Chapter 425 If Line - Creditor
When the news that Pei Lingyun got married and had a child in Lingnan spread back to the capital, many families who wanted to marry into the Pei family sighed with regret.
They all wanted to see what kind of woman the dignified and noble Pei Lingyun married.
However, the first person to return to the capital with his family was Xue Yucheng, a man of both civil and military talents.
When Pei Lingyun was transferred to Lingnan, Xue Yucheng also went to the northwest with great ambition.
After a few years, when Xue Yuzhuo and Xue Yucheng became more and more capable, Xue Feng returned to Beijing to rest.
Since the Hu people were driven away, the northwest has been much more peaceful and there have been no wars.
Therefore, the court later transferred Xue Yucheng back and sent him to command local troops in Guannei Road and Jingji Road respectively.
When Xue Yucheng left the northwest, he had already started a family.
He married a woman named Shangguan Ru in the northwest.
Once, Xue Yucheng was leading his men across the desert when they encountered a sandstorm and lost their way for a while. The horse he was riding was frightened and separated him from the team.
When Xue Yucheng was in crisis, he fortunately met a caravan led by Shangguan Ru.
Shangguan Ru lent a helping hand, and Xue Yucheng followed her to find an oasis town in the desert.
Xue Yucheng thanked Shangguan Ru: "Thank you, Miss Shangguan, for your help."
Shangguan Ru fiddled with the gilded abacus in her hand and said:
"General Xue, there's no need to do this. Just return the money. The guide fee, medical expenses, food expenses... a total of two thousand seven hundred taels."
Xue Yucheng's eyes widened, he couldn't believe Shangguan Ru's outburst:
"That's too much."
Shangguan Ru said, "Human life is the most precious thing in the world. I saved you. Tell me if your life is worth two thousand seven hundred taels."
Xue Yucheng: "...Okay, I'll get it all for you when I get back to the barracks."
Shangguan Ru said, "Pay half the deposit first. Otherwise, I won't be able to find you if you run back to the barracks after I take you out of the desert."
Xue Yucheng searched all his pockets and only found one hundred taels.
Shangguan Ru sighed and said, "It's only natural to pay back debts. Even if you're a general of the Xue family, you'd have to pay back even if the gods came. You don't have any money now, so how about this? Pay off your debt with yourself first."
Shangguan Ru asked Xue Yucheng to work to pay off his debt.
Xue Yucheng thought that it would not be a bad idea to work for his savior for a few days, since he had plenty of energy anyway.
So Xue Yucheng became Shangguan Ru's temporary groom.
When traveling, not only did he have to drive Shangguan Ru's horse, but he also had to boil water and chop firewood for her.
Xue Yucheng asked, "Why do you want me to do this and that?"
Shangguan Ru: "You are mine now, paying off my debts, so of course you have to work harder."
Xue Yucheng took the stew that Shangguan Ru handed to him:
"Then why do you make soup for me every day?"
Shangguan Ru: "You've done so much work, of course I have to nourish your body."
Xue Yucheng felt that Shangguan Ru was a bit difficult to judge, as she was a bit good but also a bit bad, and a bit bad but also a bit good.
Relying on the fact that he was the creditor, he always wanted to order him around, but on the other hand, he seemed to care about him very much.
After spending some time together, Xue Yucheng sometimes felt that people like Shangguan Ru were actually quite cute.
Shangguan Ru said to him, "I know you are a good person, that's why I let you work beside me every day to pay off your debt. If it were someone else, I wouldn't give them this opportunity."
Later, Xue Yucheng returned to the military camp and returned the remaining money to Shangguan Ru.
Shangguan Ru even told him, "General Xue, if you want to make some money in your spare time, you're always welcome to come to me. I'll hire you as a temporary worker and pay you a higher price."
Xue Yucheng was no longer interested in making money and was determined to return to the military camp for training.
But not long after, he heard that Shangguan Ru had recruited two more people who owed her money as her subordinates.
Xue Yucheng felt a little unhappy.
I think Shangguan Ru is wrong to do this.
How could he just hire anyone as his subordinate? What if those two people had bad intentions?
Xue Yucheng thought that for the sake of his savior's safety, he had to go and see what was going on in person.
