Chapter 0002: The Beginning of the Dog-Whipping Stick

In the first year of Chongzhen, the new emperor ascended the throne

Get lost

Zhao Han picked up two broken pieces of pottery, took his sister to the center of the official road, and attempted to beg for food from passing travelers

Zhao Han finished eating half of the mixed grain steamed bun, then wiped the blood from his mouth with his sleeve, the entire process resembling the act of consuming the flesh and blood of a living person

Struggling to rise, I could faintly see the little girl beside me in the dim moonlight. She seemed to be extremely hungry, even curling up her body while sleeping, with her small hands clutching her stomach.

Zhao Zhengfang said: "Yes, it is indeed food that is given without effort."

Zhao Han, who had never experienced begging before, quickly knelt down and held up the clay pot in his hands as he saw the merchant caravan approaching closer.

In a daze, his lips and teeth brushed against the earthenware pot, and he instinctively opened his mouth to drink water

Zhao Han was still in a daze, not fully awake, only feeling an unbearable hunger and thirst

This body is only 10 years old, Zhao Han struggled to carry his younger sister, and after several attempts, he was exhausted and knelt down.

Mother

Moreover, it is still the first year of Chongzhen

After approximately fifteen minutes, a caravan emerged from the city, as the canal had dried up and it was difficult to navigate by boat, so they opted to use mules and horses to head north

Seizing the opportunity while the opponent was standing on one leg, Zhao Han suddenly exerted his last ounce of strength, grabbing the beggar leader's ankle and pulling him forcefully.

In addition, there are thousands of garrison soldiers throughout Tianjin, who have served as serfs for military officials for generations

He repeatedly performed hand gestures and spoke in a flowery manner, merely seeking to attract the other party's attention, and now it has fortunately had some effect

There were also some passersby who stopped here, eagerly watching the beggars fight, and there were indeed people pointing and commenting for amusement

When a life is lost in the street, surprisingly no one goes to report it to the authorities

Suddenly, Zhao Zhengfang, who was almost fainting from hunger, lunged forward and bit the leg of the beggar leader

Bystanders exclaimed loudly

Zhao Zhengfang, disregarding everything else, devoured the steamed bun voraciously

Begging on his knees, he was kicked and pulled by others, and was even forced to crawl under their legs. Zhao Han endured it all just to survive

No one responded, all turned a blind eye as the long caravan passed before them

After standing for just a few minutes, Zhao Han's body clearly could not hold up any longer, feeling so light that it seemed a gust of wind could blow him away. He simply knelt down to feign pity.

This is my younger sister, Zhao Han suddenly remembered

Moreover, among these two to three thousand new troops, there is not a single capable fighter; they have long since become a servile existence

Zhao Han still remembers waking up yesterday when the little girl fed him porridge. Regardless of whether it was due to the lingering affection of kinship or a sense of gratitude for saving his life, he felt it was his duty to take care of this younger sister. He immediately comforted her, saying: "Do not be afraid, Second Brother will find you something to eat"

Zhao Zhengfang was also very hungry, yet she stayed by her brother's side, finishing the remaining thin porridge, even holding the earthen jar and licking it clean with her tongue

After several trips back and forth, I finally arrived at the Zhao family's place

Finally, the officials in Tianjin organized personnel to cross the bridge to collect the bodies

The beggar leader, in pain, kicked Zhao Zhengfang aside with his leg

Zhao Han regained a bit of strength and, under the watchful eyes of the crowd, began to search the corpse of the beggar leader, but unfortunately found no valuables.

Are you giving him porridge to drink

Finally, Zhao Han lay on the ground and said to Zhao Zhengfang: "Little sister, climb onto my back, and we will go to the city to get something to eat"

Due to the serious escape of soldiers and the growing power of the Tartars in Liaodong, a new army was formed in Tianjin at the end of the Wanli era

Zhao Han held onto the beggar leader, refusing to let go as he bit down fiercely, tearing through the opponent's trachea and severing the artery. The blood flowed into his mouth without causing any disgust; instead, driven by hunger and thirst, he instinctively consumed the blood ravenously.

After only a few steps, both siblings felt dizzy, so they lay down again and crawled forward

The siblings walked side by side along the official road, each holding a broken瓦罐 in their hands, as the morning sun gradually rose.

Then why are you talking nonsense

Looking at those corpses, Zhao Han truly wanted to pounce on them and take a few bites

After two years of rigorous training in the military, Zhao Han did not apply for a promotion but instead chose to retire and return to university to continue his studies

Although the city of Tianjin is built along the river, there is still a considerable distance between the city walls and the canal. Outside the city walls, there are numerous illegal residences, and a marketplace has already formed.

The responsibility for transporting the corpses lies with the officials and soldiers of Tianjin City

"Unable to live any longer, take them all to the mass grave."

