Жениться на государственном служащем династии Северная Сун

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Chapter 253: Sun Jia and Zhu Yu

"Who dares to make such a racket here?" The military supervisor walked out with a furious expression, but when he saw that it was Jun Yu, his expression changed and he immediately said, "Marshal Jun, you have indeed returned!"

The military supervisor harbored resentment towards Junyu for stopping him from massacring prisoners, but secretly held the renowned young man in great fear. After Junyu resigned, the court retained her official title, stating only that she was on extended leave. Now, General Mei had received a secret order to return to the capital, saying that Junyu was about to return to the army, so he was not surprised.

"Why has General Mei returned to the court?"

"Because of the series of defeats, the emperor was furious and transferred him away."

She also knew that the imperial court had been secretly watching her movements. Presumably, it was when she spread the word on the road and waited for Sun Jia to show up that the imperial court had already learned of the news and transferred General Mei away in advance. It was quite a painstaking effort.

Junyu had worked with the military supervisor for two years. Although he was full of fierceness, he was also decisive and efficient, and always dressed in military uniform, indicating he was not a fool. General Mei, though she had never met him, was renowned for his prowess, and his repeated defeats at Zhu Yu's hands were likely due to Zhu Yu's formidable strength. She felt a growing sense of apprehension; reversing this losing streak would be extremely difficult. Ever since fighting alongside Zhu Yu in the Northeast, she had never dared to underestimate his abilities. Now, the thought of finally facing such a formidable opponent filled her with regret, yet also a hidden anticipation for the final showdown.

Although the military supervisor and Junyu were not on good terms, after a series of defeats, upon seeing her again, he couldn't help but sincerely say, "Actually, many people are looking forward to Marshal Jun's return."

"Thank you for your kindness," Junyu said with a smile. "Please forgive me if I have offended you in the past."

The military supervisor blushed and slowly said, "These are also the words I wanted to say to the Marshal."

Just then, a joyful voice was heard: "Marshal Jun..."

Junyu turned around and saw several people standing below the steps. They were Zhang Yuan, Zhou Yida, and other former subordinates, their faces full of joy and excitement.

That night, Junyu immediately summoned his generals to discuss the military situation, and the soldiers were all in high spirits.

The meeting ended at midnight.

Junyu kept Zhang Yuan behind and asked, "Did General Lin have any unfinished business before his death?"

Zhang Yuan shook his head: "After being defeated and demoted, General Lin was very depressed and often drowned his sorrows in alcohol. Because of Prime Minister Zhu, his family in the capital were all living in fear. Fortunately, he died on the battlefield, which finally saved his wife and children from the disaster of having their property confiscated and their clan exterminated. However, because of his defeat, his wife, children and elderly mother did not receive any compensation."

Lin Baoshan came from a poor family, but was later promoted due to his military achievements and the influence of Prime Minister Zhu. He had elderly parents to support, as well as a son and a daughter who were still minors. Now that his family has collapsed, they must be having a hard time.

Junyu felt a pang of sadness, thinking that he should find someone to take good care of his family as soon as possible, so that he could rest in peace in the afterlife.

It was dusk the next day.

Jun Yu had just returned to his tent when he heard a knock on the door. He immediately said, "Come in."

It was Zhang Yuan who entered. Junyu smiled and said, "Zhang Yuan, what brings you here?"

“When I went on my inspection tour today, I met Sun Jia, who said he wanted to see you and asked me to pass on a message. I asked him to come to the city, but he refused, which is really strange. He seemed to be preoccupied.”

Where is he?

"Ten miles outside the city."

The sun had completely set behind the mountains. The early autumn night breeze already carried a hint of chill.

Junyu glanced at the preoccupied figure ahead and smiled, "Hello, Sun Jia."

