…
Before the New Year, Xu Jingzhou joined the garrison forces and was posted to Beirong Garrison, one of the key military defence zones established along the northern frontier of Great Xuan, stretching across the line of the Great Wall. There, he served as a qianhu.
A qianhu was a frontier military post. Though not a particularly high rank, it required genuine battlefield experience and practical combat ability. Such officers formed the backbone of the army, the men who truly commanded troops in battle.
When Gu Yun set out for the northern frontier, spring had not yet arrived, and the closer he drew to his destination, the colder the weather became.
The cold was so severe that he could scarcely remain seated in the carriage. He therefore requested permission to ride on horseback. Wrapped in heavy winter clothing, he rode for several days without chafing the skin on his legs.
Travelling at speed the entire way, he reached his destination half a month later. Had he not caught a chill midway through the journey and been forced to stop for treatment, he would have arrived even sooner.
Beirong Garrison.
Beirong Garrison was a walled city of considerable scale. Its walls were far thicker and taller than those of an ordinary county seat or prefectural city, and its defensive works were correspondingly more formidable.
Not only did it house large numbers of soldiers and their families, but it also contained granaries, government offices, artisan workshops, markets, and every facility necessary to sustain military operations.
This was the army’s principal stronghold, the base upon which its survival and warfare depended.
At dawn, an exceptionally dense white mist hung over the city. Along the streets, the cries of hawkers rose and fell without cease.
Only after entering Beirong Garrison did Gu Yun finally begin to feel somewhat warmer. He stepped down from the carriage and stood by the roadside waiting for Xu Jingzhou.
Before long, Xu Jingzhou came galloping over with two soldiers in tow.
Amid the bitter cold of the northern frontier, the young qianhu wore dark blue brocade armour over a concealed coat of iron mail. Upon his chest gleamed a bear-emblazoned rank badge embroidered with sharp, brilliant gold thread. Around his waist was a rhinoceros-hide belt from which hung a goose-feather sabre in a gilt scabbard.
A quiver was slung diagonally at his waist, filled with specially crafted armour-piercing arrows.
Upon his head sat an iron helmet, the long crimson plume at its crown snapping fiercely in the frontier winds like a living blaze of blood-red fire.
Gu Yun spotted him immediately. His gaze lingered briefly on the rhinoceros-hide belt before moving to his face. His complexion was unchanged, though his jaw and cheeks had grown somewhat leaner. There was no sign of weakness about him. Combined with those bright, lively eyes, he appeared vigorous and full of spirit.
Smiling, Gu Yun raised a hand and waved.
As soon as Xu Jingzhou arrived, he lifted a hand and slapped Gu Yun on the shoulder. “Have you eaten yet?” Having said that, he immediately greeted Zhou Er and Zhou Wei as well, his energy almost unbelievably exuberant.
The slap made Gu Yun cough even harder. Brushing Xu Jingzhou’s hand aside, he said, “You really don’t know your own strength.”
Xu Jingzhou only laughed. Throwing an arm around Gu Yun’s shoulders, he started to walk off, but the moment he noticed Zhou Er and Zhou Wei staring intently at them from the side, he paused. Retracting his arm, he instead grabbed Gu Yun by the upper arm. “Come on. I know an excellent place to eat. I’ll take you there. See? Unlike you, when I invite someone to dinner, I don’t stand them up.”
Gu Yun looked rather helpless. “You still remember that?”
“I remember exactly which year and month it was.”
The two chatted as they walked ahead, while Zhou Er and Zhou Wei followed silently behind.
The carriage was left in the care of the two soldiers who had accompanied Xu Jingzhou. Even if nobody had been watching it, it would not have gone missing. The escort that had secretly accompanied Gu Yun to the frontier was stationed nearby and would not depart until he had fully settled in.
Apart from Gu Yun, Chao Yan, Zhou Er, and Zhou Wei, however, nobody knew of their existence.
The four of them soon arrived at the restaurant.
The establishment was reasonably clean. Its speciality was mutton soup. A great cauldron simmered away, chunks of mutton rolling through the milky-white broth until they were almost falling apart.
Xu Jingzhou ordered a bowl of mutton soup for each of them, along with a basket of flatbreads and a bowl of pickled vegetables.
