Taili 19th year, 417 AD
An old man on foot was struggling to move in the biting cold wind and heavy snow. Even though he was wearing a very thick cotton coat, he was still feeling cold.
Looking around, this ancient village seems to be covered with snow, and the crystal white snow hangs like a string of pearls, gently waving to the distance.
His heavy boots made a squeaking sound as they pressed heavily against the snow. The wind and snow roared endlessly, quickly erasing the traces he left on this place.
"well……"
He was exhausted, exhaling a big white breath, and the dew on his beard trembled slightly. He looked around unintentionally and saw a pile of extremely high snowdrifts in a corner. He stepped forward curiously, took a closer look, and felt a thump in his heart: a cold, swollen and purple hand was exposed outside the snowdrift, and even if the snow drifted on it, it would not melt.
He couldn't bear to look, so he turned around and wanted to leave. Suddenly there was a sound in the snowdrift. He turned around and looked at the source of the sound. The sound in the snowdrift became even more intense.
"Amitabha," the old man recited silently, then put down the medicine box and carefully pushed aside the snowdrifts. But I saw a little boy covered in blood, struggling desperately in it, his trembling little hands stretched out helplessly, he was looking for hope of life!
The old lieutenant took off his gloves, breathed hot air into his palm, and held the little hand tenderly. At that moment, there was another true warmth in the world, and another fresh life was left behind.
He dropped the medicine box, put gloves and cotton clothes on the dying child, and walked back to the town with difficulty.
When the boy woke up again, he found himself lying on a soft blanket, with a fire sitting next to him and a pile of unknown herbs beside the fire.
He sat up cautiously and found that all the clothes on his body had disappeared, leaving only a pair of underwear on his body. He remained silent, the scars on his body had scabbed over, and his frozen purple cheeks had turned rosy. The smoke from burning the herbs also made him sweat a little more on his forehead.
He stood up with difficulty, obviously not fully recovered. Looking around, there is a large medicine cabinet to the south, a closed door to the east, and a small window with a slight draft to the west.
He walked towards the door step by step, opened it and saw an old man sitting next to the medicine stove, taking a nap. The medicine stove whined and blew air straight up to the roof. He dared to go back and forth looking for his clothes.
No no! Not anywhere!
He looked at the snow and wind outside the window, swallowed a gulp, and decided to run out just like that!
"Baby, are you looking for death?" An old voice came from behind.
"Who are you!" he shouted in fear.
The old doctor explained calmly: "I found you in the corner of the ancient village. I saw that you were alive, so I brought you back."
He stood back very warily: "Give me your clothes, I want to leave!"
"What are you doing? On a snowy night, aren't you looking for death?"
"My mother is still there! I want to save my mother!"
"Boy, I'm sorry, your mother didn't make it through."
"I do not believe!"
"Your mother didn't protect you to survive so that you could die."
"I do not care!"
The old doctor sighed: "Oh, I can't keep my damn life even if I want to. You can no longer wear your clothes. There is a knife inside and I took it out..."
"Give it back to me!" He frantically grabbed the knife from the old man's body and pointed it at the old man: "Quickly, give me the clothes!"
"What a white-eyed wolf." The old doctor prepared clothes for him to keep warm, and warned him before leaving: "If you can't stand it anymore, come back. I am a lonely old man who needs a grandson."
"What a beautiful idea! Who will be your grandson?" He walked into the snow and wind without looking back.
Just when the old doctor was worried, he suddenly opened the door and came back, staring to the side, slightly embarrassed: "I can't find the way... You can send me back... okay?"
"You know how to beg for help." The old man laughed loudly. After preparing his luggage, he took a shovel, turned off the fire, and locked the door: "Boy, hold on to the corners of my clothes."
"No need!" He followed stubbornly, vowing not to hold his clothes.
The wind and snow became more intense and biting, and the sound of sobbing could be heard from all around. He soon put the oath behind him and honestly went to hold the old man's hand.
"What? Are you scared?"
"I held your hand, and I didn't pull the corner of your clothes." Such a pale excuse made the old man chuckle.
They trudged forward in the snowy night, the wind was raging, and they were sobbing in the wild. He didn't know what kind of danger was hidden in the dark surroundings.
"Baby, what's your name?"
"You take care of me!" He once again shook off the old man arrogantly and stubbornly moved forward alone, even though he couldn't see clearly the unknown road ahead.
"Oh, slow down!"
The old man followed quickly with a shovel in his hands. After an unknown amount of wind, they finally returned to the ancient village.
"My dear, your mother is sleeping there and she will never wake up..." The old man pointed to a snowdrift in the corner, feeling extremely heartbroken.
Han Jin stood in the wind and snow, his face pale and motionless like an ice sculpture, with a moving sadness in his confused eyes.
"mother!!!"
