Chapter 578: Surname Hu, Given Name Delu [Thanks! Bow again! Owed chapters: 43k]

1,800 li northwest of Bianjing,

Yunnei Prefecture,

Jiuyuan City,

The sparse snowflakes that fell a few days ago left the inside and outside of the city mottled with gray and white.

Although the sky was clear, the cold wind was biting.

Not far from the city wall, there was a large Zhou military camp covering a vast area and stretching into pieces. The chimneys on the roofs of the barracks were emitting blue smoke from burning charcoal for warmth.

The winter was cold, and the soldiers mostly hid in the barracks to avoid the winter. Moreover, colds and frostbite would lead to a reduction in personnel, so there were not many shouts of training in the camp.

In front of the main army camp surrounded by barracks, a "Xu" flag was fluttering in the north wind.

Not far from the flag pole,

On the main road leading directly to the camp gate,

A patrol of soldiers walked past, breathing white air, with steps that were still considered neat.

After walking for a while,

"Drive!"

A sound came from far away,

It turned out to be a courier at the distant gate, who had inserted a flag on his back to verify his identity, whipping his horse to rush toward the main army camp quickly.

This courier was dressed quite thickly, wrapped like a ball by leather clothes and cotton clothes for warmth.

At the entrance of the main army camp, several Xu family personal guards looked at the rushing courier and hurriedly walked forward two steps.

"Hee-hee-hee~"

The horse, panting heavily, was reined in.

The Xu family personal guards hurriedly stepped forward, helping the dusty and clumsy courier dismount sideways.

"Thank you! Thank you!"

With his feet on the ground, the courier's legs were somewhat weak. Subsequently, while thanking, he untied the leather clothes covering his outside and took out a bamboo tube from his bosom, saying: "Military report sent from Bianjing!"

After a Xu family personal guard took the bamboo tube, he turned around and walked quickly into the camp.

The personal guard outside the door patted the dust off the courier's body, looked at the middle-aged-looking courier, and smiled: "You've worked hard all the way! Go warm up quickly and drink a bowl of hot soup to drive away the cold!"

The courier nodded repeatedly with a smile, stomped his feet, and breathed white air from his mouth, saying: "Good! This little one misses this bowl of hot meat soup in our camp every time I come to deliver a letter."

The Xu family personal guard smiled: "It's not just you who misses it, we are the same. Unfortunately, ordinary people can't drink this meat soup."

Hearing this, the courier smiled again, nodded, and said: "It's just that this little one delivers letters often and knows that General Xu is in the camp outside the city, otherwise I would have had to run into the city for quite a bit more."

The Xu family personal guard nodded with a smile, and the courier cupped his hands, then led his horse and walked toward a barracks to the side.

The main army camp was a structure of earth and wood,

Built very tall and large,

The shape was just like the north room of a high-ranking, powerful family in Bianjing, but the materials used were not very particular.

Because there were no partitions used to separate rooms in the house, only wooden pillars supporting the roof,

Therefore, one could see from the east wall to the west wall at a glance, and the room was extremely spacious.

In the barracks, a huge map was hung on the north wall facing the door, and in front of the map was a waist-high, super-large sand table with quite precise proportions.

If one looked carefully at the terrain on the sand table, one could see that it not only contained the terrain of the nearby Great Zhou territory, but more of the Northern Liao to the east.

Beside the sand table,

Xu Zaiduan, the heir to Marquis Yongyi, stood there wearing a cotton-padded jacket with a brocade surface, holding a hand warmer full of signs of use, and smiled as he looked at the Captain beside him:

"Junyi, you hiding in the camp all the time is not a solution! You should still take some time to return to Daming Prefecture to see your parents and the woman you mentioned!"

Lu Junyi looked at the sand table in front of him with a face full of irritability and said: "Urging, urging, urging! Urging me to look at a marriage at the end of the year, and urging me to look at a marriage after the year! Annoying to death!"

Zhang Fangsong, the third son of the British Duke, who was standing beside Zaiduan, smiled: "Brother Yi, the ancients say there are three unfilial acts, the greatest of which is to have no descendants. You should still listen to Brother Xu and go home to take a look."

Several lieutenants who were older looked at the handsome Lu Junyi and smiled: "Brother Yi, I heard you are still a virgin? You have to try the goodness of a woman to know..."

Hearing this, Lu Junyi's eyes widened and he looked at Xu Dalang. Xu Zaiduan hurriedly shook his head and smiled: "It wasn't me who said it!"

Lu Junyi subsequently turned his head to look at his junior brother, Wu Song.

