Chapter 146 Ling Ping Came Back
On the past two days, Su Qingtan followed Ling Qinglan and went to many places. They were very busy. When they were not so busy, they heard that Su Li became the lecturer of the Affiliated School.
And Qi Xianqing… was the royal preceptor!
Even though Su Qingtan had tried to guess the ident.i.ty of Qi Xianqing as high as possible, he was shocked by the words “the royal preceptor”. At the same time, he was also happy for Su Li. She was protected by the ident.i.ty of the lecturer of the Affiliated School. He didn’t need to worry that his Second Sister would be bullied after he left Yunjing.
“There is nothing today. Go back and prepare for it.”
After wearing the official uniform, Su Qingtan came to the Supreme Judiciary, but found that Ling Qinglan was dressed in a casual dress and smiled.
“Prepare what?” Su Qingtan looked confused.
“I forgot to tell you that General Ling Ping and his troops come back today. General Ling defeated the army of the Nanjiang Country and made brilliant achievements in war. The emperor will prepare a feast for him tonight. This is a good opportunity for you to get acquainted with the Lord Chen Gong. Don’t miss it.”
Ling Qinglan reminded Su Qingtan carefully. He knew that Su Qingtan wors.h.i.+pped the cruel official who was honest and upright. Therefore, he deliberately said, “And, there will be many daughters from rich families. You are old enough to get married. Why don’t you have a look?”
Su Qingtan showed the whites of his eyes. He thought, “You were four years older than me. Why didn’t you get married and have children?”
However, after Su Qingtan heard that Lord Chen Gong would go there, he was interested in it. And he could also take Su Li to see the world. With Su Li’s current ident.i.ty, she would not be looked down upon in that occasion.
Seeing Ling Qinglan hum a song and leave, Su Qingtan felt strange secretly. It was clear that General Ling Ping won the war. Why was Ling Qinglan so happy? It seemed that he had won the war. Su Qingtan really didn’t understand.
It’s almost noon. The returning army finally appeared at the gate of the town. Ling Ping sat on the first horse in armor and looked serious. As soon as he entered the city, the people of Yunjing warmly cheered!
“Congratulations on General Ling’s victory!”
“General Ling!”
“General Ling…”
The fanatical people who came here knelt down on the ground and the shouts were like tides. The soldiers were excited and tears were welling up in their eyes. It seemed that their sweat and blood on the battlefield were seen.
Ling Ping was expressionless. But he was calm and even angry in his heart.
Since he led the army, he always won the battle. He had never suffered a defeat. Some people even said that his grandfather seemed to be alive and that he was the G.o.d of Army!
But only he knew that his every victory was inexplicable. Sometimes even an obvious defeat was to come, but he would find that the enemy suddenly became vulnerable in the next day.
It was the same situation this time.
His army was clearly weaker than the army of the Nanjiang Country. That’s because the number difference of soldiers was too large. But on the second day, the enemies were all poisoned and felt weak. They were killed and repelled by his small army. He didn’t know the reason.
It didn’t matter for once or twice. But he had already led a dozen of battles. He would get the help almost every time. It made him understand that an unknown power helped him secretly.
However, the Ling Family was week now. They didn’t have allied forces. The Ling Family and the Wu Family were incompatible as fire and water. He was repeatedly set up in the army by the people of the Wu Family. In the end, he always was rescued by others. But he had never seen the face of the people who saved his life. He even didn’t know their gender.
These had always been a secret in Ling Ping’s heart and he even did not tell his mother and grandma.
“Madam, Old Lady, Second Master came back!!”
“The Second Master came back!”
During the meditation, Ling Ping’s horse had stopped at the gate of the Ling House. At this moment, the Ling House had been decorated with lanterns and colored hangings. When the servant who waited at the doorway saw Ling Ping, he immediately shouted happily and pa.s.sed the news.
Ling Ping didn’t go home for half a year, so he couldn’t stop his excitement. He took off his helmet and threw it to the adjutant, and then quickly entered the house. Without a few steps, he saw that his mother was supporting his grandmother and they were walking to him quickly. They looked happy and excited.
“Mother! Grandma!”
Ling Ping shouted and strode to them. He knelt down on the ground and said, “I didn’t disappoint my father and grandpa. I won!”
“Good boy! Stand up!”
Ms. Gu cried and seized Ling Ping tightly. Qiu Meng also cried. There were only two males in the family. One was disabled, and Ling Ping was on the battlefield. They were so worried!
“Ping, you are very tired. Come in! Take a shower and have a rest. You can talk to us after you have a good rest!”
Qiu Meng wiped the dust on Ling Ping’s face and said sadly, “Poor boy, you are only twenty years old, but you have to shoulder the burden of our Ling Family.”
“Mother, I am not tired!”
Ling Ping felt the care of the kinsfolk, so he felt warm. It seemed that the exhaustion on the road was swept away. He smiled tenderly and said, “I have not gone to the imperial palace to see the emperor! After I come back, I will talk about the matters of our family with you. Oh… Where is my Brother Li? I don’t see him.”
Ms. Gu turned serious and gave her cane a shove. She said, “The little b.a.s.t.a.r.d went out to fool around with the fatty in the Tang Family in the morning. He is still not back. He goes too far! You are the elder brother. Since you came back, you should discipline him!”
Ling Ping smiled and didn’t feel lost. He said, “I hope he is happy. As long as he doesn’t do evil things, I can’t discipline him. It might be a good thing that he lives a safe life in his whole life.”
Ms. Gu was helpless. The two brothers had a good relations.h.i.+p from their childhood. Now Ling Ping grew up and he had his own ideas. She couldn’t manage it.
After taking a bath and changing clothes, Ling Ping put on the robe and took a sedan to the imperial palace. He had got the routine rewards many times. At the beginning, he was excited. But now he was calm.