He cried and rushed towards the snowdrift, digging with his frozen and trembling hands. He didn't want to believe it, he couldn't believe it! Mom must still be alive! Must still be alive!
His hot tears flowed out unsatisfactorily, dripping on the snow and gradually condensing. With the help of the old man, the hateful snowdrift was finally cleared away, but he was desperate. The only mother who cared about him in this world was gone forever.
"Mom——" He cried loudly, hoping to get even a little response. However, no one could respond to him kindly and warmly. His cry was heartbreaking and touching, but no one could comfort his helpless soul.
The wind blows harder and the snowflakes float more densely. This world is vast, without light or hope.
"My dear, that's all, life and death are determined by fate, please bear with me and accept the change."
After hearing this, he plopped down and knelt at the feet of the old man: "I beg you, please bury my mother in the soil. My mother can't suffer from the cold anymore."
"Oh, get up! I'll help." The old man was clearing snow and digging a hole in a wasteland, and said to him: "My dear, I'm sorry, there is no coffin, so I can only bury him hastily."
When the burial was about to be completed, he sobbed and put the knife left by his father in it: "This way, father and mother can be together forever...together forever..."
After everything was done, he stopped whimpering helplessly, and tears froze on his face, making his expression more resolute. He knelt in front of the tomb and kowtowed three times. Snowflakes pressed on his thin body, and the wind cut like a knife. He clutched two balls of snow tightly and remained speechless for a long time.
Suddenly, he raised his head covered with snow, and his voice was no longer cowardly:
"Father, mother, and the child are not willing to be low-class people for the rest of their lives. The child wants to leave here and go out into the world to have a try. Make a name for himself!"
His stubborn eyes looked into the distance where the wind and snow were drifting tightly, and he swore secretly in his heart: "I, Han Jin, will never return to my hometown unless I make some achievements!"
Four years later, in the year 421 of the Great Yuan Calendar. After Han Jin left his hometown that year, he became a young apprentice with the old doctor. The old man regarded him as his grandson, took great care of him, and hoped that he could succeed him.
Fourteen-year-old Han Jin was diligent and intelligent. He not only learned a lot of medical skills under the influence of his ears and eyes, but also read many obscure medical books.
One day, he suddenly found a unique little shabby book in the medicine box. He read it with relish and enjoyed it. When the old man saw it, he was surprised and said: "Where did this "The Legend of Heroes" come from?"
Han Jin didn't even raise his head: "In the medicine box."
"I really didn't realize that you actually like to watch these things. Tell me which one you like."
Han Jin responded loudly without thinking: "Chi Han! Kang Taizu Chi Han! He is a hero! He came from a humble background but conquered the world! I want to be such a person!"
The old doctor was very contemptuous: "You actually like that low-class man? Let me tell you, boy, it is impossible for him to go up without the noble men. It is not the noble men who are wise."
Han Jin frowned: "Inferior people? Kang Taizu is the emperor!"
"Being an emperor means you are a superior person, but are you worthy of it?"
Han Jin retorted: "Kang Taizu could conquer the world with his humble fortune, why can't I?"
The old doctor laughed loudly and touched his head gently: "Boy, what are you thinking about? We are all untouchables, inferior people. We will never reach the level of Chi Han. We are born as inferior people and will be like this all our lives. You are a lower class person, this is your fate.”
Han Jin was silent. He found that the people around him, including his former mother, repeatedly emphasized that lower-class people are born to be slaves of noble masters. Could it be that all this is really destined?
He didn't have time to think too much, because the patient was already sitting under the plaque "Xuan Hu Ji Shi" and waiting patiently. He would only think randomly when he was sleeping at night: "Chi Han, Emperor Kang Taizu, is really a hero. It would be great if I were such a great hero... Unfortunately, I can't do it, so I have to inherit the master and be a doctor for the rest of my life - —Well, it’s good if you can eat enough.”
He fell asleep tiredly with the book "The Legend of Heroes" in his arms. In his dream, he dreamed that he became an emperor like Kang Taizu Chi Han, and stepped to the pinnacle of power step by step, while those hateful nobles bowed to him like dogs. Long live the earth and the mountains.
He smiled foolishly, and the bright moonlight shone into the window, accompanied by the evening breeze, weaving a soft quilt to cover the innocent dream.
The peaceful life was short-lived. One day, the old man suddenly fell ill and collapsed in bed. Han Jin was busy flipping through books to find the prescription.
"It's no use, kid, we know this disease can't be cured,"
"No!" Han Jin burst into tears, kneeling beside the bed and sobbing.
"My dear, I'd like to trouble you to call my two unlucky traitors here. They have to take care of the funeral.
"well!"
Han Jin wiped away his tears and quickly went to the cloth shop and blacksmith shop to call them over. The two brothers usually ignored the old man, but when they heard that the old man had been killed soon, they came to him in a hurry. Each of them wanted to monopolize the inheritance.
