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

"Actually, I still feel a little confused about this marriage. I don't understand why I was chosen. It was pure luck," Zhang Pingan said frankly.

Lu Fuzi smiled, put down his pen, and said, "As for people, hard work is important, but opportunity is even more important. There are many people who are talented but not appreciated. Now that you have this big tree to lean on, you must seize the opportunities for yourself in the future."

"I understand. The matter is a foregone conclusion. There is no point in thinking too much. It is more important to prepare for the imperial examination in February next year," Zhang Ping'an nodded.

"Come and take a look at my calligraphy," Mr. Lu waved his hand.

Zhang Pingan walked over, picked up the letter, and read each word clearly: "Success is not difficult, but being successful is even more difficult."

Then he put down the calligraphy and commented: "The brush moves like a dragon, the force penetrates the paper, and the meaning is profound. It is a good calligraphy!"

"Hahahaha, this is for you," Mr. Lu laughed, stroking his beard.

Zhang Ping'an didn't refuse. He smiled easily and replied, "Then I'll find a framing shop to frame it when I go back today and hang it in my study!"

Master Lu was not a person who liked to keep guests, and the relationship between the two was more like that of a teacher and a friend.

Zhang Ping'an knew that the calligraphy was a hint to him, and he felt deeply touched.

After the two exchanged greetings for a while, Zhang Ping'an said goodbye and left. They would both be in the provincial school from now on, so it would be convenient for them to meet.

In the upper dormitory of the provincial school, Zhang Ping'an also met his old acquaintance Jiang Fengping.

After yesterday's grand engagement ceremony, Jiang Fengping already knew that Zhang Ping'an was the future son-in-law of the Qian family, and he was deeply shocked.

He knew exactly what this meant.

So when they were in the same class again, after they nodded and greeted each other, Jiang Fengping took the initiative to sit over and invite him, "Brother Zhang, we are really destined to be classmates again. Tomorrow is a day off, and I have arranged to go hunting outside the city with the rest of the class. I wonder if Brother Zhang is free to come with us?"

To be honest, Zhang Ping'an didn't want to get too close to this person. He always felt that the previous incident on the pleasure boat was quite weird.

But we can't fall out.

Fortunately, there is the big tree of Qian's family. As the saying goes, it is good to lean on a big tree for shade. Now I don't have to bow down and try to please others.

Therefore, he politely declined, "Brother Jiang, I'm grateful for your kind invitation. I shouldn't refuse it, but unfortunately, my fifth sister is going to bring my brother-in-law home for a visit tomorrow. As your brother-in-law, I have to stay home to entertain the guests. Otherwise, it would be inappropriate. I will definitely keep the invitation next time!"

Jiang Fengping didn't insist upon hearing this. He tapped his fingers on the table rhythmically, then smiled and stood up, saying, "Brother Zhang, what you said makes sense. Let's do it next time!"

Zhang Ping'an looked at the other person's departing back thoughtfully.

This Jiang Fengping has a complicated mind!

There are a total of twenty-five students in Shangshe. Most of them come from aristocratic families and scholarly families, and some of their fathers and brothers are officials in the court. Therefore, it is not uncommon for them to ride horses out of the city to hunt.

The only ones who were truly of commoner origin were Zhang Ping'an and another student named Zhao.

This classmate Zhao is much more miserable than Zhang Ping'an. He is a son-in-law and has no status at all in this era.

It is ten thousand times worse than what modern people can imagine. Not only do they have no dignity, they are also treated as free labor in the family.

In the eyes of an emperor of the previous dynasty, a son-in-law was even on the same level as a criminal and could be sent to the frontier to do hard labor at any time.

From this we can see how difficult it is to be a son-in-law.

In recent decades, the status of son-in-law has been slightly improved, and they are allowed to take the imperial examinations. The law also protects their property inheritance rights and personal rights to a certain extent.

For example, the "Da Xia Ling" stipulates that the son-in-law and the heir share the family property equally, and the woman's family cannot drive the son-in-law away and remarry.

