Tao Zang Xuan Zhi

Zhang Shiyin walked downstairs and said to the steward of Yulanju:"Prepare the car, I want to go down the mountain. Hurry."

The steward was stunned and asked hurriedly:"Where are you going, sir?" Looking at the sky, it was already noon,"Master , how about we go after lunch?"

"No, just bring some rice cakes and keep them in the car."

Zhang Shiyin left a hasty sentence and went back to the room. He took out a set of black, purple and blue feather peacock's long-sleeved gown from the bottom of the box. It was when he went to Huaining to take office, his wife Zhong Shujuan used her own The clothes ordered for him by his dowry were also his most expensive clothes.

He took off his home clothes and put on a black and purple gown.

The sunlight fell into the house through the window panes, casting regular and exquisite light spots, and the light floated in the air. Ups and downs.

Zhang Shiyin turned around, opened the large sandalwood cabinet on the wall, took out a black wooden box inlaid with gold from the innermost part, and carefully opened the red velvet package, revealing the beautifully carved stone inkstone. The quality is crystal clear, as fine and warm as silk, and the lines are like waves and clouds. This square inkstone was a Tao inkstone given to him by someone from his classmate Song who was an official in Huizhou after he was promoted to prefecture pastor. He has been reluctant to use it.

He caressed it carefully Look at the lines on the inkstone. No literati can refuse such an exquisite inkstone. He can imagine the wonderful feel of the inkstone grinding the ink in the inkstone, and the pure fragrance of the ink after grinding.

Zhang Shiyin carefully used red velvet to The inkstone was re-wrapped, carefully placed in the wooden box, and then wrapped with a piece of brocade. Then, holding it in his arms, he resolutely walked out of the room, walked downstairs, and boarded the carriage.

Zhang Shiyin sat in the carriage, still Somewhat worried, he said to the steward beside the car:

"While I'm away, take good care of Wan Lan and don't let her do stupid things."

The steward nodded"Here".

Zhang Shiyin knew that the steward must not understand. However, he ran out of time. He lowered the curtain and let the carriage move forward. The carriage ran non-stop for most of the day, and it was already dark when it arrived in the capital.

Changlefang is a famous grand square in the capital and a famous wealthy street. Looking to the west of the majestic imperial city, the magnificent Chenghuang Pavilion on Wushan Mountain is like a pavilion in the clouds. It is a sight to behold. The clear canal runs through the neighborhoods and there are thousands of willows. The lights are green, and the tall walls and red gates on both sides occasionally reveal some carved buildings and paintings. They are all the residences of famous officials.

The carriage stopped in front of a rather gorgeous gate. The plaque on the gate said"Zhang Mansion".

Now The head of the Zhang family is Yuezhou Xuetai Zhang Ruien. The Xuetai belongs to the local officials, and it was originally impossible to keep the house in Changlefang. But Zhang Ruien relied on his father-in-law's power to set up a Yuezhou Xuetai near the fifth-grade capital.

Zhang Shi Yin knocked on the door, and after a while the doorman called an old butler, Uncle Fu. All the old servants of the Zhang family knew that the eldest young master of the Zhang family, who had left home in the early years, was now a high-ranking official. When the old housekeeper, Uncle Fu, saw the person coming, it was Zhang. Shi Yin opened the door while shouting happily, and happily welcomed Zhang Shiyin into the Zhang Mansion.

However, no one from the Zhang family came out. The eldest lady Chen asked the housekeeper to take the person directly to the dining hall. Because they were having a meal.

Uncle Fu was in a dilemma. After all, Zhang Shiyin was the eldest son of the Zhang family who had been away from home for many years, and he was also the shepherd of a state. This was considered a return to his hometown in fine clothes, so asking people to go directly to the dining hall to meet him was not treating guests. Zhang Shiyin knew very well that this was Mrs. Chen's deliberate attempt to intimidate herself."Forget it, Uncle Fu, just take me there."

Uncle Fu looked at the young master in embarrassment, nodded, and led people to the dining hall.

