Chapter 409: Fifth Young Master, let's go, go beat people up with me! [Thanks! Bow again!]

In front of Jinglong Gate,

Bai Shi Gao captives were already on their way into the palace.

The commoners on the main street outside Jinglong Gate were also gradually dispersing.

Actually, even earlier,

Some Bianjing commoners who loved excitement, upon seeing the Emperor's canopy disappear from the city tower, had already taken a detour to enter the inner city through the Anyuan Gate in the east or the Tianbo Gate in the west, continuing to watch the Bai Gao people's excitement on the road leading to the north gate of the Imperial Palace.

When the Bai Gao people entered the palace,

The commoners watching outside the north gate of the Imperial Palace also dispersed.

The commoners dispersed,

But the carriages and horses outside the flat ground of the Imperial Palace's north gate increased.

The cavalry led by Xu Zaijing from Bai Gao also stationed their horses under the Imperial City. Their mission of traveling a thousand miles had been completed, and the subsequent matters were entirely handed over to the Imperial Guard.

Xu Zaijing rode his little chestnut horse and stationed it beside Zhang Fangyan, listening to Zhang Fangyan's words, Xu Zaijing nodded incessantly.

Subsequently, Zhang Fangyan dismounted and entered the palace, while Xu Zaijing rode his horse to convey military orders together with several cavalry generals under Zhang Fangyan's command.

Very quickly,

The cavalry set off directly to return to camp.

Only a few sons from noble military official families like Xu Zaijing, whose homes were in Bianjing, remained at the palace gate.

After seeing their comrades off,

Xu Zaijing then led Qingyun, Alan, and others to ride toward the place where the carriages were located in the distance to the north.

Someone there was waving at him.

Crossing the Imperial Guard soldiers maintaining order,

Arriving near the crowd,

Xu Zaijing dismounted with agile movements.

Looking at the crowd, Xu Zaijing hurriedly cupped his hands and bowed: "Mother, Eldest Sister-in-law, Brother, Second Sister-in-law, Sister, Brother-in-law..."

As Xu Zaijing greeted them, Qingyun and the others behind him also hurriedly bowed and saluted.

Before he could finish greeting everyone,

Sun Shi and Pingmei walked quickly to Xu Zaijing's side, each grabbing one of Xu Zaijing's hands and examining him carefully.

"Younger Uncle..."

"Little Uncle..."

Xu Xingdai, held in Cuichan's arms, and Gu Shixing, held in Qingxia's arms, called out crisply.

Xu Zaijing smiled and nodded at the children who were calling him.

Sun Shi looked at Xu Zaijing, whose facial skin was much rougher and who was covered in dust but still smiling, and said with a sour nose: "Jing'er..."

"Mother."

Pingmei stroked Xu Zaijing's rough, calloused palms and said: "Little Fifth, didn't you bring any moisturizing cream?"

"Sister, I went to fight a war! Why would I bring that stuff!"

"That's true, that's true."

Pingmei nodded.

"By the way, Anmei said she wanted to come! But it's her first pregnancy, and she's quite far along, so Mother firmly forbade her from coming."

Pingmei continued.

Xu Zaijing: "Yes, Mother did the right thing!"

As he spoke, Xu Zaijing looked at the three maidservants from his own courtyard who were laughing and wiping away tears.

"Mother, there are still my classmates behind."

Pingmei said in a low voice.

Sun Shi nodded, wiped the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief, and let go of Xu Zaijing's hand.

The nannies and Hualan behind Sun Shi hurriedly stepped forward to support her.

Pingmei retreated to Gu Tingyu's side.

Zaizhang didn't say anything; after seeing his mother and sister retreat, he hugged Xu Zaijing forcefully, and they patted each other's shoulders hard.

When the two separated,

Zaizhang scanned Xu Zaijing up and down and said: "Little Fifth, have you grown taller again?"

Xu Zaijing was stunned: "Have I?"

Just after he finished speaking,

Gu Tingye walked over with his arms spread wide.

"Pa pa pa!"

The two hugged and patted each other forcefully.

"Cough cough cough!"

Both were patted into coughing by the other.

"Fifth Young Master, next time something like this happens, I must go with you!"

"It's a deal!"

"Fifth Young Master, you've worked hard on the journey."

"Jing-ge'er, you've worked hard."

Changbai, behind Gu Tingye, said together with Changfeng, cupping their hands.

"Brother Changbai! Changfeng~"

Xu Zaijing grabbed Changbai's hand and hugged him just like he did with Gu Tingye.

Changbai was stunned and patted Xu Zaijing's back lightly.

