NCCnovel Chapter 176 Siblings
Chapter 176 Siblings
Not only did Chunxi ignore Qingshan, but Yunzhi and the other maids who came with her dowry also fell silent when they saw Qingshan. They shared Chunxi's indignation and all thought that Qingshan was a fool who had no taste.
Consequently, Si Yan and others also received differential treatment.
Yunzhi and the others used to send them a share of their cooking, but they don't do that anymore.
For example, right now, Chunxi and the others are eating the mutton that Madam made, but Siyan and the others don't get any.
The two courtyards were not far apart, and the aroma of mutton wafting from the charcoal stove made Qingshan's mouth water.
"Why don't we have any mutton here?" Qingshan asked, puzzled, looking at the white rice, vegetables, and stir-fried meat in front of him. "Shouldn't everyone in the mansion have extra dishes?"
Si Yan snorted, his tone indifferent, "Where would we get a share of the mutton that Madam made?"
"Why do Yunzhi and the others get it?" Qingshan felt that the madam was biased. They were following the master, so they should be treated better.
"Can you compare yourself to others?" Si Yan rolled her eyes at Qingshan, too lazy to waste words with him. It would be a waste of breath to say anything more.
On the other side, Yunzhi and the others were eating a steaming hot pot of mutton, while Chunxi ate two bowls of rice in one go.
"You were amazing today," Yunzhi exclaimed.
"If you don't eat more, where will you have the strength to work?" Chunxi finished her bowl of mutton soup. "In our village, being able to eat is a blessing. You can only work in the fields if you are well-fed and watered. Although the government doesn't require me to do heavy work, I still need to build up my strength. You should do the same. Don't starve yourself just to stay slim."
Yunzhi and the others were all maids who grew up in the Ye family. They were quite different from Chunxi. Some people looked at Chunxi with envy and said, "Sister Chunxi, you have such a good attitude."
"I'm not doing well at all. You all eat quickly. I've already asked my wife for leave. I have to go see my younger brother." Chunxi was worried about her brother, and with Le Ge'er starting school, Mr. Yu didn't allow anyone to stay with him all the time, so Chunxi had more free time.
After wiping her mouth, Chunxi went back to pack her bags, bringing her younger brother some braised beef and pastries that she had specially saved, as well as some loose silver. She had no worries about food or drink at the Xie residence and nowhere to spend her money.
Chunxi knew how to ride a horse, so he asked the steward for one and headed towards the military camp.
"I'm looking for Chen Jiahe, I'm his sister." Chunxi said to the guard at the door, taking out two white flour cakes and handing them over. "Could you please call out for me, or let me in? I'll just take some things to my brother and leave."
"We can't just let you into the military camp. You wait here while I send someone to call for you." The guard ate Chunxi's white flour pancake and then randomly called someone to find Chunxi's younger brother.
About fifteen minutes later, Chunxi saw her younger brother, who was tanned dark from the sun, running over, and her eyes instantly welled up with tears.
The siblings sat down under the shade of a tree by the river. Chunxi took out some food. "You've definitely grown taller, but why are you so dark-skinned?"
"It's alright, sister. Everyone's like this. It's natural to get tanned from the wind and sun. Being a little tanned is nothing. Our commander values me a lot. He says I can endure hardship and am clever. Sister, what kind of meat is this? It's so delicious!" Chen Jiahe took a bite of white bread and a bite of meat.
“It’s braised beef. I made it with the help of the cook. You’re still growing… I don’t want any. I already ate at the Xie residence. This was specially saved for you.” Chunxi tilted her head, letting her younger brother eat it himself. “Be good, eat more so you can grow tall and strong!”
"I will definitely work hard. When I become a centurion, I will rent a small courtyard, give you all my salary, and bring you out to enjoy a life of luxury!" Chen Jiahe's eyes involuntarily curved into a smile as he thought about the future.
The young man was full of hope for the future and studied and practiced martial arts diligently every day, hoping to make something of himself.
“I’m very comfortable at the Xie residence. I only have to take care of Le-ge’er every day. Le-ge’er is so sensible. It’s even easier than when I was at home.” When talking about her home, Chunxi thought of her parents and couldn’t help but cry.