Mrs. Chen was not Zhang Shiyin's biological mother. Zhang Shiyin's biological mother came from a poor family and gave birth to her third child when Zhang Shiyin was six or seven years old. Their two daughters died early in childbirth. After entering the family, Chen has always regarded Zhang Shiyin as a thorn in his side and targeted him everywhere. Chen is the daughter of the headmaster of Taiyuan University, and his father, in order to cling to the power of the Chen family, had a lot of influence on Chen's family. Everything he did was left to chance, so that when Zhang Shiyin was young, not only did he not have enough food and clothing, but he also sometimes had to work with his servants and suffered all the humiliation. Later, Zhang Shiyin married Zhong Shujuan, thinking that Now that he has a family and a career, he can impress his father. Unexpectedly, his father dislikes poverty and loves wealth, just because the Zhong family is not an official family. He always makes things difficult for Zhong Shujuan, and he and Chen use his beloved wife as a slave.

If possible. , Zhang Shiyin never wants to return to this place in his life.

The Zhang Mansion is not big. It looks rich on the outside, but there is only three courtyards inside. It seems smaller now than before he left. It should be after he leaves He sold some real estate and went out.

Uncle Fu took Zhang Shiyin through a corridor to the dining room.

The dining hall was still the dining hall in Zhang Shiyin's memory, but the windows, doors and furniture were older than in memory.

In the dining hall There was a table full of people, Zhang Ruien, the eldest lady, the second lady, the eldest lady's son and two daughters, and the rest were faces that Zhang Shiyin didn't recognize. They must be the wives and husbands of his"brothers and sisters". Everyone was crowded together at the same table, making the whole dining hall look extremely crowded.

Mrs. Chen, the eldest lady, was the first to attack sarcastically:"Who is it? Didn’t you say you would never interact with us again? Now he actually has the nerve to come back"

"Oops, okay, okay. It would be great if Ping'er (Zhang Shiyin's original name is Zhang Shiping) comes back. Why should we be like this when we are all a family?"Zhang Ruien coaxed the eldest lady in a good voice, and then looked at Zhang Shiyin with eyes full of joy."Ping'er, hey, dad's legs and feet are inconvenient now, so he asked you to meet in the dining hall. Don't blame auntie. , don’t blame dad. Besides, we are also a family, so there is no need to be so polite. Ping'er, have you eaten? Ah Fu, hurry up and make a seat for the young master."

"Why should you give up your seat to him?"Ms. Chen sat motionless in her seat and sneered,"Didn't he just join the Zhong family? What qualifications do you have to sit here? Hey, I'm afraid it's not like you can't survive outside anymore, so you escaped back now, right?"

"You can't say that. Ping'er is still a herdsman in a state. The place in Huaining is a bit more miserable, so it can be regarded as a return to his hometown in glory."

Zhang Shiyin saw this and felt calm in her heart. Although he had been away from home for many years, he knew very well that although Chen was mean and arrogant, she would not dare to do anything without her father's instruction. Her father looked happy, but in fact he was It was just a double act singing and harmonizing with Chen, all of which were meant to ridicule him.

Zhang Shiyin had no intention of getting entangled, so he said straight to the point:"Don't bother me and your stepmother. I came here this time to discuss something with my master.

Mrs. Chen mocked:"Master, your eldest son is really polite." I haven’t been in contact with you for more than ten years, so I’ll beg you to do something when I come back. Is this what asking someone to do something for you looks like? I think he is proud of you for being so fond of him!"

Zhang Shiyin held his hands under his big sleeves until his joints turned white.

"Oops, Ping'er is my son after all, why do you need to be so polite. Zhang Ruien asked with interest:"What does Ping'er want?" These are all our own people. If you have anything to say, just say it here."

Zhang Shiyin looked around slightly. The women and children in the house didn't look at the tea or seats. They obviously didn't treat him as a guest, or even as a human being. Zhang Shiyin had long known the virtues of this family, so he wasn't surprised. Moreover, he was not in love with them in the first place.

