Golden Branch

"Yes! Yes! I understand!"

The postmaster nodded repeatedly.

Lou Yu didn't care whether this person really understood or not. He continued, "Is there any village near the post station? We need to replenish food, fruits and vegetables, meat, eggs, etc."

Lou Yu observed the celestial phenomena and estimated that this spring rain would continue until the second half of the night.

Their team could just take a short rest at this post station.

It’s not a good idea to set off immediately tomorrow.

The soldiers were indeed accustomed to sleeping in the open air while marching in the wild, but they still had to be more careful when they got caught in the rain.

In addition to the "people's hearts", it is more because these people and horses originally belonged to him and Aheng.

You must love and cherish your own team.

"Yes! Yes! Please be at ease, sir. I will send someone to the village to pass on the message right away!"

The postmaster continued to nod and bow, his attitude very attentive.

Lou Yu sat on the horse and looked around, and found that the post station was surrounded by empty wasteland.

“…Give the order to set up camp here!”

Thousands of people and horses could not be accommodated in a small post station, not even in the nearby villages.

The best way is to set up a tent!

The main force was still moving slowly on the official road, but Lou Yu's personal guards had already returned on horseback, selecting two or three hundred men and trotting all the way to the post station.

They quickly set up tents, dug holes and buried pots in the open space on the side of the road.

The postmaster and others were still considering whether to come up and help.

However, seeing the soldiers' well-trained and quick movements, they all stepped aside in silence.

Wow, they are worthy of the famous Lou family army.

Even though they were not the main force, but just the private soldiers of the young master of the Lou family, they looked well-disciplined.

The military tents were ready, and the soldiers were already accustomed to camping in the wild.

There are also firemen, who are even more capable.

When Wang Heng's carriage arrived at the post station, the tents were connected together.

Wisps of smoke were rising from the camp.

After arriving at the post station, Wang Heng's men did not rush to settle down. Instead, they ran to the truck to find brown sugar, ginger, etc., and distributed a certain amount of supplies to the soldiers according to the corresponding number of people.

After rushing all the way, getting wet in the rain, and being busy again, the soldiers who were previously responsible for setting up the tents also drank the boiling hot ginger sugar water first.

The sweet and spicy taste rushed straight to the sky, and the whole body wrapped in cold and damp air seemed to become transparent.

comfortable!

Except for the soldiers who continued to be on guard duty, everyone else found their respective team's tents, gathered around a large iron pot, and slurped ginger soup.

The cold was dispelled, and the whole body felt warm from the stomach and intestines to the limbs.

Although they were wet in the rain all the way, the nobles sat safely in the carriage.

However, compared with the treatment given by the Wang and Lou families, the soldiers didn't care about this little "class gap" at all.

They all have a deep-rooted sense of hierarchy, and as soldiers at the bottom of society, they are inherently lowly.

Lou Yu and Wang Heng, as their husband and wife, were already noble.

Lou Yu and Wang Heng did not exploit or bully like other powerful people. Instead, they were generous and kind. They were already the best masters in the eyes of the soldiers!

Not to mention anything else, just this bowl of ginger syrup, wow, this is syrup!

sugar!

In Dayu, apart from maltose and honey, there are no other sugar products such as sucrose.

Maltose is made from wheat seedlings, which is a waste of food.

For ordinary people who could not even get enough food, malt sugar was definitely a luxury that would bring punishment from heaven.

Not to mention honey, which is a rare treasure found by chance in the wild.

If you are lucky enough to come across something, you will sell it for money and not enjoy it yourself.

It is no exaggeration to say that these soldiers had never tasted the sweetness before they joined Lou Yu and Wang Heng.

"The man/woman is the most generous and kindhearted. He/she really treats us as one of their own."

"Yes! Yes! Sugar is such a precious thing, many nobles have never tasted it!"

"...It's not just candy! There will be meat! I just heard that my husband has sent people to the nearby village to buy some, so there will be fresh meat soon!"

In the makeshift camp, there were about ten people gathered around each big pot.

This is basically a "Shi", which means a team of ten people.

The sergeant who led the team, together with his brothers, took off their wet clothes, drank ginger sugar water, roasted clothes, and chatted!

Everyone is looking forward to tonight's meal.

The Lou family army and the Wang family troops have never lacked meat since they followed the young master and the young lady.

The best ones are naturally braised pork and minced meat porridge.

The worst is pig offal and various braised dishes.

