Seventeen years ago in Jiangnan, when it came to the Xue family, no one knew about it. The Xue family is the most famous and wealthy family in the local area.
There are still troublesome people at the feet of the emperor, and the poor are naturally indispensable in the wealthy town. The Xue family opened a shantang and recruited part-time workers. If they had all their hands and feet, they would take back and do some work within their ability. grain.
The shantang of the Xue family is opened three times a day, and every evening, people who come and go will see a young man with clear eyes and beautiful eyes. The locals all know that this is the only seedling of the nine generations of the Xue family, Xue Chang.
Since ancient times, the Xue family has valued agriculture and neglected business. No matter how wealthy the Xue family is, they are still inferior to others. Both Master Xue and Master Xue pin their hopes on Xue Chang, hoping that he will one day be able to embark on a career, so they invited the best local master to teach him to read, and He invited a master with high kung fu skills to teach him some martial arts to strengthen his body. He was afraid that he would be too tired. He would also ask him to go to the Shantang every evening to help him, and he should have a rest.
Xue Chang lived up to his expectations, he learned something at a young age, passed the academy exam early, and only waited for the township exam three years later to shine.
This year, Xue Chang was thirteen years old, with a cheerful personality, high spirits and high spirits.
It is rainy in the south of the Yangtze River, and it will last for many days at a time. The green bricks of the alley spread along the base of the wall with two curved moss. Under the base of the wall, there is a small figure, thinly dressed, shivering with cold, and hungry in the stomach. The unbearable purring echoed with the gurgling rain.
When it was almost evening, I looked up at the alley and saw that there were more people there from a distance. It should be Shantang that was about to open its doors. The small body stood up against the wall with one hand, and the other hand covered the stomach that was kicked and hurt, and walked there full of hope and hidden fear. He hadn't eaten for two days in a row, and every time he finally got some food, others would take it away. This time, he had to protect everything he said.
The little boy came again, still smiling, wearing very nice clothes, with an umbrella at his feet, and holding a steamed bun in his hand and handing it to the person in front of him. Oh no, it's not a steamed bun today, it's a bun today!
On his small face full of dirt, his eyes were shining brightly, and he pursed his lips and hurried to the end of the line. As soon as he stood firm, a stinky boy squeezed over and pushed the small body back. The thin lips pursed even tighter, daring not to speak out in anger, afraid of being beaten, so he could only bow his head silently.
He lowered his eyes and moved forward step by step, sometimes being pushed back a step, and finally it was his turn, his face raised, and he took the two big buns handed over by the little boy with both hands, and said in a low voice. "Thank you", turned around and ran to the corner to squat.
This time, he learned to be smart. He didn't go far, and he could see the crowd in line as soon as he looked up, but he didn't expect that as soon as he put the buns in his mouth and took a bite, he was snatched by the stinky boy who often bullied him, and then he was pregnant. The buns in it also disappeared.
"Give it back to me!" Although the little body was thin, he was so annoyed that he still managed to exert some strength to catch up and grab the stinky boy's arm.
For fear of being heard by the people next to him, the stinky boy kicked his leg when he struggled, and kicked him to the ground with one foot, making him get up, drag him, and kick again. The small body was kicked twice without a word, and the pain was so painful that he fell to the ground, and when he got up, he couldn't catch up, his legs fell limply to the ground, and the rain on the blue brick soaked his pants, so he had to stare. Tears watched his buns run farther and farther.
When I was sad, a shadow suddenly fell from the top of my head, and then came a very nice young voice: "Are you being bullied?"
The small body froze, and quickly got up from the ground, turned to look at him, lowered his head and said nothing.
Seeing that the mud on his face was washed out of small ditch by the rain, and his body was so thin that it could be blown down by a gust of wind, he couldn't help but soften his voice: "Did the buns be taken away?"
The little head nodded.
The boy turned back and shouted, "Chunlai, bring two buns!"
The guy over there hurriedly brought him two steamed buns in the rain. The young man stretched out his hand to take it, turned his head and handed it over: "Eat it while it's hot, there's water at the door, and if you're thirsty, drink it yourself."
"Thank you!" The small body swayed, and he took the bun with his hands sullenly.
