Zhao Xiu opened his mouth, but he still didn't say anything.

She didn't want the Zhang family to know about it, for fear that her grandmother would relented for a while and picked up a scourge, so she just kept silent.

Gao Zhen's face was unusual, and his eyes widened and he said nonsense: "The old lady is here?" I was just talking to Sister Zhao about some gossip that I heard outside. My little servants inquired about the old woman who was begging on the dock here, and because the local officials were afraid of running into us, they drove her away beforehand, and she was gagged there. I felt a little pity for her, I was going to give her a few dollars, but I didn't expect the little girls to inquire about her deeds, and they didn't bother to give her money because they did it themselves. Sister Zhao was just talking to me about this. ”

"I see." Zhang believed it lightly, "Although I don't know what the begging old woman did, but since she is old and helpless, and the son is kind, what does it matter if she gives her a few dollars?" As he spoke, he was going to call the girl, and planned to let people go ashore and give the woman some money.

Zhao Xiu hurriedly stopped: "Why should grandmother pay attention to her? A wicked person like her deserves today's retribution. If you can live to this day, you are already merciful to God. There are so many poor and helpless people in this world, we can all go to help, there is really no need to waste money on such people. She was afraid that the people in her family would recognize the Niu family when they passed, and she was also afraid that they would be recognized by the Niu family, so it would really be endless.

Zhang was surprised to hear it: "What did that mother-in-law do to make you so disgusted?" Whether it's good or not, it just depends on her old age. ”

Gao Zhen smiled and explained for Zhao Xiu: "If she wasn't old, she wouldn't be able to do that evil." The old lady didn't know that the mother-in-law was an unvirtuous, unfilial, unkind and unrighteous thing, she was angry with her father-in-law, and drove her mother-in-law out of the house, instigated her son to divorce his original wife, and almost tortured her grandson to death. Her husband and son all died of retribution because they did bad things, and they did no less harm. She still refuses to stop and wants to sell her grandchildren to others. In exchange for money to splurge on yourself. It was her granddaughter who couldn't stand it anymore and broke her legs, drove her out of the house, and then moved the family away. She lives in a solatorium. can't change his nature, he stirs up trouble all day long, and makes others uneasy. The crowd couldn't bear it anymore, so they had to drive her out, and she would fall to the point of begging. She really deserved it. It deserves to be retribution. That's why Sister Zhao will persuade you not to give her money. ”

Zhang subconsciously felt that what this mother-in-law did was quite similar to the cheap daughter-in-law Niu, which may be the reason why the granddaughter dislikes her, right? Zhang sighed: "I see, if she really did such an unfilial and unkind thing, she would indeed deserve today's fate." It's just that I think of her old age and suffering like this, and I feel a little pitiful. Besides, although she is confused, her husband's children and grandchildren are not good things. If they hadn't connived, how could she have been angry with her father-in-law and drive away her mother-in-law? Her granddaughter is even more of a bastard. She couldn't be better. Also grandmother. If you are a junior and dissuade your elders from doing evil things, how can you openly commit violence against your grandmother and abandon her? ”

Zhao Xiu said: "That's right, his family is not a good thing, and the result he has ended up with is just a dog eating a dog." Let's just listen to a story, don't pay attention to her, and don't have to pity her. Even if you have money, you should give it to those who are more deserving of it. lest the wicked man receive alms. When you have eaten and drunk enough, you have the strength to harm others. We, who are well-meaning charitors, have created iniquity. ”

Zhang looked at his granddaughter helplessly: "Look at what you said." He smiled and said to Gao Zhen: "Don't be surprised. Our sister Xiu is like this, talking in front of acquaintances. has always been straightforward, and he has a clear distinction between hatred and love. People who don't know see it, just if she's a mouth-opener on weekdays. ”

Gao Zhen said with a smile: "Sister Zhao has a frank temperament, I have always admired it very much." ”

When Zhao Xiu heard this, he only felt that his flesh was extremely numb, and he was angry and funny in his heart. I couldn't help but look at him with disgust. Gao Zhen smiled and said nothing, but he was happy in his heart.

Seeing that Zhao Xiu was so opposed to her going to help the begging mother-in-law, Zhang no longer insisted. She was originally kind-hearted, and she couldn't see anyone suffer. Since that mother-in-law has done so many evil things, it is similar to the Niu family, and it has disgusted Zhao Xiu, why should she touch her granddaughter's moldy head? Since she followed the princess of Fenyang and participated in the affairs of the "Cixian Association", she has already had a new view on the word "doing good", and no longer thinks that praying to God and worshiping Buddha to add lamp oil is to do good deeds, nor does she feel that it is good to give money to the poor.

In addition to providing water and medicine, the "Compassion Society" also organized young and strong people among the victims to build houses for the victims to live in the future, ordered carpenters and masons to teach basic skills to others, ordered women with good needlework to make autumn and winter clothes, shoes and socks for other victims, and ordered the old and weak to help take care of children. Several of them are from Zhao Xiu's construction. Now that the victims have survived the most difficult period, they can basically ensure daily food and clothing, and they have tiled their heads, and many of them have learned a new craft. By the time the relief is over, even if this year's harvest is completely destroyed, these people will be able to barely make ends meet. When Nanhui Port is prosperous again, the victims will not have to worry about having no livelihood. Zhang finally understands now that it is better to teach people to fish than to teach them to fish. Since the begging mother-in-law has been in a nursing home, it can be seen that she is not without a way to live, and she will eventually end up being kicked out, and she must be not good herself.

