Chapter 632: Sending Off and Welcoming Back

Fucheng Gate in the capital city.
At dawn, the city gate had been open for some time, but at this moment, two long queues of people waiting to enter the city were blocked by the guards outside. Naturally, there was some unrest among the crowd, but under the guards’ firm suppression, those noises eventually turned into whispers. Soon, a group of people turned from Xuanwu Gate Street at the end of the main road. At first, it seemed like just a few people, but gradually more joined them, quickly forming a large procession.

Seeing half in red jackets and half in blue jackets, the commoners trapped outside the city immediately realized they were military personnel, so they stretched their necks to take a closer look. After the group passed by, some curious ones asked the guards for information, but the answers they got were varied, with no one able to give a definite answer.

“That’s the emperor sending troops to Kaiping Xing and Danning in the border regions!”
“Who said that? It’s the emperor sending envoys to the Tartars to confront Arutai—either surrender or face destruction!”
“Nonsense! They’re being sent to the Duyan Three Guards. Those guards rebelled against the emperor before and were utterly defeated. This time, they’re sending their princesses to the emperor as concubines!”

All these discussions didn’t affect the procession at all. Since everyone from top to bottom was well-trained soldiers, as they moved forward, aside from the steady sound of footsteps, occasional horse neighs, and the rustling of flags in the wind, not even a single cough was heard, creating an atmosphere of solemnity and dignity.

From deciding on the candidates to setting off, there were only two short days for the Wan Shi Festival preparations, so everything had to be rushed. He had always been optimistic, but now he wasn’t alone anymore. This time, he was leaving his newlywed wife behind to go to a foreign land. Even with his usual calm demeanor, his face was tense as they left the city. Remembering how Xiao Wu had bitten his shoulder hard last night, he couldn’t help but reach out and press gently on his shoulder—the lingering pain made his heart ache.

When they were about ten miles away from the official road leading out of the city, his sharp eyes spotted a carriage beside the pavilion where travelers could rest, with a person standing by it. With just a glance at this slightly shorter young man, he immediately recognized him and tightly gripped the reins.

He had told her not to come see him off. Why did that stubborn girl insist on coming anyway? Didn’t she know that seeing each other would only make things more painful?

Despite inward complaints, Wan Shijie’s gaze couldn’t help but fall on that beloved pretty face, on those bright eyes, on those tightly pressed lips. When he saw the hairpin on Xiao Wu’s head, he couldn’t help but thank heaven for giving him such sharp eyes. Though he had managed to hold a fairly decent wedding as a poor man, all he could give her was this silver hairpin.
He didn’t think plain clothes and simple hairpins were signs of a woman’s virtue—she deserved better, and tomorrow he would surely give her something even better!
Though he had a thousand impulses to grasp her delicate hands and make more promises, he was in the army now, so Wan Shijie had to restrain himself even more, not allowing his gaze to linger too long. He could only glance at her from the corner of his eye from time to time, moving his lips softly as if speaking words she couldn’t hear. It wasn’t until they were completely out of sight that he forced himself to stop looking back.
“Shijie, this mission is ostensibly to ally with the Oirats to attack the Tatars, but in reality, it’s also to assess the strength of the Oirat tribes. The scholars in the court don’t want war, but to override the emperor’s wishes, it depends on the results of your mission. Remember, since the emperor’s intentions are unclear, you must adapt as circumstances require. Although Su Wu’s loyalty in ancient times was admirable, how many people get to live nineteen years? Since Yuan Jie has chosen such brave and skilled men for you, your other task is to bring them back safely!”
Recalling his father-in-law’s words, Wan Shijie straightened his back. From now on, his only goal was to return safely, bringing everyone back safely!
Next to the black oil carriage by the road, Xiao Wu waited until the last person in the long procession passed by before stomping her foot and getting into the carriage. As soon as she removed the checkered cotton scarf, tears fell from her eyes like pearls. In the past, whenever she saw her sister see off her brother-in-law or sit there in a daze alone, though worried, she had never truly experienced that feeling. But now, she finally understood it.
It wasn’t pain—it was a sense of loss as if a piece of her heart had been forcibly torn away. If only she hadn’t married him, if only she hadn’t experienced his indecency in public and his tenderness in private, would she have felt such anxiety?
“Xiao Wu.”

