Chapter 41 041 Luo Song's New Job

While the Pei family was enjoying a lively meal in their courtyard, Xiao Rong had just returned home. He was delighted to hear from his wife that Luo Dayuan and his wife had finally arrived in the capital that day.

Deng asked in bewilderment, “If you value this sworn brother, you haven’t contacted him for over twenty years. If you don’t value him, you’re smiling like you did when I first married you, all innocent and naive.”

Xiao Rong leaned back in his chair, rubbed his nose with his right index finger, and remained silent.

He smiled shyly when he first got married because it was just him and his wife at home. His wife was beautiful and straightforward, and they were both from the village, so neither of them would look down on the other.

The same goes for his relationship with Luo Dayuan. They used to eat dry biscuits together on the ground and find a place to relieve themselves together. If he really put on airs of a marquis in front of Luo Dayuan, Luo Dayuan might be afraid of his power and dare not make sarcastic remarks, but he would definitely be cursing him as a grandson in his heart.

Xiao Rong admitted that he was snobbish, but he did have some old feelings for Luo Dayuan. To put it this way, if one day the Xiao, Yang, and Li families all lost their official positions and had no power, connections, or chance of recovery, and if his three in-laws, Yang Sheng, Li Wei, and Luo Dayuan, fell into the water and couldn't climb out, Xiao Rong would definitely save Luo Dayuan first!

When the young couple returned from the Pei family's place, Xiao Rong called his son over and asked, "When are your father-in-law and the others planning to move to Ganquan Town?"

Xiao Yu: "The house over there has been prepared long ago, and my father-in-law's family will move in tomorrow."

Xiao Rong nodded: "Let them rest well tomorrow. The day after tomorrow evening, after you finish your shift, go directly to the west gate and wait for me. We'll bring two jars of good wine and go have a few drinks with your father-in-law."

Xiao Yu knew how much his father could drink, and reminded him, "I'm afraid that if we drink too late, we'll be late getting back to the city. Why don't we wait until the daytime on our day off?"

Xiao Rong: "I have to go early to show that I value this in-law relationship. You're a scholar, yet you're not as worldly-wise as me."

The reason they hadn't been in contact for over twenty years was because the gap between their families had widened too much and they were more than a thousand miles apart, so there was no need to keep in touch. Now that their old friend had become in-laws and lived closer to each other, Xiao Rong had made up his mind that he would visit his old friend whenever he had time, have a couple of drinks, and also help his old friend save face so that the local bullies and scoundrels would be careful not to bully the wrong person.

Xiao Yu thought that since his father had broken off relations with his in-laws for so long, his father-in-law and mother-in-law already knew how much his father "valued" them, and his father's departure now would not change anything.

However, it's a good thing that the father is willing to make amends; it's better than continuing to belittle his parents-in-law, so Xiao Yu is willing to cooperate.

Back at Shensi Hall, Xiao Yu first took a bath in the front courtyard. When he arrived at the middle courtyard, he found that his wife had already changed into a light silk undergarment and was lying on the bed. The quilt only covered her chest, leaving her shoulders and arms exposed. The light pink silk sleeves loosely wrapped her fair and plump shoulders, arms and wrists, with only a pair of slender and delicate hands resting on the quilt.

Inside the brocade tent, there was a delicate scent of perfume, mixed with a hint of sweet and sour fruit wine.

"Are you drunk?" Xiao Yu kissed his wife's closed eyes.

Having had too much fun during the day, Luo Fu was indeed a little sleepy. Noticing that Xiao Yu was showing signs of restlessness, she pushed him away and turned around: "I just took a shower, don't bother me."

Surprisingly, the man behind her was unusually well-behaved, but Luo Fu heard him get out of bed.

Curiosity dispelled Luo Fu's drowsiness. She turned her head and saw that Xiao Yu had put on his shoes and gone outside.

Is she angry?

Luo Fu found it unbelievable, because although Xiao Yu was greedy, he wasn't the type to get angry over such a small thing. Once, she was so sleepy in the middle of the night that she really didn't want to give in, and in her anger, she scratched his back. The next morning, Xiao Yu deliberately showed her the red marks on one shoulder, not to settle a score with her, but to play the victim and beg her to be gentler next time.

But what if this person is angry tonight?

Just as Luo Fu was seriously reflecting on whether she hadn't been gentle enough with Xiao Yu, Xiao Yu returned, carrying a bucket in each hand and two towels draped over his shoulders. Seeing her sitting by the bed, the top scholar lowered his eyes nonchalantly, his handsome face serious, as if he were carrying two buckets of ink and the towels were his canvas.

Luo Fu turned around and completely buried herself under the covers.

Xiao Yu sat down on the edge of the bed, looked at the tightly wrapped blankets and laughed: "Aren't you afraid of sweating like this?"

Luo Fu: "..."

Fifteen minutes later, Luo Fu was brought to the bedside by Xiao Yu. She lay down while he stood up. The light was as bright as day, and his skin was getting thicker and thicker. Despite his scholarly and upright demeanor, he seemed to think that doing anything indecent was perfectly justified.

