The sergeant on duty at the door came in, holding the gift box, and whispered a few words in Cao Youwen's ear.
Cao Youwen frowned and said to the sergeant:
"Go quickly and call people back!"
The sergeant handed the gift box to Cao Youwan, turned around and left quickly.
Cao Youwen came to the door and waited for a while. The sergeant led two tall and powerful young men back. The two men had soft-footed futou, narrow-sleeved green clothes, and long swords hanging on their waists. They looked like junior officers in the army.
When the two saw Cao Youwen, they smiled apologetically and saluted together respectfully.
"I've met General Cao!"
"Today is a family dinner. There is no General Cao, only Brother Cao. Why, you want me to invite you two brothers in personally?"
After Cao Youwen finished speaking, he turned around and walked in. The two young men were full of joy and hurried to follow him.
"Second brother Li, please greet the eldest son and the second son of the Yang family."
Cao Youwen explained and said warmly to the Yang brothers:
"Brothers, you eat first. After dinner, we brothers can talk to each other."
Cao Youwen settled the two Yang brothers before entering the house.
"Master Yang, your brothers are here too!"
Li Er raised his glass and toasted to the Yang brothers.
"Brother Li, everyone, please!"
The Yang brothers raised their glasses together and toasted to Li Er and everyone.
After everyone left, Cao Youwen and his family sat down in the lobby, and a sergeant cleared the table.
In the lobby, brother Cao Youwen sat at the bottom, and Cao Youwen respectfully asked his mother who was sitting in the seat.
"Mom, today is your birthday, why didn't your uncle and his family come over?"
Although my uncle is cowardly and my aunt is more snobbish, my mother is celebrating her birthday and his only brother is not going to stop coming, right?
"Your uncle is selling horses with others in Xining Prefecture. It's not certain whether he can come back."
Mother Cao couldn't hide her worry in her words.
She only has one younger brother, and it really worries her to make a living in a place where Han and Tibetan people are mixed.
Seeing that his mother was worried, Cao Youwen quickly changed the topic.
"Mom, I'm busy with military duties and will go back to Mianzhou tomorrow. When arrangements are made after the festival, I will take the whole family to Mianzhou. What do you think?"
Xining Prefecture is a territory of Xixia, and further to the northwest is the Hexi Corridor. My uncle sells horses across the border, which is extremely risky.
"Mom, why don't you come with me to Lizhou Camp? My eldest brother has his sister-in-law to take care of him, so I can accompany you by myself!"
Cao Youwan rushed to the side and said.
Before the emperor's arrival, he and Wang Jian were responsible for the military training at Lizhou Camp. The Mianzhou Camp on Lizhou West Road was led by Cao Youwen and guarded the border. Yu Jie was responsible for recruiting and training soldiers at the Hanzhong Camp on Lizhou East Road and guarding the border fortress.
"My son, the emperor values him, and state affairs come first. You can go with peace of mind and do your job well. Don't let down the emperor's trust!"
Mother Cao said warmly, looking at her two sons with eyes full of relief.
"My boss and I are going to Mianzhou, so we don't have to travel long distances. Lizhou is four to five hundred miles away, and it's a military camp, so it's not very convenient."
Emperor Tianen, whose two sons were in high positions, allowed them to serve the country and make meritorious deeds without any constraints. As a mother, she had no shirk in their duties.
"Official, after I pack up, I will take the children there with my mother-in-law. Don't worry, just go to Mianzhou. You don't have to worry about the housework!"
Cao Youwen heard his wife standing aside and whispered.
The couple were deeply in love and had a son and a daughter. The husband went to Mianzhou for business, so of course the husband and wife followed him.
What's more, Li Ting County is only a hundred miles away from Mianzhou, and the carriage pick-up does not require a long journey.
"Okay, my second brother and I will leave tomorrow. I will send someone to pick you up later."
Mianzhou City is a hundred miles away from Liting County, and it takes several days to travel. He will send someone to pick him up after he has settled in.
"Okay, listen to the boss!"
Mother Cao nodded and said happily.
Compared with the second son who is reckless and simple, the eldest son is thoughtful, bold and careful, and can be entrusted with big things.
"Mom, I have something to discuss with you."
Cao Youwen hesitated and spoke.
"Mom, many of the gifts I received today were from dignitaries, some of them are valuable. Now the court is fighting against corruption..."
"Da Lang, you don't need to say anything. If you should retreat, you can make your own decision."
Mother Cao interrupted her son's words and said directly.
Our sons have a bright future ahead of them, but they cannot let these things frustrate them. She could still tell which one was light and which was serious.
"Thank you for your understanding, mother!"
Cao Youwen glanced at his brother with wide eyes and stood up.
"Second brother, you talk to mother first. I'm going to see the Yang brothers. You can come over later."
When Cao Youwen left, Cao's mother was filled with emotion and shook her head gently.
When my son became a high-ranking official, he was even busier than before. Although he had a great family background, he was really helpless.
"Erlang, I'll be leaving in a few days. What about your marriage? We can't keep people waiting."
Seeing her second son, Cao's mother became worried again.
"I'm too busy now. We have to wait until the emperor has inspected the frontier fortress."
Cao Youwan gritted his teeth and replied impatiently.
"National affairs are the most important thing, and that's all."
Mother Cao nodded helplessly, and then asked:
"The emperor came to inspect and asked your brothers to repair the city wall and fortress. Is there another war in the border fortress?"
