Ming, Hongwu thirty-one years, Beiping Mansion

In March, it should have been the season when the plumbing flowers bloomed, but there were several heavy snowfalls in Beiping Mansion, and the cold wind swept the snowflakes all over the sky, like a knife scraping bones, which made people's cheeks hurt one by one.

Meng was dressed in sackcloth, squatting by the door with his hands on his sleeves, looking at the pattern on the door pin, stunned.

Half-foot-long icicles hung under the eaves, and the north wind swirled, and the windows made bursts of noise, as if they were smashing on people's hearts.

The old cat lying in the corner of the wall stood up with a meow, stretched his waist, licked his paws, jumped on the simple table with paper, pen and inkstone a few times, left a few plum blossom prints on the yellowed paper, and shook his beard triumphantly.

In the past, Meng would definitely step forward to drive away, but now, he is not in the mood.

"Ming Dynasty, Hongwu Year, Beiping Mansion...... God, play me......"

If people are unlucky, they can stuff their teeth when they drink water.

You can pass through it when you walk on the road, and it will be 600 years if you wear it!

Why did you wear it? Is it the wrong way he walks?

"It would be nice if it was a dream." Meng scratched his head hard, suffocated and helpless.

Knowing this, he would rather dance hula with a steel pole at the annual meeting, sacrificing hue to entertain the public rather than slip away in advance.

It's a pity that the wish is beautiful, but the reality is often extremely cruel, just like the north wind blowing on him through the crack in the door at this moment.

Call......

The long hair that was scattered flew away, and the burlap bag on his body did not seem to be there.

It was so cold that his teeth were fighting, rubbing his arms, Meng gritted his teeth, he had come, it was impossible to go back, and it was useless to regret that his intestines were blue, what he should think about was how to live.

His requirements are not high, three meals a day, a separate hospital, food and clothing are not worried, it is enough.

No ambition? A good man doesn't want to make a career and a beauty is around his knees?

Eyes wipe the highlights, this is the year of Hongwu, Beiping Mansion is the territory of King Yan, playing domineering side leakage in front of Ming Taizu and the future Ming Chengzu, is it too long?

As for the beauty around the knee or something...... Sorry, he likes men.

Heroes start businesses, robbing beauties is a good story, robbing macho men...... Forget it.

Meng pulled his fingers a few times and held up the frame that didn't exist on the bridge of his nose, his professional habits dictated that he liked to plan ahead for anything he did.

At present, government civil servants are high-risk occupations. The higher the official position, the more likely it is that the head and neck will move. Emperor Hongwu destroyed the prime minister, and almost destroyed six more. Emperor Yongle even set a record of exterminating the ten tribes. Emperor Jianwen was more kind, he only planned to attack his uncle, but the force value was not high enough, and he was taken away by his uncle, and few officials who were loyal to him had a good end.

It can be seen that the road to becoming an official in the imperial examination is not passable.

Doing business is not a good way out, you can refer to the helpful, but Emperor Hongwu was assigned to Yunnan to experience life in the army.

It is undoubtedly relatively safe to be a qualified poor middle peasant, provided that you do not encounter a disaster year, and do not encounter a local tyrant and inferior gentry with a too hard background.

In addition to this, there is another way, in the army.

However, given the actual situation, the matter needs to be considered in the long term.

There was another sound behind him, Meng looked back at the old cat on the table, the corners of his mouth grinned, and a mouthful of white teeth came out.

The cloak was scattered, the eyes seemed to have a green light, and the thin face was extremely hideous.

Meow!

The old cat exploded and instantly jumped from the table to the beam.

Meng shook his head very coquettishly and won completely

The thrill of victory lasted less than two seconds before it was replaced by sadness, looking at the old cat chasing mice on the beams of the house, endless sadness, being a cat is happier than him.

At least the cat can eat meat, and he can't.

"Twelve." He was sad when a hoarse call came from outside the door.

Meng didn't make a sound, and after a while, there was another soft call, mixed with a few coughs. No matter how hard Meng Zai is, he can't continue to pretend that he didn't hear.

Stand up, shake your hands and feet, don't shake, freeze.

The door was opened, and three haggard women in sackcloth stood outside the door. In the middle was Meng's mother, and the other two were his sisters-in-law.

"Mother, sister-in-law."

Meng bowed according to the memory in his mind and let the three of them into the house. When he walked through, the young man, also named Meng, was seriously ill and was dying. Strangely, the memories of the predecessor remained in Meng's mind.

"Twelve Lang, your uncle is sincere in not letting our orphans and widows live!"

Meng Wangshi was about to cough twice when he said a word, Meng Xu and Meng Zhang stood on either side of her, one helped to stroke her back, and the other was busy comforting, her face was pale with anger, and her anger was mixed with helplessness.

Dad is gone, the head of the family is gone, and the uncle is only fourteen years old, what can he do?

After listening to Meng Wang's cry, Meng also frowned.

"That's nice, help? That's all the picture shows! Meng Wang took Meng's hand, his voice hoarse, "In order to deal with the aftermath of your father and your two brothers, our family has long been left with nothing, and now we have to ......worry about it."

