Chapter 422: Send someone over [Thank you! Bow again! Debt of ten thousand words]

In the evening,

Pan Lou was at its most lively time,

lanterns were hung high at the entrance of Pan Lou,

and people were coming and going on the street in front of the door.

When the waiter helped the guest lift the cotton curtain,

steaming heat and enticing fragrance surged out, and when blown by the wind, it made passersby swallow a mouthful of saliva.

In the private room on the second floor,

smokeless charcoal was burning in the tall and large hand warmer in the center.

Bright candles were lit on the candle stands all around, illuminating the private room quite brightly.

Several tables under the surrounding candle stands surrounded the large hand warmer, and on the tables were placed a few plates of fruits rarely seen in winter. These fruit plates, together with other dishes, surrounded the small pot that was steaming and bubbling.

Extremely thin rabbit meat marinated in sauce in a silver plate was picked up by a pair of chopsticks and put into the small pot, and after a while, it was picked out again and put into a silver bowl.

Under the candlelight, one could see that there was already quite a lot of cooked rabbit meat in the bowl.

Xu Zaijing behind the table looked at Huaxiang who put down the chopsticks and said: "These are enough, go eat yours."

Huaxiang stood up and bowed: "Yes, Young Master."

"En."

After Xu Zaijing finished speaking, he continued to look at Zheng Xiao opposite.

Huaxiang walked toward the outside of the private room with small steps.

"Zheng Erge Brother, have you ever seen the Northern Liao's heavy cavalry Iron Forest Army in the north?"

Gu Tingye asked while holding a wine cup.

Zheng Xiao shook his head: "Ye Ge'er, I am confined to the military camp all day long, let alone the Iron Forest Army, I didn't even see a single Northern Liao cavalry!"

Gu Tingye was stunned: "Ah? How could this be!"

Saying this, he also glanced at Xu Zaijing on the side, this action quite meant 'Zheng Erge Brother, how come your situation is different from Jing Ge'er's'.

Seeing Gu Tingye's action, Zheng Xiao drank the wine in his cup helplessly.

Zheng Xiao put down the wine cup, poured wine for himself from the wine pot, and looked at Xu Zaijing: "Jing Ge'er, haven't seen you for a long time, let's have another drink!"

Xu Zaijing raised his cup: "Come!"

After speaking, the two drank it all together.

Zheng Xiao smacked his lips, picked up a fruit from the plate and took a bite to suppress the taste of the wine, and looked at Xu Zaijing who was picking up the cooked rabbit meat and dipping it in sauce: "Jing Ge'er, I went to the north for training half a year earlier than you!"

"But now that Bai Gao has surrendered, I haven't made any achievements yet. If I had known, I would have gone under Marquis Xu!"

Zheng Xiao smiled helplessly.

Xu Zaijing looked at Gu Tingye and Qi Heng in the private room, put down his chopsticks and said: "Zheng Erge Brother, Bai Gao and Northern Liao are different!"

"Northern Liao has a vast territory of ten thousand miles, and its founding was earlier than our Great Zhou. Two great powers certainly cannot easily start a war."

Hearing this, Zheng Xiao sighed again: "How could I not know! Still remember when we went to the palace to pay New Year's greetings at the beginning of the year, when we were talking, you guys still thought this wasn't a war to destroy a nation!"

Xu Zaijing, Gu Tingye, and Qi Heng all felt a bit embarrassed when they heard this.

Xu Zaijing said: "At that time, we didn't expect that Old General Cao would be like a broken bamboo all the way, and when he arrived at the city wall, Bai Gao would actually have an earthquake..."

"Right right right! Jing Ge'er said it well! It's really Heaven blessing Great Zhou!"

Gu Tingye said.

Xu Zaijing raised his cup and said: "It is also because the Duke of England, the Marquis of Ningyuan, and General Zheng are deterring Northern Liao in the far north, making them have no time to look west, avoiding the worries of the Western Army, which is why they can fully strategy Bai Gao. Zheng Erge Brother, drink this cup."

Zheng Xiao raised his cup and smiled: "The check and balance effect of the Jin Kingdom is also very great!"

Gu Tingye finished the wine in his cup and said:

"Zheng Erge Brother, you are closer to Northern Liao and Jin Kingdom in the north, have you heard anything in the army that we don't know?"

Zheng Xiao thought for a while and said: "There are really a few things, don't know if you have heard of them."

