Chapter 249: The Overconfident Foolish Boy [Many thanks for everyone's support! Again

Leaving that courtyard,

Pan Da Da Niangzi looked at her son beside her with tender affection:

"You've grown thin."

"And darker too."

Having not seen him for these past days, Seeing Hu Yanjiong's face had darkened considerably,

and as Pan Da Da Niangzi walked, she turned over the hand of Seeing Hu Yanjiong, who was holding her arm.

Looking at his hands, now much rougher, Pan Da Da Niangzi felt a sting in her nose:

"You must have suffered quite a bit during these days."

Seeing Hu Yanjiong tilted his head and chuckled.

"Still laughing! Be careful that when the Xu family's young lady sees you, she won't take a liking to you!"

Seeing Hu Yanjiong's smile vanished, and he said in some panic, "Mother, has my appearance changed so much? What... what should I do?"

Seeing her son's sudden change of expression, Pan Da Da Niangzi shook her head:

"Hmph, I don't know."

Seeing his mother's demeanor, Seeing Hu Yanjiong hurriedly accompanied his words with a smile:

"Mother, no matter how I change, I am still your own dear son!"

Pan Da Da Niangzi pursed her lips.

The mother and son walked until they arrived at a courtyard,

where upon seeing Pan Da Da Niangzi and Seeing Hu Yanjiong approach, his young attendant, Fu Ding, hurriedly bowed deeply:

"This humble one greets Da Da Niangzi."

Looking at Fu Ding, who had changed even more than Seeing Hu Yanjiong, Pan Da Da Niangzi gazed at him with deep emotion and said:

"You must have suffered quite a bit following your Young Master."

Fu Ding bowed but had not yet spoken.

Pan Da Da Niangzi smiled and said to the nursemaid beside her, "Make a note of this: when Sister Fu Ding marries, add a shop in Mizhou to her dowry."

"Yes, Da Da Niangzi."

Hearing this, Fu Ding hurriedly bowed deeply and said, "Thank you, Da Da Niangzi."

Seeing Hu Yanjiong, standing nearby, looked at his own mother with eyes full of gratitude and said, "Mother, please come and take a look."

Speaking thus, he led Pan Da Da Niangzi over to a wooden rack,

where, seeing four large and two small falcons, six in total, Pan Da Da Niangzi turned back in surprise to look at her son.

"Jiong-ge'er, did you trade our family's entire shipload of tea just for these?"

Seeing Hu Yanjiong smiled and said, "Mother, it was only half a shipload, and those were the Zisun tea and Yangxian tea from the previous transactions between the Bai and Pan families."

Fu Ding, standing nearby, interjected, "These were merely exchanged for an opportunity to enter the hinterlands of the Jin Kingdom to seek out Gyrfalcons."

"What about the rest?"

Seeing Hu Yanjiong said, "Much of the remainder was gifted to the chieftains of the Jin Kingdom tribes along the way, and the rest was used to enlist their most skilled falconers."

Pan Da Da Niangzi nodded: "That is good; at least it establishes goodwill with those chieftains, making it easier for our family to deal with them in the future."

Seeing Hu Yanjiong hurriedly nodded,

"Speaking of this tea, I even made a fool of myself; upon reaching the Jin Kingdom's hinterlands, those chieftains had no idea of the value of Heyuan tea."

"In the end, it was only after encountering a Jin nobleman traveling with a noble lady from Northern Liao, who recognized this tea, that we exchanged two costly boxes of Heyuan tea for a few falcon keepers."

As he spoke, Seeing Hu Yanjiong pointed toward the several people in the courtyard.

With a solemn expression, Pan Da Da Niangzi asked, "So there are already noble ladies from Northern Liao in the Jin Kingdom?"

Seeing Hu Yanjiong nodded: "According to them, the Jin Kingdom previously fought several battles against Northern Liao; apart from one named Prince Yelu Ying, who fought them to a draw, all others were great victories, yielding many spoils of war."

Pan Da Da Niangzi looked at the wild geese kept in cages nearby, which appeared quite spirited, and said:

"Then how did you manage to catch so many?"

Seeing Hu Yanjiong blinked and said, "I thought I would get a pair for Jing-ge'er to raise for fun."

Pan Da Da Niangzi said, "You certainly know how to care for your relatives; come along, let me tell you about matters at home."

The mother and son walked ahead, while Fu Ding followed behind,

where Pan Da Da Niangzi's personal nursemaid whispered a few words to him.

