The Reborn Duke of Ming Dynasty

Early in the morning, Zhang Fan packed his bags, bid farewell to Wang Xiucai, who lived with him, and walked on his way home.On the way, Zhang Fan once again enjoyed the northwest scenery of the Ming Dynasty.The natural grassland is particularly fresh in this birthplace of the Chinese nation, which makes people linger and forget to return.Zhang Fan, who has lived in a modern city since he was a child, has never traveled because of family reasons. He only knows how vast the country he lives in is through TV and pictures, but he has never experienced it personally.When he came the day before yesterday, Zhang Fan was in a hurry and was still in the state of being ransacked by robbers, so he was not in the mood to care about the scenery.But now Zhang Fan has a lot of opportunities to appreciate this beautiful scenery, and it is thousands of times better than the modern natural scenery that has been polluted and then artificially treated!

This place belongs to the frontier of the Great Ming Dynasty, close to the remnants of Yuan and Meng, and it is also a place where animal husbandry is highly developed.Along the way, Zhang Fan could only see a few farmlands, but some wild animals could be seen from time to time.Zhang Fan finds it very novel, since he can only see so many wild animals in the zoo after 500 years, they are still kind of lifeless.Zhang Fan is bathed in a natural scenery full of vitality, and he doesn't care at all that the Mongols who are not far away are staring at him. After all, the frontier defense in the northwest of Ming Dynasty is not a joke!

Anhua County is not far from Qingyang Mansion, and Zhang Fan's family lives in Anhua County.Before noon, Zhang Fan saw a county seat on the Loess Plateau.The city wall of the county seat is a bit dilapidated, but it feels full of vitality.From time to time, people came in and out of the city gate.Zhang Fan came to the gate of the county seat. Since it is August and the weather is very hot, and it is not the season for the Mongols to plunder, this place is only close to the border, not an important place at the border. The soldiers at the gate of the city are all listlessly standing guard. Under the sun exposure, it is difficult to see the usual well-trained training.

Zhang Fan didn't pay too much attention to these, he walked into the city gate and walked towards the direction of his memory home.Apparently Zhang Fan is fairly well-known in this small Anhua County. He saw a lot of people greeting him, probably due to his status as a scholar, and now that he took part in the provincial examination, there was a hint of Respect!Zhang Fan didn't show a haughty look, he still kindly returned the salute to these people, and Zhang Fan would greet everyone he knew in memory politely.

"Aunt Wang, are you shopping for vegetables? How are you doing? Are you feeling better?"

"Uncle Li, I heard that your son Daniu's wife gave birth to a boy, congratulations!"

"Aunt Chen, how's the business going for breakfast today? No... no, I've eaten in the morning, and my mother is still waiting for me, so I'm leaving first!"

……

Neighbors in the neighborhood talked to Zhang Fan very kindly. They all felt that although Zhang Fan was a scholar, he was not at all as pedantic as those old scholars in the school.Once an old scholar saw Zhang Fan chatting with Aunt Chen, who was in business, and came over to question Zhang Fan on the spot: "As a scholar, why is he on the same level as the people in the market? You are so contemptuous of Confucius. Disgraceful."

Zhang Fan didn't take it seriously. After the man left, Aunt Chen and the people around persuaded Zhang Fan not to be like this, but Zhang Fan said: "How humble are you, and how noble are scholars! From the cabinet ministers down to the common people Common people, food and clothing are all dependent on you! Scholars, who may enter the court and become officials in the future, but look down on the people of the world, how can they help the Holy One govern the world!"

Zhang Fan's words are reasonable, although this is just his consistent thought, but it has won the high praise of the neighbors.It's not that they haven't been treated coldly by scholars, but they feel that it's great to have a scholar like Zhang Fan!Of course, it would be even better if Zhang Fan became his parent officer!

Zhang Fan returned to his home, and his current home has only two earthen houses, one is a kitchen and dining room, separated from his mother's bedroom, and the other is his bedroom and reading place.Before entering the house, Zhang Fan saw his mother anxiously waiting for his return at the door.In my memory, the mother of this life, Mrs. Zhao, was the daughter of a peddler in Anhua County. She married her father at the age of 16. The only father of her natal family, Zhang Fan's grandfather, passed away.The Zhao family gave birth to Zhang Fan in the second year. The 34-year-old mother was originally a woman in her prime. Since the death of her father, the burden of the family has fallen on the mother alone.In order to support Zhang Fan's study, his mother sold her dowry and the three big tile-roofed houses in the family. The mother, who couldn't carry her shoulders or hands, relied on helping the big households in the county to sew, mend, and wash clothes. To make money to subsidize the family.

