Chapter 276

Large jars for boiling meat porridge were placed in front of the doors.

Almost all the villagers in the village came to these houses with smiles on their faces, holding pottery bowls.

The masters of the houses, with smiles on their faces, held wooden ladles and served every villager who came a full bowl of meat porridge.

Beside the masters were many villagers helping out, all with smiles on their faces.

"Brother Chen, your Qingan has made something of himself. I heard that this time your Qingan served as a Vanguard Commander, killed many bandit leaders, and performed great service at Loufan Pass. With the rewards for merit, he is surely destined for greatness."

"It's your Qingan who has the ability and the future. Why didn't I let my child follow County Lieutenant Duan back then?"

Father Chen smiled, his honest face, weathered by the soil, full of wrinkles.

"Brother Zhang, you flatter me. That child Qingan was just lucky to meet County Lieutenant Duan and Master Gao; otherwise, how would he have had the chance to get ahead?"

Originally, only Diaochan's family lived at the entrance of the village.

But ever since Tie Shitou, Wang Hunu, Chen Qingan, and Liu Bai Tu followed Duan Yu,

the four families gradually began building houses around Diaochan's home.

Especially after Diaochan moved into Jinyang City, this place, as her ancestral home, remained preserved even though no one lived there.

And as the four young generals beside Duan Yu, Tie Shitou and the others naturally had to move into Jinyang City.

But since they still had family in the village, they all began building houses around Diaochan's ancestral home.

Besides the four young generals, forty other young men from the village and surrounding areas had now become Duan Yu's personal guards.

These people had also moved one after another to the area around Diaochan's ancestral home.

They were responsible for the daily cleaning of the courtyard where Diaochan and Duan Yu once lived and for guarding the fields of Diaochan's family.

Now, the families of Tie Shitou and the others, along with the families of more than forty other village youths, had become the most envied people in the area.

Some families who had not sent their children to Duan Yu's side began to regret it.

But as Duan Yu's achievements grew higher, it became impossible for these villagers to see Duan Yu in the village every day as they once had.

So now, the only way was to get close to the families of those around Duan Yu, like Tie Shitou, to see if they could find another path.

As Duan Yu rose, Tie Shitou and the others would surely rise to greatness as well.

Just like when Duan Yu first rose, he would need trusted followers in the future.

And these fellow villagers from his hometown were undoubtedly the first choice.

As for why the villagers were gathered together today,

it was because Duan Yu was returning from Yanmen Commandery.

After the porridge distribution ended, the families of Tie Shitou, Wang Hunu, Chen Qingan, and Liu Bai Tu drove ox carts toward Jinyang City.

Villagers without carts walked in unison.

Some even brought their sons who had already grown into young men.

Among them were those who brought their daughters.

The purpose, naturally, was the hope that Duan Yu might take a second look, or even take them into his service.

Ever since the news of Duan Yu's meritorious service in Yanmen Commandery and the Monan grasslands reached Jinyang, the news had spread.

Even the villagers knew that after Duan Yu returned, he would surely go to Luoyang to await his rewards.

By then, it was hard to say how high an official rank Duan Yu would be granted.

If he were to leave Jinyang, it would be difficult to see him again.

Therefore, the surrounding villagers had almost all turned out, wanting to seize this last chance.

"Hey, husband, look!"

A woman passing by Diaochan's family fields pulled her husband's sleeve and pointed at the fields: "Why are the rice seedlings in County Lieutenant Duan's field growing taller than the ones around them?"

"And why are they so much taller?"

The woman's voice was loud, and after she said this, many people noticed the scene.

They all turned their heads to look at the adjacent fields.

Diaochan's family fields were now surrounded by a fence.

And there were signs indicating that trespassing was strictly forbidden.

And the seedlings in that field were clearly more than half as tall again as the surrounding ones.

Seeing this strange sight, some villagers from the neighboring townships clicked their tongues in wonder.

However, the three village elders, who seemed long accustomed to this, smiled and said: "This is what is called a man born with wonders, surely accompanied by strange events."

"County Lieutenant Duan is a man born with wonders; naturally, he must be accompanied by strange phenomena of heaven and earth."

"There is nothing strange about it, nothing strange at all."

The three village elders explained.

A man born with wonders is surely accompanied by strange phenomena.

The villagers from the surrounding townships could not help but feel a sense of awe.

It was noon, and the sun was shining brightly.

Three people were sitting in the Ten-Mile Pavilion outside Jinyang City.

Dong Zhuo, dressed in black robes, with a jade belt around his waist, wearing a military cap, and carrying a short sword at his waist.

Another was Liu Wei, the Administrator of Taiyuan Commandery, who was dressed in black and red, wearing a high mountain cap, and had a plump figure and fair skin.

Besides the two, there was an elderly man with half-gray hair.

The elder's name was Zhang Yi, the new Inspector who succeeded Dong Zhuo as the Inspector of Bingzhou.

The three were sitting around a stone table.

Surrounded by a large number of guards.

And several parked carriages.

Almost all the officials of Jinyang City, as well as the officials of the commandery, were present.

Besides the officials, further down the road from the Ten-Mile Pavilion were some villagers and young men and women from Jinyang City.

"Haha, Zhongying has truly found a good son-in-law this time; I am truly envious."

Liu Wei laughed heartily and said: "There was a rumor in Jinyang that I also wanted to snatch Duan Yu as a son-in-law."

"I wish I truly had a daughter as outstanding as Zhongying's, but unfortunately, I do not. If I did, I would certainly have competed with Zhongying for him, haha!"

Liu Wei stroked his large belly with one hand and looked at Dong Zhuo jokingly.

Everyone helps carry a sedan chair; now that Dong Zhuo had been promoted and Duan Yu had performed miraculous deeds, he was destined to soar in the future.

The unpleasant past had long been thrown to the back of Liu Wei's mind.

The new Inspector, Zhang Yi, sat to the side, smiling without a word, stroking his beard.

Dong Zhuo's laughter was hearty and open, full of satisfaction.

"They are here, my lord, Young Master Duan's carriage and horses are here."

Hua Xiong, standing not far behind Dong Zhuo, suddenly spoke up to remind them.

The three immediately looked up toward the end of the road.

In the distance, on the official road leading to Jinyang, a line of spirited black cavalry approached, stepping proudly with their heads held high.

Sitting on a horse was a man.

Dressed in black armor, holding a massive long halberd, looking majestic and awe-inspiring.

Beside him, battle flags fluttered and snapped in the wind.

The moment Duan Yu's figure appeared on the official road,

the villagers and commoners on both sides of the road cheered loudly.

Some youths of humble origin in Jinyang City looked at Duan Yu as if looking at an idol, their eyes burning with fervor.

And the young girls in the crowd were all attracted by Duan Yu's heroic posture and handsome face.

Behind Duan Yu, Tie Shitou and Wang Hunu held their chests high, their faces filled with the high spirits of a victorious return.

A thousand cavalrymen rode slowly, yet there was a feeling of awe that could conquer the world.

Even Zhang Yi, who was sitting beside Dong Zhuo and seeing Duan Yu for the first time, could not help but sigh.

"Such a heroic warrior, no wonder he could perform such miraculous deeds."

"If the Great Han had such fierce generals like Zhongying's son-in-law, why worry about not destroying the Xiongnu and Xianbei!"

"A good warrior, a truly good warrior!" Zhang Yi sighed.

Dong Zhuo's smile grew increasingly proud.

A carriage parked next to the Ten-Mile Pavilion also lifted its curtain at this moment. ===== CHAPTER 278 =====