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

"Where are mother and Sixth Sister?"

"The mother and daughter went to the room to have a private conversation. I don't think it will be over for a while. They were crying and laughing at the same time. Women just have a lot of tears," Zhang Laoer replied, shaking his head.

"Be careful, mom might hear you and not agree with you," Zhang Pingan said jokingly.

"She doesn't know. Okay, I won't say anything more, old man. Let's go take a shower. We must be very tired after taking the boat ride," Zhang Laoer stood up and said slowly.

"Dad, I'll ask the servants to prepare water for you," Yu Shiqi said attentively.

Looking at the busy back of his sixth brother-in-law, Zhang Pingan seemed to see the way he and his sixth sister looked when they got married. After so many years, almost everyone has changed, or grown up, but he is still the same, and even the tone of his voice seems to have not changed.

Xu and Liu Ya hadn't seen each other for a long time, and the mother and daughter really had a lot to talk about.

At night, the children all slept with the wet nurse, so Liu Ya simply slept with her biological mother, Xu, so that they could talk at night.

Zhang Laoer slept alone in the guest room, and he felt uncomfortable without his old wife nagging him.

When I woke up the next morning, I had big dark circles under my eyes.

"Dad, you didn't sleep well?" Yu Shiqi asked with concern.

"It's fine, but I'm a little attached to my bed and didn't sleep well. It will be fine once we get to the capital," Zhang Laoer said awkwardly and evaded the question.

Yu Shiqi didn't think much about it and continued, "Dad, little brother, the soup dumplings here in Yangzhou are a specialty. I asked the housekeeper to buy a lot of different flavors this morning. They're still warm. Please eat more. I have to go to work, so I'll be leaving now. Please bear with me if I haven't been nice enough!"

"Sixth brother-in-law, go quickly and don't miss the time. There are so many servants here. If we need anything, we can just talk to Sixth sister ourselves," Zhang Ping'an waved his hand and said with a smile.

"Okay, I'll be leaving then!" Yu Shiqi was very embarrassed. "I can't see you off this afternoon. It's really rude. Sigh!"

He actually asked for leave from his superiors a few days ago, but many important technical matters cannot be done without him, and the deadline is very tight, so he really can't take a break.

After the people left, Zhang Laoer casually sighed, "Look at your sixth brother-in-law. He's quite powerful now. He even has two guards assigned to him when he's on duty at the government office."

"Sixth brother-in-law is a technical talent. Such a person can defeat thousands of soldiers. We must protect him wholeheartedly. It is better to be careful!" Zhang Pingan smiled.

If this happened today, he would be a national treasure-level high-level inventor, and the protection would be even more exaggerated.

Xu and Liu Ya talked all night and didn't sleep well. When they woke up, their dark circles were worse than Zhang Laoer's.

Her eyes were still a little red and swollen, and it was obvious that she had been crying.

Zhang Laoer knew that his son's wife's death must have been mentioned. Although his wife didn't say it on the surface, she was still worried in her heart and felt sorry for her son and grandson.

How could Zhang Ping'an, who is so smart, not see it? But his son is right next to him, so he can only pretend not to see it, otherwise the whole family will be sad.

"Sixth sister, please accompany us for a walk and buy some things. When I arrive in the capital, I can distribute them to my colleagues."

"Okay, no problem. I'll ask the housekeeper to look after the kids at home, and we'll go out for a walk," Liu Ya nodded in response.

After breakfast, they went out early.

From ancient times to the present, women have always had a strong desire to buy things, and buying things can make people happy.

Now that the family has no shortage of money, Xu and Liu Ya started a crazy shopping spree.

Finally, seeing that the carriage was about to be filled, Zhang Laoer could no longer bear it and pulled the two back, saying repeatedly: "Enough, enough, enough!"

Zhang Pingan couldn't help but secretly praise his father for his strength. He couldn't stand it anymore. Shopping is really a physical job!

Because they bought so much and so quickly, these shop owners somehow got the message and they were extremely enthusiastic in selling products to every store they went to, as if they treated them like the God of Wealth.

Xu had a really great time shopping today and was very happy. She could find a use for everything. "When I was young, I followed your father to buy things and had to calculate every penny. Now we can finally live a good life. You girls are also lucky. You don't have to endure that hard life."

"As long as mother is happy," Liu Ya said generously, feeling sorry for Xu.

After returning home, they found a pile of gift boxes in the house. The housekeeper came forward and reported that they were sent by people from the Yangzhou government and local gentry.

Zhang Ping'an had expected this and didn't want to waste time being polite with them, so he left early in the morning.

He then ordered everyone to eat their fill, and to accept whatever was acceptable according to the gift list, and to have those that were too valuable to be accepted returned.

After lunch, they packed their luggage again and prepared to go to the pier to take a boat. This time they would take a boat from Yangzhou along the canal and go directly to the suburbs of Beijing.

Liu Ya was reluctant to let Xiao Yuer go, so she carried him all the way to the dock, where people from the Yangzhou government office had already been waiting.

"Okay, let's go back. We have children at home. I'll say a few words to them and then get on the boat," Zhang Ping'an took his son from Liu Ya's arms and waved.

"Yes, let's go. It's not convenient for you, a woman, to stay here. Come to the capital to see your mother when you have the chance." Xu also wiped her tears and urged, her tone very reluctant.

Liu Ya burst into tears because she was the youngest daughter and bore the most disappointment from her parents. She was the least valued when she was a child.

But to be honest, her parents didn't treat her harshly.

Later, as her family's financial situation improved, her status also rose, and she married well, so she always wanted to repay her parents.

But when I became a mother myself, I realized that in this world, there is very little that a daughter can give back to her parents.

"Dad, Mom, and little brother, take care of yourselves!" Liu Ya said sadly.

"Let's go back!" Zhang Laoer also said.

Liu Ya waved her hand, then got on the carriage and left crying.

After Zhang Ping'an exchanged pleasantries with several officials of different ranks from the yamen for a while, he said goodbye and got on the boat.

As the gong sounded, the ship set sail, the sails rustling, foreshadowing the next journey!

Zhang Ping'an looked at the Yangzhou Wharf that was getting farther and farther away, and just hoped that everything would get better and better for everyone!

……

After more than ten days, the ship finally arrived at the dock outside Beijing.

When Zhang Ping'an was rewarded at the celebration banquet, the emperor gave him a three-story house in Zhuque Lane in the east of the city, which was also equipped with servants to clean the house. Therefore, he could go there directly now without having to go to the post station.

"Dad, are we in the capital now?" Xiao Yuer asked while rubbing his eyes and leaning on the railing of the boat.

Eyes full of curiosity.

Several of his cousins ​​from his uncle's family had already arrived in the capital, saying that it would be better for their future development. He wanted to see what the difference was between that and Lin'an.

"Yes, we're here!" Zhang Ping'an touched his son's head, stood at the bow of the boat and looked into the distance and replied.