Chapter 80 Chapter 80 "Finding a marriage for you." (Revised...
In the second year of the Qianyuan reign, in mid-spring, snow-white apricot blossoms fluttered across the hills outside Beijing.
It has been a year since the army set out.
After Zhang Jingxuan left Beijing, the crown prince ascended the throne with the support of his ministers and issued a general amnesty. Gao Songlin luckily escaped with his life and was released from prison without charge.
The first time Xue Yuanyin saw Gao Songlin, he cried breathlessly. That was because his father Gao Zhan died on the night of the palace coup, and he had to quickly grow up to become the pillar of the Gao family.
Having participated in the palace coup, even after being released from prison, the Gao family could no longer be accommodated in the capital, so the Gao family decided to move out of the capital and return to the old house where their ancestors lived.
The day Gao Songlin left Beijing was New Year's Eve, one month after the army set out on the expedition. Xue Yuanyin went to see him off. After all, they had been friends for several years, and they didn't know when they would meet again.
Before Gao Songlin left, he asked her, "What are you going to do in the future?"
Xue Yuanyin smiled and replied, "Let's take it one step at a time."
She didn't tell the truth because she actually had an idea in her mind that she just wanted to implement.
After the New Year, the crown prince, oh, should I say, the new emperor, the new emperor ordered an all-out effort to capture Prince Yu and Xue Chang.
At the same time, wars broke out on the border, and the new emperor began to select reinforcements from the court to go to Sanhe Pass.
At this time, Xue Yuanyin went to see the new emperor and begged him to go to Sanhe Pass to destroy the invading enemy forces.
During the war years, Sanhe Pass was still very dangerous. We had to guard against surprise attacks from the Western Qiang soldiers, and we were not sure if we could return to the capital safely.
The new emperor was not very willing to do so. Not to mention that she was a member of the Xue family and was a woman, she had never been on the battlefield, so she could not be chosen to lead the troops.
Xue Yuanyin knelt before the new emperor and said earnestly:
"I do not wish to be a general, nor do I accept military power. I do not seek any meritorious service. I only wish to be a soldier in the army, to accompany them to the border to meet the enemy."
The new emperor still refused to agree, and asked with a frown:
"As a woman, it's already taboo for you to rashly follow the army into battle. Furthermore, even if I allow you to go, how will you eat and sleep with the other soldiers? The battlefield is no joke; it's a place where you fight for your life! Do you expect everyone to take care of you when the time comes?"
Xue Yuanyin had already prepared a speech in her mind, and she spoke calmly and logically:
"I can change my identity, disguise myself as a man and go with the army. I can eat and sleep with the others and won't cause any more trouble. Whether I die or get injured, I will bear the consequences myself. Moreover, my martial arts were taught by the Marquis of Qing'an himself. They are top-notch and would be considered respectable in a competition among military officers. Military generals are already scarce in the court, and Sanhe Pass is currently short of manpower. Your Majesty, wouldn't you be tempted by my suggestion?"
The new emperor was indeed somewhat tempted, but he still had concerns and said in a deep voice:
"Even if you go to Sanheguan, you won't be able to see the person you want to see. These two places are not the same place. You can't leave easily. You must always obey orders. Do you understand?"
Xue Yuanyin replied "I know" and began to plead with the new emperor again.
The new emperor pondered the matter all night, and the next day he discussed it with several trusted court officials. He ultimately concluded that it was feasible. This wasn't because of her sincerity, but rather because the court was truly short of people.
Many people saw Xue Yuanyin's beautiful martial arts on the night of the palace coup. Giving her the lowest rank and disguising her as a man to join the army could temporarily alleviate the shortage of people on the border.
After the border war stabilizes, she can be replaced by other generals, and the situation can be turned around.
In the end, the new emperor agreed to Xue Yuanyin's request, but added three conditions:
"First, you must leave the Xue family, change your household registration, and establish a new household. If you agree, I will pardon you from establishing your own household. Second, you can only be away for a maximum of one year. Once the war stabilizes, regardless of whether you live or die, win or lose, I will send other generals to take over, including your achievements. Third, you must not reveal the fact that you are a woman. I will give you a separate military tent, and you must remember to keep it a secret to prevent the army from losing its morale. Miss Xue, can you do this?"
Xue Yuanyin agreed to all of them and kowtowed to express his gratitude.
The new emperor kept his word. After she left the Xue family and went to the Ministry of Revenue, she was given a male name and was granted the title of a captain.
Although the lieutenant was the lowest-ranking military officer, he was also considered a small leader in the army. He just didn't have his own military tent, so the new emperor specially gave her a military tent.
Xue Yuanyin changed into a new disguise, and there was no trace of being a woman at all. People thought that he was a brand new young captain who appeared from nowhere and accepted the imperial edict.
