Mortal Mirror

Li Ergou was eating meat and drinking with Dabaixiang and Xiwa, celebrating their becoming constables, when he saw a large group of people walking from afar. These people were pushing carts, carrying baskets, and shouldering packages, numbering dozens.

Before they got close, he saw that the guys at the front of the crowd were none other than Tiedan, Sizi, Old Wangba, and someone he was quite familiar with, the landlord's big black dog. He had thought that this fellow had died long ago.

The rest of the people were all villagers from Wanglong Village.

He was puzzled as to how these people had found their way here. Before he could think too much, he heard the people over there shouting happily, "I knew it, Ergou would be successful. Look at his big yard, how grand it is, almost like the landlord's back then."

"Yes, yes, I watched Ergou grow up. That child suffered a lot when he was young. You don't know how much my heart ached for him back then. But the landlord's family was powerful, and we could only stare blankly, not daring to say a word."

Everyone came to the yard's entrance, chattering away. Seeing so many fellow villagers, Li Ergou's face looked a little unhappy. It's said that when you become successful, you should go home and show off, otherwise, it's like wearing brocade at night.

However, his situation was different. Among these villagers, some hadn't helped him much when he was a child, and instead, looked down on him more often.

Even so, with Li Ergou's personality, he couldn't directly chase people away, so he could only look at the villagers with a dark face and say, "Why are you all here? What's the matter?"

Many villagers were slightly embarrassed seeing Li Ergou's indifferent look.

At this moment, an old woman rushed to speak, "Ergou, I'm your second aunt's mother. You may not recognize others, but you must recognize me. This time, I came specifically to see you, bringing you many delicious local specialties."

"I'm your third aunt, just here to see you."

"I'm your second uncle, Ergou, we can't forget our fellow villagers when we become successful."

As they spoke, they didn't care whether Li Ergou agreed or not, and pushed open the door, constantly unloading things from the baskets and carts, such as sour dates, crisp pears, and large wotou. They were indeed local specialties from Wanglong Village.

Seeing this scene, Li Ergou knew in his heart that these guys were up to no good, and he didn't know what they were plotting.

When he was at the landlord's house, he didn't see them treat him like this. They all looked at him with disdain. If they had treated him like this back then, why would he have been hungry every day? Li Ergou wasn't a saint, and he felt some resentment in his heart.

After pondering for a moment, he asked suspiciously, "What exactly do you want to do? It's better to say it directly. If I can help, I will definitely help. If I can't, don't make things difficult for me."

As soon as he finished speaking, he heard an old voice say, "Everyone, make way, I'll talk to Ergou for a few words."

As soon as these words came out, the crowd immediately separated, and they saw a tall and strong young man pushing a small cart from behind the crowd. In the small cart was a hunched old man. Seeing this old man, Li Ergou couldn't help but feel a little different.

This person was none other than Old Mantou, who had given him a lot of spiritual strength when he was a child.

If it were someone else, he definitely wouldn't have a good face, but this Old Mantou had helped him a lot and told him many great principles, which made him understand many things he didn't understand.

Time flies, and now Old Mantou looked like he was about to die, looking like he wouldn't live much longer.

Old Mantou was pushed to Li Ergou, looking at Ergou with a loving face and said, "Ergou, you've become successful. Third Grandpa didn't expect you to have this day, it's really good, really good."

Li Ergou came to Old Mantou and said, "Third Grandpa, you're so old, why don't you stay at home and join in the fun?"

Old Mantou chuckled and said, "Because I know, if I don't come, these people will come in vain. I thought, maybe you can give me some face and show some consideration, right?"

Li Ergou felt helpless in his heart. Since ancient times, it has been difficult to repay human favors. He could only smile bitterly and said, "What exactly do you want to do? You have to let me know, right?"

Old Mantou sighed and said, "This year, there has been a drought, and the harvest has been greatly reduced. It's not easy to live at home. It doesn't matter to us old guys, we can survive anyway.

But what about these young people? They all have big stomachs and can eat a lot. Their families can't feed them, so we shamelessly come to ask you to find them a job that can provide food. Our Wanglong Village children are not afraid of hardship or fatigue, just do your best.

