Chapter 18 Zhang Yin, my boss's love rival shows up at my house in the middle of the night?! ...
The oxcart bumped and jolted its way to Qingxi Village.
"Qingqing!" At the door, Nie Zhen waved to her, holding Manman's hand.
Zhu Qing jumped off the oxcart, smiled, and stepped forward. Before she even got close to them, Manman ran over and rushed into Zhu Qing's arms.
She couldn't speak, she just looked up at Zhu Qing with her eyes that twinkled like little stars.
Zhu Qing flicked her pigtail, bent down to kiss her forehead, and asked, "Have you missed your aunt these past two days?"
He nodded heavily.
"Qingqing is back!" The aunts and sisters-in-law from the neighborhood came out of their homes to watch. Uncle Zhu Yu and Zhu Feichuan unloaded the boxes from the oxcart, and Mu Zao followed behind to help.
The food, cloth, and some gold and silver jewelry in the box were clearly visible and glittered in the sunlight.
"We've all heard about your exploits in the city. You've brought back so many good things, and we heard you even got a promotion!" the neighbor said enviously while munching on a corncob.
Several other women followed, watching with envy as the box was carried into the Zhu family's small main room.
"Great! We're rich now! We'll never have to rely on others in the village again!"
"Making money is nothing compared to gaining the favor of those above! You'll enjoy endless riches and honors in the future!"
The auntie munching on a corncob gloated, "Village Chief Zhuo was reluctant to marry his daughter off to us before, but now he's probably regretting it, isn't he? I heard he's looking at other families for marriage."
Zhu Yubo heard it from afar and his body stiffened.
Someone continued, "Hey, they say Yunmeng didn't like it, so it won't work out. Now the Zhu family is rich, the village chief will definitely be eager to marry his daughter to them, just wait and see!"
After finishing her corn on the cob, Auntie tossed the bare kernel to the yellow dog at the door, smiling and saying, "That's true." Then she turned to Zhu Qing and said with a beaming smile:
"Qingqing, didn't you like my daughter's round table before? I've already asked her dad to bring it over for you. You can use it for reading and writing!"
As she was speaking, she saw her husband carrying a table out of the house and placing it in Zhu Qing's yard.
"Here it is, here it is! It's all been cleaned and you can use it right away! I didn't lend it to you before because my daughter wanted to use it, but now that she doesn't need it anymore, I'm giving it to you! Please take care of us in the future, we're all neighbors!"
Zhu Qing found it somewhat amusing.
Zhu Qing originally wanted a place to write and read, so she went to this aunt's house to borrow one. They casually made up an excuse to send her away and even talked behind her back about how poor her family was.
Later, Zhu Feichuan used some strange method to earn some money and bought her a small desk.
Zhu Zhengyang also made one for her. The two brothers kept it a secret and wanted to surprise her. As a result, Zhu Qing suddenly had two new tables.
Now this auntie has changed her tune, and they've even brought the table to her door.
Another uncle said, "I still have an old hen at home. You're not feeling well, so I'll kill it and bring it to you to help you recover. Please take good care of us in the future!"
Without waiting for Zhu Qing to accept it, he put the old hen on the table and left in a hurry.
"..."
They showered her with compliments, showering her with gifts, and some even offered to act as matchmakers, determined to persuade the village chief to marry Zhuo Yunmeng off to the village.
Zhu Qing listened silently.
Before long, the yard was filled with all sorts of things.
They have everything: food, supplies, and toys.
Perhaps seeing that Zhu Qing didn't respond, everyone gradually dispersed.
Zhu Qing looked at the things filling the courtyard, but her heart remained unmoved.
They're only offering her this kindness because she's 'successful' now. It was the same in her time; only those who achieved success could receive a constant stream of goodwill.
But Nie Zhen's eyes reddened.
When she first married into the family, she was looked down upon. People said she had married a penniless man, and the neighbors laughed at her.
Although Zhu Zhengyang had never wronged her and dared not say those nasty things to her, she still felt uncomfortable.
Who would have thought I would receive such kindness one day?
