Insufficient balance

  "Mother, it's not too hot now, let me help you up to drink!" Xiao Zimei took a small spoon and tasted a small mouthful, making sure the temperature was just right before putting down the bowl and helping her mother up to take the medicine.

  Two days ago, he had just asked a doctor to prescribe a new prescription for his mother, and even specially instructed the doctor to add several expensive medicines, for which he spent nearly half of the money he had saved in the past two years, all in order to take advantage of the hot weather to try to cure his mother's illness.

  The old lady sat up on the bed with Xiao Ting's help, took over the medicine bowl and drank it slowly, one small mouthful at a time, while tightly frowning.

  Medicine is bound to be bitter, how can it cure diseases if it's not bitter?

  When she finished drinking, Xiao Teng took the bowl and hurriedly handed over a bowl of sugar water. It's said that people from poor families like them wouldn't normally spend money on sugar water, but Xiao Teng pitied his mother, so he was willing to spend more money rather than let her suffer with a bitter taste in her mouth for half a day after taking the medicine.

  The old lady took two sips of sugar water, and indeed her eyebrows slowly relaxed. For someone who takes medicine as food every day, the pain is a kind of torture, but the feeling of bitterness that makes you want to vomit even gastric juice is an even more distressing pain. Therefore, in her opinion, having a bowl of sugar water after taking medicine each time is truly her son's greatest filial piety.

  "Daughter, I've already borrowed the rickshaw. The weather is fine today, so after I finish lunch, I'll push you and we can go for a stroll around Qujiang Pool!"

  "Good, good!" The old lady nodded happily, things had been going relatively smoothly for the past year, and her son was doing well too, so there was a gradual flush of color on her face.

  Actually, the school only gives students two days off every month. According to the old lady's idea, her son is busy with his studies and making money every day, which is really tiring. He should take this opportunity to rest well. However, Xiao Ting insisted that if his mother stays at home alone all day, it will definitely be bad for her health in the long run. Now is a good season in spring, how can she not go out for a walk?

  Just spent a lot of money on good medicine, and then went out for a stroll to relax, who knows if the illness will be cured in an instant!

  Xiao Ting waited until his mother finished drinking the sugar water, then took over the bowl and went out. Only after he ate did he wash the pot, bowls, and plates. He also specially brought a small package with a large pancake.

  Qujiangchi is located at the southeastern corner of Chang'an City, nearly twenty miles away from Chanshoufang. Since they went out to play, it was natural that they wouldn't return until noon. Xiao Ting thought about buying some pastries for his mother to try at noon, but he didn't need to waste money on himself. He would bring a piece of flatbread and eat it later, then ask someone for a drink of water, which would be enough for lunch.

  Everything was ready, and in the inner room, her mother had struggled to put on her most treasured outfit. The top was a cyan cloth jacket with rolled edges, over which she wore a sky-blue embroidered auspicious cloud apron. The bottom was a light brown long skirt. The colors of the clothes were not eye-catching, and they were all made of coarse fabric, not worth much money. However, the workmanship was very exquisite. Xiao Ting still remembered that this was an outfit he had insisted on making for his mother when he was 14 years old after earning some money.

  During those six months, my mother's body was not as bad as it is now, so the fabric was bought by the mother and son together. After buying it back, my mother cut it herself and made it, then added embroidery to it one stitch at a time, so I have always cherished it and didn't dare to wear it easily.

  He smiled and said, "Mother, you look like you're only thirty years old when you wear this dress!"

  "Nonsense, you're already so old, and yet you still look like a 30-year-old!" The old lady scolded with a smile, the wrinkles on her face seeming to relax along with these delightful events, set off by her newly laundered clothes, making her appear much younger.

  Xiao Ting smiled and said, "Mother, I'll fetch a basin of water for you to wash your hair and style it into a new bun?"

  "Alright, let's get going!"

