With virtue

In Liu Family Village, people are constantly being recruited every day.

Those who were capable stayed, while those who weren't were given a bowl of porridge. The refugees all said that the village was kind, because in these days, wealthy families who were willing to give out porridge were like bodhisattvas in temples.

Oh, no, they're not the same.

Bodhisattvas do not give out porridge.

But there's something fishy about this. Some people have noticed that the manor is recruiting people far too frequently, to the point that the farmhands' dormitories are overflowing. No one knows how much work the owner of Liu Family Manor has left unfinished or how much food he has left uneaten.

But putting that aside, let's talk about another evening when a man dressed in tattered clothes, like the other refugees, stumbled and staggered his way here.

He was better off than the other refugees because he was better at weaving straw sandals, so he relied on straw sandals to walk along the way and could also earn a living by selling straw sandals.

But by this time, the soles of his straw sandals were almost worn through, because there was no suitable straw to weave around. He hadn't encountered any cities along the way, so even with his skills, there was nothing he could do.

His name is Zhang Wang. He originally came from Xiangzhou, but his hometown was hit by war. He was forced to flee with his mother, wife and young son. The family walked for half a month. First, his mother could not walk anymore. Her feet were swollen and it hurt terribly to take a step. She collapsed to the ground after two days.

His wife was kidnapped on the road. The kidnappers held knives to his throat, but fortunately, they kept their word and didn't kill him, only keeping his wife.

He fled in panic with his child in his arms, hiding here and there along the way. One night, the wind was strong and blew all night. The child developed a high fever that wouldn't go down and stopped breathing that night.

Thankfully, it's a daughter; I can accept it. If it were a son, my heart would truly break.

He left the child behind and continued to stumble forward. He walked along the road for some time, but his luck only got worse. He was particularly unlucky because the grass here wasn't suitable for weaving straw sandals, and there were no towns around, so no one would buy them even if he did.

As he walked, he found himself penniless and starving, having not eaten a single grain of rice for days. He felt that the road ahead was wide and the world was vast, but all the strength in his body had been drained by each step he took. Every step was drawing away his blood and energy, his vitality, and his...hope.

But perhaps, hope has long since vanished.

However, as we were walking, we suddenly saw smoke rising from a chimney by the roadside. When we went in to take a look, we found that it wasn't just smoke, but also people distributing porridge.

There were many people queuing next to the porridge stall, but he didn't notice it.

What he saw was the field behind him.

So many fertile fields are now thriving.

What a huge estate! The walls were built with blue and red bricks, and a long row of mulberry trees were planted outside, so weaving must have been a must. A series of rammed earth sections in front of the gate were clearly threshing grounds for autumn, which were wide and large, and I wonder how much rice and wheat they could dry.

Above the door is a lintel with a wooden plaque that reads "Liu Family".

Zhang Wang was, in the end, just a man who wove mats and sold shoes. He had fled from a time of hardship and had never seen much of the world. He only felt that the houses and roads in this manor were very neat and tidy, even more impressive than the wealthy families in the county they had ever seen.

This estate... these fields, these mulberry trees, this threshing ground, and the servants walking outside, the well-stocked storerooms... this, this is it... But just as he was lost in thought, the commotion at the entrance of the estate brought him back to his senses.

On that main road, many refugees, young and old, were already sitting. The queue was getting longer and longer, and if they didn't join the queue soon, they didn't know when they would be able to get some porridge.

He quickly lined up, putting away his fantasies, and kept swallowing hard.

Because you can see several young men who look like servants, whose fleshy bodies show that they have never lacked food or clothing, and they are now wandering around with big sticks in their hands.

He looked at the big pot. Although the porridge was very thin and contained many other things besides rice, it was still steaming hot.

The aromas of rice, barnyard grass, and wheat wafted straight into people's noses.

Zhang Wang could barely stand, but he was still drawn in by the aroma and couldn't move. He walked through the queue and got a bowl of tea.

He had to drink tea before he could eat porridge, so he downed the tea in one gulp, completely ignoring how hot it was.

The tea was originally meant to prolong the time; it was bitter, astringent, and scalding hot, so that one could sip it slowly to calm the mind and soothe the stomach, and then drink porridge.

But Zhang Wang gulped down the boiling water, then quickly took the porridge, ran to the side, squatted in the corner, tilted the bowl, and sipped it slowly.

Before I could finish half of the bowl of thin porridge, tears, mixed with the steam, began to drip into it.

A woman in her forties or fifties standing next to him had a particularly loud voice, so loud it made his teeth chatter, but he could guess what she was saying. It was nothing more than the landlord doing good deeds and hiring long-term laborers. Those who were strong and healthy could stay and work in the fields, but the weak and elderly couldn't be supported; sorry, it wasn't a charity. He was told to finish his porridge and head forward; ahead lay Dingzhou City, where there were plenty of opportunities and a bright future.

