Chapter 001 I have a younger brother and a younger sister

Xu Xingxia now feels considerable regret for the absurdities of his past life. If only he had used that time to repay his parents, what great merit that would have been! Even if it were just to talk to them, to have a simple conversation, that would suffice! Perhaps all his parents wanted was just to feel his presence. Unfortunately, it is too late for regret now. The only possibility left is to make amends for the guilt of his past life as much as possible in this lifetime. They only wanted to feel your presence. Unfortunately, it is too late for regret now. The only possibility left is to make amends for the guilt of his past life as much as possible in this lifetime.

The external medicine would be crushed by Xu Xudong to change the dressing on his father's wound. If it required decoction, it would be Niuniu's task. She had to prepare two different herbal soups simultaneously each time, as her father had an external injury while her brother had an internal injury

The earthen house has only one window, approximately one foot square, through which light is cast. Above the window on the outer earthen wall, there is a rolled-up cowhide cover specifically used to block the rain. Due to prolonged use, the surface of the cowhide cover has become darker than ink. Fortunately, it is positioned away from the wind. If it were facing the wind direction, a strong gust could blow this worn-out cowhide cover away to an unknown place. Due to prolonged use, the surface of the cowhide cover has become darker than ink. Fortunately, it is positioned away from the wind. If it were facing the wind direction, a strong gust could blow this worn-out cowhide cover away to an unknown place.

She was not wearing shoes, and beneath her patched-up pants, a pair of blackened feet emerged, covered in dirt. On her feet, there were also some wounds that had yet to heal, which were from last winter when they had cracked from the cold. She only had a very old pair of cloth shoes, which had been mended countless times, and she would only take them out to wear during the coldest, freezing days of winter

Xu Xingxia gently pressed his sister's small mouth and led her to the courtyard outside

The medicinal soup in the sea bowl is no longer hot. Niuniu always lets the soup cool to just the right temperature before serving it to her father and brother. Xu Xingxia picks it up and drinks it all in one go, then hands the sea bowl back to Niuniu. Niuniu takes the bowl, smiles sweetly, as if she is very happy. With her slightly yellowing eyes wide open, she looks at her brother and asks cheerfully, "Brother, can you really stand up now?"

Xu Xingxia bent down, gently picked up the sea bowl, took Niuniu's hand, and left his father's room. When they came out, they saw in another small adobe house, their mother, Wang, lying on the loom, quietly asleep. She must have stayed up all night weaving again last night

From Weizhen Fortress to the foot of Helan Mountain, there is a distance of at least sixty li, making the round trip one hundred and twenty li. Such a distance is impossible for a ten-year-old child to cover in a single day. Even for an adult, it would be unfeasible to walk this distance in one day. Therefore, after gathering herbs at the foot of Helan Mountain, Xu Xudong would stay overnight at a relative's house nearby and return the next day

Niu Niu showed no response. Xu Xingxia looked down and discovered that Niu Niu was already in his arms, sweetly asleep. She was clearly exhausted. Once she completely relaxed, she fell deeply into slumber. In her peaceful sleep, a smile of happiness lingered at the corners of her mouth. Xu Xingxia suddenly felt a slight sting in his nose, and his eyes became a bit moist. He struggled to control his tears, preventing them from falling.

Status

In his previous life, Xu Xingxia did not have any siblings. As a child, he was essentially spoiled, having everything handed to him without ever experiencing hardship. Many times, he felt that if he had younger siblings, they would take away his parents' love for him. Therefore, he never wished to have any brothers or sisters.

It is now March, and the weather has improved significantly, becoming much warmer. In February, however, the weather in Ningxia was still quite cold, with frost on the ground in the mornings. Xu Xudong, who was already wearing thin clothing, spent the night in the woodshed without even a bowl of hot water, which is indicative of the hardship he faced. Despite this, this ten-year-old child has already made the journey to Helan Mountain no less than ten times.

Xu Xingxia gently shook her head and said with a smile, "Niuniu, it’s nothing to worry about. Mother is tired and needs to rest for a while. It’s just like when you get tired from doing things and need to take a break. Don’t worry, Niuniu, Mother will wake up by herself in a little while."

Xu Xingxia analyzes item by item, feeling that the pressure is increasing more and more

A faint sound of footsteps came from outside, followed by the entrance of a little girl

As for his home, it can only be described as bare and heavily in debt. His father, Xu Fuqing, was originally a soldier under the command of the Pinglu. Two months ago, the Tatar cavalry advanced south and engaged in battle with the Ming army. His father was shot in both legs by arrows from the Tatar cavalry, with the arrowheads protruding from the back. After emergency treatment, although his life was saved, he would be bedridden for the rest of his life.

