The sky was clear, with the sun shining brightly.
Carrying a heavy bamboo basket, Zhang Yuan trudged with difficulty along the rugged mountain path.
Sweat the size of beans constantly dripped from the forehead of the fifteen-year-old boy, his pale bronze skin shimmering under the sunlight, and his muscles tensed under his thin clothes.
Turning a corner, a mountain village surrounded by hills appeared in Zhang Yuan's view.
He raised his hand to wipe the sweat off his face, revealing a faint smile.
Chen Family Village.
The home of Zhang Yuan in this life!
Five years ago, in a state of ignorance, he broke through the mystery of the womb and gradually regained the memories of his past life.
Though he did not understand why he traveled to this ancient otherworld, Zhang Yuan did not complain or give himself up to despair. Instead, he strove to learn survival skills.
By now, he had grown accustomed to life here.
Taking a deep breath, Zhang Yuan did not head directly home but took another small path.
Before long, he saw a wooden house at the edge of the forest.
Zhang Yuan's expression changed instantly.
In the yard enclosed by a fence in front of the wooden house, three robustly dressed teenagers were practicing martial arts under the guidance of a middle-aged man, with precise and disciplined movements!
Such a scene made Zhang Yuan's throat even drier. He pressed his lips together forcefully and continued towards the wooden house.
Yet this path, which he had walked countless times, seemed exceptionally difficult today.
However, before Zhang Yuan could reach the courtyard gate, the middle-aged man came out first to block him.
The middle-aged man was tall with dark skin, a long scar on his left cheek, sharp eyes, and a rather fierce demeanor.
His gaze towards Zhang Yuan was obscure and hard to read.
"Master Gao!"
Zhang Yuan hurriedly unloaded the bamboo basket from his back and spoke respectfully, "The rice price in the county town has risen by another wen today, so I only managed to buy seventy-four jin..."
"That's enough."
The middle-aged man interrupted him directly and said indifferently, "You've worked hard, but you don't need to come anymore."
Despite being somewhat prepared, hearing this heartless statement still made Zhang Yuan's heart sink.
He remained silent for a moment and then asked bitterly, "Master Gao, did I do something wrong?"
There are over a hundred households in Chen Family Village, totaling five to six hundred people. Among them, the two most capable individuals are Elder Master Chen, who is well-read and knows some medicine, and the Hunter Gao in front of Zhang Yuan!
After awakening to his past life's memories, Zhang Yuan first apprenticed under Elder Master Chen to learn to read and write, and then painstakingly tried to ingratiate himself with Hunter Gao.
Hunter Gao was said to have come from a military background. He settled in Chen Family Village after being injured and disabled, relying on hunting for a living.
This man's martial prowess was outstanding; he had once single-handedly killed a black bear. If it weren't for his lame leg, he could easily find a good job at the county government office or in one of the wealthy households in the county town.
However, Hunter Gao was reclusive and unsociable, often keeping to himself and rarely interacting with the villagers, making him not very approachable.
To learn from him, Zhang Yuan endured cold eyes and ridicule, exhaustively serving him.
For instance, today he left before dawn to rush to the county town twenty li away, laboriously carrying back dozens of jin of rice.
As for tasks like chopping wood and fetching water, Zhang Yuan had helped him countless times!
Three years had passed, and by rights, even a stone should have been warmed by his sincerity. Yet today, he received a harsh bucket of cold water.
Even though Zhang Yuan was experienced in two lives and had a strong resolve, he couldn't help feeling a sense of indignation.
Hunter Gao glanced at him indifferently and said, "You've done well. I also know what you're thinking. I did consider taking you as a disciple, but..."
He pointed to the three teenagers in the yard, "Yesterday, Chen Deping, Landlord Chen, brought his children to apprentice under me and offered a generous gift. Do you understand?"
Chen Deping, Landlord Chen?
Zhang Yuan felt inexplicably alarmed—why would a gentry family bring their children to a mountain village to apprentice?
But regardless of the reason, he clearly had no ability to compete with the children of a landlord family!
Suppressing his inner doubts and bitterness, Zhang Yuan lowered his head and replied, "I understand."
"Very good."
Hunter Gao nodded, very satisfied with Zhang Yuan's tactfulness.
This middle-aged man reached down to pick up the bamboo basket on the ground, turned around and limped a few steps, then suddenly turned back, reached into his pocket, and threw a few pieces of broken silver and copper coins in front of Zhang Yuan. "Go back."
