Chapter 60

Xu Zaijing returned home and told his two elder brothers, who had finished school in the afternoon, about what he had seen and heard at General Zheng's house.

Afterward, he slipped away to his eldest sister's Qiongzhi Pavilion.

Pingmei was concentrating on embroidering her own green silk wedding dress.

"Sister, in a few days, there might be distinguished guests coming."

"Distinguished guests? Whose family?"

"The Zhang family of the Duke of England."

"Huh? Is our family going to be joined in marriage with the Zhang family?"

"Sister, what are you thinking? How much family property do we have to be joined in marriage with them?"

"Then who is it? Is Princess Pingning coming?"

"No, it's your little fan," Xu Zaijing said casually.

"What little fan?" Pingmei put down the needle and thread in her hand and stared at Xu Zaijing.

"Today I went to the old General Zheng's house and met the Fifth Da Niangzi of the Duke of England's mansion. She said you were commended by the Empress, and the Duchess of England also praised you endlessly, so she wants to come and see you."

"That is naturally good. When the Zhang family's Fifth Da Niangzi comes, let Anmei come over to accompany her; naturally, we will not treat her poorly."

"That's good. I'm just telling you so you won't be flustered when the time comes. By the way, bring over our family's 'Golden Bed and Silver Bed' (cat); the little girl will definitely like it."

"My little Fifth is truly smart."

"Sister, is there a maid named Qingzhi in your courtyard?"

Pingmei looked over, stared at Xu Zaijing, and said,

"Yes, what about it? She is considered the best-looking among the nine little maids Mother chose."

"Sister, don't look at me with that kind of gaze; it makes me seem like some kind of lecher."

"Aren't you? Your sister already knows the twists and turns in your heart."

"Sister, then tell me, what am I thinking in my heart! I haven't even said anything, and you are already so arbitrary."

"It's just that you are not big but your heart is not small; you want a concubine-maid. You should wait a few more years."

"Sister, you are wrong. I won't joke with you anymore. The little maid in my courtyard, Qingcao, is from the same village as Qingzhi in your courtyard."

"Huh?"

"They are all from families of miners who suffered in a mining disaster. I heard from Qingcao that Qingzhi was sold to the agency because her sister-in-law was about to deliver; she is also a bitter life.

Although I can't save all the bitter people in the world, I should be a little better to her if I can."

Pingmei paused for a moment and then said, "Mm, I know."

In the following days, Xu Zaijing did not receive an invitation from the Duke of England's mansion, and the Zhang family's Fifth Da Niangzi did not come to visit the Xu family.

The air in Bianjing suddenly became tense.

Post horses entering the capital frequently galloped past the Ansu Gate and the Jinyao Gate.

Xu Zaijing returned to the Sun family once with his mother, and the atmosphere in the Sun family was also somewhat tense.

Whether it was Xu Zaijing's maternal grandparents or the several aunts who remained at home, there were no smiles on their faces.

Xu Zaijing wanted to ask his mother, but was brushed off by Madam Sun with a few words.

Even the polo matches outside Jinming Pool were stopped.

At this time, there was no clear record in the original book or the TV series, and Xu Zaijing could not be sure what exactly had happened.

"Could it be that something is wrong with the Emperor's health?"

Xu Zaijing let his imagination run wild.

Fortunately, there was Gu Tingyu, the future brother-in-law. When the three Xu brothers came to visit the Gu family, Xu Zaijing finally got a piece of news from Gu Tingyu's mouth:

Lingzhou, the only horse-raising land of the Great Zhou Dynasty, was being pressured by the Bai Gao Kingdom, and the eastern side, Suizhou, was also being pressured by the Northern Liao Kingdom.

Gu Tingyu stood in front of a map of the Great Zhou and pointed out the location of Lingzhou to his four younger brothers, saying:

"The new Empress Dowager in power in this Bai Gao Kingdom seems to have reached some kind of alliance with Northern Liao to jointly strangle our Great Zhou's horse-raising land. The intention should be to cut off the horse source for the Great Zhou's cavalry."

Xu Zaiduan looked at the map and said, "Both the Bai Gao Kingdom and Northern Liao have wolfish ambitions, wanting to bite off a piece of meat from the Great Zhou!"

Gu Tingyu said, "Father has already returned to the northern front in the past few days, and the Duke of England and the Marquis of Zhongjing have also gone to the front to oversee the overall situation. In these two days, the imperial court will mention this matter in the court gazette."

"The pressure is greatest on the Western Army," Xu Zaijing said, looking at the map.

"Correct."

The three Xu brothers fell silent.

The Western Army—their father and cousins were all there.

"Our Great Zhou's national strength is prosperous; we will definitely not let this Bai Gao Kingdom succeed."

After Gu Tingyu finished speaking, he continued to look at the map with sharp eyes, as if there were northern war fires and cavalry clashes in his eyes.

At such a young age, he seemed to have a different demeanor.

But the image did not last for more than a few breaths.

"Bang."

The door was pushed open, and the exquisitely carved Gu Tingyi walked into his eldest brother's study.

"Big Bro, food, food."

Gu Tingyu eased his emotions.

