Chapter 340 The Wei Family
How wonderful! If the spirits of those brothers who died in battle could see this, they would surely be happy.
However, their wives, children, parents, and family members could no longer be happy.
Every soldier is prepared to die on the battlefield before they go into battle, so every time they leave home, it could be their last goodbye.
Those who survived by sheer luck were merely people who managed to eke out a living after a brief struggle with death. For them, dying on the battlefield was the only truly worthwhile death; they were neither afraid nor regretful.
But that's not enough. How can one victory be enough? The Vietnamese army killed so many of their brothers, and they will make the Vietnamese army pay a hundredfold!
Unbeknownst to them, a tacit understanding had developed among the soldiers. They wiped away their tears, looked ahead, and shared the same goal.
The next day, Qi Jun returned to Kuncheng to meet with the chief clerk and the county magistrate to discuss the matter of conscripting laborers for work.
The chief clerk of Kuncheng was surnamed Wei, and the county magistrate was surnamed Zhao; both were middle-aged men who appeared shrewd and capable.
Before the Crown Prince's carriage even entered the inner city, they were already waiting outside, displaying utmost humility.
News of Qi's great victory spread like wildfire. The people of Kuncheng poured into the streets with gongs and drums, acting as if they themselves had won the battle. Everyone was beaming with pride, as if victory was just around the corner.
Qi Yuxuan and her entourage, who had originally planned to come for the marriage alliance, also entered the city with the Crown Prince.
They have already made arrangements to rest in Kunming for a few days before setting off to return to Beijing.
After entering the inner city and meeting with Lord Wei and Lord Zhao, Qi Yuxuan went ahead to Lord Wei's house.
Kuncheng is not a large city, and it would be troublesome to find a large house on short notice. So Lord Wei suggested that the princess could stay at his home for a few days. His two daughters are about the same age as the princess, and they can keep her company if she gets bored.
Qi Yuxuan didn't need anyone to accompany her; a few maids were enough. She didn't want to go through all that trouble for a few days' stay, so she reluctantly agreed.
She had only one request: during her short stay, all matters concerning her would be handled by her own attendants, and Wei would not need to worry about her food, clothing, or other necessities.
The bridal sedan chair and carriage used for the marriage alliance were removed in time. Although they were damaged in a few places after the red silk was removed, they were still usable. Qi Yuxuan rode in that carriage today.
When the carriage arrived at the Wei family's door, there was indeed a large, disorganized family waiting expectantly.
Qi Yuxuan looked exhausted. She had been worried about the battle all day yesterday, so much so that even after hearing the news of the victory, she was still apprehensive and didn't get a good night's sleep, fearing that something else might happen.
So this morning, when the maids saw the dark circles under her eyes, they were quite frightened.
In their eyes, the princess had always been a calm and composed person, someone who could strategize with ease. When had she ever been so anxious? It was as if she had become a completely different person.
Qi Yuxuan also wanted to tell the truth, but after hesitating for a while, she decided against it. She was worried about it herself, but she didn't want the other maids to be terrified as well.
Finally, she made an excuse that she heard insects chirping outside the tent last night, which kept her from sleeping, and they didn't suspect anything.
As the carriage slowly approached, Qi Yuxuan faintly heard a gasp of surprise coming from outside.
"She's here! She's here! The princess is here!"
"Hurry up and prepare to receive the princess! All of you be careful, and do not neglect her! Otherwise, you'll be in for a beating!"
The two female voices seemed about to say something more, but suddenly a faint, aged cough was heard, and then all sound ceased.
Lan Xin and the others got off the carriage first, then lifted the curtain and helped Qi Yuxuan down.
"Your humble wife, Lady Wei Kang, along with the Wei family descendants, pays respects to the Princess—"
As the aged voice rang out, the entire Wei family knelt down in unison.
Qi Yuxuan called out, her gaze falling on the Wei family's gate.
The extravagance of the Wei family is evident even from their main gate.
The two-person-high rosewood door is carved with auspicious cloud patterns all over, with nine rows and nine columns of brass door studs. Each stud is topped with a tiger's head, holding a gilded ring in its mouth, with the words "loyalty and trustworthiness" engraved inside the ring.
Above the door hangs a plaque made of golden nanmu wood, bestowed by the emperor, with four large characters that read "Loyalty and Diligence Passed Down Through Generations." It was actually written by the late emperor and looks quite old, but it is very well maintained and still shines as brightly as ever.
It is said that the Wei family was extremely prosperous during the reign of the late emperor. However, with the late emperor's ascension to the throne, the older generation of the Wei family withdrew from the capital and returned to their hometown of Kuncheng to develop their business.
The current Chief Clerk Wei actually rose to his current position step by step thanks to the influence of his ancestors.
Qi Jun had briefly explained these things to her when they came to the inner city this morning, just in case she was worried that she would feel uneasy staying in an unfamiliar place for a few days.
Therefore, Qi Yuxuan recognized at a glance that the old lady with a full head of silver hair who was the head of the Wei family was Lord Wei's mother, and also the only old lady in the Wei family who still held an imperial title.
The Wei family members, numbering several dozen, stood still. Men and women, young and old, were all stunned to see the legendary Princess Chang Le standing before them.
Everyone says that Princess Chang Le is as beautiful as a fairy and is the most beautiful woman in the capital, which is why the carefree king of Yue Kingdom wanted to marry her. Seeing her today, she is indeed extraordinary.
But at this moment, she looked somewhat haggard, yet her figure was graceful, and her eyes were like water, enough to melt anyone's heart.
"Greetings, Madam Wei. I will be troubling you all again for the next four days." Qi Yuxuan also gave a half curtsy, performing a junior's greeting.
The other party was older and a noblewoman, so it was nothing unusual for her to bow.
Madam Wei hurriedly replied, "Your Highness is too kind. It is an honor for the Wei family to have Your Highness grace us with your presence for a while. I dare not presume to do so."
“Yes, Princess, please don’t stand on ceremony with us. Just make yourselves at home here…” A plump and beautiful woman swayed her hips and squeezed forward beside Wei Kangshi, smiling warmly.
"Ahem." Madam Wei glared at her sideways, and the woman immediately shrank back, giving an awkward smile.
What do you mean by "our own family"? The princess was just giving them some face, thinking we should keep to ourselves. But she's acting all high and mighty. The princess's family is the Princess's Mansion, part of the royal family. How dare she compare herself to the Wei family? Is she trying to kill the Wei family?!
Wei Kangshi felt a lump in her throat, but she couldn't punish her daughter-in-law in front of the princess, so she could only continue to invite the princess in without changing her expression.
“Princess, my children and grandchildren are not very successful, but I have warned them that they will not disturb your peace. There is a chrysanthemum garden near your residence these days, and I reckon the flowers are in full bloom right now…”
Madam Wei noticed the weariness on her face and figured that the other party was only staying for a few days and probably didn't have the patience to deal with them, so she didn't introduce any of the Wei family members. As she spoke, she led the person to the main courtyard that they had prepared overnight.
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