In the courtyard of Pang's house, my mother had just woken up and looked around with blurred eyes.
"Mom, what's going on with you? I see Aunt Liu is carrying her back. Are you and Aunt Liu fighting?"
"Aunt Liu?"
Mom sat up slowly, and Pang Yu quickly supported her. Mom was stunned for a while and finally her eyes regained some clarity.
"Bah, if I beat Aunt Liu, I might as well save my strength to beat a dog."
Mom caressed her chest and sighed, "Mom scolded me. I feel so relieved. It's been so many years."
My mother was sobbing again as she spoke. At this time, Zhou Yueru came over with a wooden ladle and handed the water to Pang Yu.
"This, this woman..." My mother pointed at Zhou Yueru in surprise. Zhou Yueru was ashamed and scared, her face was as red as a monkey's butt. She quickly turned around and squatted on the ground to cut a lotus leaf with a guillotine.
Pang Yu's mother looked at her in surprise, and asked Pang Yu in a low voice: "Yu'er, where did this woman come from?
Could it be that the old man with white beard also gave away his wife?
Let’s not owe others too much.”
"What? This woman is just beating me, the daughter of the Zhou family, and is here to help."
Pang Yu didn't want to discuss the matter with her mother, so she stood up and went to the dustpan to pretend to collect the medicinal materials. When her mother saw it, she forgot about Zhou's daughter and pulled him away, "Oh, don't touch this medicine, it's Cao Wu.
, it’s poisonous.”
"What kind of poison is untouchable? How can it be poisoned by Crane's Crown Red Poison?"
His mother slapped him on the hand and said, "There is no such thing as Crane's Crown Red, it's just arsenic. If you don't understand, arsenic is red, so you just give it a random name. Our medicine sellers can't talk nonsense and make the merchants laugh."
This grass is as poisonous as arsenic. Your father said that in the past, soldiers used this thing to rub the blade of their swords. Even if they were not killed, they would lose half of their lives. As the saying goes, this is the root of the five poisons."
"What are you afraid of?"
"It's the most poisonous thing alive, so stay away."
Pang Yu glanced at the dark medicinal materials curiously. It was too dark to be conspicuous. He didn't intend to help anyway. He had never liked housework in his life, and of course he didn't intend to do the chores of the medicinal materials.
My mother glanced at Zhou Yueru again and said, "This is a woman from the Zhou family, how can I let her come... This is not appropriate, she can be ruthless."
"She knew she was wrong and felt sorry for our family, so she took the initiative to help."
Zhou Yueru seemed to know that the two were discussing her, and she blushed and lowered her head, not knowing what she was busy with.
My mother looked her over and said, "This waist and legs look like they could be fertilized."
Pang Yu said sternly: "Mom, I'm not telling you, the Zhou family was wrong to beat people, and they were punished and admitted their mistake, but the family was also ruined. The woman came to work to earn some money as a servant, and the son was doing a good deed.
When others heard this, they would say that the Pang family is generous and the old Pang family has face.
Don’t just look at a girl and give birth to her, then others will say that our family took advantage of the fire and stole their daughter. Am I that kind of person?"
My mother was stunned by what Pang Yu said. When she looked at her son, she felt that Pang Yu had an aura of integrity around her.
Pang Yu whispered again: "But right now, there are still many important things for our family. The capital chain has only been barely maintained and cannot be fully circulated. There is still at least thirty or forty taels of silver missing. This is a big deal.
Wife, why are you panicking? Your son is now enlightened. There are people waiting in line outside. When the time comes, I will find you a boy with a thick waist, and we will give birth to two or three at a time."
My mother smiled brightly and said, "If the relationship is good, let the Liu family take a look. Then they will regret it to death."
"The Liu family doesn't matter. Your son and I have a journey to the stars and the sea. Mom, just wait and live a good life. We are no longer fools. I wonder who will dare to bully us in the future!"
As soon as he finished speaking, a voice shouted from outside the door, "Idiot Pang, Team Leader Wang wants you to go on duty at Dongzuo Gate tonight."
..."Your grandma's Wang Dazhuang, bah."
A mouthful of thick phlegm flew into the air, spun around twice and then disappeared into the darkness under the tower.
