Donglin Country, Yuanjia Fishing Village.
Chen Wei and her brother Yuanfu returned home with a lot of gains and had a delicious seafood meal in the evening. After dark, the fishing village gradually became quiet, and Shen Wei returned to the house to rest.
The house where she and her brother lived was very small, with only one main room and a wall made of wooden boards and fishing nets outside. Chen Wei was sleeping on the bed, while her younger brother Yuanfu was holding a harpoon, spreading a piece of fish skin under the window and lying on it with a thin blanket.
The sound of the waves was loud at night, and Shen Wei tossed and turned, unable to sleep.
It is easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but it is difficult to go from extravagance to frug
Shen Wei lived in a wealthy nest in the past few years, and her food and accommodation were the best and most exquisite. Now I have inexplicably drifted to a small fishing village, living in a fishing hut that is windy on all sides. At night, not only is the sound of the waves disturbing my sleep, but a slight chill also invades the thin bedding, which is really uncomfortable.
Shen Wei tossed and turned in her small bed, unable to sleep. Amid the sound of the lapping waves, she recalled old events from many years ago - perhaps when she was still studying in her previous life, she lived in such a poor house.
Shen Wei couldn't sleep. She watched the white moonlight leaking in through the window, illuminating her brother's face clearly under the window frame. Shen Wei's eyes fell on the harpoon in her brother's hand, and she wondered, "Brother, why do you always hold the harpoon when you sleep?"
After Chen Wei became Yuan Xier, she discovered this strange phenomenon.
Yuanfu, a twelve-year-old boy, always slept under the window at night with a harpoon in his hand, and only hung the harpoon back on the wall at dawn.
Yuanfu held the harpoon silently without saying a word.
“Crunch—”
There were strange noises coming from outside the house.
Shen Wei pricked up her ears: "What's that noise outside?"
The room was dark, and the pale moonlight fell into the room, making it look like a mourning hall.
Yuan Fu jumped up like an angry fish, harpoon in hand, and rushed out of the house angrily.
Shen Wei heard screams coming from outside the house.
"Hey, Ah Fu, don't poke me! I'm here to see your sister. I'll be your brother-in-law and I'll give you copper coins."
“Get lost!”
"Tsk, you two siblings have really bad tempers. Xier, that piece of junk, has been abused by so many people. I don't despise her. Don't worry, I will pay her."
"If you don't get out of here, I'll stab you in the throat!"
"Okay, okay, I'll get out of here. Your sister looks like a slut. She showed up on the beach today just to seduce men. It's not like I don't want to pay you, and you're poking me with a harpoon!"
"Get out of here and don't come back!"
There was a commotion outside the house.
After a while, the noise stopped.
Yuanfu returned to the house angrily with a stern face and a sharp harpoon in his hand. He closed the door and sat back on the makeshift bed under the window frame, harpoon in hand, wiping his tears.
Shen Wei lowered her eyes, and she finally understood.
There are many gossips around a widow, and there are also many gossips around an orphan. Ever since their parents died in a shipwreck, Yuan Xier and her brother lost their support and were often bullied in the fishing village. Yuan Xier was in her prime, and was considered the prettiest among the dark-skinned fishermen's girls.
She had no elders to support her and had only a younger brother at home. In the eyes of the bachelors in the village, Yuan Xier was a popular commodity that anyone could easily get.
Some time ago, Yuan Xier committed suicide by jumping into the sea. After being rescued, she has been recuperating at home. This evening, she showed up on the beach and attracted the attention of the bachelors in the village.
They fantasized about climbing over the wall in the middle of the night and having a taste of this delicious food.
Shen Wei suddenly understood why Yuan Xier always fantasized about marrying King Wu. Perhaps in Yuan Xier's view, marrying King Wu would at least completely get rid of the covetousness of the bachelors in the village.
"Okay, don't cry." Shen Wei walked to the window frame, half-knelt in front of Yuan Fu, and reached out to wipe the tears of the young boy.
Yuanfu sniffed and choked, "Sister...I won't let them bully you, wuwuwu."
Shen Wei patted Yuan Fu's shoulder and said softly, "Thank you, brother."
The fishing village was freezing cold at night, and the brother and sister who had lost their parents became each other's only warmth.
Shen Wei was determined to leave Yuanjia Fishing Village as soon as possible.
Poor mountains and bad waters breed unruly people. We cannot stay here for long.
...
...
At dawn the next day, Shen Wei was awakened by Yuanfu's call.
"Sister, wash your face first, the soup will be ready soon." Yuanfu's voice came from outside the house.
Shen Wei got up and put on her clothes.
Yuanfu is a very sensible child. Although he has been bullied by his sister for a long time, his temper has not changed. Breakfast consisted of two bowls of clam soup, with no seasoning, just a dozen plump clams boiled in water.
There were only two clams in Yuanfu's bowl.
The rest was all in Shen Wei's bowl.
Shen Wei sighed silently in her heart, and she used chopsticks to share half of the clams in her bowl with Yuanfu.
"Sister, I, I'm not hungry. Your illness is not well yet, you should eat more." Yuanfu was flattered and refused repeatedly.
Shen Wei said: "If you don't eat more, how can you protect me?"
Yuanfu held the shell bowl and felt his nose sore.
The clam meat was delicious and the brother and sister had a satisfying meal. Yuanfu picked up a lot of seafood last night. He dried some of them and stored them as dry goods; the other part was kept in buckets, ready to be sent to the market to exchange for money.
Shen Wei did not stay at home to recuperate, she chose to go to the market with her brother. The brother and sister packed up and went out with the seafood bucket.
I met Qiaojie, a fisherman's daughter from the neighboring family.
Qiaojie was sewing a fishing net. She glanced at Shen Wei's pretty face and said sarcastically, "Oh, Xier is going out again? She is dressed up gorgeously. Is she going to seduce His Royal Highness the King of Wu again?"
Yuan Fu said angrily, "Qiaojie, don't talk nonsense! My sister and I are going to the market to sell seafood! We are not going to look for the prince."
Qiaojie sighed, "Who doesn't know that the market is right next to the Prince of Wu's mansion? Your sister is still harboring evil intentions and is still dreaming of marrying up. She married an old bachelor in the village, which was considered marrying up. She even wants to marry the prince. It's really a big joke."
Yuanfu's face turned red with anger.
Shen Wei pulled her brother’s arm: “Don’t pay attention to her, go to the market first.”
...
The market is in the center of Wu County, near the Wu Palace.
There were many people in the county town, and the market was bustling with people, filled with the rich smell of seafood, and very lively.
After King Zhao Ziqi of Wu arrived in Wu County, he saw that this place was too poor and the people were so hungry that their faces were pale and their bodies were emaciated. So he simply waved his hand and directly reduced the taxes for the people in the entire county.
The people of Wu County were no longer burdened by heavy taxes, their pockets were full, and their lives were getting better day by day. Many businessmen from other places also came to Wu County and started doing business.
Shen Wei followed her brother through the market. Yuanfu, like a mature little adult, skillfully set up the stall and started selling seafood.
Shen Wei looked around curiously and had already caught a glimpse of a prosperous corner of Wu County. Although the King of Wu looks young, he is quite capable in managing counties.
The King of Wu adopted the strategy of "ruling by doing nothing" and revitalized a poor county.
Shen Wei even felt that the King of Wu rode around all day long, and "looking for beauties" was just an excuse, and his real purpose was to understand people's livelihood.
Shen Wei followed behind her brother, lost in thought. She didn't notice at all that there was a noise coming from the crowd at the other end of the market.
King Zhao Ziqi of Wu was patrolling the streets.
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