Ming Dynasty During the Jiajing period, there were two families in Shanxi Prefecture, one of which was surnamed Zhang, and the male protagonist was named Zhang Youcai. His ancestors have been farmers for generations, and Zhang Youcai has no money and no ability. He has followed his father to do farm work since he was a child and makes a living by farming.
Another family's surname is Li, the male protagonist is named Li Baoku. His father is a carpenter. With this skill, the Li family's life is pretty good. Later, Li Baoku, who grew up, learned woodworking skills with his father. Two years later, Li Baoku also became a carpenter, and his life was several times better than Zhang Youcai.
Zhang family and Li family are separated by a wall. Although the family backgrounds of the two families are somewhat different, the two families are friendly for generations, help each other and have a close relationship.
Zhang Youcai is about the same age as Li Baoku. The two have been playing together since childhood and are as close as brothers. When the Li family was short of staff, Zhang Youcai went to help and never paid any wages.
And the Zhang family has carpentry work, and Li Baoku also went to help. Of course, he never received wages. Everyone in the village knew the relationship between the two families and envied them very much.
When Li Baoku was 35 years old, his father Li Zongshan contracted evil cold when he went home from work. After he got home, Li Zongshan fainted and stayed in bed since then.
Li Baoku went out to seek medical treatment many times. The doctor has hired a lot and prescribed a lot of decoctions, but his father's illness has not improved at all.
The originally worry-free home, because of taking medicine for his father, his savings were quickly emptied. Li Baoku looked at his unconscious father and couldn't help crying softly.
It’s a coincidence that this scene happened to be seen by Zhang Youcai, who came to visit.
"Brother Treasure House, why are you crying at the door of the house if you don't go to serve your uncle?" Zhang Youcai asked in surprise. Li Baoku wiped his tears, looked up at him, and whispered, "Brother Youcai, I won't hide it from you. In order to treat my father, I have spent all my savings at home. How can I hire a doctor?" After that, Li Baoku lowered his head.
Zhang Youcai realized after hearing this. He thought for a moment and said, "It's important to treat uncles and uncles now. Brother Treasure House, don't worry too much. I still have some money at home. I'll bring it to you now!" As he said that, Zhang Youcai turned around and left.
Li Baoku grabbed his hand and said, "Brother Youcai, I appreciate your kindness, but your family is not rich. If I give me the money, I can't give it to you for a year or two. You should keep it for your own use, so let my father ask for more blessings!" After saying this, Li Baoku's tears fell again.
"Brother, our two families are like relatives. Now that uncle is ill in bed, you have no money to treat him, how can I not save me as brother? Don't say much, I'll come when I go!" After that, Zhang Youcai shook Li Baoku's hand and left quickly.
When Zhang Youcai arrived at home, he said to his wife Wang: "I just went to visit Uncle Li and found that the brothers in the treasure house were crying for the money. We can't sit idly by and help him!"
"Cry for the money? Could it be that he has no money?" Wang asked.
"That's right! I'm as close as brothers, my ancestors have been friendly for generations, so I can't ignore you?"
"I know, but we are farmers and can't save much money in a year. Our family only has more than ten taels of silver, which is for our son to marry a wife!"
Zhang Youcai frowned after hearing this. He thought about it. After a moment, he said, "Saving people is important now. I will give these silver to the Treasure Core brothers first. It will take a few years for our son to say goodbye. When the Treasure Core brothers are rich, he will definitely return it."
"Okay! But, brothers will settle the score clearly. Please let the Treasure Core brothers establish a document so that they will not be too irrelevant in the future."
"Okay!"
Wang said that, and turned around to get the silver. Zhang Youcai took the thirteen taels of silver and hurried to the Li family.
"Treasure House Brother, there are thirteen taels of silver here, you can use it first!" Zhang Youcai stuffed the silver to Li Baoku while speaking.Li Baoku was so grateful that he immediately knelt on the ground to thank him. At this time, Li Baoku's wife Zheng walked out of the house. Seeing Zhang Youcai holding the silver in her hand, she naturally understood what was going on. She also knelt on the ground and began to thank Zhang Youcai.
Zhang Youcai saw his brother and sister-in-law performing like this, how could he have the nerve to mention the matter of establishing a document?
"Forget it, based on my relationship with the treasure house brothers, he will definitely not be able to pay the debt!" Zhang Youcai thought about it and helped the two up.
"Brother, sister-in-law, if you can help, just speak up."
"Thank you, brother, I will never thank you for your kindness, I will repay you in the future!" Li Baoku said crying. Zhang Youcai couldn't stand it and turned around and left.
