Chapter 23 Longing

The winds of the North never follow reason.

It pounced like a wild beast covered in ice shards, stinging your face and making it so strong you had to strain to stand. The thick felt curtains of the barracks crackled and popped in the wind.

Xie Sangyu practically crashed into the barracks; the heavy curtain behind him slammed shut, shutting out the wind and snow.

He didn't even have time to take off his leather armor. He rushed to the innermost part of the house, took three steps at a time, and rolled onto the earthen bed.

That's right, it's a traditional earthen bed.

"Hiss... I'm alive!" He buried his face in the still-warm kang mat and let out a long sigh of relief.

"Dad! Come up here quickly!" he called out in a muffled voice.

Xie Zhenting had just hung up his sword when he heard this. He strode over, took off his boots, and nimbly climbed onto the kang (a heated brick bed), finding a comfortable spot next to his son.

He patted the warm earthen bed beneath him with his rough hands, and the wrinkles on his face smoothed out: "Thank goodness for this thing your sister made! Otherwise, in this damn winter, the two of us would have been frozen to dust by this damned heaven, let alone fighting!"

"Of course! If it weren't for my sister, we wouldn't be able to go back!"

"Bullshit!" Xie Zhenting glared and slapped his son on the back of the head without hesitation. "What are you saying, spouting such discouraging words! Even if I break my legs and crawl forward with my teeth, I'll crawl back to see my daughter!"

Xie Sangyu winced in pain, but nodded emphatically nonetheless.

"We must all return to the capital! My sister also deserves to be bowed to by me and the soldiers!"

The father and son were well aware of the thoughts of those noblemen in the capital.

The allocated grain, winter clothing, and medicine were either a drop in the ocean or simply disappeared without a trace.

Either the journey was long and the losses were huge, or the money was skimmed off at every level and ended up in the pockets of some corrupt officials.

They probably hoped that the cold winds of the North would quietly get rid of Xie Zhenting for them.

Unfortunately, man proposes, God disposes.

They never expected that their daughter, far away in the Western Cold, would become the greatest blessing and reliance for the soldiers in the Northern Border!

Xie Sangning's letter was not just a family letter; it was a life-saving secret.

Besides this warm kang (heated brick bed), there were also those prescriptions made from common herbs that could reduce inflammation and fever, which had saved countless wounded soldiers from the brink of death.

What's even more amazing are the pictures, depicting seeds of high-yield crops that can thrive even in barren lands, a species found only in neighboring countries.

Xie Zhenting sent his most clever and reliable veteran, disguised as a traveling merchant, and after many twists and turns, he actually managed to bring him back.

Although the food grown here may taste a bit rough, it can fill your stomach and stave off hunger!

They managed to keep these tens of thousands of soldiers from starving and freezing to death during those years when the imperial court could not be relied upon!

"Lucky star..." Xie Zhenting gazed at the simple roof of the barracks, as if he could see through thousands of mountains and rivers to his daughter in Jinling City. His tone was full of pride and tenderness. "Our Ning girl is truly my lucky star, and the lucky star of our entire army!"

When the soldiers in the camp heard this, they all nodded in agreement.

All the soldiers respected, remembered, and longed for the Xie family's eldest daughter from the bottom of their hearts.

Some even secretly set up a simple longevity tablet for her in a corner of the camp.

"General! When we return to the capital, you must allow us to kowtow to our young lady from afar!"

"Yes! I'll kowtow! If it weren't for the young lady's method, I would have lost my life last winter!"

Inside the barracks, Xie Sangyu listened to the discussions coming from inside and couldn't help but grin.

He turned over, pressed his face against the warm kang (heated brick bed), and comfortably squinted his eyes.

"Father," he said, his voice slightly nasal, "when we get back to the capital and see my sister, I must give her a big hug..."

Xie Zhenting kicked her again: "Big brother, stay away from sister! What are you hugging for!"

——

The General Xie Sangning, who was stationed a thousand miles away, sat alone by the window.

She held a warm, smooth white jade pendant in her hand, a gift her father had sent from the border when she was young, with a small character "Ning" engraved on it.

Just then, the beaded curtain rustled softly, and Ru Chun entered carrying freshly brewed tea.

"Miss, we've just received confirmation from the palace that the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet is in half a month. Invitations will, as is customary, be sent to our residence. What do you think we should prepare as a birthday gift? We have several antique jade ornaments from the previous dynasty in the storeroom, as well as a Guanyin statue inlaid with jewels and pure gold. What do you think..."

Xie Sangning's thoughts were pulled back.

"A birthday gift?" A smile played on her lips. "Just prepare one according to the rules. Isn't there a white jade statue of the God of Longevity holding a peach in the storeroom, which was a gift from someone a couple of years ago? It's of average quality. It looks quite festive, so let's use that. Find a decent box to put it in."

Ru Chun was slightly taken aback. The white jade statue of the God of Longevity was indeed only of medium to high quality in terms of material, and the carving was not particularly exquisite. It was an item that was considered too bulky to be displayed in Ruixuelou's storeroom.

Miss actually intends to take this to congratulate the Empress Dowager on her birthday?

“Miss,” Ru Chun hesitated for a moment, but still reminded her, “Isn’t that white jade a bit too simple? After all, it’s the Empress Dowager’s birthday, and all the mansions will surely compete to show off their splendor. If we send something too ordinary, we might give people something to say, that our General’s Mansion is not polite and has slighted the Empress Dowager.”

"Disrespectful?" Xie Sangning chuckled and put down her teacup. "Would the Empress Dowager's likes and dislikes change because of a birthday gift?"

"She dislikes my father for holding significant military power, and she dislikes me, the Xie family daughter who has caused unrest in the capital. This dislike is deeply rooted; how could a priceless Guanyin statue possibly erase it?"

She looked out the window at the bare branches in the courtyard covered with a thin layer of snow, her tone as flat as if she were discussing the weather:

"Since nothing I give her will be right, and nothing I give her will make her feel uncomfortable, why should I bother to spend so much effort and money to please someone who is destined to hate me? It's just a formality. Something ordinary, appropriate for the occasion, neither overstepping the bounds nor standing out is the best."

"Preparing gifts is the proper procedure. But the sincerity? Does the Empress Dowager deserve it?"

"Use that white jade statue of the God of Longevity. Wrap it up nicely, so as not to tarnish the General's Mansion's reputation. As for whether the Empress Dowager likes it or not... what does it have to do with me?"

Ru Chun bowed and replied, "Yes, Miss. I understand, I will go and do it right away."

The birthday gifts received at the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet did not go directly into the Empress Dowager's private treasury in the Qing Kingdom. Instead, they were a way for the Emperor to amass wealth. Two-thirds of all the birthday gifts would be given to the Emperor by the Empress Dowager in the name of her beloved son.

Therefore, most officials will put in their best efforts on this day, even going so far as to spend their entire fortune on gifts.

This is a good time to express loyalty to the Emperor.

Xie Sangning doesn't even have loyalty, what's the point of her expressing anything...?