In the countryside, a man is farming.
Seeing a group of children playing in the distance, the man put down his hoe and asked.
"Tong'er, do you really like reading so much?"
The six-year-old child nodded and stared intently at the "Book of Mountains and Seas" in his hand.
The man was silent, walked to the shade of a tree nearby and sat down, his expression became a little tangled.
After a while, the child turned his head and looked at his father and said childishly.
"Father, don't worry. Your child doesn't need to go to those private schools. After I finish reading my father's books, I can then work with my father and save money to buy books by myself."
After all, studying was the privilege of the gentry, and attending a private school cost a lot of money, which was not something ordinary farmers could afford.
Seeing that the child was so considerate, the man was stunned for a moment, then smiled and touched the child's head and said.
"As a father, I'm not worried about not having enough money to send you to a private school. I'm just worried that you won't be able to bear it."
······
Unexpectedly, a few years later, his father actually let him go to school, and it was a well-known academy in Jingzhou.
Pang Tong wore Zou Baba's clothes and walked to a corner of the academy and sat down. Many academy scholars looked at him, pointed and talked about him.
"Look, that's the man. I heard he's Mr. Pang's nephew."
"Why do you look so poor? You can't be fake, right?"
"Who is Mr. Pang? How can a charlatan get here?"
"That's a poor relative who has no other choice. Mr. Pang arranged to go to the academy for the convenience of taking care of him, right?"
"Don't talk nonsense. Who is Mr. Pang? How could he be admitted to the academy if he didn't pass the exam? There should be people with real talents. Why don't we go make friends?"
"I want to go to you, I don't want to be associated with such a poor scholar."
The whispers around him did not escape Pang Tong's ears, and he couldn't help but feel inexplicably uncomfortable.
Pang Tong is no longer the child he once was. He understands that in this world some rich people look down on poor people, some scholars look down on people who have not studied, and some rich people look down on poor people. People will always inadvertently put others down to find their own sense of superiority. Some people are particularly egregious.
Pang Tong thought he had passed the entrance examination in an upright manner, but his family was indeed poor. His uncle had already waived his tuition fees, so naturally he didn't want to let his uncle spend any more money on food, clothing, housing and transportation.
Obviously besides studying and literacy with his father, what he was looking forward to most was going to school. But when he got here, he found that he and they seemed to be in two different worlds. Pang Tong couldn't help but huddled in the corner like a hedgehog.
That night, Pang Degong called Pang Tong to his study.
With a beard and bright eyes, Pang Gong has the majesty of a teacher after many years of teaching, but he always has a smile on his lips. This is Uncle Pang Tong, the dean of the academy.
Pang Gong asked Pang Tong to sit in front of him and asked kindly.
"Shiyuan, do you know why your father went to farm when he was full of books?"
Pang Tong opened his mouth, but couldn't explain why.
My father also came from a famous family, but he gave up the family business and went to the countryside to farm. To say that his father was uneducated, Pang Tong, who had studied with his father for many years, did not believe it.
Then why did the father go to farm? Pang Tong didn't understand this, but he had no resentment.
Seeing Pang Tong shake his head honestly, Pang Gong smiled.
"Working at sunrise and resting at sunset, there is no mess of silk and bamboo, no labor of writing papers."
"Your father has long been tired of the pomp and hypocrisy of aristocratic families. Rather than busy pursuing status, glory and wealth, your father prefers a simple life."
"He knows very well what he pursues in his heart, so other people's criticisms are just noise in his ears and are not significant at all."
"Then what are you pursuing here?"
Pang Tong suddenly understood and thanked him with great joy.
"Thank you uncle, I understand."
From then on, Pang Tong became more open-minded in the face of other people's rumors. He just smiled and immersed himself in reading.
······
Today, Pang Tong got up early again, picked up the book and read it with relish.
Tuk-tuk-tuk.
A knock on the door interrupted Pang Tong's thoughts.
So early? Who?
Pang Tong went over to open the door in confusion, and saw a stranger who looked like a scholar and a strong man who looked familiar standing at the door.
"Who is this brother?"