After that, Li Baoku went out to seek medical treatment for many days, but Li Zongshan's illness still did not improve. Li Zongshan, who was unconscious, still drove away a month later. Zhang Youcai wore mourning clothes and gave a funeral with Li Baoku.
After seeing this, the villagers all sighed: "Although Zhang Youcai is poor, he has paid money and worked hard to help Li Baoku. Now he is wearing mourning clothes and mourning. It is really rare to be able to make such brothers!"
"Yes! It is said that in order to help the Li family, Zhang Youcai lent all the savings in his family to Li Baoku, which is enough for thirteen taels of silver!"
"Zhang Youcai is really a chivalrous person! It is really admirable!"
The villagers expressed their opinions, and the villagers also knew about Zhang Youcai lending money to Li Baoku.
Li Zongshan has been buried in peace, and the life between the Li family and the Zhang family has not yet ended. What happened next has caused a stir in the relationship between the two families.
The second year after Li Zongshan's death, one night, Wang and Zhang Youcai chatted: "Husband, Brothers of Treasures have never mentioned repaying the money, and they did not make any documents at that time. I have been uneasy recently. Tomorrow you will talk about money with Brothers of Treasures. If he has it on hand, repay some first. Our family also needs money to live!"
"Okay, I will talk about this with Brothers of Treasures tomorrow. Don't worry, Brothers of Treasures will not be able to pay the debt." Zhang Youcai said with a smile.
The next morning, Zhang Youcai went to Li Baoku's house after breakfast. At this time, Li Baoku was having dinner. When Zheng saw him coming, he hurried forward to say hello.
"Brother, I came here so early, what's the matter?" Li Baoku asked. Zhang Youcai smiled and said, "Your sister-in-law wants to use money these two days. I'll come and ask you. If you are rich, I'll give me some first." It was natural, but Zhang Youcai's attitude was very peaceful, but what surprised him was that Li Baoku turned against him and refused to admit his conspiracy!
"Brother Youcai, what are you saying? When did I borrow money from you?" Li Baoku said seriously, and Zheng, who was standing beside him, was also surprised: "Husband, you obviously took it that day..."
"You woman, don't be too talkative!" Li Baoku scolded his wife sternly.
"Treasure House Brother, Uncle Li was ill in bed, and you were worried about having no money to treat and burst into tears. I took out thirteen taels of silver to help you. Why did you deny it today? Besides, everyone in the village knows this!"
"The people in the village know? Who saw it? You let them come and confront you!"
"You..." Zhang Youcai was so angry that he shivered. Zheng, who was standing beside him, did not dare to speak too much, and kept sighing.
"Talented brother, if you have nothing to do, I will go out to work, I will lose my companion!" As he said that, Li Baoku picked up the tools and walked out of the house.
"Stop, if you don't explain it clearly today, don't leave here!" That thirteen taels of silver was a considerable amount of money for Zhang Youcai. Now that Li Baoku is lying to the debt, how can Zhang Youcai admit it? He shouted to Li Baoku.
"Brother Youcai, you and me have been in brotherly love for more than 30 years. If I take your money, why should I rely on the debt and not pay it back? But you made a fuss out of nothing. Isn't this a problem? What else can I say? Leave my house quickly!" Li Baoku said a little angry and arrogantly.
When Wang heard this, he started arguing and hurriedly ran over: "Brothers of Treasure House, behave in a conscience. Your father is sick, your brother and I help a lot. I took thirteen taels of silver and I were in charge of it. How could I frame you?" Wang said.
"Mrs. Sister-in-law, you gave it to Brother Youcai. Who knows who he gave the money to? I haven't received it anyway!" Li Baoku said.
"Husband, we can't be ignorant!" As soon as Zheng opened his mouth, he was slapped to the ground by Li Baoku. Zheng didn't dare to speak anymore.
"If I take your money and don't return it, then I will be a pig in my next life to repay you. What do you think?" Li Baoku said proudly. Zhang Youcai and his wife were so angry that they jumped up, so they had to go home first.
"Let's go to the yamen to reason!"
"How can I reason without any words? I asked you to establish words to be careful when I asked you to establish words to be careful. Who knew that you were so soft-hearted and didn't even establish words to be established." Zhang Youcai regretted not listening to his wife at the beginning, and now he lowered his head and didn't speak again.
As Wang said, how can I go to the yamen to reason without any statutory evidence? Zhang Youcai and his wife suffered a loss and did not go to the yamen. However, the villagers were indignant about this matter. They felt that Li Baoku did something wrong and was an ungrateful villain. Since then, the villagers have not interacted with Li Baoku, and even the Zheng family has been alienated by the villagers.
