Red Mansion Soldiers

Chapter 296 Leaving Home
According to the custom of Daqi generals, before the general enters the military camp, the whole family should get together to have a meal to see him off.

Tomorrow is the day Jia Hui has decided to take his whole family to the military camp, so tonight, a banquet will be held at Rongguo Mansion.

Jia Zhenjiarong and his son were afraid of Jia Hui, so they just came here to say hello and say a few words to him, and then left on the pretext of feeling unwell.

Only the relatives of Rongguo Mansion were left in Rongxi Hall.

The first and second bedrooms gathered together, and the in-laws from each room also came over, from the old lady to Jia Hui's infant Xiao Qi, and even Lin Hai, Jia Min's family and Chen Siyuanchun's family also came over.

Although everyone present except for some people were worried about Jia Hui's upcoming expedition, the generals still had rules. No one showed any negative emotions on their faces, but pretended to be fine and drank wine with a forced smile. .

Although this will make the atmosphere of the banquet extremely weird, it doesn't matter. Anyway, the whole family is reunited to see Jia Hui off, allowing him to take a complete look at the whole family, so that he will miss him after the expedition.
Even when the time comes, I won’t die with regrets because I didn’t see so and so.
Jia Hui thinks this is the most important rule.

Of course, it would be best to come back alive.

Today, the kitchen tried its best to prepare the table.

Everything I cook is Uncle Hui’s favorite food.
A braised lamb chop with a bright red color and full of aroma was taken into Jia Hui's mouth. He pinched the bone with his hands and twisted it, and a rib with only a few shreds of meat left came out of Jia Hui's mouth.
"Hahaha, it's delicious. I'll reward everyone in the kitchen with ten taels of silver!" Jia Hui, who was happy with the meal, waved his hand and started throwing coins.

"Brother Zhu, after I go off to war, you will have to take more care of the family affairs!"

Seeing that Lin Zhixiao was too excited to speak, Jia Hui took Jia Zhu into his arms and started drinking. So Jia Lian waved his hand and called two servants to take Lin Zhixiao away.

Even though he said that, Jia Hui still looked at Jia Zhu with a happy face as he drank the whole glass of wine.
"Ahem, eldest brother, I have an unkind favor and I don't know whether to take it seriously or not."

"Haha, drink slowly, drink slowly, you don't have to do this if you have a weak body and bones."

"No, Jia Huan is only fourteen!" Jia Hui rejected Jia Zhu without any hesitation.

After drinking and letting the other person enjoy themselves, the conversation will naturally become easier.

This boy is getting married next month, and the old lady and mother dote on him, so there is nothing they can do to make him go to the military camp and endure hardships.

But the difference between what I bought and what Jia Huici bought was huge!
Just like a minister of the court, no matter how big or famous the courtyard he built in his hometown is, it cannot compare to the ordinary house that the emperor gave you in gratitude for your merits.
Although he is not a minister of the court, and Jia Hui is not an emperor, the truth is this.

"Oh, how can old slave He De get such a valuable reward from the master!" Lin Zhixiao's eyes turned red instantly, and he fell to his knees with a plop. His mouth opened and closed several times, but he couldn't utter a single word even though his stomach was full. come out
A house with three entrances is actually nothing to Butler Lin of Rongguo Mansion. Although the couple is honest, given the environment, they just can't move what they shouldn't take. They still take what should be taken. .

I'm afraid if she hadn't just said she was going to send him to the military camp, the old lady would have started acting like a monster immediately.
But Jia Huan was different. He, Jia Zhu, was incompetent and his weak body destined him to be unable to go far in the officialdom. This meant that his care for his younger brother was ultimately limited.
Jia Hui? Jia Hui himself has two younger brothers and a large family. With his relationship with his second brother-in-law, he can help him because he has thought about the brotherhood for more than 20 years. How much more can he expect him to take care of his second brother-in-law. Two younger brothers.
That means the second bedroom is shameless.

How could Lin Zhixiao, who had been standing by his side, let Jia Hui's words fall to the ground? He hurriedly stepped forward and bent down, cupping his hands: "I would like to express my gratitude to you guys in the kitchen for the reward!"

"Brother, can you take Brother Huan with you?"

Jia Zhu naturally ignored his biological brother Baoyu.

If others give you face, then you should give others face. This has always been Jia Hui's life creed.

"Haha, you old guy, I want to reward you too!" Jia Hui held the wine glass in one hand and pointed at Lin Zhixiao, "It's hard for you to help my father support this business, so I'll reward you with the sky on the street. Enter the courtyard three times!”

Especially as Jia Huan grew older and moved closer and closer to the separation of the family from the concubine, Jia Zhu clearly felt that the mother's eyes when looking at the child became more and more strange and vicious.
We can't wait any longer, Jia Huan must be sent out, even if he won't get any merit, otherwise something will happen sooner or later!

"Tell me, brother, I will do anything for you!" Jia Hui patted his chest and agreed without saying a word.

Just kidding, the reason why Jia Cong was allowed to go was because he had been practicing martial arts since he was a child and he was already seventeen. This gave him a chance to try on the battlefield.