Watching his junior brother not daring to meet his gaze, Lu Junyi clenched his fists and said: "Second Brother, we haven't exercised for a long time! Let's warm up in a while, horse army or foot army, you choose!"

Not knowing if it was because of the news that Lu Junyi was a virgin, or because the always powerful Wu Song was going to be trained by someone, in short, a burst of stifled laughter rang out in the barracks.

Wu Song, with an embarrassed expression, was about to cup his hands and beg for mercy when the Xu family personal guard lifted the cotton curtain, walked in quickly holding the bamboo tube, bowed to Xu Zaiduan, and said: "General, military report from Bianjing."

As soon as these words were spoken, the huge room quickly became quiet.

Xu Zaiduan put down the hand warmer, took the bamboo tube, looked at the seal mark after checking, and walked behind the screen with Zhang Fangsong.

Looking at the two generals who had walked away, the commanders and lieutenants standing by the sand table began to discuss in low voices.

Sitting down at the table behind the screen, Xu Zaiduan checked the seal mark and handed the military report written in secret text to a military scribe to the side.

Zhang Fangsong, the third son of the Zhang family, who had been talking until his mouth was dry, filled a bowl of water for Zaiduan with a small copper pot of warm water and said: "Brother Xu, what do you think will happen?"

Zaiduan pondered for a moment and said: "Before the New Year, my Little Five made such a scene at the Northern Liao embassy and even captured people in the mission! I think Northern Liao will not let it go."

Zhang Fangsong filled a bowl of water for himself again, nodded, and said: "Being able to make the Imperial City Division hold on and not release people, the person captured by Brother Jing, the status will not be simple!"

Zaiduan picked up the water bowl and took a sip, saying: "I don't know what kind of big figure it is."

Zhang Fangsong glanced at the scribe who was still "translating" the military report and whispered to Zaiduan: "Brother Xu, I see several lieutenants in your army who are quite powerful! Can you cut love and transfer a few to my army..."

Looking at Xu Zaiduan's gaze, Zhang Fangsong said: "This little brother guarantees that once the people are transferred, they will be by my side! I will guarantee them a future and will never treat them unfairly!"

Xu Zaiduan glanced at the scribe not far away who had a confused expression and said with a smile: "Good!"

After a while, the scribe blew on the ink that hadn't dried on the paper and walked toward this side: "General."

Zaiduan glanced at the scribe's somewhat awkward expression again and reached out to take the paper with few words on it.

"Brother Xu, drink water."

The Zhang Zhang Sanlang of the Zhang family said with a smile.

Xu Zaiduan nodded, picked up the water bowl, took a deep breath, and started drinking water while looking at the content on the paper.

The first sentence was still normal, which was that his father, Marquis Yongyi, would return to the north at the end of the first lunar month.

But... the last few words, he recognized them all, but how they were combined into a sentence... he couldn't understand it!

"Keng~"

The water entered his trachea.

"Puff!!!"

Xu Zaiduan, who was looking at the military report, turned his head quickly, and the water he had just drunk sprayed out from his nose and mouth into a mist.

"Cough, cough, cough, cough!"

Xu Zaiduan coughed violently.

Hearing this movement, the commanders and lieutenants outside the screen turned their heads to look one after another.

Zhang Fangsong, to the side, hurriedly stepped forward to help Xu Zaiduan pat his back.

"Cough, cough!"

"Brother Xu, what's wrong? Is there any major event?" Zhang Fangsong asked with concern, looking at Zaiduan.

"Cough!"

Zaiduan cleared his throat, waved his hand, and said: "No... nothing, just accidentally choked."

After speaking, Zaiduan stood straight, wiped the water stains from the corners of his mouth, pondered for a moment, looked at Zhang Fangsong, and said: "Third Brother, before, when the British Duke's wife was pregnant with the Fifth Daughter, how old was she?"

Zhang Fangsong blinked his eyes and said: "Mother was forty-something at the time! Brother Xu, why do you ask this?"

Thoughts flashing through his mind, Zhang Fangsong said in a daze: "It wouldn't be that Madam Sun..."

Forcing a smile, Xu Zaiduan nodded helplessly.

The fourteenth day of the first lunar month,

Beginning of the Chen hour (after 9:00 AM)

The Lantern Festival was approaching,

Bianjing city was lively inside and out,

In the streets and alleys, the doorways of various families had mostly hung up colorful lanterns.

Outside the Yongtai Gate of the outer city,

In the corridor on the second floor of a wooden building with a flag saying "Wang Family Long Stay" hanging on the colorful building in front of the door, a young lady dressed in plain clothes was walking while holding folded clothes.

