As the sun set, Ning Xiaochuan finally returned to his house safely.

As for what happened to brothers Gao Yuan and Gao Ling after he left, Ning Xiaochuan was not interested at all.

Now he was thinking about Zhu Youjun's coming-of-age ceremony in a few days. After the coming-of-age ceremony, Zhu Youjun would enter the military camp, and it would be difficult to meet him again then.

After a brief summary with Song Jing, it is certain that his life will not be easy in the future.

It is necessary to guard against Gao Ling's revenge and Gao Yuan's recruitment. It can be said that if you are not careful, you will be involved in the dispute in the East Palace. This is a big challenge for Ning Xiaochuan.

However, to his surprise, the next few days were very quiet, and the imagined troubles did not come. This gave Ning Xiaochuan some time to breathe.

On that day, the wind was sunny and sunny, and Ning Xiaochuan specially went to Zhu's Mansion with large and small bags of things.

When I arrived at the door of Zhu's Mansion, I felt a little surprised when I saw that the door was closed and there was no lively atmosphere in Zhu's Mansion.

Although Zhu Youtang was famous for his integrity in the court, there was no news at all about such a big event as his son's coming-of-age ceremony, which was a bit unjustifiable.

Ning Xiaochuan was confused and asked Susu to knock on the door of Zhu's Mansion. Soon the servants of Zhu's Mansion came out. When they saw it was Ning Xiaochuan, they quickly invited him into the house.

Among the many officials in the Yin capital, Zhu Youtang's residence is the simplest. When you walk into the hall, there is a "Picture of Rushing for Examination on a Snowy Night" hanging in the hall.

Compared with the ordinary ceramic utensils on the wooden table, this picture is already very valuable.

After a while, Zhu Youtang walked out of the back hall. Zhu Youtang's beard was already a little gray, but his eyes were bright and his whole person looked calm and dignified, giving people a sense of rigor and uprightness.

"Uncle Zhu, my nephew Ning Xiaochuan is polite." Ning Xiaochuan stood up and bowed to salute.

Different from the attitude of others in Yindu toward Ning Xiaochuan, Zhu Youtang did not object to Zhu Youjun's association with Ning Xiaochuan. He also had no prejudice against Ning Xiaochuan, even though he knew that Ning Xiaochuan was known as the number one dude in Yindu.

This also made Ning Xiaochuan have special respect for the Minister of War.

"Master Ning, there is no need to be polite. You came to my house today probably because of Jun'er." Zhu Youtang said with a long sigh.

Ning Xiaochuan nodded, yes, it's strange. He has been here for so long, and Zhu Youjun still hasn't come out to see him. If it were normal, Zhu Youjun would run over as soon as he walked in.

Zhu Youtang waved his hand, and the steward behind him bowed and retreated, "Jun'er went to the Ministry of War to sign up to join the army three days ago, and he is probably on his way to the military camp now."

"ah?"

Ning Xiaochuan looked at Zhu Youtang in shock, "No, uncle, didn't Dahei go to join the army after his coming-of-age ceremony? Why did he go three days ago, and he didn't even say a word to me?"

Zhu Youtang sighed deeply, and when he mentioned his son, he had mixed feelings.

"Jun'er is worried that if you guys come, his will will be shaken. Jun'er values ​​​​love and brothers and can't bear to be separated from you. He has made a lot of determination to join the army this time. Even as a father, I

I can’t believe that he made this decision on his own.”

Zhu Youjun just joined the army and left without even saying hello.

Ning Xiaochuan suddenly felt empty in his heart, "Uncle, Dahei's decision to join the army was indeed his own, but he just did it to make you look up to him."

"This silly boy."

How could Zhu Youtang not know Zhu Youjun's purpose for doing this? Hope that his son will become a successful man is every father's hope for his son. As a father, he naturally also hopes that Zhu Youjun can become a talented person.

He had strict demands on Zhu Youjun and strictly restrained him in daily life. No matter how well Zhu Youjun did, he never praised him or even smiled at him once.

