Chapter 467

Chaoyun Pavilion,

the street at the entrance of the brothel was very lively,

and three young men wearing scholars' robes stood to one side,

one of whom was dressed decently and said with some anger on his face: "Brother Brother Jin Yu, that scholar surnamed Sun is like a dog biting Lu Dongbin—he doesn't recognize a good heart. Why do you bother with him?"

The young man called Brother Brother Jin Yu, whose robe was somewhat worn but very clean, turned his head to look at the tall and exquisite wooden building and said: "Just now in the side room, I heard what that Scholar Sun in the room said. He knows a lot about washing and mending, so he must also be from a bitter background!"

"Alas! I really cannot bear to see him waste his money here!"

Hearing what Brother Brother Jin Yu said, the person next to him with embroidery on his robe shook his head and said: "What a pity! People think you, Shui Brother Jin Yu, are competing with him for that female musician. Since he doesn't know what's good for him, why bother saying those two extra sentences and making the madam of the pavilion unhappy!"

Shui Brother Jin Yu sighed: "Two brothers, you know how embarrassed I was when I first came to Bianjing! I was even helped by the money of an unknown noble. I originally wanted to ask for their name to repay them, but they told me that if I see other people in trouble, I should just reach out and help."

The decently dressed young man said: "Hahaha! Brother Brother Jin Yu, that scholar surnamed Sun is not in trouble; at most, he has fallen into someone's trap! This person is hard to persuade with kind words, so let's not talk about him! The results of the imperial examination will be posted in a few days, and I wonder if Brother Brother Jin Yu will be 'caught as a son-in-law' under the list."

Shui Brother Jin Yu looked melancholy toward the direction of the imperial city: "I only hope to pass the examination; I dare not think about anything else."

The young man in the embroidered robe said: "If you two brothers pass the examination, you must lend me some money so that I can redeem the jade pendant of the Marquis Yongyi's mansion from the pawnshop in the city, so my wife can embroider fewer handkerchiefs."

"Haha, I'll take Brother Dan's auspicious words."

As they spoke, the three of them walked away in the direction of Chaoyun Pavilion.

After getting further away,

'Brother Dan' among the three turned his head back to look at the brothel again and whispered: "I think we should attend fewer banquets at the Kang Prince's mansion in the future to avoid causing any trouble."

Hearing this, the other two nodded repeatedly.

Polo field,

the two sides competing on the field had already changed to new families.

In the tent of the Duke of Ying's Zhang family,

the noble young ladies sat on embroidered stools and looked out at the polo match.

Gu Tingyi and Minglan were standing beside the Fifth Daughter of the Zhang family, talking to each other about the techniques of pitch-pot.

Hearing the cheers outside the tent,

the Fifth Daughter of the Zhang family looked out and said: "Which two families are on the field now?"

Seeing Mo Lan looked at the people in the tent, and seeing that no one spoke, she said softly from the side: "It looks like the Second Brother and Third Sister of the Yu family, but I don't quite recognize the family they are playing against."

"Go and ask."

The Fifth Daughter of the Zhang family ordered.

"Yes, Da Niangzi."

The maid responded and left.

"Fifth Sister, are you still going to compete in pitch-pot? If not, I'll go sit and rest with Minglan."

"I will! I will!"

Before long,

the Zhang family maid said at the tent entrance: "Da Niangzi, I've found out clearly. The opponent of the Yu family young lady is the Third Daughter of the Hong family, the Magistrate of Yang Zhou who came to the capital last year! The Hong family's Madam Peng has some kinship with the Wei family of the Hou Fu'an."

Hearing what the maid said,

Gu Tingyi looked out with some curiosity: "So it's her!"

The Fifth Daughter of the Zhang family looked at Gu Tingyi: "Tingyi, do you know her?"

Gu Tingyi shook his head: "I don't know her well, I just met her once when my mother went to Yang Zhou to hold a thank-you banquet. I vaguely remember that her aunt's family is an official in the Ministry of Revenue."

Everyone nodded as they listened, and Chai Zhengzheng looked at the few Lan sisters of the Sheng family with confusion.

After making eye contact with Chai Zhengzheng, Rulan smiled somewhat reservedly: "Sister Chai, what's wrong?"

After speaking, she also lowered her head to look at her own clothes.

Chai Zhengzheng shook her head: "Nothing, I just heard that Master Sheng was also an Assistant Prefect in Yang Zhou before. I didn't expect..."

Rulan nodded: "Oh, oh, the three of us are young, and it was always Eldest Sister who went to attend these elegant gatherings in Yang Zhou. I haven't really seen that Hong family sister."

In the Xu family tent,

they were also discussing the two sides competing on the field.

