Chapter 2: Quiet Night Thoughts

  She has only two worries. One is about making up for the deficiency and whether she can smoothly make up for it after reaching a certain age. The second is about her daughter-in-law.

  Now, of course, this situation can't be mentioned, and as a mother, she understands her son best. She knows that Zhang Jiamu must be hungry. So she just smiled and said: "Good boy, are you hungry? The meal is ready, just waiting for you to come back and have dinner. Go, wash your face and hands, and go upstairs to eat!"

  "Alright, got it!"

  A humble household, without too much etiquette and ceremony. The gatekeeper Zhang Fu's family was also in the upper house. Seeing Zhang Jiamu return, Zhang Fu's wife Jinshi had already started serving food. Zhang Fu came over from the kitchen with a basin of hot water for Zhang Jiamu to wipe his face and wash his hands.

  Before long, they had all washed and changed into casual clothes. The whole family finally gathered together under the oil lamp, ready to have dinner.

  Dinner was simple, just some porridge, white rice, shredded radish, pickled vegetables and the like. There were only two dishes of meat that everyone didn't touch, placed in the center of the table as a mere formality. Steaming hot millet buns were placed on large yellow poplar wood plates, arranged on either side of the table.

  "Be good, eat some more!"

  The family sat at the table eating, Mrs. Xu constantly serving Zhang Jiamu dishes. She had always spoiled this son, and Zhang Jiamu had been pampered since childhood, a bit arrogant and unaware of his own limitations. Now he was gradually growing up and becoming more sensible. Two months ago, he had even fallen off his horse and injured his head severely, so Mrs. Xu naturally doted on him even more. Before long, a large pile of food had accumulated in front of Zhang Jiamu.

  Zhang Jiamu shook his head, a doting mother will spoil her child, and it seems that Madam Xu is indeed very fond of her son. However, as the son himself, he has no right to complain about his mother.

  He was slurping down his congee, accompanied by some salty vegetables and a steamed bun, and it tasted incredibly delicious.

  His little sister, Jingchu, who was only twelve years old, saw her brother eating like this and felt a bit heartbroken. She turned to Madam Xue and said, "Mother, shall we buy a goose for big brother to eat tomorrow?"

  In ancient times, people attached great importance to roasting geese. Eating goose was a pleasure for officials, but ordinary people would not eat it unless it was during festivals or special occasions.

  The daughter is sensible and pitied her brother, and her mother was also very pleased, so she agreed.

  Zhang Jiamu was also moved, smiling and calling out his sister's nickname, saying: "Xiao Hua'er, as long as you have this heart, it's fine, brother doesn't like to eat goose!"

  Speaking of which, I'm a bit embarrassed: "Brother, this month there's not much money left over, the good Osmanthus hair oil you asked me to buy, the red headband, and those little trinkets, none of them have been bought."

  Zhang Jing was quietly eating her meal, and with a very sensible shake of her head, she said to her brother: "I'm just joking with you, what would I do with those? Every day is busy with reading and writing."

  The little girl was born with a clear and beautiful appearance, wearing a cyan brocade armor on her body, looking like a small adult. Zhang Jiamu was very fond of her and had made up his mind: tomorrow's draw, if he could get a good job, he would definitely make some more money to buy new clothes for the little girl. When the big market in the imperial city opens one day, he will go to pick out some good things to put in the little girl's room.

  After dinner, everyone gathered around the copper fire basin to warm up and chat. It was nothing more than some household chores. After half an hour, they each returned to their rooms to sleep.

  The ordinary people's lamp oil at home is also very expensive. If it's not a family with children studying for the imperial examination, they would definitely have to put out the lights and go to sleep by this time.

  Besides, it's freezing outside, going to bed early is the right thing to do.

  Mother and sister slept in the same house, just upstairs. Zhang Jiamu himself slept in a west-facing wing room. The room was all pasted with big green bricks, and the wall had a yellow flower pear wood offering table in the middle, followed by some small objects placed on the multi-treasured shelf, then bookshelves, iron pear wood-made high-back case, although it was a military family, there were also four treasures of the study. On the wall, there were precious swords, knives, and in the corner, there were horse spears, guandao, long guns, bows and arrows, cowhide, raw lacquer, all piled up in the corner.

  The cold weather, in a short while the lights of all houses went out. In his room, an oil lamp was lit, and he leaned on the bed with his eyes wide open, his hands clasped behind his head, thinking about his own affairs.

  If someone saw his eyes at this time, they could discover that the things hidden in his gaze were not what a sixteen or seventeen-year-old boy should have.

  In fact, the body is still the original body, but it has changed into another person.

  After an accident, the body of Zhang Jiamu merged with a soul from hundreds of years later. After the soul transfer, many fragmented memories became blurred, only remembering that it was a man in his thirties, with a harmonious and happy family, parents, wife, and a lovely son... But after a car accident, everything disappeared, but somehow combined with Zhang Jiamu's body and soul, then gradually merged, now can't distinguish whether he is Zhang Jiamu or Zhang Jiamu is him.

  Across hundreds of years of time and space, and thousands of miles of distance between north and south, two souls actually intersected and merged, then reincarnated after a long ordeal. After this incident, it's as if they've been reborn!

  Pretending to be ill, he was actually adjusting his own mind. By now, after spending these days with his new family, he had felt a strong sense of affection and his original memories were still there. As time passed bit by bit, Zhang Jiamu already felt that he could face everything calmly and didn't need to think too much anymore!

  A night without dreams, the next morning, after the rooster's crowing had stopped, the Drum Tower a few streets away began to beat its drums. Zhang Jiayu knew that according to later calculations, it should be just before 6:30 now, and at this moment, the entire city of Beijing was already alive.

  According to the rules at that time, on this day of the first day of the month, civil and military officials had to wear official uniforms to pay homage to the palace gate. Ordinary brocade-clad guards had to go to their respective superiors to draw lots and assign new duties for the month.

  Thinking of this, Zhang Jiamu's spirit lifted. His family was in a difficult situation, his mother gave birth to him at an old age, and the living conditions were poor during that time. A person over 50 years old had a weak body and needed tonics to nourish and regulate their health.

  Little sister is also very pitiful and needs her brother to save up a decent dowry for her so she won't suffer in the future.

  He himself said that a man cannot be without power for a day, and even more so without money. Money is a thing that is not interesting to talk about, but if you don't have it, it's the most damaging to one's ambition!

  Time to get up!

  He lifted up the thick quilt with small green flowers embroidered on it, this quilt was really heavy and oppressive, making him feel suffocated.

  However, the bed is really good, it's actually a purple sandalwood bed, the wood is good, the woodworking is fine, and it's huge! This bed is the only material enjoyment that Zhang Jiamu felt during the Ming Dynasty.

  Old servant Zhang Fu has gotten up and opened the big gate, with a large broom in his hand swinging vigorously. His wife, Jin Shi, is holding several clean buckets, standing at the door, chatting with the old man while waiting for someone to collect the buckets.

  When Zhang Jiamu's father was alive, although he wasn't very pleased, the family still managed to get by. Apart from Zhang Fu, the old servant who had been with the Zhangs for decades, there were also two other servants' quarters. However, after the old man died, things became difficult and they had already sent away all the servants.

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