Chapter 424

Wansheng Gate,

On the official road not far west of the city,

Several guards rode horses, guarding the front and back of three carriages.

In the carriage that was still quite warm,

The maid Miss Yun Mu, sitting by the window, lifted a slit of the carriage window curtain and looked out.

Looking at the guards outside the carriage, Miss Yun Mu said softly: "Brother Zhong, what happened in front? Our carriage hasn't moved much for so long!"

The guard turned his head to look at the carriage window and said: "Miss Miss Yun Mu, please wait a moment! I see a convoy in front, and there seem to be quite a few cavalrymen near the city gate."

Although she couldn't see, Miss Yun Mu still turned her head to look forward: "Whose cavalry is it, mobilizing at this time?"

"Looking at the flag inserted on the horse's back of the cavalry, it seems to be the character 'Xu'! Looking at their dusty appearance, it seems like they have traveled a very long way."

Hearing this last sentence,

Chai Zhengzheng's hand, which was placed on the hand warmer in her sleeve, moved.

Miss Yun Mu also nodded and put down the curtain.

After a while,

The voice of the guard outside the carriage came: "It's moving in front!"

After entering the city,

The Chai family's convoy of carriages and horses drove straight towards the east along the main street.

The cavalry in front of them always had a few people leave whenever they encountered an intersection.

When passing through the West Water Gate to enter the inner city, the cavalry team had already shrunk by more than half.

The speed of the Chai family's carriages and horses also gradually increased.

After passing the very wide Imperial Street,

The Chai family's carriages and horses were already running parallel to the cavalry with carriages.

When passing another intersection heading south,

"Whoa!"

The coachman reined in the carriage.

Miss Yun Mu lifted the carriage window curtain again and looked at the mounted guard on the side.

The guard looked over and said: "Miss Miss Yun Mu, the Madam in front is talking to the leader of the cavalry."

Chai Zhengzheng leaned to the carriage window and peeked, happening to see the leading cavalry in front bowing.

Before long,

The Chai family's convoy moved again, while the cavalry's carriages and horses on the side stopped to the side.

"Miss, why aren't they moving anymore?"

Miss Yun Mu said softly.

Chai Zhengzheng, who was looking out through the slit, said: "It looks like they are about to turn right and are making way for us."

Miss Yun Mu nodded.

After the Chai family's opulent carriage passed by,

Xu Zaiduan, who had taken off his mask when entering the city, followed the elite guards with his gaze, then tapped his horse's belly lightly and led the line of carriages and horses to head south.

Seeing Hu Yanjiong, who was following Xu Zaiduan, said: "Eldest Brother, how come Madam Chai greeted us like this?"

Xu Zaiduan, riding on his horse, looked at the wine flags hanging in front of the restaurants on the side of the road, as well as the stalls selling yellow chives, walnuts, and other things on the side of the road, and said: "Perhaps it is because of the matter in Dingzhou."

Seeing Hu Yanjiong nodded.

Previously, when Bai Gao surrendered,

When the Chai family sent capable stewards to Dingzhou (present-day Mount Shizui) to take the black gold coal mine into their hands, they had specifically gone to pay a visit to the Marquis of Yongyi.

Xu Minghua tried his best to make things convenient for the Chai family's stewards, allowing the Chai family to have much less trouble when taking over.

Looking at the bustling main street,

Seeing Hu Yanjiong sighed and said: "Bianjing is still the best!"

As they were talking,

The group of people and horses soon arrived at Quyuanjie.

Xu Zaiduan nodded from time to time to the old acquaintances of the Marquis's residence on the side of the road.

"Eldest Young Master! You are back?"

Chu Zhan, who was sitting by the stove under the canvas to keep warm, shouted with a smile.

Xu Zaiduan smiled.

"Eldest Young Master, the two young masters didn't go to school today either!"

"Why?"

"Hearing from Brother Qingyun, it is the last rest day before the school holiday."

Xu Zaiduan nodded.

When Xu Zaiduan and Seeing Hu Yanjiong arrived at the second gate,

The Xu family's gatekeeper had already run to notify the backyard of this matter.

After dismounting, they hadn't walked many steps when they saw Xu Zaijing walking in the front, holding one nephew in each arm, followed by Sun Shi, who was being supported by Zaizhang and Hualan.

Xu Xingdai, one of the two nephews in Xu Zaijing's arms, leaned out and shouted towards Xu Dalang: "Father!"

Seeing his son, Xu Dalang smiled.