"Uncle, actually Dahei also hopes you can praise him. He is really good. Although he seems cheerful and heartless every day, he is more sensitive than any of us.

The reason why he attaches great importance to feelings is because he lacks this kind of care, so he is afraid of losing it, and these cares are something Zhufu does not have." Ning Xiaochuan stood up and said.

Zhu Youtang looked at Ning Xiaochuan and couldn't help but shook his head, "Before, I always hoped that Jun'er could become a talented person and break out in the world. But when Jun'er left home and really went to fight outside, I, as a father, was a little reluctant to let go.

, after Jun'er left, the whole family seemed much deserted..."

Ning Xiaochuan saw tears welling up in the corners of Zhu Youtang's eyes, and knew in his heart that Zhu Youtang was really reluctant to let Zhu Youjun go.

"Master, this is the young master's letter."

After a while, the housekeeper walked in. Zhu Youtang quickly wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes and handed a letter to Ning Xiaochuan.

"This is the letter Jun'er left for you before he left. I asked me to pass it on to you. Since you are here today, I will give it to you."

"Thank you, uncle."

Ning Xiaochuan took the letter, looked at Zhu Youtang's lonely expression, and couldn't help but bow and salute, "Uncle, don't worry too much, pay attention to your health. When Dahei returns to Beijing again, you will definitely be proud of him."

Zhu Youtang nodded, Ning Xiaochuan waved his hands and left. Looking at Ning Xiaochuan's back, Zhu Youtang sighed.

Zhu Youtang has always hoped that Zhu You can achieve something. Over the years, Zhu Youjun has been forced by him to learn a lot of things, but all to no avail.

Finally, he finally went to Yujunfu, studied for two years and then dropped out of school with Ning Xiaochuan. When asked why, he didn't want to study because Ning Xiaochuan was not around. Zhu Youtang almost broke Zhu Youjun's leg for this reason.

In fact, what Zhu Youjun wants is very simple. He just hopes that his father can think highly of him. He is not a useless person who has achieved nothing, and he can also create his own world with his own hands.

It wasn't until Zhu Youjun left that Zhu Youtang realized that he had made a mistake all these years. Rather than getting ahead, he hoped that Zhu Youjun could live his life in peace.

If Zhu Youjun can really come back and appear in front of him, he will definitely smile and say to him, Jun'er, you are the pride of my father.

…

Treasure House.

Ning Xiaochuan drank glass after glass of wine, while Wei Zhengchun and Hu Shangyi beside him remained silent after reading the letter.

After a long time, Wei Zhengchun slowly spoke, "What do you mean? Dahei has gone to join the army. Wu Sanbei is separated from us. In less than a month, there are only three of us left among the five."

Ning Xiaochuan did not tell them the truth about Wu Zizhui's death. In his opinion, Wu Zizhui was dead. Instead of letting the brothers hold grudges, it would be better for them to keep the good brother Wu Sanbei in their memory.

.

"But... to be honest, I really admire Dahei. His father is the Minister of War, and he has no hesitation to become a leading soldier. How can ordinary officials' children have such courage and courage? I admire him." Hu Shangyi

sighed.

This courage is indeed admirable. Ning Xiaochuan looked at Hu Shangyi who kept yawning, and couldn't help but ask: "Shangyi, what's going on with you? We haven't seen you for so long, and you keep yawning when we meet. What are you doing these days?

Already? Trapped you like this."

Wei Zhengchun also nodded, "Yes, looking at your face so bad, you probably haven't had a good rest for a long time."

Hu Shangyi drank a glass of wine and shook his head helplessly, "Brothers, you don't know something. I've been almost exhausted for the past half month, helping my father check the account books in the granary. I have to stay up late every night. This look on my face

Can it be okay?"

Ning Xiaochuan frowned, "This is the time of spring plowing, not summer harvest. Is the Agriculture Department so busy?"

"Before the Wu family's incident, the Minister of Household Affairs and the Minister of War came to our home with an imperial edict, asking my father to urgently raise three million shi of grain and transfer it to Sichuan and Sichuan.

