Volume One, The Youngest Among Three Hundred - Chapter 144: Feier, Call Him Uncle

This sudden turn of events shocked Chen Chang'an so much that he reacted on the spot, instinctively springing upward. As a result, his lower abdomen slammed heavily into Qin Furong's face, right at the moment when Su Qingtang happened to walk out of the main hall and witnessed the entire scene.

"Ah..."

Chen Chang'an hurriedly pushed Qin Furong away.

Qin Furong tumbled backward, landing squarely on her buttocks.

Su Qingtang, a devoted husband to the core, rushed over frantically and said with displeasure, "Chang'an, what... what is the meaning of this? Why didn't you catch her? Oh dear, look at how hard she fell."

"It's nothing, Master! I was just clumsy and tripped myself!" Qin Furong took the initiative to stand up and explain.

Feeling exceptionally awkward, Chen Chang'an hastily pivoted the conversation and asked, "Mother-in-law, you said something terrible has happened—what's going on?"

Hearing this, Su Qingtang stopped dwelling on his beloved wife's fall and became completely absorbed, his face full of curiosity. After all, he had also just been inside doing the shuttlecock aerobics routine taught by Chen Chang'an, channeling his inner middle-aged fitness enthusiast, and only came out upon hearing Qin Furong's cry.

Qin Furong gently patted her chest to calm her breathing and said, "Just now, while I was out strolling through the streets with Wanqing, I overheard passing pedestrians discussing that General Yuan Bingzhong, who is leading his army back to the capital, will arrive in Chang'an City tomorrow morning. If he returns, Yuan Yunfei might use his father's influence to pressure Wanqiu once again."

"Besides, both Dingfeng and Chang'an beat up Yuan Yunfei previously, and I'm afraid..."

The more she spoke, the more furrowed and distressed her brow became.

After hearing this, Su Qingtang's expression grew equally grave. What his wife said made sense. Given Yuan Yunfei's personality and the general demeanor of the officials in the Great Min imperial court, Yuan Bingzhong would undoubtedly seek retribution for his son upon returning in triumph. When that time came, Su Dingfeng and Chen Chang'an would likely suffer.

Not to mention that he was currently just an ordinary man; even his former status as the captain of the imperial guards could not compare to a formidable Defender of the Country General.

"This..."

Su Qingtang anxiously rubbed his hands together. After a moment of thought, he looked at Chen Chang'an and said, "Chang'an, you are now a member of the Raven Guard. See if you can ask Cao Wu or Cheng Mulong to step in and help."

A flash of inspiration struck Qin Furong. "That's right, that's right! Besides, aren't you on quite good terms with Princess Changning? Having her step forward would definitely work."

"Indeed!"

Su Qingtang nodded in agreement. "Of course, I will also do my best to pull whatever lingering strings I have left in the imperial court, and go pay an apology at the General's Estate in advance tomorrow. We must take precautions against trouble before it arises!"

"Hah, rest assured, it'll be fine!"

Yet, just as the two of them were racking their brains trying to figure out countermeasures, Chen Chang'an dismissively waved his sleeve and said, "Mother-in-law, Father-in-law, you two should head off to rest early and stop fretting. I can handle this matter."

Qin Furong was currently the person in the entire Su family who cared most about Chen Chang'an, treating him like an absolute treasure, so she hastily urged, "Don't talk nonsense! The other party is the Great General of the realm; how could you possibly handle this alone?"

"You and Dingfeng beat Yuan Yunfei so severely back then. There's no way his father will let it go without a word."

To be honest, facing Qin Furong's current actions, Chen Chang'an felt deeply moved. Comparing her attitude now to when he had first time-traveled into this world, the difference was literally night and day, causing tears to well up in his eyes. Relying on his own intelligence and wit, turning a universally despised matrilocal son-in-law into the household's ultimate darling was no easy feat!

After a brief moment of internal sentimentality, Chen Chang'an said with absolute certainty, "Don't worry, if I say I can handle it, then I definitely can."

