The scenery is different when you return and when you leave.
Zhang Yue and the others walked along the stream and then through the mountains, then through the mountains and along the stream back to the boundary of Pucheng.
Guo Lin planned to return to Wuxi first to report to his parents. Zhang Yue thought that he might return to Wuxi soon anyway, so he and Guo Lin went to meet his master and his wife. He Qi went back to the county school alone.
There had just been a light rain in the mountains, but Zhang Yue didn't feel it just now on the road.
Along the way, we walked eastward along the stream, then turned back and headed north.
By the way, Zhang Yue mentioned to Guo Lin the stream flowing west that day. The two searched for it for a while, but couldn't find it.
Guo Lin stopped for a long time. Zhang Yue looked at him and asked, "Brother, what's wrong with you?"
Guo Lin said silently: "I think of Sanniang."
“Forget it! It’s been so long.”
Guo Lin stared at the stream: "Junior brother, I am a little older than you, and you are old enough to start a family, but there is no girl who likes me, and now I am still alone."
The stream flows eastward day and night, but when I return to the old place, I accidentally pick up the sadness I felt at the beginning.
Zhang Yueguolin arrived at Wuxi River and landed on Shexi River. He quickly looked at the big trees along the mountain path. There was no change after not seeing the trees for a year.
The original three thatched cottages have been renovated and their fences and walls have been repaired.
The familiar sound of a boy reading reached his ears, and Zhang Yue felt as if he had taken a big gulp of sweet mountain spring water. The native dog rushed out, and when he was in front of Guo Lin, he recognized that his master was back, so he lowered his head.
He sniffed his trousers.
Zhang Yue smiled and said: "This local dog has not changed at all, he is still so stupid."
Guo Lin also said with a smile: "It's been a long time since I've been home."
Zhang Yue knew that apart from the two of them, Guo Xuexiu had no other disciples who had studied Confucian classics, and only taught in village schools. However, because Guo Xuexiu taught two county scholars, nearby villages sent their children to enlightenment.
In this way, the number of students gradually increased, and the cultivation became more abundant. Therefore, the fence was repaired and the roof was renovated.
From now on, Guo Xuetuo will no longer be scolded by his wife for being too poor, and he can also have a drink from time to time.
Just as he was thinking about it, Zhang Yue saw a figure standing at the door.
It turned out that Guo Xuejun had already heard the news and stepped out. He had not seen him for more than half a year, but his temples were even more gray.
The two of them walked quickly in front of Guo Xuejun, knelt down in the courtyard and kowtowed three times.
Guo Lindao: "Dad, my junior brother and I have been recommended to the Imperial Academy by the state!"
“Good children, they are all good children! Live up to your talent and learning.”
Hearing this, Guo Xuejun stroked their backs. Zhang Yue felt that his back shirt was slightly damp. It turned out that it was Guo Xuejun who was bursting with tears and patting himself with snot.
Guo Lin stood up, wiped his tears and asked, "Where is mother?"
Guo Xuexiu pointed towards the east room.
Zhang Yue and Guo Lin heard the words and rushed in together. As soon as they entered the room, they smelled the pungent smell of medicine jars.
“Mother (Master’s Wife)!” the two said in unison.
But when I saw the master's wife struggling to get down, she was helpless and her face was very pale.
“Mother!”
Guo Lin lay on the bed and cried bitterly.
Zhang Yue looked at Guo Xuexu, who was following behind him, and asked, "Sir, what's wrong with the master's wife?"
Guo Xuexuan shook his head and said: "I have been lying in bed for two or three months. I also asked a doctor for diagnosis and treatment. I took several doses of medicine but it still doesn't feel better."
“Why didn’t Mom tell me? Hey.”
But when I saw the teacher's wife wiping away her tears, she said: "I heard the news that you were pushed to the state from afar, but my body was so weak that I couldn't get up. Your future is the most important thing, and it doesn't matter if my mother is a little sick, so I won't
Let someone tell you.”
Zhang Yue said from the side: "Please don't worry, Master. I will definitely ask the best doctor in the city to diagnose and treat you when I go back."
“Sanlang is determined.”
With Zhang Yue's words, everyone felt a little relieved.
Zhang Yue knew that they had something important to say when their family was reunited, so he stepped aside first.
He felt a little heavy. Guo Xuexue had aged, his wife was sick, and their family was different from what he had imagined, which made him feel worried.
At this time, a boy who was familiar with him from the past came up to talk.
“Brother, are you a scholar?” a boy asked timidly.
Zhang Yue said: "Yes."
“Big brother, you are so blessed.” After saying this, the boy said with envy, “Teach me a poem!”
Zhang Yue smiled and said, "Okay!"
The Guo Lin family chatted for a long time.
The lame slave went to the village wine shop to buy some cooking cakes and beef. When he came back, he invited Zhang Yue to rest and eat in the west room.
Zhang Yue went in and took a look, but saw Guo Xuexue and his wife talking anxiously to Guo Lin, but Guo Lin kept his head down and said nothing.
At night, Guo Linfang returned to the West Room, but Guo Xuexue had already left the house in a hurry without even eating.
Zhang Yue saw his eyes were red and couldn't help but ask: "What's wrong? Are you worried about the illness of the master's wife?"
Guo Lin shook his head, his eyes turned red.
“What’s that like? Brother, tell me!”
Guo Lindao: "I saw that my mother was not in good health, so I told my father that I should give up the opportunity to go to the Imperial College and take care of my mother at home until she recovers. But my father did not allow it."
Zhang Yue said: "You have put in so much effort and effort to have this good opportunity. Master and Master will not let you miss it."
