Chapter 101: Set Out

  Set out on an expedition

  Yin Ruofei's proposal was directly rejected by Ze Wang, but he also slightly compromised and agreed to let him take his shrimp soldiers out for training when he went out to suppress bandits.

  Yin Ruofei was somewhat resentful that Rong Jingze referred to his subordinates as "shrimp soldiers and crab generals", but since the king was willing to take them along, it was already a great honor.

  Sure, here is the translation:

  As expected, it wasn't long before Zewang took him under his wing and assigned a team of personal guards to him, putting him in charge from then on.

  Yin Ruofei was overjoyed and incorporated the 300 people he had handpicked from the Academy, who were sworn to follow him to the death, into his troops.

  Looking at this team of nearly a thousand people, Yin Ruofei finally felt reassured. I'm also someone with a team!

  In the following year, Yin Ruofei led this thousand people, sometimes following Ze Wang, sometimes pulling out to follow his father Yin Haicheng, or together with his elder brother Jin Yuan to suppress bandits. After several rounds of training, although some were injured and killed, the remaining ones all showed their brilliance, like a precious sword that had been honed, very impressive.

  Ze Wang's military strategy was extremely brilliant. In his previous life, he led his own troops as the last force to resist the rebel king, and the tragic degree is self-evident.

  Although he hasn't reached that point in this life, he has already gone through such training ahead of time. With his secret army known only to a handful of people including the emperor, it can be said that it is the most powerful army in the Great Lin Dynasty.

  Yin Ruofei was taught by him, although he only learned seven parts from him, it is enough to make Yin Haicheng admire. However, he has too few people under his command, and Yin Haicheng didn't take it seriously.

  Yin Ruofei had always been looking forward to a good fight. Now, eliminating bandits was such a trivial matter that he was no longer interested in it, and even found it somewhat dull.

  The opportunity came very soon.

  In the 170th year of Da Tong's reign. Summer.

  The enemy invaded the southeastern border, and the emperor was enraged. He appointed Zhenjiang Marquis Yin Haicheng as the commander-in-chief to quell the rebellion, with Ze Wang supervising the army and General Huang Ronghai escorting the military rations.

  As soon as this news came out, Yin Ruofei felt his blood boiling and rushed to Rong Jingze's study room, "Wang Ye, I want to go too!"

  Rong Jingze was just about to write quickly when he heard this and looked at him without saying a word.

  "Master, take me with you..." Yin Ruofei turned around and continued to beg, even his hand had already reached out to grab onto Rong Jingze's sleeve, as if he wouldn't let go until he was taken along.

  Rong Jingze snorted and slapped his hand away, "I've already gone, where can you escape?"

  Yin Ruofei cheered and said, "I'll go pack our luggage."

  Because of the impending war, Yin Ruofei returned to the Hou Mansion once again to bid farewell to Old Madame.

  The Marquis's residence was already in an uproar at this time.

  Yin Haicheng's expedition this time is to bring Jin Yuan along. Although Jin Yuan has been unwilling to see his birth mother in recent years, he still needs to bid farewell before going into battle. Unexpectedly, as soon as he finished speaking, he enraged Xiao Linshi.

  Kobayashi-san slapped him as soon as Jin-yuan finished speaking. Although she was a woman, in the past few years, Hou-fu's Yin Hai-chen and Chen-shi had been cold to her and didn't give her a good face, but eating and drinking were not worried about, still considered to be well-fed and well-cared for. Her long fingernails scratched a bloody mark on Jin-yuan's cheek with one slap.

  "I won't let you go!"

  "Mother!" Yin Jin Yuan was startled. The mother he remembered was always elegant and gentle, when had she ever cried out loud like this?

  He followed his father since childhood, and the time in the military camp was longer than the time under his mother's knees. Xia Lin regarded him as her stabilizing needle, always showing a warm and loving motherly image to him, while the eldest son who grew up by her side saw her true face more often.

