The Lucky Farmgirl

Chapter 2309 - 2284: Reunion (April Bonus Ticket Update 16)

Their return journey was much faster; you could say they were flying homeward like arrows, galloping madly toward the city gates. In just five days, they caught sight of Xizhou City’s gate.

Seeing the city gate, Manbao and Bai Shan spurred their horses to accelerate and charged straight ahead.

The soldiers routinely guarding the city gate heard the urgent hoofbeats and lazily lifted their eyelids for a look, thinking it was an external military report, intending to shut their eyes to continue dozing. As their eyelids closed halfway, what they saw finally registered in their brains.

He opened his eyes wide again, seeing the two riders charging forward, jumped up joyfully from the foot of the city wall, and waved, shouting, "Lord, Lord, Lord Zhou—Young Master Bai—"

The gate guards were startled by him, and seeing it was the soldier from the envoy, they were quite angry, scolding, "Why are you shouting like that?"

Every day, they had to stand guard without a moment’s rest, but these few from the envoy took turns sleeping here; it was outrageous!

Manbao and Bai Shan had already arrived at the gate on their swift horses; hearing the soldier call out, they looked down and recognized him. She reined in her horse and asked, "Why are you here?"

The soldier replied with a big smile, "Assistant General Nie told me to wait here for the Lord, saying that the Lord might return at any time. The team has been divided, and each day someone comes to guard the gate so that when the Lord returns, we will know immediately."

Bai Shan also reined in his horse and asked, "Is Mr. Zhuang and everyone else doing well?"

"In reply to Young Master Bai, Lord Zhuang and the others are doing well, just merely startled by an attack of Turkish forces eight days ago."

It was Manbao and Bai Shan’s turn to be startled, "What, Turkish forces attacked?"

Shouldn’t Xizhou be safe? The Protectorate is stationed here.

Manbao and Bai Shan immediately wanted to enter the city to inquire about the situation, but the gate guards stopped them for inspection.

They originally didn’t recognize Zhou Man and Bai Shan, but their companion was too famous, plus, with all the chatter between them and the soldier at the foot of the wall, they naturally knew who they were.

But even knowing, they had to check them once.

Once confirming that they returned with the same number they left with, they were allowed to enter.

The soldier who came to greet them chattered away explaining, "My Lord, last time when the Turks attacked, spies infiltrated the city, causing chaos, so now the gate checks are stricter."

Manbao was worried, "Are you all okay with the Turks attacking?"

"No issues," the soldier replied cheerfully, "when the city was in chaos, the assistant general wouldn’t let us go out. Our three courtyards are adjoined in one place, with Da Yu’s courtyard opposite. The four courtyards helped each other watch, so not even a spy dared come here; even if they did, we’d defend with the courtyard walls, making any attempts pointless."

Only then did Manbao breathe a sigh of relief. After entering, they found the city’s order fairly intact, and the faces of the residents showed neither distress nor anxiety, so she asked, "They didn’t breach the gate, did they?"

"No," the soldier happily said, "they besieged the gate for two days, and then our reinforcements arrived, Lord. Reinforcements from the Central Plains came, led personally by General Ashina."

Manbao and Bai Shan exchanged a glance.

The soldier didn’t know much else, so the two mounted their horses again and trotted home.

Manbao hadn’t even dismounted when they heard familiar laughter from the courtyard. The two quickly dismounted and pushed open the door. Bai Erlang, who was clutching his belly and laughing in the courtyard, paused when seeing the two, then was hit with a shock, couldn’t help but burp, regaining composure, pointed at them "Ah, ah," unable to speak momentarily, and simply dashed over to them, grabbing them and laughing heartily to the sky.

Bai Shan supported his shoulder, disdainfully pushing his hand away from Manbao, "Don’t you know men and women shouldn’t touch?"

Bai Erlang pushed him aside, embraced Manbao separately, then looked at him smugly and said, "Men, women, indeed shouldn’t touch."

Seeing Bai Erlang gesturing to himself as "woman," Bai Shan extended a leg for a kick, Bai Erlang jumped back, then turned happily to run and tell Mr. Zhuang.

Only then did Yin Huo and Liu Huan come forward to greet the two, "Was your journey safe?"

Bai Shan replied, "The journey posed no dangers, we found and destroyed all the items. Yet I hear Turkish forces surrounded Xizhou City?"

Yin Huo said, "Luckily, the reinforcements from the Central Plains arrived timely, quickly breaking the siege, so we weren’t impacted."

Mr. Zhuang and Zhou Liru hurried from the back courtyard, seeing the two only a bit tanner, nothing otherwise changed, slowed their pace, feeling contented.

Mr. Zhuang stroked his beard, chuckling.

Zhou Liru dashed forward, hugging her little aunt, exclaiming with joy.

Manbao comforted her, and they went forward with Bai Shan to greet Mr. Zhuang respectfully.

Mr. Zhuang said, "It’s good to return safely; we were worried you’d encounter Turkish forces on the road; thankfully, thankfully."

Assistant General Nie and Wei Xingren arrived upon hearing the news; Bai Shan and Manbao went inside to freshen up.

After washing their hair, bathing, and changing into clean clothes, they felt refreshed and went out to talk.

As soon as Manbao opened the door, two beautiful girls bowed simultaneously, startling her. She stepped back and asked, "What is this?"

The two replied gently, "My Lord, we are here to take your dirty clothes for washing."

They added, "We are also here to assist in dressing and hair combing..."

Actually, they wanted to push the door open earlier but found it closed, so could only wait outside first.

Manbao quickly said, "You can wash the clothes, but no need for dressing and combing."

These were two of the ten dancing girls; Manbao scratched her head and asked Zhou Liru outside, "Have they nothing to do recently?"

Zhou Liru hummed, "Who says not, there’s plenty; it’s all Protectorate’s fault. A few days ago, the Protectorate’s manager came asking for them back, wanting to re-purchase the ten girls, which frightened them, fearing we’d sell them back. They’ve been diligent lately, always looking for tasks even if none."

Zhou Liru said, "Originally, the courtyard wasn’t too messy, yet they sweep five times a day; just watching is tiring."

Manbao, "... Why does the Protectorate want to buy them back?"

"Heard they’re to be given to General Ashina."

Manbao exclaimed in shock, "Why, isn’t General Ashina the consort?"

Zhou Liru was equally puzzled, "I don’t understand either, but hearing Assistant General Nie and Mr. Zhuang talk, this seems normal."

She looked around, leaned in closer to Manbao’s ear and whispered, "They privately say if sent to General Ashina, and he uses them, they’ll either follow him to the princess’s residence or be shifted to his subordinates. In the former case, still servants, in the latter, perhaps concubines. They claim it’s better to stay with us, as maids at least we don’t beat or scold them."

Zhou Liru said, "I think they are capable, so I kept them."

Manbao nodded, "What’s given shouldn’t be taken back; General Guo is too stingy."