The Devil's Tribulation

Pan Chengfeng had just walked out of the kitchen and looked at the meat in his hand. It was about 300 grams. It was really a lot. His mouth was about to drool. If I remember correctly, it seemed that he had only eaten meat twice since he came here, and Uncle Niu gave it to him. Just as he was thinking about it, he saw the fat butler (Pan) standing under the crescent gate, admiring the garden view. Pan Chengfeng's heart tightened at first, and he quickly hid the meat. Then he walked towards the fat butler as if nothing had happened and bowed, saying: "Hello, butler Pan, I have put the firewood in the kitchen, a whole bundle." Butler Pan didn't say anything, but just stretched out his fat hand and opened his five fingers. Pan Chengfeng also put the millet bag into the fat butler's fat hand. The fat butler weighed the rice bag in his hand, then looked at Pan Chengfeng, examined him up and down, and felt that there should be no place to hide anything, so he said: "If I find out that you steal things, be careful to break your dog legs!" Throwing the rice bag back, the fat butler walked away slowly with a big belly. After walking out of the back door, Pan Chengfeng breathed a sigh of relief and thought to himself: "Fortunately, I was smart and put the meat on my lower back, otherwise I would be in trouble and Liu Yuexin would be implicated."

Leaving the Pan residence, walking on the country road, watching the road from unfamiliar to familiar, Pan Chengfeng was in a state of confusion: "This is not a solution, but what can I do? What can I do with this body at this age? For more than a year, I have nothing except traveling through time and space to occupy this body. Both my parents are dead, and my family is penniless." As he thought about it, he arrived at the door of his home. A house built of wood, mud and straw. In Pan Chengfeng's eyes, it was a completely dangerous house. It felt like a slightly stronger wind could blow it down. Every time he closed the door, he didn't dare to use force, for fear that he would be buried. This was also the only property left to him by his cheap father. However, as I said, what can he do? Although it is a dangerous house, it is better than being exposed to the wind and sun outside.

Walking into the yard, there is a fence wall enclosing a square of about 100 square meters, and the dilapidated house is located in the middle. There is a cowshed on the left side of the dilapidated house, but there are no mice in it. There is a well in front of the fence, and on the right is the kitchen. In front of the kitchen is a stone table and four stone chairs. Pan Chengfeng walked to the well and drew a bucket of well water, picked up the water scoop and drank it in big gulps. Then he took out the rice bag and weighed it. He thought he could exchange it for more rice, but he didn't expect that the fat housekeeper would only give him one cup, which was about half a pound.

After washing the rice, he took a dark iron pot, poured the rice into it, and went to the kitchen to light a fire to cook. Picking up the piece of meat, he couldn't help but think of Liu Yuexin's face. He had seen it many times, but it seemed that he had never dared to look at it carefully. However, at a glance, she still looked pretty good. "It should not be fully opened yet. It will definitely be very beautiful in two years." Pan Chengfeng thought secretly: "Alas, the good cabbage has been eaten by pigs!" He had seen the son of Master Pan. His face was full of pockmarks. It was said that he had had smallpox, but he survived it. It is true that good people do not live long, and disasters last for thousands of years. He picked up the axe, divided the meat into three pieces, and threw it directly into the iron pot. There was not even a felt board at home, let alone a kitchen knife. If a thief came to his house, he would have to run away in tears.

After a while, the aroma of meat porridge wafted out. Pan Chengfeng sprinkled some salt into the porridge and covered the pot again. Then he fetched another bucket of water and washed his face and hands. Although the conditions are not good, we still try to pay attention to hygiene, otherwise if we get sick, it is almost the same as death. The pot was puffing, and the fragrance was getting stronger and stronger. Pan Chengfeng couldn't wait to chop it into big pieces! He picked up the iron pot and ran to the stone table to sit down. He suddenly stood up, ran to the kitchen, and took out a wooden soup spoon. Now he could have a good meal. After taking a bite, Pan Chengfeng almost shed tears. It was so delicious and fragrant! It felt like he had never eaten such delicious meat porridge in his two lives! After wiping the tears from the corners of his mouth, Pan Chengfeng finally ate his first meat meal of the year.

