Strike while the iron is hot, after the fishing old man left, Zhu Ping'an sat by the Taihu Lake, leaning against a rock and carefully reading the calligraphy given to him by the old man.
When I first opened this copybook and took a look at it, I felt like a lone boat sailing through the sea, and every word came alive like a mirror image. Zhu Ping'an leaned against a stone, reading carefully while stretching out his fingers to figure out the structure of the brushstrokes... ...
Before I knew it, it was already bright in the sky and the calls of the fishermen in the lake could be heard from afar.
Zhu Ping'an looked up at the sun rising into the sky and his stomach growled. He reluctantly put away the copybook, stood up and put it into his schoolbag. He packed his things and walked towards the inn with the black wooden board.
When passing by the street, I was attracted by the aroma coming from a shop selling "Mi Cha Pork" snacks, so I went into the shop with a black wooden board, asked the boss for a portion of Mi Cha Pork and a bowl of rice porridge, paid the money, and sat down in the shop to wait patiently.
It didn't take long for the store to serve a portion of steaming rice cha meat. Zhu Ping'an took a bite and was eager to eat it despite the heat. The rice cha meat made by the store was tender and crispy, with a fresh and fragrant taste. The rice cha powder absorbed oil and had a special aroma, which was fragrant but not greasy.
"Shopkeeper, please make another one and take it away." Zhu Ping'an stopped the shopkeeper and paid again.
"Okay, I'll make more for you when you've eaten about 70% to 80% of the food. It will still be hot when you take it home." The shop owner took the money and said with consideration for Zhu Ping'an.
"Thank you for your help over there." Zhu Ping'an nodded with satisfaction.
"You are too polite, sir." The shopkeeper said with a smile and went to entertain other diners.
Zhu Ping'an sat at the table and savored the rice cake carefully, occasionally taking a sip of hot porridge. He felt like he was envying the mandarin ducks and the immortals.
Just as Zhu Ping'an was enjoying his breakfast, several diners dressed as businessmen came into the store with angry looks on their faces. After each of them ordered a portion of rice stick meat and a few seasonal side dishes, they began to talk indignantly.
"Those damn Japanese invaders are invading the coast again!"
"Who said it wasn't? The last time was a few years ago. These pickled materials deserved to be killed. I received a pigeon message this morning and learned that two carts of raw silk were robbed. Even two shop assistants were almost killed!"
"I'm relatively well. I was sick for two days during the journey, so I just managed to avoid it. Sigh, these tiny countries really need to be attacked and killed by the royal army..."
The diners at the next table asked with concern where the Japanese pirates had hit again.
"This time it's Suzhou Prefecture, which is also in Nanzhili. Our Anqing Prefecture is farther from the sea, so it's still a good place. Let me tell you, those Japanese slaves are bald and barefoot, walking on wooden boards, speaking bird language, and are ferocious. They eat raw human flesh, especially human hearts and livers..."
"Although there are not many Japanese slaves, they are cruel and merciless. They killed everyone, leaving no one alive. It was really tragic..."
The diners who were listening nearby couldn't help but gasp, secretly thanking their lucky location in Anqing Prefecture. If they were in Suzhou Prefecture, they would have been in big trouble.
Hearing this, Zhu Pingan couldn't eat anymore! A feeling of depression surged in his heart, and it took a long time to dissipate.
Japanese pirates, devils, I almost forgot about these scum! Bastards!
The Japanese pirate riots in the Ming Dynasty were second only to the modern Japanese invasion of China. It was a heinous crime committed by this tiny country on the land of China.
The Japanese pirates in the Ming Dynasty had their own reasons. At that time, the island country of Japan was in its Warring States Period. Warlords from all over the country were fighting each other. In this tiny country, even if you own a small village, you dare to call yourself a lord. They fought against each other and it was a mess. The Japanese refugees, rogues and ruined samurai who lost their families, lands and lords set their greedy eyes on the land of China across the sea, and came here on Japanese ships! Of course, the pirates and smugglers from the southeast coast of my country also participated in the Japanese pirates. They colluded with the Japanese pirates and invaded the land of China on a large scale, burning, killing, looting and committing all kinds of evil for decades.
Zhu Ping'an's hatred for the Japanese pirates far exceeded that of people of that era. They had only experienced the Japanese pirates, and no one knew the heinous crimes that tiny country committed on the land of China hundreds of years later. Even describing them as beasts was an insult to beasts.
After hearing the news that the Japanese pirates were wreaking havoc along the coast, Zhu Ping'an could not hide his indignation and almost had the urge to give up writing and join the army. But when he thought that he was just a weak scholar, powerless, and that giving up writing and joining the army would probably only add another bloody mark on the Japanese sword, he gave up the idea.
On second thought, so what if he is just a scholar? He can also plan strategies, his pen is like a knife and his plans are like a sword. Moreover, he has thousands of years of accumulation and he has at his fingertips the experience accumulated with blood by Qi Jiguang, Yu Dayou and even national heroes more than a hundred years later.
Platform, I need a platform. I am just a nobody in the mountain village now. Even if I have ambitions and experiences and lessons, I have nowhere to display them.
Therefore, the desire for the imperial examination became stronger. I wanted to pass the imperial examination, get a high position, govern a coastal area, even a county, and do my best to kill the invading Japanese slaves and protect the hardworking and kind people. If the platform is bigger, it will be better. I don't mind a "black ship incident" at this time. It is said that the island country is rich in silver, and it seems that the women are not bad. Well, I think too much, it's a bit unrealistic, so I'd better lay a solid foundation with poetry and books.
After eating in a hurry, he took away the rice bran that the store had packed and left in a hurry. The earlier he arrived at the inn, the more time he could read and watch more books, which would give him more confidence in passing the imperial examination.
Many pedestrians on the street were seen talking about Suzhou Prefecture in groups of three or four. When he was almost at the inn, Zhu Ping'an met Xia Luoming from Tongcheng, Feng Shanshui from Susong and others. These people were dressed in gorgeous clothes and holding folding fans, and each of them was elegant and handsome.
"Good morning, everyone." Zhu Ping'an greeted from afar.
Tongcheng Xia Luoming just nodded slightly and didn't say anything.
"Oh, it's Brother Zhu. Uh, brother, have you bought some food again..." Feng Shanshui from Susong returned the greeting. He noticed the rice bran in Zhu Ping'an's hand and nodded with a faint smile on his face.
People traveling with him naturally remembered Zhu Ping'an's nickname of "glutton", and some of them couldn't help laughing.
"After the exam yesterday, it's a rare opportunity to relax. Why don't you come with us to Jingxian Tower to have a few drinks." Feng Shanshui from Susong invited.
"I won't bother you anymore. I still have food in my hand." Zhu Ping'an shook the rice meat in his hand and smiled innocently.
"In that case, let's say goodbye now." Feng Shanshui and others from Susong bowed and said goodbye.
Zhu Ping'an also made a gesture of invitation, and watched Xia Luoming, Feng Shanshui and others laughing and chatting all the way to Jingxian Tower, as if he had never heard the rumors on the street about the Japanese pirates invading Suzhou Prefecture.
When he returned to the inn, Uncle Zhu Shouren and others were drinking and chatting at a table in the lobby. Zhu Ping'an did not disturb them. He carried the rice bran through the lobby and walked towards his residence.