Zhang Wang was initially indifferent, but after shedding a few tears, he realized that life had to go on. No matter who died or what important things he lost, as long as he was alive, life had to continue.

After finishing the porridge and filling his stomach, he regained some strength. When he stood up, he saw that the estate was vast and the houses were magnificent, and he suddenly had the idea of ​​working there.

However, he was also somewhat worried.

Now I'm so thin I'm practically skin and bones. I'm afraid my employer won't want me, and I'm also afraid I won't be able to keep up with the work and end up working myself to death. That would be an even bigger problem.

As he hesitated alone in the corner, he looked up and saw a young Taoist priest coming from the south, walking right up to his side.

The Taoist priest seemed to be drawn by the crowd. His gaze did not linger on Zhang Wang, but instead looked at the crowd and the thatched hut, and listened to the old woman nagging beside him.

While the young Taoist was looking around, Zhang Wang was also looking at him. He noticed that the Taoist was very young, about seventeen or eighteen years old, wearing a patched Taoist robe, carrying a sword on his back, and looking travel-worn, clearly having come from a long journey.

The young Taoist priest was exhausted from walking. After looking at those things, he had a puzzled expression on his face.

Regardless, he squatted down and approached Zhang Wang, saying, "Brother, I'd like to ask for directions. Is this the only place around here where I can rest? Is there some kind of 'Old Tree Grandpa' nearby?"

Zhang Wang had just finished drinking when he put the bowl down on the ground and said rudely, "You've asked the wrong person. I just fled from another place and am here for the first time. I just sat down to have a bowl of porridge and I don't even know what this village is called. How would I know about old trees and new trees?"

After he finished speaking, he added, "Go into the village and ask the servants and stewards yourself; they are the locals." The Taoist priest saw that he was not in a good mood, but he was not angry. He just glanced at the line of people distributing porridge, seemingly lost in thought, and then asked, "Is all this porridge distributed by the owner of the village?"

Zhang Wang nodded, his expression relaxing somewhat, seemingly because his stomach was gradually warming up, which made him feel much more at ease: "Yes, the owner of Liu Family Village is truly a kind person. If you, Daoist, are hungry after your long journey, you can ask for a bowl of food. It's no trouble at all."

As he said this, he suddenly made up his mind and said to the Taoist priest, "Tomorrow I will go and apply for a job as a farmhand at this house. I'll see if I can get the job. If I do, I won't have to be a hooligan anymore. At least I'll have a decent meal and be able to live a good life."

Upon hearing this, the Taoist priest frowned slightly and said in a low voice, "I advise you not to become a farmhand."

Zhang Wang was stunned. His emotions, which had just calmed down, were suddenly agitated, and a surge of anger rose within him.

He had suffered so much, traveled for so long, and lost so much. He had finally found a way to survive and cleared away the gloom of the past. Now that he had just cheered up and was about to desperately seize the opportunity, the Taoist priest who appeared halfway through the journey casually said, "Don't go," as if he understood something!

This Taoist priest is talking without any sense of the consequences! Isn't this tantamount to cutting off his path to survival?!

He abruptly stood up, his recently calmed emotions flaring up again. His face flushed red as he glared at the Taoist priest and said, "You Taoist priest, you truly are an ignorant monk! I've fled here, penniless and powerless, my family is almost all dead. Instead of working, am I supposed to just sit on the road and wait to die?!"

"You're a monk yourself, you can beg for alms wherever you go, how could you know the difficulties we people face? You're all free spirits, carefree and dashing, you have no shortage of food and clothing, yet you charge us dozens of coins for a single bowl of talisman water! Do you know how many days I have to work to earn even a few dozen coins?!"

"They charge money for exorcising ghosts and performing rituals, and for making offerings and blessings, but they do absolutely nothing. They just come to your house to beg for alms, sit for a while, and ask if you want food or water! You're shameless! You just let any random family member in. Do you know how embarrassed and angry I was to even get in?!"

He grew angrier and angrier, so he simply ignored the Taoist priest in front of him, returned the bowl, and then, as if to encourage himself, strode toward the place behind the manor where the trial work was being carried out.

However, the Taoist priest didn't argue. After hearing these words, he simply sighed and followed closely behind. (Go to Bing and search for "Deqi" to see the latest chapter!)

When Zhang Wang quickened his pace, he quickened his pace; when Zhang Wang slowed his pace, he slowed his pace, following behind the other person at a distance that was neither too close nor too far.

Zhang Wang felt uneasy being followed and turned around to yell, "Are you out of your mind, Taoist priest? Why are you following me? Do you want to eat a bite of my food while I'm working?"

The Taoist priest remained calm and said, "I'm not going to do anything. I'll go and try it out myself. Don't go yet, let me observe."

Zhang Wang was even more embarrassed and angry, saying, "I didn't ask you to tell me what to do!"

The Taoist priest said, "If I'm wrong, you can go back to work tomorrow. If I'm right, you'll save your life."