Whether it is the delicious pork belly or the various internal organs, they are all processed cleanly.

It also looks great, bright red and shiny.

It is even more fragrant, soft and tender when you put it in your mouth.

Served with hot pancakes...it's a real home-cooked delicacy.

The soldiers of the Lou and Wang families were not only satisfied with the delicious food provided by their masters, but also proud to have such masters.

Especially when there are "outsiders" around.

For example, the Qianniu Guards who escorted the angels to Yizhou to announce the imperial decree years ago.

For example, the Dugu family’s troops.

As the masters' carriages arrived at the post station one after another.

The servants were busy coming and going, while the guards had nothing to do.

A dozen Qianniu guards had been traveling with the Wang and Lou families for more than half a month and had long been accustomed to going to the military camp to eat and drink for free.

Well, the Wang and Lou families are indeed wealthy and kind.

He is really willing to sacrifice for his own soldiers.

I can actually have oily food for three meals a day, and there’s even meat at lunch!

Even the emperor's personal guards don't have such good treatment.

If the mission was not related to honor and family, the Qianniu Guards would have wanted to give up their status as officers and soldiers and run to Lou Yu and Wang Heng.

Although this statement is a bit exaggerated, it can still prove that the food of the Lou family army and the Wang family troops is really good, and their lives are really comfortable.

Just like today, everyone was on the road and got caught in the rain.

However, only the masters of the Lou and Wang families were concerned about the soldiers. They made ginger sugar water for them and rushed to the village to purchase supplies.

In less than half an hour, the spicy and sweet smell in the camp had not yet dissipated, and the overbearing aroma of meat filled the air.

Qianniuwei ran directly to a campfire as if he knew the place well, with a smile on his face and a bowl in hand, and successfully got a large bowl of cabbage stewed with meat.

A big bowl with vegetables, meat, soup, chili peppers and pepper.

Paired with crispy baked Hu pancakes, the soldiers felt so satisfied eating it.

Seeing the guards wearing Qianniuwei uniforms running to the camp to eat, the followers of the Dugu family couldn't help but surround them.

The soldiers of the Lou and Wang families have never been stingy people.

The key point is that at this moment, they are most proud - they are all soldiers who ride horses and carry guns and fight for their masters. They can eat and drink well, while others can only watch.

The envy, jealousy and hatred in these people's eyes are really refreshing.

Besides, these few bites don’t make a big difference.

Letting the other party join in may have some effect that is not affected by others.

"Brother! Come and eat!"

"Haha! That's right! Our Duke (our Princess) is the most generous and compassionate person, always considerate of her subordinates!"

"We are all brothers in the army. Perhaps we have fought together in the past!"

"That's right! We're tired after a long day and we've been caught in the rain. Let's sit down and have something hot together!"

The soldiers from the Lou and Wang families greeted them warmly and even attentively.

The Qianniu Guards were fine. No matter how envious they were, they could not really give up their jobs as the emperor's personal guards.

The followers of the Dugu family are a little...

They looked at the meat slices rolling in the big pot, then lowered their heads to touch the hard black-faced dry food and the sour and smelly vinegar cloth in their arms. Their envy of the Lou family army and the Wang family troops almost reached its peak.

As soldiers of the lowest rank, they don’t even have to eat dry food or cook vinegar cloth?

Being able to eat freshly cooked meat when you are away from home is a treatment you may not get even at home or in the military camp!

"Brother, the food at your Lou family (Wang family) is really good!"

Restraining the bitterness in their hearts, the Dugu family's soldiers took the bowls filled with vegetables and meat, and ate with their cheeks wide open while speaking incoherently.

They are really envious!

"Haha, our food is really good!"

"That's right! But we not only have good food, but also high pay!"

"And, there's never any delay or deduction! Every month, the full amount is paid on time."

"If any of our brothers are injured, there are doctors in the barracks, as well as trauma and anti-inflammatory drugs that are not available outside."

"If a brother unfortunately passes away, the young man (or young lady) will also provide a pension, and his family and others will also be taken care of by the young man (or young lady)!"

It can be said that as long as you join the Lou family army or the Wang family troops, whether you are alive or dead, you can support your entire family.

Qianniu Guards & Dugu Family: ...Is this true? Holy crap, this is too good to be true.

"That's not all! We have a reward!"

"Yes! Yes! For example, this time when we went to Beijing, my husband (my lady) had already prepared a house for us in the capital."

