Chapter 84 Drinking

Chapter 84 Drinking

Chapter 84 Drinking
Thinking of this, his originally cold heart suddenly became hot. But soon Ma Shizhou calmed down again. After all, he was a man who had experienced storms. Although Zhu Shenzhui's suggestion made him excited, he also knew his own limitations.

If he were ten years younger, or if he wasn't disabled, Ma Shizhou might give it a try, but what could he do now as a middle-aged man? Although the prospect was good, he was afraid that he didn't have the ability. After thinking for a long time, he smiled bitterly and shook his head.

“Uncle Ma…” Zhu Shenzhui wanted to persuade him again.

Ma Shizhou smiled bitterly and said, "I am grateful to Sixth Master for thinking so highly of me. If Sixth Master needs me, I, with my old bones, can help Sixth Master to walk a few more times on the grassland. As for Sixth Master's trust, I am afraid I am really powerless. If I fail Sixth Master, it will not be a problem for me personally, but I am afraid that I will delay Sixth Master's important task."

"Uncle Ma, why do you have to do this? I don't care, so why do you have to think so?"

"Sixth Master, please take your time to think about this matter. It's getting late, and we still have time to leave the city, otherwise we'll have to stay here for another day. So, I'll take my leave first. If you need my help next time you go to the grassland, just let someone tell you. I, Old Ma, will never refuse!"

Seeing Ma Shizhou like this, Zhu Shenzhui didn't say much, but he looked up to Ma Shizhou in his heart. If it was an ordinary person, Zhu Shenzhui would have been eager to take the olive branch immediately. But Ma Shizhou didn't do that, instead he politely declined Zhu Shenzhui's invitation.

Seeing this, Zhu Shenzui did not force it any more. After all, there was room for maneuver. Didn't Ma Shizhou also say that next time Zhu Shenzui went to the grassland again, he would be willing to lead the way. In this case, the solution mentioned before could be considered.

What's more, his uncle Wang Rong is Ma Shizhou's friend. If he finds an opportunity to let his uncle persuade him, maybe Ma Shizhou will change his mind?
Wang Hai never thought that he would live such a life.

A house that can shelter you from the wind and rain, a solid kang, warm bedding that smells like sunshine, two meals a day that can fill you up, clean clothes, and a master, mistress, and little master who treat you well.

These days, Wang Hai felt like he was dreaming. After following Zhu Shencui back to the Ming Dynasty, he lived in Zhu Shencui's home.

In order to repay Zhu Shenzhui, Wang Hai worked tirelessly. Perhaps in his heart, only by doing more can he live up to his master's kindness. Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do here. The current master was not like the previous master. There were not so many cattle, sheep and horses. Even if Wang Hai wanted to herd for Zhu Shenzhui, he had no chance. In addition, he was still learning Chinese and could only speak a few simple daily words. Zhu Shenzhui did not let him go out, so Wang Hai could not do anything he wanted to do.

Wang Hai had no choice but to get up early every day to help clean and do some housework. But how much work can be done in a small courtyard? In addition, Zhang was a hardworking person and always kept the house clean. At best, Wang Hai could only help with some odd jobs, but these odd jobs were all done in a short time.

Wang Hai was not used to the rest of his time being idle. You know, when he was on the grassland, as a slave, he never stopped for a moment. Once he rested and had nothing to do, it would not be long before his master whipped him.

But here, Wang Hai was idle most of the day, and he was not used to it. For this reason, Wang Hai specially found Zhu Shenzhui, earnestly hoping to give him more work to repay his master. Hearing this, Zhu Shenzhui laughed, touched his head and said that it was enough to finish the housework, and there was nothing else to do now. If he really wanted to repay him, he should learn Chinese first, and when he could speak Chinese fluently, he would arrange for Wang Hai to do something else.

The master's instructions inspired Wang Hai to learn Chinese well. Now Wang Hai is working hard to learn Chinese every day. Wang Hai is not stupid, but very smart. He is also young and has a strong ability to learn. With hard work, his Chinese has improved by leaps and bounds. In less than half a month, he is completely different from before.