Seeing Cao Youwen come in, the Yang brothers waiting in the study stood up.
"General Cao!"
Brother Yang Daquan respectfully saluted with clasped fists.
"You're welcome, please sit down."
Cao Youwen waved his hand, went over to sit down and said with a smile:
"Yang Daquan, you and I have known each other for so many years, why are you still so different?"
These two young officers, the elder brother is named Yang Daquan, and the younger brother is named Yang Dayuan. The two brothers are from powerful local backgrounds. They are both well-educated and skilled warriors with bows and horses. The elder brother is calm and upright, while the younger brother is much more cunning and proud.
In fact, the Yang brothers are in their early twenties and are more familiar with their younger brother Cao Youwan. However, Cao Youwen was the commander-in-chief of the Lizhou Rongsi. They served in the Lizhou Rongsi, and they came to see the superior directly before.
"It used to be the past, but now there is a distinction between superiority and inferiority. We are not even junior officers, so of course we have to be more reserved."
My elder brother, Yang Daquan, was respectful and smiled coquettishly.
"Brother Cao, we two brothers have been suppressed by that bastard Gao Yifeng. Fortunately, you corrected the military law of that thief, otherwise the Tianshui Army would have been in chaos!"
The younger brothers Yang Dayuan and Cao Youwan were about the same age, and they immediately complained about their brothers.
"Yang Daquan, you are now a prepared general. But Brother Dayuan seems to be nothing yet."
Cao Youwen asked softly.
"It used to be, but now it's nothing. It's all wiped out by Gao Yifeng."
Yang Daquan blushed and said embarrassedly.
"So that's it."
Cao Youwen thought for a while and quickly came up with an idea.
"Yang Daquan, Yang Dayuan, I appoint you brothers as regular generals and reserve generals of the Tianshui Army. Tomorrow you brothers will go with Cao Youwan to the Lizhou Camp to practice well. Once you have mastered the firearms, they will be of great use in the future. Do you think so? how?"
Don't avoid relatives when promoting talents. Now that the border is quiet, it is the time for military training. These two brothers are rare warriors. They know the basics and can put them to use.
Especially my brother Yang Daquan, who is skilled in bow and horse, both civil and military, and upright. He is a talent that cannot be missed.
"It all depends on the general's orders!"
Both Yang Daquan brothers were overjoyed and quickly stood up to thank them.
"Don't pay attention to official positions. The emperor has a strong military and wants to use troops abroad. There are many opportunities to make achievements. Dalang, do you understand what I mean?"
Cao Youwen looked at Yang Daquan with good intentions.
"The general's teachings will never be forgotten by a villain!"
Brothers Yang Daquan clasped their fists together and saluted solemnly.
This time, things finally came to an end and the future was secured.
"Brother, why don't you give them away? Are you pretending to be a public servant for personal gain?"
Cao Youwan came out to say goodbye to the Yang brothers. The Yang brothers left happily. Cao Youwan couldn't help but remind them.
Not accepting gifts, but giving them to each other in private, what's wrong with this?
"The Yang brothers are all talented people who can be put to great use. Don't shy away from relatives when promoting talents. Besides, you don't have to worry about people who know everything about them."
Cao Youwen looked calm and magnanimous.
If they were still neighbors, he might keep the Yang brothers for a long talk, let alone send them out.
In today's status, the two sides are each other's superiors and subordinates, and the hierarchy is superior and inferior, just like in the army, they are not the same.
"Brother, Yang Daquan is upright and loyal, but Yang Dayuan is cunning. Brother, you have to be careful!"
Cao You was stunned and immediately reminded his brother.
Having played together since childhood, Cao Youwan naturally knows the nature of these two brothers.
"You also know this? It seems that you have made great progress after going to Jinling Martial Arts Hall. The Yang Brothers will go with you to the Lizhou Camp to train troops. You can leave the cavalry training to them."
Cao Youwen glanced at his embarrassed brother in surprise and frowned.
"Brother will take care of his own affairs. You, on the other hand, like to stand up for others and show loyalty. Don't forget that you are now a general of the imperial court. You must not forget the great interests of the country because of your personal righteousness!"
The emperor worked hard to govern and clarify the administration of officials, and the same was true in the army.
If you use your power for personal gain, or if officials protect each other, you may not only delay yourself, but also delay important affairs of the court in the future.
"I know, brother. I'll go over and greet Lao Yu and the others!"
Cao Youwan waved his hands and ran away in a hurry.
What are you anxious about? Go and sort out the gifts and have them sent back tomorrow. "
Cao Youwen glanced at his younger brother and shook his head gently.
My younger brother is too loyal and may get into trouble in the army.
Just as the two brothers were about to enter, a group of people, old and young, hurried over from a distance. One of them raised his hand from a distance, cheerfully.
"Dalang, Erlang!"
"uncle!"
Cao You was surprised when he heard that the visitors were his uncle's family.
"Uncle, why are you here now?"
Cao Youwan quickly took the things from his uncle and others and welcomed them into the yard.
"There were too many refugees along the way, so we were delayed!"
The uncle's face was filled with dust and he shook his head repeatedly.
"You don't know that the Tatar army invaded Xixia, and the former army has already entered Hexi!"
Cao Youwen and his younger brother looked at each other, both shocked.
Sure enough, the Tatar army has invaded Xixia!
"I have been writing for 30 days straight, and I am exhausted mentally and physically. I have a day off tomorrow. I will write about Xixia and domestic political affairs next, so let me know in advance. Thank you."