Knowing that she was only benefiting from Zhu Qing's help, Nie Zhen admired Zhu Qing even more. "I won't have to worry about going hungry anymore, Qingqing. Thanks to you, you're so amazing, I don't even know what to say..."
Zhu Qing took Nie Zhen's hand and saw the tears in her eyes. "Don't worry, after this incident, I think they won't say those things again."
Nie Zhen was so moved that her nose tingled.
Just as he was about to say something more, he suddenly saw Zhuo Yunmeng standing far away outside the fence, dressed in a smoky purple dress, like a delicate flower, gentle and graceful, quietly gazing at Zhu Yubo.
Zhu Yubo also saw her and was about to go to her.
Nie Zhen called him back and whispered, "Now that the family has made money, many people are envious. I trust your ability to handle things, but I'm also afraid that you'll be blinded by your youth. So I'd like to remind you that no matter what Yunmeng says, you must not agree to anything that involves marriage. You have to listen to what your elder brother has to say, understand?"
Zhu Yubo turned around, bowed to Nie Zhen, said "I will follow my sister-in-law's teachings" and then left.
After watching Zhu Yubo and Zhuo Yunmeng walk away into the distance, the group entered the main room.
Zhu Qing remembered the help Mu Zao's family had given him, so he gave Mu Zao some cloth, rice, and a string of coins to take home.
As Mu Zao was refusing, a sound suddenly came from outside the fenced gate.
Zhu Zhengyang came in carrying a bow and arrows on his back and a rabbit in his hand. He threw the rabbit on the ground, hung the bow and arrows on the jujube tree, and entered the main room.
Upon seeing the three boxes of valuable items, Zhu Zhengyang was initially stunned, then his expression turned serious.
He hunted year-round, his skin was dark, and his features had taken on a fierce look; his stern face was quite intimidating.
Seeing this, Nie Zhen knew from the couple's tacit understanding that he had something to say, so she poured him a bowl of water and silently took Manman to the kitchen.
Mu Zao was also afraid of this older brother, so she dared not refuse again, took the things Zhu Qing gave her, and hurriedly said goodbye.
Only the three Zhu siblings remained in the main room.
Zhu Zhengyang took a sip of water before speaking in a calm voice, "Was it a gift from Feng Huaihe?"
Zhu Qing said, "It is Eunuch Tian."
Zhu Zhengyang was taken aback. "The price must be quite high, right?"
Zhu Qing sighed inwardly. As expected of the head of the family, while others were only happy, Zhu Zhengyang saw the heavy burden behind it all.
Zhu Qing still vividly remembers the fear when Tian Lingzi threatened to gouge out her eyes; her eyeballs still feel like they're hurting.
Zhu Qinghuan rubbed her eyes in pain, and heard Zhu Zhengyang ask, "What did you use to exchange for all this with Lieutenant Tian?"
Zhu Qing frankly told them that they wanted her to become a spy for Huang Chao, adding, "But don't worry, brother, I won't become a spy. I will find a way to get you out of Qingxi Village and find a peaceful place to live before that happens."
When Zhu Feichuan heard her mention this, he frowned with self-reproach and didn't dare to look at her.
He had forgotten that wealth and status in this world don't come easily. The three boxes of valuables were all obtained through Qingqing's perilous situation.
No wonder my older brother often says he's unreliable and has no sense of direction; he's forgotten the most important part.
Zhu Feichuan looked at Zhu Qing with guilt, his lips trembling as if he wanted to say something but couldn't.
Zhu Zhengyang then said, "War is raging everywhere. Where can there be a truly peaceful place? Even if there is, peace will only last for a short time. Hiding for a lifetime is not a solution."
After saying this, Zhu Zhengyang sighed deeply.
The prey in the mountains was becoming increasingly scarce, and after Huang Chao invaded Chang'an, no one knew what it would look like.
There had been a famine a few years ago, and they had eaten up almost all the tree bark and grass that could be chewed. Zhu Zhengyang didn't dare to think about how his family would survive if another famine came. He also had a seven-year-old mute girl.