When spring came, Xue Yuanyin followed the army to Sanhe Pass.
For a year, she was not allowed to lead troops and was only allowed to kill the enemy. If she was willing to do so, it would be considered as meritorious service and would offset all the crimes she had committed in the past.
Having never set foot on the frontier before, Xue Yuanyin only knew that war was cruel, but had no real feeling of it. When he actually arrived at Sanhe Pass and encountered an enemy surprise attack, he held up his sword and faced the enemies in all directions. If he was not careful, his teammates' heads would roll to the ground. Even if his arms were stiff and numb, he could not stop for a moment. Only then did he deeply understand what "looking at each other with blood on the blades, and never caring about honors when dying" meant.
The teammate who was fighting alongside you in the last second may become a cold corpse in the next second.
There were even a few times when the situation was extremely critical and she almost thought she would die here, but she was lucky enough to escape danger in the end.
There was no fun in fighting, especially since she was a woman and could not get too close to others. The only thing she was familiar with was the army of a hundred men she led.
Whether intentionally or not, the new emperor gave her the surname "Xue." However, with so many people bearing the surname Xue, no one immediately suspected she was a daughter of the Xue family. Therefore, fellow soldiers and familiar comrades would greet her as "Captain Xue."
Xue Yuanyin always felt a little dazed, as if they were not calling out a vague and fake identity, but were actually calling "Xue Yuanyin" as Captain Xue.
She immediately found her own thoughts funny, as these soldiers clearly had no idea who she was.
When she had something hidden in her heart, time passed very slowly. She couldn't play with those men who were arm in arm with each other. Sometimes when Sanhe Pass was peaceful and there was no war, she would climb to the top of the city wall and sit, looking in the direction of Qintang Pass.
After sitting there for a long time, a man who interacted with her frequently climbed up and sat with her. After looking around for a long time without seeing anything new, he asked curiously:
"Captain Xue, what are you looking at all day? Don't you get tired of it? Don't you mind getting sand in your mouth? Pah..."
The man was not interested and left quickly.
Xue Yuanyin didn't care either, and stared at the sunset in the northwest in boredom.
The two locations were not far away on the map, but once you were there you realized how vast the area of thousands of kilometers was. At a glance, there was only yellow sand all over the sky, and nothing else could be seen.
In a year, she never met the person she wanted to see or meet, and even the messages they exchanged were very rare.
Sanhe Pass is so dangerous and difficult, I wonder how cruel Qintang Pass will be?
All we know is that A Shilie is massacring a city on the border to vent his anger, but there is no news about Zhang Jingxuan. Can he really escape A Shilie's revenge?
Xue Yuanyin knew nothing about this.
She stayed in Sanhe Pass for a year. Fortunately, she was appreciated by a captain because of her beautiful and agile skills. She also accumulated some merits in the year.
A year later, the court sent a young military general to take over. Xue Yuanyin had promised the new emperor at that time, so he did not feel reluctant when handing over the throne and gave all the credit to the general.
The other party felt a little embarrassed and said something more: "Captain Xue, I don't want your credit. If the war is over and I can return to the capital safely, I will convert these merits into money and return them to you."
Xue Yuanyin didn't care too much. She just smiled and said nothing.
In the second year of the Qianyuan reign, in the middle of spring, Xue Yuanyin returned to the capital to report on her work. This time, she held a title, so she dressed as a man, wearing scale armor, and entered the Golden Palace through the Meridian Gate in broad daylight.
Although all the credit went to others, she was considered an outstanding figure on the frontier, and the Crown Prince had heard about it, so he rarely smiled. This time, Xue Yuanyin finally cleared herself of all her previous charges through her own abilities, rather than relying on Zhang Jingxuan's intercession.
Yes, Xue Yuanyin finally found out that she was released from prison because Zhang Jingxuan knelt down and begged for mercy.
Whenever she thought about it, she would feel dazed. He was so proud and calm, and she couldn't imagine how he made such a decision.
Perhaps the new emperor had forgotten, but after she finished her report, he did not revoke her position as a captain, even though she was a man.
However, Xue Yuanyin didn't think too much about it. She put on her skirt and went back to her old self. Even if she still had a male identity, it didn't mean anything to her. She couldn't live in the capital with a fake identity for the rest of her life.
Before she left the throne room, she tried to ask the new emperor about Zhang Jingxuan's whereabouts indirectly, but she got nothing and felt disappointed.
It wasn't that the new emperor was stingy and refused to tell him, in fact, he wanted to know more about Zhang Jingxuan than she did. However, there was no news from Zhang Jingxuan at all, and it was unknown whether he was alive or dead.
A Shi Lie was a brave and skilled fighter, and was not someone he could easily deal with. The new emperor only knew that the battle situation on the border was extremely tense, but he did not know the specific casualties.
