The Zhang clan mansion is located in the south of Taiyuan City, occupying almost half of the area of ​​the yard. The courtyards are deep and overlapping, and courtyards of all sizes are distributed among them.

The ancestor of the Zhang family was Zhang Gongjin, the military general of the founding Emperor Gaozu. He made great achievements for the Tang Empire and was named Duke of Tan. Zhang Gongjin died early. His descendants were scattered everywhere, but for the prosperity of the family, they moved to Taiyuan Sect one after another for a hundred years, and eventually formed the Zhang family in Hedong, which ranked second in the world. Unfortunately, the internal unstable, and the ranking has dropped to fifth in the past ten years.

In fact, after a hundred years of evolution, the Zhang family in Hedong has long been subdivided into hundreds of houses. The ranks of legitimate and illegitimate children are clearly distinguished. There are many children in each house, and even they themselves cannot distinguish their relationship. For this reason, a clan hall was established, which specifically assumed the responsibility of identifying bloodlines.

But one thing is very clear: the higher the identity, the more you live in the house, the more you live in, it is like a cabbage, the essence of the vegetable core, and the place where Zhang Huan lives belongs to the outermost layer of half-yellow vegetable leaves, which are close to the guard house river.

After breakfast, Zhang Huan set off for the academy. He was a child of the Zhang family. It was his duty to study before the age of 23. He had been studying in the academy for four years. During the period of his studies, the Zhang family could receive a monthly fee and lumi. Although it was not much, it was enough to support him and his uncle.

Like other aristocratic families, the Zhang family also attaches great importance to the education of their children. From the age of five, the Zhang family's children, whether they are from the original sect or the other sect, must go to private schools to study and read. After the age of ten, they will be transferred to school and formally attend school. After the age of eighteen, they will enter the academy and graduate at the age of twenty-three, and prepare to take the provincial examination.

Private schools and schools only accept children from the Zhang family, but academies are aimed at talents from all over the world, which is also a means for families to win over talents.

The Zhang family’s academy covers an area of ​​nearly 100 hectares in the southern suburbs of Taiyuan City. Its public name is Jinyang Academy. Its scale is even better than that of the official Taiyuan Academy and is well-known throughout the country. Students studying here can be exempted from the provincial examination and obtain the qualification of a juren at the end of the five-year period. They will go directly to Beijing as a tribute tribute to the Shangshu Provincial Examination.

So every autumn, the entrance examination of Jinyang Academy is large in scale and the competition is extremely fierce. Young talents from all counties gather here to compete for the few 300 places. They not only want to be exempted from the provincial examination, but they want more of the family and disciples of the Zhang family in Hedong. Otherwise, even if they pass the provincial examination, they can only stay in Beijing for the candidates of the "seven major families". This is the real dragon gate that carp must leap through.

After walking for only a quarter of an hour, Zhang Huan came to the academy in the southern suburbs. He walked vigorously and soon walked into the gate of the painted beams of the eaves. The gate of the academy was built on a long small artificial earth slope. It needed to go up to more than twenty steps, indicating the intention of studying and climbing a high place. The pines and cypresses on both sides were lush and trees were lush.

The gate is carved from a whole huge piece of white marble, with one on both sides, a total of three doors, which are majestic. The four big characters "Jinyang Academy" are engraved on the archway in the middle. The handwriting is vigorous and powerful. This is the work of Emperor Taizong. Only the Jinyang Academy of Zhang and the Qinghe Academy of Cui have received this honor.

Today is a normal day, but it became special because my family advocated that Ruohao would go back to his hometown to visit the academy and all the students had to report back to the academy.

"Get sick brother!"

Zhang Huan had just walked up the steps when he suddenly heard someone calling him behind him. When he turned around, he saw two excited young men running towards him quickly, "Ha! Brother Qingming and Brother Lian Yu, when will you return?" He was happy in his heart, and stepped forward and punched them one by one.

These two were Zhang Huan's close friends in the academy. One was Zheng Qingming, from Jiannan Shu County, and the other was Song Lianyu, from Guangling County, Huainan. They went to the 12th County of Hedong Road two months ago to write an article "Hedong Salt and Iron Examination".

"We were just back yesterday. We were discussing to drink with Brother Qudian. I didn't expect to meet him. How about it, the old place to be at night?" The short and fat Zheng Qingming spoke. When he thought of the humble girl in Gaochang's restaurant, he danced like a broom and eyebrows. He was rich and generous, and he paid for the final wine.

Zhang Huan nodded with a smile, then turned around and asked Song Lianyu, "Is Uncle Shi's illness better?"

Song Lianyu looks exactly the opposite of Zheng Qingming. He has a tall and thin figure, big cheekbones, deep eyebrows and eyes. He rarely smiles, but every time he smiles, he is very contagious. His family is from a good family, but his father fell seriously ill two years ago and has been ill at home, so his family has declined.

Seeing Zhang Huan ask him, he rushed forward and gave a deep bow, "Thank you for your medicine from Brother Qubing. My father wrote to you and you are a little more energetic!"

Zhang Huan gently pinched his shoulder and comforted him: "That's good. When the day gets cooler, I will take Uncle Shi and let my master take a look. I'll live in my house at that time."

