There is a distance of more than 1,000 miles from Qingyang to Beijing, which is not far away. However, Zhang Fan and the others were not in a hurry, after all, there was still nearly a month to go, which was enough for them to rush to the capital. What's more, Zhao sat in the carriage, except for the fatigue of the journey, there was no discomfort. Zhang Fan was riding on a horse, walking with Wang Degui and other sergeants who were guarding him, chatting ramblingly, but he was not bored.

Since crossing over to the Ming Dynasty, Zhang Fan has also been to some places, Ningxia, Hetao, and Datong, but these places can be regarded as the frontier of the Ming Dynasty. Zhao has not been far away, but she has inherited all the "virtues" of the Chinese feudal society, where will she show her face.

Along the way, after passing through Taiyuan Mansion and Zhending Mansion, it looked like they were about to arrive at Baoding Mansion, and there, Wang Degui and their task were completed.

Along the way, Wang Degui, a frontier soldier who had never traveled far, was even more curious about the food he encountered along the way, whether it was the food he ate, the clothes he wore, or people's living habits. He had been to many places before, but they were all following the army, and the military orders in the army were strict, how could he have the time to visit the scenery of various places.

"Zhang Xianggong, this Zhending Mansion is the hometown of Zhao Zilong, the Five Tiger General of the Shu Kingdom?" When the group passed by Zhending, Wang Degui seemed to think of something and asked Zhang Fan on the side.

"Exactly here." Zhang Fan replied, "Degui, why are you asking this?" ”

"Zhang Xianggong, I am a soldier, as long as I am a soldier, how can anyone not want to become a hero like Shunping Hou!" Wang Degui said assumedly.

Zhang Fan was relieved when he heard this, Zhao Yun's deeds have passed for more than 1,300 years, and they are still being sung by people, even after 500 years, Chairman Mao, the great leader of New China, also said "one Lu, two Zhao, three Dianwei", but the Zhao Yun that Wang Degui worships was bragged by Luo Guanzhong. At that time, the Romance of the Three Kingdoms had already swept the Ming Dynasty, and naturally many people had read and heard it, and there were many people like Wang Degui who admired Zhao Yun. Zhang Fan had read Chen Shou's "Romance of the Three Kingdoms", and he found that Liu Bei had not sealed Zhao Yun at all, and Shu did not have the so-called Five Tiger Generals at all, but he only accepted the five people of Guan Zhang, Zhao Ma and Huang together, and the people only said that there were Five Tiger Generals. And Luo Guanzhong's "Romance" is even more because he likes Zhao Yun's loyalty, so he bragged about Zhao Yun. And Zhao Yun has the title of "Winning General" again, and he has never led a large army to fight, the reason for this is naturally related to not being reused, but who knows if it has nothing to do with ability! It's just that no matter what era, there must always be a hero in people's hearts, a yearning worth looking forward to, and Zhang Fan will naturally not say it.

"If you want to be Zhao Zilong, it's not easy." Zhang Fan said casually, "People are the prodigies who learned from the gun, and they are loyal and courageous, and they are not afraid of death." ”

"I can do it if I am loyal and courageous, and I am not afraid of death." Wang Degui first said his advantages, "Is it just this force, I can be regarded as having the strength, but if I am allowed to take the head of the enemy's general in the army, this is ......"

"Haha......" Zhang Fan laughed when he heard Wang Degui's words, and said, "Degui, it's good that you have this thought." ”

Wang Degui didn't know why Zhang Fan said this, and looked at Zhang Fan suspiciously.

"If a person is not afraid of life and death, but does not know how to kill the enemy, then going to the battlefield is just looking for death." Zhang Fan said, "It's just that if you have force, but you don't want to fight, just hide in the rear, then what's the use of asking him?" ”

Wang Degui listened to Zhang Fan's words and thought about it. Although he hasn't read any books, his brain is also smart, and he can also hear some mysteries in Zhang Fan's words. "What do you mean by Zhang Xianggong......" Wang Degui asked uncertainly.

"But in comparison, the former kind of talent has the potential to become heroes." Zhang Fan continued, "What is a hero? Clever show, called Ying; Courage, called heroic. But you see, is there any mention of force here? ”

Wang Degui shook his head.