Luo Fu covered her eyes with one hand: "When I first saw you at the entrance of our village, I... I never imagined you would be this kind of person."

Even the ordinary soldiers and civilians who benefited from Xiao Yu would never have imagined that the top scholar in the capital who dared to remonstrate even at the cost of his life would have such a side to him in private.

Xiao Yu: "Back then, we were complete strangers. It would have been improper for me to even glance at you. Now that you are my wife, this is proof of our love."

Luo Fu: "..."

She lightly slapped him with her foot, and then peeked through her fingers to see that the top scholar who had been slapped was actually laughing.

.

The next day at dusk, Xiao Yu rode his horse and accompanied his father to his parents-in-law's new house.

Luo Fu had just come with her mother-in-law during the day and specifically mentioned that the father and son would be coming over again in the evening. So Wang Qiuyue and the cook started preparing in the kitchen early. Luo Dayuan and his son Luo Song were sitting on the stone stools at the door. When they saw the father and son from afar, they stood up excitedly.

On a summer evening, the courtyard was cooler than the house. Xiao Rong planned to drink and reminisce with his old friend at the dinner table. At this moment, he first inquired about his old friend's only son, Luo Song.

If Luo Dayuan and his wife could have given birth to a pair of beautiful sisters, their son Luo Song must also be handsome and well-mannered. However, boys in the village are mischievous from a young age, and even the fairest skin will turn wheat-yellow after being exposed to the sun for a long time. The girls might prefer a handsome scholar like Xiao Yu, but Xiao Rong was quite satisfied with Luo Song's strong muscles.

"Come on, have a go at your uncle's moves."

After taking off his outer robe, Xiao Rong rolled up the sleeves of his white undershirt, revealing his equally strong and powerful forearms.

Luo Song felt a warmth he had never experienced from his father-in-law before, and without hesitation, he charged forward like a bull.

Xiao Yu carefully helped his father-in-law stand further away to avoid getting hit by the dirt kicked up by the two brutes.

Luo Dayuan watched the two fiercely fighting intently, and said to his son-in-law with nostalgia, "As expected of a marquis personally appointed by the emperor, your father's skills are even better than when he was young."

Xiao Yu: "..." That's because you haven't seen anyone more skilled. Besides, when Master Wu was teaching the three brothers when they were young, their father was also secretly learning from them.

Luo Dayuan: "Don't listen to your father's modesty. Back then, the emperor had more than three thousand soldiers under his command. The fact that your father was able to protect the emperor and break through the encirclement shows that he was a man of great ability."

Xiao Yu: "..." In fact, he had always suspected that his father had only managed to survive by hiding behind the Emperor and two other generals, at most helping to repel the pursuers on the left, right, and behind.

Luo Dayuan was about to praise him again when he suddenly saw his son dodge Xiao Rong's punch and strike Xiao Rong's back, causing Xiao Rong to stagger back several steps.

Xiao Yu exclaimed in surprise, "Brother, your fist technique is excellent!"

Luo Dayuan: "..."

Xiao Rong, who had retreated nearby and heard everything clearly, was speechless.

"Are you alright?" Luo Song, who was engrossed in the fight and waiting for Xiao Hou's counterattack, suddenly became anxious when he saw the other party clutching his side and unable to stand up straight. He ran over to ask with concern.

Xiao Rong waved his other hand, glanced at the kitchen door where a shadow seemed to have flashed by, and stood up straight while teasing Luo Dayuan: "Back then, your martial arts were not as good as mine, but now you have raised a mighty son who can beat me. He is indeed a good prospect for martial arts. I was not wrong!"

Luo Dayuan shook his head repeatedly: "Impossible, impossible. It's clear that the Marquis wasn't fighting seriously and was deliberately letting him win." Another reason is that Xiao Rong is too old; in terms of strength and stamina, he can't compare to a twenty-year-old young man.

The two elders exchanged polite words. Xiao Yu walked to his father's side, looked at his father's side where he had been punched, and asked, "Are you alright?"

Xiao Rong said in a low voice, "Get out."

Xiao Yu cooperated and left. A moment later, he brought two basins of water and asked his father and brother-in-law to wash their hands and faces. He had been here once before and knew where everything was.

Xiao Rong had no intention of washing, but since his son had placed the items in front of him, he had no choice but to put on a respectable act again.

Luo Songyi copied it exactly.

"What are Song'er's plans next?" Xiao Rong asked Luo Song seriously as they sat down in the main room.

Luo Song looked bewildered. He didn't want to farm, but he didn't know how to get into the Beijing Garrison, which he wanted most, without any recruitment notices in the capital. As for the Imperial Guard, which was even harder to get into than the Beijing Garrison, he didn't even dare to think about it.

Luo Dayuan looked at his son-in-law gratefully: "Yuanzhi wants to recommend Song'er to work as a clerk in the outer office of the Censorate. I think it's a good job, but I don't know if Song'er can be selected."

