Quick Wear: Men Farming and Women Weaving

I never expected that teaching my children martial arts and sword skills would actually save their lives in the future.

He Erniu reclaimed another three mu of land next to the five mu of wasteland, most of which was used to grow rice. Some of the land with poor soil was directly used to grow corn and sweet potatoes. Every year, the old rice grain was sold and the new grain was stored in the cellar.

When the eldest son turned six years old, he was sent directly to the academy run by the scholar to study.

Usually he drove the donkey cart to take his son to and from school.

When the younger son reaches age, he will be sent directly to the older son so that the two brothers can take care of each other.

Without the burden of his sons, he had a teacher to educate his children. He also enjoyed life easily. When he was not busy, he would take Xiangru out to play, or go to the county to buy some things for her, and buy books, pens, paper and inkstones for his sons. He would also take the opportunity to buy some practical things that were not in the space.

Three years later, the eldest son suddenly came back from school, looking panicked and running back with his younger brother.

"Dad and Mom, I heard some news from the Master."

"The emperor passed away suddenly without leaving any will, and the princes and lords began to fight each other."

"One of his peers at the Master's place sent him a letter, telling him to run for his life."

He Changning had no experience in the world and could only read and write. He was about to take the examination for the postgraduate degree. Hearing the news, he was so flustered that he had to run home to find his usually steady father.

"King Rui has begun to forcibly recruit soldiers to fight for the throne with his brother. We are in Qingzhou, which is under his jurisdiction. The news will soon reach here."

When the whole family heard the news, they panicked and the women started crying.

He Erniu first comforted them and asked his eldest son to take good care of his mother and brother. He went to the village chief to inform him of the news, and soon the sound of gongs rang throughout the village.

The male elders in the village were all silent in the square, and the old elders sighed and worried about their own children and grandchildren.

"Let's just run away"

"Yes... yes... they fled to the mountains and couldn't find us."

"Everyone, please be quiet for a moment." The village chief interrupted the panicked villagers.

"Before the news gets here, what should we do? We still have one day."

"No matter where they fled to, they were recruiting soldiers and fighting. Now that the emperor is dead, life outside is in chaos."

"Unless you all flee to the mountains and become refugees without household registration, your descendants will not be able to buy or sell land, study, or take the imperial examinations."

After the village chief explained the interests involved, everyone fell silent.

I don’t care what happens to myself, but I cannot accept the fact that my sons and grandsons will have no future.

After the group was disbanded, they all returned home to discuss matters with their families.

"Changning will soon begin the examination for the students who will become students of the Imperial College. We cannot allow any more accidents to happen at this time."

"I plan to go when the time comes to recruit soldiers." He went back and told Xiangru directly about his plan.

"Think of another way. Don't go. The family can't live without you. The child is still young." Xiangru leaned on his chest, grabbed his clothes, and begged him not to leave with tears streaming down her face.

"Those who forcefully recruit soldiers, no matter who you are, every household must send out a man, either me or him." He Erniu knew that history was cruel for those who fought for the throne. If he went, he would come back alive, but if his son went, he would never come back. He was less than 12 years old, and the swordsmanship he learned was not strong, just barely enough for self-defense.

Xiangru couldn't choose between the man and her son, she didn't want to lose either of them.

After two days, people sent by Prince Duan's army forcibly conscripted soldiers, requiring one able-bodied man from every household.

He Erniu directly instructed his eldest son that the family would depend on him in the future, and that he must not stop taking exams and must pass them to be exempted from labor service. He also asked him to take good care of his mother and younger brother.

Carrying the luggage that had already been packed, I went there directly to register.

He followed the army to the Duanwang military camp and settled down there. He ran and trained with a sword every day. He did not stand out, but disguised his mediocrity and mixed in with the villagers who were forcibly conscripted. They were arranged to fight in the front and serve as cannon fodder. In the battle, they were the ones who forced their way out of the enemy's formation. Many people died every time, but he mixed in among them and was only slightly injured.

King Rui had already run out of Qingzhou and rushed towards the capital.

Whenever He Erniu had the chance, he would write a letter to let others know that he was safe.

They kept fighting back and forth like this, being cannon fodder. Many people died every day, and new people would come in. The villagers who followed in, as well as the elder brothers and younger brothers, also died on the battlefield, and were shot to death by the enemy's archers before they even started. He was so fast that he hid among the corpses in time to escape.

Occasionally he would secretly collect a lot of weapons and bows and arrows on the battlefield, and sometimes he would pick things up from the pile of dead bodies.

After two or three years, the war lasted for more than three years. Finally, it was another prince who entered the imperial city and ascended the throne that day. He began to purge all forces. His brothers were imprisoned and beaten. In the end, few of them survived intact. King Rui was also killed by the emperor, who took over the army. The villagers who were forcibly conscripted were dismissed and returned home to farm. Military funds were given to appease the people.

He Erniu packed his bags and prepared to go home with the salary he had saved during the reign of King Rui and the military funds he had received.

It is already far away from Qinzhou and close to the capital. It will take at least more than a month to return home.

He found someone in the military camp and bought an old horse that had been eliminated, and then ran home at a rapid speed.

A month later, he arrived in Qingzhou, exhausted by the wind and sun. After searching all day, he returned to the village in the evening. The villagers were surprised that he was still alive, as none of the people who went out with him returned alive.

There was a knock at the door. Xiangru thought it was her sister-in-law, so she got up and opened the door. She saw the man she hadn't seen for three years coming back in tattered clothes and haggard. She cried with joy and hugged him.

She pulled the man back to the bedroom, asked him to wash and change clothes, and go to bed first, and then she went to the kitchen to cook for him.

He Erniu had hardly rested and was so sleepy that he could not stand it any longer. He did not refuse, changed his clothes, and fell asleep on the bed.

When the two brothers returned home in the evening, they were very happy that their father had returned safely.

Xiangru woke He Erniu up to eat. The family had a rare reunion and they kept talking about their experiences over the past few years at the dinner table.

Hearing that his eldest son had passed the imperial examination and was exempted from corvée and no longer had to pay land taxes, he hired someone to help farm every year.

After hearing that, he had nothing to worry about.

He returned home and continued to cultivate a few acres of land. His sons also had promising futures. The eldest son went directly to a famous academy to be a teacher. The second son passed the imperial examination and became an idle civil servant just to copy the rare books in the palace to enrich his family's heritage.

When he was old, his children and grandchildren did not allow him to continue farming. At that time, the family was very well off and not poor. The wives of his grandchildren were all rich or noble, and they were also very sensible and filial.

The old woman passed away early, of old age. She lived on for a few years and when she could no longer move, she gave some of her property to her children and grandchildren. She died of natural causes that night.

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