Although I still have an awkward accent and don't know a lot of vocabulary, it's a world of difference from when I first arrived.

In addition, when Zhu Shenzhui got up early every day to practice martial arts, Wang Hai would often learn from him. In fact, Wang Hai deliberately avoided him at the beginning. In the grassland, martial arts were the privilege of the nobles. Slaves like him were not qualified to practice martial arts. When the master was practicing martial arts, if the slave hid aside and peeked, the consequences would be very serious, and the master might even shoot him on the spot.

But here, Zhu Shenzui did not have such rules, especially when he saw Wang Hai deliberately avoiding him when he was practicing martial arts, he curiously asked Wang Hai why he did that. After Wang Hai answered, Zhu Shenzui told him that he didn't have to do so in the future. If he wanted to watch, he could watch. If he was interested, he could also learn and practice in his own way.

Zhu Shenzhui's kind attitude made Wang Hai even more grateful, so Wang Hai would learn martial arts from Zhu Shenzhui every morning. Not to mention, Wang Hai's comprehension was good, and he became quite good after practicing for a few days. Although his body had not grown yet, Zhu Shenzhui believed that with his perseverance and comprehension, he would be able to achieve success in the future.

Wang Hai’s household registration was settled not long after he returned to Pingyang. After arranging matters in the city, Zhu Shenzui took Wang Hai to Wangjia Village and registered Wang Hai’s household registration in Wangjia Village.

To the outside world, Wang Hai was considered a relative of Zhu Shenzhui's mother's family, which was why Zhu Shenzhui gave him this name. Not long after staying in Wangjia Village, Zhu Shenzhui went to Yangtou Mountain to meet Li Hu and others.

The Yangtou Mountain today is no longer the Yangtou Mountain of last year. Thanks to Zhu Shenzui's resettlement, most of the people in Yangtou Mountain survived the winter safely, except for two elderly and frail people.

When spring came, the preparations made before came in handy. Some wasteland was reclaimed on Yangtou Mountain and crops were planted. Everything was moving in a good direction. When the harvest came in autumn, Yangtou Mountain would be completely free from its previous predicament.

In addition to self-reliance, Yangtou Mountain has now become an important base for Zhu Shenzhui to sell salt. Large quantities of salt goods are stored and transferred in Yangtou Mountain, and then sold to other places through the previous salt roads. In addition, the existence of Yangtou Mountain has also made Zhu Shenzhui's salt sales range larger than before, and the areas that could not be sold due to limitations before have gradually extended their tentacles. In addition, the reputation of the "Three Brothers of the Yang Family" in Yangtou Mountain, who control the main roads of Yangtou Mountain, has gradually spread. Occupying the main roads to do some "small business" can not only subsidize the needs of the mountain, but also use it to inquire about information. In addition, blocking Yangtou Mountain to prevent other private salt dealers from coming to "steal business" from Zhu Shenzhui has also increased Zhu Shenzhui's private salt profits and shipments a lot more than before.

"Sixth Master, I'll toast you another glass!" The Laojun Temple on Yangtou Mountain is no longer the dilapidated appearance it once was. After renovation, the Laojun Temple has changed greatly and looks no different from an ordinary farmhouse. It has also become the home of Li Hu and his two brothers.

Holding up the wine cup in front of him, Li Hu happily toasted Zhu Shencui. His two brothers Lu Yishen and Hu Lin also raised their wine cups to express their sincere gratitude to Zhu Shencui.

"Come on! Let's drink together!" Zhu Shenzhui did not refuse. He picked up the wine cup and clinked it with the three of them. Then he tilted his head back and drank the wine in the bowl in one gulp.

"Sixth Master has a really good alcohol tolerance!" The three of them praised loudly, and they finished the wine together, put down the wine cups, wiped their mouths, and laughed.

"I have been thinking about inviting Sixth Master to drink for a long time, but there has never been a chance. This time, Sixth Master, you finally came, and we brothers must toast you a few more glasses. In the past six months, it is thanks to your help, Sixth Master, otherwise we don't know where we are." Li Hu sighed in his heart, and his expression was full of gratitude as he said these words. The same was true for Lu Yishen and Hu Lin, who looked at Zhu Shenzui with great gratitude and admiration in their eyes.

