Ning Chen came out of the palace and drove to a place outside the city.

The musket battalion was not far from the Dragon Guard’s north camp, and was under Yuan Long’s command now.

A carriage came into sight, drawing nearer.

The guards at the musket battalion’s gate raised their muskets warily.

“General Ning?”

“Quick, quick, quick… Put those damn guns down, all of you. That’s General Ning.”

A young soldier came running over with excitement all over his face, took the mounting stool down, and helped Ning Chen out of the carriage.

“General Ning, what brings you here?”

Ning Chen remembered this soldier. He was the one he had asked, on the road to the raid on the North Royal Court, whether he had taken a wife and had sons.

He remembered the soldier saying then that he was saving up.

Ning Chen said, smiling, “Have you taken a wife yet?”

The soldier’s whole face lit up. He had never expected Ning Chen to remember him.

He said, delighted, “Thanks to General Ning, this small man is betrothed, and has bought a two-courtyard house… We marry after the new year.”

“Congratulations. You’ll have to ask me for a cup of the wedding wine.”

The soldier was thrilled. “If General Ning would come, there would be smoke rising off this small man’s ancestral graves.”

That made Ning Chen laugh.

“Come on. Take me to Yuan Long.”

“This way, General Ning.”

Ning Chen found Yuan Long on the parade ground.

In weather as cold as this, Yuan Long was stripped to the waist and wrestling with several of the men.

“Stop, stop, stop. Go on practicing without me.”

Seeing Ning Chen, Yuan Long came running over.

Looking at Yuan Long’s knotted muscles and his powerful body, Ning Chen’s whole face was envious.

His own frame was not large, and he was long and thin in build. However he trained, he could never come out with a body like Yuan Long’s.

“General Ning, what brings you here?”

Ning Chen said, “There’s fighting to do. Pick out two thousand musketeers and be aboard at the Sky River landing by the hour of the Rooster tomorrow at the latest.”

Yuan Long’s eyes lit up.

The soldiers around them heard there was fighting and their faces filled with expectation.

Every one of them wanted to go and fight with Ning Chen.

The men who had gone with Ning Chen last time had not only enjoyed the fighting; they had made a fortune.

Ning Chen said, “Yuan Long, take men with plenty of brothers and sisters at home first… Only sons, men with parents above them and a wife and children below, consider them last.”

Yuan Long nodded.

Ning Chen gave him a few instructions. Time was short and he had a great deal else to do, so he did not stay long.

Back in the city, Ning Chen went straight to the Ministry of War and gave the finished plans to Ji Mingchen.

After that he went to the courtesans’ quarter.

Yudie was better every day, and could sit up straight now, more or less.

When she heard that Ning Chen was going to war again, Yudie’s small face went white and her brows filled with worry.

Ning Chen sat at the head of the bed and let her lean against him, and said, smiling, “Don’t worry. With a beauty like you waiting for me to come back, I’d crawl back if I had to.”

“Yudie, the truth is my ambition isn’t in the court. The battlefield is my stage.”

Yudie said softly, “Ning, dear has the ambition of the swan. Yudie asks only that Ning, dear be safe and well, and she is content.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll be back before the new year without fail.”

“While I’m away, look after yourself… When I come back I want to see you well and whole.”

Ning Chen’s hand had gone in under Yudie’s underclothes without his meaning it to, kneading and kneading. It was too large. One hand could not hold it at all.

Yudie could not hold back a low sound.

“Does Ning, dear want to?”

Ning Chen was slightly taken aback, and only then found that his hand had gotten inside Yudie’s clothes at some point.

He took his hand out and shook his head, smiling.

He could hardly be beast enough to give no thought to the wounds on her.

Yudie blamed herself. “It is hard on Ning, dear. It is all this girl’s fault for being no use and getting hurt.”

“Ning, dear, shall this girl find one of her sisters to wait on you?”

The corner of Ning Chen’s mouth twitched. He had nothing to say. The woman was a little too generous.

He looked at Yudie’s small red mouth, and his eyes grew hotter by degrees.

“Yudie can’t move her waist, but her head and her hands still work, don’t they?”

Yudie did not follow, and nodded without thinking. “They do.”

Ning Chen said a few quiet words at her ear.

