Fang Zhongjin lost his father at an early age, and his widowed mother depended on each other, living in a small courtyard in a remote part of the capital. Surrounded by chickens and dogs, cars and pulp sellers, the neighbors respect the mother and son as scholars, but there is little nuisance.

This small courtyard stands out in the alley, and the trim is clean and elegant. There are pergolas, grape trellises, and even a vegetable patch the size of a palm. When I entered the house, I saw a lot of old furniture full of books.

Fang Zhongjin and Fang's mother were sitting in the house at this time, Fang's mother still had tears in the corners of her eyes, and she sighed and didn't know where to start. After thinking for a long time, he only said one sentence: "Your good uncle crossed your name, and we will not be able to participate in the imperial examination this year." I didn't think that my son just nodded silently, neither surprised nor angry.

"Fang Xiaoru is so deceitful, if we don't make a break with the Fang family, we will slap your father in the face. Fang Mu continued.

Fang's mother's real name is Tian Ying, and her father Tian Zhibin once worshiped the household servant. Although she is now decrepit, she was famous for her talent and appearance when she was young. Her father was most optimistic about his student Fang Xiaowen, praised him as a masterpiece of the moment, and intended to marry his daughter to him.

Today, everyone knows that Fang Xiaoru is a generation of Confucianism, but few people still remember his brother Fang Xiaowen. He used to be the humerus of the country recognized by the former emperor Zhu Yuanzhang. But his life can be described as ups and downs, very bumpy.

Zhu Yuanzhang was suspicious and murderous all his life. I don't know how many people are extremely popular in his hands, and they were beheaded by his order. General Wen Chengwu is like a leek in his eyes, he can still produce a stubble after cutting it. At that time, Zhu Yuanzhang was optimistic about the young Fang Xiaowen and intended to promote him. But after the death of the crown prince Zhu Biao, he was suddenly left idle. Some people say that it was because Fang Xiaowen said the wrong thing in front of the emperor, and some people even said that it was to leave this person to his grandson. Only after being neglected and not reused for more than ten years, and then being re-promoted to a high position by Zhu Yunwen, Fang Xiaowen will be grateful to Zhu Yunwen. What is the emperor's mental skill in the middle, and how many ordinary people can explain it clearly?

Just when Fang Xiaowen was willing to welcome his ordinary life, he didn't expect that Tian Zhibin and his old in-laws, Fang Keqin, the old man of the Fang family, were all connected because of the Lanyu case, and Tian Zhibin himself died on the way to distribution.

This change disrupted many people's positions. The Fang family suddenly fell into the mud from the middle of the day. However, despite the opposition of his family, Fang Xiaowen married Tian Ying, who had become an orphan girl, according to the agreement. Unexpectedly, the unfortunate fate was still unwilling to let him go. Because of the poverty of his family, Fang Xiaowen also died of illness six years later. Only a young son, Fang Zhongjin, and a lonely Tian Ying were left.

Although the concubines of the Fang family did not say it clearly, they secretly blamed Tian Ying's father for being implicated, which made the Fang family fall. Later, there were rumors that Tian Ying was the order of Kefu, and he would definitely be Kezi in the future.

Tian Ying lives in these reproaches every day, and her heart is getting stronger and stronger, vowing to train her son into a talent. She earns a little money every day for other people's pulp washing and sewing, which is used to provide for her son's education. He was tired and looked far older than his peers.

In the last year of the reign of the first emperor, for some reason, he suddenly recalled the last son of the Fang family, Fang Xiaoru, to the court and reused it. Only then did the Fang family prosper again. And her orphans and widows also lost the Fang family to re-establish the clan school, Fang Zhongjin can go to the clan study from now on, and he can also divide five taels of silver per month.

Now that he has to break with the Fang family, he can't go to that ethnology, and he can't take the monthly example anymore. Fang Zhongjin secretly calculated in his heart where he could find a job to subsidize his family.

"You don't have to worry about me," Fang Mu said. "I've saved some money over the years, and I have no problem living a hard life for a few months. And I'm able to get back on with some knitting guys. She paused and said to her son in an unusually serious tone, "These are inconsequential little things, you are the one who wants to achieve great things, don't be tied up by this old woman like me." ”

Fang Zhongjin looked at his mother in surprise, not knowing what big things she was going to let him do.

As if she had made a big decision, Fang's mother said: "You can leave for the Fang family's old house in Ninghai now, dig three feet deep under the big locust tree in the courtyard, and have a wooden box." The wooden box contained fifty taels of gold and a very important letter. It's not time to open the letter. And the gold in it can be used to get by. ”

She suddenly sneered and said, "The destiny of heaven is originally on our side. Even if others want to take it, it's useless. Your father is gone, but you're still a good man. His old Zhu family can't leave us. You can't take the exam this time though. But as long as we work hard for another three years, the next champion will still come from our family. At that time, it will have nothing to do with their Fang Xiaoru family!"

Fang Zhongjin was confused by Fang's mother's words, but the confident and determined look on her face was something Fang Zhongjin hadn't seen for many years.

Fang Mu's expression suddenly changed again, and said to Fang Zhongjin seriously: "But you must keep in mind that the box and the letters in it are extremely important, and if you leak it, you will be killed." It's not going to be peaceful out there right now. I can't say it, but in a few years it will be a good time for us to ride the wind. You only said that you would go home and sell your old house, and you couldn't say anything else!