46. Chapter 46 Anger
Seeing that the little girl was even more shocked than him, Zhang Li briefly told her about the rumors in the capital.
In fact, he knew about this because he heard it from others. After Zhang Li went to the military camp, he met his former acquaintances, and many people knew that Xiaoxiao was his sister.
Several of them came up to him warmly, patted him on the shoulders and congratulated him profusely. Zhang Li listened for a long time before he understood what was going on.
Zhang Li naturally didn't believe it at first. He didn't think the Regent would have such an idea at all. It was not until this time when he was summoned to the palace by the Emperor and saw Pei Jing's attitude towards Xiaoxiao that he felt a little uneasy.
He felt somewhat frightened, fearing that the Prince Regent might actually have such an idea, and also fearing that the Emperor might actually have other thoughts about Xiaoxiao.
Zhang Li naturally refused to let his sister enter the palace. Xiaoxiao was innocent and well-behaved. How could she stay in the harem, a place where people are eaten alive?
He lost his patience and asked directly.
After figuring out what was going on, Xiaoxiao laughed a little. "That's impossible! They misunderstood. If Brother Pei really had this idea, he would definitely ask me what I think and see if I want to enter the palace. He wouldn't force me."
Seeing that her heart and eyes were full of trust in Pei Xiu Han, Zhang Li felt a strange feeling in his heart. He didn't investigate it deeply, probably because he felt that Pei Xiu Han was indeed not that kind of person. After hearing Xiaoxiao's words, he also breathed a sigh of relief.
He turned to ask Pei Jing, "What's going on with the Emperor? Why did he give us this house? I haven't done anything great. It's hard for ordinary people to even see him. He summoned me to the palace this time, it must be because of you."
Xiaoxiao didn't rush to deny it. She explained seriously: "He thinks highly of Brother Pei. After learning that I saved Brother Pei, he treated me very well."
Thinking of the little moments she had spent with Pei Jing, Xiaoxiao couldn't help but smile. "He's a year younger than me. Although he might seem difficult to get along with, he's actually very affectionate and loyal. I heard before that when you refused to return from the battlefield early, he lamented that young men like you, willing to sacrifice their lives for justice and not be afraid of death, were rare. He'd always wanted to meet you and said he wanted to make you his own."
Zhang Li listened very carefully.
Xiaoxiao curled her lips. "No matter why he gave this house as a reward, it was out of kindness. Brother, you have indeed made great contributions. You even saved General Lu. Your contribution to the court is definitely worth a house. Once the house is renovated, we can move in peacefully."
Zhang Li felt much better after hearing her advice. He patted her head in amusement and asked, "Do you like the new house so much?"
Xiaoxiao chuckled.
Of course she liked it. This house had never been inhabited and had been abandoned, which was a pity. The key point was that this house was very close to Brother Pei! If she opened a door in the courtyard wall, it would lead directly to the palace. Who knows, in the future, she might be able to hear Brother Pei's voice while sitting in the courtyard. Just thinking about it made Xiaoxiao happy.
Zhang Li didn't think about it anymore, but Xiaoxiao's near-fall-into-the-water incident really worried him for a few days. For several days, he kept an eye on Xiaoxiao and didn't let her go out.
Xiaoxiao herself doesn't like to go out. She makes clothes, copies rare books, and then goes to the yard to see her little watermelon. She lives a very comfortable life every day.
Unknowingly, more than ten days had passed. During these two days, Xiaoxiao went to the yard several times every day. The watermelons were ripening very quickly. Two of them were almost grown up, round and plump, and growing very well.
Xiaoxiao thought that they would be ready to pick the watermelons in two days. She even sent a letter to Mu Wen and Mu Xi, inviting them to come over and eat watermelons in two days. Xiaoxiao had already thought about it: the darker one would be sent to Prince Yan's Mansion for Brother Pei to eat, and the other one would be left for them to eat in the courtyard.
This watermelon is not small. One watermelon can be cut into more than ten pieces. Including my brother, Xiaoxing and Luzhu, there are six of them in total. Each person should be able to eat three pieces.
Both of them agreed readily.
On this day, an uninvited guest came to Prince Yan's Mansion.