During the holidays, he did not want to return home. On one hand, he was reluctant to part with his games; on the other hand, he felt that his family was always nagging him, and he simply did not want to see them. Now, he finally understands that the nagging from his family is a sign of their concern for him. If one day, no one comes to nag him anymore, it would mean that he has completely detached himself from this world

Niu Niu felt reassured and said cheerfully, "Brother would never lie to Niu Niu."

Niu Niu said, seemingly understanding yet not fully, "Really?"

Xu Xingxia is very depressed, truly

In two years, it will be the time when Dongzi begins to grow. If the nutrition does not keep up, he may remain thin and small for the rest of his life. Niuniu is the same. Currently, her complexion is always poor, and there is almost no color in her face. This greatly worries Xu Xingxia; if she becomes ill due to excessive fatigue, it will be troublesome in the future

Money

Xu Xingxia smiled faintly, reached out to pick up Niuniu, and wandered around the yard, yet deep inside, he let out a heavy sigh. He felt a weight in his heart, but he also longed to break free from his cocoon. He wanted to do something, something he might have previously dared not to do. Not for any other reason, but for his younger siblings, for his parents. If he could not do something for his younger siblings and his parents, it would truly weigh on his conscience. Not for any other reason, but for his younger siblings, for his parents. If he could not do something for his younger siblings and his parents, it would truly weigh on his conscience.

Brother, have you woken up? Your medicine has arrived

Xu Xingxia held Niuniu's hand and arrived at the adjacent earthen house. His father, Xu Fuqing, was lying here. By the time he arrived, Xu Fuqing was already asleep. The medicinal soup that Niuniu had brought him was already finished, and the bowl was placed on the ground by the edge of the earthen pit. The earthen bed where his father lay was even more dilapidated than the one Xu Xingxia used; the red bricks at the foot of the bed had all fallen off, and only a piece of straw mat was used to cover it.

As for promotion, there is no hope at all. He lacks significant abilities, is not skilled in flattery or sycophancy, and does not have the means to bribe his superiors. Why would others promote him? His father, Xu Fuqing, served as a common soldier in the pacification office for his entire life, enduring a full thirty-five years without any opportunity for promotion. Even until his injury and retirement, he never managed to attain the rank of a minor flag officer. From this perspective, one should not expect any favorable fortune for the Xu family.

After a brief period of gloom, Xu Xingxia began to gather his spirits and prepare to face everything before him. In his previous life, although he did not possess any particularly extraordinary skills, his psychological resilience was relatively strong. Upon realizing that he had indeed traversed back to the Ming Dynasty and had no means of returning, he started to sort out his emotions and plan for his future.

Niu Niu

Boiling the medicine requires a large amount of firewood. After Xu Xudong finishes his tasks, he has to go to the nearby woods to collect firewood. Niuniu, on the other hand, is focused on boiling the medicine. Once the medicine is ready, Niuniu carefully pours it out, and after it cools down, she serves it separately to her father and brother

Niu Niu, I will do it myself

It is now March, and that pair of canvas shoes has already been carefully stored away by her. She will only take them out to wear during the coldest days of the next winter. As for the frostbite on her fingers and toes, it will gradually heal with the warming weather. As long as she is a bit more careful and avoids breaking the cracks, everything will be fine

In fact, Xu Xingxia knew that his father was not asleep. He simply did not want to see his child, did not want to see his child enduring inhuman suffering due to his own injuries. Xu Fuqing had always felt that he was a burden to the entire family. If it were not for his inability to get out of bed, Xu Xingxia believed that his father would surely have quietly sought to end his own life.

His status... Now, he is an ordinary soldier stationed at Niu Jiaodun under the command of the Ming Dynasty's official army in Ningxia, belonging to the lowest echelon. His treatment is even inferior to that of the general's horse. At least the horse has three meals a day and ample fodder, while he does not even have that qualification. It is already quite good for him to have two steamed buns per meal.

Niu Niu called out crisply and clearly

In life, it is nothing more than being well-fed and warmly dressed, achieving both material and spiritual enjoyment. To put it simply, it is about money, status, and women. In his previous life, Xu Xingxia's goals were also centered around these three things. He had no other lofty ideals. To be precise, it is not that he had none, but that they were ground away by the harsh realities. In a society where even doing good can lead to being defrauded, what ideals can one dare to discuss? To be precise, it is not that he had none, but that they were ground away by the harsh realities. In a society where even doing good can lead to being defrauded, what ideals can one dare to discuss?

