The Golden Family, rising from the Western Regions

Chapter 351 The General is Willing to Marry the Third Sister
The figure clad in black armor entered the side courtyard; it was none other than Li Shurong, the commander of the elite cavalry responsible for patrolling the city today.

His gaze swept across the courtyard, and he walked towards Erbao first, a smile on his lips: "Second General, congratulations on your wedding."

"I was patrolling the city just now when I ran into a centurion named Bao Dachang. He said he came to congratulate you and is currently outside the courtyard."

Although Erbao was only a deputy commander of ten thousand households, because his father was the General of Xianyang and his older brother was the General of Donghai, people either called him a commander of ten thousand households or the Second General.

Upon hearing the name Bao Dachang, Erbao's face lit up with joy: "Old Bao?"

This was a brother who had once taken a knife for him in life and death; he had thought the other party wouldn't make it to the wedding banquet.

"Thank you for the reminder, Brother Shurong!"

Erbao quickly put down his wine cup and ran towards the gate of the mansion to personally greet them.

As soon as Erbao left, Sanfeng pulled Sifeng up to Li Shurong, her eyes full of teasing: "Oh, isn't this our 'little pageboy'?"

"After fighting a battle in Guanzhong, things have changed quite a bit!"

"Wearing this black armor, he does look quite like a general!"

Just now, although Li Shurong was talking to Erbao, his eyes never left Sanfeng out of the corner of his eye.

Seeing Sanfeng take the initiative to talk to him, he was overjoyed.

Feigning composure, she touched her chest and gave a slight bow: "Third Miss, Fourth Miss."

He had served as Li Xiao's clerk for a long time in his early years. Sanfeng always liked to follow Li Xiao around and often jokingly called him "Little Page." Many years have passed, but the title has not changed.

Although Li Xiao has now become king, he has not yet conferred titles upon the members of the royal family, so the Third and Fourth Princesses are naturally not yet princesses or county princesses.

Sanfeng circled around him, her eyes brightening: "This black armor is really nice, it looks even better than the yellow armor of the Wuwei Army! I heard you've been promoted to commander of a thousand?"

"It's definitely more reliable to gain experience in the military than to rely on writing back then!"

Sifeng nodded in agreement: "Yes, yes, if I had known you were such a good fighter, I should have had my eldest brother transfer you to the northern desert to help my second brother quell the rebellion. That way, you wouldn't have to stay in the study all the time."

Sanfeng wholeheartedly agreed, saying, "Indeed, I never imagined that the little pageboy from back then would now have to take up a sword and go to the battlefield. I still remember when you first came to my side, you couldn't even shoot arrows very accurately!"

Li Shurong smiled helplessly; the Third Sister still remembered the embarrassing incident from back then.

Then Sanfeng asked, "Is it your turn to be on duty today?"

Li Shurong nodded: "The Wuwei Army is responsible for the defense of Longcheng, and the newly formed Xiaoji Battalion has also been transferred to help."

"Today is the Second General's wedding day. We brought his comrades along to join in the fun."

He already knew Sanfeng and Sifeng, and they spoke without any restraint. Occasionally, a few jokes would make the two girls giggle, and the atmosphere in the courtyard would become much lighter.

However, this scene, when witnessed by other young generals, completely ignited their discontent.

He had planned to make a good impression on the two women, but unexpectedly, a shrew appeared out of nowhere.

"Who is that bastard? How dare he get so close to the Third Miss? That's outrageous!"

Several young generals from out of town huddled together, their eyes filled with disdain.

"Look at his armor, it's black? When did our Northern Frontier Army start using this standard uniform?"

"Judging from the style, it looks like it belongs to a commander of a thousand men, but I've never heard of a commander of a thousand men wearing black armor!" someone asked in confusion.

A guard who had once served Li Xiao whispered, "His name is Li Shurong. He was Your Majesty's clerk in his early years and accompanied Your Majesty through Guanzhong."

"A clerk?"

These words immediately drew a burst of laughter.

"So he's just a pen-wielding charlatan!" A general with a full beard slammed his hand on the table, his tone contemptuous.

"Our Qin state values ​​martial prowess, relying on swordsmanship and military achievements. How dare a pretty boy with empty words try to win over our Third Miss?"

Since its establishment, the Northern Frontier has valued military affairs over civil affairs. Unless one is proficient in both, it is difficult for a purely civil official to gain a foothold in the military.

