Chapter 536 Lost
Because he was at war, Zeng Yiran's wedding was very low-key. He only invited a few close friends to have a wedding banquet. Although there were no shortage of gifts, eight sedans were also invited. However, the gongs, drums and trumpets arrived. However, there was no sound on the street and they did not dare to play drums. It was not until the door of Liao's house that they rang a few symbolic sounds to add to the excitement.
After bringing the bride back, they paid homage to the bride. Everyone had a wedding wine and then left one after another. No one mentioned the wedding.
On the fourth day of Zeng Yiran's marriage, which was the second day after Liao Fangyi returned home, the young couple went to Tuihuai City in a low-key manner.
The Zeng family members also packed up their rituals and returned to the Zeng family in the north.
Next, Xia Zihan slowly prepared for his marriage.
Xia Zihan didn't want to be like Liao Fangyi, who got married in such a low-key manner that there wasn't even a hint of joy. She wanted to postpone the wedding until after the war in the south was over.
However, Mrs. Zhuo disagreed, and neither did her grandmother.
Preparations for the wedding are still going on...
In late June, Doctor Bai finally found all the herbs he wanted. It took Doctor Bai three days to make a packet of medicinal powder. Xia Zihan mixed it with dried flowers and sewed a total of eight sachets. , six were given to the emperor, and the remaining two were left to Chu Xuanyu and his son.
Chu Xuanyu and his son were well-known victorious generals in Dasheng. Xia Zihan was worried that some enemies would target them, so he left two sachets for them.
Chu Jingqi immediately took off the jade pendant from her waist and replaced it with a sachet.
At the end of June, Princess Mingzhu's daughter was not celebrating her first birthday, so Xia Zihan ordered her maid to make some small clothes, and then asked Nuanyu to make a set of gold locks, gold bracelets and gold anklets to send over.
A few days later, Song Huai sent someone to deliver news that Shi Wenting had given birth to a son.
Mrs. Zeng was very happy that the Song family had a baby. She immediately sent Mother Su to the Song family and sent Shi Wenting a lot of medicinal materials for health, as well as small clothes that she had ordered the maids to make in advance.
When the Song family had their third bath, Ms. Zeng took Xia Zihan there in person.
There are not many relatives in the Song family, and there are only four banquet tables for both men and women. There are a table and a half of people from the Dou family alone. Several married Dou sisters, the fourth and fourth Dou are pregnant, but they are not here. Their husbands are here.
Xia Zihan also gave the child a set of small gold locks, gold bracelets and gold anklets, as well as a few pairs of small socks.
Shi Wenting accepted the gift, smiled and said thank you.
Although she no longer had the same hostility towards Xia Zihan in her heart, there was still some estrangement, and it was a bit awkward. However, when she thought about Song Huai's care and concern for her in the past few years, she laughed it off.
It was Dou Er who quietly told Xia Zihan some shocking news.
Dou San is dead.
Died in the Dou family temple.
Because she was an unmarried girl and she had made a big mistake, she was not qualified to enter the Dou family's ancestral cemetery. The Dou family did not hold a funeral for her. They just bought a coffin and chose a quiet place in the mountains. , buried her quietly.
After death, there was not even a tombstone.
When Xia Zihan heard this, her heart tumbled and her heart surged. Thinking of the quiet time when Dou San played with her in the past, she felt a sigh of relief.
Dou San plotted against his sisters, plotted against Ao Tianchen, and finally plotted against himself. He was given up by the Dou family and expelled to the family temple. After so many years of misery, now that he is dead, it can be regarded as over.
……
In late July, battle reports came from the south. Before the Second Prince and his son arrived at Wanfeng City, Wanfeng City had been lost. The general guarding Wanfeng City was shot dead on the city wall by the Japanese muskets. Blood flowed from the city wall. When it reached the root of the city wall, half of the city wall was dyed red.
The Japanese pirates invaded Wanfeng City and were about to attack Ningwu City in one fell swoop. Just in time, the soldiers and horses of the Second Prince arrived at Ningwu City and protected Ningwu City in time.
The emperor received the news and summoned the ministers to the palace overnight...
As soon as the news came out, people in the capital were panicked. People closed their doors at night and hid in their houses, not daring to come out. Half of the pedestrians were on the street, and even the vendors who usually set up street stalls did not dare to come out to set up stalls.
The refugee incidents in the past few years have left such a terrifying shadow in the hearts of the people in the capital. The people are now like timid birds frightened by the bow. When they hear the sound of the bow being drawn, they are frightened before they shoot.
Xia Zihan was also worried about Chu Kui who was in Jiangnan and Nuan Xiang who had not returned yet, so he wrote a letter and sent secret guards over to inform Nuan Xiang to close the shop in Jiangnan and remove all the things in the shop. Put it into storage and let the warm fragrance come back.
As for her marriage, after discussing it together, Zeng and Zhuo agreed to postpone the date. The specific date depends on the situation.
After Chu Jingqi found out, he felt depressed and his hopes were all gone. However, at this time, it was really not the right time to get married, and he didn't want to wrong Xia Zihan.
"Ayu, I'm sorry."
Chu Jingqi hugged her, stroking and playing with her waist-length black hair.
This is his favorite move recently.
"What are you sorry for? You can't have the final say on the current situation." Xia Zihan grabbed his hand, "Don't mess up my hair."
