Huang An and Zuo Du escorted the family members to the Xiliang Army camp together. Not far from the military camp, rows of brick and tile houses had long been built, all constructed personally by the Xiliang Army soldiers over these past two months.

Especially after the letter from Xiliang came back and they learned that Commissioner Zhang had agreed to their military families moving inland, they put even more care into the arrangements, as this would be where their family members would live in the future.

Zhao Hanzhang was also quite generous, having the brick kiln provide them with bricks and stones, and even spending money to buy quite a lot of timber for them to build houses. Unfortunately, there wasn’t more beyond that.

They had to figure out furniture and such things themselves.

So when the military families entered the houses and looked around, inside was completely bare, with only a few scattered pieces of furniture.

But they were still very happy—after all, the family was reunited, and everything else could be added slowly.

Beigong Chun was accompanying his mother. He hadn’t returned home in many years, and felt deeply guilty in his heart. Seeing his mother’s temples all white with age, he couldn’t help but kneel and weep.

The old lady hurriedly supported him and told him to go see his wife. “In these years you’ve been away, it’s all thanks to Huiniang’s care. You must thank her properly.”

Beigong Chun turned and bowed to his wife. “Thank you, Huiniang…”

Huiniang quickly stepped aside halfway, then returned the courtesy repeatedly. “This is what your concubine should do. General, you needn’t be like this…”

“General, the Magistrate has sent someone with gifts… Oh my,” Huang An saw the two of them bowing to each other, turned to leave, but Lady Beigong, smiling broadly, called him back and asked, “The Magistrate is sending gifts—should we go pay our respects and express thanks?”

Huang An quickly said, “It’s Sister Ting He from the Magistrate’s side. She said the ladies have been weary from travel these days and should settle in first. Tomorrow the Magistrate will host a banquet for everyone.”

The old lady heard this, let out a breath, and stood up. “Then let’s go quickly. We’ll receive the Magistrate’s gifts together.”

Ting He handed the sheep to Beigong Chun’s personal guards, while she led servants carrying two bolts of fabric to meet Lady Beigong.

These two bolts of fabric were specially found by Wang Shi for Zhao Hanzhang, naturally the finest fabric. Since summer was hot, the silk was light and thin, yet the colors were vibrant and eye-catching.

Lady Beigong had never seen such fabric in Xiliang. For a moment she was both surprised and delighted, turning to tell Madam Beigong, “Huiniang, put these away quickly and have several garments cut later—they’ll suit you perfectly.”

After speaking, her gaze slid between her and Beigong Chun, her eyes crinkling with laughter.

Huiniang’s face flushed slightly as she lowered her head in acknowledgment.

Even Beigong Chun felt somewhat embarrassed, turning his head slightly aside, though his gaze couldn’t help but fall on Huiniang.

Ting He took all this in, then praised Huiniang repeatedly, even exchanging with her the latest popular clothing styles in Luoyang.

After seeing Ting He off, Lady Beigong said to Beigong Chun, “This Magistrate Zhao is quite thoughtful and values you highly.”

Beigong Chun nodded. “Magistrate Zhao not only shows me the grace of recognition but also the grace of saving my life.”

Lady Beigong had been hoping for her son’s return daily while in Xiliang. After inquiring, she naturally learned the reasons why her son was trapped in Zhongzhou and couldn’t return. She took his hand and consoled him, “You must be understanding of Commissioner Zhang as well, and harbor no resentment toward him. These past two years have been difficult for him too. He fell ill, there was internal turmoil in Xiliang, and the common people were all fearful of a change in commissioner.”

“Mother, I know. I’m in the Central Plains, yet my heart yearns to immediately return to Xiliang to assist my lord. How could I resent him?”

Lady Beigong breathed a sigh of relief, patting his hand. “Good, good. But since you’re willing to follow Magistrate Zhao, you mustn’t be of two minds. You must plan wholeheartedly for her. As for Commissioner Zhang, if there’s an opportunity in the future, you can repay his grace of recognition then.”

Beigong Chun wanted to say he hadn’t changed lords, but was only temporarily working for Zhao Hanzhang. However, seeing his mother’s smiling face, looking so relieved, he swallowed the words on the tip of his tongue.

Forget it—as long as he knew in his heart, saying it now would only make Mother worry.

Beigong Chun nodded, helped the old lady sit down, then turned to Huang An and said, “Slaughter both sheep the Magistrate sent, then select five more fat sheep and kill them to give the soldiers extra rations. Tonight, with families reunited, our whole army will eat well.”

Huang An happily acknowledged and left excitedly. Before long, Zuo Du came running over, his eyes red but bright, his face still showing the excitement of just having seen his family. Upon entering the room, he stared at Beigong Chun. “General, military affairs, military affairs…”

Lady Beigong quickly said, “Then you go attend to business. Your wife and I will organize things.”

Beigong Chun hurried to say, “Mother, this is my command tent. You can’t stay here. Tonight is one thing, but tomorrow I’ll send you into the city. So you needn’t unpack these things.”

“Ah, you won’t be living with us?”

Beigong Chun smiled. “The military camp isn’t far from Luoyang city. I can return home daily. Don’t worry.”

He said, “Magistrate Zhao granted me a residence in the city. Oh, and Huang An and Zuo Du’s residences are also in the city. You needn’t fear having no familiar faces around.”

Only then did Lady Beigong relax, nodding. “Alright, we understand. You go attend to business.”

Zuo Du pulled Beigong Chun outside the command tent and looked at him. “General, the army currently has only twelve sheep total. If we kill five, barely any will remain. We need to buy more, right?”

Beigong Chun frowned. “This month’s military pay hasn’t been disbursed yet.”

“Are you still waiting for the Magistrate’s military pay? I heard the Magistrate has been eating vegetarian for three days straight. The other Zhao Family Army now has stewed tofu daily, with only one meat soup and meat-based dish every ten days—even worse off than us.”

“If we don’t get it from the Magistrate, where do you expect me to get military pay for you all?” Beigong Chun pointed at the fields outside. “The crops in those fields haven’t been harvested yet.”

“Speaking of which, look at what your people have planted—so sparse. Then go look at what the Zhao Family Army planted, and you can’t even farm properly. What use are you all?”

Beigong Chun said, “You’re cheerful now, but wait until harvest comes. The Zhao Family Army will be eating their fill and drinking well while you’re still laughing.”

Zuo Du said, “Our farming skills naturally can’t match theirs. General, we’ve been on horseback fighting since age fourteen, while they’ve been farming all along and only started fighting these past two years.”

“But we also have our strengths.”

Beigong Chun asked, “Can your strengths earn money?”

Zuo Du perked up. “General, I’m talking about earning money!”

He said, “On our way back today, we encountered a merchant caravan. That caravan was robbed at Children’s Ridge—I heard there’s a bandit gang hiding up there who frequently rob passing merchants.”

The word “frequently” was quite tempting. Beigong Chun’s heart stirred as well. “So there’s a lot of money in that bandit lair?”

“Absolutely, General. The family members have arrived, and our homes need to be furnished with various things, but everyone’s funds are tight, so this…”

These past years everyone could barely eat their fill, so naturally they couldn’t save any money. Even Zuo Du, a lieutenant general, couldn’t produce much money, let alone the others.

Beigong Chun lowered his eyes in thought. “Children’s Ridge—half of it is in Xin’an territory, isn’t it? And that area has no stationed soldiers, so it should fall under Second General Zhao’s jurisdiction.”

“That foolish… that honest General Zhao Erlang is currently suppressing scattered bandits and training troops. How could he spare attention for Children’s Ridge? Why don’t we eliminate this menace for him?”