Even governors like Han Jiuyuan and Chen Chong, if they hadn't married into the Li family and become members of the military group, would have been unable to gain the trust of lower-ranking generals based solely on their civil official status.

In the eyes of these generals who fought bloody battles, Li Shurong only got the position of commander of a thousand households by virtue of his old relationship with the king. How could he be worthy of laughing and joking with Sanfeng?

"Don't underestimate him."

Another insider spoke up: "Li Shurong was no longer a clerk. Before the Battle of Weibei, he was promoted to a centurion of the Wuwei Army and fought alongside the King against the Jin army in several tough battles."

"The Martial Guard? The Martial Guard wears yellow armor, so what's with him wearing black armor?" The bearded general was still unconvinced.

"I heard that the King recently established a cavalry battalion and appointed him as a commander of a thousand, but that cavalry battalion is full of child soldiers who have just come out of school and have never fought a single battle!"

"Hahaha, a commander of a thousand men who's just a kid soldier, to put it bluntly, he still makes a living by talking!"

The crowd burst into laughter, their gazes toward Li Shurong growing increasingly disdainful.

At this moment, a burly young general suddenly stood up and shouted, "Li Shurong, since you are also a soldier, do you dare to have a match with me?"

“We men of the northern frontier speak with our abilities. If you win, you can do whatever you want, no one will stop you; if you lose, then don’t get in my way.”

Li Shurong was talking to Sanfeng about the interesting things that happened during the Xiaoji Camp training when he heard the challenge and turned around to look.

The challenger was a commander of a thousand men in the Third Division, named Shi Lie, who was known for his immense strength and ferocity in mounted combat.

The atmosphere in the courtyard became even more lively.

In the Central Plains, to publicly challenge someone on their wedding day would be considered an offense to the host family.

However, the people of the northern frontier are known for their fierce nature, and fighting is a common occurrence during weddings. As long as no one is killed, it can actually liven up the atmosphere.

Erbao's old comrades even started chanting, "Let's have a match! Let's have a match!"

"Let's see what the 'child soldier commander' is capable of!"

Sanfeng frowned, about to speak to stop her, but Li Shurong raised his hand and pressed her down.

He took two steps forward, looking calmly at Shi Lie: "What does Commander Shi want to compete in? Horse fighting, foot fighting, or archery?"

"Let's have a horse battle!"

Shi Lie patted his chest: "We won't use gun barrels, whoever falls first loses! Dare to take it?"

He assumed that Li Shurong was a civil official and would be no good at horse fighting, so he wanted to embarrass him in public.

Li Shurong smiled, unfastened the black curved sword from his waist, handed it to the guard beside him, and then took a wooden spear: "What is there to be afraid of?"

"However, let me make this clear from the start: if I win, I hope Commander Shi will never again look down on those who are skilled with words."

"On the battlefield, those who can kill the enemy are good soldiers; in the military camp, those who can lead troops are good generals."

The people in the courtyard immediately surrounded the two and led them to the main street outside. Sanfeng and Sifeng stood aside, their eyes full of anticipation.

Although they knew that Li Shurong had fought in battles, they had never seen him fight anyone and wanted to see just how capable this "little pageboy" really was.

The noise from the side courtyard gradually reached the main courtyard, where Li Xiao was drinking with Li Dongjiang and Suo Sannu.

Hearing the shouts outside, he raised an eyebrow and asked towards the door, "What's all the commotion outside?"

Zhang Xiong, a centurion of the personal guards, hurriedly walked in and bowed, replying, "Your Majesty, it's over in the side courtyard. Li Shurong, a thousand-man commander of the cavalry, is having a horse duel with Shi Lie, a thousand-man commander of the Third Garrison."

He paused, then added, "Shi Lie thought that Commander Li was a civil official and looked down on him, so he wanted to have a duel to determine who was better, and everyone was cheering him on."

"Oh? Shu Rong is fighting with someone?" Upon hearing this, Li Xiao's lips curled into a smile, showing no displeasure.

The Northern Frontier doesn't have as many formalities as the Central Plains. When emotions run high, fighting and brawling are common occurrences. As long as no one dies or a blood feud is formed, he never interferes too much.

"That kid Shi Lie is as reckless as ever."

Li Xiao smiled and shook his head, "But Shu Rong is no pushover either. Don't let his past as a clerk fool you. He fought alongside me during the Battle of Weibei. Skill is far more effective than brute force."

Li Dongjiang also laughed and said, "Shu Rong is a thoughtful child who learns things quickly; he's a good prospect."

