Xie Ming

book continued
When the old man, whose son Chuanwu had died, was buried, he stubbornly refused to admit it and hardened his heart.

Everyone who asks says it's better to die, it's wonderful to die, it saves us from mischief, it saves us food, and it brings us peace of mind.

But as the cold winter days drew to a close, a mooncake broke my heart, and I burst into tears.

In February of the following year, he came to the east house at night and bluntly said that he was leaving!

The former employer was caught off guard by this remark and was so worried that he was unwilling to let it go.

The delayed spring crops are one issue, but the main problem is that over the years, I've gotten along well with Old Huang and we've developed a strong bond.

So he opened his mouth and moved his hands, trying to persuade and convince them, at least to get a clear answer before he would listen.

So he addressed me respectfully as Second Brother and asked, "What exactly do you think is inappropriate?"
In Anqing South, in front of the tombs of Chuanwu and Lao Huang, Xiao Lang, rarely having a moment to spare, sat under a pine tree, leaning against one side of the tombstone, talking incessantly.

Changting, who was listening intently, quietly crossed his legs and sat down on the spot.

"Heh, I didn't expect that Old Fan, the owner, is such a discerning man," Chang Ting muttered to himself.

"Ugh"

"People are all made of flesh and blood, and after living together for twenty years in the same courtyard, you would be anxious to have someone like me."

After saying this, Xiao Lang grabbed a jar of libation wine, tore off the seal and threw away the lid, and then took a couple of sips himself.

After a moment's thought, he continued speaking, and then proceeded to the next part of the story.

"While Old Fan was washing his feet, Old Huang pushed open the door and said something to him. He was puzzled, so he asked urgently, 'What part do you think is inappropriate?'"

"Old Huang was grunting and gritting his teeth, looking incredibly dull."

“To be blunt, there’s nothing wrong with what I say, but it’s me who’s inappropriate.”

"I want to learn traditional martial arts."

"In the blink of an eye, it's been almost half a year since my old man passed away."

“The child was ignorant when he was alive and always caused trouble, never letting anyone have peace.”

"But after he died, he changed his personality."

“Every night, he would rush to sit by my bedside and say, ‘Dad, it’s chilly, let me tuck you in.’”

"Or, tell me about the naughty things he used to do."

"oops"

"It's so annoying, I can't sleep at all."

"Hearing that it was Lao Huang who said that, the landlord Lao Fan was also heartbroken, so he tried to comfort him."

"Or, you could go and cry by the water vat again, burn some paper money, and that should make you feel better."

But Old Huang shook his head again and again.

“It’s no use. I’ve cried and prayed there so many times, but it’s still no use.”

"Now, I really can't cry anymore."

"Boss, I really can't take it anymore. If I don't leave soon, I'll feel like I'm going to die."

"Please let me go."

"Upon hearing this, the owner felt utterly disheartened."

"There's nothing I can do. Since they've already said they want to die, it's no use for you to keep pushing them away."

"Then he said, 'Well, the year is not peaceful right now, and it's freezing cold outside.'"

"Where else can you find traditional martial arts if you leave me?"

Old Huang waved his hand and said, "I'm not looking for him. I'm trying to avoid him, why would I beg everyone to look for that brat?"

"I was thinking that once I left the village, I would head north."

"Whatever the future holds, wherever I can sleep soundly at night, that's where I'll settle down."

As Xiao Jingchuan spoke of his sorrowful moments, tears welled up in his eyes.

"Sigh, I made this trip not because I wanted to see my son, but because I didn't."

"This"

Longing for the court, a face of sorrow and bitter taste.

Xiao Jing ignored his interruption and continued writing.

"So the owner had no choice but to let them pass."

"Once Old Huang left the house, the landlord, Old Fan, couldn't bear it no matter how he thought about it."

"The next morning, he got up and wrapped up a few more taels of silver."

"A poor family needs to be prepared for a long journey. Although we are just master and servant in the outside world, we have been doing things for twenty years. We must bring this little bit of travel money with us. It will be good to have it in case of an emergency."

"The Huang family tried every means to refuse, but they had no choice but to accept it."

"That day, it was snowing lightly."

"Old Huang led his wife and three maids, a family of five, and packed their bags early in the morning, heading north."