  Xiao Ting smiled and crawled to the kitchen, scooped a basin of water back, scattered her mother's bun, carefully combed it smooth, and then combed a peony bun against the water surface for her. It looked dignified and luxurious, with some old immortal meaning.

  After finishing breakfast, he supported his mother out of the house. At this time, it was only around 8 o'clock in modern times.

  In the courtyard, there was a small, single-wheeled pushcart that Xiao Ting had borrowed from his neighbor's house last night. The surface of the cart was hard and stiff, so to avoid his mother feeling uncomfortable after sitting for a long time, Xiao Ting had specially taken out his own quilt and spread it on top, making it soft and comfortable to sit on, even for an extended period.

  He helped his mother onto the cart and got her settled, then slung the carrying pole over his shoulder, grasped the shafts with both hands, "Mother, are you all set? Let's go!"

  The old lady responded with a sound, and the mother and son were about to leave when the door was suddenly pushed open. Xiao Ting looked up to see that it was their landlord, Chen Shanliang. At that time, the Xiao family's property had been confiscated, so they didn't have any money left and couldn't afford to buy a house. They had to temporarily rent a courtyard in Changshou Alley, thinking that they would buy one when they had more money in the future. However, they became poorer and poorer, and couldn't afford to buy one after all. So they could only continue renting this place, and it turned out that they had been living here for over a decade.

  Xiao Teng actually knew that the landlord, Chen Shanliang, was a good person who was kind and righteous in his dealings with neighbors, especially towards scholars. However, he seemed to be somewhat harsh and critical towards Xiao Teng and her mother. The reason for this was probably due to some peculiar psychological factor at play. Although the Xiao family had fallen on hard times, they were once a prominent aristocratic clan, and having an opportunity to bully someone from such a family would naturally give an ordinary person a sense of accomplishment.

  When a rich and noble family falls from power, they often can't even attain the status of ordinary poor people.

  Xiao Ting saw that he had arrived and quickly stopped the car, exchanged a glance with his mother, then went to greet him, "Uncle Chen, why did you come so early? Is there something going on?"

  "Chen Shanliang coughed and asked, 'Are you two going out?'"

  "Yes, I have a two-day holiday at school, and today is fine too. I want to take my mother out for a walk!"

  Chen Shanliang said "oh" and then continued, "Actually, I came mainly to say that you should pay the rent for the next half year!"

  Xiao Ting was taken aback, how could it be half a year all of a sudden? This is already unbearable! Besides, can't the rent be collected in the morning? Even debt collectors can't come to the door in the morning!

  But when you're under someone else's roof, how can you not lower your head? Who made the rent of our own house cheaper than others? It's uncomfortable in my heart, but I can only bear with it.

  Xiao Ting forced a smile on his face, "Uncle Chen, wasn't it always two months at a time before? Why has it changed to once every six months now?"

  Chen Shanliang coughed again, "Not only must it be paid every six months, but the rent... must also be increased, 350 coins per month!"

  Xiao Ting was shocked, "Three hundred and fifty coins? This... how did it suddenly become two hundred coins more expensive? Isn't this too much?"

  Chen Shanliang had an expression of not wanting to bother talking nonsense, "Someone has taken a liking to this courtyard and wants to buy it, offering eighty taels! If you're not willing to rent it, I can just sell it to them, and it'll save me the trouble of collecting rent in the future!"

  "Mr. Chen, look at our family's situation, we really don't have much money, can you give us a discount? After all, we've been living in your courtyard for over ten years now, aren't we considered familiar faces? Can't you just give us a little discount?" The old lady said from the carriage.

  "It can't be cheaper than this, are you going to rent it or not? If you're paying, I'll send someone to take me home tonight. Otherwise, there's only eleven days left before the deadline, right? You'd better get ready to move!" Chen Shanliang's tone was very firm.

  The old lady wanted to ask for mercy, but Xiao Ting suddenly said: "Alright, I'll discuss it with my mother and give you a reply later, is that okay?"