Suo Sannu chuckled and, holding his wine bowl, said, "Our Great Qin values ​​martial prowess, and our soldiers are all brave and fierce. Who else in the world can rival the might of our Great Qin?"

"We will establish unparalleled achievements under the leadership of the King."

After expressing their loyalty and exchanging some jokes,

Li Xiao then stopped paying attention to the commotion in the side courtyard and asked the two about Guanzhong and Gansu.

"How are the refugees being resettled in Guanzhong after the war?"

"Have all the surrendered Jin prisoners been assigned to the reclamation areas as planned?"

"What is the situation regarding the recruitment of new soldiers in the Second Town?"

When the matter was brought up, Li Dongjiang put away his smile and said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, the refugees have been settled almost completely. They have been divided into 120,000 households, and seeds and farming tools have been distributed to them. They have been handed over to Governor Gao for management."

"The Jin army captured more than 30,000 prisoners. Apart from selecting 5,000 strong men to replenish the army, the rest were sent to repair the post road from Guanzhong to Gansu. They were quite well-behaved."

……

"The post road must be repaired as soon as possible!"

Li Xiao instructed, "Guanzhong is the granary of the Qin Dynasty, and Gansu is the key route connecting the Western Regions. With the post road connecting the two places, the transportation of grain and supplies will be smoother, and it will be more convenient to launch military campaigns into the Central Plains in the future."

"Your subject understands," Li Dongjiang replied.

Then, Suo Sannu took the initiative to report on the situation in Gansu: "Your Majesty, the Gansu Provincial Surveillance Commission was only recently established. I have already sent people to investigate the backlog of cases in various prefectures, and more than 20 wrongful convictions have been adjudicated so far."

"The anti-bandit team has also been established, and more than 30 bandits who robbed herdsmen have been captured and dealt with in accordance with Qin law."

"However, Gansu borders Tibet. When the Xia Dynasty fell, some remnants fled to the plateau, occasionally venturing into the Hexi Corridor to plunder."

The plateau is inhabited not only by Tibetans, but also by Tanguts, Tuyuhuns, Han Chinese, and Qiang people.

However, Tibet had long since declined and fragmented, posing no threat to the Qin state.

However, these occasional raids are quite a headache.

"The plateau environment is complex, and I'm afraid our Qin army cannot stay there for long."

"To resolve the issue of the plateau, we need to form alliances and support suitable candidates to serve our Qin state."

"Another task is to train an elite force skilled in high-altitude combat and station it on the plateau to stabilize the situation for our Qin state," Li Xiao said, frowning slightly.

The high-altitude environment is harsh, and sending a large army to fight it would likely be difficult to achieve the desired results, and non-combat casualties would certainly exceed expectations.

Throughout history, the Chinese rule over the plateau was largely a form of indirect rule, unable to directly appoint officials for vertical administration. This was a limitation imposed by objective conditions.

Furthermore, Qin's main enemies at present are the Jin and Liao states.

Li Xiao didn't plan to expend too much energy on the plateau.

Therefore, they planned to instigate infighting among the various tribes on the plateau and wage a proxy war.

The Qin state remained behind the scenes, only sending its elite troops to the plateau to clean up the mess at crucial moments.

This matter was then entrusted to Gansu for arrangements, with support provided by northern Xinjiang.

Soon after, the cheers from the street finally subsided, and Li Shurong narrowly won.

Li Xiao laughed: "This guy has improved quite a bit."

"Go tell Shi Lie that he shouldn't be discouraged by the loss. He should go back and practice hard, and he will win back the victory in a while."

The next morning, Li Xiao slowly opened his eyes. Zhao Yue was still fast asleep beside him, her cheeks flushed and her breathing shallow.

The girlish naiveté has long since faded from her eyes, replaced by the alluring charm of a mature woman.

Although she was a woman from Jiangnan, she learned to ride a horse and shoot arrows during her time in the northern frontier.

But when facing Li Xiao, he could never withstand the torment. Last night, he was so exhausted that he had to let the maid take over for a while before finally enjoying the pleasure himself.

He was still limp in bed, unable to wake up, and would probably sleep until the sun was high in the sky.

Li Xiao got up and put on his casual clothes.

They were preparing to go to the front yard because Erbao and his wife had just gotten married. According to custom, they would first offer tea to Li Dongjiang and his wife before paying their respects to their elder brother and the king.

