When Luo Shuigui returned to the capital, it was already the middle of the seventh lunar month. On the trip this time, two brothers died, three were seriously wounded, five were lightly injured, and only two people came back wholly intact.
Second Lord Lu had expected that this trip to the northwest would not be peaceful. Still, he did not expect that his party would be attacked by the barbarians. "What happened at that time? How did they know your route?"
Luo Shuigui told Second Lord Lu what he knew. "Miss Han told me that there was a traitor among the bandits of Menghu Mountain who were in collusion with the barbarians. As for who exactly it was, Miss Han didn't say." When Yuxi told Luo Shuigui about this matter, it was also her way of giving him an explanation. After all, nearly half of the twelve people who went along with her had or almost lost their life.
Second Lord Lu asked, "On this journey, how did the Han girl behave?"
Luo Shuigui immediately told Yuxi's performance when she was besieged by the bandits at the bottom of Menghu Mountain. "At that time, Miss Han said she wanted to follow and leave with Master Yang and let a double go with us. I disagreed at that time. Now that I think about it, I think Miss Han must have sensed something then, so she took off from the caravan to follow a team of only a few people."
After hearing these words, Second Lord Lu smilingly commented, "With such fast thinking mind, courageous, keen of sense, and decisive action, she is indeed a talent."
Luo Shuigui remarked regretfully, "It's a pity that she's a woman." If Yuxi had been a man with such a heart and ability, she would have been able to build a great career.
Second Lord Lu shook his head and said, "So what if she's a woman? Have you forgotten who she married? Yun Qing knows how to fight, but unfortunately, he is a little short of strategy. Now with Han Yuxi, Yun Qing becomes a tiger that has grown wings." [T/C]
Luo Shuigui paused for a moment before saying, "I heard from Yun Qing's subordinates that Yun Qing thinks highly of Miss Han."
Second Lord Lu was not surprised. "Unless Yun Qing is stupid, there is no way that he would not treat Miss Han well. Moreover, even if Yun Qing does not understand, there's no way Huo Changqing will not." Speaking of this, Second Lord Lu sighed. "It won't be long before the weather in the northwest changes." Yun Qing was a great fighter, and now he had the young miss of the Han family to assist him. Sooner or later, the northwest would fall into Yun Qing's hands.
Luo Shuigui commented, "After all, the Qin family has deep roots there, so it won't be that easy to get rid of it in a short time." Luo Shuigui did not reject the idea of Yun Qing and Han Yuxi taking control of the northwest, but he just felt that it would not be an easy feat. After all, if they pulled one hair, the whole body would move. If the Qin family collapsed, many families would also be implicated.
Second Lord Lu responded, "If it's just Yun Qing, he won't be able to rise to the top for the next five years. But with the addition of the Han girl, the outcome will be different. That girl has a deep mind. In less than three years, you'll see that the Qin family will be destroyed." That girl was the best at seizing opportunities. Every time people thought she had fallen into the dust, she still managed to get up. [T/C]
Luo Shuigui felt that Second Lord Lu thought too highly of Yuxi. "Miss Han is only a woman from the inner courtyard. Even if she is smart, she can only wander around in the inner courtyard."
Second Lord Lu smiled and shook his head. "Huo Changqing is not a close-minded person and acts rigidly. As long as it is useful, no matter who that person is or what kind of method, he will not refuse any." Others did not know Huo Changqing as much as he did.
Luo Shuigui asked curiously, "What kind of person is Huo Changqing?"
Second Lord Lu waved his hand and said, "You don't need to know this. By the way, when you go out, have the page called the Third Master over." Just in time to prepare to release his youngest son to experience the outside world. The northwest was a good choice right now. [T/C]
In the meantime, Duke Han's residence was in a miserable state. Of the twenty-six people who followed Yuxi, fifteen died, and two seriously injured ones were still on their way and recuperating. Meanwhile, another three managed to come back with wounds on their bodies.
After Qiu Shi knew about this, she instantly instructed Ye Shi. "Take care of their funeral affairs, and look after their family. In addition, send another 100 taels of silver to each family."
Ye Shi nodded and said, "Okay, I'll arrange it."
After Ye Shi left, Qiu Shi went back into the Buddhist temple and recited the sutra. This northwest was too dangerous. Just a single trip had led to many deaths. How could she set her mind at ease with Jianye and Yuxi still there? Only by reciting sutras would she not be so anxious.
After Han Jianming finished reading the letter sent by Yuxi, a smile of relief appeared on his face. He knew about all the things that happened on the road from her letter. He was happy to learn from Yuxi that Yun Qing valued their marriage. It was good that this marriage had come with this outcome. At least, the amount he spent on manpower and material resources would not have been in vain.
Han Hao called outside, "My Lord, Great Old Lady has fainted again. Please go and see her, my Lord!"
When Han Jianming heard this, he put the letter down and rushed to the Main Courtyard. All the ladies of the inner courtyard had arrived at this time, even Qiu Shi, who had been chanting in the Buddhist temple. Han Jianming asked Mama Luo, "Why did Grandmother faint for no good reason?"
Mama Luo wiped her tears and explained, "She was fine just now, but she suddenly fainted after I took my eyes off her for a second." Since the beginning of summer, Zhou Shi's health had not been good. [Info]
The physician came and gave Great Old Lady Zhou Shi a few pricks of his acupuncture needles until she woke up. The physician said, "Summer is not an easy season for the elderly. Please change her living place to a fresher and cooler one."
Han Jianming immediately instructed to move Great Old Lady Zhou Shi to Tingyun Pavilion. Tingyun Pavilion was warm in winter and cool in summer, which was the most suitable place for her.