No news from the border is the best news, Xue Yuanyin comforted himself in this way, telling himself again and again that he is so capable and has planned everything out, so there will definitely be no accidents this time.
…
Xue Yuanyin had already left the Xue family and established her own household, so she could no longer live in the Xue Mansion. It just so happened that the old emperor had previously granted her a house. The location, yard, and layout weren't the best, but they were pretty good. After packing up her things from the Xue Mansion, she moved in.
After sending away all the servants, she left Uncle Wei to look after the Xue Mansion and took only the whisk with her when she left.
The house had two entrances. She spent some money to hire someone to renovate it and buy some furniture. It was more than enough for her and her maid to live in, and there was also a back room at the back.
The new emperor was quite generous and rewarded her with a lot of silver and a shop with good business. Xue Yuanyin was thinking about adding a few more servants and a cook.
During this period, Xue Chang and Prince Yu were finally caught, and Qin Fang personally led people to put them in prison. The few remaining secret agents of Prince Yu in the capital were also all eliminated.
The emperor dealt with Prince Yu with swift and decisive action. He had attempted to murder his brothers and force a coup, and was demoted to a commoner and exiled to Lingnan on the same day.
As for Xue Chang, his achievements were so brilliant that his life was saved, but he had to be severely punished. The emperor had not yet figured out what to do, so he simply locked him up in the Ministry of Justice prison. He would wait until the war was over one day and then think about how to deal with Xue Chang.
Xue Yuanyin also secretly received a letter from Xue Chang, though she didn't know how he'd found someone to deliver it. She didn't know what he wrote, but it was nothing more than a way of trying to pressure her. Xue Yuanyin didn't open it, but instead handed the letter to the emperor.
Soon, Xue Chang in the Ministry of Justice's prison became obedient and no longer tried to pass the letter out.
Xue Yuanyin finally had some peace and quiet.
After the house was completed, Xue Yuanyin held a small housewarming party, but she was surprised by how many people showed up. She realized that even though Zhang Jingxuan was gone, there were still many familiar faces in the capital. They all showed up empty-handed, brazenly attending the banquet. This infuriated her, and she wished she could kick these noisy people out.
But in the end, she still tried her best to entertain her friends attentively and told them to come again when they were free in the future.
The sun still rises in the east and sets in the west, and her new life is moving forward.
…
In the blink of an eye, two years have passed since the border war broke out.
Xue Yuanyin is not the kind of person who would become decadent if stuck in the past. Although he often tossed and turned in bed late at night, he could always cheer up during the day and looked like a completely normal person.
She diligently takes care of her new residence every day, and now the house has completely changed its appearance - there are rugged rocks, gurgling streams, and winding paths, attracting butterflies to dance in the courtyard.
A new mulberry tree had been transplanted into the corner of the courtyard. It had just sprouted and would soon grow. Next to the mulberry tree was an octagonal pavilion with an entrance, and the surrounding area was filled with hibiscus. In half a year, the hibiscus should be in bloom. Looking further in, a lush and flourishing persimmon tree was planted next to the stone table in the main courtyard. She no longer craved sour osmanthus, but persimmons instead. Growing one herself gave her a special sense of accomplishment.
She also built a gravel path in the courtyard between the mulberry tree and the main yard and dug a pond out of the mud.
Princess Ning Yan had given her a batch of precious red-scale goldfish a while ago. It wasn't a good idea to keep them in a small tank all the time. She might as well dig a koi pond, plant some lotus leaves, and put some beautiful little fish in it to swim and flick their tails. The thought of it made her feel great.
In the blink of an eye, another half year has passed. It is early June in the capital, midsummer is approaching, and cicadas are chirping incessantly during the dog days of summer.
Xue Yuanyin didn't know how Su Mian and Guan Bai became frequent visitors to this small house. Neither of them had even been engaged, yet they insisted on coming to her house to propose marriage to her. Their perseverance was simply incredible.
Su Mian said, "Look, you're already nineteen this year. What girl in Beijing isn't engaged at nineteen? I'm not being disrespectful, I'm just strongly suggesting that you look around. Even though it's hard for you to find a husband right now, don't there still matchmakers coming to you? You're pretty clear-headed about other things, but why are you so clueless about this, rejecting every matchmaker who came to you?"
Guan Bo didn't understand what was going on, but he agreed with great support.
Xue Yuanyin was dazed for a moment when he heard this.
She had been oblivious to the world outside her for a while now, and she hadn't rejected the matchmaker intentionally; she simply looked down on him. The man she had met was too stunning, and she couldn't let anyone else stay in her heart.
How to describe that relationship?
It seemed that only one word could describe it: many ambiguous relationships, all ending in vain. Yet she refused to forget this ending year after year.
