5 Chapter 5
◎Her current personality is a widow without a husband or children◎
Nearly a hundred years had passed since the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun were recovered, and overseas crops such as potatoes were introduced. After comparing various information on time, space and geography, Cheng Mi roughly knew that she was in the Xuan Dynasty, which was similar to the Ming Dynasty. She had thought about it many times about how to gain a foothold in this ancient time.
She is of marriageable age and has a good appearance. The best way for her is to rely on a man. Does she want to hand over her fate to a man?
The original body's ending has proven to be unreliable.
Being alone and without any social connections, it is even more unreliable for her to find a man now.
It’s better to believe in yourself and become stronger on your own.
"My uncle has had poor health since childhood. My mother-in-law, with the guidance of a wandering Taoist priest, raised him as a girl, and that's how he grew up." Cheng Mu called over the person who was packing things, "Mu Yun, come and formally meet Aunt Jiang."
"Aunt Jiang." Mu Yun called out reluctantly, and Jiang replied with a sigh, unable to turn around for a moment. How could she not have noticed that he was a boy? It must be because he was too beautiful, like a girl.
Cheng Mu asked her to take care of her in the future.
The way Jiang looked at Mu Yun was different from before. "Auntie, please don't hold it against Madam Cheng for what happened to him before." She thought, since he is Madam Cheng's family member, it's no wonder that she didn't hold it against the incident of taking the gold hairpin. Two days later, he came back as if nothing had happened, and brought the person they were looking for.
She is meddling in other people's business.
Since he was a man, what Gui'er said about a young man staying overnight was definitely not what she thought.
She was just imagining things.
Jiang said some polite words in an unnatural manner, then quickly took his things and left.
It was such a big deal that Jiang couldn't help but pull Yu aside to tell her about it when she got home.
"After her parents-in-law passed away, she and her two companions went to Puyang to look for their relatives. Before entering the city, her husband said he accidentally pricked his foot and suddenly had a severe cold. He passed away within two days. It was a very urgent matter."
Yu sighed with regret, "They are all miserable people."
After hearing Gui'er say that a young man stayed overnight, Yu also had some other thoughts about Madam Cheng. Now that she knew that the little maid was her brother-in-law, she couldn't help feeling ashamed of her random guess.
Suddenly, sad things came to mind, and I thought about myself, and I raised my hand to wipe away my tears.
Jiang consoled her, "She's no match for you. She's carrying a posthumous child, and even though she looks like a fairy, it's still hard to find a husband. She certainly wasn't one to endure hardship before, so what are you going to do in the future?" Turning to Yu, Jiang counseled her, "What are you really thinking? You're still so young, and it's rare that Captain Lin is interested in you. What a golden opportunity! Gui'er won't be married for two years, and if you have a son, your life will be completely different. He's a hundred times better than your previous one."
Yu waved her hand and said, "Don't talk about this. I really don't want to."
Jiang really couldn't understand why Yu was unwilling. She said comforting words, but in her heart she looked down on her. Compared with Madam Cheng, Madam Cheng was at least rich, while Yu and Gui'er were very poor. If she relied on Yu's needlework, she could go blind in two years.
"Alright, alright, take it easy. You stare at your hands during the day, and your face is covered with tears at night. Do you still have these eyes?"
Yu worked tirelessly, and two days later, she brought back a pair of tiger-head shoes that she had hurriedly made for Cheng Mu.
After asking around, Cheng Mu learned that there was a scholar and a constable in the alley. She had an idea and wanted to find them to be civil and martial arts masters for Mu Yun.
Mu Yun refused as soon as he heard it.
Cheng Mu asked him, "I saw you standing in meditation this morning. Do you have a routine?"
Mu Yun kept his mouth shut, like a saw-mouthed gourd.
Cheng Mu was unavoidable in her tough stance. "I'm not giving you one ounce of silver a month just to pretend to be a man, and I'm not asking for your opinion when I tell you about the civil and martial arts masters. How can you protect us mother and son if you don't have martial arts skills? If you're blind, how can you be sure you won't fall into someone else's trap when you're dealing with documents?"
