Do you know: I am Xu Jiazi

Chapter 638 Good Family Son [Thank you! Goodbye! ]

After Gu Tingye finished speaking, Minglan, who was sitting at the back, nodded and said, "Yes! I wonder how cold it is in the north now."

As soon as Minglan spoke, Qi Heng looked over reflexively.

Zhuang Xuejiu, who was sitting at the head of the group, continued with a smile, "Do you know where in the north the fight took place?"

Qingyun bowed and said, "Replying to the scholar, they only said it was in the north, but they don't know exactly where it is. When I get back to the gate, I will ask someone to go and ask."

Zhuang Xuejiu nodded.

Qi Heng took his eyes off Minglan, glanced at Gu Tingye, and said, "Second Uncle, why wouldn't Northern Liao dare to mobilize troops at this time? Decades ago, when the new emperor of Northern Liao ascended the throne, he mobilized troops in the twelfth lunar month!"

"Wow, Brother Yuanruo, you already know everything that happened decades ago!" Molan said with a smile.

Qi Heng smiled and said, "Fourth sister, I just read it in a book."

Qi Heng turned his head and glanced at Minglan, then said to the servant behind him, "Buwei, you should go and ask with Qingyun."

"Yes, son."

Buwei stood up and responded, walking towards the door.

Gu Tingye raised his eyebrows, glanced at the people on his left, and did not refute anything.

Xu Zaijing nodded to Qingyun, who bowed and was about to leave the school.

at noon,

Qingyun and Buwei returned to the school.
Zhuang Xuejiu, who was about to stand up and leave, sat back in his chair and waited for the two to talk.

"Have you found out clearly?" Qi Heng asked with interest.

Buwei and Qingyun exchanged a glance, then bowed and said, "My Lord, I have found out clearly that they fought in the east of Fengzhou in the northwest."

As soon as this word comes out,
Changbai glanced at his brother-in-law Zai Zhang, while Gu Tingye, Qi Heng and others looked at Xu Zaijing.

"Where is Northwest Fengzhou. East?" Rulan asked with a confused look on her face after looking at Xu Zaijing.

Minglan and Molan, who also didn't know, looked away.

"Brother Yuanruo, do you know?" Molan asked with a smile.

Qi Heng's eyes were full of thought, and he said, "It should be at the border between Baigao and Beiliao in the past."

After saying that, Qi Heng, somewhat uncertain, quickly looked at Xu Zaijing.

Seeing Xu Zaijing smiling and shaking his head, Qi Heng said, "Brother Jing, I think you know better."

Xu Zaijing smiled and said, "Yuanruo, Changbai loves to look at maps the most, you should ask him."

Changbai, who was also looking at Xu Zaijing, smiled and shook his head after hearing this, saying, "Brother Jing, the map in my study shows that Fengzhou is very large and vague. How can I explain it?"

Zai Zhang nodded and said, "Yes, I have also seen the map in Changbai's study, and it is indeed true. Xiaowu, you are the only one among us who has been to the northwest, why don't you draw a picture for us?"

"Brother Xu is right, Brother Jing, come here!" Gu Tingye said with a smile.

Zhuang Xuejiu, who was sitting at the top of the table, was also pleased to see this happen and waved to Xu Zaijing.

Seeing this, Xu Zaijing had no choice but to walk forward, come to the desk of Zhuang Xuejiu, take the brush handed to him by Zhuang Xuejiu himself, and draw a few strokes on a large piece of white paper.

After showing it to Mr. Zhuang, Xu Zaijing waved to Buwei and gave Qingyun a look.

Qingyun bowed and left the school, while Buwei stepped forward with white paper in both hands, becoming a "human display board"

Xu Zaijing pointed to the area below the white paper and said, "This is the Bianjing where we are. This is Jiuyuan City. To the east is a plain with lush grass and mountains to the north."

"Before we recovered the Baigao territory, this was one of the few horse farms in our dynasty."

"This is the boundary where our dynasty and Northern Liao have been at loggerheads for decades, that is, east of Fengzhou."

After Xu Zaijing finished speaking, everyone in the school looked as if they had suddenly understood something.

Changbai glanced at Zhuang Xuejiu and asked, "Brother Jing, why did the Northern Liao choose to provoke a fight with our dynasty at this time?"

Xu Zaijing swept his eyes across the faces of the people in the school, smiled slightly and said, "Changbai, how did you know that it was Bei Liao who was looking for trouble?"

"Uh, is it because of me?" Changbai said uncertainly.