"Heading north, keep going."

"On the tenth day, we arrived at Hejian Prefecture."

"Perhaps from the long journey, their legs were numb and they were starving."

"Unexpectedly, it was the night I arrived in Hejian."

"Hey, Old Huang really didn't dream about Chuanwu and his wife nagging him." "So, at dawn, the whole family settled down in Hejian."

"And before I left, the master gave me some silver."

With that money, Old Huang rented a small shop at the entrance of the alley.

"The whole family works at the shop from morning till night, selling noodles for breakfast."

"When there's hope for the future and you're busy working hard, Old Huang's heart finally settles down and he feels at ease."

"In the blink of an eye, another ten years or so have passed."

"When this family first arrived in Hejian Prefecture, there was a locust sapling, about the thickness of a finger, in front of the shop they rented."

"Ten years have passed, and the tree has grown to the size of a large bowl, as thick as the rim of the bowl."

"It was the middle of the year, and the locust trees were in full bloom."

"It was absolutely full."

"The neighbors all say it's a good omen."

"But Old Huang just couldn't stand the tree."

"Just when the locust flowers were at their peak, sure enough, Chuanwu came to me again in my dream."

Old Huang was heartbroken, knowing that it was his dead son who liked to chew on locust flowers and suck honey for fun.

"This is the end for us."

"I had finally forgotten about him, but now that a tree is in full bloom, it has brought that gluttonous boy's soul back to him."

"There's no other way, let's keep heading north."

"The next day, the shop was closed and sold."

"Old Huang was thinking of taking his family of five on the road again."

"But after living in Hejian Prefecture for ten years, both of my eldest and second daughters have already been betrothed."

"Once married, one follows one's husband; it seems there's no moving forward."

So I tried to persuade him, saying, "Dad, it's been so many years, why can't you let go?"

"But Lao Huang may seem like a coward at times, but he's actually quite stubborn."

"Being stubborn and inflexible in everything."

"The two daughters couldn't persuade him, and Old Huang insisted on leaving."

"Having no other choice, the old woman and Sanya had no choice but to accompany him on his journey."

"Heading north, we're heading towards Beijing."

"But, fate is cruel, and now Old Huang and his wife are both getting old."

"The roads are busy with carriages and horses, and people have no time to rest."

"As soon as they arrived in Gu'an, his wife caught a cold."

"After just two days of medication, he passed away as soon as he was released."

"The reason why the third daughter accompanied her was entirely because she felt sorry for her mother."

"I've spent most of my life following Lao Huang, but I haven't enjoyed much happiness; all I've done is toil and hardship."

"Now that this old woman is dead, San Yatou is going to start making a scene."

"I had a huge argument with Lao Huang."

"At this point, the father and daughter broke up, and the third daughter didn't bother with him anymore, so she turned around and headed south."

"I'm thinking of going back to Hejian Prefecture to stay with my two older sisters."

"Old Huang is a man of strong ideas, and he's very single-minded."

"I bid farewell to my daughter, gave her most of the travel money I had on me, and insisted on continuing north."

"It wasn't until that winter, when the New Year was approaching, that he, dressed in tattered clothes, begged his way into the capital."

“That year, in the first month of the lunar calendar, Chuanwu had just turned twenty and was brought under my command. He had just been promoted to battalion commander.”

"He was alone in the capital, with no relatives or friends."

"On the Lantern Festival, I invited him and Minglu to drink at two restaurants."

He was released only after the banquet ended.

That night, snow was falling heavily, and Beijing was freezing cold.

"Wrapped in his robe, Chuanwu swayed as he headed back to camp."

"Taking a shortcut through the alley, I couldn't hold my pee, so I found a wall and was about to let it out when I saw a group of old men huddled in the corner, skin and bones, wearing tattered clothes, with snow covering most of their bodies."

"He meant well, and just like that, he brought the person back to the camp."

"Old Huang has been traveling north for over ten years, covering more than a thousand miles."

"But after all this time, after parting with his deceased son, he met Wang Chuanwu again."

"Back then, if my little one hadn't died, he would probably be this size by now."

"Ah, Chuanwu, Chuanwu."

"Old Huang, Old Huang!"

(End of this chapter)