Saying that, Meng Wang's family shed tears, "When your father and your two brothers were alive, there was never a word in our family when there was anything wrong in the clan. As soon as this man left, he turned his face and denied it, and persecuted us to death! Who is in the hands of the field that our family sold now? Who took our ploughing cattle away? Why did the gentleman in the school drive you back? are all surnamed Meng, how can they do such things, and they are not afraid of thunder and thunder! ”

The more Meng Wang spoke, the more excited he became, his pale face flushed, and he coughed even more violently.

Before the words fell, a cough suddenly sounded outside the door, Meng raised his eyes, a short body, an earthy gray padded jacket, a simple face, but with a hint of shrewdness in his eyes, it was his lobby Bo Meng Guangxiao.

"Uncle Lobby."

Without waiting for Meng Guangxiao to speak, Meng first saluted Meng Guangxiao and invited Meng Guangxiao into the house. Meng Wangshi sat aside silently when he saw the ceremony, and Meng's two sisters-in-law stood behind Meng Wangshi, bowing their heads slightly, but they didn't make a sound.

Meng Guangxiao signaled that Meng didn't have to be polite, and his tone was kind, like a gentle elder.

"Your father and two brothers are gone, your mother and your sister-in-law are both women's families, you are still young, and your cousin will never shirk if he can help."

Meng immediately slammed to the ground, "Uncle Xie." ”

The etiquette of the ancients, he is still a little awkward, but fortunately, most of the communication is in the vernacular, not the one who opens his mouth and closes his mouth, otherwise everyone will have a big head.

"However," Meng Guangxiao's voice changed, "You have also seen this year's New Year's scene, nephew." After a few heavy snowfalls, I am afraid that spring plowing will be delayed. ”

Meng didn't answer, Meng Guangxiao didn't care, and continued to say on his own, the words were not ugly, but the meaning was very clear, the year was not good, everyone's life was not good, your family was in difficulty, others were not rich, the money and grain borrowed a few days ago should be repaid, right?

"Others don't say it for the time being, your second cousin's family just added Dingkou, and he can't speak, so I can only be this wicked person." Meng Guangxiao paused, "Uncle Tang can't help it. ”

"That's what Uncle Lobby said." Meng agreed very happily, as if he really didn't understand what Meng Guangxiao was thinking. After a while, a little confusion appeared on his face, and he seemed to remember that he couldn't open the pot at home, "It's really difficult for the little nephew's family now, can you ask Uncle Cousin for a few days?" ”

"Oh?"

"In three or five days, the little nephew will find a way to get some money and food, and never make the lobby embarrassed."

Meng Guangxiao looked at Meng suspiciously, he knew the details of this family, Meng was stupid when he was a child, Meng Guangzhi and his two sons died, and there was no one in charge of the family. After three funerals, the family was almost ruined, leaving an orphan and widow to guard a big house and a few acres of land. If it weren't for the three acres of Shangtian and this house, Meng Guangxiao would not have come to the door twice in three days, adding bad luck to his body.

Twenty-seven days after the funeral of Meng's father and son, Meng Guangxiao should have served his cousin a small service, and he should also serve hemp at the worst. No matter how nice he said, he came to the door in a gray cloth cotton jacket, but he didn't take this widow and young son seriously.

As the saying goes, it is better to bully the white beard than to bully the poor youth.

It is possible to despise the enemy, but it is never to despise the opponent.

Meng Guangxiao committed both of these things, and to put it mildly, he deserved to be in Meng's hands.

"Uncle Lobby, there are still a few acres of thin fields and an earthen house in the nephew's house, and they should be able to pay back a little when they are found to be sold at a price."

I said it so hard that I almost didn't bite my tongue. If you want to dig a pit for people to jump, you always have to "behave" more convincingly, and he is good at this kind of thing.

Meng Guangxiao barely suppressed the corners of his mouth, but the contempt in his eyes could not be concealed. Da Lang's previous concerns are really redundant, what do you say Twelve Lang is wise and foolish, don't be persecuted, it hurts the harmony of the two families and it will be difficult to meet in the future. Now it seems that this is a fool.

But fools are good, fools are good!

Sending Meng Guangxiao away, Meng Wangshi, who had been silent, pulled the hem of Meng's clothes, and his voice trembled, "Son, what's wrong with you?" How can you ......?"

What Meng Wang really wants to say is, son, are you confused? Knowing that others covet our things, they still step into the pit by themselves? Moreover, the little treasure money lent to them by Meng Guangxiao and Meng Guangshun had already been doubled back when they helped their family sell their fields, and they were even more deducted when they bought funerals, and now they are still persecuting them!

Meng Xu and Meng Zhang's expressions were also puzzled and complaining, the house and land were sold, what did their family eat and where did they live?

"Mother, don't worry." Meng was relaxed, helped Meng Wang to get up, and said in a firm tone, "Don't worry, my son has his own plans." ”

Ask for his family's land, and he will give!

Do you want his house? He also gives!

Laugh at him stupid? Just treat him as a fool.

It's good to be a fool, a fool is a bit out of line, and no one can find fault with it, right?

Meng bent the corners of his mouth, Meng Wang's unconsciously, Meng Zhang's and Meng Xu's glanced at each other, with the same doubts in their expressions, Uncle was laughing just now? And laughed quite penetratingly......