Her parents were ordinary people, working diligently in the fields. Her mother would be happy with a decent harvest, but would also worry and scold her and her brother for going to the river to catch fish. Her father was not talkative, but he was kind most of the time. During the off-season, he would go up the mountain to set up fishing frames. If he was lucky, he could catch wild rabbits and pheasants, and her mother would hum a lullaby all day long.
But their peaceful days came to an end in a disaster. Their father and mother left their food rations for them and eventually died from exhaustion.
Chunxi raised her hand to wipe away the tears from the corners of her eyes. "You don't need to worry about me. Madam treats me very well. Just take care of yourself. I don't need you to be very capable. As long as you're safe, understand?"
"I remember, sister. I will become very powerful, I definitely will!" Chen Jiahe knew how hard his sister had worked. He was the only man in the family, so he naturally had to grow up quickly so that he could take good care of his sister.
Chunxi smiled and patted her younger brother's head. She then patted her trouser leg and stood up. "Alright, I have to get back before dark. If anything happens, send someone to the Xie residence to find me. I'll come see you again when I have time."
She escorted her younger brother back to the military camp, and couldn't help but give him a few more instructions before riding back to the capital.
When Chen Jiahe's friends saw Chunxi, they mistook her for Chen Jiahe's new wife and started teasing her.
"Don't talk nonsense, that's my sister." Chen Jiahe shared the braised beef his sister had brought with his friends; it was a delicacy that couldn't be found in the military camp.
Upon hearing that it was Chen Jiahe's sister, several friends immediately asked, "Jiahe, you're so dark-skinned, how come your sister is so beautiful? How old is she? Is she engaged?"
"Yeah, Jiahe, your sister can ride horses, that's so cool! Is she engaged yet?"
"What? You're all not good enough for my sister, don't even think about it!" Chen Jiahe then realized that his sister seemed to have grown taller and become a young woman. If their parents were still alive, they would be busy arranging marriages for her.
Say goodbye?
Let him become more capable. He needs to become a centurion quickly so that he can find a better match for his sister.
Chen Jiahe secretly vowed to make a name for himself, so when his centurion was to follow General Lu south to suppress the rebel king, Chen Jiahe was the first to sign up.
Only by going to the battlefield can one achieve merit and have the opportunity to be promoted!
Meanwhile, Chunxi returned to the Xie residence, and life continued as before, with her taking Le Ge'er to and from school every day.
Two months later, in early summer, the front lines were victorious. Lu Fengnian captured five cities in succession, forcing the rebel king into a series of defeats.
After learning that her younger brother had gone to the front lines, Chunxi prayed for him every day. When she received his letter, she was so nervous that her hands trembled. She had to ask Yunzhi for help before she could open the envelope.
"Sister Yunzhi, what did my brother write?"
“It’s good news. Your brother said he was lucky; he captured a runaway general and was promoted to centurion. He said he’s made something of himself, the youngest centurion, and he wants you to wait and enjoy the good life with him,” Yunzhi said with a smile.
Chunxi herself doesn't know many words and can't even read the whole letter, but she still reads it over and over again. Finally, she bursts into tears of joy, saying, "I don't need him to be successful. He's my only brother. As long as he's safe and sound, that's all that matters."
“This is a good thing. A man should have ambitions. I watched Jiahe grow up, and it’s good that he is ambitious.” Yunzhi comforted Chunxi and patted Chunxi’s back. “Don’t cry. I heard from Madam that this war is about to end, in about a month.”
This was said by Xie Bohuai and Ye Wanning. The rebel king was not a force to be reckoned with. He had only raised an army suddenly, and there was constant infighting within the army. In terms of both strategy and troop strength, he was no match for the army led by Lu Fengnian.
After hearing this, Ye Wanning silently breathed a sigh of relief. It was good that it would end soon.
Just then, a court official impeached Xie Bohuai, accusing him of corruption and allowing his subordinates to forcibly purchase land. Upon seeing the memorial, the emperor immediately summoned Xie Bohuai.