Chapter 387: Banner Commander Xue the Swindler

Previously, when the yamen runners from Crouching Tiger came to the village on official business, the Yan family had slaughtered a chicken to entertain them, and the village had later reimbursed them for the cost of the bird.

This time, Banner Commander Xue and his men were also here on legitimate official business. According to the rules of Xiao’an Village, everyone should share the expenses.

The village accounts now had silver, making things much easier. As mealtime approached, Village Chief Luo began making arrangements early on.

The women of each household were experienced in cooking large-scale meals, and they were experts at setting up stoves and starting fires.

Having heard that the Yan family was making noodles with gravy for lunch, the rest of the village followed suit.

The hand-pulled noodles were firm and chewy.

Each family’s gravy was different, made with whatever they had at home. Some were sour, some salty, and some had a hint of spice. Besides the Yan family’s meat sauce gravy, the Hu family also added some roe deer meat.

Living next to the great mountains, Hu Da and Hu Er were like fish in water. When they didn’t have bamboo crossbows, they used slingshots or the children’s simple wooden bows. Once they had the bamboo crossbows, they became even more formidable. Nothing with wings dared to fly over the Hu family courtyard.

Banner Commander Xue specifically asked for fresh vegetables with dipping sauce.

Village Chief Luo told everyone to prepare them.

The group of rank-and-file soldiers ate noisily, alternating between green onions and vegetables, stabbing them vigorously into the sauce bowls.

After discovering that every household’s sauce and gravy tasted different, they rotated through them, eating until their bellies were round and full.

Banner Commander Xue also ate with great gusto.

The sound of him slurping noodles was incredibly loud.

He didn’t just love green onions; he also loved garlic.

Granny Rong had prepared garlic bulbs with the sprouts still attached, which he enjoyed to his heart’s content, eating from start to finish without wasting a single bit.

After finishing the noodles, he even went to the kitchen to find the water the noodles were boiled in, gulping down a large bowl of it.

“Comfortable!”

Banner Commander Xue had a look of post-meal bliss, his eyes staring blankly in satisfaction.

However, he quickly perked up, swaying his body as he walked out of the courtyard.

At this time, the area by the large stone was at its liveliest.

The women of the village were gathered here, and people of all ages had come over to grab a bite.

The men went without saying, as they had been helping with the heavy lifting all along.

Banner Commander Xue acted very amiably, showing concern for every one of his soldiers.

The feedback he received was all about how well they had eaten, how delicious it was, and how satisfying the meal had been.

He then grabbed Village Chief Luo and showered him with praise.

He said the mountains and waters of Xiao’an Village were excellent, that the ladies of the village were truly skilled, that the men here looked honest and sincere, and that the children were so adorable and looked incredibly clever.

His voice was loud, his praise was blunt, and he had a group of subordinates following him, shouting their agreement.

The men, women, and children of Xiao’an Village felt both happy and bashful hearing this. Those who were slow-tongued could only blush and urge the soldiers to eat more, while the even slower ones just grinned foolishly in a daze.

Yan Lao’er wanted to say something, but Yan Yu pulled him back.

“Dad, don’t say anything.”

“Why?”

Yan Yu repeated what her eldest uncle had told her before, about letting the villagers make their own decisions.

“The logic is the same,” Yan Yu said. “Not every uncle in our village has the courage to charge at the Northern Rong. So, even if Banner Commander Xue speaks as if he’s weaving flowers with his tongue^[1], those people won’t go. As for those who are brave, it’s not that they don’t want to pursue a future; they’re just worried about their families. If Banner Commander Xue really moves the military camp right next to us, it would be like pulling the rug out from under them, hitting them right where it counts.”

The father and daughter then listened as Banner Commander Xue naturally transitioned the conversation toward building a military camp on the wasteland next to the village.

Banner Commander Xue had sensed the attitude of Xiao’an Village from Yan Lao’er, so he added a new trick to his performance at the large stone.

He said he wanted to organize Militia Training after the autumn harvest.

If it were a direct recruitment into the army, the villagers would still hesitate. But this training was different. There wasn’t much work in the fields right now, the military camp provided meals, and going to training meant one less mouth to feed at home. Plus, they could learn real skills so they wouldn’t be in a panic if the Northern Rong came.

