Do you know: I am Xu Jiazi

Chapter 734 A Few Juniors Aren't Enough to Read [Thank you! Thank you again! 36K words owed]

evening,

Xingguofang, the main hall of the front courtyard of the Duke of Qi's mansion.

The room was dimly lit, with no lamps lit.
"What did you say?"

Duke Qi stood up and looked at his groom, Wang Huzi, who was standing in the hall.

"My lord, I was at the Sheng family's residence today, and the Sheng family's stableman told me that he saw you yesterday!"

Duke Qi frowned and asked in confusion, "Wasn't Yuan Ruo going to a banquet with friends yesterday? What's the matter with the Sheng family's groom seeing him?"

"What you say is true, Your Excellency! But it was morning then, and the young master should have been upstairs at the restaurant while I was downstairs! I should know who the young master met."

Duke Qi narrowed his eyes: "You mean that Yuan Ruo avoided you and left the restaurant that day?"

Wang Hu Zi nodded: "I asked a few more questions today. The Sheng family's groom said that yesterday he was ordered to take a young lady and the young master and young lady of the Sheng family to visit relatives."

After hearing this,

Without needing to think too much, the Duke of Qi knew what had happened.

"Tsk!"

The Duke of Qi frowned and clicked his tongue.

Wang Huzi glanced at the Duke of Qi and said, "Your Excellency, you once instructed me that I should tell you everything about the young master, no matter how small. That's why I said those two extra words."

"You did the right thing! I know about this! Don't spread it around, go and collect your reward."

"Yes! I understand!"

Watching the groom leave the hall, Duke Qi Yiqiu paced back and forth in the room a few steps, then shook his head and sighed, "Yuanruo, you child."

After a moment of contemplation,
Duke Qi walked around the screen and headed towards the backyard.

Along the way, the servants of the Duke's mansion were busy hanging lanterns.

When passing near the second gate
"The Princess is back."

Upon hearing this, the Duke of Qi turned around and looked back.

Soon, Princess Pingning, dressed in winter clothes and walking with a slightly unsteady gait, came over with the help of her personal maid.

Duke Qi took a few steps toward Princess Pingning, and as he got closer, he smelled the alcohol on her.

"How much did he drink?" Duke Qi asked, frowning.

The mother smiled, but hesitated to speak.

Princess Pingning smiled and waved her hand, saying, "I'm happy today!"

As they approached, the Duke of Qi and his personal maidservant helped Princess Pingning towards the backyard, one on each side.

"Is the hangover soup ready?" the Duke of Qi asked.

"The Duke has already sent his maid back to inform you," the personal maid said.

"Ok!"

"Has Heng'er returned to the manor?" Princess Pingning asked, her eyes glazed with drunkenness.

"We came back around the same time!"

Princess Pingning smiled and nodded upon hearing this.

Back in the backyard,
Princess Pingning removed her cloak with the help of her personal maid.

Duke Qi helped the staggering Princess Pingning to sit on the couch. After taking the hangover soup brought by the maid, he personally tested the temperature before feeding it to Princess Pingning.

Princess Pingning smiled as she watched her husband's actions.

After taking a sip of the hangover soup, Princess Pingning, feeling somewhat dizzy, lay down on the couch.

Duke Qi helped Princess Pingning up and said, "Drink the hangover soup first! What's making you so happy, my wife?"

When he asked the question, the Duke of Qi glanced at his personal maidservant beside him.

Princess Pingning, unusually, smiled with a slightly sly tone: "My lord, guess."

"There's not a single hint. How am I supposed to guess?" Duke Qi shook his head as he held the hangover soup.

“It has something to do with Heng’er,” Princess Pingning said with a smile.

After examining his wife closely, the Duke of Qi suddenly had a flash of inspiration and said uncertainly, "Could it be that Heng'er's marriage has been settled?"

Princess Pingning took a sip of the hangover soup, closed her eyes, nodded smugly, and said, "My lord, how... how did you guess it so quickly!"

Duke Qi sighed, a hint of worry in his eyes, and said, "Aside from passing the imperial examination, the only thing that can make you so happy about Heng'er is his marriage."

Princess Pingning, with her eyes closed, did not notice the Duke of Qi's worried expression and continued, "Then, sir, guess again, which noble family's daughter is she?"

After mentally reviewing the eligible young ladies in the capital, the Duke of Qi said uncertainly, "Could it be the Cao family of Marquis Tuoxi, or the family of Imperial Son-in-Law Lu?"

Princess Pingning opened her eyes and looked at Duke Qi with admiration in her eyes: "My lord is right, it is indeed the eldest daughter of the Cao family—Zhi'er!"

"Sister Zhi, this child is several years younger than our Yuanruo, isn't she?" Duke Qi asked.

Princess Pingning nodded: "This child is younger than Heng'er, but they are destined to be together! When Xu Anmei got married, Heng'er and Zhi'er went to the Huyan family together and had sex."

Perhaps due to the effects of the wine, Princess Pingning laughed and said, "Pah, pah, pah, what I said is too ambiguous."

"Was it decided outright? In terms of seniority?"