"Therefore, a hero does not have to be better than others, and no one else can beat him. It's about having the qualities of a hero. Zhang Fan continued, "It's just that throughout the ages, there have been many people with heroic qualities, and it is indeed rare to be able to truly become a hero." It can be seen that heroes are not so easy to be, the times create heroes. ”

Wang Degui listened to Zhang Fan's words and fell silent. Yes, a hero is not about being strong in force, but about the hero himself. It's just that although Zhang Fan said the reality and broke his illusions, Zhang Fan's words were closer to Wang Degui's life, but aroused his hope.

The two walked in silence for a while, and Zhang Fan broke the deadlock.

"By the way, Degui, since we wiped out the Tartars' southern invasion team last year, the Tartars have moved, and they haven't come back, right?" Zhang Fan asked, he hadn't heard that there were still Tartars going south, but he didn't know if some small-scale Tartars would commit crimes against the wind.

"Nope." Wang Degui replied, "Probably because the Tartars have not dispatched a large army for many years, and we have not killed them for the first time in so many years. ”

"In this way, the people will be safe this year." Zhang Fan sighed, "It's just that the Tartars invade my Ming heart and don't die, and the frontier will not be peaceful for a day." ”

"This Zhang Xianggong can rest assured." Wang Degui said, "The Tartars have fought with us more than 100 times in the past 100 years, but they just grabbed some food or something, where can they really hurt my Daming, even if I don't eliminate the Tartars in this life, my children, grandchildren, and grandchildren will also destroy the Tartars." but the people will be troubled. ”

Zhang Fan really looked at Wang Degui differently at this time, he didn't expect that the crop Han soldiers who didn't know a few big characters, but just relied on their qualifications to speak the general banner, would have such an opinion, and couldn't help asking: "Degui, who told you these ideas?" Zhang Fan thought that someone else had told Wang Degui, so he asked.

"No, it's all my own thoughts." Wang Degui looked at Zhang Fan suspiciously, not knowing why he asked himself this.

Zhang Fan is going to reposition Wang Degui this time, he is facing Wang Degui, knowing that Wang Degui is a little embarrassed, and when he wants to speak, he speaks: "Degui, go and read more books when you have time." After that, Zhang Fan took the horse and went to the carriage and talked to the Zhao family.

Wang Degui touched his head, looked at Zhang Fandi's figure in confusion, and thought puzzledly: "What's wrong with Zhang Xianggong, what kind of book do you want me to read?" ”

Zhang Fan and his entourage were dragged down by their belongings and Zhao's discomfort for a long journey, and it took them 20 days to see the city wall of Baoding Mansion, and the first stage of the journey was completed.

The group came to the post station in Baoding Mansion, Zhang Fan handed out the letter handed over to him by the Ma County Order, and met the person sent by Zhang Juzheng to greet Zhang Fan. The person who came was a middle-aged man in his forties, named Li Shan.

After Zhang Fan met him, Li Shan said: "Zhang Gongzi came all the way from Qingyang, he must be tired. Do you see if we're going to rest for another night or ......."

Zhang Fan went to ask his mother's opinion, although Zhao was a little unwell, he was still in good spirits, and asked Zhang Fan to arrange it himself.

"I've been walking for more than 20 days, and I'm tired." Zhang Fan said, "Besides, I promised the general banner of Wang who escorted me over to invite them to drink." ”

"It's all up to Zhang Xianggong's arrangement." Li Shan said.

"Why don't you come too, there are so many of us, and you are not one of them." Wang Degui on the side said.

"In this way, it is better to be respectful than to obey your fate." Li Shan said.

That night, in a restaurant in Baoding, Zhang Fan, Wang Degui and several of his sergeants and Li Shan, who came to pick up Zhang Fan, sat at the same table. Zhao didn't come, first, it was inconvenient, and she was also tired, so she rested in the post station early.

Wang Degui's group of sergeants were already good at drinking, but they had been suffocated for more than 20 days, and they didn't care about anything when they arrived at the wine table, but just drank in large gulps. Here Zhang Fan and Li Shanzheng are talking about this.

"Does Steward Li know why Lord Zhang called me to the capital at this time?" Zhang Fan asked. From the previous conversation, Zhang Fan learned that this Li Shan was Zhang Juzheng's housekeeper, and Zhang Fan asked him because he might know something.

"My lord never tells me about the court." Li Shan said.

Zhang Fan listened to his words and was about to be disappointed, Li Shan said again: "It's just ......"

"Just?" Zhang Fan asked suspiciously.

"It's just that the old man was a little upset a few days ago," Li Shan recalled.