  Chen Shanliang thought for a moment, "Alright, you have eleven days left!" After finishing speaking, he turned around and walked away, as if he couldn't be bothered to stay in the courtyard for another minute.

  Xiao Ting exchanged a glance with his mother, both of their eyes filled with helplessness. The other family was eager to sell the house, what could they do? In the past two years, Xiao Ting had indeed saved some money by teaching Yang Liu painting, but he had spent more than half of it on medicine for his mother in the past two days. Now, he only had less than three taels left, and if he paid the rent at this price, there would be almost nothing left after paying half a year's rent. Looking ahead, without other work, how could they afford food and drink? What about the tuition fees for school?

  Xiao Ting let out a sigh and said, "Early in the morning, coming to ask for money is the most annoying thing. Now my good mood is all gone."

  He forced a smile and waved his hand loudly, saying: "What's the point? There are still eleven days left! We'll do what we should do, mother, let's go!"

  The old lady also forced a smile and said, "Alright, let's go!"

  Xiao Ting pushed the cart again, went out of the yard and closed the door. Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly saw that the street was in a commotion. Chen Shanliang was also standing at the entrance of Xiao's house watching the excitement. Seeing a neighbor running over from the east, he hastily grabbed him and asked, "What's going on? What's all the commotion about? Has something big happened?"

  That man's face was excited, saying: "There are government troops coming to clear the streets, everyone is required to evacuate, I heard that the imperial carriage is coming from behind!"

  "What? The imperial carriage? Don't talk nonsense, what are you saying so early in the morning, how can the imperial carriage come to our Longshou Alley?"

  "Honestly, I'm not kidding you, Old Chen. Ah, look at this! The government troops are wearing... these uniforms... This attire is that of the Imperial Guard! They're here to protect the Emperor!"

  As they were speaking, a large army indeed marched into the small street. A pair of cavalry led the way, followed by Wei Yue, the head of Longshoufang, who was running behind the horse team with a thick layer of dust on his face. Wherever the cavalry went, the civilians fled in all directions. Behind them, two rows of officials and soldiers stood neatly along both sides of the road, each holding a long spear and standing upright with their heads held high, looking majestic and powerful.

  Seeing this situation, Xiao Ting also frowned and became sullen. Changshou Fang was a poor people's gathering place in Chang'an City, it shouldn't have been necessary to mobilize such a large number of government troops to clear the streets, what big thing had happened or who was coming?

  It's not that serious!

  He leaned his unicycle against the wall and, since he couldn't go out for a while, he might as well stand at the door with his mother to watch the excitement.

  At this time, the cavalry that had been leading the way happened to arrive in front of Xiao's house. The general who was walking at the very front of the column reined in his horse and stopped, and the cavalry and the troops behind him also came to a halt in an orderly fashion, without showing any signs of panic, revealing the rigorous training of the Tang army.

  The general asked: "Wei Fangzheng, isn't this the Xiao family's place?"

  Wei Yue heard this and, without even coughing, hastily held up a smiling face and replied: "General, this is indeed the Xiao family... Ah, yes! That entrance is where the mother and son of the Xiao family are!"

  Upon hearing this conversation, Xiao Ting's heart skipped a beat, his eyebrows furrowed tightly, and he thought to himself that he hadn't done anything illegal, so why were they looking for him? Besides, even if he had done something illegal, it wouldn't be necessary for them to make such a big fuss about arresting him.

  He turned his head to look at his mother and saw that she also had a shocked expression on her face.

  The mother and son were in a tense situation when they saw the two horsemen dismounting simultaneously. The first general handed over the reins to his subordinate, looked at Xiao Ting and walked over with big strides, making a fist to his chest, "Mr. Xiao, the imperial carriage will arrive soon, I am ordered to clear the streets first, please wait!"

  Xiao Ting was stunned and stood still on the spot.