Chapter 07: Someone wants to learn fishing from Zhang Zhun

It is said that this is the "most grand" funeral in Yangjiatun in many years

Zhang Jun is also preparing to do this

He was originally a combat coach at a martial arts school, specifically responsible for teaching students fighting techniques. With more people learning together, the teaching becomes even more vigorous. From the perspective of rebellion, these individuals are the most fundamental base! As long as he provides a little guidance and incitement, he can ensure that they will all transform into ferocious man-eating tigers!

Yang Kaide comfortably finished a bowl of soup, set down the large bowl, and remarked with emotion: "Yulin, this meal is truly thanks to you!"

This is a true portrayal of the military households in Yangjiatun

After the five people walked away, Haozi lowered his voice and said: "Yulin, are you really willing to pass on this skill to them?"

After a brief pause, Zhang Zhun raised his bowl and said in a deep voice: "I, Er Leng Zi, want to thank each and every one of you! If it weren't for your care, there would be no today for me, Er Leng Zi! Therefore, I will definitely work hard to repay your kindness! I believe that our future days will only get better and better!"

Two large fish heads produced quite a bit of soup, with each person having at least two bowls, allowing everyone to drink to their heart's content. It had probably been a long time since anyone had tasted such rich fish head soup; apart from Zhang Zhun, everyone else was savoring it. The most exaggerated was Haozi, who downed two bowls in a row and, still unsatisfied, went for a third. By the look of him, he seemed determined to stuff himself to death. The most exaggerated was Haozi, who downed two bowls in a row and, still unsatisfied, went for a third. By the look of him, he seemed determined to stuff himself to death

Because the rat gave an early warning, it was said that Zhang Zhun had forgotten many past events. The five individuals introduced themselves by name: Yang Qianqiang, Yang Junjie, Yang Zixuan, Yang Hongwen, and Yang Zhiyuan. These names were all given by family members, hence they are rather literary and somewhat difficult to pronounce. Usually, they do not use their names, but rather call each other by their nicknames.

Zhang Zhun said straightforwardly

Yang Yinghan looked at him with some concern, wanting to say something but hesitating.

Isn't Fushan a very good base?

The mouse said with some concern: "In that case, the number of fish you catch might be reduced."

While the father and son were conversing with a few people by the well, Yang Yinghan and Mrs. Huang had already begun their tasks at the water well, with some drawing water and others preparing fish. The young girl Yang Lingxue and her older brother Yang Gansheng were also nearby assisting. Since there was only one well, the neighbors who received fish were also gathered around, preparing their catch. A group of women huddled together, whispering cheerful words, temporarily alleviating the somber atmosphere.

Brothers on the same front, hard to come by!

The Yang family originally had five children, and with Zhang Zhun, there are six. Zhang Zhun's appetite is larger than that of an average child, and both she and Yang Kaide have to raise all six children, which is truly not easy! The military households are already poor, and their money and grain are often in arrears; how many people truly understand the hardships in between?

Zhang Zhun forced himself to lift his spirits and said in a low voice: "I am fine, I am okay"

When Zhang Zhun spoke these words, his tone was exceptionally sincere, and there were even faint tears in the corners of his eyes. A man should not shed tears, but at this moment, Zhang Zhun was completely unconcerned about his tears. It was as if he felt he had returned to the future, back to his old father's side. The emotions that had been pent up for so long finally found a little bit of release. Having family and not having family are two entirely different worlds!

It's time to eat

Returning to the shantytown, Zhang Zhun stood in the center of the open space, unsure of what he was truly thinking. Everything before him was unbearably distressing; what he saw and heard was heart-wrenching and brought him to tears. However, he also felt a faint sense of excitement. This was because the rebellious thoughts hidden deep within him had come alive once more

Zhang Zhun noticed that Yang Kaide's eyes were surprisingly a bit moist upon seeing this scene. To be honest, it had been a long time since he had witnessed such a sight. A few fish brought such joy; the lives of the military households were indeed too harsh! However, Zhang Zhun did not expect that even more tear-jerking events were yet to come. If he were to personally experience this world, he would absolutely not believe it.

