Chapter 345: The Soldiers' Carnival (Part II)

"Enough. Even if it weren't enough, we couldn't take the Prince's Silver."

Ever since Zhao Xu appeared, Chen Hu's mother and younger sister had both been somewhat uneasy.

But at Zhao Xu's words, Chen Hu's mother immediately said loudly.

Chen Hu nodded, "Your Highness, the Silver in this subordinate's hands is quite plentiful."

He then added: "This is thanks to the reward from Your Highness this time; many officers are currently looking to purchase suitable courtyards in Yancheng."

Chen Shi also cast a look of gratitude toward Zhao Xu, and she said: "I still remember how I once stopped Hu-zi from joining the army; thinking about it today, I was truly dead wrong."

Seeming afraid that Zhao Xu might misunderstand, she said: "If not for Your Highness leading them through battles in the south and north, the people of Yanzhou would still be suffering at the hands of the Northern Di and the Yuan Family. Now that I see the people of Yanzhou finally living like human beings, I think that even if Hu-zi were to die on the battlefield, it would be worth it."

"Mother, what are you saying? My life is very tough; it's not that easy to die." Chen Hu rolled his eyes.

And Chen Hu's younger sister covered her mouth and giggled.

Zhao Xu looked at Chen Hu's younger sister at this moment; she looked to be thirteen or fourteen years old.

She was wearing a simple cyan dress with no patterns, the attire of a very ordinary commoner family.

She was thin and had a delicate appearance, like a girl next door.

Meeting Zhao Xu's gaze, Chen Hu's younger sister instantly blushed and hid behind her mother.

Zhao Xu smiled, not minding it.

Looking at Chen Shi, he said: "This Prince must also thank you all. If you were not willing to let your sons go to the battlefield, there would be no Yanzhou of today."

Hearing Zhao Xu say this, Chen Shi was even more moved.

From childhood to adulthood, what she witnessed was a world where the Rich Clans were high and mighty, treating them like cattle and sheep.

Yet now, Yan Wang was actually so approachable, telling her he was grateful to her.

At this moment, even a woman like her was willing to go through fire and water for Yan Wang.

At this time, Chen Shi grabbed Chen Hu's arm and said: "Your Highness, if my Hu-zi ever dares to disobey you in the future, you can beat him however you like. If he becomes a deserter on the battlefield, you can just cut off his head directly.

This woman will absolutely not have a single word of complaint."

Chen Hu was speechless upon hearing this, "Mother, was I picked up somewhere?"

Zhao Xu laughed heartily, patted Chen Hu on the shoulder, and said to Chen Shi: "Chen Hu is very good; he is a talent worth molding. Your son will not be a deserter."

Chen Shi looked at Chen Hu, her eyes filled with pride.

After chatting about a few more domestic matters, Zhao Xu prepared to leave.

Remembering something, he said to the merchant who had been accompanying them with a smiling face all along: "Making money is fine, but you cannot cheat the Prince's Personal Army soldiers and officers. It is because they shed their blood on the battlefield that you have a stable life in Yancheng. If I find out that you are intentionally driving up prices to earn the Silver of the soldiers and officers, I will certainly deal with you. Pass this message on to the other merchants as well."

The merchant's face turned pale, and he bowed, saying: "Your Highness, this small one is also from Yanzhou and would never do such wicked things. I really didn't make much on this courtyard, just three taels of Silver for my hard work."

Zhao Xu nodded slightly, "That's more like it. Remember, there is honor even among thieves, let alone you merchants."

After dropping these words, Zhao Xu and Xu Lie turned and left.

Under the soft sunlight, Chen Hu, his mother, and his sister watched Zhao Xu's figure disappear, only recovering their senses after a long while.

"Mother, Prince Yan Wang is truly different from the Rich Clans; he is more like one of us." Chen Hu's younger sister, Chen Qiu, said softly.

"That's right, that's why the soldiers are willing to risk their lives for the Prince; it's worth it." Chen Hu chuckled and turned to stride into the courtyard.

From now on, he had a home in Yancheng.

Meanwhile.

Many officers and soldiers who had relatives in the countryside took the opportunity to return home to visit them.

To be wealthy and not return home is like walking in the dark wearing silk robes.

Huang Yang was an ordinary Artilleryman whose home was in Xiaowei Village, not far from Fushi Village.

Because his family had many mouths to feed, they lived in great poverty in the village; from childhood to adulthood, he had almost never been full.

When the Prince's Personal Army expanded to 150,000, he happened to be of age, so he chose to join the Prince's Personal Army.

He didn't expect to catch up with the war in Jinzhou.

Having returned alive from the battlefield with his reward Silver, he couldn't wait to go home.

"Brother Yang is back, Brother Yang is back." As soon as Huang Yang appeared at the entrance of the village.

Three children playing immediately shouted.

Seeing Huang Yang carrying a basket full of things, the three children refused to leave, chasing after Huang Yang into the village, shouting and yelling all the way.

Huang Yang's face was filled with smiles.

In the past, because his family was poor, he had received many cold looks in the village.

Although it still didn't feel very pleasant to think about, having seen so much life and death on the battlefield, he suddenly didn't want to hold a grudge over these things.

This included the three children who had often teased him in the past, mocking the pants he made from thatch.

He took a handful of malt sugar out of the bamboo basket on his back for the three children.

The children's eyes went straight; they clutched the malt sugar tightly and shouted even louder, "Brother Yang came back from being a soldier, Brother Yang came back from being a soldier."

The children's voices attracted the attention of many villagers.

Looking at Huang Yang, who was wearing a military uniform and carrying a bamboo basket, many people showed expressions of awe.

Many young men of about the same age as Huang Yang gathered around, constantly asking Huang Yang about things in the army.

"What is an Artilleryman?"

"What? It can spit fire, sounds like thunder, and one shot can kill a cow?"

"It can fly for several miles? That's too amazing."

"..."

Huang Yang's answers drew bursts of exclamation, which made Huang Yang feel exceptionally proud.

Before long, he arrived in front of a dilapidated thatched cottage.

Seeing his father weeding in the fence, he shouted: "Dad!"

The old man inside the fence looked up, and seeing it was his son Huang Yang, he dropped his hoe in pleasant surprise and hurriedly shouted toward the house, "Wife, our son is back."

As his voice fell, a woman came out from the house.

The woman was wearing shoes and trousers woven from straw, and three young girls of varying ages poked their heads out from the doorway; they had no decent clothes to wear and did not dare to step outside.

"Yangzi," the woman wept with joy.

Having learned that their son had gone to Jinzhou, they had held onto the thought that he might never return.

Now that they saw him, they were naturally overcome with emotion.

Tears were also welling up in Huang Yang's eyes; he ignored the onlookers, entered the fence, and set down the bamboo basket on his back.

"Father, Mother, your child has returned. This time I have brought you many things. These are clothes and rouge for my three younger sisters, these are clothes for you two elders, and here are clothes for my eldest brother..." Huang Yang took out brand-new clothes one by one from the bamboo basket.

These were all things he had bought from a ready-to-wear clothing store in Yancheng.

Finally, he took two ten-tael Silver Ingots from his bosom, "Father, Mother, take these; renovate our thatched cottage and build a few more rooms."

Huang Yang's parents were still in a state of excitement, and they were instantly dumbfounded again.

When had they ever seen so many valuable items?

Yet now, Huang Yang had brought back a whole basketful as if they cost nothing at all.

The onlookers from the village were so envious that they could have bitten off their tongues.

Tonight, they were afraid they would not be able to sleep.