Chapter 66

On November 28th of the fifth year of the Chongzhen era, Yueyang bid farewell to Zaisang and the reluctant Hailanzhu, and set off with his caravan on the long journey home.

During this trip to科尔沁 (Khorchin), Yueyang could be said to have reaped a bountiful harvest. Not only did he acquire 1,200 warhorses, but he also gained a beautiful wife.

The marriage alliance with the Khorchin tribe was not a spur-of-the-moment decision or one made out of infatuation with Hailanzhu's beauty. It was a decision Yueyang made after careful consideration. He knew that although he could travel freely between the modern era and the Ming Dynasty, his current body in this era had no identity, making him a blacklisted individual. Moreover, his point of entry in the modern era was fixed, meaning he could only appear in the house on the outskirts of Mingzhu City, which belonged to the original Yueyang. If he were to be absent for a long time or declared missing by the police, the house could be confiscated, making it difficult for him to return to modern society.

Given this situation, Yueyang always kept his nerves taut. He could not establish a mechanized transport team in the Ming Dynasty, as such a setup required a high level of logistical support, and he could not personally teach the farmers or soldiers of the late Ming how to drive modern vehicles, which would be too shocking and unprecedented. Moreover, the Ming Dynasty lacked a large-scale road network. Therefore, forming a cavalry became an urgent necessity, and the Khorchin tribe was a place that could provide a large number of warhorses. With the relationship established through Hailanzhu, Yueyang could not guarantee that the Khorchin would stand by him in a conflict with the Later Jin, but at least Zaisang, the cunning old fox, would not make it difficult for him to purchase warhorses or livestock.

As Yueyang was deep in thought, Li Yuan looked at the contemplative Yueyang and the numerous warhorses in the caravan, feeling a deep sense of amazement. This bookworm, once a laughingstock in Yingzhou Prefecture, had undergone a complete transformation in just a few months. First, he trained a formidable militia, then somehow acquired a large quantity of high-quality salt to dominate the salt market in Yingzhou Prefecture, driving the once-arrogant Wang family out of Yingzhou City. Now, he had traveled to the Khorchin tribe to purchase a large number of warhorses. What surprised Li Yuan the most was that the leader of the Khorchin tribe had even taken him as a son-in-law. All these events had completely颠覆 (upended) Li Yuan's worldview.

Yueyang turned his head and saw the contemplative Li Yuan, and said sincerely, "Master Li, this trip to Khorchin would not have been possible without your help. From now on, if you need any assistance, just let me know, and I will do my best to help!"

By saying this, Yueyang was acknowledging that he owed Li Yuan a favor, implying that Li Yuan should not hesitate to ask for help. As the saying goes, money is easy to repay, but favors are hard to repay. Li Yuan understood that with these words, the relationship between the Li and Yue families would be further strengthened.

Li Yuan looked at Yueyang with gratitude and nodded silently...

On December 7th, after a long journey, Yueyang finally returned to Yue Family Village in Wulizhai with over a thousand warhorses.

When Yueyang returned to Wulizhai, the entire village was in an uproar, and almost all the men, women, and children came out to see the spectacle.

When the villagers saw the endless stream of over a thousand warhorses, everyone marveled at the sight. For most of the villagers, who had spent their entire lives within a few dozen miles, this was a rare sight. The sight of a thousand warhorses passing by was enough to be a topic of conversation for half a month.

As for the people of Yue Family Village, the excitement was even greater. The old lady held Yueyang's sister, Yue Ying, by the hand and led a group of servants to welcome them. After the initial greetings, Yueyang paid his respects to the old lady and then followed her to the back courtyard.

The old lady sat in the main seat of the living room, carefully examining Yueyang for a while before nodding in satisfaction. "Hmm, you've lost weight, but you've also grown stronger. A man must go out and face the world to grow faster."

At this moment, Yueyang suddenly stood up, came to the old lady, and knelt down. "Grandma, there's something I did without your permission, and I must ask for your forgiveness!"

The old lady was taken aback at first, then laughed. "Oh, what could have made my good grandson so nervous? Tell grandma."

"This..." Yueyang hesitated for a moment before telling the old lady about his engagement to Hailanzhu. He concluded, "Grandma, I made this engagement without your consent, and I acted rashly. Please don't be angry, Grandma!"

"Oh, what could my good grandson need my permission for? Did you sell Yue Family Village?" The old lady laughed, not taking it seriously.

"Well... well, I'll tell you." Yueyang hesitated, then said, "I... I made an engagement in Mongolia!"

"What? An engagement?" The old lady was stunned, as were Yue Ying, the Linglong sisters, the steward Yue Laifu, and the surrounding maids... No, they were shocked.

After a long while, the old lady trembled and said, "Grandson, say it again. What did you do in Mongolia?"

At this point, Yueyang could only steel himself and say, "I... I made an engagement. The girl is the daughter of the Khorchin tribe's leader, named Hailanzhu!"

After saying this, Yueyang fell silent, kneeling and waiting for the old lady's reaction. In ancient China, there was a saying, "Parents' command, matchmaker's word," meaning that a child's marriage must be decided by their parents. This tradition had been upheld for thousands of years. The idea of a child making their own marriage decisions was unimaginable in those times. Therefore, after Yueyang spoke, the room fell silent, and everyone, except for Shunbao and Hu Laosan, who already knew, looked at him with astonishment.

However, the old lady, who had managed Yue Family Village for decades, quickly regained her composure after the initial shock. She looked at Yueyang with a sharp gaze and asked, "Grandma believes you are not a rash person. Can you tell me what happened when you made this engagement?"

The old lady, with her decades of experience, quickly got to the heart of the matter.

Yueyang nodded and recounted his trip to Mongolia in detail, including the conflicts with Daisan and Aobai, and the staged sheep-grabbing competition. He knew that if there was only one person in the world he could completely trust, it was the old lady.

After listening, the old lady was silent for a long time, then suddenly laughed. "Grandson, to make such a decision in such a short time is indeed no easy feat. If I were there, I would have agreed as well. Moreover, although the girl is not Han, she is a princess of the Khorchin tribe, making the marriage a match of equal status. Furthermore, once you marry her, our Yue family will have a powerful ally. I can't think of any reason to oppose it. You did well, grandson!"

"Ah..."

Yueyang did not expect such a result. The old lady not only did not blame him but also praised him, which was far beyond his expectations.

At this moment, Yueyang finally breathed a sigh of relief. The old lady and his sister Yue Ying were his only family in this world, and if the old lady had opposed the marriage, Yueyang would have been in a difficult situation.

Seeing Yueyang's relief, the old lady smiled. "Yang, did you think grandma would be furious and oppose the marriage?"

"How could I... I wouldn't dare to think that!" Yueyang scratched his head, embarrassed.

"Alright, you don't have to kneel anymore. Get up!" The old lady laughed and gestured for Yueyang to stand up.

"Oh, big brother, you're engaged already? Does that mean I'll have a sister-in-law soon?" Yue Ying, who had been by the old lady's side, ran to Yueyang, grabbed his hand, and asked with wide, innocent eyes.

"Yes, do you like the idea of your big brother getting a sister-in-law?" Yueyang smiled, picked up Yue Ying, and stood up.

"Yes!" Yue Ying hugged Yueyang's neck and clapped her little hands happily.

With the family's approval, Yueyang finally felt at ease. In the coming days, he would focus on reorganizing his militia...

PS: Where are the recommendation votes?

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