Chapter 15 Tingzhou

Three thousand miles northwest of Xunzhou.

Tingzhou.

The wind blows across the endless wilderness.

While the people of Xunzhou rolled up their sleeves and went to the fields to sow seeds, the soldiers of Tingzhou were still wrapped tightly in winter clothes to keep warm.

Xue Yucheng was sitting beside the sand table in a black cloak, with sharp features and hair as if cut by a knife.

General Xue had a handsome appearance when he was young, but because he had been fighting on the battlefield for many years, there was a fierce aura lingering between his brows, which made people dare not look directly at him.

As a descendant of the Xue family, he was destined to be on the path of killing from the moment he was born.

His father Xue Feng and brother Xue Yuzhuo both died in the battlefield. Now Xue Yucheng's only concern in Chang'an is his son Xue Che.

My son is frail and sickly, which is both a blessing and a curse.

He doesn't have to fight on the battlefield, but the imperial physician says he may not live past adulthood.

Xue Yucheng's gaze turned towards Chang'an.

The weather is getting warmer now. I wonder if Che'er's health has improved.

"General, someone is coming from the Xue Mansion in Chang'an." A report came from outside the tent.

"Come in."

Xue Yucheng squeezed out the word "Chuan" between his eyebrows.

Chang'an is thousands of miles away from here. If someone from home comes here, something must have happened.

The curtain rose and fell, and Li Quan, an old servant of the Xue family, approached with an anxious look on his face, the skin on his face cracked by the wind and sand.

"I feel guilty for not being able to protect the young master as entrusted by the general." Li Quan knelt down in front of Xue Yucheng as soon as he came in.

Xue Yucheng stepped forward and supported him: "Uncle Quan, what's going on?"

Li Quan wiped his eyes and told the story of how Xue Che went to the Duke of Ming's mansion for a banquet and was drugged and taken away during the chaos.

"Butler Zhang sent me to Tingzhou at top speed to deliver the news to the General. However, when I reached the northwest, the heavy snow blocking the roads had not yet melted, delaying my visit until today."

Xue Yucheng's face was covered with frost and snow in winter, and murderous intent filled his eyes.

In order to protect his son's safety, he specially left a team of trusted confidants as guards at his home in Chang'an, and there were people following him whenever he entered or left the Xue Mansion.

The Duke of Ming's Mansion was holding a banquet, and it was inconvenient for the guards to follow in. However, the Duke of Ming's Mansion was heavily guarded, yet someone dared to set up a plan during the banquet. It must be that someone among the guests that day was there to help.

He knew that many people in the capital were watching him, and even the one sitting high on the dragon throne in the palace was somewhat wary of him.

If Che'er fell into their hands...

Xue Yucheng clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white, and he wished he could rush back to Chang'an right now.

"General! Someone has delivered a letter." The announcement voice at the door sounded again.

Xue Yucheng: "Send it in!"

A soldier handed the letter to Xue Yucheng with a piece of paper in his hand.

Xue Yucheng was stunned when he saw the familiar handwriting on the envelope.

It was written by his son Xue Che.

Xue Yucheng tore open the envelope and took a quick look at the letter.

My dear father:

My son was murdered by a traitor and ended up in exile in Xunzhou. Fortunately, he was rescued by a kind citizen and is now safe and sound...]

The hostility in Xue Yucheng's eyes dissipated instantly after he finished reading the first sentence, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

He eagerly read the letter written by his son, and saw that it contained a lot of trivial matters in life. He knew that his son had indeed been rescued in Xunzhou and was temporarily safe.

However, he had never heard of the Black Bandit Mountain mentioned in Che'er's letter, and the fact that the village chief on the mountain could recognize the Xue family's ancestral jade at a glance made Xue Yucheng suspicious.

A piece of letter fell lightly from the envelope.

Xue Yucheng picked it up with two fingers and noticed that in addition to the letter written by Xue Che, there was also a piece of paper in the envelope.

Rough fingers unfolded the second letter—

Your son is with me now. I will take good care of him. You don’t have to worry…

The letter only stated that Xue Che was safe and sound, and briefly described the Green Snake Village that kidnapped Xue Che and the forces behind it.

Xue Yucheng's eyes were filled with ink again, and the surging emotions were even stronger than before.

No greeting, no signature.

But Xue Yucheng recognized him.

He had seen this word thousands of times.

The handwriting was strong and elegant, very similar to that of Master Zhang, but with a touch of arrogance and arrogance.

In this world, no one can write like this except that person.

Only him.

Between the lines, a young man in green seemed to step out, waving a jade fan and smiling at him, saying, "Zixuan is late again. You must drink three cups as punishment."

Chang'an Jun is not a scoundrel, but has lofty ambitions at a young age.

Xue Yucheng's hand holding the letter trembled slightly, and his vision blurred several times:

"It's him... He's still alive..."

Zi Xin.

Ten years have passed, and Zi Xin is still alive.

It was Zixin who saved Che'er.

Xue Yucheng was choked with sobs and couldn't speak.

He was stationed in the northwest at that time, and when he rushed back to Chang'an with his sword, the Pei family was no longer there.

"General?" Li Quan didn't read the letter. He didn't understand why the murderous aura on the general suddenly faded, but a sadness appeared between his brows.

Xue Yucheng was silent for a moment, suppressing his emotions.

The north wind howled outside the tent, causing the corners of the tent to sway.

After a long time, Xue Yucheng raised his head and said in a hoarse voice:

"Che'er has been found."

Not only Che'er, but Zixin was also found.

Li Quan's jaw dropped.

He rushed here day and night, extremely anxious. Just as he arrived in front of the general, he found the young master?

