One evening three days later, Zhang Yanling returned to his home from the military camp and unexpectedly found a guest waiting for him at home.
That person is Qian Ning.
Qian Ning is not tall, but he looks smart and capable. Especially his eyes, although small, are radiant and full of energy.
When Qian Ning saw Zhang Yanling coming back, he hurriedly stood up and kowtowed. He said loudly: "Qian Ning, who is of humble rank, is here to kowtow to Mr. Zhang."
Zhang Yanling smiled and said: "Why is it you? Are your injuries healed?"
Qian Ning hurriedly said: "Thank you for your concern, Mr. Hou. I have recovered from my injury. I came to disturb Mr. Hou today, but I came to express my gratitude to Mr. Hou in person. I thanked Mr. Hou for saving his life. If he hadn't killed him with a firearm that day,
That black bear saved Bei Zhi's life, but Bei Zhi was already buried under the bear's claws."
Zhang Yanling chuckled and said: "It turns out it was for this matter. What's there to say? Please get up quickly. You risked your own life to save the emperor, regardless of life and death, and you have done a good job in protecting him. If you hadn't taken action, the emperor might have suffered something unexpected. Speaking of which,
, we should thank you."
Qian Ning hurriedly said: "Protecting the emperor is the responsibility of Beiji. How dare you take credit for it? After Beiji was rescued that day, he immediately fell into a coma, so he didn't know the clue. Later, Beiji woke up after being treated and heard that it was the Marquis who rescued Beiji.
I have been thinking about coming to express my gratitude to Lord Marquis for saving my life. However, my injury has not healed in the past few days and I cannot come. Today, when I got a little better, I immediately came to express my gratitude to Lord Marquis."
Zhang Yanling chuckled and said: "That's really polite. Get up quickly, what are you kneeling for?"
Zhang Yanling stretched out her hand to help Qian Ning, and when she touched Qian Ning's arm, Qian Ning visibly frowned and gave way.
Zhang Yanling smiled and said: "It seems that the arm injury is very serious and has not recovered yet."
Qian Ning stood up and smiled bitterly: "That beast is really powerful. It tore a gash in my arm with its claws, which was as deep as the bone. Fortunately, it didn't hurt the muscles and bones. I'm afraid it will take ten days to recover."
Half a month. But that’s nothing. Injuries are a common occurrence in humble jobs. It’s not worth mentioning.”
Zhang Yanling praised: "You are really a man. I am afraid the emperor will reward you greatly this time."
Qian Ning said hurriedly: "The emperor's favor is great. The emperor has promoted the humble position to the position of guard of thousands of households, and appointed the humble position to the position of general manager of the leopard room."
Zhang Yanling chuckled and said, "Oh, congratulations! You were promoted to a thousand households in one fell swoop and became the general manager of the Leopard House. Hahaha, it's worth it."
Qian Ning heard Zhang Yanling's words which were a bit harsh, and said quickly: "Master Hou is joking, you don't stand up for official positions just for lowly positions."
Zhang Yanling waved her hand and said with a smile: "That's right, that's right. I don't mean anything else. Speaking of which, what kind of official is the chief manager of the Leopard Room? Forgive me for being ignorant."
Qian Ning's face turned red and he said in a deep voice: "He is in charge of the affairs of the Leopard Room. There are a lot of affairs in the Leopard Room. The emperor has been living in the Leopard Room recently to take care of things and sleep in peace, so he should have a lot of service and instructions."
Zhang Yanling nodded and said: "I see, that's a big responsibility. Manager Qian must do his best."
Qian Ning bowed and said: "Don't worry, Lord Marquis, I will perform my duties wholeheartedly."
Zhang Yanling smiled and nodded. Qian Ning reached into his arms, took out a small wooden box, and handed it over with both hands.
Zhang Yanling asked: "What is this?"
Qian Ning opened the wooden box, and inside was a roll of silver notes. He said softly: "I would like to thank Mr. Hou for saving my life. These five thousand taels of silver notes are my savings for many years. As a thank you gift, I ask Mr. Hou to accept it."
"
Zhang Yanling laughed and said: "Manager Qian, you can't do this. How can I take your money? I'm very happy that you came to say thank you. I can't accept the money."
Qian Ning hurriedly said: "Master Hou, I know that this little money is not in the eyes of Lord Hou. But this is all the property of Beizi. And please don't worry, Lord Hou, these silvers are the money saved by Beizhi's frugality. Qing Qing It's pure and clean. Lord Marquis can take it with confidence, there won't be any trouble."
Zhang Yanling frowned and shouted: "Qian Ning, what are you doing? I said I don't want your money, why can't you understand? I don't care where your money comes from? I saved you because you fought bravely to save me. Your Majesty, I will take action of my own accord. If I don't save it, will everyone here let you die in your chest and belly? You come to say thank you, that is already polite. Give me this money, it is disrespectful. Take it away, Take it away.”
Qian Ning looked embarrassed, holding the wooden box in his hand and looking thoughtful.
"The Marquis is truly a benevolent and righteous person. To do this under a humble position is indeed a villain's heart and a gentleman's heart."
Zhang Yanling shouted: "Since you know, why don't you take it back? Manager Qian, I have just been busy for a day and am a little tired. I haven't had a few bites of food at noon, and I am very hungry now. Manager Qian has taken on a new important position, and I am afraid that he will also be busy with official duties. I don't want to I’ll leave you here. If there’s nothing else, please come back.”
Qian Ning hurriedly said: "Wait a minute!"
Zhang Yanling frowned and said, "What?"
Qian Ning looked around and said with a smile, "Master Hou, I would like to ask you something."
