Dingbei Hou's doctor brother

Chapter 198 The best gift

Lu Ziqing was a little skeptical, "She knows Master? Why?"

"The specific origin is unclear," said Xi Yunling.

"Your mother only said that her eldest brother had saved several people from bandits who were going to Beijing to take the imperial examinations. Dad was one of them. Since then, the two families have been connected. The reason Dad was able to bring you back was because of your mother's instructions. She knew you were not living well there, so she asked Dad to go find you."

Everything was said very clearly, but Lu Ziqing could not hear it clearly. He was overwhelmed by the so-called truth and was a little overwhelmed.

Even the next two days of work seemed dazed, and he asked Chi Musheng the same question twice.

Chi Musheng put the file on the bookshelf and looked at him sideways. "What's wrong with you? Why do you seem to be worried these past two days?"

"Ah?" Lu Ziqing checked the book notepad and realized, "Oh, I was too angry and didn't sleep well."

Chi Musheng knew his personality and rarely became distracted by official business.

He sighed, "You keep everything in your heart. Although I don't know what difficulties you've encountered and I can't help you, I can still handle these superficial things in the hospital. Just tell me what you need me to do. Don't always force yourself."

Lu Ziqing smiled, "Okay."

"Oh, right." Chi Musheng said, "Remember to inform me in advance when you move house, so I can prepare a big gift for you."

Lu Ziqing smiled again, "I'm just moving to a new place, not buying a new house. Besides, that house isn't mine, so why would I prepare a big gift?"

Chi Musheng put down the book and clapped his hands.

"You probably don't know this, but this is the custom of burning the bottom of the pot. Whether you buy a house or rent one, as soon as you move in, you have to perform this ritual to bring good luck and pray for a smooth and worry-free life in the future."

"Is it really necessary to pay attention to these things?" Lu Ziqing asked.

"Of course." Chi Musheng smiled. "You have to choose a date for moving. You can't miss any customs, and it's also for good luck. Have you chosen a date?"

Lu Ziqing nodded silently, "The Marquis said that the house will need some repairs in a while."

"It's his house again?" Chi Musheng sighed in surprise. "This marquis is really rich. There are houses everywhere in the capital. I've been here for so many years and I'm still renting a house."

Lu Ziqing had never rented a house before, so he casually asked, "Are the houses in Beijing very expensive?"

"That's inevitable." Chi Musheng said in a "horrifying" way, "You haven't been to understand. In the capital, if you want to buy a small courtyard house that's barely passable, it will cost at least 10,000 taels, not to mention those large mansions with multiple entrances in good locations."

"So expensive?" Lu Ziqing said, "I used to live in the countryside, and the prices there weren't as high as in Beijing. I just wanted to make a living, so I never thought about buying a house."

"How can we get married without buying a house?" Chi Musheng said casually, "We can't let the girl suffer any injustice."

Lu Ziqing smiled, "Master Chi is very thoughtful."

Every spring and autumn, the Beijing troops would conduct joint military exercises, which was a busy time.

Xiao Yan rushed between the court and the military training ground every day and had no free time. Sometimes he had to go out for social events at night and always smelled of alcohol.

It was another night, and the drunken ministers left Wangjiang Tower one after another. Xiao Yan drank quite a lot tonight, and he put one hand on the saddle and panted lightly. Even Yang Zhounan and Su Chengfeng were a little swaying.

Yang Zhounan held onto the horse's back and let out a breath.

"Tell me, that old fellow surnamed Pei hasn't even released the troops who came to Beijing two years ago. They're still working as free labor in the engineering camp. What's he planning to do this time? Those soldiers haven't returned to their garrisons in two or three years, and they're all complaining. Didn't he see how many of them escaped?"

He burped and continued, "How many soldiers under him have died of exhaustion or unjust death every time he opens his mouth? Over the years, how many troops have been withdrawn from all over Daning to do irrelevant things?"