Hearing this gentle voice, Xiao Wu immediately realized that Du Wan was still in the carriage. She quickly rubbed her eyes hard with both hands and wiped her face with her sleeve before lifting her head. If it weren’t for Zhang Yue asking Du Wan to pick her up, she would have had no idea which city gate to leave through, nor could she have boarded a carriage right after leaving for the Wan Shi Festival and waited here in advance. Biting her lip, she met Du Wan’s gaze and softly asked, “Sister, will he be able to return safely?”
“As long as you believe it, he surely will!”
Du Wan replied without hesitation. Seeing Xiao Wu sniffle strongly, she moved closer and pulled her into her arms. Last night, Zhang Yue had said that people in the court were not in control of their own fates—even the supreme emperor was bound by rules and regulations, and not everything could be done as one wished. Fortunately, most of those accompanying him on the Wan Shi Festival were trustworthy, and with his cleverness, he should be able to turn misfortunes into good fortune, just like Zhang Yue.
At the same time, Zhang Yue was carefully studying the military report in the office of the Ministry of Geography. At first glance, it seemed like excellent news—Kerlieyiti, the King of Virtue and Righteousness of the Oirats, and Tuboluo, the King of Peace of the Oirats, had submitted petitions to pay tribute in the first month of the year. The three Oirat tribes shared control over the lands west of the desert. Now that these two had shown such willingness, the Wan Shi Festival journey should be more secure. But Tuohuan of the Choros tribe had previously expressed his willingness to lead the advance forces against Arutai—why wasn’t he among those who submitted petitions?
“Lord Zhang, someone is here to see you. They say they’re from Qingzhou. You even dined at their house back then!”
All government offices were secure places, so whether it was high-ranking officials or clerks, their family members and servants had to leave at the entrance. It was rare for anyone to come looking for someone here, and the Ministry of War was no exception. However, if someone did come, whether the servants would announce them depended on whether the visitor had high status or offered generous bribes. Of course, for someone like Zhang Yue, who wasn’t extremely prominent but was kind and generous to subordinates, the servants were willing to make the effort.
So, he led Zhang Yue to the entrance. Seeing the young clerk from the Ministry of War staring blankly at the two people by the horse post, he knew it was right to go in and report, so he slipped away with a smile. After his initial shock, Zhang Yue stepped down the steps quickly and nodded at them with a smile.
“Uncle Yang, I was wondering who might be from Qingzhou. It turns out to be you and your son! How is home these days? The wheat should have been harvested by now. How was the harvest in Zihedian Village?”

Four years ago, when Lao Yangtou first met Zhang Yue at the entrance of Zihedian Village, he found him kind and humble. Later, upon learning that he was a high-ranking official in Qingzhou Prefecture, he was amazed for quite some time. Coming all the way to the capital this time, he thought of looking for this once amiable official. But the capital was so vast; although everyone knew of Lord Zhang, his residence was hard to locate. Fortunately, a kind person advised him to go to the Ministry of War. What he didn’t expect was that Zhang Yue would recognize him at first sight, leaving him extremely excited and almost unable to speak. In the end, it was Yang Gouer who helped him bow, but Zhang Yue stopped them.
“You’ve come all this way to the capital. Logically, I should keep you for a talk. But it’s duty time at the yamen, and I can’t leave without permission. So, Gouer, help your father follow me.”
Yang Gouer, now married, wasn’t as impulsive as before. After agreeing, he helped his father follow Zhang Yue. They entered a teahouse, where Zhang Yue spoke with the owner and then came back to tell them to sit and rest while drinking tea, resuming their conversation at noon. They nodded quickly. Once they left, Yang Gouer grinned at his father.
“Dad, it’s been over four years, yet Lord Zhang is still the same as before—not the slightest bit arrogant like a high-ranking official!”
“Of course. Back then, for the mutual aid association, he visited the village many times in person. It’s because of his humility and approachability that everyone in the neighborhood speaks highly of him. Our family has benefited greatly—our harvests increased significantly, and you were able to get married… Ah, after finally enjoying good times, no one wants war again…”
He said the last sentence softly, but Yang Gouer heard it clearly and also sighed. Thus, despite the owner being extremely attentive due to Zhang Yue’s instructions—offering tea and even some snacks like golden beans—the father and son had no appetite at all. It wasn’t until noon that they saw Zhang Yue enter the shop again.
Zhang Yue had already arranged a private booth at a reliable restaurant nearby through his servants. He then took the father and son there. After ordering a few dishes familiarly, he began chatting casually with still somewhat reserved Lao Yangtou. As they talked about old times, the four years seemed to shrink away. Recalling the times when he hosted Zhang Yue at home, Lao Yangtou’s face relaxed as his wrinkles softened.