Gu Yun took a sip of the soup. It tasted quite good, though naturally it could not compare with the cooking of the chefs in the Eastern Palace. The flatbread was thick and satisfyingly chewy. The pickled vegetables were rather sour. After finishing his bowl of soup and eating half a flatbread along with a few pieces of pickle, he was full. He had never eaten much in the mornings to begin with.
Setting down his chopsticks, he waited for the others to finish. When everyone had more or less finished eating, Xu Jingzhou paid the bill and turned to him. “Come on. Let’s head back to the residence.”
“The residence?” Gu Yun had originally planned to rent somewhere himself after arriving in Beirong Garrison. From Xu Jingzhou’s words, however, it seemed accommodation had already been arranged. After a moment’s thought, he asked, “The residence assigned to you by the army?”
Xu Jingzhou nodded. “That’s right. But His Highness also purchased another property. He was worried there might be things inconvenient for you to do at my place. We’ll settle you in with me first, and later we’ll have a look at the other residence.”
Gu Yun agreed. Lowering his voice, Xu Jingzhou said, “I’ve told everyone you’re my younger brother. A hopeless troublemaker your relatives can’t control. So I dragged you here to stay for a while and receive some proper discipline.” He let out a long sigh. “An elder brother is like a father! Go on then, call me Father.”
Gu Yun: “…”
“I can certainly call you that. Whether you dare answer is another matter.” Gu Yun said.
Xi Jingzhou: “Why wouldn’t I dare answer?”
Gu Yun opened his mouth to speak, but Xu Jingzhou instantly realised the problem and clapped a hand over it. “Forget it, forget it.”
With Zhou Er and Zhou Wei standing nearby, if Gu Yun called him Father, would that not make him the Crown Prince’s father-in-law? If the Crown Prince learned of it and didn’t skin him alive, that would be the real surprise.
Gu Yun merely smiled at him.
Xu Jingzhou: “…”
Grinding his teeth, Xu Jingzhou lowered his voice so that only the two of them could hear. “Believe it or not, I’ll report you to His Highness.”
Gu Yun’s expression immediately became somewhat unnatural. Xu Jingzhou noticed at once and grew suspicious. “What’s wrong with you? Have you done something you shouldn’t have?”
Adjusting his expression, Gu Yun replied, “I’ll tell you later.” He still had no idea how he was supposed to explain his relationship with Chao Yan.
Xu Jingzhou looked him over several more times but still could not guess what had happened. Filled with suspicion, he led Gu Yun towards his residence, the Qianhu Residence.
Zhou Er, Zhou Wei, and the two soldiers followed behind with the carriage.
…
The Qianhu Residence had been built against the city wall. Its rear gate opened directly onto the horse road and stood adjacent to Beirong Garrison’s armoury. Above the main entrance hung a plaque bearing the words “Qianhu Office”. The entire compound was divided into three sections: the front office, the dividing courtyard, and the private residence.
The front office was used for official business. The dividing courtyard not only separated the office from the residential quarters but also housed weapon racks and archery targets. The private residence itself consisted of a main courtyard and a rear courtyard. The main courtyard served as the residence of Xu Jingzhou, his personal guards, and any family members. The rear courtyard, situated behind it, was used for keeping warhorses and other military animals.
The two soldiers who had accompanied Xu Jingzhou earlier were among his personal guards. He had four in total.
Xu Jingzhou occupied the principal room of the main courtyard. His four guards lived in the western wing rooms. After Gu Yun arrived, Xu Jingzhou arranged for him and Zhou Er’s group to stay in the eastern wing.
The eastern wing contained three rooms. One contained a bed, while the other two stood empty.
The room with the bed was assigned to Gu Yun. The adjoining room was given to Zhou Er and Zhou Wei. As for the middle room, it had originally served as a reception room, but Xu Jingzhou had workers partition it off. One side became a study and the other a sitting room, the front section smaller and the rear section larger.
Once the living arrangements had been settled, Gu Yun began unpacking the luggage that had been brought from the carriage. He had not brought much with him and did not ask Zhou Er or Zhou Wei for assistance, instead sending them off to sort out their own belongings while he crouched down and slowly organised his things himself.
By the time he had finished, an entire morning had passed. Just then, a woman calling herself Sister Ma arrived and asked what he would like for lunch.
After making enquiries, Gu Yun learned that Sister Ma was in her thirties and had been hired by Xu Jingzhou to handle cooking and laundry.
