Chapter 113
Chapter 113
“Where did you run off to? I was just about to take Zuozuo Youyou out to look for you.”
Tang Qingsong had even brought the dogs along and was about to head out when he reached the gate and saw Jiang Yunsui trotting back.
Jiang Yunsui was carrying quite a lot of things, dropping a little with every step.
But her hands were small, and she couldn’t hold on to everything. She could only watch the things fall, anxious to pick them up, yet afraid that everything still in her arms would tumble down too.
Zuozuo and Youyou ran over, wagging happily, and picked up the dropped snacks in their mouths.
Jiang Yunsui’s little mouth jutted out in a pout. “I can’t eat them now. They’re all covered in your drool.”
What Youyou had in its mouth was a piece of dried meat. It smelled delicious once it had it between its teeth, so it even licked it several times.
“You can eat them yourselves.”
The two dogs were not picky at all. Even if someone gave them a raw radish, they could hug it and gnaw on it with great relish.
“Grandpa Tang, I went to the Cook Battalion to see Grandpa Shen and the others.”
Tang Qingsong gave a soft huff when he heard that. “You little thing, you sure do know a lot of grandpas.”
“Hehe~”
“Oh right, Grandpa Tang, I have something to tell you. Come down a little. I need to whisper it to you.”
Tang Qingsong put on no airs and cooperatively crouched down.
Jiang Yunsui leaned close to his ear and began telling him what she had overheard on her way back.
A sharp gleam flashed through Tang Qingsong’s eyes.
From Jiang Yunsui’s scattered, pieced-together words, he could roughly tell that someone was planning to make a move against the grain supplies being sent to Qiusha.
“I understand. You’ve brought back very important news.”
He touched the sword at his waist. “Heh. Some people can’t sit still anymore.”
“Head back, little one. Grandpa Tang will be busy for the next while. Don’t run around all over Beizhen City by yourself.”
Jiang Yunsui obediently said, “Oh,” then brought Zuozuo Youyou and Heiwa back to the Ji Mansion.
Once Tang Qingsong returned, he immediately got busy. The grain supplies bound for Qiusha had already set out, so something would definitely happen on the road.
First, he instructed Uncle Li to keep an eye on the Sweet Potato Noodle Workshop. Then he took a pack of dogs and a three-thousand-strong cavalry unit, riding in the direction the grain supplies had gone.
In the end, the peaches left on the tree did not manage to wait until Ji Yan’an and the others came back.
Jiang Yunsui put baskets in the mouths of the three dogs and had someone pick all the remaining peaches from the tree and place them inside.
“Let’s go find Fat Chef.”
Fat Chef was sitting in a rocking chair under a tree, a cattail fan in hand, occasionally reaching over to pop one or two peanuts into his mouth.
“Fat Chef!”
Chef Pang opened his eyes.
“What, you call everyone else Grandpa, but when it comes to me, it’s Fat Chef this and Fat Chef that? So our relationship isn’t as close as yours with those guys in the military camp, huh?”
Jiang Yunsui bounced over to his side and stuffed a peach into his hands.
“The biggest peach is for you. Then from now on, I’ll call you Fat Grandpa.”
Only then was Fat Chef satisfied.
“This peach tastes good. What a pity the Young Master won’t get to enjoy it.”
Jiang Yunsui nodded hard.
“Fat Grandpa, let’s go to the military camp and bring peaches to the other grandpas. All the peaches on the tree have been picked.”
Fat Chef flipped himself up to his feet. “Sure. Let’s go.”
“Today, Fat Grandpa will take you horseback riding and hunting.”
“Yay!”
Jiang Yunsui had just been wondering what to do. Hunting! She had never experienced that before.
Fat Chef went to the kitchen, took out his butcher’s knife, and tucked it into the back of his waistband. Then, with one strong lift, he picked Jiang Yunsui up and set her on his broad shoulder.
