Chapter 5 After Becoming a National Duke

  No need for too many words, and there's no way to express the sorrow in his heart with language. Wu Qing only knew that he would repay Wu Dama's kindness for the rest of his life. He was only three years old, and his family was extremely poor.

  In the second year of Xianqing in the Tang Dynasty, there was a severe drought in the north, especially in the Guanzhong area. The grain transportation was cut off and the food crisis was severe. Emperor Gaozong of Tang Li Zhi took the advice of Empress Wu Zetian and established Luoyang as the eastern capital. He also made his first visit to Luoyang to alleviate the food crisis in the central court. However, this did not change the living environment of the northern people, and droughts and locust plagues occurred frequently for more than a decade.

  Bingzhou and Wenshui areas were severely affected, the equal-field system allowed peasants to own land, but every year after harvesting and paying rent, they were always struggling to make ends meet. Although Wenshui was the hometown of Empress Wu Zetian, who exempted one year's rent, there was little change. Many people fled, those who couldn't leave were either waiting for death or had some hope left.

  That day, Wu Dang brought Wu Qing to Guogong Mountain. Wu Qing was curious and noticed that Wu Dang had a bamboo basket slung over her arm with incense, candles, and paper money inside. In Wu Qing's mind, this should be for worshiping someone.

  Guo Gong Mountain is a short mountain, in Wu Qing's view, it can only be considered a large mound of earth. However, this mound has towering cypress trees and lush forests. Climbing up the steps, they finally arrived at a pavilion. After resting for a while in the pavilion, they continued on their way. Not far away, Wu Qing saw a large tomb. Wu Qing's heart was filled with joy, thinking that he could now become a wealthy official and never have to worry about food and drink again.

  Walking up to the tombstone, Wu Qing only then clearly saw that it was engraved with "The Tomb of Ying Guo Gong Wu Shi Yi".

  Wu Da Niang told Wu Qing to kneel down. Wu Qing was very surprised and wanted to ask questions, but saw Wu Da Niang kneeling down and crying instead.

  Wu Qing didn't know the reason, but saw Wu Dang's wife had already set up incense and candles, with no offerings, only spirit money.

  When the paper money was burned, Wu Dangnu said to Wu Qing: "Qing'er, kowtow to your grandfather. Your grandfather is a national duke of our Great Tang Dynasty and a meritorious minister who founded the Great Tang Dynasty. When you grow up, you must become a man like your grandfather, a man who can stand tall and proud, or it would be in vain for me to raise you."

  Wu Daigne's face was solemn, and at this moment, Wu Daigne looked more like a strict mother, educating her own child.

  "Wu Qing replied seriously: 'Please put it down, mother, I remember.'"

  Wu Qing thought to himself, how can I become a real man? What's the use of having a deceased duke as an ancestor? Now I'm not even getting enough to eat. First, I need to solve the problem of food. Looking at this grand and sturdy tomb, Wu Qing couldn't help but shake his head. Even if there are gold, silver, and jewels inside, with my thin arms and legs, I wouldn't be able to lift an iron shovel.

  As for the wealthy villager Guo Xing, Wu Qing really wanted to take revenge, but what could he do now at the age of three? He didn't have any opportunity, but he wouldn't give up any chance.

  In the eastern part of Xubei Village, there lived a family, which was the retired soldier Zhang Xing. According to the villagers, Zhang Xing followed Emperor Taizong to fight against Goguryeo and was injured in battle, resulting in a lame leg. He was awarded a seventh-grade military title and 100 taels of silver, after which he hung up his armor and returned to farming. Although there were no relatives left in the family, the imperial court granted him land due to his meritorious title, and all aspects of life were given preferential treatment, making it relatively easy to get by. Zhang Xing married a wife and had children, but unfortunately, more than ten years ago, a locust plague led to famine, resulting in the death of his wife and child from starvation. Nowadays, Zhang Xing has also reached old age, and apart from sunbathing every day, he takes an old horse out for a stroll.

  Wu Qing knew that the uncle was actually Zhang Xing, and with a grateful heart, he decided to visit him often. He knew that as an elderly widower, Zhang's life was very lonely.

