Chapter 712: Chapter 640: The War Resus_1 Chapter 712: Chapter 640: The War Resus_1 The raid on hos caused quite a bit of unrest; officials in Zhongzhou were all greatly alard until November ca around, and newly appointed officials began to assu their positions one after another, allowing everyone to finally start recovering slowly.
Yan Residence.
Watching a maid sweeping snow in the courtyard, Daohua zoned out for a while before burying her head back in her work with the herbs.
Wang Manman and Guyu, Lixia were assisting her.
Wang Manman, “Miss, do we really need to prepare so many pills?”
Daohua’s hand paused in the middle of making dicine, “It’s better to be safe than sorry.”
Originally, she thought that Xiao Yeyang, along with her third brother and fourth brother, would be able to return and rest for a while after smoothly completing their tasks outside, but upon returning from the provincial capital, they beca even busier.
Both of her brothers hadn’t returned ho for several days in a row.
This made Daohua sowhat worried.
There was only so much she could help with the matters outside, so she could only prepare more Ginseng Fortifying Pills, Sleeping Powder, Fragrant Pills, and other common dicines for them.
Daohua’s worries were soon confird; that very evening, after Yan Zhigao finished his duties in the court, he ca back looking deeply troubled and spoke with his family, “There’s been another outbreak of war on the Northern Frontier.”
“How can that be?! Didn’t Xia Teng’s army drive back the main force of the Tartars just a few months ago?” Daohua exclaid, taken aback.
Yan Zhigao shook his head, “The specifics are still unclear, but the Tartars have certainly made a coback.”
Since the Northern Frontier was after all quite distant, even if war broke out, people’s lives were not affected, so after hearing the news, they just sighed briefly and then pushed it out of their minds.
However, entering mid-November, as the troops stationed at Ningn Pass began to be redirected to the Northern Frontier, people gradually started to realize that the situation there might be tense.
“What are you saying, you’re going to the Northern Frontier again?”
In the main courtyard, Yan Zhigao and Madam Li sat at the top while Yan Wenxiu and Daohua sat below, all four looking at Yan Wenkai and Yan Wentao in surprise.
Yan Zhigao, with furrowed brows, “What for this ti?”
Yan Wentao spoke, “The sudden resurgence of conflict in the Northern Frontier is due to the Eight Princes Party colluding with the Tartars.”
At this, Yan Zhigao and the others were shocked.
Madam Li found it hard to accept, “How can this be, the prince is a prince of Daxia, how can he collude with foreign tribes to fight his own people?”
Yan Wenkai scoffed, “The prince doesn’t care about the people’s lives. Last ti, we cleared a lot of the prince’s influence in Zhongzhou, Jiguang, and Fenxi, making him anxious. He’s sacrificing the nation’s interests for power.”
Yan Wentao turned to Yan Zhigao, “Uncle, this is a good opportunity for us to make a na for ourselves.”
Yan Zhigao, “What will you do there?”
Yan Wentao, “There are people the Eight Princes Party has planted within the Northern Frontier’s troops; our job is to root them out and gather intelligence on the Tartars.”
At this, Yan Zhigao, along with Madam Li and Xiao Yeyang, all frowned.
This was a difficult task, and highly dangerous at that.
After a mont of thought, Daohua asked, “Must you go?”
Yan Wentao fell silent for a while then firmly said, “I wish to take this chance.”
Yan Wenkai, “I feel the sa way.” He then looked seriously at Yan Zhigao and Madam Li, “Father, Mother, please let third brother and go. I know you’re worried about our safety, but we’ve made so achievents in Internal Martial Arts; we should be able to take care of ourselves. You don’t need to worry too much.”
Yan Zhigao and Madam Li exchanged looks, both hesitant.
Daohua asked again, “Is Xiao Yeyang going as well?”
Yan Wentao shook his head, “Yeyang is not going this ti; he has other matters to attend to here.”
Daohua grew even more concerned, “Just the two of you going?”
Yan Wentao looked at Daohua, “Daohua, third brother understands what you’re implying. You think that with Yeyang around, Wenkai and I will be safer. But have you thought about it? Wenkai and I cannot always hide under Yeyang’s protection. Sooner or later, we’ll have to strike out on our own, won’t we?”
