Chapter 696

Winter had been here for many days.

On the streets of Bianjing,

the early morning wind blew against Xu Zaijing's face, making him feel quite a chill.

Looking up,

the moon that rose in the second half of the night was still hanging in the sky, with bright stars beside it.

"Cock-a-doodle-doo—"

A rooster from some family along the road began to crow in the early morning.

The smoke from firewood being burned for early breakfast drifted into the air along the chimneys, and after being blown by the wind, it was smelled by the group of people riding horses on the street.

The little chestnut horse even snorted.

"Clatter, clatter."

"Woof, woof, woof—"

The sound of the hooves of the mounts of Xu Zaijing's group caused the dogs in the courtyards along the street to begin barking.

Seemingly passing on 'intelligence', the dogs in the distance also followed with a few barks.

Xu Zaijing exhaled toward the front, and his warm breath took shape right before him.

After crossing the large bridge over the city canal, the military patrol station by the roadside had lanterns lit. A patrol soldier heard the sound of horse hooves and hurried out to bow and pay respects, saying: "Greetings, Young Master. It has been a long time since you walked this way."

Xu Zaijing nodded with a smile, and Qingyun tossed a string of copper coins to the patrol soldier, smiling: "It's cold, brother, drink some hot soup to warm your body."

"Thank you, Young Master, thank you, Brother Yin."

Qingyun smiled, bowed in return, and continued to accompany Xu Zaijing forward.

After walking for quite a while in the dark morning light,

by the time Xu Zaijing's group entered the Sheng family residence, a night watchman in the distance was shouting that the 'Mao hour has arrived' as he turned into Jiying Lane.

Xu Zaijing had already taken his maid to the school.

Qingyun, who remained in the Sheng family's outer courtyard, worked with the Xu family's carriage driver and the Sheng family's servant to remove the saddles from the horses and lead them into the stable.

Seeing the Sheng family servant struggling a bit to carry a bucket of warm water as he walked toward them, Qingyun smiled and said: "Let me do it!"

The Sheng family servant was just about to be polite when he felt the water bucket in his hand being nimbly taken away by Qingyun.

After finishing the tasks,

the Sheng family servant smiled: "Brother Qingyun, go inside the room to warm up."

Qingyun did not reply. He looked at the stable, and seeing there was nothing else to do, he nodded with a smile: "Let's go."

As they spoke, the group of several people entered the gatehouse beside the Sheng family's main gate.

Lifting the curtain to enter the room, Qingyun smiled: "Whoa, you've already lit the stove, it's really warm!"

"Greetings, Brother Yin. The master is kind; knowing that winter nights are hard to endure, he had the stove lit." The gatekeeper inside the room said while lifting the kettle from the stove, preparing to take a bowl to brew tea for Qingyun.

Several Sheng family servants,

some were busy taking the cloak Qingyun had untied and placing it aside; some walked over to move stools; others walked toward the table to bring over a plate containing chestnuts and dates.

"Brother Qingyun, try the dried dates our family just purchased."

"Good!"

Qingyun finished saying with a smile, then turned to the gatekeeper who was handing over tea: "Sorry to trouble you, old brother."

"You are too polite, little brother."

Qingyun took the hot tea, placed it on the side table, grabbed two chestnuts from the plate, and said to the Sheng family servant moving the stool: "No rush to sit, more people are coming later."

As soon as he finished speaking,

the sound of carriages and horses came from outside the room.

The people in the gatehouse walked outside to look, and it was the carriages and horses of the Xu, Gu, and Qi families entering the courtyard together.

"Whoa!"

The carriage drivers of the three carriages let out a sound. Watching the three young masters stepping on the mounting blocks and hurrying off their carriages, Qingyun and the others bowed and paid their respects.

After Gu Tingye and the others all nodded, they took their personal guards and walked quickly toward the school courtyard.

When the group left, Zhique, who was beside Gu Tingye, looked back a few times, unlike his usual self.

By the time the figures of the few disappeared at the school courtyard entrance, the night watchman's shout of 'two quarters past the Mao hour' was coming from outside the main gate.