Just now, he could feel the admiring eyes of his several younger brothers.

As a result, he was interrupted.

"Alright, let's go eat. Mother specially invited a chef from Fan Tower."

"Let's go, Third Sister, let's go eat."

The five people crowded around Gu Tingyi and went to the main hall where Madam Bai was.

At the dinner table, although Madam Bai had a smile on her face, one could still tell she was not sleeping well; after all, it was her first time experiencing her husband going out to fight for the country.

The next day, Gu Tingyu, Xu Zaijing, and several others came to the city wall on the north side of Bianjing. Under the huge city wall, tens of thousands of Imperial Guards were standing solemnly outside the city with clear flags.

After the leading general, Old General Lu, finished the procedure for the army's departure and the Emperor bestowed the farewell wine, tens of thousands of troops marched toward the Western Army for support.

After coming down from the city wall and walking on the street home, Xu Zaijing met Zhang Fangsong, the Zhang Zhang Sanlang of the Duke of England's mansion.

The two had their own circles beside them; after nodding to signal, they separated.

The war fires in the north had always been pulling at the hearts of the residents of Bianjing.

As a military noble family, the concern was even greater.

The frequency of gatherings of the noble ladies increased significantly.

The Marquis of Yongchang's mansion was also a noble family. Marquis Liang also put on his armor and went to the front. I heard from the Great Da Niangzi Wu that he went to Yanzhou to supervise the recruitment of soldiers together with the Prince of Yanzhou.

From time to time, rumors about the war in the north were spread.

Some said the Duke of England was defeated, some said the Duke of England was injured, and even more exaggeratedly, some said the Duke of England was captured.

For a time, the Zhang family of the Duke of England was in a precarious situation.

There were also those who said the Empress's Cao family had communicated with the Bai Gao Kingdom and led troops into Lingzhou,

and others said that under the city of Lingzhou, the Bai Gao Kingdom was defeated and returned.

There were also people who said the Prince of Yanzhou had reached an alliance with Northern Liao and wanted to establish himself as king in Yanzhou.

Some even rumored that Gu Yankai had been blinded by the Haidongqing of the Northern Liao Kingdom.

These rumors were spreading in Bianjing, but when interested people went to look for them, those messages disappeared without a trace.

A few days later, the Zhang family of the Duke of England invited Xu Zaijing to go hunting outside the city. Xu Zaijing pulled along his two elder brothers, as well as the two Gu Tingyu brothers.

A group of people in fresh clothes and angry horses,

and even servants leading dogs and holding Haidongqing, talking and laughing loudly along the way.

Looking at them, they had quite the air of Bianjing's playboy bullies, but there was not the slightest look of fear on their faces.

In the forest outside the city, Gu Tingyu saw the Haidongqing pouncing on birds, and his eyes became sorrowful.

"Fifth Young Master, do you have the confidence to shoot down this kind of Haidongqing?"

"If I discover a Haidongqing circling in advance and am prepared in my heart, I can draw my bow and shoot urgently. But if the Haidongqing suddenly attacks, I don't have much confidence," Xu Zaijing said.

"Eldest Brother, did you listen to rumors and fear that the Marquis of Gu would have an accident?" Zhang Zhang Sanlang Zhang asked.

Gu Tingyu nodded.

"Eldest Brother, set your heart at ease. This Haidongqing is best at pouncing on flying birds in the air; attacking people is not what it is good at."

Xu Zaijing said on the side, "I heard from the Zheng family brothers that the Marquis of Gu once shot down a Haidongqing in the north. Don't worry, Brother Yu."

Gu Tingyu looked surprised. Gu Tingye said, "Why haven't I heard Father mention it?"

Everyone played outside the city until the afternoon and then returned to Bianjing.

On the way, they could still see post horses and messengers coming from all directions of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

"By the way, my Fifth Da Niangzi said that in these few days, she might go to the Hou Fu to play. At that time, please ask the young masters to look after her a bit."

Xu Zaiduan said, "That is only natural."

For a time, the saying that the Zhang family sons of the Duke of England were talking and laughing, without the slightest fear, spread in Bianjing.

In Bianjing, the Zhang family was known for their strict family style. If their sons could still be so happy, then there should be no changes in the northern war.

More than half a month later.

Thousands of miles away.

Yang Zhou.

Sheng family, Shou'an Hall.

Old Madam Sheng had returned to Yang Zhou from Youyang some time ago.

Before leaving, she heard that Shulan of the eldest branch had been locked in the courtyard by her mother, Madam Li, who had started to train Shulan's temperament. She swore to train Shulan, this "wild girl," into a lady.

Sheng Hong went directly there after returning home from the government office.

He whispered to Old Madam Sheng,

"Mother, fighting has started in the north."

When Old Madam Sheng heard this, she did not tremble in fear like an old person in an ordinary family; instead, a sharp light flashed in her eyes.

"Tell me in detail."

In the main hall, Fang Mama brought a cup of tea, and Hualan went up to meet her.

Thank you all for your support. (`) Heart.

If there are any unsmooth parts or typos, please point them out.

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(End of Chapter)