"These old guys are all so full of themselves, their pockets bulging with money, and they use the military power as their own, leaving the garrisons empty. If they continue like this, let alone defending the country, we won't even be able to recruit soldiers, let alone food and wages. Who would be willing to serve in the army?"

"This problem has not changed in any dynasty," said Xiao Yan.

"If we count back to the Mingde era, I'm afraid the Ministry of War was only in good shape when Minister Lu was in office. Pei Gengwen was promoted by Yan Mengjiang. This is a difficult matter, so let's not talk about it for now. Let's go back."

Lanterns were lit in the courtyard of the marquis's mansion, and everyone in the mansion had gone to bed. When he passed by the front corridor, he met Wen Zhong.

He said, "My Lord is back. The food from the Duke's Mansion was delivered tonight. Since you're not here, I'll go heat it up and have some."

"Let's eat tomorrow. I drank too much at the social gathering tonight and can't eat anymore." Xiao Yan asked, "Where's the young master? Have you rested?"

"Not yet," Wen Zhong said, "he stayed in the room for an hour and just came out to the kitchen."

"Kitchen?" Xiao Yan asked, "Didn't you have dinner tonight?"

Wen Zhong said, "I did eat, but not much."

When Xiao Yan walked to the kitchen door, he saw Lu Ziqing standing by the stove with a shoulder strap hanging on his shoulder, putting some meat slices in a bowl.

He did not wear a crown, but only used a white jade hairpin to tie his hair loosely at the back. His black hair was scattered to his waist, and he looked like a banished immortal tainted by the worldly air in the light and shadow.

Xiao Yan looked at it for a moment, then walked over slowly and asked, "What are you cooking?"

Lu Ziqing turned around when he heard the voice and smiled when he saw the person. "You're back, guess what?"

In just a few words and a gentle smile, Xiao Yan tasted a hint of delicate flavor. He suddenly realized the sweetness of waiting for the lover's return while watching the smoke curl up.

Xiao Yan glanced at the egg and barbecued pork in the bowl of noodles and said, "You can't eat these, why are you making them? I'll make whatever you want."

Lu Ziqing quickly grabbed him and handed him the bowl of noodles.

"I'm not eating this. I'm making this for the Marquis. Come and try it. I haven't cooked for a long time, so I don't know if it tastes good."

Xiao Yan was stunned for a moment, lowered his eyes to look at the bowl of noodles, then raised his eyes to look at him, and took the bowl with an expression of surprise and secret joy.

"You... made this for me? Why did you think of doing this out of the blue?"

Lu Ziqing handed him the chopsticks and smiled a little embarrassedly.

"I just heard from Uncle Wen last night that today is the Marquis' birthday, and we were in such a hurry that we couldn't prepare anything, so... I'll let the Marquis have this. I'll make up for it another day."

"You..." Xiao Yan didn't know what to say for a moment, he just felt his heart was about to melt. "This is the best gift, thank you."

After he finished speaking, he stood by the stove and soon finished a big bowl of barbecued pork noodles, even drinking up all the soup. When he put the bowl down, he still seemed to be reluctant to leave.

“This bowl of noodles is the best thing I have ever eaten.”

Lu Ziqing smiled, "My Lord, you have tasted all kinds of delicacies from land and sea. How can a bowl of noodles be so exaggerated?"

As he was about to take the bowl to wash, Xiao Yan grabbed his wrist and said, "I said yes, don't wash it yet, come with me."

Wen Zhong stood outside the window and watched for a long time. Xiao Liu also hid behind him and waited until they left before going into the kitchen to clean up.

Wen Zhong picked up the empty bowl and smiled, "This Lord, just now he said he couldn't eat any more, and now he's eating this huge bowl."

Xiao Liu cleaned up the stove and said, "My Lord, in previous years, he was either away at war or suppressing bandits, or like tonight, he was also entertaining people on his birthday. It's been many years since you last celebrated your birthday, right? The Duke would send food here every year, but you only eat it occasionally. If you haven't had longevity noodles, it wouldn't be considered a birthday celebration. This time, my Lord is the one who knows how to coax you."