Yudie’s fine small face went red all at once, but she nodded obediently all the same.

Ning Chen went quickly over and shut the door.

An hour later, Ning Chen’s whole face was satisfied.

Yudie wiped at the corner of her mouth. It was a little red and swollen.

“Does Ning, dear want more?”

Ning Chen was about to say yes, but he saw how her lips were a little swollen and felt for her.

“No more. When I come home in triumph, then.”

As he said it, Ning Chen brought over the tea from beside them and had Yudie rinse her mouth.

Yudie’s fine small face was covered with worry. “Ning, dear must take care of himself. This girl will be waiting for him to come back.”

“Don’t worry. You have a hostage. My son is in your hands. How would I dare not come back?”

“What?”

Yudie did not follow.

Ning Chen grinned wickedly. “Not only in your hands. Some of him is in your mouth too.”

Seeing that Yudie still had not understood, Ning Chen said a few more wicked words at her ear.

Yudie’s small face went crimson, and she said, pouting prettily, “Ning, dear talks nothing but nonsense.”

“Ning, dear, I’m sorry. You are going out on campaign and this girl can’t see you off.”

Ning Chen said, smiling, “What is there to be sorry for? Get your wound healed properly… and when I come back you can meet me at the Sky River landing.”

Yudie nodded gently and made a small sound of assent. “This girl will be there.”

Ning Chen lingered with Yudie a while longer, and left the courtesans’ quarter unwillingly.

Before he went, he told Jiang Daniu and Tian Jiang and the others that they must keep Yudie safe.

Then he drove back to the Ning house.

The moment he was through the door Uncle Chai came to meet him.

“Fourth Young Master, several of your colleagues are here. They are waiting for you in the main hall.”

Ning Chen nodded and went to the main hall.

Pan Yucheng, Feng Qizheng, Chen Chong and the others had all come.

“What are you all doing here?”

Pan Yucheng looked at him. “We hear you are going out on campaign.”

“Lord Geng told you?”

Pan Yucheng nodded.

“That great loudspeaker. His mouth is looser than the waistband on a pair of padded trousers.”

Pan Yucheng looked past Ning Chen. “Geng the Purple Coat, you heard the way he talks about you?”

Ning Chen jumped. Fuck… Geng Jing is here too?

A fawning smile came onto his face at once, and he turned to look… and his expression froze on the spot as he realized he had been had. Geng Jing was not there at all.

Ning Chen turned back and glared sourly at Pan Yucheng. “Old Pan, you’ve learned bad habits.”

“I learned them from you.”

Ning Chen rolled his eyes. “I have so many good points about me and you don’t learn any of them. This is my one fault and it’s the one you picked up.”

All of them looked at him together and said with one voice, “You have good points?”

Ning Chen: “…”

“Have you come to see me off, then?”

Feng Qizheng laughed. “No… we’re coming with you.”

Ning Chen’s brows drew together a little. “You are not. You will all stay where you are… This is a war, not a country outing. What are you crowding in for?”

Pan Yucheng said, “It is Geng the Purple Coat’s idea, and I imagine His Majesty’s too.”

Ning Chen thought about it. “Old Pan and Old Feng can come with me… Old Gao and Old Chen have parents above them and wives and children below. They had better not.”

Chen Chong sprang to his feet. “Last time you went at the North Royal Court you left me sitting inside Beilin Pass… This time I am coming with you whatever happens.”

Gao Ziping said, “Ning Chen, you needn’t worry about my household… I have it all arranged.”

Ning Chen’s whole face was serious. “Arranged, my ass. You two will stay in the capital and behave… Old Pan, settle the two of them for me.”

The corner of Pan Yucheng’s mouth twitched. “We haven’t even marched yet. Which of us is in charge? Who are you giving orders to?”

Ning Chen grinned. “If you can’t settle those two, you’re not coming either.”

“You dare threaten me?” Pan Yucheng shot to his feet.

Feng Qizheng and the others were all pleased at another man’s misfortune. Ning Chen was going to get a beating.

To their surprise, Pan Yucheng pointed at Chen Chong and Gao Ziping. “You two stay behind. That is an order.”

The smiles froze on Gao Ziping’s and Chen Chong’s faces on the spot.

(End of Chapter 238)