Fire Captain

Bai Ziyang led his men to purchase food and grass along the way along the rich towns. He sent people to deliver them back every time he collected some, and finally arrived at Yongguan City. After a few years, Bai Ziyang came to Liu Mansion again and happened to meet General Liu Tiantuo at home.

In the past few years, Bai Ziyang and Liu Tiantuo occasionally exchanged letters, either greeting each other or discussing war situations and military strategies. After Ye Zhao found out, most of the letters to his cousin were written by Bai Ziyang and sent together with Bai Ziyang's letters to Liu Tiantuo. Occasionally, Bai Ziyang would use his power for personal gain and mention Liu Xiyin politely in his letters, either greeting her or expressing his concern. Gradually, Liu Xiyin would also thank Bai Ziyang in the letters she wrote to Ye Zhao, although he was really polite...

When Bai Ziyang was drinking tea and chatting with Liu Tiantuo in the front hall, he heard an anxious voice: "Is Ah Zhao here?" The voice was cheerful and joyful.

Unfortunately, when the man walked out from behind the screen, he saw that only Bai Ziyang was there, and the disappointment in his eyes was obvious.

Bai Ziyang stood up helplessly and said, "Miss Liu!"

Seeing this, Liu Tiantuo said embarrassedly: "Xiyin, how can you be so rude!"

Liu Xiyin came back to her senses and said to Bai Ziyang: "Xiyin greets Mr. Bai. It's been a long time since we last met. I hope you are doing well!"

Bai Ziyang smiled and said, "Thanks to Miss Liu, I didn't expect that Miss Liu still remembered me after so many years. I am honored!"

Liu Xiyin smiled embarrassedly and said, "Mr. Bai saved my life, how dare Xiyin forget it!"

Bai Ziyang raised his hand and said, "Don't... This matter has long passed, so don't mention it again. It's not worth mentioning."

Liu Xiyin lowered her head and smiled when she heard this.

Liu Tiantuo sat aside, looking at this and that without much time to speak, and only interrupted at this moment: "Zi Yang must be tired after all the journey, Madam must have prepared the food, how about having a drink with me?"

Bai Ziyang said: "Of course, I didn't drink enough last time, this time I must compete with General Liu!"

Liu Tiantuo laughed out loud when he heard this.

Liu Tiantuo was born a military general, and his family didn't have so many rules and the population was simple, so the four of them sat around a table to eat. During this time, Madam Liu and Liu Xiyin left after eating, leaving only Bai Ziyang and Liu Tiantuo to compete in drinking. Bai Ziyang's alcohol tolerance was naturally beyond doubt. Seeing Liu Tiantuo's unwillingness to admit defeat, Bai Ziyang thought that if he didn't get drunk, he would die here... He then lay on the table and said vaguely: "No... Can't... Can't drink anymore..."

Liu Tiantuo was already at the end of his strength. How could he tell with his drunken eyes whether Bai Ziyang was really drunk or pretending to be drunk? After hearing Bai Ziyang admit defeat, Liu Tiantuo laughed and fell headfirst on the table, making a whirring sound.

When Bai Ziyang saw that Liu Tiantuo had fallen asleep, he immediately sat up and said to himself: "This is not just falling asleep, he has simply fainted..." As he said that, he was about to help Liu Tiantuo up.

Madam Liu had been sending servants to watch over Bai Ziyang and the other man, fearing that something might happen if they drank too much. Naturally, a servant reported this now, and Madam Liu hurried over. Seeing this, she smiled awkwardly and said, "The general is so old now, but he still has such a stubborn temper. I'm sorry to make you laugh, Ziyang!"

Bai Ziyang laughed and said, "What Madam Liu said is not true. The general is a true character. Drinking with General Liu is really fun!"

Madam Liu looked at Liu Tiantuo who was helped up by the servants and said with nostalgia: "I haven't seen him so happy in many years. It seems that he really likes you!"

Bai Ziyang raised his eyebrows and thought: I really don't want to be his good brother... Eh? Why does it seem like something strange has come in...

Madam Liu looked at Bai Ziyang and said, "Ziyang, your room is ready. You have drunk so much today, so you can stay here... I will have someone bring you some hangover soup later... Butler, take Mr. Bai to his room."

Bai Ziyang smiled and said, "Then I'll have to trouble Madam Liu."

"Mr. Bai, please follow me!"

Bai Ziyang followed the Liu Mansion's housekeeper back to the room, and sure enough, a servant brought him some hangover soup soon. Bai Ziyang took two sips and found it tasted quite good. He drank it all in one gulp as he was thirsty, and then fell asleep.