Qi Heng said: "Zheng Erge Brother, hurry up and tell us!"

Looking at Xu Zaijing who was also full of interest, Zheng Xiao said: "Before I returned to the capital, I heard from my elder brother that Northern Liao and Jin Kingdom fought a battle in the north of Xianzhou with tens of thousands of people. Northern Liao lost first and then won, and fought to a draw with Jin Kingdom."

Gu Tingye said, "Zheng Erge, I have seen this matter in the court gazette!"

Zheng Xiao nodded and said: "Ye Ge'er, do you know who the deputy general of Jin Kingdom is in this battle?"

Gu Tingye and Xu Zaijing looked at each other and shook their heads.

Zheng Xiao looked at Xu Zaijing's thoughtful appearance and said: "We know this person."

"Pa!"

Gu Tingye's mind flashed, and he patted the table: "Zheng Erge Brother, it wouldn't be one of the Jin Kingdom people we fought against at the polo field at the beginning of the year, right?"

"Is it that Jin Kingdom royal clan member named Wanyan Zongjun?" Xu Zaijing asked.

Zheng Xiao nodded.

"He, how old is he?" Gu Tingye sighed.

Zheng Xiao smiled and shook his head: "Ye Ge'er, what does this count as! The soldiers in the camp who often deal with Northern Liao heard that the Northern Liao Emperor is now seriously ill and bedridden, heard he is about to..."

As soon as these words came out,

everyone in the private room showed surprise, Xu Zaijing said: "This Northern Liao Emperor is in his prime, how could he..."

"Pah! Jing Ge'er, you might not know, this Northern Liao Privy Commissioner is the one who harmed the Northern Liao Emperor's own father."

Zheng Xiao replied.

Qi Heng looked puzzled: "Ah? There is such a thing, how could that person still be reused?"

"Who knows, anyway, there are rumors among the people at the Northern Liao border saying that this Northern Liao Privy Commissioner did the tricks."

"Hiss, when that time really comes, isn't the Northern Liao Crown Prince about to ascend the throne that Yelu Sun!"

Gu Tingye said with a somewhat loud voice.

Xu Zaijing scratched his head, knowing this earlier, when he got Yelu Sun out of the Yan Wang's mountain stronghold and sent him back to Northern Liao, he should have asked for more.

"We can also be considered to know this Yelu Sun, right, Jing Ge'er!"

Xu Zaijing nodded, he was not just knowing him.

This Yelu Sun hadn't been seen for a year or two, well, he was about to have a chance to be emperor.

Thinking of these, Xu Zaijing picked up a piece of rabbit meat in the bowl and put it into the pot to heat it up.

"Zheng Erge Brother, under General Zheng, what military position are you holding?" Gu Tingye asked curiously.

Zheng Xiao waved his hand and said, "By relying on the official positions of my father and elder brother, it was nothing more than an inherited appointment as a deputy battalion commander of the infantry. What about you, Jing Ge'er?"

After Zheng Xiao finished asking, Gu Tingye and Qi Heng looked at each other, and Xu Zaijing also felt a bit embarrassed.

"Zheng Erge Brother, you guess!" Gu Tingye said.

Xu Zaijing nodded.

Zheng Xiao hesitated and said: "Jing Ge'er, with Marquis Xu's title, no matter what, you can be a head of a hundred people, right!"

Xu Zaijing shook his head.

"Deputy battalion commander?"

"Not even a deputy?"

"Could it be a battalion commander!" Saying this, Zheng Xiao picked up his wine cup and looked at Xu Zaijing in surprise.

"Hehe. Zheng Erge, Jing Ge'er serves as a squad leader under the command of Xu Hou!"

Gu Tingye said.

"Pfft!"

Zheng Xiao sprayed out a mouthful of wine, and the wine mist sprayed made the charcoal fire under the small pot in front of him 'boom' and flare up.

"Cough, cough, a squad leader with no official rank at all??"

Xu Zaijing nodded.

Zheng Xiao said, "I am serving as a deputy battalion commander of the infantry in the camp, Jing Ge'er, how can you be a squad leader!"

"Zheng Erge Brother, I mostly read books at home. Although I have read some military books and practice martial arts every day, I don't have half the experience in military command..."

"Besides, having just arrived in the army, how could I be directly leading troops! My cousin said that for me to be a squad leader in less than two months is already an exceptional promotion."