While the guards were guarding the gate, a middle-aged couple, accompanied by their two children, arrived at Prince Yan's Mansion.
They were dressed in rags, and their faces were full of fatigue after a long journey. The two children were thinner than the other, especially the little girl, who was pale and thin, with chapped lips, and looked timid and pitiful.
The guards thought they were beggars. But when the woman saw them, she came closer in delight, her eyes gleaming with joy. "Is this the Prince of Yan's mansion? My goodness, it's beautifully built! We've finally found the right place."
Although the woman's words were in a local accent, they were understandable. Without waiting for the guards to ask, she said impatiently, "I am Zhang Li's mother, the Zhang Li who was kind to the prince. This brat, after becoming rich, didn't even come back to the village to pick us up, so I had to come here on my own! Take me to see him quickly! I want to ask this unfilial son if he doesn't want to take care of me anymore!"
The guards were a little confused. They naturally knew Zhang Li. Miss Xiaoxiao had been looking forward to his return. But they were a little puzzled. They had never heard that she had parents before?
The guard looked them over carefully. Wang Jinju had dark skin and small eyes, and looked nothing like Zhang Li.
The guard looked at Zhang Cheng again. Zhang Cheng was a taciturn man and not as brave as Wang Jinju. Being stared at by the guard, he was so scared that his legs were shaking. If you ignore his cowardly look and only look at his facial features, Zhang Li is indeed very similar to him. He also has thick eyebrows and big eyes, and his facial features are very regular.
Before she got married, Wang Jinju was very bold and capable. She could do the work of two people. She fell in love with Zhang Cheng because of his good looks.
"Are you really Zhang Li's parents?"
Zhang Cheng felt a little nervous when he was stared at, and nodded hurriedly. The guard looked at the two children again and found that even the two children looked a bit like Zhang Li. Fearing that they were really Zhang Li's parents, he hesitated for a moment and reported the matter to Butler Li.
Butler Li didn't know whether Zhang Li's parents were still alive. It was just a matter of running errands, so he simply sent someone to Guxing Street and asked the servant to tell Zhang Li about it.
Zhang Licai had just returned from the military camp when he heard about this. His face immediately turned cold, "Where are they?"
"I'm staying in the palace now."
Zhang Li knew Wang Jinju very well. She was always shameless. He was afraid that she would not be able to find him and would cause trouble in the palace, so he went to the Prince of Yan's palace.
When he arrived at Prince Yan's Mansion, Wang Jinju was sitting there drinking tea, looking quite enjoyable.
Zhang Li's expression was very cold, and he looked at them with indifference, "Why are you here?"
He looked like he didn't want to care about them. Wang Jinju took the initiative and rushed over, pounding his chest hard, crying as she beat him, "You little bastard, why are we here? You don't want your parents anymore now that you've made it, right? Look at your brother and sister, how starving they are! You're eating and drinking well in the palace! Why don't you go to heaven? I'll beat you to death, you unfilial son!"
She cried and winked at her two children. Zhang Lan lowered her head and didn't cry, but Zhang Jun howled at the top of his lungs, "I'm hungry! You live a good life, but you don't care about us! You ungrateful bastard! If you don't care about us, I'll report you to the police!"
Zhang Li grabbed Wang Jinju's arm and said coldly, "If you want to make trouble, go outside and make trouble. The palace is not a place for you to act wildly! I don't even live here."
Butler Li had already noticed something was wrong and stood aside, frowning. He regretted calling Zhang Li here. If Zhang Li and Xiaoxiao really had parents, why would they ignore them? There might be some hidden story going on. He really shouldn't have meddled in other people's business.
Wang Jinju was frightened by Zhang Li's aura and looked a little embarrassed for a moment.
She rolled her eyes, then smiled again, her attitude softening. "Let's go, let's go out, let's go back to our own home. I knew my son wouldn't ignore us. It's just that I was too anxious. Who asked you to come to the capital to live a good life, but didn't send anyone back to pick us up? Don't you think you don't want to take care of us? You definitely wouldn't do that, right? If a person doesn't even care about his parents, how can he be an official? The court won't let you be an official."
