Chapter 5.25 – He’s actually so quick (1)

Editor: DarkNaivety

After Jin Er left, Xiang Han glanced at Xu Yan Ze. “What were you two whispering about so sneakily?”

“Nothing much. It’s just because he wants the position of a military officer.” Xu Yan Ze spoke only half the truth before wrapping his arms around Xiang Han’s waist and kneaded. “Does it still hurt? Let’s go in and apply some medicine?”

Hot air blew against his ears, making them feel itchy. Xiang Han’s face reddened to the point of dripping blood. In a small voice, he asked, “Where did you get it from?”

Xu Yan Ze immediately offered it up like a rare treasure and shamelessly lied, “I went to the Returning Spring Hall and got it from the physician. It’s made of top quality herbs.”

In an instant, Xiang Han erupted. “So you’d actually planned this?”

“Uh…” He seemed to have fallen into his own grave?

Xu Yan Ze’s smile stiffened as he quickly defended himself. “How could I? I saw you weren’t feeling well last time and went to get it. Moreover, this time around, wasn’t it you who… came onto me?”

“Whatever. I’ll do it myself.” Xiang Han interrupted him and snatched the jade box. Remembering the matters that had occurred last night, he immediately felt gloomy. Didn’t he almost succeed?

“You really don’t need my help?” Xu Yan Ze revealed a face of pity.

“No.”

“What do you need help with? If Third Brother can tell me, Big Brother will try to help you.”

Just as Xiang Han stood up, he heard Jin Da’s voice from outside and immediately sat down. He grimaced at the pain.

“No!”

After the pain subsided, the two quickly refused. Xu Yan Ze’s expression was somewhat dark and asked with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Why did Eldest Brother come?”

“Sigh. I heard your body wasn’t feeling well, so I came to pay a visit.” Jin Da pushed a box of ginseng across the table to them. After the box was pushed back and forth, he finally breached the main topic. “Brother Yan, are you really giving the position of officer to Second Brother?”

“Is there a problem?” Xiang Han turned to look at Xu Yan Ze.

Xu Yan Ze was still playing with the box and he hurriedly looked up. “Where did you hear that from? I said to let him be a team captain first and promote him once he is capable.”

Xiang Han nodded in satisfaction, feeling this was more like it. With Jin Er’s lack of priority, he might cause some trouble if he was directly promoted to a military officer. It was better for him to improve before anything else.

“But I also heard that you’re intending to promote him to a general?” Jin Da asked in doubt.

“Ah, this… is only if he proves to be sufficiently capable. Naturally, he can become a general if he is.” Xu Yan Ze gave a slight smile while cursing internally. Jin Er truly can’t be trusted, his mouth needed a lock on it. How long had it been since he left? Did he already announce it to the world?

“Sigh, I knew it. If that lad can be a general, I can even become a regional commander.” Jin Da’s expression showed that it was just as he expected. Then, he leaned forward and said in embarrassment, “That… Brother Yan, since you even made him into a team captain, can you give your brother a position too? I’m not asking for much, how about the position of Decurion? As long as it’s higher than Second Brother.”

Xu Yan Ze was anxious to help Xiang Han apply the medicine, so he laughed dismissively. “Big Brother, you aren’t suited for the military, why force it?”

“What do you mean by not suited? When Xue Qing Lin was looking for people to serve, he wanted anyone as long as they were male. What do you mean by I can’t?” Jin Da was disappointed.

Xiang Han heard this and shook his head helplessly. “Big Brother, the men that Xue Qing Lin enlisted are the frontliners who must block the arrows. Don’t tell me you want to enlist in the military to do that?”

“But Second Brother…”

“Big Brother.” Xu Yan Ze interrupted him. “I believe you could tell when we were at the guild. Second Brother has better physical strength which is more suited for the military, march, and defence. That’s why I agreed for him to enlist.”

“Am I incomparable to him?” Jin Da’s face turned red from repressed anger.

“… Each has their own strengths. Why must you compete in the area where your second brother is better?” Xiang Han tried to convince him and Xu Yan Ze nodded in agreement.

Unexpectedly, Jin Da said, “But I don’t know what I’m suited for. When I used to frequent the brothels with Second Brother, I never noticed he was better than me in anything.”

People are naturally afraid of being compared to others. In the past, the three brothers had never made a name for themselves so there was nothing notable. Now that they both had something to do, he was inevitably disappointed.

Xiang Han thought for a while and said, “How about you learn from my dad and see if you are suited before trying others?”

“Sure.” Jin Da immediately agreed excitedly. The number of people he’d manage while following his third uncle wouldn’t lose in comparison. Second brother only had four people under him, hahaha.

Jin Da was satisfied. After bidding farewell, he couldn’t resist adding, “In that case, Third Brother, do you really not need any help?”

“No, No.” Xiang Han frantically shook his head while Xu Yan Ze stood up and half-pushed him towards the door. He called for Jin Cui and instructed, “If anyone else comes by later, tell them that the young master and I are resting.”

Later, Xue Qing Lin sent his men to pay a visit. It wasn’t ideal to leave the 50,000 people consisting of refugees and bandits in the city, so Xu Yan Ze had to leave the manor the next day along with his team to head towards the Northwest.

