Chapter 170: Returning Home, Farewell

Jia Jing, worried about the war in Yulin, said no more and led a few people into the room.

Inside, Xiangling and Qingwen had already organized all the personal clothes and other items Jia Jing was to take, sorting them on the desk.

Jia Jing set Xiao Jiaoer down, checked his gear, and confirmed nothing was missing.

He entered the side chamber again, removed his bullfighter outfit, and put on a beast‑faced, head‑swallowing linked armor.

This armor was a full‑body suit, fierce in design, with a chest plate adorned with beast‑face patterns and extremely strong defense.

Then, under Qingwen's and Xiangling's assistance, he placed a triple‑pronged hair‑binding purple‑gold crown on his head, draped a Western River crimson brocade hundred‑flower robe, and fastened a delicate lion‑style armor belt around his waist.

He then changed into war boots, adjusted the armor, tied the seal‑stamp waist badge to his belt, and hung the azure‑rainbow treasure sword.

After Xiangling and Qingwen finished their tasks, they lifted their heads and stared at the youth in this armor, frozen in place.

At that moment, Jia Jing's sword‑like eyebrows slanted into his sideburns, his eyes bright as a clear star, his sharply cut, cold and austere face as if hewn by axe and knife, his bearing imposing, his aura astonishing.

Although they had seen Jia Jing in military dress before, it had usually been ordinary mountain‑pattern iron armor.

Today's armor, crown, robe, and belt were all neat, exquisite and splendid, with extraordinary dignity.

Especially, Jia Jing's heroic military aura could not be concealed, making his posture even more upright and his bearing loftier.

A beautiful, delicate expression appeared on Xiangling's face; she pursed her cherry lips, stared blankly for a moment, and was slow to recover.

Qingwen also felt her heart miss a beat, but she regained her composure before Xiangling.

She first glanced at Jia Jing's expression, then, with a hint of nervousness, scolded Xiangling with a smile:

"Come to your senses, look, your eyes are already on me, you haven't even taken the shared cup, yet you're already ahead."

After more than a month of adjusting, Qingwen had regained some of her original charm from the source material.

Though she still dared not joke with Jia Jing, she and Xiangling were already speaking and laughing freely!

Hearing Qingwen's teasing, Xiangling naturally refused to be outdone; though simple‑minded, she's not foolish, and retorted:

"The other day I don't know who whispered to me privately, saying the Marquis was handsome, even wanted to warm his bed, oh dear…"

Before she could finish, Xiangling let out a wail.

Qingwen withdrew her hand that had pinched Xiangling, her face flushed with shame and anger, saying:

"You must be insane! You you you…"

Although Qingwen's insults are sharp, her arguing skill was still lacking, and she couldn't spit out any cutting words for a while.

After getting familiar these days, the two often bickered and played.

But now, in front of Jia Jing, Qingwen was more restrained than Xiangling, blushing and staying silent.

Jia Jing didn't intervene in their scuffle, instead tucked a pair of knee guards into his pack and slipped a safety jade clasp close to his chest.

Then he instructed:

"The twelfth of this month is Lin Sister's birthday, and the third day of next month is Third Sister's birthday."

"I'll probably won't be able to send things back in time; remember to deliver the gifts I've prepared for them."

Qingwen and Xiangling also regained a bit of the sorrow from before parting, their mood sank again, and they softly replied:

Jia Jing patted the two heads and said warmly:

"Xiangling still goes to Lin Sister's courtyard to study poetry; when I return I'll test whether you've improved."

"Qingwen, while I'm away you should take better care of Xiao Jiaoer; when idle you can study literacy and accounting with Xiangling, and don't bully the household maids."

Qingwen, hearing this, raised her eyes and couldn't help a coquettish whine:

"Grandfather… I have never bullied the household maids."

After speaking, Qingwen glanced at Xiangling, thinking silently: Which little brat whispered slander in front of Grandfather, why does he assume I've bullied the maids!

She considered that although her temper flares like coal, she has never abused power.

Especially after the Lai family fell, she acts three times more cautiously than before; this… is downright an injustice to her.

Jia Jing ignored Qingwen's complaint, reached up and took down the Overlord Bow that had hung on the wall unused.

The bow is a weapon from the Xiang Yu inheritance granted as a system reward, a ten‑stone bow.

Shaped like a crescent moon, its limbs as thick as arms, the grip engraved with jiaolong scale patterns, its overall aura is majestic, like a divine relic descended.

The bow's body is forged from millennial mysterious iron, entirely jet‑black with golden veins; the bow alone weighs over eighty jin, and only one with strength to lift a cauldron can draw it.

Since acquiring the bow, Jia Jing has never used it.

Legend says the Overlord Bow is the world's finest bow, durable and the ultimate symbol of martial spirit; now he finally has a chance to test it.

Jia Jing slung the bow on his back, grabbed his pack, turned and left the side chamber, not waiting for anyone to see him off, and walked alone toward the front courtyard.

Qingwen, Xiangling and the others stood under the eaves, watching Jia Jing depart.

Xiao Jiaoer watched the upright figure fade, began wailing and trying to chase, but Qingwen held him tightly…

After regrouping with his personal troops, Jia Jing went to Rong Qing Tang to bid farewell to Jia Mu, explained some family matters and Yuan Chun's affairs, and then glanced at the soon‑to‑die Jia She.

Then he rode nonstop to the palace, met Emperor Jing Sheng Di, and returned to Bashang Daying.

At dusk, Emperor Jing Sheng Di's imperial decree arrived at the camp.

Jia Jing, now General of the Western Expedition, governor of the three borders and four towns of Shaanxi, leads Bashang Daying to campaign in the northwest, granted the Imperial Sword, commands the Nine Frontiers, fully responsible for the northwest war.

Thus the northwest war officially began, and the Great Han Court began full‑speed preparations for it.

Niu Jizong, Feng Tang, Han Wu, Zhu Que, Ma Guocheng and others were already in full battle dress, awaiting orders on the training ground.

In the second year of Jing Sheng, the second day of the second month, at the first hour of the evening rooster.

As the sun was about to set, a slightly cold wind blew over the wilderness outside Bashang Daying.

The gates of Bashang Daying slowly opened to both sides, a massive "Han" banner flared loudly, leading the way out.

Bashang Daying's gate slowly opened to both sides, a large 'Han' flag fluttered loudly, and they led the way out.

From the training ground came a series of deep, resonant drumbeats, shaking the heart.

From the drill field came wave after wave of drumbeats, deep and majestic, stirring the heart.

Afterwards, eight rows of cavalry emerged from the camp gate, banners bearing the character "Jia" flying in all directions.

Then came Jia Jing in military attire, holding a bright silver dragon-gall spear, riding the Red Hare Horse, bearing the Overlord Bow on his back, draped in a great red cloak, wearing a helmet, stepping forth slowly.

At his sides followed Zhu Que, Ma Guocheng, Niu Jizong, and others.

Behind them were the two thousand elite light cavalry selected by Zhu Que from the twenty thousand horsemen.

These two thousand elite troops used the cavalry Jia Jing had transferred back from Liaodong as their core, having trained for a long time; they were all battle-hardened true elite soldiers.

Each horseman had two horses, wore no heavy armor, and carried only field rations.