But clearly, the Buddha did not recognize them.
After only two meals, the food in the little cloth was gone.
Jiang Sheng looked at the young master with a troubled expression, wondering where they could get food.
Zheng Ruqian misunderstood. Having just experienced being abandoned, he clenched his fists and trembled, saying, "I can eat a little less."
Just don't abandon him again.
"I've got it!" Jiang Sheng clapped her hands. "Let's go to the market and pick some vegetables to eat."
The vegetable market on the east side of town is frequented by wealthy families who often peel off several layers of vegetable skin, keeping only the tenderest heart of the cabbage.
Poor families who couldn't afford to buy vegetables would come and pick up the vegetable scraps they threw away. Although they were a bit wilted, they were still edible.
Jiang Sheng also picked some, but her cooking skills were poor, so she could only boil them whole to barely fill her stomach.
“Actually, boiled vegetables aren’t bad, but they’re even more delicious if you sprinkle a little salt on them.” Jiang Sheng whispered to Zheng Ruqian, “You’d better be quick and grab them later, or you won’t get any leafy greens.”
Zheng Ruqian opened his mouth wide.
They'd even fight over rotten vegetable leaves.
Later, he learned that even rotten vegetable leaves were precious in the world of the poor.
After surviving a storm, the two children, covered in dust and dirt, retreated from the crowd, clutching the vegetable leaves.
Jiang Sheng's braid was crooked, and Zheng Ruqian's clothes were wrinkled.
Fortunately, they all had a good harvest—two large handfuls of vegetable leaves.
"Let's eat the driest dishes tonight, then we can have two more meals left..." Jiang Sheng said happily.
But her joy was short-lived, as a young man suddenly appeared from the side and took most of the vegetables from her arms.
Then they sped away with lightning speed.
Zheng Ruqian was almost in tears of anger; these were the vegetables they had worked so hard to snatch.
Jiang Sheng, however, was used to it and sighed as she touched her braid, "Aunt Zhang specially braided it for me."
“Jiang Sheng,” Zheng Ruqian pouted, “our dish.”
"You'll get used to it." Jiang Sheng picked up the other vegetable leaves. "They're a group of little beggars wandering around the neighborhood. We can't beat them, so we can only avoid them."
If you can't avoid it, then accept your fate.
In the world of the poor, the law of the jungle prevails.
Zheng Ruqian's tears welled up in his eyes, and he couldn't speak for a long time.
The two of them staggered as they walked into the dilapidated temple.
On the way, I heard people shouting, "The upright official has been imprisoned!" and "The magistrate who murdered people has finally received his retribution!" as well as cheers and applause from the uninformed crowd.
Jiang Sheng didn't understand why these people were cheering. Although she didn't know the local official, she had heard Aunt Zhang say that the local official of Xiyang County was a good person. Why were they so happy that a good person had died?
Zheng Ruqian was even more confused. He just frowned as he looked at the rotten vegetable leaves. Could such ugly vegetables really be eaten?
Jiang Sheng is almost back at the dilapidated temple.
She was overjoyed, eagerly anticipating the green leafy vegetables she was about to eat.
But when I turned my head, I heard a faint humming.
Jiang Sheng tried to pretend she didn't hear, but Zheng Ruqian grabbed her, "Jiang Sheng, someone's here."
Jiang Sheng couldn't keep up the act any longer. She frowned and said, "With just you, I'm not full. If there's another one, I'll starve to death."
"No, Jiang Sheng," Zheng Ruqian comforted her. "What if he has family and they bring us food as a thank you?"
Jiang Sheng simply couldn't believe it. The surrounding area was desolate; who would bear to have their family lying here?
Unless, of course, no one is home.
Jiang Sheng's heart softened, and she finally put down the vegetable leaves and quietly moved closer.
Parting the dry reeds, one could see a young boy in a gray robe lying on the ground, his eyes closed and soft moans escaping his lips.
He was covered in blood, and his legs were twisted at an odd angle, somewhat resembling the kitten at Uncle Zhou's house that had eaten a poisoned rat.
Jiang Sheng felt a pang of sadness. Uncle Zhou's family didn't like her. Only the cat was willing to snuggle up to her and talk to her. But later, the cat passed away weakly, and no one was willing to pay attention to her anymore.
Thinking of this, Jiang Sheng mustered her courage, picked up the water pouch, and carefully fed him a mouthful.
Afraid that he would choke, Zheng Ruqian struggled to lift his head.
The young boy suddenly gasped and uttered a single word, "It hurts."
Jiang Sheng was at a loss.
If an adult is present, they will instruct them to lay the patient flat, find a flatbed cart to take him to the hospital, and provide first aid to stop the bleeding.
Neither of the two children understood, so they could only hold back their tears and carefully feed the child water.
One bite at a time, like feeding a dying kitten.
After a long while, the young boy finally woke up.
He looked around blankly, a piercing pain shooting through his legs. The unfamiliar surroundings and the unfamiliar child reminded him of the ordeal he had suffered. The boy whimpered and tears streamed down his face.
Jiang Sheng thought she had hurt him again, so she quickly told Zheng Ruqian to let go.
With a thud, the boy fell back to the ground.
He opened his eyes wide, unsure whether to cry or be angry.
"Brother, are you in a lot of pain?" Jiang Sheng asked softly.
She remembered that there was an older boy in the village who had been bitten on the foot by a trap. When the doctor was removing the trap, the boy cried and screamed. To make him feel better, the doctor punched the boy unconscious.
If the older brother is also in pain, she will have no choice but to reluctantly sacrifice her own hand.
"You..." The young boy swallowed hard as he looked at Jiang Sheng's raised fist. "My leg is broken."
Jiang Sheng nodded solemnly, then her fists would definitely be needed even more.
Fortunately, Zheng Ruqian stopped her and cautiously offered a suggestion: "I've seen the aunties in Yihong Courtyard break their legs, and they all have to be sent to the clinic."
The young boy held his breath and looked at Zheng Ruqian with gratitude.
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