Chapter 1: Sister and Brother

Wang Ninghong is her son, her precious darling, honest and obedient, intelligent and eager to learn, studying diligently every day. How could he associate with that mischievous monkey and even help you let the horse go? How could he have such a big face? Lying without a good excuse is clearly a sign that you lost the horse due to your own playfulness. To dare to lie and slander your own son is even more deserving of punishment

Wang Ning'an's stomach unexpectedly growled, and he forced a smile.

He searched everywhere like a madman, shouting until his throat was hoarse, and running his straw sandals to tatters... In the end, he found nothing. He had thought that his cousin would lead the horse home, but upon arriving home, he encountered his fierce and intimidating second aunt. Upon hearing that the horse was lost, she immediately dragged him to the ancestral hall

The young man would not admit his wrongdoing; he loudly argued that it was his cousin who had returned and promised to help him tend to the horses, which was why he had gone to the river to catch fish. His aunt struck him even harder!

Quick, help me up, I still need to write another 10,000 words!

Only two dirty little faces were seen, filled with worry as they stared. Upon noticing that I had opened my eyes, a chubby little fellow clapped his hands in delight.

A month ago, Wang Ning'an's grandfather was critically ill, and someone was sent to deliver the news. His wife wanted to see the elderly man for the last time, and naturally, Wang Liangjing had to accompany her. Cangzhou is located on the border, known for its fierce customs, and the bandits and robbers on the road are no laughing matter

The little girl is indeed his sister, named Wang Luoxiang, while the lively little fellow is named Wang Ningze, who is not yet five years old this year, and Wang Luoxiang appears to be only six or seven years old.

Wang Ning'an kept pondering until the late hours of the night, and finally dozed off in a daze. He did not know how long it had been when he felt a warm sensation on his cheek, as if a puppy were licking him. Startled, Wang Ning'an jolted awake, quickly opening his eyes

I merely wrote a bit of time-travel fiction, but I never intended to actually travel through time

Moreover, that horse has been with the royal family for five or six years, has recognized its owner, and it is absolutely impossible for outsiders to easily lead it away

Second Aunt has long been displeased with the Fourth's family. Wang Ning'an is already in his teens, while other children have long been working in the fields. He still wanders around everywhere, climbing trees to look for bird nests and going to the river to catch fish, being a complete troublemaker. Naturally, she is filled with resentment and has ordered Wang Ning'an to help with the family’s horses.

Looking harder, he was even more astonished. On the black-red wooden table, an oil lamp emitted a light as small as a bean, illuminating no more than one meter away, resembling a firefly. The lamp's shadow flickered, and the wooden furniture cast moving shadows on the wall, constantly swaying. The wind rustled the window paper, making a soft sound. It was like a haunted house

Wang Ning'an was perplexed; the more it was like this, the more he felt the need to uncover the truth and clear his name! Having just crossed over, he was immediately labeled as a spendthrift. I am sorry, but I will not take the blame for this!

A horse, unlike a bracelet or a ring, cannot be worn on the body

Wang Ning'an struggled and shouted, using all his strength to open his eyes.

Then my porridge ... ... '' Wang Ning'an instantly understood something and was momentarily stunned

Cousin Wang Ninghong, who had been studying in a private school, suddenly returned and told Wang Ning'an that someone had caught a large fish weighing over ten jin in the river, encouraging him to go down to the river to catch fish. Wang Ning'an was worried about losing the horse and hesitated a bit, but his cousin patted his chest and assured him that with him watching, the horse would not be lost

Damn it, how could I forget them! This is not a time of abundance like in the future; wanting to eat eggs must be quite difficult.

By the third generation, the family suddenly flourished. There were as many as four sons, the eldest being Wang Ning'an's uncle, named Wang Lianggui. In his youth, the Wang family was relatively affluent, and his uncle was quite the playboy. However, the family later fell into decline, and he did not prove himself either. A few years ago, his aunt passed away from anger, leaving only his uncle, who is now all alone and forlorn.

The night was cold and desolate, and Wang Ning'an stared with bright, dark eyes, completely devoid of any drowsiness

Damn, how did I fall asleep

The third brother, Wang Liangjin, went out to do business a few years ago, and there has been no news for a long time. His family has almost forgotten about him

Although the decoration of the rental house is not great, at least the windows are bright and clean, and the newly replaced light bulbs provide ample light, how could it be so dark

Wang Ning'an was indeed hungry, quickly peeling the skin and stuffing it into his mouth. The authentic free-range chicken eggs were delicious; he chewed heartily, and it was incredibly fragrant. When he looked up, he noticed his sister slurping porridge from a bowl, making slurping sounds, while his brother was swallowing saliva, secretly eyeing the remaining eggs.

Such a significant goal, with villagers working in the fields and forests on both sides of the village, how could it go unnoticed, and how could they not inform the Wang family?

Wang Ning'an shook his head vigorously, filled with frustration. He had just promised his readers that he would provide more updates, and now he had fallen asleep in a daze. Wasn't this just asking for criticism?

Wang Ning'an snatched the bowl of porridge, leaving Wang Ningze stunned and aggrieved, pouting with a small mouth and tears welling up in his eyes

Wang Ning'an clenched his fist and squeezed out a sentence through his teeth; he was not speaking nonsense

Wang Ning'an was taken aback, thinking to himself, is this an illusion? He quickly raised his hand to rub his eyes, and when he brought his hand in front of him, he was even more dumbfounded. His thin little arms and dirty little hands resembled chicken claws; how could this be what a grown man should have?

