Aspirations

Chapter 1

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As soon as you leave the capital, you will be at the border of Hebei, more than 1000 miles south, at the foot of Taihang Mountain, there is a county named Lingshou.It has been more than [-] years since the county was established in the Han Dynasty and spread to Daxia.For thousands of years, dynasties have changed and time has changed. The name of Lingshou County has been passed down to this day and has never been changed. It is a rare miracle.

More than [-] miles away from Lingshou County, there is a mountain village called Zhongshan Village.Zhongshan Village was named after the Zhongshan Kingdom during the Warring States Period.The Zhongshan Kingdom, which was once side-by-side with the Seven Heroes of the Warring States Period, was annihilated in the long river of history. It was once brilliant. It used the strength of the Kingdom of Thousands to fight against the Kingdom of Seven Heroes and Myriads for more than [-] years. It is not an exaggeration to call it the eighth hero of the Warring States.

Zhongshan Village is surrounded by mountains. There are only more than [-] households in the village, and the voices of chickens and dogs are heard.The villagers are all surnamed Xia.Surrounded by mountains on three sides and water on one side, the scenery is beautiful and peaceful.Hidden in the majestic Taihang Mountains, Zhongshan Village is almost isolated from the world and is a paradise.

It has been more than [-] years since the Daxia State was established. Now the world is peaceful and the world is peaceful. It can be called a peaceful and prosperous age.Since the two dynasties of Taizu and Taizong, they crossed the Yellow River from Henan and swept the northern nomads and drove them to the grasslands and Mobei. Hebei went to the grasslands in the north, the white mountains and black water in the northeast, and the bitter cold of the desert in the northwest. Big summer map.When he was about to die back then, the old Marshal Zong, who shouted "Cross the river, cross the river", knew that, and closed his eyes with a smile.

Now that there has been peace for many years, I don’t hear about the war and see no soldiers. If you want to fight for a background, you have to study.The exhortation poems by the third emperor of the Xia Dynasty, Zhenzong, are still widely circulated after decades.There is no need to build high-rise buildings to live in peace, and the book has its own golden house.Don't hate unscrupulous matchmaking when you get married, there is Yan Ruyu in the book.Don't hate that no one will follow you when you go out, there are many chariots and horses in the book.The man wanted to fulfill his life ambition, and read the Five Classics diligently to the window.

However, since the establishment of the country in Daxia, no one in Zhongshan Village has been admitted to fame. The villagers live and work in peace and contentment.

Until three years ago, a destitute gentleman from the private school accidentally came to Zhongshan Village from the capital...

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April is the season when the grass grows and the warblers fly.In the early summer season, the mountains are dressed in green again. At the long pavilion at the entrance of Zhongshan Village, a young man with a weak crown stands tall, with red lips and white teeth, his face like jade ears like a wheel, and his forehead is broad and white. A green shirt sets him off like a willow tree.

In the long pavilion, standing opposite him was a middle-aged man in his forties.The man was wearing a washed-white gown, a square scarf hat, a thin face and eyebrows, and a three-point bookishness and seven-point majesty.

Beside the middle-aged man, stood a fifteen or sixteen-year-old woman.The woman's eyebrows and eyes are picturesque, spring shirts, light waists, crescent eyebrows, eyes like fog and moon, charming and natural.

Although the youthful green shirt was thin, the young man did not lose his heroic spirit, standing indifferently, holding a willow branch, with a resolute expression, and a hint of reluctance.

"Mr. has been taught for three years. I deeply feel that his talent is the best in the world, and he is not inferior to Sima Shi, the leader of the dynasty. Why not go north to the capital and hand a piece of paper to Mr. Sima. It is easy to win a name or gain a reputation." Talking eloquently, the wind blowing the long gown, he is facing the wind, pursing his lips slightly, and his expression is firm, "Sir has also repeatedly taught students that they should study when they are excellent in their jobs. , Governing the country, and pacifying the world are my responsibility. Today is a prosperous age, and it should be reported to the court to live up to the people of Li, so that you can read the books of sages in vain."

Li Dingshan opened the folding fan in his hand, shook it gently, and smiled slightly: "Mr. Sima has indeed helped many underachievers, but I have no intention of becoming a career, I only wish to forget my love in the mountains and rivers all my life, and self-cultivation is enough for my family. As for the great responsibility of governing the country and the world. , it's up to you young people."

The woman took Xia Xiang's willow branch, twisted it in her hand a few times, and said solemnly, "It's not that Mr. is unwilling to pursue a career because of the teachings of the sages, and it's not that he doesn't report the kindness of the king. Besides, Mr. Sima doesn't need the help of Sima. Sima ornaments..."