Zheng Xiao had an expression of disbelief: "This, Marquis Xu governs the army very strictly."

Xu Zaijing smiled: "Zheng Erge, you flatter me! Actually, it is also because the time was too short! I didn't expect that we would fight all the way to Xingqing Prefecture so quickly; otherwise, if you gave me six months, I could also be a captain by relying on military merit."

Of course, the reality was far more than that; just by relying on blocking and pacifying nearly ten thousand reinforcements of Bai Gao in the mountains, there would be no problem at all for Xu Zaijing to be calculated as a Grade 7 Assistant Commander of the Imperial Guard based on military merit.

That is to say, even if Xu Zaijing was a common soldier, from then on he could absolutely command a battalion of five hundred infantry or four hundred cavalry.

Don't look down on this official position, after all, it's from a commoner directly to a low-ranking military officer, and it doesn't need to grind seniority in the army, nor does it need the joint recommendation of other military officers.

And Xu Zaijing now has a father who is a Marquis; if he really goes to the battlefield in the future, with this military rank of Assistant Commander, he would have the opportunity to command an army of two thousand five hundred people.

The captain that Xu Zaijing spoke of could actually be served by a Grade 9 Deputy Lieutenant of the Imperial Guard; there are two grades of difference in between!

One grade might need the merit of nine deaths and one life on the battlefield to be promoted.

Listening to Xu Zaijing's words, Gu Tingye said with great envy: "Tsk! Zheng Erge Brother, you came back late! Didn't see the demeanor of Jing Ge'er holding the flag and entering the city that day!"

"Just that little Li horse under his seat, walking in front of that group of elite cavalrymen who are so arrogant and look at people with the corners of their eyes, it is truly inspiring!"

"Ye Ge'er, the cavalry under Zhang the eldest brother has many young masters of the capital's meritorious families, they are experienced in many battles, how could they not be arrogant!"

"Zheng Erge Brother, no matter how arrogant they are, it's Jing Ge'er walking in front!"

Zheng Xiao shook his head: "This is Jing Ge'er's ability to subdue them, otherwise if you put a dandy up there, you see if they let him."

"Jing Ge'er, what are you laughing at?"

Zheng Xiao looked at Xu Zaijing's smile and said.

Xu Zaijing looked at Gu Tingye: "Zheng Erge Brother, nothing! Pei Erge has been looking at the cavalry under Zhang the eldest brother with displeasure recently."

"Why?"

Hearing Zheng Xiao's question, Qi Heng picked up his wine cup to cover his mouth and drank.

Zheng Xiao: "En?"

Gu Tingye shook his head irritably: "Zheng Erge Brother, don't worry about it."

Looking at Gu Tingye's appearance, Zheng Xiao didn't pursue it, and after saying a few more topics about the imperial examination, everyone drank a few more cups of wine.

Inside the private room,

separated by a screen,

Huaxiang sat at the table, dipping rabbit meat in the small pot with boiling hot soup.

From time to time, she would take a delicate bite of the cooked rabbit meat dipped in sauce.

Whenever rabbit meat entered her mouth, Huaxiang would always close her eyes with a look of intoxication.

Qingyun, who was standing on the side, watched for a few times, walked to Huaxiang's side and whispered: "Huaxiang sister, eat less in the evening, be careful of stomach discomfort."

Huaxiang looked at Qingyun ignorantly, and Qingyun smiled and said: "Before, your Qingcao sister was uncomfortable because she ate too much."

Huaxiang nodded, looked at the remaining rabbit meat on the plate with lingering desire, hesitated for a while, and then put down her chopsticks with difficulty.

Smelling the fragrance on the table, after a while, Huaxiang looked at Qingyun, and picked up a piece of meat and put it into the pot.

"Dong dong!"

There was a knocking sound.

Huaxiang immediately put down her chopsticks and stood to the side.

Buwei rushed to the door before Qingyun and opened the private room door. Looking at the sturdy man at the door, Buwei asked suspiciously: "Who are you looking for?"

The sturdy man outside the door bowed respectfully and cupped his hands: "The small one heard that Xu Fifth Brother is here, and came to pay a visit."

After speaking, he looked at Buwei with some suspicion.

Buwei turned his head: "Qingyun brother, looking for Fifth Brother."

Qingyun stood out from behind the door, scanned the man up and down and hesitated: "Looks a bit familiar, you are?"

