My older brother is Gao Huan.

Chapter 9: The Recognizable Daughter of the Lou Family?
When Gao Huan and Wei Jing returned home, they found Gao Yu still sleeping in his room, so they didn't wake him.

“Brother-in-law, you should return the borrowed money and goods to the brothers. I still need to go to the city gate to stand guard.”

Wei nodded.

Hearing the conversation, Gao Loujin came out of the room but Gao Huan was nowhere to be seen.

"My lord, how is the matter of sending betrothal gifts?"

Wei Jing shook his head with a wry smile and briefly explained the Han family's reaction.

Gao Loujin's expression shifted several times, but in the end he could only sigh.

"I told you to persuade Dalang not to be so extravagant in treating people to meals, otherwise he would be disliked by everyone."

"That's not how it works. If it weren't for Dalang's strong sense of loyalty, why would others be willing to follow him? If it weren't for Dalang's sake, why would my family receive so many goods every time we return from our trips?"

Gao Loujin was furious. "They only got a little more. So what if Dalang is in charge? They still can't get rid of their military household status."

A hundred years ago, military households in the six towns were indeed highly sought after.

The Northern Wei Dynasty initially established its capital in Pingcheng. To guard against raids by the Rouran in the north, it established six garrisons in the northern border region to protect the capital.

Initially, a large number of nobles from the Xianbei "Dai" group sent their sons to the Six Garrisons.

The Six Garrisons were the easiest places to gain military merit and thus be promoted. They could also seize a large amount of supplies during battles, be exempt from taxes and corvée labor, and enjoy various preferential treatments bestowed by the Northern Wei emperor.

In the early Northern Wei period, many systems of the nomadic tribes were still preserved.

Officials did not receive salaries; their income depended entirely on the spoils of war. For Xianbei nobles and Han gentry, it was only by being on the front lines that they could guarantee their right to a full distribution of supplies.

But over the years...

The Northern Wei completely controlled the north and, in the course of long-term warfare with the Rouran, completely defeated and subdued them. The Rouran had submitted and repeatedly sent envoys to seek peace, and wars between the two sides had become rare.

The six towns guarding the capital were in a very awkward position. They were no longer coveted by nobles, but instead became places for the court to exile criminals.

Especially after Emperor Xiaowen moved the capital, the center of the court shifted south as a whole, and the Six Garrisons were abandoned. They went from being important towns guarding the capital to frontier military towns. How could their status be the same?

Military household status was hereditary and could not be changed, thus the military households of the Six Garrisons were completely and substantially reduced to 'slaves' left behind by the imperial court on the frontier.

Wei Jing didn't know what to say.

If Gao Huan had lived in a chaotic era, he might have been able to gain the respect of many and achieve great things.

But now?
The Northern Wei and Southern Liang maintained relative peace, and the overall situation in the country was quite stable.

Gao Huan's behavior only earned him a good reputation among the public.

...............

"Sister, why did you suddenly come to town with me today?"

“The pastures that Aye recently gave me are short of people. I will come with you to town to find some experienced military households so that they can be my servants and graze the livestock for me on the pastures.”

On the post road outside Huaishuo Town.

Lou Zhaojun and her brother Lou Zhao rode side by side, followed by a large retinue, with servants clearing the way for them.

Lou Zhao joked, "Is that all? I heard my second sister say the other day that the head of the Heba family was going to bring his third son, Adou Ni, to visit, wanting to find a wife for his son. But you secretly came out with me today. Father will definitely be angry if he finds out."

"I don't care."

"Everyone says that the three Heba brothers are exceptionally brave and have the strength to fight ten thousand men. After seeing them last time, I wholeheartedly agree. Why does my sister look down on them so much?"

"How could a rough and uncouth brute be worthy of me? To be my husband, one must be a hero, a man of outstanding talent, and handsome!"

Lou Zhaojun stood proudly on horseback.

"Let's not talk about that. Come on, let me see if your riding skills have improved lately!"

Lou Zhaojun raised her whip and lashed it hard across the horse's rump. The horse neighed in pain and galloped forward!

"It will definitely surprise you!"

Seeing this, Lou Zhao spurred his horse and gave chase!

The horses galloped, kicking up clouds of dust. Soon the two arrived outside the gate of Huai Shuo Town. With a strong tug on the reins, the steed reared up and came to a stop.

"You actually managed to catch up with me, not bad, not bad."

"Sister, don't underestimate me! Next time! Next time I will definitely surpass you!"

Lou Zhao retorted defiantly.

After the two waited for a while, several servants and maids caught up on horseback, and the entourage carrying the goods also caught up quickly.

The group made quite a show of force outside the city, attracting a lot of attention.

Gao Huan was on duty at the city gate at that time.

As the long queue entered from outside the city, those who were originally going to leave the city all consciously lowered their heads and made way for them.

"He Liuhun? Who is this person making such a grand entrance?"

"It must be someone from the Lou family delivering goods for their shops in town."

After a moment's thought, Gao Huan gave his answer.

