The mistress just wanted to be bad, but she took off after being replaced

But as time went by, it gradually became a cradle for cultivating elites, with a high threshold that ordinary people could hardly reach.

At that time, the Kempinski School took in many children who were eager for knowledge but trapped in poverty.

Most of them had to share the heavy farm work during the day and greedily absorb every word from the books by the dim candlelight at night.

Although I also thirsted for knowledge in my heart, in that era when even food and clothing were difficult to guarantee, real food was far more important and more real than the illusory hope of getting a place on the imperial examination.

Therefore, it was extremely difficult to recruit students when Kempinski School was first established, and only a handful of students were admitted in the first period.

Today, it has become an academic hall that is coveted by both nobles and commoners. The places are so precious and the competition is so fierce that children from ordinary families can only sigh in despair.

Zhang Yuanshun's story slowly unfolds in the torrent of history. His life trajectory undergoes earth-shaking changes because of a dream talisman.

In his dreams, he may be able to find his true self, learn to let go of hatred, and embrace the long-lost ordinariness and happiness.

Zhang Yuanshun stood at the crossroads of fate, and his long-standing avoidance and resistance to study life finally became a reality.

However, when his dream came true, he unexpectedly discovered that his mood, which should have been filled with relief, was quietly occupied by an indescribable melancholy.

He did not delve into the source of this subtle change of emotion, but simply brushed it off lightly, like brushing off a speck of dust on his clothes.

After all, escaping from the cage filled with books and the scent of ink has been his dream every night since he was a child.

So he turned around briskly and set foot on the familiar path leading home, his heart full of longing and joy for a new life.

At home, the parents' eyes revealed understanding and tolerance. They knew very well that this land and farming might be their son's true home.

They did not criticize Zhang Yuanshun's decision, but silently supported it.

The sudden appearance of the eldest brother was like a bright star, illuminating the sky of the entire family.

His talent and intelligence not only made his family happy, but also seemed like fate's special favor to this small family.

That night, the atmosphere of celebration was so thick that it was almost touchable. Two plump chickens and a pound of tender pork were the protagonists of the banquet. They were not only a recognition of the eldest brother's talent, but also an expectation for unlimited possibilities in the future.

Surrounded by everyone's praise, the eldest brother smiled brightly, as if the whole world was shining because of him.

Zhang Yuanshun stood aside with complicated eyes and undercurrents in his heart.

He observed his elder brother silently, with a subtle premonition hidden deep in his heart - the wind, frost, rain and snow in a few years would surely make him understand the difficulties hidden behind the glamour.

However, fate seemed to play a joke on him, and he was the first person to taste the word "hardship".

The hardships of farm work far exceeded Zhang Yuanshun's imagination.

Although he was only three years old and had not yet stepped into the rice fields, as a child from a farming family, the moment he learned to walk meant that he had to start taking on his own responsibilities.

He might be pulling weeds between the ridges of the fields, or busy in the chicken coop catching pests that steal food, or climbing up the rugged mountain roads looking for wild vegetables that would add a bit of green to the dining table.

Every morning, when the first ray of sunlight penetrated the mist, he and his brothers and sisters set out on a journey to collect wild vegetables and catch insects.

Occasionally, he had to follow the adults to the fields to learn how to accurately and efficiently remove weeds that competed with crops for nutrients.

During the busy farming season, there was a labor shortage in the family, and everyone wished they could transform into the Thousand-Armed Guanyin. Even the little boy was sent to pick up every ear of wheat left in the fields.

That year passed quickly in a mixture of ignorance and sweat.

Although a trace of regret occasionally flashed through his heart, Zhang Yuanshun quickly suppressed it.

After all, although these tasks are hard, they have gradually become a habit and integrated into his life day after day.

At the same time, he did not forget to observe his elder brother silently. Deep in his heart, he still had a glimmer of hope, hoping that one day he would see his elder brother also bearing the pressure of life.

However, the eldest brother always faced everything with extraordinary tenacity and optimism. After school, he would patiently teach his younger siblings how to read and count. His selflessness and responsibility made his younger siblings express their admiration for him.

All of this made Zhang Yuanshun feel mixed emotions, including envy, resentment, and more importantly, helplessness and reflection on his current situation.

As time goes by, the burden on Zhang Yuanshun's shoulders has become increasingly heavier, and those tasks that once seemed simple have now become increasingly arduous.

In this remote little village, children as young as twelve or thirteen have to start taking on the responsibilities of working in the fields.

From fertilizing, clearing land, sowing to harvesting, to planting trees in the mountains, and even carrying heavy loads to the market, each one is an extreme challenge to physical strength and willpower.

Working day after day made his body exhausted, and his mind began to feel a little dissatisfied and confused - why did he have to endure such suffering?

However, whenever he wanted to complain, he turned around and saw that his brothers were carrying heavier burdens, whether it was the hard work in the fields during the busy farming season or the bitterness of doing odd jobs in the city during the slack farming season. He had also briefly experienced those things.

Whether he was helping the wealthy families in the town build houses or working hard at the dock, every experience made him deeply realize how difficult life is.

Especially in that hot summer, in order to make a living, he worked under the scorching sun for two consecutive days and eventually collapsed due to heatstroke.

Since then, his family no longer dared to let him go out to work, but this also meant that he lost his meager income and his status in the family declined.

Although his family did not say it explicitly, he could clearly feel the silent disappointment, like a huge rock, weighing heavily on his heart.

As time passed, his brothers started their own families and careers, but he was the only one who kept postponing his marriage because of insufficient dowry.

In an era that values ​​matching social status, the bride price has become a yardstick for measuring a family's strength.

And their betrothal gifts were almost all earned by the brothers themselves.

Although the parents tried their best to subsidize the children, the five taels of silver per person was just a drop in the bucket compared to the high bride price.

My eldest brother’s studies in his early years almost exhausted the family savings, but his talent and hard work were eventually rewarded. He passed the imperial examination and became a juren.

Although he failed to get into the top three in high school, he entered the official career and became a person of status and position.

He married the daughter of a wealthy businessman in the county, took on the position of county magistrate, earned five taels of silver a month, and completely changed the fate of his family.

The eldest brother's success was like a spring breeze that blew away the haze that had been plaguing the Zhang family for years.

Not only did he not need help from his father-in-law's family, but he took the initiative to take out two taels of silver every month to subsidize the household expenses. This money brought about a drastic change in the Zhang family's life.