Chapter 48 Walking Alone Through the Past

Once again, festive red silk was hung before the vermilion gates of the Guo residence, and newly suspended glass palace lanterns shimmered dazzlingly in the autumn sun. Servants hurried along, their faces beaming with pride—General Guo Qiyu was about to marry the emperor's own sister, becoming a true imperial son-in-law. This was unparalleled honor, proof of the Guo family's enduring imperial favor.

The mansion was a hive of activity, the busy preparations for the wedding filling every corner. Huairou stood before the moon gate of her courtyard, watching the bustling activity in the main courtyard not far away, a forced, insincere smile barely reaching her eyes. Her brother was getting married again, this time to a woman of noble birth. This was already her second sister-in-law. Watching her brother, with whom she had been inseparable since childhood, once again being "snatched" away by a strange and noble woman, an indescribable sense of loss and melancholy crept into her heart like a fine spiderweb.

She couldn't help but recall hearing vaguely from a while ago that Lu Binghui, who was serving in a distant region, had also been arranged to marry a girl from some wealthy family. Although he hadn't formally married a wife, his long-term commitment to an important post in another place meant that he probably... couldn't bear the loneliness of being an official in a remote location. Such was the way of the world; it seemed natural for men to have multiple wives and concubines.

As the eldest daughter of the Guo family and the mistress of Liyuan Garden, she herself had recently attracted numerous young and talented men from the capital who had come to her residence to inquire about marriage alliances. The Guo family was now not only a trusted confidant of the emperor but also the right-hand man of the newly appointed Crown Prince Yunji. Her father, Guo Shichang, was naturally extremely cautious about this and was unwilling to easily agree to a marriage. Huairou, however, was happy not to marry, enjoying some peace and quiet. She remembered what "Jiancheng Jun" had once said: all marriage alliances had ulterior motives. Fortunately, the Guo family's power and her father's affection could still secure this brief, precious freedom for her.

However, what she truly cared about wasn't whether the suitors were handsome or ugly, wise or foolish. What she couldn't accept was the polygamous system itself. With Ji Moli's adaptability, she had long accepted the reality that women in this era couldn't hold official positions, and through her wisdom and hard work, she carved out her own niche in the countryside, realizing a different kind of social value. But this marriage model of "sharing a husband" was like a hard bone stuck in her throat, impossible to swallow.

She rationally understood the plight of women in this era—they lacked channels and institutional guarantees for independent survival and development, and had almost no choice but to rely on their fathers, brothers, and husbands. But understanding was one thing; applying these rules to herself meant that her future life would involve sharing a "husband" with a group of unfamiliar women, a man who might not have deep affection but only a sense of responsibility. In her view, this was tantamount to a double humiliation, both emotionally and personally.

Now, she has no shortage of money (the Liyuan estate is already quite wealthy), no shortage of spiritual sustenance (Yunji, Yuanya, and even the entire academy are all her concerns), and she has her parents, brothers, and the vast Guo family as her support. For her, marriage seems to be purely to fulfill worldly customs, family expectations, and the "need" of the Guo family's power from the families behind those suitors.

Sometimes, Huairou felt that, apart from lacking magical powers and not being a cloud-riding monster, she seemed to have transcended the Three Realms and Five Elements in her mindset, no longer needing to rely on worldly marriage to define her own value and belonging. She was like a calm observer, scrutinizing the weddings, funerals, joys, and sorrows of this world.

But this detachment ultimately couldn't withstand the pressure of reality. As she grew older, even her mother, who had always doted on her, began to succumb to the pressure from both inside and outside the family, subtly urging her to get married. Those words, such as "a woman must have someone to rely on," "for the sake of the family," and "don't waste your life," were like mosquitoes that couldn't be driven away in the summer, troubling her relentlessly.

Finally, one afternoon, listening to her mother's endless nagging, Huairou felt an indescribable weariness and suffocation. She carefully entrusted her beloved rabbits—Little Gray, Little Yellow, and Little White—to her "daughter-in-law" Yuan Ya, who also loved animals. Then, accompanied only by her personal maid, she quietly left the bustling Guo Mansion and the imperial city in a simple blue-curtained carriage. She needed a place, a place where she could catch her breath and find complete peace and quiet.