After Yurong visited Zhou Shi and returned to her own courtyard, she became endlessly worried. She was not only concerned about Zhou Shi's illness but also worried that if Zhou Shi eventually passed away, she would have to observe mourning. The mourning period would be three years. Hongjin was eighteen years old right now and would be twenty-one three years later. There was no telling what changes would occur within those three years. [+]
Old Woman Chen was also worried, but it was useless to be anxious about this thing. "Miss, even if the Old Lady really eventually passed away, you should never show any weird emotion other than the normal reaction." If her Miss did, she would be deemed as being unfilial.
Yurong let out a long sigh and said, "I know. I won't let anyone see any difference." She wasn't like her Si Jie. She once had a mother who would stand up for her. However, she couldn't rely on anyone right now. She had to be overcautious.
Yuxi did not know that Zhou Shi would suffer the aftermath because of her paralysing stroke. Of course, she would not have too much emotion even if she knew. She had no feelings for her grandmother. Whatever good or bad happened to her grandmother, it had nothing to do with her.
That day, Yuxi was reading a book in the study. Zijin walked in and informed her, "Madam, Yu Cong is back." Seeing Yuxi's puzzled face, Zijin cheerfully said, "Madam, Yu Cong had come back from Menghu Mountain, bringing along the military counsellor's dog head."
Yuxi put down the book in her hand, stood up and asked, "What's going on?" Why would Yu Cong bring back Zhang Yong's head?
Zijin shook her head and answered, "I'm not sure about this. If Madam wants to know more, Madam can ask Yu Cong himself." Seeing that Yuxi only smiled without saying anything, Zijin couldn't help but tense up and suggested, "Madam, you should let Yu Cong in. I also want to know how he killed that evil man."
Yuxi smiled and urged, "Then, let him in!" In fact, she also wanted to know how Yu Cong had taken Zhang Yong's head from the Menghu Mountain.
Yu Cong first washed from head to toe no less than three times before changing his clothes and coming into the inner courtyard to see Yuxi. He had brought the head during the three hottest periods of the year, so the smell had deeply attached to his clothes. If he did not wash it many times, in case Madam smelled it, he would have to take the consequence.
Yuxi looked at Yu Cong and asked with surprise, "When did you go to the Menghu Mountain?" She was aware that there was a person named Yu Cong, but this was the first time she had met him in the flesh. He had the standard northwest man build, tall and sturdy.
Yu Cong did not dare to look at Yuxi. He lowered his eyes and told her, "I went there at the beginning of the fifth lunar month. When I arrived at Menghu Mountain, I originally wanted to expose Zhang Yong's identity and then dragged him back. It was just that this thing was so cunning that he slipped away in private. I had a lot of trouble catching him. " If he was facing Yun Qing, he would explain the process in detail. But since he was meeting Yuxi, he would omit all the dangers and hardships he faced in the middle for fear that speaking about them would scare her.
Although Yu Cong did not say it to her, Yuxi also knew that it was certainly not so simple. When Zhang Yong was in the Menghu mountain, he certainly had his own forces, even if he was unpopular. For Yu Cong to return without any injuries was enough to show her this person's ability. "It has been hard for you. The General has not yet returned. You should eat something first and then go home to see your wife." Yu Cong got married two years ago, but they still didn't have any children. Please read this chapter at xinshou blogspot com.
Yu Cong shook his head and said, "This wasn't that hard. This wasn't as hard as when I followed the General, marching and fighting in the war for three days and nights without closing our eyes!"
Yuxi's eyes shone brightly as she asked, "When was that?"
Yu Cong did not think much about it. When he heard Yuxi's question, he just answered straight away. "It was the year before last. At that time, I was so tired that I could fall asleep on the horse."
Yuxi was really interested in this. "It can't be that hard every time, right?" Yun Qing was reluctant to talk to her about his past. And the others were like mussels, where their mouths were sealed tight. It was hard to find someone willing to talk about it. Thus, she was unwilling to give up when she finally found one.
Yu Cong shook his head and said, "That's true. If it is like that all the time, even those with iron bodies can not even stand them." After saying that, he told Yuxi what happened several times that he followed Yun Qing to war.
When Yu Cong saw Yuxi listening very carefully to his words, he told her with great interest. At that time, Zisu came in and reported, "Miss, Guard Xu asks for an audience."
After meeting Yuxi, Xu Wu took Military Leader Yu Cong out. When Xu Wu reached the front courtyard, he waited for Yu Cong to arrive before asking, "What did you tell Madam? You even took this long to report something to her?"
Yu Cong smiled and said, "Madam asked me about the General's war. Since Madam was interested, I told her something about it."
Xu Wu glared at Yu Cong. "You talk too much. If the General wanted to talk, he would have said it already. Why do you need to be the one who talked about it?"
Yu Cong did not understand and asked, "Why? What can't I say it?" It was not something shameful. It was a heroic victory. Why couldn't he talk about it?
Xu Wu said grumpily, "The General did not tell Madam because he was afraid she would be worried." The previous incident had already happened, but the General still had to lead his army to the war afterwards! If Madam knew that the war was so dangerous, she must be fretful about it in the future.
But Yu Cong disagreed as he argued, "There is no war that is not dangerous. In addition, if we let Madam know how hard it has been for the General, she will be more distressed for the General in the future." Every time he went out, he would tell his wife how hazardous the war process was. Then his wife would be particularly considerate and gentle to him.
Xu Wu didn't know how to speak with this fool anymore.
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The Rebirth of Han Yuxi