Chapter 553

~17 min read 3,261 words

Xu Zaijing smiled and said, "Yes! Dai Ge'er, this boy, is not only smart, but it seems his memory is quite good too!"

Rong Xian asked in confusion, "Memory?"

Xu Zaijing nodded and said:

"I remember when Zhong Ge'er had his full-month celebration, when Dai Ge'er and I were sending off guests, Mother mentioned to him how to address Miss Feiyan; I didn't expect this boy to actually remember it."

"Ah?"

Rong Xian looked at Xu Xingdai opposite him in surprise.

Rong Feiyan, who was a bit shy and secretly happy, was sitting on the other side of Rong Xian.

After hearing Xu Zaijing's words, a look of recollection appeared in her eyes, and she quickly remembered the events of that day.

In Rong Feiyan's blurry memory, what she remembered most clearly was the large group of children from the Sun family in the courtyard that day.

In the hall,

others also heard Xu Zaijing's words.

Madam Wu looked at Madam Sun with an inquiring gaze, and seeing Madam Sun furrowing her brows in recollection, Madam Wu said, "Sister, you wouldn't have forgotten, would you?"

Madam Sun nodded with a smile: "I really forgot until Jing'er mentioned it! But now I have some impression; yes, I did say that to Dai Ge'er."

"Oh my, his memory is so good at such a young age, it looks like he's material for studying!" The Madam of Marquis Marquis Fu Chang opposite praised.

Xie Shi looked at her son in surprise and said, "Dai Ge'er, how did you remember this?"

Xu Xingdai pursed his lips with some embarrassment, looked at the people around him, and said, "That... that day, this Aunt Rong and Aunt Tingyi and Aunt Chai, they were all equally beautiful and good-looking, I... I just remembered..."

Children speak without taboos.

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone in the hall laughed again.

Tingyi, beside Pingmei, had an expression of being unable to suppress the corners of her mouth, looked at Xu Xingdai, and said, "You boy..."

Madam Wu said with a smile, "Oh, I say, Sister, our Dai Ge'er is good; his little mouth is like it's been smeared with honey, speaking in a way that can make people feel sweet in their hearts."

Madam Sun, sitting at the side, patted Madam Wu's hand reproachfully.

Hearing these later words of Xu Xingdai, the expression on Rong Feiyan's face also changed slightly.

Except for Zhang family's Fifth Da Niangzi and Gu Tingyi, who had marriage arrangements, the others Xu Xingdai mentioned were all noble young ladies of matching age to his little uncle Xu Zaijing.

Whether these few were truly remembered from following his grandmother and mother to various banquets and birthdays recently, it was unclear.

At this time,

a Xu family female servant lifted the curtain and entered from outside the room, bowed, and said, "Marquis, Madam, the steward at the gate says he saw the carriages of the Chai family and the British Duke Zhang family."

Xu Minghua and Madam Sun stood up, nodded to the Marquis Marquis Fu Chang family, and said, "Marquis Rong and Madam, please wait a moment; we will go to welcome them."

"Xu Hou, Madam, please go ahead!" Marquis Marquis Fu Chang stood up and smiled.

Madam Sun waved her hand with a smile, signaling Xie Shi, Pingmei, and the others not to follow and to stay in the hall to accompany the guests.

Soon,

the cotton curtain of the hall was lifted by a female servant,

and Xu Minghua and Madam Sun accompanied the British Duke's wife and the Chai family's wife, followed by the two noble young ladies, Fifth Da Niangzi and Zhengzheng, walking in while chatting and laughing.

The people remaining in the hall stood up to bow one after another.

Looking at the somewhat crowded hall,

Madam Sun smiled and said to the British Duke's wife and the Chai family's wife, "Madam, why don't we go to the hall in the backyard to talk? We'll leave this place to the Marquis and the others."

As she spoke, Madam Sun also looked inquiringly at Madam Wu and the Madam of Marquis Marquis Fu Chang.

"We are guests; naturally, we will listen to whatever arrangements you, the host, make," the British Duke's wife replied with a smile.

The Chai family's wife at the side nodded in agreement with a smile.

Thus,

the group split into two groups, and the ladies and madams all walked toward the Xu family's backyard.

With the ladies and young ladies gone, the front hall seemed much more spacious.

Xu Zaijing and his elder brother accompanied the guests to sit down again.

After everyone drank a sip of tea,

the hall was somewhat quiet.

Marquis Yongyi Xu Minghua was a veteran of the battlefield, while Marquis Marquis Fu Chang was an idle, lustful, and aimless Marquis.

Rong Xian was idling in the Imperial City's Forbidden Army, and Zaizhang had been studying all along.

Everyone really couldn't find any common topics to chat about.

Just as the few people seated were pondering what to chat about, Xu Zaijing said, "Xian Ge'er, before going to Beizhou, I remember you gave me a list, it was a few military officers; I don't know how capable these few are?"

Marquis Marquis Fu Chang in the seat of honor nodded hurriedly, looked at Rong Xian, and said, "Second Brother, Xu Hou's eye for military officers is famously sharp; tell us quickly!"

Xu Minghua put down his teacup, also showing a very interested appearance.

