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

"I believe in you. You have always been a talented person. Your Majesty has a keen eye for talent."

Zhang Ping'an has always firmly believed this.

However, “But after you take office in the Northwest, I’m afraid we won’t be able to see each other for several years.”

At the shortest, it will take five or six years, and at the longest, it may take more than ten years.

It is impossible for the general guarding the pass to leave the garrison at will.

Lin Junhui is very open-minded. "All good things must come to an end. Even though we are far apart, as long as we are well, it's the same. Besides, I have my old friend, my brother-in-law, to accompany me, so I won't be lonely at all."

As he spoke, he chuckled again, shook his head and sighed, "Our Lin family was originally a family of scholars, but I never thought that I would become a military commander. I never expected that."

"Civil officials and military generals all serve the court. In the future, my nephews will also be able to take the imperial examinations and return to Beijing to become officials. This is nothing," Zhang Pingan said with a smile.

"That's right, you can't have your cake and eat it too," Lin Junhui nodded.

His eyes sparkled in the night, a power ready to be unleashed. Zhang Ping'an had no doubt that under his governance and intervention, golden flowers would truly bloom in the desert in the future.

There are also bright spots in the barren land.

Not long after, Lin Junhui stopped and said, "I'm here. You can go back. We'll talk tomorrow!"

"Oh, I really want to have another candlelit night chat with you, but I really can't accept my age and can't stay up all night!"

"Stop joking. You've all been exhausted from the journey. Go get some rest early and we'll talk tomorrow." Zhang Ping'an waved goodbye to Lin Junhui.

After watching Lin Junhui enter the door, he turned around and left, getting on the carriage.

After eating his fill, he asked, "Sir, this is the list of gifts that Master Tolin and the others are supposed to take back. Do you have anything else to add? If so, I'll send someone to buy them tomorrow."

The handover of the post of commander-in-chief of the border area is not that simple. Lin Junhui and his colleagues have to return to Beijing to report on their posts first. Even if they rush, it will probably be the end of the year when they set off again.

In any case, Zhang Ping'an will definitely not be able to go back home to celebrate the New Year this year.

Although he couldn't go back, his intention was to send some gifts back to him. Zhang Ping'an had also asked Chi Bao to take care of this matter in advance, so Chi Bao asked this question.

Zhang Pingan casually took the list and took a look at it. They were all specialties from the Northwest. In fact, most of them could be bought in Beijing, but at least it was a token of his appreciation.

"That's all for now. If people don't go back, it's useless to send more things. Time flies so fast. A year has passed in a flash. When I go back next year, it will be the seventh year of Jianxin." Zhang Ping'an put down the list and murmured.

Looking back at the founding of the country, it seems like it was just yesterday.

Chi Bao smiled when he heard this and said, "My lord, you are a man who does great things, so time flies by quickly. When I was little, life was hard. I looked forward to the New Year all year round, and my eyes almost popped out of my head. Time passed by so slowly."

"Is it still like this now?" Zhang Pingan came back to his senses and asked curiously.

After eating, he nodded and shook his head: "Now I am still looking forward to the New Year, because everyone is happy during the New Year, but I am not greedy anymore, and I don't feel that time passes slowly."

"Very good," Zhang Pingan nodded with a smile.

"It's all thanks to you, adults," I said, feeling very satisfied after eating and laughing.

…………

After a night, early the next morning, Green Bean Eyes started to go shopping at the market with the other people in his group.

"This is very expensive in the capital, we need to buy more."

"We can sell that back in the capital and make a fortune."

The analysis given to colleagues is very logical and reasonable.

When they were outside the customs, they didn't dare to buy many things, for fear that they would spend money and then not be able to bring them back if something unexpected happened.

The hands are restrained.

After entering the customs, they no longer had to worry about horses and food for the subsequent return to Beijing, so everyone started thinking about what to bring back for their families.

Some died outside the Great Wall and could not return, so Lin Junhui paid for it out of his own pocket and asked his subordinates to buy more than the number of people when they bought something.

"Even though the court will give them pensions after their death, we all go home happily with bags full of things. We can't make other people's homes look deserted, right? That would be like rubbing salt into their chests. We should just take whatever we bought with us, so that we can have a clear conscience."

Green Bean Eyes had long been impressed by Lin Junhui's personal charm and took the initiative to take on this task.

So when Zhang Ping'an arrived at the inn, he didn't see many people.

After a night's rest, Lin Junhui was visibly in better spirits. He explained, "They all went out shopping. They wanted to bring some things back to their families, or else they could make some money by bringing them back to Beijing."

"Not bad, but you are in a hurry to return to Beijing, so I'm afraid you can't bring much." Zhang Ping'an was not shy and poured himself a cup of tea while speaking.

"It's okay. With Brother Ge here, they know what's going on." Lin Junhui was still confident in them.

After all, we have worked together for so long.

General Xu also came over halfway, put down his whip, and gulped down a pot of tea.

"Damn, it's so hot, what a horrible weather."

Lin Junhui used to be afraid of the heat, but after more than a year in the Western Regions, he's gotten used to it. He smiled and suggested, "Let's go horseback riding in the afternoon. That way we'll be cooler."

"Okay!" General Xu agreed.

A few people who were free went to the pasture to race horses in the late afternoon when it was not so hot.

Even Maodan was no exception. After shopping for a while, he felt bored and ran back.

After sweating, take a shower and you will feel much better.

Time flies, and two or three days have passed. Lin Junhui and his friends can't stay for long, and have to set off again to return to the capital.

After they left, there was naturally no need for Zhang Ping'an to stay. He followed them all the way back to the Guazhou military camp, and the two sides separated.

Green Bean Eyes was reluctant to leave and waved, "Ping An, I'll wait for you in the capital. You still have to come to my son's full moon banquet!"

"Don't worry, you can't run away," Zhang Ping'an waved his hand, feeling sad.

But he was now used to this feeling of parting.

Maodan didn't want to go back at first, and wanted to see if he could just wait here for his father to take office, but Zhang Pingan kicked him away. "Your mother and grandmother have been waiting for you day and night at home. You've been gone for over a year, and now you're finally back. How can you not go back and see them? You have no conscience!"

After being scolded badly, Maodan had no choice but to go back in shame.

Lin Junhui waved goodbye for the last time, then rode away with his men into the morning light.