124 First Meeting with Fang Wu
"We're here." Fang Xiao's words made everyone breathe a sigh of relief.
The road into the valley was really difficult to walk on. It took us almost an hour, starting early in the morning and it was almost noon now.
The entrance to the valley is not big, but after entering it, you will find another small world, very open and wide, with layers going up one by one.
The house was built on a large flat valley, a bit like a courtyard house, with rooms all around it and a large wooden door that could accommodate a carriage. After entering the door, you will find that the yard inside is quite large.
"This is where the children practice martial arts. The older ones don't practice here. Look, there are two similar large courtyards over there. You can't see them from here. Three miles away from here, there is a similar valley with courtyards like this. We have more than 360 people here all year round. When one group leaves, another group comes."
Fang Xiao introduced this place to Ping An with pride in his eyes. He had worked hard for eleven years to build this place, and he couldn't remember how much hardship he had endured.
But the result satisfied the eldest son and himself.
Several teenagers ran over.
Ping An recognized at a glance that the young man running in front was Fang Wu.
There is no other reason, he just looks about 70% to 80% like Fang Xiao. The power of genes is really strong. If he looks about 50% to 60% like his biological father, then anyone can recognize the Fang father and son at a glance.
"Dad." The boy called out "Dad" but his eyes were looking at Ping An.
"Uncle Fang, this is Fang Wu, right?"
Fang Xiao smiled proudly: "Master Ping'an, my son looks a lot like me, right? Ah Wu, this is Master Ping'an, your little master in this life."
Fang Wu knelt down on the spot with a thud and kowtowed: "Fang Wu greets the young master."
Ping An pulled him up and said, "Can I call you Ah Wu too? You don't have to kneel anymore. We are almost the same age, so we can just get along like friends."
This was his true feelings. They should just treat each other as friends and partners, unless they were in other public occasions. Master didn't put on airs when he was with Fang Xiao and the others, let alone him?
Fang Wu looked at his father, and when he saw his father nod, he also grinned.
This is a very sunny boy.
"Awu, take Master Ping'an to the prepared room. Xiaohu, go call your aunt over and tell her that she has arrived."
A young boy ran away.
Fang Wu led them into a small courtyard: "Master, this is the courtyard where the eldest son lives. There are four rooms in it, two large and two small."
He took Ping An directly into the east room.
The room is not small, with a very large kang, two kang cabinets, a table and a chair. But it is just right. If there are too many things, it will seem crowded.
"The eldest master can only stay for one night each time he comes, so there is nothing prepared inside."
"Awu, it's fine inside. Let me check out the other rooms."
The west room is as big as the west room, and there are two small side rooms, but the side rooms do not have a kang, but a wooden bed, the kind that is supported by benches.
"Ah Wu, there are ten of us here, so we'll live in the east and west rooms. The kang is big and we can just squeeze in. Er Qiang, the five of you will live with me. Master Da Wu and Master Xiao Wu, you can take Tong Lin and Xiao Shan to squeeze in. I'm worried that the rooms will be too cold at night without a kang. Mr. Zhou, do you want to live with us?"
Zhou Heng said, "I'll stay in the wing room for now. It's convenient for me to study and teach you my lessons in the morning."
Fang Wu said, "I'd better find someone to build a small kang tomorrow. There is no shortage of firewood in the mountains."
Da Wu nodded: "Master Ping An, that's it."
Whenever they came here with the eldest son in the past, it was also so crowded in winter. The temperature in the mountains is low in the morning and evening, which is definitely different from the city.
If there is a kang in the wing room, there is no need to squeeze. If the earthen bricks are ready, it will only take a day.
Fang Xiao and his wife came over very quickly.
Madam Fang was a woman completely different from his mother. She smiled before she spoke and was very graceful, but she did not show any proper courtesy.
"Master Ping'an, I'm Fang Wu's mother. I'm in charge of the logistics here. If you need anything, just come to me."
Ping An smiled and said, "Aunt Fang, Ping An will be staying here for quite a while, so I will definitely have to trouble Uncle Fang and Aunt Fang."
"It's not a bother, I'll get someone to make the bed for you. You can take a rest and I'll let Wu show you around the area later."
Fang Wu told his parents about building the kang.
Fang Xiao nodded immediately: "It is indeed my fault. It is already November and there are so many of you. Living in two rooms is indeed crowded. We will build it tomorrow and it will be ready for use the day after tomorrow at the latest."
This year, it would have snowed in the mountains at this time of year in previous years.
Yong'an is considered lucky. If it were in the north, it would snow heavily in October and people would have to wear cotton-padded jackets long ago.
Of course Ping An is willing to do this. If eleven people live in four rooms, it won’t be crowded at all.
Zhou Heng had no interest in his surroundings. Moreover, in his mind, even if this was just the medicinal valley of Young Master Sun's family, he was still an outsider and it was better for him to know as little as possible about other people's affairs.
His task was to teach Ping An to read in the morning and to accompany him to write articles and practice calligraphy in the evening.
The task was completed beautifully. During these three years, until the next provincial examination, he had a place to live, did not have to worry about three meals a day, and was able to save some money.
If he really passed the imperial examination, the eldest son even promised to help him find a place to live so that he wouldn't have to stay in an inn at a high price.
These conditions were very tempting, not to mention that Mr. Sun also agreed to lend him some books to read.
This is incredible.
Not only was it impossible for him to buy good books, but the money was also prohibitive and it was simply beyond the reach of poor scholars like them.
Most of his books were copied, of course, they were just the ordinary Four Books and Five Classics, and there were not many good ones with annotations.
If they are asked to copy a really good book, the bookstore owner will never let them take it home. They have to copy it in the bookstore and there will be no chance for you to copy more than one copy.
In the afternoon, Fang Xiao took Ping'an, Zhang Xiaoshan, Wu Jun and Qingshi to Master Qin.
Ping An saw an ancient pharmaceutical workshop for the first time.
It was a fairly large courtyard, not in the same valley, but about two or three miles away from where they lived.
"Master Qin, this is the Master Ping An that the eldest son mentioned. During this period of time, the few of them will follow you to make medicine."
Ping An hurried forward and bowed: "Master Qin, just call me Ping An. I'm sorry to bother you in the future."
Master Qin has a kind face. In Ping'an's opinion, he is just like the neighbor's grandfather, gentle and polite, speaking slowly and leisurely.
"Master Ping'an, the eldest master has already informed me that you should come to my place every afternoon and I will teach you how to prepare medicines in two hours. If these people are yours, they can come with you."
Ping An agreed readily.
His master had high expectations of him, as did his teacher, so he didn't dare to waste time.
Besides, he is not an ignorant child. If you want to live a good life and be respected by others, you must have the corresponding abilities, otherwise who will pay attention to you?
The appearance of his biological father and what happened to him gave him a headache. He once vowed to avoid him, and although he still wants to do so now, his heart has softened a little.
It's really rare for a person to have such a miserable life.
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