Xu Zaijing quickly waved his hands: "Hey! Changbai, I didn't say that!"

Seeing this scene, everyone in the school laughed.

Zhuang Xuejiu looked at Xu Zaijing and nodded repeatedly, saying, "Zaijing, I heard from an old friend in the court that the border troops in the northwest of our court wear cotton jackets under their robes and armor?"

"Yes, scholar! Fengzhou is close to the north and the weather is much colder than other places in the north. Your Majesty sympathizes with the soldiers and issued an edict before winter to grant a lot of cotton jackets to be distributed to the north." Xu Zaijing replied.

In fact, there are not only cotton-padded jackets. Many officers like Lu Junyi and Zhu Qinghu also have exquisite cotton armor that is both warm and protective.

After hearing the conversation, Gu Tingye thought for a moment, and then a look of realization appeared in his eyes.

Chang Feng leaned forward and asked, "Second Brother Gu, is this also the configuration in Guangrui Army now?"

Gu Tingye shook his head: "Not really. Cotton is still expensive nowadays, and a cotton jacket costs a lot of money! How can we distribute it to the whole army?"

Xu Zaijing in front continued, "The soldiers who have made meritorious contributions in Baigao before are relatively well-off. Even if they can't get the clothes, they can buy them with their own money."

Qi Heng nodded continuously while listening to the conversation. He turned his head and said to Gu Tingye, "Second Uncle, I saw a look of understanding in your eyes just now. What did you think of?"

Gu Tingye nodded with a smile: "Yuan Ruo, I just thought of it. My grandparents sent many ships of goods before, most of which were cotton purchased from the south."

"The soldiers in the northwest have money. I think most of these things were turned into cotton-padded jackets and shipped to the northwest."

Chang Feng interrupted, "Young Master, Second Brother Gu, if you say so, wouldn't it be more effective to fight in the north?"

Gu Tingye smiled and said, "Changfeng, that depends on whether Bei Liao is willing to provide warm cotton clothes to the soldiers."

While everyone was talking,
"Beng Beng!"

There was a noise outside.

Because of the door curtain, the sound was not very loud, but everyone could still hear that someone near Jiying Lane was setting off firecrackers.

After school in the afternoon,

On the way home,

Xu Zaijing asked casually, "Qingyun, which family was setting off firecrackers at noon?"

"My Lord, it was a family not far away who heard the good news from the north and set off firecrackers to celebrate with the country."

Xu Zaijing nodded.

Back to the Yongyi Marquis Mansion,

The sky is already dark,

After changing his clothes, Xu Zaijing came to his mother's yard.

"The Fifth Young Master is here."

There was a little girl preaching in the yard.

When Xu Zaijing walked through the cotton curtain and into the room, he just saw his brother Zai Zhang putting a letter on the table beside him.

Xu Zaijing bowed to his mother and sister-in-law, then walked towards the chair and said, "Brother, what's wrong?"

Zai Zhang handed the letter beside him to Xu Zai Jing: "Xiao Wu, read it yourself."

Xu Zaijing took the letter, unfolded it, and after reading it quickly, the expression on his face became a little serious.

After placing the letter on the table beside him, Xu Zaijing sighed softly.

As long as there is a war, people will die regardless of whether you win or lose.

Although Xu Zaiduan, the eldest son of the Marquis of Yongyi, won a battle in the ice and snow of the northwest, some of his trusted lieutenants also died in the battle.

"Mother, my eldest brother wants us to send someone to Tangyin, Xiangzhou, to express our condolences?" Xu Zaijing asked.

Sun nodded: "Although the court has rewards and relief, I don't know when it will be delivered. It's already the twelfth lunar month. It would be good for us to send some charcoal, food, money and clothes."

Zai Zhang said, "Mother, I will take a few days off and take the people with me."

Sun shook her head and glanced at Xu Zaijing.

Xu Zaijing said, "Mother, I will go with my brother as well."

Sun shook her head again and looked at Xie and said, "Da Lang's family, I mean that Dai Ge'er should go with them as well."

"Ah?" Xie stood up in surprise.

Hua Lan was stunned, looked at her husband Zai Zhang, stood up and said, "Mother, Dai Ge'er is less than six years old this year. Isn't it a bit inappropriate to let a little kid like him follow her?"

Mrs. Xie looked at Hualan with gratitude. These were exactly what she wanted to say.

Sun smiled, motioned for her two daughters-in-law to sit down, and said, "This time, I want them to bring some good materials and gold and silver from the capital, and some food and vegetables will be directly taken from Zhujiabao."

