The general went out again at night

On the fifth day of the twelfth lunar month in the sixth year of Dayan Hongsu's reign, both sides of Nanjing's main street were surrounded by noisy people, who were chatting or looking around, all with anticipation and excitement on their faces.

Before the morning market was over, the vendors and shop owners didn't even do business, and squeezed their way through the crowd to occupy the front row.

"What's the matter? It's so lively, what are you all watching here?" The unidentified scholar came out of his house, saw the crowd of people and the scene of empty alleys, hurriedly put down the books in his hand, his face was shocked, and he walked quickly He walked to the back of the crowd and asked.

In front of him, an old pork seller turned around when he heard the sound, squinted at the scholar and said, "You don't even know that, General Fuyuan, who defeated the Mongolian cavalry and won nine out of ten battles, is back to court!"

"But General Xia Qing Shuxia who defeated the Yue people three years ago and regained Yunnan?" The scholar's pupils suddenly dilated.

"That's right, it's her!"

Hearing this, the scholar's expression became excited: "Then I have to squeeze in and see General Xia's face. If I am lucky enough to do this, I will surely bless me with a good grade in the next year's exam!"

"It's easy for you to say." The old pork seller snorted at him: "I was close by, and I was squeezed out alive!"

"Hey—Rang Rang in front!" The excited scholar rolled up his sleeves, leaned sideways and slipped in through the gap.

"Who! Don't squeeze me!"

"Oops, step on my foot—"

***

Nanjing City, Princess Mansion.

"Where is Xia Qingshu?" Ji Qianyao, the eldest princess of Yan, sat upright in front of the desk, raised her phoenix eyes, and asked casually with a faint smile on her lips.

"Reporting to Your Highness, General Xia has already entered the city, but on the main street, surrounded by the people of Nanjing City, everyone wants to see General Xia's appearance." Su Jin, her confidant, reported truthfully.

"She is a rough person, she can only lead soldiers to fight, and she is not a beautiful beauty. What is there to look at? These people are probably too idle." Ji Qianyao flipped through the books in his hand, organized by the WeChat public account Baihe Novel Society Page, said lightly.

"General Xia captured Yue State three years ago and regained Yunnan, allowing the displaced people to return to their homes. This year, the Mongolian cavalry in the northern border were defeated again and again. The people naturally regard her as a hero and admire her infinitely. Wanting to see the general's dignity is also Understandable."

"With such admiration, Xia Qingshu must be very happy today." After speaking, Ji Qianyao's tone suddenly turned cold, and he told Su Jin: "These days, let the people in the mansion pay more attention, and don't talk to General Fuyuan. If the servants of the mansion have conflicts, you must also pay attention to your speech and behavior when you are outside, Xia Qingshu will definitely find trouble with this palace or the princess mansion when he returns to the court."

"Yes, Your Royal Highness."

"By the way, according to His Majesty, I will hold a reception banquet for Xia Qingshu tomorrow, so I naturally have to go too. You hurry up and find the most famous cloth art master in the capital, and hurry up to make a new suit for the palace. of."

"This subordinate will do it."

***

The Xia family's army, who had returned in triumph, had stepped into the outer city gate and slowly entered the sight of the common people.The leader, Xia Qingshu, had a straight back, riding a snow-white war horse, his battle robe fluttering, majestic and majestic.

The people on both sides of the street suddenly erupted, their arms were raised high, they danced wildly, and shouted: "General Xia, General Xia!"

Xia Qingshu's face burst into smiles, and he enthusiastically waved back to the people.When she smiled, there was a pair of pear dimples at the corners of her mouth, which was very kind, and invisibly narrowed the distance between her and the people.

The team returning to Beijing was slowly marching on the main street of Nanjing City. Suddenly, a little girl jumped out from the foot of the patrol guard, took three steps forward, and stopped in the middle of the main street in a daze, turning her head to look at the approaching team.

The little girl is a naive child, about three years old. She probably got out after being pushed and shoved by the crowd. At this time, she blinked her big eyes and looked at Xia Qingshu on the horseback motionlessly. Hug together helplessly.

Seeing this, the patrolling guard became angry and shouted: "Where is the child? Get out!" After saying that, he stepped forward, roughly stretched out his palm, and grabbed the little girl's clothes, wanting to Lift her out of the Main Street aisle.

The little girl was frightened, and stretched out her little hand to cover her eyes, her lips were shriveled.

"Presumptuous, stop!" Xia Qingshu on the horse reined in the horse and shouted at the guard.

"General Xia." The guard hurriedly withdrew his hand, lowered his head and cupped his fists in response.

"It's none of your business, go down."

"Yes."

The reprimanded guard returned to his post with his head down, not daring to be presumptuous anymore.The little girl was still standing where she was, looking at Xia Qingshu with big round eyes.Xia Qingshu raised his palm and made a gesture to stop advancing. Soon, the team behind stopped.

Xia Qingshu dismounted and walked towards the little girl. The ignorant little girl smiled sweetly when she saw her approaching.

Xia Qingshu squatted down and said pleasantly, "You recognize me?"

The little girl nodded.

"Who am I?" Xia Qingshu asked, pointing to her nose.

"Xia, Qing, Shu." The little girl paused every word, her voice was immature and her appearance was serious, these three words made Xia Qingshu's heart melt.

Xia Qingshu couldn't be happier, and then she was a little puzzled: "How do you know me?"

The little girl replied seriously: "My mother taught you, she said you are our Yunnan hero."

Xia Qingshu suddenly realized that she was a commoner from Yunnan who moved to the capital.

"Where's your mother? It's dangerous for you to stand here alone." Xia Qingshu asked in a warm voice.

The little girl's expression suddenly became depressed: "There are too many people, I can't find A Niang."

