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

It's a rare opportunity for a few people to have such free time to chat together.

The show didn't end until midnight.

Jinbao's house is close to Xiao's, just a few steps away, so there's no need to send him off.

After Zhang Ping'an said goodbye to the two of them, he got on the carriage and went home.

The bird is chirping, seeking the voice of its friend!

In life, it is a great blessing to have a few close friends by your side.

But in ancient times, transportation was too slow. If they were really separated, it would be very difficult to meet again in the future because of the long distances and the high mountains and deep waters.

Who knows, maybe this farewell will be the last time we see each other in this life.

Therefore, Zhang Pingan cherishes everything he has now.

When she returned home, Xu had already coaxed the child to sleep.

Only Zhang Laoer was still waiting in the main room.

He was wearing a thin robe and leaning against the candlelight, supporting his head with his hands, and was getting more and more sleepy.

Zhang Pingan felt distressed, "Dad, why don't you go and rest if you're tired?"

Zhang Laoer instantly became much more awake when he saw his son return. After yawning, he stood up and replied, "As we get older, we sleep less. It's too early to fall asleep. Don't worry about me. Do you want me to make you a bowl of midnight snack?"

"I've eaten a lot at the Xiao family, and I've been talking non-stop. No need," Zhang Ping'an sat aside and poured another cup of tea for the two of them.

Zhang Laoer took the tea and took two sips, then waved his hand and said, "Drinking tea will make it even harder to fall asleep later. Forget it, I won't drink it. You've been very tired recently. Go take a shower and go to bed. Don't stay up too late!"

"I know, Dad. You should go and have some rest too!" Zhang Ping'an said with a smile, feeling warm in his heart.

In the candlelight, Zhang Laoer's expression appeared very kind, and the care in his eyes was exactly the same as it was years ago, as if time had overlapped at this moment.

Perhaps it was because the depression and melancholy in his heart had dissipated a lot today, Zhang Pingan slept soundly at night, and when he opened his eyes, it was bright outside.

After opening the window, I could hear the faint sounds of Xiaoyuer and the servants playing in the yard not far away, as well as Xu's laughter.

The morning light is invisibly filled with a silent tranquility and simple happiness.

Zhang Pingan smiled softly as he listened. After stretching, he called the servants in to help him wash up.

There is still much to do today.

Necessary interpersonal interactions and exchanges are indispensable, and he has to complete them one by one before leaving Lin'an.

At the dinner table that morning, Mrs. Xu asked about returning home: "Son, since you are leaving, do you want to deal with our land and property here? Or should we leave it to the housekeeper to manage?"

"Just keep it and let the housekeeper take care of it. After all, it won't make much money if you sell it. We can't say for sure what will happen in the future. What if Xiaoyuer wants to come back to live with us? Besides, it's just a thought!" Zhang Ping'an said slowly while eating.

He is now wealthy and wealthy, so he is too lazy to sell it. Besides, many of them are Qian's dowry, so he will not sell them even more. He can just leave them for Xiaoyuer to deal with when he grows up!

Xu didn't have to sell it, she just asked and didn't ask any further questions after knowing the answer.

Turning to talk about the first and third wives, she grumbled, "They're both rushing to sell their houses and land. The prices are pretty good now. I heard they're out shopping every day, even your aunt is no exception. To my mind, they're sure you're around, and they know life won't be hardship when they go back, so they're spending lavishly!"

"We are all family, it is inevitable to get some benefits from each other. As long as no major mistakes are made, it will be fine," Zhang Laoer said casually, looking more open-minded.

"I know, it's just a nagging. Now I'm living a comfortable life. Both sides are praising me. I know what's going on!" Xu smiled, and the wrinkles on her face smoothed out.

Zhang Ping'an just listened quietly with a smile, and did not get involved. After they finished eating, he expressed his thoughts.

He said softly, "My eldest uncle and third uncle's families will definitely stay in their hometown to serve grandpa and grandma. I am not in a good position to take them with me now. I should give my younger uncle's family some warnings and they will behave themselves and won't be a drag. My eldest sister's family has my brother-in-law here, so he will worry about them anyway and won't need me. Now it's my second sister's family, so let's see how to arrange them."

"Didn't your second sister say a few days ago that they didn't want to leave? From what she said, it seems that their family might stay in Lin'an," Zhang Laoer asked with his head tilted.

"My second brother-in-law is a decent person and doesn't have any big ambitions. He now earns a lot of money in the canal transportation and has a stable life. He doesn't want to go back mainly because he is afraid that his life will not be as comfortable as in Lin'an. This is understandable," Zhang Ping'an analyzed.

"In fact, your second brother-in-law's family are all good people. They are not like your uncle's family, who always come to us to take advantage of us. Now that we are gone, they are the only ones left here. They feel lonely. You have to help them if you can," said Xu with emotion.

The second daughter is always outspoken, and the second son-in-law is also an honest man. The couple has never taken advantage of others or caused trouble. Xu knows this very well.

Zhang Laoer thought the same, but he saw things more broadly: "However, we can't force them to do this. Let them make their own choice. After all, moving back is a big deal."

"Dad, I understand. This is what I think. We are all family, so we can't be too partial to one over the other. I am not worried about my eldest brother-in-law and sixth brother-in-law. They will only get better and better. As for my second brother-in-law, I am going to give him a hand. If he goes back, I will find some connections in the local area and transfer him to our hometown to be a bank officer or a sluice officer in the canal transportation. Although it is a low-ranking official, the work is simple and not dangerous. It is most suitable for my second brother-in-law's personality.

It's okay to stay in Lin'an, it's not difficult to get promoted to a higher level.

"Well, if he's ambitious enough and wants to go to the capital, it's not impossible. The capital has a well-developed canal transportation system, so it's not difficult to place someone there. Most importantly, going to the capital will greatly benefit future generations' education, which is not comparable to going to the local area. It all depends on what my second brother-in-law chooses," Zhang Pingan continued.

In fact, he had thought about arranging a more lucrative position for his second brother-in-law, such as a canal inspector or a warehouse officer.

However, the relationships between colleagues in places with a lot of money are bound to be complicated, and my second brother-in-law may not be able to handle it.

In more serious cases, there may be a risk of being sued and taken to task.

As the saying goes, a county magistrate is not as good as a current manager. Even if you are in a high position, it is impossible to keep an eye on the people below all the time.

So after careful consideration, he felt that it would be better to work in scheduling.

The income is decent, the life is free, and there is a certain social status.

The world is peaceful now, and this position is most suitable for my second brother-in-law.

Zhang Laoer and Xu naturally had no objections and only instructed: "You and your second sister and second brother-in-law should explain the pros and cons clearly and let them choose. Anyway, our family is very considerate!"

"Don't worry, I'll take care of it," Zhang Ping'an nodded in agreement.

Xiao Yu'er was eating with his mouth, but his ears were perked up, and he remembered everything.

Zhang Pingan was amused by this and could not help but gently tap his son's bowl to remind him: "Focus on eating! Picking ears at such a young age, be careful not to worry too much and grow taller!"

Xiao Yu'er was not afraid and retorted, "The teacher also said not to talk while eating and not to talk while sleeping. Dad, you didn't listen!"