Strengthening And Building the Body As One
Idlers Note: Do people prefer brackets or parentheses for my editorial asides in the text?
It was another noon day. The great big sun up in the sky baked the tree leaves until they were slightly curled. The originally rambunctious dog had long moved to the shade under the tree as he hung out his tongue while looking at the chicken digging at the ground in front of him. The children of the manor got a taste of the sweet rewards yesterday so they impaled the toads with even more vigor today.
Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan who had just had milk also couldnt bear the fatigue of a young body and lay down to sleep side by side. Yingtao was, as usual, seated on her stool by the doorway nodding off. Mrs. Zhang-Wang[1]or rather Qiao-er, Zhang Xiaobaos motherbusied herself with the matters of the manor.
The steward strolled about, taking a mont to look in the front to see if there was anything that could affect the Little Misters sleep and in another mont going to the back again to where they were renovating the courtyard house to tell them to hurry while at the sa ti not to make too much noise.
After sleeping for 2 hours, Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan nearly simultaneously woke up. They opened their eyes to look around and after so discussion, prepared to exercise their bodies by first learning how to walk. Maybe it was due to them always being carried by people but they still hadnt learned how to walk yet.
I cant believe that your dad [modern][2] is actually a bookworm. Wang Juan jokingly said as she prodded Zhang Xiaobao.
A bookworm is good, too. As long as I can see him and know that thats my dad [modern] is fine. Yesterday, he actually spoke of the Analects[3] to . How would I know all that? Zhang Xiaobao recollected the appearance of his father that he saw yesterday. It wasnt false that his father was a bookworm but upon hearing his son say Dad, he still beca happy like any other ordinary person and at once hugged him while reciting the Analects.
The civil exams[4] of the Tang dynasty arent easy to pass. I dont know if your dad [modern] can succeed. Wang Juan was a bit envious of Zhang Xiaobao. Mainly because up until now, she still had not seen her parents of this lifeti. They actually didnt care after they had dropped her off with another family. She drank her milk together with Zhang Xiaobao from Mrs. Zhang-Wangs milk. It wasnt as good as she imagined. But who let her own mother not have any breast milk? They ntioned that while she was listening to them talk yesterday.
Wrong. The Tang dynastys civil exams are the easiest to pass. As long as your reputation gets out there and you find the right people, theres no problem at all. To , this point is not an obstacle, either. Even if I were to use money to smash it, Im going to smash out a great golden road for my dad [modern]. Hearing them talk yesterday, your parents will co here today. At that ti, dont be shy. When you should call Mom, say Mom; when you should call Dad, say Dad. Zhang Xiaobao was confident that he had a few tricks up his sleeve when it ca to promotion.
My own Dad [modern] and Mom [modern] are still living and Im now going to have to call sobody else Dad and Momits all your fault. Wang Juan complained out of habit.
Are you Xianglin Sister-in-law?[5][6]
Just comnting isnt okay? Dont assu that by lying together with you that Ill marry you in the future. Maybe Ill find soone even better! Humph! Wang Juan started retaliating.
Zhang Xiaobao gave Wang Juan a once over and sighed: You old maid, 30 years old and you still never even had a boyfriend. Youre childishly acting out with now but how old are you? Find soone else? Find soone else who can treat you like I do? This is the Tang dynasty. No matter how open and free it is, its still a misogynist patriarchy.[7] Ill take a bit of a loss herewho let cause you to arrive here?
Shut up. Go down faster! Wang Juan obviously didnt want to hear Zhang Xiaobao speak like this and urged him to get down.
Zhang Xiaobao poked his head to look down from the couch to estimate the height. He said with a bit of uncertainty: So high. If I go down, I might fall. Also, Ill accept it if I fall going down but what about you? Werent we going to practice walking together?
You stupid? You go down and then catch from below. Ill jump on top of your body. Theoretically, you wont break from the fall. Youre fat and plump so be a at cushion. Go down quickly. Dont give any excuses. You can jump 15 ters straight down unhard and climb up 9 ter high walls bare-handedhow can you be afraid of such a height? Wang Juan vigorously pushed Zhang Xiaobao toward the edge of the couch.
Zhang Xiaobao constantly took deep breaths as he adjusted his own condition. Seeing that he was nearly at the edge, he looked back and said: How about we practice a bit on the bed right now? All right, all right. Well practice on the ground. Dont push. Ill go myself. So then, Ill turn around and slide down. Youll try your best to pull from up top. Calm down. Even if you let die from the fall, you still wont be able to go back.
As Zhang Xiaobao spoke, he first let his two little legs dangle down from the couch as he grabbed Wang Juans little hand with his own. While he slowly scooched down bit by bit, he grumbled: What is this? Yingtao should consider that no matter how big the couch is, children still have to turn their bodies. What to do if we fall? Doesnt she know to get sothing to block it?
Whose child have you seen that can flip their bodies over at this age? When they wake up and see no ones around, the first thing they would do is to cry. Wouldnt Yingtao know with one cry? You wait first. Were both being foolish. Get up. Help throw this blanket down. It can buffer us a bit. Wang Juan tightly grabbed Zhang Xiaobaos hand as she suddenly thought of an even better way.
Zhang Xiaobao climbed back up again and threw things down together with Wang Juan. The blanket was directly flung while the two of them kicked at the matting until there was finally a layer of padding below.
