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

Around the Qingming Festival in April, spring sowing is almost over.

As expected, Mr. Huang was transferred to the front line in Kaifeng to serve as the grain supervisor.

Zhang Ping'an was also familiar with the person who succeeded him. It was Li Chong who had previously taken over his position as county magistrate in Ci County.

He is definitely a young talent, and his promotion speed in recent years has been like rocket speed.

He is only a few years older than Zhang Ping'an.

Judging from the situation, it will have to rise further in the future. This is what a winner in life is like!

At this time, the palace selection had ended, and Zhou Ziming did not lead the army to the north in person.

The 300,000 troops stationed in Kaifeng did not move a single one.

Instead, it adopted a unified strategy of "first south, then north, first easy, then difficult."

Through military conquest, political appeasement and institutional integration, the small separatist regimes and uncontrolled autonomous forces in remote areas of the south were gradually eliminated, and the governance of various parts of the south was further made like an iron bucket.

Avoid fighting on two fronts with the White Nest and the Tatars while the rear is unstable.

First stabilize the prosperous south, accumulate economic strength, and then march north to attack the powerful enemy.

Later in the "Taizu Shilu," Zhou Ziming explained: "Since the previous dynasty moved south, wars and disasters have plagued the country, leaving the treasury empty. We must first conquer Bashu, then Guangnan, to enrich the country. The Tatars border Baichao. If we take them, we will have to bear the Tatar threat. For now, we will preserve them as a buffer and take them when we are rich enough."

This means that the territories of Baichao and the Tatars are now adjacent to each other. While cooperating with each other, they are also on guard against each other, which can play a good restraining role.

If he continued to attack either side, it would be equivalent to defending the other side against a powerful enemy.

It would be better to let the two sides continue to check and balance each other and serve as a barrier to each other, and then fight against the powerful enemy in the north after the south is completely stabilized.

By dividing and disintegrating weak separatist regimes and offering various preferential treatments to those who surrendered, Zhou Ziming successively captured important areas in Shuzhong and the eastern part of Lingnan.

The people in Lingnan West Road were more fierce and the chieftain system was already very complete. The local people were less educated, so the chieftains had a high prestige and enjoyed supreme autonomy, similar to "local emperors"!

Although the chieftains did not say that they did not recognize the new regime after the establishment of the new dynasty, they were very perfunctory and turned a deaf ear to the new government orders, making them difficult to mobilize.

This is something Zhou Ziming would never allow.

So he wanted to break the chieftain system.

First, they would cut off their wings, and when the chieftains could no longer bear the resistance, they would concentrate their forces to fight a quick battle and end the war.

In just two months, the original chieftain system collapsed!

Zhou Ziming replaced his own people to govern the local area and vigorously developed agriculture and commerce. Not only did he exempt taxes for three years, he also provided various preferential treatments.

The living standards of the people have been significantly improved.

Naturally, no one resisted anymore.

More than half a year later, in the early winter of the second year of Jianxin, officials in Dali, Lingnan, Qiongzhou and other places had been replaced one after another.

All important forces are controlled by Zhou Ziming's people.

At the same time, power is decentralized so that these people can check and balance each other.

Make sure that they won’t gather their own troops and cause trouble.

All in all, it’s a very nerve-wracking thing!

When Zhang Pingan found out, he just smiled knowingly.

Each dynasty has learned from the lessons of the previous one and improved the bureaucratic system, but this still cannot avoid the fate of dynasty change.

It has been like this for thousands of years!

Zhou Ziming, a time traveler, actually believed in eternal life, which was something he didn't expect.

At this time, he was discussing with his elder brother-in-law Liu Sanlang whether to bring his family to Runan Prefecture to live together after the New Year.

Seeing that there was no hope of being transferred back to Lin'an for the time being, the north had also stabilized, and there were 300,000 troops stationed in Kaifeng, which was like a reassurance.

The two of them missed their family so much that they wanted to bring them over.

Ruan San was cheerful and the first to raise his hands in agreement: "I think it's fine. Our Runan Prefecture is quite prosperous now. They will be the prefect's family members and won't have to endure hardships. They can have the best food, accommodation and transportation. They won't be wronged. It's sweet for a family to be together even if we have to eat coarse food. It's better than being separated."

"Yes, I thought so too," Zhang Pingan sighed. "Now that the South has been completely unified, the situation has become relatively stable, and the emperor has not prohibited family members from accompanying us, unlike in the previous dynasty. That's why I had this idea."

"Ludan and Maodan should have grown quite tall now, Zhuzhu has also grown up, as well as Daya, Dad and Mom. I really miss them," Liu Sanlang also said.

"Come to think of it, we haven't seen our family for more than two years, almost three years. Donkey Egg, Cat Egg and Pig Pig are okay, they are older after all. But Xiaoyuer is different. When I came to the north, he couldn't speak, let alone recognize people. Now he definitely doesn't even recognize me as his father," Zhang Pingan said sourly.

"That's right," Liu Sanlang nodded and said with a smile, "Xiao Yu'er is already over three years old. In another year or two, he will be able to start learning. He will definitely be able to stay with you, his biological father, and have you personally help him with his education. He will definitely be a literary talent!"

"As long as he lives a healthy and worry-free life, I don't ask for much," Zhang Ping'an said dotingly.

After the discussion, the two men sent Chibao back with some good fighters.

While it’s still early winter and the roads are easy to walk on, we can bring our family over and spend a reunion year together.

"Of course, the most important thing is to respect their wishes. When you go back, explain the situation in the north to your family. If they really don't want to come, don't force them. My brother-in-law and I can't tell when we will be transferred to other places. It is definitely not as comfortable as in Lin'an," Zhang Ping'an carefully instructed Chi Bao.

"Don't worry, sir. I understand," Chibao nodded seriously in response.

"Also, make sure you don't leave behind the food and daily necessities, and the children's toys that you brought back along the way," said Liu Sanlang, touching the package.

I am extremely worried.

If possible, he really hoped to go back and pick someone up himself, which would be safer.

The two of them repeated their instructions several times, and Ruan San couldn't stand it anymore. He pulled the two of them apart, waved his hand and told them to leave quickly.

"If we don't leave now, we'll miss it!" Ruan San was speechless.

"I never realized you two were so fussy before!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Sanlang looked at Ruan San with a rare look of looking at a mentally retarded person. He crossed his arms and looked down at him and said, "Humph, you are now complete, your wife is pregnant, and you will be a father next year. How can you understand the suffering of others!"

"Hey, when did you still have a temper?!!" Ruan San was stunned by the humph and stood there in a daze.

Liu Sanlang was too lazy to pay attention to him and went to the military camp.

"Hey, wait for me!" After a moment, Ruan San reacted, shouted loudly behind him, and chased after him.

Zhang Pingan smiled and turned back to the government office.

Little did he know that after returning from his meal this time, what he brought back was not a surprise, but bad news!