Zhu Zhengyang dared not tell them these things, only sighing beside Nie Zhen late at night.
As darkness fell, a single lamp lit up the main room, illuminating the fine wrinkles around Zhu Zhengyang's eyes.
Although he was only thirty years old, his face showed signs of aging and weariness, and his sunken eyes were wide open but powerless.
He put down the bowl of water, his expression softened slightly, and he sighed heavily.
Zhu Qing noticed that Zhu Zhengyang already had gray hairs at his temples.
“Leaving a few boxes of stuff at home might cause trouble,” Zhu Zhengyang suddenly said.
Zhu Qing recalled the painting of slow slicing in Feng Huaihe's dark room.
She didn't know if it had actually happened, but the content above was a true depiction of the Five Dynasties period, a time of famine where people resorted to cannibalism.
They had so much food hidden in their house when there was no more food...
Zhu Qing also understood that Zhu Zhengyang's concerns were valid.
After the Five Dynasties, there was indeed no peaceful place. The only place that was slightly better now was Shu, where Wang Jian was in power; it was a famous land of plenty.
But peace in Shu will not last long. After Wang Jian dies, Wang Yan will succeed him.
Wang Yan is infamous in history for his debauchery. After he ascended the throne, the Shu region became increasingly difficult, declining day by day.
Zhu Qing suddenly didn't know what to do.
There were no winners in the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period; no matter which path one took, it would lead to a dead end.
Zhu Feichuan suggested, "Let's find a place to hide the food, clothes, and other necessities. As for the gold and silver jewelry, I'll try to exchange them for real goods."
He had studied business for many years and was very confident in his abilities. If his family hadn't been so poor that they had no foundation to support him, he would have long since become a great merchant like the Feng family of Chang'an.
Zhu Qing sighed and said, "There's nowhere we can hide for long. If Chang'an falls in the future, we might have to leave with our whole family, and we won't be able to take anything with us."
Zhu Zhengyang asked in confusion, "How do you know that Chang'an will definitely fall?" He was only worried at the moment, but judging from his younger sister's tone, it seemed that it was a foregone conclusion.
"..." Keeping such things a secret might not be a good thing. Zhu Qing felt that she had to tell them in a reasonable way that Chang'an would indeed fall.
She thought for a moment and said, "When I was in the shogunate, I heard Feng Huaihe predicting the situation in the Central Plains for Eunuch Tian, and that's what he said."
Zhu Feichuan looked at Zhu Qing nervously: "Feng Huaihe said Chang'an will fall?"
Zhu Qing nodded and calmly lied: "He said that Huang Chao would break through Tongguan and enter Chang'an in about three months."
The two brothers fell into a silent silence after hearing this.
Feng Huaihe has a comprehensive understanding of the world situation and is a skilled strategist; what he says is very likely true.
If even Feng Huaihe can't save Chang'an, who can?
Zhu Zhengyang pondered for a moment and said, "An idea has been lingering in my mind for a long time: I want to join the army. If I become a powerful figure like Huang Chao, I can protect you for a long time."
Zhu Qing's heart skipped a beat, and she looked at Zhu Zhengyang in surprise.
Zhu Feichuan was so anxious that his mouth dropped open. "Huang Chao is a traitor to the imperial court. Does my brother also want to become a traitor?"
Zhu Zhengyang: "We are forced by circumstances and have no other choice. If we sit and wait for our deaths, how can we protect you?"
"..."
Zhu Feichuan suddenly didn't know what else to say.
Several claps of thunder suddenly echoed in the sky, as if a storm was about to break. The air in the main room was stuffy, and Zhu Qing felt a little breathless.
She poured herself a bowl of water, drank it to moisten her throat, and then said, "Huang Chao is powerful now, but which big boss can stand for long? Who knows, he might be beheaded by another big boss tomorrow. Brother, don't go astray."
Zhu Zhengyang said, "We still have to give it a try. Before, you were so determined to study and said you wanted to become a strategist, wasn't that also because you wanted to protect your family?"
Zhu Qingwei was taken aback. Was this why the original owner of this body went to study? Then why didn't she have any recollection of it?
