Chapter 82 A Fine Steed: Whatever You Desire, May Come True
The wind in the heart of the lake carried the chill of early spring.
Jiang Bojin has been missing his forearms for many years. He has long been used to not having hands, but the two severed forearms still hurt from time to time, especially on rainy days, as if the severed limbs have been cut by a sharp blade again.
He was very good at enduring pain; even a cold wind made it hard for him to bear, and his severed limbs rubbed against his clothes.
Chen Luan changed the position of his hand holding the chess piece several times, but he still couldn't place the piece.
Since being transferred to the position of Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, his hands have been stained with criminal cases, and the scholarly air has faded, replaced by a sharp and stern look.
Chen Luan held a white chess piece, observing the chessboard as he listened to Jiang Bojin speak.
Jiang Bojin said, "We need to take over Nanzhou, keep Beiyong and those small tribes stable, send a crown prince and 10,000 prisoners of war back to Dongyin, and there's also the matter of smuggling iron ore. Given the current situation, it seems the palace intends to reduce the military power of the border generals. We need to make plans in advance."
This "plan" was both meant for Chen Luan to hear, and also intended to be passed on to Chen Liangyu through Chen Luan.
Currently, in the military affairs of Da Lin, Feng Jiakun and Qing Ge check and balance each other in the east, Zhao Mingqin restrains the Heng family in the south, but only in the north does Chen Liangyu hold absolute power. Moreover, the Shuofang trade route is in Chen Liangyu's hands. The annual taxes of the Shuofang trade route only need to be submitted in detail to the Yellow Register each year, and the Ministry of Revenue will manage the accounts. As long as the accounts on the surface are correct, where the money was used behind the scenes, whether there are private accounts, whether it was squandered, or whether it was truly used for military and civilian affairs, all of these are impossible to verify.
The Emperor's favor has reached this point.
But imperial favor is a double-edged sword.
She is currently enjoying the Emperor's favor and is in the limelight. If she were to lose the Emperor's favor in the future, she could be falsely accused of "controlling the trade routes in the north and harboring separatist intentions."
Last year, there were some rumors that after the reopening of the Shuofang trade route, the imperial court intended to bring the tax revenue from the Shuofang trade route under the control of the Ministry of Revenue, but Chen Liangyu refused.
This move is a dangerous sign.
Afterwards, the emperor became wary of the military generals stationed on the borders and considered reducing their power.
Furthermore, the policy of "blessing future generations" in the Wanliaolu was celebrated by the court and the public when it was first issued and implemented, but its drawbacks became apparent within a few years of the new emperor's ascension to the throne.
Redundant officials.
The creation of numerous new official positions has resulted in a significant financial burden.
Xie Wenjun inspected the fields twice, measured the land, and checked the taxes. He discovered many accounts of "concealed land and altered tax records." He returned a large amount of concealed land to the people and used the recalculated taxes and fines for national use, which prevented the national treasury from being depleted.
Last year, the Emperor ordered an investigation into tax accounts across the country, starting with the three northern prefectures. No major problems were found in Chen Liangyu's accounts. However, in other places, officials were continuously escorted to Yongdu for questioning.
Now that all forces have gathered in Shangyong City, and each has gotten wind of the situation, they are acting with extreme caution. Whether civil or military officials, even their families in Shangyong are behaving in a harmonious manner. Officials involved in taxation are all living in fear and trepidation.
The entire city of Shangyong was like a powder keg filled with explosives. Everyone was half-buried in the gunpowder, with only a fuse sticking out. If the fuse were lit, everyone would be reduced to dust.
Nobody wanted to be the first to light that broken cord.
Chen Luan asked, "In your opinion, what will the Emperor do?"
"The war is about to end, and the world seems peaceful, but Bei Yong was just conducting military exercises in the northern border not long ago, and the emperor wants to take back the vassal states of the southern continent. If he is not a muddle-headed person, he will not strip the border generals of their power at this critical juncture, and he will also have to appease them and treat their families in Yongdu well."
Jiang Bojin tapped his severed arm on the chessboard, urging Chen Luan to make his move quickly.