Mu Yun stiffened his neck and replied, "I'm not a fool. If I can't win, I'll just run away. If you dare to lie to me, you'll end up badly."
Cheng Mu couldn't help but taunt her, "You're really ambitious. Why didn't you run away when Madam Jiang caught you that day?"
"Of course," Mu Yun's neck turned red, "Of course it's because I didn't think..."
Cheng Mu said for him, "Of course it's because Madam Jiang isn't afraid of making a big deal out of this, and you're sure I won't do anything to you if I don't behave properly."
"No..." Mu Yun lowered his head, subconsciously mumbling a denial. It was undeniable that he had thought so before. Now he knew that Madam Cheng was just being hypocritical and wasn't that kind of person at all.
Cheng Mu's tone was unyielding. "You ran away because you lacked the ability. Now I'm here to protect you. Learn more skills while you're still young. The skills you learn will be yours, and no one will be able to bully you in the future."
I will protect you. These few words made Mu Yun feel even more ashamed, and he lowered his head even more.
Cheng Mu asked Jiang to help act as a middleman, and Jiang was impressed by her. "Madam Cheng, you have done your best for your husband's family."
Cheng Mu said modestly, "This is my late husband's wish. I learn martial arts to strengthen my body, and I don't study literature to prepare for the imperial examination. I just want to learn for two or three years and have a basic understanding of literature and calligraphy."
In fact, Cheng Mu had a deeper reason. Becoming a disciple could help her accumulate connections quickly. If she wanted to gain a foothold in this small Puyang City, a scholar or a constable would be a good entry point.
Jiang was very happy to do this. It was a sure thing and did not require too many requirements. It was a smooth task for Li Xiucai and Captain Lin.
After the two sides agreed, they picked a day and Cheng Mu brought Mu Yun to become his disciple.
After Li Xiucai got married, he had many brothers and sisters, and his parents and grandparents were all around. Together with his and his two brothers' children, the family of more than a dozen people squeezed into a small courtyard with two entrances. There were people everywhere he looked.
Li Xiucai's name was Li Yanbo. Because of his academic achievement, a room in his home was specially set aside for him as a study.
When becoming his disciple, Li Xiucai tested Mu Yun.
Seeing that he had read a little of the Thousand Words Literature and could write a few words, he told him directly that Mu Yun should study at home on weekdays. He would come over every two or three days and check on him. He would let Mu Yun accumulate the questions he didn't understand and he would give him detailed guidance.
The master leads you to the door, but the practice is up to you. Cheng Mu naturally agreed.
Mu Yun thought to himself that he was lucky to be a master.
Captain Lin had to work in the yamen during the day. In the evening, Cheng Mu took Mu Yun and asked Jiang to accompany her to Captain Lin's house.
Captain Lin is in his thirties. He has never remarried after his wife’s death. He is a tall and strong man. He once captured a large white tiger with hanging eyes in Wanqing Mountain. He is very skilled in martial arts.
Captain Lin was very strict in testing Li Xiucai. He brought Mu Yun directly to the yard and let him throw a few punches. Once Mu Yun got into the mood, Captain Lin was not polite at all.
Mu Yun was thrown to the ground several times, and Jiang's heart was pounding. She was extremely anxious. Mu Yun looked like a little chicken, and she couldn't even fight him off, let alone against Captain Lin. Jiang blamed Captain Lin for being too harsh in his show of force, and she was afraid that this plan would be ruined at the last minute.
She carefully observed Cheng Mu's expression, but said, "Madam Cheng, this martial art is learned through being beaten. Captain Lin is honest and will definitely not hide his skills as Mu Yun's master. You can rest assured that he will teach Mu Yun."
Cheng Mu saw that force can defeat skill, and all strategies are useless in the face of absolute strength.
