Chapter 664: Good family son [Thank you! Bow again!]

After Gu Tingye finished speaking, Minglan, who was sitting at the very back, nodded and said, "That's right! It's hard to imagine how cold it is in the north right now."

As soon as Minglan spoke, Qi Heng looked over reflexively.

Sitting at the head of the table, Scholar Zhuang continued with his smile undiminished, "Does anyone know where in the north the fighting is?"

Qingyun bowed and said, "Reporting to the Scholar, it is only said to be in the north; the specific location is not yet known. Once I return to the entrance, I will entrust someone to go and ask."

Scholar Zhuang nodded.

Qi Heng withdrew his gaze from Minglan, turned his head to look at Gu Tingye, and said, "Second Uncle, at this time of year, what is there for Northern Liao to fear in mobilizing troops! Decades ago, when the new Emperor of Northern Liao ascended the throne, they mobilized troops in the twelfth lunar month!"

"Wow, Brother Yuanruo, you even know about things from decades ago!" Seeing Mo Lan, who was to the side, said with a smile.

Qi Heng smiled slightly, "Fourth Younger Sister, I have merely read about it in books."

As he spoke, Qi Heng turned his head to look at Minglan again, then took the opportunity to say to the servant behind him, "Buwei, you go with Qingyun to inquire as well."

"Yes, Young Master."

Buwei stood up to acknowledge the order and walked toward the entrance.

Gu Tingye raised an eyebrow, swept his gaze over the few people on his left, but did not refute anything.

As for Xu Zaijing, he nodded toward Qingyun, who was bowing to leave the schoolroom.

At noon,

Qingyun and Buwei returned to the schoolroom.

Scholar Zhuang, who had just stood up to leave, sat back down in his chair and waited quietly for the two to speak.

"Have you found out clearly?" Qi Heng asked with great interest.

Buwei and Qingyun exchanged a glance, bowed, and said, "Reporting to the Young Xiao Xiao Gongye, we have found out clearly; it is said to be fighting east of Fengzhou in the Northwest."

As soon as these words were spoken,

Changbai glanced at his brother-in-law Zaizhang, while Gu Tingye, Qi Heng, and the others looked toward Xu Zaijing.

"Northwest Fengzhou... east... where is that?" After looking at Xu Zaijing, Rulan asked, looking bewildered.

Minglan and Seeing Mo Lan, who also did not know, looked to the side.

"Brother Yuanruo, do you know?" Seeing Mo Lan asked with a smile.

Qi Heng's eyes were filled with contemplation as he said, "It should be... the place that was formerly the border between Bai Gao and Northern Liao."

After finishing, Qi Heng, feeling somewhat uncertain, hurriedly looked toward Xu Zaijing.

Seeing Xu Zaijing smiling and shaking his head, Qi Heng said, "Jing Ge'er, I imagine you know more clearly."

Xu Zaijing smiled, "Yuanruo, Changbai loves looking at maps the most; you should be asking him."

Changbai, who had also been looking at Xu Zaijing, shook his head with a smile after hearing this, "Jing Ge'er, the maps in my study... Fengzhou is so vast; how can you expect me to explain it when it's so vague and general?"

Zaizhang nodded and said, "That's true. I have also seen the maps in Changbai's study, and it is indeed so. Little Five, you are the only one among us who has been to the Northwest; why not draw it for us?"

"Third Brother Xu is right. Jing Ge'er, come on!" Gu Tingye said with a smile.

Scholar Zhuang, at the head of the table, also beckoned to Xu Zaijing, happy to see this happen.

Seeing this, Xu Zaijing had no choice but to walk forward. After arriving in front of Scholar Zhuang's desk, he took the brush Scholar Zhuang handed him personally and made a few strokes on a large sheet of white paper.

After showing it to Scholar Zhuang, Xu Zaijing beckoned to Buwei and gave Qingyun a look.

