47 General Xuanwei
◎Girl, then you will be the general's wife in the future◎
When the good news from Saibei flew to the capital, Chu Yufu was taking the pulse of her new friends.
At the beginning of March, Mrs. Jiang's back disease was completely cured, and Wang's carbuncle was also cured. The two of them liked Chu Yufu more and more. When chatting with other ladies, they would always mention this "little miracle doctor" from time to time, praising her superb medical skills and gentle character.
But the ladies were just listening for fun; no one actually considered seeking her out for treatment. Firstly, she was the daughter of an official, not a doctor in a clinic; how could she be ordered around at will? Secondly, Miss Chu was only seventeen, too young to treat a few ailments. She might just have happened to be in the Marquis's household, so she might not be effective in treating anything else.
But as the saying goes, if the East is dark, the West will be bright.
Lu Jia'an has recently been attending banquets with her elders, and has made many new friends with her cheerful and straightforward personality. When the young girls heard that her cousin was a good doctor, they all begged to meet her, so Lu Jia'an organized a party at Yanchunlou.
The sky was tinged with a faint indigo. Beneath the eaves of Yanchun Tower, twelve square palace lanterns lit up one after another, their flickering candlelight illuminating the stone lions at the entrance, holding red silk silk in their mouths. Upstairs, in a private room facing the street, sat five beautiful young ladies.
The air is filled with the faint aroma of tea and sweet pastries.
Fang Ying, the eldest daughter of the Minister of the Imperial Guards, was the first to speak, her brow furrowed in frustration. "I keep getting little bumps on my back. They're not painful or itchy, but they feel rough to the touch. Wearing thin fabrics in the summer makes them look awkward."
As soon as she finished speaking, Xie Ruoruo, who was sitting next to her, blushed slightly. Her voice was as soft as a mosquito's, and she was shy: "Well... my chest hurts. Every time before my period, it swells up a lot and hurts when I touch it. It's been like this for more than half a year."
Wu Yueyun, the Empress's cousin, picked up a piece of mung bean cake, sighed sadly, and stroked her belly with her other hand: "I'm not feeling unwell, I just came here to accompany them. But Sister Fu, do you have any recipe that can make a person's figure slimmer? I see that my waist seems to have become rounder these few days." Her tone was sweet and naive, with a bit of the naive worry unique to girls from aristocratic families.
Chu Yufu laughed when she heard this. No matter which dynasty or generation, the problems that troubled girls were always so similar.
She curled her lips and comforted Wu Yueyun: "Sister Yueyun, don't worry. I think you are just right now, with a perfect figure. If you are any thinner, it will not look good. It is normal for women to have a soft belly. Don't worry about it."
Then he asked Fang Ying and Xie Ruoruo to stretch out their hands and took their pulse one by one.
Fang Ying's pulse showed damp heat in the skin. After examining her back skin, Chu Yufu told her not to stay up late, go to bed early and get up early, and not to eat spicy food. She then prescribed a five-flavor disinfection drink.
Xie Ruoruo's pulse showed liver qi stagnation. In addition to taking her pulse, she was asked to undress behind a screen and palpated her chest to confirm there was no nodule. Only then was the diagnosis officially confirmed and she was prescribed Xiaoyao Powder to soothe the liver and regulate qi.
After finishing his business, Lu Jiaan called the waiter over and ordered a few of the restaurant's signature dishes, including crispy tendon pork, scallion-fried rabbit, pan-fried small fish, and mixed shredded bamboo shoots.
Wu Yueyun made a bitter face and shouted, "Hey, these are all my favorites. How can I lose weight?" Everyone laughed and comforted her, saying that they would talk about tomorrow's matters tomorrow and eat first.
The evening breeze blew in from the window with a hint of coolness. Chu Yufu glanced at it and said, "Is it cold? Do you want to close the window?"
Lu Jiaan volunteered: "I'll go and shut it up."
She stood up and walked to the window, reaching for the wooden bars holding up the window frame. She accidentally looked down and saw a soldier in armor spurring his horse as he galloped past downstairs, apparently heading towards the palace.
She didn't think too much about it, removed the wooden bars and closed the window tightly.
The girls talked and laughed, ate and drank until it was completely dark, then they got on their cars and went home, making an appointment to meet again next time.
Deep in the palace, everything was silent, only the night watch lanterns were dimly lit in the corridor.
The locked palace doors were opened one after another, and the urgent military reports from eight hundred miles away were hurriedly delivered to the bedroom by the eunuchs.