At night, Pan Chengfeng lay in bed, covered with a quilt that was almost completely cotton-free. This was bought by this body's parents when they got married, and it has been ten years now. After eating, he finally had time to think about the future. He tossed and turned, but couldn't think of any solution. If he continued like this, he might even starve to death, not to mention getting married. Thinking about the meat he had eaten today, he didn't know when he would be able to eat it again. He wanted to die, and sighed, "Well, since you have let me travel through time, then give me some basic equipment. I don't want an old grandfather, nor do I need a young lady. Just give me a strong body." Thinking of this, Pan Chengfeng's eyes suddenly lit up, and he said, "The strongest man in the village is Uncle Niu. I heard from the villagers that Uncle Niu had met a master before, who taught him some skills. Uncle Niu relied on the skills taught by the master to live a comfortable life in Panjia Village. Should I go and ask Uncle Niu for help?"

Thinking of this, Pan Chengfeng's heart warmed up, but after a breath, it cooled down again. He thought to himself, "Why would someone teach you the skills? Although he is usually very kind to me, and will share some with me when he kills big prey, he also has an elderly person, a wife and a daughter to support at home. If I just go there directly, will he be beaten out? After all, you want someone to teach you housekeeping skills. Oh, it's a headache, what should I do? How about trying it first? I really don't want to give up like this!" After thinking for a while, Pan Chengfeng's eyes showed determination: "Decision, try it tomorrow! If Uncle Niu is unhappy, I will apologize immediately." Having made up his mind, Pan Chengfeng covered his head with the quilt and fell asleep in a short while.

The next day, Pan Chengfeng was waiting at the entrance of the village early. After waiting for about 20 minutes, he finally saw Uncle Niu coming over with a bow and quiver on his back and a spear in his hand. Uncle Niu also saw him and greeted him with a smile: "Gou Wa, you got up early. Are you going to chop wood today?" Pan Chengfeng smiled awkwardly and said, "Uncle Niu, can firewood be exchanged for meat?" Uncle Niu laughed and said, "If firewood can be exchanged for meat, then I will go to chop wood too!" Pan Chengfeng stopped talking and said carefully: "Uncle Niu, I want to follow you to see how you hunt and set traps. It's amazing that you can catch such a big wild boar!"

Uncle Niu slowly put away his smile and looked at Pan Chengfeng quietly. Pan Chengfeng felt a little embarrassed by being looked at. He was about to apologize and slip away, but Uncle Niu suddenly said, "Do you want to learn hunting from me?" Pan Chengfeng was stunned for a moment, then nodded guiltily. Uncle Niu continued, "When your father first married your mother, he came to me and asked me to teach him hunting." Pan Chengfeng looked at Uncle Niu in disbelief. When he was about to say something, Uncle Niu continued, "However, I think he is brave, but his character is a little bad, and he has no patience. Such a person is not suitable to be a hunter. So I rejected him. Because of this, he quarreled with me for a long time."

At this point, Uncle Niu stopped and stared at Pan Chengfeng. Pan Chengfeng didn't expect that the cheap old man he had never met would dare to ask him to teach him skills. If he refused, he would still make trouble? Doesn't he know how much he weighs? Looking at Uncle Niu's burly figure, Pan Chengfeng broke out in a cold sweat. Although he had never seen that cheap old man, he certainly couldn't be bigger than Uncle Niu. Uncle Niu is 1.9 meters tall. Although he has a muscular body, his figure shows that he is extremely powerful. No wonder it is said that the damn old man is bold, but his character is not good. He is indeed bold enough to destroy himself.

After coming to his senses, Pan Chengfeng looked at Uncle Niu and said, "Uncle Niu, if you are embarrassed, forget it, I will continue to chop wood. In two years, when I grow up, I can also grow crops on the two acres of land at home." After that, Pan Chengfeng lowered his head and turned around. After walking for a long time, he did not hear Uncle Niu calling him. He was inevitably a little disappointed. Although he had prepared himself for being rejected, he still couldn't help being frustrated when it really came.