It seemed that the emperor also saw the exhaustion of Ling Ping. He talked with Ling Ping happily for a short time and let him go. He only told him that he must come to the feast held for him in a waterside pavilion in the south of the town at night.
“Ah ah ah… Grandma, be gentle. Your grandson’s ear is going to fall off!”
Returning to the Ling House again, Ling Ping finally heard Ling Li’s familiar and exaggerated voice. He saw that the boy was pulled by their grandmother and was shouting. He couldn’t help but laugh and walked over. He said, “Grandma, if you don’t stop, Brother Li’s ear will really fall off.”
Ms. Gu was so angry that she snorted. She let go of Ling Li and then pointed at him and said to Ling Ping, “Look at your younger brother. He is only sixteen years old, but he went to the alley of brothels. He has the smell of rouge powder. How can the Ling Family have such a little b.a.s.t.a.r.d like you? He p.i.s.ses me off!”
Ling Ping learned that when he went to the imperial palace, Grandma dispatched someone to look for Ling Li. Finally, Ling Li was found in the alley of brothels.
“Grandma, don’t criticize him. I will teach him a lesson!”
Ling Ping pushed away the wheelchair and quickly slipped away with Ling Li. Ms. Gu was so angry that she was close to jumping.
“Ha-ha ha-ha ha, Second Brother, you did not see the most popular courtesan of the Hongyan House. She is really beautiful. I must bring you there to see her later!”
In the yard, Ling Ping saw that Ling Xian put down the wine and dishes and left. He was stunned. He didn’t expect that after half a year the girl was more beautiful. It was really difficult for her to follow his Second Brother.
Setting Ling Li’s headdress right, Ling Ping knocked the knees of Ling Li as before and whispered, “Still no feeling?”
Ling Li shook his head carelessly and said lazily, “Second Brother, many years have pa.s.sed. Aren’t you tired of it?”
Ling Ping’s breath paused for a while and he smiled bitterly, “It is the old habit. I can’t change it. The G.o.d might hear my knock and heal you.”
Ling Li’s eyes brightened up faintly, but he said, “Does the G.o.d have eyes? I haven’t seen them. If the G.o.d really has eyes, why was our Ling Family like this?”
Ling Ping was speechless and only smiled bitterly.
The two brothers were silent for a moment. Ling Ping suddenly said, “I will take you to the feast in the evening. You are old enough to…”
“No!”
Ling Li immediately refused and said, “That is your matchmaking event organized by the emperor. Why should I go there? What’s more, I still want to live happily for a few years. As for the wife, we can talk about it in a few years!”
“You have a good insight.”
Ling Ping smiled. His younger brother was known as a dandy. He was not only disabled, but also stupid. He often made trouble for the Ling House. Only when he talked with his Second Brother could he find that the Second Brother was not a real dandy. His brother had been disabled. There was no other way for him if he didn’t choose to be a dandy.
The Ling Family was a family of generals for generations. If the Second Brother became a civil official, it was undoubtedly an insult.
“But the Fatty Tang said that Su Li is very beautiful! You must leave her to me. If other hired thugs like her, you must tell me!”
Ling Li smiled while talking. It seemed that he thought of something wonderful.
Ling Ping couldn’t help but smile and said, “I just came back and you want to make trouble for me, don’t you? I heard that Su Li’s background is extraordinary. Don’t do the same thing about Wu Xiuxiu. Otherwise, even if I love you very much, I will absolutely not help you!”
Ling Li shrank his neck and laughed. He said, “I know. I don’t have the courage. It really scared me that year. In fact, I did not intend to touch Wu Xiuxiu. It was Wu Xiuxiu that took the initiative to hug me. Alas… I have said this many times, but you don’t believe it. Let it go.”
Ling Li waved his hand with flagging interest to let Ling Ping leave.
Ling Ping shook his head slightly and left the yard. This silly boy… He absolutely believed that the Second Brother was not a fool. How couldn’t he know the consequences of raping Wu Xiuxiu? But the Second Brother’s image as a dandy was deeply rooted in people’s mind. He had no choice but to be a dumb person taking a dose of bitter medicine— suffering humiliation.
“The Wu Family paid a high price. In order to deal with the Ling Family, they could do anything. Even the reputation of their daughter could be sacrificed.”
Ling Ping sneered. The Wu Family would come tonight. He wanted to see what new tricks they would play.
…
In the yard, Ling Li’s smile gradually faded away. After Ling Xian confirmed Ling Ping’s leaving at the door, Ling Li stood up from the wheelchair and returned to the study.
At this moment, Ling Mo, who was in black, was sitting in the room. Ling Mo closed his eyes and sat quietly. It was uncertain that he was breathing or not. Ling Ping had been chatting with Ling Li in the yard, but they did not find Ling Mo.
When Ling Mo noticed that Ling Li came in, he opened his eyes and stood up. He said politely, “The intelligence of Qinglan is good. I led our people to destroy a small stronghold of the Lians.h.i.+ Cult and got a lot of Bone Softening Powder. I scattered it in the army of the Nanjiang Country, which helped Ling Ping turn the tables.”
“The Second Brother had doubts these years and had never said it. It is really difficult for him.” Ling Li took the letter from Ling Mo and opened it. He couldn’t help but laugh, “Qinglan really becomes a hands-off boss. He really wants to train Su Qingtan as a successor.”
Ling Mo hesitated and asked, “His injury…”
Ling Li snorted and said, “Maybe something bad happened. But he doesn’t tell me. He thinks that he is the master of his life. Is he ready to stop working for us?”
Ling Mo looked serious and said, “Master…”
Ling Li waved his hand and smiled. He said, “Rest a.s.sured. He will not die for a while. There is a miracle-working doctor in Yunjing.”