However, as soon as he stepped out of the room, Zhang Xiong, the guard captain who was standing guard outside, immediately stepped forward, bowed and reported: "Grand Protector, Commander Li Shurong requests an audience and has been waiting in the front courtyard for a long time."

"Shu Rong?"

Li Xiao was slightly surprised. It wasn't Li Shurong's turn to be on duty today. What business did he have at the mansion?

With some doubt, Li Xiao strode towards the front yard.

Inside the front hall, Li Shurong was sitting in a chair drinking tea, but he seemed somewhat absent-minded. He held the teacup in his hand for a long time but didn't drink much.

He was dressed in a light blue casual outfit today, which made him look less sharp and more refined than his armor, but there was a hint of nervousness between his brows.

Upon seeing Li Xiao enter, he abruptly stood up, placed his hands on his chest, and bowed respectfully: "This humble general, Li Shurong, greets Your Majesty!"

"Please sit down, no need for formalities."

Li Xiao walked to the main seat and sat down, casually asking, "Isn't today your day off? Why did you suddenly come to the manor? Did something happen to the cavalry?"

After Li Shurong sat down, he gripped the teacup tightly with both hands, remained silent for a moment, as if he had made a great decision, before looking up at Li Xiao with a firm tone.

"Your Majesty, I have come here today not for the matter of the Valiant Cavalry, but to ask you for a favor."

"explain."

Li Xiao spoke calmly, his tone composed yet carrying immense pressure.

This made Li Shurong even more flustered, but he still raised his head, looked directly at Li Xiao, and said firmly, "This humble general, Li Shurong, wishes to ask Your Majesty for the hand of the Third Miss!"

"Oh?"

Upon hearing this, Li Xiao was slightly taken aback, but quickly regained his composure, showing little surprise.

He had long noticed Li Shurong's feelings for Sanfeng. The two had known each other since their early years. Sanfeng always liked to tease Li Shurong as "Little Page," but she had never been so close to anyone else.

Li Shurong's duel with Shi Lie yesterday was most likely an attempt to prove himself in front of Sanfeng.

Seeing that Li Xiao did not immediately express his opinion, Li Shurong became increasingly nervous and hurriedly explained, "Your Majesty, I have known the Third Miss for many years and have long harbored feelings for her."

"It's just that my previous rank was low and I had no outstanding military achievements, so I felt that I was not good enough for the Third Miss. I was thinking of making some more achievements and then asking for her hand in marriage openly when I was qualified."

"But at the wedding banquet yesterday, seeing so many generals staring at the Third Miss, I realized that she is of marriageable age and has many suitors. I'm afraid..."

"I fear that before I can achieve great things, the Third Miss will have already been betrothed to someone else. That is why I have taken the liberty of coming here today to earnestly request Your Majesty's permission."

He spoke with heartfelt sincerity, his eyes filled with urgency and genuine emotion, clearly having spent a sleepless night before making this decision.

After saying that, he knelt down on one knee and bowed to Li Xiao with his hand on his chest.

In the customs of the Northern Frontier, there is no kneeling ceremony. Even ordinary people only need to perform a chest-touching or cupped-hand salute when they see Li Xiao.

However, Li Shurong's bow to Li Xiao because of the matter of Sanfeng carries a different meaning.

Li Xiao looked at him, tapping his fingers lightly on the table, and slowly said, "Shu Rong, you've known San Feng for many years, you should know her personality."

"What she wants is not status or position, but a husband who can stand shoulder to shoulder with her and whom she can trust."

"You are now a commander of the elite cavalry, with meritorious service, so it is not an insult to Sanfeng."

Li Shurong was overjoyed and was about to express his gratitude when Li Xiao raised his hand to interrupt him.

"But~"

Li Xiao abruptly changed the subject, his tone suddenly becoming serious: "Sanfeng is my only younger sister, and there are countless men in the world who want to marry her."

"What advantages do you have over those people that make me entrust the Three Phoenixes to you?"

As he said this, Li Xiao's thoughts drifted uncontrollably back to those years.

At that time, he was still the deputy governor of Jinzhou, yet he dared to boldly propose to Xiao Yanyan in front of Xiao Simo.

Moreover, the betrothal gift he promised back then was the head of Yelü Zhilugu, the emperor of the Western Liao Dynasty. However, many years have passed, and Yelü Zhilugu is still living in the Western Regions. His promise to Xiao Simo has not yet been fulfilled.

Thinking of this, Li Xiao felt a pang of guilt and sighed inwardly, "I'm sorry, brother!"