Guo Lindao: "But we have traveled thousands of miles to Yingtian Mansion, and we have to leave again. I don't know when and what month I will see my parents. How can I go to school with peace of mind?"
Zhang Yue didn't know how to make a decision for Guo Lin, so he thought for a while and said, "Let's go to Xuezheng Na and ask him to give you more time. How about you wait until you take care of the wife and get well?
"
Guo Lindao: "Junior brother, you also know that I don't want to ask for help, let alone..."
"Then do you really want to give up this opportunity? You must know that this opportunity... may only come once in a lifetime." Zhang Yue said anxiously.
Guo Lin sighed: "So I discussed it with my parents and came up with a compromise."
“What method?”
“Get married first.”
“Get married?” Zhang Yue suddenly understood.
Guo Lindao: "I will go to the Imperial College for at least two or three years, and I don't know how many years before I can return home. Therefore, my parents asked me to get engaged and marry a daughter-in-law, and then let her take care of my parents until they die."
“My parents said that everyone has given me a good look, including the Li family at the foot of the mountain. His family is of the same clan as the family here, and they are all in charge. I have seen that girl once, although she is illiterate, but she seems to be very virtuous.”
Zhang Yue asked: "Then you agreed?"
Guo Lin was silent for a moment and nodded.
“This is a lifelong event. Who can you spend your whole life with? You can just think about it in just these few sentences?”
Guo Linbian shook his head and said: "I have thought about it. I am going to Yingtian Mansion, but my parents also have to be taken care of. There is no other way except this. Now my father is rushing to the Li family to propose marriage.
Now, I'm going to Yingtian Mansion soon, I can't delay it at all."
Zhang Yue thought to himself that this speed was even faster than that of Yu Bookseller.
“Brother, I understand.”
Guo Lin looked at Zhang Yue and smiled bitterly: "Junior brother, don't be like this. I have thought it through. Anyway, at my age, there is nothing to choose from. Once things are settled, I won't think so much in the future.
It’s just a matter of studying hard.”
“I will be grateful to this woman for the rest of my life, and I will respect her for the rest of my life, but...why am I so sad?”
Zhang Yue said: "Brother, you just need to think clearly. Once you have decided, just cherish it, otherwise you will miss a good girl again. I don't know the truth about marriage, but 'Cherish the person in front of you.
'This sentence cannot be wrong."
Guo Lindao: "Junior brother, I have thought clearly, this is all I will do in this life, but I can know you...Sanniang, this life is enough!"
Hearing this, Zhang Yue laughed and cursed: "You have a wife who is married, and you are still telling me these things. What can you learn from Huang Haoyi?"
The next day, Guo Lin got married.
The ceremony was very casual, and the banquet was only held for a few tables.
Hearing that the Li family wanted to marry off their daughter early, I also wanted Guo Lin to seize the time to conceive a baby before going to Yingtian Mansion.
Compared with the major events in life, customs and rules have to give way. Anyway, no one says, just live a happy life.
Zhang Yue was caught off guard and drank Guo Lin's wedding wine.
After that, Zhang Yue was going home.
Guo Lin took his bride all the way to see Zhang Yue far away.
Guo Lin held the bride's hand and talked to Zhang Yue.
Zhang Yue was really angry when he saw the way his senior brother was spreading dog food. The day before, he was desperate for life, but now it's just you and me.
No wonder the big Vs all say, "Oh, this is a man!"
However, Zhang Yue looked at the bride, but he saw that although she was not as beautiful and charming as Miao Sanniang, she was even a little less talkative. But as the senior brother said, she was a virtuous and virtuous woman, which made Zhang Yue feel that the two of them were a perfect match.
Zhang Yue already somewhat recognized this sister-in-law in his heart.
“Junior brother, I have something to tell you!”
Guo Lin put down his bride's hand and walked aside with Zhang Yue. They saw the water rippling by the stream, the shadows of the trees on the mountains dancing, and the wind rustling through the forest tops.
The two of them stopped on the creek rocks. Guo Lin said: "Junior brother, I have planned to ask Hu Xuezheng for a month's leave and postpone the date of going to Yingtian Mansion. In this case, I will not be able to go with my junior brother."
Zhang Yue said: "So, senior brother, after we say goodbye today, we don't know when we will see each other again!"
Guo Lindao: "No, we will meet again after all."
After a pause, Guo Lin said again: "But I'm going to Bianjing Mountain and the water is long. I don't know when we meet again. Junior brother, you are the smartest person I have ever seen in reading. But in the past, you always relied on your intelligence and didn't work hard. I'm afraid
If I'm not by your side, no one will talk about you anymore. You need to improve yourself more."
Zhang Yue said with a smile: "How come I don't know what senior brother means? He just wants to use senior brother's reminder to tell me the word "smart".
“Okay you.”
The two senior brothers laughed again.
Zhang Yue thought to himself that if his senior brother is no longer around, no one will be able to laugh as heartlessly as he does.
But Zhang Yue said: "I've seen you off for a thousand miles, but I have to say goodbye at the end. Senior brother, I'm leaving first!"
Guo Lin nodded and said, "That's fine, junior brother, take care!"
Zhang Yue also handed over his hand and replied: "Senior brother, take care, and sister-in-law, take care too!"
After saying that, Zhang Yue strode forward along the stream. After walking along the way, Zhang Yue couldn't help but look back. He saw Guo Lin and the bride standing side by side on a thick big stream stone, standing on tiptoes and waving to him!
At this scene, Zhang Yue couldn't help but burst into tears. He put his hand to his mouth and shouted loudly: "Brother, take care! Sister-in-law, take care!"
