Quick Wear: I and the Female Match Share the Battle Shirt

Before leaving Beijing, Lu Changqing applied to return to the Bai Mansion.

Bai Yuanhan went to Guozhou with Bai Shiyuan. Now, apart from Bai Mingzhou lying on the bed and his toddler, there were only female relatives left in the mansion.

Du Hezhi sat in the main seat with an awkward expression. The daughter of the concubine whom she used to look down upon was now a higher official than her father. If she were not her mistress, she would be the one standing in the hall and paying her respects.

Lin Wenqing pulled Lu Changqing to sit aside, touched her face with her hand, looked at him carefully, tears in her eyes, and said distressedly: "You have grown taller and thinner. You must have suffered a lot in the palace in the past two years, right?"

Lu Changqing glanced at the two eunuchs standing outside the door, shook her head slightly at Lin Wenqing and said, "Mother, I am going to the palace to help the emperor. How can I say that I am suffering?"

Lin Wenqing reacted and slapped himself, saying, "Look at my mouth, I'm talking nonsense."

Lu Changqing quickly changed the subject and asked knowingly, "Dad went to Guozhou, why didn't the mistress, mother, and sisters go with him?"

Lin Wenqing said: "Mother was afraid that you would not be able to see anyone when you returned home from the palace, so she was not in a hurry to go there."

Du Hezhi's face was ugly, and his words were full of resentment. "Shouldn't such a big house be guarded by someone? And your eldest brother is not convenient to go far away now, so I took your third sister to stay."

Lu Changqing asked, "Is it Dad's idea for Third Sister to stay, or is it your idea, Madam?"

Du Hezhi glanced at Bai Xingke and said with a guilty conscience, "Of course it's what I meant."

"I heard that father intends to marry into the Ningyuan Marquis family. Does the mistress know about this?" Lu Changqing asked.

Du Hezhi was surprised, "Even you know about this?"

"Madam, have you investigated the character of the second son of Ningyuan Mansion?"

Du Hezhi looked disdainful and said, "Who in the capital doesn't know who Gu Ji is? Do we need to investigate?"

"So, Madam, are you going to follow father's wishes and keep my third sister in the capital, so that she can marry Gu Ji in the future?"

"If your father is happy, what can I do? It's not like I haven't had a fight with him before!"

"Madam, how is my elder sister doing in the Earl's Mansion now?"

Du Hezhi didn't understand why Lu Changqing brought up the topic of her eldest daughter again, but she still answered proudly, "She just gave birth to a boy a few days ago, and she is now in confinement."

Lu Changqing sneered, "It wasn't easy, at least a boy was born."

"What do you mean?" Du Hezhi asked.

"Madam, to be honest, you and Dad are not competent as the child's parents. Don't compare with other families. Take the former sister-in-law for example. When my brother became like that, right after the sister-in-law gave birth, her mother and father came to pick her up.

As for you and daddy, even though your elder sister was bullied so badly in the Earl's house, you still persuaded her to go back, saying that it would be fine if she gave birth to a boy.

You yourself have been through this, and you also gave birth to an older brother. Have you had an easier life? Has my father respected you over the years?"

Du Hezhi's lips trembled, and it was unclear whether he was angry or anxious. "How can a junior like you have the right to interfere in the affairs of the elders?"

"Okay, let's talk about my eldest sister. Before she got married, my eldest sister's husband was not a good person except for his academic performance. He was a well-known 'honest man'. But after they got married, his true colors were revealed. Not only did he not control his lower body, but he also abused my eldest sister."

"My eldest brother-in-law is like this. Think about Gu Ji. He has a mistress and an illegitimate child before he even gets married. Not only that, he is also a frequent visitor to brothels and gambling houses. If my third sister really marries a man who is a gambler and a scoundrel, I'm afraid that Gu Ji will squander all her dowry in less than a year."

"Can the mistress really bear to let the third sister jump into such a wolf's den?"

Du Hezhi said stubbornly, "Marriages need to be managed. Besides, which man in this world is not unfaithful? Isn't this how everyone has been through this?"

