The tombs of Zhang Yue's parents were moved and buried behind Huanghua Mountain by Zhang Shi after he left his hometown.
The first thing Zhang Yue did when he got home was to pay homage. The county magistrate and others accompanied Zhang Yue to the back mountain first.
Zhang Yue has not met his parents since time travel, so he has no deep feelings for them, but this matter must be ranked first.
Zhang Shi also nagged many times, asking Zhang Yue to go back and take a look.
Zhang Shi had a deep affection for his parents, and often talked to Zhang Yue about the events of the past. Zhang Yue knew that his mother, Yang, was gentle, virtuous, and very independent, while his father was a kind man who passed down the family through farming, reading, and taught his children how to do business.
Human principles.
As the eldest son, Zhang Shi was obedient and filial, taking care of his two younger brothers. Zhang Dun was full of personality and respected his mother, but after Yang left, he gradually drifted away from the Zhang family.
But no matter what, the children of the Zhang family are all considered to be talented.
Thinking of this, Zhang Yue kowtowed several times to the tombstone.
After paying homage, Zhang Yue returned to Shuinan New Street, where he originally lived. Now the street is covered with clear water and the ground is paved with loess.
The streets that used to be full of smelly water and muddy with rotten vegetables can now accommodate people's feet, but the streets are still cramped and narrow, and the Nanpu River still flows eastward day and night.
In the third year of Jiayou's reign, he left his hometown for Beijing. It has been seventeen years since Zhangyue returned home.
Zhang Yue didn't want to alarm too many people. He just wanted to take a look at his home where he had lived for many years, but he was surrounded by onlookers and was now blocked by officers and soldiers.
Zhang Yue said to the county magistrate: "It's all my fellow villagers, so why stop him?"
The county magistrate thought for a moment and replied: "My lord, the Nanpu River has overflowed in recent years, and this street has been hit by several floods. Many of the neighbors have moved away, and now there are many outsiders living here."
Zhang Yue didn't want to do this. He thought he would go back to his hometown to meet his folks and neighbors, but he didn't expect to see many old friends, which made him feel disappointed.
Zhang Yue took a quick look and found that no one on the street knew anyone. It seemed that Cao Baozheng and other villagers had gone missing all these years and could not be found.
Zhang Yue felt like a wanderer who had gone back to his hometown to find relatives and found nothing. The so-called impermanence of things in the world is just like this.
Zhang Yue said: "That's all. I haven't been back for many years. Even if I haven't suffered these floods, I don't know how many people will realize that I am even more timid when I'm close to my hometown. This is true."
Immediately, Zhang Yue went to the house where he lived and sat down.
Before leaving Beijing, my brother and sister-in-law sold this house to others. After Zhang Yue became more prominent, he asked someone to buy it back and hired a family to clean it every day.
The county magistrate and others stood outside the house knowingly and did not disturb. Zhang Yue, Qi Niang, the eldest son and the youngest son were all sitting in the house, telling stories about their studies in the past.
Zhang Yue originally wanted to recall the bitter and sweet memories, but neither of the children listened.
Zhang Yue shook his head. The two children had not experienced what he had experienced, so how could they understand what he felt and how could they empathize with him?
Each generation has its own way of doing things.
Don't you feel a little petty or embarrassed?
Although these words were useless, Zhang Yue still said something.
In fact, Zhang Yue, who enjoys the glory and wealth, is not used to letting these people live in this house anymore.
Zhang Yue sat for a while before leaving the house. The county magistrate came in and said: "The magistrate of this state, the general magistrate, and the signatures are all on their way to the county. I will greet my husband at the county school tonight, and we will also come together then."
A banquet was held for the teachers and classmates who were students at Xianggong County."
Zhang Yue smiled when he heard this, feeling happy at the thought of finally being able to see his old friend.
However, he said: "You are interested, but you are too alarmed."
The county magistrate smiled and said: "These are all things that lower officials should do."