He took Xu Xingdai and kissed him.

Although he was poked by the beard, Xu Xingdai endured it and smiled and shouted to Seeing Hu Yanjiong on the side: "Aunt's husband."

Seeing Hu Yanjiong also smiled.

At this moment, Sun Shi walked up close: "Good! You are finally back."

"Mother/Mother-in-law!"

Xu Zaiduan and Seeing Hu Yanjiong each bowed.

Sun Shi stood in front of the two, looked at their dusty appearance, held their hands, and said: "Quick, let's enter the courtyard."

Zaizhang, who was no longer supporting his mother, reached out towards the son in Xu Zaijing's arms.

Xu Zaijing's little nephew leaned into his father's arms.

Xu Zaijing looked at his arms, which were full when he came over but were now empty, shook his head helplessly, and then quickly chased after them.

When they were about to reach the courtyard of the mistress,

Sun Shi stopped, held Xu Xingdai in her arms, and said: "Dalang, go see your wife first!"

Looking at Zaizhang, who opened his mouth to speak, Sun Shi shook her head and said: "Third one, shut your mouth! Let your eldest brother go see for himself!"

Zaizhang pursed his lips.

Zaiduan nodded and said: "Good! Jiong Ge'er, you go to Mother's courtyard first, I will come over in a while."

Seeing Hu Yanjiong nodded, stepped over the threshold with Sun Shi, and entered the courtyard.

Inside the courtyard: "Mother-in-law, did I have another nephew?"

Sun Shi shook her head with a smile.

Seeing Hu Yanjiong understood: it was a niece.

Outside the gate,

Xu Zaijing walked at the very end, turned his head to look at his eldest brother's back as he quickened his pace, and then entered his mother's courtyard with the maid.

Xu Zaiduan hadn't entered his own courtyard yet,

When he saw the maid, who had already received the message and was standing at the courtyard gate, turn around and walk in quickly.

"The Heir is back!"

The maid's shout came faintly.

Entering the courtyard,

Entering the inner room,

Xu Zaiduan saw Xie Shi lying on the bed wearing a forehead band.

There were two maids, one holding a washbasin and one holding Xu Zaiduan's clothes, walking over.

After washing his hands and face and changing his clothes, Xu Zaiduan walked to the bed, looked at Xie Shi, who was holding the baby and breastfeeding, and said somewhat embarrassedly: "I hurried, but I still didn't make it."

Xie Shi shook her head with a smile to indicate it was fine: "Husband, look at your daughter."

Zaiduan took the baby into his arms and couldn't help but smile when looking at the wrinkled infant.

Xie Shi looked at Xu Zaiduan, who was not holding a baby for the first time but was still somewhat awkward, and said: "Mother said she looks like Ping Jie'er."

"She is so small, how did Mother tell?"

Xie Shi shook her head with a smile.

The husband and wife talked for a while longer.

Xie Shi said: "Husband, I heard that the brother-in-law is also here, you go to Mother's place to accompany him first!"

Zaiduan nodded.

Xu family mistress's courtyard,

Sun Shi sat on the Arhat bed,

On the chairs on both sides, Zaizhang and Seeing Hu Yanjiong were each sitting in the first seat.

Xu Zaijing sat at the very end: "Brother-in-law, didn't you say you were busy helping the Ministry of Works figure out the hydrology of the Great River, why did you come back early?"

Seeing Hu Yanjiong put down the teacup in his hand and said: "When cleaning up the Ministry of Works' yamen in Bai Gao before, we found many books recording hydrology from their side, and there was an imperial decree from the palace saying that the matter was not urgent, so I followed my eldest brother back."

"Jiong Ge'er, when are you going back?"

Zaizhang asked.

Seeing Hu Yanjiong: "After the Lantern Festival."

Sun Shi said with a smile: "Good! That is just right!"

Anmei is expected to give birth in the twelfth lunar month, so Seeing Hu Yanjiong will be at home just in time.

Before long,

Zaiduan, who had changed his clothes, came into the room,

Everyone continued talking,

Through a conversation, Xu Zaijing learned from his eldest brother's mouth that,

It turned out that this batch of people who returned with them were mostly young military officers who had performed extremely well and received promotions in this national war to destroy Bai Gao,

After the New Year, after this batch of them returns to Bai Gao to take up their positions, the next batch will return to the capital.

"Eldest Brother, Brother-in-law, what is loaded in the few carriages that followed you into the house?"

"Little Five, what is loaded in the carriages are the rewards entrusted to us by our comrades in the army whose homes are in Bianjing."