A soldier, seeing her tender age, could not help but pityingly say: "Alas, he is already dead; we will bury your father."

The new army operates under a camp soldier system, independent of the garrison system, and is funded by the central government. Excluding coastal defense units such as the "Zhenhai Camp," there are over 6,000 new troops inside and outside Tianjin city, but in just over a decade, only two to three thousand remain after the escape.

Due to the decline of Spain, a silver crisis emerged at the end of the Ming Dynasty

He picked up the other person's dog stick, leaning on it to stand up with difficulty, and supported his younger sister, saying: "Come on, second brother will take you to find a place to spend the night"

The soldiers of Tianjin went out of the city again to collect the bodies, and Zhao Han did not stop them, watching as they carried away the bodies of his parents

This opening is not too bad; at least I managed to grab a dog-beating stick.

The other beggars were still watching the joke, and did not feel that the two children posed any threat to their leader

The transport officer in charge of grain delivery appeared quite polished and at ease, leisurely riding a sturdy horse, occasionally taking out a water pouch to quench his thirst. Beside him were two hundred attendants, fully equipped with armor, unafraid of small bands of bandits attempting to steal the grain

The beggar chief fell backward, hitting the back of his head on the ground, and immediately felt dizzy from the impact

Zhao Zhengfang had a hard time protecting her parents' bodies, and when she saw the soldiers approaching her elder brother, she hurriedly shouted: "That is my second brother!"

Suddenly, an officer came over, pushed aside the soldier who was deliberately being difficult, and scolded, "Well, you Wei Si, what kind of man are you to bully a child?"

Oh dear

At last, the beggar chief no longer moved

Hahaha

Going to the city to beg for food might be more successful

It is currently summer, and if hundreds of corpses are not disposed of, it could easily lead to an outbreak of plague

Old Liu, seeing that Zhao Han was properly courteous, unexpectedly returned the greeting with seriousness: "So it turns out to be a young gentleman in distress, my name is Liu Mang, a minor officer in the Tianjin New Army."

Arriving at a dumpling stall, Zhao Han took a moment to catch his breath. He attempted to stand up but his legs gave way, causing him to fall. Ultimately, he could only kneel on the ground, holding out a few copper coins and saying: "Food."

I cannot even feed myself, how can I provide him with porridge

Zhao Zhengfang clutched a small piece of steamed bun, never willing to eat it, silently following Zhao Han's side

Zhao Han lay on the ground, with his younger sister on his back, crawling towards Tianjin in this manner, resembling two wild dogs moving clumsily.

The beggar leader struggled in panic, frightened to the point of forgetting to call for help from his companions, merely shouting to push Zhao Han away

Due to the depletion of water in the canal, a large number of vessels have run aground, and the urgent need for the transportation of grain and goods has arisen via land routes. Consequently, the North Canal, which previously had no bridge, has now constructed a temporary wooden bridge. The authorities are concerned about the possibility of refugees and bandits crossing the river, so soldiers are stationed on the bridge for guard duty, and obstacles such as chevaux-de-frise have been set up.

Old Liu glanced at the Zhao Han siblings and instructed, "Let them pass, whether they live or die is up to their own fate"

Moreover, due to the ongoing disaster, the price of grain is exceedingly high, and this small amount of money can only purchase coarse grain buns

The two siblings slowly crawled away, and Wei Si said: "Old Liu, why are you taking out money? These two little ones are so hungry that they can hardly walk, they have to crawl into the city, and even if they eat their fill today, they will starve to death tomorrow"

Tianjin Urban Construction must cross the canal at the Sancha River Estuary in order to reach the city moat

The soldiers no longer paid attention and turned to carry the bodies of the Zhao and Chen families

Little Five, this one is still breathing

Second brother, I am hungry

Awakened by hunger once again in the morning, Zhao Han crawled and searched for nearby corpses, but found no food.

I am so hungry that I have no strength at all

More than twenty years ago, Tianjin experienced a major flood, causing the collapse of over seventy zhang of the city walls in both the north and south. To this day, the government still lacks the funds to repair the city.

Zhao Han forced a smile, holding a steamed bun in his mouth, as he carried his little sister and turned to crawl towards the street corner

Zhao Han, enduring the pain, got up and completely let go of his sense of shame, kneeling on the ground and shouting: "Gentlemen, please show some kindness and give me something to eat!"

Zhao Han continued to hold the瓦罐 high, when a robust bodyguard approached, seized him and his sister by their collars, and tossed them to the roadside as if they were little chicks

There is simply no food to be found

Zhao Han picked up the steamed bun from the ground, forcefully tore it in half, stuffed one half into his mouth, and handed the other half to his younger sister, saying: "Eat!"

"Food that comes uninvited." Zhao Han corrected.

The fundamental issue at hand is not to make any long-term plans, but rather to first ensure that we have enough to eat in order to survive.