A man came to report: "Jiang Zhiqi, the judge of Fujian Road Transfer, has arrived. I heard that he has a decree."
The county magistrate and other officials all smiled and became more respectful after hearing this.
Zhang Yue waited for a moment facing the Nanpu River, watching the fish swimming in the stream.
Soon a group of horses arrived, and Jiang Zhiqi arrived with more than ten horses. He handed the imperial edict to Zhang Yue and said, "Your Majesty has an edict. Please be clear about it and set off back to the capital immediately after receiving it."
Zhang Yue held the imperial edict and said nothing. He had just been demoted to Fuzhou. He had only been on the road for two months when he was suddenly summoned back to Beijing by an imperial edict. It was so sudden.
Jiang Zhiqi looked at Zhang Yue's expression and said, "I heard that Duan Ming had Tao Yuanming's ambitions before. How could I win your majesty's trust? I just arrived in Pucheng and returned to the capital. I know that your majesty will never leave you."
Zhang Yue thought to himself that Jiang Zhiqi's words were setting him up for trouble. If he were Tao Yuanming, he would regard wealth as floating clouds and would not give up for five buckets of rice. But when the emperor issued an edict, he had to hurry back to the capital. That's not true.
Slap yourself in the face?
Zhang Yue said calmly: "How dare I imitate Tao Yuanming? I wonder where Judge Jiang heard this from?"
Zhang Yue has a hundred and eighty distrust of Jiang Zhiqi. He can even betray Ouyang Xiu, so there is nothing he can't do. Moreover, the other party is now a member of the New Party. If he spreads his words about returning to his hometown or anything to Beijing.
Reporting it to Lu Huiqing can also be used as an excuse.
From one exaggeration to ten, if you have ever been hurt by gossip, you know how powerful it is.
Jiang Zhiqi was stabbed by Zhang Yue's words, and he thought with a slight anger in his heart, I came here specially to welcome you, but you always have a grudge in your heart because of Mr. Ouyang and are on guard against me.
Jiang Zhiqi thought so in his heart, but completely forgot that during his trip, he actually had the intention of spying on Zhang Yue's words and whereabouts in order to report to Lu Huiqing.
What he wished most was that Zhang Yue would say a few words of complaint when he received the order, or pretend to say that I really don't want to return to Beijing and just want to work as a herder outside.
In this way, Jiang Zhiqi can make a big fuss.
Now Jiang Zhiqi is bored.
The county magistrate was wise and said: "Tao Yuanming was a frustrated man in his official career, but Duanming has the Holy Scroll with him. His Majesty is still thinking about him even when he is thousands of miles away. How can it be compared with this?"
Zhang Yue smiled after hearing this. In fact, Tao Yuanming was not bad either.
From ancient times to the present, scholars have not only had the ambition to actively participate in the world, but also have the feeling of leaving the world and living in isolation.
This is just like the two sides of a coin. The former is represented by Zhang Juzheng and Wang Anshi, and the latter is represented by Tao Yuanming.
However, when he got here, Zhang Yue could not immediately accept the decree and go on his way happily. From the outside, it seemed that he had lost his integrity as a scholar and was easily summoned by the emperor and then left.
Zhang Yue said: "Zizhan once told me that if Tao Gong wants to be an official, he will be an official, and he will not be dissatisfied with asking for it; if he wants to hide, he will hide, and if he does not think it is high to leave; if he is hungry, he will knock on the door and beg for food; if he is full, he will eat chicken and millet. To welcome guests."
"If you can do these two things, you can see that Tao Gong's virtuous people can reach the ancient and modern times."
If you want to be an official, then become an official. Don't feel embarrassed because you humble yourself and beg for help. If you want to be a hermit, then become a hermit. Don't think that all the officials in the court are dirty. I am the only one who is proud of you. I will always feel that I am not willing to bend down for five buckets of rice. Very awesome.