On the dragon bed, Emperor Yan Xian, who had been sleeping soundly, was supported by Empress Wu and half-sat up with some difficulty. He took the letter and read it carefully. When he saw the end, his face flushed and he started coughing violently. When he raised his eyes again, his eyes, which were a little cloudy, were surprisingly bright.
Empress Wu knew it was a military report from the northern frontier. She was extremely anxious. While patting his back with her palm, she asked repeatedly, "How is the battle in the northern frontier? Is Jing Yan, he, he is safe?"
The emperor did not answer, but just handed the letter to her with a gasp.
Empress Wu took the letter, leaning close to the candlelight and quickly scanning it. Her eyes caught the words, "Over half of the main Turkic forces have been annihilated by our army. The leaders of the Nuci, Abu, and Pibutai tribes have been beheaded on the spot..." Her breath caught in her throat, and her eyes lit up with wonder! It had only been less than a month, and the victory was so brilliant, far exceeding expectations!
"You are great, Boss. You won the battle quickly and saved a lot of food and supplies, which relieved a big worry for me!" The emperor's voice was hoarse from coughing, but he was extremely pleased.
"It's just that," Empress Wu held the letter and sighed softly, complaining, "I just don't know if Jing Yan was injured. There's not a single word about it in the military report."
At this time, the chief eunuch who had been standing by the side presented two more pieces of letter paper.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, along with the victory report, there are two memorials. One is a personal letter from His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, and the other is a list of names requesting commendations for the meritorious officers and soldiers."
The emperor's spirits perked up upon hearing this, and he immediately took the private letter. Empress Wu also leaned in closer, and the two of them read together, shoulder to shoulder. Her gaze followed the words, and her eyes gradually turned red. When she read the end, she breathed a sigh of relief, clutching her chest, and tremblingly said, "Amitabha, may the Bodhisattva bless you! This boy was too reckless. Thank goodness, thank goodness, he only hurt his shoulder!"
The emperor unfolded the list of requests for merit, pointed at Pei Yue's name, and pondered.
"According to what the eldest brother said, this boy is calm and composed in times of crisis, possessing both courage and strategy. He is a rare military talent. I see his surname is Pei, so he is the son of Minister Pei? However, I remember that Minister Pei's eldest son serves in the Hanlin Academy, and his second son is still studying..."
Empress Wu pondered for a moment, then said gently, "Your Majesty, have you forgotten? When Pei Sima Li of Wuzhou died in battle, Minister Pei sent someone to bring his younger brother's orphan to the capital to be raised. Your Majesty also granted him a pension. I heard that the child also went with the army this time. I think it must be him."
"Oh?!" The emperor leaned forward slightly, a hint of approval in his eyes, "He's the descendant of a loyal hero. Like a father, like a son. He's a good son of Dayan!"
He thought for a moment and said, "Then transfer him to the Palace Front Department as Deputy Commander-in-Chief and confer the title of General Xuanwei!"
-
The next day, the grand court meeting ended, the palace doors opened wide, and court officials poured out of the Golden Palace like a tide.
Chu Changru mingled in the crowd, walking down the white marble steps step by step. Thinking of what he had just heard in the hall, he felt as if his feet were floating on clouds. It was not until he heard the congratulations of his colleagues that he came back to his senses.
"Minister Pei, congratulations! My nephew has achieved such great military success this time. He has achieved success at such a young age and has a bright future. We should celebrate!"
Minister Pei's face was filled with joy. He stopped and bowed in return, "I am very happy. It is all thanks to your Majesty's great fortune and the bravery of the soldiers!"
After congratulating Minister Pei, the colleague turned around and walked straight to Chu Changru, smiling even more, with a hint of envy and teasing in his eyes, and raised his voice.
"Oh, Doctor Chu! Congratulations to you too! You've got such an incredible son-in-law, and at such a young age, you've already reached the fourth rank, a truly important position in the Palace Guards. Looking around the entire court, how many young men can be so promising? Your future is truly limitless, Doctor Chu, you have a truly discerning eye!"
Before he finished speaking, another person stepped forward and said with a smile, "Isn't it? Doctor Chu has a keen eye for talent. He must have seen long ago that General Pei is a golden fish in the pond, waiting for the storm. Such insight is truly admirable!"
Chu Changru's face flushed, and he waved his hands repeatedly, his mouth almost splitting to his ears. His eyes were filled with surprise, and he bowed, "No, no!"
