"What?"
Something cold landed on Jiang Yushu's forehead, freezing her open. She raised her hand in surprise and scratched it, then asked sleepily, "What is it?"
Guo Honglei let go and said, "Look for yourself."
"Ah?" Jiang Yushu's curiosity was immediately piqued. She perked up and looked closely at the object in her palm:
The silver waist badge is brand new with simple patterns. It is about one finger long, two fingers wide, and half a fingernail thick, with inscriptions on both sides.
The front is engraved with: Dagan Yongzhou, Tuningwei.
The back is engraved with: Commander-in-Chief, Guo Honglei.
There is also a line of small signature.
Jiang Yushu read as she read: "The commander of the Yongzhou Tuning Guard is Guo Honglei."
"This is the new badge I got a few days ago." Guo Honglei was wearing a white shirt. His face had long lost the childishness of a boy. He was handsome and resolute, and his every move was full of heroic spirit.
Jiang Yushu was stunned for a moment, then slowly opened her eyes wide, stroking the embossed patterns on her waist badge with her fingertips. Her sleepiness vanished, and she snapped back to reality. She asked in a mixture of surprise and delight, "Hey, you got a promotion?"
"Hmm." Guo Honglei had just answered one word when he saw his wife sitting up from the quilt, jumping over with joy, and holding her hands up -
"Very good!"
"Congratulations!" Jiang Yushu was so excited that she put her arms around his neck and said repeatedly, "Congratulations! Congratulations, Second Master, for another promotion. Why didn't you tell me earlier? If you had told me earlier, we should have prepared a family dinner tonight to celebrate."
Guo Honglei hugged his wife, who was smiling like a flower, and explained, "My daughter is sick, and I didn't have time to tell her during the day."
"Great, truly great!" Jiang Yushu exclaimed, beaming with pride. She was genuinely happy for her husband and felt relieved. "You've finally 'beat' that Tong guy! Thankfully, General Song is fair and impartial. If he'd favored his own people, he certainly wouldn't have promoted you first."
"Alas, I've been worried for a long time! General Song hasn't announced the candidate yet and seems hesitant. I can't help but suspect that he favors his direct confidants in the south and is afraid that you will be wronged."
Guo Honglei laughed, his heart warmed and soothed. "Tong? You mean Tong Jing?"
Jiang Yushu nodded vigorously. Loving her husband, she naturally disliked anyone who deliberately made things difficult for him. "Hmph, remember when I went to the military camp to discuss things, how arrogant was Tong? He repeatedly provoked you in public, and his face was really disgusting."
"Fortunately, God was merciful and made him lose three games in a row, humiliating him. I was watching the fight from the sidelines, and it was so satisfying!"
Guo Honglei hesitated to speak.
Face to face, Jiang Yushu's smile faded, and she immediately asked nervously, "What's going on? Could it be... besides the promotion, something else happened? Tell me quickly!"
"Why are you panicking?" Guo Honglei cleared his throat and said seriously, "Actually, Tong Jing has also been promoted, from a thousand households to a deputy commander."
"What?"
Jiang Yushu was stunned, in disbelief and difficulty accepting it, her eyes widening. "Tong also got promoted? Why? He, why? Official positions are limited, especially those with real power. There's a vacancy for every person. If you were promoted to fill it, where would there be room for someone named Tong?"
"According to the law, each guard should have four deputy commanders." Guo Honglei explained briefly: "The vacancy I filled was filled by a senior who unfortunately died in battle. The senior who filled Tong Jing's vacancy was injured and ill, unable to cope with the heavy workload. He took the initiative to request a transfer. After consultation with several commanders, he was moved south. Now, Ta Cha has been given a less busy position so that he can rest and recuperate."
Jiang Yushu's eyes flickered with doubt, "Are you actively requesting a transfer?"
Guo Honglei understood, "Both the superiors and the senior have announced this. You are truly injured. An arrow pierced your shoulder blade, significantly reducing your martial arts skills. Furthermore, your old illness has relapsed, making it unsuitable for you to remain in Tuning. We could be in conflict with the enemy at any time, so it's not suitable for you to rest."
"I see. Alas, how pitiful. It would be better to retreat to the south for now. Once you have fully recovered, you can go into battle and kill the enemy again."
