At the beginning of the Qing Dynasty, there was a small village surrounded by mountains called Biquan Village. The people here make a living from farming, working at sunrise and resting at sunset. At the head of the village there is a dilapidated thatched hut where an orphan named Li Chang lives. His father died of illness at an early age, and his mother died when he was seven years old, leaving him alone.
Li Chang has clear eyebrows and beautiful eyes, and although his clothes are ragged, his bright eyes always reveal an indomitable spirit. He worked as a helper in the village in exchange for meagre food and shelter. Whenever night fell, he always sat on the stone steps in front of the door, looking up at the starry sky and fantasizing about the outside world.
Chang'er, did you help Lao Li's family carry water again today? Neighbor Aunt Wang asked kindly, carrying a bowl of hot polenta.
Yes, Aunt Wang, I can still help. Li Chang replied with a smile, took the polenta, and nodded gratefully.
You child, with a good heart, will surely come out in the future. Aunt Wang sighed, touched his head, and turned back to her cabin.
Li Chang has an optimistic and tenacious personality, and he never complains even when life is difficult. He believes that as long as he works hard, he will be able to change his destiny one day. And this belief will soon be verified.
On this day, Li Chang followed several elders in the village, pushed a cart full of eggs, and set foot on the road to the market. They plan to sell the eggs and exchange them for some silver taels to subsidize the family.
Chang'er, you have to take care of these eggs so that they don't break on the road. Uncle Li instructed, his eyes full of anticipation.
Don't worry, Uncle Li, I'll be careful. Li Chang responded while holding the car steadily.
However, as they made their way through the crowd and to the center of the bazaar, Li Chang's eyes were drawn to the colorful food stalls. Sugar gourd, baked cakes, tofu brain, ......All kinds of aromas came to his nose, and he couldn't help but swallow his saliva.
Uncle, can I go over there first? I'll be back soon. Li Chang pointed to the food stall not far away, his eyes flashing with longing.
Go, go, and remember to come back soon. Uncle Li waved his hand and agreed with a smile.
Li Chang hurriedly ran to the food stall, watching the stall owner skillfully stir-fry the food in the pot, and his heart was already happy. He took out what few copper plates he had, bought a bowl of steaming tofu brains, and devoured them.
At this moment, a commotion shattered his food dream. When I looked back, I saw Uncle Li and the others arguing about something around the car. Li Chang was shocked, and hurriedly threw down the dishes and chopsticks and ran over.
My eggs! How did my eggs crumble? Uncle Li shouted angrily.
It turned out that a group of mischievous children accidentally crashed into the car while playing, causing the eggs on the car to roll to the ground, none of which were intact. Li Chang looked at the mess in front of him, his heart was like a knife, he knew that he had a lot of responsibility for this accident.
Li Chang was speechless and faced the disappointed eyes of the villagers, and he decided to leave Biquan Village and wander alone. The prosperity of Guangling City is just a dream for him, and the reality is cold and cruel street life. He became a beggar, begging in the corners of the city every day for food.
One evening, when the street lights were on, Li Chang curled up in front of a dilapidated temple, clutching a broken bowl in both hands, and his eyes revealed a hint of despair. At this moment, an old beggar with a wrinkled face and ragged clothes came up and sat down beside him.
Young man, look at your skinny bones, come with me, and make sure you don't starve. The old beggar said in a hoarse voice, a gleam in his eyes.
Li Chang raised his head and looked at the old beggar who claimed to be surnamed Zhao, although he didn't believe it in his heart, hunger made him have no choice. "Uncle Zhao, can you give me something to eat? ”
Uncle Zhao smiled, took out a dirty steamed bun from his arms and handed it to Li Chang: "Eat this first, and then mix with me to ensure that you have something to eat." ”
A few days later, Uncle Zhao saw that Li Chang was smart and clever, so he decided to teach him some begging skills. During a small talk, Uncle Zhao took out an emerald green jade wrench from his tattered coat pocket and handed it to Li Chang.
Chang'er, this is for you, this is a treasure, you can keep it. Uncle Zhao said mysteriously.
Li Chang took the jade wrench, only to feel a warm finger. He carefully examined the jade artifact, and saw that it was translucent and beautifully carved, and seemed to hide an extraordinary story.
Uncle Zhao, is this really a treasure? Li Chang asked curiously.
Of course, but you'll have to discover its secrets for yourself. Uncle Zhao squinted his eyes, as if he was telling a mystery.
Over time, Li Chang learned many begging skills under the guidance of Uncle Zhao, but the fire of freedom in his heart was never extinguished. He longed to get out of this life under the fence and to be truly independent. One night, as he lay in the narrow alley, looking at the starry sky and pondering, a bold idea crept into his heart.