This is the same as when we don’t have money, we go out for a meal, and when we have money, we invite friends to treat guests and have a big meal with chickens and ducks.
Zhang Yue quoted Su Shi's words to express his own views, and everyone from the county magistrate onwards said that these words were indeed well said.
Officials and seclusion are also the two sides of scholars, just like the dragon in a dry coat, either in the abyss or in the sky, changing at any time and sinking according to one's will.
If the emperor demotes you, just leave. Don't make any complaints. If the emperor wants you to come back and use you, just go there openly. Don't pretend to be noble.
This is the correct mentality building for officials, without going against their will or being pretentious.
Zhang Yue responded to Jiang Zhiqi's words in person, and the other officials praised him.
Zhang Yue said: "The emperor ordered me to return to Beijing immediately, but I don't dare to stay. I will just go back to Beijing first. I thank you and all the folks for your kindness."
The county magistrate made some small attempts to persuade him to stay, and said: "If you are diligent in state affairs, you will stop talking when you are a subordinate."
Zhang Yue nodded.
The county magistrate looked at Zhang Yue. Tao Kan and Tao Yuanming both came from poor families. From the Wei and Jin Dynasties, there were scholars from poor families and ministers behind them. Zhang Gong also came from a poor family. Some people say that Zhang Gong is like Tao Kan. This is true.
Thinking of this, the county magistrate said: "My lord, please stay."
After saying this, the county magistrate personally went to the stream and ordered someone to fetch a bowl of water and offered it: "Your Majesty, the Emperor is in charge, and we dare not keep him, so let's drink a bowl of water from our hometown before we go on our way!"
Zhang crossed the bowl and raised his head to look at the Nanpu Bridge in front of him, which he had walked countless times.
I still remember the scene when he returned home from the bridge when he was admitted to the county school. In front of him, he seemed to see a twelve-year-old child sitting on the back edge of a mule cart, kicking his feet and laughing unbridled.
Several gulls flew across the bridge. Zhang Yue subconsciously stretched out his hand to catch them, but he no longer grasped the time when he was twelve years old.
Zhang Yue raised his bowl and took a sip of the clear stream water, then returned it to the county magistrate and made a long bow to the people who were watching.
"Let's go!"
Zhang Yue said something choked and started on his way. Zhang Gen didn't understand his father's emotions.
For Zhang Yue, Pucheng is his emotional support. The mountains and rivers here have nourished him, but when he comes back, he knows that he can no longer go back.
In fact, it doesn't matter whether I can't cross this bridge and return to the county town, or whether I can see my old friends, or whether I miss the self that has not been hurt by the world.
People always have to look forward and live in reality. The past can be remembered, but it should not be fettered.
Otherwise, why would so many people working hard in big cities not want to return to their hometowns?
In fact, many officials from Fujian have bought houses in the capital or elsewhere to live out their lives.
There are also Ouyang Xiu and Wang Anshi, one chose Yingzhou and the other chose Jiangning, and they both spent their later years in other places, and the brothers Su Shi and Su Che did not return to Shuzhong.
For Zhang Yue, the capital city is now the place where he fights hard, where he makes achievements and creates peace for all generations.
I still remember Zhang Yue’s favorite reading when he was a child.
A first-class martial arts novel, which represents the chivalrous spirit of the Chinese people who draw swords to help when encountering injustice, and resist any power imposed on themselves and the weak around them.
There are also novels such as Bao Qingtian, which is also the dream of all Chinese people to be an upright official. They firmly believe in the government. Even if they are being unfair, wronged, and oppressed now, it is only temporary. They always believe that there will be a good official like Bao Qingtian.
, to avenge them.
To this day, Zhang Yue still likes to read such books and never tires of reading them.
Nowadays, as an official, you must be as upright and good as Bao Qingtian, so as not to let the people's expectations for the court fail, and don't let the people down, otherwise they will have no choice but to read Water Margin.
Thinking of this, Zhang Yue raised his riding whip.