Chapter 186 - The Domineering General & Charming Military Advisor (5): Memorial, writing, off-site rescue
Translator: kiribold
editor: yoantlers
He couldn’t sleep anymore.
Chi Xiaochi put on his clothes and got up. He lit a candle, not forgetting to wrap his xiansheng in a fur cloak lest he catch a cold.
After listening to his dream in detail, Lou Ying frowned. “Thinking about that day? Or is Shi Tingyun trying to remind us of something?”
Chi Xiaochi said, “No matter what the situation is, we have to do one thing now.”
He said, “Write a memorial.”
Lou Ying caught on. “Go to Zhennan Pa.s.s.”
Chi Xiaochi raised an eyebrow at Lou Ying and called out, “Ah Ling! Ah Shu!”
“Zhennan Pa.s.s?”
After being called in from the outer room where he had been taking a nap, Ah Shu was drowsy, but he was immediately refreshed when he heard this. “Is there something wrong with the general?”
Chi Xiaochi said, “Living leisurely for a month or two is fun, but I’m tired of hanging around all day long. I had a dream tonight, and I woke up missing my father, so I want to go to Zhennan Pa.s.s to accompany my father to do my filial piety.”
Hearing that there was no war, Ah Shu seemed relieved and sighed. “Gongzi, why are you bringing this up again? Last time you came back from Zhennan Pa.s.s, you were wounded all over, and the injury on your leg took a long time to heal. It was scary to even look at. Ah Shu looks forward to the safety of the frontier for thousands of years, so you can be at home every day, stop doing things like wielding swords and spears, get married to a young wife as soon as possible, and spread branches and leaves…”
Ah Shu’s nagging gave Chi Xiaochi heartburn.
“Okay, okay. I know that I’m the only hope in our Shi family village.” Chi Xiaochi smiled cheekily. “Please, Lord Ah Shu, grind the ink for me, so I can hand in the memorial tomorrow morning.”
Ah Shu: “…” Alas.
“Why are you on night duty?” Chi Xiaochi asked casually. “Where is Ah Ling?”
Ah Shu walked to the desk, took the ink ingot, and poured water onto the inkstone. After grinding the inkstone, he took the empty report and stood there. “According to the rules, I returned to the mansion before the curfew. Ah Ling was there in the first half of the night, I saw that he was so tired that he couldn’t open his eyes, so I told him to rest first, and I’ll serve gongzi in the second half of the night.”
Chi Xiaochi said, “You don’t have to wait here. As for the memorial, I have to discuss it with gongzi-shi.”
Ah Shu responded and came to the bedside to help gongzi-shi out of bed.
Chi Xiaochi unfolded the booklet and asked behind him, “Ah Shu, how is your sister?”
Ah Shu seemed to be in his own thoughts, and he froze for a moment before smiling. “Thanks to gongzi, Ah Qing is doing well. She has grown taller recently, and her needlework has improved a lot compared to a month ago. She’s been saying that she wants to follow the Nanjiang tradition and make a good fortune garment for gongzi to wear and be invulnerable. I even laughed at her. She and I both entered customs at a young age. We drink the water of the Central Plains, eat the millet of the Central Plains, and have never even met many people from Nanjiang. Why should we act according to Nanjiang…”
Chi Xiaochi said, “She’s thoughtful.”
“Gongzi, why are you being so polite?” Ah Shu helped Lou Ying to sit down in the wheelchair, “Back then, Ah Qing, grandfather, and grandmother were both afflicted with the epidemic. If not for the help of gongzi, Ah Qing wouldn’t still be alive. Ah Shu is grateful for gongzi’s kindness, this life belongs to gongzi, and gongzi can take it anytime you want.”
“Go, go, go. What do I want your life for?” Chi Xiaochi said, “Always nagging, you’re not old, but you’re living like a little old man.”
The little old man, Ah Shu, smiled shyly, revealing two dimples, and immediately closed the door and left.
Once the door closed, Li Yeshu paced around twice in front of the door. As if he had made up his mind, he turned and walked outside the courtyard. He whispered instructions to the two servants guarding the courtyard and returned to his small room.
The Shi family treats their servants well, and most servants in the inner courtyard live in single rooms.
He changed into a thicker coat. After hurriedly dressing up, he opened a trunk under the bed and took out a wooden box. He opened it, revealing stacks of silver bills inside, which looked like a lot of money.
He locked the box with a small lock, walked to the door, and then stopped for a moment. He turned back, took out another small box from the box, and strode over to the side table without even having time to look at it. He wrote a few lines of strong and beautiful characters with residual ink on the inkstone. He folded the paper three times, stuffed it into the small box, and locked them together. Then, he took the waist badge of the general’s mansion and went to the back door of the general’s mansion.
Uncle Huang, who was guarding the back door, opened the door for him with a yawn. “Ah Shu, where are you going?”
