Chapter 435

On the first day of the first lunar month, Uncle Fang had already come to the Huang family to pay New Year greetings,

so when everyone saw the Marquis and Marchioness of Shoushan welcoming guests outside, Uncle Fang bowed and said: "Marquis, Marchioness, these are my nephews, nephews, and grand-nephews."

"We have met the Marquis and Marchioness of Shoushan. May the Marquis and Marchioness have an auspicious New Year!"

Led by Zaiduan, everyone bowed and shouted.

After all, most of the Xu and Sun family members had served in the military, so the sound of their greetings was quite uniform.

The Marquis of Shoushan looked at such a large group of people, and his face also showed some surprise; the seats in their home might... not be enough, but the Marquis still smiled and reached out: "Many thanks to the Eldest Young Master and everyone for your auspicious words. Please come in and sit!"

Beside him, the Marchioness of Shoushan, Madam Yuan, nodded with a face full of smiles and also made a gesture of invitation: "Hurry and come into the house!"

The group of people from the Xu and Sun families filed into the reception hall,

and without causing the Huang family any worry, the members of the Xu and Sun families sat down in the Huang family reception hall according to their seniority.

Those who didn't have seats after the arrangement stood behind their respective elders.

"This, this is truly a poor reception, a poor reception indeed!" The Marquis of Shoushan looked at the scene in the reception hall and said to Zaiduan and Uncle Fang with an embarrassed bow.

Zaiduan glanced at Uncle Fang, and seeing that Uncle Fang had no intention of answering, he smiled and said: "Marquis, please do not take this to heart. It is just that we cousins are taking advantage of today to gather together at Uncle's house!"

"Usually, no matter whose house it is, there wouldn't be so many people coming to pay New Year greetings together!"

The Marquis of Shoushan smiled: "Hahaha! The Heir is right!"

Although the Marchioness of Shoushan beside him was the biological older sister of the original Marquis of Zhongqin, Yuan Bingkai, and the Xu family's Second Madam, Sheng Hualan, had almost become the Second Madam of the Yuan family,

she also nodded with a smile as she looked at everyone, and there was not the slightest hint of any other expression on her face.

In the days before Huang Qingyue returned to Bianjing,

the Marchioness of Shoushan had also met Hualan several times at banquets in Bianjing, and often heard news about Hualan when chatting with friendly Madams.

When they met, the Marquis of Shoushan felt that Hualan was beautiful and had an elegant and noble temperament.

When chatting, all he heard were praises for this Second Madam of the Xu family.

That such a good girl could not become her own niece-in-law, and had also married high into a Marquis's mansion, made the Marchioness of Shoushan feel a bit uncomfortable in her heart.

But,

ever since Huang Qingyue returned to Bianjing,

there had been rumors of the Marchioness of Ningyuan inquiring about her own son,

and later, there was almost an incident at the Zhu family's wedding banquet,

and it was Xu Zaijing who stepped in to control the valiant and outstanding Huang Qingyue, not letting him make a fool of himself in front of everyone, which could be considered as preserving the Huang family's reputation.

The discomfort in the Marchioness of Shoushan's heart had vanished.

In the reception hall,

Huang family servants from time to time moved long benches into the reception hall to invite the Xu and Sun family descendants to sit down.

Except for the beginning when Zaiduan and the Marquis of Shoushan were talking,

during the later chat, it was Huang Qingyue who was chatting with Zaiduan.

Most of what was said was about military affairs,

and as the designated trusted and beloved general of the Zhang family's Eldest Young Master, Huang Qingyue was qualified to have a few words with Zaiduan about some things.

After Zaiduan finished listening to Huang Qingyue's words, he asked: "Yue Ge'er, in that case, you won't be going to the west after the New Year, but directly under the Xiao Xiao Gongye's command?"

Huang Qingyue nodded: "I heard from the Eldest Young Master that I am going to the vicinity of Zhending Prefecture to train troops."

Zaiduan nodded and smiled: "Zhending Prefecture? That is truly a coincidence. My brother-in-law is from the Yi family of Zhending Prefecture! If Yue Ge'er encounters any difficulties in Zhending Prefecture at that time, you can naturally go to the Yi family to find someone."