Xu Zaijing nodded.

Sun Shi said on the side: "The sky is not too late today, Duan'er, you go and send them to those who are close to our house first."

"Yes, Mother."

"I will accompany Eldest Brother."

Xu Zaijing stood up and said.

Sun Shi waved her hand and said: "Wait a moment first!"

She turned her head to look at Seeing Hu Yanjiong again: "Jiong'er, I won't keep you! Your mother-in-law and An'er might be anxious waiting at home. You brothers go together."

Seeing Hu Yanjiong stood up and bowed: "Yes, Mother-in-law."

After finishing,

Everyone walked out.

After getting on their horses at the second gate,

Seeing Hu Yanjiong went to his own residence, while Xu Zaijing followed his eldest brother to send rewards to the homes of comrades in the army who were closer to Quyuanjie.

The rewards included silk and silver money.

The things given and the addresses of each family were written on paper.

Xu Zaijing sent them along the way and found that two of the families still had traces of having held funerals; seeing the rewards sent, the faces of both adults and children were somewhat surprised.

In the afternoon,

The sun slanted to the west,

After sending them all, when Xu Zaijing returned to Quyuanjie, his mood was somewhat depressed.

After all, it was a national war; no matter how fast a war of hundreds of thousands of people ended, the number of people who died would not be small!

After taking out the piece of paper recording the addresses from his sleeve and looking at it again, Xu Zaijing handed this piece of paper to Qingyun and said: "Tell the stewards below, in the future, when our shops and workshops recruit workers, give priority to asking those two families."

"Yes, Young Master."

Qingyun didn't ask which two families and directly put the paper into his arms.

When they were about to return to the gate of the Marquis's residence,

Xu Zaijing saw Chu Zhan talking to a man dressed as a shop soldier.

Seeing Xu Zaijing and Qingyun riding over, Chu Zhan grabbed the shop soldier who was preparing to go find the gatekeeper of the Marquis's residence and pointed towards Xu Zaijing.

When Xu Zaijing approached, Chu Zhan said excitedly: "Young Master, this shop soldier brother said there is a letter for the residence."

Listening to Chu Zhan's words, the shop soldier hurriedly bowed.

Xu Zaijing nodded: "Where is it from? For whom?"

The shop soldier said: "Returning to the Yamen, it is from Wushang County, Liangzhe Circuit."

Watching Xu Zaijing nod and reach out his hand saying give it to him.

Qingyun didn't speak.

Riding on his horse, Xu Zaijing said: "Go to the gatekeeper and get half a guan of hard-earned money for this brother."

"Yes, Young Master!"

After finishing, Xu Zaijing nodded to the shop soldier and entered the residence.

Chu Zhan smiled and walked towards the gatekeeper.

Xu Zaijing's courtyard.

The sun had not yet set,

The main room with the heated floor was very bright.

Seeing Xu Zaijing enter the room with Qingyun,

Qingcao, who was standing next to the large fish tank and pinching fish food to feed the fish, turned her head, crouched slightly, and smiled: "Young Master!"

Xu Zaijing walked to the fish tank, which had been wiped until it was shiny, looked at the fish inside, and said: "Feed them less, I see they are a bit fat."

As he spoke, he handed the bamboo tube with the address note stuck to it to Qingcao: "Here, a letter from Wushang County."

Qingcao was stunned, put the porcelain cup containing fish food to the side, clapped her hands, and somewhat embarrassedly took the bamboo tube: "Young Master, you tell me, and let me go get it myself."

Xu Zaijing, while untying the fine strings of the cloak he had woven in front of him, said: "If there is anything else, you must tell me, don't act on your own and suffer from cold and freezing like last time."

Qingcao pursed her lips embarrassedly and nodded.

As he spoke, Xu Zaijing handed the cloak to Yunxiang, who walked over, and walked towards the inner study.

When Qingcao opened the bamboo tube containing the letter, Huaxiang still wanted to lean over to take a look, but was pulled away by Yunxiang.

The sun set,

The courtyard was much dimmer.

"Miss Qingcao, the Mistress asks Fifth Young Master to go eat."

A maid said softly at the door of the room.

"Sister knows, I will go tell the Young Master right away." Qingcao, who had already finished reading the letter and put it away, replied.

On the way to the Mistress's courtyard,

Xu Zaijing glanced at Qingcao, who was carrying the lantern: "Is there anything happy?"