The carriage rumbled along for several days before finally stopping in front of an elegant residence nestled among lush trees outside Yongzhou City. This was not a property of the Guo family, but a secluded courtyard where she and her "old friend" had shared fond memories.

As soon as the carriage came to a stop in the open space in front of the courtyard, a neatly dressed servant quickly came forward, his attitude respectful and familiar: "Miss, you've arrived! Please come in!" as if her arrival were the most natural thing in the world. This was because the owner of the house had specifically instructed before leaving that whenever Miss Huairou arrived, this place would be her home.

Huairou didn't stand on ceremony, handing the reins to a servant before slowly walking inside. She had observed the mansion from afar beforehand; the main lights throughout the house were not lit, making it exceptionally quiet, suggesting its owner... was probably not home. This suited her perfectly.

The courtyard was deep and secluded, with winding paths leading to quiet spots; every plant and tree seemed to bear the faint traces of bygone days. Huairou settled down here peacefully, no longer worrying about the troublesome matters of marriage. During the day, she would stroll through the markets of Yongzhou City, observing the local customs and the cityscape, pondering whether she could expand the branch garden and business of Liyuan Garden to this prosperous Jiangnan region. In the evenings, she would return to this tranquil villa, reading in her study or writing down her observations and thoughts.

The study remained unchanged, the rosewood desk gleaming like a mirror. Huairou stroked the cool surface, her thoughts drifting back to the past. She remembered that it was right here at this desk that "Jiancheng Jun" had half-jokingly, half-seriously flattered her, saying that she, single-handedly, was almost becoming the "money bag" supporting the empire's operation.

How did she answer? She said, "I refuse to be a slave for generations!" Her tone carried a pride and ambition rarely seen in women of that era. She painted a picture for him that was vastly different from what was happening now:

"Although I am neither the holder of power nor a fierce general who expands the territory, I may become the one who reshapes and allocates the dynasty's productivity in the future."

At the time, Jiancheng Jun looked puzzled. In his view, how could he mobilize the millions of people without the supreme imperial power?

Huairou patiently explained that in the future nation, everyone should be "racing." Farmers who don't have enough to eat can learn a trade or work, earning enough money to support their families. Those skilled in cooking who struggle financially can work in restaurants, allowing the talented to create greater value while also ensuring their own basic needs are met. Meanwhile, those who are well-fed and clothed can invent new agricultural tools, study blacksmithing techniques, improve farming methods, and participate in government affairs, each contributing their abilities to create and exchange value.

"Is the status of blacksmiths lowly?" she said with elation. "I will give him a platform to develop superior weapons and enhance the army's combat power. When the army relies on his skills, who will dare to look down on blacksmiths? Poor scholars have no way to realize their ambitions? I will encourage them to take the imperial examinations and earn the prestige of serving in the camp and advising on military affairs based on their true talents. The court needs warhorses, but it does not necessarily have to spend the national resources to raise them. It can establish stable trade with the Xiongnu pastures and purchase fine horses continuously."

"And so it goes," she concluded. "With fewer people farming, the nobles, to ensure food security, will naturally cede more profits to the remaining farmers; with money in their pockets, the farmers will buy better tools to increase production; with increased demand for tools, more people will manufacture them, and the craftsmanship will become more refined; all sorts of weapons will be developed, the army's combat power will increase, making it invincible, and naturally increasing the bargaining chips for the country; with bargaining chips, we can propose more favorable trade conditions for our country... Ultimately, we can enjoy the grasslands' resources without expending military force to occupy them; we don't need to forcibly incorporate other tribes into our subjects, as their resources, produced for their livelihood, will eventually become our sustenance."

She remembered that after delivering this "grand speech," she looked smugly at Jiancheng Jun and playfully asked, "How was it? Unexpected? Surprised?"