With a flip of his body, Zhang Xiaobao went down first. Looking up to gaze at Wang Juan who was watching from the sidelines, he lip-spoke: Its a bit jarring but its still fine. You, co down.
Wang Juan verified that Zhang Xiaobao really had no problems and then followed with a twist of her body to get down. Her mouth split in a grin when she landed on top of the matting. When she wanted to get up, Zhang Xiaobao held her down: Dont move. First, let the internal organs settle a bit and after a while, lean on the couch to circle around.
Wang Juan obediently waited for a mont before then slowly clambering up and holding hands together with Zhang Xiaobao, they both circled around the couch. If they found any instability beneath their feet, they would lean on couch for support. They had an awareness of balance but it was a strain for their leg muscles to support them. Fortunately, the both of them were the type who had endured hardship before.
Yesterday, you said there was a way to let other people trust us and do things according to our wishes. How do we proceed? Having already walked around the couch 3 tis, Wang Juan asked Zhang Xiaobao as she moved her little legs in steps.
Simple. As long as we can talk, well have a reason. Find 2 people to take care of just us. Then, I can trickno, guide them into feeling that they should do what we say. On this point, I feel that there are no problems. You have to trust . Zhang Xiaobao was also striding forth with effort while he spoke.
The both of them were like they were on a stroll, chatting about what would happen afterwards as they circled the couch again and again. It wasnt until they were a bit dizzy that Wang Juan suggested: Lets go outside to walk. Its good for children to get so sun. Otherwise, well have a calcium deficiency if were always indoors.
All right. Used to walking now so we can change places. Lets first wake Yingtao up. Zhang Xiaobao agreed.
Why call her? What if they wont let us go out? Wang Juan wanted to sneak outside.
If you want her to die in front of us, Ill sneak outside with you. If my mom [modern] discovers we rolled off the couch and then, even went outside by ourselves without Yingtaos knowledge, do you think shed get beaten to death?
Unh, the possibility of that is bigespecially in this kind of ti period. If a capitalist will go ahead even though theyre risking the gallows when there is 300% profit, then they would at least do their best to minimize the danger and hide. But if a mother discovers their child was in danger, then she wouldnt even think of hiding in the end. Lets go wake her up.
Wang Juan thought for a bit before approving of Zhang Xiaobaos proposal.
Once the two of them reached an agreent, they held hands while walking toward the side of Yingtao who was still nodding off. Zhang Xiaobao reached out to gently push Yingtao. When Yingtao abruptly opened her eyes in shock, he said: [Older] Sister[8] Yingtao, take us out to walk.
Zhang Xiaobao had already done his best to use a moderate tone of voice when speaking but it didnt change the result one bit. Upon hearing these words, Yingtao imdiately jumped up in fright. When she saw Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan again, she trembled as she asked: Youhow did you get down?
After saying this, Yingtao couldnt care about anything else and directly ran over to where the couch was. With one look, she understood that the two children had actually pushed the mat down. How was this possible?
Little Mister, Little Miss, how did you run down here? Deftly replacing the matting, Yingtao didnt even know what to say as she knelt down in front of the two children, wrinkling her brow as she spoke.
Go out to walk. Zhang Xiaobao really didnt wish to speak any more. Pointing outside with his little finger and heedless of Yingtaos expression of surprise, he held Wang Juans hand as they leisurely wobbled out.
This scared Yingtao into holding the two children close. She was about to send them back but Wang Juan was angry now. She said to Yingtao: Go out. Go out.
She actually wanted to say even more but she was also afraid of causing unnecessary trouble so she could only express her thoughts with such brevity.
Seeing the furious eyes of the two children, Yingtao was finally scared. She feared the two children saying even more things, especially if they spoke of them to the Mistress. Thinking for a while, she compromised and walked outside while carrying the two children.
Once outside, Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan struggled to get down on the ground. Under Yingtaos nervous gaze, they held hands while slowly sauntering under the sunlight.
Yingtao, why did you lead Baolang and Juan-Juan out here? Just when Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan were enjoying the sunlight, a voice suddenly appeared. Startling Yingtao with a jolt, she looked at the two children walking there, not knowing what she should say.
Walking into the courtyard, Mrs. Zhang-Wang had just finished telling off Yingtao when suddenly as if discovering a miracle, she pointed at Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan and said to a man and woman at her side: In-laws, look quickly! Baolang and Juan-Juan can actually walk!
There was no need for her to say so as the two people were also watching the two children with hand in hand walk back and forth there.
[Older] Sister, reallythey really can walk! Yesterday, I heard the people that [Older] Sister sent say that they could speak. I cant believe that today they can actually walk. Look, even though theyre so small, they know to hold hands as they walk. That woman also excitedly spoke, wanting to get closer but also afraid of disturbing the two childrens walk.
Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan naturally heard these voices. They glanced down at their upraised hands wanting to explain that they were only holding hands to maintain each others balance but they basically didnt know what to say.
While Yingtao didnt know what she should do, Mrs. Zhang-Wang finally spoke: Yingtao, not bad. You were able to lead Baolang and Juan-Juan to learn to walk. A reward.
After saying this, she once again took out a wooden piece to throw toward Yingtao. Once she caught it in her hands and saw the words on it, Yingtao ended up in a faint. Written on it was 20 wen [ was the basic currency unit of ancient China with one copper coin playing the equivalent role of a dollar. Im translating it with the pinyin because the value of the wen was so variable over the ages and using the translation of cash might sound too generic as a word for use as a specific unit and add to reader confusion.
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