Do you know: I am Xu Jiazi

Chapter 735 Arm Wrestling with the Shen Family's Son [Thank you! Thank you again! 38K words owed]

British public,
Having served two dynasties,

He is a trusted advisor to the current emperor.
Before the current emperor ascended the throne, the young Duke of Yingguo, who was still a minor duke at the time, inherited the title.

British public schools are extremely upright.
In the military, promotions were based solely on ability, not connections, and over the years, many capable generals were promoted.

Over the decades, his influence in the military has been no less than that of General Cao, the Marquis of Tuoxi.

What is particularly commendable is that the British Duke, prioritizing the greater good, not only knew how to retire gracefully but also refrained from seeking credit or fame.

To know,
At that time, the successful recapture of Bai Gao would have been considered a feat of destroying a country.

If the Duke of England were to volunteer to lead the army, the Emperor would agree.

However, if the Duke of England goes to the northwest, the defense line in the north against the Liao Dynasty will face great pressure.

Faced with the choice between the glory of conquering a nation and remaining unknown, the old duke chose the latter.

The emperor naturally took note of this prudent and dedicated minister who was so devoted to the country.

Therefore, the British Duke Zhang family has been showering them with gifts over the years.

10:00 AM (巳时正刻)
The main gate of the British Duke's Mansion was adorned with red decorations and decorations, creating a festive atmosphere.

The two stone lions on either side of the entrance also have large red flowers made of red silk tied to their chests.

The Zhang family's residence was that of a Duke, so the stone lions at the entrance were naturally larger than those of a Marquis's residence.

Although the street in front of the Zhang family's gate is wide enough.

But today the place is packed with guests, and the streets are bustling with traffic, causing quite a bit of congestion.

At this time,

"Make way! Make way! The convoy delivering the betrothal gifts is here!"

In front of the bustling gate, a loud-voiced servant was shouting from not far away.

Upon hearing this shout, the carriages and sedan chairs of the various wealthy families on the street all moved aside to make way for the road.

quickly,

Xu Zaijing and Gu Tingye rode their small steeds, leading several carriages, to the Zhang family's gate.

"Shut up!"

Xu Zaijing and Gu Tingye reined in their horses, and Zhang Fangyan, who was greeting guests at the door, walked over with a smile: "Fifth Brother! Second Brother!"

Xu Zaijing, dismounting from his horse, cupped his hands in greeting and said with a smile, "Brother Zhang!"

Gu Tingye smiled and clasped his hands in greeting.

Xu Zaijing and Zhang Fangyan were comrades-in-arms in the Northwest.

Young Master Zhang Fangyan greatly admired Xu Zaijing's choice to start as a scout.

On the way back to the capital, Zhang Fangyan gave Xu Zaijing a lot of advice on various matters concerning the cavalry, and the two had a teacher-student relationship.

That is, Zhang Jia Wu Niang and Zheng Xiao were childhood sweethearts, and her heart was entirely devoted to Zheng Xiao. In addition, there was the dignified Madam Zheng in charge of the household.

Without these,

According to Zhang Fangyan's idea,

My younger sister really should marry into the Xu family.

Of course, these thoughts would remain buried in Zhang Fangyan's heart, and she would never be able to voice them aloud.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries,

Led by the Zhang family members, Xu Zaijing and Gu Tingye walked together into the Duke's mansion.

Xu Zaijing didn't visit the Zhang family courtyard very often.

Looking around today, it is indeed a very large and impressive place.

Even in the dead of winter, the scenery in the courtyard is still very beautiful.

After meeting the Duke and Duchess of England,

Xu Zaijing and Gu Tingye then took their seats at the table in the warm hall.

The dishes were served in a continuous stream, and the Zhang family members who were accompanying the guests kept offering toasts.

Sanlang Zhang Fangsong held a wine cup, smiled at Gu Tingye and Xu Zaijing, and said, "Second Brother, Fifth Brother, it's been many years since we last met since you joined the army. Come, let's drink this cup."

Zhang Fangling, the fourth son, laughed and said, "Yes, yes, yes! Come on!"

Gu Tingye drank it all in one gulp.
Xu Zaijing smiled, held his wine glass, and took a small sip.

Zhang Fangling peered into Xu Zaijing's wine glass and said, "Hey? Wulang, are you trying to raise fish?"

Xu Zaijing smiled and said, "Fourth Brother Zhang, you know that Erlang and I are going to accompany Second Brother Zheng to welcome the bride this afternoon, right?"

Zhang Fangling's eyes flickered slightly, then he nodded and said, "I know!"

Xu Zaijing smiled and said, "Erlang and I haven't even had a bite of food since we arrived, and you two brothers are already offering us toasts like this. Are you trying to get us drunk?"

"how could be!"

"Goro is talking nonsense!"

"Our house and the Zheng family's house aren't far apart, so what's wrong with drinking a little more?"

The Zhang brothers denied it with a smile.

The maid standing nearby refilled Gu Tingye's wine cup.