"Sixth Master, I am a rough man, I have never been to school, I can barely recognize a few big words, and I cannot speak beautifully. There is nothing much to say, the meaning is all in this wine, Sixth Master, we toast you again!" As he said that, Li Hu raised his wine cup once again, and the two brothers beside him did the same. The three of them toasted Zhu Shenzhui with their heartfelt feelings. Zhu Shenzhui did not put on airs, but clinked glasses with them with a smile and drank the bowl of wine together.

"There is a long time to come. We are brothers after all." After Zhu Shenzhui finished drinking, he looked at Li Hu and the other three with slightly flushed faces and said this with a smile, urging them to drink slowly and eat more vegetables.

Li Hu and the others nodded in agreement. The three of them drank, chatted, and ate. After talking about the mountain for a while, Hu Lin suddenly asked, "Sixth Master, I heard that you went to the grassland some time ago?"

"What? You know about this too?" Zhu Shenzui asked with a smile. This was no secret in Wangjia Village. The people on Yangtou Mountain were now one of their own. Wangjia Village and Yangtou Mountain had close contacts. In addition, Li Hu had been asking Zhu Shenzui when he would come to Yangtou Mountain for a gathering some time ago. When Wang Jinwu was drinking with them and got drunk, he mentioned Zhu Shenzui's trip to the grassland.

For ordinary people in the Ming Dynasty, the grassland is mysterious and curious. After all, the Ming Dynasty has been fighting with Mongolia since its founding for more than 200 years, and Li Hu has fought with the Mongols before. When he heard that Zhu Shencui actually took people to the grassland, he couldn't help but worry about Zhu Shencui.

Fortunately, Zhu Shenzhui returned safely this time. Seeing that Zhu Shenzhui came to Yangtou Mountain shortly after his return, I remembered his trip to the grassland and couldn't help asking about the situation of the grassland.

Seeing that they were curious, Zhu Shenzui talked about his trip to the grassland and picked out some things he could tell them.

Listening to Zhu Shenzui's description of his experiences on the grassland, the scenery on the grassland, and his dealings with the Mongols, the three of them were fascinated and filled with emotion.

"I didn't expect the grassland to be like this. Not all Mongols are ruthless Tartars who kill people without blinking an eye." Hu Lin couldn't help but say this.

"Of course, Mongolians are also human beings. As long as they are human beings, we can get along with them." Lu Yisheng said as a matter of course.

"Hahaha, that's true, but it's not absolutely true. I was lucky that I didn't encounter any danger when I went to the grassland this time. It's not always like this on the grassland. I was also worried when I went there, but this time I finally came back safely. It seems that God is taking care of me." Zhu Shenzui couldn't help but laugh.

Li Hu nodded and agreed, "I have dealt with Mongolians when I was at the border. Ordinary Mongolian herdsmen are actually no different from the people of our Ming Dynasty. Sometimes in winter when it snows on the grassland, it is common for Mongolian herdsmen to run to the Great Wall to beg for food. But then again, Mongolians and people of our Ming Dynasty have different personalities. They may have been brothers with you yesterday, but they may draw their swords against you today."

"I have never been to the grassland, but I have heard people talk about it a few times. Sixth Master was indeed lucky this time, but please be careful next time you go. At least bring more people with you. It is always safer with more people."

"Tiger is right, I think so too." Zhu Shenzhui nodded: "The first time we were just exploring the way, there were indeed a few people, next time we need to bring more people."

"Sixth Master, if you go to the grassland again, how about taking me with you next time? I'll go with you to the grassland to see the world." Hu Lin suddenly said this with anticipation in his eyes.

"Hahaha! That's no problem. You can come along for the trip. Walking around and seeing more can help you gain more knowledge. By the way, Tiger and Brother Lu, you can come along and take a look if you want. I'm worried that we won't have enough manpower to go to the grassland."

(End of this chapter)