Sun Jia turned around abruptly, staring at her in disbelief. After rescuing his mother, he heard rumors that "Flying General Fengcheng" had returned unharmed to the Northwest Army. Without time to verify the truth, he rushed here. However, he lacked the courage, fearing it was false information and that Junyu, even if alive, was blind. He lay in wait day and night outside Xining Prefecture until he met Zhang Yuan, whom he had met once before, on patrol, and finally learned the accurate information.

Seeing Junyu's smiling face and her bright, clear eyes, Sun Jia felt both joy and shame. "Junyu, you're really alive... your eyes..."

“I’m still alive, and my eyes are fine. Mr. Nongying has already cured me.”

Sun Jia breathed a sigh of relief and murmured repeatedly, "Junyu, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm also grateful to you, sir. Fortunately, you were here. Otherwise, I would never have had the chance to atone for my sins."

"I know you had no choice. What about your mother? Was she rescued?"

Seeing that her first question was about her mother, Sun Jia felt even more ashamed and whispered, "Thanks to Zhu Yu's help, my mother has been rescued."

"Zhu Yu?" Junyu suddenly felt a pang of sadness, and after a long while, she asked, "Is he alright?"

Sun Jia recalled Zhu Yu's swift and decisive action in killing the Crimson Gold Clan soldiers to silence them, and sighed, "Zhu Yu is truly a talent. It seems he is not willing to serve the enemy either. It's just a pity that he has such a father, who ruined his life."

Junyu paused for a moment, then suddenly laughed: "I will have to compete with him on the battlefield sooner or later. When that happens, I'll leave it to fate. But, I'll have to entrust the Phoenix Army to you."

Sun Jia lowered his head and said, "How can I face returning to Phoenix City? After apologizing to you this time, I plan to take my elderly mother and live a life of anonymity."

"I'm perfectly fine, aren't I? Why should Sun Jia hold a grudge? If you were to flee now, you would be playing right into Zhenmutier's hands, driving away my 'Phoenix Army' general without firing a single shot. Wouldn't that be a great achievement for Prime Minister Zhu?"

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Chapter 254: Zhu Yu and Her Childhood Dreams (1)

Sun Jia, who was already feeling guilty, blushed even more when Jun Yu spoke so casually, clearly trying to excuse her. She hesitated and said, "But, Jun Yu..."

"What's there to say but? Remember not to mention the desert incident again. Almost all the enemies involved are dead. Treat it as a nightmare and ignore it. I estimate that Zhenmutier will publicize this matter to demoralize our troops. If any rumors get out, I will stand up and his insidious scheme will naturally fail. He wants to destroy my general without bloodshed. Let him dream on."

Although Sun Jia found Junyu's words reasonable, he couldn't get past his conscience for a moment, and still looked troubled.

Jun Yu said, "Your immediate priority is to return to Phoenix City and take command of the Phoenix Army. Perhaps, we will soon have a major battle with Zhu Yu. We will need to cooperate closely."

Sun Jia looked at her. At this moment, Junyu was no longer speaking as a classmate or close friend. With a casual remark, she transformed back into a commanding and authoritative leader. Sun Jia felt his blood boiling; he would be willing to give his life for her. However, he was ultimately a rough and boisterous man, and he couldn't express his deep gratitude in words. He simply replied habitually, "Yes."

Junyu smiled and said, "I can finally put my mind at ease. Sun Jia, the master has already returned to Phoenix City. You should go back quickly so he won't worry."

"Okay, I'll head back right away."

He looked at Junyu and said, "Take good care of yourself."

"Take good care of yourself too."

Sun Jia's figure had completely disappeared into the distance. Jun Yu turned and hurried towards Xining Prefecture. He had only taken a few steps when he suddenly heard the sound of a strange wind.

Junyu shouted in a low voice, "Who is it?"

A crescent moon had risen, casting a ghastly white light on the ground. A dark shadow flashed by, as if deliberately letting her spot it. She quickened her pace, and the shadow quickened itss as well. After chasing for several miles, they came to a valley, in which lay a very small grove of trees. Calling it a grove was a stretch; it consisted of only a few dozen scattered trees, but in this northwestern region, it could barely be considered a "grove." The shadow stopped beneath the largest tree.