Xiao Rong scoffed, "What kind of yamen runner is Song'er? With her physique and martial arts skills, she should be in the Imperial Guard. Don't worry, I know you're uncomfortable with my Jianchun Guard. So, just wait patiently while I go to the other guards and see if there are any openings. Don't underestimate your position; you're still very influential in the nine guards under the Imperial Guard."

Luo Song was actually very willing, but his father and sister did not want to use Xiao Hou's connections, so he wanted to politely decline.

Xiao Rong put his arm around Luo Dayuan's shoulder and said sincerely, "Your father and I have a life-or-death bond. If you really consider me your uncle, then don't play games with me."

Luo Song's face flushed red, and he suddenly knelt down and kowtowed to Xiao Rong: "Alright, from now on you are my uncle. If I ever become successful, I will be as filial to you as I am to my father!"

Xiao Rong laughed and helped Luo Song up, his gaze subtly sweeping over his youngest son who was sitting next to him drinking tea.

In his opinion, the two young men seemed to have been born into the wrong family. Luo Song was more like his son, but since Luo Song couldn't become the top scholar, he should keep Xiao Yu.

As Xiao Yu had predicted, Xiao Rong got so drunk at the Luo family's house that night that he was too drunk to ride a horse. He might not be able to make it back in time by taking the Luo family's mule cart, so the father and son stayed at the Luo family's house for the night and went directly to their respective government offices the next morning.

When Xiao Yu told Luo Fu that her father-in-law had taken over her brother's job, she didn't take it too seriously. As Xiao Yu said, her father-in-law was just a drinking buddy of her father, and any promises he made were just empty words and unreliable.

However, after only one day off, Xiao Rong returned with good news. Five new positions had been opened for the City Patrol Guard, one of the nine guards under the Imperial Guard. Originally, there were already newcomers who had reserved them, but as soon as Xiao Rong took action, the commander of the City Patrol Guard immediately agreed to reserve one for Luo Song. As soon as Xiao Rong brought Luo Song over, he would register Luo Song and start paying him a monthly salary of one tael and five mace.

Xiao Yu: "...According to the rules, when the Imperial Guard is short of men, elite soldiers should be selected from the Beijing Garrison to fill the gap. Were the five originally selected all soldiers from the Beijing Garrison?"

Xiao Rong: "Three are from the Beijing Garrison, and two are sons of nobles who are commoners. However, those three soldiers in the Beijing Garrison were also sons of nobles and officials who were stuffed in years ago. They are either fat, thin, or weak. Including the two newcomers, none of them are as qualified as Luo Song. What, the Emperor tacitly allows nobles and high-ranking officials to stuff a few people into the Beijing Garrison and the Imperial Guard. Are you, Censor Xiao, going to impeach your own father, brother-in-law, and even the patrol commander Ji who is willing to help us for this matter?"

He glared at his father, and Deng, who was sitting next to him, quickly advised her youngest son: "I'm on your father's side in this matter. Rather than letting those good-for-nothings take the good positions, it's better to let Luo Song take them. At least he has real skills."

Xiao Yu: "If my brother-in-law gets into the city patrol guard through this method, then he is no different from those good-for-nothings. If Father really wants to help, why not recommend my brother-in-law to the capital garrison? Three people left the capital garrison, so there are three more spots available."

Xiao Rong: "...Go and discuss it with your wife first, and see which one she prefers."

Xiao Yu immediately returned to Shensi Hall.

The Imperial Guards received five coins more per month than ordinary soldiers in the Beijing Garrison, and their status as the Emperor's personal guards was also more prestigious. If Luo Fu had married Xiao Hu or Xiao Lin, and both her husband and father-in-law were genuinely willing to help, Luo Fu would have happily accepted it. However, Xiao Yu, as an Imperial Censor, could ignore some minor official practices that the Emperor tacitly approved, but he was unwilling to let his own family take such a shortcut. Therefore, Luo Fu would not blame Xiao Yu for anything.

"It's already good enough that you can enter the Beijing Garrison. Let's go, I'll go with you to thank Father."

Luo Fu stood up with a smile.

Xiao Yu was not in a hurry, and pulled his wife into a hug.

Upon arriving at Wanhetang, Luo Fu sincerely expressed her gratitude to her father-in-law. Putting aside everything else, it was truly unfair that her father-in-law had kindly offered his help but was criticized by his own son.

Xiao Rong snorted, "You don't need to thank me. I went through all this trouble for my good brother, not to help my in-laws."

Luo Fu smiled and said, "Then I, your good brother's daughter, thank you, Uncle."

Xiao Rong's daughter-in-law's words were still quite agreeable. He glanced at his son and said, "If we go to the Beijing Garrison, our side will be clean, but if you dare to impeach Commander Ji afterward, I'll really break your legs!"

Luo Fu also glared fiercely at her straightforward husband beside her.

Xiao Yu: "..."

He wasn't that pedantic. Unless it was extremely harmful to the country and its people, he wouldn't bother with such old malpractices in officialdom that had been difficult to eradicate throughout history.

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Author's Note: Commander Ji: That was close! I almost became the foolish Mr. Dongguo [angry]

Here they are! 100 little red envelopes, see you tonight!