After Xu Zaijing let go of Changbai, he patted Changfeng, who wasn't tall enough, on the shoulder.

Behind him was Hearing Qi Heng.

"Jing-ge'er, when you have time, you must tell us about the scenery of the Northwest."

When Hearing Qi Heng spoke, Buwei bowed and saluted Xu Zaijing, then smiled warmly and nodded at Qingyun.

Many years ago, when Hearing Qi Heng was a child, he was almost bullied by Rong Xian with a ball; the kindness of Qingyun's intervention at that time was still firmly engraved in Buwei's heart.

"Good, tomorrow when I go to the academy, I'll tell Heng-ge'er all about it."

Liang Han and Qiao Jiulang, who followed Hearing Qi Heng, said: "Jing-ge'er, what about us?"

Just as Xu Zaijing was about to speak, Liang Han said: "Why don't you come to our house to attend our house-warming party in a few days, and tell us about it then."

Xu Zaijing glanced at Madam Wu, who was standing beside his mother and the Da Niangzi of Ningyuan Marquis, Madam Bai, not far away.

Looking at the smile on Madam Wu's face, Xu Zaijing nodded in agreement.

Seeing Xu Zaijing agree, Liang Han smiled and exchanged a glance with Hearing Qiao Jiu.

"Righteous Brother!"

Lu Zezong, accompanied by a nanny, smiled and bowed to Xu Zaijing.

Liang Han and Hearing Qiao Jiu hurriedly smiled and stepped aside.

Xu Zaijing smiled, walked two steps, and touched his head: "How is Zong-ge'er's horse riding learning going now?"

Lu Zezong smiled and said: "Righteous Brother, I've already learned it!"

"Impressive!"

"Righteous Brother, there are still two months until the Spring Festival; you'll come to my house to spend the New Year, right?" Lu Zezong asked with an expectant tone.

"You spent it at my house before; naturally, I have to go to your house this year!"

"Hmm!"

Lu Zezong nodded heavily with a smile.

Outside the crowd,

Several exquisite carriages stopped.

Looking at the crowd outside the north gate of the Imperial City, Fifth Da Niangzi poked her head out from the carriage window: "We didn't arrive too late; the cavalry has only just returned to camp."

These young noble ladies had gathered together while watching the ceremony and were separated from their respective mothers.

Gu Tingyi and Zhang family's Fifth Da Niangzi got off the carriage together. Fifth Da Niangzi said to the other two carriages with lifted curtains: "Aren't you coming down to take a look?"

Chai Zhengzheng hesitated for a moment, then shook her head.

"Zhengzheng, my mother and several ladies are here, and the nannies and maidservants are all here too! Feiyan, your brother is standing on the palace wall! Let's go, let's go take a look!"

Gu Tingyi said with a smile.

"Let's go!" Fifth Da Niangzi reached out her hand.

Chai Zhengzheng and Rong Feiyan hesitated for a while, looked at each other, and then got off the carriage.

Very quickly, the four young ladies held hands and walked outside the crowd, followed by nannies and maidservants.

"Mother, I'm back."

Gu Tingyi said with a smile to Madam Bai in the crowd.

The maidservants and nannies hurriedly stepped aside.

Madam Wu, who was standing beside Sun Shi, turned around, glanced at Sun Shi with a smile in the corners of her eyes, and then called out with a smile: "Oh my, Fifth Da Niangzi, Zhengzheng, Feiyan!"

The four young noble ladies hurriedly squatted and saluted, calling out crisply while saluting: "Greetings to Madam Sun, Madam Bai, Madam Wu, and sisters Pingmei and Hualan..."

The maidservants and nannies behind them also hurriedly saluted together.

"Xu Wu Ge, I didn't expect you to be back so soon!" Fifth Da Niangzi, after finishing her salutations and greetings, said to Xu Zaijing with a bright smile.

Xu Zaijing looked at Fifth Da Niangzi, who was full of style, and said: "I didn't expect it either; I thought I'd have to spend the New Year in the north!"

Fifth Da Niangzi smiled, looked at the little chestnut horse behind Xu Zaijing, and said with some pity: "Your mount has become so thin."

"Hee-hee-hee."

The little chestnut horse snorted.

"When we get back, we'll have to take good care of it."

Xu Zaijing turned his head to glare at the little chestnut horse before looking at Fifth Da Niangzi.

Gu Tingyi, behind Fifth Da Niangzi, bowed after the two finished speaking: "Congratulations to Jing-ge'er on your victorious return."

Looking at Tingyi, who looked very much like Madam Bai, Xu Zaijing said with a smile: "Thank you, Third Sister."

