The journey of the only child of a peasant family to take the imperial examination

After eating, he drove the carriage and took Mr. Lin all the way to the west of the city.

Zhang Ping'an and Liu Sanlang had already gone to the Luo family in the west of the city.

At present, the layout of Kaifeng City is that the east side of the city is the most expensive, and it is inhabited by dignitaries, most of whom are well-known in Kaifeng City.

The north of the city is second because of its convenient water access and beautiful scenery, making it the second choice for minor officials and big merchants.

The people living in the south of the city are all ordinary people, most of whom are local residents or those with some wealth who moved here to escape the war. They can barely make ends meet.

The west of the city is the poorest, and most people living here have problems making a living, struggling on the brink of life and death.

It's like a modern slum.

When they arrived at the entrance of the alley, the carriage could not enter, so Zhang Ping'an had to get off the carriage with his brother-in-law and walk in.

The aisle in the alley is very narrow. As soon as you walk in, you will feel very depressed, as if you are being squeezed into a sandwich by the walls on both sides.

And the smell is not good either, a mixture of new and old food, as well as urine, feces, etc. It is simply suffocating.

The ground was wet with the water used by the people on both sides of the alley after washing clothes, vegetables, clothes, diapers, etc. They poured it directly onto the bluestone slabs in the alley, waiting for the sewage to seep in.

Although I know that people have had a hard time in the past few years of war, especially in the north, I am lucky to be alive.

But Zhang Ping'an still found it hard to imagine that Master Luo and his family had fallen to the point of living in such a place, leading a precarious life.

He still clearly remembers the peaceful scene he saw when he first visited the Luo Mansion.

"I didn't expect that Mr. Luo's family is living so poorly now. They are all learned people in their family," Liu Sanlang said with emotion.

Back then, Master Luo was famous throughout Shuanghe Town.

Everyone knows Mr. Luo from Luojia Village.

On ordinary days, when people from all over the country hold weddings or funerals, it is considered a matter of great honor if they can invite people over for a drink and tell others about it.

Looking at the present, we can only say that the world is unpredictable.

"As long as everyone is alive and safe, that's enough. Fortunately, we have met them now. We will do our best to help if we can. We should repay a drop of kindness with a spring," Zhang Ping'an replied.

"That's right," Liu Sanlang nodded.

The alley was filled with miscellaneous items left by the residents, making it difficult to walk. Zhang Ping'an and his brother-in-law walked for almost half a minute before they saw Brother Luo at the end of the alley, in front of the door of the second-to-last house.

Brother Luo also saw Zhang Pingan and the other person at the same time.

"Ping'an, Sanlang, you are here, come here!" Brother Luo greeted.

"Brother Luo!" Zhang Ping'an and his brother-in-law Liu Sanlang called out together.

"You said you wanted to come over yesterday, so I asked for leave from my boss and have been waiting at the door since early morning. Come on, please come in," Brother Luo warmly welcomed the two of them in.

After entering, there is the main room, which is dark even in broad daylight. The bedroom is a room separated by wooden boards next to the main room.

Of course there is no yard.

After the two sat down, they placed the gifts they brought on the table.

"Look at you guys, you came without any hesitation, but you brought so many things. I already spent a lot of money on buying medicine yesterday. I feel very sorry about it. Please don't spend money next time you come." Brother Luo looked at the rice, fat and sugar on the table, feeling embarrassed.

As he spoke, he busied himself pouring water for the two of them, apologetically saying, "I'm so sorry, there's nothing good to offer you at home. No tea, only plain water. Please make do with this!"

"Brother Luo, we are all family. It's okay, don't worry about it," Zhang Ping'an comforted with a smile, picked up the bowl and took a few sips.

Then he asked with concern, "Is Uncle Luo in the bedroom next door? Would it be convenient for us to go in and check on him now? The doctor I hired will be here soon!"

"I came back yesterday and told my dad about meeting you two. My dad kept sighing what fate! This morning he even insisted that I give him a good wash. He's in bed now, he has rheumatism and is in so much pain that he can't get out of bed and can only lie in bed!" Brother Luo explained with a smile.

Then he stood up and took the two people into the room. As soon as the curtain was opened, a heavy and foul air came out, carrying a smell of medicine and illness.

It’s obvious that it’s caused by a lack of ventilation for a long time and the small space.

Zhang Ping'an's expression remained unchanged as he walked towards the bedside.

Only then did I see clearly what Master Luo looked like now.

Although Brother Luo said just now that he had helped Master Luo to wash and dress in the morning, it still couldn't hide Master Luo's haggard face.

He was described as emaciated, with only a skeleton left. There was a layer of white film covering his right eye, and it was obvious that he could no longer see.

Only the left eye is intact.

Zhang Pingan felt extremely sad and heartbroken. In his mind, Master Luo had always been a scholar as elegant as the breeze and bright moon. How could this ever happen?

"Uncle Luo, I'm here to see you. Do you still remember me? I'm Ping An!" Zhang Ping'an said gently, his throat a little choked.

"Ping An?" Upon hearing this, Master Luo looked at Zhang Ping An carefully.

After a moment, he nodded and said weakly, "You're safe! The boss told me yesterday that I've been waiting for you all today. I'm old now, and my memory isn't very good. I have to think for a long time to think about anything. Are you okay? Is everyone at home okay?"

"I'm fine, and my family is fine too, don't worry," Zhang Pingan replied.

Think about it, Master Luo is actually only about the same age as his father. It shouldn't be like this. He has been tortured too badly!

"As long as you live well, it's a blessing," Master Luo sighed with a smile upon hearing this.

"Is your leg still hurting? Did you take the medicine yesterday? Did it feel better?" Zhang Pingan continued to ask.

"I've taken it, and I feel much better," Master Luo nodded. "Thank you so much. Medicinal herbs are too expensive these days. I actually told the boss a long time ago that my illness doesn't need treatment and will go away if I just endure it. He refused to listen, and as a result, our family is struggling financially now. Sigh!"

"Dad, what are you talking about? If I had any ability, I would cure this disease. As a son, how can I bear to see you unable to sleep every day due to pain!" Brother Luo said bitterly after hearing this.

At this time, Zhang Pingan finally had time to ask the rest of the family, "Where is Brother Luo, and my sister-in-law and the children? Where did they go?"

"My second brother passed away two years ago, and your two sisters-in-law are also gone. Now there are only four boys, me, and my father left at home. If we don't work for a day, we won't be able to make ends meet, so the boys have all gone out to work." Brother Luo replied in a low voice.

"What, Brother Luo passed away?"

Just as Zhang Ping'an finished asking this question, there was a knock on the door.