The perspective shifts to Yutao Village.
Near noon, a fierce sun hung high in the sky. The sunlight was blazing, and the high temperature was scorching the earth, as if it was about to evaporate. Farmers here usually get up early, take advantage of the coolness of the morning, wear thin sweats, and walk on dew-stained straw sandals along the road to do farm work in the fields.
They have been working since morning until now. At this moment, they are still working hard in the fields under the scorching sun, holding hoes and digging up the soil again and again, turning the land. The air is filled with a unique earthy smell, and that smell is mixed with the burning heat of the sun.
Although the farmers were sweating profusely, they still persisted and had no intention of giving up. At most, during the working process, they would occasionally stop, take a sip of the water they brought with them, wipe the sweat from their faces, and then continue to work. Their skin was tanned by the sun, their foreheads were covered with dense beads of sweat, and every time they took a breath, they could see the hot breath coming out of their mouths. There was no trace of life in their eyes, but they were full of despair and confusion, so they seemed to be repeating the action of turning over the soil like a machine.
Farmer Zhang Ergou is one of these countless farmers. At this moment, he is wearing a shabby shirt that has been soaked with sweat, and his pants have been stained with mud so that the original color cannot be seen. His skin was dark and his hands were rough, the result of years of hard work in the fields. He worked alone in the fields because he was the only one in the family who could be counted as a labor force. The child's mother contracted puerperal fever shortly after giving birth. Not long after that, she couldn't get out of bed at all, let alone work. The youngest son was not yet one year old and couldn't live without his mother's milk, and only the second girl was left at home to take care of him. Mother and son. And the big girl, the big girl. . .
Every time Zhang Ergou thought of his eldest daughter, he couldn't help but hit the soil with a hoe a little harder. Bean-sized beads of sweat on his forehead flowed through the corners of his eyes and down his cheeks.
In fact, Zhang Ergou's family has three children. The eldest is a daughter, called Da Yatou, and the second is also a daughter, called Er Yatou. The patriarchal mentality made Zhang Ergou particularly want a son, and he finally gave birth to his third child with great difficulty. The third child is a son, called Sanzi. But soon after the child was born, the mother contracted puerperal fever, but the family had no money to pay a doctor for treatment. But if the child does not receive medical treatment, the child will not be able to survive, and the third son will also die if he does not have milk to feed him. So he had to ruthlessly sell the eldest girl to a wealthy family through Renyazi. He used the money to hire a doctor, get some medicine, and buy some meat and food. With great difficulty, he was able to bring the child's mother back from hell. And this is how the third son was able to survive.
The way the sweat was flowing down his face really looked a bit like tears, but Zhang Ergou was a man and the backbone of the family, so he couldn't be weak or cry. Once he becomes weak, who can the second girl, the third son and the child's mother rely on to survive in this age where life is worse than death?
The smell of sweat and tears is salty, no one can tell them apart, and the sweat just passes through the corner of the eye, and no one will notice if a little tear gets mixed in. As long as you don't make a sound, you won't be discovered. of. Yes, as long as you don't make a sound, no one will know whether the tears left from the corners of your eyes are sweat or tears.
The hoe in Zhang Ergou's hand was still waving non-stop, hitting the soil again and again. His eyes stared at the soil on the ground in confusion. The gray land seemed like this miserable day with no end in sight. There was no end. generally. There was an old backpack in the shadow of the big tree beside the field, which contained his lunch. It was said to be lunch, but in fact it was just a black and hardened steamed bun. This is his lunch ration, which means he has to work here until evening before going back. And this is Zhang Ergou’s daily life. He didn't know if the family could survive this year and next year, and he couldn't figure out how to keep the family alive.
Just like this, day after day, year after year, in this vast field, there are countless farmers who have suffered similar experiences like Zhang Ergou.
And this is the epitome of the most ordinary lower-class people in Yutao Village.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Suddenly, the farmers in the fields saw a golden pillar of light appearing on the northern horizon, and that direction was where Yangming Academy was. But they don't understand why an academy that is almost as busy as farmers like them is so noisy today? What happened?
At Yangming Academy, when the transmitted light dissipated, Ye Feng, Ren Xiaojin, Yingying, Qingni, Xun'er, Xiao Wu, Linglong, Yunxi, Jiang Yu, Fatty and others, as well as Xiruo and Meijiu, finally returned to Yangming Academy. Ming Academy, and of course the green cow.
And when they opened their eyes and saw it for the first time, they were attracted by the sight in front of them. This is Yangming Academy, but although it is called an academy, it is not the same thing as an academy in the traditional sense in their impression. It may be more like a sect that cultivates immortality.
The first thing that comes into view is a huge square. The square is paved with old but neat bluestone slabs. In the center of the square is a tall statue. The figure of the statue is Mr. Yangming, the founder of Yangming Academy. He bowed his hands, with a smile that was neither humble nor arrogant, and his eyes were firm, seeming to be staring into the distance.
Looking across the square, looking into the distance, there are quite majestic buildings. Among the mountains and rivers, surrounded by clouds and mist, there stand solemn and solemn palaces and pavilions. These buildings are made of spiritual stones, jade and other materials, and the walls are carved with exquisite patterns, including gods, demons, beasts, and landscapes. Each pattern is lifelike and exudes a strong fairy spirit. Between the halls and pavilions, there are some small ponds and small gardens. I just don't know if there are any fish left in the pond. After all, people are starving to death. If we can't keep all the fish for viewing, there is no guarantee that Xi Ruomeijiu and the two will forcibly develop the edible properties of those fish. Various fairy flowers and herbs are planted in the garden, exuding charming fragrance.
The entire Yangming Academy is surrounded by dense forests and steep peaks, with majestic mountains and waterfalls flowing down.
The environment is filled with rich spiritual energy from heaven and earth, which is the source of energy needed for practitioners to practice. It is said to be an academy here, but it is more accurate to say it is a small sect.
And Xiruo explained: "The most basic condition for opening an academy is that it must at least meet the standards of the lowest sect, so it is not surprising that Yangming Academy is like this."