"General Yuan won't hold me responsible at all; in fact... he's going to admire me!"

...

Early the next morning, the dawn breeze rustled the weeping willows, and the rosy morning glow illuminated the city. The entire city of Chang'an—constructed with its 108 intersecting wards arranged like a chessboard—was draped in a layer of dazzling radiance. As the morning sun rose majestically, filling the air with boundless vitality, the citizens of Chang'an poured out in a steady stream, all converging toward the Golden Light Gate. Dense yet orderly, stretching all the way from Qunxian Ward to Yanshou Ward across three full wards, the crowds held wooden banners aloft and chanted in unison: "Warmly celebrate the triumphant return of General Yuan!"

"Warmly celebrate the triumphant return of General Yuan!"

His popularity was absurdly high.

Before long, however, the citizens were driven back to the deeper wards by the official troops. At the entrance of Qunxian Ward, Empress Bai Wan led the civil and military officials, arrayed in rows to the left and right, to welcome him personally.

Outside the Golden Light Gate, mounted upon a sweat-bloody steed, sat a tall and powerfully built figure with fierce, striking facial features. Wielding a long saber and clad in fish-scale treasured armor, with a scar on his left cheek gleaming brilliantly in the morning light, Defender of the Country General Yuan Bingzhong led an army of ten thousand amid a cloud of dust, finally coming to a halt before the gates.

Seeing that Empress Bai Wan had personally led the civil and military officials of the court to greet him, he immediately reined in his horse, dismounted, and fell to his knees, kowtowing: "Greetings, Your Majesty!"

Behind him, a continuous clatter of armor resounded as all ten thousand men dropped to their knees in unison.

"Rise, my lords, rise quickly. You are the backbone of our dynasty, the guarantee of our Great Min's eternal prosperity, and true pillars of the nation!"

Bai Wan first placated the masses, then took hold of Yuan Bingzhong's hand and said with rousing passion, "The General has rendered indisputable meritorious service in campaigning against the northern barbarians and pacifying the borderlands. Come, accompany me into the palace at once; I shall host a grand banquet to wash away the dust of your journey, and all generals shall attend."

"Imperial grace is boundless; this subject obeys!" Yuan Bingzhong's voice thundered like rolling drums.

Holding his hand in this manner, Bai Wan took her place at the very front of the civil and military officials, preparing to return to Dayang Palace, when suddenly, a heroic and stirring song echoed from atop the city walls.

"The beacon smoke rises, looking north across the rivers and mountains; the dragon banners unfurl, horses neigh long, and the aura of swords is like frost..."

The civil and military officials, Bai Wan, Yuan Bingzhong, and the citizens of Chang'an all paused in their tracks simultaneously, lifting their heads to look toward the ramparts. There stood Chen Chang'an, clad in flowing robes, his hands clasped behind his back, channeling his inner breath as he belted out the lyrics with magnificent sweep and power!

Bai Wan furrowed her brow: "Chen Chang'an, what is he up to now?"

The citizens and officials were utterly baffled.

Yuan Bingzhong, however, pricked up his ears, seemingly captivated by the grand, majestic melody and the bold, domineering lyrics, gradually becoming entranced.

"Hatred burns to a frenzy, long sabers pointing outward; how many brothers and loyal souls have buried their bones in distant lands..."

"Splash!"

As this line rang out—especially the words "how many brothers and loyal souls have buried their bones in distant lands," sung to the specific, soul-stirring rhythm of *Serving the Country with Ultimate Loyalty*—it struck directly at the hearts of Yuan Bingzhong and his battle-hardened soldiers. It hit them right in their very DNA, bringing tears to their eyes and stirring a thousand emotions.

The song reached its climax: "The horses gallop southward, men gaze to the north; men gaze north as the grass turns yellow and withered. Dust flies high, yet I vow to defend our soil and expand our borders; this magnificent Great Min shall make all four quarters come to pay homage!"

"Come to pay homage!"

