Traveling through life as a widow: six sons to support her in her old age

Lan Qiyan was an impatient person and she didn't like to dilly-dally on things, so the day before Yu Xiu and the others set off to return to the capital, she rode her donkey and left with the lard pancakes baked by Wu You.

When Yu Xiu saw the two words "left" written on a piece of paper, he didn't know whether to laugh or cry. His mother's realm was higher than theirs.

Lan Qiyan didn't have a specific destination. She just kept walking south, stopping from time to time. If she saw a beautiful scene, she would stay for two more days. If she didn't want to stay, she would just walk past it.

Since I was wearing men's clothes and had a dark, yellow and dirty face when I left, I didn't encounter any unpleasant things along the way.

After walking for three days, she didn't know where she was, but the compass showed that she was heading south.

But why is this town so far away from the previous one?

The donkey was tired, so she had to get off to let it drink some water and eat some grass. There was no village or shop nearby. Lan Qiyan had a big lotus leaf on her head and was biting on a big apple, which was snatched away by the donkey when she had only bitten half of it.

"Haha, a man can't rob a donkey."

Lan Qiyan followed the sound and saw a small round head sticking out from under the lotus leaf. She reached out and lifted the person up.

"Boy, what are you doing hiding in the water?"

The little boy pointed to the lotus leaves and said, "I'm catching fish and shrimp."

"Do you want to sell it for money?" Lan Qiyan took out an apple from his pocket and handed it over.

"Thank you, big brother." After saying that, he hugged the apple and started eating it.

"Who told you to go fishing in the river like this? Don't you know it's dangerous?"

"I have no family." The little boy answered vaguely while chewing an apple.

Lan Qiyan sighed, "Where are your uncles?"

"Brother, you are not from Jintian County, right?"

"what happened?"

"There's a locust plague in Jintian County, and we've lost every grain of our harvest."

Lan Qiyan looked around and gave him a slap. "You are lying with your eyes open. This is all green. Where is the locust plague?"

"Brother, I'm talking about last year. There was a locust plague here last year. There was no harvest. My grandparents and my parents all starved to death. My uncles and aunts are gone. I don't know where they went to make a living. So I was the only one left at home."

"How old are you?"

"Ten years old."

"What are your plans for the future?"

"Live one day at a time." As he spoke, he had already finished eating an apple and spat out a few seeds.

Lan Qiyan sounded so relaxed when he spoke, but when he listened carefully, he could see a sense of helplessness.

"Brother, are you homeless too?"

Family?

Does she still have a home?

It seems like I'm really homeless.

“I wander around by myself.”

"Are we going to the next Qingtian County?"

"Yes."

"Then you can't get there before dark. It's too far. If you don't mind, you can stay at my house for a night. I'll give you an apple as a token of my gratitude."

"it is good."

"Brother, wait for me for a moment. I'll catch some more fish and shrimp."

"Are you still going to sell it in town?"

"There are people in the village who buy it. We can save a few copper coins by selling it in the summer so we don't starve to death in the winter."

"You have no land?"

“My uncles sold everything when they left and didn’t leave me a single cent, so I just planted some vegetables and sweet potatoes in the yard so that I can have something to eat if I can survive the winter.”

"Hate?"

"No, this is my fate. Who should I hate? If I do, there are too many people to hate. I can't do anything about it. I will end up forcing myself to be unable to live."

Lan Qiyan actually felt that she had the same thoughts as this ten-year-old kid. Did she hate her?

I have paid so much, but in the end I have to kill everyone.

But unlike the little boy, she has the ability to take revenge, but the cost is too high to justify it.

That's why she chose to escape, wandering aimlessly, and perhaps as she walked along she really didn't care anymore.

Seeing the little boy diving back into the water in order to survive, the kindness in her heart came out again.

She didn't want to consider whether the child would become an ungrateful person in the future, but she just wanted to follow her heart.

It’s as if if she had the chance to do it all over again, she would still treat Yu Ze and the others wholeheartedly.

So what else does she have to worry about?

No, she doesn't hate anyone.

Perhaps the purpose of this experience was to allow her to do good things.

After thinking it through, Lan Qiyan once again lifted the little boy out of the water, "Come out."

"Brother, I want to catch fish."

"Have you caught it?"

"No, I don't know why, there are no fish today."

"Come home, I'll treat you to a meal and give you one or two taels of silver to go to the village to buy a chicken, some mushrooms and flour."

The little boy swallowed and said, "Thank you, big brother."

"By the way, what's your name?"

"Song Da."

"Huh? You're the boss?"

"Yes, my father hasn't given me a full name yet, so I'm called Song Da."

"Do you want a new name?" After asking this, Lan Qiyan suddenly felt very presumptuous. Why did he want to give names to others wherever he went?

"Brother, can you come up with a name?"

"I know a few words."

Song Da was very happy, "Really? That's great, big brother, please help me choose a name, they all laughed at my ugly name."

"Where is Song Sumu? Awakened tree, I hope that no matter what happens in the future, you can be as energetic and vigorous as a big tree. At the same time, you should be as upright and straight as a big tree, and don't grow crooked so easily."

"Sumu, Sumu, that sounds really nice. Big brother, you are so awesome. My mother's name is Su Niang."

Lan Qiyan also laughed, "That's really a coincidence."

Song Sumu clasped his hands together and said, "Brother, you must be the god that my grandparents and parents prayed for me." While speaking, Song Sumu had already brought Lan Qiyan to his house.

It is called a home, but in fact it is just a simple fenced yard with vegetables and sweet potatoes in the yard. There are two rooms facing the gate, and a kitchen next to it is simply built with wood.

Song Sumu was a little embarrassed. "Brother, my house is a little small and shabby. Please don't mind it. By the way, do you want some water? I'll go get you some."

Lan Qiyan took out half a tael of silver and said, "I'm not thirsty, let's go buy something."

Song Sumu took the silver and ran away. Lan Qiyan tied the donkey to a wooden stake in the vegetable garden and then strolled around.

But it was only limited to the yard. She would not go into other people's rooms without the boy's consent.

It's nice here, it feels like starting over.

Song Sumu was very quick. In just an incense stick of time, he had bought everything Lan Qiyan requested.

Seeing Lan Qiyan, he was very excited. "Brother, chicken is 15 cents a pound. This chicken is 3.5 pounds, a total of 42 cents. The village chief left me 40 cents. The mushrooms are 10 cents. The noodles are half a pound, so I asked for 8 cents. Here are the remaining copper coins. Keep them, brother."

"The boy knows how to settle accounts."

"Hehe, my grandfather used to be an accountant, he taught me."

"That's a good job."

"Yeah, that's what everyone says."