The sky and the earth today are not as big as the general who is about to go on an expedition. Just follow the general's happiness. Although Jia Lian felt very sorry for the houses along the street that day, since Jia Hui had already opened his mouth to send them away, Jia Lian had nothing to say.

It’s not your own industry anyway.

"Yes, brother, don't worry. With Brother Lian and me here, there won't be any chaos in the house! Come on, let me toast you!"

But Jia Huan?
He turned around and looked at the young man who was sitting there eating quietly without saying a word but looking at him expectantly. He was as thin as a monkey and his waist was not as thick as Jia Cong's thighs.
"It's really no good. This guy is too thin. Even if I let him work as a civilian, I'm still afraid that he will die during the march!"

This battle is more than ten thousand miles away? What he wanted was a soldier with great speed. Jia Hui was really afraid that this boy would be knocked to death on horseback.

"But he is only fifteen years old. It's time to think about his future." Jia Zhu wanted to fight for Jia Huan again.

"But he has such a weak body." Jia Hui scratched his nose, "Well, since you have spoken, I will give you face and let him go to the military camp with me to try."

Jia Zhu was overjoyed and quickly picked up Jia Huan. The two brothers picked up the wine glasses and were about to give one to Jia Hui, but Jia Hui stopped him: "But the ugly words are ahead. I just gave him a chance to try." When the army leaves the Great Wall tomorrow, if he shows any signs of not being able to survive, I will leave him behind, boy, do you understand?"

"understand!"

Jia Huan responded with excitement on his face.

After so many years, he is no longer a child who expects to replace Jia Baoyu and be favored by his family.

As an aunt who gave birth to a son in his family, especially his aunt who was jealous and disliked him very much and often teased him, Jia Huan had a taste of human relationships early on and had a clear understanding of the world.
Her aunt deprived her and her aunt of their monthly income, and their life was so difficult that they only saw meat once every ten days and a half. Even if they wanted to eat eggs on weekdays, they had to plan carefully. The aunt went to the master several times to cry and complain, but all she got in exchange was that she was scolded as " The scoldings of "extravagant" and "spoiled".

Let him know what "a little husband must never live without money" means.

Whenever I started to review my lessons and prepare to take the imperial examination, my wife would always ask me to set the rules, and I would often be punished by copying Buddhist scriptures, with the euphemistic saying of "doing my part in praying for the whole family."
However, when he encountered his wife's oppressive and humiliating behavior, he did not have the slightest qualification or ability to resist, which also made him understand what "a man cannot be without power for a day". If they were ordinary people, those bastards would have resigned themselves to their fate in such an encounter and lived in confusion for the rest of their lives, but this was in the Jia family.
Here, there is a bastard cousin who started a new palace and became the ancestor by fighting for his life on the battlefield!

He was even the daughter of the same aunt as himself!
With such a good example before him, how could Jia Huan be willing to accept his fate and live his whole life in a muddle?

This time, no matter how much hardship you endure, you must live your own life!
Either come back alive and make a difference, or die on the grassland!

Jia Huan, who was engrossed in eating, gradually hardened his eyes.
. . . . . .

The next day, in front of Yingtai Hall.

Although everyone was very excited in the past two days, wishing that everyone would follow Jia Hui to the battlefield, but in fact, not many of the Jia family's serious members met the standards.

Apart from anything else, the old man and the boys who have not yet grown up must not be taken with him. This is not a big crisis that breaks the mountains and rivers. Even the war did not happen in Han Dynasty.

Therefore, Jia Hui limited the age to the range of 14 to 45 years old for civil servants and 16 to 40 years old for soldiers.

After that, factors such as having sound limbs, no hidden diseases, being in good health, and being able to ride a horse and run wildly are considered.

To Jia Hui's surprise, he thought it would be good to have about twenty people in his family who met these standards. However, what appeared in front of him, he knew just at a glance.
Certainly not less than forty.

But after thinking about it, Jia Hui reacted and felt relieved inside.
Tsk tsk, as expected of me, I just want to go far!
It has to be Jiao Da!
Ever since I threw a group of boys into the military camp for a life-threatening drill eight years ago, with the mentality of "I have suffered as much as you guys have suffered," I threw twelve or thirteen-year-old men into the military camp. Jiao Da had been practicing this for several months, but the adults from each family carried it out in unison.
What a brother, what a junior, as long as your limbs are sound and there are no hidden diseases, then you have to go to the military camp to practice!
As a result, after so many years, the Jia family has accumulated a lot of good soldiers.
Especially the three men standing in the front row
Jia Xun, Jia Ding, Jia Wen.

They look like a tall, burly figure, with big shoulders and round waist. They have bulging flesh all over their bodies, and veins like green snakes are tightly wrapped around their arms. Due to the cold weather, the skin of these three men even exudes a burst of odor. Zhen Zeqi, it seems that he has been provided with good food since childhood, and is a good candidate for the heavy infantry!
Just
Why are you so crazy in the middle of winter, just coming here wearing a half-arm t-shirt?
My teeth are starting to chatter!

