bookrandom Chapter 540 Zhang An
Chapter 540 Zhang An
When the old people in the village heard the news that Wang Wen was going to Chang'an, they all put down their work, leaned on their crutches, and hurried over.
The village chief, Wang Boan, walked in front, his back hunched, and the crutch in his hand made a "thump thump" sound on the ground.
As soon as he saw Wang Wen, he stepped forward quickly and held Wang Wen's hand tightly with his rough, calloused, and cracked hand. With a slightly hoarse voice, he slowly said, "Wen, this trip to Chang'an is a long and arduous one. You must take care of yourself on the way. When you sleep at night, be sure to cover yourself with the quilt to avoid catching a cold."
"Don't settle for a mediocre meal. Make sure you eat well and have enough."
Grandma Wang, who was standing nearby, also came over quickly. She was thin, with wrinkles on her face like ravines. She kept muttering, "You have always been a worry-free child. If you encounter any difficulties while you are away from home, please send someone to bring a message back. Our entire village is here to support you."
The children chattered around Wang Wen, their eyes sparkling with envy.
Xiao Hu was a mischievous child. His face flushed with excitement, and he shouted at the top of his voice, "Brother Wang, when you get to Chang'an, you must visit more interesting places. Come back and tell us if the candied haws in Chang'an are much bigger than the ones in our village, and if those colorful things are particularly interesting?"
Niuniu hid timidly behind Xiaohu. She had two pigtails, her eyes were watery, and her voice was soft and sticky: "Brother Wang, I want to hear about the lanterns in Chang'an. I heard that at night, when the lanterns are lit, the whole city becomes like a fairyland. It's so beautiful. You must tell me about it."
People of the same age also gathered around. Da Zhuang was a burly young man. He patted Wang Wen's shoulder vigorously, and his hearty laughter echoed in the air: "Wenzi, when you get to Chang'an, don't embarrass our village. We believe you can do it."
"If you encounter any problems, just keep going forward. Don't be afraid. We brothers are here to support you!"
Erniu stood aside. He was a little thin and nodded in agreement, saying, "That's right. If you can win some honor for our village, it will be so impressive. We are all looking forward to your early return."
The women were busy on the side. Aunt Liu was a kind-hearted woman. She was quick and efficient and soon brought a basket of freshly baked dry food from home.
As she stuffed the food into Wang Wen's bag, she kept muttering, "I made all this early this morning. You can take it with you on the road. I put some extra ingredients in this dry food, so I guarantee it will taste delicious."
Mrs. Zhang came hurriedly, carrying several thick cotton-padded clothes. She panted slightly and said, "You must take these clothes with you. It's much colder in Chang'an than here. Don't catch a cold."
"I sewed this cotton-padded jacket stitch by stitch. It keeps me warm."
Although the Jinyiwei had repeatedly emphasized that all travel expenses would be fully reimbursed by the court and there was no need to prepare these supplies, the enthusiasm of the villagers could not be stopped at all.
One by one, warm things were stuffed into Wang Wen's body and bag.
Even the brand new clothes he was wearing were made by everyone working together, with you contributing a piece of cloth and me adding a few stitches of thread, and working through the night to make them.
Everyone knew that just like when Zhang An left the village, now that Wang Wen had left the village, he represented the image of the entire village, and he had to look dignified and glorious no matter what.
For these simple and honest people, their thoughts are simple and pure.
In their hearts, even if the court was able to reimburse these expenses, they really couldn't bear to let the court spend money.
They often complained in private that so many people relied on the court to cover their travel expenses, so where did the court get so much money?
Nowadays, they can eat their fill every day and have enough clothes and firewood to keep out the cold in winter. They are already extremely satisfied with such a life.
What's more, with the support and help of the imperial court, every household built spacious and sturdy granaries. Even if they encountered natural disasters such as droughts and floods, the stored grain was enough for the family to eat safely for two years.
……
Wang Wen stood quietly in the crowd. He subconsciously touched his pocket, where there were several pieces of paper densely written with words.
These are the ideas he has racked his brains for the past few days, written down word by word based on his understanding and expectations of the village.