Why can others indulge in lavish feasts while I can only eat fish

The military households of the three deceased received two fish, and surprisingly, they placed one of the fish alongside the corpse, then hastily wrapped it in a straw mat and buried it in such a careless manner. Yang Kaide, who was responsible for their burial, looked up to the heavens, tears streaming down his face, and said: "Li Laowu, Wu Xiaoqi, Zhang Ying, I am sorry for you, my brothers. There is nothing to accompany you on your journey, so please take this fish with you."

The scene was filled with cries, overwhelmed by grief

Line

Aren't these people from Yangjiatun the best team?

On what grounds do they withhold my wages and brutally assault me?

Due to the prolonged delay in payment, both the New Year and Lantern Festival last year in Yangjiatun were filled with a sense of desolation, devoid of any sounds of joy or laughter. The most tragic event occurred yesterday during the Lantern Festival; in the morning, people went to demand their wages, and by the afternoon, they returned battered and bruised, with three individuals having lost their lives. The women were all in tears, a truly heart-wrenching sight

As night falls, the entire Yangjiatun is filled with the aroma of stewed fish

The military households caught a big fish, and the most important thing was to make fish head soup. For the military households that had long been lacking in nutrition, fish head soup was very nourishing. Of course, it would have been better if they could get some tofu. Unfortunately, the Yang family had neither soybeans nor money to buy soybeans, so tofu was out of the question

Zhang Jun forced a faint smile and said, "I am really fine, truly."

After returning from the funeral, Zhang Zhun always felt as if something was lodged in his throat, preventing him from expressing the emotions that filled him. Ultimately, he returned to Red Stone Beach, standing on the rocks and howling at the waves. He then ran two laps along the beach before jumping into the icy sea, swimming for half an hour, which made him feel somewhat better

To achieve the goal of altering the course of history, direct rebellion is undoubtedly the most effective means. To rebel against the *Diagram* and *Book*, one must have people, a foundation, and a base of operations. This is the conclusion Zhang Zhun reached after studying numerous historical texts. Without people and a base, one can at most become a fleeting bandit, and can never accomplish great things

Yang Yinghan's gaze was even more focused

Zhang Zhun understood and said with a smile: "You really have a peasant mentality."

Yang Yinghan gave him a deep glance before turning around and leaving

Zhang Junqi asked strangely: "Why are you unwilling?"

Yang Ruifeng returned from chopping wood and, upon hearing that Zhang Zhun had caught so many fish, was very pleased. He rarely praised Zhang Zhun, saying, "Yulin, well done! Our father did not misjudge you!"

Thank you, Yulin

Yulin, I am Yang Zhiyuan, also known as Tiger Head

Yang Ruifeng helped his father, Yang Kaide, to his feet, tidied up the kang, and set up a small table in preparation for the meal. In a poor household, it is certainly impossible to have a dining table; meals are always taken on the kang. After finishing the meal, they cleared away the table, cleaned up, and it was time to sleep again

In the past, when military households passed away, they were buried completely naked, with absolutely no items for burial. In fact, even the clothes on their bodies were stripped off to be passed down to their descendants, as it was deemed wasteful to discard them lightly

The sages spoke in this manner and acted accordingly

The question is, how could the rat know Zhang Zhun's true thoughts? He feels that having fish to eat every day is already a very happy thing. However, for Zhang Zhun, would he be content with a life of eating fish every day? Would he be satisfied with a life accompanied only by dead fish?

The first dish served is fish head mushroom soup

Yang Zixuan, nicknamed Scholar, is said to know a few characters and understands arithmetic, making him the most delicate among them. Yang Qianqiang, nicknamed Water Goods, has an unknown reason for such a nickname. Yang Junjie, nicknamed Grasshopper, is actually quite handsome, yet it is unclear how he is associated with grasshoppers. Yang Hongwen is quite refined, yet his nickname is General, which is uncertain whether it is a satire or a compliment

The four of them were also involved in the disturbance that day, and similarly, someone was injured at home. In terms of relationships, their elders were the most familiar with Yang Kaide and were the main participants in the disturbance. They all migrated from Huguang and share the surname Yang; in this foreign land, it is unlikely that their relationships would not be close.