This unfulfilled promise was like a thorn stuck in his heart, making him feel more complicated when facing Li Shurong's proposal to marry Sanfeng.

It's like seeing my bold self from back then, and also like a tiger protecting its cubs, unwilling to easily hand over my beloved little sister to a "young punk".

"The Emperor of Song once sent someone to ask for Sanfeng's hand in marriage," Li Xiao said slowly, his tone carrying a deliberate air of pressure.

"Not only did she promise the position of Empress, but she also offered the entire province of Sichuan as a betrothal gift."

"The Crown Prince of Liao is also willing to offer 20,000 cattle and sheep and 5,000 slaves as a dowry, only asking that Sanfeng marry into the royal court."

He stared intently at Li Shurong and asked, word by word, "They have a country, cattle and sheep, and land. What about you?"

"You think you can just open your mouth and expect me to give you my sister in marriage?"

Li Shurong's face flushed red, but he did not back down. He suddenly raised his head, his eyes as firm as iron: "Your Majesty! This humble general has no country, no cattle or sheep, nor a state, but this humble general is willing to make a contribution."

"If Your Majesty is willing to give me the chance, I am willing to take the head of the Jin Emperor as a betrothal gift to marry Sanfeng!"

"boom!"

Li Xiao unconsciously tightened his grip on the teacup, cursing inwardly, "Damn it."

When he proposed to Xiao Yanyan, he said he would give Yelü Zhilugu's head as a betrothal gift, but he has not yet fulfilled that promise.

That bastard Li Shurong actually dared to learn this trick from him, using the head of the Jin emperor to make empty promises?
Little did they know that they had already driven themselves to their own demise!
He glared at Li Shurong with annoyance: "Sanfeng's marriage is not in a hurry. I will take my time to consider it and choose a suitable person for him."

Upon hearing this, Li Shurong immediately understood that Li Xiao's words were meant to spur him on.

Whether or not a man can marry Sanfeng ultimately depends on her own willingness.

With this in mind, Li Shurong felt full of energy and bowed to take his leave.

Li Xiao watched his retreating figure, sighed helplessly, picked up his teacup and took a sip, but found the tea tasteless.

Not long after, Xiao Yanyan walked into the front hall dressed in her finest attire. Today she wore a long red dress embroidered with phoenixes, and a red gold hairpin adorned her hair, making her appear elegant and noble.

Why are you sitting alone?

Xiao Yanyan walked over and sat down next to him, asking with a smile.

Li Xiao recounted how Li Shurong had proposed to Sanfeng, and Xiao Yanyan couldn't help but laugh after hearing it: "You!"

"When he proposed to me back then, he was bolder than anyone else. Now that it's Sanfeng's turn, he's become a reluctant old father."

She paused, recalling the scene from back then: "Do you remember when you told my older brother that you wanted to use Yelü Zhilugu's head as a betrothal gift, and my older brother immediately agreed happily?"

"Now Li Shurong has learned your spirit, which shows he has guts."

Li Xiao chuckled: "It's different."

"I already got you back then, so your older brother had no choice but to agree, even if he didn't want to."

"If he's really stubborn, then let him become an uncle right away."

After saying that, Li Xiao's face turned cold: "If that bastard Li Shurong dares to do that, I will break his legs."

Xiao Yanyan's beautiful eyes rolled back as she scolded Li Xiao.

“Men should marry when they are of age, and women should marry when they are of age. Sanfeng has also reached the age to get married.”

Xiao Yanyan advised, "I think Li Shurong is a steady and capable young man, and he is sincere towards Sanfeng. He is much better than those nobles who only care about status and position."

"Why don't I go and sound out Sanfeng's thoughts, and see what she's really thinking?"

Li Xiao nodded: "Alright, go ask her, but don't put any pressure on her."

Just then, a guard came to report that the two leopards and their wife requested an audience.

"Invite them in."

Soon after, Erbao, dressed in new clothes, led the bride in.

He bowed respectfully and said, "Greetings, elder brother; greetings, elder sister-in-law."

Erbao's wife, with her gentle features, followed behind Erbao and bowed as well: "Greetings, elder brother and sister-in-law."

Li Xiao looked at the two of them and smiled, "Get up. From now on, we're family. No need for formalities."

Xiao Yanyan smiled and chimed in, "Yes, we should live a good life together from now on, be more tolerant of each other, and have a big, healthy son soon so that the old lady can be happy too."

(End of this chapter)