Gu Yun replied that he would simply eat whatever Xu Jingzhou was having. He then discovered that the previously vacant eastern wing had been left so clean and orderly because Sister Ma had cleaned it in advance. Accordingly, he reached into his bundle, took out a handful of copper coins, and handed them to her.
Sister Ma accepted them with a broad smile and warmly assured him that if he ever needed anything done, he need only ask.
Gu Yun politely thanked her and watched as she left the eastern wing to prepare lunch. At the same time, he began considering hiring another servant.
He needed to work on the wheat seeds. Unlike in the capital, very few people here paid attention to him, meaning he could finally proceed without restraint. As a result, he would certainly have no time to concern himself with household matters. Nor was it appropriate to leave such tasks to Zhou Er and Zhou Wei. Their duty was solely to ensure his personal safety.
He would therefore have to hire someone. The person would need to know how to keep their mouth shut.
There was no urgency, however. After lunch and an afternoon nap, he set out with Zhou Er and Zhou Wei to deal with the matter.
Xu Jingzhou had already left earlier.
One of the personal guards who had accompanied Xu Jingzhou to meet them volunteered to help after hearing what they were planning.
Gu Yun thanked him and asked his name. The man replied, “My surname is Bu. My given name is Ai. You can just call me Xiao Bu, Young Master.”
Bu Ai*? Gu Yun glanced at his height. He certainly was not short. The name suited the man. Smiling, Gu Yun nodded.
(*TN: bu= not, ai=short)
Bu Ai edged closer. “Young Master, are you and the Commander really brothers?”
Gu Yun stared at him.
Immediately losing his nerve, Bu Ai hurriedly explained, “It’s just that you don’t look alike, so I wondered. Please forgive the offence, Young Master. I won’t ask again.”
Looking away, Gu Yun replied casually, “It’s nothing secret. My brother and I don’t share the same mother.”
“No wonder.” Then Bu Ai asked, “How should we address you? We can’t keep calling you ‘Young Master’ all the time. It sounds too distant.”
Since arriving here, nobody had once used Gu Yun’s real name. Naturally, Bu Ai and the others had no idea what to call him.
Gu Yun: “My surname is the same as my brother’s. My given name is Tian.” Glancing up at the gloomy sky overhead, Gu Yun casually invented the name on the spot.
“Tian-di*.”
(*TN: di=younger brother, can also be an address for a younger male relative or unrelated.)
Gu Yun: “…” He paused and silently looked at Bu Ai. “Add a ‘Little’ in front.”
Though completely baffled, Bu Ai obediently corrected himself. “Tian Xiaodi.”
Gu Yun: “…” Forget it. This was what happened when one failed to think up a proper alias beforehand.
Leading the way, Bu Ai guided them through a maze of streets before arriving at a marketplace. The place was shabby and run-down. A crowd of people stood gathered together, bundled in layer upon layer of clothing patched in numerous places.
Bu Ai said, “All of these people are available for hire, though some will only accept fixed-term contracts.”
Gu Yun asked, “So many people?”
Bu Ai replied, “Some are locals who can no longer make a living and have sold themselves to find a way out; some are the families of soldiers who travelled thousands of miles to come here, only for the soldiers to die, leaving them unable to return home, so they also sell themselves to survive; some are refugees… and some were sold by their parents to human traffickers, who brought them here to resell them and make a profit from the difference…”
As he spoke, he caught sight of a human trafficker nearby and called him over. “Find my lord a healthy woman who is hardworking and nimble with her hands and feet!”
The human trafficker took one look at Gu Yun and Bu Ai’s clothing and bearing and knew he could not afford to offend them. He immediately agreed and brought over several women for selection.
Gu Yun chose a quiet woman who looked very honest. After negotiating the terms, signing a work contract, and paying the human trafficker a commission, the matter of hiring someone was settled.
He looked towards the crowd huddled together, thought for a moment, then gave some money to the human trafficker and told him to cook porridge and distribute it among these people.
It was cold. A little hot food would warm their bodies. They were all people who had suffered hardship.
Bu Ai drew his large sabre and held it against the human trafficker’s neck. “Do whatever my lord tells you to do. Don’t line your own pockets. If I find out, I’ll cut off your head and kick it around like a ball!”
The human trafficker repeatedly agreed, saying, “I have already received the fee my lord gave me. How could I possibly keep any of it for myself? Please rest assured.”
