Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 3: Bowing down for five buckets of rice
Zhang Yanling's injuries had mostly healed, and the first time he went out in this life was to go to Xingji City with his father to borrow money from the eldest wife.

As soon as they got up in the morning, the family was busy packing. Unlike in the past when they would put on airs to show off their wealth, this time they pretended to be down and out. In fact, they didn't have to be too deliberate, they just removed the usual disguises to show the true state of the home at the moment.

"Father, I want to go with you."

The beautiful little girl Zhang Yu looked timid and spoke to her father in a pleading tone.

Zhang Luan showed his feudal stubbornness and shouted, "How can a girl from a boudoir go out? Even if you really want to go to the Sun Mansion, you can't show up. Boss, what are you doing?"

Zhang Heling was asking his mother Jin for money for expenses with a sullen face: "Dad, wait a minute... Mom, one penny is really not enough. I bought two steamed buns for lunch. My second brother and I can't even eat one each. Can you give me another penny... Hey, thank you, dear mother."

Jin searched hard and took out two cents, which Zhang Heling put into his pocket, saying that he was keeping them for his brother.

Originally, Zhang Luan only planned to take Zhang Yanling out, but unexpectedly Zhang Heling also begged to go with them. Anyway, there were only two boys in the Zhang family, so Zhang Luan had no choice but to agree.

"Go early and come back early. The city is not peaceful. Don't let any evil spirits touch you."

Jin was a superstitious person. Before Zhang Luan and his son left, she gave them a lot of instructions, "Son, take good care of your brother. He hasn't recovered yet and might not be able to walk for a long time. Just sit with him, but don't cause any more trouble. His father, if you can't come back, hire a donkey cart..."

"I know, I know. Mom, why are you so annoying? Second brother, follow me. I will protect you."

Zhang Yanling was listening and felt an inexplicable warmth in his heart.

Although he was well-versed in history and knew that the guy in front of him would be of no use in the future, the brotherhood was strong from beginning to end. After all, they were birds of a feather, and the two brothers were in the same boat on the issue of being a good-for-nothing. Even if they were not of one mind, they did not quarrel with each other.

In this case, this elder brother is still worth making friends with.

……

……

The farm where the Zhang family lived was located six or seven miles outside of Xingji City. At that time, there were many villages and towns surrounding the county town. In addition, the fertile land of thousands of miles was flat, and it was close to the Grand Canal and the official road. There were many people coming and going, so it didn't seem lonely.

When they were almost at the city gate, Zhang Luan was still giving instructions to his son.

"When you get to the mansion, behave yourself. Your father is going to use your studies as an excuse to get a few taels of silver from the mansion."

Zhang Heling smiled slyly when he heard this: "Dad, you didn't even send my brother and me to a private school. My second brother and I only know those two words. If we say we want to study hard, will people believe us?"

Zhang Luan got angry when he heard this and cursed, "What do you know, little brat? What else can I say?"

Zhang Yanling seemed to remind him intentionally or unintentionally: "Father, why don't you talk about your study at the Imperial Academy? Dad failed the provincial examination this year, but with your knowledge, you can pass the provincial examination and become a tribute supervisor. After graduating from Beiyong, you can be sent to serve as an official. Isn't that great?"

Zhang Luan was stunned by this, and looked puzzled: "Where did you hear that? Don't talk nonsense if you don't understand."

Although he blamed his son, his words created ripples in the old father's heart, so much so that Zhang Luan kept thinking about it carefully for the rest of the journey.

Zhang Yanling thought, is this opening the Pandora's box in your heart?
In history, if it weren't for the fact that you were a tribute student in Beijing and your entire family was stranded in the capital, and you happened to encounter the prince's selection of a concubine, how could it be such a coincidence that such a big pie fell from the sky and hit you?
In history, Zhu Youtang's selection of the Crown Princess was carried out hastily after the death of Concubine Wan in the first month of the 23rd year of Chenghua. It was completed that month. There was no large-scale selection across the country. In other words, only girls from impoverished families in the suburbs of Beijing were selected. It was precisely because the Zhang family lived in the capital and had some background in the court that Zhang's daughter was successfully selected.

This again brings us to Zhang Yanling’s two “uncles”.

Xu Qiong.

Shen Lu.

They are all famous figures in history.

Before the three of them arrived at the Zhang family mansion, they ran into a smiling scholar in a blue shirt. He greeted them from a distance: "Aren't you here to visit? But are you going to the county school? Oh, the two boys are so big now?"

But he is Zhang Luan’s classmate.

The two exchanged pleasantries for a while, and the visitor looked at the two brothers in gray and old clothes with some emotion: "Laizhan, I heard that you haven't been doing well recently. Look at your child. I have a private school here. I am recruiting teachers. The monthly tuition is six cents of silver, and in the autumn, you can get three to five dan of rice. The next big exam will be three years later, so I have to make some arrangements for the women and children at home."

Good news doesn't travel far, but bad news travels far and wide. Recently, Zhang Luan has been going to the city frequently and has to borrow money to make ends meet. This news has spread among a group of people he knows.

How could Zhang Luan endure such an insult?
He refused immediately out of pride: "No need, I plan to take the Beiyong entrance exam, and I'm going to the big house to discuss this matter."

"Ah? Then... I wish you all the best."

When this man said goodbye to Zhang Luan, there was a hint of mockery on his face. It was obvious that in his heart he had long regarded Zhang Luan as an idiot with unrealistic ideals, but he was embarrassed to say it out of consideration for the relationship.

Zhang Heling asked with great interest: "Dad, are you going to study?"