Besides, fighting requires brothers, and war requires fathers and sons. Everyone is from the same village, and you know their backgrounds, so you can use them with peace of mind, right?"

Li Ergou was speechless hearing Old Mantou's words. Now he understood that these people were actually asking him to find them jobs.

Did they really think he was omnipotent? He immediately darkened his face, thinking that Old Mantou was making him uncomfortable.

When he was hung on a tree by the landlord and beaten for three days and three nights, why didn't he see these people come to help?

Now they're coming to take advantage of him. Didn't they feel it was too late? Thinking like this, he was filled with anger.

Old Mantou, seeing the change in Li Ergou's expression, calmly continued, "Ergou, the past is the past, the past is like smoke, floating away.

You are a person who achieves great things, so your heart should be broader, like the sea accepting all rivers. In any case, Wanglong Village is also your root. If you don't help them, who will?

Give Third Grandpa some face, and our Wanglong Village will enshrine your memorial tablet in every household in the future, so that you can be remembered in history, right?"

This Old Mantou, his mouth is good at talking, explaining the great principles to you clearly. In fact, many of these young people were Li Ergou's playmates when he was a child. After all, everyone was poor, and they didn't bully Li Ergou.

Of course, not everyone in Wanglong Village was indifferent. There was also Third Grandma, who had given him a meal, Sister Zhang, who had helped him, and Uncle Wu, who had given him a pair of straw sandals.

Looking at the eager eyes of everyone, Li Ergou couldn't help but think of his own misery in the past. The taste of hunger was not good.

He could see that Slim Monkey was even thinner, and Big Ox only had a skeleton left, with no meat on his body. Everyone's face was pale and gray.

It seemed that they really suffered a disaster and couldn't eat enough. He couldn't bear to watch them starve to death, after all, his heart wasn't that hard.

Perhaps, as Li Zheng'an said, there are many obsessions in life. Once you let go of one, you'll be free from all. The past is already the past. To be honest, he didn't really hate them, he was just very unhappy with them.

Li Ergou was not a petty person. He was carefree, otherwise, he would have been angered to death even if he didn't starve.

Most importantly, he still had to listen to Third Grandpa's words. After all, this old man had been kind to him, and he had always repaid kindness with a spring.

After struggling in his heart, he nodded and said, "Okay, Third Grandpa, today I will give you face. The yamen does need some extra staff, with two taels of silver a month. If you are willing, stay. But I'll say the ugly things first. If anyone embarrasses me, they'll be kicked out immediately."

Old Mantou's face showed a smile, and he laughed and said, "I knew it, your heart is broad, otherwise, you wouldn't have reached this point today. Old Mantou is the best at judging people, Ergou, you will definitely achieve great things in the future.

Wanglong Village's little brats, today, I want to tell you that if you want to stay, you must not lose the face of our Wanglong Village, and you must not embarrass Ergou, otherwise, you will be removed from the village and become lonely ghosts."

As soon as these words came out, the young people of Wanglong Village patted their chests and said that they would definitely work hard with Li Ergou.

Looking at the poor fellow villagers, Li Ergou couldn't bear it and gave them some food to take back, which made those people very happy. They were grateful and said that after returning home, they would definitely build a memorial tablet for Li Ergou and worship it every day.

Li Ergou was speechless in his heart, thinking that he wasn't dead yet, and they were cursing him to die sooner. But it was better not to reason with these people, let them do whatever they wanted.

However, Li Ergou was not a living Bodhisattva, just an ordinary person. No matter how kind he was, he had a bottom line.

Li Zheng'an also told Li Ergou a famous saying, your kindness should also have some edge.

For example, that uncle, Li Da Nao Dai, he stole one of his sweet potatoes and was beaten half to death. The descendants of such people were not good people, and he would never help them. And that third aunt, who wouldn't even give a bowl of water, still had the nerve to ask for help. Go dream your spring and autumn dreams.

Li Ergou was also a person who clearly distinguished between love and hate. Don't bully people too much. In this way, after picking and choosing, he left thirteen young people who were close and familiar with him. The remaining people looked at Li Ergou eagerly, but Li Ergou hardened his heart and refused.

After sending everyone away, looking at the remaining thirteen young people, Li Ergou wondered how to make good use of these people.