By evening,

as Pan Da Da Niangzi prepared for bed, her personal nursemaid, while attending to her, said:

"Da Da Niangzi, Fu Ding said that in the Jin Kingdom, the falconers only helped the Young Master set up the traps for catching falcons."

"The waiting and watching were done entirely by the Young Master and Fu Ding themselves."

Pan Da Da Niangzi nodded:

"I already know this."

"Da Da Niangzi, should we mention this to the Xu family?"

Pan Da Da Niangzi pondered for a moment before saying:

"No need."

Qu Yuan Street

The sky had already grown completely dark,

and lanterns had been hung around the stables and the racecourse,

beside the lanterns,

flying insects occasionally came and buzzed around the lights, bumping into them.

Seeing Seeing Alan and Xun Shu were adding water for the horses under their master's companionship.

In the empty, open ground,

Zhao Zhao Meifeng, who had drunk wine and spoken with Xu Xu Zaijing, stood up, let out a loud burp, and said:

"Brother Jing, I'll be heading off first."

"I'll see you out."

As they spoke, the two walked outward, with Brother Qingyun following behind carrying the packed food.

Suddenly, Xu Xu Zaijing stopped in his tracks, took the oil-paper bundle from Brother Qingyun's hands, and said:

"Brother Qingyun, go to the courtyard and bring the few remaining custom-made garments."

"Yes, Young Master."

At the main gate of the Xu family residence,

Upon hearing visitors approaching, the gatekeeper steward hurriedly stepped beside the two men and accompanied them to the entrance.

The main gate of the Xu family was already closed; the two men exited through a side door opened beside the main gate,

Seeing the three figures under the light of the bright yellow lanterns, the Imperial City Bureau clerks and soldiers outside hailed a stall not far away.

After Zhao Zhao Meifeng's subordinate approached, Brother Qingyun also ran over, panting heavily.

"Big Brother Zhao, these are garments previously custom-made for the household guards; you and the other big brothers should wear them."

Hearing Xu Xu Zaijing's words, several veteran Imperial City Bureau members nearby who knew of Zhao Zhao Meifeng's earlier ordeal exchanged glances filled with delighted surprise.

Zhao Zhao Meifeng looked at Xu Xu Zaijing, smiled faintly, patted his shoulder, and then waved his hand,

while Gao Gao Yunqing beside him hurriedly took the bundle from Brother Qingyun's hands:

"Only Brother Jing cares so much for us brothers."

Xu Xu Zaijing laughed and said:

"Off with you."

With that, Zhao Zhao Meifeng and the others mounted their horses, bowed with clasped hands in farewell, and departed from Hou Fu.

Watching them disappear into the distance, just as he was about to return to the residence,

a carriage stopped at the gate, and an elderly nurse dressed in traditional attire stepped down along with two women.

Xu Xu Zaijing did not rush inside but waited for the three to reach the gate,

where the gatekeeper steward hurriedly stepped forward,

and after a brief conversation, the steward took an official seal and led the people closer.

It turned out that the Empress in the palace had sent a message to the Cao family; upon learning that several elderly people, women, and children from Bai Gao had arrived at the Xu home, she had specifically dispatched household members fluent in the Bai Gao language to assist.

"Perfect; please follow me, all three of you."

Entering through the second gate,

Xu Xu Zaijing led the three directly to Sun Shi's courtyard and entered the main hall.

Amid the female attendant's announcement, Bamboo Mama beside Sun Shi was speaking about something,

when Xu Xu Zaijing said:

"Mother! These three have been sent by the Caojia Sect and understand the Bai Gao language."

The elderly nurse, accompanied by the two women, said:

"Greetings to Da Da Niangzi! These two are daughters of clerks from the Di Ti Division of the Court of Reception under the former Ministry of Rites; they are fluent in the Bai Gao language."

Sun Shi, her face lighting up with joy, said to the Cao family nurse:

"Perfect! Perfect! This truly resolves my urgent dilemma."

"May I ask how you two should be addressed?"

Hearing Sun Shi's question, the two hurriedly squatted down in a bow and said:

"Your humble servant, Yu Shi, pays respects to Da Da Niangzi."

"Your humble servant, Li Shi, pays respects to Da Da Niangzi."

Sun Shi nodded happily and said:

"Quickly, take the two ladies to the courtyard and explain everything immediately."

After the two ladies were escorted away, Sun Shi continued conversing with the Cao family nurse,

revealing that due to the language barrier, the elderly people, women, and children from Bai Gao had never seen rice before and dared not eat the food sent by the female attendants.

Sun Shi chatted with this nurse for a while longer,

and upon her departure, even sealed up some money for her trouble.