Bu Ai gave a cold snort and looked around. “The rest of you had better not have any crooked ideas either, otherwise…” He then slammed his large sabre back into its sheath.
Everyone present hurriedly nodded.
Gu Yun said, “Let’s go back.”
Bu Ai agreed.
After they had walked some distance, Zhou Er and Zhou Wei stopped. The two turned around and suddenly looked behind them.
Gu Yun asked, “What is it?”
Zhou Er said, “Someone is secretly following us.”
Bu Ai immediately jumped up, drew his sabre, and looked around warily. “Who? Who? Who?”
Zhou Er said, “I didn’t see who it was.”
Zhou Wei said, “The other party is very alert.”
Gu Yun frowned and said, “Let’s return quickly.” The group immediately hurried back.
As soon as they entered the Qianhu Residence, a burst of noise reached them. Bu Ai laughed. “It must be the other commanders coming to find our lord for drinks.”
Gu Yun asked, “Does my brother often gather with these commanders to drink?”
Bu Ai said, “It has been like this ever since he was promoted to a qianhu commander, especially since the New Year celebrations are not over yet.” He added, “Our lord is young and has boundless prospects. Naturally, the other commanders want to curry favour with him.”
Gu Yun arrived at the side courtyard and stood at the entrance, looking inside.
There was no snow that night, but the wind was fierce, and it was just as cold. Several military officers, however, were not afraid of the chill. Dressed in casual clothes, they sat together drinking. Numerous dishes were placed on the table before them.
Bu Ai moved closer to Gu Yun and said, “These dishes were all sent over from Jinyu Restaurant. The other commanders brought fine wine, so our lord ordered a banquet from Jinyu Restaurant to be delivered to the residence.”
Xu Jingzhou spotted Gu Yun and waved at him. “You’re back. Come over and eat!”
The other military officers followed his gaze. After taking one look, their eyes lit up. One of them said to Xu Jingzhou, “Your younger brother is quite something. He looks just like a young lady.”
Xu Jingzhou kicked the man and laughed as he cursed, “Wang Qianhu, you’re the young lady. My brother is a genuine man.”
Wang Qianhu was not annoyed even after being kicked. He asked, “Has your little brother married yet?”
Gu Yun did not answer.
Xu Jingzhou said, “My brother is shy. Why are you asking about all this? All this food still can’t stop your mouth.” He turned towards Gu Yun. “Come over quickly.”
Gu Yun smiled. “I don’t drink, so I won’t ruin everyone’s enjoyment. Take your time eating.”
“Fine, then.” Xu Jingzhou frowned and thought for a moment before telling Sister Ma to prepare a few good dishes for Gu Yun. Gu Yun left with his people.
Xu Jingzhou continued drinking with them. Halfway through, everyone laughed and said, “We never realised you were such a brother-protecting fanatic. No wonder your relatives cannot control your younger brother. Who would dare to?”
Xu Jingzhou gave a scoff. He looked at Wang Qianhu, then at the others, and said, “I know some of you do not care whether someone is male or female, but do not set your sights on him. Otherwise, don’t blame me for turning ruthless.”
“Alright, alright, we know. A rabbit doesn’t eat the grass beside its own burrow.”
Wang Qianhu swirled his wine cup and said nothing.
……
Gu Yun arranged for the woman he had hired to stay with Sister Ma. Since Sister Ma’s living quarters had become more cramped, he also gave her some extra money.
Naturally, Sister Ma had no objections. She took the woman with her to prepare the meal.
Gu Yun sat at the desk in his study, writing a letter to Chao Yan. After writing for a while, he felt too warm and turned his head, only to see that Zhou Er and Zhou Wei had carried in a large brazier.
The two were squatting beside it, fanning the flames, afraid that he would catch a chill.
Gu Yun: “……”
Gu Yun threw these two troublesome people, along with the brazier, out of the door.
Zhou Er and Zhou Wei looked at each other for a moment. They then carried the large brazier back to the kitchen, removed the burning charcoal inside, and placed it beneath Sister Ma’s cooking stove. After working for a while, the two of them and the brazier were once again thrown out by Sister Ma, along with the charcoal! The food was about to burn!
Gu Yun heard the commotion, poked his head out to look, and gave a soft laugh.
He wrote this incident into his letter. After finishing it, he paused for a long while before finally writing the three words at the very end: “I miss you so much.”
