The sun was shining westward, and the orange-red sunset covered the entire sky.
Tian Minyan's heart kept echoing with the words she overheard Tian Minrui in school. She had to say that Tian Minrui had such a huge impact on her that she was surprised. Did he really not want to take the imperial examination?
"Nanny, why are you always looking at me? But my face is stained?" Tian Minrui pushed her in a daze, and then she came back to her senses and looked at him but hesitated to speak.
Tian Minrui felt that she was particularly strange today and couldn't help but frowned: "What's wrong?"
"No." Tian Minyan looked away, lowered her head and continued embroidering with the handkerchief in her hand, and asked casually: "Brother, how are you doing in school now? What do you know and don't understand?"
"Well, it's okay." Tian Minrui replied lightly.
"Did you, sir, tell me when you can take the test? Can you do it this fall? I heard that the county test will start next month, right? Grandpa also said that the eldest brother will take the test next month." Tian Minyan looked up at him, and there was no mistaking the twinkle in his eyes. Too surprised.
"I'm still young and haven't learned much yet. The mountain chief has said that I won't be too late to finish next year."
Tian Minyan groaned, lowered her head and said nothing.
"Brother, do you want to be an official in the future?" After a while, she couldn't help but asked.
Tian Minrui looked at her in shock, then glanced at Luo Shi who was busy outside the yard, and asked, "Why do you ask so suddenly?"
"No, since brother you went to school, there have been a lot of things at home, and we brothers and sisters haven't talked in detail. Now that we have some free time, let's just talk." Tian Minyan smiled, and pretended to be cunning: "We are twins. When you have a baby, please don’t lie, I can sense it.”
Tian Minrui rubbed the top of her head, smiled, and sighed: "Although I am your brother, sometimes I really feel that I am the younger one. Girl, I am not as good as you."
"What's the comparison? Girls have a more delicate heart. Brother, what can't you compare to me? Don't change the subject. You haven't answered what I just said?" Tian Minyan put down her needlework and sat cross-legged on the kang. went up, with a serious look on his face: "Brother, do you want to take the imperial examination route in the future?"
Tian Minrui also put down his book, looked outside the door, and said in a daze: "I don't know either."
"Brother, you didn't study well?"
"Uh, no, my teacher's teachings are pretty good. Even the mountain leader often teaches me alone. It's not that I don't understand, it's just..." Tian Minrui hesitated.
"Just what?" Tian Minyan asked hurriedly.
"It's just that I don't think I have much interest in it." Tian Minrui glanced at her and said with a wry smile: "In the past, my eldest brother could go to school to read and read. I was actually quite envious of it. I don't know if it was because I was envious of my eldest brother for being able to do that to grandpa. I love you so much, but I still envy him that he can wear nice clothes and doesn't have to do farm work."
"Now that I can really study, I thought it was quite interesting at first. I thought that I could also study, dress decently, and receive envious looks from others. I felt that it was very good. I also wanted to study well and become a good official in the future. Let my parents and you all live a good life."
"What happened next? You think it's not good to be an official. You think there are not many good people in the official position. They just exercise power and protect each other, only fattening their own pockets. Being an official requires you to learn too many tricks, so you think the imperial examination Maybe it's not as good as expected?" Tian Minyan said with a smile.
Tian Minrui looked into her eyes in surprise and was speechless for a long time.
Her eyes make people feel as if they have insight into everything, and it is as if all of their thoughts and thoughts are clearly seen by her.
Tian Minrui suddenly felt a little flustered. He avoided her eyes and said hesitantly: "It's nothing."
"Brother, you lied."
"Nanny!" Tian Minrui was startled and stared at her with wide eyes.
"Brother, you actually don't like to be an official, and you don't want to take the imperial examination. You feel that you can't do it, and you are cheating and cheating. You have a stubborn temper, and you can't do it and you don't care about the flattery. The teacher said how to govern the country and the world.
, in fact, you don’t understand, nor do you understand. In your world, black is black and white is white. One road will only go to the end, and you don’t understand too many twists and turns.”
Tian Minyan burst out word by word, her words were sharp and straightforward, directed towards Tian Minrui, and his face gradually turned pale.
"Nanny..." He pursed his lips.
Tian Minyan watched him panic, looking at her cautiously like a child who had done something wrong, but couldn't help but sigh.
"Brother, in fact, whether you are an official or a businessman, these people are the same. When you are an official, you have to deal with people in the officialdom. When you do business, you have to deal with businessmen, and you even have to deal with officials. These all-rounders are indispensable.
When doing business, you face human beings who are even more cunning than officials. You have to understand your opponent and clearly know their weaknesses in order to get the maximum benefit for yourself. In the same way, in order to prevent others from seeing clearly
Even if your weakness is revealed, you also need to put on a mask to be a human being, isn’t this the same?”
