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

"Yes, I want to go to the county and try selling lotus root powder, lotus seed cakes, lotus root juice and other things made at home. The cost is small and the profit is good. Anyway, I'm usually free at home anyway," Erya said generously.

Zhang Laoer nodded and said: "As long as you have a chance of success, that's fine."

San Ya's husband, Qian Yongde, came over and said with a smile, "Hehe, Second Sister, this is a good idea. Our town is still too small. If we want to make a fortune, we have to go to the county. Our brother-in-law is now a man of honor and renown, so we are not inferior to the people in the county. It just so happens that I also plan to go to the county to make a living. How about we arrange a time to go together?"

Erya rolled her eyes and scolded, "Who's going with you? I've heard in the village about you two selling water-infused meat at the market. Your second brother-in-law and I are going to the county to do business honestly. We won't use my name as your younger brother to do anything. You two better not hold us back and stay in town honestly!"

Qian Yongde cried out for injustice: "Oh, my second sister, those are all nonsense said by others. It is unfair. How could we do such a thing? I went to the county to do business honestly"!

San Ya chimed in, dissatisfied, "That's right, Second Sister, how can you say that? Are you the only one allowed to go to the county, but we can't? We are all my parents' daughters, so can my parents only help your family?"

Erya was a hot-tempered person, and upon hearing this, she was about to take action: "How can I be like you?"

Xu looked at the mess, slammed the table and shouted, "Shut up!"

Erya and Sanya finally quieted down and stopped talking.

Xu pointed at her two daughters and scolded them, "None of you are worry-free. As soon as your brother is a little better, you come up to him and want to peel his skin and suck his blood, right? As long as I'm here, you can't do that! And don't even think that your father and I will help you. It's good enough that we can marry you off peacefully!"

The more she spoke, the angrier she became. She even gave up the return gifts she had originally intended for her two daughters: "I've wasted all this good cloth on you two. It would be better if I gave it all to your grandparents." She then took out the cut material and placed it in front of Zhang.

Zhang Pingan stopped her, saying, "Mom, don't be like this. Everyone goes to the county. It's a good thing that my second and third brother-in-laws want to do business in the county. People should always look up."

Erya also complained: "Mom, I really didn't mean that. We were planning to go to the county after the New Year, but I never told you. How could I come here to suck the blood of my mother's family? Am I that kind of person?"

Liu Erge also hurriedly explained: "Mom, it's true, we produce lotus root starch at home, so we thought about setting up a lotus root starch stall in the county to make some money."

San Ya and her husband also quickly explained: "Mom, don't worry, why would we touch my little brother!"

Now, when Mrs. Xu looked at her two daughters, she felt that neither of them was worth much. As long as it concerned her son, it would become her Achilles' heel.

Zhang Laoer said in a deep voice, "Husheng, Yongde, your mother is a woman with little experience, so please don't be offended. But my words are blunt and true, and I have to say this upfront. You can go to the county, and occasionally ask your mother and I for help. We can't help you much, let alone lend you money. We have to take care of the safety of the family right now. He is about to take the college entrance examination, so he doesn't have the extra time to look after you."

They both nodded, "Dad, we understand."

Xu's mother and Daya were also trying to persuade her, but Xu was even more angry. After such a commotion, everyone could not stay any longer and left one after another.

Zhang Laoer and Zhang Pingan did not stay and sent the guests away in a gentle voice.

After the guests had left, Zhang said calmly, "Although the second family's actions may seem a bit unkind, as if they're afraid their daughter and son-in-law will take advantage of them, there are many relatives at home. What would you do if one asked for help today and another asked for help tomorrow? It's just that he just passed the Tongsheng exam, and it's still a bad idea. What if he passes the Xiucai or Juren exam later? Are you going to do things for them? Favors should be used wisely. Such trivial requests should be refused."

Zhang Laoer nodded: "That's what mother said."

Xu said angrily, "They are all debt collectors."

"Okay, Mom, don't be angry," Zhang Pingan advised.

After breakfast the next day, Zhang Laoer prepared to return to the county as his son had to go to school the next day.

Zhang called everyone into the main hall and said, "Since everyone is here today, I have something to tell you. Ping'an is the first person in our family to have achieved success through academic study, but the imperial examinations are very expensive. He will soon be going to the provincial capital to take the examinations. Your father and I have some coffin books, and we are going to give him 10 taels of silver to help him take the exam."

Zhang Laoer frowned and refused, "Mom, no need. We have enough money for Ping An's studies, and we have been saving money."

Zhang Ping'an also refused: "Grandpa and grandma, just eat and drink well at home, don't treat yourselves badly. There is still a long time before the college entrance examination. We have enough money at home for the exam, so don't bother. How can I ask for your funeral money?"

"Okay, stop arguing. Just take it if I give it to you. Don't think it's too little," Zhang said coldly. After that, she took out two small silver ingots from her arms and put them on the table, then turned around and went back to the bedroom.

Everyone in the main hall looked at each other in bewilderment. Zhang Laoda and Zhang Laosan hesitated whether to chip in as well. Finally, Zhang Laosan spoke first and took out a tael of silver, saying, "Mom is right. Ping'an is our family's most promising child. It would be a great honor for our family if he took the exam. We all have to chip in a little for the exam fee. Just don't think it's too little, second brother."

Seeing this, Li could only take out a tael of silver with a painful heart and said with a smile: "Yes, this is the thought of us elders."

After a dispute between the two sides, Zhang Laoer accepted it and asked his son to come forward to express his gratitude.

Zhang Pingan said solemnly: "Thank you all for your kindness, elders. I will definitely do my best in the college entrance examination."

It took half a day to get back to the county. Not long after entering the house, Xu was still putting things away. The Li family next door heard the noise, and Li Mingxuan's younger brother Li Mingbo ran over and knocked on the door, holding a basket of things in his hand.

Zhang Pingan bent down and asked, "What's the matter, Brother Bo?"

Li Mingbo raised the basket in his hand and said crisply, "Brother Ping'an, this is what my mother asked me to bring over."

Zhang Ping'an took it and looked at it. They were all rare snacks, including crabapple cake, poria cake, and candied dates. These snacks used a lot of sugar and were very valuable.

Zhang Pingan knew that it was probably a thank you for taking Li Mingxuan along on the provincial examination, so Li's mother sent it over specially as a return gift.

"Okay, I'll take it. Thank your mother for me," Zhang Ping'an said with a smile.

"Well, my mother said to wait until my eldest brother gets home from school and then bring him over to thank us," Lee Myung-bak said like a little adult before going home.

Zhang Ping'an handed the basket to Xu, saying it was a thank-you gift from the neighbors. Xu took a look and was very satisfied. She muttered, "They behaved well this time. If they keep silent like last time, I won't take them to the college entrance examination. Good people don't get rewarded."

As expected, at dinner time, Li's mother brought Li Mingxuan to visit. She thanked him repeatedly and spoke in a very literary way. Xu was not used to it, so she exchanged a few words and sent him away.

The next day, Zhang Ping'an returned to the academy for class, but found out that Liu Shengyuan had gone to the county school to study on a temporary basis.