Jiancheng listened intently, his eyes shining. Though he may not have fully grasped every detail, he astutely understood the core idea—a policy of appeasement seemed to envision a completely new production model that transcended traditional agriculture, a way to rebalance the interests of all parties within the empire and stimulate its internal vitality. He clapped his hands in approval, expressing his unwavering support. The two exchanged smiles, their laughter filled with anticipation and imagination for this unknown possibility.

Looking back now, Huairou feels a flush of embarrassment. How naive, how... audacious she was back then!

No wonder her seemingly unorthodox proposals for Yunji—such as establishing practical schools, encouraging commerce and industry, and even the later "delaying tactic" to rescue him—always passed relatively smoothly. She originally thought it was due to her father's prestige, Yunji's efforts, and her own understanding of history and seizing the right opportunity. Now she suddenly realized that there might have been an invisible hand tacitly approving, or even pushing, her ideas. That hand belonged to the man who appeared to be merely "Jiancheng Jun," but was in reality the supreme ruler. He had long seen the value behind her ideas and put them into practice himself.

She also recalled telling Jianchengjun that what she really wanted to do was to guide the millions of ordinary people of the dynasty to realize that they could use their own labor, time and wisdom to engage in a silent struggle with the nobles who had inherited assets and privileges for generations, and fight for their rightful rights and dignity.

After hearing this, King Geumseong remained silent for a moment, then asked very seriously, "If what you say is true, and the people's rights increase daily, then will the resources possessed by the imperial power... decrease?"

Her answer then, now recalled, sends chills down her spine: "How could it decrease? For reform to succeed, those who already benefit must also see the advantages before they will actively participate or even push for it. It's like dividing a cake; it may seem like a redistribution, but when we unleash our pent-up productivity and make the cake big enough, everyone will ultimately receive more than before. For the imperial power, what it possesses now will only increase in the future. Today, Your Majesty may have a hundred thousand soldiers who need the national treasury to support; in the future, there may be a billion subjects who can give back to the empire and create wealth..."

Good heavens! She actually uttered such inflammatory and calculating remarks to the highest representative of imperial power! Huairou (or Ji Moli) instinctively felt a fear of power. Power was terrifying; it could change its face in an instant, it could be ruthless, and the beauty and gentleness it displayed could all be carefully designed disguises. For a proletarian worker like herself to develop feelings of fondness and dependence on the top representative of an imperial clan simply because of a moment of success was tantamount to dragging the entire Guo family into an abyss of utter destruction! She was truly lucky to have survived to this day, unpunished for "discussing politics" or "spreading rumors"!

She suddenly realized with absolute clarity how naive and dangerous she had been! To still be tossing and turning over that faint, insignificant romantic feeling was utterly foolish!

“No,” she stood up abruptly, her heart filled with fear and lingering dread. “I can’t stay here any longer! I’ll leave after tonight and go home immediately! Once I’m back… I’ll marry whoever Father says I should!” At least that would be within a relatively controllable range, bringing a stable marriage alliance to the family, instead of walking on the edge of an unknown, potentially all-consuming power like this.

With a heart full of confusion and fear, she lay down on the desk again, filled with remorse for her past arrogance and recklessness. The intense mental stress and the exhaustion of the past few days finally broke her down, and she fell into a deep sleep on the cool sandalwood desk.

As night deepened, the candle on her desk, which had illuminated her writing and reminiscing, flickered until it burned out, turning into a wisp of smoke before quietly extinguishing. Only the palace lanterns standing in the four corners of the study remained, their tiny flames swaying precariously in the breeze, casting flickering shadows that enveloped her figure bent over her desk in a dim, hazy light.

In her sleep, Huairou felt increasingly cold, curling up as if she were in an ice cellar. However, after an unknown amount of time, the biting cold gradually disappeared. In her hazy state, she felt herself being gently enveloped by something warm and soft; someone had very gently adjusted her position, allowing her to sleep more comfortably. The warmth felt so real, dispelling the nightmare and the chill. Unconsciously, she snuggled closer to the source of warmth and drifted into an even deeper sleep.

The study remained quiet, with only the occasional soft crackling sound of the palace lanterns' flames.