Chapter One, Late Yuan Dynasty

Even the wild grass on the ground is nearly gone

They are their own parents

"It must be that while my thoughts were all on my son, that despicable, heartless old thief took advantage and stole from me!" The lady was so furious that she nearly fainted

I hope that young man is Old Zhu's godson, Mu Ying. I also hope he can kill a few more officials and soldiers, as a way to avenge their family.

They had not gone far when the old man suddenly stopped the cart

Seeing him awake, Mu Ying couldn't help but smile, even though tears were still glistening on her face

What is even more concerning is that my son, Zhang Ximeng, has fallen ill due to the unfamiliar environment, suffering from vomiting and diarrhea

Zhang Ximeng stole a glance at his father, who was clearly not very reliable; otherwise, how could he have led the whole family into such a dire situation

Moreover, it is evident that their family is not in a good state and is currently in a situation of fleeing for their lives

Old man Zhang gritted his teeth and said, "That's right, let's go to Haozhou. Finding a way to survive is the priority!"

On this day, they arrived at the wilderness, and Zhang Ximeng's condition suddenly worsened, leading to convulsions and foaming at the mouth, which greatly alarmed the Zhang couple

Zhang Ximeng leaned against the carriage, and upon hearing his father's words, his heart suddenly stirred... Haizhou, isn't that the place where Old Zhu rose to prominence? To Haizhou, to seek refuge with Zhu Yuanzhang? But how should he explain this to his father?

The servant said, "When I just arrived, it seemed that I saw a village. Let me go and take a look."

What enmity of parents, what destruction of the Yuan Dynasty, is even more unthinkable... Their family was like weeds in a chaotic world, dying silently and without a trace

What is going on? Why is Old Wang like this? Isn't this frustrating?

Zhang Ximeng couldn't help but be taken aback, could there be some unexpected development

The lady is indecisive, she lowered her head and became sad again. If she had been more careful, that jewelry set would not have been lost, and there would still be some way to resolve the situation

The young boy's voice was weak, his breath faint; he beckoned the little one to come closer.

Old man Zhang excitedly took down the ceramic jar, using his sleeve to cushion it, poured the contents into a bowl for drinking, waited for it to cool a bit, and brought it to his son's lips, pouring it down.

Mu, Mu Ying, I, I am no longer capable. You, you head east, go, go to Haozhou. As long as there is still a breath left, do not stop... perhaps, perhaps there is still a way to survive

Old Zhang was immediately taken aback; they had no money left on them. The only possessions that could be considered valuable were the jewelry and valuables that Madam carried with her, which were part of her dowry, stored in a small bundle.

The child remained still, merely staring blankly at the young man

They had not traveled far when they encountered extortion from the authorities, and it happened time and again, causing their possessions to dwindle. Only one servant remained among the attendants.

Suddenly, memories exploded in his mind, surging like a tide, coming one after another. The boy's expression changed repeatedly; he must have arrived in a strange time and space

Perhaps it was the effect of the old man's herbs, as he soon fell asleep

"Why are you not obedient! You, you must live in order to save me!" The young man urged with a heart full of anguish.

In the twelfth year of the Zhizheng era, in the Jiangbei province of Henan, along the Anfeng Road, the Red Turban Army... A stone figure with one eye stirs the Yellow River, inciting rebellion across the land... It is a matter of life and death!

As he整理his memories again, Zhang Ximeng suddenly became uneasy

Hurry, boil water for my son to drink

A night has passed, and Zhang Ximeng feels much more comfortable, but his father is in a difficult situation. "We have very little left, and going to Jiangnan is not an option... The closest place is Haozhou, but I have heard that Haozhou is occupied by the Red Turban bandits. I fear that if we go there, we will not have a good outcome either"

The father made up his mind, and the family of three immediately set off. The mother took care of Zhang Ximeng in the carriage, while the father took over from Old Wang and personally drove the cart

By a stroke of luck, Zhang Ximeng, who was in a coma, slowly opened his eyes, but his gaze was dazed, filled with surprise and confusion

Zhang Ximeng first felt that this old man still had some merits; he could not move, and his wife went down to help. After half an hour, the couple returned, and there was an additional child behind them

Could it be that he should tell him that the future Emperor Hongwu is in Haozhou, and he should hurry over, perhaps he could even become a meritorious minister under the dragon and later receive a golden medal of exemption from death... Zhang Ximeng pondered for a while before quietly saying: "In this world, there is no distinction between officials and bandits; the Red Turban Army may not necessarily be as ferocious as they are portrayed, and they might even be more reasonable than the government."

