The Great Qin Empire---Qin Li

Zhong was startled and hurried to help the man up. When did he have another younger brother?

Heifu also asked with a smile: "Ji Ying, what are you doing?"

Ji Ying raised his head and grinned: "Heifu's brother is my brother, Ji Ying, and I should perform the etiquette of a younger brother meeting a older brother!"

As he said that, he waved his hand, and everyone in Guishi came over.

"That's right, the elder brother of Shizhang is also our brother."

Led by Dongmen Bao, except for the older Chao Bo, other young people such as Xiao Tao and Zhu also followed Ji Ying's example, bowed to Zhong, and called him "brother"...

"This... I really can't bear it."

Zhong was a little at a loss, but Heifu knew that his elder brother didn't like to be the focus, so he quickly stopped everyone's overly enthusiastic welcome and invited Zhong into the house.

But this simple welcome shows Heifu's prestige in Shizhong.

"Brother, you came at the right time today. We are just about to put the meat into the pot!"

After Zhong followed them to the thatched cottage, Chaobo, Ping and three or four others were squatting there.

In the simple earthen stove, the firewood was burning brightly. The tall and big Mu squatted beside it, puffing up his cheeks and blowing hard on the fire. A pottery pot was placed on top, and the soup inside was boiling.

Chaobo asked Ping to cut the dried meat with a short sword and slowly put it into the pot. He also instructed the two brothers Ke and Bu to add the orange corn into the pot. He squinted his eyes and solemnly took out a small bag of salt from his arms, sprinkled it like sowing millet seeds, and seasoned the soup...

"After I started cooking for myself a few days ago, I learned that Chaobo had been a fireman in the army. We are so lucky."

Heifu said, and invited Zhong to sit down.

Everyone was born in poverty, so they didn't have to learn to kneel and show courtesy like the nobles. After bowing to each other, they sat cross-legged, holding earthenware bowls that were dusty on the outside but cleaned with stream water on the inside, and Chao Bo used a wooden ladle to share the meat porridge.

Because they were reluctant to add salt, the porridge tasted a little bland, but the dried meat was salty and tasted delicious when chewed. At least Hei Fu felt that it was much more delicious than the millet porridge he had eaten at the street restaurant in Anlu County that day.

But Chao Bo didn't seem to be satisfied with his cooking skills. After taking a bite, he smacked his lips and said that it would be better if it wasn't winter yet. He could also go outside to find some sunflowers and put them in the soup, which would be more delicious.

Even so, everyone had already regarded it as a delicious delicacy and drank it down in a gulp. Mu and Jiying, the two hungry ghosts who were reincarnated, finished eating first. They immediately stretched out their arms with a shameless face and handed the pottery bowl to Chaobo: "Another bowl!"

Zhong was not as reckless as them. He ate the meat porridge in small mouthfuls. When his mother was at home, she often sighed and thought that her second son would suffer in the service. Now it seems that not only did he not suffer, but he also lived a comfortable life without the fear of freezing and starvation, and he could eat meat! Now he was relieved.

At this time, Chaobo also came over to greet him. The two were of similar age and were from Yunmeng Township. They both felt that the other looked familiar. After asking, they found out that they had served in the military together and participated in the same war, but they were not in the same unit.

"My second brother is serving for the first time. Thank you Chaobo for taking care of him these days." Zhong was a sincere and humble person, and he immediately thanked Chaobo.

Chao Bo quickly stopped him: "How dare I, how dare I, it is clearly the sergeant who is supporting us, otherwise we would not have the meat porridge to eat, which has never happened in the past dozen or so years of service! Don't you think so?"

"Yes! Thanks to Sergeant Heifu, we have today!"

Everyone agreed with Chao Bo's words, and then started with Ji Ying, talking about Heifu's heroic deeds in the past half month.

From fighting one against three thieves near Huyang Pavilion, to escaping the crime in court in the county prison; from being harassed by the guests and generals when serving as a night watchman, to winning the championship in the ten-day competition, getting revenge, rising reputation, praised by the county lieutenant, and making a lot of money...

Under Ji Ying's eloquence, these things flowed, and once baked by the warm stove fire, they became a thrilling story!

Zhong even forgot that he was holding a pottery bowl in his hand. He widened his eyes and couldn't believe that all these things were done by his brother who was not talkative and honest since childhood?

"Zhongdi, is it true?" After a long while, Zhong closed his mouth and looked at Heifu.

"These days, Heifu seems to be in a dream. Thanks to my good luck and the blessing of my father in heaven, even if I encountered some obstacles, it was fine in the end."