"Eat slowly. If anyone else grabs it, you can sit at the entrance of Shantang." The young man ordered and turned around and left. He just walked two steps and suddenly heard a muffled sound behind him. He turned his head and saw that his small body fell to the ground and fainted. past.
This year, Yun Qi was seven years old. After he fainted from hunger, he was brought back to the house by Xue Chang to find a doctor to have a look, and then he stayed.
Xue Chang asked, "What's your name?"
Shaking his head.
Xue Chang asked again, "Where are your parents?"
Still shaking his head.
Xue Chang continued to ask, "Who raised you in the past?"
Biting her lip, she replied in a low voice, "...Uncle."
"What about your uncle?"
"… died."
"What did your uncle call you before?"
After a long while, the urn said, "...Uncle is mute."
Xue Chang was stunned for a moment, and then said, "Do you know what your surname is?"
Nodding: "… Cloud."
Xue Chang has never seen such a reticent boy. It seems that every word is very difficult, but after cleaning up, he is very seductive, with red lips and white teeth, not like a child from a poor family, and he is very polite, maybe it is someone. A large family has suffered a change to fall into such a field.
Xue Chang thought for a while and said, "Since you live in my Xue family now, then I'll name you Yun Qi, okay?"
Yun Qi blinked, not knowing how to write this word, but he thought it sounded very nice, pursed his lips and nodded.
Orphans who are too young like Yun Qi, the Xue family usually helps them in shantangs, and they won't take them in to do things.
However, Xue Chang saw that Yun Qi was kicked and injured, and felt that he was pitiful, so he stayed. Regarding Xue Chang's opinion, Xue's house naturally had nothing to say, so Yun Qi became his little follower.
Yun Qi knew that he was relying on others, and he abide by his duties everywhere, and he must do everything he told him to do thoughtfully and carefully.
Of course, no one usually tells him what to do. Only Xue Chang occasionally calls him: "Yunqi, bring me two cakes." piece.
When Yunxi took the cake, he would quickly glance at him, then pursed his lips and lowered his head, and said respectfully, "Thank you, Young Master!"
Xue Chang never put on airs to his servants, and he was also very kind to Yun Qi. After discovering that this sullen boy was secretly reading his own book, he asked him to sit in front of the master too, causing him to be frightened for several days.
Yun Qi found that he was really good-natured, so he slowly let go of his heart and became more courageous. Seeing him learning martial arts from his master, he also gestured like a man. Moreover, he found that learning martial arts was more important than reading. It's easy to learn, and the more you want to learn it.
The seven-year-old wanted to write everything in his eyes. No matter how sensible it was, it was difficult to hide it. Xue Chang found that he was extremely eager to learn martial arts, so he brought him to the master and let him follow him to learn in an open and honest way.
Since then, Xue Chang has become a clear sky and a clear spring in Yun Qi's heart.
Xue Chang focused most of his energy on reading. He practiced martial arts to strengthen his body, but Yun Qi didn't have to get a title. He only learned a few words from reading, but he was very determined in martial arts. Silently trot.
Xue Chang sometimes looked up and saw his tense face and sweating profusely, he just thought it was funny, but he appreciated him a little more.
After only half a year of hard work, Yun Qi's thin and small body has become much stronger. The master who taught martial arts originally thought that he was dispensable, but since he had Yun Qi, he felt a sense of accomplishment, and naturally he taught him more.
In the early autumn of the second year, the news that Xue's house was happy with Lin'er spread all over the south of the Yangtze River, and everyone congratulated him. Xue Changtian had a younger brother. When he saw the wrinkled little face, he couldn't help grasping his little hand and pinching it, feeling indescribably soft in his heart.
The two brothers of the Xue family went on to obtain fame, and the other inherited the family business. Finally, both ends were settled. Mrs. Xue was so happy that her face was flushed, and she ordered people to send happy eggs all over the city.
No one would have imagined that after a few days after the full moon wine, the young master of the Xue family, bad luck would come so suddenly.
In the dead of night, all the houses in Xue's house were blown into the incense, and everyone was unconscious in a deep sleep. Only Yun Qi went to the thatched hut because he suddenly caught cold and diarrhea, and escaped the catastrophe. When he came out of the thatched hut, he smelled the smell of firewood on his nose, and immediately saw the dazzling flames rising to the sky, and he was shocked. Cold hands and feet.