Xia Qingshu thought for a while and said, "I'll help you find Aniang."

After finishing speaking, Xia Qingshu stretched out his arms, carried the little girl on his shoulders, and shouted towards the crowd: "Whose girl is this?"

The people onlookers looked left and right, shaking their heads one after another.

Xia Qingshu waited on the spot for a while, but still no one made a sound.

She can't wait any longer, she still has to go to Yangsheng Gate to meet the emperor, there is no delay.

"Whoever has lost a girl, come to the Fuyuan General's Mansion to claim it." After saying that, Xia Qingshu stepped onto the steed, hugged the little girl in one hand, held the rope with the other, clamped the horse's belly, and rushed to the inner city.

The little girl was held in Xia Qingshu's arms calmly, showing no sign of fear.

She turned her head left and right to glance at the crowd on both sides of the street, and finally raised her head to glue her eyes on Xia Qingshu's face.

There was a scar on Xia Qingshu's right cheek. It was an injury he suffered during the battle against Mongolia not long ago. The injury was not serious, and the scab had fallen off, but the scar hadn't disappeared yet.

The little girl stretched out her soft little hand, pressed it against the scar on Xia Qingshu's cheek, and asked softly, "Does it hurt?"

Xia Qingshu's heart really melted again. She looked at the little girl's clean and innocent eyes, smiled and shook her head, and said two words: "It doesn't hurt."

Approaching the inner city, Xia Qingshu handed the little girl over to his subordinate Liu Yan, and ordered her to take her back to the general's mansion to take care of her.

In front of Yangsheng Gate, Emperor of Yan Ji Zhiyan and his officials greeted him, Xia Qingshu and the famous Xia Family Army received many rewards.The emperor thought that she had worked so hard in fighting everywhere, so he held a banquet in the palace tomorrow to welcome her.

Xia Qingshu had no choice but to agree.

When returning to the General's Mansion at night, Xia Qingshu learned that the little girl she met on the street had been picked up by her family, and the little girl's family seemed to have sent some things.

Xia Qingshu sat on the teacher's chair in the hall, and straightened her body: "What did the little girl's family give? Return the precious ones quickly."

"Reporting to the general is a portrait." Liu Qi, the housekeeper of the general's mansion, said.

"Portrait? Whose portrait?"

Liu Qi handed a scroll to Xia Qingshu, with a mysterious smile on his face: "The general will know when he opens it."

Xia Qingshu glanced at Liu Qi, took the scroll in his hand, and unwrapped the knot tied in the middle of the scroll, and she spread out the whole painting.

"Huh? Isn't this me?" Xia Qingshu murmured while looking at the scroll.

"Exactly."

"It's no wonder that little girl can remember my face at such a young age. It turns out that her mother is a painter." Xia Qingshu looked at the whole painting and commented: "This painting is not bad!"

"This old servant who is a painter knows a thing or two. She is well-known in the capital."

Xia Qingshu stared at her own portrait several times and couldn't put it down. Suddenly, an idea flashed through her mind, and she immediately said to Liu Qi, "Who does this painter usually paint? Can this general hire him?"

"Madam Qi mostly makes portraits for officials and eunuchs in the court. If the general wants to, Madam Qi will be extremely happy."

Xia Qingshu thought for a while, and felt that what he was considering was lacking. He suddenly shook his head and said regretfully, "No, no, let's let this matter go, don't bring it up."

"Yes." Liu Qi didn't say much, he just followed Xia Qingshu's order.

Sitting in the hall for a while, Xia Qingshu was very bored, so she got up and walked to the study.Her confidant Liu Yan brought a pot of hot tea, made her a cup of tea and put it beside the table.

Holding the cup in Xia Qingshu's hand, suddenly the image of being on the horse today flashed through his mind, the little girl clutching her scar and asking her if it hurts.

Xia Qingshu stretched out his hand to touch the scar on his right cheek, his brows furrowed involuntarily as he was preoccupied.

Seeing this, Liu Yan who was waiting at the side asked aloud, "Is there something bothering you, General?"

Xia Qingshu ignored this question, and instead asked the other side: "Liu Yan, who will His Majesty invite for the banquet in the palace tomorrow?"

"There are concubines in the harem, royal relatives and nobles, and all civil and military officials."

"The eldest princess will come too?"

"That's inevitable. At your reception banquet, which time did Her Royal Highness the Eldest Princess not come?" Liu Yan raised her head and cast a ambiguous glance at Xia Qingshu.

Xia Qingshu secretly thought about her own thoughts, but didn't notice.She was dazed for a while, her heart became more irritable, and she suddenly said excitedly: "Liu Yan, do you see that the scar on my face is obvious?"

Liu Yan was taken aback, she didn't expect Xia Qingshu to ask her this question, she was at a loss for words for a moment: "This..." She has followed Xia Qingshu for so many years, swords, swords, wars and flames. Adults care so much about their looks.

Seeing Liu Yan hesitated, Xia Qing said anxiously: "What is this, I want to tell the truth, hurry up."

"obvious!"

Xia Qingshu's expression suddenly became unhappy: "Then...is it ugly?"

Liu Yan snorted and smiled unkindly.

Xia Qingshu stared at her.

Liu Yan said truthfully: "This subordinate really didn't expect the general to care so much about his appearance."

Xia Qingshu was so angry that his teeth were itching: "It's all to blame for those nasty tartars. Next time you dare to shoot cold arrows at this general's face, this general will definitely chase them to the ends of the earth and kill them all!"

After Xia Qingshu let out her anger, she changed the topic: "But now what should I do with the scar on the general's face?"

"Why don't you find some aloe vera for you? The folks say that aloe vera has the effect of removing scars and freckles."

Xia Qingshu was overjoyed: "Go, go, go and get some aloe for this general, the more the better!"