Chapter 2, Past Lives and Present Life

Due to poverty, there is a greater simplicity. The village is free from the intricate and distressing matters of intrigue; the villagers already lead very difficult lives and have no energy to form factions. Daily affairs of the village are decided by a few elderly individuals. In today's era, the grassroots forces that consolidate governance and maintain public order largely rely on the clan elders in the village, and only in the case of serious criminal cases will they be reported to the county office

In this life, Gu Qing is still not treated kindly by the world

Song Gensheng stood timidly behind him, his gaze filled with awe

Gu Qing hesitated for a moment, then explained with a serious expression: "'Father' is a term from the barbarian languages of the Western Regions, signifying surrender and submission. It can also denote respect, serving as a ritual for the defeated to express their intention to no longer resist the victors."

Those who can dig a large pit in their own yard to invite you into a trap must be formidable characters, and such formidable characters deserve respect and admiration

Gu Qing sat on the stone steps in front of the door, staring blankly at the distant green mountains. His gaze was vacant, and his hands unconsciously rubbed back and forth on his thighs.

Gu Qing has become quite unfamiliar, yet undoubtedly has transformed into a strong individual. How can one not show respect to the strong

Although I have a face that appears unhappy, my features are well-proportioned, giving me a unique aura of melancholy that is quite charming. In contrast, Song Gensheng has a more ordinary appearance.

Since you have come, you should make peace with it. Otherwise, what else can you do? If you are unwilling to be manipulated by fate, then have the courage to end your own life

It is not surprising that even with only a one in a thousand chance of achieving great success, young people will not give up. For them, spending a lifetime in this small mountain village is a stronger fear than the threat of death by sword or blade. Joining the military may lead to death in battle, but it will not lead to starvation.

Gu Qing nonchalantly said: "Then let’s take revenge. What can we expect from two rascals who can only bully the weak and the elderly in the village?"

Thus, Song Gensheng fixed his intense gaze on Gu Qing's face. After a while, Gu Qing did not hear any sound and turned to look at Song Gensheng. Their eyes met, and upon noticing that Song Gensheng's expression seemed unusual, Gu Qing was taken aback, looking at him in confusion.

As for whether his parents are alive or dead, and what kind of background they have to have enemies, Gu Qing is not the least bit concerned about these questions

Everyone is not familiar with each other; as long as each person is well, it is a fine day

Many years ago, on a certain night, his parents entrusted Gu Qing to a neighbor and then hurriedly left Shiqiao Village, reportedly to evade enemies. Due to the perilous future and uncertain fate, the couple could not bear to burden Gu Qing, so they left him in the village. For them, being an orphan was certainly better than being dead

Hmm? Gu Qing turned her head and glanced at him, furrowing her brow. She leaned forward to look at her reflection in the water tank, then glanced at Song Gensheng, revealing a self-satisfied smile

Song Gensheng was taken aback, his mouth forming an 'O' shape. Although he did not understand why a poor boy from a mountain village would know the language of foreign barbarians, this mysterious and sophisticated ritual instantly captivated Song Gensheng

Gu Qing's eyes flickered as he coldly laughed and said, "Just two little rodents."

The indescribable frustration of emotions, having been in this world for two days, he remains in a state of inexplicable bewilderment, feeling as if he is dreaming, a dream that continues endlessly, unable to wake up even if he wishes to.

This mountain village is extremely barren, with only a few acres of inferior farmland at the foot of Qingcheng Mountain, which must sustain over one hundred people in the entire village. Such pitifully thin soil is so unappealing that even the nearby landlords are reluctant to annex it. Therefore, the only good news is that although the village is poor, everyone essentially belongs to the same class, namely, all are poor farmers. There are no landlords in the village, and the fields are cultivated by each household on their own.

The Ding brothers will not let this matter rest, you must be cautious of them

In these times, the world is not at peace. To the west lies Tubo, to the north the Huihe, and to the south the various factions of Nanzhao are stirring. Shuzhou is under the jurisdiction of the Jian'nan Dao garrison, frequently engaged in external warfare. Nowadays, most of the imperial soldiers of the Tang Dynasty are hired troops, prompting many young and strong villagers to abandon their farming tools and voluntarily enlist in the imperial army, exchanging their lives for military achievements and provisions

At this moment, Song Gensheng's emotions were quite complex; he seemed to see the future of Shiqiao Village as it bid farewell to the old and welcomed the new. The old village tyrant had fallen, and a new generation of village tyrants was rising like stars, leading a group of sycophants to rampage through the countryside, ... seizing the eggs from the baskets of the villagers ...