"Needless to say, Jia'er..." Li Dingshan waved his hand to stop Xiao Jia from continuing, and gave her a wink. The parting was imminent, and he was both happy and a little worried in his heart. He closed the folding fan and glanced at the The word "Fengya" stayed on the signature for a moment.

The title of the inscription is impressively Sima ornaments.

Sima Shi is not only a leading literary figure of the current dynasty, but also a bachelor of the Hanlin Academy and a bachelor of Longtuge. When he was the examiner of the tribute to the Ministry of Rites and presided over the Jinshi examination as a Hanlin bachelor, he had admitted the brothers Lian Che and Lian Yi.Sima Shi once said that when he read Lianche's article, he didn't feel sweating, and because of his talent, he should give up three points to avoid its edge.The Lian brothers later became famous all over the world.

"You and I will say goodbye." Li Dingshan bowed his hands slightly, turned around and left, striding a meteor, but did not look back, "There is no need to bow again, and there is no need to break the willows to send each other, if there is a chance, we will meet again. Remember, you After entering Beijing, don't be greedy, don't make trouble, just take the exam."

Xiao Jia hesitated for a moment, then handed back the willow branch in his hand to Xia Xiang, gave Xia Xiang a reluctant look, wanted to say something, shook his head, and followed Li Dingshan.

"Sir..." Xia Xiang knew that Li Dingshan had made up his mind to leave, remembering the teachings and getting along with him over the past three years, he burst into tears, and bowed to Li Dingshan's back, "The mountains are high and the rivers are long. Live up to what he has learned in his life, be virtuous in the world, and fill the garden with peaches and plums."

Three years ago, Li Dingshan and Xiao Jia came to Zhongshan Village. At that time, he was like a beggar, not to mention ragged and haggard.Kind-hearted villagers took in the two of them.Li Dingshan and Xiao Jia are called father and daughter, but they are not the same surname.The two just claimed that they came from the capital, and they did not answer what their background was and why they came.Fortunately, the people of Zhongshan Village are simple and simple, and they only think that the two are a pair of father and daughter in distress, and they do not suspect him.

Li Dingshan's father and daughter first lived in an abandoned thatched cottage in the west of the village, but one day there was a strong wind and the thatched cottage was blown into ruins.The two had no place to stay, and when they wanted to leave Zhongshan Village in desperation, Song Dingniang vacated two rooms of her own and took them in.

Song Dingniang is the mother of Xia Xiang.

Speaking of which, Xia Xiang and his mother Song Dingniang were not born and raised in Zhongshan Village. When Xia Xiang was three years old, he followed his mother to Zhongshan Village and settled here.Who is the father, whether it is life or death, the mother is very secretive, never mentioning it, and Xia Xiang is not allowed to ask.The villagers of Zhongshan Village have lived in the deep mountains for a long time. Although they also follow the way of Confucius and Mencius, they are not pedantic. They neither reject nor doubt Xia Xiang and Song Dingniang, who have unknown origins, and accept them calmly.

More than ten years have passed, and the life in the mountain village is stable and peaceful, and Xia Xiang and Song Dingniang have fully integrated into the villagers.Xia Xiang was smart since he was a child, but his family was poor and couldn't afford a private school. Song Dingniang taught him how to read by using willow branches as brushes and sand as paper.Xia Xiang is also up to the mark, reading extensively on the paper of the earth.By the time he was 17, he had already learned a little bit, and his mother was already unable to teach him anything.

Xia Xiang's family was not rich, and life was even more difficult after Li Dingshan's father and daughter moved in.Li Dingshan and Xiao Jia also did not want to live and eat in the Xia family for free, so they proposed to open private schools to teach to subsidize their families.

After the private school was opened, very few scholars came to study, and Zhongshan Village was isolated from the world, so the villagers did not have a strong desire to pursue fame.Apart from Xia Xiang, there were only two people, one named Xia Lai and one named Xia Qu.In the private school of the three, Li Dingshan also taught seriously.Xia Lai and Xia Qu are stubborn and do not seek to make progress.

Li Dingshan didn't care either, the tuition fees paid by Xia Lai and Xia Qu reduced the burden on the Xia family, which was a great relief.Of course, what surprised and satisfied him the most was Xia Xiang's intelligence, a child prodigy.He taught him everything he had learned in his life, and it took Xia Xiang only two years to master it all.

Seeing that Xia Xiang had enough power in his studies, Li Dingshan changed his mind. Originally, according to what he thought, he could only let Xia Xiang read the books of sages and sages.But seeing that Xia Xiangzhi was able to accept all rivers, he took out the collection of books that were easily hidden and handed them over to Xia Xiang.

Xia Xiang is like a treasure.