Hearing the words of the Duke of Qi, Princess Pingning waved her hand and said, "I only said a few words, and the sisters-in-law of the Cao family are happy to see it happen! Besides, I am just my mother's adopted daughter. Since the two children are destined to be together, I don't care about this."

"Zhi'er is of noble birth and is also His Highness the Crown Prince's cousin."

Seeing Princess Pingning's happy expression, the Duke of Qi smiled bitterly.

"My lord, what's wrong with you?"

Princess Pingning, who had just opened her eyes, looked at the Duke of Qi's expression and asked.

"Oh! I was thinking, should I tell Yuanruo about this?"

Upon hearing this, Princess Pingning took a deep breath and said, "The imperial examination is just around the corner, so let's not tell Heng'er, lest he be distracted."

"Alright!"

Later,
After having dinner, Qi Heng and Bu Wei walked together along the covered walkway toward their own courtyard.

The Duke's mansion was wealthy and powerful, and Princess Pingning doted on her only son.
Therefore, the corridors leading to Qi Heng's courtyard were now completely sealed off by doors to block the cold wind.

"Yuan Ruo."

Hearing the Duke of Qi calling out behind him, Qi Heng turned around and looked over: "Father?"

"Let's talk as we walk," the Duke of Qi said with a smile.

On the way, I casually asked Qi Heng a few questions about his studies.

They soon arrived at Qi Heng's courtyard.

"No, go and fetch a bowl of hot soup," the Duke of Qi said, waving his hand.

Do not go because it is right.

Qi Heng understood perfectly; he knew that the Duke of Qi was using this as an excuse to make Buwei leave.

"Father, what's wrong??"

"Yuanruo, it's nothing. I just wanted to say a few words to you," the Duke of Qi said with a smile, stroking his beard.

"Oh!" Qi Heng nodded, glancing guiltily toward the bookshelves and desk.

The Duke of Qi was preoccupied and didn't pay attention to Qi Heng's expression.

After a moment's hesitation, the Duke of Qi said:

"Even if you, Yuanruo, don't achieve any official rank, your future prospects won't be bad!"

"But no matter what happens to you, you must prioritize your studies! Your mother is holding a grudge!"

"Only when you pass the imperial examination with flying colors will your mother be happy! Only when she is happy can your wishes come true."

Qi Heng, who believed he had handled things meticulously, smiled and nodded: "Father, I understand."

With his hands behind his back, the Duke of Qi looked at the calligraphy and paintings in Qi Heng's study by the bright yellow candlelight, and nodded, saying, "That's very good!"

After speaking, the Duke of Qi looked around and felt that something was amiss in Qi Heng's study, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

Shaking his head to clear his mind, the Duke of Qi said, "We have to get up early tomorrow. Don't study too late and hurt your eyes."

"Yes, father."

Duke Qi nodded and strode outside.

Time flies.

Before we knew it, it was December.

By late November, the laborers who had been dredging the canal had already left Bianjing and returned to their hometowns.

During that period, there were two other pieces of news in the capital: one was that a member of the Ma family had been removed from the family genealogy, and the other was that Gan Di, the younger brother of General Gan, died at home from a severe cold.

At the beginning of the month,

In the streets and alleys of Bianjing, gangs of ruffians dressed as idle men began to appear, performing "night-beating" rituals to pray for blessings and ward off evil spirits.

When people knock on the door to pray for good fortune, they often spend a few copper coins to do so.

This morning,

Breath turns to ice.

The moon had just climbed into the sky, and the frost on the ground, rooftops, and walls reflected its light.

Quyuan Street,
The Marquis of Yongyi's Residence

"Tap tap tap tap!"

The sound of horseshoes hitting the ground could be heard.

In the lantern light, one could vaguely see a knight walking out through the side door.

"puff!"

The fine steed that emerged grunted and exhaled a puff of white steam.

A knight, fully clothed except for his eyes, said to someone standing to the side, "Fifth Young Master, you have to go to school today, so don't bother seeing me off! I know the way out of the capital well!"

"You don't need to worry about that! Let's go!" Xu Zaijing waved his hand and said.

"Brother Fei, let's go!" Qingyun said with a smile as he followed behind.

Watching Xu Zaijing lightly nudge his horse's flanks and head towards the street corner in the moonlight, Yue Fei had no choice but to follow.

Unlike Xu Zaijing and Qingyun, who each rode their own horse, Yue Fei had two horses following behind him in addition to his own mount.

The two horses were used to carry the things Yue Fei had purchased himself, as well as some gifts from the Marquis's residence.

Bathed in moonlight and braving the biting morning wind, the group quickly exited the city through Yongtai Gate.

As Xu Zaijing crossed the Hulong River, he turned his head and saw that the river surface had frozen over, like a rough mirror reflecting the moonlight.

"Shut up!"

"Fifth Young Master, let's stop here!" Yue Fei said again, his eyelashes frosted over.

Xu Zaijing looked at Yue Fei, who was bundled up tightly, with a long spear hanging behind him, and a quiver, a powerful bow, and a waist knife beside his saddle, and said, "Brother Fei, be careful on your way home."

