Chapter 47 Chapter 47 There was originally an engagement.

"Actually, our Runan Yuan family and Chenjun Xie family originally had an engagement."

Yuan Fuxue took a sip of tea, stroked the edge of the teacup with her fingertips, looked up at Yuan Wangshu, her eyes filled with tranquility.

"I asked Mother about this yesterday, too." Yuan Wangshu covered his lips with his hand and coughed softly. "Third brother, don't blame me for being nosy. I've seen you and Xie Tingyu going in and out of the refugee market together these past few days. Last night, when she sent you back, you were chatting and laughing with her."

Yuan Fuxue was puzzled, "What does this have to do with the engagement?"

"Because this child marriage is between you and Xie Tingyu."

The tea suddenly choked his throat, and Yuan Fuxue's hand trembled, nearly spilling the tea in the cup. The warm liquid slid down his throat, but it seemed to turn into a ball of fire, burning his heart.

Yuan Wangshu held a tangerine in his hand, breaking it open while glancing at Yuan Fuxue's expression. "But back then, Xie Er was in poor health, and Mother was worried you'd end up a widow after marrying into the family. The Xie family was tactful enough to call off the match."

"Since then, both families have kept this a secret, and the engagement has been annulled."

Yuan Fuxue lowered her eyes and said nothing, her fingertips gently fiddling with the rose pastry on the table, and the fine cake crumbs fell into the celadon plate.

Yuan Wangshu pretended to peel an orange peel, then poured tea, finally deliberately nudging the corner of the table with his elbow. Throughout this process, Yuan Fuxue remained motionless, like a stone statue, unaffected by the outside world.

Seeing this, Yuan Wangshu didn't dare speculate about her third brother's thoughts. Although Fuxue was quiet, he was actually very smart and had his own ideas. She couldn't tell whether he had any feelings for Xie Tingyu.

It is really easy for a young man to be deceived by a girl with good looks!

"Alas—" Yuan Wangshu leaned back heavily, the golden hairpin on her temples hitting the wall of the carriage with a dull thud. She stared at the intricate cloud pattern on the roof, gritting her teeth and cursing in her heart: Damn Xie Tingyu!

The carriage fell into silence, with only the rumbling of the axles as it slowly moved along the bank of Qingxi River towards Yuan Garden.

Let’s get back to Sirong Mansion.

As Xie Tingyu was rushing inside, he happened to meet Huan Zheying and Cui Yuanying who were arguing loudly.

"Xie Er!" Cui Yuanying caught sight of the corner of Xie Tingyu's black robe and turned his head sharply. As if he had seen reinforcements, he rushed to her side in a flash, "Come and judge the situation!"

"What is it?"

"That's it..." Huan Zheying opened her mouth to speak, but Cui Yuanying covered her mouth with her hand. "Let me speak!" She looked at Xie Tingyu eagerly and said, "Can you tell me if I can join the army and fight in the battlefield?"

Huan Zheying sneered, "You think you can do this just to clear out the rioters?"

"My archery skills were personally trained by Xie Er." Cui Yuanying's eyes rolled, and he directed his anger at Xie Tingyu. "You said I'm not good enough, but do you mean Xie Er is not good enough?"

"Cui Yuanying, stop slandering me!" Huan Zheying hurriedly turned to Xie Tingyu and bowed, hastily clarifying, "Captain Xie, I didn't mean that!"

"Hey, isn't this a coincidence?"

Xie Tingyu took out the file from his bosom and said, "It's better to arrive at the right time than to arrive early. We have now found out that the riot in the city is related to the Black Mountain Army entrenched in the Taihang Mountains."

She patted Cui Yuanying's shoulder and said, "If the emperor gives the nod this time, I will stand behind you and watch you fight bravely. I will see you kill the enemy without a single piece of armor left. You must kill them all, leaving no one alive. If you leave your name in this battle, and anyone says you're not capable, I'll be the first to stand up and oppose you."

These words were spoken passionately, and Cui Yuanying felt a complex mix of excitement, but more fear. During the riot that night, Xie Tingyu and Wang Lanzhi had led the way in suppressing most of the rioters, while she had layers of guards protecting her. But this wasn't like actual combat; if one wasn't careful, they could be killed.