Qingyun and the others naturally helped out again.

During this time, the Sheng family servants looked from time to time at a young man who looked somewhat unfamiliar.

After the carriage and horse matters were finished,

the carriage drivers of the various families prepared to go to the room behind the gatehouse to rest.

Qingyun walked two steps quickly to pull back the carriage driver of the Qi Duke's family, lifted his chin toward a young man standing in front of the manger not far away, and said: "Brother Wang, what is the background of that brother who came with Second Young Master Gu?"

The Qi family carriage driver, who had a very thick beard, looked over there and said: "Oh, that little brother!"

Qingyun nodded with a smile.

Wang Hu Zi waved his hand and said: "Not clear."

Qingyun said helplessly: "Brother Wang, you..."

Wang Hu Zi smiled: "Little brother, I only just saw this brother this morning, so how could I know?"

"Fine then." Qingyun patted Wang Hu Zi's shoulder helplessly and walked toward the rather sturdy young man.

The young man, who was standing in front of the manger and somewhat awkwardly stirring the horse feed with his hand, turned his head to look to the side after hearing footsteps.

Seeing that Qingyun was taller than him, the young man smiled somewhat honestly.

Qingyun nodded with a smile, picked up a small bag of beans from beside the little chestnut horse's manger, and said: "Let's add some roasted beans."

"Pfft!" The little chestnut horse behind the manger snorted at Qingyun.

Qingyun smiled and touched the little chestnut horse's head, saying: "I'm not giving them all to you, what are you in such a rush for?"

As he spoke, Qingyun glanced at the young man and said: "Take them quickly!"

The young man looked at the little chestnut horse with eyes full of affection, reached his hands into the bag, scooped out a handful of beans, and placed them into the manger of Gu Tingye's mount.

Watching his own horse eating the feed with gusto, the young man turned to look at Qingyun and said: "This brother, our family's horse is really smart! Hiss, it's actually still an uncastrated stallion!?"

Qingyun put down the bag, nodded with a smile, and said: "Right! This fellow's parents are both quite extraordinary! Brother, is this your first time coming to the Sheng family today?"

The sturdy young man nodded, looked toward the school, and said: "Originally, that kid Zhique... he said he wanted to introduce me, but the Young Master was a bit late this morning, so we didn't have time."

Qingyun blinked and smiled: "Scholar Zhuang's rules are very strict. For being late, the light punishment is being fined to copy books, and if it's heavy, it's either getting hit on the palms or being suspended from class for several days."

"Oh, oh, no wonder!" the sturdy young man said.

Qingyun clapped his hands and said: "Listening to a few words, I feel that you seem quite familiar with Zhique. Is he your...?"

The sturdy young man smiled honestly: "That kid Zhique is my own younger brother."

Hearing this, Qingyun was somewhat surprised: "Oh!! Brother, you are actually the second brother with great strength that Zhique mentioned? Called... Shi Tou?"

"Hehe." The sturdy young man smiled, scratched his head, and said: "My brother actually mentioned me to you?"

Qingyun nodded repeatedly: "Before, when the two of us accompanied our respective young masters to drink and play polo, he often told me that he had a second brother at home with great strength."

Shi Tou waved his hand with a smile: "No, no, my strength is just so-so."

Scanning the little chestnut horse again, Shi Tou asked hesitantly: "I also heard my younger brother mention a few things. Could it be that you are Brother Qingyun from beside Fifth Young Master Xu?"

"Correct!" Qingyun smiled, stepped forward, put his arm around Shi Tou's shoulder, and smiled: "Since you are Zhique's own brother, let's go, let's go sit in that room over there."

"I... little one..." Shi Tou was slightly hesitant.

Qingyun put his arm around Shi Tou's shoulder: "Let's go!"

Feeling the strength on his shoulder, Shi Tou smiled: "Brother Qingyun, your strength is not small at all!"

"Hi, this is nothing." After Qingyun finished speaking, his eyes lit up, and he said in a low voice: "Shi Tou, what is Zhique called at home?"

Shi Tou smiled: "My elder brother is called Shishan, I am called Shi Tou, and my younger brother is called Shizi."