Standing still in front of a guest room, the young lady holding the clothes said: "Brother, open the door!"

"Good!"

After a moment of response, Hua Rong, who had been in Bozhou before, opened the room door from inside.

The young lady stepped into the room, placed the clothes in her hand on the table, turned around, and smiled: "Brother, this 'Wang Family Long Stay' can not only borrow copper ladles, but the shopkeeper also said that there is an old man from the hair-cleaning society nearby."

"Yesterday we came a bit late, and the old man from the hair-cleaning society went home when it was dark! Brother, the Rong family is a Marquis residence, I think you should still let the old man tidy up your hair and beard!"

"You are clean and neat, so the Rong family's young master will look at you and feel comfortable, right."

Listening to his younger sister's words, Hua Rong touched his hair, pondered for a moment, and nodded: "Good!"

Seeing her brother agree, Hua Yan said with a smile: "Let's go!"

After speaking, the brother and sister closed the room door and walked downstairs.

When the brother and sister came to the first floor,

A young lady about the same age as Hua Yan was talking to her father behind the counter.

Looking at the sturdy and handsome Hua Rong, the young lady couldn't help but look at him. Upon seeing Hua Yan, the young lady's eyes dimmed, but hearing Hua Yan call "Brother," the shopkeeper's daughter's eyes lit up again.

When the brother and sister passed the counter, Hua Rong nodded to the shopkeeper with a smile.

The shopkeeper's daughter immediately lowered her head somewhat shyly.

Watching the brother and sister walk toward the old man who was cutting hair not far away on the first floor, the shopkeeper's daughter tugged at her father's clothes: "Dad~"

The shopkeeper was also satisfied with the talented Hua Rong. Looking at his daughter's appearance, he smiled and said: "Good, good, good, I'll go ask someone."

"Thank you, Dad!"

"If they are already engaged or married, then stop thinking about it."

"Hmm."

"Watch the counter."

As he spoke, the shopkeeper walked out from behind the counter and walked toward the Hua family brother and sister.

On this side,

The old man who was loosening Hua Rong's hair bun asked with a smile: "The guest is truly handsome, where are you going today?"

Before Hua Rong could speak, Hua Yan looked at the old woman helping out to the side and said: "We are going to visit the Marquis of Hou Fu Chang's residence!"

"Yo! Marquis of Hou Fu Chang's residence? That is a high-ranking, powerful family!" The old man said with a smile. Walking nearby, the shopkeeper who heard this conversation stopped his steps.

Glancing at Hua Rong, then looking back at his own daughter, the shopkeeper shook his head and walked back to the counter.

Looking at the few strands of hair that fell from time to time, feeling the thin blade in the old man's hand skillfully cutting the hair, Hua Rong said: "Old man, your craftsmanship is truly refined!"

"Haha, thank you for the praise, guest. This little old man has been doing this for decades."

"No wonder! Is this your Madam?"

Glancing at the old woman to the side with a smile, the old man said: "Yes!"

The old woman looked at Hua Yan and said: "Guest, this old woman also has a craft of styling hair, why don't you try it, young lady?"

Hua Rong glanced at his younger sister and smiled: "Good! Sorry to trouble you, Madam!"

The old woman smiled and said to Hua Yan: "Young lady, please sit here." After speaking, she turned around and brought out a bronze mirror from the side.

Feeling the thin blade at his temples, Hua Rong asked for the sake of talking: "I don't know your surname, old man?"

The old man looked at Hua Rong's hair with concentration and said: "Guest, this little old man's surname is Hu, given name Delu."

"Oh! So it's Old Man Hu!"

Old Man Hu nodded with a smile, put the thin blade in his hand to the side, and started to tie Hua Rong's hair bun again.

Soon, looking at himself in the bronze mirror, Hua Rong nodded with satisfaction.

At this moment, the old woman to the side said: "Husband! How do you style the hair bun that is most popular among the young ladies in our Bianjing?"

Old Man Hu glanced at Hua Rong, and Hua Rong, who understood the old man's meaning, nodded with a smile.

Only then did Old Man Hu go to the side to wash his hands, walked to Hua Yan's side, and started styling her hair.

While styling her hair, he was also somewhat reprimanding his own Madam about the essentials of the movements.

The old woman felt embarrassed and smiled at Hua Rong: "Guest, please forgive me, this old woman is clumsy and can't compare to my husband."