This time the waves quickly calmed down. The Zhang family and the Li family no longer had any contact. The villagers were still busy with their own affairs. Zhang Youcai went to work in the fields every day and saved money for his son to say goodbye. Li Baoku can make a lot of money by working outside with his skills.
And in the third year of this incident, once, when Li Baoku was working for a family, a main beam suddenly fell down and happened to hit him. Li Baoku died on the spot. Zhang Youcai, who learned about this, did not sleep all night, and when he woke up the next day, his eyes were very red and swollen.
And just half a year after Li Baoku passed away, one day, Zheng came to visit and handed Zhang Youcai five taels of silver. Zhang Youcai was a little surprised. Zheng said, "Brother Youcai, I know about your relief in the treasure house. I have eight taels of silver here. You can use it first. If you have it in the future, I will return it to you." After that, Zheng turned around and left.
Not long after, Zheng remarried and left the Li family. The Li family was abandoned from then on, and later the house was occupied by Li Baoku's nephew. The five taels of silver that have not yet been returned seem to have been wasted.
Early this morning, Wang said to Zhang Youcai, "I'll go to the field to work. You go to the town to buy a pig. When it's the end of the year, it's just slaughtered the meat."
"Okay, I'll go now!" After that, Zhang Youcai walked out of the house and walked towards the town.
When Zhang Youcai arrived in the city, he wandered around. He leaned against the south gate and happened to be an old man selling pigs there. Zhang Youcai walked over, but was deeply attracted by a little black pig.
"Old man, how do you sell this little black pig?" As soon as Zhang Youcai finished speaking, the little black pig rushed over and opened his mouth and bit him. Zhang Youcai was startled and hurriedly dodged back, but the black pig refused to give up and just chewed him around him.
"Come back!" The old man stood up and pulled the black pig back when he saw this.
"Sorry, this black pig was originally very gentle, but I don't know what happened today, please forgive me!" the old man said softly.
"It doesn't matter! How much are you willing to sell?"
"One tael of silver, how about it?"
Zhang Youcai looked at the little black pig, but found that he felt familiar, and a red mole on the black pig's forehead attracted him again.
"Red mole? Why is it exactly the same as Li Baoku's, and even the position is almost the same. And why is the black pig's face so similar to Li Baoku? Could it be that his poisonous oath that year came true?" Zhang Youcai looked at the black pig in front of him and couldn't help but think a lot. He felt more and more that this black pig must be Li Baoku!
Zhang Youcai said after considering it, "Old man, I bought this black pig!" After that, Zhang Youcai took out the silver and handed it to the old man. The old man took the silver and said with a smile, "This black pig is very docile. I will bite you today. Maybe I have some fate with you!" Zhang Youcai smiled after hearing this, and did not speak anymore. Then he carried the black pig home.
is strange. After the black pig arrived home, it became extremely docile. It never bites Zhang Youcai again, but on the contrary, it always followed Zhang Youcai's heel and refused to leave. What surprised Zhang Youcai even more was that the black pig would look at the Li family house on the other side of the wall from time to time. On several occasions, Zhang Youcai witnessed the black pig shed tears with his own eyes, which made Zhang Youcai even more determined: the black pig in front of him is Li Baoku!
Although Zhang Youcai has held a grudge against Li Baoku, Li Baoku has been punished now. Besides, Zhang Youcai chose to forgive and treat him kindly after thinking about the brotherhood of the two for many years.
For this reason, Zhang Youcai rebuilds a pigpen and carefully feeds the black pig with his wife. The black pig is very docile and has never been sick. By the end of the year, the little black pig was too fat to move. Zhang Youcai looked at the black pig and said reluctantly: "Brother, I know it's you. The New Year is approaching, and you will also fulfill your vow. Two days later, I will take you to see Butcher Wang and ask him to give you something to enjoy so as not to suffer."
Black pig looked at him and shed tears. A few days later, Zhang Youcai pulled the black pig to Butcher Wang's house, but Butcher Wang was surprised by the black pig in front of him. He has rarely seen such a fat black pig since he was a butcher. Afterwards, Butcher Wang talked with Zhang Youcai for a while, and later bought the black pig for six taels of silver.
Zhang Youcai took nine taels of silver and couldn't help but smile bitterly: "You owe me thirteen taels of silver before your lifetime, your wife returned eight taels, and the butcher Wang gave me six taels. The money is just enough! I hope you will be an honest and trustworthy person in the next life, and never repeat the same mistakes!"
Zhang Youcai couldn't bear to stay and left with the money. He had never talked about this matter with others, so let this matter turn into a breeze and slowly dissipate!
Statement: Folk stories are intended to promote traditional culture, use stories to understand the truth and convey positive energy. Please do not link them with feudal superstitions.
