On the way to the South Park of the Baohan Institute with Zhang Yuan, Zong Yishan was worried, these sons Zong Yishan were a little worried, he was Dong Qichang's copy secretary, and knew that Dong Mansion had a lot of secrets, this time Dong Zu often returned in Hangzhou in embarrassment, and he would definitely hate him, although there were Jiao Zhuangyuan and Huang Jinshi interceding for him, but as a talented domestic servant, he had ghostwritten calligraphy for Dong Qichang, and he was a student for Dong Zuchang, but I was afraid that Dong would be difficult to allow him to be naturalized - Nanyuan Hall, Huang Ruheng, who had a black face and a wide mouth, and Jiao Hong, who had a white beard, sat on it, Jiao Hong's white eyebrows frowned slightly, and he said to Zong Yishan: "Gong Dong has replied, saying that there are many servants in the family, and if you don't have strict family laws, you can't control them, and you won't let you go natural, but what!" ”

Although he had expected this to be the result, but now that he heard the exact answer, Zong Yishan's heart sank, and he felt powerless in an instant, and at the same time, the unyielding, resentful, and unjust qi in his heart was surging and agitated, and he wanted to look up to the sky and scream, his parents were slaves of the Dong family, was he destined to be only a slave of the Dong family, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't change it?

Zong Yishan clenched his fists, his body trembled slightly, and he bowed down and said: "The kindness of the two teachers, the students remember, but learning life should be humble, although there is a heart to work hard, also-" Zong Yishan choked up and couldn't speak.

Jiao Hong and Huang Ruheng glanced at each other, and they both felt compassion, Zong Yishan was studious and sensitive, and they knew it in their hearts, they were indeed rare talents, and such talents were succumbed to slaves and servants, which was really deplorable.

Zong Yishan said: "The student will return to Songjiang tomorrow, and I will say goodbye to the two gentlemen here." "I'm going to kneel—Zhang Yuan held him up and said: "If Brother Yishan returns to Songjiang, he will be insulted and even beaten by Dong Zuchang, Dong Zuchang's reputation for not learning and not knowing how to do it has spread all over Hangzhou, and his grievances will be vented on your head——" said to Jiao Hong: "Teacher, although Dong Hanlin refuses to give Zong Yishan a naturalization, that is, it blocks Zong Yishan's way to participate in the imperial examination, but it does not prevent Zong Yishan from seeking to learn, please leave Zong Yishan behind, and don't let him go back and suffer humiliation." ”

Jiao Hong groaned and didn't answer, Zhang Yuan knew that although Jiao Hong cherished Zong Yishan's talents, he would not offend Dong Qichang for Zong Yishan's sake, no matter how high his knowledge is, he must weigh the pros and cons of all kinds of interpersonal relationships, Jiao Hong can help Zong Yishan, that is his elegance, but if the price is too great, Jiao Hong has no reason or obligation to help Zong Yishan, this is also human nature - Zhang Yuan's mind changed sharply, and he said: "Teacher, the student has a workaround, the teacher's library in Nanjing is known as the first library in Jiangnan, You might as well ask Zong Yishan to help the teacher sort out the bibliography, this is considered to be borrowing from Dong Hanlin, not to accommodate the traitor, does the teacher think it is feasible? ”

Huang Ruheng smiled and said in his heart: "Zhang Yuan's mind is thorough and agile, this is a good idea, Jiao Taishi loves books like life, his family was poor in his early years, Jiao Taishi loves to copy books and collect books, and the champion is the Hanlin Academy. The three seals of the weak Hou reading the secretary, Zhang Yuan proposed to let Zong Yishan help sort out the bibliography of the Yuyuan Library, which is exactly what Jiao Taishi likes, Jiao Taishi has a collection of 100,000 volumes, and intends to compile a bibliography in his lifetime, and Zongsheng's knowledge and cultivation are worthy of this responsibility. ”

Sure enough, Jiao Hong twisted his white beard and nodded: "This is very true, the old man will be shy and beg Dong Gong again, and Zongsheng will temporarily stay with me to help me sort out the books, so as not to go back and suffer humiliation at this time." ”