In the early morning of the second day, Li Chang found Uncle Zhao with a hint of determination on his face. "Uncle Zhao, I want to get out of here and go on my own. ”
Uncle Zhao narrowed his eyes and looked at him. "Chang'er, I shouldn't have stopped you, but people must know how to be content, since you don't want to follow me, return the wrench to me."
Seeing this, Li Chang had no choice but to say that he was not ready to leave.
Afterwards, he returned to his shelter, took out the rat poison prepared in advance, and carefully placed it in the trash can near the restaurant where Uncle Zhao frequented. He knew it was a bit despicable to do so, but for the sake of a rich life, he was still ruthless.
Sure enough, Uncle Zhao accidentally ingested rat poison without knowing it and fell to the ground. Li Chang took the opportunity to pack his bags, including the mysterious jade wrench, and hurriedly left Guangling City.
A few days later, Li Chang came to a pawn shop. He took out his jade wrench, looked at the sunlight carefully, and then walked into the shop.
Boss, I want to pawn this. Li Chang handed over the jade wrench.
The boss was a shrewd middle-aged man, and he picked up the jade wrench and looked at it carefully, with a look of surprise in his eyes. "Young man, this jade wrench is not simple, you got it from **? ”
It's something that I have passed down from my family. Li Chang lied.
After some bargaining, the boss finally agreed to buy this jade wrench for three hundred taels of silver. Li Chang held the silver in his hand, and his heart was both joyful and uneasy. He didn't know the true value of this jade wrench, and he didn't know what his future would hold, but at least for now, he had taken the first step to change his fate.
Li Chang, who had three hundred taels of silver in his hand, set foot on the way back to his hometown. His mood is complicated, both longing for the future and reluctance to the past. When he re-enters Biquan Village, he finds that his home is gone, replaced by a desolate ruin. The old thatched huts and the laughter of the neighbors were all reduced to ashes with a sudden fire.
Just as Li Chang was standing in front of the ruins blankly, his neighbor Zhang Quan came over. Zhang is tall and burly, with a simple face, and is a well-known hard-working man in the village. He patted Li Chang on the shoulder and comforted: "Chang'er, don't be sad, everyone misses you very much." No, my house is still there, so you can live with me first. ”
Li Chang looked at Zhang Quan's sincere face, and a warm current surged in his heart. "Brother Zhang, thank you, I will remember this kindness. ”
After Zhang's family settled down, Li Chang decided to rebuild his home with the money in his hand. He bought wood, bricks, hired craftsmen, and began to build new houses. With Zhang Quan's help, in less than two months, a spacious and bright new house was erected.
On the day the new house was built, Zhang Quan proposed to marry his daughter Zhang Guiying to Li Chang. Zhang Guiying has clear eyebrows and beautiful eyes, and a graceful figure, and is a famous beauty in the village. Li Chang had a good impression of Zhang Guiying, so he gladly accepted this family business.
On the day of the wedding, the whole village is immersed in a festive atmosphere. Zhang Guiying was wearing a red wedding dress and a phoenix crown, as beautiful as Chang'e in the moon. Li Chang was dressed as a groom, handsome and chic. The two got married in the church amid the blessings of everyone.
In the days after marriage, Li Chang and Zhang Guiying's husband sang and followed their wives, and they were very affectionate. Together, they run their family's fields and business, and their lives are prosperous. However, the good times did not last long, and Li Chang gradually became addicted to gambling and began to frequent casinos. At first, it was just for fun, but it soon fell into a situation from which he could not extricate himself.
As time passed, Lee's obsession with gambling deepened. Whenever night falls, he can't wait to rush to the casino, which is brightly lit and full of people, full of ** and adventurous atmosphere. The casino became a place for him to release stress and seek thrills.
Zhang Guiying is worried about the change in her husband. She gently took Li Chang's hand and persuaded: "Brother Chang, life at home is just getting better, you can't continue like this." ”
Li Chang always responded lightly: "Gui Ying, don't worry, I know how to measure." I just play with it occasionally. ”
However, the so-called "occasional" is becoming more and more frequent. Li Chang began to secretly use his family's savings to gamble, and even did not hesitate to borrow loan sharks to satisfy his gambling addiction. Whenever he won money and went home, he always said sweet words to his wife with a spring breeze on his face; And when he returned from losing money, he was miserable and didn't say a word.
Finally one day, Zhang Quan discovered Li Chang's gambling penchant. He angrily asked his son-in-law: "Chang'er, have you lost all the money in the family?" ”
Li Chang lowered his head, not daring to look directly into his father-in-law's eyes. His silence became the best answer. Zhang Quan sighed and said disappointedly: "I thought you would be a good husband and father, but I didn't expect ......."”