Xu Zaijing asked curiously: "Liang Liu Lang, are you saying that the Hong family young lady was originally betrothed to that scoundrel Wei Faqi?"

Liang Han nodded repeatedly: "Yes! But I don't know why the Wei family broke off the engagement."

Gu Tingye looked at Xu Zaijing: "Jing-ge'er, we should have seen this young lady when we were in Yang Zhou. She doesn't seem to be much younger than Sister Hualan, does she?"

Xu Zaijing nodded, turned his head to look at Liang Han, and continued: "Liang Liu Lang, is there any new development now? It stands to reason that after such a thing happened, this Hong family young lady wouldn't come out to invite discussion in vain."

Liang Han smiled and glanced at Gu Tingye.

Gu Tingye asked with some confusion: "Liang Liu Lang, why are you looking at me?"

Liang Han whispered:

"Not many people know about this, but I heard from my mother that this Hong family young lady was betrothed to Gu Tingyang of your Gu family's Fifth Branch."

"My cousin?"

Gu Tingye said, also glancing at Xu Zaijing.

Xu Zaijing, holding a teacup, stopped his hand in mid-air, his tone full of disdain: "Pfft, it's that scoundrel."

"Your Gu family is, after all, a family that assisted in the founding of the dynasty, with long-standing connections in the military! The Wei family of the Hou Fu'an, however, is somewhat lacking in foundation. So this Hong family young lady naturally has to come out to play polo."

Hearing Liang Han's words, Gu Tingye raised his eyebrows with self-satisfaction and said: "No wonder my cousin hasn't been going to brothels and pleasure quarters these days."

End of the Wei period (after 3:00 PM)

The polo match ended,

and servants were cleaning up things near the Yu family tent,

Yu Yanhong put down the silver pot she was drinking water from, tugged on her elder brother's sleeve beside her and said: "Brother, look quickly, it's the maid beside Sister Chai Zhengzheng coming this way."

Yuan Erlang Brother of the Yu family turned his head to look, hurriedly tidied his clothes, and seeing the look in Yu Yanhong's eyes indicating no problem, he cleared his throat and stood straight.

The Chai family maid walked up close and bowed: "Greetings to the Second Brother and Third Sister, this servant Miss Fuyi is from the Chai family..."

"I know, I know, you are the personal maid beside Sister Zhengzheng. I wonder what brings you here?"

Yu Yanhong asked with a smile.

Miss Fuyi smiled: "I wonder if the Eldest Da Niangzi of the Yu family is in the tent?"

Hearing this,

the smiles on the faces of the brother and sister froze. Yuan Erlang Brother of the Yu family reacted quickly and continued to smile: "She is, she is!"

After speaking, he turned his head and shouted: "Eldest Sister!"

Yu Yanran poked her head out of the tent with her maid, her eyes somewhat confused.

Miss Fuyi smiled politely at the Yu brothers and sisters, then walked up to Yu Yanran and bowed: "Eldest Da Niangzi of the Yu family, our young lady invites you to drink tea tomorrow or the day after. I wonder if you could spare the time to go then."

Yu Yanran nodded repeatedly: "I dare not say spare the time; I am free tomorrow or the day after, I will go."

"Good, then I will report back to our young lady like this."

After speaking, Miss Fuyi bowed to Yu Yanran, Yanhong, and the Second Brother of the Yu family respectively and turned to leave.

Yu Yanhong watched Miss Fuyi leave with a smile. After the person had walked far away, her smile faded, and she secretly rolled her eyes at Yu Yanran.

After the things were packed up,

the Yu family group walked toward the outside of the field,

and just as they reached the entrance, the Second Brother of the Yu family looked at Yu Yanhong and said: "Sister, where are your earrings?"

Hearing this, Yu Yanhong touched her earlobe and was stunned: "Oh no! They might have fallen off."

Yuan Erlang Brother of the Yu family frowned and said: "Those are earrings treasured by Mother, and you stole them to wear out. If they can't be found..."

"Brother, stop talking, hurry back and look for them."

Subsequently, the Yu family group returned to the vicinity of the tent one after another.

The sun slanted to the west,

and after looking for quite a while,

there were far fewer people in the polo field, which appeared very empty.

"Found them!"

Yu Yanran pointed to the ground under the gap in the wooden floor.

"Why don't you go down and pick them up!" Yu Yanhong glared at the little maid beside her.

The little maid crawled into the space under the floor and spent a great deal of effort to pick the earrings out from below.

Yu Yanhong put the earrings away,

and when the Yu family group was preparing to leave,

the polo field was already very quiet, and the field managers and servants in the distance were all carrying flags, gongs, drums, and goal boards out of the field.

When they arrived outside the polo field,

Yu Yanhong thought of the words of the Chai family maid just now, and looked around with some discomfort in her heart.

