Xi Chun is not one to fawn over others. If it's normal social interaction, then it doesn't matter. Years of habit have made her accustomed to relying on herself rather than making money by flattering others.
Xi Chun stopped dwelling on these things and went for a walk in the street to clear her mind. There she found quite a few little beggars. These little beggars were dressed in tattered clothes and their hair was tangled up like a bird's nest. They were kneeling and begging people for some food.
In this peaceful and prosperous era, there are still so many homeless children. Xi Chun couldn't help but feel compassion and wanted to find out what was going on.
After some investigation, it was discovered that these children were of mixed race, born from a mix of Han Chinese and non-Han Chinese ancestry. On the grasslands, they were bullied for being weak and frail. When they came to the capital, some people disliked their appearance, which is why these children were reduced to beggars, spending their days begging on the streets with a broken bowl, just like others.
"Are you willing to earn money with your own hands?" Xi Chun had the group of little beggars called over. Seeing that they all had hands and feet, she couldn't bear to see them beggars for the rest of their lives. Perhaps she had been too afraid of poverty in the past, and she hoped to help every child to the best of her ability.
“Madam, we also want to work for others, but those people say we are children of barbarians, and that we might not only not work hard, but also steal things. They don’t want us and we can only beg. If you can give us a way out, we will definitely listen to you.”
A boy of about ten years old stepped forward. He was probably the leader of the group of children, and he seemed to be able to make decisions.
"Alright, I'll have someone take you to wash yourselves clean and remove all your hair. You have lice on your heads, and if they don't grow back, they'll keep crawling on your heads."
"As long as Madam can give us food, we're willing to do anything." Xichun had the children washed and dressed in clean clothes so that their true faces could be seen under the mud. The children were all quite robust, including the girls, and some of them were even quite pretty.
Xi Chun had already made up her mind to let them follow the children. The family was short of pageboys and maids, so they could keep them company in the future.
Zhu Nian took them down to teach them. Fu Changfeng heard about this after he finished his shift and was also a little puzzled. Xi Chun was not the kind of person who often brought people home. There are too many pitiful people in this world. If she brought them all back, her house would probably not be able to accommodate them all.
“I think these children are taller and stronger than ordinary children. If we let them accompany the children, they can protect them in the future. A few days ago, when A-Zheng went to the academy, he was bullied by his classmates. I think if they had these strong pageboys, they would not be harmed.”
Fu Changfeng knew about what Xichun was talking about. Although Azheng and Azhao were brothers, the children made fun of them because of their different surnames. Azheng naturally didn't want them to bully him, so he got into a fight with the children. It was only after the teacher found out that Xichun and Fu Changfeng went there to find out about it.
Xi Chun made her stance clear to the children's parents: as long as her children didn't bully anyone, anyone who dared to bully her children would pay the price. After learning Fu Changfeng's identity, the parents didn't dare to cause trouble and only went home after their children apologized.
"Very well, it's better for the children to have servants around them. The servants at home are getting old, and the servants from Shaoming County were stripped of their slave status because of the long distance. The children have no one to rely on. This capital city is not like Shaoming County; it's easy for them to be bullied."
Fu Changfeng stopped trying to stop her. Xi Chun had indeed done the right thing. A Zheng was indeed at a sensitive age. When he learned that only he and his mother had the surname Chen, he even asked Xi Chun if it was because she didn't like him. Xi Chun explained the matter to him, and although the child understood, he didn't grasp the meaning behind it.
“I’m thinking of taking the children back to our hometown. We’ve been away for many years. Now that you’ve settled down in Beijing, the children should also see their hometown so that they don’t forget where their roots are.”
It was only after this incident that Xichun thought of taking the children back to their hometown so they could see the place where they had lived since childhood, understand the reasons for doing so, and finally resolve their inner conflicts.
“Alright, I can’t go back. If you do, please help me see what’s going on in Weinan County now. I’ll have someone find a trustworthy escort agency so you can get home safely.” Fu Changfeng didn’t refuse.
“I brought quite a few children with me this time. Now that you are a fifth-rank official, I think we should also hire some trustworthy guards. It would be best if we taught them some martial arts. When you are out and about, it would be best to have such people to protect you. Otherwise, I am worried that something might happen. These children are just right. Find a martial arts master to teach them, and these children can protect you in the future.”
If people dare to take action in a place like Shaoming County, then the capital city, where danger and opportunity coexist, is even more so. Those children voluntarily signed contracts with Xichun, promising that if they stayed with them for twenty years, the Fu family would provide them with food and drink, as well as wages.
"It's kind of you, Madam, to still think of me. I'm truly touched," Fu Changfeng said with a smile. He had already felt the treacherous atmosphere of the capital city in the short time he had been there, and having someone to protect him was indeed a good thing.
Because of her desire to return to her hometown, Xichun's mood has improved considerably these days. The anticipation of going home has been constantly on her mind, and the children were also quite excited when they heard the news.
"Father, don't worry. This time I will protect Mother and my younger siblings. I am a man now and can shoulder the responsibility of protecting my family." A-Zhao stepped forward and assured his father.
“Our A-Zhao has grown up. Good. This time, it’s your turn to protect your mother and younger siblings. This is the first important task your father has entrusted to you, so you can’t shirk your responsibility.” Fu Changfeng answered him in a serious tone.
"Don't worry, I will definitely protect them."
The escort agency heading to Yizhou was found quickly. A deposit was paid, and the remaining amount would be paid upon safe arrival.
Xichun packed a lot of things, including many gifts for her relatives back home. Fu Changfeng took half a day off to see the four of them off out of the city. The children waved goodbye, and Azheng and Xuanxuan's eyes were filled with longing for their hometown.
A-Zheng still had some impression of Weinan County, but unfortunately not much. Xuan-Xuan had never been there before. The children chattered about their plans after returning home.
Following the escort agency, they felt much more at ease. The group traveled by carriage all the way to Yizhou Prefecture. Because Fu Changfeng had written home in advance, there were already people in Yizhou Prefecture waiting for their arrival. After traveling by water from Yizhou for more than half a month, Xichun finally set foot on the land of Weinan County again.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