After a while,

Old Man Hu found a tender yellow hair ribbon and tied it for Hua Yan. Looking at Hua Yan, who was very satisfied and kept looking in the bronze mirror, he said: "It's quite a coincidence..."

Glancing at Hua Rong, Old Man Hu continued: "I heard that this hair styling style popular among the young ladies in the boudoir was learned from the Rong family's young lady of the Marquis of Hou Fu Chang!"

"Oh?"

Hua Rong was somewhat surprised.

Old Man Hu nodded with a smile and said: "The things popular among the young ladies in the boudoir in Bianjing are mostly popular first among the noble ladies of the Duke and Marquis families, and then slowly spread to the marketplace."

"Before, it was popular to do some needlework, later it was some kind of incense burning with lychee shells, etc., and so on."

Looking at Hua Yan, who was full of smiles and full of listening expression, Old Man Hu continued: "I remember back then, when this little old man first entered the trade following my master, nine out of ten things that the young ladies in the boudoir liked most were started by the only daughter of the Marquis Yongyi's residence!"

"That was changing styles every four or five days. My wife was clumsy and couldn't learn them well, so she was scolded by my master!"

"Sigh! I don't know how the Mama beside that noble lady figured out those styles!"

"What happened after that?" Hua Yan asked, blinking.

"After that? After that, the noble lady from the Marquis Yongyi's residence married a top scholar, and there was slowly no news of her in the capital!"

After Old Man Hu finished speaking, Hua Rong pointed to the tender yellow hair ribbon on his sister's head and said: "Then, what is the saying about this color hair ribbon?"

Old Man Hu and his Madam looked at each other and shook their heads, saying: "This little old man really can't say why, it just suddenly became popular before!"

The old woman nodded and said: "I heard that if there was no material of this color, many mothers who did business couldn't enter the residences!"

Hearing this, Hua Yan touched the hair ribbon on her head and said: "Then, how much silver is this hair ribbon?"

Rong family,

Huisue Courtyard,

Rong Feiyan, wearing a dark purple fluffy cloak, led her maids and walked out.

After crossing the veranda and passing the gate, she soon arrived at the main hall of the front courtyard.

Before entering the room, Rong Feiyan heard her brother Rong Xian's laughter: "Hahahaha, Dalang, you actually tidied up your hair bun? I've seen you at your most down-and-out! Why bother! Hahahaha!"

At the door, seeing Rong Feiyan's party, the maid reported: "The Third Da Niangzi is here!"

Rong Feiyan, wearing a cloak, lowered her head, passed through the cotton curtain, bypassed a light-colored screen, and saw the brother and sister who were standing up from the chairs on one side of the hall.

"This little one/this little girl has seen the Third Da Niangzi!"

Hua Rong bowed and cupped his hands, while Hua Yan bowed somewhat stiffly.

"You two are too polite, winter has come to the capital, the journey has been hard, please sit."

"Not hard, not hard!" Hua Yan raised her head and glanced at Rong Feiyan, then said somewhat blankly.

Rong Feiyan's maids, Seeing Xi Bu and Ningxiang, saw Hua Erniang's hairstyle and the tender yellow hair ribbon, and smiled meaningfully at each other.

Rong Feiyan walked toward the seat while saying: "Brother, where is Mother?"

Rong Xian curled his lips and said: "Mother is here, her nose is not a nose, her mouth is not a mouth, so I asked her to go back first."

Looking at the Hua family brother and sister, Rong Feiyan nodded.

"Dalang, when you came last time, you didn't bring Erniang. Now I see that Erniang seems to have some martial arts skills?" Rong Xian looked at Hua Rong, who was seated.

"Yes! Erniang has been practicing martial arts with me since she was a child, and her skills can be considered passable."

Rong Xian nodded with a smile, glanced at Rong Feiyan, and said: "The matter is urgent, Marquis Xu is going to the north in these two days! Let's go, let's go to the Xu family first, and ask the Fifth Young Master to take a look at you! Hoping to get you a good future!"

"Mar... Marquis Yongyi?" Hua Rong was surprised.

Rong Xian nodded with a smile: "Yes!"

Hua Rong stood up, bowed deeply, and said: "Sorry to trouble the Second Young Master!"

"Why say this to me! Let's go! Sister, you and Erniang play well!"

Rong Feiyan smiled: "Understood, Brother."

"Brother..." Hua Erniang called out somewhat hesitantly.

Rong Xian glanced at his sister, then glanced at Hua Erniang, his eyes turned, and he said: "Sister, you accompany Erniang to the Xu family, it can be justified. Together?"

"Hmm!" Rong Feiyan nodded heavily.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 579 =====