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

As the new Khan, Guo Jia took all the Tatars away.

The capital area was officially declared unified.

It was the twenty-sixth day of the twelfth lunar month.

Although there were twists and turns in the middle, the result was good in the end, and Zhou Ziming's wish to recapture Kyoto before the New Year was fulfilled.

It was too late for the troops to return to Lin'an to celebrate the Spring Festival, so the troops from all over the country could only celebrate the New Year where they were.

Zhou Ziming was very happy after receiving the news. He was very pleased and announced that he would return to the capital in March next year, and all the soldiers would be rewarded according to their merits.

Well, now I don’t have to go back to Lin’an. I can go directly to the capital to meet the emperor.

Zhang Ping'an and Mr. Huang were at a loss whether to laugh or cry after hearing the news.

Although they missed the opportunity to go back to Lin'an to celebrate the Spring Festival with their families, they felt much better when they thought that as long as they returned to the capital, they would be rewarded and promoted according to their merits, and it would be nice to bring their families over directly.

I've waited for several years, so I don't care about these few months.

Although the two of them continued to receive letters from home, they were always worried and felt empty inside because they hadn't seen their loved ones in person.

Especially Zhang Pingan, he was worried about everyone at home, both old and young.

The meaning of this year's Spring Festival is also different.

Zhang Ping'an not only allocated extra New Year's rations to the soldiers, but also allowed everyone to have a good New Year.

He also ordered people to decorate Kaifeng City, hoping to bring new hope to the new year and sweep away the gloom of the past.

Businessmen are the best at observing the direction of the wind. The number of people opening shops and doing business in the city is increasing day by day, and street vendors are also following suit. The streets of Kaifeng are bustling for a while, and it makes people feel festive just by looking at them.

At the same time, there is another happy event, that is, the two older grandsons of the Luo family will get married after the New Year.

Mr. Luo sent his eldest grandson to personally deliver the wedding invitation, inviting Zhang Pingan to attend the wedding after the New Year.

Zhang Ping'an didn't expect that the Luo family would act so quickly. He thought that the Luo family would wait until they returned to Ezhou Prefecture and then look for their grandson's wife in their hometown.

Getting married is always a happy event. Zhang Pingan knew the situation of the Luo family and immediately said that he would go after the New Year.

He also ordered them to pack up some food, cloth, supplements and the like for the Luo family boy to take back.

Luo Ziwen felt a little embarrassed when he saw this, and repeatedly refused, "Grandpa said that we are only here to deliver wedding invitations and are not allowed to take anything back. Uncle Zhang, I know you mean well and want to help us, but you also know Grandpa's temper. He is very strong-willed. Now that our family is doing well, you don't have to worry too much about us."

"Getting married and having children are major events in life. As an elder, it is legitimate for me to send some gifts in advance. Don't be afraid of what your grandfather will say. If Uncle Luo blames you later, I will explain it to you," Zhang Ping'an said with a smile.

Then he winked at the tiger who had eaten his fill.

Xiaohu immediately picked up the things and neatly placed them on the cart outside the yard and tied them up.

"Originally, I thought you would go back to your hometown to consider getting married and having children. I didn't think it through enough. Now that the engagement letter has been exchanged and the date has been set, if you plan to settle down in Kaifeng, you should also consider buying a house. The world is gradually becoming peaceful now, and Kaifeng is the heart of the Central Plains. House prices will only become more and more expensive in the future. It's a good idea to buy a house now while it's still cheap. If you have any difficulties, I can lend it to you first, and you don't have to pay it back in a hurry," Zhang Pingan said in a gentle voice.

"It's hard to say," Luo Ziwen shook his head. "We'll see what Grandpa thinks when the time comes. He seems to still want to go back to his hometown. Old people always believe in returning to one's roots. But my second brother and I are old, so we really can't put it off. That's why we asked a matchmaker to arrange a marriage for us first."

"It's right for men to get married and start a family when they reach a certain age," Zhang Pingan nodded.

"But the future is unpredictable. Whether you stay in Kaifeng or go back to your hometown, once you buy a house, you're set in your mind. You can sell it when you return to your hometown later. There's no problem."

"Okay, then I'll listen to Uncle Zhang. I'll tell my grandfather and my father when I get back," Luo Ziwen nodded, then stood up and said goodbye.

Xiaohu and the Luo family hang out more often, and their relationship is getting closer and closer. They talk more casually and even made a few jokes when they sent Luo Ziwen out.

Zhang Ping'an couldn't help but pay attention to his lifelong event. Although eighteen years old may not seem old in modern times, it was definitely an old age for a bachelor in ancient times.

There is also Jinbao, who is a particularly difficult situation among the older bachelors.

Still not married yet.

I heard that Jinbao's parents were so worried at home, but Jinbao's grandmother is not urging them so much now. As people get older, they don't care about everything.

Zhang Ping'an asked Xiaohu about this, but Xiaohu just shook his head and said firmly, "It's never too late for a man to get married at 20. I'm not in a hurry now. I'll wait until things get better at home. I'm also planning to send my two nephews to private school in the spring of next year. Only by studying can you have a bright future."

"These two things don't conflict with each other. I think Uncle Daqiang has to talk to you," Zhang Pingan said with a helpless smile, not forcing it.

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, there was an endless stream of people coming to pay New Year's greetings. Zhang Ping'an was so busy that he was dizzy and had no time to think about anything else.

I was busy until the eighth day of the first lunar month, when I had some free time. It happened to be the day when the Luo family held their wedding.

Zhang Ping'an changed into casual clothes and went to have a drink. As a result, he met many colleagues from the government office who came to the Luo family to show their support, so he had to deal with them for a while.

In the midst of the busyness, before we knew it, the ice and snow on the earth had melted, and green buds began to emerge in the fields.

In the blink of an eye, it was March.

The renovation work of the imperial palace, ancestral temples, government offices and other places in the capital has almost been completed.

After the ice and snow melted in February, the water transport line to Kyoto was reopened and food and fodder were transported to the capital in advance.

At the same time, heavy troops were sent to clear out bandits, post stations, villas and other places along the way, clear the roads and ensure a smooth journey back to Beijing.

It is said that Imperial College, Confucius Temple and other places are also under reconstruction.

Zhou Ziming offered sacrifices to heaven and earth in Lin'an on March 6th, and recorded this event in history. He also ordered the Imperial Astronomical Observatory to review the calculated date, and finally decided to officially move the capital back to Beijing on March 18th.

The official system remained unchanged as it was during the Lin'an period, but the jurisdiction of the capital was redivided, the territory of the capital was expanded, and the Nanjing Zhaofu was established.

At that time, there will be a general amnesty, five days of feasting, and the whole country will celebrate together.

At the same time, half of the land tax in the north was reduced, and the population tax and household tax were exempted.

Zhang Pingan could foresee that this move would usher in a period of explosive population growth.

In ancient times, relocation was not a simple matter, but a complex decision that integrated political games, ritual systems, military deployments, and economic adjustments. Its success or failure could be said to have a direct impact on the fortunes of the dynasty.

The fact that Zhou Ziming could be so decisive showed his control over all civil and military officials, and the concentration of imperial power had reached a new level.