Both the lyrics and the melody were pushed to their absolute zenith by Chen Chang'an's voice atop the ramparts. This time, even the civil and military officials and the common folk were filled with passion and excitement, while Yuan Bingzhong and the soldiers under his command could no longer control themselves, weeping and laughing at the same time.

Weeping silently without a sound.

Laughing heartily and unrestrainedly.

Weeping for comrades who died in strange lands.

Laughing for the grand ambition and bold passion of wishing to defend the soil and expand the borders. Throughout history, military generals often used spoken words to express their loyalty; but what was true loyalty, if not these few simple words?

Who was the man atop the wall, and what was this tune? How could it pierce so deeply into people's hearts?

Bai Wan wore a satisfied smile, even laced with excitement. When she had first recognized Chen Chang'an standing on the city wall, she hadn't understood what this young man was trying to do; it turned out he was singing a song.

What a line: *This magnificent Great Min shall make all four quarters come to pay homage!* This was the status and momentum the Great Min deserved, the majestic deterrence that a celestial empire ought to wield.

Standing upright upon the ramparts, Chen Chang'an looked down at the deeply moved crowd below, the corners of his lips curling upward slightly. It was still early; *Serving the Country with Ultimate Loyalty* was merely the appetizer. The true fatal blow was *Breaking Through the Formation*. He immediately took out a sheet of white paper, spread it open, and with an expression of deep, affectionate recitation, chanted in a loud voice:

"Drunk, I trim the lamp to examine my sword, waking from dreams to the horns of successive camps; eight hundred miles of beef divided among subordinates, fifty strings playing foreign frontier music. A grand autumn military review on the battlefield!"

"The steeds fly as swift as red shadows, bows twang like thunderbolts with startled strings; accomplishing the monarch's great affairs across the realm, winning a reputation both in life and after death. Alas, my white hair grows!"

The original line referred to the steed *Lu*, Liu Bei's legendary mount, but Chen Chang'an deliberately changed it to *Red Shadow*.

Red Shadow was Yuan Bingzhong's warhorse, making the poem far more resonant.

"Plop!"

Sure enough, upon hearing the complete ci-poem, Yuan Bingzhong's thoughts were magically pulled backward, returning to his youth when he had first entered the military and struggled through hardship, then to his narrow brushes with death several times when he had nearly lost his life, and finally to his acquisition of the title of Defender of the Country General through extraordinary military achievements...

In just a few brief lines, this poem captured both the bitter hardships of warfare on the battlefield and the lofty ambitions of a soldier, while also lamenting the fleeting passage of time. It was truly peerless throughout the ages.

Plop!

A single hero's tear slid from the corner of Yuan Bingzhong's eye.

As for the civil officials present, they were mostly struck with awe and admiration at the literary caliber of the poem—grand, majestic, and swallowing rivers and mountains. It felt as though neither the Great Min nor the entire era had produced such a magnificent and sweeping verse in several centuries.

In their impression, the last time they had been truly shocked by literary standards was over a dozen years ago, when some fellow surnamed Li wrote *The spring breeze brushes the balustrade, and the dew is rich and fragrant*, before going off to study swordplay and cultivate immortality.

"This... who on earth is this, to be able to compose such a tune and verse? A great blessing for the literary world, a tremendous blessing indeed!"

"I don't recognize him. Logically speaking, someone with this level of literary talent ought to be extremely famous and widely known."

"Why does he look to me like Chen Chang'an, the fellow who executed the Prince of Jing'an a few days ago?"

"You mean that matrilocal son-in-law of the Su family? That's hardly likely; he's just a crude martial artist. How could he possibly write something so vast and vicissitudinous!"

The ministers chattered amongst themselves.

Defender of the Country General Yuan Bingzhong raised his head to gaze upward, his eyes red-rimmed and his heart a swirl of mixed emotions, as he asked, "Your Majesty, who is he?"

Bai Wan stated clearly, word by word: "A newcomer who just joined the Raven Guard this year—Chen Chang'an!"