Li Yeshu lowered his head, held two wooden boxes, one large and one small, and stomped his feet twice as if he was afraid of the cold. “Gongzi asked me to do something.”
Li Yeshu was a trusted aide of the young general, and he was loyal and well-behaved. Uncle Huang didn’t doubt him, so he let him go out, and he didn’t forget to remind him, “It’s curfew, don’t forget to bring your waist badge. I’ll keep the door open for you. When are you coming back?”
Li Yeshu looked up at the sky and replied, “Before the fourth watch.”
After saying that, he hugged the box and disappeared into the night.
As soon as Ah Shu left, Chi Xiaochi turned to ask for advice. “Xiansheng, how do you write a memorial?”
After all, Chi Xiaochi had only graduated from high school and had never even written a party membership application.
The rattling sound of the wheelchair came from the bedside.
Chi Xiaochi immediately faced the table, pushed the memorial to one side, and waited for his xiansheng to go into battle in person to lecture and teach to solve doubts.
Under the lamp’s shadow, a tiger-skin cloak opened and gently circled Chi Xiaochi from behind like a netting a fish.
A slightly cold hand grabbed his right hand, guiding him to push the memorial back in front of him and then to hold the brush.
Lou Ying whispered in his ear, “I have always believed that it is better to teach a man to fish than to give him a fish.”
Chi Xiaochi, still thinking about things, was held to the point where he lost all his thoughts. For a while, his mind was full of which was better, braised carp or steamed sea ba.s.s.
Lou Ying guided him to write the t.i.tle, sign it, and asked him, “Is it uncomfortable to be held like this?”
Chi Xiaochi shook his head.
“You won’t want to throw up?”
Chi Xiaochi shook his head.
Lou Ying’s right hand wrote an honorific to the emperor while his left hand was gently on his pulse: “Your complexion is fine, but your heartbeat is a little fast.”
While doing business, he sighed, “Before, I could monitor it in real time, but now I can only touch it.”
After saying that, he praised Chi Xiaochi. “So well behaved.”
He found that Chi Xiaochi was slightly breathless, so Lou Ying stopped teasing him and filled his head with thoughts about how cute he was.
He pressed Chi Xiaochi’s pulse with one hand, and with the other hand, ink characters flowed out from the tip of the pen, quite dashing and confident, precisely like Shi Tingyun’s handwriting in the past.
It wasn’t difficult for him to imitate, and he learned it after a few glances.
The memorial was concise, and the reasons were fair and righteous. He said bluntly that Shi Tingyun didn’t want to waste his time and spend his days as a dandy and was willing to go to the army to practice, serve the monarch, and fulfill the responsibilities of his family.
If the original owner’s dream was true, then the Shi family’s calamity starts with hemlock poisoning.
After living a new life, they must at least stay by father Shi’s side and save his life.
After Chi Xiaochi calmed down, he examined the handwriting on the paper and saw that he actually mentioned himself in the memorial. He couldn’t help but be surprised. “You want to go too?”
Lou Ying rested his chin on Chi Xiaochi’s shoulder and stared at the place where the brush was writing. “I have to watch you.”
“The border is bitter.” Chi Xiaochi moved his body, wanting him to take a look at himself and think about it. “Besides, the world line is unclear, who knows if the target of the mission is a mole or someone else. If you stay in w.a.n.gcheng, you can help me defend the rear.”
“No need,” Lou Ying said calmly. “We will get the world line.”
Chi Xiaochi: “Xiansheng has a way to go back?”
Lou Ying said, “No.”
“Then…”
“If the mountain can’t come then I can’t get over it,” Lou Ying said firmly. “But someone will find a way. Don’t worry.”
On the afternoon of the day the memorial was handed in, the emperor sent a decree to order Shi Tingyun to enter the palace to meet in the imperial study.
Noticing that the emperor had summoned several imperial princes to come, Chi Xiaochi had three points in his heart. His expression didn’t change as he frowned slightly in his heart.
“…Zhennan Pa.s.s?” Yan Yuanzhao didn’t know about it, and after hearing about Shi Tingyun’s memorial, his face changed slightly. “Is there some kind of war?”
The emperor said, “No. It is Tingyun who requested to go to the board. Shi-qing
is away all year round. Tingyun’s heart is with his father and country, pure loyalty and filial piety, which is touching.”
Several princes looked at each other and vaguely guessed something.
Some bowed their heads in silence, while others had a flickering look.
It was a supreme honor to go practice in the army. When the emperor was still a prince, he also served in the Beifu army for two years during the peace and stability period of the border. First, he made a lot of military achievements. Second, he could understand the hardships of the soldiers at the border, and third, there was glory on the face. Today, the emperor specially summoned all the princes to come, and his intention was clear.
Yan Yuanzhao hesitated a little, thought carefully, and was about to take a step forward. “This imperial son…”
Yan Yuanheng stepped out from behind him, calmly cupped his hands, and said, “Imperial father, this imperial son is willing to go.”
