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

"Yes!" Little Fish replied firmly.

“Then take the test, but don’t be too fixated on the result. You’re still young, and there are endless possibilities for the future,” Zhang Ping’an said with a smile.

"Yes, that's what my uncle said too," Xiaoyuer said happily, hearing her father's support.

Seeing his son happy, Zhang Ping'an couldn't help but smile and took his son's homework to look at it carefully.

Actually, he usually pays attention to Xiaoyuer's homework, and for his age, he is indeed considered talented.

If I take the exam next year, passing the preliminary exam shouldn't be a problem, but passing the county-level exam is a bit uncertain, mainly because I haven't thoroughly understood many of the concepts.

He explained the problems in his son's homework to him one by one. After all, he was a second-class scholar who had passed the imperial examination. His profound yet simple teaching greatly benefited Xiaoyuer.

Life went on at a leisurely pace. Apart from his colleagues in the court, Zhang Ping'an's closest friend was Green Bean Eyes.

The two could be said to have a mutual respect for each other.

However, those with beady eyes have been having some troubles lately.

"What? You mean your sister-in-law and her son are going back to their homeland?" Zhang Ping'an put down the chess piece, somewhat surprised.

"Sigh, yeah, I'm so worried," said the beady-eyed man, clearly annoyed and somewhat distracted.

"Why so suddenly? What are you going to do? Abandon everything here, leave your family and business behind, and go to Rus' with them? That's not very likely, but you're probably worried about letting the mother and son go on their own."

"I'm caught in a dilemma right now," said the beady-eyed man with a wry smile.

"Perhaps God just couldn't stand my life being too easy, so He had to mess things up for me. Just a few days ago, someone from Rus' came and said that the old king was seriously ill and wanted to see his daughter one last time before he died. Filial piety is the most important virtue, so I couldn't stop her from going back to her bedside to fulfill her filial duty. Besides, I know that she has always missed her homeland. If she goes back this time, the king may very well restore her status as a princess, which is what she has always hoped for."

“I see. Then it’s really not easy for you to stop it. But the journey from the capital to Russo is too far. It would probably take a year or two to go back and forth. There are too many variables in between. This…” Zhang Ping’an hesitated.

I couldn't bear to continue.

How could the beady-eyed man not understand? He nodded and said, “Yes, there are too many variables. In fact, we both know that once she leaves, she may never come back. She said she wanted me to go with her, but I’m over thirty now. I can’t be as willful and free as I was when I was young, doing whatever I want. My parents are getting old. Now my official position is neither high nor low, but I am still a support in the clan. If I really just leave, it would be too selfish.”

“Then why not leave the child here? At least the child can be well taken care of in the capital, and you won’t have to travel back and suffer all that trouble. It will also be a safety net for your sister-in-law in the future,” Zhang Ping’an asked after thinking for a moment.

Hearing this, the man with the beady eyes shook his head: "Ping An, you're not an outsider. To tell you the truth, Fu Si had a difficult childbirth. The situation was very dangerous. The doctor has said that she will never be able to have children again. It's always a pity for a woman, even one of noble status like a princess, to be all alone without a child by her side. I can't bear it. So if she really wants to go back, let her take the child with her!"

“This…”, Zhang Ping’an was speechless.

If that's the case, then this child is of great significance to Fuss.

"Actually, this is also one of the things I admired about her back then: decisiveness and courage. Princesses in their country have a share in inheriting the throne, and their status is not much lower than that of men. Therefore, she does not have the deeply ingrained concept of women in the Central Plains that a woman should obey her husband after marriage. Although she has feelings for me, she knows better what she wants now. In any case, I think I will still respect her choice."

After saying that, the man with the beady eyes lost interest in playing chess. He pushed the chessboard aside, went to the side, poured himself a cup of tea, and took a sip in a daze.

His face was filled with loneliness and bitterness.

Seeing this, Zhang Ping'an sighed, walked over and patted him on the shoulder to comfort him.

Although Green Eyes really hoped that Fusi wouldn't leave, he knew that Fusi was a woman with her own ideas and a strong character.

At the same time, she is a capable woman; she is not a canary that can be kept in a gilded cage.

Finally, with great reluctance, Fuss left with her son and her retinue of guards, returning to her homeland.

Maomao is over a year old. She can talk and walk. She is chubby and strong, and much taller than her peers.

He didn't know that this departure meant parting ways. He chuckled and stood on the carriage, calling out "Daddy" and "Little Fish Brother".

Although Maomao is still young, besides his parents, the person he is most attached to is Xiaoyuer. Even though they don't see each other often, he can always recognize Xiaoyuer whenever he goes there.

Little Fish usually finds this tagalong a bit annoying, but at this moment, his eyes welled up with tears. "Mao Mao, this is for you. You must come back in the future. Little Fish Brother is waiting for you."

As he spoke, Xiaoyuer tiptoed and handed his peace charm to Maomao, saying, "You must stay safe and sound. If you're not happy staying in that Ruos, just come back to the capital. Brother Xiaoyuer will protect you!"

"Little Fish Brother," Mao Mao grinned foolishly, holding something, oblivious to all sorrow.

When Fuss saw this, a flicker of hesitation crossed her eyes, but it ultimately turned into determination.

He pulled his son over to sit down, said goodbye to Green Eyes and Zhang Ping'an again, and then ordered the guards to set off.

The boy with beady eyes involuntarily ran a few steps after the carriage before stopping in a daze.

The whole person was in a state of disarray.

Zhang Ping'an sighed, understanding his feelings at that moment.

Little Fish didn't understand and said angrily, "Uncle Ge, why didn't you keep Maomao and his mother here? You could have. Maomao is so young, only a little over a year old. After he left with his mother, he won't have a father anymore. How pitiful! He clearly has a father, but he has to become a child without a father."

“You’re still young, you don’t understand,” Zhang Ping’an sighed again.

Little Fish got even angrier when he heard this. He raised his head and said seriously, "You always think that children don't understand anything because they are young. Maybe I am young, but I know that if you want something, you should hold on to it tightly instead of letting it go."

“Some things can be grasped, but some things cannot be grasped.” Zhang Ping’an didn’t explain too much to his son. He knew that if he said too much, his son wouldn’t understand. Some things can only be understood when you reach a certain age.

That night, Green Bean Eyes got completely drunk.

Zhang Ping'an stayed by his side silently, knowing that any words of comfort would be futile at this moment.

It's better to vent afterward.