Chapter 614: Gu Tingye: My Fifth Young Master! [Thank you! Bow again!]

"Whoosh—"

In the exquisite copper furnace engraved with peony patterns, red charcoal was burning vigorously.

On the copper furnace sat a copper water kettle full of signs of use.

The spout was spraying white steam outward, obviously the water inside had already boiled.

"Pfft~"

A thick cloth folded together was placed on the handle of the boiling water kettle.

Afterwards, a fair hand lifted the copper kettle from the copper furnace.

The copper kettle was carried not far from Xu Zaijing and the others.

"Gurgle~"

The hot water in the kettle was poured into a large-mouthed, handled large porcelain cup.

This large porcelain cup was very exquisite, and the outer wall was covered with calligraphy like dragons and snakes.

The tea leaves in the cup tumbled in the cup with the hot water.

After pouring the hot water, Yunxiang retreated to the side and looked at Qiuniang beside Gu Tingye with an inquiring look.

Qiuniang understood, walked over with a smile, took the copper kettle from Yunxiang's hand, and said thank you before walking towards her young master.

Yunxiang walked to the copper furnace and continued to sit there with Qingcao and Huaxiang.

Gu Tingye, who was sitting beside Xu Zaijing, looked at the small cup in Qiuniang's hand, then looked at the large cup beside Xu Zaijing, and said: "Brother Jing, only now did I notice that your porcelain cup is quite unique."

Xu Zaijing raised the porcelain cup in his hand and smiled: "It's mainly convenient, it holds a lot of water."

Qi Heng thoughtfully looked at the porcelain cup in Xu Zaijing's hand, and after a moment, with a sudden realization, said: "Wonderful! Wonderful! Admirable! Admirable! Brother Jing, this thought of yours is truly exquisite! In two days, I will also beg my mother to make a few cups of this style."

Listening to Qi Heng's praise, Xu Zaijing said with some confusion: "Yuanruo, why do you say that?"

Qi Heng had a "you know what you're asking" expression and said: "Brother Jing, the shape of this cup is very similar to a brush holder. Using this cup to drink tea is like drinking literary spirit!"

While Qi Heng was speaking,

Gu Tingye looked at the vigorous calligraphy on Xu Zaijing's cup and nodded in recognition, saying: "I say Brother Jing, you are hiding something! With such good things, you didn't share them with us classmates."

Liang Han, Qiao Jiulang, Lu Zezong, and others on one side of Qi Heng, hearing the conversation, all looked at Xu Zaijing.

Lu Zezong even scratched his temples, secretly thinking: "So the adopted brother made these cups, and there was such deep meaning in them! He didn't say it before, I imagine he wanted me to realize it myself."

Xu Zaijing shook his head with a smile: "If you want them, I'll have someone send you a few today."

Gu Tingye looked at the cup in Xu Zaijing's hand and said: "Brother Jing, is it as exquisite as the one in your hand?"

Xu Zaijing counted the few people on the side and said: "Yes! When Zezong's family sent them over, there were quite a few! There are a few cups that are as good as the one in my hand! There aren't many of you, so it should be enough."

Liang Han nodded heavily with a smile, his eyes full of longing, and said: "Brother Jing, with this cup of yours, I imagine I can pass the county examination."

Just as Xu Zaijing was about to say a few words to Liang Han with a helpless face, Qi Heng pointed to the water surface and said: "Brother Jing, it moved! It moved!"

"Swish~"

The fishing line was pulled out of the water by Xu Zaijing at high speed.

Looking at the empty fishhook,

"Pfft~"

Several people nearby, looking at Xu Zaijing who was shaking his head, all covered their mouths and laughed.

At this time,

"Crackle~"

The sound of walking came from not far away.

Qiuniang, who had finished pouring the hot water, walked to Qingcao's side, and together with the maids and servants scattered nearby, looked in the direction of the sound.

Walking over was a team of palace guards in armor.

Xu Zaijing and the others came quite early today, but since yesterday afternoon, the palace guards had already been on alert and defending inside and outside the polo field.

This team of palace guards stopped not far away, facing Xu Zaijing and the others sideways.

The captain of the guards, wearing exquisite gold-traced leather armor, walked quickly towards Xu Zaijing and the others.

Gu Tingye, Qi Heng, and others also heard the movement, looked back at the person walking quickly, Gu Tingye looked at it carefully for a few times, and said: "Hiss, this person looks unfamiliar, not someone I know! Is he an old acquaintance of yours?"

Liang Han, Lu Zezong, and others glanced at it and shook their heads one after another.

Qi Heng looked at Xu Zaijing, who stood up and walked towards the visitor, and said: "Second Uncle, it looks like Brother Jing knows him."

While speaking, Qi Heng also stood up.