Huan Zheying glanced at Cui Yuanying's hesitant expression and sneered, "Are you scared? I told you, you can't fight." Then he added, "Who knows, if we really have to go to war, Yuan Wangshu might also join the army. Don't let her outsmart you."

This trick of provoking the opponent is very good and works every time. Cui Yuanying was fooled.

She rubbed her hands together, "Don't look down on me! If we really have to go to war, I will ask my aunt to arrange for me to join the army."

The three of them walked into the Grand Council Hall, where a large rectangular table stood. Fine sand had been piled up to represent the topography of the various counties of the Great Zhou Dynasty. Clay-molded passes and city walls were scattered throughout the area, and small cinnabar flags marked the various military deployments.

More than a dozen armored military officers were gathered to discuss matters. When they saw Xie Tingyu step over the threshold with his long legs, they immediately clasped their fists and shouted in unison, "Thank you, Cavalry Captain!" When they saw Huan Zheying following closely behind him, they added, "Captain Huan!" Finally, they saluted Cui Yuanying, "Madam Cui."

The people inside made way for each other, and Huan Zhanyue stood in the middle, accompanied by Wang Lanzhi.

Xie Tingyu was accustomed to such scenes and was not reserved. She remained calm, nodded slightly to the crowd, and then spoke directly, "General Huan, the refugees rioted that night, and I'm afraid they were colluding with the Black Mountain bandits."

"really?"

Huan Zhanyue's face suddenly became solemn. He took the file, unfolded it and read it carefully. Wang Lanzhi also leaned closer.

"This is really outrageous!" Huan Zhanyue slammed the file on the table, causing the fine sand in the sand tray to slide down.

She suddenly stood up, hands behind her back, and gazed at the terrain of the Taihang Mountains. "The mountains here are steep and rugged, allowing us to attack or defend. The Black Mountain bandits have exploited the terrain to tangle with us for years. Even Emperor Gaozu personally led the expedition, but they were unable to achieve their goal because they were scattered and used the forests as a barrier."

Huan Zhanyue sighed deeply, shook his head, and said, "What's even more hateful is that these bandits promised protection. Anyone who submits to them will no longer have to pay silk and grain to the prefecture, and all the harvest will belong to them. Therefore, the people will leak the news."

Upon hearing this, Huan Zheying, Cui Yuanying, and the others all looked hesitant and unconvinced, while Xie Tingyu simply nodded. She said, "The common people don't understand loyalty, filial piety, or righteousness. They recognize whoever can provide them with food and clothing as their mother or father. This is perfectly normal."

Xie Tingyu looked at Huan Zhanyue, his fingertips gently stroking the edge of the sand table. "There are always more solutions than problems. General Huan, we have to fight this matter."

"I second the motion." Wang Lanzhi nodded, his tone firm. "The Black Mountain Army currently has 50,000 men. If we can wipe out their stronghold in one fell swoop, these soldiers, familiar with mountain warfare, will be a ready-made elite force when we defend against the Northern Di cavalry in the future."

"Commander Wang is right." Xie Tingyu pointed to the Taihang Mountains. "This place is high and densely forested, making it easy to defend but difficult to attack."

She drew a deep groove on the sand table along the line of the mountain with her finger. "If we capture it and take it for ourselves, using it as a shield, Jiankang can be safe for at least thirty years." As she spoke, she suddenly pulled up a black flag and replaced it with a red flag with the word "Zhou" written on it, and planted it on the top of the peak.

"You two are both right."

Huan Zhanyue put the file away and said, "However, whether to launch the expedition or not still requires the decision of His Majesty."

After some further discussion, everyone left.

Xie Tingyu and Huan Zhanyue walked out of the Grand Council together. "To resist foreign aggression, we must first stabilize the country. General Huan, since the Black Mountain bandits are deliberately inciting refugees, we have a legitimate reason to launch an attack. There is no need to condone or yield." She paused. "I will discuss this matter with my mother as well."