  However, Lao Er is accustomed to being cunning and has a deep understanding of human nature. She and the other person are like two peas in a pod, and now she appears to be a dead soul in the eyes of everyone.

  Kobayashi has been having a tough time in recent years, although he still doesn't have to worry about food and drink, but his status has dropped significantly. The days when he could get whatever he wanted are gone, and now even if he wants to eat bird's nest, the big girls around him will be ridiculed by the kitchen maids.

  However, Kobayashi knew that she was still able to live well now because she still had her son and eldest son, so whether it was Yin Haicheng or Chen Shi, even Yin Ruofei, they all spared her life.

  But if Jin Yuan loses his life on the battlefield, her days will be numbered. She has lost her eldest son, her second son is gone, and her youngest daughter is nowhere to be found. Although she has a daughter-in-law, this daughter-in-law is too powerful, and after so many years of marriage, she hasn't even seen her. Originally, she had planned to rely on her daughter-in-law, but unexpectedly, the other party didn't intend to give this concubine any face. If the eldest son were gone, this daughter-in-law would absolutely not care about her. Lady Lin knows that she must stop Jin Yuan from going.

  Jin Yuan turned around with a calm face and left, loyal to the country, where there is no fear of death.

  Kobayashi calmed down and knew that Jin Yuan wouldn't listen to her, so she turned around, tidied herself up a bit, and went after Jin Yuan.

  Jin Yuan went in the direction of Fushou Temple, where Yin Haicheng was currently talking to Old Madam about this expedition. Seeing Jin Yuan's iron face, both mother and son were stunned.

  "What's wrong, Yuan'er?" The old lady asked warmly. Now that the Hou Mansion was finally at peace, the old lady's days were spent comfortably and her body was even better than before.

  "Grandma, grandson wants to go with father to frontier to repel enemy."

  The old lady nodded and was about to say something when a little servant girl came in to report, "Lin's wife has arrived."

  The old lady had never gotten along with Little Lin, although she didn't particularly like Big Lin either. However, Big Lin was gentle and obedient, so the old lady only resented her weakness, lacking the capability of a proper lady. But as for Little Lin, a lowly born concubine who came to this marquis's manor and stirred up trouble, making it impossible for anyone to have peace, how could she possibly get along with her?

  Previously, her son loved to pamper her, and although she was a mother, she didn't want to hurt the harmony between mother and son because of a cheap servant girl. Now that her son has finally come to his senses and seen through this woman, she also ordered that Xiaolin Shi is not allowed to come and pay respects.

  If it weren't for the presence of a young grandson, with the crime that the Lin family has committed, this little Lin girl would have been dragged out and sold off long ago.

  "To Old Madam, Master Hou asks for your well-being." Xiaolin saw Yin Haicheng still being quite excited, after all they were husband and wife for many years, and Yin Haicheng was indeed good to her.

  But Yin Haicheng's heart had long since cooled towards her, he took a glance and didn't even bother to speak, simply waving his hand.

  "Lianiang, you've come just in time. Jinyuan is going to war with me, and as his birth mother, you should be informed too."

  Yin Haicheng's words were extremely impolite, making it clear that she was only his birth mother, and above her was the legitimate wife, Madam.

  "No, no, Master Hou..." Little Lin's face was filled with panic. It wasn't that fighting against the enemy was a big deal, let alone being unable to return for a year or two, those were all minor things, the key was that swords and knives had no eyes, at that time if they accidentally bumped into each other...

  Kobayashi didn't dare think about it anymore and suddenly pounced on Yin Haicheng's body, "Master Hou, Master Hou..."

  "What's the point of crying?" A resolute look flashed across Yin Haicheng's face. As the commander-in-chief who led this expedition himself, he had brought his son along to let Yin Jinyuan establish some military achievements and make arrangements for him in the future.

  He had always thought that Kobayashi was quite good at pretending to be gentle and understanding, but he didn't expect her to cry like this in front of his mother, making him feel embarrassed.

