The Zhang clan mansion is located in the south of Taiyuan City, almost occupying half of the area, during which the house is deep, the courtyards overlap, large and small courtyards are distributed among them.

The ancestor of the Zhang family is the founding emperor of the emperor Zhang Gongjin, the general in the army, for the Tang Empire has made great achievements, was named the Duke of Tanguo, Zhang Gongjin died early, his descendants are scattered all over the place, but for the prosperity of the family, a hundred years have moved to the Taiyuan sect, and finally formed the world's second largest family of Hedong Zhang, but unfortunately the internal quiet, in the past ten years has slipped to the fifth.

In fact, after a hundred years of evolution, the Zhang family in Hedong has already been subdivided into hundreds of houses, and there are clear hierarchies between the concubines, and there are many disciples in each house, and even they themselves can't tell the relationship between each other.

But one thing is very clear, the higher the status, the closer the house to the inside, just like a cabbage, the vegetable core is the essence, and the place where Zhang Huan lives belongs to the outermost layer of semi-withered yellow vegetable leaves, close to the moat.

After breakfast, Zhang Huan left for the academy, he is a child of the Zhang family, it is his duty to study before the age of twenty-three, he has been studying in the academy for four years, the children of the Zhang family can receive a monthly money and rice during the study period, although it is not much, but it is enough to feed him and the dumb uncle.

Like other families, the Zhang family also attaches great importance to the education of their children, from the age of five, the children of the Zhang family, whether they are in the main sect or in the side branches, must enter a private school to read and read, transfer to the school after the age of 10, enter the academy after the age of 18, and graduate at the age of 23 to prepare for the provincial examination.

Private schools and schools only accept the children of the Zhang family, but the academy is open to talents from all over the world, which is also a means for various families to attract talents.

Zhang's academy is in the southern suburbs of Taiyuan City, covers an area of nearly 100 hectares, the public name is Jinyang Academy, its scale is better than the government-run Taiyuan Academy, it enjoys a good reputation in the whole country, the students who study here, can be exempted from the township examination, and the five-year period expires to obtain the qualification of lifting people, and directly enters Beijing to participate in the provincial examination of Shangshu Province as a township tribute.

Therefore, every autumn, the entrance examination of Jinyang Academy is large-scale, and the competition is extremely fierce, and young talents from all counties in the world gather here to compete for the few three hundred places, they are not only exempt from the township examination, they want more than the protégé of the family, Hedong Zhang's protégé, otherwise, even if the provincial examination is successful, they can only stay in Beijing as a candidate, 'the protégé of the seven great families', this is the real dragon gate that the carp must jump over.

After only a quarter of an hour's walk, Zhang Huan came to the academy located in the southern suburbs, he walked like a fly, and soon walked into the gate of the cornices and beams, the gate of the academy was built on a long artificial small dirt slope, and it was necessary to go up more than 20 steps, indicating the intention of studying and climbing, and the pine and cypress trees on both sides were lush.

The gate is carved with a whole piece of huge white marble, both sides are upright, a total of three doors, the momentum is majestic, the archway in the middle is engraved with the four big characters of 'Jinyang Academy', the handwriting is vigorous and powerful, this is the handwriting of Emperor Taizong, only Zhang's Jinyang Academy and Cui's Qinghe Academy have won this honor.

Today was an ordinary day, but it became special because of the family's suggestion that Wakaho return to his hometown and province to inspect the college, and all students must report back to the college.

"the sick man!"

Zhang Huan had just walked up the steps, when he suddenly heard someone calling him behind him, and when he turned around, he saw two young people with excited expressions running towards him quickly, "Ha! It's Brother Qingming and Brother Lian Yu, when will you return? He rejoiced in his heart, and went up to each of them and punched each of them.

Both of them were Zhang Huan's close friends in the academy, one was named Zheng Qingming, a native of Shu County, Jiannan, and the other was Song Lianyu, from Guangling County, Huainan, and the two of them traveled all over the twelve counties of Hedong Province two months ago to write an article "Hedong Salt and Iron Examination".

"We came back yesterday, and we were just discussing finding a sick brother to drink, but I didn't expect to meet each other, how about it, the old place at night?" It was the short and fat Zheng Qingming who spoke, he danced when he thought of the orchid in the Gaochang wine shop, the broom was like an eyebrow, he was wealthy, generous and generous, and he paid for the last drink.

Zhang Huan smiled and nodded, then turned back to Song Lianyu and asked, "Is Uncle Shi's illness better?" ”

Song Lianyu looks the opposite of Zheng Qingming, thin and tall, with big cheekbones, deep eyebrows and eyes, he rarely laughs, but every laugh is very infectious, his family is good, but the year before last, his father was seriously ill and has been sick at home, and the family has declined.

Seeing Zhang Huan ask him, he hurriedly stepped forward and gave a deep salute, "Thank you for the medicine of my sick brother, my father sent a letter, and my spirit is better!" ”

Zhang Huan gently pinched his shoulder and comforted: "That's good, when the day is cooler, bring Uncle Shi to my master to take a look, and then live in my house." ”

"Then Uncle Shi's salt and rice will be wrapped by me!" Not to be outdone, Zheng Qingming patted his chest.

"Of course, can you still run away?" Zhang Huan laughed, put his arm around their shoulders and strode up the steps.