Yan Yuanzhao’s steps froze, and he stood firm. He smiled. “Since thirteenth brother is willing to go, I won’t take away from others.”
After speaking, Yan Yuanzhao turned his head and gave Yan Yuanheng a frivolous wink.
However, Yan Yuanheng still had the well-behaved appearance of white snow and green pine, and his figure was like a bayonet brushed by the snow.
Yan Yuanzhao was disappointed, turned his head, and glanced at Shi Tingyun.
…Don’t leave. Sixth Master wants to hear your explanation.
The emperor saw that Yan Yuanheng wanted to go voluntarily, and the dragon heart was very pleased. He rewarded the little General Shi with a sword, ordered Yan Yuanheng to tidy up, and set off half a month later.
Chi Xiaochi said thanks, but his heart was uneasy.
This was exactly what Chi Xiaochi was worried about.
If the strange dream last night was the real thing, who knows when General Shi would be poisoned?
This matter was imminent, but with the status of the Shi Family, if he went to Zhennan Pa.s.s without the emperor’s permission, it would inevitably cause some discussion, and the reputation of the Shi family would be damaged.
Now that the opponent’s game may have unfolded, if you don’t want to fall into the trap, you need information and to take the initiative to attack.
Obtaining information wasn’t easy.
To avoid criticism, the Shi family was clean-living and honest, and rarely involved in the affairs of the court, let alone cultivate their influence. There were also very few intelligence networks in the city. In the final a.n.a.lysis, they still needed a world line if they wanted to see the whole picture.
Fortunately, Chi Xiaochi never counted on luck. If the world line wasn’t the best, look for another way out.
Who should he start with if he took the initiative to attack first?
Was it Li Yeshu, who went out privately last night, Chu Ziling, who said he went back to his room to rest but wasn’t actually in the room, Yan Yuanzhao, who made friends with the original owner with selfish desires, or Yan Yuanheng, who volunteered for military service and to go to the border?
In the Lord G.o.d’s s.p.a.ce.
089 was sitting in 023’s office, and the brain ray’s light blue pattern projected on their white shirts, creating a circle of seawater-like ripples.
089 issued the docking signal for the seventh time, but it still showed that the docking failed.
023 asked him, “Still haven’t contacted 061?”
089 put down the communicator and said sadly, “Yeah. Dad is very sad. He only contacts me when he needs living expenses.”
023 had long been familiar with his drama, lowered his head, clicked the b.u.t.ton on his game console, and said, “It’s because the signal is bad. Besides, 061 is doing a mission, so are you pulling him into not attending to his duties?”
089 reprimanded, “You don’t care about him either.”
023: “Why do I need to care about him?”
089 sighed. “That’s right. Grown children can’t help their moms, ah.”
023 was expressionless, and without raising his head, he kicked his wheeled chair out with one foot.
With sharp eyes and quick hands, 089 grabbed his bare ankle. The two wheelchairs slid out together, slammed into the wall with a bang, and both rolled over.
023 struggled to get up and found that the bird he had played for more than 3,000 points. .h.i.t the wall, and a big “Game Over” was displayed on the screen.
023 was so angry that he kicked 089. 089 patiently grabbed his calf, supported his back, took him into his arms, and put him on the desk. “Okay, okay, I’ll pay you back.”
023 took the book from the table and threw it at him. “Who are you coaxing?”
089: “How about I cover ten night shifts for you?”
023 snorted. “Don’t even think about it, if you use the brain ray to download GV, you can download hundreds of Gs in one night. It’s letting you off too lightly, you sure think beautifully.”
089 said, “Then I’ll play it back?”
023 threw the game console to him. “3217 points. If you can’t get it back, don’t leave this door today.”
089 sighed, picked up the game console, and manipulated the bird to move up and down lightly.
023 asked him to stay here and play games. He went out by himself, took two steps, and then turned back. He said fiercely, “What do you want to eat tonight?”
089 hurriedly said, “Curry.”
023 muttered, “You sure think beautifully. Curry.”
After that, he closed the door and walked towards the supermarket.
Sitting alone in the empty room, 089 hummed a song and played the game while thinking about something on his mind.
Last time, when 061 returned to the s.p.a.ce, he had obviously used the amulet he gave him.
At that time, he suspected that one who was “In Between Moments” had tampered with 061 and tripped him up but was unsuccessful.
Therefore, this time, he deliberately kept an eye out and started looking for opportunities to contact 061 after the next mission began. But all the signals he sent out were like stones sinking into the sea, and there was no more news.
It seemed that there was trouble again.
089 controlled the bird in the game with one hand, stroked the tear mole under his eyes with the other, and slowly thought of ways to deal with it.
Half an hour later.
When 023 returned to the office with two curries, the office was already empty. 023’s game console was lying quietly on the table, and the game screen showed that it was paused.
3217 points, not one point more or less.
023 picked up the game console, which still had the warmth of the man’s palm on it.
…Where did he go?