Jiang Yushu frowned thoughtfully for a moment, then smiled and praised, "Forget it, never mind the Tong guy. Anyway, congratulations! Since you were transferred to the Tuning Guard, you've worked diligently and endured countless injuries. This promotion is well-deserved!"
Guo Honglei's wife's praise and admiration brightened his mood. He smiled and thanked her, then put his arm around her waist and pushed her back, collapsing onto the blankets. Half-lying, half-sitting, he sighed, "To be honest, I didn't have high hopes. After all... Tong Jing, while arrogant, is brave and skilled in battle. He's been loyal to the general for nearly twenty years. Everyone has confidants. If I were in their shoes, I'd definitely be troubled and embarrassed."
Jiang Yushu half-lay on his chest, examining the badge over and over. "So, the position of 'Assistant Commander' has been vacant for a long time. When it was confirmed that there were two vacancies, General Song must have breathed a sigh of relief?"
"Most likely." Guo Honglei lifted her hair with his fingertips and tangled it. "The Tuning Guard was rebuilt. The vast majority of the soldiers are from the north, with only a few from the south. Among the commander's trusted confidants, some have become arrogant and overbearing, causing dislike and affecting harmony. Fortunately, the general is fair and impartial, and has imposed strict wartime discipline, both overtly and covertly, through both admonition and supervision. Otherwise, who knows how far the fighting between the north and south would have continued."
Jiang Yushu nodded in agreement. "Thankfully, General Song has calmed the entire army. I'll write a letter home tomorrow to announce the good news and make the old lady happy!" After a pause, she asked worriedly, "You've been promoted to deputy commander. You're quite promising young man. After taking on this position, are you busier than before? Are you exhausted?"
Guo Honglei was young, full of energy and enthusiasm. He shook his head nonchalantly, "I'm not tired. It's actually pretty much the same as before, just a different position and a different way of working."
"Please take good care of yourself. If you get too exhausted, it will not be worth it." Jiang Yushu was worried.
"Don't worry, this is natural!"
No matter how dire his circumstances, Guo Honglei remained resilient. He whispered, "I'll work for a few more years to build a legacy for my descendants. Then I'll retire from the army, you'll resign, and we'll return home. We can enjoy a leisurely trip, exploring the scenic spots and historical sites near the capital, and never have to worry about official duties again."
Jiang Yushu said happily: "Okay! That's exactly what I thought."
"But before that," Guo Honglei apologized, "I can't take care of my family, you, and the children—"
"Ahem." Jiang Yushu interrupted awkwardly, "I'm ashamed. I, I can't take care of my family right now."
Guo Honglei smiled and said, "You are not bound by military regulations. Although you are far away, you can still take care of household chores. Look, didn't the family send Xiaoyan here?"
When talking about her daughter, Jiang Yushu became worried. "Alas, Yan'er is not strong enough. I really hope to keep the imperial physician."
"No, that's against the rules."
Guo Honglei sighed, "Mr. Guan is currently serving his sentence. I had to inform the general specifically to bring him out to practice medicine. He must be brought back to the camp tomorrow morning. The child should take the medicine according to the prescription first, and then ask the doctor to check his pulse again after a while."
"Yeah." Jiang Yushu was helpless.
Guo Honglei hugged her tightly, pulled the quilt up to cover them both, and comforted her, "Mr. Guan said that Xiaoyan's illness is not particularly serious and she will recover sooner or later. Don't worry, go to sleep."
"I hope so."
After not sleeping well for several nights in a row, Jiang Yushu felt very tired. She fell into a deep sleep holding the silver badge in her hand.
Half a month later, early morning
In mid-October, autumn was deep and the dew was heavy. The grass and trees on the borderland withered. When the cold wind blew, the yellow fallen leaves flew all over the mountains and fields.
In the back court, Jiang Yushu finished her meal and went to visit her daughter as usual before going out.
She stepped into the room, walked around the screen and looked carefully:
The baby was lying on the couch, holding a cloth tiger in his hands and biting it with his mouth.
"You can't eat it!" The nurse and the maidservant tried to stop him, coaxing him:
"Let go, you can't eat this."
"Hey, why didn't you drink a few more mouthfuls of the porridge just now?"
Jiang Yushu moved closer and replied, "Maybe she thinks the cloth tiger tastes better."
"Madam is here, please sit down." The nurse quickly made way for her and reminded her, "Look up, young lady, who's here?"