Zhang Zhun could no longer bear it, so he took a bamboo spear and went to Hongshi Beach, where he caught more than ten fish and handed them over to Yang Kaide.

Huang's eyes were somewhat moist, unable to contain their emotions

Zhang Zhun and the mouse also took their seats. The family consists of eight members, with exactly four people on each side. Yang Kaide, as the head of the family, sits at the innermost position. Following him are Yang Ruifeng, Zhang Zhun, and the mouse, while Yang Gansheng, his mother Huang, his sister Yang Yinghan, and his younger sister Yang Lingxue sit on the opposite side. Zhang Zhun's position is directly opposite Yang Yinghan, whether by intention or coincidence is unknown

Well, Zhang Zhun admitted that he was indeed a bit too eager for success. However, the grievances he suffered in his previous life were truly immense, so much so that it caused him to lose a bit of his rationality. Now, as long as he can grasp any straw that could change his fate, he will hold on tightly and refuse to let go.

In the end, Yang Yinghan added some mushrooms picked in the morning, along with a bit of herbs, and cooked them together. Although the taste was not as good as the fish head tofu soup, it was superior in terms of nutrition. For the three injured individuals, it was also a decent combination

Yang Zhiyuan and four others went with great anticipation

Each of you prepare a bamboo spear, six feet long, one inch wide, one end pointed and the other blunt, and meet me at Hongshi Beach tomorrow morning

Yang Yinghan appeared beside him and softly said, "Yulin, what is wrong with you?"

Hutou is the nickname of Yang Zhiyuan, who is one of the more formidable among the five. He also participated in the disturbance that day, receiving a blow to his left shoulder, which still bears large bruises. His father was also injured, having been struck on the back, and he still cannot fully straighten his back. However, he did not come away empty-handed, as he managed to pin down and beat one of the opponent's servants.

The members of the Yang family all held their bowls, looking at Zhang Zhun

He is a taciturn person, rarely speaking in daily life. Asking him to praise others or to *illustrate* a book is almost as difficult as reaching the heavens. Today is indeed an exception. He is also quite famished. Eating wild vegetables and grass roots every day, with no meat to eat, his stomach has no oil at all, and he still has to prepare several hundred pounds of firewood each day. The distance from Laoshan to Yangjiatun is not short; carrying over a hundred pounds of firewood, making two round trips daily, is truly exhausting. Upon hearing that there is fish to eat, he naturally cannot resist the urge to indulge.

The rat did not know where it had gone and took a long time to return. When it came back, surprisingly, it was followed by five young men. It brought the five of them before Zhang Zhun and, with a somewhat unnatural expression, said: "Brother, Hu Tou and the others also want to learn how to fish from you!"

This is a true reflection of the impoverished common people during the Ming Dynasty

Zhang Zhun glanced at the five young men, who were fairly good-looking, each standing over 1.7 meters tall, but their faces bore a look of hunger, and their eyes had a slight yellowish tint. There was no helping it; they were generally lacking in resources. The fact that a single fish could bring such joy to the neighbors shows how difficult their daily lives must be.

Why can others wear silk and satin, while I can only wear tattered cotton wadding

Zhang Zhun could hardly imagine what kind of day that would be

It smells so good

The little girl Yang Lingxue called out joyfully

Eat fish every day

However, one cannot blame the mouse; we Chinese are accustomed to holding back a little when passing on skills, lest we teach our apprentices and starve ourselves. If Zhang Zhun were to attempt to make a living from fishing, or even to become wealthy, the mouse's advice would not be without some merit.

Zhang Zhun vigorously rubbed his palms together, then interlocked his fingers, bending all his joints until they cracked loudly. It seemed that only by torturing himself like this could he release the depression and frustration within. He was already somewhat impatient for rebellion

Zhang Zhun smiled and said: "Uncle, please don't say that. If it weren't for you taking me in, I might... Anyway, from now on, whenever our family wants to eat fish, just come to me!"

If you do not provide me with an explanation for anything, I will give you an explanation in return

In the end, each soldier who was killed set out with five fish.