Qingyun bowed and exited the schoolroom, while Buwei stepped forward, holding the white paper with both hands, becoming a "human display board."

Xu Zaijing pointed to the area below on the white paper and said, "This place is Bianjing, where we are currently located. Here is Jiuyuan City. To the east is a plain with lush water and grass, backed by mountains to the north."

"Before the former lands of Bai Gao were recovered, this was one of the few horse-rearing grounds of our dynasty."

"Here is the dividing line where our dynasty and Northern Liao have been stalemated for decades, which is east of Fengzhou."

After Xu Zaijing finished speaking, everyone in the schoolroom wore an expression of sudden realization.

Changbai glanced at Scholar Zhuang and asked, "Jing Ge'er, why would Northern Liao choose this time to provoke trouble and go to war with our dynasty?"

Xu Zaijing swept his gaze across the faces of everyone in the schoolroom and smiled slightly, "Changbai, how do you know it was Northern Liao that provoked the trouble?"

"Uh... could it be that our dynasty started it?" Changbai said uncertainly.

Xu Zaijing hurriedly waved his hands, "Eh! Changbai, I didn't say that!"

Seeing this scene, everyone in the schoolroom burst into laughter.

Scholar Zhuang looked at Xu Zaijing and nodded repeatedly, "Zaijing, I heard from old friends in the court that the border troops of our Northwest have been equipped with cotton-padded jackets inside their armor?"

"Yes, Scholar! Fengzhou is far north, and the weather is much colder than other places in the north. His Majesty, out of concern for the soldiers, issued an imperial decree before winter to bestow many cotton-padded jackets to be distributed to the north," Xu Zaijing replied.

In fact, it was not just cotton-padded jackets; many officers like Lu Junyi and Zhu Qinghu also had exquisite cotton armor that was both warm and protective.

Gu Tingye, hearing the conversation, pondered for a moment, and a look of realization appeared in his eyes.

Changfeng, who was behind, leaned forward and asked, "Gu Pei Erge, is the Guangrui Army currently equipped the same way?"

Gu Tingye shook his head, "No. Cotton is still quite valuable; a set of cotton-padded jackets costs quite a bit of silver! How could it be distributed to the entire army?"

Xu Zaijing, who was in front, continued, "The soldiers who previously performed meritorious service in Bai Gao have relatively comfortable finances; even if they aren't issued them, they can pay for a set of clothes themselves."

Qi Heng nodded repeatedly while listening to the conversation, turned his head to Gu Tingye, and said, "Second Uncle, I just saw a look of realization in your eyes; what did you think of?"

Gu Tingye nodded with a smile, "Yuanruo, it was just now that I remembered my maternal grandfather's family sent many ships of goods, most of which were cotton planted and purchased from the south."

"The soldiers in the Northwest have money in their hands; I imagine that so many goods were mostly made into cotton-padded jackets and transported to the Northwest."

Changfeng interjected, "Young Xiao Xiao Gongye, Gu Pei Erge, since you put it that way, wouldn't fighting in the north be twice the result with half the effort?"

Gu Tingye smiled, "Changfeng, that depends on whether Northern Liao is willing to distribute warm cotton clothing to their soldiers."

While everyone was talking,

"Bang! Bang!"

A commotion came from outside.

Because of the door curtain, the sound was not very loud, but it allowed everyone to hear that someone in the vicinity of Jiying Lane was setting off firecrackers.

After school in the afternoon,

On the way home,

Xu Zaijing asked casually, "Qingyun, which family was setting off firecrackers at noon?"

"Reporting to Young Master, it was a family not far away. Hearing the good news of victory from the north, they are setting off firecrackers to celebrate with the nation."

Xu Zaijing nodded.

Returning to the Marquis Yongyi's Mansion,

The sky had already darkened,

Xu Zaijing, having changed his clothes, arrived at his mother's courtyard.

"Fifth Young Master is here."