"I will pack Uncle Shi's salt and rice!" Zheng Qingming patted his chest unwillingly.

"Of course, can you, a rich man, still run away?" Zhang Huan laughed, hugged their shoulders and strode up the steps.

The three of them walked towards the main hall talking and laughing. The main hall of Jinyang Academy was extremely towering and towering. The hall was spacious and bright, and could accommodate 3,000 people to listen to the study at the same time.

There is an ancient bronze bell weighing ten thousand pounds at the entrance of the hall. The bronze bell is engraved with the handwritten motto of Zhang Kuan, the founder of Jinyang Academy: "What you learn is applied"

Every student must first salute here before entering the hall. At this time, some ceremony seemed to be being held in front of the bronze bell. Many students stood on both sides, their faces full of respect.

"It's the dean!" Song Lianyu's eyes were sharp. He recognized the person who was celebrating in front of the bronze bell at a glance. It was the head of the Zhang family, Zhang Ruohao, the Minister of Rites. He turned around and looked at Zhang Huan. He saw that his eyes were calm and he could not see anything unusual.

"It's Lord Shangshu!" Zheng Qingming shouted excitedly. His reaction was a little slower. He just wanted to understand that the dean was Zhang Ruohao, the Minister of Rites of the Court.

His voice became a little louder, attracting the attention of many people next to him. One of them even said "hum!" with a contemptuous voice. Zhang Huan turned around and looked at him. There was a man standing on the left side of him, looking handsome and arrogant. Behind him were several book boy servants standing with their hips on their hips, and their eyes turned to the sky.

Zhang Huan knew him, his name was Zhang Xuan, the eldest son of the family leader Zhang Ruohao, and the heir of the sixth generation head of the Zhang family. When they looked at each other, Zhang Huan did not speak, turned his head and gently patted Zheng Qingming's hand, signaling him to pay attention to silence, but at this moment, the voice just now sounded again, and he sarcastically said: "He looks like a pig, but he is still so slow in reaction. I really don't know how he entered Jinyang Academy!"

Zheng Qingming's face turned red, but he couldn't afford to offend him. He lowered his head with hatred. Zhang Huan turned around, glanced at him lazyly, and smiled faintly: "Their "History of the Canal Transportation" last year was the first in strategy theory, which is much better than some people who even let others write on their behalf!"

"Bold!" Before the owner could speak, the dog behind him barked first. A thin and slim book boy with two beards was the most arrogant. He seemed to be furious, rolled up his sleeves, exposed his dry arms, and acted to rush over.

"Okay, stop making trouble, the head of the family is here."

Zhang Xuan stared at Zhang Huan coldly, and immediately changed his face to a gentle and gentle expression. He lowered his head and greeted his father Zhang Ruohao who was walking slowly, "Good good health, Father!"

Zhang Ruohao is about sixty years old, with a straight waist and a strong body. His hair is as crystal clear as snow silk, and his long beard is as white as snow, but his cheeks are as rosy and shiny as a young man. This is what he is talking about in this situation.

He seemed not to hear his son's greetings and walked directly past him. Strictly speaking, Zhang Xuan was not Zhang Ruohao's real eldest son. Zhang Ruohao's first wife and three sons were unfortunately killed in the Uighur turmoil during the Uighurs turmoil fifteen years ago. Zhang Xuan's mother was promoted to the main house because of her origin in the Shannan Wang family. Zhang Xuan naturally became the eldest son and would inherit the position of the head of the Zhang family according to the clan rules.

But Zhang Ruohao didn't seem to like this son very much. Although he tried hard to restrain this dissatisfaction, it would still be leaked out of his tone and expression.

This is how it is today. In full view of everyone, he ignored his son's greetings.

He walked straight into the crowd, and many young Zhang family members were immediately excited and bowed to him together, "Hello, head of the family!"

Zhang Ruohao nodded solemnly, waved to them, then turned around and climbed up the steps, ready to enter the hall. At this time, he suddenly saw Zhang Huan standing beside him. Zhang Huan's eyes were clear and calm, and he did not show any excitement because he was the head of the family.

He seemed to remember something, and a strange color flashed in his eyes, staring at Zhang Huan deeply. After a while, Zhang Ruohao smiled knowingly at him, turned around and entered the hall.

Although the strange eyes flashed by him when he looked at Zhang Huan for a short moment, he was still caught by his eldest son Zhang Xuan. A jealousy suddenly arose in his heart, which filled his entire heart, and this jealousy came from his father's indifference to him.

"How could my father treat himself like this!"

Zhang Xuan lowered his head, his eyes were too long, and his fists were pinching tightly until almost everyone walked into the hall, and he was still standing there motionless.

Zheng Qingming walked past him, glanced at him slightly, and suddenly turned around and laughed at Zhang Huan, "Get rid of the disease, Lord Shangshu seemed to care about you only!"

Although Zheng Qingming's reaction was a little slow, he was never stupid. When Zhang Xuan's heart was about to be broken, he made another slash. He was a Shu person, righteous, generous, but also had a needle in his arms.

But he forgot the relationship between Zhang Huan and Zhang Xuan behind him. He didn't know that it was because of his small revenge that Zhang Huan's magnificent life.
Chapter completed!