There was a clear threat in her words, making it clear that if Zhang Li didn't care about them, she would make a fuss, and at worst, both of them would die. She didn't believe that Zhang Li wouldn't be afraid.
Zhang Lixin was extremely cold. He never expected that this was the reason why she recognized him for the first time.
He apologized to Butler Li and turned to leave. Wang Jinju hurriedly took her precious son's hand and chased after him, nagging: "Look, this is your brother. You've been gone for three years. He's ten years old this year. He's very smart and will definitely be able to help you in the future."
Zhang Li didn't say anything.
After leaving the palace, Zhang Li walked forward for two more blocks. Seeing that the street was deserted, Zhang Li stopped and said coldly, "When you abandoned me as a child, I lost my parents. Go back to where you came from. If you don't stop, I'll report you to the authorities. You'll see whether they will accuse me of being unfilial or unfit to be parents."
After he finished speaking, he turned and left, not wanting to say another word to them.
Seeing that she couldn't threaten him, Wang Jinju panicked and cried, "Do you think I'd be willing to throw you away? It's because you were born different. I'm afraid you're a disaster. I'm also afraid you'll bring trouble to your father. You're a piece of my flesh and blood. How can I not feel pain as a mother?"
She cried and sat on the ground, pounding her chest, "I regretted it a long time ago. I shouldn't have done this."
Zhang Jun also started crying. "When you were away, others bullied Zhang Xiaoxiao, and I helped her. You are so heartless that you don't even feel sorry for me!"
Zhang Li paused slightly, a hint of sarcasm flashed in his eyes. When he was seven years old, there was a famine in the village and they almost starved to death. When his grandmother went to ask them for help, they did not help. How could they feel sorry for him?
Xiaoxiao would be hit by stones whenever she passed by their house. She would chase them away as hard as she could, like a stray dog, for fear that Xiaoxiao would stay in their house.
How could she possibly help Xiaoxiao?
His father had been a coward all his life and always obeyed his mother's orders. In his mother's eyes, he was just a disaster, an ominous existence, and she wished he would die sooner.
Zhang Li said coldly, "Put away your disgusting faces! Do you think I'm a three-year-old child? What do you say? I believe everything. Your son died a long time ago. I, Zhang Li, have nothing to do with you."
Wang Jinju's mung bean-sized eyes were filled with resentment. She had never expected that he would be so stubborn.
Zhang Li turned and left.
At this moment, Zhang Cheng suddenly shouted: "Lanlan, Lanlan, what's wrong with you?"
Zhang Lan fell headfirst to the ground. The little girl lay there motionless, her lips cracked and bleeding, and she was so thin that she was just a bag of bones.
Zhang Li stopped walking away.
The next moment, Wang Jinju kicked Zhang Lan. "She faints every other day. She fainted yesterday and again today. Is there something wrong with her? I should sell her off sooner rather than later! Every one of them is a disaster, dragging me down!"
She cursed and grabbed Zhang Lan's ears, shaking them vigorously. "You little bitch, if you don't wake up, I'll sell you to a brothel."
Zhang Cheng said awkwardly, "What could be wrong? The child must have fainted from hunger. He hasn't eaten anything in the past few days."
Wang Jinju cursed while glancing at Zhang Li out of the corner of her eye. Seeing that he really didn't leave, she cursed even more fiercely, "Eat, eat, eat, eat! All she does is eat! She doesn't do much work, and yet she has a mouth to feed. I'll sell her for money soon! Otherwise, she won't even have the money to leave!"
Zhang Li couldn't stand it any longer. He pushed Wang Jinju aside and picked up Zhang Lan. The little girl was ten years old, with no flesh on her body. Her forehead was still frighteningly hot. Who knew how long she had been running a fever? He carried Zhang Lan in his arms and walked quickly towards the clinic.
Wang Jinju's face lit up with joy. She waved to Zhang Cheng and Zhang Jun and hurriedly followed. She felt that this girl fainted at the wrong time.
Before, she had always despised this girl as a money-loser and scolded her frequently. This girl was also a simpleton, ungrateful, and even sneaked off to Old Lady Zhang's place. Wang Jinju caught her several times, hearing her call Zhang Li "Brother" and "Old Lady Zhang "Grandma." After returning home, she beat her several times.