After accompanying his mother to see the guests off at the second gate,

Xu Xu Zaijing was subjected to a long stream of nagging from Sun Shi along the way before finally being allowed to leave.

On the road back to his own courtyard,

a figure carrying a lantern approached Xu Xu Zaijing,

and upon seeing Xu Xu Zaijing, that person shouted: "Young Master, it's bad news! Sister Seeing Qingcao has eaten something that upset her stomach!"

"What!?"

Xu Xu Zaijing, startled, hurriedly said: "Yun Xiang, go find my mother, take a calling card, and invite a Physician."

"Yes, Young Master."

Xu Xu Zaijing, meanwhile, quickened his pace toward the courtyard.

Upon entering the room,

under the candlelight, Seeing Qingcao was curled up painfully on the couch, groaning in discomfort,

while Sister Huaxiang beside her was wiping the sweat from Seeing Qingcao's forehead with a Mao Jin.

"What did you eat at the Qi family's?"

Hearing Xu Xu Zaijing's voice, Seeing Qingcao on the couch frowned and tried to rise,

but after Xu Xu Zaijing waved his hand to signal her, she lay back down:

"Young Master... this servant didn't eat much, just a few bowls of iced sufluo and some hand-washed crabs."

After hesitating for a moment, Seeing Qingcao continued: "And some watermelon."

"You've most likely got diarrhea! Bear with it for now; the Physician will be here shortly."

"Yes, Young Master."

"Sister Huaxiang, don't follow me in either; take good care of her, and remember to tell me if anything happens."

Sister Huaxiang, standing to one side, squatted in a bow.

Afterwards, Xu Xu Zaijing carried a basin of cool water into the bedroom himself, preparing to wash his face,

took off his outer robe,

and had just scooped up two handfuls of water to wash his face when, as he was about to dry it,

a startled cry came from the outer room,

followed by the sound of Seeing Qingcao speaking:

"Sister Huaxiang! Don't go!"

The words had barely fallen

when, outside Xu Xu Zaijing's bedroom door, Sister Huaxiang said with a tearful voice:

"Young Master! Sister Seeing Qingcao, she... she's bleeding!"

After a moment of shock, Xu Xu Zaijing walked quickly to the door and said, "What? How could a bad stomach cause bleeding?"

As he spoke, Xu Xu Zaijing opened the door and entered the outer room, where Seeing Qingcao said with a tearful voice:

"Young Master, this servant... this servant will never crave iced sufluo or hand-washed crabs again... sob, sob, sob..."

"This servant will never eat them again, sob, sob, sob..."

Just as Xu Xu Zaijing was about to approach the couch, a flash of insight struck his mind, and he halted his steps;

very well, he now knew the reason.

Just as he was thinking about what to say to comfort Seeing Qingcao,

Hearing Yunxiang's voice came from outside the door: "Young Master, Mother Zhu has arrived."

As she spoke, footsteps approached the door,

and Mother Zhu, who already wore a married woman's hair bun and served beside Sun Shi, entered the room.

Seeing Xu Xu Zaijing, Mother Zhu said, "Jing-ge'er, leave this matter to this servant to handle."

Xu Xu Zaijing hurriedly nodded and said, "Thank you, Mother Zhu."

As Xu Xu Zaijing was about to enter the inner room, he paused and said:

"Mother Zhu, Seeing Qingcao ate many cold-natured things today at the Qi family's, so you..."

Mother Zhu paused in surprise and said:

"This servant understands; Jing-ge'er need not worry, it will be fine."

On the couch, Seeing Qingcao frowned and, looking at Mother Zhu who had taught her since entering the Hou Fu, said:

"Sister, I will never be gluttonous again."

Mother Zhu gave a light laugh and said, "Mm, good."

Having said that, Mother Zhu ordered: "Sister Huaxiang, go fill the Guan Guan Pozi with some hot water and bring it over."

Sister Huaxiang hurriedly assented.

Xu Xu Zaijing returned to his own bedroom, thought it over for a while, and then, despite his deliberations, put on his outer robe and left his courtyard.

Arriving at the entrance to Sun Shi's courtyard,

after hesitating at the gate for a moment, Xu Xu Zaijing walked in.

Sun Shi, who was currently receiving the Hou Fu tally keys from her two daughters-in-law, looked at her youngest son with confusion and said:

"Jing'er, what is wrong?"

Xu Xu Zaijing, looking embarrassed, glanced at his two sisters-in-law before saying:

"Mother, your son has something to discuss with you."

Sun Shi understood, signaled to her two daughters-in-law, and walked out from behind the table,

moving to one side, Sun Shi said:

"Speak."

