The journey of the only child of a peasant family to take the imperial examination

"It's all up to human effort; whether it's easy or not depends on how you do it," Zhang Ping'an said calmly.

Upon seeing this, Xiaoyuer smiled knowingly and asked, "Father, do you have a plan in mind?"

"That's right. I plan to have you temporarily resign from your post at court, using the excuse of the death of your young son and your grief. As long as you don't hold any official position, there's no question of you being transferred with me. It's only natural and reasonable for your family to accompany you. As for whether others believe it or not, or what they think, that's their business."

"This method is the one I decided on after careful consideration over the past few days, and it is also the simplest and quickest."

Little Fish understood immediately and pondered for a moment, "Father wants me to retreat in order to advance, and then find an opportunity to reassign me to a new position after we arrive safely, is that right?"

"This child is teachable, that's exactly right!" Zhang Ping'an stroked his beard with some satisfaction.

He paused, then continued slowly, "Now that the decision has been made, there's no need to delay. Tomorrow I will inform His Majesty of my thoughts and hand over the Tiger Tally. His Majesty has long intended to replace me, but he hasn't dared to say so openly because of my seniority and background. If I take the initiative to ask, he will most likely agree. The transfer is not difficult; the difficulty lies in getting us to where we want to go."

"Where does Father plan to go?" Little Fish asked, turning his head.

"What do you think?" Zhang Ping'an asked instead of answering, then lowered his head and began to drink his tea.

Little Fish knew his father was testing him, and after thinking for a moment, he analyzed:

Throughout history, the military governors of the three towns in Hebei have always been the most prone to rebellion and have the strongest and most powerful forces. These military governors have almost independent military, taxation, and appointment and dismissal powers, which has caused the court a great headache and has been the focus of the court's long-term attention.

The late emperor intended to weaken the power of these military governors, but many of them had followed him in his military campaigns, and they were also very pragmatic. Therefore, the late emperor couldn't be too blatant in abandoning them after using them. Thus, even now, the military governors of the three towns of Hebei still wield considerable power.

Zhang Ping'an put down his teacup and nodded in agreement: "You're right, but their strength shouldn't be underestimated. It also depends on the comparison. Compared to the previous dynasty, they're still far behind. The late emperor's policy of weakening the vassal states seems to have been very effective, and in the long run, it was even more brilliant. The tripartite balance of power is the most stable relationship. Although it allowed them to retain some strength, the three of them restrained each other, and none of them could do anything to the other."

At the same time, it would also make the Northern Golden Crow Khanate wary, allowing them to form a mutually supportive relationship with the Northwest Iron Cavalry, thus tying down the Golden Crow Khanate's forces and preventing them from acting rashly, thereby reducing border troubles.

“This place is indeed geographically advantageous, which is one of the reasons why the previous dynasty couldn’t find a way to deal with them and gradually allowed them to become a major threat. However, Father, since His Majesty has already become suspicious of our family and there is a rift between the emperor and his ministers, I’m afraid he won’t send you to such an important place, will he? Besides, this is not in line with your long-standing principle of moderation!”

Upon hearing this, Zhang Ping'an shook his head slightly, his tone indifferent: "Putting aside whether His Majesty would send me here, even if His Majesty were willing to send me to the three towns of Hebei, I still wouldn't want to go. The people there are typical thugs. I've had some dealings with them before, and they're not easy to get along with. Besides, they've been entrenched in the area for decades since the establishment of the new dynasty. It's difficult for outsiders to get a share of the spoils, so why bother making things difficult for myself!"

“Well, since we’re not going to the three towns of Hebei, Pinglu and Huaixi are also good options. They’re of medium to high strength and can be self-sufficient. As for the northwestern border towns, such as Shuofang or Hexi, although they have strong military forces, they are mainly used to defend against the Western Regions. Uncle Lin and Uncle Lin have already settled down there, so we don’t need to squeeze in with them.”

Finally, there's the southeast direction, such as the military governors of Huainan or Zhejiang West. Although the military strength in the southeast is not strong, the finances are rich. Historically, the military governors in the southeast have rarely rebelled; they are more likely to undermine the foundation of the state and embezzle taxes.

"Let me guess, Father, do you perhaps want to become the military governor of Huainan?"

“You’re half right,” Zhang Ping’an said without keeping him in suspense. “My first choice is the military governor of Huaixi, and my second choice is the military governor of Huainan.”

After saying that, Zhang Ping'an narrowed his eyes and said sharply, enunciating each word clearly, "It all depends on His Majesty's final decision."

He then looked at his son and said, “We’ll split up. Tonight, take the treasure map and this jade pendant and go to Zheng Ping in private. Ask him to put in a good word for us with His Majesty when the time is right. When he sees the jade pendant, he’ll understand what I mean. The transfer to the position of military governor is a big deal. He’s also in charge of gathering intelligence on the families of various ministers in the capital. No matter how incompetent His Majesty is, he will definitely ask for his opinion before making a final decision. Perhaps a few simple words from him can help us unintentionally.”

Looking at the jade pendant her father took out from a hidden compartment in the study, Xiaoyuer was somewhat surprised: "Father, isn't this the jade pendant that the late emperor bestowed upon you when you came of age? It even has your name engraved on it. Isn't it a bit... a bit risky to just give it to Zheng Ping like this?"

Zhang Ping'an didn't speak upon hearing this. He held the jade pendant in his hand and rubbed it for a while, feeling somewhat reluctant. In the end, he sighed and carefully pushed the jade pendant to his son, instructing him, "Keep it safe. I can't be sure it will work, but let's give it a try!"

"Although Zheng Ping appears to have no connection with other factions or forces in the court, and he doesn't usually like to socialize with others, living a secluded life and hiding in the shadows, he is extremely loyal to the Great Zhou royal family. If the court needs him, he will be the first to step forward."

I asked you to give him the jade pendant for two reasons. First, I wanted him to help me out of respect for the late emperor. Second, I also wanted to give him leverage so he would know that my heart was the same as his. No matter when or where, I was someone the late emperor had promoted, and I was equally loyal to the Great Zhou Dynasty. Only in this way could he feel at ease.

As for the treasure map, that's just a bonus.

Xiaoyuer frowned slightly upon hearing this: "But wouldn't this expose our acquaintance with Li Mingxuan, the traitor who helped the King of Qin rebel?"

"That depends on how you talk to him," Zhang Ping'an said meaningfully.

Little Fish realized: "Father wants me to pin this on the Cui family?"

“Cui Ling never had good intentions. I was just adding fuel to the fire. It’s no wonder Zheng Ping got the credit.

Zhang Ping'an felt no remorse for framing Cui Ling, no matter how he did it. If he hadn't planned ahead, his grandson would probably have been reincarnated by now.