Father

Evil people will inevitably encounter evil people, and this saying holds a great deal of truth. Gu Qing is indeed a more wicked person than the Ding brothers.

The exception is that Gu Qing's parents did not die in battle, but are missing

The reason why the strong are strong is that they possess a resilient character, ruthless methods, and knowledge that is unknown to ordinary people

In the middle of a night disturbed by nightmares, Gu Qing, suffering from long-term insomnia, in a moment of mental breakdown, downed an entire bottle of white liquor. When he awoke again, he had crossed the halo of time and arrived in this barren mountain village

Suddenly recalling something, Song Gensheng could not help but ask: "What exactly do the two words you forced the Ding family brothers to call out yesterday and today mean?"

In two lifetimes, Gu Qing has always been an orphan. Fate is like a hysterical madwoman, repeatedly aiming at him and pulling the trigger, each shot hitting the mark

... ...

Gu Qing was completely unaware that his image in the eyes of his childhood friend had already transformed into an upgraded version of the village bully 2.0. He rubbed his face in confusion and let out a long sigh

Song Gensheng was momentarily taken aback and said, "You nearly killed them today. Ding Dalang has been accustomed to acting with impunity; how could he endure such great humiliation? They will surely seek revenge."

Most of the fathers of the children in the village died in battle, leaving behind orphans and widows who are struggling to hold together their shattered homes. There are also some fortunate surviving veterans, but they are all disabled, missing arms and legs.

"Beauty is justice, so from now on, stick with me." Gu Qing paused for a moment and said, "What did you just say?"

Ah? Song Gensheng is a bit confused, the channel is not right

Be careful of the Ding family brothers" Song Gensheng murmured

In recent years, some individuals have indeed earned military merit, and some have been promoted to military officials, returning home joyfully with dozens of subordinates, only to leave the village the next day with their parents, wives, and children, relocating to the relatively prosperous Qingcheng County.

This childhood friend, who had grown up together with Song Gensheng, suddenly became so unfamiliar overnight, leaving him at a loss. In the past, Gu Qing was honest and timid, easily bullied by anyone. However, since yesterday, everything has changed. Gu Qing not only shed his timidity but also directly incapacitated the tyrannical Ding brothers at the top of the pyramid in Shiqiao Village, transforming from a sheep into a fierce tiger and achieving a magnificent counterattack

Despite the numerous young and strong soldiers who have died in battle, the people in the village continue to join the army one after another

Relying on the wealth left by his parents, Gu Qing spent his childhood in a state of barely having enough to eat but not starving. As he grew older, the living expenses left by his parents were mostly spent. Fortunately, in addition to money, his parents also left him a small plot of land. At the age of ten, under the guidance of the village elders, Gu Qing learned to farm, and after paying the taxes to the government each year, he could barely sustain himself.

However, more people died on the battlefield, and after the war, casualties were recorded by officials, with a hundred wen in copper coins thrown to the family as compensation

In the ninth year of the Tianbao era of the Tang Dynasty, ha, has fate this madwoman gone awry this time

"You are not as good-looking as I am." Gu Qing stated with an air of finality, his tone leaving no room for doubt

Therefore, Gu Qing did not take the Ding brothers to heart. Although the two brothers were local bullies, they had always acted independently, and their abilities were insufficient to organize a significant criminal force. As for how to make the Ding brothers behave, Gu Qing's idea was quite simple: it was merely a matter of being more ruthless.

He remains an orphan; in fact, this village is a combination of orphans, widows, and the elderly village

Two sentences, three leaps, Song Gensheng felt a bit flustered, as if he had been swept away by a great wave. Am I abandoned by the times? Otherwise, why can't I understand what he is saying?

Song Gensheng bowed deeply and respectfully to Gu Qing, expressing his submission with the newly acquired knowledge.

It is better to live on, even if it is not a good life, than to die; instead, let us sincerely say "it is truly delightful" while holding up the bowl.

In his previous life, he was abandoned at the door of an orphanage at birth, growing up stumbling alongside a group of other orphaned children. Apart from the lack of familial affection and the necessity to compete violently with peers for limited resources, in other aspects, he was just like any ordinary person: studying, working, facing setbacks, and growing. He experienced brief moments of happiness, as well as unresolved emotional knots.

This is a mountain village devoid of hope, where the young are unwilling to spend their lives in this hopeless place. However, the women, children, and elderly wish for the village to remain forever peaceful and tranquil, thus spending the rest of their lives in a state of half-satisfaction and half-hunger

Seeing that Gu Qing was indifferent, Song Gensheng intended to offer some advice, but recalling Gu Qing's ruthless methods against the Ding brothers, he wisely chose to remain silent