Chapter 226: The New Lord of Pingshan Seal (I)

At the end of February, in early spring, Jiangnan is in the south, no longer than the northern winter, and spring comes earlier, when the thin ice in the river has begun to melt, and the whole land is slowly recovering.

In many places south of the Yangtze River, at this time, you can see tender green grass sprouts in the mountains in the fields.

Plants and trees are already growing fast, and if you see tender green buds today, the mountains will be green after a while.

Baiming Mountain is located in a corner of the south of the Yangtze River, which is not close to Jinling, and belongs to a county town that is not too small, and its name is also called Baiming, Baiming County.

This county has a lot of population, but probably Baimingshan has always been the spirit of the earth, absorbing all the nutrients, this place has not produced a few famous talents for hundreds of years, most of them have been working all their lives.

It's just that in the past years, the environment was quite beautiful in Baiming Mountain, in the past two years, the trees have withered, and the animals have died strangely, which has made many people who rely on the mountains to eat sigh secretly.

Many hunters and mountain people gradually migrated, just hoping to be able to eat in order to survive.

Relocation is not a trivial matter, not everyone can afford to move elsewhere, and not everyone can leave their homeland.

In a small mountain village a few miles away from Baiyang Mountain, none of the people who lived there chose to move away.

Their ancestors have lived here for generations, and even if they are poor, they can barely survive with the few acres of thin fields saved by their families and some other income.

If you leave here and go somewhere else, you may not be able to live a better life.

And the neighbors get along well, but they are reluctant to live in the countryside for many years.

"Zhang Huan, are you going to chop wood again?"

As soon as the day dawned, there were many people in the mountain village who worked early, even if there were a few acres of thin fields, all year round, everyone still had to do some handicraft work to maintain their lives, and the expenses in all aspects were really a lot, which family did not have a wedding and funeral?

At that time, I am afraid that the savings of several years will be spent, and I will have to be diligent and thrifty.

Zhang Huan is fifteen or sixteen years old, although he is handsome, but his strength is quite great, and he will catch up with a few miles every day to cut firewood at the foot of Baiming Mountain, some of which are used at home, and some of which are picked up and sold in the county seat.

Zhang Huan has been smart since he was a child, diligent, and followed an old gentleman to some school, which is a little famous in the neighborhood, just fifteen or sixteen years old, there are many people inquiring, but his family life is a little poor, his father's body is not tough, and there are a few younger brothers and sisters below, which is really not solid, so no one has come to the door to protect the media, otherwise with his conditions, someone would have come to the door a long time ago.

It was Aunt Wang from the same village who was talking to him, Zhang Huan greeted the other party with a smile: "It turned out to be Aunt Wang, I was about to chop wood, Aunt Wang?"

"Alas, isn't it my third boy who has an errand in the county? Aunt Wang said with a smile on her face.

Her third son is a good person, although he is young, his mouth is sweet, and he will come to things, last time he asked someone to go to the county to find a job, and it really happened, even the shopkeeper praised this child for being promising, and he might be able to mix up a name in the future!

As soon as she mentioned this, Aunt Wang's heart was very comfortable.

Zhang Huan knew her thoughts, and smiled and responded with a few words, which made Aunt Wang's face smile more and more.

Now this Bai Mingshan is not as good as before, relying on the mountain to eat will only become more and more embarrassing, your child is sensible at a glance, and he will be able to have a great career when he goes to the county seat. Aunt Wang said kindly and persuasively.

Zhang Huan said with a smile: "I have also thought about this, and it is becoming more and more difficult to continue to live in Baimingshan and raise a family." However, I still have to discuss it with my father and mother before I can make this decision. ”

Aunt Wang nodded again and again when she heard this: "What I said is very true, your child is filial piety......"

Then he looked at the sky: "It's not too early, my aunt has also entered the city, and you should go early and return early." ”

After leaving the entrance of the village, he met some acquaintances, Zhang Huan greeted them very politely, walked out of the village for a while, and gradually saw no one on the road, so he began to hurry up.

Eight ridges horizontally and vertically, a pond in the distance, but this pond is a stream that eventually enters, and there is a mountain in the distance, which is Baiyang Mountain.

Chopping wood is simple, but it is also a matter of hard work and patience.

Zhang Huan's family is poor, although he has an older sister, but he married early, he is the eldest man in the family, and he has helped his father and mother subsidize the family since he was a child, even so, it is only barely enough for a few people to make ends meet.

"Are you going to the county seat?" said this sentence softly in his mouth, and the young man's delicate face was filled with a trace of distress.

It's not that I haven't thought about it, but my father and mother have passed this hurdle, but the teacher has really difficult to do.

The teacher didn't know who it was, but when he came to this village to live in seclusion, he saw that Zhang Huan was clever when he was a child, so he accepted disciples and taught knowledge, and since then Zhang Huan has been working at home and going to the teacher's house to study when he has time.