The fire started fast and hastily, and in a blink of an eye, it spread into a whole, but the entire Xue Mansion fell into a dead silence, without the slightest sound of people, Yun Qi stood there dumbfounded for a short while with wide-eyed eyes, and suddenly recovered his senses. The house ran away.
The fire in the Xue Mansion illuminated the autumn night sky brightly, and the crackling sound woke the neighbors from their sleep. Everyone got up and ran to tell each other, the sound of the collision of the basins and buckets was mixed with a terrified and shrill cry: "Go away! Go! water!"
In Xue's residence, Yun Qi was so frightened that he burst into the fire and rushed into Xue Chang's house. The water was poured up, and he buried his head and rushed to Xue Chang's bed, putting the wet handkerchief over his nose and mouth, and dragging him off the bed with the quilt.
Xue Chang is taller than him. He is only a little older. Even if he has practiced martial arts, he can't pick up a boy so much taller than himself. He can only drag him out. , this time it was extremely difficult.
The Xue family is close to people and has an excellent reputation from left and right. If there is a fire in the house, the neighbors must all rush to put out the fire, but they do not dare to go too deep. A thin figure moved out laboriously in the firelight, and the water in the bucket was just pouring on him.
Yun Qi was so smoked that he almost couldn't hold it any longer. When the water was poured, it was like a nectar. Seeing that an adult came in to help, he quickly handed Xue Chang over to him, and quickly put his hand under Xue Chang's nose. , Seeing that he was still breathing, he breathed a sigh of relief, then turned around and rushed into the fire again.
"Hey! Don't go in! It's too late for the fire! Dangerous!" The man behind shouted at him anxiously. Before his voice could be drowned in the heat wave, he saw that he had already rushed in.
Yun Qi has lost his extra thinking ability at this time. He only knows that the Xue family is kind to him, and the Xue family is very kind to him. He can't stand outside in fear of death, he must be able to save a few and save a few. , after rescuing Xue Chang, he rushed into the Xue family's house, picked up the infant and rushed out.
Most of the houses and buildings in the south of the Yangtze River are built of wood. How can they withstand such a big fire? Yun Qi had just rushed to the threshold when the collapsed door frame slammed into his back. Fortunately, he had already poured water all over his body. Although his internal organs were in pain and his back was burning hot, he was not ignited after all. He straightened up and left the door frame and continued to rush forward.
The yard was full of flowers and trees, and everything that could burn was on fire. Yun Qi ran dizzy and stumbled all the way, and finally fainted when he rushed out of the fire and saw someone running over to meet him.
A fire burned the once prosperous Xue Mansion to ashes. Only one of the two brothers that Yun Qi rescued survived. People, only Xue Chang and Yun Qi survived.
Xue Chang hugged his brother, who had been stiff, and knelt at the door of the burning Xue mansion with red eyes. .
He was studying on weekdays and rarely asked about family affairs, but he didn't need to think about it to know that this fire must have been malicious and deliberate.
Xue often went to the yamen to beat drums and complain about his grievances. Unexpectedly, the prefect took his paper, but he did not reply. He said that in the autumn, the weather was dry and the things were easy to catch fire. It is said that it is artificial, but no evidence can be found, and the case cannot be concluded.
Xue Chang listened coldly. He knew that the yamen hadn't sent anyone to investigate at all, and the burned Xue residence had never moved. From this, he had already made up his mind, expressed his gratitude calmly on his face, turned to leave, and when he returned, he looked inside and out of the Xue Mansion, and remembered all the clues that could be found.
After taking care of the funeral with the help of the neighbors, Xue Chang became nothing. He wanted to let Yun Qi find his own way, but he didn't expect him to follow him, so he didn't say any more. Besides, his life It was him who saved him. He wanted to leave and stay, but he wouldn't have any opinion.
The next day, he took Yun Qi to say goodbye to the neighbors, but he refused, but he had to accept some silver taels that they forcibly stuffed. With red eyes, he bit his teeth painfully, and forcibly swallowed the tears back into his stomach. He walked away quietly with Yun Qi.