On the way back to the mansion, the spring breeze seemed especially warm and refreshing. The carriage stopped in front of the mansion gate. As soon as the gatekeeper opened the vermilion lacquer door, Chu Changru strode in, walked through the hanging flower gate, and headed straight for the main hall.
He raised his hand to take the tea handed to him by the maid, drank a mouthful, and laughed three times: "Someone come! Someone come quickly!"
The steward came running in from outside: "What do you want, Master?"
He paced the hall for a few steps with his hands behind his back, then said with a smile, "Go, pick me a lamb right now, and slaughter a pig. I want to have a feast for the whole family to celebrate! And for the wine, go get me that jar of ten-year-old clear spring water in the warehouse."
Upon hearing the news, Wu rushed over, holding an embroidered handkerchief in her hand and smiling, saying, "Master, why are you so happy? Could it be that Minister Hu has retired?"
"Not really," Chu Changru waved his hand, his brows beaming with joy. "A great victory in the northern frontier! Pei Yue has made great contributions, and the emperor has valued him so much that he has been transferred to the Palace Front Department, promoted to Deputy Commander-in-Chief, and given the title of General Xuanwei!"
"General Xuanwei?!" Wu was speechless.
This is a fourth-rank official title! You have to know that Master Chu is only fifth-rank now! How old is Pei Yue!
-
In the lotus courtyard.
Chu Jinhe calculated that her father should have returned home, so she smoothed her temples in front of the mirror, and walked out with her maid and the food box.
Yesterday, after dinner at her mother's, she was walking towards her own courtyard, passing by Zhuyu Courtyard, when she ran into Chu Yufu returning with her maid. She had obviously just returned from outside, and she was not dressed casually, with a hairpin in her hair and formal clothes.
You know, it was already pitch black by then! How could a girl stay out after the twilight hour? If gossip got out, not only would it ruin her reputation, but it would also affect her father's official reputation, and it would be a big deal if it got out that he wasn't running the household properly.
So she planned to use the excuse of delivering snacks to bring it up in front of her father today. It would also let her father know that the second girl was not as obedient as she appeared to be, and was not so obedient in private.
As soon as she stepped out of Hefeng Courtyard, Chu Jinhe felt that the atmosphere in the mansion was a little strange today. The maids and servants all walked in a hurry.
It was not until she approached the kitchen and saw the servants carrying a pig and a sheep into the kitchen that she could not help but stop them and ask, "It's not a festival today, why are they suddenly slaughtering animals?" On weekdays, the servants bought meat from the West Market.
The person who was stopped was a doorman who came to help. When he saw her, he bowed and said, "My dear lady, it was the master's order. He said that the future son-in-law has made great contributions in the northern frontier. He was favored by the emperor and promoted to a high official. He was even given the title of general. So he wants to hold a banquet to celebrate!"
"Who?" Chu Jinhe felt a buzzing in her ears, as if she hadn't heard clearly, and asked, "Future son-in-law?"
"Yes! The young master of the Pei family, the second young lady's fiancé!" The doorman answered quickly and loudly.
In an instant, Chu Jinhe felt dizzy! The maid beside her hurriedly went to help her: "Miss! Miss, what's wrong with you! Don't scare me, Miss, come quickly!"
At the same time, in Zhuyu Courtyard.
Lanzhu stumbled into the house, her face full of joy, and her voice had already floated in before she arrived.
"Girl! Girl! Happy news, great news!"
Chu Yufu was lying in bed catching up on sleep. When she heard her voice, she poked her head out from under the bed curtains and asked drowsily, "What's there to be so happy about?"
Lan Zhu supported her knees with her hands, her eyes sparkling. She took a few quick breaths before she said, "It's Master Pei. I just got news from the front yard. It says there was a great victory in Saibei. Master Pei has been promoted to General Xuanwei. I heard he's a very high official, higher than the master's. Is this true, young lady?"
Chu Yufu's sleepiness immediately dissipated, the corners of her lips curved up, and she nodded gently: "Yes, General Xuanwei is a fourth-rank official, and Daddy is a fifth-rank official. It is indeed higher than Daddy's rank."
"Mr. Pei is so amazing, girl. Then you will be the general's wife in the future!" Lan Zhu was shocked, and the last few words sounded a little out of tune.
Several maids who came over to join in the fun just happened to hear these words and screamed in surprise. They didn't care about any rules and jumped up hand in hand, chattering happily, and were even more excited than Chu Yufu.
"What? General's wife?"
"Wow! General's wife!"
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