"Pfft!" Qingyun couldn't help but laugh, saying: "No wonder! I asked Zhique about his original name before, and this kid kept biting his tongue and wouldn't say. So it was this name."

Shi Tou nodded and said: "My younger brother also said that his current name was given to him by the Young Master after checking books! With so many strokes, how could it be as simple as Shizi?"

"Hahaha!" Qingyun smiled and patted Shi Tou's shoulder: "Not bad!"

The two exchanged their ages, and indeed, Qingyun was the elder brother and Shi Tou was the younger brother.

As they were about to reach the Sheng family gatehouse, Shi Tou looked at Qingyun and said: "Brother Qingyun, why do you keep pinching my arm?"

Qingyun smiled: "To tell you the truth, Shi Tou, I feel that your physique is quite sturdy and your shoulders are powerful. I assume you have practiced martial arts?"

"Hehe, I learned a few moves from my elder brother."

Qingyun nodded: "Mm! Before, several of our Marquis's personal guards who achieved merit in the Northwest didn't have a physique as good as yours!"

Shi Tou looked at Qingyun in surprise and said: "Before, when I was on the canal, I heard many merchants say that there are now quite a few young gentlemen in the North of Great Zhou who have made a name for themselves."

"Oh? Who are they?" Qingyun asked curiously.

"There is a Commander surnamed Di who I heard slaughtered the Bai Gao thieves in foot combat until they threw away their armor and fled; there is one surnamed Lu whose silver spear made the Bai Gao cavalry cry for their fathers and mothers; under the command of the Duke of Ying's heir, there is also one surnamed Huang..."

As they spoke, Qingyun lifted the door curtain and pulled Shi Tou into the gatehouse.

After some introductions, Shi Tou and the Sheng family gatehouse servants no longer felt like strangers.

After talking a bit more about the military soldiers in the North, a Sheng family servant asked: "Brother Shi Tou, then which one do you admire the most?"

"Naturally, it is General Huang, who killed his way into the Bai Gao fortress all by himself!" Shi Tou said affirmatively.

Qingyun looked at Shi Tou's admiring expression and said: "Shi Tou, then do you know what relationship this General Huang has with your young master?"

"Ah? General Huang actually knows my young master...?" As he spoke, Shi Tou slapped his thigh and said with annoyance: "I heard my younger brother say that my Marquis has a long-standing history in the military, so the Young Master naturally knows General Huang."

Watching the smiling expressions of Qingyun and the Sheng family servants, Shi Tou asked in confusion: "Brother Qingyun, everyone, what is wrong with you?"

Qingyun said: "Shi Tou, that General Huang is your young master's brother-in-law."

"Brother-in-law?!" Shi Tou was astonished.

Qingyun explained a few sentences, and then he saw Shi Tou's eyes light up: "Hiss, then doesn't that mean I will have a chance to see him one day!"

The people in the room nodded with smiles.

While drinking hot tea and warm water and chatting, a Sheng family servant asked curiously: "By the way, Brother Qingyun, I haven't seen you and Fifth Young Master Xu come to our house for the past few days. What have you been busy with?"

Qingyun cracked open a chestnut and smiled: "These past few days, the second son of the Chai family, the second son of the Li family, and the young master of the Zhaojue family were getting married. I have been accompanying the Young Master to help out at these families."

"Oh!" The people in the room nodded one after another.

Afterward,

the Sheng family gatehouse servant chatted a bit more with Shi Tou.

"So that means your family, Brother Shi Tou, makes a living on the canal? Then how is your swimming ability?" the Sheng family servant asked.

Shi Tou took the date handed over by Qingyun: "Hehe, it's passable. I can hold my breath underwater for about half a cup of tea."

"Wow! That is also very impressive!" the Sheng family servant praised.

Shi Tou shook his head: "I heard from my elder brother that this is nothing! Before, there was a nest of cunning water bandits on the canal, and the thieves were highly skilled! Among them, there were six or seven formidable characters who could hold their breath underwater for half a cup of tea."

"Quite a few families who were wealthier than mine were extorted and looted by this group of water bandits."

