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

The evening breeze was blowing gently. The restaurant was right next to the lake, so it was a little cooler than other places. A breeze blew in from the window of the private room, dispelling the heat. Accompanied by the chirping of cicadas and frogs, it made people feel a little calmer.

Mr. Zhou picked up the teapot with a calm expression and slowly washed and boiled the tea. He was difficult to see through in the curling tea mist.

"This is the Mengding Ganlu that I brought from Lin'an specially. It is the tribute tea bestowed by the emperor. Try it." After Lord Zhou made the tea, he poured a cup for Zhang Ping'an and himself.

Zhang Ping'an picked up the teacup and sniffed it gently. It was worthy of being a tribute tea. The tea soup was apricot green, clear and bright, with full and even leaves. He could feel the freshness and sweetness of the tea soup before it even entered his throat. The tea mist had a tender and sweet fragrance, as if a spring breeze was blowing across his tongue.

After taking a sip, the aroma and taste of the tea soup slide into your throat, leaving a long-lasting sweetness and a lingering fragrance at the bottom of your throat.

To be honest, you get what you pay for. It is completely different from ordinary tea. It would be even more perfect if I could drink it in winter.

Drinking hot tea in such a hot day still feels a bit strange.

"It is really good, worthy of being a tribute tea. I am very lucky to have received this honor today," Zhang Pingan praised generously.

"Yes, good things are just different. If you drink it while enjoying the snow in winter, the taste will be more refreshing. But I am used to drinking hot tea all year round. It quenches thirst and moistens the lungs." Lord Zhou said lightly, not knowing whether he had noticed something.

"I remember that "Lüshi Chunqiu" mentioned that 'sweet water is good for beauties, and spicy water is good for people with acne'. Lord Zhou's habit is beneficial to health preservation, and I should learn from him," Zhang Pingan said with a smile.

"It's just a habit I've developed since childhood with my adoptive father, not something I'm specifically doing to stay healthy!" Lord Zhou replied. "But the mention of 'Lüshi Chunqiu' reminds me of when I was a child reading 'Huainanzi'. There's a line in it that really stuck with me: 'Arrowroot resembles arrowroot, sweet potato resembles sweet potato.' It means that two things may look identical on the surface, but they're actually very different inside, just like tea leaves: they look similar, but after brewing, they taste completely different."

"It turns out that Lord Zhou is also very good at tea ceremony. I am ashamed to be inferior to him," Zhang Ping'an said with a bow.

"No, to be honest, I'm not good at tea ceremony, but there is one thing I understand: the best must be the most expensive. Whether it's an object or a person, everything has its own value," Lord Zhou said slowly.

After saying that, he tilted his head and recalled, "When I was little, well, I was probably six or seven years old. It's been so long that I can't remember clearly. At that time, my adoptive father was somewhat respectable by the emperor's side and was rewarded with a plate of tribute lychees. In the capital, this is a rare thing and it's not easy to taste it. My adoptive father sent some to me and asked me to try it too. To be honest, I didn't think it was particularly delicious. It wasn't even as sweet as the mulberries I picked in the village. As a result, I didn't like eating lychees for a long time. I always thought that lychees tasted like that.

It wasn't until I later entered the palace as the eighth prince's tutor and accidentally tasted fresh tribute Gualü lychees that I completely changed my impression. It turned out it wasn't that lychees were bad, but that I hadn't tasted the best."

These words were too heavy and contained too much profound meaning. Zhang Ping'an didn't know how to respond, so he simply buried his head in pouring tea for the two of them.

Lord Zhou himself seemed to be unaware of the awkward atmosphere spreading between the two of them, and drank two cups of tea slowly.

Fortunately, Lord Zhou changed the subject.

"Although you haven't been in office in Ci County for a long time, you have done a great job in all aspects. It's worth my effort to help you get transferred to Ci County." Lord Zhou didn't care whether Zhang Pingan responded or not, and continued to speak lightly.

It also means a reminder.

Zhang Ping'an was grateful for this favor. After putting down his teacup, he bowed again solemnly to express his gratitude.

Lord Zhou's eyes flashed with a sharpness, and he said with a hint of meaning, "I don't need anyone to thank me. Ultimately, it's just a matter of mutual benefit. But I hope you can clearly see the current situation in the court and make every decision carefully in the future. Don't let a single careless move cause you to lose everything and become a discarded pawn. Those who can't create value cannot survive well in this world."

Zhang Ping'an thought a lot when he heard this. He guessed that it was probably because Uncle Qian came to eat alone that Lord Zhou became suspicious. It was also a reminder for him to choose carefully between him and the aristocratic family in the future.

But I and the Qian family are relatives by marriage, so some things are really hard to avoid!

"I understand, thank you for your advice, sir," Zhang Pingan replied respectfully with a nod.

At this time, the waiter came in and served the dishes.

Zhang Ping'an made an invitation gesture and said, "Master Zhou, the seafood in Ci County is very good. Please try it too!"

Mr. Zhou didn't hesitate and picked up his chopsticks to start eating slowly.

Both of them had impeccable dining etiquette. They didn't speak again and finished the meal slowly and leisurely.

Zhang Ping'an knew that it was not convenient for Lord Zhou to go to places with brothels, so he wanted to invite Lord Zhou to listen to the famous local Yue Opera to show his respect.

Lord Zhou waved him off and said, "Maybe next time. This southern tour is a long journey and the schedule is very full. Official business is more important. Besides, we have to leave early tomorrow. I need to rest early today."

"I understand. I'll send someone to take you back to the inn," said Zhang Ping'an.

"Yes," Lord Zhou nodded.

The two of them got up and went out together.

Chi Bao is a person Zhang Ping'an trusts. After training under Mai Da Ren for a period of time, he has become more capable and has always been kept by Zhang Ping'an to help run errands.

I went out to eat today and ate my fill.

Zhang Ping'an then ordered his men to eat and accompany Mr. Zhou back to the inn.

Several people were waiting for the coachman to come over at the side of the restaurant door.

Mr. Zhou stood at the entrance of the restaurant with his hands behind his back. He had an extraordinary temperament and it was obvious that he was not an ordinary person.

He was more powerful and mature than when Zhang Ping'an first met him in the dilapidated temple.

After a while, Lord Zhou's servants drove the carriage over.

Before getting on the carriage, Lord Zhou suddenly asked, "Lord Zhang, what do you think the numbers 2012 mean?"

"Two thousand and twelve? Why do you suddenly ask this, sir? But just these few numbers really make me confused!" Zhang Pingan replied with a confused expression on his face.

"Don't worry, you can think about it slowly and tell me your answer when we meet next time," Lord Zhou said calmly with his hands behind his back.

"By the way, when you have time, you can read the Shi Le chapter in the Book of Jin. It might be inspiring!"

After saying that, he got on the carriage.

Zhang Pingan was left alone, confused and at a loss.

Now it can be basically confirmed that Mr. Zhou is most likely a fellow villager who traveled through time.

However, the other party is much more successful than himself, and might even be thinking of wearing the yellow robe and emulating Emperor Taizu of Song!

Oh, this is a difficult situation! I don’t know whether I should admit it or not!