It was said that the Miao tribes were restless and had constant conflicts with various places in Shuzhou. King Anxi was preparing to mobilize troops for encirclement and suppression and needed military rations. When my father heard that he wanted to quell the chaos, he did not dare to be careless, so he took me to start raising three million shi.

The amount of food is not a small amount, and the food was not prepared until yesterday." Hu Shangyi said helplessly.

"This is because your father is too stubborn. With so many people under his command, there is no need to do everything personally." Wei Zhengchun shook his head and said.

Hu Shangyi took a sip of wine and felt helpless, "I think so too, but my father thinks that the issue of military rations is related to the victory or defeat of the war, the people's livelihood and the destiny of the country, so he has to drag me to do the calculations myself, eh."

"Is there going to be a war in Shuzhou? It's strange. My fourth brother is in Shuzhou. Why didn't he mention it in the letter to my family?"

Ning Xiaochuan said strangely, this quelling the chaos was a big deal, and it was impossible for his fourth brother not to mention a word about such a big thing.

"I don't know. Maybe I didn't say it because I was afraid that your parents would be worried." Hu Shangyi thought for a while and said, this may be the only appropriate answer.

Having said that, I still find it strange that his fourth brother would write to them about all the big and small things in Shuzhou on weekdays, so that his family could rest assured that he was safe in Shuzhou.

Among the eighteen Dafeng states, the most unstable are the three states of Sichuan and Sichuan. These three states are far away from Zhongzhou and are blocked by the Hengling Mountains. The transportation is inconvenient, and Yindu has very weak control over them.

In addition, the people in these three states are mainly Miao people, who have a low sense of identity with the Central Plains culture, and conflicts between Miao and Han continue. Otherwise, King Anxi would not have spent a lot of money to hire Brother Ning Xiaochuan to go to Shuzhou to educate the Miao people.

"Okay, we won't discuss these state affairs. Our purpose today is to practice for Dahei. Come on, let's have a drink together first." Wei Zhengchun stood up and raised his glass.

Ning Xiaochuan and Hu Shangyi raised their glasses and stood up at the same time, leaving all these miscellaneous things behind, "Do it!"

"Here's a toast to Dahei." Ning Xiaochuan drank a glass of wine and placed a glass of wine on the empty seat next door.

Ning Xiaochuan couldn't help but smile when he recalled the way Zhu Youjun cried while leaning against the wall for the first time, with snot smearing his face.

They were both five years old at that time, and Zhu Youtang had not yet reached his current official position. In addition, Zhu Youjun was an honest and honest man, so Zhu Youjun's clothes were always mended and in tatters. For this reason, the rich children often bullied him, saying that he was a charlatan.

.

Zhu Youjun was wronged outside and did not say a word when he returned home. He would just cry alone in a corner where no one was around, until he met Ning Xiaochuan. That day Ning Xiaochuan handed him a candied haws and said with a smile, "Stop crying."

This candied haws on a stick is very sweet for you.

Later, Zhu Youjun told him that Ning Xiaochuan was the first person to take the initiative to make friends with him.

At that time, he looked at Ning Xiaochuan's cute and tender face, and then saw that he was as black as a briquette, and he felt inferior in his heart.

But later, Ning Xiaochuan told Zhu Youjun through actions that he really wanted to make friends with him. From then on, Zhu Youjun swore that he would be his friend for the rest of his life.

No matter what Ning Xiaochuan wants to do, he will fully support him. Even if Ning Xiaochuan is a playboy now, he will have no problem with it.

In fact, what Zhu Youjun didn't know was that he was also Ning Xiaochuan's first friend.

"This is a three-cup toast to Wu." Ning Xiaochuan poured another glass of wine and poured it on the ground. This wine was a toast to Wu. The toast was to the rich businessman from Jiangnan who helped them beat up the children of Jiangnan when they first met and invited them to drink.

, but Wu Sanbei poured it down in just three cups.

Now that Wu Zizhui is dead, Wu Sanbei has also left.

"drink."

The three of them drank wine happily. Perhaps even Ning Xiaochuan himself did not expect that this would be the last time the three of them drank together.


Chapter completed!