This should be the best countermeasure at the moment, Zong Yishan is very grateful to Zhang Yuan and is indescribable, good friends and good favors, there is no way to repay - Zhang Yuan, he didn't know that Zong Yishan was Dong's servant at first, two conversations, admired Zong Yishan's talent, after beating Dong Zuchang at the mountain gate of Jingci Temple, he was determined to help Zong Yishan get rid of his nationality, one is out of friendship and cherishing talents, the other is to fight against Dong, and more importantly, he wants to use this matter to test whether the vice of Jiangnan gentry in the late Ming Dynasty is difficult to solve, and the Jiangnan gentry mostly accept and sell themselves as domestic slaves. So that the country has no taxpayers, even the rich people, in order to avoid forced labor, also deposit the land property in the home of the big gentry, those big gentry of course will not do good things for no reason, to collect a certain share of the land rent, but much lighter than the tax levied by the government, in this way, the country's tax loss is a lot, fattening a part of the Jiangnan gentry - Zhang Yuan both Kuang to help the will of the troubled times, this major drawback of course he has to take into account, now, he is just a small temptation.

…… Jiao Hong has been in Hangzhou for nearly two months, October 16 this said with his son Jiao Runsheng and his disciple Zong Yishan back to Nanjing Yuanyuan, Hangzhou's well-known gentry have come to see off, Zhong eunuch naturally also came to send, knowing that Jiao Zhuangyuan was incorruptible, did not dare to send money and things, only sent ten copies of the Song edition of the book, including Su Dongpo's "Analects of the Analects" banknote four volumes, Jiao Hong smiled, Eunuch Zhong said in his heart: "Our family also spent a few hundred taels of silver to buy these ten Song edition books, if the silver Jiao Zhuangyuan sent white flowers will definitely refuse with a straight face, maybe he will have to blame our family, But the book can be sent and received, and it is also worth so much silver, and a vulgar thing has become an elegant act. ”

Zhang Yuan watched Jiao Hong's boat sail away from the canal wharf, and thought: "Brother Yishan's matter is obviously not so good, Dong Qichang may temporarily agree to let Zong Yishan help Jiao Zhuangyuan sort out the books because of Jiao Zhuangyuan's face, but it will definitely not last long, there will be another turmoil, wait and see." ”

Tixue Wang Bian also came to see off Jiao Taishi, saw Zhang Yuan, and said: "Zhang Yuan, why don't you concentrate on studying, and provoke Dong Hanlin's son to do something!" Wang Tixue received Dong Qichang's letter, and at the same time heard about Dong Zuchang's laughing stock, thinking that Dong Xuanzai was proud of his talents, why did he give birth to such a son?

Zhang Yuan said respectfully: "Great Grandmaster, the student is studying under Mr. Huang Yuyong, and there is a reason why he is a little unhappy with Dong Hanlin's son, and the student does not dare to cause trouble. ”

Wang Tixue said: "Humility and forbearance in everything come first, otherwise your future will be unfavorable." ”

Zhang Yuan is only on the surface, of course he doesn't think so in his heart, who wouldn't be a mess of harmony, the troubled times are coming, how can I not have the spirit to be the first in the world, if I have to endure even people like Dong Zuchang, then what else can I do?

Wang Tixue asked Zhang Yuan about his studies again, Wang Tixue is also a famous master of "Spring and Autumn", asked Zhang Yuan about the scriptures of "Spring and Autumn", and was very satisfied with Zhang Yuan's answer, and said: "Good student study, I will take the test for you in April next year, don't slack off." ”

…… Zhang Yuan actually studied in the thatched cottage in Nanping Mountain until October 25, and the two official ships sent by Eunuch Zhong to Songjiang to buy rice also returned, Zhang Yuan resigned to Mr. Huang Ruheng, saying that his mother's birthday must be rushed back, Huang Ruheng said: "Of course you have to go back on your mother's birthday, this is your filial piety, if you feel that there is still benefit from studying here, come back next year." ”

Zhang Yuan said: "Next year, the students and the eldest brother Zhang Zongzi will come together to listen to Mr. Zhang's teachings. ”

Farewell to Mr. Yu Yong, Zhang Yuan and the classmates of the thatched cottage one by one, invited the classmates to have time to go to Shanyin as a guest, Huang Ruheng's disciples have a very good impression of Zhang Yuan, Zhang Yuan is talented, but he is not arrogant, he treats people warmly, from the perspective of Zongyi's good things, Zhang Yuan is also very helpful, such a person is worth befriending.