Following Fifth Da Niangzi and Tingyi's voices, Chai Zhengzheng and Rong Feiyan bowed and then naturally looked at Xu Zaijing, who was speaking.

Xu Zaijing looked at the two young ladies he rarely saw and nodded in gratitude.

At this time, Xu Zaijing had already removed his outer armor, leaving only the ring-lock armor in the style of a close-fitting vest, and on his forehead was tied a forehead band with quite good materials but embroidery that was... well... not bad.

"Mother, we still have to attend the poetry gathering of the Hai family young lady, so we'll be going now."

Gu Tingyi said to Madam Bai.

"Go ahead, don't lose your manners."

Madam Bai instructed.

"Xu Wu Ge, I'm leaving."

Saying this, Fifth Da Niangzi waved at Xu Zaijing and walked to Tingyi's side.

Chai Zhengzheng smiled, bowed to the many ladies and madams present, and then took Fifth Da Niangzi's outstretched hand.

Gu Tingyi held Rong Feiyan, who was pretending to be calm.

The four did not pass through the crowd as before, but walked around to the side in front of the people.

Before detouring to the side to leave, Chai Zhengzheng happened to see the sisters Qingcao, Qingzhi, and Huaxiang standing there.

Chai Zhengzheng nodded brightly at Qingcao and Qingzhi before following Fifth Da Niangzi's footsteps.

Miss Yun Mu, who was beside Chai Zhengzheng, also smiled and nodded at Qingcao and Qingzhi.

In the crowd,

"Well, let's go back too! Let's take this opportunity to go to her house for a meal." Madam Wu pulled Madam Bai's arm and said.

"Let's go!"

Madam Bai smiled and looked at Sun Shi, responding.

Sun Shi, in a great mood because her son had returned safely, replied: "Come on! If you eat too much today, don't blame my house's food for being delicious."

Outside the palace gate,

Outside the crowd of the Xu family,

There were also many Bianjing youths like Xu Zaijing talking with their families.

Beside one of the carriages,

A woman dressed appropriately was holding the hand of a cavalry captain with one hand, and stroking the scar on the captain's cheek with the other.

"Yue'er, you've suffered a lot in the north over the past year, haven't you?"

"Mother, it wasn't bitter!"

"How did you get this scar? You didn't tell me in your letters!"

The young captain touched his cheek and looked at his little sister, whose eyes were full of tears beside the woman, and said: "When I was riding, I wasn't paying attention and got scratched by a tree branch."

Looking at the appearance of the scar, the woman shook her head and said: "Then that tree branch must have been really thick."

The cavalry captain smiled awkwardly.

"Let's go, let's go home!" the woman said.

After the cavalry captain nodded, he reached out his hand toward his little sister: "Meng'er, come."

The young lady smiled, took her brother's hand, and looked toward where Xu Zaijing and the others were dispersing not far away.

After looking at the crowd there, the young lady tilted her head and said: "Big Brother, do you know that Xu family Fifth Young Master who beat up the Bai Gao people?"

The captain shook his head: "Your brother is under General Zhang's command, and that Fifth Young Master is under Xu Hou's command; we didn't even see each other a few times before returning to the capital."

"Oh!"

"Then Brother, who is more formidable, you or that Fifth Young Master?"

The cavalry captain laughed at himself and said: "Little Sister, your brother is just a competent cavalry squad leader! That Fifth Young Master is an elite vanguard scout; how can I compare to him?"

"Do you know how many enemy troops he blocked in the mountains with a squad of scouts?"

"I don't know! A hundred?"

Listening to his little sister's uncertain tone, the captain shook his head with great emotion.

The woman walking in front also turned her head and looked over curiously.

The captain glanced at Xu Zaijing not far away and looked at his mother: "When I went with the Regional Military Commissioner to receive the captives, a comrade responsible for counting said there were more than seven thousand people, and that's not counting those who escaped under the cover of darkness."

"Ah???"

The teenage girl looked to the side in disbelief.

"Yue'er, how is the Xu family lad so formidable?"

"There's the reason of the terrain."

The woman then nodded and said: "I thought so! It must have been a terrain where 'one man can hold the pass against ten thousand,' right?"

The captain shook his head: "Mother, I've seen it; it wasn't that kind of terrain. Without exquisite martial arts and outstanding courage, he couldn't have blocked them at all!"

"Actually, reporting such enemy intelligence to the main army would be a great merit, but the Xu family lad blocked them..."

"So formidable! No wonder he could fight five against one!" the young girl exclaimed.

