A few days later, around noon.
"The poem says, virtue is like hair. Hair is still ethical. It is silent and odorless as long as it is carried by heaven. It's over... "
Fang Zhengzheng recited softly, then carefully closed the "Tao Canon of the Mean" borrowed from the Taoist Hall in his hand, and began to try to recite it...
"Gulu!" The sound from his stomach reminded him that it was time to eat.
"Zheng'er, come to dinner, today is your birthday!" Qin Xuelian's call came from the inner room.
"Birthday? Okay!" Fang Zhengzheng naturally didn't know when his birthday was, but since Qin Xuelian said it, it should be OK and he immediately left the room.
After today, you will be seven years old? Fang Zhengzheng felt that time was like running water.
During these times, he didn't know whether it was because of his body's growth or what. He could clearly feel that his appetite was increasing rapidly.
Birthday... will there be something delicious
A piece of meat, a table of vegetables, and two eggs, this is Fang Zheng's sumptuous birthday banquet.
Fang Zhengzheng's appetite suddenly whetted, and he was still a little relieved. Although this was a very common dish for many people, what if everything in the past was just green vegetables and minced meat
It seems that the ingot of gold I gave you has some effect...
But, my dear mother, is that a piece of gold? ! Could we be more generous? Get more meat, don’t save it for your future wife!
Although he really wanted to say these words, unfortunately, due to some reasons, normally, he should not know the existence of a gold ingot at home, so he could not say it.
What's more, he also knew very well that even if he really said it, with Qin Xuelian's character, he would still keep the gold, right? They endure hardships but leave all their money to the next generation. This is the selflessness of ancient people towards their children.
"Zheng'er, eat meat, this is specially made for you!" Qin Xuelian put a piece of stewed meat in the bowl into Fang Zhengzheng's bowl.
"Mom, eat it!" Fang Zhengzheng said humbly.
"Eat, eat, today is your birthday, your mother has been stewing it for a long time!" Fang Houde advised.
Fang Zhengzheng didn't give in any more, because he knew that Qin Xuelian would definitely not eat it, which is the heart of every parent in the world! My mind moved slightly, and suddenly I felt something. I am already seven years old
After finishing his meal, Fang Zhengzheng took a walk in the courtyard for a while, and then returned to the house.
When I was about to read the book again, Qin Xuelian's voice came from the inner room...
"Zheng'er has now reached the age of growth, and his appetite is getting bigger and bigger!"
"That's the truth, but the main hunting teams in the village used to study in the Taoist Hall. Now the hunting teams in the village dare not go to places where there are people. There are really too few prey at the foot of the mountain. One village, more than a hundred It’s not enough for one household..." Fang Houde also sighed.
"What's the matter even if there are too many prey? We still let those families who study in the Taoist hall choose first. Take the Li family as an example. In the past, he hunted a lot and got a lot of food, but now he relies entirely on the village to raise him. , and every time the prey is divided, the village chief and his family get the most!" Qin Xuelian was a little unconvinced.
"Hopefully, after all, the Li family is now the most promising in Nanshan Village to get the first place in the Fucheng Taoist Examination. Last time, General Li from the Shenhou Mansion praised Li Zhuang for his strength..."
While the two were talking, there was a rush of footsteps outside the door. Fang Zhengzheng opened the window of his hut and took a look outside, and found that the village chief was standing in the small courtyard with several villagers.
"How virtuous!"
"Village Chief, what's the matter?" Fang Houde heard the noise outside and immediately walked to the small courtyard.
"Old man, I have something to discuss with you!" The village chief took a puff from his cigarette and gave Fang Houde a meaningful look.
"Village chief, please speak." Fang Houde did not tolerate any disagreement.
"Look at the past one or two months, several laborers in the village have entered the Taoist hall to study, and two more gentlemen have come to the Taotang. These people are the hope of Nanshan Village in the future, but now they want us to Nanshan Village supports you, so you can't let the teaching gentleman go hungry, right?" The village chief hesitated to speak.
"I understand, I'm willing to do this." Upon hearing this, Fang Houde understood what the village chief meant.
"Well, as long as you are willing. Although you have a broken arm, you were also a good player in the hunting team before. You have experience. You are familiar with this Cangling Mountain. You also know which places are not allowed to go. Old man, I I’m very relieved! There are a few new young people in the hunting team. You can take them with you and go into the mountains tomorrow. The young and old in the village will point their fingers at you!"
"Don't worry, village chief!" Fang Houde nodded.
The village chief took another puff of cigarette, patted Fang Houde on the shoulder, and quickly led several villagers in another direction.
…
Going into the mountains? hunting
Fang Zhengzheng had always known that Nanshan Village was supported by hunting teams, but he had never really seen it. After all, he heard that the world in the mountains was too dangerous.
Even the hunting team of Nanshan Village only dares to hunt at the foot of Cangling Mountain, and does not dare to go into the deep woods...
While I was thinking about it, I heard a low cry from inside the house again.
"Going into the mountains?! This is no joke! It's too dangerous, don't go!" Qin Xuelian's voice sounded a little crying.
"This... this is something that can't be helped. There are only so many people in the village, old and young... If everyone doesn't go into the mountains, won't they all starve to death? Only when they go into the mountains and hunt can they have meat to eat. If you have furs, you can take them to the county market and sell them, so that you can have food..." Fang Houde comforted in a low voice.
"There are so many people in the village, why are you asked to go? Isn't it just for the village that your arm was broken? Now it's good, they support the people in the Taoist hall, but they want to force you to go into the mountains? Broken one Arms, how can you hunt, you can't even draw a bow! What's more, don't we have gold now..."
"Shhh! That gold is reserved for Zheng'er to marry a wife in the future, so don't spend it randomly! Although I can't draw a bow, I can hold a spear, and the village chief is right. I am familiar with Cangling Mountain. It mainly plays a commanding role. If nothing else, it’s okay to hunt some small prey!”
"You... you only have the village in your heart, and I won't let you... Sigh... the spear at home is a little rusty, I... I will help you prepare it now..." Qin Xuelian said halfway, looking at the expression on Fang Houde's face, and finally Sighing, he turned around and walked towards the warehouse where the ironware was stacked.
The voices in the house disappeared, and Fang Houde also began to prepare the tools for hunting in the mountains...
Fang Zhengzheng looked at the green grass exposed in the small courtyard and sighed. For the first time, there was a trace of worry on his face. The whole village's main income relied on a hunting team.
Although Daotang is an honor and a village's hope for the future, before hope comes, it is also a burden. After Nanshan Village, which was already living in poverty, sent all its main labor force to study in Daotang, it naturally became The pressure seems even greater.
hunting? I don’t know when I will be qualified to go up the mountain to see...
When Fang Zhengzheng was thinking about it, his eyes suddenly froze because he saw the bluestone in the small courtyard, and there was a finger-long crack on the bluestone!