Another year later, Xia Xiang went up to astronomy.In Li Dingshan's view, even if Xia Xiang is not a once-in-a-century talent, he is also a genius who has only been seen for decades, at least not much worse than Su Que, a 19-year-old high school Jinshi.

Since the founding of the Great Xia Kingdom, there have been no less than a dozen high school jinshi at the age of [-] or [-], among which Su Que is the most eye-catching.It's not that Su Que is the most talented, but Su Que is the most upright.After becoming an official, he contradicted the emperor and the prince several times in person, stubbornly holding his own opinions, and never conceded half a point because of the other party's imperial power or status.

"Dad, why don't we go to Beijing with Xia Xiang? He went to Beijing alone to take the exam. Who will take care of his daily life?" Standing on a hilltop, looking down at Zhongshan Village surrounded by mountains, Xiao Jia frowned slightly. For a while, I was worried, "This time in the capital, the mountains are high and the rivers are long, and there are many difficulties. If he makes a mistake, I don't know what to do?"

Li Dingshan's folding fan pointed to the north: "He went to the capital alone. It was indeed a difficult journey, but it was better than our company. Someone in the capital found us and said that he would come to Zhongshan Village someday. Xia Xiang's catastrophe is imminent."

Xiao Jia sighed softly: "If people know that Xia Xiang is daddy's student, let alone a high school jinshi, he might even lose his life. If he goes to the capital, there will be more misfortunes than good luck. In fact, let him live a peaceful life. Seeking fame and wealth, and only seeking peace, isn't it also good?"

Li Dingshan shook his head: "The Great Xia has been peaceful for more than a hundred years. Although there is no external trouble, there are internal worries. With Xia Xiang's talent and learning, it is a pity that he is only a small citizen in the prosperous world. When the country is in trouble, why don't men take Wu hook , collect the fifty states of Guanshan. Please go to Lingyan Pavilion for a while, if you are a scholar of ten thousand households? When the country is in peace, you should help the world, serve the court, set your mind for the world, set your mind for the life and the people, and continue the unique learning for the sages of the past. For eternity Kai Taiping is not in vain to be a man. What's more, there will be a storm in the imperial court right now. A man born between heaven and earth should stand upright and face difficulties. "

Xiao Jia gently gathered the scattered hair on his forehead, and his expression was a bit dazed: "Isn't it too difficult for him to let him step into the dangerous capital from Zhongshan Village?" Then his eyes were blurred and lost, "The ten-mile pavilion is full of frost, How old is the blue silk and white hair? No regrets in this life, no mistakes in this life, and fate in the next life."

"Jia'er..." Li Dingshan's face sank, and his tone was a bit stern, "Xia Xiang and you can only be brothers and sisters!"

Xiao Jia's pretty face blushed slightly, then lost a little bit, and lowered her head slightly: "I see, Daddy, Jia'er doesn't dare."

Seeing Xiao Jia like this, Li Dingshan felt a little soft-hearted, shook his head and sighed: "It's not that Daddy embarrassed you, and it's not that Daddy intended to do this. It's really because of your background that you can't stay with Xia Xiang for a long time."

"Where should I go in the future?" Xiao Jia's eyes were blurred, looking at the mountains and rivers that had accompanied him in the past three years, his mood was inexplicably heavy.

"Although Daxia is a heavy official, he doesn't take commerce lightly, and he doesn't restrain him from doing business."

"I am a female class, how do I do business?" Xiao Jia has no opinion.

"I already have a plan, don't worry about it." Li Dingshan just finished speaking, his face suddenly changed, and he leaped to a stone next to him and looked into the distance, "It's coming so fast."

On the mountain road in the distance, several fast horses ran like flying.There were a few people immediately, dressed in short clothes of one color, with stern faces and sharp eyes.

A total of five people and five horses crossed the mountain path, crossed the creek, and went straight to Zhongshan Village.

Xiao Jia's face changed greatly, and his voice trembled: "Dad, who are they?"

"It's them." Li Dingshan nodded, without panic, with a faint smile, "Fortunately, I took a step first. He still has a thief's heart, and he has to kill me. In this case, if I go south to Quanzhou to avoid disaster, wouldn't it? Looking too timid? Go, go north to the capital!"

"Really?" Xiao Jia was pleasantly surprised. He went south to Quanzhou, which is thousands of miles away from the capital, and he and Xia Xiangtian were on separate sides. Maybe there was no chance to meet again, and when he went north to the capital, he might have an unexpected reunion with Xia Xiang.

"If you don't enter the tiger's den, how can you catch tiger cubs?" Li Dingshan laughed out loud, "He wants to kill them all, so I will throw myself into the trap."

(End of this chapter)