Qianmen Zhimen
Chapter 2
002
"Men at their birth are naturally good; Their natures are much the same; Their habits become widely different..." With the sound of students reading aloud, Luo Wenjia began his day.
Luojiazhuang is a small village outside the Yangzhou city, the village is surrounded by mountains, the scenery is very beautiful. Luo Wenjia is the only Xiucai of the village, his ancestor is a retired capital officals, but unfortunately, to Luo Wenjia father this generation, because his father like gamble, not only squander the family fortunes, but also be forced to hang himself, Luo family decline from this time. Fortunately, Luo Wenjia has a sensible mother, she never relax to teach her son, finally train him to become the only Xiucai in the village. From childhood Luo Wenjia decide to use his knowledge to help people and revive his family, just like his ancestor. For share the burden of his mother, he while studying poetry and literature to the imperial examination, while teaching students in the ancestral hall of the village, for earn a little money to supplement the family income.
The clatter out the window attracted the eyes of Luo Wenjia, he saw two rich childes just riding horse pa.s.sing by the window with several attendants. Two people seem are talking about something, one of the refined childe wear white cloth, he use whip pointing around, quite handsome.
Luo Wenjia know that white cloth man, his name is Nangong Fang, the third child of the famous Nangong family of Yangzhou city. Most of the land of Luojiazhuang now belong Nangong family, only a few pieces of ancestral graveyard in chief"s hand. Recently it"s said Nangong family ready to recover the land of Luojiazhuang, and prepared to build a resort and racecourse in here, the news make the villagers panic, everybody wants the patriarch Luo Zonghan can stop this thing.
Luo Wenjia is just make blind and disorderly conjectures, then he see a green cloth girl with the basket coming from a mile away. Look at the sky it was getting dark, so he was busy to let the children come home from school, then he happily to meet her.
The girl leisurely come to the front of Luo Wenjia, with a red face to give him her hand"s basket: "Brother Wenjia, these is today fresh-picked fruit, I hope aunt and you would try these new food."
Luo Wenjia quickly took the basket, he red face about to speak, but saying nothing. The girl saw his distress, cannot help but give a smile, she waved hand to him: "You should go back early, I"m gone!"
Watched the girl go away, Luo Wenjia can not help but pick up a red apples and sniffed it, his heart full of sweet. The girl is the daughter of landlord Zhao Fugui, her name is Zhao Xinyi. Zhao Fugui is a migrant, in the past he wants to find a backer, so he propose a marriage by pointing to the stomach with Luo Wenjia"s father, early to betroth his daughter to Luo Wenjia. In the later Luo family come down in the world, Zhao Fugui wants to break the promise of marriage. But two children play together since childhood, they has long been loath to part from each other, and Luo Wenjia also studious, pa.s.s the Xiucai examination at a young age, have a great future. Zhao Fugui finally don"t interference their communication.
Luo Wenjia waited until he no longer see the girl"s back, finally reluctant to take back his vision, while smelling the apple while go back. The girl actually did not go far, but hidden in the roadside trees and peep, see he did not follow, she can not help but say "baka" in the heart, pursed her mouth and turned away. But she just turn her head, a suddenly neighing sound startled her, a horse almost stand in her presence, almost lift off the rider. The rider just wants to open to scold, but once see her appearance, he froze on the horse.
The girl is just recovering from the shock, she just peek at Luo Wenjia and actually did not hear the hoofbeats, when she look back almost to hit together with the galloping horse. She was about to apologize, but found the rider straight staring back at her, his wanton eyes make her some fear, so she gave up to apologize, bow her head and go away.
"Beauty! Beautiful!" The rider until Zhao Xinyi walked away, he still in mutter, "Unexpectedly such a remote village, has such a beautiful girl!"
"Third childe good eye!" Tang Xiao beside him hurriedly nodded, "Although Yangzhou gathered many beautiful girls, but there also rarely see such a stunning beauty."
The first watch of the night, Luo Wenjia began his daily reading. There only a dim lamp accompany with him. Although Luo family is in straitened circ.u.mstances, all estate had been sold, but after all, his ancestor is a capital officals, although his old curtilage is dilapidated, but it"s covers an area is not small, not only has wing-room and backyard, in the study room there are all kinds of books. If not, Luo Wenjia may have no chance to learn knowledge.
He just finished reading an article of "the a.n.a.lects of Confucius", in the backyard there suddenly heard a stuffy sound, like some people jumped down from the wall. Luo Wenjia felt strange: such a dilapidated house, is it possible that there is a thief willing to come?
Below the wall, the weeds are in slightly shaking, Luo Wenjia hold a lantern to light it, in the gra.s.s, he saw a black cloth man covered in blood, eyes closed, lying in the gra.s.s and panting slightly. At first Luo Wenjia was terrified, but quickly he cannot help but asked softly: "Old man! Old man!"
The old man stumbled and gave a cry, but didn"t open his eyes. Luo Wenjia is a innately good man, he saw the old man was seriously wounded, so he busy help the old man into study room, let the old man lay on the couch. The old man"s age may not very old, but his sideburns are grey, vicissitudes and in a low spirit, has no much meat on the face. Even his eyes were closed, his appearance is still a little dignified. See the old man"s breath is too faint, Luo Wenjia asked: "Old man, where are you get hurt? I am going to call the doctor!" He turned to leave, but the old man grabbed his wrist. The old man"s hand as strong as eagle claw, though he is seriously injured, but Luo Wenjia also can"t break free. He saw the old man labored pointed to his chest: "I... Here is the medicine!"
Luo Wenjia untied the old man"s cloth, and find two bottles. He asked: "How to use?"
"The Dan medicine take orally, the medicine powder paint on the wound!" The old man said with difficulty, then he kept panting.