Qingcao pursed her lips embarrassedly, then smiled at Xu Zaijing and said: "Young Master, this servant also has a nephew."

Xu Zaijing raised the corners of his mouth and raised his eyebrows: "That's very good!"

"Why haven't I seen you send money home these past few months?"

Qingcao looked at the road under the lantern and said: "Returning to Young Master, sending it once costs money once, my family told me to save up a bit before sending it back."

"Hmm!"

Xu Zaijing didn't say anything more.

Actually, the monthly wages Qingcao had received by Xu Zaijing's side all these years added up were not as valuable as the few things the Marquis of Xiangyang had previously rewarded her with, which were kept in Xu Zaijing's storeroom.

When Qingcao first got those things, she also had the idea of sending them back to her hometown, but after being suppressed by Xu Zaijing, they were stored in the storeroom.

After all, after Qingcao came to Xu Zaijing's side, her monthly allowance was more than three taels; she sent three taels home and only kept a little for herself.

More than thirty taels a year was enough for her brother and sister-in-law in her hometown to eat and drink without doing anything for a year.

The jewelry the Marquis of Xiangyang gave her should just be kept as something at the bottom of the box.

Thinking of these, Xu Zaijing walked into his mother's courtyard.

Sitting down at the dining table,

Eldest brother Zaiduan returned, and there were many more smiles on Sun Shi's face.

Xu Zaijing sat below his third brother and looked at Xu Zaiduan: "Eldest Brother, you grew a beard, you look much more mature!"

Zaiduan touched his cheek: "Haha, right! I grew a beard and feel much more imposing! The people below look at me with different eyes."

Zaizhang nodded: "Then I will try it too."

Xu Zaijing looked at his third brother's face and smiled thinking about his appearance with a beard.

Zaiduan put one hand on Zaizhang's shoulder, looked at Xu Zaijing, and said: "By the way, Little Five, when I went to send things to people this afternoon, I heard that the merit evaluations for many people have already come down?"

Xu Zaijing nodded: "Yes! Eldest Brother, you have been promoted to Doctor of Martial Righteousness."

"What about you?"

"Me?... Gentleman of the Imperial Guard~" Xu Zaijing said somewhat indifferently, and at the same time glanced at Zaizhang.

"Oh! Tsk!"

Zaiduan patted Zaizhang's shoulder while clicking his tongue.

Zaizhang listened to the conversation, also put his hand on Xu Zaijing's shoulder, turned his head and said to Zaiduan: "Eldest Brother, do you feel that Dai Ge'er is obedient after you came back?"

Zaiduan: "Obedient! How could my son not be obedient! What about Zhong Ge'er?"

Zaizhang patted Xu Zaijing's shoulder while saying: "He looks naughtier than Dai Ge'er. Sigh~ worrying!"

Xu Zaijing shook his shoulder and shook Zaizhang's hand off.

Sun Shi: "Cough!"

Seeing the three sons who were talking look over, Sun Shi glared at Zaiduan and Zaizhang and said: "Eat!"

After the meal,

After drinking some digestive drinks and talking for a long while,

The sons, daughters-in-law, and grandsons returned to their respective courtyards.

Sun Shi sat in front of the dressing table, letting Mama Zhu help her tie her hair into a bun.

Looking at the bronze mirror and thinking of the scene at the dining table just now, Sun Shi said softly: "Jing'er's two older brothers are really..."

"Overestimating their own capabilities."

In the twelfth lunar month,

Several newly promoted military officers under Xu Hou, such as Lu Junyi and Wang Yan, who entered the capital, had already returned to the capital for several days.

Early this morning,

They received an invitation from the Xu family and were invited to Sai Sai Fanlou for a banquet.

At noon,

Before the meal,

Xu Zaijing accompanied a carriage hanging a 'Lu' sign to the downstairs of Sai Sai Fanlou while riding a horse with He Guan.

Upstairs,

Lu Junyi looked at the young boy who walked out of the carriage downstairs and said: "Who is in this carriage?"

"Hanging a wooden sign with the character Lu! Looking at his age, he should be Fifth Young Master's sworn brother, the little Duke Zong Ge'er of the Lian State. General, I am not wrong, right." Guo Kui on the side replied.

Xu Zaiduan, who heard the conversation, leaned over with pumpkin seeds in his hand,

Followed Guo Kui's finger and took a look,

After seeing the appearance of the young boy who was waving and greeting with a smile,

"Crack"

The pumpkin seeds in Zaiduan's hand were tightly clenched together by him.

(End of chapter)