"This way, we can ride fast and light and come back before the New Year."

"Dai Ge'er is the eldest grandson and will inherit the title in the future. The soldiers under the Marquis's command died in battle, so we must see if there is anything we can do to help."

"His biological father is still on the battlefield and can't take him to do these things. So he should follow his two uncles. This can also be considered as training."

Hualan glanced at Xie with some concern.

Xie thought for a moment and then stood up and said, "I will obey mother in everything."

Early the next morning,
Jiying Lane,
Sheng family,

Minglan brought the maid to the school and looked at Qingcao, who was sitting on the wooden platform at the back, and Xu Zaijing's empty seat with an unlit candle, and said, "Qingcao, where is cousin Jing?"

Qingcao stood up, bowed and said, "Sixth Miss, the young master has something to do today."

"Oh!" Minglan nodded.

Qingcao turned around and squatted, took out a ball of silk thread from the basket beside her, and said, "Sixth Miss, this is the good silk thread that Yunxiang bought when he went shopping. The master asked me to give this to you."

"Oh!" Minglan smiled and quickly took it.

When Rulan came, Qingcao gave her an exquisite jade-carved katydid cage.

Rulan looked at the exquisite katydid cage and said with some worry, "Brother Jing has been giving me gifts so many times that I don't have anything good to give in return." Hearing this, Qingcao bowed and said with a smile, "Fifth Miss, the young master said that there is no need to return the gift."

"That is not bad!"

What Molan received was a very good ink stick.

The sky is bright,

There is northwest wind.

North bank of the Yellow River,

On the official road to Xiangzhou,

"Boom boom boom"

The sound of horse hooves came from the south.

This caused many passers-by who had just crossed the river and were heading north to look back.

The dust raised by the horses' hooves flew into the air under the blowing of the north wind, so bright that it looked like a large group of cavalry.

When the sound of horse hooves got closer, passers-by could see clearly that there were not many people, only about eight or nine.

However, these eight or nine people were riding two horses each, running on the official road at a fairly fast speed, so the noise was naturally quite loud.

When passing by, passers-by saw very exquisite leather horse bags hanging on both sides of the saddles of several horses.

After a while

The group of knights disappeared from the sight of passers-by.

Only the yellow dust floating in the distance vaguely showed their location.

Amid the rumbling of hooves,

Zai Zhang, who was riding a horse beside Xu Zai Jing, pointed at Xu Zai Jing's bulging body with his gloved finger.

Xu Zaijing glanced at the cloak in front of him and shouted, "He's asleep!"

Zai Zhang nodded.

When we went to Xiangzhou today, my nephew Xu Xingdai sat in front of Xu Zaijing at first, wrapped in a thick cloak.

When leaving the city and crossing the river, Xu Xingdai still looked excited and curious.

When everyone started to gallop wildly, Xu Xingdai sat on the steady back of the little black colt and hid in the warm arms of his uncle, yawning and soon fell asleep.

When Xu Xingdai woke up, he felt the bumps beneath him and knew that the horse was still running.

Leaning on his uncle's upper body, Xu Xingdai quietly opened a gap in the cloak that was closed in front of him.

As soon as it was opened, a biting cold wind rushed in, startling Xu Xingdai.

"woke up?"

There was a muffled voice above my head.

"Uncle, where are we?" Xu Xingdai put his mouth close to the gap and asked against the cool breeze.

"We're almost at Yanjin. If you want to sleep, just continue sleeping." Xu Zaijing said.

"I've slept enough!" Xu Xingdai said loudly.

As he said this, Xu Xingdai was about to stick his head out from his cloak.

But when he stuck his head out halfway, Xu Zaijing pushed it back with his hand: "Get used to the cool breeze, put on your mask and stick your head out again."

"Oh"

After a long while, Xu Xingdai, wearing a cotton hat, a mask and a headband under the hat, stuck his head out.

The cold northwest wind was blowing, and everyone was walking against the wind.

Xu Xingdai stuck his head out and squinted his eyes because of the cold wind.

Xu Xingdai, who had never left the capital since he was a child, was gradually attracted by the scenery along the way, and his eyes kept rolling around.

Looking at his nephew standing beside him, Zai Zhang, who was wearing a mask, smiled with his eyes curved.

"Uncle, can we reach father and grandfather's military camp by riding along this road?" Xu Xingdai said sullenly under the mask.

"After turning countless times along the road, we will arrive."

"Oh."

"Warm yourself up and ride a horse for a while."