The moon was dark and the wind was high. Pang Yu stood on the east gate of Tongcheng. He kept cursing Wang Dazhuang, the leader of Zao Squad. He didn't expect to escape the county magistrate's killing stick and the hidden weapon of this squad leader. He was really not as good as the county magistrate.
Now, I don’t know how many tiny shoes I will have to wear when I am on duty with this person in the future.
The lights of Tongcheng are brightly lit under the city wall, and there is a light mist floating on the thick cornices. There are many homes outside the city wall, and the shadows of the dark houses extend far away.
The county seat of Tongcheng was built as a brick city during the Wanli period. The city spans six weeks, with mountains to the northwest and a river to the southeast.
There were a total of six city gates, an area of 827 feet, and 1,673 battlements. A total of 21,200 taels of silver was spent on it.
At that time, the urban population was not large. Later, with the economic development, the population increased, and urbanization outside the city slowly began.
The north gate is not a thoroughfare, and the outside of the city is relatively desolate. The east gate and west gate are becoming increasingly prosperous. Just outside the Dongzuo Gate, there are three or four streets. The streets along the city wall inside the moat are called Zilai Street.
The place where the thick phlegm flies from the rain.
"Silly Pang Er! Gu Xiaowu! Are you standing there watching the scenery?
All the responsibilities of this city gate and wall are entrusted to you and others. Thousands of families inside and outside the city rely on us to protect them for their safety and security.
Think about your labor and food money. Every penny is the blood of the common people. Is it for you to cheat?
Immediately light up lanterns and patrol the wall. If something happens, you guys will die."
The one who shouted was Wang Chaofeng, the leader on duty tonight. Originally, Tongcheng had been at peace for decades, and there had never been any major incidents in the city defense. The so-called city gate watch meant sleeping in the tower for one night, and just getting up and looking around the gate.
But the news that Pang Yu had offended Wang Dazhuang's brother-in-law spread, so the leader naturally wouldn't let Pang Yu have an easy time. He kept Pang Yu idle all night, walking either at the top of the wall or at the bottom of the wall. After walking, he went inside the doorway to check the crossbar of the city gate.
.
"Go right away."
Gu Xiaowu agreed in a low voice.
"Each person holds a lantern, don't be lazy."
After Wang Chaofeng finished speaking, he returned to the tower.
Pang Yu picked up the long lantern, and the two of them walked listlessly toward the north wall. They had to go all the way to the North Back Street before they could come back, and then they had to go south to Xiangyang Gate.
In the evening of July, they put up lanterns and walked around, attracting tons of mosquito bites. It was also because the dynasty was so evil that they specially asked them to put up more lanterns to attract mosquitoes. Gu Xiaowu seemed to be familiar with the routine and took out a veil.
Hanging on his face, Pang Yu was unprepared and could only rely on diligent one-handed slapping. He felt that he killed more mosquitoes this night than in his previous life.
"The dog surnamed Wang is talented! Dogs look down on people."
After walking far away, Pang Yu cursed angrily.
Gu Xiaowu next to him was silent. He was about the same age as Pang Yu. He had a round face and a thin body. His eyes were evasive when he looked at people. He also lived in Ximen, not far from Pang's house.
Pang Yu knew that Gu Xiaowu was not popular in the soap class, so he was not afraid of Gu Xiaowu's complaint. He scolded Wang Dazhuang and his lackeys many times that night. Gu Xiaowu initially agreed a few words, but then he said little.
Precisely because both of them were disliked and felt a bit like each other, patrolling the city at night was boring and they always had to say a few words. Pang Yu asked casually: "Brother Gu, how did you offend Wang Dazhuang?"
Gu Xiaowu was listless, "Brother Yu, I told you several times and you forgot. I don't want to tell you anymore, and you didn't even bother to listen."
"This is not a slap on the head. I won't forget what I said this time."
Gu Xiaowu waited for a while, maybe he really felt that not talking was too boring, so he lazily replied: "My father used to be a clerk in the household, and Wang Dazhuang was a helper in the household at first, and he was always sneaking around when doing errands. Maybe it was
My father said a few words to him, and he started to hold a grudge. Seeing that my father passed away, he made everything difficult for me.
