Chapter 745

Chapter 752: Watch (Part 2)

The next morning, Lord Xu washed and changed his clothes, then took Xu Sijin to the ancestral hall.

Having offered the sacrifices and paid homage to the ancestors, and after admonishing his son, he had just stepped out of the temple when he saw a young attendant standing by the green pine tree beside the temple, eagerly awaiting his arrival.

"Lord Xu, Sixth Young Master." Seeing the two emerge, he hurriedly approached and bowed, respectfully saying, "The Dowager Lady has sent word several times, asking when you and Sixth Young Master will be over." Lord Xu nodded, not even glancing at the servant, and slowly walked out.

Xu Sijin, noticing his father’s intent to speak, hurriedly followed with respect: “Father, is there anything else you wish to instruct me?”

Lord Xu stopped in his tracks, looking at his son who stood half a head taller than himself, his solemn expression lending him an air of gravity. For a moment, Lord Xu hesitated... It was during this hesitation that Xu Lingkuan suddenly appeared from the end of the path: "Jin-ge, Jin-ge, hurry, Grandmother is waiting for you to have breakfast and says she has something important to tell you!" Then, as if only just noticing Lord Xu, he exclaimed, "Fourth Brother, have you finished what you needed to say? If you're done, I'll go ahead with Jin-ge—Mother has been asking about you several times." He added, "She's quite upset because the servants aren't doing their jobs properly. Even Second Sister-in-law can't calm her down. I had to come find you myself." As he spoke, he gave Xu Sijin a meaningful glance and turned to leave the temple gate, calling out, "Jin-ge, it's important to get to Grandmother!" without a care for Lord Xu's expression.

Xu Sijin, being quick-witted, could easily discern Xu Lingkuan’s intentions. He hastily said to his father, "Father, I’ll go ahead then," and hurriedly caught up with Xu Lingkuan’s pace.

"Fifth Uncle," he whispered, "Did Grandmother really lose her temper?" "Your grandmother was just a little anxious," Xu Lingkuan replied quietly."If I hadn't said that, would you have been able to get away? Fourth Brother—I know him best—is a man who never stops talking. When I went to the Imperial Guard, he kept talking after offering sacrifices to the ancestors. He kept talking for two hours, and my feet were numb from standing. If your grandmother hadn't noticed we weren't leaving and sent the steward to look for us, I'm afraid I would have continued standing there."Then he asked curiously, "Why did Fourth Brother come out with you so quickly this time?"

Xu Sijin felt an indescribable consideration from his fifth uncle and hurriedly said, "I already paid my respects on the day I returned, and besides, I’m about to set off. If we talk too much, it will delay my journey." "That’s true!" Xu Lingkuan nodded and said, "I heard that Minister Chen and Minister Lu have arranged for officials from the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of War to see you off. If you’re late, it would be impolite to keep them waiting. Although they are only fifth or sixth-rank officials, they are still high-ranking officials in the capital. You’ll need their help in the future, so it wouldn’t be wise to offend them over such a trivial matter."

Officials from the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of War came to see him off, which was not a common practice. It was clearly an intentional act by Minister Chen and Minister Lu to honor him.

"I know, I know. I’ll take care of both sides," Xu Sijin hurriedly said. "Uncle Wu is in the capital; I hope you can keep an eye out for me in the future."

"Rest assured," though your Uncle Wu may not be as capable as your father, when it comes to connections, there isn't an official in Yanjing, big or small, who isn't on good terms with me. If you have any issues, just come to Uncle Wu!

Xu Lingkuan patted his chest, gazing up at the courtyard of Grand Lady.

The two exchanged a smile and, without another word, quickened their pace into the courtyard.

Lord Xu smiled and shook his head as he entered the Old Lady’s chambers, where she was speaking with Xu Sijin.

"…When you arrive in Guizhou, remember to write home. Don’t be stingy; eat well and stay comfortably along the way. If you run short of silver, your grandmother will make up for it." The matriarch kept repeating her instructions while glancing at Lady Jiang and Yingniang. "Since you are still unmarried, according to custom, the family should provide you with a monthly allowance. Although you now have a salary, one thing is separate from another. What is due to you should still be given. Otherwise, how can we call it a rule!"

There was a hidden meaning in these words. While Yingniang didn’t react much, Jiang’s face turned beet red.

Xu Sijin couldn’t help but secretly roll his eyes.

