Chapter 1731: Cries of "Father" Everywhere
Chapter 1731: Chapter 1731: Cries of "Father" Everywhere
"Many thanks, General Liang. This lowly general will take his leave." Qin San Lang said his thanks, then spurred his horse and galloped off, with Niu Dabao and the others following.
The Deputy General had just come out of the room at the base of the city tower. Seeing Qin San Lang and his men leaving, he frowned and said, "They’re leaving just like that?"
Weren’t they supposed to keep Qin San Lang and his men for a welcoming banquet, and ask about the situation at Daokou Camp?
"No rush. Now that they’re back, they’ll be staying a few days. Holding the feast tomorrow will be fine." General Liang watched Qin San Lang and his men disappearing into the distance and laughed. "They’re all racing home to see their wives."
Then he thought of Mrs. Qin Gu’s face, and felt a bit disgusted.
Still, he had no intention of foisting a beauty onto Qin San Lang. He didn’t dare. He was counting on Mrs. Qin Gu to turn the Rong bandits’ Divine Medicine for driving insects into something usable, and then send them a few cartloads for free.
The Deputy General laughed when he heard this. Seeing the sky grow dark, he immediately ordered the soldiers to strike the bell and close the city gates.
Clang clang clang!
The great tripod bell hanging on the city tower was struck, and the soldiers on duty shouted, "The golden crow has returned to the palace, close the city gates at once!"
The heavy city gates were pushed shut by several soldiers working together, making a dull, thunder-like sound.
With the gates closed, everyone felt relieved. If the gates stayed open, they were constantly worried that spies might sneak in.
But when they looked up and saw several large holes mid-height in the city wall, their hearts clenched again... Let the lords from the Capital’s Ministry of Industry get here quickly, otherwise they really had no way to repair this wall.
...
Clang clang clang!
As soon as the city gates closed, the sound of a copper gong rose from inside the city—it was the patrol team organized by the townspeople starting their rounds.
The leader, Uncle Dafa, shouted, "It’s dark now, watch out for thieves. If you discover anything suspicious, blow the bamboo whistle at once to call people!"
Not every household in the city could afford a copper gong, so Lei Family’s Trading Team came up with the idea of bamboo whistles and distributed them to every household, teaching them how to blow. Nowadays, let alone spies—even if Dong Family’s dog and Xi Family’s hen got into a fight, a flurry of urgent whistle blasts would ring out.
Da-da-da!
An orderly clatter of hoofbeats came from ahead. A group of men radiating killing intent rode toward them, carrying a Military Flag. The patrolling men saw this and all stepped aside. "The Military Officers are here. Quickly make way, don’t delay the Military Officers in their work!"
"Eh, eh, eh." The patrol group hurriedly stepped aside.
But a half-grown lad, still uneasy, said, "Uncle Dafa, the city gates are already closed yet there are Military Officers coming in, and I don’t see General Liang’s troops with them. Could this lot be Rong bandit spies masquerading as Military Officers?"
Because spies had been discovered in the Female Slave Camp, the whole city was now very afraid that Rong bandit spies might sneak in to steal medicine.
With a smack, Uncle Dafa slapped the boy once, then pointed at the Military Officers who had already vanished down the street and said, "What masquerading? They’re carrying the Military Flag of He’an Prefecture. Lots of people have seen that flag, everyone in the city remembers it. It should be Hero Qin and his men returning."
He added, "Aiyo, they’re finally back. Tomorrow you’d better have your aunt call your grandma, and together go to Lei Family’s Courtyard to deliver chicken, duck, and goose feathers."
Mrs. Qin’s tastes were peculiar—she was fond of chicken, duck, and goose feathers, and had gone crazy buying them all over the city. Tomorrow have the wives deliver some over, and don’t take Mrs. Qin’s Silver; consider it sowing a bit of good karma.
The other men on patrol, hearing this, all said, "Our families have saved up quite a pile too. Tomorrow we’ll have the womenfolk deliver them to Mrs. Qin together."
No matter how they thought about it, they just couldn’t figure out why Mrs. Qin liked chicken, duck, and goose feathers.
Could it be she thought their smell was pungent enough, wanted to stockpile a bunch of them in the rooms to let Company Commander Qin sniff away so he wouldn’t mind her stench?
