Patrol Captain

"You mean the father and daughter from the collateral branch of the family who came to seek refuge from Yong'an Prefecture just now?" Yun Chuxiong was somewhat surprised when his son suddenly asked this question.

"What, you know him?"

Yun Tiansheng paused for a moment, then shook his head. "I ran into him when I returned to the manor just now. I can't quite put my finger on it, but I took a second look. What were Father's arrangements?"

He asked one more question.

"I checked the family genealogy and inquired about the father and daughter. They are a branch of your great-grandfather's brothers, still within the fifth degree of kinship. They came from afar to seek refuge, so it's not right to be cold to them. This is a necessary process that a family must go through as it grows."

"This isn't the first time I've dealt with something like this, so you don't need to worry about it. As for that father and daughter, the male members can't stay in the Yun family mansion, so her father will be assigned to manage a property. As for your distant cousin..."

At this point, Yun Chuxiong's casual expression suddenly paused, his gaze turned serious as he looked at his son and continued:

"That woman seems well-educated and intelligent, with a pleasing appearance. I thought I would arrange for her to stay in the mansion, and in the future, I could arrange for her to marry a young man from the Yun family, thus strengthening our family ties."

Yun Chuxiong seemed to have a good impression of the girl named Nu'er. And his words weren't unfounded; as he spoke, his expression became somewhat solemn and serious.

“Nowadays, almost all the men of the Yun family who have reached adulthood have joined the army. As you know, this war is a massive mobilization, and we are destined to fight to the death against the demons. Many of them may not come back.”

"So your father and your uncles thought before we set off that we should arrange for more young men to get married as soon as possible, so that there would be an heir."

At this point, Yun Chuxiong paused, looked at his son seriously, and tentatively asked, "Tiansheng, you're in your late twenties now, you're not young anymore... Have you ever thought about this?"

Yun Tiansheng's lips twitched slightly, then he quickly raised his hand, "Father, stop. With war imminent, there's no need to mention these things."

With that, he stood up and said, "I can't linger in the army, so I'll head back to the mountain first."

After saying that, leave.

"Hey, hey, you've finally come back for a visit, have a meal before you leave..." Yun Chuxiong wanted his son to stay, but his third son was in a hurry and quickly disappeared from the study. He could only sigh and curse him in annoyance, "You brat, you've grown wings and I, as your father, can't control you anymore."

Although he was cursing, he was actually proud. This time, Yunding Mountain had mobilized a large number of soldiers, and the scale of the operation was quite impressive. This battle was bound to be a fierce one. A mother worries about her son when he travels a thousand miles away, and he was naturally worried about his son and the Yun family's men. All he could do now was to do a good job in "logistics" and try his best to squeeze more "supplies" from the various families in Jinguan City.

After thinking it over, he felt that sitting in this study was a waste of time, and that he should go out into the city to travel more. With that thought, he got up and left.

…………

Time flew by, and three days later, Chengdu remained outwardly calm.

That morning, Jiang Yi, the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, rode the wind through the green mountains and returned from the Ninth Mountain, his face full of doubt.

These past few days, he's been recuperating at his villa on Yunding Mountain. Chen Yuan hasn't mistreated him, sending the best physicians and divine healing medicines, and his injuries are gradually improving. However, he hasn't forgotten his mission. His Majesty sent him to reward the mountain-climbing army to appease Chen Yuan, but his men were ambushed and killed, leaving him as the sole commander. Most of the reward supplies have also been lost. He hasn't been able to focus on his recovery these past few days, constantly trying to ascertain Chen Yuan's attitude. But these past few days, when he went to see this Marquis Chen, the latter kept making excuses and simply wouldn't see him. Having no other option, he resorted to listening to rumors circulating in the various mountains of Yunding Mountain. He discovered that the news of His Majesty rewarding the mountain-climbing army and issuing an imperial edict bestowing the title of Marquis of Zhennan upon Chen Yuan hadn't spread widely; many people were still unaware and hadn't received any feedback.

This put him in a completely awkward position.

His Majesty's decree did not achieve the desired effect, and as the emperor's envoy, I have botched the task and cannot escape responsibility. I have no face to see His Majesty upon returning to the capital, and I am filled with sorrow.

Just now, as usual, he went to the Ninth Mountain Zhonglang Hall to try his luck. He knew that this Marquis Chen was deliberately avoiding him, but now he was a lone imperial envoy. He had messed things up and couldn't return to the capital. He could only hope that the other party's attitude would change.

This time, Lord Chen still sent someone to dismiss him, but this time it was different. This time, Lord Chen sent someone to deliver a message to him.

"Let the news travel a little longer!"

It was this sentence that made Jiang Yi suspicious, realizing that it contained a deeper meaning.

what news?
He racked his brains but couldn't figure it out; his heart felt like it was being scratched by cat claws. He could only sigh.
"This Lord Chen is truly unfathomable."

Then we can only wait.

Around that time, more than 20,000 li away from Chengdu, war raged across the Guanzhong Plain.

Adjacent to the Guanzhong Pass, there is a prefectural city with the style of the ancient Qin Dynasty. Its architecture is unique, grand and expansive, carrying a rugged and bold spirit of the Northwest.

This prefecture is called Baoqing Prefecture, which was a place where Chen Yuan and Gongsun Yang stayed when they entered the pass.

On this day, the autumn wind was bleak, and the gale blew against the city walls of this prefecture. On the city walls, soldiers stood in a dense array, the crisp sound of armor clashing against each other echoing continuously. Tens of thousands of soldiers were arranged in square formations, so dense that they were dazzling and awe-inspiring.

Tens of thousands of troops lined the city walls, their imposing presence overwhelming, ready for battle. The city walls were ablaze with lights, their armor gleaming in the sun, and pairs of eyes were fixed intently on the edge of the wilderness to the southwest.

On the city wall, the sound of drums rose up, echoing between heaven and earth. The wind swept up the yellow sand, sweeping past the banners on the city wall with a "whoosh" sound.

suddenly,

"They're here!" A hoarse, shrill voice boomed from the watchtower.

The breathing on the city wall suddenly stopped, then became heavy again. The veins on the soldiers' necks bulged, and they gripped their weapons tightly. Some drew their swords halfway out, the blade flashed, and then "whoosh," it went back into its sheath with a muffled thud; others clenched their teeth, their cheeks puffed out, their Adam's apples bobbing, but they couldn't even swallow a sip of saliva.

Clearly visible on the flat horizon to the southwest, a black line slowly rose, then spread with overwhelming force. Banners blotted out the sun, and the thunderous roar of horses' hooves shook the earth even from miles away, sending billowing dust soaring into the sky. The dark golden armor, like a black cloud pressing down on the city, pressed directly towards Baoqing Prefecture.

"Prepare for battle!" The commander's roar pierced the void, carrying the sound of metal and stone, echoing over Baoqing Prefecture. On the city walls, streaks of cold light suddenly appeared; the air was thick with a chilling, murderous aura, leaving only the pounding of hearts and the throbbing pain in one's eardrums. (End of Chapter)