Being an emperor is not something he can do, so he can only rely on his connections.

The sky gradually turned pale, and the light of dawn quietly spread across the earth. At this moment, the heavy city gate made a dull sound and was slowly pushed open by the soldiers guarding the city.

A soldier guarding the city looked curiously at the two men preparing to leave the city and said, "Hey, Patrolman Qian, it's only dawn now. Why are you leaving the city so early? And you're accompanied by such an elegant young man!"

Qian Ming responded seriously, "Stop talking nonsense! This man is the son-in-law of the Marquis's family. Don't be rude!"

However, another soldier guarding the city showed disdain and laughed sarcastically, "Haha, with your little ability, Qian Ming, you dare dream of getting to know the son-in-law of the Marquis's Mansion? What? Just because you read a few more crappy books, you think you're different and superior?"

Zhang Jingwei, who had been silent up to that point, could no longer suppress his anger. He stepped forward and righteously retorted, "My dear general, according to what you say, only uneducated people like you, who spend their days holding a broken wooden stick and only know how to bluff and intimidate others, can be considered superior, right?"

Upon hearing this, the soldiers guarding the city were so angry that their faces turned blue. They pointed at Zhang Jingwei's nose and cursed, "Hey! Where did you come from, you young brat? You have no right to interrupt here! Look at you, you poor fellow! You don't even know how to wash your face before going out. Don't tarnish those so-called sage books you read!"

Zhang Jingwei's eyes widened with anger, and he shouted, "Go and call your captain over!"

The soldiers guarding the city sneered and said contemptuously, "Humph, who do you think you are? Can you see our commander just because you want to?"

Qian Ming, who was standing by, saw this and quickly advised, "Master Zhang, calm down. There's no need to bother with these rough people."

Zhang Jingwei snorted coldly, ignored the two soldiers guarding the city, turned around and left.

……

Although the mountains and forests outside Yunzhou City do not have magnificent mountains and green waters, they have a unique charm.

As you step into the forest, the fragrance of flowers hits you, the aroma of various wild flowers makes you intoxicated. The sound of insects chirping comes to your ears one after another.

Qian Ming said that this kind of wild flower only blooms at night, and it all retracts once the sun comes out. Sometimes it will bloom on rainy days, but the fragrance is much less.

Walking along the path, there is soft grass under your feet and butterflies dancing among the flowers from time to time.

Although the scenery here is ordinary, the fragrance of flowers and the chirping of insects do have some healing effect. When Zhang Jingwei was in the company, he had rhinitis and his nose was uncomfortable, so he wanted to sneeze when he smelled these flowers.

But now he was greedily breathing in the air around him. Yunzhou was still a little humid in the morning, and with the fragrance of these flowers, he felt that the air was sweet.

After walking for almost an hour, the sky was completely bright. The sunlight shone through the gaps between the leaves, forming mottled light and shadows, giving people a warm and peaceful feeling.

Qian Ming panted heavily, wiped the sweat from his forehead with his hand, and said to Zhang Jingwei, who was calm and composed beside him, "Master Zhang, look, the top of the mountain ahead is Yunding Temple. But we have rushed all the way here, how about we take a rest at the foot of the mountain first?"

Zhang Jingwei nodded slightly and replied, "Well, that's very good."

The two slowly reached the foot of the mountain, where they saw a simple pavilion. Made of hay, it looked rather shabby. As they stepped inside, a strong musty odor instantly hit their noses.

Qian Ming couldn't help but frown and explained to Zhang Jingwei, "Master Zhang, you've probably never lived in a thatched hut like this. At this time of year, the humidity is so high that it emits such an unpleasant odor."

Not to mention a thatched hut, before coming to this world, Zhang Jingwei had never even lived in a tiled house. In 00, Zhang Jingwei lived in a commune compound. When he grew up a little, he moved into a house in a community. Even his grandparents' house in his hometown was built into a bungalow.

Zhang Jingwei suddenly asked, "Qian Ming, how much do you make a month?"

Qian Ming said honestly: "Although I'm just a patrol soldier, every month, in addition to salary, monthly allowance, there are some other subsidies, and I get two strings of cash!"

Zhang Jingwei frowned slightly, a hint of doubt in his eyes. After looking around, he lowered his voice and found a topic to talk about: "The Huangfu family is so rich, could it be that they are greedy for military funds?"

Qian Ming, standing nearby, was stunned upon hearing this, then a complex expression crossed his face. He hesitated for a moment before slowly speaking, "Well... well, the Marquis's wealth actually comes from many sources. But the majority of it is indeed connected to your Zhang family. Back in the day, when Master Zhang was alive, he provided a lot of aid to the Marquis, and the two families had a close relationship. However, since Master Zhang's misfortune, the Marquis has taken the opportunity to acquire much of the Zhang family's land and farmland at a low price."

Zhang Jingwei stared at Qian Ming with eyes wide open in disbelief, and asked, "How did you find out all this?"

Qian Ming sighed softly and explained, "To be honest, I once worked in the Household Registration Office in Yunzhou for a period of time. They were in charge of various household registration and land affairs, so I have heard some of these inside stories."

After saying that, he couldn't help but look at Zhang Jingwei again, as if he was worried that his words would cause too much emotional fluctuation in the other party.

Zhang Jingwei looked up at the sky and said slowly, "It's getting late. Let's hurry up and go up. To be honest, if such a chance really happens, I sincerely hope that Brother Qian will follow me. What do you think?"

When Qian Ming heard this, a look of surprise suddenly appeared on his face, and he quickly responded, "Yes, of course I am willing! I just don't know what kind of position the young master will assign me."

Zhang Jingwei smiled slightly, thought for a moment, and replied, "Just be my personal servant. However, I'm really short of money right now, and can only afford a monthly stipend of one guan. Is that okay with you? If I'm lucky enough to pass the imperial examination in the future, I'll definitely raise your salary."

Qian Ming's eyes flashed with excitement, and he immediately asked, "If the young master passes the imperial examination and becomes a Jinshi in the future, will you continue to give me a raise?"

Zhang Jingwei laughed heartily and answered readily, "If that day ever comes, I can certainly consider it!"

Hearing this, Qian Ming couldn't help but feel happy, but soon he looked troubled. He scratched his head and muttered, "That's really great, but... how can I quit this job in this barracks?"

Zhang Jingwei waved his hand and comforted him, "Don't worry about it. Just come up with me first and we'll talk about it later!"