"Chen Chang'an!"

Yuan Bingzhong repeated the name, and with heartfelt sincerity, he made a public request in a loud voice: "Your Majesty, might I ask this Brother Chen to accompany me into the palace to attend the banquet? This subject feels an instant kinship with him, as though we are soulmates."

"Very well, of course you may!" Bai Wan naturally agreed; what reason did she have to refuse?

Ever since the beginning of his transmigration, Chen Chang'an's hearing had been exceptionally sharp, and now having stepped into the Third Rank realm, it was easy for him to overhear what they were saying beneath the city wall. With his goal achieved, he chuckled to himself and muttered, "General Yuan, your soulmate isn't me; it's Xin Qiji."

With that, he stepped down from the ramparts and entered the palace together with the guards to attend General Yuan Bingzhong's welcome banquet, held at the Taihe Hall, which had previously hosted the Longevity Festival. Sitting high above, Bai Wan was flanked on her left by A Bao—who had been freed from the Prince of Jing'an's mental control while also losing her memories of her origins in Ganquan Village—and on her right by Zhang Youzhi, looking utterly delighted.

Utterly exhilarating!

During the banquet, the civil and military officials of the court all rushed over to toast Yuan Bingzhong. He only offered perfunctory responses to maintain appearances, and once that was finished, he sat drinking and chatting happily with Chen Chang'an, downing a thousand cups together while grasping Chen's hand and exclaiming, "A kindred spirit! You are truly my kindred spirit!"

"Brother Chen, would you be willing to swear an oath of brotherhood with this Yuan?"

Chen Chang'an nodded.

On this day, an anonymous tune spread like wildfire throughout Chang'an City, its final refrain echoing: *This magnificent Great Min shall make all four quarters come to pay homage!*—originated by Chen Chang'an, the matrilocal son-in-law of the Su family.

On this day, a ci-poem beginning with *Drunk, I trim the lamp to examine my sword* swept through Chang'an City and the literary and military circles of the Great Min. All who saw it clapped in praise, and all who read it were filled with deep emotion. Everyone in the world knew it had been brushed onto paper by Chen Chang'an, the matrilocal son-in-law of the Su family.

On this day, the formidable Defender of the Country General Yuan Bingzhong was moved to tears by the tune *Serving the Country with Ultimate Loyalty* and the poem *Breaking Through the Formation*, and right before the civil and military officials, he petitioned Bai Wan to issue an imperial decree conferring upon him and Chen Chang'an the status of sworn brothers of different surnames.

When the welcome banquet concluded, Chen Chang'an and the security detail escorted Yuan Bingzhong back to the General's Estate. As they neared the estate gates, they suddenly saw Yuan Yunfei limping out while crying and shouting as he ran: "Father, you've finally returned! You must seek justice for your son!"

"Su Dingfeng, the eldest son of the Su family, together with his brother-in-law Chen Chang'an, beat your son until he became lame! Father, you must vent this pent-up anger for me!"

Yuan Bingzhong lifted the carriage curtain, looking slightly intoxicated as he sized up his son Yuan Yunfei and asked, "Chen Chang'an? Which Chen Chang'an? The name sounds so familiar."

"It's me!" Before Yuan Yunfei could answer, Chen Chang'an poked his head out from the side.

Yuan Yunfei was startled: "That's right, Father, it's him! It's him!"

"Scoundrel!"

The next second, Defender of the Country General Yuan Bingzhong took off his heavy military boot and hurled it fiercely right into his son Yuan Yunfei's face, roaring, "Chen Chang'an is my brother! A brother closer than my own flesh and blood! Address him as Uncle!"

Chen Chang'an, who had initially only poked his head out, now crawled out of the carriage entirely, hopped down, and walked right up to Yuan Yunfei. Patting the young man's head with a thoroughly punchable expression of righteous pride, he puffed out his chest and said, "That's right, Fei'er. Call me Uncle."

"From now on, Wanqiu is your aunt."

Yuan Yunfei: "..."