On the third day of the twelfth month of the ninth year of the Xuanli reign, Jinling was covered in snow.
It is the end of the year again, and merchants begin to busy themselves with collecting money and settling accounts, hoping that their hard work this year will eventually bring them a generous reward.
The farmers had already planted their winter wheat and, looking at the auspicious snow, hoped for an extra harvest next year. As for the New Year celebrations... it was nothing more than hanging up a couple of bright red couplets and adding a few more dishes to the table.
The people of Jinling are still the same as yesterday, except that some of them show joy, while others show sadness - the children are looking forward to the New Year, and the families with good harvests this year will naturally buy two new clothes for the children and a relatively good set of New Year's goods.
But the families who did not give birth this year are inevitably a little worried. The New Year has to be celebrated, and they have to think of some way, at least to pretend to celebrate, so as not to lose face in the eyes of their neighbors.
There is a slum area in the outer city of Jinling City, and a tragedy happened there just yesterday evening.
The streets here are narrow and messy, the houses are low, and even the doors are narrower than those in other places.
Because the Yellow River flooded again this year, more people from both sides of the Yellow River fled to Jinling. Most of them settled in the slums, rented a small house here, and sought a job to make a living in the capital.
So this place is not deserted.
Lu Xiaodong and his family of three live here. They came from the east side of the Yellow River this year.
They originally wanted to go to Xishan to find a livelihood, but they heard that the young master of the Fu family in Xishan died at the foot of the snow-capped mountains in Wu Dynasty. This was naturally bad news, and it also cut off the original dream of their group. Last year, the young master Fu of Xishan accepted more than 40,000 refugees. Those former refugees have now become residents of Xishan. They have contacted their relatives and friends in their hometown, and these relatives and friends naturally know that they are living well in Xishan.
The name of Master Fu of Xishan is now particularly famous on both sides of the Yellow River, not because of his poems and articles, but because of Master Fu's compassionate heart.
But people like Master Fu went to heaven to serve the gods, but they still had to live their lives, so they traveled further and came to Jinling, a place where gold was said to be everywhere.
However, this is not the case.
Living in the capital is not easy.
It's hard to find a job here, and the prices are very high. Even this small, pitch-black house costs six hundred coins to rent a month!
Six hundred coins can buy forty kilograms of fine grains or a hundred kilograms of coarse grains on both sides of the Yellow River.
But my home by the Yellow River is gone and I can never go back. The only thing I can do is to survive tenaciously in Shangjing.
Lu Xiaodong was feeling rather melancholy. The two buildings in Qingluan Alley had been completed for over a month, and he had been unemployed for over a month. He had worked there for three months, earning 5,400 wen. After paying 1,800 wen in rent for three months, he was left with 3,600 wen. After deducting the three months' expenses, totaling 2,000 wen, he was left with only 1,600 wen.
Seeing that I have to pay another 600 coins for rent, I only have 1,000 coins left... Not to mention the New Year, if I can't find a job, I won't be able to make a living.
His wife, Zhao, brought a bowl of sorghum porridge, wiped her hands on her apron, and said, "Master, let's eat first."
Next to them was their six-year-old daughter, Lv Zhaodi. She took one look at the bowl of sorghum porridge, swallowed, and walked out sensibly. It was snowing outside, and she was wearing very thin clothes, so she couldn't help shivering.
"I think... should we go to Xishan? Young Master Fu is lucky enough to be alive, and I'm afraid his Xishan needs people."
Zhao was silent for a moment, stroking her slightly swollen belly. "Young Master Fu has now married and settled down in Jinling City. I heard he's even become a high-ranking official in the imperial court. I wonder if Xishan needs anyone right now. What if they don't? Master, wouldn't it be even more troublesome if we have to go back and forth?"
"..." Lu Xiaodong took a deep breath, looked at his daughter outside the door, and finally said this: "If I still can't find a way to make a living... Zhaodi, I'm afraid I'll have to find a good family for her."
Zhao was shocked. This meant he wanted to sell his daughter!
But she opened her mouth only to close it again, silently lowering her head. She went to get another small bowl of sorghum porridge and called out to the door, "Zhao Di, come in for breakfast."
"Mom, I'm not hungry."
The little girl's face was red from the cold, but she still had a bright smile on her face as she stood at the door.
"This isn't a solution after all..." Lu Xiaodong said this and waved to Zhaodi, "Come here, eat when your mother tells you to."
Zhaodi finally couldn't bear the rumbling sound of her stomach, so she walked over, picked up the small bowl of sorghum porridge, and drank it in small sips. It was so delicious!
Although she is only six years old, she is already sensible.
On her way to Shangjing, she saw too many cases of children being sold.
She felt very lucky because no matter how hard life was for her parents, they did not sell her.
She cherishes such days very much. Although they are difficult, she feels that as long as the family is together, things will always get better.
"I want to go to the Fu Mansion later."
Zhao was stunned. "Please don't do that. Master Fu is such a person! How could he possibly see you? What if, what if that vicious slave hurts you? What will we do?"
Lu Xiaodong bit his lip, his thick brows furrowed. "I've thought about it. Instead of waiting to die like this, I might as well go and beg for help. Master Fu is a kind-hearted man. My cousin once wrote to me saying that he was sent by God to save us. He's different from the other officials, so... I have to go and beg him."
Zhao held her apron tightly and said nothing more.
For a poor family like them, it is rare for them to see a high-ranking official like Young Master Fu, let alone a county magistrate.
I've only heard in operas that none of the officials are good people, and the servants under them are as fierce as vicious dogs. If the boss goes to the Fu Mansion... he must not let anything happen to him!
In this huge slum, there are many families like Lu Xiaodong.
The imperial court naturally provided disaster relief for the Yellow River flood this year, but because the war in the east consumed a large amount of grain, this disaster relief was almost just a name.
After receiving the meager relief food, they only lasted three days before the granaries in the county to which they belonged were empty. Not to mention distributing food, it was said that even the county magistrate had nothing to eat.
What else can I do?
Then just run again!
When will days like this end?
Lu Xiaodong finished the sorghum porridge in two mouthfuls, and under Zhao's anxious gaze, he walked out and headed towards Fu's mansion to seek hope of survival.
At this moment, Fu Xiaoguan and his party just went out. He certainly was not going to welcome the Prince of Yi State.
He brought his three wives and a group of servants, and headed towards the Nanshan Villa in a mighty procession.
That place was the mansion given to Yu Wenyun by the old queen mother. He wanted to go and take a look and also wanted to make use of it.
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