The time has entered the end of April, and a major event has temporarily diverted the attention of the people of Chang'an from Journey to the West, that is, the triumphal return of the princes and princes of Lu State from the expedition against Gaochang.
Although the Tang Dynasty destroyed countless countries in the past few years and returned to the great state of the Celestial Empire, the destruction of countries is still a matter worth writing about.
Li Shimin sent Prince Li Chengqian thirty miles out of the city to greet him, and more than 100,000 people from Chang'an City spontaneously marched out of the city to welcome him.
Chen Jingke, Cheng Huailiang and Qin Huaidao also went to greet him. They did not want to join in the fun, but to welcome their brothers.
Qin Huaidao complained: "This General Hou is also very respectable. It took him five months to go and almost seven months to come back."
Cheng Huailiang smiled and said: "Are you praising me? This is inevitable and approved by the court. There is nothing to criticize."
The so-called boasting means that when the army returns in triumph, if there is no special order, the general in charge can walk slower and show off his martial arts when passing through important towns.
It can be regarded as a small commendation to the soldiers who have made meritorious service.
Chen Jingke pointedly said: "I'm afraid it's not just to boast, maybe it's because of a guilty conscience and to delay time on purpose."
Qin Huaidao said incomprehensively: "Feeling guilty? In one battle, the country was destroyed and the Western Turks were frightened away. This achievement is so great, what is there to feel guilty about?"
Chen Jingke didn't want to say more until the matter was confirmed, saying, "I'm not sure either. I'll know when I see Xun Yu later and ask."
Cheng Huailiang seemed to have thought of something and showed a thoughtful expression.
Qin Huaidao wanted to ask more, but Chen Jingke didn't give him a chance at all, and changed the subject and said, "I don't know what Xunyu has become. The weather over there in the Western Regions is dry and dry, and it must have turned into black charcoal."
Cheng Huailiang said with a smile: "He is already dark enough. If he gets any darker, he will turn into black charcoal."
Qin Huaidao was very reluctant, but he also knew that he couldn't get anything out of the question, so he could only wait for his uncle to come back. Hearing that they were discussing his uncle's skin color, he also interjected:
"Do you think it's strange? Ah Weng's skin is dark. My father-in-law's skin is just a little darker but not really black. When I got to my eldest brother, it turned dark again. It's so strange."
Chen Jingke replied: "Isn't it strange that it is inherited from generation to generation?"
Cheng Huailiang seemed to have remembered something, and showed a strange smile, saying: "Fortunately, only Xun Yu and his three brothers are black, and my sister-in-law is like an aunt, otherwise Huaidao, you wouldn't be able to turn off the lights at night."
"Pfft haha..." Chen Jingke laughed, and imagined a scene in which Qin Huaidao couldn't find his wife at night, and then saw a pair of big white teeth.
He told the scene, causing Cheng Hualiang to burst into laughter.
This caused people around to look at him. Li Chengqian was a little unhappy at first, but when they saw that it was Chen Jingke, they immediately returned to normal.
Two of these three people are brothers-in-law, one is the direct brother-in-law, and the other is the mascot brother-in-law. He really has nothing to say.
As long as the other party doesn't turn things upside down, it doesn't matter to him.
Qin Huaidao looked at the two of them with gritted teeth. If the situation wasn't wrong, he would have wanted to punch one of them.
Soon there was a report from the scouting horse, and the army was only ten miles away.
After a while, Tan Ma came again to report, and the army was only five miles away.
The greeters who were gathering together to chat privately immediately packed up their appearance and lined up according to their status. Qin Huaidao, as the prince's guard leader, ran over to do guard work.
Soon the army appeared in front of us, tens of thousands of troops marching for dozens of miles.
When they learned that the prince was personally welcoming him, the soldiers were very excited and shouted long live the mountain. Li Chengqian also waved his hands excitedly.
Hou Junji, Xue Wanjun, Ashina Sheer, Qibi Heli and others came to express their gratitude.
