OFTLHFRO C158

Chapter 158: A Favor

Luo Mingchen went to ask Hu Zhongyi for a favor but was stopped before he could finish.

Puzzled, Luo Mingchen asked, “Grand General Hu, is there something else?”

Hu Zhongyi looked troubled, brows furrowed, hesitant to speak.

Rarely did Luo Mingchen see him so awkward, and said, “We are on the same side, General. If you have something to say, say it directly—we will help if we can.”

Encouraged, Hu Zhongyi said, “Brother Luo, I’ll be straightforward. I haven’t seen my wife and children for seven years. When I left, my daughter was just a month old. If I wait longer, I don’t know when I’ll see them. My son probably doesn’t even remember my face. Can you pity me?”

Seeing a burly man with tears in his eyes almost ready to kneel, Luo Mingchen was unnerved. “Brother, what can we do? Find people to bring your wife and kids here?”

“They’re in the capital. Normally, soldiers fighting the war cannot bring family with them. But I have guarded the border for years; I dare to ask for clemency. If you agree to vouch for me, they can come.”

Hearing about vouching, Luo Mingchen wanted clarity, “Why do you want us to vouch?”

Hu Zhongyi then explained in detail.

The rule is that generals at the border must keep family in the capital for their protection, but in reality, this means they’re hostages and cannot leave without the emperor’s permission.

However, after three years guarding the border, if a general or grand general vouches, family can be brought.

“Huo Yuntao told me to endure longer because the border was unstable. But each year passed—and that dog Wu Qing didn’t need to ask. Now that you’re here, I have to shamelessly beg.”

Luo Mingchen scratched his head, asking, “Does vouching require a signature or some process?”

Seeing a way forward, Hu Zhongyi was pleased. “Have Huo Yan write a letter of guarantee, stamp it, and send it with my family letter to the capital.”

Seeing his excitement, Luo Mingchen asked, “Won’t the emperor refuse?”

“No. We had victories in recent years. I asked; the emperor said as long as someone vouches it’s fine. If you don’t believe me, I’ll show you the documents.”

Hu Zhongyi pulled out a carefully kept document from a large box.

After reading, Luo Mingchen nodded, “Alright, I’ll have Huo Yan write the letter. When do you need it?”

“Better to do it today! Let’s go—I’ll go with you.”

Joyful, Hu Zhongyi took the documents and grabbed Luo Mingchen’s arm, heading to Huo Family Army.

On the way, Luo Mingchen wondered, “General, why not go to Huo Yan directly?”

“Isn’t it the same as coming to you? Honestly, I feel a bit afraid of him. Better to tell you first.”

“Huh?”

Luo Mingchen looked confused. “Did he beat you up?”

Hu Zhongyi said, “I saw his harsh training of soldiers—scaring. He has an ointment that, even on flesh wounds, heals so thoroughly that the next day the soldiers keep training without scars.”

Luo Mingchen: “…”

Could he say the ointment’s ingredients came from the herbs Luo Mingchen grew?

“He trains soldiers almost like undead. Ten of mine surrounded one soldier and lost. More alarming, he has three thousand such soldiers.”

Hu Zhongyi felt deeply moved.

In just a few months, if Northern Yue invades, they’d be lost without return—no need to worry about fallback.

Luo Mingchen didn’t understand, “Why call them undead?”

He knew undead meant sacrificing oneself to complete tasks—if captured, no mercy, death by own hand if ordered.

“He doesn’t kill them but claims they’re unfortunate prisoners, buying time to see if survival is possible. If not, they’ll die for the country.”

Hearing this, Luo Mingchen understood.

Walking together, they found Huo Yan ready to leave his study.

Luo Mingchen told him the news. Soon, Huo Yan wrote a letter of guarantee and sealed it.

Handing the letter to Hu Zhongyi, Huo Yan said, “Military pay has arrived. Want to see?”

“Really?”

Luo Mingchen was delighted. “Let’s go. I want to see how much.”

“Mm.”

Huo Yan rose, looking at the happy Hu Zhongyi holding the letter. “General Hu, you have a share in those fields too—why not look together?”

Hu Zhongyi was overjoyed. “You handle it; I’m going back.”

He hummed a tune and walked briskly away.

Luo Mingchen smiled wryly, “Is he alright?”

Huo Yan said, “If you hadn’t seen me and the kids in seven years, how would you feel?”

Luo Mingchen immediately said, “I’d die!”

Huo Yan looked quietly.

Realizing what he said, Luo Mingchen coughingly added, “It’s mostly because I miss the kids, you know?”

Without this, Huo Yan wouldn’t have thought much.

But including it, he had to think more.

Huo Yan smiled slightly, “I know.”

“Really?”

Luo Mingchen felt the conversation going awry.

“Mm.”

The couple left the study to check the “military pay” storage.

Seeing box after box of gold and silver, Luo Mingchen’s eyes widened.

“We’re… this rich now?”

Huo Yan whispered into his ear, “Thanks to the herbs you cultivated.”

Ginseng and lingzhi sold as thousand-year-old roots.

Before selling, Luo Mingchen even showed Hua Yaoyue, who didn’t recognize they were only half-month grown but still begged for two sets.

It was like selling thousand-year ginseng as radishes, baskets upon baskets.

Other herbs were less planted.

For safety and pricing, Huo Yan distributed sales across regions, hence the hefty money.

Besides, there were vegetable fields, cotton, and oddly shaped watermelons.

Altogether, the money grew considerably.

“I bought chickens, ducks, geese, pigs, sheep, and dairy cows.”

Hancheng had little land for farming, so they improved animal husbandry, which might be more profitable.

“Dairy cows?”

Luo Mingchen caught that key word. Was it the kind he imagined?

“Mm, a specialty of Liuli City. They produce much milk and aren’t draft cows. The milk is said less gamey than sheep’s milk.”

Hearing this, Luo Mingchen’s eyes brightened. “Are they black and white?”

Huo Yan nodded slightly, “Have you seen?”

“I have too. Let’s go see.”

More interested in dairy cows than soldiers’ pay, Luo Mingchen agreed.

Huo Yan told Ji Bowen to record payments and went with Luo Mingchen to see the purchased cows.