"Next time you wash your hair, I'll help you twist it." Chu Jingqi took her hand and said, "Let's go for a walk in the garden. I'll accompany you to get some air."
"You don't have to go to the palace as an errand? Is it okay for you to sneak out like this?"
Knowing that today was not the day for Chu Jingqi to rest, Xia Zihan wondered if he had deserted.
Chu Jingqi chuckled and pulled her out of the house, "What are you worried about? The emperor asked me to come out to do something. I will have lunch with you later and then go back." He came back from the palace very late yesterday. After knowing that the wedding date had been changed, , just wanted to see her, but his father took him to the military camp and did not return to the city until this morning.
I hurried to the palace to report, and then found an excuse to leave the palace to visit her.
I was worried that she would be depressed because of changing the wedding date.
Now it seems that he is the only one who is depressed.
Chu Jingqi sighed and looked at Xia Zihan with a hint of resentment.
When it comes to the Mid-Autumn Festival in August, this should be a festive festival, but the whole capital is very depressed, heavy and not festive at all.
After the Mid-Autumn Festival, in late August, battle reports came from the south. The second prince was shot with a musket by Japanese pirates and was seriously injured. Ao Tianchen temporarily took his place as general and led the troops to resist the Japanese pirates' attack.
When the second princess received the news, she fainted immediately.
Princess Qinghui cried and was accompanied by Chu Yuexi and Xia Zihan back to her parents' home. That night, Princess Qinghui stayed at the Second Prince's Mansion to accompany the Second Princess.
The emperor and dozens of ministers had a heated discussion in the court hall all day long, and finally decided to send Chu Xuanyu to lead 20,000 cavalry troops to Ningwucheng to support the second prince.
Next, Chu Jingqi led 30,000 Chu family troops to Wanfeng City from another road in the north, and went around to the back of the Japanese pirates. At that time, Chu Xuanyu and Ao Tianchen would attack from both sides, leaving the Japanese pirates unable to escape.
After Chu Jingqi received the order, his face was as cold as ice. Anyone who came close to him would shiver, but he did not refuse. He was about to go to see Xia Zihan and tell her the matter, but was dragged away by Chu Xuanyu to the military camp.
It was already two hours later when Xia Zihan got the news from Princess Qinghui who hurried back.
"What..." Xia Zihan jumped up from the chair in shock, "What are you talking about, Aqi is going south?"
"Yes, the emperor has decreed that he will leave in two days." Princess Qinghui said.
Her father was seriously injured and her mother and concubine were in a bad mood. For the past two days, she had been staying with her mother and concubine at the Second Prince's Mansion. Brother Yuexi also stayed at the Second Prince's Mansion for two days.
She learned the news from Princess Xin who went to the Second Prince's Mansion to visit her mother-in-law.
As soon as she got the news, she hurried back.
"Chu Yu, don't worry. This time An Guogong and his son go together and bring 30,000 cavalry. They will definitely be able to reverse the situation in Ningwucheng." Princess Qinghui said.
Can you not worry?
The Japanese pirates had such powerful muskets, and even the second prince was injured by the muskets. How could she not be worried?
However, there is nothing to worry about. The emperor has decreed that Chu Jingqi must go to this battlefield.
Even for Dasheng, he must go.
When Chu Jingqi came back from the military camp, it was already midnight. Xia Zihan couldn't sleep. He was lighting an oil lamp, sitting on the kang, sewing a blue gown on his hands.
When Chu Jingqi came in, this was what he saw.
It was night duty today, and Si Cao and Nuanyu, who were also doing needlework on the side, saw him, were busy and retreated.
Xia Zihan put down what she was doing and was about to go to the ground. Chu Jingqi walked over and held her shoulders, "Ayu, I'm sorry."
"What are you sorry for? I'm proud of you for having such a great fiancé." Xia Zihan said.
Knowing that he was sorry for her, he was leaving her again.
I don’t know how many more years it will take to get there.
They haven't gotten married yet.
After the Chinese New Year, she will turn eighteen and become an old girl.
Chu Jingqi was filled with reluctance and hugged her into his arms, "Ayu, you have to wait for me." When he came back, he would hold a grand wedding banquet and marry her home.
"Well, I'll wait for you. You must be safe."
That night, the two hugged each other until dawn.
After dawn, Chu Jingqi hurried back to the military camp, while Xia Zihan went to the pharmacy and made several large packets of medicinal powder with Old Man Bai.
There are medicines for healing wounds, stopping bleeding and relieving pain, and there are also powerful intoxicants...
On the day that Chu Jingqi left, Xia Zihan divided several large packages of medicine into two parts, one for Chu Xuanyu and one for Chu Jingqi.
On this day, the emperor led hundreds of civil and military officials and stood in front of tens of thousands of soldiers, speaking eloquently and passionately to boost morale and inspire the soldiers' fighting spirit.
Xia Zihan and Zhuo, the twins, stood nearby, looking at Chu Jingqi and Chu Xuanyu with reluctance in their eyes.
After the emperor toasted the soldiers with a big bowl and threw the big bowl, Chu Xuanyu waved his hand, and the army turned around and set off.
Chu Xuanyu rode on the horse, looked at Zhuo, and said, "Go back and teach the second and third children well, don't let them waste their martial arts skills, and... take good care of yourself."
(End of chapter)