When Pang Tongzheng was confused, the scholar raised his fists and saluted, but asked instead of answering.
"Excuse me, are you Mr. Pang Shiyuan?"
know me?
Pang Tong was stunned for a while. He registered his name with the innkeeper. It was not surprising that someone knew him. Although he was full of doubts, he quickly returned the salute and nodded to acknowledge his identity.
"Exactly down there."
The scholar let out a long sigh of relief when he heard this, and replied in a deliberately lowered voice.
"In the next quarter book."
This answer not only exceeded Pang Tong's imagination, but even made him feel horrified.
He stretched out his head and looked around. Seeing that no one else was nearby, he quickly invited Ji Shu and the others into the room.
"Why did Mr. Ji take such a big risk to come to Wei's territory?"
"Of course I'm here to invite you back, sir."
Even though this was an answer that he had already guessed in a split second, Pang Tong still felt a sense of fear and unreality when he heard Ji Shu's personal answer.
As the right-hand man of the King of Chu, he actually ran to Shouchun under the rule of Wei State. Pang Tong even doubted whether Ji Shu knew his position.
"How can a poor scholar like Shi Yuan be worthy of doing this?"
Ji Shu laughed and went to Shiting to check various inns and found that he was a step too late. He also hesitated. Why didn't he understand the risks involved?
Now as long as someone shouts his name here, he might not be able to leave Shouchun City. But he still felt the risk was worth taking.
"Hey, what does it mean to be born poor? If you look into it carefully, I have also been a house slave. Sir, there is no need to be too modest. Yueying respects him very much. She couldn't sit still when she received the news of his departure, and hurriedly urged me to come after him. .”
"May I ask, sir, that you faced difficulties when you resigned and left?"
Pang Tong's face gradually turned red.
"That's not true."
He hesitated for a long time and then answered with a look of risk-taking.
"I was just obsessed with reading. I delayed my official duties many times and was fired by the county magistrate."
"······"
"······"
The surroundings fell silent for a moment, and the scene was very awkward for a time.
Although Ji Shu had made many guesses, he never expected this to be the case. It seemed that he had wronged the county magistrate of Huyang Port?
He may need to get to know Pang Tong again.
After Pang Tong finished speaking, he wanted to hide under the table.
"I have made you laugh. Pang Tong is really insignificant. You should let me go."
Pang Tong didn't dare to tell the truth when he went to Jiangxia to meet his mentor. Now that things have happened, he has no nerve to follow Ji Shu back to meet his junior sister.
Ji Shu asked Pang Tong to give him a shock, but how could he let him go so easily. After hearing Pang Tong's words, Ji Shu came to his senses and quickly advised him.
"A ruler is long, an inch is short. If you are slightly disappointed, sir, don't belittle yourself."
"Yueying has always believed that your husband has the talent to govern the country, and I am willing to believe in Yueying who trusts your husband so much. Ziyuan begs you to return to Chu with me, and I am willing to give him the position of military advisor."
Pang Tong stared at Ji Shu with wide eyes, almost doubting his own ears.
He has always been looked down upon by others. Except for a few teachers, only Xu Shu, Zhuge Liang, and Huang Yueying valued him and were willing to be friends with him. Pang Tong often wondered if this was just their consideration and care for him. Today, he met someone again.
"But, but, Mr. Ji, I am an official just because I have more time to study and don't have to spend time taking care of crops. I don't have the world in mind like you."
Ji Shu couldn't help but laugh.
"What a coincidence. When I followed my eldest brother, I was rejected by my father-in-law because I had no money and power, and my eldest brother promised to give me this. After all, I am just for a woman, and I am not as noble as you say."
Ji Shu smiled and extended his hand to Pang Tong.
Next is Xuzhou. Whether they will become sworn enemies or lifelong friends depends on how Pang Tong chooses.
"I would like to go back with you, but I cannot use the position of military advisor to offer wine. Pang Tong will be satisfied with just a cart of miscellaneous books."
The two hands were intertwined and held together.
Ji Shu laughed heartily.
"Don't talk about just one car. If the gentleman is willing to come, I can find ten cars for him without any problem!"
