Chapter 882: Crimes Shake the Noble Household

Love Shenjing, Jide Square, Ningrong Street.

Jia Cong and his party were galloping toward the outskirts of the city; today, before dawn, six thousand soldiers of the Divine Machine Camp left the camp and assembled in the northern suburbs of the city to await orders.

This time, Jia Cong led the army on the expedition; he had previously discussed with Gu Yankui and Shi Ding to arrange two deputy generals under his command to coordinate with him in leading the six-thousand-man camp.

One was Lin Zhen, a Mobile Corps Commander of the original Five-Army Divine Machine Camp, and the other was his old subordinate, Wei Yongzhou, a Battalion Commander of the Liaodong Firearm Camp, who was currently on his way to be transferred.

Lin Zhen was originally a Mobile Corps Commander of the Divine Machine Camp and was familiar with the daily operations of the Divine Machine Camp, but he had no actual combat experience with firearms.

Wei Yongzhou was the Regional Commander of the Liaodong Firearm Camp and had followed Jia Cong to pacify the Jurchen Three Guards, with seasoned actual combat experience with firearms.

Lin Zhen and Wei Yongzhou were one inside and one outside, complementing each other and making up for each other's shortcomings; this was also Jia Cong's careful consideration in choosing the two deputies.

The cavalry had just passed the main gate of the East Prefecture when Jia Cong heard someone calling him; with this voice in the changing period, Jia Cong didn't even need to look to know it was Cai Xiaoyu.

He thought of Liu Xiaoping and Cui Anzhi coming together just now, but only Cai Xiaoyu, who was also a good friend, was missing, and his excuse for declining seemed familiar.

Now Fatty Cai was late again, and there was a carriage following him; Jia Cong understood a little bit instantly, and a strange feeling couldn't help but arise in his heart.

Jia Cong just raised his hand, and Jiang Xiao Liu signaled the cavalry to stop; he himself rode out alone to meet him.

Cai Xiaoyu said lazily, "Yuzhang, I rushed out of the house to see you off, thinking I wouldn't make it, but I actually managed to catch up."

"Yuzhang, you are going on an expedition today, and the sun has already climbed up; why are you only just arriving at the mansion gate?"

Jia Cong heard that he was somewhat insincere and smiled, "Are you here to see me off, or are you hoping I leave sooner?"

Suddenly hearing a cold snort from the carriage, Cai Xiaoyu's face stiffened, his expression was somewhat awkward, and he naturally closed his mouth.

Jia Cong saw the carriage curtain lifted, and a handsome youth came out, wearing a moon-white satin robe with floral patterns, hair like ink, a white jade hairpin, a slender figure, and a dashing demeanor.

In fact, seeing the carriage beside Cai Yu, Jia Cong had already guessed a few points; the Third Miss Cai was clever and strange, and her actions had always been unconventional.

Since the first meeting when he was praised on the Imperial Street, Jia Cong had seen it several times and was long since accustomed to it.

Jia Cong saw her dismount; once familiar, he smiled without surprise, "So it is Third Brother; it has been many days, how have you been?"

Cai Xiaoyu was caught off guard when Jia Cong called her Third Brother, almost falling off his horse, his heart extremely depressed; this brat Yuzhang is really not polite.

Looking again, his Third Sister was called Third Brother and was actually quite happy, her smile blooming, pretty and beautiful, which was quite pleasing to the eye.

How could she not care at all, wearing men's clothing to go out, laughing so wantonly, and not afraid of being exposed in front of people...

Cai Xiaoyu felt strange in his heart, and looking at Jia Cong's smiling face, his expression warm and dashing, he looked like a smiling bad guy no matter how he looked.

Miss Cai smiled and said, "Father went to the palace to discuss affairs yesterday and heard that Yuzhang is going on an expedition today, so my younger brother wanted to come to see you off."

"I have never seen a general go on an expedition, so I came together to see and learn; if there is any rudeness, don't blame me."

