Mid-first month.
Da Liang, unwilling to let Great Wei take a Profound Iron Essence Stone mine for nothing, launched a decisive battle.
Though this battle's scale wasn't as brutal as the beginning, it still brought massive casualties.
Soldiers against soldiers, generals against generals.
Because Xu Mingxuan held back his true strength, although he encountered more than ten people surrounding him multiple times, he survived each dangerous situation.
Later, he encountered Ge Xuanhong, who after mutually wounding an enemy commandant, was surrounded by over ten peak Postnatal martial artists.
"Commandant Ge!"
Xu Mingxuan immediately rushed over. The Dragon's Chant unleashed with innate true qi exploded like thunder, temporarily forcing back the enemies, but they didn't give up.
After all, a commandant's head was worth second-class merit.
"Go quickly!"
Commandant Ge clearly knew that with Xu Mingxuan's strength, simultaneously dealing with over ten peak Postnatal martial artists was simply a pipe dream.
"Get lost!"
Xu Mingxuan paid no heed.
With one sword strike, pine-green innate true qi erupted, rippling outward, sending everyone around flying.
"Innate true qi! You've reached the innate realm!"
"Let's go!"
Xu Mingxuan grabbed Ge Xuanhong and quickly departed.
This was a battlefield. As an early innate stage martial artist, he only had self-preservation strength. He could only first take Ge Xuanhong away.
Ge Xuanhong's moment of kindness back then had saved his own life.
Since his strength was exposed, Xu Mingxuan no longer pretended. Taking advantage of this great battle, he earned quite a few Postnatal martial artists' heads, adding up to one second-class merit.
As for innate realm martial artists, commandants were basically late innate stage or above. Only a fool would go kill them.
Wasn't crushing weaklings fragrant?
After this battle ended, the Great Wei army officially notified that this war was over.
After tallying military merits, those who had been conscripted could return home.
At the borderlands, there was suddenly tremendous commotion. Thunderous shouts stretched for thousands of miles.
Ding Division camp, merit statistics office.
"What's your name?"
"Xu Mingxuan."
"Xu Mingxuan, eh? Not bad. At such a young age, you already have one first-class merit and one second-class merit."
The middle-aged burly man in charge of merit statistics looked up at Xu Mingxuan with a smile, showing goodwill in his eyes.
"Are you interested in joining the Great Wei military? You'll definitely receive good treatment."
"Sir, this one hasn't returned home in six years and misses it dearly. I wish I could sprout wings and arrive instantly. I can only disappoint your kindness, sir."
The middle-aged burly man sighed and waved his hand, "Forget it. People have their own aspirations. This is your merit certificate. Second-class merit is sufficient to exchange for county deputy magistrate or county captain in a county seat.
First-class merit can exchange for chief clerk or commandery captain in a commandery capital, or county magistrate in a county seat, though the latter is somewhat wasted."
"Sir, what if there are already no official positions in my hometown county or commandery capital?"
"If all have official status and are recorded in official registers, then there's nothing to be done. However, most only have official status without being recorded in registers. You can inquire about these details after returning home."
"Alright, don't block the next person."
Xu Mingxuan cupped his fists and retreated before turning to leave.
His experience was still shallow. Feeling that merit should be exchangeable for more than just official positions, he went to find Ge Xuanhong.
His injuries had now fully healed.
Because of the life-saving grace, they had even sworn brotherhood.
Ge Xuanhong was only around twenty-seven, the same age as Xu Mingwei. To have late innate stage strength, he must come from a great family.
In Ge Xuanhong's tent.
"Brother Ge, can merit only be exchanged for official positions?"
"Usually exchanging for official positions is most worthwhile, but some families have vast amounts of farmland. For example, with tens of thousands of acres, second-class merit might be used to permanently exempt family mountain forests and farmland from taxes. If over one hundred thousand acres, only first-class merit can be exchanged."
"Tax exemption isn't bad either." Xu Mingxuan's heart stirred.
"Anyway, younger brother, just consider it yourself. Oh right, after this parting, I'm afraid we won't be able to meet for a long time. If you have time, you can come find me at the Ge family in Guangling Commandery.
Guangling Commandery neighbors your Yuehu Commandery. The distance isn't far."