To the southwest of the earthen house, there is a small earthen kang. Most of the kang is made from compressed yellow earth, with only the top layer and the stove cavity constructed from some red bricks. Over time, the compacted yellow earth has begun to sink slightly. This has caused the red bricks on the surface of the kang to sink as well. The most pronounced depression is naturally in the center of the kang, making the entire structure appear uneven, resembling a large pot.

The current income of the Xu family consists solely of Xu Xingxia's military pay, along with the meager earnings from his mother, Wang, who weaves day and night. His military pay has been long overdue, with no signs of when it will be disbursed. At present, only Wang is supporting the entire Xu family, making it easy to imagine how difficult their lives are. Wang weaves day and night, with her sleeping time not exceeding one hour each day. If this continues, she will inevitably fall ill.

Accept your fate

At this moment, he finally realized what kind of absurd things he had done in his past life. How much time he had wasted on computer games! Every time he played games to the point of neglecting food and sleep, when his parents called, he could barely say a few words before hurriedly hanging up. He found them too annoying and talkative, interrupting his gaming time.

Mother

After the three major campaigns of the Wanli era, prices soared. With such a meager salary, it is barely manageable for one person to get by, but if there are family members, the pressure becomes overwhelming. Unfortunately, the Xu family at present must rely solely on his income from grain rations to sustain their livelihood. Yet, this meager salary has already been in arrears for at least six months without any disbursement.

The walls of this earthen house are made of compressed yellow earth, covered with thatch. Due to frequent rain leaks, the thatch has turned black and emits an unpleasant odor. The walls, which should be a grayish-yellow, have also become dark from constant exposure to rainwater. The yellow mud that falls from the walls, mixed with rainwater, has formed small clumps on the ground, piled up at the base of the wall, resembling droppings of various sizes from a distance

In order to gather enough medicinal herbs for his father and elder brother, ten-year-old Xu Xudong must rise early and walk to the distant foot of Helan Mountain to collect the herbs. Only at the foot of Helan Mountain can one find the medicinal herbs needed for healing. After both his father and brother were injured, Xu Xudong became the only male in the family, and such a heavy responsibility can only be shouldered by him

The little girl is somewhat dark-skinned, a bit thin, with jet-black hair that is also somewhat disheveled. Her face has almost no flesh, which accentuates her large eyes. Originally pitch-black pupils have a slight yellowish tint. Her hands, cradling a bowl of sea water, are equally thin, with unhealed cracks on her fingers. Those were caused by the frost during last winter's cold days.

However, now, Xu Xingxia has a heartfelt love for his younger siblings. Indeed, it is love, not merely affection. Even though he has traveled through time, he has fallen in love with both of them. Such love requires no justification. Subconsciously, he is acutely aware that for their sake, he would dare to do anything

Every time Xu Xudong brought back the herbs, seven-year-old Niuniu would get busy. Together with her older brother, she would separate their father's and brother's herbs according to the pharmacist's instructions. It was necessary to distinguish which were for their father and which were for their brother. Additionally, they needed to identify which herbs were for decoction and which were for external application.

At this moment, Xu Xingxia is sitting on the edge of this large pot, deep in thought. When he finally grasped the situation, he was indeed extremely frustrated. If he had to traverse, why did it have to be to such a place? According to the description of the esteemed official Ximen, the lives of the common people during the Ming Dynasty should not have been so unhappy. How did it come to this dire state?

Xu Xingxia said: "Of course it's true. Would my brother lie to you?"

Xu Xingxia gently stroked her little head, filled with a deep sense of affection. To have a seven-year-old girl take care of him, Xu Xingxia could only feel a myriad of emotions. It turned out that the bond between siblings could be this profound. Perhaps this is what it means for blood to be thicker than water. He adjusted his emotions and said with a smile, "Niu Niu, brother is all better now, so you and Dongzi no longer need to prepare medicine for me."

Money ... Xu Xingxia receives a monthly salary of 8 coins of silver plus 3 dou of coarse grain. Xu Xingxia does not know how this figure was determined. In any case, since the time of his father, the salary for all soldiers under the command of the Pinglu Guard has been distributed according to this figure. There are rumors that the official figure is not this, and that a portion is taken by corrupt officials, but the timid and cautious Xu Xingxia has never dared to inquire about it.