Once all the dishes were served and the waiter stepped back with the large platters, Old Yang gave Yang Gouer, who was drooling over the delicious food on the table, a subtle signal. Seeing him reluctantly go to stand by the door to keep watch, Old Yang habitually rubbed his hands, his face showing slight unease.

“Lord Zhang, your humble servant and his son have come to the capital this time because a seriously ill relative wanted to entrust his only son to us for upbringing, intending to sell his property and return to their hometown of Qingzhou. So we traveled day and night by carriage, spending a lot of money… Ah, I’m getting old and talking nonsense. What I meant to say is that there were some strange rumors before we set off.”

Hearing this, Zhang Yue immediately became attentive and asked, “What kind of rumors?”

“There’s a Taoist temple in Le’an that was set on fire by people sent by the Han Prince’s mansion. That wouldn’t be a big deal in itself, but someone from the village who worked for the Han Prince’s mansion was beaten to death. It’s said the princess died, and she was involved in some way, pulling her family members down with her. When the mansion’s people came to take people away, it was absolutely tragic…”

At this point, Old Yang couldn’t help shivering, his already low voice becoming even softer, almost like a mosquito’s buzz: “Your humble servant is really scared. My nephew Xu Er said that the Han Prince is secretly recruiting private soldiers in the surrounding areas—clearly with ulterior motives! People are talking about omens and prophecies, but I don’t understand them. But I’ve heard that strange things have been happening all over Qingzhou lately—salt has become 10% more expensive, rice and flour are in short supply, and many well-known doctors have closed their shops, probably because they’ve been conscripted into the army… If war really breaks out, all the hard work we’ve put into farming will be ruined!”

As Old Yang spoke more and more chaotically, eventually trembling all over with a terrifyingly pale face, Zhang Yue quickly comforted him. After finally calming him down, he began to carefully consider these seemingly disjointed pieces of information. Suddenly, recalling the word “doctors,” he had a sudden insight and stood up immediately.

“Lord Zhang…”

“Don’t worry. There won’t be war in Shandong. Even if something happens, it won’t affect ordinary people!” Seeing Old Yang’s hopeful expression, Zhang Yue reassured him, “Even the chaos caused by the White Lotus Sect was quickly brought under control back then, let alone now. Just go back and live your life. Since I’ve heard these news, I certainly won’t sit idly by.”

“Thank you, Lord Zhang! Thank you so much!”

Lao Yangtou suddenly felt as if the weight pressing on his heart had dropped to the ground. Not knowing what to say, he abruptly stood up and kept thanking them nonstop. It was not until Yang Gouer, who had been watching by the door, came back and reminded him that he realized his awkward behavior. He quickly wiped his eyes vigorously.

Knowing that this man had finally achieved a better life, he was naturally anxious and worried. Moreover, since this was an extremely rare clue, Zhang Yue didn’t care about Lao Yangtou’s reactions at all. He quickly invited the father and son to sit down and eat together. Seeing Lao Yangtou and Yang Gouer eating heartily, he remembered the salt-free boiled beef he had eaten at the Yang family’s house back then.

It had taken great effort to restore peace in Shandong. These people who had spent their entire lives working in the fields had finally achieved a better life. If war broke out again, wouldn’t all their hard work be in vain?