The three of them talked and laughed and walked towards the main hall, the main hall of Jinyang Academy is extremely majestic and towering, the hall is spacious and bright, and can accommodate 3,000 people to listen to it at the same time.

There is a bronze bell weighing 10,000 catties at the entrance of the hall, and the bronze bell is engraved with the school motto of Zhang Kuan, the founder of Jinyang Academy, the second generation of the Zhang family: 'Apply what you have learned'

Each student must first salute before entering the main hall, and at this time there seems to be some ceremony being held in front of the bronze bell, and many students stand on both sides, their faces full of reverence.

"It's the Dean!" Song Lianyu's eyes were sharp, and he recognized at a glance that the person who saluted in front of the bronze bell was Zhang Ruohao, the head of the Zhang family and the secretary of the Ministry of Rites, he hurriedly turned his head to look at Zhang Huan, only to see that his eyes were calm and he couldn't see anything unusual.

"It's Lord Shangshu!" Zheng Qingming shouted excitedly, he reacted a little slower, and just figured out that the dean was Zhang Ruohao, the secretary of the Imperial Court Rites Department.

His voice was a little louder, attracting the sideways glances of many people next to him, one of whom whispered 'Hum!' With a snort, nasal contempt, Zhang Huan glanced back, and there was a person standing on his left, handsome and arrogant, and behind him stood several scholars and maids, all of whom rolled their eyes to the sky.

Zhang Huan knew him, his name was Zhang Xuan, he was the eldest son of the family advocate Ruohao, that is, the heir of the sixth generation of the head of the Zhang family, they looked at each other, Zhang Huan did not speak, turned his head again, patted Zheng Qingming's hand gently, and signaled him to pay attention to silence, but at this moment, the voice just now sounded again, and he said sarcastically unrelentingly: "It looks like a pig, but the reaction is still so slow, I really don't know how to enter Jinyang Academy!" ”

Zheng Qingming's face was flushed, but he couldn't provoke him, so he only bowed his head with hatred and said nothing, but Zhang Huan turned around, glanced at him lazily, and said with a faint smile: "Last year's "Caoyun History Examination" was the first place in the strategy, much better than some people who even plagiarized and asked others to ghostwrite!" ”

"Bold!" Without waiting for his master to speak, the dog behind him barked first, and a thin scholar with two mustaches was the most arrogant, and he seemed to be furious, rolled up his sleeves, exposed his withered arms, and made a gesture to rush over.

"Okay, don't make a fuss, the head of the house is here."

Zhang Xuan stared at Zhang Huan coldly, and immediately changed a humble and gentle expression on his face, lowered his head, and greeted his father Zhang Ruoho, who came over slowly: "Father, is healthy!" ”

Zhang Ruohao is about sixty years old, his waist is straight, his body is strong, his hair is as clear as snow, his long beard is also snow-white, but his cheeks are as ruddy and shiny as a young man.

He didn't seem to hear his son's greetings, and walked directly in front of him, strictly speaking, Zhang Xuan is not Zhang Ruohao's real eldest son, Zhang Ruohao's wife and three sons were unfortunately killed in the Hui Rebellion in China fifteen years ago, Zhang Xuan's mother was raised as the main house because she was born in Shannan Wang's family, and Zhang Xuan naturally became the eldest son, and will inherit the position of the head of the Zhang family according to the family rules.

But Jang Ruoho doesn't seem to like this son very much, and although he tries to restrain this dissatisfaction, it still leaks inadvertently from his tone and expression.

Today it was like this, in full view of everyone, he ignored his son's greetings.

He walked straight into the crowd, and many young children of the Zhang family suddenly became excited, and bowed to him together, "Hello family master!" ”

Zhang Ruohao nodded solemnly, waved to them, and turned back to climb the stairs, preparing to enter the main hall, at this time, he suddenly saw Zhang Huan standing on the side, Zhang Huan's eyes were clear and calm, and he did not show the slightest excitement because he was the head of the family.

As if he remembered something, a different color flashed in his eyes, and he looked at Zhang Huan deeply, and after a while, Zhang Ruohao smiled at him knowingly, turned around and entered the hall.

Although the strange eyes that flashed when he looked at Zhang Huan were only for a short moment, they were still captured by his eldest son Zhang Xuan, and a wave of jealousy suddenly arose in his heart, filling his entire heart, and this jealousy came from his father's indifference to him.

"How can a father treat himself like this!"

Zhang Xuan lowered his head, his eyes were gloomy, and his two fists were clenched tightly until almost everyone walked into the main hall, and he was still standing there motionless.

Zheng Qingming walked in front of him, glanced at him slightly, and suddenly turned back to Zhang Huan and laughed: "Go sick, Lord Shangshu seems to only care about you just now!" ”

Although Zheng Qingming's reaction was slightly sluggish, he was by no means stupid, and when Zhang Xuan's heart was about to be broken, he made up for it again, which is a Shu person, righteous, bold but with a needle.

But he forgot the relationship between Zhang Huan and Zhang Xuan behind him, he didn't know that it was because of his small revenge that Zhang Huan's magnificent life was started.

Zhang Huan smiled slightly, grabbed his round shoulders, and strode into the academy, leaving a resentful gaze far behind.