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

At first, Donkey Egg didn't realize that the target was him.

After they finished eating, while having tea in the flower hall, Zhang Ping'an finally brought up the topic, "Zhuzhu is getting married soon, how are her dowry preparations going?"

"Everything is ready. It's not far off from a grand dowry, if not a grand one. For a family like ours, this is considered a top-class dowry," Donkey Egg replied.

"Well, Cat Egg isn't young anymore. I heard from your mother that they're looking for a wife for him. His dowry will probably be a big expense, and it might even involve your share. Do you have any thoughts on that?"

"This..." Donkey Egg hesitated, sensing that his uncle's tone was a bit off. "That will naturally depend on how Father and Mother arrange things."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Ping'an put down his teacup with a loud "thump," startling Donkey Egg so much that his heart skipped a beat, and he instinctively realized he had said the wrong thing.

Sure enough, Zhang Ping'an asked coldly, "Donkey Egg, how old are you?"

Donkey Egg was momentarily at a loss for words, unsure how to answer. Of course, he knew that his uncle wasn't just asking about his age.

“You’re already twenty, it’s time for you to help your parents. Even if you can’t make the decisions about things at home, you can still offer some advice. Don’t rely on your parents for everything. I believe you’ve seen how hard your parents have worked all this time. Although they may not be highly educated, their wisdom in life is certainly no less than mine.”

Donkey Egg was a little confused and still didn't quite understand.

Zhang Ping'an had no choice but to be more explicit, "They have carefully considered the arrangements for Zhuzhu's dowry. You are the eldest son and will be the head of the household in the future. How can you not have your own ideas and decisiveness? You listen to your wife and your parents. In the end, you will be caught in the middle and will not be liked by either side. You want to smooth things over, but you can't do it well."

Donkey Egg then realized what was going on today and defended himself, feeling somewhat aggrieved: "Uncle, you misunderstood. I didn't mean anything by it. It's not that I think the dowry my parents gave me is too much. Piggy is my sister, and I definitely hope she will have a good life in the future and be able to hold her own in her husband's family. It's just that my wife is always making a fuss, and I can't explain it to her. So I just mentioned it to my mother. That's all."

“If you can’t even sweep your own house, how can you sweep the world? If you can’t even manage your own household affairs, how can you expect to do anything outside?” Zhang Ping’an shook his head.

"I……"

"Don't try to defend yourself. Explanation is just a cover-up. I don't believe you have no selfish motives at all. Everyone has selfish motives, and I understand that. But what I want to tell you today is that as the head of the household, you need to have a long-term vision. Don't just focus on your own little plot of land. If you want to fight or grab, go outside and grab it. Then I'll respect you as a real man and think you're capable!"

Back then, your maternal grandparents raised seven children and still managed to raise us all well. I even got an education, passed the imperial examinations, and became an official. A good man doesn't rely on the family's inheritance; your situation is much better now than it was back then. If you want anything, go out and earn it yourself!

Donkey Egg was so ashamed by what he was said that he hung his head low.

"I'm sorry, Uncle, I've never brought honor to the family, I'm not as good as Cat Egg."

Seeing Donkey Egg's expression, Zhang Ping'an knew that was enough; he couldn't say anything more harsh.

So he softened his tone before continuing: "You don't need to compare yourself to anyone else, just compare yourself to yourself. Some people are just late bloomers. Your uncle has always thought you are a very down-to-earth and promising child, definitely no worse than Maodan. Life is a long road, and the worst thing is to take the wrong path along the way. Sometimes you can turn back, but sometimes you can't. Your uncle's words today were a bit harsh, but your uncle hopes you can figure them out yourself."

"Uncle, I will. After putting everything together today, I've figured it out. Zhuzhu is my sister, and Maodan is my brother. We're all family. We need to support each other and move forward together. I can't just focus on my own little schemes. That's pathetic!"