Set against Fat Chef’s wide, bulky frame, she looked as tiny and delicate as a little figurine.
The three dogs carried the baskets in their mouths, wagging their tails as they followed behind the two of them.
When Jiang Yunsui arrived at the Cook Battalion again, she was much more at ease.
Among the rough, loud voices of the burly men, her young, soft, milky voice stood out all the more.
“Grandpa Shen, Grandpa Liu, I brought you peaches! Big peaches, and they’re super tasty.”
“These peaches really do look wonderful. Little Suisui actually remembered us old fellows.”
“Have you eaten yet, Suisui? Come have some ribs.”
“What ribs? I made some milk tea. Want some?”
Jiang Yunsui sucked in her little belly.
“I think I can still fit a little more in.”
Everyone burst out laughing at the sight of her.
The tiny little thing was just too fun.
Their laughter nearly lifted the roof off, leaving the soldiers outside utterly baffled.
“What are those old men doing in there?”
“Sounds like someone’s granddaughter came to visit.”
“Huh? Don’t they all have no families? Where’d a granddaughter come from?”
“Why do you care? Can’t they adopt one as a granddaughter?”
Fat Chef picked up Jiang Yunsui, who was drinking milk tea. “Come on. Let’s go riding and hunting.”
“Ha! It’s been ages since I got out for some air. These old bones of mine are about to rust. Let’s go.”
And just like that, a soft, tender little girl like Jiang Yunsui was carried off by a bunch of rough old men toward the stables.
A young officer in charge of the horses was surprised to see them.
“Commander Pang, what brings you here?”
That was right. Before these men were transferred to the rear Cook Battalion, their ranks had been anything but low.
“We’re going out for a bit.”
He walked straight up to a reddish-brown horse.
It was already an old horse.
When it saw Fat Chef, the old horse took a moment to react before leaning its head over.
“Black Wind, how’s your leg? Has it healed?”
The old horse rubbed its head against his hand.
Fat Chef introduced it to Jiang Yunsui.
“Little Suisui, this is my good brother, Black Wind. Doesn’t that name sound especially fierce?”
Jiang Yunsui nodded.
“Hahaha… This old fellow followed me through several battles. The last time, its leg was injured on the battlefield, and after that, it could never carry me charging across the field again.”
Fat Chef patted the old horse.
“Come on. I’ll take you out for some air today.”
The others also had warhorses that had fought beside them in their youth.
They were all old now. Aside from Black Wind, only one other horse was still alive.
The rest had either died on the battlefield or passed away early from injuries they had suffered there.
Of course, they couldn’t ride those two old horses. Fat Chef and the others were afraid they would damage their old comrades by sitting on them.
So they chose other horses to ride, while the two old horses only had to trot along with them.
Jiang Yunsui’s short little legs couldn’t reach the stirrups even on a pony.
So Fat Chef carried her in front of him.
Behind them, the three big dogs also broke into a run.
The environment here was harsh, bordering both the grasslands and the Gobi. Beyond the Gobi lay the desert.
Since they were going hunting, they naturally headed for the grasslands.
There were small prey animals on the grasslands, such as pikas, wild rabbits, and pheasants.
But they were extremely alert and ran fast.
Pikas and rabbits could burrow. The moment they heard a sound, they darted into their holes. They were so crafty that they were hard to catch.
And since people often came out hunting in the nearby area, if you were lucky, you could catch some meat to bring back for a treat.
If you were unlucky, you got nothing.
As for large prey, forget it. There simply wasn’t any around here.
If they wanted game, they would have to go farther out.
“Which direction should we go?”
The grasslands were vast. One glance couldn’t take in the end of them, nor could it find even a shadow of prey.
“Here, Little Yunsui, you pick a direction.”
Fat Chef patted Jiang Yunsui’s small shoulder.
Jiang Yunsui drew a circle in the air with her little hand, then closed her eyes and pointed at random.
“Let’s go that way.”