Looking at Shi Tou's sturdy physique, the people in the gatehouse all showed surprise.

Upon further inquiry, the section of the canal where Shi Tou's family lived was only one or two hundred li away from Yang Zhou.

"Brother Shi Tou, is that nest of water bandits still rampant now?" the Sheng family gatekeeper asked.

Shi Tou shook his head: "Five or six years ago, this group of water bandits disappeared without a trace!"

"I vaguely heard that they provoked someone they shouldn't have, and on the canal, they were smothered in the river by experts from the Huyi Water Army dispatched from the capital."

Listening to Shi Tou's words, Qingyun's expression gradually changed from surprise to thoughtfulness.

"Shi Tou, what was the name of the leader of that nest of water bandits?" Qingyun asked.

Shi Tou shook his head: "That group of water bandits had clever methods and acted meticulously, coming and going without a trace. My family rarely heard the leader's name! Some say they came from the naval forces at sea, some say they came from the inland river naval forces; there are many theories."

Qingyun asked a few more questions, feeling quite confused in his heart, and said: "Shi Tou, before, when I and Zhique accompanied the Young Master and his wife to Yang Zhou, we did deal with a few fierce thieves on the way."

Shi Tou was stunned, and after checking the timing with Qingyun, he nodded in surprise: "Brother Qingyun, that group of water bandits disappeared starting from that time!"

The Sheng family servants had heard Qingyun mention the elimination of water bandits on the way south to Yang Zhou several times, so there was no need for Qingyun to describe it again.

Soon,

the sky outside became bright, the sun rose, and the charcoal stove in the gatehouse was also extinguished.

After everyone checked and cleaned the stable again, they stood in the sunlight and continued talking.

After school in the afternoon,

the sky was already somewhat dim, and Xu Zaijing did not pay attention to the Gu family's carriage driver.

On the way back to the Marquis's residence,

after listening to Qingyun's account,

Xu Zaijing turned his head in surprise and said: "The Gu family changed to a carriage driver named Shi Tou? And he is Zhique's brother?"

Qingyun nodded repeatedly.

Xu Zaijing said: "I remember you said, Qingyun, that Zhique's family has some relatives with Lady Bai's maternal family, right?"

"Yes, Young Master."

Xu Zaijing nodded with emotion and said: "Then I must see that kid tomorrow!"

After all, Shi Tou's fate could be considered to have changed significantly.

In the evening,

Xiguozi Lane,

Kang family residence,

a maid carrying a tray walked in the lantern light of the veranda.

The maid walked through the corridor and gate to reach Kang Wangshi's courtyard, then handed the bamboo tube on the tray to the maid standing at the door.

"My Lady, this was sent from the main gate. They said it is a letter sent from the Wang family."

The maid stepped into the room and called out softly.

"Give it to me quickly," Kang Wangshi said with a smile full of anticipation.

Opening the envelope inside the bamboo tube, Kang Wangshi read it carefully by the candlelight.

After reading it at a glance, Kang Wangshi's smile gradually disappeared. With her chest heaving, she slapped the letter paper onto the table in great anger.

"Feng Shi, you cheap woman! You are a daughter-in-law of my Wang family! How dare you speak to me like this! You bitch!"

"Seeing the Sheng family rising in power, you go and rush to kiss their feet! Bah!"

At this moment,

"The Young Master has returned."

A maid announced from outside the door.

Hearing this, Kang Wangshi took a deep breath, and her fierce expression quickly disappeared, replaced by a smile on her face.

Just as she was about to walk out, Kang Wangshi glanced at the letter paper again and hurriedly stuffed it into her sleeve.

Kang Jin, who had just entered the room, happened to see this scene and asked in confusion: "Mother, what is this?"

Kang Wangshi smiled: "Jin'er, it's nothing, it's a letter from your maternal grandmother."

Kang Jin smiled, walked to the table, sat down, picked up a piece of candied fruit casually, and asked: "Why did maternal grandmother send a letter?"

Kang Wangshi gave a stiff smile and said: "It concerns the marriage of you and your younger sisters."

(End of chapter)