During his day off, Xue Yucheng went to the town to find Shangguan Ru.
Shangguan Ru was about to go out. She sat outside the carriage and drove the horse.
When she saw Xue Yucheng, she took the initiative to greet him: "General Xue, how come you have time to come?"
Xue Yucheng felt a little guilty: "I'm here to earn some money, just doing a short day's work."
Shangguan Ru smiled and said, "That's perfect. Come and help me drive the carriage."
Xue Yucheng didn't move, but glanced around: "Didn't you recruit some new people? Why is there no one driving the carriage?"
Shangguan Ru shook her head: "Didn't I tell you? I don't let anyone drive my carriage casually. I sent those two people out to collect rent."
By this time, Xue Yucheng had already consciously sat outside the carriage.
Well, she has a point.
How could she let anyone drive her carriage?
I feel at ease knowing he is the one doing this kind of thing.
There were so many people who owed her money, but she only asked herself to drive her carriage.
Xue Yucheng's unhappiness gradually dissipated and his mood improved.
In the following days, every time the military camp had a rest day, Xue Yucheng went to the town to drive the carriage for Shangguan Ru.
When Xue Yuzhuo first found out about this, he felt very strange. He didn't understand why his brother went to drive horses for others. Was he not tired enough from his daily training?
Pei Shu went to the town for a walk, and when she came back she said to Xue Yuzhuo with a smile:
"Yucheng has grown up, maybe he wants to start a family."
A few months later, one day, Xue Yucheng came back and said that he wanted to find someone to propose marriage.
Xue Feng and Xue Yuzhuo both said that getting married was a big deal, and they wanted to find out more about the girl before asking someone to act as a matchmaker.
It was during that period that an accident happened.
The military rations sent by the imperial court to the northwest were delayed due to natural disasters.
The military camp may face a shortage of military rations for more than ten days.
Shangguan Ru waved his hand generously and lent all the food in his hands to Xue's army. Worried that it was not enough, he also spent money to buy a large amount of food and fodder to solve the urgent problem.
A man who takes something from someone else should be grateful for what he has received.
All the soldiers of Xue's army ate Shangguan Ru's food and praised Shangguan Ru highly.
Xue Feng, Xue Yuzhuo and Pei Shu all said that Shangguan Ru was truly a heroine.
Xue Yucheng felt very proud when he heard this.
Later, when the imperial court's military rations arrived, Xue Feng sent someone to return some of the rations to Shangguan Ru.
Who should we send?
Xue Yucheng was sent.
Xue Yucheng led his men to transport dozens of carts of food and fodder to Shangguan Run.
Shangguan Ru sat in front of Xue Yucheng, still fiddling with the small golden abacus in her hand, and said with a smile:
"These are the principal, and there is still interest to be calculated."
The interest rate Shangguan Ru mentioned was shocking.
But then he changed the subject: "Or, we can just give up the interest and use the person as collateral."
Xue Yucheng stared at Shangguan Ru: "Who are you going to use to pay off the debt?"
Shangguan Ru looked back at Xue Yucheng with a smile on her face.
Half a year later, Xue Yucheng and Shangguan Ru got married.
The two gave birth to a son and named him Xue Che.
When Xue Che was four years old, Xue Yucheng returned to the capital with his wife and children.
Many people in Chang'an were surprised.
Everyone heard that Shangguan Ru was an orphan with no family background.
Not only is she an orphan, but she is also a businessman who is out in the public eye doing business in the northwest.
Many people in the capital envied Xue Yuzhuo for marrying the famous noble lady Pei Shu, and thought that Xue Yucheng, who was both talented and beautiful, would also marry a gentle and virtuous noble lady like his brother.
Unexpectedly, Xue Yucheng married a businessman.
Everyone felt it was a pity, and some even speculated that Shangguan Ru had used some unorthodox methods from the Western Regions to get close to Xue Yucheng.
While everyone was arguing about this, the Xue family sent invitations to many families in Chang'an and hosted a grand banquet.
At the banquet, Madam Xue formally introduced Shangguan Ru to everyone, smiling with narrowed eyes:
"My second daughter-in-law is very likable and capable. She even helped the Xue family army in times of trouble in the northwest. She's new to Beijing and unfamiliar with the place. Some people who don't know her well might gossip about her."