Xue Yuanyin quickly came to her senses and looked at Su Mian with disdain written all over her face:
"Su Mian, can you arrange a marriage for me first before you start teaching me? You said it's hard for me to find a husband, but how much better can you be? We were both once followers of Prince Yu, so do you really have to hurt each other? Besides, why do you insist on finding a marriage for me? You weren't this enthusiastic when you threw the civet cat to me during the martial arts class at the Imperial College."
Su Mian was just about to pluck a persimmon and chew it when the sourness made him grimace. He placed the persimmon on the stone table and said honestly:
"The main thing is that I feel that Guan Bo and I are half responsible for the way you are today. I would feel uneasy if I didn't find you a good match."
Xue Yuanyin: “…” It turns out that he had done something wrong.
She was now certain that Su Mian had done something wrong to her in the past, but time had passed and she was in no mood to pursue the matter.
Su Mian hesitated, "Oh, right, there's one more thing I think you really need to know. It's been a hot topic of discussion in the court lately..."
Xue Yuanyin didn't want to listen to his nonsense anymore. After she sent them away, she tossed the persimmon he had bitten into to Ah Huang from the neighboring uncle's house with a pained look on her face. Then she remembered something, went to the kitchen to pack some persimmon cakes, and asked Fuzhu to deliver them to Zhang's house.
Somehow, ever since she returned to the capital and settled down in her new house, the Zhang family started to have contact with her. Mrs. Zhang would occasionally have people send her some seasonal fruits and other small items. They were not expensive, but they were novel.
Xue Yuanyin was unsure of the Zhang family's intentions. Could it be that they knew that she had had physical contact with Zhang Jingxuan, felt sorry for her, and wanted to make some compensation?
However, she was a frequent visitor to the Zhang Mansion when she was a child. Although she had not been in contact with Mrs. Zhang for a long time, she was not unfamiliar with her. Therefore, every time she received something from the Zhang Mansion, she would send some return gifts every two days.
This time, too, Mrs. Zhang had sent her some fruits as tribute from foreign countries two days ago. She didn't want to accept favors for nothing, so she gave her some persimmon cakes she made herself.
After Fuzhu went to Zhang's house, Xue Yuanyin went back to her room to change her clothes and went out to keep the appointment.
Princess Ning Yan made an appointment at Changlong Tower, a very luxurious restaurant, and even booked a luxurious Tianzi Room. It was said that there was something important to tell her.
Xue Yuanyin walked along and saw that the people on the street were a little agitated. She was a little confused. Could it be that she had forgotten some festival?
However, she had not heard what was happening outside the window for a long time and had no desire to ask, so she went straight to the private room of the restaurant.
After they sat down face to face, Princess Ning Yan explained her purpose:
"Do you still remember Doctor Jiang from the Imperial College? He's now the Chief Academician. In two months, it's the anniversary of Master Kong's birthday. Chief Academician Jiang plans to hold a ceremony at the Imperial College, inviting all former students to attend. He'd also like to use this opportunity to advise His Majesty on the idea of opening a women's class at the Imperial College. Chief Academician Jiang asked me to inquire about His Majesty's opinion, and I did. We're currently looking for a female instructor... Since you once topped the Imperial College exams, and you're a woman, I wanted to discuss this with you. Would you be interested in joining us?"
"This..." Xue Yuanyin was rarely tempted, but hesitated. "Is it appropriate for me to be so sensitive? I'd better think about it again."
"What's inappropriate? I'll take it as your consent!"
Princess Ning Yan said this, then suddenly thought of something and said, "Why are you still so listless? Don't you know what day it is?"
Xue Yuanyin was surprised for a moment. She had really forgotten what festival it was. She picked up a piece of lotus shoots with her chopsticks and said nonchalantly:
"I'm used to being alone and don't like celebrating holidays, but if the princess wants to go out and have fun, I'm willing to sacrifice myself to accompany her."
Unexpectedly, Princess Ning Yan was even more surprised than her and said:
"You don't know? Didn't my brother tell you? Not long ago, the army won a victory at Qintang Pass and has returned to the capital! The people of the capital have been waiting at the city walls every day to welcome the soldiers back in triumph."
Xue Yuanyin's hand holding the chopsticks suddenly shook, and the lotus shoots fell to the ground. It seemed that the emperor had indeed sent a eunuch to talk about something a few days ago, but she didn't listen carefully...
She turned her head and asked in a nonchalant tone, "Oh, did you say when you'll arrive in Beijing?"
Princess Ning Yan looked as if she hated him for not fighting. "Tomorrow morning! Tomorrow morning! The army will arrive in the capital tomorrow morning!"
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The author has something to say: Su Mian and Guan Bai are the beginning of everything, the source of all evil (.)
Sorry I can’t finish writing QAQ I will definitely finish it tomorrow!!!
*"Looking at each other with blood on the blades, we never care about honors when we die." - Gao Shi's "Yan Ge Xing"
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