Suddenly,

Yu Yanhong was stunned for a moment, then patted her elder brother's arm beside her: "Brother, look over there quickly! Why does that horse beside the carriage look so familiar?"

Yuan Erlang Brother of the Yu family looked over as instructed, gazing at the carriage and horses with servants and maids standing beside them in the distance: "It seems to be the mount of the Hong family young lady who competed against you just now."

"Right! But the carriage beside it doesn't look like the Hong family's!" Yu Yanhong continued.

Yuan Erlang Brother of the Yu family squinted and looked: "Hiss! It looks familiar to me, it's the carriage of the Qin family of the Marquis Dongchang's mansion!"

"Hmph! No wonder she came out to play polo, it turns out she climbed up a high branch!" Yu Yanhong said with some disdain, curling her lips.

As they spoke,

the Yu family group gradually moved away from the polo field.

Yuan Erlang Brother of the Yu family looked back from time to time, and after seeing someone drill out of the Qin family carriage, he tidied his clothes. Yuan Erlang Brother of the Yu family turned his head back and sighed: "Tsk tsk tsk, the Qin family brother is truly romantic!"

"Pfft, shameless."

Yu Yanhong spat from the side, not knowing whether she was talking about the man, the woman, or her own brother.

After returning to the Yu mansion,

the sun sank,

and the sky was already somewhat dark.

Yu Yanhong entered the inner courtyard, looked at her parents who were talking, and walked over quickly: "Mother, guess what your daughter saw just now?"

"Hong'er, what did you see that makes you so happy?"

Yu Yanhong leaned into her mother's ear and muttered a few words.

The Yu family's Madam looked at Yu Yanhong in surprise and sighed: "I didn't expect that this Hong family actually climbed up such a high branch!"

Yu Yanhong nodded repeatedly.

Night,

inside the imperial palace,

outside the house where the imperial guards rested under the city wall,

an eunuch carried a lantern and led the imperial guards carrying a wooden board into the house.

The eunuch's voice came:

"Pan-ge'er, this is the mark left by a certain brother's polo ball today. His Majesty wants you to take a look!"

After a while,

someone said: "Eunuch, this humble official thanks His Majesty for his protection."

"Pan-ge'er, you are too polite. His Majesty also wants you to have a sense of the situation and understand His Majesty's painstaking efforts in not letting you leave the palace."

"This humble official understands!"

A few days later,

early this morning,

Marquis Yongyi's mansion,

Xu Zaijing, who had finished his exercise, walked into the room and looked at the empty seat at the dining table with confusion: "Where is Father?"

Sun Shi yawned and said: "Today His Majesty is going to review the Western Army that has returned to the capital in front of Baojin Tower, and your father rushed over there early in the morning."

"Speaking of which, for this review, the Western Army has been confined in the camp for training since the day they arrived in the capital. It should be somewhat different from the reviews of previous years."

Xu Zaijing listened to the words, nodded, and sat in front of the dining table: "Jing Jing Biao Ge said he would return to the capital before the New Year, but it's already March!"

Sun Shi glared at Xu Zaijing: "Are you thinking of your cousin or the gift he is going to give you?"

"Both!"

Xu Zaijing took the porridge bowl handed over by Mama Zhu and smiled.

After finishing breakfast,

just as Xu Zaijing was about to leave the dining table to go to school,

Sun Shi looked at the look in the eyes of her eldest daughter-in-law, Xie Shi, and suddenly remembered something: "Right, Jing'er! Wait a moment!"

Looking at the confused Xu Zaijing, Sun Shi said: "Before, your eldest brother recruited quite a few experts in the cavalry in the capital, and the rest followed your eldest brother!"

"Only one returned with the Marquis Tuoxi and your father, and because he was preparing for today's review, he has been in the Western camp. After you finish school today, go and visit him."

As she spoke, Sun Shi reached out and took an envelope from her personal maid and handed it to Xu Zaijing.

Xu Zaijing took it, scanned the address on the envelope, and nodded: "I understand, Mother."

Zaihang in front of the table looked at Sun Shi: "Mother, what about me?"

Sun Shi smiled: "Zhang'er, Jing'er has been to the Western Army and always has something to say to the cavalry commander your eldest brother thinks highly of. What can you say if you go?"

Zaihang nodded helplessly: "Mother, I'm full too."

When Xu Zaijing was at school at the Sheng family,

Madam Wu was a guest at a certain civil official's house. Sitting in the seat of honor, she said with a smile: "Sister Liu, the Hai family entrusted me to express their thanks to you, but their family's Yun-jie'er is still young, so this marriage will have to be discussed in two years."