The Duchess of Jiannan County now has someone for her to show her kindness, and she really doesn't have to worry about a mother-in-law who heard about it by chance.

Zhang went back to the second floor. She came down to stretch her waist and legs, and move her hands and feet. Originally, I thought that if I met King Guangping, I could chat for a while. But now that King Guangping is not in the open hall, and wants to rest in the cabin, she is not easy to disturb. Before leaving, she didn't forget to tell her granddaughter: "Don't delay too long, there are people everywhere here." ”

Zhao Xiu blushed a little, what does grandmother mean by this? Even if there are people everywhere, what does it have to do with her staying in the open hall? She and Gao Zhen sat here, just chatting, and didn't do anything else......

She turned her head and stole a glance at Gao Zhen, who smiled at her and blinked. Her cheeks reddened even more, and she whispered, "I'm going back too." "Just walk away. Gao Zhen opened his mouth to stop her, but he didn't need to chase her too quickly, so he pressed down.

The fleet was uneventful for the night, and the next morning they got up again and continued north. After leaving the dock, Zhao Xiu has been sitting in his cabin. I opened the window and read to the light. She had just come across a word, and she couldn't remember what it meant, so she looked through the little dictionaries that many missionaries had made. And the English dictionary, which was troubled, suddenly heard someone on the shore shouting. Out of curiosity, she craned her neck to look out the window, and was stunned.

This stretch of canal is lined with fields on both sides. On the mound by the river, two and a half children were running with a plank in tow, as if chasing the boat, and one of them shouted, "Mother-in-law's nephew! Mother-in-law's nephew is not there? On the plank, however, lay a filthy old woman, with disheveled gray hair, so thin that only a handful of bones remained, and only a pair of eyes that were frighteningly bright, staring in the direction of the ship.

Zhao Xiu recognized the old woman, although she looked like it on the outside. It is very different from the description she described when she last saw Niu, but she regarded Niu's as an enemy, how could she not recognize the other party's appearance? It's really wronged, why did you get this old woman entangled again? She heard that King Guangping's ship was passing through here again, so she rushed to find Zhao Wei? It's a pity that Zhao Wei was not on the boat, and the child who shouted was also stunned and didn't make his words clear.

Zhao Xiu felt that she had probably found herself, and the whole person waved at her excitedly, shouting something, but she was slurring her words. I remember when I saw her before. She can speak, and now I don't know if there is another disease. Zhao Xiu closed the window and door angrily, just out of sight and out of mind. But suddenly I remembered that I went to Zhang's cabin next door this morning. I saw her open the window to enjoy the scenery, and I don't know if I recognize anyone at this time. Zhao Xiu hurriedly got up and rushed to Zhang's cabin.

Sure enough, Zhang sat by the window, staring at the riverbank. Xia Lu on the side was silent, but Dongshuang didn't recognize who the old woman was, and looked puzzled: "Who is that?" What to do and run after our boat? This is the prince's car, escorted by officers and soldiers. Could it be that the children's family is not sensible? He was talking. Then the royal guards guarding the main ship stood on the edge of the deck, and shouted to the two children and the old woman, "Who are you?" What is the intention? ”

The stunned child shouted, "Mother-in-law's nephew is on the boat!" We're looking for him! ”

How did the guards know who he was talking about? When I looked back, no one knew them. Gao Zhen sent an order from the cabin: "What are they doing?" Can't you see that they are all in rags? They are clearly beggars. Where will there be a beggar's nephew in our group? The guards suddenly realized, only when the three beggars came to ask for money, they shouted impatiently: "The nobles are traveling, and the idlers must not be disturbed, so why don't you leave quickly?" If you keep yelling, don't blame me for waiting for the sword to have no eyes! ”

Hearing this, Zhang frowned, and then turned his head and ordered Xia Lu: "Close the window." Today there is an autumn wind, and it is strangely cool. Xia Lu responded softly and quickly closed the window neatly.

After closing the window, the sound on the shore suddenly became much quieter, and I could only hear what the child was still shouting, but I couldn't hear the specific content clearly. Zhang didn't want to listen any longer, got up and walked to the small hall outside, sat down on the Luohan bed, sighed long, closed his eyes, and recited "Amitabha".

Zhao Xiu walked to her in silence and sat down, wanting to speak again.

Zhang suddenly opened his eyes: "This is the begging mother-in-law you told the prince yesterday, right?" ”

Zhao Xiu nodded and asked with some weakness: "Grandmother, do you think she is pitiful?" ”

Zhang smiled: "She is quite pitiful, but she also blames herself for not holding herself right." If she hadn't been disrespectful to her in-laws, her children and grandchildren would not have kicked her out of the house in the same way. One qiē is karma. God is fair, I don't have to go against God, let her go. ”

Zhao Xiu was overjoyed. It would be great if Zhang could really realize this!

Zhang looked at the smile on his granddaughter's face, and his expression softened.

In fact, it's not that she doesn't pity Niu, and it's not that she doesn't want to help the other party. But when she thought of the Niu's methods in the past, she was ruthless. Now her grandchildren have to support the family business at a young age, which is very hard, and she can't help them as a grandmother, so why bother them anymore? If the Buddha blames her for today's events, she will bear it willingly.

Niu's family, but it is impossible to return to the Zhao family. (To be continued.) )