Xu Xu Zaijing, head bowed, said:

"Mother, your son... your son wishes to say that besides its warming properties, the cotton could perhaps be used by you to..."

Sun Shi looked her hesitant son up and down and said:

"What, do you know what happened to Seeing Qingcao today?"

Xu Xu Zaijing nodded:

"Mm."

Sun Shi continued to ask:

"So you thought of the family's cotton?"

"Mm."

Immediately after, Sun Shi rolled her eyes disdainfully at her bowing son and said:

"Tsk! Well, that counts as filial piety! Go on!"

Xu Xu Zaijing froze, then looked up in surprise at his mother.

Sun Shi gazed at her youngest son and said:

"What, do you bleed every month too?"

"Wait until you think of it? Do you truly take us women for fools? Hmph!"

Xu Xu Zaijing hung his head even lower.

"Go on; your mother will arrange everything."

Xu Xu Zaijing hastily cupped his hands in salute and fled Sun Shi's courtyard as if escaping for his life.

Behind him, Sun Shi's voice drifted over:

"He does know how to care for others, though."

Watching Xu Xu Zaijing vanish from the courtyard in just a few steps, Sun Shi shook her head with a smile and returned to her room.

Seeing Sun Shi's expression, Xie Shi said:

"Mother, is Little Fifth all right?"

When Yun Xiang had come to report earlier, Sheng Sheng Hualan and Xie Shi had just arrived at Sun Shi's courtyard; being women themselves, they naturally understood what had happened to Seeing Seeing Qingcao.

Sun Shi said:

"He came to talk to me about cotton, the clever-fool boy."

"Tch, your old mother started using it years ago."

Hearing Sun Shi's words, Xie Shi and Sheng Sheng Hualan exchanged a slightly embarrassed glance before bursting into laughter.

As married women, they were not given to the shyness of young girls.

In the cosmetic and perfume shops of the Gu, Liang, Cao, and other families friendly with Hou Fu, cotton was far from the only item sold.

On the way back,

Xu Xu Zaijing tapped his own head,

muttering to himself in vexation: "Foolish, foolish! How could Mother not have thought of it!"

In truth, this was not Xu Xu Zaijing's fault; after all, the first thing he thought of upon seeing cotton was warmth, and the second was making cotton armor.

He neither suffered abdominal pain nor bled every month,

and his two elder sisters had never spoken of abdominal pain or the like.

Had it not been for Seeing Seeing Qingcao, he would never have considered matters convenient for women.

Returning to his own courtyard,

he found that Mama Zhu had already departed.

Xu Xu Zaijing went straight into his bedchamber,

then fell stiffly onto the bed board; after writhing on the bed in frustration for a moment, he let out a sigh.

After a while,

Xu Xu Zaijing rose and went to the room where Seeing Seeing Qingcao was staying.

Seeing Xu Xu Zaijing enter, Hua Xiang flusteredly shoved a stack of items into the cabinet before saying:

"Young M-Master, why didn't you announce your arrival?"

Yun Xiang, head bowed, carried out a basin of water.

Xu Xu Zaijing nodded and said, "Mm, from now on, be mindful."

Having spoken, Xu Xu Zaijing approached Seeing Seeing Qingcao's couch and, looking at her as she clutched her Guan Guan Pozi, said:

"For the next few days, do not rise early; I will attend morning training myself."

Leaning against a small stool by the couch, Seeing Seeing Qingcao lowered her head and murmured an "Mm."

"Hua Xiang and Yun Xiang, close the windows properly later; you two are to look after her well. Change the Guan Guan Pozi often; if it gets too hot, place something beneath it."

"Yes, Young Master."

Then Xu Xu Zaijing rose, entered his bedchamber, lay down on the couch, and as a night breeze swept through the hall, he exhaled in comfort.

In the middle of the night,

Seeing Seeing Qingcao had eaten too many cold-natured foods during the day;

her abdomen still ached somewhat,

and between sleep and wakefulness,

Buzz~~~

just as a mosquito droned twice,

"Slap!"

a pair of hands clapped loudly, and the buzzing ceased.

Then a voice spoke softly: "Sleep."

Before long,

the sound of Hua Xiang and Yun Xiang talking drifted over:

"Sister, hurry and light it."

The mosquito-repelling fragrance once more filled the room.

The next day,

at first light,

Xu Xu Zaijing went alone to the horse-running grounds.

All the items previously borrowed had been returned to their former quarters;

judging by the workmanship, they were indeed much improved compared to before.