"Please help me keep an eye on who is gossiping about our Xue family behind our backs. Tell me later, and I'll invite those people to come to our Xue family and have a face-to-face discussion."
When Madam Xue said this, some guests forced smiles and echoed:
"The Second Young Master's wife looks smart and capable. The Xue family is lucky to have two such good daughters-in-law."
From then on, there was less gossip about Shangguan Ru in the capital.
When Xue Yucheng was serving in the military camp outside Chang'an, he was busy with affairs and had little time to go home.
Shangguan Ru lived in the Xue Mansion with her son Xue Che.
Everyone in the capital thought that Shangguan Ru would be content and stay at home as the second young master's wife, never leaving the house.
But the fact is that Shangguan Ru not only went out, but also continued to do business.
She opened several rouge, powder and jewelry shops in Chang'an.
It doesn’t matter if those dignitaries look down on her, as long as they come to her shop to buy things.
Little Xue Che once asked his mother why, since the Xue family had no worries about food and clothing, why did they still want to do business?
Shangguan Ru put a large gold necklace around her son's neck and kissed him on the cheek:
"Ah Che, no matter what they say, it's my ability to make money."
"Son, remember, do whatever you like and don't worry about what others say."
Xue Che nodded, wrote it down, and did what he liked seriously——
read.
Xue Che has loved reading and writing since he was a child.
When he was in the northwest, he often read books with his aunt and cousin.
Pei Shu and Xue Yuzhuo also had a son named Xue Di, who was very smart.
It was difficult to find a good teacher in the northwest, so Xue Di followed Pei Shu for his education.
By the time Xue Che started to learn to read, Xue Di was already able to teach his cousin who was a few years younger than him to read.
Children learn to read very early and very quickly, and they can almost remember everything they see.
When Pei Shu took Xue Di to read, Xue Che always liked to sit next to them and listen. Even if he didn't understand some parts, he still found it very interesting.
Brothers Xue Di and Xue Che also practiced martial arts.
Although he is good at martial arts, he is not as good as in studying.
When Xue Che was three years old, he took a small wooden sword and followed his cousin to practice sword fighting.
But he looked a little clumsy when practicing sword, as if he was waving a huge pen.
Every time Shangguan Ru saw her son, who looked like a little dumpling, practicing sword, she thought he was so adorable that she couldn't help but hug him and kiss him.
Xue Yucheng asked his son, "Do you hate practicing sword?"
Little Xue Che: "I don't hate it, I just think practicing swordsmanship is harder than learning to read. My aunt taught me how to read, and I knew it after just one look."
After Xue Che returned to the capital, he often liked to go to his father's study to read.
Watch it every day.
If he is not allowed to watch it one day, he will be so sad that he can't sleep.
Most of the books in my father’s study are about military affairs, some of which I can understand and some of which I cannot.
If he didn't understand something, he would take the book to ask his mother and grandparents.
After finishing reading the books in my father's study, I went to my uncle and grandfather's study to look for books.
Xue Che went there once and was surprised to see that the Pei family had more books than his own!
So I wanted to go to Pei's house every day.
Pei Lingfeng and Yan Yu had a son and a daughter, who were a few years older than Xue Che. They were also in school and their family hired famous teachers to teach them.
Seeing that Xue Che was so eager to learn, Pei Lingfeng invited Xue Che to come to Pei Mansion to study together.
When Xue Che was six years old, one day he saw that the Pei family was in a festive mood. He heard that Pei Erlang, who was an official in Lingnan, was going to be transferred back to the capital to take up a new post.
Two days later, his father Xue Yucheng returned home from the military camp and was very happy to hear the news.
Xue Yucheng hugged Xue Che and said:
"Pei Erlang next door is Dad's good friend. I haven't seen him for several years. He's married and has children now."
Shangguan Ru: "If his child is around the same age as Ache, Ache will have more playmates."
Xue Yucheng: "The child's name is Zhizhi, and she's the same age as Ache. Ache can take Zhizhi out to play when the time comes."
Xue Che said seriously:
"Father and mother, I am very busy studying and practicing martial arts. I am afraid I have no time to play."
After he finished speaking, he thought for a moment and added:
"However, I can teach Zhizhi to practice calligraphy."
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