Erdan went to the liquor store next door. The same sign was hanging on the door.
He sold a corner of the three-white wine brewed in the shop for ten cents.
He clearly had enough copper coins in his arms, but he handed over another food stamp.
The discount is one thing, but the most important thing is to exchange this piece of paper for copper coins and put it safely...
After buying these two items and carrying the seventy copper coins he had found, he separated from his coworkers and walked through the streets and alleys to go home.
His family came to Suzhou from Shandong to seek refuge in the late Yuan Dynasty. In order to make a living, he learned a craft from a master. After three years of hard work as an apprentice, he finally became a pickpocket.
This pickpocket is not that pickpocket, not the kind with three hands, but a type of work that operates a loom. Although the income is not bad, the prices in Suzhou are also high. He and his wife, who is an embroiderer, can barely support their family by working together.
Small.
But if there is a disease or disaster in the family, they can only ask the neighbors to help. So forget about saving anything, because famine will be a disaster.
However, his family was very content. If he had stayed in his hometown in Shandong, he would have died countless times in the chaos of war. Even after Emperor Hongwu came to power, life in Suzhou would be much better than in his hometown.
At least the whole family didn't starve to death, they could have a good meal during the holidays, and make new clothes for the elderly and children... This was a good life that he had never dared to imagine when he was a child.
But after spring this year, the good times suddenly disappeared, and he and his wife could not find a job at the same time.
The family had thought of everything they could think of. Begging for food, working odd jobs, borrowing money... but all the money was in vain. The familiar poverty and hunger struck again, and the children in the family were so hungry that they were as thin as sticks and kept crying at night.
It was only thanks to the wild vegetables after spring and some coarse grains lent by the original employer that the family did not starve to death. But it was about to happen...
So he also participated in the riot in March, not because he had any objections to the government, but because he couldn't understand the twists and turns. The main reason was that someone took care of the food and paid the money.
It's a pity that the riot only lasted for one day, and then it died down... Then came the bloody liquidation of the imperial court, and all the masters in Suzhou were arrested and almost beheaded.
On the day of the beheading, the streets of Suzhou were deserted, but he didn't go. Firstly, he was too hungry to move, and secondly, he was in despair. His boss's bosses had all been arrested, and there was no time to start work. People at home would definitely starve to death. Where could there be anything left?
Are you in the mood to watch the 'Spring Festival Gala'?
He discussed with his wife's family, sending his son to the temple and giving his daughter to someone as a child bride, so that the child could have a way of survival. Although his wife's family was extremely sad, they also knew that this was the only way.
Erdan persuaded and persuaded, and finally unified the opinions of the whole family. But when he put it into practice, he was dumbfounded. There were too many people with the same idea, and his son and daughter could not be sent away at all...
He was completely desperate. He cried bitterly at home and planned to hang himself as a family to avoid further suffering.
As a result, at this moment, the neighbor Brother Ma knocked on the door of his house and shouted outside: "Erdan, go to Guanqian Street quickly, we are hiring!"
~~
Then, the story begins to change from generation to generation...
Erdan and his wife were afraid of missing this rare opportunity, so they hurriedly ran, panting, and arrived at Guanqian Street. Only then did they realize that factories were robbing workers here, and they didn't have to worry about no one hiring. Moreover, various factories also opened fire on the spot.
In order to fight for people, the salary was raised to one hundred yuan!
Happiness came so suddenly that the couple felt like they were in a dream. But wasn't this dream too real?
Erdan didn't dare to pinch himself, because if this was a dream, he wanted this dream to last as long as possible.
Because in this sweet dream, he and his wife had a new job, and they really could get a hundred coins every day. And they even took care of lunch and food...
The elderly, children, and younger brothers and sisters in the family also had food to eat. In less than ten days, the chins of his two cubs became round and open again.
Regardless of whether it was a dream or not, he was so happy that he took the opportunity to try the food stamps, drank wine, cut meat, and went home happily to celebrate.
As expected, his mother scolded him as soon as he walked in. "It's not the New Year or the festival, why are you buying these expensive things?"
"Eat meat, eat meat!" The children cheered around their father, just like the Chinese New Year.
"Mom, my wife and I make a lot more money now." Erdan didn't worry, he smiled and handed the wine and meat to my wife."
"It's only been a few days since we resumed work, and we're already burning buns?" His mother then scolded: "We haven't paid for the famine in the neighborhood yet, so if people see it, why don't you poke me in the back?!"
"Yes." Erdan hurriedly changed his words: "Isn't it because food stamps were issued today? I was afraid of having a long night and dreaming a lot, so I bought some things and exchanged money."
As he said that, he handed the seventy copper coins to his mother, who then said with a brighter expression: "You should exchange it for food, it's a waste."
"There is no discount in exchange for food."
"Oh..." I understood immediately. She stopped being angry and started having dinner with my daughter-in-law.
~~
So for dinner, the children finally had meat. The father and the father also had a small drink, and the old and the young were very happy.
"It's true that there is no way out of mountains and rivers, but there is another village with dark flowers and bright flowers." Erdan Daddy held the wine cup and sipped the wine in small sips. He drank the rice wine and it felt like soju.
"Yes, Dad," Erdan was drunk and everyone was drunk, and said with tears in his smile: "This dream of mine is so beautiful."
"Dreaming? What are you dreaming about?" Upon hearing this, his younger brother Sandan stretched out his hand and pinched his second brother, causing Erdan to grimace in pain.
"It hurts, it hurts... Oh, it turns out it's really not a dream?" Erdan finally returned to reality. Seeing that nothing had changed, he said, "That means I'm drunk."
"It's not cured, it's not cured..." Sandan sat on the ground with his buttocks.
"Hahaha, Erdan, you are neither dreaming nor drunk." Erdan's father has attended ethnic studies, knows a few words, and has more knowledge than his son.
"Now we have caught up with a wave of good times. It's normal for you to feel dizzy. Don't be ridiculous, even I feel dizzy." Erdan Daddy took a sip of wine and said:
"So dad has been asking about it these past few days, what is going on? Why have all the big families in Suzhou City changed their gender? The tiger doesn't eat people, but becomes a Bodhisattva?"
"Yeah, what's going on?" The sons asked in unison: "Do you understand?"
"I understand, it's all because of His Highness the King of Chu!" Erdan Daddy's tone became respectful.
"King Chu? Didn't that kill Mr. Lu..." Erdan lost his voice.
"Fart!" Before he could finish his words, his father stopped him sternly. "His Royal Highness is the living Bodhisattva who brings Buddha to thousands of families! Lu Zhonghe is the culprit that the people can't get rid of this year! That beast actually brought those big families with him,
Throw dirty water on His Highness!"
"That's it..." Erdan couldn't help but feel guilty. He had scolded Lao Liu a lot during that time.
"Fortunately, Your Highness ignored the past grievances and punished the bad guys, forcing them to start work and paying double wages to the workers," Erdan Dad said loudly: "Can this be a bad guy?"
"No!" San Dan immediately shouted loudly: "Whoever dares to say that King Chu is a bad person, I will fight with him!"
"He is indeed a good man." Although Erdan was more cautious, he also had the same view.
The common people's view of right and wrong is as simple as that. Whoever can make them eat is a good person; whoever can make them live a good life is their god!