As a result, family conflicts intensified. Zhang Guiying left in tears after a quarrel and returned to her parents' home. Li Chang wanted to recover his wife, but was rejected by Zhang Quan. He returned home alone, looking at the empty room, his heart filled with remorse.
In the days that followed, Li Chang's gambling addiction worsened, and he began to sell his property, even the precious jewelry in his wife's dowry. His life plunged into endless darkness until he lost the last copper plate and was thrown out the door by the people of the casino.
Defenseless, Li Chang finally realizes his mistake, but everything seems irreparable. He knelt on the deserted street, his eyes blurred with tears, and his heart was filled with guilt for his wife and unborn child.
Li Chang wandered the streets for many days, and when he was hungry and cold, a richly dressed lady appeared in front of him. Her name is Liu Yunniang, she has a good appearance and a noble temperament, and she is followed by several maids and family members. She looked down at the down-and-out Li Chang, and a trace of complicated emotions flashed in her eyes.
Are you willing to make a deal? Liu Yunniang's voice was soft and powerful.
Li Chang raised his head, and there was a hint of confusion and longing in his eyes. "Madam, I already have nothing, what else can I deal? ”
Liu Yunniang smiled slightly and took out a silver ticket from her sleeve. "I am willing to give you a thousand taels of silver, but your wife Zhang Guiying must come to my house to give birth to a child for my husband. ”
This sudden proposal made Li Chang stunned. There were huge waves in his heart, on the one hand, he missed his wife and longed for money, and on the other hand, he adhered to morality and challenged his self-esteem.
Madame, I can't promise you. Li Chang spat out these words with difficulty, with pain and determination in his voice.
Liu Yunniang frowned, as if she didn't expect this beggar to refuse such a **. You have to think about it, this is your only chance. ”
Li Chang closed his eyes and took a deep breath, and when he opened his eyes again, he had already made a decision. "I'd rather starve to death on the streets than sell my wife. ”
Liu Yunniang stared at Li Chang, the indifference in her eyes gradually dissipated, replaced by an indescribable respect. "You're a good husband, I can help you once. After she finished speaking, she motioned to Jia Ding to give Li Chang some silver.
Li Chang took the silver and had mixed feelings in his heart. He didn't expect that in this cold world, there would be people who appreciated his persistence and principles. He used the money to regain his strength and began to work hard to earn money, hoping to make amends for his mistakes.
However, fate doesn't seem to let him go. By chance, Li Chang discovered that Liu Yunniang's husband turned out to be Uncle Zhao. It turned out that Uncle Zhao did not die because of rat poison, but changed his name and surname and became a wealthy gentleman. Li Chang, who knew all this, was furious, and he decided to settle accounts with Uncle Zhao. However, when he found Uncle Zhao, he had been waiting for a long time.
Li Chang was arrested and put in prison for theft, and in the cold and damp cell, Li Chang spent countless sleepless nights. His body is imprisoned, but his mind is teetering on the edge of free flight. He remembered the good times with Zhang Guiying, his family and friends, and the once hopeful self. Remorse and anger intertwined in his heart, but it also inspired him to have deep strength.
One morning, when the first rays of sunlight shone in through the prison window, Li Chang suddenly understood a truth: life is like chess, and every move is the result of his own choice. He decided not to run away, but to face his past and future bravely.
That's when a miracle happened. It turned out that Zhang Quan and Zhang Guiying had not given up looking for news of Li Chang. They learned the truth through various channels and spent a lot of money to rescue Li Chang.
Li Chang, who had regained his freedom, stood outside the prison gate and took a deep breath of fresh air. He saw Zhang Quan and Zhang Guiying, who had been waiting for a long time in the distance, and their faces were filled with happy smiles. Li Chang ran to them quickly and hugged them tightly. At this moment, his tears slipped silently.
Chang'er, let's go home. Zhang Quan's voice was full of warmth and tolerance.
Lady, I was wrong. Li Chang turned to his wife, his eyes full of apology.
Zhang Guiying gently held his hand and said in a coquettish voice, "Dead ghost, you're back." ”
Since then, Li Chang has changed his mind and become a new person. He no longer indulges in gambling and devotes himself wholeheartedly to his family life. He and Zhang Guiying farmed the fields together, took care of the old and young in the family, and although their life was ordinary, it was full of happiness and satisfaction.
As the years passed, Biquan Village once again regained its former tranquility and harmony. Li Chang's story became the talk of the villagers after dinner, and they learned from Li Chang's experience that he must be honest and use it to correct mistakes.
And Li Chang also deeply realized the truth of the cycle of cause and effect: good is rewarded with good, evil is rewarded with evil, it is not that there is no retribution, the time has not yet come.