I am wronged

In his previous life, before attending middle school, he lived in a village. A village with only about one hundred households. Unlike living in an apartment building, where even neighbors across the hall have little interaction and do not even know each other's names. In a small village, after living there for a long time, everyone knows each other well; who is good, who is bad, who has a penchant for petty theft, all is clear as day. When something goes missing, it is always possible to guess who the thief is.

When their parents went out, three children were left at home—Wang Ning'an, along with a younger sister and a younger brother

Wang Ning'an's back, buttocks, and thighs are all covered in red and swollen bruises, with some areas even oozing fresh blood, the skin torn and flesh exposed, a truly tragic sight

The dark, shiny eyes looked around and instantly became dazed

Wang Ning'an was inherently unruly and had never done any farm work before, so how could he calm down to tend to the horse properly... As a result, just a few days later, one afternoon, Wang Ning'an tied the horse to a tree and went down to the river to catch fish. By the time he returned, the horse had disappeared...

... ...

In his previous life, he was all alone, but now he has gained two relatives, which brings Wang Ning'an great joy. Wang Luoxiang thoughtfully placed a large bowl of thin porridge in front of her brother, along with two boiled eggs

Lying on the bed, Wang Ning'an's mind conjured another version of himself. Although he was playful, he understood that the horse was an important asset to the family and could not be treated carelessly. When letting the horse out, he always paid close attention, not daring to let it leave his sight, except for the day he lost the horse

A horse, although Cangzhou is located on the border and adjacent to the Great Liao, the price of horses is not as exorbitant as in the capital, yet three to four guan of money is always required. For the Wang family, this is not a small sum, and naturally, there was great anger among them. The second aunt took him to the ancestral hall, wielding a three-foot-long wooden board, and gave him a thorough beating.

Peering over, Wang Ning'an was taken aback; not only was there no egg in Wang Ningze's bowl, but the porridge was also different from his own, clear as if it were water. Would it be enough to fill him up?

Although it is not a government official's baton, striking a young person with it can still be fatal

Wang Ning'an pretended to be angry and said: "Xiang'er, tell your brother, otherwise your brother won't be able to eat!"

The head of the household is Wang Ning'an's great-grandmother. She is over seventy years old, yet her hearing is sharp and her eyesight is clear. She can eat two large bowls at every meal and walks with great vigor. Everyone in the Wang family must obey her, as her word is final.

Gululu

Wang Luoxiang held the bowl, tears streaming down her face in large drops, and said with a sense of grievance: "Yes, it was Second Aunt who said that if brother lost the horse, he would be punished and not allowed to eat..."

Xiang'er, what is going on?

Beside her, a little girl could hardly hide her joy and timidly asked, "Brother, would you like something to eat?"

Let your brother take a look, do you have any eggs

The old lady had a son who, a few years ago, died on the battlefield while fighting against the Western Xia alongside the army of the Song Dynasty. He left behind a wife, who is Wang Ning'an's grandmother. Grieving the loss of her husband, she fell ill and became bedridden, crying until she lost her sight. Although she survived, she spent her days reciting scriptures and praying, hardly speaking more than three sentences a day, resembling a wooden figure.

The age difference among the three siblings is quite significant, which is not surprising given the low survival rate of children these days. Wang Ning'an is the first child of Wang Liangjing and his wife, followed by two younger brothers, both of whom were stillborn

A beating with a stick nearly cost Wang Ning'an half of his life

As for the fourth son, namely Wang Ning'an's inexpensive father, he is called Wang Liangjing. Unlike the second brother, he is dedicated to martial arts, aspiring to revive the Wang family. However, in an era where literature is esteemed and martial arts are looked down upon, his family does not hold much hope for him.

But the question is, what is he taking the horse for? Is he deliberately setting himself up for trouble? To let his second aunt give him a good lesson?

Wang Ning'an cried out loudly, so much so that he fainted... In a daze, he had a strange dream, in which he was a subject of the Song Dynasty, living in the village of Tuta in Cangzhou, Hebei East Road, a child of the Wang family, just eleven or twelve years old

Upon hearing her brother's question, Wang Luoxiang shuddered and instinctively put down the bowl. To her surprise, the contents of her bowl were even clearer than those in Wang Ningze's bowl, with only a few pitiful grains of rice that could be counted.

It is said that the Wang family's ancestors were military generals, holding a prominent position. Although they have fallen from grace, they remain the largest household in the village, especially with four generations living under one roof, brimming with blessings, which makes the villagers envious.

Elder brother is awake! Elder brother is fine!

The second son, Wang Liangxun, is considered one of the more intelligent individuals among the Wang family members. He has been dedicated to his studies, aspiring to pursue the imperial examination path, to bring glory to the family name and to revitalize the Wang clan

Could it be that ... ... has traveled through time?

Upon reflection, Ma was not lost at all; rather, he was taken away by someone, with the primary suspect being his cousin Wang Ninghong! He incited Ma to slack off, clearly intending to distract him while leading Ma away. Since they are all family, the villagers did not pay much attention, and it must have been just as I suspect

Wang Ning'an also felt that this was the case, so he went off to play happily. When he returned, both the horse and his cousin were gone