The next morning, Zhang Yuan, Mu Zhenzhen, Wuling master and servant three people took the two rice weaving department official ship back to Shanyin, Qin Minping with two native soldiers to follow, Qin Minping is specially staying here to wait for Zhang Yuan's mother to celebrate her birthday, Eunuch Zhong also sent a birthday gift for Zhang Yuan to take back, Eunuch Zhong in Hangzhou Weaving Department before and after five years, and never gave a birthday to the parents of any official, it can be seen that Zhang Yuan's weight in his mind, Zhang Yuan is on his mind, he really regards Zhang Yuan as a trustworthy friend - October 27 afternoon, Two ships of 4,000 stone rice transported to the Xixing Canal Wharf in Shanyin County, hired 20 carts and 50 porters at the wharf to transport the rice to Yanghe Yicang in the north of the county, Yanghe Yicang is divided into A and B two warehouses, A warehouse has been completed at the end of last month, can store 7,000 stone of grain, before Zhang Yuan went to Hangzhou, Yanghe Yicang has raised nearly 5,000 stone grain, but has been borrowed, now there are 4,000 stone grain donated by Eunuch Zhong to enrich it, Yanghe Yicang can be maintained, I hope that next year's harvest will be better, and the rice grain lent out can be recovered, It is initially estimated that Yicang has to add 3,000 taels of silver every year to maintain normal operation, because some of the borrowed rice and grain will definitely not be collected back for various reasons, and there are two vice presidents Liu Xiucai and Lu Yungu and the warehouse keeper who takes care of Yicang to pay a certain amount of money and grain, otherwise it is impossible to do things for Yicang for free for many years - Zhang Yuan returned to Shanyin, first led Qin Minping to meet his mother, and then went to Xizhang North Courtyard to see his uncle Zhang Rulin, and some things must be explained to his uncle, Zhang Rulin basically knows about Zhang Yuan's affairs in Hangzhou, and it is of course a great thing that Zhang Yuan can be appreciated by Jiao Hong, but the grudge with Dong Xuanzai seems to be irresolvable, Zhang Rulin didn't blame Zhang Yuan for anything, but just told Zhang Yuan to prepare for next year's Taoist exam, don't go out again during this time, and study at home behind closed doors - talking about the uprising, Zhang Rulin was very surprised that Zhang Yuanneng persuaded Eunuch Zhong to raise 4,000 stone grain, asked carefully, and said happily: "I was worried that your association with Eunuch Zhong is not conducive to your future advancement, but you can guide Eunuch Zhong to do good deeds, also asked Jiao Zhuangyuan to write a tablet to secretly resolve the adverse effects, which was quite a trick, which really pleased the uncle. ”

Zhang Yuan had dinner with his uncle in the North Courtyard, and when he resigned, he met his eldest brother Zhang Dai, Zhang Dai's face was sick, and he smelled a slight cough, and when he asked, he learned that Zhang Dai's phlegm disease recurred last month, and he was better recently, Zhang Dai was sick since he was a child, and he was fostered at his grandmother's house before he was twelve years old.

Hearing Zhang Yuan talk about Jiao Hong's lecture in Nanping Mountain, Zhang Dai exclaimed pity, and was extremely envious of Zhang Yuan becoming the champion protégé.

Zhang Cao heard that Zhang Yuan was back, rushed to meet, and heard Zhang Dai and Zhang Yuan say that they would go to Hangzhou and Nanjing to study together next year, Zhang Cao said: "You all go, won't I suffocate to death, and I will also take a prisoner to go with you." ”

Zhang Dai said with a smile: "Nasu is easy to be discriminated against and ridiculed when he enters prison, isn't the third brother afraid?" ”

Zhang Cao said: "What are you afraid of, if you make two crooked articles, you dare to discriminate against me, and I will teach him a lesson." ”

(To be continued)