Zhang Ximeng's head was splitting with pain, wasn't he an orphan? How could he have parents?

He heard the sound of sobbing; it turned out that there was a woman's corpse by the roadside, with a small child lying on top of the body, and the crying was coming from him.

The little creature behind was frightened, hurriedly crouching down and pulling hard on the boy's arm, trying to lift him up

I am fine, there is no need to worry. As long as our son is okay, that is all that matters. It is my incompetence as a father that has caused him harm!" Old Zhang looked at his son's haggard face and couldn't help but reach out, tenderly stroking his son's forehead.

Of course, if we successfully arrive in Macau and encounter Old Zhu, if he is willing to accept this Mu Ying, Zhang Xi Meng would not refuse either

Old man Zhang was complaining when he suddenly noticed that his wife's face was pale, her lips were trembling involuntarily, and her body was swaying, nearly causing her to fall.

Can an old scholar understand medicine

But what can he do? He is still young, and his health is poor. His only hope lies with his father. Hopefully, his father can find a way to survive

The servant waved his hand and said, "Madam cannot look after the young master alone. Rest assured, sir, I will be back shortly."

This fellow may just have the same name and surname

Sir, you and Madam stay with the young master, I will go fetch the doctor and buy some medicine.

He, his family has worked for the Zhang family for three generations, and they have never treated him poorly. Yet, at this moment, he actually stole jewelry and ran away. This is adding insult to injury, repaying kindness with enmity!

The young man was filled with helplessness, foolish boy, are you not guarding me to die together with me!

I poked my head out and saw it all, feeling a wave of sympathy. However, they are currently overwhelmed with their own issues and have no capacity to help others.

However, since the 11th year of the Zhizheng era, the Red Turban Army has risen along both banks of the Yellow River, while the imperial army has been engaged in suppressing bandits. The Red Turban Army has been attacking and killing everywhere, with back-and-forth skirmishes, making it impossible for the common people to survive

Upon thinking of this, Zhang Ximeng finally ignited a flicker of hope, and a smile appeared on his face, everything will be safe...

The lady was stunned for a moment, then suddenly burst into tears, "It's over, my bag of jewelry is gone!"

As the flames rose, the wife finally noticed that her husband's cheeks and arms were all marred by wounds, from which blood oozed, forming dark red scabs

The lady did not know whether it would be of any use, so she could only follow her husband's wishes and light the fire to boil water

There was nothing edible, and the young man moved forward step by step with great difficulty. With each step he took, he had to pay a tremendous price. Suddenly, it seemed that he stepped on something beneath his feet, and he slipped and fell to the ground.

His name is Zhang Ximeng, and he is from Jinan

Old Zhang stamped his foot in anger and turned to leave

After much contemplation, Old Zhang decided to head south to seek refuge with relatives to escape disaster, but having spent many years studying at home, he was unaware of the dangers that lay outside.

"You, are you also ill?" Old Zhang was greatly frightened and quickly supported his wife, "Don't scare me like that!"

Old man Zhang sighed, "I have studied for decades; if it is merely a dark world and one turns a blind eye to suffering, then what was the point of reading the classics of sages?"

If this joke were to come true, this fellow would become the Duke guarding Yunnan for generations. Wouldn't he then be able to go to Yunnan and drink mushroom soup?

The young man finished speaking, and suddenly everything went dark before he fainted.

He has long seen through the character of the government

Ximeng Wuer, your uncle went to Shaanxi to provide relief to the disaster victims back in the day, and he traveled the entire way to alleviate the famine. Whenever he encountered those lacking food, he provided them with grain, and when he came across corpses, he buried them. Our Zhang family must never, at any time, only look after ourselves and ignore those in need!

Mu Ying has left, leaving only the young man behind. Waves of faintness wash over him, and in the distance, there seems to be the sound of wolves howling. It seems that his life may not last much longer.

Suddenly thrusting him into the chaotic times at the end of the Yuan Dynasty, how is he supposed to survive

I bet!

After advising his son, Old Zhang passed away... In the carriage, Zhang Ximeng was slightly taken aback. A scholar, perhaps, but his father was the kind of fool who always harbored good intentions. It is precisely because of the persistence of such fools that, in this world where propriety is in disarray and music has collapsed, there still exists a trace of human warmth, preventing it from descending into the depths of hell...

Mu Ying, listen carefully, hurry up and leave, you have encountered a benefactor, you, you can still live...