Gu Tingye, Liang Han, and others, seeing this, also stood up one after another, following a few steps behind Xu Zaijing.

The captain came near Xu Zaijing, smiled, and arched his hands: "The subordinate has met Fifth Young Master! I heard from my comrades that Fifth Young Master and several young masters were fishing here."

While speaking, the captain smiled and nodded at Qingyun, who was standing beside Xu Zaijing.

Qingyun similarly smiled and nodded in return.

Xu Zaijing smiled and held the captain's arm, saying: "Old brother, you are too polite!"

While speaking, Xu Zaijing scanned the captain's attire and said: "Looking at your attire, old brother, you have been promoted?"

Former Western Army veteran, elite vanguard Xu Yizhou, smiled with some embarrassment and said: "Replying to Fifth Young Master, before, when the envoys from Northern Liao and Jin Kingdom came to the polo field to play ball, the subordinate was also responsible for nursing! Because of some small matters, His Highness specially promoted the subordinate."

Xu Zaijing recalled, and the figures of Zhao Weigan, Han Honglie, and other Northern Liao noble sons appeared in his mind, as well as the scene where the common people were full of onlookers outside the polo field wall, either cheering or scolding the people playing ball.

"That time was indeed a bit troublesome, and quite a few palace guard captains suffered grievances."

Xu Yizhou smiled: "For such grievances, the subordinate wishes he could suffer more."

Xu Zaijing shook his head with a smile and said: "How is your wife and nephew recently?"

"Very good, thank you Fifth Young Master for your concern," Xu Yizhou smiled.

"Brother Jing, who is this?"

Gu Tingye, who walked to the side, asked with confusion.

After Xu Zaijing explained a few words about "Western Army comrades" and "vanguard veterans," expressions of admiration appeared in the eyes of Gu Tingye, Qi Heng, and others.

"Good man!"

"Truly a warrior!"

Listening to the praise of Qi Heng and the others, Xu Yizhou hurriedly waved his hand and said: "Noble young masters, to tell you the truth, if it weren't for Brother Jing, the little one would have been buried under some dirt pile in the Northwest long ago."

Xu Zaijing shook his head and patted Xu Yizhou's armor, saying: "Not necessarily."

Gu Tingye puffed out his chest and walked to Xu Zaijing's side.

With a meaningful look in his eyes, he learned from Xu Zaijing and patted Xu Yizhou's armor, saying: "You and Brother Jing fought side by side in Bai Gao to attack the city and pull out the stronghold! I also fought with Brother Jing in Beizhou to defeat the strong enemy. Speaking of which, we are also comrades separated by only one layer."

"If you need any help in Bianjing in the future, just come to me directly."

Xu Yizhou smiled and arched his hands: "Thank you Second Young Master for your love."

"Eh~ saying this is being too polite!" Gu Tingye said with feigned unhappiness.

Xu Yizhou smiled and nodded, then arched his hands to Gu Tingye and the others, and said: "Then Fifth Young Master and noble young masters continue, the subordinate will go to patrol first."

Gu Tingye and the others nodded one after another.

Watching this team of palace guards walk away, Gu Tingye looked towards the direction of the tents of each family in the southwest and said: "Sixth Young Master, when are we going over?"

Liang Han said: "After the Empress and His Highness arrive, we will go over."

Xu Zaijing looked at the endless stream of figures at the main gate in the distance and said: "Sixth Young Master, although you invited us to join in the fun today, I see that there are more official wives and noble ladies coming today."

"I imagine we won't have much chance to play polo."

Gu Tingye, hearing this, said with disappointment on his face: "Ah? Then, then my exquisite ball skills, won't there be no chance to show them?"

Liang Han, to the side, smiled: "Pei Erge Gu, you have a chance, after all, Third Sister has to go on the field to play. Brother Jing and Yuanruo are the ones who have no chance to show their ball skills."

While speaking,

Everyone sat back by the water and continued to fish leisurely.

Across the water from Xu Zaijing and the others was a wall, and not far outside the wall was a large bush.

Madam Wu would often have people scatter pheasants and rabbits into the bushes, allowing guests who liked hunting and archery to play there.

Therefore,

When Xu Zaijing and the others were quiet, they could occasionally hear the cheers and regrets of people who had come early to hunt outside the wall.

On the third floor of the Wu Lou, some distance from Xu Zaijing and the others,

Gu Tingyi, Chai Zhengzheng, Rong Feiyan, and the Fifth Daughter of the Zhang family were standing by the window, slowly waving their round fans, looking at the people fishing and hunting in the distance downstairs.

"I see that Fifth Brother Xu, since he sat down, seems not to have caught a single fish?" Han Wulang Daughter of the Zhang family asked with some uncertainty.

