Bandit King

Author: Zhong Liancheng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-09-01
Features: Zhong Banxian was welcomed into the Zhang family. The eldest brother handed him a, the second brother poured tea, and Zhang Xingui then brought out several roasted sweet potatoes from the kitchen to feed him. After eating the sweet potatoes with large bites, Zhong Banxian quickly regained his energy and asked Zhang Xingui for the birth date and eight characters of the infant. Zhang Xingui reported the date truthfully and said with some pride, "This child of mine is truly extraordinary. When he was in the womb, his mother dreamed of a yellow snake entering her belly. This morning, he cried out loud, and his cries did not weaken for three consecutive hours. I believe this little fellow will have a bright future. Just as I was about to find an eight-character master, Zhong Banxian arrived at this very moment!"
Zhong Banxian ignored the rambling Zhang Xingui and arranged the birth date and eight characters of the newborn according to the four pillars and the eight trigrams. Then he frowned. The perceptive Zhang Xingui sensed something was amiss and asked, "Banxian, is there something bad about this child?" Zhong Banxian hesitated to speak. Zhang Xingui grew impatient and pleaded, "Banxian, just say whatever you have to say!"
"If I say it, I'm afraid you'll..." Zhong Banxian still hesitated. "I won't blame you. It's better if you hear it directly. Otherwise, I'll never be at peace for my entire life." Zhong Banxian finally gathered his courage and said gravely to Zhang Xingui, "Brother Zhang, your son is a demon dragon. In the future, countless living beings will suffer and die at his hands. I advise you to cut your losses and get rid of him early." He made a gesture as if to smother the child.
Zhang Xingui was shocked: "Are you speaking nonsense?"
"No, I'm telling the truth. Your son has an overwhelming aura of evil in his destiny. When he grows up, he will harm the people!" Zhang Xingui looked at Zhong Banxian and sneered after a long pause, "What are you, a mere half-immortal? You've just learned a few mad words and are scamming food from the villages! As the saying goes, even tigers don't eat their own cubs. Do you think I would really kill my own flesh and blood? Pah! Even if my son becomes a great thief, it would be a good thing. Our Zhang family in Shibebei has long been plagued by bandits. If he really becomes one, won't our family finally gain honor? Get out, stop your nonsense!"
Zhong Banxian was red-faced from being cursed and, as he left, still said, "If you don't believe me, in the future, this demon dragon will bring misfortune upon your family, and even the nine clans will be ruined. Then you'll regret it too late!"
Furious, Zhang Xingui picked up the dirty water used to wash the baby and poured it over Zhong Banxian's back.
Let's leave aside the idle chatter and say that Zhang Xingui finally had a child late in life, expecting some auspicious words. Little did he expect that Zhong Yizzi would demand he kill his son! Zhang Xingui chased Zhong Banxian away and asked an elderly relative in the clan who had some education to name the child. The old man flipped through a copy of the Kangxi Dictionary and a yellowed Zhang Clan Genealogy and named the child Zhang Yunqing. The clan name was conveniently chosen, and his alias was Jianheng.
As the saying goes, the poor raise spoiled children. Zhang Xingui and his family doted on Zhang Yunqing. Even when he was exhausted from working outside, the moment he returned home, he would still hold his son in his arms. He often told his older sons, Zhang Shunfeng and Zhang Shuqing, "Father is getting old. Who knows when I might kick the bucket? You must take care of your younger brother!"
One day, the younger brother caught a two-pound grass carp from the river. The older brother said, "We haven't eaten white rice in a long time. I think we should sell the fish and buy two liters of rice to have a good meal together as a family." But Zhang Yunqing insisted on eating the fish.
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