The cloth tiger was taken away. Guo Xiaoyan looked up in confusion. Her almond-shaped eyes were clearly black and white, her gaze was clear and bright, her mouth was slightly open, and she was drooling.
Jiang Yushu couldn't help laughing. She took out a handkerchief to wipe her daughter's saliva and grumbled helplessly, "Mom has to get up early every day. You little baby also get up early every day? You wake up and don't eat obediently. You are always picky about food. I wonder if you eat more than the medicine you take every day. Aren't you hungry?"
"Compared to before, she's been eating quite a lot lately," the nurse said cheerfully. "The girl's illness has healed. Her arms and legs are strong now, and she can turn over on her own. She doesn't need help from adults like before."
"Ahh?" The baby clucked his lips, curious about the intricate patch on his mother's official robe. He moved his right hand, wanting to explore. Unexpectedly, as soon as she moved her hand, her body tilted and she lost her balance, and was about to fall.
"Be careful!" Jiang Yushu hurriedly picked up her daughter, looked at her sparse, yellowing hair, frowned, and asked, "This child, her hair is getting thinner and thinner. Look, there's a large bald spot. Could it be...all gone?"
The servants suppressed their laughter and replied, "It's just follicle hair. It will grow back if it falls off."
"Some children grow while losing hair, and some grow after losing hair. In short, it will definitely grow back!"
Jiang Yushu put the child back to bed. "I'm worried about her thinning hair. When she grows up, it will be difficult to style her hair in a bun, and it will be inconvenient to wear jewelry. How will she be able to maintain her beauty then?"
Guo Xiaoyan didn't know how to appreciate beauty yet. She lay on her back, sucking her fingers with relish, enjoying herself.
"It's okay, just drink more sesame paste!"
"Yes! Eat more black sesame seeds, and your hair will become dark and thick."
Jiang Yushu smiled and said, "When the child grows up, we can give it a try." She stood up, touched her daughter's head, and reminded her, "Mom has to go out to do something, you stay home obediently!"
At the same time, Huangfu
Huang Yichun was the deputy magistrate of Tuning County. On his first day in office, he was assigned several rooms in the back yamen. However, he lived there for only two months. He claimed that the noise from the renovations was too loud and he couldn't sleep. He bought a small house and moved out with his wife and children.
At this moment, the sky was bright. In the past, he would have been in the yamen, but today he had not gone out yet.
"well."
"Alas!" Huang Yichun's official robe was straight, but his brow was frowning, his shoulders drooped, and he stared at the letter in his hand, hesitant.
The next moment, the door was suddenly pushed open, and Huang's wife asked in confusion, "Master?"
"Isn't today a day off? Why haven't you gone out yet——"
Huang Yichun woke up as if from a dream, quickly hid the wrinkled letter, and said unhappily: "You suddenly opened the door and scared me. Next time, at least say hello first!"
Huang's wife said embarrassedly: "I heard the servants report that you have been staying in the study. I am worried that you will miss the time and you are not feeling well, so -"
"Women, you're always imagining nonsense!" Huang Yichun quietly clutched the letter in his wide official robe sleeves and asked sternly, "Where are your sons? Are they behaving well?"
"Behave yourself!" Huang's wife nodded enthusiastically. "How dare the children disobey their father's instructions? I just gave them another stern lecture and told them to study hard and never sneak out."
Huang Yichun warned: "Hmph, these two brats have no idea how high the heavens are, how deep the earth is, or how treacherous people are. You must keep a close eye on them."
Huang's wife nodded repeatedly, still feeling terrified. "Yesterday they sneaked out to go shopping and got lost for a long time. I was so scared that I thought my son had been kidnapped. Oh, I was almost scared to death!"
Huang Yichun sighed, "Tuning is such a mess."
He stood there in deep thought for a long moment, clutching the old letter in his sleeve tighter and tighter. Suddenly, he made up his mind and said through gritted teeth, "It's getting late. I should go to the government office."
"Hey, slow down." Huang's wife saw her husband out and said virtuously, "It's windy today and getting colder. I gave my winter clothes to the driver. If you feel cold, you can always put on more clothes."
"knew."
Huang Yichun walked quickly, and when he reached the courtyard, he suddenly stopped, turned his head to look at his wife, opened his mouth, but said nothing. He clutched the old letter, gritted his teeth again, and without turning back, hurried to the county government office.
The author has something to say: Double 11 has passed, is Double 12 far behind? [Yuanmu]
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