What a great deal.

Yan Yu was incredibly impressed by Banner Commander Xue.

Once he set his sights on something, he wouldn’t let go, racking his brains and exhausting his words until his brain must have been smoking.

He blocked every possible concern they might have.

He downplayed the danger of facing the Northern Rong directly. He spoke of a common soldier’s meager pay as if it were a fortune, and promised they would eat their fill every day. Could the food from a large military cauldron really be as tasty as home cooking? She only heard him mention clothes for winter and summer. There were four seasons in a year, so what about spring and autumn? Guanzhou was so cold, how thick were the winter cotton clothes? And why didn’t he mention shoes? If you really thought about it, shoes were the most consumed item.

However, under Banner Commander Xue’s stroke of genius regarding the Militia Training, all of this became unimportant.

It wasn’t like they were truly joining the army. Since they provided food and training, they might as well go.

Yan Yu looked at the thoughtful Yan Lao’er and gave him a tug. “Dad, this Banner Commander Xue thinks fast and knows how to put on a show. It’s no wonder we’re losing ground to him.”

Yan Lao’er nodded.

What he didn’t say was that this time, it wasn’t just his daughter who wanted to go; as he listened, he found himself wanting to go too.

…

Banner Commander Xue stayed in Xiao’an Village for two full days, becoming quite familiar with everyone.

His subordinates made trip after trip between Crouching Tiger and the village, while he wandered around the area.

Most of the time, Yan Lao’er accompanied him, and occasionally Yan Yu would step in when her father had things to do.

The atmosphere in the village had changed. Everyone was now looking forward to the military camp being built quickly.

Many expressed their willingness to help.

Yan Yu watched as “Banner Commander Xue the Swindler” went online again. As he learned more about Xiao’an Village, his persuasive tactics became more targeted.

He talked about taking everyone into the mountains for hunts in the future, saying it would serve as training and they could bring back prey for extra meals, killing two birds with one stone.

He also heard that they were sending processed medicinal herbs to Gufeng and said there was no need for such trouble. When the Border Army went on patrols, they could just drop them off along the way, saving the villagers a dedicated trip.

He even found out about Yan Lao’er’s trip to Guiyuan.

He asked Yan Yu, “I heard your dad took you there? Tell Uncle Xue, did your dad buy you anything?”

He really sounded like a neighboring uncle chatting with a child.

Yan Yu wasn’t going to fall for his tricks.

That was exactly how he had been fishing for information about the village.

As the sun began to set, the large man and the small child showed no intention of heading back.

Banner Commander Xue was somewhat interested in this child who followed them every day on a donkey.

Yan Yu, on the other hand, was buying time for her father.

At this moment, her father was discussing the fate of those horses with the villagers.

Banner Commander Xue knew this, which was why he was in no hurry to return.

“Dad naturally bought me food and drink,” Yan Yu replied casually.

“When did you go? A few days ago was the Heir Apparent’s grand wedding. The Consort of the Heir Apparent is from the south, and the wedding boat came up from Guiyuan, passed through Changping, then to Gufeng, and finally to the Prefectural City. I heard it was incredibly lively all along the way. Did you catch it? Did you see the excitement?” Banner Commander Xue asked with a smile.

Yan Yu’s large eyes blinked, showing three parts surprise, three parts regret, three parts disappointment, and one part anticipation.

“Uncle Xue, you heard about it too? Unfortunately, Dad and I missed it. We didn’t see a thing…” Yan Yu deliberately muddled the timeline and brushed it off, adding, “I didn’t even see what Big Brother Heir Apparent’s face looks like clearly. I saw him twice, and both times his face was covered. If I see him again and he’s changed his clothes, I wouldn’t even recognize him.”

Banner Commander Xue laughed loudly. “Our Heir Apparent is a handsome young man, and the Consort of the Heir Apparent is also beautiful. They are a perfect match!”

Yan Yu thought to herself, “You big swindler. You might have actually seen the Heir Apparent, but where on earth would you have seen the Consort of the Heir Apparent?”

(End of Chapter)