The person who appeared in front of Feng Hushu was an ordinary boy, ordinary and even a little honest.
But when he saw this ordinary-looking and honest young man, Feng Hushu's eyes suddenly popped out of his sockets and he couldn't make a sound. It was as if someone was strangling his neck and he couldn't utter a single word.
you
You... How did you come back? No, no... Didn't you say you were buried at the bottom of the sea? This, this... What on earth is going on
Although it was a sunny day with a bright sunshine, Feng Hushu felt that the air around him seemed to be frozen cold. He subconsciously shrank his neck back and his body trembled as if it had cramps.
"Really? How come I don't know when the court issued the policy?" The young man looked at Feng Hushu and touched his head with a very honest smile.
"Zhu, Zhu... Lord Zhu, Yangsheng greets Lord Zhu."
Although the young man had an honest smile, Feng Hushu seemed to have lost all of a sudden his strength. He didn't care how thick the mud was on the ground and he knelt on the ground with a plop. Then, beads of cold sweat the size of soybeans emerged from his forehead.
In ancient times, schools in prefectures, states, and counties were not called schools, but "yang", and students were called "xiangsheng", which was another name for students in prefectures, states, and counties during the imperial examination era of Ming and Qing dynasties. xiangsheng was also a self-proclaimed name for scholars.
Feng Hushu called himself Yangsheng, which was a customary self-proclaimed name for Ming Dynasty scholars. He recognized this young man, having seen him in Huaining County before, and recognized him at a glance as the pride of the entire Huaining County, the youngest No. 1 scholar since the founding of the Ming Dynasty, and the sixth-rank Hanlin who served in the Hanlin Academy, the cradle of the prime minister—Zhu Ping'an.
Feng Hushu regretted so much that he wanted to bang his head against the wall. If he had known that Zhu Ping'an was safe, he would not have done it even if he had been offered 100 taels of silver, let alone 20 taels of silver. Even if someone held a knife to his neck, he would not have done what he did today. He was a Hushu who was not even a minor official. He would not have dared to provoke such a young sixth-rank official even if he had eaten a bear's heart and a leopard's courage. He was already a sixth-rank official at such a young age. What would happen in the future? Don't say that Zhu Ping'an offended Yan Song or someone else. Even if he offended someone, what would happen? As long as he was alive, he was still an official even if he was demoted. He himself was not even an official.
Call her a village woman of the sixth rank? !
Ask a sixth-rank official to pay taxes? !
No matter which one he thought of, Feng Hushu couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat, his whole body shaking like a sieve. Kneeling on the ground, he felt like he was kneeling on thin ice, trembling with fear.
In contrast to Feng Hushu's trembling and cautious behavior, the people of Xiahe Village were quiet for a second and then suddenly became lively, as if cold water had splashed into an oil pan, with joyful greetings and exclamations coming one after another.
"Ping An Lang, it's Ping An Lang."
"Ping An Lang, Ping An Lang is back."
"Master Xiao Zhu, it's really Master Xiao Zhu."
"I said Ping An Lang is blessed with good fortune and will be fine."
"Those who survive a great disaster will surely be blessed in the future. This time Ping An Lang has returned, he will surely be rich and powerful in the future."
The villagers were delighted. They were looking forward to Zhu Ping'an's safe return. With Zhu Ping'an around, they could enjoy more benefits. Now in the whole Huaining County, everyone looked up to the people of Xiahe Village. The tax and labor service in the government all showed preferential treatment to the entire Xiahe Village. Even it was much easier for the young men in the village to find wives. When people from other villages heard that the young men from Xiahe Village came to propose marriage, they nodded with honor and asked for much less dowry.
Of course, the happiest people were Zhu Ping'an's family, especially Zhu Ping'an's mother, Chen.
"Zi'er..."
After seeing Zhu Ping'an, mother Chen covered her eyes in disbelief with her trembling hands, and tears of joy welled up from between her fingers. After a long time, she slowly removed her hand, very slowly, and looked at Zhu Ping'an with joy through her fingers, as if she was afraid that Zhu Ping'an would disappear if she moved her hand too quickly. She excitedly called Zhu Ping'an's nickname.
The eldest daughter-in-law Juan'er was supporting Chen, who was so excited that she could hardly stand.
"Mom, I'm back." Zhu Ping'an walked up to his mother Chen, his honest face full of a flattering smile, and greeted Chen in a coquettish tone.
As for Feng Hushu who was kneeling at their feet, he had long been forgotten by everyone. If you like to kneel, just kneel. But don't block the way.
People excitedly rushed over to greet Zhu Pingan or just to look at him. Feng Hushu, who was kneeling not far from Zhu Pingan's feet, felt like crying but had no hope in life. Feng Hushu couldn't count how many times these mud-legged people had stepped on his hands or legs, not to mention his clothes. His clothes were covered with footprints. Some people did it on purpose... Just now, when these villagers saw him, they were like mice seeing a cat. Who dared to look him in the eye? Who wasn't cautious and timid? But now that Zhu Pingan came back, these villagers were so brave...
"Zi'er..."
Mother Chen opened her eyes wide and looked at Zhu Ping'an, who was fawning on her. Her eyes were full of excitement, love and tenderness. She called out "Zi'er" again and stretched out her trembling hands to cover Zhu Ping'an's face, stroking it left and right and up and down. She was sure that her own Zi'er had returned. Her eyes were full of excited tears. Zi'er, my Zi'er is back. God has returned my Zi'er to me... ...
"It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back..." Zhu's father, who was standing next to Chen, repeated this sentence over and over again, and a smile could not be concealed on his bronze face.
"Why have you lost weight again..." Mother Chen touched Zhu Ping'an's face for a while and said with concern.
"My son misses me." Zhu Ping'an grinned foolishly.
"You're just talking nonsense, you're always trying to fool me..." Chen burst into laughter, and pointed her finger at Zhu Ping'an on the forehead in an angry manner. She said blame, but she felt very happy in her heart, and her mood suddenly improved.
"Where is Dachuan?" When Chen saw her youngest son, she couldn't help but think of her eldest son who had gone out to sea with his in-laws to look for someone.
"Mom, I'm here."
Zhu Pingchuan's voice came from behind Chen.
Chen turned her head and saw Zhu Pingchuan with a silly smile on his face. He was standing next to his eldest daughter-in-law Juan'er, holding colorful shells and conchs picked up from the beach in his hands, and was trying to please his daughter-in-law.
"He really forgot his mother after marrying a wife." Upon seeing this, mother Chen couldn't help but teased with a smile on her face.
"I brought it to my mother too." Zhu Pingchuan rubbed his hands and smiled foolishly with embarrassment.
"Mother... Dachuan and I are filial to you." The eldest daughter-in-law Juan'er blushed with embarrassment and pulled Chen's hand to beg for mercy. (To be continued.)