Chapter Five, a beauty as lovely as a flower and as exquisite as jade

Cai A and the other person exchanged a glance, both half-convinced and half-doubtful, unsure of how Guan Zhuofan could be so certain. It would certainly be preferable not to engage in battle, but does that mean allowing foreign devils to enter the city? However, recalling the insight Guan Zhuofan displayed in front of Sheng Bao yesterday, they couldn't help but feel a bit more confident.

Grandma

Oh, it is of no concern. The man partially closed the door, then suddenly poked his head out again, looking at him with a smile that was not quite a smile, and said: "Young Master Guan, our master has not yet returned from the government office. If you wish to file a complaint, please come back later."

Then it is possible to engage in sexual intercourse

Guan Zhuofan's sordid fantasies dissipated like a deflated balloon, leaving no trace behind. He stared at the old man before him, momentarily at a loss for words, thinking to himself: I don't have a father, so where did this one come from?

Guan Zhuofan entered the capital through Guangqumen, carrying a package and inquiring along the way as he headed south. Although he had removed his armor, he was still dressed in military attire, with a battle knife slung at his side. His fluent Beijing dialect made it clear to everyone that he was a soldier returning from the front lines, and thus, whenever he asked for directions, people were always eager to assist him.

... ...

In his lifetime, or rather in his "previous life," he had never been addressed as "young master," which made him feel somewhat elated. Looking inside the gate, he found that it was actually a two-courtyard layout— the outer area was a small courtyard with two side rooms, and there was an archway leading to the inner area, which should be the main courtyard. This kind of structure, if placed in the future capital city, could be considered a luxurious siheyuan. The courtyard was clean and tidy, but it seemed to have been neglected for a long time, inevitably appearing somewhat dilapidated.

"Xiao Guan, is this reliable?" Lao Cai lowered his voice and asked tentatively, "The Empress is still in the Forbidden City, isn't she?"

The old man, however, was very enthusiastic. Upon recognizing him, his eyes immediately lit up, and he grinned widely, saying: "Young Master San, you have returned!" He then turned and shouted inside: "Young Master San has returned!"

As he was looking around, suddenly, from a room deep within the east wing, a beautiful young woman dressed as a married lady emerged, appearing to be in her twenties. She wore a crescent white garment, her skin as smooth as cream, her hair flowing like clouds, her beautiful eyes sparkling with life, resembling a celestial being. Excitedly, she called out to him, "Zhuo Fan, you are back!"

Standing at the door, that vexing question arises again: do I have a wife or not? If I do not have one, then of course it is good, free and unrestrained, with the whole world at my feet; finding a way to earn a first wife and a second concubine would also be a joy. But what if I do have a wife? What if the one opening the door is indeed my wife? ... Then ...

"There will be no more wars," he said with certainty, "next, we will proceed to negotiate a peace agreement"

Borrowing money, thought Guan Zhuofan, it seems I truly am a poor second-generation. He responded vaguely a couple of times, then retreated and took out a book, heading towards the next household.

"Brother, do not think it is too little." Alhatu said as he shook his hand, "Take good care of your health. If anything comes up, have someone inform me. After all, our cavalry camp is always near the imperial city; wherever the next battle is, you will surely be able to find out within the city."

What Guan Zhuofan did not know was that on the official road, just a bowshot away from the city gate, Emperor Xianfeng had once ordered his imperial sedan chair to stop, lifted the curtain, and gazed back at this majestic city.

Regarding matters at home, Old A spoke vaguely, which is due to the fact that I had not communicated much with him in the past; this is an unavoidable situation. What is frustrating is Old Cai, who hesitated and only mentioned half of the engagement matter, yet he still does not know whether I have married or not. Such a significant issue, how nice it would be if Old Cai had asked me for clarification on it regularly.

Traveling from the age of twenty-three to twenty-one gave him the feeling that he had gained two extra years of life

"We are the ones who consume the military provisions; once the battle begins, our lives are no longer our own." Old Cai said somewhat dejectedly, "If I can return alive with Old A, the three of us will have a good drink together again."

He was startled by this sudden thought, feeling an inexplicable heat surge through his body, his heart pounding rapidly as he stepped forward to knock on the doorbell

Guan Zhuofan hesitated for a moment, then decided to tell them the truth, so as to relieve them of these worries

He passed through the archway and entered the main courtyard of the library, which indeed matched his imagination. To the north was the main hall, and on both the east and west sides, there were three side rooms each. On the side adjacent to the archway, there were two small back rooms on either side of the archway.

