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

Five days later, with everything handed over properly, Zhang Ping'an was finally able to set off back to Beijing.

This time when he went back, his feelings were completely different from before; he had never been so eager to see his family.

When he passed through Xi'an, he made a special trip to bring his son several sets of ceramic dolls, local specialties of Xi'an. They were exquisitely made and had a very exotic style.

It was already evening, and after thinking about it, he also went to visit Old Qiu's stall at the night market.

After Wei Chengfeng's matter was over, Old Qiu returned early with the passing caravan, and the reward he received was more than double what Zhang Ping'an had promised.

She still helps out at the family-run stall, washing, chopping, and doing odd jobs.

Because of this trip with Zhang Ping'an and the others, the family's financial situation has greatly improved, and the worry on his face has eased a bit.

Seeing Zhang Ping'an bring his men over, Old Qiu was very excited, and a rare smile appeared on his usually taciturn face.

"Sirs, please have a seat and see what you'd like to eat," Old Qiu said.

"No need to call me sir, just make yourself at home. As for the food, we have so many people, so you can decide what to serve!" Zhang Ping'an said with a gentle smile.

Old Qiu had performed quite well in his previous missions, and Zhang Ping'an had been inclined to take care of him.

Old Qiu then went to discuss the menu with his son. Before long, the table was filled with food, all made with plenty of fresh ingredients, and it smelled delicious!

Zhang Ping'an noticed that the number of children helping had decreased from three to two, and the middle-aged one was missing, so he asked, "Where's your other grandson?"

Old Qiu kept busy with his hands, then turned around with a smile and said, "He went to learn a trade, to learn how to build houses. The family business is small, and we can't expect all three children to make a living by setting up a stall in the future! Having more skills means having more options."

Zhang Ping'an raised an eyebrow and agreed: "That's right, you're right to think that way. We can't tie everyone to the same thing."

“Before, my family didn’t have the money or connections to send them to learn a trade. It was thanks to you that I got to know a few people in the government offices through this job that you were able to help me get in touch,” Old Qiu said gratefully.

He was quite shrewd; he had considered sending his grandson to school or to learn a trade before, but he had no money and could only try to make a living first.

Zhang Ping'an admired people who could seize opportunities and offered a few words of encouragement: "Now that you've found a master, let the child study hard. Suffering is a blessing. Don't be afraid of suffering at the beginning. He's still young, and the better days are ahead."

“Yes, that’s what I told him too,” Old Qiu chimed in. “After the wheat harvest this year, I’ll send my grandson to a private school so he can learn some books and characters. He’ll be better than us.”

At this point, Old Qiu hesitated for a moment, then stammered and pleaded, "Sir, you are well-read and knowledgeable, could you help us name our third son?"

"He still doesn't have a name?" Zhang Ping'an asked, somewhat surprised.

He remembered seeing information that said Old Qiu's grandson was six years old, and now, more than a year later, he's over seven.

Even the poorest families will give their children a name now that they're this old.

Old Qiu looked at his grandson with some affection, shook his head and explained, "This child has never been very healthy since he was little, so we've always called him San'er, San'er. It's fine normally, but if he's going to study at a private school, this name is a bit inappropriate, so we want to give him a proper name."

Zhang Ping'an knew that poor families had this custom, believing that this way the child wouldn't end up on the death row and would be easier to raise.

After pondering for a moment, he said, "Well, it seems I have a connection with your family. This child is bright-eyed and very clever. He might have a great future. How about we name him Hanzhang? Qiu Hanzhang comes from the Kun hexagram in the Book of Changes, which says, 'Hanzhang can be steadfast, and will be revealed at the right time.' It means that he has good qualities that he keeps hidden and waits for the right time to show them. What do you think?"

"Qiu Hanzhang," Old Qiu repeated twice, smiling broadly. "Good, that's a good name, it sounds scholarly!"

Knowing that the Qiu family members were not very literate, Zhang Ping'an specially wrote it down on a piece of paper.

After receiving the gift, Old Qiu thanked his son, daughter-in-law, and two grandsons profusely.

They even gave me a significant discount when I paid the bill.

Zhang Ping'an wasn't short of money, so he naturally wouldn't take advantage of them. "You're all running small businesses, so don't argue. Consider this extra money as tuition for my child. If the child really succeeds in his studies, we might even run into each other in the capital!"

"Thank you for your kind words. Take care, take care," Old Qiu said, holding the silver in his hand as he saw the old man off for a long time. In that instant, he was filled with boundless hope because of those words.

Zhang Ping'an is not usually one to meddle in other people's business, but perhaps because the child was about the same age as his son, he felt a pang of sympathy when he saw the child's dark, bright eyes looking at him with innocent confusion.

So they didn't mind Old Qiu's little tricks as an elder.

If this can change a child's fate, then it's a good thing.

Time flew by and it was already mid-to-late May. Zhang Ping'an finally passed Juyong Pass and arrived at the foot of the capital.

He will be able to get home tomorrow.

Another good night’s sleep!

When we entered the city at noon the next day, there weren't many people. We happened to run into a broker driving a covered wagon to take a child into the city.

The so-called covered cart is simply a cart with a roof made of bamboo poles, woven with hemp rope, and covered with a layer of straw.

It's not very durable or sturdy, but the advantage is that it's easy to replace and can barely keep out the wind and rain.

The four sides are empty.

Looking around, all you could see were four- or five-year-old children, huddled together, shivering and glancing around curiously every now and then.

They were at an age where they no longer needed care and didn't remember much.

They were all good-looking, none of them were ugly.

Zhang Ping'an hadn't paid any attention at first, but as the horse and the cart passed each other, he suddenly met a pair of dark eyes.

In that instant, something seemed to explode in his mind.

Without a second thought, Zhang Ping'an quickly waved to signal the horse to stop.

The attendants around him, unaware of what had happened and thinking they were in danger, drew their swords.

"Sir, what's wrong?" After finishing his meal, he looked around, somewhat puzzled.

"It's nothing. I just saw some traffickers coming into town to sell children, so I'm going to take a look," Zhang Ping'an said, then quickly dismounted and walked over.

The slave trader panicked, thinking he had done something wrong. After all, Zhang Ping'an and his group looked impressive and powerful, and he couldn't afford to offend them.

Before Zhang Ping'an could ask any questions, the slave trader got off the cart, kowtowed and begged for mercy, and argued, "My lords, I'm not a beggar. These children all have proper documentation. I'm a legitimate slave trader from a legitimate brokerage firm."