"Maybe there's something bothering the imperial court." Zhang Fan said casually.

may feel that the atmosphere is a little silent, Zhang Fan wanted to adjust the atmosphere, and said, "I don't know where Steward Li is from?" ”

"I am a fellow villager with my lord, and I am also from Huguang Jiangling." Steward Li said with a smile.

"Oh, so Steward Li knew Master Zhang before?" Zhang Fan asked with interest.

"Master, he was lifted when he was sixteen years old, and he is also very famous in Jiangling, many people know the master, but they have not seen it, and so am I." Steward Li said with a smile, "I went to the capital that year, and it was the master who took me in when it was difficult. ”

"Master Zhang must be a good person." Zhang Fan said.

"Sir, he treats people generously, and he has never bullied people by virtue of his status." Steward Li said, "I am usually very frugal, even if it is my own family, my lord never indulges." ”

Zhang Fan listened to Steward Li's narration, but he saw this famous minister of the Ming Dynasty more and more.

On the second day, Wang Degui said goodbye to Zhang Fan and went back with a few of his subordinates. Li Shan took two subordinates and accompanied Zhang Fan's mother and son to the capital.

There was not much way from Baoding to Beijing, and several people slowed down, and they saw the city wall of the capital on the second day.

Zhang Fan looked at this ancient city with a history of more than 2,000 years and was indeed shocked by it. The city has been used as a center of power by various regimes on many occasions, and its thousands of years of history have endowed it with splendid splendor. And today, since Zhu Di moved the capital here, it still glows with its own charm, whether it is the joys and sorrows of ordinary people, or the grievances and hatreds of the powerful royal family, it is still being staged, and it will continue for half a century.

As a Chinese, as a Chinese reborn from later generations, this city is so familiar and strange in Zhang Fan's heart. Although he had never been to Beijing in his previous life, he learned a lot about it from various channels. And now, he has come to this city in person, but it has been 500 years, which makes Zhang Fan very emotional.

Several people did not stop and walked directly towards the city gate. Several people walked in from the Yongding Gate of the southern city wall of the outer city. Before he arrived at the city gate, Zhang Fan had already seen the crowd of people and cars at the city gate, and the city seemed to be an alluring and deep Elysium, and people kept wanting to enter. And those who have nothing will not leave. When you enter the city gate, you will see a scene of prosperity, and people are rushing to do their own things. Zhang Fan was really stunned by the scene in front of him, even in an international metropolis like S City in the later generations. Looking north along the central axis of the city gate, through the Zhengyang Gate of the inner city, through the black oppressive crowd, you can vaguely see the building that represents the Ming Dynasty - the center of power of the world's most powerful country - the Forbidden City, the vast building complex can feel its momentum even if it is just a quick glance, the breath of the things it represents, so tempting, so yearning, people can't help but feel majestic, and then, want to try this majestic taste!

Steward Li led Zhang Fan's mother and son through the inner city gate and came to a small house.

"Zhang Gongzi, this is where the master once lived, and he has never been willing to sell it, and now it comes in handy." Steward Li said.

Zhang Fan looked at the house in front of him, which was the same size as the house that Ma Xianling gave his family to live in when he was in Anhua, but he could see that although the cost of this house was not very huge, its location represented a lot of wealth, which was not only money, but also other things.

Steward Li also called for people to help carry things, and Zhao still had to personally move Zhang Fan's box full of books.

There are a lot of things, and they are all done in more than an hour, leaving only the Zhao family to clean up.

"Gongzi Zhang, let's go buy a maid." Steward Li said, "Although Ling Tang is still young, after all, he is an elder in the family, and Zhang Gongzi now lives at the feet of the Son of Heaven, so it is not a way to make Ling Tang tired." ”

"Xie, Steward Li cares, but my mother has done it. I went back and persuaded my mother, and then I would have to bother Steward Li. Zhang Fan said.

"Zhang Gongzi doesn't need to thank you, just come to me when the time comes." Steward Li said.

"By the way, I have to bother Steward Li to take me to thank Master Zhang for his kindness." Zhang Fan said.

"It doesn't have to be." Steward Li said, seeing that Zhang Fan was a little puzzled, he hurriedly said, "The master has instructed, if Zhang Gongzi arrives, let Zhang Gongzi and I go back after the matter is done, the master wants to see you." ”

Zhang Fan didn't expect to meet so soon, so he had to tell his mother, took a deep breath, and said to Steward Li: "I have to bother Steward Li to lead the way." ”