Building a Harmonious Song Dynasty

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Volume One: Fate Destined 001 Father and Mother

At the beginning of the fifth year of the Zhenghe reign of Emperor Huizong of Song, it was the time of transition between winter and spring. Light snowflakes drifted in the cold wind, swirling and settling on the thick snow on the ground. A carriage struggled to climb the official road leading to Kaifeng, the capital of the Song Dynasty.

The thick snow made it very difficult for the vehicle to move. The coachman, wearing a thick cotton coat and a fur hat, turned around and called out to the carriage, "Master and Madam, be careful, we're going uphill ahead."

Upon hearing the driver's call, a young man with a hat quickly covered the earthenware pot on the small table and whispered to his wife, "Wait until the road is level before drinking this medicine, be careful not to choke."

The young woman smiled at her husband, nodded gently, and hugged the little girl in her arms tightly.

The carriage was lined with thick cotton blankets, and the young woman and child were covered with brocade blankets, with round pillows supporting their backs. The carriage, neither too big nor too small, was filled with incense and had a heater burning, making it quite comfortable for travel.

The man gently lifted the curtain and looked at the rugged road outside. A gust of snowflakes swirled in with the cold wind, landing on the little girl's rosy face, and melting in an instant.

"Ugh... Daddy's bad."

The little girl was half asleep when she was startled awake by the snowflakes. She opened her eyes halfway, scolded them, and then tried to go back to sleep.

When the young woman heard what the child said, she chuckled and said to her husband, "Even in your dream, Zhenzhen blames you for dragging us out here to suffer."

The man quickly closed the curtains and said, "As you know, it's not my wish to spend my whole life as a schoolteacher in Jiangning. Regardless of whether I pass the imperial examination this time, I want to make a name for myself in Bianjing. You are in poor health, and I really don't feel at ease leaving you all in our hometown. I also appreciate the hardship you've endured traveling with me all this way."

The young woman stroked her child's head and said, "As long as I'm with my husband, no matter how hard or tiring it is, it doesn't matter."

Hearing her parents' conversation, the little girl crawled out from under the thin blanket, stared at her father with her round eyes, and said, "What's wrong with being a teacher? Teaching, imparting knowledge, and resolving doubts—what a noble profession! Besides, we have the family business left by Grandpa, which can guarantee that our family will have no worries about food and clothing. Why do you want to be an official, Father? The court is in chaos right now. Don't you know that?"

The young couple were clearly used to the girl's words, which were beyond her years, and were not too nervous. The man, on the contrary, said with interest, "Now that Zhen'er is awake, let's discuss this year's imperial examination with your father."

Zhen'er's round eyes darted around, and she threw herself into her mother's arms, pretending to cry, "Mother, Father is going to bully me again. He's the one who's taking the imperial examination, so why does he always give me the questions?"

"Everyone knows we are truly child prodigies. Why don't you give your father some pointers?" the lady said gently, looking at her husband and child with great satisfaction.

Having heard her mother say this, the girl had no choice but to bite the bullet and deal with the classics and strategies her father had given her.

Looking at her handsome and refined father, the little girl secretly pinched her arm, confirming for the thousandth time that this was not a dream. The elegant scholar in front of her was none other than Qin Hui, the traitor and villain who had been cursed for thousands of years! And at this moment, he was her father!

The girl Qin Zhen was the only daughter of Qin Hui and his wife Wang. She almost died at birth. Just when she was on the verge of death, a wandering monk knocked on the door of the Qin mansion and said that the baby girl had a connection with Buddhism and that only by going with him could her life be safe.

The Qin couple looked at their child, whose body had turned purple, with heartache. To save her life, they had no choice but to let the monk take her away. They thought their daughter would never return, but six years later, a little girl appeared at the Qin mansion's gate, calling out "Father" and "Mother" to Qin Hui and Wang Shi!

They didn't know how the six-year-old child had returned alone, but they saw the couple's features in her eyes and brows; this was indeed their own flesh and blood.

The girl's intelligence and erudition gradually became known to her family and neighbors. Their initial surprise and disbelief gradually turned into admiration and praise. Countless inexplicable situations could be explained by the four words "enlightenment by a high monk".

Qin Zhen's return brought more than just a small change to the Qin family; for Qin Hui, it brought a series of good fortunes. He passed this year's provincial examination with flying colors, and now the whole family is heading to the capital to participate in the provincial examination.

Qin Zhen has been very well-behaved and filial to her parents since returning home, except for the matter of her father participating in the imperial examinations, which has repeatedly caused arguments. However, because she is young and her voice carries little weight, her objections are often ignored by others.

For example, right now, she is facing off against Qin Hui with a headache, and she really can't understand why such a kind and amiable scholar would choose to walk the path of destruction.

Having finally escaped the barrage of questions from her father, Qin Zhen retreated wearily into her mother's arms, secretly thinking: No, I absolutely refuse to be the daughter of a treacherous minister! I must make my father a great hero of the Song Dynasty! Yes, I will definitely do it!

Because the provincial examinations for the imperial examinations were held in the spring, the family set off for Bianjing (Kaifeng) in the Song Dynasty after the Lantern Festival (January 15th of the lunar calendar). After traveling for more than ten days, they finally arrived at the city gates of Kaifeng in early February.

They hired a carriage from a caravan company. After the driver took the family of three to their destination, he took the money and rushed back to Jiangning without stopping, not wanting to delay at all.

So, the three members of the Qin family now stood on the busiest street in the capital, carrying their bundles, looking around anxiously.

The capital city has its own grandeur and unique charm. Even if Qin Zhen is unwilling for his father to participate in the imperial examination, now that they are in the capital, there is no reason not to have some fun.

"Good girl, once we've settled in, Mommy will take you out shopping. For now, let's stay close to your daddy and not run around."

Wang Shi, being from a modest family, appeared particularly awkward and timid in the big city. Fortunately, Qin Hui held her hand the whole time, which calmed her fearful heart somewhat.

"My lady, let's find an inn to stay in first, and while we're at it, let's ask around to see if there are any houses for sale."

"I will listen to my husband in everything."

The renowned Grand Chancellor resided on the mountain opposite them, and even the heavy snow couldn't dampen the bustling activity of Panlou Street below the temple. The Fuyuan Inn, located in the center of Panlou Street, boasted a grand facade and a constant flow of people, clearly a high-class inn. While the Qin family wasn't particularly wealthy, they were still quite well-off, especially since they had sold all their possessions to travel to the capital, leaving them with considerable funds. As the saying goes, a large inn is less likely to cheat its customers, and in this bustling area, there was no fear of being cheated. Qin Hui immediately decided to take his wife and daughter to stay at the Fuyuan Inn.

They booked a private room and, after settling in briefly, Qin Hui went downstairs to inquire with the innkeeper about properties for sale. Wang Shi and Qin Zhen packed their belongings in the room. They didn't bring much; besides some clothes and books, they planned to start afresh in Bianjing.

After helping her mother put away her clothes, Qin Zhen leaned against the second-floor window, watching the people coming and going on the street below, wondering how many years this prosperous scene could last…

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My old book, "Back to the Han Dynasty - I am a Female Imperial Physician," is nearing its end. Thank you all for your continued support over the pa

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