However, the inherent concepts passed down for thousands of years cannot be completely changed overnight. In fact, it is difficult to enforce them according to the law, and their status is still low and not accepted by ordinary people.

If the Qian family wanted Zhang Ping'an to be a son-in-law at that time, even though the Qian family was powerful, Zhang Ping'an would never agree easily.

Having read books for so long in this era, he understands the interests involved very well!

Moreover, forcing a successful candidate to become a son-in-law would be despised and cursed by the literati.

Most aristocratic families would not do such a thing. After all, they still have to save face. In the end, it is mostly a case of one willing to fight and the other willing to be beaten.

This person's life was also quite bumpy. It was said that he was originally from a military general's family in Zhuozhou. His father was also the governor of Zhuozhou. Later, due to infighting in the officialdom, his whole family was imprisoned.

Although they finally got out, their whole family became commoners and naturally had no property.

This classmate made up his mind and voluntarily married into the Du family of Dingzhou, and his parents and brothers cut off all contact with him.

According to Zhang Ping'an, this man is ruthless enough and has some talent. It happens to be a time of chaos. If things go well, the rituals and music will collapse in the future, which may allow this man to come to the fore.

The first day back at the state school passed quickly, and it was already afternoon school time.

Old Man Lu was already waiting at the door in his car.

In fact, there was a carriage in the new house, and the housekeeper also asked whether to send the carriage to the old house in the east of the city, but Zhang Pingan declined. After all, they had not yet gotten married, and doing so seemed a bit too impatient!

When passing by a framing shop, Zhang Ping'an asked Old Man Lu to stop the car first. He went down and left the calligraphy given by Master Lu in the shop, asking them to frame it and pick it up the next day.

When they got home, Xu had already asked Mrs. Hu to prepare dinner.

"Son, are you tired today as it's your first day back at the provincial school?" Xu came forward and asked with concern.

"It's okay, I'm not tired. I even visited Master Lu," Zhang Pingan said with a smile.

"That's good," Xu breathed a sigh of relief, then handed the teacup in her hand over and said with a smile: "Here, this is the ginseng tea I asked Mrs. Hu to brew. Drink it first to replenish your vitality!"

"Have you cut the ginseng that the guests sent?" Zhang Ping'an asked. He remembered that when he held a banquet for the successful candidates in the imperial examination, a gentry sent him ten-year-old ginseng.

Although it is not as valuable as a hundred-year-old ginseng, it is also very valuable, and he plans to use it as a return gift in the future.

Mrs. Xu quickly waved her hands. "No, no, didn't you say you wanted to use the ginseng as a return gift? Why would I cut it? It would ruin the appearance! This is the ginseng root I bought at the clinic. I saw you were tired recently, so I bought it to nourish you!"

"I'm still young, there's no need to waste this money," Zhang Pingan said helplessly.

"Drink it quickly, it's all good stuff," Xu urged.

She selectively filtered out her son's words.

Zhang Ping'an took it and looked at it. The tea was yellow, a bit astringent, and had a few strands of tea leaves floating in it.

There's nothing special about it when you drink it.

"By the way, mother, when fifth sister comes back tomorrow, you must remember to prepare more gifts for her. The family was busy with my betrothal ceremony in the past two days, so their return visit was postponed. We are in the wrong after all. Preparing more gifts will prevent fifth sister-in-law's family from talking behind her back and making things difficult for fifth sister," Zhang Ping'an reminded.

"Wasn't this proposed by your fifth brother-in-law's family? I didn't ask them to postpone it. Can you blame us for this?" Xu said unhappily.

"Others are thinking about us, so we certainly can't deny this kindness. Besides, you are the wife of a juren, so you should be more generous, right? It's only this time that you will be returning home," Zhang Ping'an coaxed.

"Okay, I get it," Xu replied, but she couldn't help but mutter, "You and your father always call me generous. You really don't know how expensive firewood, rice, oil, and salt are when you're not in charge of the household!"