Cai Xiaoyu heard this and couldn't help but roll his eyes; this Third Sister is talking nonsense again.

Clearly, when Father talked about Yuzhang's expedition yesterday, after Father left, Third Sister asked him indifferently to go see Yuzhang off to fulfill their friendship as classmates.

He naturally said he wanted to go see him off, and Third Sister began to change the subject, saying she went to her room to find a book and picked up a pink mandarin duck embroidered handkerchief.

She also said that the maids in the house couldn't use it, and asked if he was fooling around outside, it must be an item from that girl, and she wasn't afraid of Father's family law.

Cai Xiaoyu naturally wouldn't say that this pink mandarin duck embroidered handkerchief was given by Xiao Xiao, the lead dancer of the Sixteenth Floor.

As a result, the siblings talked back and forth, and finally, as if by magic, it turned into him bringing his sister to see Jia Cong off.

Cai Xiaoyu still felt deeply humiliated when he thought about it now; he was a dignified two-list Jinshi, yet he was played in the palm of his Third Sister's hand, which was simply a disgrace to his status.

Jia Cong smiled, "Third Brother, don't say such outsider words; Xiaoyu and I are close classmates, and our families are like brothers of the same generation. Thank you, Third Brother, for seeing me off."

Miss Cai heard this, her expression was pleasant, smiling, elegant and uninhibited, increasing her demeanor, and she took out an object from her purse.

She said, "I went to the Huguo Temple to burn incense yesterday afternoon and prayed for a peace talisman to carry with me; if Yuzhang doesn't mind, take it with you for good luck."

"I wish Yuzhang a smooth journey, just like back then, galloping in Liaodong, sweeping across the army, and on this expedition, winning new merit and returning in triumph."

Jia Cong put the peace talisman into his bosom and smiled, "Thank you, Third Brother, for your kind words; if you have time, come to the mansion more often; the Second Sister mentioned you last time."

Cai Xiaoyu saw the two chatting happily and couldn't help but feel empty, interrupting, "Yuzhang, going on an expedition requires a lucky time, don't miss the hour."

Third Miss Cai heard this and glared at her brother with dissatisfaction, turning to Jia Cong, "I won't delay Yuzhang's journey; have a smooth journey."

Jia Cong smiled slightly, got back on his warhorse, and Jiang Xiao Liu followed with the personal guard cavalry.

Miss Cai retreated to the side of the road, watching Jia Cong ride forward, his figure tall and heroic, her pretty face's smile undiminished.

Cai Xiaoyu turned his horse's head and said, "Yuzhang, be careful in everything on the expedition, take it easy, don't be too desperate, and leave some merit for others."

Jia Cong understood what he meant and said, "I will remember your words; wait for me to return, and I will invite you to a banquet at Chunhua Tower."

Cai Xiaoyu laughed and said, "I will remember these words too; after all, we are classmates, and you are the one who understands me."

Jia Cong didn't look back on his horse, just waved his hand at him, and then rode away with his personal guard team, leaving dust behind.

Miss Cai watched the cavalry team go far away and didn't get into the carriage, just strolling on the road; it was hard for a daughter of a wealthy family to go out, so naturally, she shouldn't waste it too much.

Cai Xiaoyu jumped off his horse, holding the reins and following by her side, "Third Sister, you went to Huguo Temple at the right time yesterday; you are too efficient."

"You prayed for a peace talisman for yourself, why didn't you pray for one for me? I am your own younger brother."

Third Miss Cai glanced at her brother, "You go to sign in at the office every day, leave the office at sunset, and it is calm and peaceful."

"You don't read books on weekdays, and if you aren't drinking with friends, you go to inexplicable places; it couldn't be more peaceful, what do you need a peace talisman for? It's superfluous."

Cai Xiaoyu suddenly realized, "Oh, I understand now; you didn't go to Huguo Temple to burn incense, you went specifically to pray for a peace talisman for Yuzhang!"

Miss Cai's face flushed, "What nonsense are you talking about? I go to Huguo Temple on the first and fifteenth of every month; this time I just went two days early."

