Chapter 159 Birthday Gift

Lu Qinniang was originally bending over to pick water chestnuts in a bamboo basket, her fingertips still stained with the fishy smell of mud, when she heard a low sound of horse hooves coming from afar - not scattered and disorganized, but a steady and dull sound like the beating of drums, and each sound seemed to step on people's hearts.

She subconsciously clenched the purse in her hand, and when she looked up, she saw a team of black-armored cavalry coming from the end of the long street.

The black iron armor shone with a cold, hard black light under the autumn sun, and even the horse's breastplate was tightly fitted, like a moving mountain of knives.

The helmet covered his entire face, leaving only a pair of eyes as deep and bottomless as a cold pool.

The horse's hooves were wrapped in cotton cloth, and only a dull sound was left when they landed on the ground, but the subtle clanging sound of thousands of iron scales colliding could penetrate into people's ears.

"Girl, be careful!" The old man selling water chestnuts pulled Lu Qiniang and asked her to step back.

Only then did Lu Qiniang come back to her senses.

"Sir, is this the Black Armored Army?" Lu Qiniang asked.

"Yes!" the old man selling water chestnuts said excitedly, "These were brought out by General Po Lu before. Each of them can fight ten people at once."

It is a real honor to witness such momentum with my own eyes.

Lu Qiniang thought of Xiao Yan and felt sad for a moment. Then she thought, it would be painful for her to see him. Fortunately, Xiao Yan was not there, otherwise he would be so sad.

Those days of war and battle are still so clear in my memory, but they are gone forever.

The hero is not yet old, but he can't go back.

When the black-armored army marched to Lu Qiniang's side, one of the men in the middle suddenly raised his hand, and the entire army stopped instantly.

Lu Qiniang was stunned. Feeling his gaze, she couldn't help but look up at him.

The man tilted his helmet slightly and glanced at the water chestnut in Lu Qiniang's hand.

Lu Qinniang's back suddenly tensed up, but she saw him just tap the scabbard lightly, and the team surged forward silently like a black tide.

Lu Qiniang saw a scar between his eyebrows.

The stall owner was so scared that he almost fell to the ground, and only felt relieved after seeing them retreat.

"I was so scared, I thought they were going to steal my water chestnuts." The stall owner said with lingering fear.

Lu Qiniang smiled.

How could that be?

They were the people brought out by Xiao Yan.

She picked a dozen water chestnuts, paid and walked back.

"Mom, mom, did you see the Black Armored Army just now?" San Ya came forward excitedly, "It was the Black Armored Army that my father led before! So powerful, so powerful!"

"Saya, listen to what mother said. Don't ever mention this matter in front of father. Got it?"

Erya curled her lips when she heard that.

They are not allowed to mention this, they are not allowed to mention that, so when did their father become so fragile?

"Mom," Daya said, "I'm looking at the direction they're going. Is it possible that they'll run into my dad?"

It’s time for Xiao Yan to go home.

Lu Qiniang said, "I hope we don't run into each other. I'll ask Yun Ting secretly later. No, I'll go buy some more vegetables."

Buy another jar of wine.

Drink more and sleep better.

That's what she did last time anyway.

Or, how about buying something for Xiao Yan to make him happy?

Receiving a gift is always a happy thing.

Well, that’s settled.

But what should I buy for him that is not too expensive, practical, and that Xiao Yan will like?

It's a bit difficult.

Suddenly, Lu Qiniang thought of something and hurried to the shop.

On the way back, Xiao Yan reminded Yun Ting: "You are going home to spend the holiday with your grandmother. Don't get into conflict with your father again."

Yun Ting lay on the donkey's back and said weakly, "Look, do I still have the energy to argue with my father?"

"Just sit still!" Xiao Yan, leading the donkey, couldn't help but scold, "You don't know how to sit properly. If you were my soldier, I would have already..."

"I'm not, I'm your uncle."

Xiao Yan really wanted to slap him.

"Xiao Yan, was that Jiang Xuan just now?"

As Daya said, Xiao Yan and Yun Ting had just encountered the Black Armor Army.

The black-armored army did not stop, but rushed past them at lightning speed, leaving Yun Ting with a mouthful of dirt.

He vaguely recognized that the person in the lead seemed to be Xiao Yan's former right-hand man Jiang Xuan.

"It's him." Xiao Yan said lightly.

"Good boy, you've made it big. You didn't even stop when I saw you." Yun Ting scolded, "You even made me eat a mouthful of dirt. Next time we see each other, I'll beat him up."

Xiao Yan was too lazy to pay attention to him.

The two returned home.

Yun Ting said he wanted to go back to the Duke's Mansion. Lu Qiniang told him to take a shower, change clothes, and get ready to go back to see the old man.

Yun Ting waved his hand and said, "It's okay, I'll just go back and leave!"

After saying that, he just walked away.

Lu Qiniang put the fruit she prepared for him in a saddle bag and put it on the donkey's back.

"Don't worry about him." Xiao Yan said, "He's going back to complain to his grandmother. Let him go."

Yun Ting has indeed suffered a lot these days.

He has to be able to complain and then continue working hard.

Daya and Erya were preparing dinner, and Sanya wanted Xiao Yan to go out and play with her.

"Wait," Lu Qiniang said, "Go out first, I want to talk to your father."

San Ya ran out with the ball, followed by Ah Huang.

"Xiao Yan, come here, come here—" Lu Qiniang said mysteriously, "I want to show you something."

Xiao Yan suddenly felt anticipation in his heart.

Today is his birthday, could something good happen?

But another voice in his heart told him not to expect it, because it would most likely be a matter of chickens, ducks, geese, and pigs...

Lu Qiniang took Xiao Yan back to the house and began to untie her belt.

Xiao Yan:? !!!

Is there such a good thing?

This doesn't seem like Lu Qin's style.

Keep your head down and don't overthink.

Lu Qiniang fiddled with it for a long time before finally undoing the knot on the burlap belt and taking out the things inside. "I'm afraid I'll lose it. I don't know where to hide it. Hehe, I'm smart, right? No one can steal it. I can't even open it myself!"

She held a green jade ring in her palm.

"Bowstrings are always rubbed against the jaws, so this will protect them better." Lu Qiniang's fingertips were still stained with stove ash, and her sleeve rubbed against the jade surface, leaving a ash mark. She hurriedly wiped it with her sleeve. "The shopkeeper said it was Hetian green jade, said it was very fine. I polished it for a long time and only gave me five taels of silver... Although it can't compare to what you used before, it's usable after all."

Xiao Yan hesitated as he picked up the ring - this was clearly the gray jade sold by the cart in the mine at the foot of the Qilian Mountains, and there were two fingernail-sized stone veins on the inner circle.

He glanced at the calluses on Lu Qiniang's palm and said in a chuckle, "It is indeed a very fine jade."

Because of her care, this is a unique treasure in the world.

Lu Qiniang urged Xiao Yan: "Try it, try it!"

She watched Xiao Yan put the ring on his right thumb. The jade stone was a little tight at the joint, and asked anxiously, "Is it not suitable?"

Xiao Yan smiled and turned his wrist: "It's more suitable than what I used before."

"That's good, that's good." Lu Qin's mother smiled happily.

"Abandoned Mother, thank you. This is the best birthday gift I have ever received."

Lu Qiniang was confused.

Huh? Birthday present?

"Is today your birthday?"

Xiao Yan was also stunned: "You don't know? Then why did you give me a gift?"