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

“We’ve tried to get the imperial physician through connections, but the child is too young to be prescribed a medicine. Besides, he’s fine in every way, he’s nursing very well, and he’s in great health. Let’s just wait it out. The doctor said he’ll get much better after he turns six months old,” said the beady-eyed man helplessly.

He had tried many methods, but none of them worked. The child had no problems, but he was very stubborn and only recognized people!

What can you do with your own son? Spoil him!

"That must have been difficult for you," Zhang Ping'an shook his head upon hearing this, there was nothing he could do.

Then, remembering something, he said, "Oh right, didn't I say before that I wanted to adopt your son as my godson? Although I gave him a token, the child wasn't born yet, so we didn't have a banquet or anything. When is it convenient for you? We can discuss a date, and I'll host a few tables at home and invite some relatives, friends, and some prominent people from the capital to witness this. It will also serve as an announcement to the public."

“Then we’ll probably have to wait a few days, at least until the Emperor returns from the sacrificial ceremony at the altar in the outskirts of the capital,” said the man with the beady eyes after thinking for a moment.

“Okay, no problem. I just got back, and I need to take care of some personal matters during my free time these next few days.”

Speaking of personal matters, Green-Eyed recalled what his father had mentioned in his letter, "By the way, how is your second sister's family?"

"What happened to them?" Zhang Ping'an looked up when he heard this. "My parents said they are doing well in Lin'an. My eldest nephew even passed the imperial examination and became a scholar. Could something have happened?"

The man with the beady eyes waved his hand, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "It's nothing, I just heard my dad mention that your second sister's husband's eldest son is discussing marriage with one of my nieces!"

"Is there something wrong with your niece?"

“My niece is fine too. She’s quite pretty and has a large dowry. Although our family are merchants, we’re one of the top merchants. In terms of family background alone, she’s a good match for your second sister’s family. My second uncle and my father probably wanted to invest in advance, and given your status, that’s why they chose your nephew,” the beady-eyed man analyzed.

"That settles it then, that's good, as long as the two of them like each other." Zhang Ping'an usually doesn't meddle in other people's marriages, because he can easily end up pleasing neither side.

“We’re good friends, so I tell you in advance if anything happens, so that it doesn’t seem sudden when things are finalized, like I was the one who brokered things. But I really didn’t; they did all the work themselves,” the beady-eyed man explained.

Seeing Zhang Ping'an's expression, he guessed that the other party was still unaware of the situation.

"It's alright, no need to explain. As long as the woman is of good character and healthy, that's fine. My second sister is a decisive person. Since she agreed to meet, she must have thought it all through."

The man with the beady eyes nodded: "Yes, your second sister and the others have lived in Lin'an for so many years, and with our relationship, they know our family situation very well."

He paused before continuing, "You need to be mentally prepared. Listen to what my father meant in his letter: after they get married, they want your nephew to come to the capital to study. Firstly, there are many famous teachers in the capital, so you'll have a better chance of passing the provincial examination. Secondly, they want you to make some useful connections in advance, as they'll definitely need your help later."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Ping'an put down his teacup and sighed, "I am his uncle, so it's not a matter of trouble or not. I will help if I can. It's just that I didn't expect your father and your second uncle's family to have such long-term plans."

The man with the beady eyes chuckled awkwardly, "There's nothing I can do. Businessmen always have to be more calculating, taking everything into account. But my intentions are good; I just want your nephew to have a bright future!"

"Understood!" Zhang Ping'an naturally understood this principle.

"Forget about that. I'm his uncle. They'll naturally let me know once things are settled. Let me see your son. I'm his godfather, and I haven't even met him yet."

"Look at me, I was having so much fun chatting with you that I forgot," the beady-eyed man patted his head and ordered a servant, "Go and bring the young master over!"

After the baby was brought to him, Zhang Ping'an finally saw what the mixed-race baby looked like.

With his golden curly hair and fair skin, he was clearly distinguished by his lineage. His dark eyes resembled his mother's, and his features were striking; he was a very beautiful baby.

It's only been a little over 100 days, but it's already quite heavy when you hold it. You can tell it will grow up to be a child with a great physique.

"Maomao, that's just like you. You love adventure!" Zhang Ping'an commented, looking at the child.

The man with the beady eyes said with a hint of pride, "You guessed right. Besides the fact that he had teeth right after he was born, it's also because his mother and I met while we were adventuring overseas, so the name 'Maomao' also has that meaning."

"This child has regular features and bright eyes; I think he'll amount to something in the future."

"I hope so!" replied the beady-eyed man. What father doesn't want his child to have a peaceful and safe life with a bright future?

Just then, Xiaoyuer, tired from playing outside, ran in carrying the Persian cat. His face was sweaty, and he held up the kitten again to confirm, "Uncle Ge, is this Persian cat really for me? It's so beautiful and so smart. I won't be giving it back to you!"

The boy with the beady eyes laughed heartily and confirmed, "Of course! A gentleman's word is his bond. If your uncle says he'll give it to you, then he means it. Now that your uncle has a little brother at home, he can't keep the cat anymore. Taking the cat with you will actually solve a big problem for your uncle!"

He had bought the cat from another merchant to keep his wife entertained, but after the baby was born, neither his wife nor the baby could get their hands on the cat's fur.

It's pitiful to keep the cat locked up, so I might as well give it away.

Little Fish was delighted to hear this and earnestly thanked him, "Thank you, Uncle!"

“Little Fish, come here and look at your little brother. He’s so chubby and cute, isn’t he? He’s so much fun to be around,” Zhang Ping’an called his son over.

Little Fish ran up and glanced at the baby, then reached out and gently poked the baby's face in surprise: "Huh, how come he's gotten so much fatter and whiter?"

“Children change every day, just like you did when you were little,” Zhang Ping’an explained.

Xiaoyuer is an only child and doesn't have any special feelings towards his younger brother. In his heart, he only hopes that his father will love him as his only child.

However, he knew he couldn't say these words aloud, so he still praised his younger brother for being handsome and obedient, saying, "When he grows up, I'll take him to fly kites and hunt sparrows!"

"Then Uncle will be waiting. Little Fish will take his little brother to play then," said the beady-eyed man happily.

The rest of the day was spent at the Ge family's house. Before leaving, Green Bean Eyes gave Little Fish a lot of expensive food, toys, and other items.

Zhang Ping'an refused, but the man with the beady eyes argued that it was a matter of courtesy and eventually accepted it.

When the father and son arrived home, the Qian family had already sent servants to deliver the mare.

Little Fish also happily ended a fruitful day.

After that, Zhang Ping'an didn't ask for leave from him anymore.

Although the leave has already been reported to the Ministry of Personnel and cancelled.

But His Majesty and some other ministers in the court have not yet returned, so Zhang Ping'an can rest for a couple more days.

After visiting the homes of his familiar colleagues, Zhang Ping'an then took some time to visit his eldest sister's house to resolve Zhuzhu's dowry issue.

The new bride's instigation was one aspect, but the most important thing was that Donkey Egg's attitude of trying to smooth things over was wrong.

In conflicts between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law, outsiders always say it's the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law's problem, but in reality, the man who mediates in the middle has the biggest problem, yet he often remains completely hidden in the incident.

With his brother-in-law away, he couldn't ignore this matter, considering his mother's maternal uncle's influence.