By the riding range, A-Lan and Xun-Shu were once again being whipped with a stick by Xu Xu Zaijing's master,

because whenever they practiced their fundamental skills, they were always distracted by the sound of Xu Xu Zaijing drawing his bow and shooting arrows.

After all, with Xu Xu Zaijing mounted on his horse and arrows flying over their heads, it was hard not to be affected.

Half an hour later, Qing-Yun, panting heavily, threw the heavy, iron-plated, thick shield he held onto the ground,

dragging such a heavy shield while occasionally taking a heavy arrow strike was truly a torment.

After taking a bath,

Xu Xu Zaijing changed his clothes, ate breakfast in his mother's courtyard,

and when he returned to fetch his book box, Seeing Seeing Qingcao had just finished drinking the warming medicinal soup sent from the kitchen.

After saying a few words urging her to rest well, Xu Xu Zaijing took Yun-Xiang and went to the academy.

On the way,

Xu Zaizhang occasionally cast unclear glances his way; when Xu Xu Zaijing looked back, Xu Zaizhang would say nothing.

Upon arriving at the Sheng household,

Yun-Xiang, appearing before everyone for the first time, greatly surprised the three Lans of the Sheng family,

while Xiao Xiao Xiaotao, for some unknown reason, had been somewhat unhappy since morning.

Ting-Ye and Chang-Feng even turned their heads several times throughout the morning,

sometimes looking at their own young attendants, sometimes at Xu Xu Zaijing.

During the noon break for meals,

Qi Heng leaned close to Xu Xu Zaijing and asked in a low voice:

"Brother Jing, this female servant of yours, why do I find her somewhat familiar?"

Xu Xu Zaijing replied, "She was gifted by the Marquis of Marquis Xiangyang; could it be that you saw her before at your maternal grandfather's home?"

Qi Heng nodded with a look of sudden realization:

"They were still so small back then, no wonder."

Nearby, Ming-Lan listened to Xiao Xiao Xiaotao's words while casting a puzzled glance at Xu Xu Zaijing.

In the afternoon,

Master Zhuang cleared his throat and said:

"Chang-Feng, come recite the 'Ji Shi' chapter of the Analects."

Chang-Feng hurriedly stood up, pondered for a moment, and then said:

". A gentleman has three things to guard against: in youth, when the blood and qi are not yet settled, guard against lust."

After Chang-Feng finished reciting, Xu Xu Zaijing remained expressionless,

while Gu Ting-Ye exchanged an ambiguous glance with Chang-Feng.

After classes ended,

Mo-Lan glanced at Yun-Xiang, who was helping Xu Xu Zaijing pack his book box, said nothing, and left the academy.

Ming-Lan, unusually, stayed a bit longer;

seeing Xu Xu Zaijing finish packing his book box, she quickly caught up, glanced at Yun-Xiang, and said:

"Jing Biao Ge, will Seeing Seeing Qingcao come again in the future?"

Xiao Xiao Xiaotao looked at Xu Xu Zaijing with an innocent, dazed expression, as if about to hear some bad news,

Xu Xu Zaijing said, "Of course she will; she's just been unwell these past few days."

"Oh!"

Ming-Lan happily glanced at Xiao Xiao Xiaotao, then waved to Xu Xu Zaijing:

"Jing Biao Ge, see you tomorrow."

Exiting and boarding the carriage,

Xu Xu Zaijing returned to Qu-Yuan Street,

and near the stables, Xu Xu Zaijing and Xu Zaizhang disembarked; just as they were going to visit their master,

Xu Xu Zaijing noticed several additional horses in the stables.

Only after asking A-Lan did he learn that two more people from Bai Gao had arrived at the residence during the day,

and just as Xu Xu Zaijing was wondering who they might be, two youths emerged from the entrance of the courtyard housing the women and children near the riding range,

upon seeing Xu Xu Zaijing, the two approached and, following Great Zhou etiquette, performed a proper bow to him with due formality,

Xu Xu Zaijing smiled and said, "How is it you two?"

The brothers Li Tao Tie and Li Chi Mei, somewhat embarrassed, spoke in the language of Great Zhou:

"Previously, we were helping them speak; now that they have mostly learned the Great Zhou language,"

"and with those people in the courtyard needing care, we have returned, after all, we two have not yet learned the techniques of the cavalry and infantry."

Those people, naturally, were the relatives of those young officers from Bai Gao.

Xu Xu Zaijing scratched his head; so those two Da Da Niangzi from before were not the people Hearing Zhao Zhao Meifeng had mentioned!

(End of Chapter)