Not only did the teacher not ask for money, but when he came across some pickled fish and bacon and gave it to him, he took it home and handed it to his mother.

It's been eight years in the blink of an eye, Zhang Huan is reading the book, and he really understands it in his heart.

This is the teacher's great kindness, but he understands that the teacher has some talents, but because of his physical discomfort, he has delayed his future, and all his ambitions have fallen on him.

Even if his family was poor since he was a child, this teacher insisted on accepting him, and even refused to accept a penny from him.

The teacher was kind to him and had high expectations for him, but he didn't dare to mention it.

"Talk to the teacher at that time, the teacher shouldn't stop you, right?" But when he thought of the situation at home, he relented and persuaded himself.

Thinking like this, I felt that I needed to walk for a long time, and the day seemed much shorter.

Looking up at the mountain in front of him, Zhang Huan, who has lived here for many years, couldn't help but sigh.

What the hell is going on with this mountain?

Obviously, my ancestors have lived in the land for generations, and I have never seen the mountains change, why did it suddenly become such a depression?

Suppressing the sigh in his heart, Zhang Huan put down the pick, took the machete in his hand, and began to work.

Don't look at his young age and literacy, in farm work, he has some skills, especially in chopping wood, he is very proficient, but in less than a while, he has already cut all the firewood.

At this time, he was already a little thirsty, walked a few miles, and chopped so much firewood, he was already tired, licking his lips that were a little dry, Zhang Huan felt that his throat was a little smoky.

Not far ahead, there was a stream, Zhang Huan was thirsty, put the machete aside, walked over with his bare hands, first washed his hands on the stream, held the water in his hand, and swallowed it one by one.

At this time, it was early spring, the stream water was cool, and it was really cold to drink into the stomach, Zhang Huan drank several sips, wiped his mouth, and prepared to go back with firewood.

But after taking a few steps, something smacked the soles of his feet.

"What is this?" Raising his foot and looking down, Zhang Huan's eyes lit up, and he bent down and picked up something.

This piece seems to be an ancient seal, crystal clear, full of good looks, but when I hold it in my hand over and over again, the words below have been worn out, and there are faint cracks.

I had the heart to throw it away, but I was a little reluctant, so I simply wiped it and put it in my arms.

It's just a small piece of ancient seal, and I took it back and pressed the book.

In this way, carrying two large picks of firewood, the young man walked in the direction of the mountain village.

A few miles away, but it was really not close, and when he walked to the entrance of the village, the young man's delicate face was already sweating again.

"Zhang Huan! Zhang Huan, why did you come back?" As soon as I entered the village, I met a young man of the same age, and the young man of the Xie family, who had a very good relationship with him, immediately exclaimed: "The village has spread the word, and the king of Chu in Jinling wants to open it...... Ah! Yes, it's the imperial examination! We want to choose someone who has the ability to be an official! Everyone says that you are a great talent in our village, and if you go to the examination, you will definitely be able to take the examination and make a name for yourself!"

The words of the young man of the Xie family made Zhang Huan stunned for a moment: "The king of Chu opened the imperial examination?"

It has been ten years since the imperial examination was last held by Dayan.

Now the king of Chu, who occupies Jinling, really opened the imperial examination, and he wants to select capable people......

I just don't know what my parents and teachers will think...... Thinking like this, he thanked him, picked up the firewood, and hurried home.

As soon as he arrived at home, his father and mother were talking about it, and when he came back, Zhang's mother brought water for him to wash his hands, and asked about today's situation, and asked cautiously: "My son, have you heard of the imperial examination?"

Zhang Huan hurriedly said: "As soon as I entered the village, I heard about it, is this true?"

"It's true, it was Aunt Wang who came over in person and said, I heard that the public list has been posted in the county, and the rumors are boiling, this time it is the first time to open, I heard that anyone who is literate, regardless of identity, can go, just need to sign up. ”

"Now there are a lot of literate people, they all want to give it a try, my son, you are literate and hyphenated, usually the teacher says that you are already a talent, if you go on like this, will it bury you?

This is mainly because the teacher sighed from time to time, saying that he would not carry out the imperial examination now, otherwise he would at least be a showman, which made Zhang's mother remember it in her heart, and when she heard it, she couldn't bear it.

"Dad, mother, of course my son wants to go...... It's just that...... It's just that I need to mention this matter to the teacher to see what his old man thinks. Zhang Huan hesitated for a moment and said.

Zhang's father and mother listened and glanced at each other.

Zhang's father also agreed with his son's decision, and then spoke: "This is right, in this way, you can go over after you have dinner and listen to his old man's opinion." ”

"Yes!" Zhang Huan responded.

Entering the house, this room is narrow and narrow, but there are a few books, Zhang Huan took out this ancient seal, stroked it a few times, and sighed and said: "Your seal, I didn't know which official's big seal before, now it belongs to me." ”

As he spoke, he touched it a few more times, put it in the book and went out.