Xu Xingxia stood up and took the bowl from Niuniu's hands

Dongzi is also in a similar situation. Every day, he chops firewood, gathers herbs, and carries water, all of which are strenuous physical labor. This is indeed too arduous for a ten-year-old child. Moreover, he often goes hungry. In comparison, the ten-year-old children from wealthier families are almost half a head taller than him, and they significantly outweigh him as well. This is all due to a serious lack of nutrition

Women

The relative at the foot of Helan Mountain does not have a close relationship with the Xu family; the two families had almost no interaction in the past. This time, it was only because the Xu family had no other options that they reached out to this relative. The relative treats the Xu family with the same attitude a wealthy person might have towards a beggar. Each time, they make Xu Xudong sleep in the woodshed, showing no concern whatsoever.

At only seven years old, Niuniu has to cook every day, prepare medicine, and manage various household chores. She has to get up very early in the morning and can only go to bed very late at night. The heavy labor has made her noticeably thinner than other girls. Xu Xingxia estimates her weight to be around 30 jin. At present, she is indeed a little ugly duckling

What is even more disheartening is that the original Xu Xingxia seems to be nothing more than a coward, with a weak personality, timid and afraid of trouble, only ever subjected to bullying by others. When bullied, he does not dare to fight back, or perhaps he simply lacks the ability to do so. Just a few days ago, this coward was beaten by someone from the gang, leaving him bloodied and unconscious on the spot. If it weren't for this, Xu Xingxia would not have had the opportunity to traverse into another realm. Just a few days ago, this coward was beaten by someone from the gang, leaving him bloodied and unconscious on the spot. If it weren't for this, Xu Xingxia would not have had the opportunity to traverse into another realm

Niu Niu nodded happily and said, "Alright"

In order to treat Xu Fuqing, the Xu family has already incurred a heavy debt of at least ten taels of silver. Perhaps for wealthy families, ten taels of silver is merely the cost of a common meal. However, for the Xu family, it is an astronomical figure. Additionally, Xu Xingxia himself has been injured and also requires medical expenses, further increasing the debt.

Inside the earthen house, no furniture can be seen. On the earthen walls, numerous bamboo pegs are driven in. Everything is hung on the earthen walls. Since the earthen walls are not made of bricks, their load-bearing capacity is weak, and those bamboo pegs often bring down large chunks of earth. As a result, many depressions can be seen on the earthen walls, which are the original locations of the bamboo pegs. Over time, the four earthen walls have essentially become damaged beyond repair. Therefore, many depressions can be seen on the earthen walls, which are the original locations of the bamboo pegs. Over time, the four earthen walls have essentially become damaged beyond repair

Xu Xingxia called out casually

Niu Niu held a bowl of dark herbal soup in her hands. The edge of the large bowl had at least four chips. Inside the bowl was the prepared herbal medicine. Xu Fuqing had been injured by Tatar cavalry, and Xu Xingxia had been hurt by someone; they relied on herbal medicine for healing every day. Some of these herbs were cheap medicines from the Weizhen Fortress pharmacy, while others were gathered by Xu Xudong from the mountains.

Niu Niu, not understanding, said: "Brother, I want to wake Mother up. Mother told me that every time she falls asleep, I must wake her up, as she still needs to continue weaving. Otherwise, Mother will be unhappy."

He had never imagined that a choice he thought was a joke would actually bring him back to the true Ming Dynasty during the Wanli era. The current time is March of the 44th year of Wanli in the Ming Dynasty (1616 AD), and the location is a mud-brick house in the fortress of Ningxia Pinglu, in the northwest region of the Ming Empire.

In order to survive, many soldiers in Ningxia Town rose up to demand their wages, but only "Xu Xingxia" was timid and afraid of trouble, never participating. As a result, the higher-ups, in order to prevent the situation from escalating, quickly distributed rations to those who protested. As for honest individuals like "Xu Xingxia," the higher-ups paid them no mind. They knew that such honest people would not dare to rise up and cause trouble. This is a typical case where the crying and noisy children get the candy, while those who remain silent deserve to starve. They knew that such honest people would not dare to rise up and cause trouble. This is a typical case where the crying and noisy children get the candy, while those who remain silent deserve to starve.

This little girl is Xu Xingxia's younger sister, who is seven years old this year. Her nickname is Niuniu, and her formal name has not yet been decided. The military families are illiterate, so they need to hire a teacher to name their children. Both Xu Xingxia and his younger brother Xu Xudong had their names given by a teacher. However, hiring a teacher for naming comes with a fee. Given the current situation of the Xu family, it is only natural to save wherever possible