Mu Yun looked depressed. He had boasted in front of Madam Cheng that if he couldn't win, he would run away. But he couldn't escape from the hands of Captain Lin.
After Constable Lin unilaterally beat up Mu Yun, he said to Cheng Mu, "He's too thin and weak." They chose strong and powerful people to be constables, and it was enough to teach him some moves. This kid was not good enough in every way. "If you want to develop strength, you must first take care of your body."
Cheng Mu said, "Captain Lin is right. From now on, let him eat three meals a day."
Captain Lin nodded. Thinking he was still young, he found something to praise him for. "He has some basic skills, and a relentless spirit."
Mu Yun had just gotten up and stood firm when he was slapped on the shoulder, almost knocking him down again.
Jiang quickly supported the man and gave Captain Lin a look. Captain Lin touched his nose and said to Mu Yun a little embarrassedly, "Go back and recuperate for a few days. Eat well and drink well." Thinking of Madam Cheng's advice for him to eat three meals a day, he added, "The legs are the pillars of the whole body. Practicing桩 is the basic skill. The foundation must be solid. If the foundation is unstable, the center of gravity will be unstable. Practice three times a day, morning, noon and night, for one hour each time. Come back in three days. I will use the same fighting method as before to see if you have improved."
Cheng Mu thought that Mu Yun was a girl and wanted to ask Captain Lin to show mercy, but when she saw Mu Yun's stubborn expression, she didn't say anything.
After becoming a disciple and returning home, Cheng Mu wanted to apply some medicine to Mu Yun, but he coldly refused, "Madam Cheng, there is no need to show mercy."
You are angry with her and don't know what's good for you.
Cheng Mu threw the medicine to him and said, "Then take care of yourself."
Mu Yun felt pain all over his body. He had no strength to apply medicine or wash up. He lay on the kang and thought about the past.
What kind of bad luck has it been? He finally escaped, but his life is the same as before. Since his parents passed away, he has been treated like this in the name of "for your own good". He endured it for more than two years last time. Will he have to endure it this time? How long will he endure it?
He fell asleep quickly and didn't know when he woke up. He was woken by the cold. When he heard the night watchman's banging, he got up.
After standing in horse stance for an hour, daybreak arrived.
My body felt much warmer, and the pain in my flesh seemed to have eased a lot.
He was about to boil some hot water to wash up when Cheng Mei heard the noise coming from his side and came over with a pot. "Boil it and drink it."
Mu Yun opened it and saw that it was white, milk.
Yanbei was once ruled by the Liao people, and many people had the habit of drinking milk. Cheng Mu could easily find a milkman to deliver a clay jar every morning.
Most of the people who drink milk are children. Mu Yun feels that he is no longer a child, so he refuses to drink it.
Cheng Xi was already used to her repeated non-cooperation. "It's mainly because I want to drink it. I can't drink so much. Let's share it. This is high-quality protein."
Cheng Mu had already given Jiang some extra money, asking her to boil three eggs a day, cut a pound of pork every day, and buy chicken, duck, fish and other meats once every ten days. Although Jiang was happy and wanted to take advantage of the situation, she couldn't help but admire Cheng Mu's generosity. "Having you as a sister-in-law is a blessing that this kid earned in his previous life."
Milk, eggs, stewed meat, refined rice and white flour appeared on the dinner table every day. Cheng Mu said she wanted to eat, but she could only eat a few bites, so she was told to watch Mu Yun eat the rest.
In her original form, Cheng Mu was beautiful and young, so she rarely left the house to avoid unnecessary trouble. Mu Yun would go out every few days to receive guidance from the scholar and the head constable, which would allow him to bring back some news for her.
The household registration management was very strict in the early days of this dynasty. A hundred years later, the household registration policy has changed according to the development of society. If she wants to become a citizen here, she can purchase property, which is the same as buying a house to become a household in modern times. Moreover, her current personality is a widow without a husband or children, so she can establish a female household.
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