They hadn’t seen Mrs. Qin themselves. As for the talk that Mrs. Qin was both ugly and smelly, they’d only heard it from others. But Mrs. Qin and Company Commander Qin had both done He’an Prefecture a great favor; they didn’t dare gossip recklessly and only muttered a few words in their hearts.
Clang clang clang!
"It’s dark now, watch out for thieves. If you discover anything suspicious, blow the bamboo whistle at once to call people!" Uncle Dafa beat the gong and shouted again.
Qin San Lang and his men had already turned into the street leading to Lei Family’s Courtyard. From afar they could see the lanterns at the main gate of Lei Family’s Courtyard. Qin San Lang’s heart leapt with joy... He could finally see Xiao Yu. Pure happiness.
"Dad, Dad, is that you? I’m Wujin!" As soon as Niu Wujin heard that Niu Dabao and the others were back, he immediately brought his younger brothers and the soldiers’ sons to wait at the gate of Lei Family’s Courtyard.
There were so many kids that they blocked the entire open space in front of the gate.
The other soldiers’ children, hearing this, also raised their voices one after another, shouting, "Dad, Dad, Dad!"
For a moment, cries of "Dad" filled the air.
Brother Yi from Zhang Yan’s family had his voice drowned out. He grew anxious and wanted to dash forward, but Niu Sijin grabbed him by the back of the collar. "Brother Yi, don’t run. It’s dark—you can’t see clearly and might get hit by the galloping horses!"
Only after hearing this did Brother Yi obediently stand still and wait.
Qin San Lang and the others, afraid of running down the children, dismounted early and led their horses forward.
The children saw them and swarmed over like a tide, but sadly there were many children and few fathers—many of the soldiers’ children didn’t find their dads.
Some of the timid ones were so scared they burst into tears. "Did my dad get killed by the Rong bandits?"
The war had gone on so long that every now and then they heard news of someone or other who had been killed. Some were soldiers they knew, so they were very frightened, afraid their own fathers might die too.
"Waa, waa, waa, my dad is dead. My mom just gave birth to a little brother yesterday, we’ll have to support the family from now on!" Lin Daying and Lin Erying couldn’t find Lin Erzuo. The two brothers thought their father was dead and clung to each other, bawling.
Niu Dabao was exasperated. He grabbed one in each hand, pulled them apart, and looked at them. "Your dad’s not dead. He’s injured and couldn’t travel, and is now recuperating at Daokou Camp. After a while, when you go with us to Daokou Camp, you’ll be able to see him."
He then looked at Lin Daying, who had started the crying, and asked, "You’re still taking your medicine, right?"
This kid had had a poisonous insect enter his head, causing convulsions and fainting. Doctor Lu had said it might have damaged his brain and affect his cleverness and such, and now he did indeed seem to have grown duller.
But Doctor Lu had said it could be cured, only it would require taking medicine for at least a year. Doctor Lu was no longer in Xing’an Prefecture now, but before he was abducted by fierce bandits he had left the prescription behind.
Lin Daying nodded. "I’m taking it."
Mrs. Qin had squeezed the whole city for medicinal herbs and left quite a lot of good ones. His mother had talked with Mrs. Niu, and they’d told him to focus on recovering, to take as much medicine as needed—the separate yard had medicine in plenty for him to take.
Niu Dabao let out a breath of relief. "That’s good."
"Uncle Niu, it’s dark, let’s go into the residence first." Qin San Lang swept his gaze around and, not seeing Gu Jinli, gave a reminder, then tossed his horse’s reins to Feng Jin and headed straight for the courtyard he and Gu Jinli had stayed in before.
From a distance, he looked at the courtyard gate. Not seeing the figure he was longing for, he frowned... Why hadn’t Xiao Yu come to meet him? In the past, Xiao Yu would have long since been unable to wait and come to meet him, lifting her skirts to run toward him and hug him.
But was it because she was with child now, so needed to rest?
Definitely not. They’d been corresponding these past months; he had asked in his letters, and she had said she wasn’t.
"Is my wife sick? Or exhausted?" Qin San Lang quickened his pace toward the courtyard, a little angry inside. With so many people left behind, how had they been taking care of Xiao Yu?
Daqing hurriedly said, "To answer Master, Madam is in excellent health—she just fell asleep waiting."
Hearing this, Qin San Lang did not slow his steps but walked even faster toward the courtyard. Once he entered the main room and saw Xiao Yu sprawled over a big pillow on the soft couch, sleeping soundly, he finally relaxed.