Zhang Shiyin said straightforwardly:"I heard that Xuantian's selection of candidates for Longfeng Dou was recommended by various state academic institutions. Jiajun, you probably haven't reported this list yet."In Zhang Shiyin's memory, his father had never been interested in such things.Positive, especially for things he does for the Immortal Sect that he doesn't like.

Zhang Ruien's atmosphere changed when he heard this, he stroked his beard and began to think."I have indeed not reported the list of Longfeng Dou."

Zhang Shiyin secretly breathed a sigh of relief and said with cupped hands:"I wonder if Jiajun can add someone to the list of Yuezhou?"

Zhang Ruien stroked his beard and thought deeply, Chen was there Don't dare to say anything.

After a moment, Zhang Ruien pinched his beard and said slyly:"Who do you want to recommend?"

"The little girl Zhong Wanling."

Zhang Ruien stopped acting and sneered, his eyes full of ridicule."Why should I help you? Zhong Wanling, what a Zhong Wanling, even changed his ancestor’s surname? Zhang Shiping, you are really capable. Do you still have the ancestors of the Zhang family in your eyes? ? If you hadn't insisted on marrying that woman, the matter wouldn't have gone to the emperor, and it would have become known throughout the city, and the Zhang family would have been embarrassed by you! You actually want me to help that woman's daughter now?"

"You can't tolerate your daughter anyway."Zhang Shiyin couldn't help but gritted his teeth and retorted.

Back then, his mother's sister was still alive when she was born, but she died of hunger and cold in the end. How could he tolerate his daughter going through the same thing as he did when he was a child? He suffered the humiliation of not having enough to eat, and he couldn't let his daughter die like his little sister who didn't have the chance.

"Okay, have you learned to talk back? Do you think you are amazing? Yes, you are now a third-grade official and a feudal official. But so what? No matter how old you are, you are just a gentleman from a remote village, but your father and I are an official in the capital! Aren't you amazing? Didn't you change your name without permission just because you don't want to recognize our ancestors? Look at what you look like now, are you coming to beg me?!"Zhang Ruien smiled contemptuously.

Zhang Shiyin listened silently to Zhang Ruien's ridicule and abuse.

"Why did the Zhang family feel sorry for you?"

He will always remember that his mother had just died and her bones were still cold. In order to marry the daughter of Master Chen, his father locked him, who was six or seven years old at the time, with her mother's body in the backyard woodshed. There was a big banquet in the front hall with red silk decorations, and the woodshed was shabby. , there wasn’t even a white candle in front of my mother’s body, so I didn’t dare to use white candles for fear of disturbing the happy event.

"The Zhang family provided good food and clothing for you to grow up. Is this how you repay the favor? Who do you think provided you with the opportunity to study and learn Chinese characters? Who recommended you to take the exam and become an official? You are simply a white-eyed wolf who repays kindness with hatred!"

These words sounded to Zhang Shiyin's ears as if they were talking about someone else's life. He lives in Zhang's mansion, but not in Zhang's mansion. He lives in the servant's courtyard with a separate small room. He sees There is no need to worry about money when he gets up, but he needs to get up at midnight every day to fetch water and start the stove, otherwise he will have to pick up other people's leftovers. If there is no such thing, he will be hungry that day.

He will never forget the middle of the twelfth lunar month At night, he silently washed his robe with ice water. The dress was very good, but he only had one. If he couldn't wash and dry it tonight, he would have nothing to wear tomorrow, and he would not be able to go to private school. His father He will never be allowed to wear servant clothes to go to private school.

"You can help me if you want. Zhang Ruien smiled sinisterly and said,"Unless you kneel down in front of everyone and admit your past mistakes and beg me for forgiveness, I will consider it for the sake of our blood connection.""

Zhang Shiyin gritted his teeth, took a deep breath, suppressed the surging hatred, lifted up his hem, and knelt down straight in front of everyone.