The Lou family was a powerful Xianbei clan in Huai Shuo. Their ancestors had made great contributions and were enfeoffed as the Marquis of Zhen Ding. Originally surnamed Pi Lou, they were given the Han surname Lou after Emperor Xiaowen's Sinicization reforms. Their pastures had countless cattle, sheep and horses, and thousands of servants and slaves.

In Huai Shuo, the Lou family was considered to be an extremely prominent family.

The person on duty with him nearby stared wide-eyed upon hearing this.

"I wonder if the Lou family is recruiting servants this time. Otherwise, I would definitely give it a try. It would be better to be a slave to the Lou family than to stand guard here every day."

Gao Huan teased, "Why would you want to be a slave to someone?"

“Aren’t military households also slaves? At least if they go to the Lou family to be servants, they won’t starve to death.”

Gao Huan immediately fell silent, for he knew this was no joke. Although the Lou family was a powerful clan, they frequently helped the common people and were known for their philanthropy, much like the powerful Han clans of the Central Plains. They placed great importance on their local 'prestige'. Every winter, many low-ranking soldiers in Huai Shuo Town starved or froze to death, but with the Lou family, at least there was no need to worry about that.

The two were positioned exactly to the left of the city gate.

Suddenly, the man grabbed Gao Huan's arm and pointed to Lou Zhaojun below, who was about to pass through the city gate.

"Look, look! This woman is so beautiful! She's truly a beauty."

Gao Huan took a step forward and peeked out.

Women are always extremely sensitive to gazes that linger on them. Lou Zhaojun looked up and met Gao Huan's gaze.

She was stunned.

Her eyes could no longer move an inch; the girl's heart felt as if it had been struck hard, stirring up ripples of emotion.

"Sister? Sister?"

"what?"

Lou Zhaojun came to her senses, but she didn't care about Lou Zhao beside her. Instead, she murmured to herself, "How handsome he is. I have never seen anyone with such a handsome appearance. This... is what my husband should look like."

"Sister, what did you say?"

"I think I can see my future husband in my mind!"

Lou Zhao looked completely bewildered.

My future husband?

He looked up in the direction Lou Zhaojun was pointing, but saw nothing, only the vague figure of the guard walking back and forth.

"Where is everyone? Why is Sister acting so strangely all of a sudden?"

Lou Zhaojun looked up again and, sure enough, Gao Huan was nowhere to be seen.

She hurriedly dismounted and ran towards the city wall.

Those on duty all knew she was a daughter of the Lou family, and no one dared to stop her.

Lou Zhaojun came to the city wall and looked around, but still could not see Gao Huan.

With just a glance, the girl's heart could no longer be contained.

"Quick! Quickly call someone over and help me find out about someone."

………………

Gao Yu didn't know how long he had slept.

When I came out of the room, it wasn't dark yet, but it was already sunset.

Upon hearing the commotion, Gao Loujin immediately came out.

"Erlang, are you awake? Are you hungry?"

Gao Yu rubbed his stomach. Although he had eaten a lot of mutton when the caravan was dividing the spoils, he was still growing and digesting quickly, so he was really starving right now.

Gao Loujin immediately heated up some flatbread for Gao Yu to eat.

"Where are my brother and brother-in-law?"

Gao Yu ate a sesame flatbread and asked curiously.

Gao Loujin then told him about how the two of them had been rejected when they went to the Han family to propose marriage.

Gao Yu was completely confused.

The daughter of the Han family?

Right?
Shouldn't Gao Huan's wife be a daughter of the Lou family?
Could it be that the timeline changed after I traveled here?

Suppress the doubts in your heart.

Not a moment.

Wei Jing and Gao Huan then returned home together, and Gao Yu ate some meat before going back to his room to rest.

That evening, he took the initiative to find Gao Huan.

"Brother? The matter of the Han family's daughter..."

How did you find out about this?

Gao Huan was taken aback for a moment, but quickly realized what was going on and waved his hand, saying, "I suppose it was my elder sister who told you. It's alright. People don't accept my marriage proposal. Life is full of disappointments, and how can everything go as I wish?"

He spoke of it casually, with a rather nonchalant air.

But one could still sense a hint of sadness in Gao Huan's words.

Gao Yu didn't know how to comfort her.

After a moment, he slowly voiced his doubts.

"Brother, besides the Han family's daughter, do you know any other women from the Lou family?"

"The Lou family's daughter?"

Upon hearing this familiar name, Gao Huan was startled again, recalling the moment when he and the beautiful young woman locked eyes on the city wall.

She is truly a beauty.

He shook his head. "I don't know him."

"How could a soldier like me possibly know a woman from the Lou family?"

PS: Empress Ming of the Northern Qi Dynasty, née Lou, personal name Zhaojun, was the daughter of the posthumously granted title of Grand Minister Neigan. She was intelligent from a young age, and many powerful families offered her marriages, but she refused them all. Upon seeing Emperor Shenwu serving on the city wall, she exclaimed in surprise, "This is truly my husband!" (From *Book of Northern Qi*, Biographies, Volume 9)

(End of this chapter)