The vendor received the copper coins, handed Zhao Han a steamed bun with a look of disgust, and waved his hand, saying: "Eat it further away, don't delay my business."

Zhao Han sighed and said: "Standing is an extension, kneeling is a submission. Kneeling now is for the sake of being able to stand in the future. Let us kneel, since we do not have the strength to stand firm anyway; we might as well consider this as resting while kneeling"

We are about to faint from hunger, Zhao Hansheng could not muster any anger, he could only support his fallen little sister and force out a pleasing smile: "Sir, please do us a favor and let us pass to find something to eat."

Silver is experiencing deflation, while copper coins are facing inflation, leading to a decrease in the value of copper coins

Let go, quickly let go

Hahaha

Do not hit my second brother

Zhao Zhengfang suddenly reminded, "Second brother, father said that a true man in this world should only kneel to heaven, earth, the emperor, parents, and teachers, and should not kneel to beg for food."

Zhao Han was awakened in the middle of the night by hunger, feeling dizzy, with an empty stomach, and a complete lack of strength throughout his body

No, I am an only child, so where would a sister come from

Thank you very much

Gradually, Zhao Han fell into a deep sleep once again

The deceased, regardless of their condition, were all loaded onto the cart and taken to a nearby desolate graveyard for simple burial

The setting sun descends in the west, and the sky has darkened.

"Second brother, are you awake?" Zhao Zhenfang smiled with joy, tears mingling with her laughter, as her bewildered eyes instantly sparkled with light

Zhao Han was panting heavily; before the other party could react, he had already climbed onto the beggar leader and bit down on the other party's filthy neck.

Zhao Han has a general understanding of the history of the late Ming Dynasty, but he has forgotten many of the details.

Thank you, benefactor. Zhao Han was overjoyed

Zhao Zhenfang shook her head

"Remember the great name of the benefactor, and may we meet again by fate in the future." Zhao Han struggled greatly to squat down, then lay back on the ground, allowing his weak and powerless younger sister to cling to his back securely, and like a dog, he slowly crawled forward.

The other beggars were taken aback, not thinking of avenging their leader, and instead grabbed the dog-beating stick and a broken bowl and ran away

Zhao Han carried his younger sister as they climbed to the streets outside the city, advancing along the way while inhaling the aroma of food

His health is truly poor, and the high fever has not subsided. Zhao Han, in a daze, fell asleep again

Zhao Han wanted to search for insects to supplement some protein, but found nothing except for mosquitoes

Zhao Han was already so hungry that he felt dizzy, and at this moment, everything he saw appeared to be in double vision. He was too weak to stand up again, so he crawled forward with all his might, grabbing the beggar leader's ankle and saying: "Steamed bun, give it back to me!"

His major is Chinese Language and Literature. He has studied ancient literature, philology, and classical literature, but unfortunately, he has not conducted in-depth research on ancient history

"Not injured, just hungry; a half bowl of porridge can keep me alive"

The soldier previously bent down to feel Zhao Han's forehead and shook his head, saying: "He has a high fever and is barely hanging on."

The speaker is a cargo escort, and due to the rapid development of commerce, the world is not particularly peaceful. The cargo escort industry has flourished in recent decades.

Murder!

I... Zhao Han spoke with great difficulty, but after uttering just one word, he felt a tearing pain in his throat

Bystanders hurriedly stepped aside, clearing a path to watch them leave

Before reaching the street corner, several beggars suddenly rushed out, snatching the steamed bun and menacingly said: "Have you begged at the docks in Tianjin? This bun counts as initiation money. From now on, you must pay a daily tribute of five wen. If you have no money, you must offer food instead. You are only allowed to beg on the North Street by the docks."

He was born into an ordinary family in New China and performed fairly well in his studies from a young age. He barely managed to gain admission to a key high school, but unfortunately did not qualify for a prestigious university and could only attend an ordinary undergraduate program

Zhao Zhengfang was both hungry and thirsty, and was directly exposed to the sun, feeling weak and soon fell into a semi-conscious state

The other beggars finally stopped watching the commotion and began to kick, hit, and pull at Zhao Han. Zhao Zhengfang rushed over to help but was kicked away.

However, he remained silent and ultimately did not have the courage to speak up and beg

The Chongzhen era seems to have lasted only seventeen years, and Zhao Han is not very certain; in any case, it is not far from the fall of the Ming dynasty

Liu Guandui pondered for a moment, took out a few copper coins, and handed them to Zhao Han, saying: "Take this to buy some food"

Zhao Han shook his dazed head and looked down at his clothes. He could not tell what material they were made of, but they felt very rough to the touch and were patched up in many places. Such clothing would not even be appreciated by bandits.

Zhao Zhengfang threw herself over her father's corpse and screamed, "Do not touch my father!"