Zhu Zhengyang continued, "You said that as long as you live to be someone that all the powerful figures fear, you can survive. Like Feng Huaihe, although it is said that if the former master dies, the strategist will not survive, but if you really encounter Feng Huaihe, who would really kill him instead of letting him assist them to become the overlord of the country?"
He said earnestly, "If you can do it, then I, as the eldest brother, am just a rebel, and I can do it too."
Zhu Qing looked at Zhu Zhengyang, who seemed reluctant but had no choice but to go all out, and her feelings became very complicated.
She didn't know at first that becoming a strategist was actually Zhu Qing's way of protecting her family.
But she came here, took over Zhu Qing's identity, and then just lay there and did nothing?
Did she shatter Zhu Qing's original intention to protect her family?
Zhu Qing was in a state of confusion, feeling that she had prevented the original owner from protecting her family, which was extremely inappropriate.
She is Zhu Qing now, and she has to protect what Zhu Qing wants to protect.
Perhaps she was destined to be a hard-working person, never able to lie down and rest.
But she was frail and sickly, so what could she do? It seemed that she had no other path but to become a strategist.
If she wanted to follow the path of the original owner and become a strategist, with her foresight about history, she wouldn't be afraid of not reaching Feng Huaihe's level.
The problem is that becoming a strategist means standing at the center of a power struggle among warlords, where life and death are not in one's own hands and depend entirely on whether the lord trusts them.
Moreover, she is currently just an unknown secretary. Tian Lingzi's offer to make her a judge is nothing more than a hollow title to build up her reputation. In that case, which powerful ruler would believe in her abilities and use her?
Zhu Qing calmed down and thought it over. Unless she could seize the opportunity that Feng Huaihe was using to build momentum for her, and really take advantage of the situation to soar to fame and become a senior strategist.
But in that case, she would inevitably become closer to Feng Huaihe again.
Zhu Qing truly didn't want to have much more contact with Feng Huaihe anymore.
The collarbone he had rubbed against still felt like it was burning.
The main room fell silent for a moment, and as night fell, lights were lit in the small courtyard with its fence outside.
Nie Zhen brought in the food and said, "Let's have dinner first."
Manman followed behind her, carrying the bowls and chopsticks, and placed them on the square table.
Zhu Zhengyang glanced around, frowned, and asked, "Where's Uncle Yu?"
Nie Zhen said, "She went out with Madam Zhuo."
Zhu Feichuan gave Zhu Qingsheng a bowl of chicken soup, along with a bowl of hot medicinal soup.
Zhu Qing smelled the fragrant aroma of chicken soup and recalled her life in her previous life, where she ate takeout food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
She was busy with work and studies, and every meal was a race against time, a quick bite to fill her stomach before plunging back into her work.
It had been a very long time since she had sat down and had dinner with her family like this.
A few scattered green scallions floated on the surface of the chicken soup. Zhu Qing took a sip and felt a warm sensation, as if even her heart felt warm.
Zhu Feichuan, who was sitting next to him, said while eating, "Qingqing has earned these things, so the village chief might change his mind and agree to let Zhuo Niangzi marry into the family. When that happens, eldest brother, don't stop him, lest second brother's heart is elsewhere and he doesn't settle down at home."
Zhu Zhengyang was silent for a while before saying, "Even if I don't stop him, he might not necessarily marry her."
He had asked his second brother in private, and his brother said that the family was destitute and there was war everywhere. Getting married at this time would be irresponsible to the Zhuo family's wife.
Zhu Zhengyang then said, "It looks like it's going to rain. After we finish eating, go and move the chicken coop under the eaves to shelter from the rain. Also, gather up all of Uncle Yu's herbs so they don't get ruined by the rain."
Zhu Feichuan responded.
The heavy topic from before was not brought up again, and the matter of Zhu Zhengyang joining the army seemed to have sunk into oblivion, but everyone knew in their hearts that it would not be long before Zhu Zhengyang would leave home to join the army.
The meal was eaten in silence, the candlelight flickering on the table, creating a warm and cozy atmosphere. But no one knew if they would ever have the chance to sit together and eat like this again.
