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

"Hey, when did you get back? I didn't hear a thing," Zhang Ping'an asked with a raised eyebrow and a smile, while gesturing for the man to sit down and have some tea.

Qian Yu had been serving as an official in other places for many years. Apart from going to the capital to report on his duties or occasionally returning to visit his relatives, he rarely saw people. The number of times the two met over the years could be counted on one hand.

The period when their relationship was at its best was when Zhang Ping'an was the magistrate of Cixian County.

However, Zhang Ping'an had heard about his fourth brother-in-law's development in other places. He heard that he was doing very well and had a good reputation among the people. He was a mainstay of Qian Jia'an's influence outside the court.

Although he is the youngest among his brothers-in-law, he is the most cunning and shrewd. He has a baby face and always smiles like a Buddha, seemingly easy to talk to. In reality, he is the most vengeful, decisive, and ruthless.

Therefore, Zhang Ping'an couldn't help but have many guesses about Qian Yu's sudden and quiet return to Beijing.

Upon hearing this, Qian Yu replied with a smile, "It's quite a coincidence. I just arrived this morning and rested at home for a while when I heard from the servants that my nephew had passed the imperial examination with the rank of Tan Hua. Such a joyous occasion, as his uncle, I had no choice but to come and offer my congratulations. My elder brothers will also be coming over later."

He didn't explain why he suddenly came back.

Looking at the pile of congratulatory gifts on the table, many of which were valuable items, Zhang Ping'an calmly took a sip of tea before looking up to continue the pleasantries:

"That's great! Heming hasn't seen you in a long time. He remembers all the food and toys you used to send him. He always says 'Fourth Uncle is good.' He'll be so happy to see you when he comes back!"

"Really? I was afraid this kid would forget me. It's a good thing I spoiled him for nothing," Qian Yu said, his smile becoming more genuine.

Then, he put down his crossed legs, leaned forward, and casually asked, "I heard that Heming is engaged to the Li family? Is it Li Chong's eldest daughter?"

“Yes, this happened at the beginning of last month. I even wrote you a letter. Didn’t you receive it?” Zhang Ping’an put down his teacup and asked with a smile.

Upon hearing this, Qian Yu shook his head, "I guess I would have already set off by the time the letter arrived. I haven't been feeling well lately, so I took leave to go back to the capital to see the imperial physician."

"Are you alright? Where does it hurt? I know several imperial physicians in the capital, and their medical skills are all quite good." Zhang Ping'an frowned immediately upon hearing this and asked with concern.

However, I was skeptical about the truth of his words, and Qian Yu seemed to be in pretty good spirits.

Moreover, he had not heard any rumors about this from the Qian family before. In his memory, Qian Yu had always been in good health, paid attention to health preservation, was clean-living, and was very self-disciplined. Logically speaking, he should not have any serious illness.

Qian Yu waved his hand, his face showing no sign of worry like that of an ordinary patient. "It's just that I have chest pains from time to time. The doctors I consulted before couldn't find anything wrong. Health is the most important thing, and we can't be careless about it. I've already sent a servant to visit Physician Lin's house and made an appointment. We'll see what he says then."

After saying that, he chuckled and sighed with a somewhat ambiguous tone: "Forget it, let's not talk about me anymore. Actually, Li Chong was the one who surprised me the most on this trip back to the capital. He's doing quite well in the court now. A once impoverished family that used to have to sell off their ancestral property to make a living, I never thought he'd actually turn his life around. Hehe, no wonder people often say that fortunes change every thirty years!"

Judging from the tone of your voice, Zhang Ping'an looked over and asked, "What? From your tone, it sounds like you have a grudge against him?"

Qian Yu remained expressionless, shrugged, and explained, "It's not a big grudge. I haven't had any dealings with him for many years, but when we were kids, that kid used to follow me, my eldest brother, second brother, and third brother around like a little shadow. Now he's all grown up and has become quite powerful. I'm just feeling a bit nostalgic. I wonder if his daughter is good enough for our Heming. A virtuous wife brings fewer troubles to her husband. If he marries someone who's not presentable, he'll be in big trouble."

Zhang Ping'an understood immediately; it turned out that these two had such a connection from their childhood!

But thinking about it, it's understandable. Li Chong was probably the least popular and most ingratiating among the children of aristocratic families when he was young. Now he has transformed into a leader among his peers, which naturally makes his former playmates look at him with new respect, and even a little envious.

Humans aren't saints, so it's normal to have these kinds of emotions.

“Actually, our two families have been interested in this matter for a long time, but the late emperor passed away before we could finalize it. We also asked my sister-in-law to take a look and help us make a decision. She said the girl is quite good,” Zhang Ping’an said.

Qian Yu only mentioned it casually, and didn't really take the topic seriously, since he wasn't marrying a daughter of the Qian family.

Li Chong was just a person who bothered him a little. He was a very competitive person and believed that he was no less intelligent or from a better family than Li Chong, but he did not have enough opportunities.

For so many years, in order to help his elder brother Qian Ying quickly rise to the core of the court's power, he has remained at the level of a fourth-rank prefect.

As he approached forty and his brother-in-law had already risen to the rank of a high-ranking official, he felt somewhat resentful.

The two chatted about everyday things for a while, waiting for Xiaoyuer to return.

Since they were all officials, they naturally started talking about Xiaoyuer's future.

Qian Yu said gently, “He Ming is a third-place scholar in the imperial examination. He was immediately appointed as a compiler in the Hanlin Academy. In a peaceful and prosperous era, no one can enter the cabinet without being a member of the Hanlin Academy. This is a good starting point. However, I always feel that his personality is not suitable for this kind of position. Although I am not in the center of the court, I know a little about what has happened in the court recently. If you are willing, you might as well put in a good word for him with the Emperor and let him work in the Ministry of Revenue. With his father-in-law, Li Chong, who is the Minister of Revenue, he is better off than in the Hanlin Academy.”

Zhang Ping'an was very perceptive: "The world is in good times now, why do you say such a thing?"

Upon hearing this, Qian Yu closed his fan, a half-smile on his face: "Ask yourself first, do you believe this? Heming is my nephew, so naturally I'm doing this for his own good. If you really want to know the details, then it's just a gut feeling, nothing more.

Zhang Ping'an knew he couldn't get any more information from her, but these words made him even more certain that Qian Yu's return was not simple.

Not long after, Little Fish returned home.

Upon seeing Qian Yu arrive, Xiao Yu'er was initially incredulous, then exclaimed, "Fourth Uncle!"

"Fourth Uncle, why are you back? When did you get back?"

Qian Yu looked at Xiao Yu'er with great affection and stood up to reply, "I just got back this morning. I've been thinking about you ever since I got back. Come on, look, these are all the gifts I brought for you. Do you like them? Your uncle said you like horses, so I specially asked someone to order a Ferghana horse for you from the Northwest. It should arrive in a little over a month."