The hostess opposite, Madam Liu, nodded: "I knew it would be mostly like this. My brother hasn't passed the examination yet, so how could he catch the eye of a family like the Hai family! If it weren't for my husband pressing me so hard, I wouldn't have asked you, sister, to make this trip."

Madam Wu smiled and shook her head to indicate it was nothing, saying: "It's all a small matter. I just treated it as visiting the Hai family! I also took the opportunity to see their family's Jie-ge'er! Oh my, he really is a good child."

Madam Liu nodded with relief and smiled, then leaned forward with gossip in her eyes: "Right, sister, I heard that the Third Daughter of the Hong family who entered the capital last year had her engagement broken off by the Wei family, and now the marriage has been settled again?"

Surprise flashed across Madam Wu's eyes, and she smiled: "I say, sister, your news is quite well-informed!"

Madam Liu waved her hand: "Where, where, I also heard it from the Yu family's Madam! Hiss, sister, you say how did this Hong family climb up the high branch of the Marquis Dongchang's mansion!"

Madam Wu smiled noncommittally: "Is it the successor Madam of Magistrate Yu's family? How did she know?"

Madam Liu nodded: "Yes, it's her! She said her daughter saw this Hong family daughter getting off the Qin family carriage outside the polo field."

Madam Wu nodded without changing her expression: "Fine, the rumors in Bianjing are always spread like this. I have some things to do today, so I will take my leave."

"Alas!"

Madam Liu stood up and responded, then accompanied Madam Wu out of the house.

Watching Madam Wu's carriage walk far away, the Madam sighed to the Mama beside her: "Tsk, this Hong family daughter is truly bold. Even if she is betrothed, she shouldn't be like this."

End of the You period (7:00 PM)

A dim alley somewhere.

Xu Zaijing stood beside the little chestnut horse, followed by Qingyun, who was leading the horse.

Xu Zaijing turned his head: "Qingyun, the review of the Western Army at Baojin Tower ended at noon, right?"

"Yes, Young Master."

"Then why hasn't this brave man surnamed Liao returned yet?"

"Young Master, the neighbor said that after this Liao family brother returned once in the afternoon, he went out again. Perhaps he went to some brothel for pleasure. Shall we come back tomorrow?"

Xu Zaijing patted the envelope in his hand with his other hand and said: "Wait a little longer, if he doesn't come, we'll go back."

The alley became even darker.

"Sssh."

The sound of a heavy object being dragged on the ground came from the darkness not far away.

"Neigh."

The little chestnut horse neighed uneasily and pawed the ground with its front hooves.

After the sound of a sword being drawn came from not far away, someone said hoarsely: "Who is it?"

Xu Zaijing comforted the little chestnut horse and said: "Is this Liao Sanlang? I am a disciple of the Xu family on Quyuanjie. Entrusted by my elder brother, I have come specifically to invite you to join the army. There is a bright future ahead!"

"Pfft! The Xu family?"

The person in the darkness sneered.

"Wuu~ wuu~"

The muffled sound of someone being gagged came.

During the time of speaking,

a tall and strong young man appeared in front of Xu Zaijing and Qingyun,

and this young man was leading a horse, with a sack being dragged behind the horse.

Subsequently, the young man loosened the sack in front of Xu Zaijing, revealing the middle-aged man inside.

The young man pulled out the rag in the middle-aged man's mouth and said: "Steward Qi, this is the Kang family's backer you mentioned, a disciple of the Xu family of the Marquis Yongyi's mansion on Quyuanjie. Do you have anything to say?"

The middle-aged man looked at Xu Zaijing in the darkness with eyes full of panic and said tremblingly: "I, this, hero, your sister's death, I really didn't mean it, she, I... the Xu family also didn't know..."

"Come in, and speak slowly in front of my sister's spirit."

As he spoke, the young man grabbed the middle-aged man's hair and dragged him toward the residence.

Xu Zaijing frowned and said to Qingyun beside him: "When did our family become the Kang family's backer?"

Qingyun shook his head in confusion: "Young Master, shall we go in?"

Xu Zaijing thought for a moment and said: "You don't go in yet! Ride a horse to the Kang family and inform them, just say that Steward Qi is inviting me to drink. Then go to the Sheng family and ask what is going on."

"And tell the family by the way."

"Yes, Young Master!"

Qingyun left.

After Xu Zaijing stretched his limbs, he walked into the Liao family residence.

In less than a quarter of an hour,

Xu Zaijing walked out, carrying one person in each hand.

Behind him followed the horse of the young man from just now.

After securing the young man on the back of his horse, Xu Zaijing led the people and walked toward the darkness, and at the same time, a voice came: "You Western Army killer, you really don't take the 'Great Zhou Law' seriously! Alas!"

(End of chapter)