Before leaving, he hugged Xiang Han tightly and said with reluctance in his voice, “I’ll probably need a few months before I can return. It’s only two hours between Jin Zhou and the Northwest, remember to come visit me when you have a break. Start from Zhang Yong’s side and remember to bring more mercenaries with you. Also, the wind over there is strong, remember to wear thicker layers…”

Xiang Han was helpless. He really wanted to say: I haven’t even agreed to go visit you.

But after seeing how much he minded, he dared not kill his hopes. So he could only nod, “Mn, I’ll send a letter before visiting.”

“Alright, tell me a few days in advance so I can send some men to pick you up.”

Finally, Xiang Han couldn’t stop himself from rolling his eyes. “It’s only two hours by horseback. Why don’t you simply send someone to Jin Zhou?”

Xu Yan Ze laughed. He lowered his head and kissed Xiang Han’s lips before rubbing his hair and deepening the kiss until Xiang Han could no longer breathe. He finally released and used his tongue to press Xiang Han’s lips. “I’m leaving.”

“Leave.” Xiang Han waved.

“You’re really not sending me off?” Xu Yan Ze was disheartened.

Xiang Han was getting annoyed. “Do you want me to send you to the northeast?”

“That would be unnecessary. If you really sent me there, I’d have to send you back…”

“Enough. Stop being disgusting and leave. Hurry up and replace Xue Qing Lin.” Xiang Han pushed him along.

Xu Yan Ze staggered along. After leaving the courtyard, he deliberately said, “The little fool doesn’t know worldly worries¹It’s a play on a poem. The original poem goes like this: The young wife had never known worldly worries. One day in spring, she put on her make up and climbed up a tower. As she looked at the willow trees in the distance, she suddenly regretted encouraging her husband to go out and seek his glory in the military.”

Xiang Han’s lips twitched. After waiting for him to leave, he went back to rest before helping his father to arrange the provisions.

Xu Yan Ze brought the troops to the northwest. He began to divide the farmland and rounded up the horses, not the slightest bit afraid of a Turk invasion. Usually, the soldiers would farm and train. When the Turks came, it would become combat training.

After several rounds, the refugees and bandits began to improve.

However, the imperial guards from the city were much more trouble. Their family was in the capital and many of them were spies arranged by the emperor. With their pride, they were simply unwilling to do farm work.

In the beginning, Xu Yan Ze would give them time to adapt, but after seeing that they refused to submit using either methods, he decided to handle the distribution of resources accordingly.

The imperial guards weren’t accustomed to the water and soil in addition to their hunger. After a few training drills, each and every one of them were unbearably exhausted.

Half a month later, Xiang Han and Jin Da went out to deliver the provisions. When they passed by Zhang Yong’s land, he delivered the additional supplies for 10,000 soldiers as agreed. Zhang Yong was elated and personally escorted them to the northeast.

Xu Yan Ze had long prepared to receive them. Suddenly, Xiang Han rushed off the carriage towards Xu Yan Ze, and grabbed his hand while Xu Yan Ze’s other arm wrapped around his waist to hoist him onto the horseback. Disregarding the stunned gazes of Jin Da, Jin Er, and everyone else, he struck the horse whisk and shot off.

In his arms, Xiang Han gazed at the endless meadows excitedly. “Everyday, if it isn’t the Jin manor, it would be the grain retailer or storage. I’d almost forgotten how big the world is.”

Xu Yan Ze pulled him even closer, feeling the wind whistling pass his ears. After a moment, he suddenly asked, “Do you want to experience the horse shaking?”

“Uh… What’s that?” Xiang Han feigned ignorance.

Xu Yan Ze laughed softly and deliberately leaned in to explain it by his ears.

Xiang Han’s ears turned red. He nervously replied, “Can you consider the horse’s feelings?”

Suddenly, Xu Yan Ze laughed and touched his head. “I’m teasing you. If we really do that sort of thing on a horse, it can be fatal if an accident occurred.”

Seeing Xiang Han’s reddened ears, he added another line. “But if you think that it’s a pity, we can find a person to build a rocking horse… uh, why does this sound so weird?”

Even Xiang Han’s neck had turned red but Xu Yan Ze continued to ask, “Why is your face so red? Are you sick?”

“Scram!” Xiang Han angrily jabbed him with his elbow.

With a hiss, Xu Yan Ze curled up and seeing that Xiang Han intended to do it again, he quickly reached out to stop him. “Don’t! If I really fall off, I’ll have to lie in bed for half a year even if I don’t die.”

Xiang Han unhappily retracted his elbow. “Who allowed you to spout this nonsense?”

“What did I say?” Xu Yan Ze asked innocently. He refused to admit. “Maybe it’s you who is thinking too much.”

Xiang Han wanted to bow down to his degree of shamelessness and simply conceded. “Fine, I won’t bicker with you. Let me down.”

Xu Yan Ze knew when to practise restrain. “Can you wait until we get back? What will you do if the Turks come now?”

Without caring whether Xiang Han agreed or not, he held him tighter and steered the horse back to the camp.

***

T/n: Merry christmas!!!

• 1
  It’s a play on a poem. The original poem goes like this: The young wife had never known worldly worries. One day in spring, she put on her make up and climbed up a tower. As she looked at the willow trees in the distance, she suddenly regretted encouraging her husband to go out and seek his glory in the military ↩︎