Lao Duguan lived with Zhang Yu in Pucheng when he was young. After Zhang Yuzhong became a Jinshi in the first year of Jingyou, he moved to Suzhou with his family. Pucheng dialect is close to Wu dialect. After the old capital was in Suzhou for twenty years, he learned the local dialect early. Although Suzhou also speaks Wu dialect, it is very different from Pucheng Wu dialect.
Nowadays, the Pucheng dialect spoken by Laodu Guan still has some Suzhou accent, which makes Zhang Yue feel weird.
Of course, the other party's attitude was friendly and impeccable, and Zhang Yue couldn't help but guess what the other party wanted. Could it be that he is here to clear up the relationship? Don't have any bad intentions when you come.
And the old governor was also looking at Zhang Yue.
He was wearing a neat and clean white t-shirt and cloth shoes. He didn't seem to have anything to pick on. He looked outstanding at first glance, but he was far from as good as his second brother.
From then on, the other party's expression and movements when he returned home were no different, unlike his brother who was so happy just now. While he was speaking, the other person's brows were always furrowed, showing a deep sense of wariness.
Thinking of this, Laodu said: "Sanlang must be thirteen this year."
"Lao Lao is always worried. I am indeed thirteen this year."
At first glance, the smile seems friendly, and you can also feel a little bit of the arrogance of a young man.
The old governor commented on Zhang Yue again.
"Uncle, are the two old men doing well?"
Seeing that Zhang Yue didn't go straight to the point and asked his second brother, but instead greeted his elders first, the old governor couldn't help but praise him from the bottom of his heart and said with a smile: "Thanks to Mr. Sanlang, sir, my great master is quite strong. Now he can still eat two kilograms a day." mutton."
Zhang Yue smiled and said, "My uncle still loves meat."
The old governor smiled, and everyone laughed too.
Zhang Shi smiled and said, "How about standing? Let's sit down and talk."
The old man in charge said with a smile: "My great master, what he often thinks about now is the days when he lived in Pucheng. He always thought that when people get old, they always have to return to their roots. But now that the family has moved to Suzhou, they have no choice but to put down roots." . It’s true that I didn’t read that much, but my wife often remembered the days when we lived in Pucheng, when our two families were very close!”
Speaking of this, the old governor carefully observed Zhang Yue's expression.
Zhang Yue said politely: "I didn't remember anything at that time, but I often heard my brother talk about my uncle and his family."
"Then Sanlang is interested in going to Suzhou to meet his uncle. Where are his uncle and his wife?"
Zhang Yue was slightly surprised.
But Jian Laodu said: "Madam misses you very much in her heart, but she really wants to see you."
Zhang Yue glanced at his brother, but saw that his eyes were slightly red, obviously thinking of his second aunt.
"I wanted you brothers to go with me, but Dalangjun still can't get away, so Sanlang is the only one who can go."
Zhang Yue thought for a while and then said: "May I ask the old man, is it my uncle or my wife who asked me to go to Suzhou?"
The old governor's eyes flashed when he heard this, he looked hesitant and said with a smile: "Sanlang-kun, what do you mean?"
"Is it my uncle's or my wife's wish to let me go to Suzhou?"
"Mr. Sanlang is overly concerned. Of course he asked me to come here because I wanted to be with my wife. Why does Sanlang ask this?"
Zhang Yue smiled and said to the other party: "I'm in charge, let me hear what my brother and sister-in-law want first?"
The old governor took another look at Zhang Yue. At this age, a young man should have no worries, but he was not expecting this gentleness and firmness.
"I don't mean it. Third brother makes the decision himself." Zhang Shi said in a panic.
Zhang Yue looked at Mrs. Yu again. If anyone in this family was the most knowledgeable, it would definitely be his sister-in-law.
Yu smiled and said: "Uncle, since your uncles and aunts support you, it would be a good idea to go to Suzhou. Yes, I have always missed my aunt. I wonder if she has a letter home?"
The old man smiled and said: "That's not true, but the madam asked me to ask the eldest lady."
Mrs. Yu said with a smile on her face: "Thank you for your concern, aunt. Thank you, mother Xu. She asked me to bring some medicinal materials when she came to Pucheng last time."
The old man in charge said with a smile: "That's just in time. Let's take the third brother with him when he goes to Suzhou."
"That's the best. I really have to worry about it."
"Haha, Madam, you are so polite. My family members say anything inappropriate."
Zhang Yue didn't like others arranging him in this way, but then he thought of Mrs. Yu, why he asked about the situation of his second aunt and Xu's mother. That's right, if it was true that the second aunt's suggestion was true, she would at least send a letter home, and there would also be a considerate person like this mother.
But the second aunt had no family letters, and the person she sent was not a considerate person like Xu's mother. This does not mean that it was the uncle's idea.
As far back as he can remember, Zhang Yue knew that his second aunt had absolutely nothing to say about his family. If she wanted to see him, Zhang Yue would definitely go to Suzhou without saying a word. No matter what, she is still my second aunt.
But what about uncle?
Zhang Yue has no impression, but I heard that he is an extremely frugal person. Of course frugality is a compliment, but morality has another meaning.
"If I go to Suzhou, will I be able to meet my second brother?"
The old man in charge said with a smile: "I don't know if your second brother will stay in Beijing to do summer classes and autumn papers, but he will definitely return to Suzhou before winter."
Summer classes refer to those who fail the spring examination and live in Beijing. The classes are read as essays, which is called summer classes. Autumn scrolls refer to articles written during this period.
Anyway, the idea is the same. I asked famous teachers in Beijing for advice and studied for several months in preparation for taking the exam again in the future.
