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

Once these words are spoken, it is inevitable that people will find it difficult to respond.

It is also easy to guess the intention.

Wei Chengfeng was silent for a moment before he smiled and said, "I'm old and my memory is not good, but Ezhou Prefecture is indeed a good place with outstanding people and beautiful scenery, so it can produce a pillar of talent like Lord Zhang."

With this episode, the atmosphere at the dinner table became even stranger for a moment, but it soon ended.

After returning to the tent, even Qian Jie couldn't help asking whether this was true or not.

Zhang Pingan sat on the couch with a leisurely look on his face and changed into casual clothes. "Of course it's true!"

"You still remember something that happened so long ago?" Qian Jie's eyes were full of doubt.

"Don't forget, I was a juren at the age of 16 and a jinshi at the age of 17. I still have some memory," Zhang Pingan replied unhappily.

I was also very emotional: "I didn't expect to meet them again after so many years, and in the Guazhou camp. Wei Chengfeng still had black hair back then and looked much younger than he is now. The deputy general named Da Jiang has not changed his temper and is still as straightforward. It's fate!"

"I don't know what the other party will think of you. You suddenly made such a fuss to get closer to them, and it seems like you have ulterior motives," Qian Jie said as he changed into comfortable casual clothes and sat at the table.

Zhang Pingan couldn't help but give his second uncle a cold look: "Don't blame me, I didn't do that, I was just catching up."

Qian Jie smiled noncommittally upon hearing this, then said seriously, "Let's get down to business. Have you found the person?"

He guessed that Zhang Ping'an was going to see the snow-capped mountains today, which was probably a strategy to lure the tiger away from the mountain, so that Wei Cunren would relax his vigilance, and then use the blood of the green fly to find the people who had robbed the pangolin in the ruined temple.

Unfortunately, the result didn't seem to be satisfactory. Zhang Pingan just shook his head and replied, "No!"

"Did we guess wrong?" Qian Jie hesitated.

"Not necessarily. We have only met three of the thirteen sons so far, and we haven't seen the other ten yet!" Zhang Pingan acted very calmly.

Qian Jie frowned and guessed, "Are you going to Yumen Pass?"

"Is it not possible?" Zhang Pingan raised his eyebrows. "Since the mountain won't come to me, then I will go to the mountain. It's not far away anyway."

"Well, it's not impossible, but there must be a suitable reason," Qian Jie pondered.

"Isn't the reason already there? Someone at the banquet just now said that we don't know how difficult life is at the border. Well, I'll pay out of my own pocket and send some supplies to Yumen Pass to provide relief and reward to the people and soldiers at the border. This will not only help them have a good New Year, but we'll also gain reputation and accomplish our mission. Isn't that the best of both worlds?"

"This matter requires the help of Governor Liao!"

"Don't worry, he will help. He is a smart man." Zhang Ping'an was not worried about this. He could see that Prefect Liao was much more cautious than Prefect Cao.

Because he has no way out and no backing, if he wants to keep the position of prefect, he must be good at dealing with people.

When the two were about to wash up, Zhao Renzhi came to visit and brought them two bags of good tea.

Although Zhang Pingan and his men were not short of this thing, Zhao Renzhi's move undoubtedly sent a signal of seeking peace.

Zhang Pingan and Qian Jie also went down the stairs and the three of them acted as if they were friends again.

Then Zhao Renzhi explained his real purpose: "Brother Zhang, Brother Qian, I want to go to Yumen Pass. What do you think?"

"Why do you come up with this idea?" Qian Jie asked calmly.

Zhao Renzhi paused, looked outside the tent again, and then whispered, "I have a feeling the person we're looking for should be at Yumen Pass. Otherwise, why would Wei Chengfeng happen to be patrolling the border at Yumen Pass right now? Now that we're already in the Guazhou camp, we should look further afield and not just stay confined to this camp. So, I think we should just go to Yumen Pass and take a look. We can't wait until after the New Year, so we can go tomorrow."

"Brother Zhao and I have the same idea," Zhang Pingan praised.

"But we can't just go to Yumen Pass casually. We have to take it wits about us. We can't use our official positions to pressure others, as that will only backfire. How about this: the three of us each contribute a share of the silver. I'll pay the lion's share, 40%, and you each contribute 30%. We'll have Governor Liao prepare some supplies for us in Guazhou City and send them over. Then, we'll take these to Yumen Pass to reward and provide relief to the soldiers and civilians at the border. This will also help them have a good New Year in advance. What do you think?"

Zhao Renzhi nodded repeatedly after hearing this, "Sure, what's wrong with that? This way, I can also earn a good reputation!"

Qian Jie looked at Zhao Renzhi and suddenly felt that this man seemed not so smart since his western tour.

His martial arts skills are still very good, but his brain is not so good enough. Is it true that the climate and soil in the northwest are really not suitable for supporting people?

Zhao Renzhi had no idea that his image in Qian Jie's eyes had plummeted.

He was still thinking about the pangolin. Somehow, perhaps due to his intuition from many years of military service, he always felt that this person was very important.

It was one of the breakthrough points for the Western Tour.

After discussing with Zhang Ping'an, he returned to his tent.

Qian Jie couldn't help but mutter to Zhang Pingan, "Why does Zhao Renzhi seem not as smart as before? He seems a bit reckless. This is not like him!"

Zhang Pingan sneered after hearing this: "Him? Don't underestimate him. He might be playing the pig to eat the tiger. How many famous ministers and generals were eventually destroyed by such a small person."

"I didn't notice it," Qian Jie lowered his head and pondered, as if thinking about something.

Zhang Ping'an acted quickly and the next morning when he went out horse racing with Qian Jie, he released the Saker Falcon that Governor Liao had given him.

In winter, only the God of Ten Thousand Eagles can help deliver messages quickly.

"If things go well, they should be here in two days."

Qian Jie nodded, exhaled a breath of white air, rubbed his hands and complained, "It's really cold in the northwest. It's not the kind of cold we get in Beijing. It's the kind that makes your bones ache. I really don't know how these soldiers managed to survive in this damn place for more than ten years. Only when I saw it in person did I realize how hard their lives were."

"What we have now is still considered good. At least we can have enough food and warm clothes. In the most difficult times, I am afraid we can't even have enough food and warm clothes, and we still have to work hard. Therefore, unless it is absolutely necessary, I don't want the two sides to go to war." This is the true words in Zhang Pingan's heart.

When it prospers, the people suffer; when it dies, the people suffer.

But the soldiers fighting on the battlefield suffer even more!

Qian Jie thought the same thing, "I hope everything goes well!"

Inside the camp, the young man frowned as he watched the flying Saker Falcon. "Foster father, why don't you intercept the letter? If we know what they're up to, we can better respond."

"Since they dare to send the letter openly, we cannot intercept it without knowing the reason. You are still young and don't understand the ways of officialdom," Wei Chengfeng waved his hand earnestly, obviously disapproving of the young man's approach.