"Okay, uncle!"

noon,

Everyone had their meal at a roadside inn, and their mounts were served fine food by Qingyun Alan and the others.

Xu Zaijing sat at the table, holding Zaiduan's letter in his hand, and said hesitantly: "Brother, this commander Yue who died in the battle, we may have met before."

"Hmm? I met him once. Did he go back to Beijing with my elder brother or father?" Zai Zhang asked puzzledly.

Xu Zaijing shook his head: "Looking at his resume, he should be one of those brave warriors we met outside the Taoist temple that year when Zong Ge'er got into trouble."

At that time, Marquis Yongyi had just started to act on his own, and his army had been formed not long ago and he had not yet started a war with Bai Gao. His seniority was older than Wu Song, Wang Yan and others who came later.

Zai Zhang frowned and recalled for a while before nodding: "Xiao Wu, now that you mention it, I remember it. No wonder big brother wants us to go there in person."

When it gets dark,
The dusty group entered Tangyin County.

the next day,
Xu Zaijing and others did not go to Zhujiabao in the north of Xiangzhou to transfer rice as Sun said. Instead, they went directly to the county seat to find the county magistrate, found an official who could ride a horse to lead the way, bought some things, and then hired a carriage to leave the city.

Along the way, Xu Xingdai kept frowning.

There was no other reason, it was just that Xu Xingdai had never ridden for such a long time and such a long distance since he was a child, so his thighs were a little sore from the rubbing.

On the way,

The rumbling sound of their horses' hooves and the rising dust attracted many villagers from the villages along the way to come out and check.

Many of the villagers who came to check were holding bows and arrows and spears, obviously thinking that something had happened.

We are getting closer to our destination.
Near Xu Zaijing and his group, people on horseback holding bows and spears appeared one by one.

In the end, there were more than a dozen people, who formed a team and wandered around Xu Zaijing and others.

Seeing how skilled these guys are at riding horses, it's definitely not something that can be learned by riding for just one or two days.

Xu Zaijing had good eyesight and could tell that the dozen or so people looked mostly alert and had no other expressions.

"Young Master, why don't I ride on horseback and talk to the people around us? It seems that they should be good families from several nearby farms." said the county official on horseback.

"Let's talk about it when we get there!" said Xu Zaijing.

"Yes."

After running for a while,

"Shut up!"

From the open space in the wheat field at the entrance of the village, the sound of horses being reined in was heard.

"Wang Wang Wang!"

The barking sounds of dogs in the village became much clearer.

The white breath exhaled by Xu Zaijing and others quickly disappeared into the air.

The knights who had been wandering around on the road also rode their horses and surrounded them.

Qingyun turned his horse around and rode forward to meet him.

After he bowed and said a few words to the knight, a commotion was heard: "Is this really the Marquis of Yongyi's Mansion? They are our relatives!"

"Is the fifth son of the Xu family here? My family is related to the family of Duke Lian!"

"My brother and I are distant relatives of the Yinggong Zhang family."

"Can I have a word with Goro?"

After speaking, Qingyun looked at the people in front of him in amazement. First, he was surprised at what they said, and second, he was surprised that his own young master was so famous here.

After hearing this, Xu Zaijing understood why these people were so skilled in riding horses.

In Zhujiabao in the north of Xiangzhou and in Daizhouzhuang, the ancestral home of the Xu family, some young men also began to practice horse riding at an early age.

Subsequently,

The people who had followed along got off their horses, walked up to Xu Zaijing and Zai Zhang, and talked to them for a few words.

After learning that Xu Zaijing was going to Yue's house, everyone started talking again.

To put it simply, they are related to the Yue family.

The noise at the door,

It also attracted a young man wearing a white scarf and mourning clothes to walk out the door and look outside.

There was a woman beside the young man.

Seeing this, everyone quickly fell silent.

Zai Zhang took Xu Xingdai and walked towards the yard with Xu Zai Jing following behind.

Qingyun and others at the back moved the good horses and things off the carriage.

When the adults were talking and paying tribute,
Xu Xingdai stood aside, looking at the boy who was several years older than him, and said sincerely: "My name is Xu Xingdai, and Marquis Yongyi is my grandfather! I haven't seen my father for a long time."

The death of his relatives seemed to have made the young man in mourning clothes lose his youthfulness, and there was less innocence in his eyes. Looking at Xu Xingdai, who had sincere eyes in front of him, the boy sniffed.

I don't know if it was because he was cold or crying, but the boy said with a blocked nose, "My name is Yue Fei."

(End of this chapter)