Zhang Yanling said: "What's the matter?"
Qian Ning said: "Beizhi was wearing a piece of armor that day. It was torn to pieces while fighting a bear and fell on the spot. I heard that Beizhi later saw the chain armor, right?"
Zhang Yanling was stunned for a moment, then smiled and nodded: "Yes. How about it?"
Qian Ning smiled and said: "That's right. My Han general's armor, weapons, horses, etc. are all issued by the imperial court. Even if they are damaged, they must be returned. Because the army needs damaged armor to report the loss to prove that it is indeed damaged. Rather than losing it or selling it privately. This is military law, and I dare not disobey it. But I couldn't find the chain mail in the past few days. When I asked, I found out that the Marquis had seen it that day. Therefore, I came here specially. Ask."
Zhang Yanling burst out laughing so wildly that the sound spread to the yard, frightening a group of birds that had fallen on the trees in the yard.
Zhang Yanling finally understood that Qian Ning did not come to apologize to him. He came to spy on him because of a guilty conscience. He knew that he had packed up the chainmail and took it home, and perhaps he also knew about the fence where he went to imprison the bear. After walking around there, I must have been afraid that I would know his secret. So I came here today and used words to test him as a pretext of thanking him.
"Master Hou... why are you laughing?" Qian Ning was disturbed by Zhang Yanling's laughter and was filled with doubts.
"Nothing, I just thought of a funny thing. Manager Qian, yesterday I met my father-in-law, Mr. Xu Guogong, and he said a very funny thing. Do you want to listen to it?" Zhang Yanling said with a smile. .
Qian Ning was not in the mood to hear anything funny, but he could only apologize and said with a smile: "I don't know what Duke Ding said was so funny."
Zhang Yanling said: "My father-in-law got ten kilograms of bear meat as a reward from the emperor. He went home and stewed it for drinking. Then Baba came to me and told me that he had found a way to make bear meat delicious. That is to combine bear meat with chicken feet. Stewed together, it tastes delicious. Do you think it’s funny or not? Ah? The money manager, stewed chicken feet with bear meat. Hahaha, it’s so funny.”
Qian Ning's face changed drastically, and he was stunned for a long time, and finally said softly: "Master Hou, I'm sorry, I don't think there is anything funny about this matter."
Zhang Yanling pointed at him and said with a smile: "You don't understand taste. Bear meat stewed with chicken feet, isn't that funny?"
Qian Ning looked at Zhang Yanling in bewilderment and said, "Master Hou, can you return that chainmail armor to Beizhi? Beizhi heard that Master Hou took Beizhi's chainmail armor out of the palace."
Zhang Yanling put away his smile and said: "Hey, why do you come here to ask for a piece of broken chain mail? I saw that the bear's claws and teeth were sharp, but your chain mail was not penetrated, and the vital parts of your body were not penetrated.
I was injured, so I wanted to see how the chain armor had such excellent protective capabilities, so I took a look at the armor. Otherwise, how would I know?
It turns out that there is an iron lining in the chainmail armor, which is the first time I have seen it. I want to take it back to the camp to show it to the generals of Zhenwei Camp, and discuss whether the armor of our Zhenwei Camp can also be added.
Lining or something. Hey, if I had known you needed to hand it over, I wouldn't have taken it out of the palace. It seems as if I stole your things."
When Qian Ning heard these words, he could no longer hide his panic and shock, and was speechless for a long time. Zhang Yanling was not hinting at this anymore, he was already making it clear. Bear meat stewed with chicken feet, plus the lining of his own armor
If others don't know what they are talking about, he would rather know it clearly.
"Qian Ning deserves to die. Don't let the Marquis have the same experience as the humble position. It turns out that the armor was indeed taken out of the palace by the Marquis. Since the Marquis is useful, then just stay with the Marquis. I will pay the money myself when I turn around." Qian.
Ning said softly.
Zhang Yanling said with a smile: "What do I want from you? If you come and ask for it, I will naturally return it to you. I thought it was the armor specially made by your Han general camp, but later I found out that it was the iron sheet you added on yourself. The workmanship is very good."
It's very rough. Manager Qian, wearing that kind of armor makes it difficult to move. No wonder I saw you moving a little clumsily that day. Otherwise, with your skills, the bear probably wouldn't be able to touch a single hair of your head."
Qian Ning sweated on his head and whispered: "What the Marquis said is true. The humble position is just a whim and I want to give it a try."
Zhang Yanling laughed and said: "Manager Qian is a thoughtful person. I will return the things to you. However, Manager Qian, there are some things you should make clear. Pretending to be confused is not a good idea. I never like it.
I'm nosy, and I don't want to ruin other people's affairs. However, I don't like it the most.
But there are people who pretend to be confused in front of me. Just like your manager Qian came to my house today and said he came to thank me, but in fact... you didn't come to say thank you at all. I hate people who hide their heads and show their tails. I have been waiting for you.
I haven't mentioned this matter to anyone for three days, just waiting for your explanation."
Qian Ning was speechless for a long time, but Zhang Yanling had already made it clear that he had no need to hide anything anymore. For now, I am afraid that I can only explain the matter clearly, otherwise I am afraid that I will die without a burial place.
"Master Marquis, have mercy on me! Master Marquis, have mercy on me! Qian Ning is guilty and will never be redeemed by death. But the situation is not what the Marquis thought. I am humble, just thinking about... thinking about having a chance." Qian Ning fell to his knees on the ground.
, kowtowed repeatedly and shouted.
Zhang Yanling shouted in a deep voice: "Why don't you call us immediately?"