Before coming, Wang Jinju had discussed with her that when she came to Beijing, she should get close to Zhang Li as she did before and ask Zhang Li to take them in. But this girl was stubborn and didn't say a word to her. Seeing this girl fainted and Zhang Li so worried, Wang Jinju straightened her back instantly and felt that she had the bargaining power.
The clinic was not far from the street. After Zhang Li carried her to the clinic, he found out that she was not only fainted from hunger, but also had some injuries on her body. Zhang Li lifted her sleeves and took a look, only to find that the little girl's arms were covered with bruises.
When they were in Zhangjia Village before, Zhang Li had seen Wang Jinju beat her. He never cared about their family affairs and would have remained indifferent even if he had seen it.
Once, when he went to cut grass for the pigs, he saw this little girl following him and whispered to him, "They all say you are my brother, is that true?"
Zhang Li ignored her.
He had no feelings for his sister. In his heart, his sister was only Xiaoxiao from beginning to end. Even though he knew that the little girl's life in the Zhang family was not easy, he never cared.
It seemed that only in this way could he completely sever ties with that family.
But his grandmother couldn't bear to do it. When Wang Jinju beat Zhang Lan, it was Grandma Zhang who stopped her several times. Sometimes she would even take her to the thatched hut and give her something to eat.
Since when, every time she saw him, she would call him "brother" in a low voice, just like Xiaoxiao.
Seeing the injuries on her body, Zhang Li couldn't help but clench his fists, and his eyes looking at Wang Jinju were full of disgust and hatred.
If he could, he really wanted to break her neck.
The doctor gave Zhang Lan some medicine, and when the little girl slowly woke up, her fever finally subsided. The doctor wrote a prescription and told Zhang Li to let her take the medicine on time in the next few days and not to starve her anymore. If she continued to starve herself, her body would be damaged and it would be difficult to recover.
As if she knew that she had caused trouble for Zhang Li, Zhang Lan's eyes were red, and she lowered her head and didn't say a word.
Zhang Li finished getting the medicine, paid the money, and looked at Zhang Lan for a long while. When he met the little girl's timid eyes, he finally softened his heart. He took Zhang Lan's hand and said, "Come with me."
Wang Jinju hurriedly followed and reached out to take the medicine from Zhang Li's hand, "I'll take it."
Zhang Li ignored her and shook her hand off. Wang Jinju was not angry either. Seeing him holding Zhang Lan, her eyes were full of calculation.
After leaving the clinic, Zhang Li stopped again.
The clinic wasn't far from Guxing Street, just around two blocks. Zhang Li was completely bewildered, having no idea what to do. He subconsciously decided that he couldn't let Wang Jinju go home with him. Wang Jinju was like a dog-skin plaster; once you got stuck, you probably couldn't get rid of it.
Seeing this, Wang Jinju said, "Let her stay with you for the next few days and take good care of herself. Once she's well, I'll take her away. Of course, you have to pay for our travel expenses, otherwise we won't leave."
Zhang Li glanced at Zhang Lan again. The little girl looked shaky and obviously very weak. Zhang Li finally took her back to Guxing Street. Pushing open the door, he said to Wang Jinju, "There's no room for you at home. I'll give you the money to leave Beijing now. Take the money and leave immediately."
He decided to keep Zhang Lan for the time being. With Wang Jinju's ruthlessness, she might really sell Zhang Lan. Although Zhang Li did not have deep feelings for his sister, he could not ignore her.
Wang Jinju didn't necessarily have to follow Zhang Lizhu. As long as he was willing to give her money and let her live a good life for the rest of her life, she would feel that this trip was worth it.
She rolled her eyes and smiled, "Even if you want us to leave, at least let us rest for a night. Don't worry, as long as you pay us, we won't refuse to leave."
Xiaoxiao had heard the noise. She ran out to take a look. When she saw Wang Jinju, she thought she was seeing things and couldn't help but stretch out her tender little white hands to rub her eyes.