The specific process will not be shown in detail. Chen Jingke and Cheng Hualiang have been looking for Yuchi Xunyu, but unfortunately they did not see it.
Cheng Huailiang was more familiar with this situation and said: "Xun Yu's level is still too low. He is not qualified to stand in front of him in this kind of situation. It is normal not to see him. Let's wait until he returns home."
Chen Jingke was about to nod when he found someone in the crowd waving desperately. When he looked carefully, he could only see an outline but no specific face, and he was not sure if it was Yuchi Xunyu.
He said to Cheng Huailiang: "Look over there, does that wave look like Xun Yu?"
Cheng Huailiang looked up and wasn't sure, but as cunning as he was, he waved his hand and explained:
"It doesn't matter if it's him or not, let's say hello first. If it's not him, just admit it. If it's him, he'll have something to say later."
Chen Jingke complained: "You are so cunning, you actually played tricks on your own brothers."
After saying that, he raised his hand and waved it vigorously.
The person opposite saw the two of them waving and responded even more enthusiastically.
By this time, Chen Jingke and the others were already 80% sure that the person facing him was Yuchi Xunyu. He was in a crowd of people and his skin was dark, so it was normal for them not to be able to see clearly.
But there were few people on their side, and the two of them were wearing the same clothes they usually wear, so it was unlikely that they would recognize the wrong person.
Over there, Li Chengqian and others had completed the reception work, and everyone remounted their horses and headed towards Chang'an City.
The people along the way cheered: Wan Sheng, Wan Sheng, Wan Sheng...
Chen Jingke was okay, he just felt that if a man could get to this point, he would be considered successful, but that was all.
What he is doing now can also be famous throughout history. There is no need to envy others.
Cheng Huailiang was different, his face was full of envy and... loss.
Chen Jingke knew what his good brother was thinking, but he had no other choice but to sigh.
Unless now that Cheng Yaojin is gone and their brothers have separated, he will leave everything behind and start from scratch, just like Du He.
However, according to the historical records of his previous life, Cheng Yaojin was a very long-lived guy, and he still had time to wait.
However, the current Tang Dynasty is also different from the previous life. There is an additional feudal system. If Cheng Yaojin went to the feudal country in advance to enjoy the blessings, he would not have no chance to succeed.
But this old man has been cunning all his life, and he will definitely not choose to be enfeoffed in the first batch, but will wait until later to see the form.
Even if the fiefdom is confirmed in the future, there is a high probability that he will not go to the fiefdom, but let his son go.
Anyway, no matter how you look at it, Cheng Huailiang will never be able to escape his identity as a mascot in his life.
All the way back to the capital, the emperor was supposed to welcome him and then offer the prisoners to the Imperial Ancestral Temple. However, Li Shimin still did not show up. Even the prisoners to the Imperial Ancestral Temple were offered to the Prince Li Chengqian.
When hearing the news, everyone looked surprised and puzzled.
It is very unusual for the prince to welcome the past that can be explained on his behalf. The sacrifice of prisoners in the Imperial Ancestral Temple is of great significance. It can be said that it is the privilege of the emperor. It is very abnormal for the prince to do it for him.
What did the emperor think? Or was there something wrong with his health?
But for the princelings, no matter what the emperor thought, this was a happy event worth celebrating.
Even if others had opinions, no one dared to question the emperor's will.
After the sacrifice of prisoners was completed, the emperor held a grand welcome banquet in the palace for the victorious soldiers. This time the emperor finally showed up, looking very good and speaking energetically, dispelling the rumors that he was ill.
But the more this happened, the more suspicious he asked the prince to sacrifice prisoners on his behalf. What did the emperor think?
It's a pity that the emperor's thoughts are as deep as the ocean, and they can't guess at all.
It was impossible for all the soldiers to participate in this banquet. Only the top brass and some people who had made great contributions could come.
This time Yuchi Xunyu was finally qualified to appear at the scene.