Cai Xiaoyu saw his sister blushing, her expression somewhat guilty, and immediately grabbed the handle, smiling, "Don't try to fool me; I'll tell Father when I go back."

"I'll tell Father all about your calculations, and see how Father will deal with you."

Miss Cai heard this, not only was she no longer guilty, but her eyes lit up, and she smiled generously, "If you want to tell him, go ahead; I won't care."

"I am open and aboveboard, never hiding anything; I don't care how you tell Father, I won't be afraid."

"I am not like you, sneaking off to drink flower wine, afraid that Father will hear the wind, and he will beat you half to death."

"If you go to Father and speak ill of me, I won't be angry or retaliate; I won't expose anything about the Sixteenth Floor or the fragrant mandarin duck embroidered handkerchief."

Cai Xiaoyu heard this and was not happy at all, but instead felt a thud in his heart.

He asked with lingering fear, "Third Sister, are you digging a hole to calculate me again?"

Third Miss Cai smiled mysteriously, "It's really hard to be a good person; it's fine if you don't go tell him, I'm happy to be at ease."

Cai Xiaoyu was made dizzy by his sister and really couldn't figure out the girl's mind.

He said, "Third Sister, I also know that Yuzhang is very outstanding, brilliant in literature, a master of poetry and books, successful in the imperial examination, and proud in his youth; everyone who sees him is jealous."

"But he is not an ordinary Jinshi civil official; he is also the master of the two Jia prefectures, carrying the hereditary military rank."

"He is very different from our civil official families."

"He is the young minister most esteemed by the Emperor and once had the honor of a palace-bestowed marriage, although later due to his father's mourning."

"But the Emperor's bestowed marriage is a golden word, and there is no return."

"Although the Jin Ling Zhen family has fallen, the matter of the bestowed marriage will definitely be brought up again; there are so many noble daughters of high families in the capital..."

Miss Cai frowned when she heard this, impatient, "Younger brother, what nonsense are you talking about? Where have you thought of? I still don't know your thoughts."

"Yuzhang and I are just compatible; we are friends; do you understand what a friend is?"

"You keep pulling these miscellaneous thoughts of children, it's really unpleasant to hear."

"You must have gone to bad places too much, and all you think about are messy things."

"You are not young anymore, only knowing how to fool around outside, not understanding a girl's mind at all, and not saying anything that makes people like you."

"Aren't you thinking about Miss Xiue of the Huang Minister's family? Look at your careless appearance, it must not be successful."

Cai Xiaoyu was also a person of outstanding talent, only when he met his Third Sister's tricks would he be dizzy in a few moments.

He didn't know that Miss Cai was just changing the subject so that he wouldn't nag about unpleasant things.

He said indifferently, "Third Sister, what success or failure about that Miss Huang; there are fragrant grasses everywhere in the world."

He said with dancing eyebrows, "Third Sister, I'll tell you a good thing; a few classmates who just entered the Hanlin Academy went to pay respects to the Head of the Academy, Ge, together."

"That day when we arrived at the corner gate of the Ge mansion, we happened to meet the Fourth Miss Ge returning home; I had the honor of a glance, truly a beauty who sinks fish and drops geese, closes the moon and shames flowers."

"The Head of the Academy, Ge, is the chief official of the Hanlin Academy, and the Ge family's status is noble, one of the best in the Love Shenjing..."

Miss Cai frowned when she saw her brother's intoxicated expression.

She said, "Since he is a new classmate who entered the Hanlin Academy, did Yuzhang go with you? Did he also have a glance?"

Cai Xiaoyu smiled, "Third Sister, you don't know; Yuzhang's Hanlin academician is just a decoration."

"He shows his face in the courtyard early in the morning and disappears immediately; the Head of the Academy, Ge, never manages him."

"He doesn't mix with us classmates on weekdays, only fiddling with his firearms every day."

"So, naturally, he wouldn't go to pay respects to his superiors together." ===== CHAPTER 883 =====