"Madam, Daddy insisted on doing what he wanted, and you obeyed him in everything. During this period, have you ever asked Third Sister's opinion?"

Du Hezhi heard this and curled his lips and said, "Of course your third sister is willing."

"Madam, the third sister is right beside you, why don't you ask her."

Du Hezhi turned his head to look at Bai Xingke and asked, "Xingke, what do you think?"

"Mom, I was ignorant before. Seeing that everyone had gone through this, I also thought that getting married and having children was my way out." Bai Xingke said, looking at Lu Changqing, "But now I realize that getting married is not the only way out for women."

Du Hezhi followed Bai Xingke's gaze and asked in surprise, "You want to enter the palace too?"

Bai Xingke smiled bitterly and said, "Mother, I have only learned the art of housekeeping since I was a child. I don't have the knowledge of ancient and modern times like my fourth sister, so I can't be favored by the nobles in the palace."

"Then what do you want to do?"

Bai Xingke shook his head and said, "I don't know what I want to do yet, but I don't want to get married right now."

"That won't work. Your father won't agree."

Lu Changqing said: "Third sister is not under Dad's supervision, what can't be done?"

Seeing that Lu Changqing had been contradicting him, Du He said angrily, "You! If you don't want to get married, don't drag my daughter into it and ruin her good marriage."

"Gu Ji, is that a good marriage?"

"I didn't say it has to be Gu Ji. There are so many good men in the capital. Isn't the young master of Duke Wei's family a good one?"

Lu Changqing shrugged. She didn't have much time and was too lazy to talk about these things with Du Hezhi anymore.

Lu Changqing stood up and leaned close to Du Hezhi's ear and whispered, "Madam, please deal with the loan issue. This time, my father is going to Guozhou, and next time he may return to his hometown to spend his remaining years."

Du Hezhi was horrified and his face turned pale. "How...how did you know?"

"If you don't want others to know, then don't do it. There won't be a next time." After Lu Changqing finished speaking, he nodded to Bai Xingke, turned around and took Lin Wenqing to the West Garden.

"What did you say to your mistress at the end that scared her like that?" Lin Wenqing asked curiously.

"Nothing. By the way, how much of the private money I asked you to hide is now?"

Lin Wenqing put her index finger to her lips, looked around, and seeing that the servants were quite far away from her, she whispered to Lu Changqing where she hid the money.

……

Lu Changqing arrived in Fuyan Road one step earlier than Fan Yong. When he arrived in Yanzhou, he took out the imperial edict and token and took office directly.

After sending those boxes of muskets and ammunition to the yamen warehouse and locking them up, the newly appointed official Lu Changqing called a meeting of all the responsible persons in the yamen and started by questioning them.

"I know from far away in the capital that Li Yuanhao often invades the six border areas. Why is Yanzhou's deployment so loose? When I entered the city, I saw less than a hundred soldiers. What's going on?"

Li Tongpan stroked his beard and said, "Deputy Envoy, you don't know that if Li Yuanhao wants to lead his troops to attack Yanzhou, he must first pass through the Eighteen Forts of Jinming. The Jinming Fort is guarded by Li Shibin, the Chief Inspector who is known as the Iron-armed Minister. It can be said to be impregnable and unbreakable."

Lu Changqing pulled the corner of his mouth, "What if Jinming Village is breached?"

Li Tongpan paused while stroking his beard. "How could it be? In the past year, the Tangut army has frequently attacked us, but they were always driven away by the soldiers of Jinmingzhai. With their strength, this is absolutely impossible."

Lu Changqing took a deep breath and asked, "How many guards are there in Yanzhou City now?"

Li Tongpan saw that Lu Changqing's face was as dark as the bottom of a pot, and said guiltily: "Less than 300 people."

Lu Changqing took a deep breath and asked, "Who is the commander of Yongxing Army?"

"Lu...Lu Shouqin."

Lu Changqing asked coldly: "Where is the person? Is he in the city now?"

"Yes, I'll send someone to invite him right away," Judge Li asked tentatively.

Lu Changqing nodded, and Li Tongpan breathed a sigh of relief. He trotted out and asked someone to quickly call Lu Shouqin.