Zhang Wang was speechless at his words, and looking at the other person's expression, he realized that he did not seem to be faking it.

He stood there, hesitant, but after thinking for a moment, he continued walking forward.

Zhao Yunshu and Zhang Wang walked one after the other towards the back of the manor.

When Zhao Yunshu arrived, it was already dark. He hesitated, glancing at Zhao Yunshu repeatedly, his heart pounding with anxiety.

This delay made it even later, and the red glow of the setting sun had already begun to fade.

The servants had actually seen the two of them hesitating on the road from afar, but they didn't come forward. When they finally reached the gate, it wasn't the foremen who were on trial, but another man who looked like a steward and was dressed in a brocade robe among the group.

The man seemed to have come on a special trip, and as soon as he arrived, he walked straight towards the young Taoist priest.

It seems that he came here specifically because he saw Zhao Yunshu wearing a Taoist robe and carrying a long sword on his back. Upon seeing the young Taoist, he put on a smile and ran out to greet him.

He lowered his head and said with a fawning smile, "Oh my! I didn't expect you to be a Taoist priest! My apologies, this is the middle of nowhere, not some big city, but it's been quite a while since I've seen any monks passing by. Are you here to ask for lodging, Taoist priest?"

Before Zhao Yunshu could answer, he immediately turned around and shouted inside, "Prepare a table of food and wine; a distinguished guest has arrived!"

The voice was very loud; I bet the whole courtyard could hear it.

Zhao Yunshu was also somewhat taken aback by what he saw.

Huh? You're treated that well?

But one shouldn't refuse a smiling face, so he immediately cupped his hands and said, "I've come from Dingzhou, traveling around until now. It's getting late, and I'd like to ask if it's convenient for me to stay at your esteemed estate for the night?"

"Convenient! How could it not be convenient?" The steward patted his chest without hesitation and said directly, "Our master has the utmost respect for monks and Taoists. We've been talking about it all night. If the Taoist priest would do us the honor of staying at our humble estate for a few more days, it would be a blessing for the estate! Our master often says that we should accumulate good deeds and cultivate good relationships with gods, Buddhas, and immortals, for that brings good fortune!"

As he spoke, he showed no prejudice against Zhang Wang, and together they had someone lead him into the manor without mentioning the matter of the farmhand.

Zhang Wangyuan hesitated to go in, but seeing this scene, he felt that he had hit the jackpot. He glanced at Zhao Yunshu and wondered to himself whether he had met a master or stumbled into a scam. Seeing that the Taoist priest was indifferent, he gritted his teeth. Anyway, he couldn't be fooled out of anything. At most, he would lose his life. So he stopped refusing, straightened his chest, and followed him into the manor.

The village was brightly lit, and the courtyards were not even made of rammed earth, but of stone bricks!

The courtyard was paved with stone bricks, making it spacious and clean. Many lanterns were hung up, illuminating the surroundings brightly, as if they didn't need to use any lamp oil.

The person in charge had been addressing Zhao Yunshu as an "honored guest" and had been busy giving orders to prepare hot water, wine, and dishes, and to tidy up the room.

Even Zhang Wang benefited from this and was arranged to stay in a small room in the side courtyard. He was also given hot soup and flatbread, which was much better than the porridge he had before!

He had never been treated with such hospitality before. For a moment, his legs felt weak, and he sat on the kang (a heated brick bed) covered with thick, dry straw, which was both dry and warm. He was at a loss for what to do.

In less than an hour, a table of food and wine had been set out in the main hall.

The owner of the Liu family did not show up in person, but only sent his steward to accompany him.

Zhao Yunshu sat down at the table and was invited to sit at the head of the table. The table was full of chicken, duck, fish and meat, and the wine was homemade by the manor, cloudy but refreshing.

The steward kept offering toasts and making small talk: "Where did you come from, Taoist priest? Where are you going to beg? Is there anything the manor can do for you?"

Zhao Yunshu exchanged pleasantries, saying that he was just passing through and was on his way to visit a friend in the south. He was looking for an old tree and wondered if the other person had heard of him.

Everyone around him shook their heads; they'd never heard of Grandpa Old Tree. Zhang Wang sat in an inconspicuous spot, just picking at his food and eating, his mouth glistening with oil. Gradually, he relaxed, his tension subsiding, and he considered himself incredibly lucky.

Looking at the table laden with food and wine, and the kind steward, he felt that Liu Family Village was truly the most benevolent village in the world, and that his luck had finally turned around and he had such good fortune!

However, although Zhao Yunshu was smiling, he only touched the wine in his cup to his lips. The steward urged him to drink again before Zhao Yunshu finally picked up the bowl and said, "Such generous treatment makes this humble Taoist feel ashamed!"

The steward quickly replied, "Not at all! I hope the Taoist priest won't take offense. Our master is just away on a long trip. If he were here, he would certainly accompany him personally!"