The brothers were extremely happy to meet again after a long separation, and immediately found a place to talk about the past.
Mainly Yuchi Xunyu told the story of the war, focusing on his meritorious service. The brothers all felt emotional for him.
Cheng Huailiang patted his shoulder and said with envy: "With this contribution, you will have no worries in the future."
Yuchi Xunyu didn't notice anything unusual about him, and said happily: "Hey, originally I thought I would make some meritorious service in a battle and then come back to retire and wait to inherit the title."
"But now I find that I really like fighting. This is what a man should do. I may stay in the army for a long time in the future."
Cheng Huailiang's expression was a little unnatural, but he did not show his inner thoughts to displease his brothers. Instead, he said: "Isn't that just right? It just so happens that you have made great achievements this time and can gain a firm foothold in the army."
Chen Jingke was also sincerely happy for him, saying: "The most rare thing in life is to find your goal. Congratulations on finding it."
Yuchi Xunyu smiled and said: "Hey, thank you, thank you. It's just that I will be away from Beijing in the future, so I will have to rely on you to help me at home."
Chen Jingke patted his chest and said, "Don't worry, my sister-in-law will leave it to me."
"Pfft..." Hearing this, even Cheng Hualiang, who was feeling gloomy, couldn't help but laugh.
Yuchi Xunyu was a little slow to react, but he quickly came to his senses and cursed loudly: "Well, Chen Jingke, you are really nothing... Just wait, I will go find Sun Zhenren and Mrs. Wu later."
Chen Jingke quickly apologized and said: "Oh, why are you so ignorant of humor? Okay, okay, it was my fault, okay, don't be angry."
Of course Yuchi Xunyu was not really angry, he just laughed and cursed a few times and then passed away.
At this time, Qin Huaidao also sneaked in quietly. He was the East Palace Guard who was guarding the crown prince just now. He just happened to get off duty and ran over.
When the eldest uncle and brother-in-law meet, it is natural for them to exchange pleasantries.
When everyone was done, Qin Huaidao rolled his eyes and asked quietly: "Brother, why are you coming back so slowly?"
Yuchi Xunyu said: "There is no mission when I come back. In order to preserve the physical strength of the soldiers, I naturally have to walk slower."
Qin Huaidao's face turned dark and he said: "My brothers, don't say such nonsense."
Yuchi Xunyu chuckled and said, "You already know what you are asking, why do you ask? I can boast about my achievements in all the major towns along the way."
Chen Jingke and Cheng Hualiang had already guessed what he was going to ask, and they didn't stop him because they also wanted to know whether what they guessed had happened.
Qin Huaidao did not disappoint them, and asked the question as expected: "It's really just a compliment. Aren't you guilty of something you did in Gaochang Kingdom?"
Yuchi Xunyu's expression changed. He looked around and saw that no one was paying attention to them, so he lowered his voice and said, "Shut up, don't talk about this here. We'll talk about it when we get back."
Qin Huaidao finally realized that something was wrong and said in surprise: "You mean... Jing Ke's guess came true?"
Yuchi Xunyu nodded heavily and said, "It's come true...Okay, no more."
Qin Huaidao turned to look at the proud Hou Junji beside the emperor, his eyes filled with disbelief, how dare he do this.
Then he looked at Chen Jingke. He could guess that this would happen before it happened. This brother was even more extraordinary.
Chen Jingke shook his head at him and told him not to discuss the matter here.
He also knew the seriousness of the matter, nodded and said nothing.
Soon the banquet began, and at the emperor's signal, officials from the Ministry of Rites stood up and read out the rewards for the soldiers.
Hou Junji was renamed Duke of Chen from the title of Lu Guogong, and seven hundred households were added to the settlement, and he was rewarded with gold and silver treasures.
In fact, his title as Duke of Chen Kingdom had been confirmed as early as last year during the major re-enactment of the title. But since he was not in the capital, he was awarded the title together with his military merits now.