Zhu Qing finished first, drank the hot medicine, and just as she put down the bowl, Zhu Feichuan suddenly stood up, wiped his mouth, told her to wait, and ran out the door.
A short while later, Zhu Feichuan came in carrying two buckets of water and poured them into a large wooden tub in Zhu Qing's room.
As Zhu Feichuan carried the two empty buckets out, he said, "If you're tired, go to sleep. Make sure the doors and windows are closed. I'll help you empty the water tomorrow."
Forced by circumstances, Zhu Qing had no choice but to agree obediently.
Before closing the door, I saw Zhu Feichuan sit back down at the table and continue eating.
Feeling a little embarrassed for interrupting his meal, Zhu Qing slowly closed the door and walked to the steaming bathtub.
Originally, she was the only daughter in the family. Her bedroom was inside, while her brothers lived outside. It was inconvenient for her to use the toilet or take a bath at night, so her brothers placed a bath tub and a chamber pot in the corner of her room.
Unable to afford a screen, they made a clean cedar wood fence to block it off.
After Nie Zhen married into the family, she embroidered a piece of cloth for them and hung it on the fence, thus creating a screen.
Zhu Qing took off her clothes and sat in the bathtub.
The warm water washed over my body, gently relieving all my fatigue.
Zhu Qing leaned against the bathtub, closed her eyes, and thought.
Back in modern times, she thought becoming suddenly rich would bring her great joy and happiness. Now that she's actually struck it rich, she's not as ecstatic as she imagined.
In the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, wealth did not bring joy.
Only by surviving can one achieve this.
The ultimate goal is to live, and to ensure that one's entire family lives well. In this era, wealth is never the ultimate objective.
Zhu Qing thought to herself that she had finished her bath and changed into some dry clothes after getting out of the tub.
It was given to her by Nie Zhen on the day she arrived here.
The skirt is a light green color, and the hem is embroidered with lifelike willow branches. It looks very elegant when worn, and when you walk, you look like a willow swaying in the breeze.
Zhu Qing sat in front of the mirror and looked at her collarbone.
She reached out and touched the four-leaf clover birthmark.
The feeling of being rubbed by Feng Huaihe's fingers is still fresh in my memory.
That scalding, stimulating heat felt as if Feng Huaihe's fingers were still brushing against it.
Zhu Qing blushed with shame and indignation. She never expected that she would remember his details so clearly. She also never expected that while her family had not noticed anything unusual despite living with her day and night, Feng Huaihe had already noticed something amiss in such a short time.
She had to stay far away from him from now on, not only because of that terrifying dark room, but also because she was afraid that Feng Huaihe would expose her identity and cause her to lose her hard-won family.
-
A torrential downpour began in the middle of the night, pounding against the windowpanes. Zhu Qing was awakened from her sleep, opened her sleepy eyes, and felt a dryness in her throat.
She lit the lamp, picked up the kettle on the table to pour water, only to find it was empty.
Zhu Qing put on her clothes, afraid of running into her brothers who were getting up in the middle of the night. After dressing herself properly, she lit a lamp and went out.
Pushing open the door a crack, a sliver of light peeked in.
Inside the main room, a strange man, his clothes soaked through, sat under the lamp, wiping the water stains from his temples with his sleeve. He seemed to hear a noise and turned to look at them.
Zhu Qing saw through him.
He was handsome and clean-cut, with a warm glint in his slender eyes. When he saw Zhu Qing, he smiled gently, and two shallow dimples appeared on his cheeks.
"Are you the young lady of this house?" His clear voice was like jade beads rolling on a plate. He straightened up and bowed to Zhu Qing. "I am Zhang Yin. I apologize for my abruptness in seeing you so late at night."
Zhu Qing's breathing stopped.
he……
It turned out to be the person in the small portrait that Feng Huaihe had shown her earlier.
Feng Huaihe's rival in love? I just heard his name is Zhang Yin?
Zhu Qing was stunned: "How could you..."
Her boss's love rival suddenly showed up at her house in the middle of the night?
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