PDLP Chapter 231 Return
Chapter 231 Return
A few days later, the army returned to the capital in triumph.
The Xiao family members waited anxiously in the hall for Xiao Siyuan's return.
"Why isn't he back yet?" Aunt Xiao looked anxiously outside, eager to see her son.
"Aunt, don't worry. We've already sent people to check, and they said they've reached the outskirts and will be back soon." Once the main force returns, they'll definitely go straight to the military camp.
Aunt Xiao knew this too, but the waiting time always felt too long.
Finally, the person I had been longing for appeared at the door.
Xiao Siyuan, dressed in a narrow-sleeved military uniform, rushed into everyone's sight, looking travel-worn.
"Grandpa and Grandma, your grandson is back." Xiao Siyuan knelt in front of everyone.
Grandpa Xiao quickly helped the man up: "Get up, you rascal, you've worried your family to death."
Grandpa Xiao patted Xiao Siyuan on the shoulder: "Good lad, you've gotten quite strong."
Xiao Siyuan now gives off a sharp and aggressive vibe, and his whole person exudes a murderous aura, which must have come from the battlefield.
His brows became even sharper.
"Grandpa, I'm sorry to have worried you. I'm an unfilial grandson." Xiao Siyuan said with some guilt.
"What are you saying? You are our pride. You did it for the Great Zhou and for the people. We are so happy to have you as our grandson." Old Master Xiao's eyes were full of pride.
"Thank you, Grandpa." Xiao Siyuan was very touched that his family understood him.
"Siyuan, you're finally back!" Aunt Xiao had been eagerly waiting for him.
"Mother, I'm sorry to have worried you." Xiao Siyuan wiped away the tears on his aunt's face.
"It's alright, as long as you come back safe and sound."
The group shared their longings with each other for a while.
"Siyuan, you won't be going to the border again this time you're back, will you?" Auntie asked.
"Yes, I will be taking up a post in the capital afterward." Xiao Siyuan smiled as he spoke. He had distinguished himself in this battle and was no longer a lowly soldier without an official rank.
"You're working in Kyoto? What's your official position now?" Xiao Qiren was overjoyed to hear that his son had become an official.
"He is a sixth-rank Zhaowu Colonel."
"A sixth-rank military officer?" the crowd exclaimed in surprise. Xiao Siyuan had only been in the military for a few years, yet he had already reached the sixth rank.
The crowd was initially overjoyed, but then felt sorry for him. To be promoted to a sixth-rank captain in such a short time must have been a great achievement, but achieving merit on the battlefield meant getting injured.
For a moment, everyone present fell silent.
"My son has suffered so much," the aunt said, tears streaming down her face.
"Mother, I'm fine. That's all in the past. Look at me, I'm perfectly fine now, aren't I?" What Xiao Siyuan didn't say was that he almost lost his life back then. The enemy's knife almost pierced his heart, and he only survived after several days of treatment.
He almost thought he was going to die. At that moment, he didn't regret joining the army, but felt a little regretful and guilty. He thought about how heartbroken his family would be if he died.
Unexpectedly, he survived.
It was because of his military achievements that he was promoted so quickly.
"Yes, it's good that you're alright." Aunt Xiao felt very sorry for her son.
“I heard that when you returned this time, the envoy from the Great Jin also came with you,” Xiao Qinian said.
"Yes, Third Uncle, the Jin dynasty has come to negotiate peace with our Great Zhou."
Xiao Siyuan spoke of this with a face full of pride, for they had finally washed away the shame of more than a decade ago.
"Haha, those bastards from Dajin, they'll have to pay a heavy price!" Old Master Xiao laughed loudly; he had been on the battlefield before.
"That's right, you don't know, this time the Jin dynasty didn't gain any advantage from us at all. Our soldiers are incredibly brave." They fought an extremely profitable war this time.
With ample provisions, the soldiers ate their fill every day, neither hungry nor cold.
Moreover, they also had the ability to see far and wide, so the enemy could not even enter the territory of the Great Zhou. On the contrary, the Great Zhou could see the deployment of the Great Jin very clearly.
They always manage to surprise everyone, catching them completely off guard.
“Three days from now, His Majesty will hold a victory banquet to celebrate this war victory,” Xiao Qinian suddenly said. However, this time only relatives of officials of the third rank or above can attend; their own families are not allowed to go.
"Third Uncle, I know that too,"
As they chatted, the conversation turned to Xiao Siyuan's marriage.
"Siyuan, now that you've achieved some success in your studies, shouldn't you get married?" his aunt said to Xiao Siyuan, who was almost twenty-two years old.
“Yes, your mother is right. We really should find you a wife. But what kind of wife do you want, Siyuan? Your mother and I will find out for you.” Old Mrs. Xiao chimed in.
Instantly, everyone in the family turned their attention to Xiao Siyuan.
Xiao Siyuan's ears turned red from being stared at by the others.
"Mother, this...I..." Xiao Siyuan's eyes were somewhat unfocused, and he stammered as he spoke.
“It is only natural for men to marry when they are of age, and for women to marry when they are of age. This is a natural human instinct, Siyuan, there is no need to be shy.” Second Aunt said when she saw Xiao Siyuan’s shyness.
"Second Aunt, I... I didn't... I..." Xiao Siyuan wanted to explain, but didn't know how to say it.
"Do you have a girl you like?" As expected, no one knows a son better than his mother, and Auntie immediately saw through Xiao Siyuan's thoughts.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Siyuan immediately sat up straight, but his face turned even redder.
"Haha, tell your mother quickly, when did you choose her? Which family does she belong to? How old is she?" Aunt asked three questions in a row, extremely excited.
Xiao Siyue was also very curious, never expecting that her brother already had a girl he liked.
It seems she'll soon have a third sister-in-law.
"Mother, it's Xi Ningzhi, the second young lady of the Fuyuan General's Mansion."
"The Fuyuan General's Mansion?" The rest of the Xiao family didn't know. They had only been in the capital for a few days and were not very familiar with the various officials in the capital.
However, Xiao Qinian knew this and, seeing everyone's confusion, explained it to them.
"This General Fuyuan is named Xi Qingyi, a third-rank official. He has two sons and two daughters. His eldest daughter is already married, and his second daughter is still unmarried. Siyuan is referring to his second daughter." Xiao Qinian is a civil official and is not familiar with Xi Qingyi, a military officer. In addition, Xi Qingyi had previously gone to the border to fight and had never met him.
However, I had heard of Xi Qingyi from Shen Junru. Xi Qingyi was exceptionally brave and had made many military achievements. Like other military generals, he had no ulterior motives. Judging from Shen Junru's tone, he praised Xi Qingyi highly, so his children must be quite well-mannered as well.