Staring at the scattered silver coins on the ground, Zhang Yuan clenched his fist instinctively.
He then unfurled his fingers, bent over, and picked up the silver coins, missing not a single copper plate.
This was what he deserved!
When Zhang Yuan straightened up again, his gaze met the children of the landlord family in the yard.
The oldest boy stood with arms crossed, his face carrying a mocking smile, and his eyes looking at Zhang Yuan were full of contempt and ridicule.
It's like looking at a poor beggar!
Another young man made a face at Zhang Yuan, the disdain evident in his expression.
As if to say: Just a lowly little mud-legged boy, where does he get the courage to even think about apprenticing and learning skills?
Zhang Yuan silently turned around and left.
Not far away, he heard mocking voices from behind: "Brother, that person looks like a black monkey."
"Hehe, overestimating himself!"
"Ignore him, let's keep practicing."
"Haha!"
Zhang Yuan pretended not to hear.
Zhang Yuan would not shout, "Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west, don't mock the young for being poor," but the humiliation he suffered today would be etched deep in his heart, becoming the driving force for his courage and progress!
Missing one opportunity was no big deal; he was still young, and there were many, many opportunities in the future.
What Zhang Yuan never expected was that when he returned to his home at the east end of the village, he saw three to five people gathered at his doorstep, with neighbors peeking over curiously.
And his mother in this life, a frail and elderly woman, was tearfully negotiating with the people blocking the door!
"Mother!"
Zhang Yuan rushed over without thinking, gripping the firewood knife tucked into his waistband with his right hand.
"Yuanwa'Er is back!"
A sharp-eyed neighbor shouted.
The people blocking the door immediately turned around, and a rat-faced middle-aged man among them shrieked, "You must be Zhang Yuan? Just in time for you to return!"
Zhang Yuan noticed that the man was holding an account book, surrounded by strong household servants.
He immediately stopped, discreetly releasing the firewood knife: "I am Zhang Yuan. What's the matter? You can tell me."
This life, Zhang Yuan had lost his father at a young age and had depended on his widowed mother for survival in the village. Now, at fifteen years old, he was the pillar of the family.
"That will work too."
The steward-like figure twirled his whiskers and pompously said, "The County Government Office has assigned labor obligations, and our Chen Family Village has been allocated to thirty households. Your family is among them, so you must go to the county town at the beginning of next month to serve for five months."
Zhang Yuan was shocked, "Our family already served last year, why is it our turn again this year?"
For the villagers, the labor conscription from the county was undoubtedly one of the most dreadful things.
Obligatory labor often lasted three to five months or even a year or more, and they had to bring some of their own food, doing extremely hard and dangerous work. It's normal for a healthy man to return emaciated or disabled.
And that's still the better outcome; some people never made it back!
It was like the gate of hell.
Last year, Zhang Yuan's family's labor obligation was settled after his mother sold her remaining dowry jewelry, using silver taels to compensate.
Originally, they thought they could have a few quiet years, but unexpectedly, it came again this year.
Truly, it's unbearable!
"Last year was last year, and this year is this year!"
The rat-faced steward sneered, "Starting from this month, the labor obligations and taxes for Chen Family Village are overseen by our Master Chen. If you don't want to serve, then pay five silver taels for exemption."
"Five taels?!"
Zhang Yuan's eyes widened, "It was all three taels last year, why five this year?"
"I told you, last year was last year!"
The rat-faced steward sneered, "This year, our Master Chen has returned to settle in the village and plans to renovate the ancestral shrine. Every household must contribute. Adding two taels to your amount is already a discount."
"Remember, you must pay within three days, or obediently go to the county to serve!"
"Let's go!"
Zhang Yuan watched the group leave with arrogance, then helped his mother back into their thatched mud house.
Mother Zhang clutched her son's arm, sobbing uncontrollably, "Yuan, Yuanwa'Er, what should we do? Maybe..."
She suddenly thought of something, clutching hard: "Run, you should run far away alone and don't come back, don't worry about your mother!"
"Mother, it's okay."
Zhang Yuan gently held his mother's thin hand, speaking solemnly, "I have a way."
Though he said this, the anger in his heart transformed into a burning flame, surging fiercely in his eyes.
What a damned world!
---------
PS: New book release, asking for collection and recommendations, thank you all (#^.^#)