"Fan'er, you're back!" The mother was very happy to see her son back home, and took Zhang Fan's hand to greet him.

"Well, mother, I'm back." Zhang Fan didn't dare to tell his mother that he was no longer the original Zhang Fan, nor did he dare to tell her the news that he met a robber.Zhang Fan looked at his mother's face, he was only in his 30s and already had wrinkles, his back was a little bent, and his hair was a little gray!Zhang Fan was really full of thoughts, and he secretly made up his mind that if not for himself, for the mother of the family, he must do something.

"How was the rural exam yesterday?" Mother asked with some concern.

"Don't worry, mother, the child has been preparing for a long time, and I will bring back a 'Jie Yuan' to mother again!"

"Bragging!" My mother didn't believe it, but she was still very happy in her heart, "There are so many people in the whole Qingyang Mansion, and even the small Anhua County alone has dozens of talented people going to catch the exam, how can it be your turn!"

"Mother, don't you believe me." Zhang Fan said confidently, "I don't think that Xie Yuan has the same nose and eyes as me, so why can't he win me! Not only Jie Yuan, but next year I will give you a chance Both the champion and the champion will be picked back."

"Look at what you said is so easy, my family Fan'er will be able to be an official soon!" The mother joked half-truthfully.

"Mother, just look at it! You have worked hard for the child for more than ten years, and the child will definitely study hard and repay your kindness." Zhang Fan said solemnly.

"My family's Fan'er has grown up!" The mother stroked Zhang Fan's hair gratifiedly, tears kept rolling in her eyes, "I think your grandpa heard that he was also a descendant of a family in Yangzhou, and he was also a scholar. I don't know why But he came here to live in Anhua County. He always thought that your father would one day become famous, but he didn't know that your father was not a student at all. After your grandfather passed away, your father also wanted to fulfill your grandfather's wish, so he gave up hope. On you. You don’t know how happy I was when you passed the exam the year before last! My mother is a fool. She has never read a book in her life, and she doesn’t know how to read, so she can’t teach you. Now you are promising, your father and your grandfather I don't know how happy I will be if I know you!"

"Mother, you are not a fool. You have sacrificed so much for your child. You are the best mother in the world!" Zhang Fan was very moved when he heard his mother's words. The previous Zhang Fan didn't know the story of his family. I only know that my family wants me to study, but I never know that my family has such a past!

When Mrs. Zhao heard Zhang Fan's words, she couldn't help but shed tears. She had worked so hard for so many years and gave without expecting anything in return. Isn't it just for this moment!Now that the child is successful in his studies and is filial to his mother, his father knows him well, and he can rest in peace, and he has the face to meet the Zhang family's ancestors!

"Fan'er, after driving such a long distance, I must be very hungry. Come and eat. Mom made your favorite braised pork." Mrs. Zhao wiped away her tears and beckoned Zhang Fan to go back to the house for dinner.

"As long as it is made by mother, children will like it." Zhang Fan said, and accompanied his mother back to the house.

The conditions of the Zhang family can be said to be very poor.In Zhang Fan's memory, when he was a child, there were still several big houses in his family. His mother sold the deed to study for herself and moved here to live.The lighting in the room is very poor, even in broad daylight it feels a bit dim.The mother's bedroom is full of needlework and other objects.But Zhang Fan's room looked much brighter. A simple desk was filled with books, and beside it was a simple bookshelf built by Carpenter Sun who lived not far away, and it was also filled with books.On the north side of the room is a solid and simple wooden bed. The color of the sheets is very simple. It may have lost its luster due to years of use, but it is very clean.

Zhang Fan ate the meal cooked by his mother himself. He hadn't eaten such a delicious meal in a very long time!

Suddenly, he thought of something, took out the remaining one or so money, handed it to his mother, and said, "Mother, this is the remaining money, I leave it to you. The things in Fucheng are a bit expensive, so..." Zhang Fan But he didn't dare to say that he was robbed, so he had to lie.

"It's okay, my family's Fan'er has grown up and is sensible, mother will not blame you." Zhao put away the money and looked at Zhang Fan lovingly.

After dinner, Zhang Fan had to go to his husband's place to communicate with his classmates.And mother has work to do.Zhang Fan didn't come home until it was almost dark. After eating, the mother and son, who were exhausted all day, went to rest.