Wang Jinju also saw her. Seeing that Xiaoxiao was not only wearing silk and satin, but also had a gold hairpin inserted diagonally on her head, her small eyes were full of calculations, and she kept staring greedily at the gold hairpin on Xiaoxiao's head.
"Oh, this is Xiaoxiao, right? My dear, she is getting more and more handsome as she grows older, and she has such a neat figure!"
Xiaoxiao walked up to Zhang Li warily, but he ignored her. She was a little puzzled as to why they had come.
Zhang Li patted her hand soothingly and said to Wang Jinju in a cold voice, "I told you, there's no place for you at home. If you want to rest, go somewhere else."
"There are so many houses, why is there no place to rest? We can just rest in the kitchen."
As she said that, she asked Zhang Cheng to go to the kitchen and unload their packages.
Zhang Li's eyebrows twitched and he clenched his fists. Xiaoxiao looked at him worriedly. Zhang Li ignored them and pulled Xiaoxiao and Zhang Lan into the house.
Xiaoxiao still remembers Zhang Lan. Zhang Lan was even thinner than she was back then. At least she had her grandmother and brother to love her, but Zhang Lan was not loved by her father or mother. Even her twin brothers ordered her to do work all day long. When her grandmother was alive, she would sigh whenever she mentioned Zhang Lan.
Xiaoxiao couldn't help but sigh.
Zhang Li touched Xiaoxiao's head and wanted to tell her that he planned to support Zhang Lan first. The words were on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn't say them. To be precise, although Zhang Lan was his sister, she had no relationship with Xiaoxiao. He had already picked up Xiaoxing, and if he kept Zhang Lan, it would only increase Xiaoxiao's burden.
When he was not around, she was the one who took care of the household.
Zhang Li felt a little regretful. He shouldn't have made such a rash decision just now. It was too unfair to Xiaoxiao.
He was silent for a moment, then said to Xiaoxiao, "She's injured. Please apply some medicine to her first."
Xiaoxiao nodded obediently and brought Zhang Lan to her room. When she saw the injuries on her body, Xiaoxiao's curled eyelashes trembled and she couldn't bear to look at them any longer.
She carefully applied the medicine to her.
Zhang Lan endured it all without saying a word. Her skin was very yellow because she had never had enough to eat since she was a child, and her hair was also yellow, making her look very pitiful.
In the evening, Xiaoxiao went to the kitchen to cook when Xiaoxing came out of the house. Recently, Xiaoxing had been helping her to light the fire. Zhang Li came back early today, drove Xiaoxing away, and lit the fire himself.
Wang Jinju's eyes kept wandering around Xiaoxing. She didn't know whose young master this was. Xiaoxing had delicate features and a good temperament. It was obvious that he came from a high family. Wang Jinju winked at her son and asked him to ask some questions.
Zhang Jun followed Xiaoxing with a smile and asked him what his name was. Xiaoxing ignored him. After he entered the house, Zhang Jun also wanted to squeeze in. Xiaoxing closed the door and Zhang Jun almost bumped into it.
He made a "Pooh" sound and spat several times on the door, cursing under his breath. At such a young age, he had learned Wang Jinju's usual behavior very well.
Xiaoxiao was very unhappy after seeing this scene.
She really hated Wang Jinju and the others, so she didn't cook for them and didn't call them when it was time to eat. Wang Jinju looked at her gloomily and cursed in her heart, "Little bitch."
Wang Jinju lit a fire and cooked, and put a lot of rice into the pot. Xiaoxiao endured it again and again, but finally let them do as they pleased.
After dinner, Wang Jinju kept hanging around Xiaoxiao and Zhang Li's door. She was stunned to see that Xiaoxiao's room not only had a grand dressing table, but also musical instruments and many boxes of clothes.
That night, they did rest in the kitchen.
Zhang Li hesitated for a long time before calling Xiaoxiao to his room. "I want to take Zhang Lan in for a few days. Once she's well, I'll find a childless couple to take her in. Is it okay for her to stay with us for the time being?"