A little maid in the courtyard announced.

When Xu Zaijing passed through the cotton curtain and entered the room, he happened to see his elder brother Zaizhang placing a letter on the table beside him.

After Xu Zaijing bowed to his mother and sister-in-law, he walked toward a chair and said, "Brother, what is this about?"

Zaizhang handed the letter beside him to Xu Zaijing, "Little Five, see for yourself."

Xu Zaijing took the letter, unfolded it, and after reading it at a glance, the expression on his face became somewhat solemn.

After placing the letter paper on the table to the side, Xu Zaijing sighed softly.

As long as there is war, people will die regardless of victory or defeat.

Marquis Yongyi's Heir, Xu Zaiduan, although he had won a victory in the icy and snowy Northwest, also had trusted Captains who had died in the military formation.

"Mother, does Eldest Brother mean that our mansion should send someone to Tangyin, Xiangzhou, to offer condolences?" Xu Zaijing asked.

Sun Shi nodded, "Although the imperial court has rewards and pensions, we don't know when they will be delivered. It is already the twelfth lunar month; it is always good for us to send some charcoal, food, silver, and clothing."

Zaizhang said, "Mother, then I will ask for a few days of leave and take people there."

Sun Shi shook her head and glanced at Xu Zaijing.

Xu Zaijing said: "Mother, I will also go with my brother."

Sun Shi shook her head again, looked at Xie Shi to the side, and said, "Eldest Son's wife, my meaning is to let Dai Ge'er go with the two of them."

"Ah?" Xie Shi stood up in surprise.

Hualan was stunned, glanced at her husband Zaizhang, stood up and said, "Mother, Dai Ge'er is not even six years old this year. Is it somewhat inappropriate to have such a small child follow along?"

Xie Shi looked at Hualan with great gratitude; these were the words she wanted to say.

Sun Shi smiled, signaled for the two daughters-in-law to sit down, and said, "My meaning is for them to take some good fabrics and gold and silver from the capital, and draw some vegetables and grain directly from Zhu Family Fort."

"This way, with light cavalry and fast horses, they can return before the New Year."

"Dai Ge'er is the legitimate eldest grandson and will inherit the title in the future. Since the soldiers under the Marquis have died in battle, we must see if there is anything we can help with."

"His own father is still on the battlefield and cannot take him to do these things, so he will go with his two uncles; this can also be considered training."

Hualan looked at Xie Shi with some worry.

Xie Shi thought for a moment and stood up, "Everything will be as Mother says."

Early the next morning,

Jiying Lane,

Sheng Mansion,

Minglan brought a maid to the schoolroom, looked at Qingcao sitting on the wooden platform in the back, and at Xu Zaijing's empty seat where the candles hadn't even been lit, and said, "Qingcao, where is Jing Jing Biao Ge Jing?"

Qingcao stood up, bowed, and said, "Reporting to Sixth Young Lady, the Young Master has something to do today."

"Oh!" Minglan nodded.

Qingcao turned around, squatted down, took out a ball of silk thread from the basket to the side, and said, "Sixth Young Lady, this is some good silk thread that Yunxiang bought when she went shopping. The Young Master instructed me to give this to you."

"Oh, oh!" Minglan smiled and hurriedly took it.

When Rulan arrived, Qingcao gave her an exquisite jade-carved cricket cage.

Rulan looked at the exquisite cricket cage and said with some distress, "Jing Jing Biao Ge Jing keeps sending things back and forth; I don't even have any good things to return the favor."

Hearing this, Qingcao bowed and smiled, "Fifth Young Lady, the Young Master said that there is no need to return the favor."

"That's good then!"

What Seeing Mo Lan received was a very good ink stick.

The sky was bright,

There was a northwest wind,

On the north bank of the Yellow River,

On the official road leading to Xiangzhou,

"Boom! Boom!"

A burst of hoofbeats came from the south.