Huang Qingyue bowed and smiled: "Then this younger brother will keep that in mind."

Hearing that the group's chat could actually lead to such great help, the smiles on the faces of the Marquis and Marchioness of Shoushan became even brighter.

The Marquis and Marchioness of Shoushan had heard of the Yi family of Zhending Prefecture; they were a family of military generals for generations.

With these words from Xu Zaiduan, their own son could take a calling card and visit the Yi family in the capacity of Zaiduan's close friend.

The Huang family would provide the money and gifts,

and with such a pretext, they could get to know the Yi family.

As long as they had the help of a local snake like the Yi family, their son would always have more help in training troops.

After Zaiduan smiled and drank a mouthful of tea, he nodded with a face full of appreciation and said: "Yue Ge'er, after the New Year, the cavalry under Father's command will expand a bit. A person like you was already designated by the Zhang family's Eldest Young Master early on, so I naturally won't think about it anymore!"

"I wonder if Yue Ge'er has any skilled cavalrymen you are familiar with that you can recommend to me?"

Hearing this, Huang Qingyue thought for a while and said: "This younger brother heard that the Western Army's Old General Cao will allocate some cavalry to Xu Hou. Why is the Heir still..."

Zaiduan waved his hand: "Naturally, I want both sides! The cavalry is newly built, and the opportunities for promotion are plentiful!"

"Heir, this... isn't this poaching from the Young Xiao Xiao Gongye (the Zhang family's Eldest Young Master)?"

"Don't worry about this; I will naturally speak to the Young Xiao Xiao Gongye about it."

Thinking that he had just received such a great favor from Zaiduan, Huang Qingyue's eyes turned, and after thinking for a while, he hesitantly said a few names.

After speaking, looking at Zaiduan who was still looking at him, Huang Qingyue hesitantly said: "There is also one brother who is also from Bianjing, surnamed Liao, named Shuye. According to his military merit, he could have been promoted to a squad leader, but he converted half of his military merit into money, saying it was for his younger sister's dowry."

"Although he is not very old, he is a veteran of the cavalry! When the Heir goes to the Young Xiao Xiao Gongye to ask for people, please do not say that the news came from me."

Zaiduan nodded: "Good! I have noted these few people! Yue Ge'er, rest assured, I have always been tight-lipped!"

Subsequently, everyone chatted a few more sentences, and Zaiduan led the crowd to stand up and leave the Huang family.

Bowing to Huang Qingyue at the main gate to say goodbye,

after the crowd had walked far away,

Zaizhang looked back at Huang Qingyue who was still standing at the gate and said to Zaiduan: "Eldest Brother, this Huang family boy has the protection of the Zhang family and is also favored by the Gu family; his future is limitless!"

Zaiduan nodded: This was also one of the reasons why he associated with the Huang family boy.

Thinking of this, Zaiduan looked back at his younger brother; he, Xu Dalang, had to sell a favor to associate with others, while his younger brother had to use force to coerce people.

In this way, the Xu family and the Huang family, whether in official business or private friendship, could be considered quite good.

In the future, when relatives and friends in the family joined the army, there would be one more place to go.

Huang Qingyue only returned to the Huang family after Zaiduan and the others disappeared around the corner.

In the reception hall,

the Marchioness of Shoushan had a worried look on her face: "Yue'er, if you let those people out, if the Young Xiao Xiao Gongye finds out..."

Huang Qingyue's eyes were full of comfort as he said to the Marchioness of Shoushan: "Mother, rest assured. Xu Dalang and the Young Xiao Xiao Gongye both once led cavalry under Xu Hou's command and charged through enemy lines together; it is a friendship forged in life and death!"

"Even if I don't say it, if Xu Dalang goes to the Young Xiao Xiao Gongye himself to ask for people, the Young Xiao Xiao Gongye will also give them for the sake of his comrade's future."

After the Marchioness of Shoushan finished listening, she nodded: "That is good!"

(End of chapter)