However, that was more than a decade ago. Zhang Ximeng's father did not participate in the imperial examination to become an official, but instead stayed at home, studying behind closed doors, managing the family business, and leading a life free from worldly disputes

Zhang Ximeng could not help but frown ... ? ... How could he share the same name as Mu Ying, the Duke of Qian, who guarded Yunnan during that era? ? Moreover, their ages should be similar when calculated, it is just a pity that they are not Zhu Yuanzhang and Empress Ma

He did not know how much time had passed when he opened his eyes and found the little one still lying beside him, a pair of bright black eyes staring at him.

Old Zhang said awkwardly: "That must be the heavens showing appreciation for the filial piety between father and son, allowing my son to wake up; he must be fine now"

Old man Zhang instinctively urged the horse-drawn carriage to move forward, but his gaze remained fixed on the child, stirred within. Just at the moment the child vanished from sight, the old man abruptly reined in the horses and resolutely jumped down from the yoke.

How could this be

Now I want to return to my hometown, but it is no longer possible. I can only brace myself and move forward.

The family can be considered a prestigious one, with my great-uncle named Zhang Yanghao, who is not only a high-ranking official but also a master of the sanqu poetry form, enjoying considerable reputation in both the political and literary circles.

Old man Zhang nodded, and the servant hurriedly ran off with his buttocks in the air. He was gone for more than an hour, and as the sky grew dim, he still had not returned

Sir! The lady called softly

Mu Ying

Old Zhang pondered and said, "Can you handle it? Do you need me to go as well?"

How could this happen

The lady could not help but scold with a laugh: "You have lost your mind, you haven't even had a drink yet!"

Old Zhang did not notice anything unusual; he merely thought his son had recovered and proudly said, "Look, my medicine is effective!"

This time, the child seemed to understand. He struggled to get up, stared at the young boy repeatedly, and finally took a step forward. However, after just two steps, he had to turn back to take a look, reluctant to part ways. It was only after walking quite a distance that the little fellow finally ran ahead with his head down.

The lady felt a pang in her heart, her nose tinged with bitterness, unable to hold back her tears. Although their family was not considered extremely wealthy, they were of a respectable middle-class status, with servants attending to them; they had never endured such suffering before

The young boy swallowed the medicine like a piece of wood, the bitter taste permeating his entire body, causing him to shiver involuntarily. It was as if he had returned to life; he raised his head and looked at the two people in front of him, who were also watching him with concern.

Master, let's hurry!

I just asked for his name; the child is called Mu Ying. Both of his parents have passed away, so he will follow us from now on! The old lady informed Zhang Ximeng.

Old Zhang snorted, "Who is going to chase him? I am going to find some medicinal herbs for my son. I have also read medical books, I can do it!" As he spoke, he took off running towards the nearby earthen hill.

What the Red Turban Army is like, he is also unclear, but does the family have any other choices

Tears flowed uncontrollably from the corners of the young man's eyes

This sentence reminds the old man, after all this journey, has he not seen enough?

On the dusty road, two children, one large and one small, are moving forward slowly

Old man Zhang frowned, "In this desolate wilderness, where will you find a doctor?"

He ran out for nearly two hours, and when it was dark, he returned, panting and carrying some herbs.

He is just an ordinary university student, of a rather laid-back disposition, with the greatest ambition of becoming a civil servant, and then honestly serving the people, nothing more than that

Do not underestimate people; if one cannot be a good minister, one can still be a good physician. If one cannot heal the nation, then one can heal the people. Many great medical experts are undoubtedly also great literary figures. Once one has thoroughly read the books, one will naturally understand pharmacology.

If I am not mistaken, he arrived at the end of the Yuan dynasty, after all, the one-eyed stone man has deeply ingrained itself in people's minds, serving as a classic template for rebellion

Do not, do not exert yourself any further

However, the distance between Old Zhang and a renowned physician is still quite far. Under normal circumstances, he would never act recklessly, but given the current situation, he has no choice but to treat a dead horse as if it were a live one.

Next to them is an open field, with only a few trees standing alone. The bark has been largely stripped away, taken by the starving to stave off hunger. In the spring, these trees will not sprout again

The Zhang couple looked at their son's waxy complexion, which was becoming increasingly gaunt, and their hearts ached even more

"My lord, you cannot catch up!" the lady exclaimed

At this moment, Zhang Ximeng was utterly exhausted and completely unable to think

Old man Zhang was stunned for a moment, and then understood what was happening; it must be that Old Wang took the jewelry and used the excuse of looking for a doctor to run away, truly despicable