"Hmm, it should be like that. I heard from Pei Erge that Brother Jing is not good at fishing." Gu Tingyi nodded.

"Zhengzheng, did you see clearly?"

Han Wulang Daughter of the Zhang family turned her head and said.

Chai Zhengzheng waved her hand and said: "Ah? Me? I didn't, I was watching others hunting."

"Sister Feiyan, what about you?" Gu Tingyi turned her head and said.

Rong Feiyan shook her head: "I didn't see any fish caught! Sister Tingyi, which family's noble lady is hunting over there?"

Gu Tingyi thought for a while and said: "It seems to be the Zhi sister of the Cao family of the Marquis of Tuoxi and the girl from the Gao family, a relative of the Cao family."

Chai Zhengzheng looked at everyone to the side and said in a low voice: "This girl, perhaps she is the most likely..."

Before she finished speaking, the other young ladies nodded one after another.

"Young ladies, the Empress's phoenix carriage has already left the inner city." The personal Mama of the Fifth Daughter said to the side.

"Oh, oh!"

Gu Tingyi and the others nodded hurriedly, then walked downstairs.

After the few of them left the Wu Lou,

The gate of the Wu Lou was closed by the palace guards.

By the water,

Listening to the movement behind the wall across the water,

Xu Zaijing looked at the fishing line floating on the water surface without moving, a feather was tied to the fishing line, which was trembling at this time.

Gu Tingye and the others to the side also discovered the movement of Xu Zaijing's fishing line and looked over one after another.

Thinking of the movement of the big fish under the water, Xu Zaijing prepared to lift the rod with a focused mind.

"Swish~"

Following Xu Zaijing's movement, the fishing line on the water surface was pulled taut, and the top of the fishing rod also began to droop.

Feeling the dragging force under the water, Xu Zaijing smiled: "This fish has quite a bit of strength!"

Gu Tingye said to the side: "No, Brother Jing, you are going to catch a fish!"

Xu Zaijing nodded with a smile, and after using a little force, a carp more than a foot long was pulled out of the water.

At this time,

"Pfft, pfft, pfft~"

Behind the wall across the water, a colorful pheasant somehow flapped its wings and flew into mid-air.

"Hit~!"

A crisp, delicate shout came from behind the wall.

"Whoosh~"

A feathered arrow with an exquisite and delicate shaft and an extremely sharp arrowhead grazed the feathers on the belly of the colorful pheasant and shot into mid-air from behind the wall.

Afterwards,

That exquisite feathered arrow drew a beautiful arc and passed lightly beside someone's fishing line on the water surface.

"Splash."

Something fell into the water.

The exquisite feathered arrow continued to fly for a short distance and nailed into the mud under the shallow water near Xu Zaijing.

On the fishing rod in Xu Zaijing's hand, only half a fishing line was floating in the air.

Looking at the fishing line swaying in the spring breeze,

"Hmph."

Gu Tingye and Liang Han were stunned for a moment, and then they laughed out loud.

Xu Zaijing closed his eyes and took a deep breath, sighing helplessly.

"It shouldn't have hurt anyone!"

Behind the wall across the water, the voices of girls containing worry came vaguely.

"Quiet! If someone was hurt, they would definitely cry out in pain!"

After this sentence was finished, it was indeed quiet behind the wall for a while.

"Look, didn't hear any pain cry, it shouldn't have..."

Looking at Xu Zaijing's expression, Gu Tingye shouted very exaggeratedly: "Ah!!! My Fifth Young Master!! ~"

Watching Gu Tingye's appearance, Qi Heng and Liang Han looked at each other and held back their laughter with great effort. Liang Han shouted "heart-wrenchingly": "Brother Jing! Brother Jing! Hold on!"

While shouting, he walked to Xu Zaijing and pulled the feathered arrow out of the mud.

Afterwards, Liang Han urged in a low voice: "Brother Jing, lie down, hurry and lie down!"

"Fifth Young Master~ you, you are so miserable!" Gu Tingye shouted again, his emotion very sincere.

"It's over!!!"

"Caused trouble!!!"

"Better hurry and go take a look! Hurry! The medical officer who followed, hurry and follow!"

The anxious voice of a girl came from behind the wall.

After a moment,

At the door near the wall, some distance from Xu Zaijing and the others,

Several girls with luxurious clothes and simple head ornaments, with sashes tied on their bodies and soft bows in their hands, ran out quickly.

Several noble ladies looked left and right, discovered Gu Tingye and the others gathered together, and then hurriedly ran towards this side.

Seeing these noble ladies,

Gu Tingye, who was acting, shouted "heartbrokenly" while holding the feathered arrow: "Brother Jing! It's it! It's it that harmed you!"

