the Empress, "Empress Dowager, do you know my godfather When do you think he'll be back""When her godfather left, Fu Nuer hugged him tightly and wouldn't let him go. Her godfather said he was going t...Jia Yi understood this logic, but just thinking about his family being apart made him feel uneasy...

The uncle and nephew spoke for a while, their voices low. The laughter of the two bodyguards and attendants, however, carried far.

Li Laosi instructed his nephew a few more words, then left with his personal guard.

As he was leaving, he motioned for his personal guards to leave a silver ingot behind, asking the attendants to have some tea.

The attendants respectfully escorted him away, and in the end, they all began to discuss it.

"This General Li, truly impressive! Rumor has it that he is the bravest general in the Northern Expedition Army!"

"I've heard about it too, and this time they accomplished a great feat. The court will definitely reward them."

“For someone as powerful as this, to be so polite to us… It's unlike some people, who would rather have their eyes on top of their heads. They come begging for our help but act like they're the ones doing us a favor! What fools they are, I almost want to slap them!”

"Haha, that's exactly it!"

Soon, the head warden came back. He heard that Li Lao Si had visited and given a reward, so he had people buy several boxes of snacks and distribute them to everyone.

Originally, there were such good things as table feasts where everyone would gather to eat and have a good time together. That was enough.

Now every meal of the day, breakfast, lunch and dinner, is taken care of by Xianke Lai. Everyone is so satisfied with their cooking that they don't even look at other people's feasts anymore.

So I bought some snacks, everyone brought them back home, even the children and elderly at home were happy...

I won't describe how lively the city was, nor how the court changed because of the victorious return of the northern campaign army.

Starting from dawn, Suijin Beach was bustling with activity.

The village head specially changed into new clothes and brought out his new pipe. He moved around the village, directing everyone excitedly to slaughter pigs and sheep and set up stoves for cooking.

Over at Onsen Valley, arrangements were already made yesterday for a two-day closure to the public, starting today. The intention is to give returning soldiers a chance to rest and freshen up after their expedition.

This has practically become an unwritten rule in the village!

Although some guests complained, none of them made a scene.

Although the Jiangnan literary style was prevalent, the court officials were also heavily influenced by scholars.

Scholars would unconsciously raise their chins and look down on the rough and boisterous soldiers.

But in the end, they all know that this peaceful life now is bought back with the swords and lives of these soldiers!

Even though some people might secretly disdain it, they wouldn't dare to show it.

After all, that conscription was a lesson learned. They might not even get to finish laughing before they were thrown into the dockyard barracks!

Li Lao Tai and others missed their home, and hurried back from Xianke Lai early.

Then, while talking about how lively it was for the emperor to personally welcome the Northern Campaign Army, he joined the bustling queue.

When the sun rose to its zenith, the entire new village and second village were already filled with the aroma of food.

The mischievous boys, rare to be seen staying put, patiently waited for their meal.

Even Zhang Shenyi emerged from his courtyard, rarely seen in a clean set of clothes, waiting to celebrate with them.

It wasn't until the sun began to dip towards the west that word finally came from the boys in Ercun.

"I'm back! I'm back!"

"The Lord has returned!"

"The Four Lords have also returned, bringing many soldiers!"

Everyone rushed to the courtyard, and in the distance, dust was billowing.

The Lord wore a black bear fur cloak embroidered with gold thread. Beside him, Li Lao Si was also clad in armor and a crimson cape.

One was majestic and noble, the other burly and valiant.

Behind him followed five hundred cavalry, like heroes soaring through clouds and mist, thundering down from the heavens.

The crowd couldn't contain their excitement and burst into cheers.

"Lord, Lord!"

"Master Si, Master Si!"

The mischievous boys even jumped and shouted excitedly, looking around. For a moment, all that was left in the village, both inside and outside, was the joy and excitement of being together.

Before he was even a few dozen steps from his home, Li Laosi leaped off his horse and rushed to his mother, prostrating himself before her with a loud thud.

"Mother, the unfilial son has returned!"

Li Laotai reddened her eyes, struggling to hold back her tears, and hugged her son, patting his back. “Don’t say such unfilial things, my son is the best in the world.”

"You fought for your country, Mother is proud of you!"

Li Laosi stared at his mother's white temples, too choked up to speak.

At this time, the Marquis also dismounted and walked over, bowing to Li Lao Tai, "Auntie, we're back!"

"It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back!" Li Laotai helped her son up and looked at the Marquis from head to toe. She didn't see any injuries, so she finally felt relieved.

"Father, father-in-law!" Jia Yin couldn't help but jump out, happily saying: "You guys were really impressive when you entered the city just now, I even want to join the army and become a female general!"

Jia Yin was a grown woman now, and it wasn't proper to hug her father and stepfather casually anymore. But she could still pull on their arms and chat with them, laughing together.

The Lord and Li Lao Si saw their daughter, who they had been thinking about for half a year, now dressed in a big red embroidered waistcoat, a silk skirt, and her small face as white and tender as a slap. She was smiling like a blossoming flower, even more beautiful and lively than when she left.

They were also happy, rarely showing smiles.

Clad in iron, cold and hard, like winter snow meeting the warmth of the sun, melting instantly...

For a moment, the crowd surged towards the inner courtyard, flanking both Lord Hou and Old Fourth Li.

The village head and Zhao Shu and others also called upon five hundred cavalry to dismount and rest quickly.

The horse was led away to be fed hay and watered.

The soldiers were then sent to the Li family, Ye family, and Wen family courtyards.

Three courtyards had oil felt sheds built, shielding them from wind and snow.

At this moment, tables and chairs were placed all over the place under the shed, and there was a metal barrel burning firewood for warmth in the corner of the yard.

The young boys brought over steaming water basins, asking the soldiers to quickly wash their hands and faces. Then everyone took their seats.

Lamb stewed with carrots, chicken stewed with mushrooms and potatoes, killing pig vegetables... all served in a large earthenware pot, steaming hot on the table, as well as baskets of layered pancakes!

After half a year of perilous battles and bloodshed, the soldiers, their bodies covered in the dust of war, gradually dissipated in the aroma of food.

The village head, Zhao Shu and Liu Biao Tou and others greeted the soldiers.

The village chief waved his smoking pipe, very excited. "Brothers, open your stomachs and eat!"

Today, only six fat pigs were slaughtered, not to mention the sheep and chickens, ducks, geese, and large carp.

Don't worry about spending all our money at home, we are rich!

"Since you're out there fighting and keeping our home safe, it's only right that we make some delicious food for you back here. Please don't be shy!"

"Eat this quickly, pour the wine, pour the wine!"

“Yes, please don't be so polite. You're home when you reach Broken Gold Beach!” Uncle Zhao personally held the wine jug and poured wine for the soldiers. “After we eat, we’ll go to Hot Spring Valley for a good wash. The gate over there was closed today, so we'll be waiting for you to come back and cleanse yourselves from the dust of war.”

"After a good wash, I'll lie down on the warm kang for a long nap. Even if I'm tired, it will relieve most of my fatigue!"

The soldiers all responded with thanks.

"Thank you, mister!"

"Thanks, big bro!"

"It's best to go home!"

Just then, the cat ran up to them and said, "Village Head, Lord Hou and my fourth uncle are all waiting for you to come over and have some drinks!" that you will never joke like this again!""As a student who relies on your family's money for everything, the general store, our only source of income and rightfully mine, was used as gambling chips...