This caused many travelers who had just crossed the river and were heading north to turn their heads and look.

The dust kicked up by the hooves flew into the air under the blowing of the north wind, making it look like a large group of cavalry at first glance.

When the sound of hoofbeats drew near, the travelers could see clearly that there were not many people, only eight or nine.

However, these eight or nine people were each riding two horses, running on the official road at a fast speed, and the momentum was naturally somewhat grand.

When passing by, the travelers saw that on both sides of the saddles of several horses, there were also very exquisite leather saddlebags hanging.

Before long,

The line of riders disappeared from the travelers' field of vision,

Only the yellow dust floating in the distance vaguely indicated their position.

Amidst the booming hoofbeats,

Zaizhang, who was riding beside Xu Zaijing, pointed to Xu Zaijing's bulging chest with his gloved finger.

After Xu Zaijing looked into the cloak in front of him, he shouted loudly, "Asleep!"

Zaizhang nodded.

Today, going to Xiangzhou, his nephew Xu Xingdai was sitting in front of Xu Zaijing at the beginning, wrapped in a thick cloak.

When leaving the city and crossing the river, Xu Xingdai was still full of excitement and curiosity.

When everyone started to gallop, sitting on the stable back of the little Li horse and hiding in his uncle's warm embrace, Xu Xingdai soon yawned and fell asleep.

When Xu Xingdai woke up, feeling the jolting beneath him, he knew that the horses were still running.

Leaning against his uncle's upper body, Xu Xingdai quietly opened a gap in the cloak that was closed in front of him.

As soon as it opened, the biting cold wind surged in, blowing Xu Xingdai into a shiver.

"Awake?"

A somewhat muffled voice sounded above his head.

"Uncle, where are we?" Xu Xingdai put his mouth to the gap and asked against the cold wind.

"We are almost at Yanjin. If you want to sleep, continue sleeping," Xu Zaijing said.

"I've slept enough!" Xu Xingdai shouted loudly.

As he spoke, Xu Xingdai wanted to poke his head out of the cloak.

But after poking out halfway, he was pressed back by Xu Zaijing's hand, "Get used to the cold wind. Put on your mask well before you poke your head out."

"Oh."

After a long while, Xu Xingdai, wearing a cotton hat and a mask, with a headband tied under the hat, poked his head out.

The cold northwest wind was blowing, and everyone was traveling against the wind.

Xu Xingdai poked his head out and was blown into squinting his eyes by the cold wind in front of him.

Xu Xingdai, who had never left the capital since he was a child, was gradually attracted by the scenery along the way, his eyes rolling around non-stop.

Looking at his nephew's appearance, Zaizhang, who was wearing a mask, also had his exposed eyes curved into smiles.

"Uncle, if we ride along this road, can we reach Father and Grandfather's military camp?" Xu Xingdai said muffledly under the mask.

"After following the road and making I don't know how many turns, we will reach it."

"Oh."

"Warm up your body in a while, and ride the horse for a while."

"Okay, Uncle!"

At noon,

Everyone ate in a post station by the road, and their mounts were also served fine grain by Qingyun, Alan, and the others.

Xu Zaijing sat at the table, holding Zaizhang's letter in his hand, and said hesitantly, "Brother, we might have met this Commander Yue who died in battle before."

"Hmm? Met once? Did he return to the capital with Eldest Brother or Father?" Zaizhang asked suspiciously.

Xu Zaijing shook his head, "Looking at his resume, it should be one of the few tough and capable warriors we met outside the Daoist Academy the year Zong Ge'er had the accident."

At that time, Marquis Yongyi had just begun to take charge on his own, and the army had not been formed long, and the war against Bai Gao had not yet started; his seniority was even older than that of Wu Song, Wang Yan, and others later on.

Zaizhang frowned and recalled for a moment before nodding, "Little Five, now that you mention it, I have an impression. No wonder Eldest Brother wanted our family to go there in person."

