RPAGF Chapter 789: Journey to the West (Part 2)
Chapter 789: Journey to the West (Part 2)
"Okay, go ahead. Your mother and I will bring Xiaoyuer and Chibao to the city gate to wait for you and see you off," said Zhang Laoer, waving his hand.
As he spoke, he was still busy cleaning things up, afraid that he had missed anything.
Zhang Ping'an sighed inwardly, said nothing more, and went to court.
Among the matters discussed at the court meeting today, the western tour was naturally one of the most important tasks. Zhou Ziming once again emphasized the importance of the western tour and gave some advice and encouragement to the important officials accompanying him.
Especially the two leading civil and military officials, Zhang Ping'an and Zhao Renzhi.
After the encouragement, he personally awarded Zhang Ping'an the imperial edict to patrol the border at the court meeting. This was an important identity certificate and also represented that he was endowed with certain imperial powers.
At the same time, Zhang Ping'an and his accompanying officials were given gold belts embroidered with different animals according to their ranks.
It is a royal honor that can be inherited from generation to generation.
After the court meeting ended, he summoned a few people to the inner hall, gave them seats and wine, which was equivalent to a small-scale practice.
"I believe I don't need to emphasize again how important this trip to the northwest is. I have already said it at the court meeting just now. You two are my right-hand men and capable generals. This trip can only succeed, not fail. If necessary, all the supplies along the way are available for you to dispatch. If there is any important situation, you can send a pigeon at any time," Zhou Ziming said in a deep voice after sitting at the top and drinking the wine in the glass.
Zhang Ping'an and Zhao Renzhi bowed respectfully and accepted the order, then drank the wine in their cups to show their determination.
Zhou Ziming has never been a sentimental person, and he did not keep many people. After the farewell party, he asked the Dragon God Guards to help escort everyone to the city gate, and then meet up with the accompanying army.
The accompanying troops were already waiting outside the city.
The person on duty today was Liu Sanlang. He rode his horse in front to lead the way. After escorting everyone all the way to the city gate, he was not in a hurry to leave the city.
Many of the officials' family members and servants were waiting at the city gate, so they had to leave some time for farewell.
After saying hello to his colleagues and explaining that he would stay for a while, he got off the horse.
At this time, Xiao Yuer also saw his uncle. After all, Liu Sanlang was tall and too conspicuous in the crowd.
"Uncle, we are here!"
Xiaoyuer sat in Xiaohu's arms, waving and greeting everyone vigorously, afraid that everyone would not see him.
When he woke up in the morning, he remembered that Zhang Ping'an was going on a long trip today. He didn't even eat a few bites of breakfast properly, and urged Zhang Laoer and Xu to bring him over.
Even though his father was so cruel as not to take him with him, he definitely had to see his father off.
Xiao Yuer's voice was clear and distinct among the bustling crowd. Liu Sanlang saw him after looking around.
After stepping forward and taking Xiao Yu'er in his arms, he pointed to the sedan chair not far away and said to his father-in-law and mother-in-law, "Ping'an and the others are following behind. Let's go over there. Eat well and stay here with others to watch over the luggage. Just follow the sedan chair later."
Zhang Ping'an's sedan chair was in the front. When he opened the curtain, he saw his brother-in-law coming with his family.
He was the leader of the Western Tour and had a lot of things to arrange later, so he had to hurry to get out of the sedan chair and say goodbye to his family.
"Dad, Mom, you'll have to endure hardships at home from now on."
After that, he carefully instructed his son: "Xiao Yu'er, when Daddy is not home, you are the man of the family. You must be obedient, understand?"
"Well, Dad, I know, don't worry!" Xiao Yuer nodded heavily.
He walked forward and hugged Zhang Ping'an's legs, reluctantly saying, "Dad, I don't want you to leave, but now I understand. You have to work to earn money to support the family, so you have to leave. You have no choice. I will stay at home and listen to my grandparents and wait for you to come back. You should take good care of yourself too!"
"This child..." The child was so sensible that Zhang Pingan felt distressed when he heard it, but he couldn't help showing a bit of pride on his face.
Zhang Laoer also comforted his son: "Dad is still here. This family has Dad to support it, don't worry! Just like Xiaoyuer said, take care of yourself and write home more often."
"Yes," Zhang Ping'an nodded in response to these instructions.
After a moment, Qian Jie stepped forward and whispered, "It's almost time!"
The words imply a sense of urging.
Without waiting for Zhang Pingan to speak, Zhang Laoer tactfully picked up his grandson, waved his hand and said, "Okay, Pingan, go and do your thing. We're going home too."
"Yes, just go ahead and do your own thing. Mother will watch you go," said Xu, wiping her red eyes.
Xiao Yuer also waved his hand sensibly: "Dad, go ahead. Grandma and I will watch you go."
This scene made Liu Sanlang, a big and strong man, feel very sad, which is why he didn't want to go to the northwest.
It is important to achieve success, but he cannot bear the scene of separation, and his family also needs him.
After fighting for the Great Zhou for several years, he felt that he had done what a man should do.
Zhang Ping'an held back his tears, waved to his father, mother, and son, and then led everyone out of the city to meet up with the accompanying army outside the city.
Zhao Renzhi, who was a little behind, sat in the sedan chair and lifted the curtain to watch the scene with no expression on his face. Then he lowered the curtain again.
But in his heart, he felt that Zhang Ping'an was a little too soft-hearted. A man should have ambitions and contribute to the country. Household matters are not worth spending too much effort on.
I never realized before that this classmate who has been rising rapidly in the industry has such a warm and loving fatherly heart.
Thinking of this, Zhao Renzhi couldn't help but think of his sons who took their mother's surname, and then he curled the corners of his mouth and sneered silently twice.
As his official position became higher and higher, during the Chinese New Year last year, the woman's family discussed and took the initiative to propose changing his sons' surnames back to their father's, but he didn't want to.
These children are witnesses to his shame, and his family property will not be left to them.
He only hoped that the sons born to his concubines would grow up quickly and be of assistance to him in the court in the future.
Zhao Renzhi was very clear about Zhou Ziming's plan, so even though he knew that Zhou Ziming was using him as a pawn to help solve the military power issue of the Guazhou Iron Cavalry, he still enjoyed it.
If you really have such a powerful army in your hands, it would be nice to be a frontier official.
In this way, after meeting up with the accompanying guard army outside the city, a group of more than 200 people quickly rushed towards Juyongguan.
This western tour is different from previous ones. The time is not well chosen. If we delay too much on the road, we might be blocked by heavy snow and be stopped halfway.
In that case, the plan would be aborted before it even started, which is totally unacceptable.
So everyone moved forward as quickly as possible.
They arrived at Juyongguan in the evening of that day.