Xiaoxiao was very perceptive and immediately noticed Zhang Li's embarrassment. She immediately frowned and said, "Brother, who do you think I am? Why are you being so polite to me? Zhang Lan is your sister, grandma's granddaughter, and also my sister. As long as you are willing to support her, it doesn't matter if you support her for the rest of her life. I can also help the family make money."
Zhang Li's heart softened and his throat felt sore. He didn't say anything extra, just patted Xiaoxiao's head and said, "Go to sleep quickly. I'll let you sleep with me for one night. I'll make her a bed tomorrow."
Xiaoxiao curled her lips and made a request, "Brother, make me a swing and a rattan chair. Why not make two of each? There are so many children at home, one is not enough."
Zhang Li agreed with a smile.
The next day, Zhang Li gave Wang Jinju two taels of silver, enough for the journey back home. He said coldly, "Leave quickly when you've rested enough."
Seeing that he only took out two taels of silver, Wang Jinju also smiled coldly, "You are sending away beggars, and you want me to get rid of you with this little money? What are you thinking?"
After she finished speaking, she went into the kitchen and made herself food without any hesitation. Zhang Li's face darkened.
Knowing that he had to go to the military camp every day, Xiaoxiao tugged at his sleeve and said, "Brother, go and get busy first. It's not too late to talk about this in the evening. Don't delay the important things."
Zhang Li was a little worried, afraid that Xiaoxiao might be wronged. Xiaoxiao pointed at Luzhu and said, "Don't worry, sister Luzhu is here."
After persuading Zhang Li to leave, Xiaoxiao's face turned cold. She glanced towards the kitchen and saw that Wang Jinju had eaten all the meat she bought.
She took a deep breath and treated her as if she were just air. There wasn't much food in the kitchen, so even if they were allowed to eat, how much could they possibly eat?
Xiaoxiao was so accommodating because, when she buried her grandmother, she didn't have enough money, so Zhang Cheng secretly gave her a few dozen copper coins. Zhang Cheng had been a coward all his life, and that was probably the only time he stood up to Wang Jinju.
Although Xiaoxiao hated them, she also knew that they had an inseparable relationship with Zhang Li.
After they finished cooking, Xiaoxiao went to cook. While she was cooking, she suddenly heard Wang Jinju sighing, "Oh, this melon is quite sweet, much sweeter than the ones we grow back home. The soil and water in Beijing must be better."
Xiaoxiao immediately got furious and ran out without caring about the food in the pot. Then she saw that she had actually picked her melon, the one she wanted to leave for Brother Pei!
Xiaoxiao had been waiting for the ripe watermelon for so long, but she picked it just like that! She was reluctant to pick it, but Wang Jinju ate it first.
She was so angry that her pink lips were pursed.
Xiaoxiao ran over and reached out to grab the melon from Wang Jinju's hand. Her face tensed up and her voice became fierce, "Who allowed you to touch my things?"
Wang Jinju was not afraid of her. She just felt that this little girl looked weak even when she was angry and was useless!
She sat next to the watermelon. Seeing Xiaoxiao dared to get angry at her, she picked up another watermelon provocatively and said, "So what if I picked one?"
She had disliked Xiaoxiao for a long time. Ever since they came here yesterday, this little girl had been acting weird. It was possible that her son refused to recognize them because of this little girl's instigation.
Yesterday she had endured it because Zhang Li was there, but now that Zhang Li was gone, Wang Jinju naturally had no scruples. She said angrily, "What do you mean by 'your things'? What in this yard doesn't belong to my son? Who do you think you are? Why don't you take a piss and look at yourself? Do you really think you're a member of the Zhang family? What a jerk!"
Zhang Jun also ran over. Seeing Xiaoxiao dared to snatch the watermelon, he directly bumped into Xiaoxiao. Luzhu flashed out of the room, reached out and grabbed his collar and threw him to the ground.
Seeing that she dared to bully her own baby, Wang Jinju directly raised the watermelon in her hand and threw it at Luzhu. Luzhu dodged it and the watermelon fell to the ground with a "bang", breaking completely, and red juice flowed all over the floor.
Xiaoxiao was so angry that her eyes turned red and her body was shaking. When she found that Wang Jinju was wearing the gold hairpin given to her by Brother Pei, her anger reached its peak.
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