Jiayi had just washed his face when he ordered his personal guards to cook two large bowls of noodles.
When my uncle came over last time, my sister brought him two jars of mushroom and pork sauce. Sometimes when it's hot and he doesn't feel like eating, he just boils noodles in water.
White noodles topped with meat sauce, sprinkled with cucumber shreds and chopped green onions—it's absolutely delicious!
If he ignored the strong fishy smell in the air, he could even fool himself into thinking he was sitting under his own eaves, listening to his grandmother catch fish, his little sister hiding behind her making faces, and his aunt telling him to eat slowly because there was still a lot left in the pot…
Unfortunately, Liu Yang rushed in when they were only halfway through their meal.
Jiayi pointed to another bowl and said, "Don't say I'm eating alone, I brought you a bowl too."
Liu Yang hesitated for a moment, then said, "Jiayi, it seems something has happened at home."
"A merchant from the north brought some news, and the Yue family heard about it and just sent someone to tell me."
"What news?" Jiayi put down his bowl and stood up.
Liu Yang didn't dare to hide it either, "According to the merchants from the north, there was a rumor in Xindu that our princess was very lucky, and then the princess fell ill."
"The family offered a reward of a thousand taels of silver in Xindu to find a doctor, but no doctor could diagnose the princess's illness. Later, the emperor bestowed a precious ginseng upon her to prepare medicine."
"But those merchants who came south here, I didn't hear what happened in the end..."
Jiayi, his face cold, immediately grasped the crux of the matter: "So, no one knows whether Fu Niu'er has fully recovered?"
“Yes,” Liu Yang nodded, “If I count the days, it should have been more than half a month ago.”
After saying that, fearing that Jiayi would be anxious, he advised again: "However, don't worry, the princess has always been very lucky, and there is also Doctor Zhang in the village, so nothing will happen to her."
Jiayi turned and walked away, saying, "I want to go back to Xindu!"
"Hey, wait for me! I'll go back with you!" Liu Yang quickly chased after him.
For many years, Hailan Army has steadfastly defended Quanzhou, safeguarding the peace and tranquility of the coastal area.
However, Tianwu did not value the navy, and the funds and provisions allocated by the imperial court were limited.
On the contrary, the navy needs to build ships and maintain and repair them, each of which is a huge expense.
Out of desperation, Hailanjun also secretly engaged in borderline activities.
For example, when patrolling at sea, they will also fish.
For example, escorting merchant ships and ensuring safety for the three hundred miles between the sea route and the river route.
In short, the Hailan Army will not let go of anything that can subsidize their finances and supplies!
General Tang of the Hailan Army has put in a lot of effort for this, and now at the age of fifty, his hair has turned completely white.
But his years of military service had instilled in the old general a strong sense of integrity. His eyes were bright and piercing, and he was very dignified, showing no signs of aging.
Upon hearing that Jiayi and Liu Yang were requesting an audience, the old general, for once, smiled and said to his personal guard, "These two lads wouldn't happen to know that we're going to the capital to present prisoners of war, and they've come here to plead for mercy, would they?"
"Come to think of it, they haven't been home for two years, so we could go back with them."
The guard laughed and said, "General Li and General Liu achieved great things at a young age, their families must be very happy for them."
"However, although they live far from home, they keep receiving supplies from their families, which makes everyone green with envy."
"Moreover, the Li family's fleet travels frequently, and they have also acquired residences and shops here, as well as manpower."
"People often come to visit, so I'm actually taken care of more than my brothers who live locally."
General Tang nodded.
He had also learned about the Li family; otherwise, he wouldn't have taken the initiative to invite the two boys into the Hailan Army and protected them all the way to where they are today.
Of course, with the two boys' abilities, they would definitely have made it even without his protection.
But those petty squabbles and backstabbing can also wear down their will and slow down their promotion.
Jiayi and Liu Yang bowed as soon as they entered.
Before General Tang could ask any questions, Jia Yi got straight to the point: "General, I just heard some news from the merchants. My younger sister is seriously ill, and we don't know whether she will live or die."
"I wish to return to Xindu immediately. I hope the general will grant me permission!"
Liu Yang chimed in, "General, I also want to go back with you. I've arranged a marriage for you here, and I need to go back to inform my parents before returning to get married."
General Tang was taken aback. His son was in charge of news from Xindu, and he hadn't been paying much attention to it lately.
Unexpectedly, such a major event occurred in the Li family.
He thought for a moment and then said, "You captured the Japanese pirate general earlier, which is a great achievement. The army has decided to go to the capital to present the prisoners, and we originally planned to have you accompany us."
"Since you're in such a hurry, why don't you go back a few days earlier? Consider it a preparatory trip for the army."
“I will grant you a boat, two hundred people, and all the necessary official documents and tokens for customs clearance. You can set off at any time.”
"Thank you, General!"
Jiayi and Liu Yang were overjoyed that things went so smoothly and quickly thanked them in unison.
General Tang immediately summoned the clerk, who quickly prepared the documents.
Jiayi and Liu Yang each selected one hundred personal guards, made some arrangements for trivial matters, and set off overnight.
Even if some people knew, they didn't take it too seriously.
After all, presenting prisoners of war to the capital was a major event, so it was normal for them to go in batches.
Jiayi and Liu Yang are natives of Xindu, practically locals, so having them go back beforehand will definitely make things more convenient...
The Li family had no idea that Jiayi and Liu Yang were rushing back day and night because of an outdated message.
That day, the academy gave us a three-day break for renovations, and Li Ge'er had the opportunity to come back and stay for a while.
Coincidentally, several renowned scholars in the city were holding a poetry gathering, and they borrowed several pots of famous flowers from the Hundred Flowers Garden, and also earnestly invited Jiaren and his brothers to attend.
The grand examination, originally scheduled for the end of autumn, was postponed by the imperial court to the spring of next year due to some issues.
Even someone as calm and collected as Jiaren can be a little restless and impatient.
So he decided to take his younger brothers out for a walk to relax.
Lu Zong and Jia Xu naturally received invitations as well, and even Guo Wenhao, Liu Jiazhi and Xiu Jie were going to the poetry gathering.
Perfect timing, it's a good opportunity for the brothers to get together.
On the day of departure, Jiaren took Lige'er and Maoge'er in the carriage, their servants accompanied them, and Zheng Sanjiang drove the carriage.
Four veteran soldiers on horseback followed behind, ready to provide support at any time.
Old Mrs. Li was still a little worried, but seeing this, she felt relieved.
Although the Wu family is eyeing you covetously and ready to act at any moment, there's no reason to guard against thieves for a thousand days straight.
Moreover, if boys hide at home to avoid trouble, they are easily raised to be timid and cowardly.
Jiayin stood beside her grandmother, watching the carriage drive away with pitiful eyes, her big eyes full of envy.
When Grandma Li turned around and saw her granddaughter, she immediately grabbed her hand tightly, afraid that her granddaughter would disappear in the blink of an eye.
“Fu Niu’er, Grandma is getting old and can’t do the work anymore. Winter is coming soon, shouldn’t we take out the furs from the storeroom and sort them out?”
"Previously, Madam Cao brought the recipe for milk cake and sent so many gifts as a token of her gratitude. After much persuasion, your mother kept half of it and gave the rest to the public funds."
"Help Grandma tidy up today, and we'll look for something suitable to make a new cloak for the family."
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