Bai Ziyang felt that he had a good sleep. It was not until the sun was high in the sky that he walked out of the room with his body stretched. He felt a little hungry and wanted to find someone to bring him some food. Unfortunately, there were not many servants in the Liu Mansion, and he could not find anyone for a while. Bai Ziyang walked around. Anyway, the Liu Mansion was not big, so he could not get lost. The kitchen should generally be at the back, in a corner... Bai Ziyang nodded, feeling that he was right, and walked away.

Facts have proved that Bai Ziyang was not wrong, he just chose the wrong direction, so in the end he arrived smoothly... at the back garden... The back garden of the Liu Mansion is not big, with only a few plum trees blooming in the cold wind, and the rest are planted with some azaleas, which I guess are what Mrs. Liu likes.

The sound of Liu Xiyin talking with someone came from the garden. Bai Ziyang paused and did not go in for fear of disturbing the people inside. With the cover of the plum tree, Bai Ziyang took a look inside. In addition to Liu Xiyin, there were two other women inside. They were probably around 30 years old and looked like noble ladies from their dress. Bai Ziyang wanted to turn around and leave, but what made him stop was Liu Xiyin's talkative manner.

Bai Ziyang didn't like to eavesdrop, and he was afraid of hearing something he shouldn't when women talked, so he couldn't hear what Liu Xiyin was saying, but Liu Xiyin looked different than he had ever seen her before. When Bai Ziyang sent her back, they had spent a few days together on the road, and Liu Xiyin always gave him the impression of being quiet, restrained, and shy. She was as quiet and cold as the moonlight, but now Liu Xiyin was talking freely to others, not showing any fear at all, and she looked like a plum blossom in the garden, standing proudly in the snow.

Although Bai Ziyang admired Liu Xiyin, he quietly left before they noticed him. After wandering around for a long time, he finally found the kitchen, brought some food back to the room.

Bai Ziyang came out this time to raise military funds, and came to Liu Mansion only because he was asked by Ye Zhao, so he couldn't stay too long. He originally planned to say goodbye to Liu Tiantuo in the afternoon and leave early tomorrow morning, but he didn't expect that the first person to come to him was Liu Xiyin!

"Miss Liu?" Hearing the knock on the door, Bai Ziyang opened the door and saw that the person standing outside was Liu Xiyin.

When Liu Xiyin saw Bai Ziyang, she said, "I hope I didn't disturb Mr. Bai's rest?"

Bai Ziyang said quickly: "No, no, why are you here, Miss Liu? Please come in!"

Liu Xiyin walked to the table and sat down and said, "I heard from my uncle that Master Bai came here this time because the army on the front line is short of food and grass, so he came to buy food and grass?"

Bai Ziyang sat opposite her, poured a cup of tea and placed it next to Liu Xiyin's hand and said, "Yes, the food and grass allocated by the court did not arrive on time, so Ye Zhao sent me here to buy food and grass. I heard from her that Miss Liu has something to give her?"

Liu Xiyin nodded and said, "There are indeed some things..." Then she took the wooden box beside her and opened it, saying, "These are some silver coins donated by some women in the city for the soldiers on the front line. Although we cannot fight on the battlefield, our hearts are with the soldiers. Although these silver coins are not much, we are willing to do our part for the Ye family army."

Bai Ziyang had not expected that Liu Xiyin would come to him for something like this. He took the banknotes from the wooden box and took a look. He knew there were several thousand taels of banknotes. He could not help but wonder, "How did you raise all that?"

Liu Xiyin smiled and said, "As long as I can help Ah Zhao..."

Bai Ziyang looked at Liu Xiyin's expression and couldn't help but wonder, is this what Liu Xiyin talked about with the two ladies this morning? She is now in her prime, and should be with her peers, discussing what kind of cosmetics are good to use, what kind of pearl hairpins are good to look at, instead of doing these things that she shouldn't worry about... Bai Ziyang didn't know what it felt like...

Liu Xiyin looked at Bai Ziyang and said, "It's cold now, so I asked some women to make some cotton-padded clothes and quilts for the soldiers on the front line. I'll have to ask Mr. Bai to take them back later!"

Bai Ziyang sighed, "Oh? I didn't expect Miss Liu to be so thoughtful! I would like to thank Miss Liu on behalf of the soldiers!"

Liu Xiyin shook her head and said, "No need to thank me, this is what I should do!"

Bai Ziyang was so angry that he said, "Is this what you should do? What you should do now is to live a good life and be happy every day, instead of..."

Bai Ziyang's voice was a little loud. Liu Xiyin didn't know why he suddenly got excited and was a little frightened. After seeing her frightened expression, Bai Ziyang reacted and calmed down.

Liu Xiyin thought for a moment and said, "Maybe it's because I've seen the cruelty of war... I'm always worried about Ah Zhao on the battlefield, and I always want to do what I can. As long as I can help him, I'll be satisfied..."

Bai Ziyang felt a slight toothache when he saw Liu Xiyin's longing expression...