This is Nanlaishun, a renowned establishment specializing in Northwest snacks, which has existed since that time; this is Ruifuxiang, a silk shop with a century-old reputation. Who could have imagined that a hundred years later, people would only be able to recapture the feeling of tailoring silk garments at wholesale markets? ... This is Xiaochang Chen, known for the best braised pork and baked buns in the world; this is Dashilan, the most prosperous commercial street in all of China, the CBD of the Qing Dynasty ...

After a moment, the door creaked open, revealing a wrinkled old face.

He will never be able to return to this place again

He did not remember incorrectly

As he entered the alley, Guan Zhuofan's mood shifted; the excitement and exhilaration he had felt earlier were gradually replaced by a growing sense of unease. The closer he got to home, the more apprehensive he became. He was about to return to his "own home," yet he remained uncertain about who might be there and what kind of people awaited him.

Guan Zhuofan let out a long sigh. Although he did not have a beautiful wife, he had finally found his home, no matter what. He stepped over the threshold, but an old man rushed to take his bundles. After closing the door, the old man led him inside. ... Guan Zhuofan understood; this was an old steward— I am the young master, and there is actually an old steward in the house.

I feel like I'm dying. Guan Zhuofan only felt dry and parched, staring blankly at her, unable to speak, thinking to himself: So it turns out that heaven wants me to suffer first and then enjoy the sweetness! ... My beautiful wife, who never steps out of the front door or the back door, is waiting for me here...

With such chaotic thoughts swirling in his mind, he found himself standing in front of the third door in the alley. Gritting his teeth, he knocked on the door.

Brother A, Brother Cai, you... take care of yourselves as well. Guan Zhuofan looked at his newly recognized two elder brothers, feeling touched and momentarily at a loss for words. Just now, from the brand-new identification document, he had already seen his date of birth: the fifth month of the year of the pig. He calculated in his mind for a long time, which means that his cousin is twenty-one years old this year

Calling "Young Master Guan" means it is no longer one's own home. Guan Zhuofan smiled apologetically and said, "I’m sorry, I took a wrong turn"

On the second day, Alhatu and Old Cai, as agreed upon the previous night, spent the entire morning running errands for Guan Zhuofan. They finally managed to obtain his seventh-rank military officer's credentials and official uniform. Upon returning to the tent, they helped him pack his belongings along with the credentials and uniform into a bundle. Before departing, they stuffed twenty taels of silver into his package.

The person who came to the door was a man in his thirties, and judging by his attire, he was likely a servant. Upon seeing Guan Zhuofan, he was momentarily taken aback, displaying an expression of impatience, yet his words remained relatively polite: "Oh, it's Young Master Guan. What brings you here?"

As Guan Zhuofan bid farewell to the two elder brothers and stepped out of the military camp, Emperor Wen Zong Xianfeng, accompanied by his five-year-old eldest son and all the concubines, took the carriage urgently prepared by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. With the escort of the Jianrui Camp and the Vanguard Camp, they exited through the Anding Gate and headed north towards the summer palace in Rehe.

At this moment, his heart was in turmoil, as excited as a miser who has entered a treasury. When a person specialized in history finds himself stepping into living history, the joy is truly beyond words

Guan Zhuofan's heart was floating aimlessly, as if it had fallen heavily from the clouds and shattered into countless pieces. He swallowed hard, forcing a smile by twitching the corners of his mouth, and with great difficulty called out, "Sister-in-law"

... ...

As we walked along the way, observing and counting, we unknowingly arrived at Shoubi Alley located in the southern part of the city

The next household is the fourth one within the alley. According to Alhat, it is either the third or the fourth. He examined the large door in front of him and noticed that the black paint was already peeling, and the two door knockers were covered in verdigris, indicating that the family inside was not in good circumstances

Overwhelmed with joy, she suddenly heard the old butler behind her chuckle, "Madam, the third young master is safe and sound, and that is all that matters."

I have returned

Your Majesty... you all believe in me, that is correct. Guan Zhuofan could not continue speaking, silently shaking his head, thinking: Your Majesty is probably no longer in the Forbidden City at this moment