"Don't be afraid if you encounter trouble. If you come across any thugs or bandits, just take action and finish them off."

"If there's anything, tell them to come to the capital and talk to my family."

Yue Fei nodded: "Fifth Young Master, don't worry! It's not like I've never been out before."

Xu Zaijing smiled, looked at the bulge at Yue Fei's waist, and said, "The gourd contains good wine. Sip it slowly to warm yourself up, but don't drink too much!"

"The Yellow River should be frozen over by now, and you can cross it by stepping on the ice, but you should look for the ice sections that people usually walk on, safety first!"

"I know." Looking at Xu Zaijing, Yue Fei smiled and said, "Fifth Young Master, when I came to the capital before, my mother wasn't this long-winded."

"What do you know!" Xu Zaijing glared at Yue Fei, then said, "Alright, let's go! A smooth journey is unlikely! Have a safe trip!"

Qingyun tied the reins of the two horses to Yue Fei's saddle and said with a smile, "Brother Fei, have a safe journey!"

Looking at Xu Zaijing and Qingyun by the moonlight, Yue Fei bowed respectfully and said sincerely, "I'm leaving!"

After saying this, Yue Fei turned his horse around, flicked the reins, and galloped north.

Watching Yue Fei's figure disappear from sight, Xu Zaijing returned to the city with Qingyun.

As Yue Fei rode his horse across the frozen Yellow River, the sun rose in the east.

The morning sun wasn't scorching, but it still dispelled the darkness and brought warmth.

Along the way, Yue Fei could occasionally see several shady spots with snow that had not yet melted.

After crossing the river,
Yue Fei hurried along the official road, and in the morning he saw the stone tablet marking the boundary of Yangwu County.

noon,

While passing through a village with a post station,
As Yue Fei rode past, he saw three old men sitting in the sun by the post station, their hands tucked into their sleeves.

Upon seeing Yue Fei, a young man riding a fine horse, strong and carrying a spear and a sword, the old men on the roadside fell silent and began to cast curious glances at him.

Yue Fei had three horses, which made quite a commotion. A courier came out after hearing the sound of the horses' hooves.

Seeing Yue Fei's attire, the courier wearing earmuffs smiled and said, "Young man, you must be tired from your journey. Do you have a travel permit, official document, or postal voucher?"

Yue Fei nodded, dismounted, took out a card from his pocket, handed it over, and said, "Thank you for your trouble."

The courier took the item, looked at the seal on it, and his smile widened. He cupped his hands and said, "So you're a young man from the Marquis of Yongyi's residence. Please come in!"

"Please feed the three horses some fine grains and warm water, thank you for your trouble," Yue Fei said politely again, handing over a string of ten copper coins.

"You're too kind, young man," the courier said with a smile as he accepted the gift.

at this time,

Three elderly people standing near the post station also came over.

Watching Yue Fei take a gourd from his cloak and sip a drink, an elderly man in a cotton coat with silver-gray hair cupped his hands and smiled, "Young man, are you from Bianjing?"

Yue Fei nodded with a smile.

Seeing this, the three old men were delighted and said with a smile, "We have also heard of Lord Xu, the Marquis of Yongyi, who led a large army to destroy Bai Gao."

"There's something that happened in Bianjing that I'd like to ask you about, sir."

Looking at the three old men, Yue Fei stuffed the wine gourd back into his cloak, then nodded with a smile: "Please speak frankly, gentlemen. If I know the answer, I will certainly tell you."

The three old men smiled and nodded. The old man in the cotton-padded coat cupped his hands and said, "Young man, there's an old fellow in our village who's familiar with us. He's taken on a corvée labor service to go to Beijing to dredge the canal."

"When this old fellow passed through here on his way home a few days ago, he talked a lot of big talk to us, saying that he had a warm place to stay, good food, and had even met His Highness the Crown Prince!"

"You've even spoken with the Grand General of the Imperial Guards! You come from Bianjing, and your knowledge far surpasses ours. I wonder if what that old fellow said is true?"

Yue Fei was taken aback, then laughed and said, "What a coincidence, lad, you actually know about this."

"Oh?" The three old men looked surprised. "Young man, tell us quickly!"

"I heard about this from an older brother. Is the old man surnamed Wang?"

Upon hearing this, the three elderly people displayed quite interesting expressions.

Yue Fei continued, "My elder brother said that the old man not only met His Highness the Crown Prince, but also spoke a few words to him."

"Slap!" An old man slapped his thigh and said enviously, "This old fellow actually didn't talk nonsense!"

"If we had known this would happen, we should have gone!"

"Yes!"

Just as he was about to continue the conversation, the manager of the post station quickly came out and invited Yue Fei to the courtyard to warm up.

The next day,

Auspicious day

Early in the morning,
At the gate of the Zheng family's main gate,
Dressed in new clothes, Xu Zaijing, who felt like he hadn't attended a wedding in a long time, dismounted, shook his sleeves, took off his gloves, and bowed to Zheng Jun, who was standing at the door.

"Goro, you've finally arrived! Come in and warm up!"

"A few juniors aren't enough; we're waiting for you to deliver the betrothal gifts to the Zhang family!"

(End of this chapter)