"Whether it is officialdom or the business world, there are actually intrigues and intrigues. We are just mortals, and we cannot stand out among them, because we cannot be isolated from the world and live the most primitive farming and weaving life. So what we can do is,
You can only blend in, blend into that world, and become a part of that world. However, no matter how dirty and chaotic that world is, no matter how many masks you wear and how sophisticated you are, you must stick to your bottom line. If you don't lose yourself in it, then
If you succeed, you will have a clear conscience."
"Nanny, why are you..." Tian Minrui opened his mouth in shock.
"How do I know?" Tian Minyan glanced at him and said, "I went to the school today, and I heard everything you and Fang Yu said."
Tian Minrui immediately became nervous and said, "No, that's not the case, Nannan, I will still take the imperial examination."
"Brother, why are you nervous? I didn't tell my parents." Tian Minyan clicked her tongue, looked at him and said, "I just want to tell you that no matter whether you are an official or a businessman in the future, being a human being is actually the same.
Brother, do you understand?"
"I know, even when doing business, you have to deal with officials. How could I not know?" Seeing that she didn't look disappointed or unhappy, Tian Minrui smiled bitterly and said, "I just..."
"You just put too much pressure on yourself. You don't want to see us disappointed, so you put pressure on yourself forcefully and go on the path we want you to go. In fact, you don't even know whether you are really
You just want to go that way, but you obviously want to go another way."
Seeing him hanging his head in silence with a miserable and troubled look on his face, Tian Minyan jumped off the kang and turned to look at him: "Brother, let's go to the fields."
"What are you going for?" Tian Minrui blinked, but still obediently jumped off the kang, put on his shoes and followed her out.
"Hey, where are you going? Food will be served soon." Seeing the two brothers and sisters going out, Luo Shi called out quickly.
"Mom, let's go take a look in the fields and we'll be back soon." Tian Minyan replied, pulling Tian Minrui and ran out.
Tian Minyan pulled Tian Minrui to the entrance of the village. Seeing the setting sun in the west, she smiled and said, "Brother, let's race together and see who can run into the fields at the east end first?"
Tian Minrui was stunned, looked at the people who were still busy in the distance, and said quickly: "You are a girl, you can't run around like this, this is what this person wants to say."
"Brother, we are not young ladies from a wealthy family. It doesn't matter if we run away. Who is not crazy about this country girl?" Tian Minyan raised her chin indifferently and said, "Brother, do you think you can't run away from me?"
"How could that happen?" Tian Minrui frowned and retorted.
"Come on then, I'll count to one, two, three, and run." After Tian Minyan said these three words, she ran forward, leaving Tian Minrui stunned in place, giggling: "Brother, come and chase me."
Only then did Tian Minrui react and hurriedly chased after him, walking very fast.
The two brothers and sister ran across the official road and into the field. No one said a word, they just ran forward as fast as they could.
When the farmers who were carrying their hoes home or working in the fields saw them, they were all surprised. Are the two Tian brothers stupid? What are they running away for no reason?
Tian Minyan was a woman after all, and her physical strength was not as good as that of men, so she gradually fell behind. However, she did not feel disappointed. She narrowed her eyes with a smile as she looked at Tian Minrui running faster and farther in front of her.
By the time she ran to their twenty acres of land, Tian Minrui was already sitting on the high field ridge with a relaxed expression, quietly looking at the setting sun in the west.
She panted and sat down next to him, sticking out her tongue like a puppy and gasping: "Brother, you win."
Tian Minrui turned his head to look at her rosy little face and showed a sincere smile: "Nanny, brother, thank you."
Tian Minyan raised her eyebrows, looked into his clear eyes, and said, "Have you figured it out?"
"Yes." Tian Minrui nodded, looked at the red clouds in the sky, and said: "I am only eleven years old now. I am too young. I see things too superficially and too unfoundedly worrying. I have thought about it, no matter what the future is.
No matter what my path, I will get a reputation, even if I just get the name of a scholar. No matter how self-respecting I am, I have to recognize the reality. If I have a reputation, I won't suffer a loss even if I do business. At least I can still see an official.
Even if you don’t kneel, you can save taxes for your family.”
"As for what will happen in the future, I will give myself four years to decide when I am fifteen years old." Tian Minrui smiled lightly.
Tian Minyan looked at his handsome profile, stretched out her hand to hold his hand firmly, and said, "Brother, don't worry, no matter what your choice is in the future, our family will support you."
Tian Minrui looked at her, held her hand and nodded, his eyes no longer hesitant and confused, clear and profound.
The two brothers and sister sat side by side, watching the setting sun set little by little without talking. However, the family ties of the same blood, the trust and support between each other, were better than silence or sound.
And this day will always be fixed in the memories of the two of them. Many years later, when they have children and grandchildren to celebrate, they can't help but look at each other and smile when talking about this day.