The second brother's blacksmith shop was very close, so he took the first step to bring wine and food to visit. The old doctor glanced at him sideways and said coldly: "You came quickly enough."
"I heard that my father is sick and my son is not in a hurry."
"I think you are eager to divide the inheritance!"
The old doctor ignored him and went to drink tea by himself. The second brother hurriedly caught up: "Dad, the food and wine have been prepared on the table for you, let's have a taste."
"Come on, I can't bear it. I'm afraid of choking to death."
The old man was very embarrassed, but he still put him on the table. At this time, the boss came too. He brought a top made of fine fabric and put it on for the old man.
After that, the three of them took their seats, while Han Jin stood beside them.
"What are you pretending to be? You just miss my shabby house!"
After hearing this, the second child also said frankly: "This is the same thing. I have a lot of money, so it's not bad here."
The eldest son was not happy when he heard this: "Second brother, you really don't know how hard it is for me. The small fabric store is losing money every day. My whole family is going to suffer from the northwest wind. Please take pity on me."
"Let me tell you, this table of food and wine cost me twenty taels of silver!"
The boss dismissed it: "Second brother, it costs forty taels to eat your dog."
"Bang!" The second child slammed the table angrily, stood up and yelled: "What do you mean!
"You know what I mean!"
The second child suddenly waved his thick arm and gave the eldest son a firm slap. The eldest son roared and smashed the wine can over. The whole table was overturned and shattered on the ground. The old man jumped up angrily: "Don't give it to anyone! Get out of here! Get out!"
The two brothers bared their teeth and trembled like mad dogs: "If you don't give it, how can you take it to the underworld?"
"I'll give it to Jin'er and let him guard the house!"
As he said that, the old doctor took Han Jin into his arms: "You two beasts, Jin'er takes good care of me, and I am closer than my own grandson. From now on, this house belongs to Jin'er!"
The old man was so arrogant that he tore off the fine clothes worn by the old man and shouted angrily: "Damn old man, give the house to outsiders!"
The second child was even more insulting and roaring wantonly, frightening Han Jin in his arms until he cried. The old man was so excited by the yelling that he suddenly twitched and his heart stopped. He fell to the ground and breathed his last.
Han Jin cried even more uncomfortably and kept rubbing the old doctor's body. Instead of being sad, the two brothers happily began to liquidate the family property and decided to divide it equally.
Han Jin asked them: "I don't want the house, I just want to bury the master."
"Bury him? Where is the free space? Get out of here!" The second brother pushed Han Jin down arrogantly.
"Second brother, buy a coffin for this old man and throw it into the mass grave at night!"
"He's so beautiful, he's just a straw mat!"
Han Jin's eyes were red and swollen, and he cried and shouted: "You don't need to, I will pay for the coffin myself!" He took the few taels of silver he had, put the old man on the wooden cart, and took him to find a coffin to buy.
"You bastard, if you dare to come back, I'll beat you to death!"
The second child mercilessly threw a stone and hit Han Jin on his thin back. He gritted his teeth and pulled the car away with all his strength. Although the humiliating anger was uncontrollable, he still did not look back.
Such a heavy burden caused pain all over his body. The thin man kept trying hard and almost fainted. He frowned and growled like an old cow. When people on the roadside saw that the car was pulling a corpse, they were afraid to avoid it. Less than that.
A few bold ones deliberately imitated Han Jin's appearance and added more exaggerated movements, laughing wildly.
"Damn it!"
Han Jin cursed secretly, feeling even more painful in his heart. He blinked desperately, refusing to let any ugly tears flow. When he arrived at the coffin shop, he realized that his few taels of silver were nothing. Under the blow of the old shopkeeper's repeated rejections, he sobbed and knelt on the cold ground, kowtowing desperately:
"Please! You can let me be a cow or a horse!"
The old shopkeeper finally couldn't bear it and had to say: "There is a rotten coffin in the backyard. Take it. You don't have to do anything."
"Thank you! Thank you!"
He pushed the coffin out bit by bit, put the body of the old man in it, bowed three times to the old shopkeeper, and ran to the city gate. Again, he dug out the pit in the desert by himself, put the coffin in it, and filled it up again and again.
It was past the second watch, and the bright moon hung in the sky, and the clear light was so cold. He kowtowed solemnly to the old doctor's grave several times and murmured:
"I'm sorry, Master, Jin'er doesn't believe that he will be a low-class person all his life. Jin'er doesn't want to be a mediocre doctor. Jin'er wants to be like a man like Kang Taizu Chi Han, make some achievements and be admired by all generations! "
He stood up slowly, with the sky above his head filled with stars, and left resolutely. His eyes burst with endless ambition and pride, and his steps on the grass were strong and firm. Although he was still unclear about the road ahead, he was no longer cowardly and fearful. He was like a warrior, using the evening wind as his sword and the stars as his armor, gradually dissipating under the vast moonlight...