"Although you're now a cavalry captain personally appointed by the emperor, it's not certain that Grand Tutor Xie will be willing to have you on the front lines." Huan Zhanyue glanced at Xie Tingyu's expression. "After all, this is completely different from clearing out the rioters in the city."

"General Huan, you're wrong," Xie Tingyu interrupted her. "To die on the battlefield is common for a general. How can I be so prudent as to protect myself while others risk their lives for me? Since I'm already a cavalry captain, I should do my job. I'm not someone who sits in a vacant position and does nothing for me."

Huan Zhanyue's expression lingered on Xie Tingyu several times. "They say a daughter resembles her mother, but I feel that you and Grand Tutor Xie are completely different. You are more like the same person."

"who?"

"Wang Xuanji."

"I don't know him."

"Uh..." Huan Zhanyue was speechless when he saw that she was so disrespectful to him. "It's normal that you don't know her. When she went to the battlefield, you were still young and trapped in Xie Garden to recuperate. Who do you listen to me? That person at that time..."

So, Xie Tingyu was forced to listen again to Wang Xuanji's heroic deeds.

During this process, Xie Tingyu perfectly played the role of the supporting actor, using lines such as "Oh? Really?" "Oh my God! Wang Xuanji is so amazing!" "It's a pity that I was born too late and couldn't see her in person" to commemorate the captain who died young together with Huan Zhanyue.

As dusk fell, Xie Tingyu returned to Xie Garden under the stars and the moon.

She first burned incense and bathed, then changed into a wide-sleeved shirt and a striped skirt before going to see Grand Tutor Xie. She was going to inform Xie Qingyan that if the emperor ordered a war, she intended to fight as a vanguard, not to retreat and watch others fight from the sidelines.

After all, since she had taken possession of Xie's daughter's body, she still had to reason with her. But this was just a notification. If Xie Qingyan disagreed, she would use the excuse that "a general is not subject to the king's orders" and do as she pleased.

The Xie family of Chen County has always been famous as a literary family. Since Xie Daoyuan, they have established themselves in the court by discussing metaphysics. Now they have grown from a mere local noble family in Kuaiji to a top family that controls the central government.

It was the first time in the past hundred years that someone like Xie Tingyu entered the officialdom through military service.

Xie Qingyan was sitting at a small table, holding a scroll of white silk, reading under the dim yellow lamp. First, he heard a series of light footsteps, then a dark shadow fell on the silk book, and the candlelight flickered a few times.

"Mother."

Xie Qingyan raised her head and looked at the newcomer. "You're here." She sat up straight. "I was wondering when you would come to talk to me. I didn't expect you to come here right after showering and changing clothes."

Xie Tingyu brushed aside the hem of her skirt and knelt down opposite Xie Qingyan. "There are some things I want to tell my mother."

"Are you so impatient that you can't wait?" Xie Qingyan asked knowingly.

Xie Tingyu raised his eyes, his gaze fixed on Xie Qingyan, "Mother, if the army marches out this time, I would like to be the vanguard, leading the light cavalry to attack the Black Mountain Pass."

The clear sound of water being poured echoed in the quiet room, and a cup of tea with curling white smoke was pushed in front of Xie Tingyu.

"Ever since returning from Shangqing Temple, you've become quite different from the child I remembered." Xie Qingyan used a tea whisk to gently remove the foam from the teacup. "I had thought that since you were so lazy, you might as well join the Situ Office as a clerk, or at worst, go to the Lantai Pavilion and become a leisurely scholar proofreading ancient books. I never expected you to choose the path of the Sirong Mansion."

Xie Qingyan sipped his tea. "My Xie family has always been known for its profound and profound discussions, yet you go to the martial arts arena every day. Sometimes I even wonder, are you really my Xie family's child?"

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The author has something to say: Xie Daoyun (date of birth and death unknown), also known as Xie Daoyun, was born Taoyuan and styled Lingjiang. She was a native of Yangxia County, Chenjun (present-day Taikang County, Henan Province) and a member of the Chenjun Xie clan. She was a talented woman and writer during the Eastern Jin Dynasty. [This article is for reference only.]

It's so hard to write, so hard to write, so hard to write, so hard to write, so hard to write, so hard to write that I'm crawling on the ground in the darkness and twisting