Smiling at Xu Minghua, who was looking at him, Rong Xian put down his teacup with some embarrassment and said:

"Xu Hou, actually, the list Jing Ge'er mentioned is mostly people who saw my family's rise and came to join; there are these few..."

Initially, when going from Bianjing to Beizhou,

on the way, Xu Zaijing had also looked at the list Rong Xian gave him; some had names written, some had official positions, and he had thought that if it was on the way, he could visit them.

But the Beizhou incident happened suddenly, and Xu Zaijing, in order to save people, rode fast to Beizhou, so he threw this matter to the back of his mind.

At this moment, listening to the few people Rong Xian mentioned, Xu Zaijing also had no fluctuations in his heart.

"This commander surnamed Qin, his ancestral home is Kaizhou, his ancestors were military officers for generations, and his ancestral home is not far from my maternal grandfather's family! He has a fiery and impatient personality and offended his superiors in the army!"

"After being dismissed from office, he was guided by his elders and came to join my family; my father, borrowing my sister's influence, exerted some effort and helped him secure a military position."

Zaizhang listened with great interest and asked, "What is this person's name?"

Rong Xian thought for a moment: "This fellow has a nickname, something like 'Fire-Splitting Qin Ming'."

Xu Zaijing, who was drinking tea, was stunned; he felt that the name Rong Xian mentioned made him feel inexplicably familiar.

Zaizhang said, "This nickname is also quite rare."

Rong Xian nodded: "Heh, he's just a soldier head in charge of seven or eight hundred garrison troops, not worth mentioning."

Rong Xian finished speaking and looked at Xu Zaijing, saying, "Jing Ge'er, besides what I said, who else was on that list?"

Xu Zaijing thought for a moment and said, "It seems there was also someone surnamed Hua from Bozhou."

Hearing this, Rong Xian nodded with a look of realization: "Oh, I remember this person! Speaking of which, he and you, Jing Ge'er, have some connection!"

Xu Zaijing looked confused: "Have some connection with me? Could it be... related to the Flower Madam from Qingyun's family?"

Rong Xian shook his head: "No, no, Jing Ge'er, do you remember when you went to the former Prince of Yan's fief and caused a ruckus?"

Xu Zaijing nodded.

Rong Xian said: "This boy surnamed Hua was originally a garrison officer in Qingzhou, stationed at the important location of Qingfeng Mountain; I don't know how he got involved with the soldiers and generals under the former Prince of Yan, and his military position was stripped to the bottom."

Xu Zaijing frowned: "Involved with the former Prince of Yan? Xian Ge'er, you..."

Rong Xian waved his hand with a smile: "Jing Ge'er, don't worry, I have carefully investigated this person's background; it's just that his position was coveted, and someone took advantage of the former Prince of Yan's incident to push the boat with the current, using silver to forcibly bite him."

"My family has some business in Qingzhou, and the steward is familiar with this boy surnamed Hua; after knowing about this, he pushed the person to me."

"This boy surnamed Hua is skilled in archery and horsemanship, and his younger sister's name and my younger sister's name both have the character 'Yan', so I recommended him to be an infantry battalion commander in the Bozhou garrison."

Xu Zaijing nodded: "What is this person's name?"

Rong Xian smiled: "Hua Rong."

Xu Zaijing's eyes widened: "Oh?"

Looking at Xu Zaijing's expression, Rong Xian, who misunderstood, smiled: "Haha, Jing Ge'er, isn't it a coincidence? His name also has the character 'Rong'."

Xu Zaijing nodded: "Coincidence, truly a coincidence!"

Saying this, Xu Zaijing looked at Xu Minghua in the seat of honor and said, "Father, since Xian Ge'er specifically said this Hua Rong is skilled in archery and horsemanship, if you have time, perhaps you can check him out."

Xu Minghua, who was drinking tea in the seat of honor, put down his teacup and said, "That's fine. If Marquis Rong also has this intention, have this young man come to the capital before February next year; if his skills are truly not bad, there will definitely be a position for him in the army."

Marquis Marquis Fu Chang at the side hurriedly bowed: "Since Xu Hou has spoken, this person will definitely come to the capital!"

Xu Minghua nodded with a smile that had an unclear meaning; he knew in his heart about his youngest son's divinity!

Just talking about the people Xu Zaijing recommended to the army before the war with Bai Gao, every one of them gradually grew into a brave general in the army.

And after the great war with Bai Gao, Xu Zaijing also helped a young officer named Liao Shuye, whom he had recommended, go to the army.

According to a letter from his eldest son Zaizuan, this young man named Liao has a brave and fierce style, and after cultivation, he will definitely have a great future.

Since his youngest son mentioned this unknown person surnamed Hua today, Xu Minghua is very interested to see if this person is still a talent worth cultivating.

Rong Xian looked at Xu Zaijing with a face full of smiles and said, "Jing Ge'er, good brother! Just because of my one word, you dared to recommend this person to Xu Hou."

Xu Zaijing smiled: "Xian Ge'er, are there any others on the list?"

"Oh, oh! There is also one..."

Rong Xian just started speaking,

when Cui Cui Mama Dan walked out from behind the screen leading to the backyard, bowed to the people in the hall, and said, "Marquis, Madam, the steward at the gate says he saw the carriages of the Chai family and the British Duke Zhang family."