The sturdy man was happy, and looked at Zhique inside the door: "The small one is under Old General Cao, uh, vanguard!"

When this man said the two words 'vanguard', he stared tightly at Qingyun.

Qingyun turned his head and looked at this man again, his eyes lit up and said: "It's you! Before..."

Qingyun didn't continue.

"Correct!" The man hurriedly cupped his hands.

Qingyun nodded and said: "Wait a moment, I'll go tell the Young Master."

After speaking, Qingyun turned and entered the private room, leaned into Xu Zaijing's ear and said: "Young Master, the vanguard Western Army soldier who went to save people in Bai Gao before is at the door."

Xu Zaijing looked at Qingyun in surprise, and Qingyun nodded.

Cupping his hands to the few people sitting, Xu Zaijing said: "There is an old acquaintance at the door, I'll go take a look."

"Jing Ge'er, why not invite him in for a drink." Gu Tingye said.

Xu Zaijing shook his head: "Forget it, he wouldn't be comfortable sitting here."

Saying this, Xu Zaijing walked to the door, looked at the man standing at the door and cupped his hands: "This one, greetings."

The man also bowed: "Fifth Brother, the small one heard from the servant in the stable downstairs that it was Fifth Brother's mount, so I rashly came upstairs to visit, please don't blame me, Fifth Brother!"

Xu Zaijing smiled and walked outside the door: "No, no! We were fighting and risking our lives together in the Northwest before! Is the injury on the city wall before healed?"

The man also smiled: "Healed, the military physician used a new prescription!"

Xu Zaijing added: "Just didn't expect we were still of the same clan, don't know where your ancestral home is, Old Brother Xu?"

"The small one's ancestral home is Yuncheng, Jizhou."

Xu Zaijing nodded: "With the merit of vanguard, promoted to the Imperial Guard in Bianjing?"

The man cupped his hands: "It's also the old general's promotion and guarantee, the small one entered the Imperial Guard with military merit."

"Oh? Didn't let military merit be converted into military rank?"

"The small one entering the Imperial Guard is the same!"

"Also good, then in a few days I will invite the young masters of the Duke of Xin and the Marquis of Hou Fu Chang to dinner, if you have time, please give me face and come drink!"

"The small one dare not speak of reward, as long as Fifth Brother has a letter, the small one will definitely ride a horse and come immediately."

"Good!" Saying this, Xu Zaijing looked toward the stairs: "Old Brother Xu, are you here with your wife and nephew?"

Xu Zaizhou smiled slightly: "She also just came to Bianjing, heard Pan Lou is prosperous, so the small one brought her and the child to see the world."

Xu Zaijing nodded, and bowed to the woman.

The woman bowed, and the child beside her hid behind the woman.

"Fifth Brother, then the small one will take his leave."

"Old Brother, go slowly."

Watching the old acquaintance walk away, Xu Zaijing looked at Qingyun behind him, and Qingyun nodded slightly.

Xu Zaijing returned to the private room.

Qingyun didn't return to the private room, but walked on the second floor and beckoned to the waiter Ming Ge'er who had just finished being busy.

After saying a few words to Ming Ge'er, Ming Ge'er nodded: "Qingyun brother rest assured, the small one has noted it!"

In another small private room,

the couple with the child sat at the table waiting for the waiter to serve dishes and the hot pot.

The woman at the stairs just now looked at Xu Zaizhou and said: "Husband, didn't expect that you actually know such a prominent figure in Bianjing."

"Just looking at that demeanor, I felt it was extraordinary, and he actually bowed to me, a small woman."

Xu Zaizhou touched his son's forehead with love: "It was also a coincidence that I fought side by side with this young master, and was saved by him once."

"This young master also said he would have a chance to introduce me to the young masters of the Pei family and the Rong family!"

The woman asked puzzled: "These two families are?"

"Both are Duke and Marquis families, people with real power in the Imperial Guard."

"Husband, we really met a noble person when we went out!"

"Yes!"

When the family of three finished their meal and were about to pay the bill, they were told by the waiter that the meal money had already been paid.

Not far from the main street of Pan Lou,

Xu Zaijing and Zheng Xiao were riding side by side.

The few didn't speak, but white breath surged from their mouths and noses when they breathed.

"Jing Ge'er, when do you think His Majesty will conquer Northern Liao?" Zheng Xiao said.