No wonder others say it’s hard to be the lady of the house. Fourth Sister-in-law said nothing and still got a scolding for nothing. If she had shown any attitude, wouldn’t she have been reprimanded by both Grandmother and Mother!

A thought flashed through his mind, and he laughed, saying, "Look at what Grandmother is saying, as if I were someone who would be pained by spending money. I grew up under your watchful eye; could I possibly lack the means? Rest assured, I’d rather waste silver than neglect my own comfort." The purpose of the Matron had been achieved, and upon hearing this, she turned to the Second Lady and chuckled, "See that? I say one thing, and he replies with ten."

"That's because you spoiled her." The second lady smiled, and everyone burst into laughter.

Amidst the laughter, Lady Jiang cast a grateful glance at Xu Sijin.

Then, the Grand Lady, Eldest Miss, Second Lady, Fifth Lady, Lady Jiang, and Yinghao... gave their final words of advice. With the auspicious hour drawing near, everyone reluctantly escorted Xu Sijin to the main gate themselves.

Xu Sizhen and Xu Sijie were supervising the packing of Xu Sijin's luggage in the outer courtyard before dawn. By then, more than twenty carriages were already lined up, end to end. The tall, imposing guards, each leading a uniform chestnut stallion, stood silently beside the carriages, creating an impressive scene.

The old lady sobbed pitifully.

The ladies hurried forward to console her, and Xu Sijin quickly took out a handkerchief to wipe the tears from the matriarch’s eyes.

Lord Xu stood to the side, uncharacteristically silent.

Xu Lingkuan, seeing that this was not the right time, squeezed in and whispered to his mother, "You must hold back. Jinx Ge is now a general, and those who are going with him will be under his command. If he shows too much sentiment, how will he gain their respect?" The matriarch immediately stopped her crying, cast a lingering glance at Xu Sijin, and urged, "Quick, get on your horse! If you don’t leave soon, those waiting at Desheng Gate to see you off will start to worry."

Before Xu Sijin could say anything, Xu Lingkuan pulled Xu Sijin and ran out: "Mom, Jin'er will be back after the Spring Festival!" Xu Sijin was feeling numb at this moment, and someone came to his rescue. He ran faster than a rabbit and actually got on the horse before Xu Lingkuan. He waved his hand behind him: "I'm leaving first. I'll bring you some delicious food during the Spring Festival!" Xu Sizun, Xu Sijie, Xu Sichen, Xu Sicheng, Ting'er and Zhuang'er saw him out the door. Several younger generations stood at the door and waved their arms vigorously, some calling him "Sixth Brother" and some "Sixth Uncle", and chattering about "Have a safe trip and come back soon" and so on.

He is now a high-ranking official; the farewell stage should be left to those in the political arena, and the Xu family should stop here.

Xu Sijin turned back with a smile, his eyes inadvertently catching sight of his mother—she was gazing at him with tears glistening in her eyes.

He noticed the guards had already mounted their horses one after another, and the coachmen had cracked their whips, producing sharp cracks that split the air. The carriages slowly began to move forward.

Xu Sijin couldn't help but turn his head once more to look at his mother.

Her lips held a smile, and there was not a trace of moisture left at the corners of her eyes.

She stood there quietly, serene and beautiful, like a solid rock. No matter how fierce the wind, frost, snow, or rain outside, no matter how unpredictable the world, she was always there waiting for him—with steaming hot meals ready, fresh clothes, and a warm embrace... He wondered what awaited him in Guizhou... Commanding an entire Regional Military Commission was entirely different from being a soldier there. He felt some worry and fear, hesitation and uncertainty. But at the sight of his mother's figure, he suddenly felt an unprecedented sense of reassurance.

No matter what, Mother would always be there waiting for him.

Xu Sijin resolutely turned his head forward, his brow filled with anticipation for the unknown world. Facing the slowly rising morning sun, he laughed loudly and shouted, "Let's go!" With dashing vigor, he spurred his horse into a gallop, racing out of Lotus Lane.

Many things would happen in the future, but as long as he and his brothers were united and watched out for one another, they could surely overcome any obstacle.

Standing alone at a distance behind the female relatives, Xu Lingyi stood with his hands clasped behind his back. Listening to the fading clip-clop of hooves and the rumbling of wheels, a satisfied smile spread across his face...

There is one more chapter similar to an extra, "Afterword," and then the story will conclude~!!