Junyu took a few steps forward, and the man suddenly turned around, removed his mask, and his eyes shone like two small clusters of burning flames in the night.

Junyu exclaimed in a low voice, "Zhu Yu, how could it be you?"

"I had to come and see if you were really alright!" Zhu Yu's voice trembled slightly as he looked into her dark, lustrous eyes. "Are your eyes better?"

Junyu said in a low voice, "You dare to infiltrate the Northwest Camp alone. If you are caught, you will not survive. You should leave now."

"Hey, Junyu is worried about my life and death? Why not just capture me? That would be a great achievement."

"Zhu Yu, if you are truly my enemy, I will only fight you on the battlefield."

"Look, you're still the same! That's why the upright and honest 'Fengcheng Feishuai' was so stupid as to be blinded by so-called 'friends'."

"But, is there something wrong with my eyes?"

Zhu Yu had been secretly lying in wait near the Northwest Camp for three days, and finally saw Jun Yu when she went out of the city to meet Sun Jia. He had wanted to say a few sarcastic words, but seeing that she was safe and sound, he was filled with joy and could no longer say anything sarcastic. He just sat down by the big tree, staring at her intently without blinking, and after a while he asked, "Who cured your eyes?"

Junyu sat down next to him and smiled, "It's the master. The master thought you were the one who harmed me, and said that next time he sees you, he will definitely hit your palm hard with a ruler."

Hearing her relaxed tone, Zhu Yu felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from her heart. She stared at her blankly for a while before understanding her meaning, and couldn't help but laugh as well. She whispered, "Once, I got into a fight with Meng Yuanjing, Qin Xiaolou, and Sun Jia. When Mr. Nongying found out, I thought that since I was a son of the Prime Minister, the gentlemen wouldn't dare to hit me. But Mr. Nongying didn't care about any of that. Each of us received five heavy blows from the ruler. After that, I was always terrified whenever I saw Mr. Nongying."

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Chapter 255: Zhu Yu and Her Childhood Dreams (2)

Junyu couldn't help but say, "You were really awful when you were little, with so many followers, always causing trouble. That day, you were all fighting, and you had so many helpers that Yuanjing and Xiaolou were beaten bloody. After I came out of the library to copy the boxing manual for my master's wife, I saw you kick Yuanjing. I was so angry that I threw a small stone from a distance and it hit your leg. But the teacher saw it. He whispered to me, 'That kid always bullies you, it's only right that you hit him.' Then the teacher came and caught you both, scolding you loudly. I hid behind a big tree and watched you take turns being beaten. When I saw you dared not speak out and your arrogance completely disappeared, I was so happy, hehe."

"So, it was you who plotted against me that day! Ha, it seems you weren't such a gentleman when you were young."

"If I had been a gentleman back then, wouldn't you have bullied me to death?"

"But I've never gained anything by going against you."

"Because you have my protection, and Yuan Jing often helps me. Besides, you are no match for me in a one-on-one fight!"

"Keep bragging. Where am I not your match? I'm two years older than you, and I was letting you win back then."

Seeing his smile, Junyu realized it was the first time she had ever seen him smile so peacefully and gently. This side of Zhu Yu gave her a completely new feeling. She couldn't help but laugh and say, "Zhu Yu, I wish you could always be like this."

Zhu Yu sighed inwardly, "If I could stay by your side, I could stay like this for the rest of my life."

These words almost escaped her lips several times, but it would only be a final act of madness, and saying them would be pointless. Zhu Yu simply stared at her blankly, without uttering a sound.

Seeing his silence, Junyu blinked and laughed, "Later, I also discovered that every time you fought with me, you never fought as hard as you did with Yuan Jing and the others. At most, you'd push me or cut a few strands of hair and run away. But Yuan Jing and the others suffered, often ending up with bruises and swelling. Of course, you sometimes had bruises and swelling too. Several times, when I was alone, you were surrounded by a lot of people, but you only made a few sarcastic remarks and didn't fight me. So, a few times when you were alone, I didn't hit you either, even though I really wanted to beat you up to vent my anger."