After all, he couldn't bear to see this elder who was kind to him when he was a child and often braised meat for him suffer. Jia Hui persuaded him: "Uncle Zhen, you are not young anymore. You are already thirty-eight. There is no need. If you can’t compete with these two idiots who have frozen their brains, let’s wear a few more clothes.”

"No need. Duoduoduo. Let's meet someone. It's okay." Jia Zuo blushed and said through gritted teeth.

I don’t know if he was complaining that Jia Hui looked down on him, or if he was holding back the cold.
"Hey." Seeing Jia Xu's words being so harsh, Jia Hui knew that he couldn't be persuaded, so he turned to look at his son Jia Ding and nephew Jia Wen, "Why are you still standing there? Thirty-five, I didn't see it. Are your father and uncle shivering from the cold? "

Two silly boys who were wearing the same half-arm short shirts and even bare their chests to show their chest hair to show their toughness woke up from a dream. They quickly picked up the cloaks from the bags placed beside their legs, and they pressed them on at the same time. He stayed in Jia's house and put a big cloak on him amidst his scolding.
Of course, he just cursed and didn't physically resist.
After Jia Xun was helped to his feet by two silly boys and cursed, Jia Hui nodded, turned to look at Jia Rong, who had been sent over earlier: "Brother Rong, are everyone here?"

"Uncle Hui, everyone No. 43 is here!" Jia Rong glanced at Jia Hui carefully, then held the roster in both hands and gave it to Jia Hui.

Jia Hui waved his hand but did not take it: "As long as they are all here, there is no need to give me a roster."

Hearing this, Jia Rong quickly collected the roster.

Taking a deep breath, Jia Hui looked around at the forty-three children of the Jia family. Although their determination could be seen in their eyes, Jia Hui still had to go through the process and asked: "Have they all thought about going to the battlefield?" It’s going to kill people. You haven’t entered the military camp yet, so it’s still too late to regret it!”

"Don't worry, sir, no one standing here today is timid and afraid of fighting!" Jia Tuo clasped his fists and took a step forward, and replied solemnly.

"Okay!" Seeing that everyone was looking at him firmly, Jia Hui said nothing more. He took the riding crop from Eleven and took a deep breath: "Let's go!"

"father!"

Just as he was about to step forward, three familiar children's voices behind him made Jia Hui stop.

"Eleven, take them to the stable to pick up the horses first. I'll be there soon."

"Wei!" Eleven said nothing and led the Jia family towards the stables.

Only four people, father and son, were left in front of Yingtai Hall.

Jia Hui slowly leaned down, supported his knees with both hands, and looked at the three children: "Shouldn't you go to class with your husband now? What are you doing here?"

My three older children have all reached the age of enlightenment. They should have sent Jia Ying and Jia Feng to study in ethnic schools, but the eldest daughter Jingyu has also reached the age of enlightenment, and the younger girl is not suitable to go to ethnic schools. , Li Wan simply asked his family's father to invite a famous Meng Xue teacher in Luoyang. Based on the idea that one sheep is herding two sheep, he simply let the two of them stay at home to study.

"Dad, we told the husband that we would come to see him off. The husband agreed and said that we are all good and filial children!" The eldest lady spoke quickly. The eldest brother and the second brother were still thinking about what to say, so the eldest lady opened her mouth. Okay, okay, let’s make things clear
"Ha, sir, you are right, they are all good children!" Jia Hui smiled softly, opened his palm and rubbed the three little bald heads one by one, his eyes full of love.

"Dad", the eldest son Jia Ying raised his head and picked up the small box that he had been holding on to. "Dad, you have to be good."

Jia Hui took it with both hands and shook it. According to the feel, it was probably a dagger.

"Dad, I have one too." Jia Fern also handed the small square box in his hand to his father, but Jia Hui didn't try to figure out what it was.

"And me and me!" The eldest lady did not hold the box like the two brothers, but placed it generously in the palm of her hand. "Dad, this is the peace charm that I went to the White Horse Temple with my mother to pray for you. !”

Jia Hui also took it with a smile, put the peace charm in his bag in front of the children, and took out the dagger given by the eldest brother and hung it on his waist. The gift from the second son also appeared in front of his eyes. It was a rosewood bracelet, and Jia Hui happily put it on her left wrist.
"Okay, Daddy likes what you gave me very much!" Jia Hui knelt down, hugged the three cubs into his arms, took a deep breath and felt their scent, "Please listen carefully to your mother's words."

"Yes!" The three brothers and sisters nodded heavily. Over the years, their father has often traveled on business, and they have long been accustomed to being separated from their father. Anyway, their father will come back in a month or two, and others will laugh at him if he cries.

And now, as young people, they just think that their father is going out on business again, but this time he is taking his uncles at home.

"Okay, go back to class quickly, don't keep sir waiting."

"Okay!" The three brothers and sisters responded in unison, then saluted Jia Hui and happily ran towards the small study room used for class.
"Alas" Jia Hui sighed softly as he looked at the children's retreating figures. This time of separation, I'm afraid it will be at least two years before we see each other again.
"Let's go."

(End of this chapter)