nycdaug Chapter 179 Ning Chi Visits
Chapter 179 Ning Chi Visits
Not long after the military competition, Kuang Xingquan gathered 15,000 elite soldiers and prepared to march to Gao State.
Zong Yanli remained in the capital, teaching the prince how to train troops and occasionally participating in government affairs.
Although Gao Jiayue holds great power, his views on political affairs are not foolish. Benefiting farmers is of utmost importance, and he advocates that spring ploughing be a good time for the people to farm.
Zong Yanli received many wedding candies and beans one after another, and learned roughly that many of his brothers had settled their lifelong events. Zong Yanli was busy with military affairs and did not pay much attention to it. He just asked Gao Feilin to prepare red envelopes and give them to anyone who sent wedding candies.
It's a little token of my appreciation. As for the wedding, I really don't have time to attend.
If they all go, won’t she drink herself to death?
The spring water is born, and the spring forest is blooming.
On the day Ning Chi came to visit, Zong Yanli had a rare day off. Han was thinking of going to Guiyun Temple to meet her aunt Zhou and ask for a peace amulet from the temple.
Seeing that Qingming Festival was approaching, the Han family should also prepare for the ancestor worship. This year, Zong Yanli was at home, so he accompanied his mother.
"It's such a bad coincidence..." Ning Chi smiled bitterly. It was really difficult to meet Zong Yanli nowadays.
"If you have nothing to do, why not go with me?" Zong Yanli thought for a moment and said to Ning Chi.
"Okay." Ning Chi thought about it and nodded in agreement.
Zong Yanli was really not used to riding in a carriage, so he let Han ride in the front while Zong Yanli followed on horseback.
Ning Chi and Zong Yanli were running side by side, while Wen Nian was lagging behind a little.
On the way to Guiyun Temple, Ning Chi glanced at Zong Yanli beside him and said with some regret: "If I had not returned home, I would be fighting side by side with the general now..."
"You are now in the capital's garrison, and you also have the responsibility to protect your family. Why bother going to the battlefield?" Zong Yanli responded calmly and casually, looking forward and said: "The Qin family's affairs..."
"I haven't had the chance to formally thank the general yet." Ning Chi took a deep breath and looked at Zong Yanli, his eyes full of gratitude. At the time, the Qin family was in a dangerous situation, and it was Zong Yanli who personally pleaded for the Qin family, thus saving the lives of the Qin family's young and old.
"Is General Qin okay now?" Zong Yanli asked in a low voice, shaking his head slightly.
"My grandfather returned to his hometown in the countryside to live out his days. My uncle and brothers have each started some small businesses and built martial arts schools to teach people martial arts." Generally speaking, it was peaceful. The Qin family was just expelled from the capital after their assets were confiscated.
The descendants of the Qin family were not allowed to serve as officials in the court for ten years, so they had to find a way to support themselves, and their martial arts skills could not be buried.
With Old Man Qin as the pillar of the family, I can keep a low profile and plan for my future even if I return to the countryside.
Logically speaking, Ning Chi can be considered half a member of the Qin family. Marquis Lin'an has been worried about this for a long time, and even Ning Chi's mother has been neglected. It was not until Ning Chi gradually came to the fore and was personally appointed as the commander of the guards by the emperor that life gradually got better.
"That's not bad." Zong Yanli nodded and smiled when he heard it.
"When I corresponded with my uncle, he often mentioned the general." Ning Chi also started chatting with Zong Yanli.
He recalled countless times the time when he and Zong Yanli were in the military camp at Yuanshi Pass, carefree and looking for people to fight every day. He also recalled the time when he was a personal soldier under Zong Yanli's tent. Many memories that should have been fragmented became particularly clear at this moment because of seeing Zong Yanli.
Ning Chi said in a low voice with a bitter heart: "When I said goodbye to the general, it was my mother who deliberately pretended to be sick to trick me into returning home."
Zong Yanli raised his eyebrows and looked at him, feeling a little surprised, but then he thought about it and felt that it was completely understandable.
Ning Chi's background was there, so there was no need for him to fight on the battlefield. Besides, the Crown Prince and King Xuan were in a tense situation at the time, and the Qin family might not want Ning Chi to help an "outsider" to gain merit. Besides, Ning Chi's mother only had him as her son.
It was understandable that he was lured back home by such extraordinary means, but from Ning Chi's eyes, he seemed extremely sad.
"Protecting the country is not just about being on the battlefield. The same is true for the officials in the court who work hard to benefit the people and build the country." Zong Yanli seemed to see Ning Chi's reluctance, and sighed softly, "If you were not protecting us in the capital, how could we fight with peace of mind outside?"
"Ning Chi, don't blame your mother for lying to you. She didn't want to lose you either."
"You should be filial to your mother who loves you so much."
There was a hint of bitterness in Zong Yanli's eyes. Perhaps this is how people are. The life she longed for was the one Ning Chi least wanted to live.
Ning Chi's heart was filled with the desire to sing and dance, to fight on the battlefield, to make achievements and so on...
On the way to Guiyun Temple, the two chatted a lot. When talking about his wife at home, Ning Chi's smile became more and more forced. He lowered his eyes and said in a hoarse voice: "Since the general knows my background, he should also know that my marriage can never be decided by myself."
"Fortunately, my wife is gentle and considerate." Ning Chi closed his eyes, looking like he had completely accepted his fate.
Zong Yanli frowned slightly and said nothing. She couldn't guess whether Ning Chi would rather experience this life or the previous life?
Perhaps no matter in the past life or this life, there will always be some regrets on different paths.
At the foot of Guiyun Temple, Ning Chi reined in his horse, bowed to Zong Yanli and said, "Thank you for talking with me along the way, General. Next time, if we have the chance, we will sit down and talk again."
Zong Yanli apologized slightly, said goodbye to Ning Chi, then dismounted and walked to the carriage, helped Han down, and then went to Guiyun Temple together.
This was the first time that Zong Yanli had seen his great aunt Zhou since his rebirth. Zhou, who was dressed in nun's clothes, had a dull expression on her face. When she saw Zong Yanli, she was stunned for a long time. After a long time, she said, "Ali has grown up so much."
"Aunt." Zong Yanli bowed and said.
"Swords and knives have no eyes on the battlefield, it's good that you're back..." Zhou lowered her eyes and chanted a Buddhist name.
Han told Zhou the purpose of her visit. Zhou had obviously guessed it and was not surprised. She took Han to the inner courtyard of Guiyun Temple.
As a 'man', Zong Yanli could not enter, so he only stayed in the outer courtyard.
In the inner courtyard, Han looked at Zhou, who had lost a lot of weight, and couldn't help but sighed, "After so many years, you still don't want to leave here?"
"You come every year and persuade me every year." Zhou looked at Han helplessly with a smile in her eyes and said, "You don't feel tired, but I do."
"This is the amulet I prepared long ago." Zhou didn't say much to Han. She went to the Buddhist temple and took out the amulet and said, "There's a new baby. There's also one for Ah Yin's child."
"You always think so carefully." Han felt sad and said with a helpless smile.
Han told Zhou about the current situation at home one after another. Zhou listened in silence most of the time, gently turning the rosary in her hand, looking at Han quietly and gently, and sent her away after she finished listening. She did not have any special emotions from beginning to end.