Rise of the Poor

Chapter 7: Into the mountains

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Going into the mountains, this is what Zhu Pingan dreams of. When he returned to the east wing, Zhu Pingan began to pester Zhu Shouyi to follow him into the mountains.

"You think it's fun to go into the mountains? There are black bears in there that eat children. Don't go there." Chen deliberately scared Zhu Ping'an and didn't want him to go with her.

This child is really a worry. It's worrying enough that he runs around in the village. Now he wants to go into the mountains with me. Is he deliberately not letting me live a peaceful life? Chen feels more and more that it's better to have a son than a daughter. Each one of them is like a debt collector. Not only are they naughty, but if they grow up and marry a wife and forget their mother, she doesn't know where to go to be sad.

Zhu Ping'an couldn't help rolling his eyes when listening to Chen's threats. He really was treated like a child.

"No, there are fat rabbits, pheasants, and delicious fruits in the mountains." Zhu Ping'an stopped pestering Zhu Shouyi and ran over to Chen's thighs, hugging her and rubbing against her.

Zhu Ping'an knew who was the boss at home. Although his father was big and strong, he was completely controlled by Chen. If Chen didn't say anything, his father wouldn't dare to say a word.

"Did you tell him?" Chen stared at Zhu Shouyi with her almond-shaped eyes.

Zhu Shouyi's face turned black with fear and he shook his head repeatedly, but he didn't dare to make Chen angry. The last time Chen was angry, she made him sleep on the ground for more than a month and didn't even give him a good face. That month was simply not a life for a human being. It was terrifying to think about it.

"If you stay home obediently tomorrow, I will make you something delicious. If you dare to go out, I will beat your butt!" Chen turned her gaze to Zhu Ping'an and tried to make him change his mind by both coaxing and threatening him.

If Zhu Ping'an was really a five-year-old child, he would have surrendered obediently under Chen's coaxing, but unfortunately he was not.

"Mom, I want to follow Dad into the mountains. I want to find delicious food to please you." Zhu Ping'an held Chen's thighs tightly and refused to let go.

"Bullshit, don't try to fool me with that!" Chen said angrily. She was so angry that this brat wanted to go into the mountains when he was just over five years old. A rabbit can knock you over.

"I want to go into the mountains with my father!"

Zhu Pingan showed his childish spirit. No matter how Chen coaxed or threatened him, Zhu Pingan just responded with this sentence and went into the mountains, into the mountains, into the mountains...

Chen got angry, turned Zhu Ping'an over, pressed him on her legs, and spanked him on the buttocks.

Oh, I want to go into the mountains!

Zhu Ping'an cried loudly after being beaten by Chen, but he still insisted on going into the mountains.

Chen looked at her youngest son and felt so angry that her teeth ached. She didn't hit him hard, but he kept screaming like a pig being slaughtered. "You little bastard! Do you think it's fun to go into the mountains? You don't know what kind of mess is in the mountains."

"Mother, why not let Xiaozhu follow us? I'm just outside the mountain and won't go inside. There's no danger." Zhu Shouyi said in a low voice.

Chen glared at him and Zhu Shouyi immediately lowered his head and kept silent.

However, in the end, Chen agreed to let Zhu Ping'an follow her into the mountains after Zhu Ping'an kept pestering her. However, she gave him many instructions: Don't run around, follow your father obediently; don't eat anything you want, only eat what your father says is edible; don't try to catch rabbits...

Xiahe Village is located at the foot of Woniu Mountain. This Woniu Mountain is not the modern Woniu Mountain at the junction of Beijing and Hebei, but is roughly located in Anhui and Hubei. In the Ming Dynasty, it was located in Huguang Provincial Administration (province).

Woniu Mountain is named after its shape that resembles a lying cow. It lies in front of the dense forest of Cangshan Mountain, like an old giant cow, with its neck lying on the mountains to the south, and two tall peaks on its head like horns. Two streams flow out of the mountain and merge into a clear stream at the chin, facing the mountains on the opposite side in the distance.