"Younger brother will remember." Xu Mingxuan cupped his fists with a smile.
He waited at the Ding Division camp entrance for other Xu family members to gather.
Twenty to thirty people went to battle, but only seven survived. Li Zhi, Chen Daniu, and Bai Hui all survived.
Li Zhi earned second-class merit. Chen Daniu and Bai Hui earned fourth-class merit. The other several earned fifth-class merit, the lowest grade.
"Third Young Master!"
Li Zhi and Chen Daniu rode up. Before long, Bai Hui and the others also arrived.
"Everyone, let's go home together!"
"Go home!"
All seven were eager to return, embarking on their homeward journey.
…
[Today's divination: Auspicious. Your third son Xu Mingxuan will arrive home with first-class and second-class merit at the hour of xu]
"First-class and second-class merit?"
Xu Chuan routinely divined to check the family's fortune and misfortune. Most times it was an average reading.
Now an auspicious reading appeared, even revealing his third son's imminent return. This left him somewhat stunned but then a smile floated to his lips, "Good boy. I told him to act low-key. Didn't expect this kind of low-key. But coming back is good! Coming back is good!"
His eyes were full of longing.
He immediately had someone call Xu Mingyuan back from outside, saying there would be a grand banquet tonight.
He also invited the Chen family, Bai family, and Li family.
Bai Jing was extremely surprised, "Husband, is there some great joyous occasion tonight?"
"Allow me to keep you in suspense. I'll give you a surprise then."
"A surprise?"
Today isn't my birthday!
"Then this concubine will wait for husband's surprise."
Xu Mingwei and Xu Mingyuan were also confused, not knowing what Xu Chuan was up to.
"Even for a family banquet, there's no need to invite the Chen and Li families. Wait..." Xu Mingyuan seemed to guess something. His pupils suddenly contracted, his eyes showing joy, "Elder Brother, could it be Tantou and them are coming back?!"
"It's possible!"
Surprise flashed through Xu Mingwei's eyes, but he didn't show much emotion. He had gradually developed the skill of not showing joy or anger on his face.
The family head's dignity grew increasingly weighty.
"Impossible!" Xu Mingyuan immediately denied it himself, "The border is ten thousand miles away. How would Father know Tantou is returning today and can make it in time for the evening banquet?
If this were really true, that would be the ability to prophesy the future."
"If Father were ordinary, how could he have brought the Xu family to this scale in just over twenty years?"
Xu Mingwei said calmly, "Although you and I now manage the Xu family, the one supporting us from behind is still Father. Without Father, our Xu family would at most have one-tenth of our current family business."
"That's true."
Xu Mingyuan's eyes began showing a longing expression, "I actually hope Tantou returns. It's been six years. I really miss that kid. He should be twenty-one now."
"When he returns, Mother won't just nag me anymore."
Xu Mingwei turned to look at Xu Mingyuan, his gaze seeming to say: I thought you'd say something emotional about brotherhood, but this is what you say?
You're really Tantou's good second brother!
…
The hour of xu.
The setting sun was like blood staining the western sky.
On the gray-blue official road, seven people rode horses, stirring up rolling dust and smoke.
They hadn't removed their iron armor. The sword scabbards at their waists swayed with the people on horseback, knocking against the dusk.
At Xu family main residence, in the main hall.
The banquet was already prepared.
"About time. Everyone follow me to the entrance."
A group of people, confused, came to the Xu family's main entrance. Before long, they heard "Hya!" sounds approaching from afar.
"Who dares to be so presumptuous before my Xu family's entrance!"
Xu Mingshu scolded, then immediately said, "Little White, roar!"
"Roar roar roar~"
A heaven-shaking tiger roar erupted, sound waves rolling forward.
The horses were all disturbed and difficult to control.
Xu Mingwei had the best vision. He immediately saw clearly the group of people several hundred meters away. After surprise, he smiled faintly, "Xueji, are you trying to keep your third brother outside the family entrance?"
"Third Brother?!"
"Really Tantou?!"
Everyone's faces changed slightly, then showed wild joy.
"Yes, Tantou is back?!"
Bai Jing's eyes seemed to burst with radiance. She immediately cried tears of extreme happiness.