The ground is so dry that even a hoe is difficult to dig into, and one can forget about thinking of earthworms.

He wanted to push himself up, yet felt utterly powerless, as if he were being pressed down by a ghost. Although his mind was fully awake, he could not control his body; even his fingers were immobile, as if everything below his neck did not belong to him.

"You little brat, you can't even stand properly, yet you dare to act tough in front of me?" The beggar chief extended his foot and effortlessly tripped Zhao Han.

Ah!

The remaining hundreds of corpses have been searched several times; not to mention any money or grain, even the slightly better clothing has been stripped away by the officials and soldiers responsible for collecting the bodies

Get out of the way!

Zhao Han stood silently, his eyes red, his fists clenched tightly, then relaxed again

Zhao Zhengfang rushed over like a madwoman, causing the soldiers to shake their heads repeatedly. It was just two corpses; the young girl refused to let them be moved, which conveniently saved the soldiers some trouble.

The other beggars laughed out loud; they are at the bottom of society, suffering from discrimination and bullying all day long, and can only find amusement at the expense of those even weaker than themselves

It is merely the death of a beggar; which day in Tianjin does not see someone starve to death?

Hoo hoo hoo ... ...

Zhao Han retorted, "Hasn't father ever said that a true man should be able to endure and adapt?"

The cold porridge, mixed with dirt and sand, was forcefully poured into his stomach, which somewhat helped Zhao Han regain his spirits. Upon opening his eyes, he saw a young girl lying beside him.

"Second brother, I am hungry..."

The beggar chief had one foot caught, so he lifted the other foot and stepped on Zhao Han's head as if stepping on an ant

Zhao Han had blood and flesh splattered all over his mouth, and he turned to the crowd with a sinister grin

Zhao Zhengfang shook her head and said: "Father is not dead, Father is just asleep"

Six-year-old Zhao Zhenfang's stomach growled with hunger. She propped her frail little body up and dragged her second brother to the middle of their parents, then silently stood there waiting for dawn.

Zhao Zhenfang did not know when she woke up, perhaps it was due to hunger, or perhaps it was because she was frightened yesterday; at this moment, her spirit was very languid

Before long, another team arrived from Tianjin. The Grand Canal had dried up, and the transportation of grain by water had been interrupted. The court had pressed hard, and the grain transport was now being redirected via land routes.

Zhao Han carried his younger sister on his back and, after much effort, climbed to the edge of the canal bridge. A soldier guarding the bridge kicked him over, saying: "Get lost, you beggar!"

The transport soldiers and civilians, dressed as poorly as Zhao Han, some of them wearing nothing but a piece of cloth for protection, pushed and pulled the grain carts forward under the scorching sun

Liu Guandui watched the siblings cross the bridge and sighed, saying: "My own pair of children are also this age, seeking merely a sense of peace. This world... sigh!"

Particularly outside the North City, there is the North Canal Wharf, where shops are numerous and the area is exceptionally prosperous. The North Moat has even transformed into an inland river of the wharf district

As graduation approaches, I am contemplating whether to pursue further studies or to take the civil service examination, yet somehow I find myself transported to ancient times

After a hard struggle to obtain food, Zhao Han was unexpectedly bullied by a few beggars, which finally pushed him over the edge. He set his sister down, staggered to his feet, and shouted in anger: "Give it back to me!"

Zhao Han sat despondently on the ground, gazing at the brilliant starry sky of ancient times, finding the situation so absurd that it was difficult for him to accept

A soldier sighed: "So it turns out to be a whole family, how tragic it is"

Zhao Han was truly starving, his eyes bloodshot from hunger, his stomach in pain as if being cut by knives, and he felt an urge to gnaw on human flesh

Having dreamed of becoming a soldier since childhood, Zhao Han resolutely enlisted in the military as a college student upon seeing the recruitment banner at school

The soldiers abandoned the Zhao family and went to transport other corpses. As nightfall was imminent, this was the last trip, with over a hundred corpses left to be dealt with tomorrow

Wei Si chuckled and said, "Old Liu, I was just joking with them"

The soldier inexplicably burst into laughter, with his arms crossed and legs spread apart: "You can cross the bridge, just crawl through my legs."

The nearby tree bark has long been stripped bare by the starving populace, and even the wild grass along the riverbank has turned yellow. The canal water has dried up significantly, exposing the muddy riverbed, which has cracked open with gaps as wide as a palm.

Inside and out, there are over ten thousand government troops nearby, yet they are only now daring to come over, frightened by just a few dozen horse bandits

The soldier beside him said, "This young man is not dead; his chest is still moving"

Zhao Han exerted all his strength to stand up, relying on the remnants of memory from this time and space, he cupped his hands in salute and said: "May I ask the honorable name of the benefactor? If my sister and I are able to survive, we will surely repay you in the future with our utmost gratitude."