"It won't be a short time, after all, it is to integrate the old land of Bai Gao into Great Zhou."

After Xu Zaijing finished speaking, Gu Tingye and Qi Heng behind him nodded slightly.

"Of course, don't listen to me, in case it's the same as last time, it wouldn't be good."

"Hahahaha," the group laughed softly.

The few cupped their hands and separated at the intersection,

everyone returned home,

actually it was Xu Zaijing leaving the three, after all, the Zheng, Gu, and Qi families were all in Xingguo Ward.

At the entrance of the Marquis of Ningyuan's Mansion,

Gu Tingye dismounted and stomped his feet which were a bit cold from riding.

The horse was led away by the Gu family gatekeeper,

the gatekeeper steward looked at Gu Tingye and whispered: "Second Young Master, the Marquis is back!"

"Ah? Father is back?"

Gu Tingye looked at Zhique happily, and then walked quickly toward the inner courtyard.

Madam Bai's courtyard,

in the warm hall,

Gu Yandian sat on the Luo Han bed, with a full face of smiles and eyes full of doting, playing with his granddaughter Yan Jie'er. At this time, Yan Jie'er, who was about six months old, was at her cutest.

Yan Jie'er's small hands, which were still quite strong, were pinching Gu Yandian's cheeks,

"Ouch, Yan Jie'er, Grandfather's face is hard, don't hurt your small hands!"

Gu Yandian said softly.

Gu Tingyu and Tingyi sitting around curled their lips in disgust.

Pingmei drank hot soup with an indifferent face.

Madam Bai stared at Gu Yandian's hand: "Marquis, move your hand down a bit, Yan Jie'er is uncomfortable like this."

Gu Yandian looked at Madam Bai, and his hand moved.

At this time, Gu Tingye lifted the cotton curtain and walked in.

The smile on Gu Yandian's face disappeared, and he looked at Gu Tingye with a stern face: "Coming back so late, where did you go again?"

Gu Tingye cupped his hands and smiled: "Father, I went to drink with Zheng Erge Brother, Heng Ge'er, and Jing Ge'er."

As Gu Yandian was speaking, Yan Jie'er's small hands reached her grandfather's mouth, and then grabbed it hard.

Gu Tingye lowered his head and pursed his lips, holding back a laugh.

Gu Yandian glared at Yan Jie'er dotingly and signaled to Mama Chang.

After Mama Chang took Yan Jie'er, Gu Yandian stroked his beard and said: "Zheng Xiao and Xu Zaijing have both been to the battlefield for training, especially Jing Ge'er, I heard from the Duke of England that the merit he made this time is not small, what about you?"

"All day long just knowing how to mess around!"

Gu Tingye stood there helplessly.

Gu Tingyu sitting below sat up straight and said: "Father, recently Pei Erge has been studying hard and practicing martial arts every day, even when it's cold and snowing, he doesn't stop, I think he's good!"

Gu Yandian looked at the official robe held by the maid Cuichan behind his eldest son: "Hmph!"

And looked at Gu Tingye again: "Tomorrow morning, you try the spear with me!"

Gu Tingye nodded heavily.

Gu Yandian nodded to Pingmei again, and said to Gu Tingye: "Sit down, I have something to ask you."

Great Zhou Imperial Palace,

Imperial Prince Zhao Fang poked his head at the entrance of the palace hall, and then walked in angrily.

After finding a chair near the Emperor, Zhao Fang sat on it, crossed his arms and pouted: "Hmph!"

The Emperor, who was reading the memorial by candlelight, glanced at Zhao Fang, then continued to look at the memorial and said slowly: "Fang'er, what's wrong?"

"Hmph! Father, I just found out from Mother that the Northern Liao royal clan actually wants to marry a noble daughter of Great Zhou?"

"Heard it's Rong Feiyan young lady! The Rong family entered the palace to see the Imperial Consort today just for this matter!"

The Emperor flipped through the memorial and nodded while looking at it: "Yes, there is this matter! Northern Liao said they are willing to marry a noble daughter of Great Zhou to form a friendship between the two countries."

"Father, this is not... not good!"

"Hmm? Where is it not good?"

"Feiyan young lady, she... anyway, it's just not good! Northern Liao wants to form a friendship between the two countries, just send a royal clan woman to Father!"

The Emperor slapped the memorial shut and looked at his only son irritably: "Stop talking nonsense, your mother didn't beat you?"

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 423 =====