As for the food and towns, they are all empty now, and the court will take them all away when the feudal state comes down. But it is also a symbol of status, so it still has some meaning.
Other generals also have their own rewards, so I won’t go into details here.
Yuchi Xunyu became a valiant cavalry officer and became a guerrilla general due to his meritorious service.
Xiaoqiwei is a distinguished rank, and guerrilla general is Wusanguan, which is also the lowest rank among generals.
But if you cross this threshold, you will become a general, belonging to the ranks of senior generals, which is already very rare for a person under the age of twenty.
Chen Jingke and the other three were also sincerely happy for him. With the title of guerrilla general, he had the qualifications to lead an army alone.
Regardless of whether you have the ability or not, at least you have the qualifications.
Ability can be improved slowly, but if it doesn't work, the Yuchi family has many generals with outstanding abilities, so it would be the same to send a few more to assist him.
This qualification to lead an independent army is so important that most people who spend their entire lives as soldiers will never get to this point.
In particular, Yuchi Xunyu has decided to join the army. With this qualification, it can be said that he will fly directly from the start.
The brothers inevitably celebrated again. Except for Chen Jingke, who didn't drink, the other three were a little drunk.
The banquet didn't end until the afternoon, and everyone went back to their homes.
Chen Jingke and the others had no intention of dragging Yuchi, Xunyu, and Bingzhu to talk at night, but urged him to go home quickly.
I have been away from home for more than a year, and I miss my parents, wife, and children so much. My brothers can get together anytime, so don’t ruin the scenery today.
Yuchi Xunyu was also anxious to go home to see his wife and children, so he apologized and trotted home.
Chen Jingke and the other three were walking on the street, chatting.
It's just that Cheng Huailiang's mood was a little low, he lowered his head and didn't speak much.
Chen Jingke knew what he was thinking, patted him on the shoulder and said: "There are many ways to realize the value of life in this world, not just being an official, serving in the army, and fighting. Don't draw a circle and lock yourself in."
Cheng Huaidian nodded and said: "I know, I have actually accepted it a long time ago. I just suffered a little irritation today, and I will be fine tomorrow."
Qin Huaidao realized something was wrong with him belatedly. He opened his mouth to comfort him, but he didn't know what to say, so he could only keep silent.
Cheng Huailiang squeezed out a smile and said: "Don't be like this, it makes me feel even more uncomfortable... By the way, Jing Ke, your wu class is still recruiting, right? What do you think of me?"
Chen Jingke smiled and said: "Okay, there are two most important points in the study of objects, and you have one of them."
Cheng Huailiang said curiously: "Oh? Those two points?"
Chen Jingke stretched out his finger and said: "First, you have talent, and second, you have money. If you have money, you can do this."
Cheng Huailiang said frustratedly: "I thought you would say I have talent."
Just when Chen Jingke was about to comfort him, he cheered up and said: "Don't worry about it, it's better than not taking one at all, right? I'll go to the Gewu class in a few days."
Chen Jingke said: "Okay, as your husband, I promise to teach you everything I have."
Cheng Huailiang yelled: "Get out of here, are you taking advantage of me? I'm not as easy to talk to as Xun Yu... don't run away."
The three of them joked and made noise all the way, and soon went home separately.
Chen Jingke also breathed a sigh of relief. Whether Cheng Huailiang did it on a whim or was really interested in studying things, having a goal is always a happy thing.
Back home, Cheng Huailiang and Qin Huaidao told their own Aye that Chen Jingke's guess had come true.
Cheng Yaojin and Qin Qiong were very surprised when they heard this, and then said: "Be careful these days, there may be some changes in the capital."
This change happened faster than they imagined.
The next day, when Chen Jingke and others were preparing to go to Yuchixunyu to reminisce about the past, they heard that Shenhou Junji and Xue Wanjun, the officials who had come to Yushitai in the morning, set up troops to plunder Gaochang and privately executed prisoners.