"According to the size of their achievements and their performance, they will be allocated housing of different sizes."

"The worst is two rooms, and the best is a small courtyard with a separate entrance and house." Although the location is a bit remote, it belongs to the "rural area" of the capital.

But, that is also the capital.

These soldiers were either slaves, or poor people who had nowhere else to turn to, or retired veterans of the Lou family.

They never dreamed that they would be able to settle down in Beijing with their family in this life!

Qianniu Guards & Dugu Family Troupe: ...

They were so jealous that they were speechless.

A group of soldiers can own real estate in the capital city thanks to the favor of their master?

Why!

……

Lou Yu and Wang Heng had no idea what was happening in the temporary camp.

Lou Yu arranged everything, and when he saw Wang Heng's carriage coming, he went to greet it.

He dismounted, stood at the carriage door, and bowed, "Princess, I have already handed over the post station to Madam Lu as you instructed."

Wang Heng was sitting in the carriage and was about to get off, but when she heard Lou Yu's words, she stopped.

A smile flashed across her eyes: Brother, you are so naughty!

This person, it is true that it is difficult to change one's nature.

No matter how gentle and refined Lou Yu looks on the outside, he is still that naughty and cruel kid on the inside.

Brother, this is setting a trap for Madam Lu.

She is indeed the elder of the saint and the queen, and the Li family is indeed the first foreign relative of Dayu.

But, after all, she is not a king, but a subject.

She was just a court lady, yet she dared to act so rudely in front of the royal princess. Tsk tsk, this was definitely a handle on her.

"...Perhaps Madam Lu will refuse?"

Wang Mian also came over and heard Wang Heng's whispering, so he asked in a low voice.

"A Mian, you also saw Mrs. Lu on the road just now. Do you think she is a person who follows the rules?"

To be more precise, is Mrs. Lu a smart person?

The answer is definitely no.

This man has been spoiled and has long forgotten the hierarchy between the emperor and his subjects. He has no idea what "times are different now" means.

Both of her elder sisters who were queens have passed away.

She is no longer a member of the Li family, but the ancestor of the Dugu family.

Even after being married for decades, she is not close to the younger generation in her natal family.

Not to mention, the Dugu family, the Li family, Yang Chong, etc. were once political enemies.

After the sage ascended the throne, he did not settle accounts with the Dugu family because of their "relative" relationship.

The saint did not value Mrs. Lu, his cheap aunt, but for his mother who died young.

No matter what, Mrs. Lu is my mother's only biological sister.

Mrs. Lu's appearance is somewhat similar to her sister.

When the saint saw Lady Lu, he had the illusion that he was seeing his mother.

Because of his deep remembrance and fantasy for his deceased mother, the saint spared the Dugu family.

However, this does not mean that the saint will continue to indulge Lady Lu.

It’s just a “stand-in”. Mrs. Lu can do it, and so can anyone else!

As long as the saint wanted, with his imperial status, he could find someone who looked more like his biological mother.

If Lady Lu could remain content, the Saint would still tolerate her.

But if she can't figure it out——

Wang Mian thought of the old lady who looked so proud on the official road before, and couldn't help but light a candle in his heart.

The pit dug by the little pervert is not very subtle.

Anyone with a bit of brains or emotional intelligence can see it.

After weighing the pros and cons, you can make the right choice.

But that person happened to be Mrs. Lu. Tsk, this old ancestor who was very self-righteous would not even think about whether this was a trap or not, and would only think that it was "natural."

Sure enough, sitting in the leaky carriage, Mrs. Lu was still angry.

This girl Wang Jiu really doesn't know how to respect the elderly.

I am the saint's biological aunt. Not only is my status noble, but I am also very old.

Wang Jiu, however, showed no respect at all.

He sat in a super luxurious carriage, but instead of inviting her to get in, he let her get wet in the rain in an ordinary carriage.

He really doesn't know how to be humble or polite.

Besides being angry about not being able to sit on the princess' carriage, Mrs. Lu couldn't help but worry: the post station was so small, and if Wang Jiu continued to use her status as a princess to bully others and occupied the post station alone, would she, Mrs. Lu, have to continue to stay in the leaky carriage?

Just as Mrs. Lu was lost in thought, the postmaster rushed over and said attentively, "Madam, the courtyard of the post station has been tidied up..."

PS: The first update of the new year, my dear friends, I wish you a happy Year of the Snake and all your wishes come true!