This movement of Gu Tingye made the several noble ladies who ran over pause.

Stunned for a moment,

Then one person accelerated her pace and shouted while running: "Hit, hit by an arrow, how can you pull it out! It will... it will aggravate the injury."

"Ah?" Gu Tingye looked at the girl who ran over with a "blank face" and said: "Then, then I'll insert it back in."

Watching Gu Tingye's movement of holding the feathered arrow and wanting to insert it downward, the girl shouted: "Don't!"

After shouting, the girl also had a moment of weak legs, almost falling to the ground.

But she still endured and didn't stop.

Bringing the several people behind her to Gu Tingye, the girl hurriedly beckoned behind her and shouted anxiously: "Medical officer, hurry!"

"Make way!"

Saying that, she signaled Gu Tingye, Qi Heng, and others to make way.

Afterwards,

The girl saw Xu Zaijing lying on the grass, looking at the sky with a dull and hopeless expression.

"Injured, where are you injured?" the girl asked anxiously.

Lu Zezong handed Xu Zaijing's fishing rod to her with a heartbroken face and said: "Here! This is the good deed you guys did!"

Beside the polo field,

The largest and most magnificent tent in the middle,

"Sniff~"

A noble lady with red eyes stood on the wooden steps at the door of the Empress's tent and sniffed the snot in her nose.

Below the wooden steps not far from the noble lady's position,

Xu Zaijing, Gu Tingye, Liang Han, Qi Heng, Lu Zezong, and others stood there dejectedly.

The Empress stood in front of several people with a straight face, pinching Xu Zaijing's ear with one hand, and pointing at the others with the other hand, scolding angrily:

"You guys, especially you two! Ah?! You've been naughty since you were young! Celebrating the Emperor's birthday, and you still don't forget to harm the goldfish in the garden."

"Today you are really something! Daring to scare my niece!"

Zhao Fang, who was beside the Empress, advised: "Mother, actually Brother Jing and they..."

Looking at the eyes of his mother looking over, Zhao Fang just wanted to speak,

"Ouch! Ouch! It hurts! Empress, I was wrong, I was wrong." Xu Zaijing had a painful expression and begged for mercy.

After speaking, he also gave Zhao Fang a look, signaling him not to speak.

"Mother, Brother Jing already knows he was wrong. Don't pinch his ears."

The Empress let go of Xu Zaijing's ear, looked at Zhao Fang angrily, and said: "If I don't pinch his, should I pinch yours?"

While speaking, the Empress's hand twisted Zhao Fang's ear.

"Mother, Mother! Don't use force, son won't say anything."

Looking at Xu Zaijing lowering his head and rubbing his ears, and the expressions of Gu Tingye, Qi Heng, and others like mice seeing a cat, not daring to speak.

Especially Zhao Fang, who was holding the Empress's pinching hand with both hands and begging for mercy, the noble lady with red eyes, although there were still tears in her eyes, couldn't help but smile a little.

Seeing this scene, Zhao Fang hurriedly said: "Mother, cousin she stopped crying."

The Empress turned her head to look, looked at Zhao Fang's cousin who was rubbing her eyes, and scolded: "This is called stopped crying?"

"Son..."

Before Zhao Fang finished speaking, he felt his ear loosen.

The Empress walked forward a few steps, reached out her hand, and said: "You! Second Young Master Gu, don't hide!"

"Ah!!!" Gu Tingye cried out in pain: "Empress, the little one didn't mean it!"

The Empress used force in her hand: "Scaring people to tears, and still didn't mean it?"

"Empress, Sixth Young Master also had a share, don't just twist my ears! Empress, wrong, I was wrong!"

Afterwards,

The Empress twisted Qi Heng's ear with one hand and Liang Han's with the other.

After Qi Heng and Liang Han screamed like slaughtered pigs,

Lu Zezong, who stayed at the very back, looked at the Empress fearfully, hesitated, wanted to cover his ears, and said: "Empress, I, I, you twisted so many people, don't tire your hands..."

The Empress, who was originally angry, heard this, and a smile appeared in her eyes.

Holding back her laughter, the Empress pinched Lu Zezong's cheeks with both hands and said: "So eloquent, did you learn it from your adopted brother? Or did he teach it to you?"

"Empress, adopted brother, he, didn't, didn't..."

"Hmm?" The Empress stared at Lu Zezong.

Lu Zezong lowered his head and said guiltily: "Didn't teach less..."

"Pfft~"

On the wooden platform in front of the tent, Cao family Zhi sister, who was accompanying her cousin with red eyes and tears, couldn't help but laugh.

Hearing the laughter of Cao family Zhi sister, Lu Zezong raised his head and looked at her with some shyness, then lowered his head again.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 615 =====