But everyone else passively failed and took the exam again, but the second brother took the initiative to fail and take the exam again.
Zhang Yue said: "In this case, it is not the second brother's intention to let me return to Suzhou."
The smile on Laodu Guan's face disappeared at this moment and he said: "What does Sanlang mean? Do you have any worries?"
Zhang Yue said: "I care about Rong Geng. My uncle and his wife care about my nephew. I am really flattered. But now that my nephew has just entered the county school, he has a heavy workload and he really can't get away for a while."
The old governor was stunned when he heard this, and then he smiled and said: "Blame me, blame me. I was in a hurry and didn't explain clearly at the moment. This is what the master told me, 'Sanlang is a young scholar. You must not delay it. You tell him that he will Once he comes to Suzhou, he will be arranged to study in Suzhou to study, and his family will invite famous scholars for him."
Study in Suzhou!
Zhang Yue couldn't help but be moved. This is a world-famous state school.
The reason why Suzhou Prefectural Studies is famous is Hu Yuan's Suhu teaching method. He created the teaching method of dividing fasts in Suzhou and Huzhou. Fan Zhongyan established it as a model for Taixue and Prefecture and County Studies all over the world.
In the provincial examination, four to five out of ten students came from Hu Yuan's disciples. His students included famous officials such as Fan Chunren and Sun Fu.
As a result, Suzhou Prefectural Studies became the only state-level study next to Taixue and Fuzhou.
But Zhang Yue felt that there was something fishy behind this.
At this time, Zhang Shi said: "Suzhou's state education may not be as good as those in Pucheng County."
The old capital officer laughed and said: "Young Master, you don't know. If you can go to Suzhou Prefectural School, all the scholars in the world would dream of it. It's just that the prefectural schools generally don't accept scholars from outside, and it's because the local officials are accommodating for the sake of the old master and the old master. . Of course, we will bear all the expenses for Saburo’s studies in Suzhou.”
Zhang Yu was the head of Wu County, and Wu County was the administrative seat of Suzhou, not to mention an old man who had risen to officialdom from the position of Prime Minister of Dali Temple. Although he could not be said to have had a hairpin for generations, he was still an official from two generations.
Local officials must be selling their face.
"I won't talk about it anymore...it's up to the third brother to decide." Zhang Shi sighed and looked up and down the house.
"I'm going out for a walk!" Zhang Shi's voice was choked and he stood up.
Zhang Yue looked at Zhang Shi's back and seemed to feel a little bleak and sad. He didn't know what to say for a moment. At this moment, Zhang Qiu took Zhang Yue's hand and said: "Uncle, how can Suzhou be as good as our own? This golden nest and silver nest are not as good as our own." nest."
When Yu heard this, she couldn't help laughing and said, "You kid, when did our house become a doghouse?"
Zhang Qiu pouted unhappily and said, "I can't bear to see my third uncle leave."
The old man said: "The young man is so handsome. Come on, I have a fun thing here. Take it and keep it."
Zhang Qiu retreated to Yu's side, shook his head and said, "Mother taught me not to accept things from others."
"Your parents and I are all members of the same family. Can you just accept the things your parents gave you?"
Zhang Qiu shook his head and said: "You have to listen to what others say when you accept their things. It's okay for me to listen to what my parents say, but I don't necessarily listen to what others say."
The old governor was startled and said, "Except for this eldest man, all the men of the Zhang family should not be underestimated."
The sister-in-law smiled and said: "Uncle, you see you have just been admitted to the county school. It's not that I won't let you go to Suzhou to study, it's just that you are still young and have to travel thousands of miles to Suzhou. You have to travel a lot, so you might as well wait a moment or two. Year, it’s not too late to go when you are strong. This way, you will live up to the kindness of your uncle and aunt!"
"My lady is right!"
At this moment, Zhang Shi walked in without knowing when, his eyes sparkling.
The old man piped up: "Sanlang, what do you mean?"
Zhang Yue was about to speak, but the old governor had already said: "Sanlang, I heard before that you entered the county school with the first place in the exam. The day of admission was when your second brother released the results. I guess it was because of the county magistrate. For the sake of Erlangjun becoming a Jinshi...hehe, I was just talking nonsense, if I am wrong, I must first apologize to Sanlang."
"That's not the case..." Zhang Shi was eager to explain, but Zhang Yue held out his hand to stop him.
At this moment, Zhang Yue had stood up. For some reason, tears rushed to his eyes, but he held them back.
"Whether the county magistrate is doing it for the sake of my second brother, no one knows, and there is no way to guess. However, the old governor asked me to go to Suzhou to make up for the guilt my uncle and second brother felt towards our family. This is unnecessary. Now we are living a good life. It's very good, life at home is getting better day by day. As for my uncle, uncle, and second aunt, we miss them, but it is enough to have my second brother to perform filial piety on our family's behalf."
"It doesn't matter what my uncle, second brother, or I think of me, but studying is ultimately my own business. I will go to Suzhou to find my second brother in the future, but you won't invite me, but I will go out on my own. This Fujian No matter how high the mountains of the earth are, they are not as high as the sky. That’s it!”
"Please, Mr. Du Guan, say hello to my uncle, uncle, and second aunt for me."
Lao Duguan looked a little apologetic and said: "Look where you said it, but I said it wrong. Sanlang, I can see that you are a smart person. If a smart person doesn't run out of ideas, you won't think about it anymore." One or two?”
Zhang Yue shook his head and walked upstairs.
At this moment, he wiped his tears with his sleeve and cursed: "We'll see, don't bully young people into poverty!"