After returning home and sitting down to think for a while, he said, "Well, it seems that I still have to farm." Then he stood up and walked to the end of the village to his own field. Looking at the two acres of land, he wanted to cry but had no tears. There was not even a hoe at home. These two acres of land had not been moved since his cheap father was injured. Although it was called a field, it was actually no different from a wasteland. No one had taken care of it for several years. Pan Chengfeng said at a loss, "Do I really have to spend my days hoeing the fields in the hot sun? How can I marry a beautiful wife? Others who traveled through time and space were so happy that they got slapped in the face all the way, but it is so difficult for me to even survive? I have nothing! I was so moved that I shed three pounds of tears when I ate a piece of meat!"

He returned to the dilapidated house with a curse, and sat on the stone chair, thinking about what Uncle Niu said to him today: "Courage, character, and patience? Courage and character can only be known by observation. Although I often meet Uncle Niu at the entrance of the village, he doesn't understand me. Now I can only show him patience. Yes! That's right! How can it be done in one go? Liu Bei even visited thatched cottage three times! How can I give up in one go! Not only let him see my patience, but also let Uncle Niu see my determination!" Pan Chengfeng sat on the stone chair and kept muttering, saying no, no, and then yes, yes, yes. No matter how you look at it, it looks like he is mentally ill.

The next day, Pan Chengfeng arrived at the entrance of the village early again. Seeing Uncle Niu's burly figure, Pan Chengfeng suddenly wanted to retreat. With that figure and that big palm, he might fly away if he blew a gust of wind at him. But thinking of his future beautiful wife, he gritted his teeth and went forward: "Uncle Niu! I..." Before he finished speaking, he saw Uncle Niu walking straight past him. The wind brought by his speed almost blew Pan Chengfeng down.

Pan Chengfeng wondered, "Is he hiding from me? Or does he look down on me?" He thought about it all night, but nothing came of it! He gritted his teeth and said, "Okay! I'll fight you. I don't believe you treat me like a nobody every day!" Thinking viciously, Pan Chengfeng turned and walked towards the Red Mountains. If he didn't chop wood, what would he get in exchange for rice? The rice he exchanged the day before yesterday had been eaten up. Today, he had to chop wood and come back, and then go to Master Pan's house to exchange for some rice. Otherwise, how could he have the energy to fight Uncle Niu?

In the afternoon, Pan Chengfeng knocked at the back door of Mr. Pan's house as usual. Who knew that the person who opened the door was a middle-aged woman in her thirties or forties. In this era, there are a lot of grandmothers in their thirties or forties. Pan Chengfeng also knew this middle-aged woman. She was Chen Cuihua, the wife of the village chief Pan Dabiao, and also the sister-in-law of Mr. Pan. The village chief Pan Dabiao and Pan Dahu are cousins. The village chief is a good person, but this daughter-in-law is a bit snobbish and likes to take advantage. She often comes to Pan Dahu's house to visit, saying that she is a relative who comes to help. Today is Mr. Pan's son's birthday, and she saw the opportunity and came to the kitchen to help. Of course, she must take some meat and vegetables when she leaves.

Chen Cuihua glanced at Pan Chengfeng and said, "Who am I talking about? Isn't this the poor kid who lives at the end of the village? Look how dirty you are. We are hosting a banquet today, so don't come here to beg!" She was about to close the door. Pan Chengfeng quickly bowed and said, "Grandma, I'm not here to beg, I'm here to exchange for rice." She pulled the bundle of firewood behind her. Chen Cuihua looked at him with disdain and said, "They are a wealthy family, why would they need your little firewood? Go away!" She chased Pan Chengfeng out like a fly.

Pan Chengfeng thought he was going to starve today, when he suddenly heard a familiar voice: "Aunt Cuihua, who are you talking to? The kitchen is too busy, and there is not enough firewood. Hurry up and help." As she spoke, she walked over and saw Pan Chengfeng standing at the door. He was still so thin, and his clothes were as shabby and thin as before. Liu Yuexin looked at Pan Chengfeng and said, "The firewood just happened to be needed. Give me the rice bag and wait here for a while." Liu Yuexin took the rice bag and said, "The kitchen is too busy today, Aunt Cuihua, hurry up and help." Seeing Liu Yuexin walking into the kitchen with the rice bag, Chen Cuihua spat and followed in. Looking at Liu Yuexin's back, Pan Chengfeng felt an indescribable feeling in his heart. Discomfort? Touched? Inferiority? It seemed like all of them, but it also seemed like none of them.