Heifu spread his hands, somewhat blaming everyone for talking too much. In his impression, his eldest brother was a person who didn't want to cause trouble and liked to live a quiet life. Why did Ji Ying, who was so talkative, deliberately make things so tortuous and dangerous? He was asking for a fight!

Unexpectedly, Zhong stood up suddenly after a long silence, patted Heifu's shoulder, and laughed.

"My younger brother has grown up and has made great achievements! I am so happy for him!"

...

Although the night watchman allowed relatives to send clothes and money, they were not allowed to stay overnight. After eating and chatting for a while, Zhong had to leave before dark. He planned to stay in the guesthouse in the county for one night and go home slowly tomorrow morning.

Hei Fu asked everyone to disperse. He walked out with Zhong by himself. Seeing that there was no one around, he took out a heavy sack from his arms and stuffed it into Zhong's hand...

Zhong's right hand was already holding the five pieces of dried meat that Hei Fu left for his family. When he took the sack with his left hand, it was immediately heavy. He knew it was full of money as soon as he touched it. He was immediately shocked.

"Zhongdi, this is..."

"This is the money I got from Yuanbai."

Heifu smiled and said, "There were originally 4,000, and I shared some with everyone in Shizhong. This 1,500 belongs to me, plus the reward for catching thieves before, a total of 2,000 coins, all in it. I still have to do labor for half a month, and it's useless to keep it with me, so it's better to give it to my uncle to take back."

"What do you do with the money?"

"I still have 300 or 400 left, enough to spend."

Zhong was a little hesitant, but Heifu reassured him and kept telling him, "Heifu is not at home, Jing is naughty and ignorant, and my mother will have to rely on my uncle and Qiu's wife to take care of her. My mother is not in good health, and her legs and feet are afraid of cold in winter. My uncle can go to the market tomorrow morning and buy a sheepskin coat for my mother to cover her legs to keep out the cold."

"The farm tools at home are old and broken, and farming in spring cannot be delayed. My uncle can buy some farm tools and bring them back. Remember to buy iron ones, which are easy to use."

"Sister Qiu has been married to my uncle for seven years, and many things have happened to the family one after another. They are getting poorer and poorer. She can't buy new clothes all year round. The money she earns from weaving cloth day and night is all kept for me and Jing, two big eaters."

"Heifu was ignorant before, but now I understand the difficulties of my uncle and Sister Qiu. Please look at the silk and cloth in the market and buy some to make clothes for Sister Qiu and her nephews and nieces. They have nothing to wear, and my nephew is even naked. When guests come, he can only hide in the house. It's sad to think about it..."

As he spoke, Heifu felt sad. His family was a public official after all, and they were not the poorest in the village, but it was still so difficult to make sure everyone in the family had enough food and clothing.

The eldest brother is the pillar of the family. The eldest brother is like a father. He gritted his teeth and held on in the past few years to prevent Heifu and Jing from starving. As a result, he himself had several white hairs on his temples at a young age, and his back was slightly hunched. Life in this era was really not easy.

Therefore, he had to repay not only his mother, but also his elder brother.

Hei Fu finally said: "As for Jing, tell him to settle down and serve his mother, take good care of his nephews and nieces, and when I return, I will pick him a good dagger!"

"Zhongdi, this way, five or six hundred coins will be spent..."

Zhong looked at his second brother, not knowing whether to comfort or feel helpless. If he spent money like this, he would not know how to live. In his opinion, all this money should be given to his mother, pressed under the bed and saved, waiting for Hei Fu to build a new house and marry a wife when he divides the household.

Heifu smiled disapprovingly: "Don't worry, brother. Heifu promises that our family will have a better and better life in the future! Spend a fortune and get it back!"

"Spend a fortune and get it back..."

Zhong repeated this sentence, feeling a little frightened, and cursed: "You only got three or two thousand coins, and you are talking about a fortune, you..."

Zhong didn't know whether to laugh or cry, but his heart was warm. It was a good thing that his younger brother had such ambition. He didn't want his two younger brothers to be like him, doing nothing and spending half their lives in confusion.

It was getting late, and the two bowed and said goodbye. When Zhong carefully collected the money and limped out, Heifu called out from behind again.

"Brother!"

Zhong turned around and saw Heifu bowing to him: "Brother, your legs are not convenient, and you bought a lot of things. When you go back, don't walk, rent a bullock cart on the way! Remember, remember! Don't be reluctant to spend money!"

"Heifu, too! I will tell my mother what you said, see you in half a month!"

Zhong waved at him helplessly, asking Heifu to go back quickly. It seems that he will have to be extravagant and take a car home.

"My family's life will get better and better..."

He turned around, looked at the setting sun, and smiled with relief: "I hope so!"

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