  With him around, can't they even win the battle with their son? Moreover, although this war is perilous, it's not like there's no chance of winning. The most favored Prince Ze is even volunteering to be the supervisor of the army, so naturally, there's no need to worry about troops or supplies. He really doesn't understand what Xiao Linshi is making a fuss about!

  Yin Haicheng's face didn't look good, but Old Lady Yin seemed as calm as usual, as if she had known all along that Lin would make this move. Thinking of this, Yin Haicheng's face looked even more unpleasant.

  "Stop causing trouble and get out of here quickly."

  "Master Hou, Master Hou, I beg of you, don't let Yuan'er go... he's my only son..."

  "If you keep talking nonsense, I'll..."

  "What's going on?" Yin Ruofei asked as soon as he entered the door, seeing this lively scene. The old lady seemed to be smiling but not quite, while her eldest brother Jin Yuan had an ugly iron face, and his father Yin Haicheng was even more furious.

  Yin Ruofei flew into Fushouyuan, and there was an order from the old lady long ago that no one was allowed to stop her, so she came in as soon as she lifted the curtain and saw this scene.

  The old lady spoke in a bland tone on one side, and suddenly burst out laughing.

  "Father." Yin Ruofei knelt down on one knee, bowing his fist towards Yin Haicheng. "As the eldest son, it is only right that I take responsibility and lead the vanguard, your son wishes to go into battle."

  "Nonsense!" Yin Haicheng directly retorted, "How old are you?!"

  Yin Ruofei did not rush or get up, "Father, I have studied martial arts for six years and do not dare to say that I am proficient in riding. I only ask to serve the country. Please fulfill my wish."

  "Master Hou, Seventh Master's literary and military skills are both above others, and with the protection of Wang Ye, he will definitely be fine. Let him go." Xiaolin cried painfully on Yin Haicheng's leg, "Please, Master Hou, leave me one son..."

  "You! Are completely unreasonable!" Yin Haicheng was furious. "Fine, since that's the case, Jin Yuan will stay behind, Fei'er and I will go!"

  Having said that, Yin Haicheng strode away with a flick of his sleeve.

  Kobayashi slowly got up, looked at Jin Yuan, and Jin Yuan's face was already stupid. He didn't think that his patriotic heart would be ruined by a woman like this.

  "Yuānr, Yuānr, what's wrong with you? Mother can't be without you!" Seeing Jin Yuan's abnormality, Xiao Linshi couldn't help but brush off the dirt on her skirt and hurriedly grabbed Jin Yuan's sleeve.

  Jin Yuan finally came to his senses, looked at his birth mother with tears on her face, and left silently without saying a word. Xiaolin naturally had to chase after him, not even having time to bid farewell to the old lady.

  "Feier, are you going to war?" The old lady didn't even bother to respond to her. Whether she paid respects or not was unimportant; she simply didn't feel like talking to her, didn't feel like seeing her.

  It turned out that Yin Ruofei was going to war, and the old lady was more concerned about it. She pulled her beloved grandson's hand and looked him up and down to see if he had lost weight.

  "Yes, grandma, serving the country is everyone's responsibility. I've been studying and practicing martial arts, waiting for this day." Yin Ruofei smiled and coquettishly said to the old lady.

  "Ah, good child." The old lady nodded in praise, she was not that ignorant village woman with a shallow gaze, deeply knowing this was her grandson's future. "Our Yin family is born of martial generals, this marquis manor is the battlefield, the honor bestowed by the great ancestor emperor. A young man's ambition lies in the four directions, having this courage, is grandmother's good grandson."

  "Yes, don't worry, Grandma, I'll make a name for myself and bring honor back to you."

  "You little scamp, your grandmother's last words, your father has already made up for it, you just give it to your mother, let your wife earn it!" Although the old lady was still grieving, she couldn't help but laugh when she heard this. "Is Ze Wang going too?"

  "Yes, Sun'er and Ze Wang are together, I've already begged for mercy from Ze Wang."

  "So you're fooling your father?" The old lady burst out laughing, this kid was pretending to be obedient to his father, but had already found a way to the military camp.