Legend has it that during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, before he attained the Tao and became an immortal, Taishang Laojun, or Laozi, rode a green ox and dragged a wooden cart out of Hangu Pass to preach and teach. The old ox was influenced by what he saw and heard and gradually became spiritual. When Laozi attained the Tao and became an immortal, he did not do so like Liu An, the King of Huainan during the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. Instead, he transformed himself into the Three Pure Ones and ascended to heaven alone. The green ox chased him relentlessly, like Kuafu chasing the sun, without sleep or rest until he was exhausted, and then he lay prostrate on the ground with tears in his eyes. His body turned into mountains, and his tears turned into streams and merged into clear streams…

This is the legend of Woniu Mountain passed down from mouth to mouth by the elders in Xiahe Village.

Three figures, one large, one half large and one small, walked out of the low mountain area outside Woniu Mountain. The sunlight shone through the dense layers of leaves onto the three people, leaving mottled shadows of trees. The mountain was rugged and the road was difficult to pass. The overgrown path was filled with weeds and bushes, and was covered with gravel, grass and fallen leaves, which made a rustling sound when they walked on it.

The three people were Zhu Ping'an, his father Zhu Shouyi, and his brother Zhu Pingchuan. Zhu Shouyi and Zhu Pingchuan were carrying large backpacks, and Zhu Shouyi also had a chopping knife on his waist. The Ming Dynasty had looser control over cold weapons, and bows, arrows, knives, and crossbows were all allowed to be owned by the public, but armor and firearms were strictly controlled. So Zhu Shouyi also brought a chopping knife, because his family was not a full-time hunter, so there was absolutely no bow or crossbow. Zhu's father's hunter level was only to set traps to catch small animals, and he knew nothing about bows and shooting eagles.

As for Zhu Ping'an, he carried a very small basket. Zhu Shouyi didn't let him carry it at first, but he insisted. Zhu Shouyi made him a very small basket overnight and told Chen to spoil him as much as she could!

"Zhu Shouyi, listen to me carefully. If one of the two little ones loses a hair, I will tear you apart when I come back!"

The sound of Chen's voice before she left was still faintly ringing in Zhu Shouyi's ears. Every time he took a step forward, he couldn't help but look back at the two little ones.

Zhu Ping'an followed the two men with his short legs and a small basket on his back, pounding his calves from time to time. It was indeed not an easy journey for ordinary people. The mountain road was rugged and bumpy, and the forest was winding and winding. There was no road at all if you went further in. You could only rely on memory to move forward. If you were not an experienced hunter, you would easily get lost.

This is just the outskirts of the mountains. If it is deep in the mountains, even experienced old hunters dare not set foot alone. It is said that there are tigers with hanging eyes in the deep mountains.

"Zhi'er, are you tired? Let me carry you." Zhu Shouyi felt that it was not easy for his youngest son with his short legs to walk here by himself. When he turned around and saw Zhu Ping'an beating his legs again, he couldn't help but say.

Zhu Ping'an immediately shook his head, jokingly, if I let someone carry me this time, after I go home, my mother will definitely not let me go into the mountains with her next time! She will definitely say, humph, you want someone to carry you into the mountains, and you still want to go into the mountains, you better go to bed!

Therefore, for the sake of future plans to go into the mountains, Zhu Pingan decisively refused. Besides, his arms and legs also need to be exercised, and this is an opportunity to exercise. I have watched A Bite of China before, and there are countless delicious foods in the mountains. This time, I entered a treasure mountain, and I can't return empty-handed because I was carried on my back.

Zhu Shouyi was a little surprised to see Zhu Ping'an's straightforward refusal, but he began to look at Zhu Ping'an with new eyes. This kid has a future.

"Second brother, put the backpack in mine first." The eldest brother Zhu Pingchuan also wanted to help Zhu Pingan reduce his burden.

"No need, big brother. I can do it." Zhu Ping'an insisted on being independent. Nothing could stop a foodie from going into the mountains, not to mention that he was thinking of finding something in the mountains that could improve his family's finances.

Seeing Zhu Ping'an's determination, the two gave up and just slowed down their pace when walking.