spring harvest lately, and he can't manage all the land allocated to him by himself. Now he gets angry whenever he sees his brother.

My mother said she could hear him hitting his brother every night.

Xi Dong and Luo Yunxi never said these things. Talking about one's parents behind their backs is not something children should do. If others hear it, they will say that she is immature.

It's such a pity to keep all these good things to yourself and have no one to share them with.

Since the adults have asked, she might as well take this opportunity to talk about it, since the adults know her family's situation very well anyway.

When she talks to adults, no one comes over to listen.

"Doesn't your mother care about your father?"

Meng Changqing is a very suitable person to confide in. She likes to listen to other people's gossip and doesn't like to express her own opinions, but she will ask a question at a crucial moment to let the other person continue.

Just like now. Xi Dong continued, "To be honest, I was worried about this before. A few days before spring plowing, I even went home to check. No matter what my father did or said, my mother acted as if she didn't see it. I think anyone with a brain would prefer to live a comfortable life."

Now, in that family, only my younger brother still occasionally talks to his father, but if my mother sees him, she makes him go eat with his father, and gradually my brother has stopped paying attention to his father altogether.

“I should have known that your mother also had a temper,” Meng Changqing said. “Children’s temperaments are influenced by their parents to some extent. Seeing how decisive and persevering you are, I know that your mother laid a good foundation for you.”

Xi Dong was a little embarrassed, and the topic returned to the official fields, "Are we still planting wheat tomorrow?"

"kind."

Meng Changqing took Xi Dong to her place before turning back to the county government office. Xi Bei sat on the wall watching her go back and forth. When the person came up to her, Xi Bei climbed down the ladder and asked in confusion, "Why do you cherish her so much? She seems like a very ordinary person."

“Aren’t you answering your own question? Just because you’re ordinary, you’re the same kind of person as me,” Meng Changqing said. “Don’t you find it tiring? You should rest earlier.”

“You’re the one who doesn’t get tired. I can at least rest while sitting on the wall, but you’re just like…” Xi Bei quickly stopped mid-sentence, remembering there were other people around and she couldn’t embarrass her. “Hey, I’m going to sleep.”

The next day, when Qi Renli came over to report on his work, Meng Changqing told him that Xu Tongjun wanted to see him.

Judging from Qi Renli's expression, he didn't seem to know Xu Tongjun very well. "Why would a county magistrate like him want to see me?"

"Lord Xu said you were kind to him." Seeing that he seemed to be recalling something, Meng Changqing couldn't help but ask, "You don't know Lord Xu?"

"The name sounds familiar, so I should know him," Qi Renli said, frowning. "But I don't know him well, and I don't know when I did him any favors."