"What else?"

Zhang Luan glanced at his youngest son, feeling a little embarrassed.

The youngest son had just suggested it to him, but in the blink of an eye he used it in front of his classmates and used it as an excuse to refuse help from others when he was down and out.

Zhang Yanling couldn't help but sigh in his heart, it is true that like father, like son. No one would believe if he said he was not biological son.

……

……

The father and his two sons arrived at the Zhang family mansion through the side door instead of the main door. Perhaps Zhang Luan also wanted to save face, so he didn't go through the main door to borrow money, so as not to be embarrassed when being kicked out.

I went up and knocked on the door, but no one answered after knocking for a long time.

Finally, Zhang Heling got anxious and went to help his father smash the door, and finally called the person inside out. "Are you in a hurry to call the soul out? Hey, isn't this the master of the second house? Why did you come here with such good intentions?"

The person who came out was the steward of the Zhang residence. He was not too friendly when he saw Zhang Luan and his two sons. Perhaps Zhang Luan had done this kind of thing many times before, and everyone knew the purpose of Zhang Luan's visit.

Zhang Luan smiled and said, "I came to see my second brother. It's almost the end of the year. Let's talk about the harvest in the fields."

"Wait first."

Out of consideration for the situation, the other party turned around and went in to pass the message, and first took the father and his two sons to a chicken coop in the side yard to wait.

When Zhang Heling saw the old hen jumping up and down in the chicken coop, he went up to tease her with a straw stick, laughing as he did so.

Soon, the steward came out and invited the father and his two sons to pass through a porch. Inside was a square courtyard. Zhang Luan asked the two boys to wait in the courtyard first, and he followed the steward inside to find Zhang Yin, the patriarch of the Zhang family.

"Second brother, how about we bring a chicken back when we leave so that it can lay eggs for us?" Zhang Heling urged his younger brother.

Zhang Yanling said, "Brother, we are here to borrow money, can you please not think of stealing? If someone is missing a chicken, wouldn't they think it was us who did it?"

"Ok?"

Zhang Heling looked at his brother in surprise.

When he talked about this kind of thing with his younger brother before, his younger brother was much more enthusiastic than him. Why is he lecturing himself today?

"Second brother, after this beating, I feel like you are different now. Did that blow knock out all your courage? If you don't do it, I will. If he doesn't pay us, I will move his chicken coop!"

After hearing this, Zhang Yanling wanted to give this big brother a thumbs up.

You are still awesome.

You are fearless and probably will treat the Ming Dynasty court as if it were the Zhang family in front of you, and do whatever you want with it?
The two brothers were bored and were scratching the ground with a stick each. A young man, about sixteen or seventeen years old, dressed in fine clothes, came in from the opposite door and strode up to the two brothers.

"You two again? Why are you here?"

The visitor was Zhang Yin’s second son, Zhang Yue.

Zhang Heling threw the straw stick to the ground and said angrily: "Even if this is your home, it is also Zhang's territory. Who said we can't come?"

Zhang Yue seemed too lazy to pay attention to the two brothers, with a cold expression: "Don't follow your father to borrow money again... Hey, have some shame, why don't you borrow from your aunt? They are rich and powerful, we are a small family... Whose life is easy? Just borrowing but not paying back, if this continues, one family will drag down several families!"

After saying that, Zhang Yue went into the inner courtyard.

"Snob."

Zhang Heling started cursing only after Zhang Yue had walked away.

Zhang Yanling also saw that Zhang Yue looked down on his family, but the problem was that he felt what he said made sense.

When you can't make ends meet, you don't think about how to create wealth, you just want to borrow on credit.

Can you say that he is a snob?

The most we can say is that he is honest and speaks his mind.

……

……

Zhang family main hall.

Zhang Luan was sitting in the first guest seat, with his head lowered, carefully waiting for Zhang Yin's answer.

The most tormenting thing for a borrower is to ask for a loan, wait for others to find an excuse to refuse, and then go through the emotional tug of war.

"...Laizhan, you are not unaware of the current situation at home. After Mr. Chen retired, our only support in the court is your family's Xu Hanlin, who is the president of the Nanjing Hanlin Academy. Although our relationship is a little distant, it is still a bond. Previously, you came to borrow money many times, and I tried my best to accommodate you. That's why."

This is about how Zhang Luan married his sister to Xu Qiong as a concubine in order to gain political resources for the Zhang family.

Zhang Yin was willing to lend money to Zhang Luan because of his brother-in-law.

Zhang Luan sighed, "It's a pity that I'm in Nanjing, there's not much I can do to help."

"Whether I can help or not is secondary."

Zhang Yin said, "There is something I want to tell you about right now. There is a Jinyiwei commander in the court, Wan Tong, Uncle Wan. You should have heard of him. His manors are basically all in the Bazhou area, but he also has land in Xingji..."

"I know."

Zhang Luan said, "The Wan family's uncles are well-known in Northern Zhili and have great power!"

Zhang Yin nodded and said, "This is just a coincidence. His followers in Xingji heard that your family has a beautiful girl and wanted to take her as a concubine. They came to my house to ask about it. I told them that your girl has been betrothed to someone else and I'm afraid it won't work out.

"I was thinking, if you agree to this marriage and get it done, we will have Uncle Wan as a noble family to support our Zhang family. Whether it is the Zhang family's establishment in Xingji in the future, or you go to Beijing to study, or even seek a position as a minister, it will all be a matter of a word. I can't make the decision on this matter, so you can think about it yourself."

(End of this chapter)