When the Jinyiwei came to the village to convey the message, they said that the main purpose of this meeting held in Chang'an was to enable the court to fully and deeply understand the real living conditions of the people, to see what problems the people in various places faced and what practical needs they had.
At first, Wang Wen and other people in the village had the same idea. They all felt that their village was living a stable and peaceful life under the care of the court, and they did not have any special demands.
Everyone also reminded him not to make any requests to the court and not to cause any trouble to His Majesty and the court. As long as he could have the honor of meeting His Majesty and tell everyone in detail about the scene and feelings of meeting His Majesty after returning, they would be satisfied.
But on the way to Chang'an, Wang Wen saw the scenes of the villages outside Chang'an City, which were completely different from the village where he lived.
The roads in the villages outside Chang'an are wide and flat, with green trees lining the roadsides and the houses neatly arranged.
At that moment, his heart was deeply touched. He realized that this trip to Chang'an to attend the meeting might be a rare opportunity to change the face of his hometown.
He looked at the flat and clean cement roads in Chang'an City, and the muddy roads in his own village emerged in his mind. Every time it rained, the roads became muddy, making it extremely inconvenient for the villagers to travel. They had to walk with one foot deep and one foot shallow, and their shoes were always covered with thick mud.
In addition, the houses in the village are arranged in a disorderly manner, lacking a unified planning, and there is almost no green space.
Thinking of this, a strong desire surged in Wang Wen's heart. After returning to his residence, he couldn't wait to pick up the pen and wrote down many suggestions on improving the village infrastructure, rationally planning the layout of houses and increasing greening.
Thanks to the free schools provided by the imperial court, even poor people like him could read and write.
He knew in his heart that these changes could not be achieved overnight, and he did not expect the court to immediately carry out drastic reforms in his hometown. But as long as the court could see these suggestions and pay attention to the situation in their village, it would be the best thing for him.
After sending Wang Wen to the entrance of the Great Hall, the Jinyiwei immediately returned to report.
Looking at the departing backs of the Jinyiwei, Wang Wen stood alone on the unfamiliar street, and suddenly felt an inexplicable tension in his heart.
The constant coming and going of people around him and the unfamiliar environment made him feel a little overwhelmed, and his heart was in turmoil for a while.
Just when Wang Wen was feeling anxious, a familiar voice came from behind him: "Wang Wen? Are you Wang Wen?"
When Wang Wen heard someone calling his name, he was stunned at first, then turned his head suddenly.
What came into view was a face that couldn't be more familiar.
Although the years had left some marks on this face, he still recognized it at a glance. "Brother Zhang? Is that you? Brother Zhang?"
Wang Wen shouted in surprise and joy.
When Zhang An saw Wang Wen, he clapped his hands excitedly.
"Oh! Wen! It's really you! Why did you suddenly come to Chang'an?"
He then asked, "Are you the people's representative elected by our village?"
For Zhang An, nothing could make him more excited and happy than meeting old friends from his hometown in Chang'an, a place where he was unfamiliar with the people and the place.
Over the years, he has been working hard alone in Chang'an, experiencing the ups and downs of life. He has been running around for a living and his life has not been easy.
At this moment, hearing Wang Wen's words with a strong hometown accent, Zhang An felt a warm current instantly surge into his heart, and his whole body felt numb.
Wang Wen's eyes fell on Zhang An's official uniform, and he remembered the rumors in the village that Zhang An had become rich and became a high-ranking official in Chang'an.
Since the imperial examination, the villagers have never seen him return, so many people say behind Zhang An's back that he is ungrateful.
Wang Wen asked, "Yes, Brother Zhang, I am the representative of the people in our village. Brother Zhang, are you really an official in Chang'an now?"
Hearing Wang Wen's words, Zhang An smiled and waved his hands, a trace of helplessness on his face. "How can I be considered an official? I didn't pass the imperial examination. I really have no face to return to the village."
"Now I'm just a minor official in the government office, barely making a living."
"If I really become a high-ranking official, wouldn't I go back and show off, and make all the young and old men in the village happy?"