Daohua fell silent.
Yan Zhigao was quiet for a long while before looking at Yan Wenkai and Wentao, “Have you thought it through?”
Wentao and Yan Wenkai nodded affirmatively at the sa ti, “We have thought it through.”
Yan Zhigao sighed, feeling a bit self-reproachful, “Our family’s foundations are too shallow, and our heritage too ager. We do not have abundant resources to provide for you brothers; now you can only rely on yourselves to strive and fight.”
Hearing this, Yan Wenxiu’s face showed a shade of sha. As the eldest son of the Yan family, he should have been the one fighting his utmost, yet now his two younger brothers were the ones taking the lead.
Yan Wenkai imdiately laughed, “Father, what are you saying? Our family started with scholarship, and since the third brother and I practice martial arts, even if we had the resources, we wouldn’t be able to utilize them.”
Wentao also nodded in agreent.
Yan Zhigao didn’t say anything more. Madam Li, seeing his consent, moved her lips, the words of opposition turning around a few tis in her mouth, but upon seeing the resolute eyes of the two children, she swallowed them back helplessly.
Upon seeing the parents’ agreent, Daohua asked, “Third brother, fourth brother, when are you leaving?”
Yan Wenkai said, “In a couple of days, we will depart with the troops heading north from Ningn Pass.” Saying this, he smiled at Madam Li, “In the future, if anyone asks about and third brother, mother can tell them we’ve gone to join the military.”
Daohua asked, “Third brother, fourth brother, what do you need? Tell mother and , so we can prepare it for you.”
Madam Li quickly agreed, “Yes, yes, yes, this ti you’re going to the Northern Frontier, and we don’t know how long you’ll be staying there. We should prepare thoroughly.”
Yan Wenkai laughed, “Mother, elder sister, there’s no need for you to be so busy. If we prepare too much stuff, it won’t be easy to take with us.”
Wentao, however, turned to look at Daohua, “Actually, there is sothing I need.”
Daohua asked, “What is it?”
Wentao replied, “Last ti on the mission, Dog Xiaoqi was of great help. I want to take it with .”
Yan Wenkai also rembered the hunting dog, “Yes, yes, yes, bring one for too. Last ti, if not for Dog Xiaoqi’s help in the chase, several big fish from the Eight Princes Party would have gotten away.”
Daohua did not hesitate, “Alright, fourth brother, you can choose which one you want to bring.”
Yan Wenkai chose, “Dog Xiaoliu then. It seems pretty fierce to , and on the battlefield, it’s better to have sothing fierce.”
Coming out of the main courtyard, Daohua reminded Yan Wenkai, “Fourth brother, you still need to inform Sister Su and the Su family about your departure to the Northern Frontier.”
Yan Wenkai nodded, “After I return, I’ll write a letter to Shiyu.”
Daohua didn’t say more and turned back to the courtyard to prepare things for them.
Since they were leaving, Wentao and Yan Wenkai spent the following two days at ho accompanying their family, and everyone at the Yan Residence beca aware of their enlistnt.
Although the old Madam was very worried, she didn’t hold her grandsons back; instead, she repeatedly cautioned them to be careful again and again.
The others also expressed their concern in their own ways.
On the eighteenth of November, early in the morning, Wentao and Yan Wenkai bade farewell to the old Madam, Yan Zhigao, and others. They mounted their horses and went to Ningn Pass, joining the army by that afternoon and heading out to the Northern Frontier.
“Don’t worry, Wentao and Wenkai are now lieutenants commanding quite a few capable people. They have already handled nurous tasks, have experience and ans. It’s ti for them to venture out,” Xiao Yeyang consoled Daohua, who had co to see them off.
Staring at the long, dragon-like departing army, Daohua was silent for a while before turning and asking, “What about you? Don’t you want to go out and venture as well?”
Xiao Yeyang was silent for a mont, “After so ti, I might also have to leave for a while.”
Daohua quickly asked, “To the Northern Frontier as well?”
Xiao Yeyang shook his head, “Back to the capital.”
Daohua’s heart clenched suddenly, “Will you return then?”
Xiao Yeyang smiled, “Of course, I will return.” As he spoke, he gently touched Daohua’s forehead, “You’re still here, so of course, I have to co back.”
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