mesbooks Chapter 139 Feng Yinglian; Niu Hulu, He Shen, and He Lin
Chapter 139 Feng Yinglian; Niu Hulu, He Shen, and He Lin
Feng Yinglian, courtesy name Jiliu, was a member of the Bordered Yellow Banner of the Han army of the Imperial Household Department.
In the tenth year of Qianlong's reign (1745), he was appointed prefect of Daming Prefecture.
One day, Feng Yinglian was on his way home after attending court. He encountered a family's dog barking at a young man. The owner not only did not stop the dog, but also said to the young man sarcastically: "You came here to borrow money, not to steal. Why did my dog bite you?"
The young man replied without fear, "If I were adorned with gold and silver, would your dog still smile at me?"
The young man implied that the dog owner looked down on others.
Feng Yinglian nodded repeatedly and thought: This young man may look young, but his reactions are very quick.
Looking more closely, I realized that there is such a handsome young man in the world?
The boy had eyes as bright as stars, eyebrows of eight colors, delicate and rosy skin, white teeth and red lips.
Although he is young, he is dignified and his every move is steady and generous.
Feng Yinglian couldn't help but be tempted, and sent his housekeeper to follow the young man and inquire about his background.
He himself also inquired about the young man's background from many sources.
Feng Yinglian learned that the young man was named Niu Hulu Shanbao and that he and his brother were studying in Xian'an Palace, so he went to Xian'an Palace whenever he had nothing to do to check the courses offered by the school and the students' learning situation.
The teachers in the school did not know Feng Yinglian’s intention and thought that he attached great importance to education!
Feng Yinglian instructed: Heshen and Helin's tuition and living expenses will be provided by him, so that the two brothers can study with peace of mind.
Feng Yinglian thoroughly investigated Heshen from many aspects.
It is believed that Heshen was not only outstanding in appearance, but also a rare talent.
He was proficient in Manchu, Chinese, Tibetan and Mongolian, and could recite the Four Books and Five Classics by heart, and he could also recite military books and strategies at will.
Calligraphy and painting are also outstanding.
Heshen had a very miserable childhood.
His father, Chang Bao, was an upright, honest and fair official. He worked hard for the country all year round and had no time to take care of his wife and children at home.
When Chang Bao was alive, he held an official position after all. Although his family's life was not rich, it was not poor either. However, after his death, because he had not accumulated any property, what was left to Heshen was a life of poverty and desolation.
After Chang Bao's death, Heshen's family lost its pillar and also its source of income.
The stepmother at home was not kind to Heshen and his brothers, often scolding and even beating them.
At this time, Heshen and his brothers were like lonely geese from a poor family, with no food or clothing. Their uncle and cousin were snobbish and looked down on those above them. They ignored family affection and would not help them at all.
Some of my father's colleagues were also cold-hearted. Not only did they not help them, they also laughed at and ridiculed them. Some even released vicious dogs to bite Heshen.
Heshen fell into the lowest point of his life and lived a miserable life. All he could do was endure it silently.
After my father passed away, our family's financial situation became increasingly worse, and my mother passed away shortly after giving birth to my younger brother Helin.
Poor Heshen and his brother were left alone, traveling from house to house and being looked down upon.
Fortunately, the housekeeper Liu Quan did not abandon the two brothers and tried every means to help them survive.
Although his family was poor, Heshen had lofty ideals at a young age.
He knew that only by studying could he succeed.
So, every morning at dawn, Heshen and Helin would get up to practice martial arts, and then study poetry and books together.
When they were ten years old, the two brothers were selected to attend the government-run Xian'an Palace School, which was open only to children of the Eight Banners.
It was the best school in the capital at that time.
But what about tuition? He Shen dragged He Lin and went from house to house with relatives, friends, and neighbors to beg for the money, enduring untold hardships and experiencing the ups and downs of life.