When the sky was dim,

The dust-covered group entered the city of Tangyin.

The next day,

Xu Zaijing and the others did not go to Zhu Family Fort north of Xiangzhou to transfer rice and grain as Sun Shi had said, but directly found the County Magistrate in the county town, found a clerk who knew how to ride a horse to lead the way, and after purchasing some things, hired a carriage and left the city.

Along the way, Xu Xingdai kept frowning.

There was no other reason; it was just that Xu Xingdai had never ridden for so long and so far since he was a child, and the roots of his thighs were somewhat sore from rubbing.

On the road,

The booming hoofbeats of the group and the rising smoke and dust attracted many villagers in the villages along the way to come out and check.

Many of the villagers who came to check were holding bows, arrows, and long spears, obviously thinking that something had happened.

As they got closer to their destination,

Near Xu Zaijing's group, people riding horses with bows, arrows, and long spears appeared one by one.

In the end, it actually turned into more than a dozen people, forming a team and wandering around Xu Zaijing and the others.

Looking at the group of people who were skilled in riding, it was definitely not something that could be practiced in a day or two.

Xu Zaijing had good eyesight and could see that most of the dozen or so people were vigilant, with no other expressions.

"Young Master, why don't I ride over and talk to the people around us! Looking at them, they should be good family sons from the surrounding villages," said the County Clerk who was riding a horse.

"Let's talk when we get there!" Xu Zaijing said.

"Yes."

After running for a while longer,

"Whoa!"

On the open ground of the threshing floor at the entrance of the village, a sound of pulling the reins came.

"Woof! Woof! Woof!"

The sound of dog barking in the village in front became much clearer.

The white mist exhaled by Xu Zaijing and the others' horses soon disappeared into the air.

The riders who had been wandering around on the road also rode over to surround them at this time.

After Qingyun turned his horse's head, he rode to meet them.

After bowing and saying a few words to the riders, a burst of noise came from there: "Is it really Marquis Yongyi's Mansion? That is our relative!"

"Has Fifth Young Master Xu come? My family has relatives with the Xiao Xiao Gongye of Lian!"

"My two brothers are distant relatives of the Zhang family of the Xiao Xiao Gongye of Ying..."

"Can you let us have a word with Fifth Young Master?"

Qingyun, who had finished speaking, looked at the crowd in front of him, dumbfounded. First, he was surprised by what they said, and second, he was surprised that his own Young Master was actually so famous here.

Hearing this, Xu Zaijing understood in his heart why these people were so skilled in riding.

In Zhu Family Fort north of Xiangzhou and in the village of the Xu family's ancestral home in Daizhou, some teenagers also started practicing riding so early.

Subsequently,

The group who had followed all the way dismounted, walked up to Xu Zaijing and Zaizhang, and said a few words together.

After learning that Xu Zaijing was going to the Yue family, everyone had another burst of conversation.

To sum it up, they were somewhat related to this Yue family.

The noise at the entrance,

Also attracted a teenager wearing a white headscarf and mourning clothes to walk out of the door and look outside.

Beside the teenager was a woman.

Seeing this, everyone hurriedly quieted down.

Zaizhang took Xu Xingdai and walked toward the courtyard together with Xu Zaijing, who followed behind.

Qingyun and the others behind moved the fine horses and the things on the carriage down.

When the adults were talking and offering condolences,

Xu Xingdai stood to the side, looked at the teenager who was several years older than him, and said sincerely, "My name is Xu Xingdai, and Marquis Yongyi is my grandfather! I... I also haven't seen my father for a long time."

The passing of a loved one seemed to have faded the greenness of the teenager in mourning clothes, and there was not much innocence left in his eyes. Looking at Xu Xingdai, who had sincere eyes in front of him, the teenager sniffed.

Not knowing whether it was because of the cold or crying, the teenager said with a nasal voice, "My name is Yue Fei."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 665 =====