Gu Tingye glanced at the Zhang brothers a few times and laughed, "Gentlemen, you've used all your battlefield tactics on us!" Seeing that they had been seen through, the Zhang brothers gave up their plans and stopped offering toasts.

Xu Zaijing and Gu Tingye also drank a few cups.

During the banquet,

Xu Zaijing picked up a piece of food with his chopsticks, took a few bites, and looked at the Zhang brothers with some doubt, saying, "Hiss, the taste of this dish is quite unique. It tastes somewhat like the cooking techniques from the palace."

Zhang Fangling smiled and waved his hand: "Wulang, it's not like the food from the palace. This is the kind of food that the palace chefs make."

Gu Tingye looked surprised: "Fourth Brother Zhang, the palace has sent people?"

“Yes, it’s in my big kitchen.” Zhang Fangling nodded with a smile.

Xu Zaijing thought to himself with admiration that the royal family had only sent a cook, without overstepping their bounds in the slightest.

Those who can taste it will naturally know what's going on.

If they can't taste the difference, the Zhang family won't deliberately emphasize it.

'I wonder how many people will know about this.' Thinking of this, Xu Zaijing ate a few more bites.

in the afternoon,

Xingguofang
Amidst joyful cheers, the Zheng family began their wedding procession.

In the team,
In addition to Zheng Xiao's four nephews, Jiang, He, Hu, and Hai, his nephew-in-law Shen Herui was also brought in to make up the numbers.

Xu Zaijing rode his horse along in the wedding procession. The winter sun was a bit too bright, causing him to close his eyes.

Little Liju obediently followed the wedding procession, so Xu Zaijing didn't need to interfere too much.

Xu Zaijing opened his eyes only after he felt the little horse slowly stop.

After his eyes adjusted to the glaring sunlight, Xu Zaijing was drawn to the grand scene at the Zhang family's gate.

at this time,

Zhang Fangyan, the eldest son of the Zhang family, stood at the front with his arms crossed.

Behind him stood two brothers, and behind them stood his nephews and nieces.

Further back were the children of relatives and friends such as Qi Heng and Liang Han.

Five rows of people stood in neat rows, blocking the gate with an intimidating presence.

Zheng Xiao, who was riding at the front, turned around and glanced at Xu Zaijing and the others, his eyes filled with the look of 'I'm counting on you guys today'.

Xu Zaijing quickly whispered to Zheng Xiao's nephew, "You two stand behind me and Ye Ge'er, and He Rui will 'stand guard' on the side."

Zheng Jiajiang, He, Hu, and Hai nodded emphatically.

Shen Herui gave a slightly bewildered "oh".

Subsequently,

Zheng Xiao, dressed in wedding attire, dismounted.

As Zheng Xiao adjusted his wedding attire, Xu Zaijing and Gu Tingye stood behind him.

Zheng Xiao's four nephews stood behind Xu Zaijing and his companion.

Not knowing where to stand, Shen Herui thought for a moment and then stood next to his four brothers-in-law.

Seeing Shen Herui's appearance, the crowd gathered at the Zhang family's gate burst into laughter.

In this way, the Zheng family's third row of people facing the Zhang family's fifth row of people felt somewhat like two armies facing off.

"Big brother."

Zheng Xiao, who was at the front, smiled and cupped his hands in greeting.

Zhang family backyard,

Inside the main hall,

A scene of elegant attire and graceful figures, adorned with pearls and jade.

Although the room was heated by an underfloor heating system, the guests were still dressed in winter clothes, holding hand warmers, and occasionally taking a few sips of warm tea.

The reason is that,

At this time, the main hall door was wide open, with only a large screen blocking it.

Every now and then, maids and servants would come briskly from the gate into the courtyard with smiles on their faces, reporting the 'battle situation' at the gate.

As the maids and servants relayed the message, laughter could be heard from inside the house from time to time.

To summarize,
Although there are many Zhang family members at the entrance.

However, Zheng Xiao's two best men, Xu Zaijing and Gu Tingye, were truly formidable, achieving complete victory in both civil and military affairs.

They have now broken through two rows of people and are now facing the two young masters, Qi Heng and Lu Zezong.

"Is Zong-ge'er not nervous?" the old lady of the Duke of Lian asked with a smile.

"Reporting to the old lady, the young master was not intimidated! It's just that... after being grabbed by both hands by the fifth son of the Xu family, he was thrown directly into the arms of the Zheng family members behind him."

The old lady of the Duke of Lian was taken aback, slapped her thigh, and said, "What? Eldest son didn't let Zong-ge'er compete in the literary contest?"

The maid nodded and said, "Yes, Madam, the two young masters want to have a martial arts contest with the best man. The eldest young master said that if Zong-ge'er intervenes, Wu-lang will go easy on him."

"Where is my child?" Princess Pingning asked with a smile.

"Your Highness, Young Master Qi is currently arm wrestling with Young Master Shen."

(End of this chapter)