  That afternoon, Wu Qing called Xu Xiaoying and Wang Xiu, and they came to the Zhang family. Now these two little brats have completely become Wu Qing's followers. As for Wang Xiu, he was born to a servant girl in the Wang family, so his status is not as good as that of other illegitimate brothers, so no matter what Wang Xiu does, Wang Baishi will not pay attention to him at all. Xu Xiaoying is the youngest daughter of Xu Dama's house, although she is very much liked by Xu Dama, but after all, it is a poor family and there are not many rules, so naturally followed Wu Qing to play.

  Wu Qing led the way, with a bit of an air about him. This made Wu Qing think back to when he was young and didn't study hard, instead learning all sorts of tricks from hoodlums. Before long, they arrived at Zhang Xing's house, where a green bamboo fence appeared before them, adorned with trumpet-shaped flowers, and several small bees busily flitting about. Three tiled houses stood in a row, with a horse stable at the western end, where a yellow sorrel horse was eating grass. In the center of the courtyard stood a tall pomelo tree, its branches laden with bright red pomelos. Under the tree, an elderly man with white hair lay sprawled out on a straw mat, dozing off, his fan slipping from his hand.

  Three people from Wuqing secretly peeked through the gap in the fence, and Xu Xiaoying stepped on a tile without noticing it, making a "crack" sound.

  "Cough..."

  Zhang Xing cleared his throat and sat up, saying: "You three little guys are hiding what, come in quickly!"

  Wu Qing looked carefully at the face of this retired veteran and couldn't help but feel a sense of emotion. Zhang Xing had grown very old, with years etched on his face in deep wrinkles, and his half-foot-long goatee was almost completely white. However, the sharp glint in the old man's eyes made people feel that this soldier was not ordinary.

  "Hmm, pretty good, Wu Xiaozu, you weren't thrown off your horse last time, and now you dare to come again?"

  Wu Qing patted his chest and said loudly: "Old man Zhang, that little injury is nothing, even if you fall ten more times it won't matter!"

  Zhang Xing seemed to have seen something strange, to know that last time was knocked unconscious, at that time he was still flustered. However, having been a soldier, his temper was different, and he scolded: "Good you rabbit son, come, pull Grandpa up, Grandpa will let you ride horses!"

  Wu Qing was definitely not in good shape, and with the next move of his hand, Xu Xiaoyan and Wang Xiu simultaneously helped him, holding onto Zhang Xing's outstretched arm. Zhang Xing borrowed strength to get up, and then dragged his injured leg as he called out towards the stable.

  He led the old horse, and Zhang Xing affectionately stroked its neck, saying: "Old partner, today you have to work hard." Turning his head to look at Wu Qing and the other two, he scolded: "You stinky brats, aren't you coming over here?"

  Wu Qing had ridden a donkey and herded sheep in the countryside when he was young, and once rode a horse during a company-organized tour. So deep down inside, he wasn't particularly excited, but he had to pretend to be very enthusiastic. He followed two other kids and cheered as they ran to Zhang Xing's side. Zhang Xing smiled with a face full of wrinkles like a blooming flower. Then one by one, they hugged the old horse's back and were told to sit tight.

  For a long time, an old soldier and three little brats stayed together like this. They rode horses, rolled around, and played in the water.

  Wu Qing also knew that the old soldier was originally a cavalryman, because when he retired due to injury and returned to his hometown, the horse was also unable to become a warhorse due to its injured leg, so it was given to the old soldier as a reward. It has been eighteen years since then, from the 22nd year of the Zhenguan era until now. The little colt back then is now an old horse, and the strong and vigorous cavalry warrior back then has also reached his twilight years. However, every time Wu Qing saw the old soldier climb up to the mountain ridge to watch the sunrise and sunset, the silhouette of one man and one horse always made him feel a sense of desolation, wondering if he would end up like that too.

  Just like Wu Qing's life, he can't change his own destiny now. If he could grow a few years older, there would be ways to make a fortune, but what can a child of just over three years old do? Moreover, it is such a remote and impoverished place far from the city.

  Wu Qing felt a deep sense of sorrow, not just because he, the protagonist who had traveled through time and space, didn't have many dazzling halos, but also because when he returned home, Wu Da Niang's selfless love and care for him moved him to tears. It also left him with a heavy burden weighing on his shoulders.