How talented and virtuous is Wang Dazhuang to be the leader? He is just relying on Zhao Sili, who is in the household house. That Zhao Sili is nothing. He has only been in charge of the first household household for a few years.
None of the other elderly people were left.
The money and food business has also been replaced by Mr. Zheng, Zheng Chao, and Kang Jin's gang. He and Wang Dazhuang are both villains."
It turned out to be a feud. Pang Yu looked at the Ming Dynasty agencies today and saw no friendship. Naturally, the long-standing writer in the household had a higher status than the Zaoli. It is estimated that Gu Xiaowu's father did not make things easy for Wang Dazhuang back then.
Just like Wang Dazhuang is putting on small shoes for Pang Yu now, if Wang Dazhuang's son falls into Pang Yu's hands in the future, Pang Yu will not repay kindness with kindness.
Gu Xiaowu looked back and said, "The only person in Zaoban who can say a few words is you, Brother Yu. Brother, I see that you are not as stunned as before when you come back this time.
We are no more stupid than that king, and we cannot let him bully us for the rest of our lives.
If that opportunity comes, I will definitely make Wang Dazhuang so good-looking that his life will be worse than death, and the household officials Zhao Si and Tang Dian will all kowtow in front of me to apologize!"
"What chance?"
After hearing this, Pang Yu turned to look at Gu Xiaowu, and saw fierceness flashing in his eyes. He clenched his fist in his right hand and waved it gently, as if to cheer himself up. It was completely different from the cowardice he had shown when he faced the leader just now.
Pang Yu frowned and said perfunctorily: "Of course we can't let him be proud. If there is anything we can do to help, brother will definitely help."
Although he said so, he still didn't know when the new hall official would come, and Wang Dazhuang was the leader of the team, so he naturally had a lot of money. Even if the new hall official came, he might not be able to please him. The most practical problem for Pang Yu was
How to deal with the revenge in front of Wang Dazhuang.
"The opportunity is still uncertain.
Thanks in advance for your kindness, Brother Yu. Our Gu family is now in a state of decline. If someone becomes successful one day, he will definitely donate a room as a clerk, or at the very least, a pawn clerk. Then there will be no need to be afraid of Wang Dazhuang."
Gu Xiaowu's face was full of yearning, "I will never forget Brother Yu when the time comes. If I have any good errands, I will send them to you."
After Gu Xiaowu finished speaking, he paused, took off the veil on his face and handed it to Pang Yu. Pang Yu saw his thin appearance and quickly declined: "Brother Gu can't do it, what will you use if you give it to me?"
"Brother Yu, take it. You just suffered a bloody disaster. How can you bear this? I am very strong now. It is time to take care of my brother."
Pang Yu heard what he said and took it over. Looking at Gu Xiaowu's small body, he felt a little moved. Since he came to the Ming Dynasty, except for his parents and Jiao Guozhao, no one really cared about him. Tonight
I still feel a bit of friendship from Gu Xiaowu.
However, I felt that this person would always reveal a kind of cruelty inadvertently, which made Pang Yu not want to have an in-depth relationship with him.
However, from what Gu Xiaowu said, Gu Xiaowu's father still had some status in the household room. The people who cooperated outside were probably another group of people. After the current Secretary Zhao came, he replaced all the household rooms with his own.
people, and then the high-profit business related to household housing was also transferred to Mr. Zheng and his gang of domestic slaves, which caused Gu Xiaowu's current family decline.
"Then let me first wish Brother Gu that all his wishes will come true."
Pang Yu remembered what Gu Xiaowu had just said and asked, "Can all officials and officials donate?"
"Brother Yu, you have been hanging out in the Yamen for more than a year, how come you don't know anything?"
"Brother Xiao Wu, what do you think of this? Anyway, there is nothing wrong with our night patrol. Why don't you tell me everything about the yamen again just to kill time?"
"Then... where to start? Your Majesty has been absent recently. Let's talk about the county magistrate first. The county magistrate Mr. Zhou is originally from Henan. He has the title of imperial examination, but he doesn't know much about his punishment, money and food. He listens to the friend of the curtain, so
It’s the person who stands behind him in class every day, his name is Mr. Yu…”