"Where is the young master? This old servant will go and rescue him right away!"

“No need.”

Xue Yucheng threw the letter into the charcoal brazier at his feet.

The flames jumped onto the letter paper and in the blink of an eye, the paper was devoured into ashes.

The situation in the capital is unclear, like a dangerous place with many dangers. It is not appropriate to let Che'er go back now.

He felt more at ease knowing that Che'er stayed with Zixin.

Zi Xin's whereabouts must not be exposed.

Xue Yucheng asked Li Quan to come over and whisper some instructions.

"Do as I say when you return to Beijing. I will make the rest."

-------

The wind from Black Bandit Mountain blew by, moist and carrying the aroma of cooking.

The Cold Food Festival is coming soon.

The villagers were busy steaming cakes and cooking porridge, preparing cold food for those days in advance.

In the kitchen, the fire under the stove was crackling.

Wu Yingniang and Grandma Qiu are making rice balls.

Rice is ground into rice paste with water and poured into a pot. A few spoonfuls of oil and filtered wood ash water are added and cooked into a snow-white and thick rice paste.

Two little heads popped up next to the stove. Su Zhizhi pulled Xue Che to stand beside them and watched intently.

Steam rose from the big iron pot, and the rice paste in the pot became sticky and clumpy. Wu Yingniang held a spatula as big as a hoe in both hands and stirred and dragged it back and forth in the pot.

The rice paste finally solidified into a pillow-sized rice ball.

Wu Yingniang washed her hands, plucked off a small piece while it was still hot, wrapped it with red dates, dipped it in honey, and stuffed it into Su Zhizhi's already open mouth.

"It's delicious! Mom's cooking is the best."

Su Zhizhi squinted her eyes while eating, with satisfaction overflowing from the corners of her eyes.

Xue Che didn't have the courage to open his mouth and wait like Su Zhizhi, but a steaming ball of rice was stuffed into his mouth as well.

He chewed it slowly, savoring it.

The rice ball is sticky and glutinous, with the sweet and crispy red dates inside and the fragrant honey coating on the outside. It is really delicious.

"Ah——" Su Zhizhi opened her mouth, staring at the pot, still wanting to eat.

Wu Yingniang tapped Su Zhizhi's forehead with her finger and fed her another one:

"Okay, no more food. You won't be able to eat dinner later. These are for the Cold Food Festival in a few days."

Grandma Qiu held the small basket:

"You two, if you have time, help grandma pick some berries and she'll make you some sweet sauce."

"I'm free, I'm free!" Su Zhizhi had a day off today and didn't have to go to school, so she had the time to pick wild fruits.

Su Zhizhi's left arm was still hanging in front of her chest, and Xue Che consciously took the small basket from Grandma Qiu's hand.

When the two were about to leave, Wu Yingniang was still kneading rice balls.

Su Zhizhi looked back every three steps and was finally pulled out of the kitchen by Xue Che.

There are many blood-red fruits growing in the bushes on the hillside, crowded together, covered with fine hairs, and taste sour and sweet.

You can pick them and make jam, and pour it on rice cakes.

This way of eating is a luxury for ordinary people, but Su Zhizhi likes it, and Grandma Qiu is happy to make it for her.

While Su Zhizhi was picking wild fruits, she was still savoring the red date rice balls she had just eaten:

"Ah Che, what did you eat during the Cold Food Festival in Chang'an?"

Xue Che carried a small basket on his back and searched for wild fruits in the low bushes.

He was in poor health and had no appetite before. Cooking was not allowed during the Cold Food Festival, so the only things the kitchen sent him were bean porridge and date cakes.

The palace also gave him cold noodles and green rice, but he would have them removed after eating only two bites.

Xue Che recalled this and said it naturally.

Su Zhizhi was curious: "Does the palace still provide food? And does the palace provide meat sauce? Will the meat sauce contain..."

"No."

Xue Che knew what Su Zhizhi was going to ask and quickly interrupted her.

Su Zhizhi picked a handful of purple-red berries:

"Ah Che, your father must be a very powerful general, so the emperor would remember to send food to your family when he eats."

Although Xue Che and his father were rarely together, his father's image in his heart had always been tall and majestic. When he heard Su Zhizhi praising his father, he straightened up his bent body:

"My father joined the army with my uncle when he was eleven years old. He made military achievements at sixteen, became famous in Chang'an at seventeen, and was personally appointed General of the Cavalry by the Emperor at nineteen."

"Back then, there were 'two great men, the civil and military,' in Chang'an. The 'martial' one was my father."

Xue Che had never witnessed his father's high-spirited demeanor as a teenager, but he had heard Butler Zhang talk about it many times.

His father Xue Yucheng and his late uncle Xue Yuzhuo were once among the most talented young people in Chang'an.

Su Zhizhi's focus shifted again:

"Your father is a martial artist, so who is the scholar?"

Xue Che didn't know the answer to this question.

He was also curious about what kind of person could be as famous as his father.

Last year, Xue Yucheng returned to Beijing to report on his work and spent a few days at home. Xue Che casually asked about the matter of the two great men of literature and martial arts.

Xue Yucheng lowered his eyes sadly and said:

"After Zixin left, there was no one like him in Chang'an anymore."

Steward Zhang sighed at the side: "General, please accept my condolences. The deceased is gone, and the Pei family is no longer here."

Then both of them fell silent.

Xue Che sensitively didn't ask any further questions.

The sun emerged from behind the clouds, illuminating the berries in Su Zhizhi's hand, making them plump and translucent.

Xue Che took the berries from Su Zhizhi's hand and put them into the small basket:

"I only know his last name is Pei, his courtesy name is Zixin, and he is no longer alive."