Zhu Yu gazed at her, childhood memories flooding back, a faint sweetness rising in his chest. After a long while, he whispered, "How could I hit you so hard?! I never intended to hit you so hard."

"I've never liked arrogant people, and back then, you were exactly the type I disliked. Heh."

“You’re not arrogant, but you’re proud. You’re like a god, always number one in everything. Your teacher’s wife and teacher favor you, and many classmates admire you. I see that you’re so close to Meng Yuanjing, but you don’t want to say a word to me. That’s why I hate Meng Yuanjing so much and often want to beat him up.”

"Same here, you're always surrounded by a crowd, and you often cause trouble."

“If I don’t provoke you, you won’t pay any attention to me. Besides, my entourage and your popularity are different. Those followers are there because of my status, while you are popular because of your own excellence. I’m very resentful, so I often want to cause you trouble…”

Zhu Yu stared at a pebble on the ground. "Once, I tore your blue robe while testing my sword, and you were furious. I noticed you often wore that old garment and assumed it was your only one. That night, I felt uneasy and thought I'd give you a new one the next day..."

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Chapter 256: Zhu Yu and Her Childhood Dreams (3)

“I remember that. This is how you ‘gifted’ it to me back then: ‘Hey, you little pauper, here’s a new outfit for you. Your beggar clothes should have been thrown away long ago. Hurry up and thank this young master.’”

Seeing how perfectly she mimicked her tone, Zhu Yu burst into laughter: "You still hold a grudge?"

Junyu laughed and said, "I was furious at the time and punched you hard, but you didn't fight back. Yuanjing and I both found it very strange."

"When I saw how angry and sad you were, I didn't even think of fighting back. I was afraid you were sad that you wouldn't have any clothes to wear in the future."

"Of course, I don't only have this one old robe. My mother was in poor health, and she was afraid that I would be left alone after she passed away, so she prepared a lot of clothes and money for me before she died, enough for me to live frugally until adulthood. After I came to the academy, my teacher's wife prepared a complete set of clothes for me. And after my teacher came, he even replaced my clothes with a whole set of the best stationery and writing materials, which are no worse than what you, the son of a prime minister, use. I'm just not as ostentatious as you are, not as poor as you think. The reason I often wear that old blue robe is because it was sewn for me by my mother before she passed away. I was young then, and I missed my mother. Wearing this robe was like having my mother by my side. Later, my teacher's wife and teacher both thought that I liked blue, so they prepared mostly blue clothes for me. Actually, I don't care about any particular color; it's just become a habit over time."

"If I had known they were your mother's belongings, I would never have done it. Alas."

"We were just kids back then, who could think that far ahead?"

"After that major examination, I volunteered to leave the academy. My father was worried about my safety; if I stayed, he wouldn't let you go. I don't know why, but at that time, although I hated you for defeating me, I was even more afraid of never seeing you again! That night, I overheard Mr. Zhu and my father having a private conversation, so I thought that if I left, you could stay at Qiansi Academy." Zhu Yu sighed softly. "When I was sixteen, I thought I had achieved great success in martial arts, so I went to Qiansi Academy alone. I fully expected to see you as soon as I arrived. Who knew that you had already disappeared without a trace."

At sixteen, brimming with ambition, he went alone to Qiansi Academy, filled with anticipation. He couldn't quite explain whether he wanted to compete with his former rival or simply eagerly await meeting that god-like youth. All the way there, he imagined what "he" would look like. He even agonized over what he should say as his first words upon seeing "him"—should it be sarcasm? Mockery? Or a simple "hello"?

However, when he arrived there, he discovered that the ethereal young man had vanished without a trace. Many years later, he learned that "he" had already reached the northern border and begun to make a name for himself.