The captain nodded with a smile.

At this time, the four young ladies from the Zhang, Gu, Chai, and Rong families happened to walk near this family.

Seeing the appropriately dressed woman in front,

Fifth Da Niangzi, who was in the lead, bowed and saluted with a smile, and Zhengzheng and the other two also stopped and squatted slightly, saying: "Greetings, Madam."

The woman nodded kindly with a smile.

The young lady held by the captain also returned the salute with a smile: "Greetings, four sisters."

"Meng'er, I'll find you to play when I have the chance."

"Hmm!"

After the salutations were finished, Fifth Da Niangzi and the other three nodded to the captain and then boarded their carriages one after another.

"Little Sister, I know the young ladies from the Zhang, Gu, and Rong families, but whose family is that young lady from?"

"That is Zhengzheng sister from the Chai family."

"Oh! The Chai family..."

While saying 'Chai family', the captain's gaze couldn't help but look at Tingyi's figure.

Before long,

The captain mounted his horse by the roadside, and his mother and little sister also boarded the carriage.

At this time, the people, horses, and carriages of the Xu, Gu, Wu, and other families were quite numerous and were already walking on the road beside this family.

So this family waited by the roadside, waiting for the Xu, Gu, and other families to pass before setting off.

And the street outside the north gate of the Imperial City was a bit crowded, and the motorcades of the Xu, Gu, and other families inevitably stopped for a while.

In the carriage,

The captain, who was stationed on his horse beside the carriage, saw his mother's eyes widen in surprise first, and then turn into a somewhat sighing disappointment.

He looked at his little sister with an inquiring gaze.

The girl also shook her head regretfully.

Very quickly, the Xu family's motorcade drove away from this place.

This family's carriage also began to move.

Walking onto the main street,

The cavalry captain looked down at his mother and sister in the carriage and asked: "Mother, what was wrong with you just now?"

The woman sighed and said: "Nothing!"

After saying this, she shook her head regretfully again.

Looking at her son's expression outside the carriage, the woman said: "Don't think blindly, it has nothing to do with you! Just now I saw the Second Madam of the Xu family."

"She looks good! She has upbringing, and I heard she is also very stylish and capable in managing the household! At first glance, she is a good young lady who will bring prosperity for three generations!"

The captain thought for a while and said hesitantly: "Mother, is it that Sheng family young lady whom Second Cousin almost decided on before?"

"Sigh!"

The woman sighed heavily.

In the motorcade of the Xu, Gu, and other families,

The carriage where Xu Hou's wife, Sun Shi, was,

Madam Wu sat by the carriage compartment, pulling the curtain and tilting her head to look behind the carriage.

"Sister Wu, what are you looking at?"

Madam Bai asked.

Madam Wu glanced at her old friend Sun Shi and said with a smile: "Sister Bai, do you know whose carriage we just passed?"

Madam Bai thought for a while and shook her head.

"That was the carriage of the Huang family, the Earl of Shoushan. Their eldest legitimate son was previously under the command of Zhang family's Gu Dalang, and he also just returned today."

"The younger brother of the Countess of Shoushan is the former Earl of Zhongqin..."

Madam Bai suddenly realized: "Oh!"

Sun Shi looked at the two marchionesses who were staring at her and said: "Why are you two looking at me like that?"

Madam Bai said: "Good sister, tell me, how do you choose a daughter-in-law? The wives your two sons married are both so good!"

Sun Shi: "I have a good matchmaker!"

As she said this, she looked at Madam Wu.

Madam Wu rolled her eyes at Sun Shi, unable to laugh or cry.

Suddenly, Madam Wu was stunned, and after thinking for a moment, she said hesitantly: "Sister Bai, speaking of which, this Countess of Shoushan is a decent person in her conduct! For so many years, few people have gossiped about the Shoushan Earl's family!"

"I heard from the Duchess of England that this Yue-ge'er is quite good; he has been highly valued by Zhang family's Gu Dalang since joining the army more than a year ago."

Madam Bai also understood Madam Wu's meaning and asked after deliberation: "What is their son's name?"

"The son is called Qingyue, and the daughter is called Qingmeng."

Madam Bai nodded.

Sun Shi understood Madam Bai's mood, leaned forward, patted Madam Bai's hand, and said: "Sister, rest assured, I will ask the old madam of the Duke of Lian's family to go to the Zhang family to inquire; we must find out the situation of this child clearly."

A few days later,

Gu Tingye, who had finished school, pulled Xu Zaijing and said: "Fifth Young Master, let's go, go beat people up with me!"

(End of chapter)