"We need to keep those small tribes in Beiyong under control to prevent them from causing trouble. The grassland tribes are easy to deal with; they depend on the weather and can't withstand natural disasters. A few hundred carts of grain will keep them quiet for a while. Beiyong is more troublesome. Those princes named Zhai something? They seem difficult to deal with. If we establish a marriage alliance, we can exchange it for a few years of peace. Beiyong is warlike; even if we send a noblewoman to marry them, it will only ensure temporary peace."
Chen Luan played for a long time, and Jiang Bojin urged him repeatedly, but he remained calm and focused on the chessboard, trying to find a flaw in his moves.
The steward hurried over, bowed respectfully, and said, "My lord, the princess has sent a white horse, saying it's for Miss."
Here comes the flaw.
Seeing that defeat was inevitable, Chen Luan slammed his hand on the chessboard and wiped it clean. "Go, call the young lady."
The chess game was completely chaotic.
Jiang Bojin smiled dismissively and instructed Xiao Si to place the pieces back one by one according to the original move.
"Kid, you're too green to try and cheat with me!"
Chen Luan refused to play any more and took the opportunity to escape, leaving Jiang Bojin alone, seething with anger. "I'll wait for you to come back and finish playing."
They're determined to cling to this game no matter what.
When the steward came to summon her, Chen Liangyu was in her study in Liangyuan, writing a memorial about the recapture of Nanzhou. She was so engrossed in her writing that she didn't notice what the steward said. Only when she heard the words "Princess" did she look up.
Chen Liangyu looked out the window but saw no one. The steward repeated, "The Princess sent a horse to the front courtyard. The Princess has not yet arrived."
Upon hearing that Xie Wenjun had not come, Chen Liangyu lowered her head, picked up her brush and wrote a few more words. After finishing the memorial and putting it away, she walked towards the front courtyard.
The newcomer was one of Rong Jun's deputies, clad in the fine-scaled armor of the Changning Guard. He was tall and robust, and behind him rolled an iron cage cart containing a white horse with a coat as smooth as satin. Several guards, also dressed in fine-scaled armor, escorted him on either side.
The deputy bowed and greeted him, saying, "General, the Princess has ordered me to deliver the jade lion, and she also has another message for you."
Chen Liangyu's eyes brightened. "Does Your Highness have something to say?"
The deputy said, "The princess ordered me to tell the general, 'Whatever you desire, may be fulfilled.'"
To outsiders, the words sounded ordinary, nothing more than auspicious and polite phrases like "auspicious colors fill the door, phoenixes perch on tall phoenix trees," but in Chen Liangyu's heart, they stirred up a great storm.
May all my wishes come true.
But what if what one desires is not a horse, but a person? Would that still be satisfactory?
The jade lion was tamed by Liang Qiuting, the King of Nanzhou, at the Nanyou Horse Ranch, and was immediately presented to Emperor Zhenyuan, Xie Yuan. For a king of a vassal state to be so humble and subservient, his posture was already as low as dust.
The Southern Continent is wealthy, but its population is sparse and its military strength is scarce. If the Great Lin is determined to raise an army to subjugate it, Liang Qiuting will be powerless to resist. Therefore, Liang Qiuting personally came to Wanhe Festival to pay tribute with the utmost sincerity, and even offered to increase the tribute by 50% for the next ten years in exchange for the Great Lin not sending troops.
The jade lion was a rare and precious steed, a rare find. When it was heard that Liang Qiuting had presented the jade lion to Xie Yuan, Xie Yuan was overjoyed, his eyebrows raised and his beard bristling. Chen Liangyu wondered how Xie Wenjun had managed to coax the jade lion from Xie Yuan and deliver it to her residence.
Chen Liangyu returned to his study, took out a box from a cabinet, unlocked it, and took out a somewhat worn saddle, which he carefully wiped clean.
The saddle was reddish-brown, which looked strangely out of place against the jade lion's frosty white fur. She put the saddle on herself and sat down to watch the jade lion munching on hay.
Chen Liangyu thought of Hong Zong.
That year, she led troops to quell the unrest in Nanzhou, luring the enemy deep into her territory, but Liang Qiuting's reinforcements were inexplicably delayed for many days.
A hundred elite soldiers, their provisions exhausted.
Redmane chewed a mouthful of dry grass dozens of times but still hadn't swallowed. Chen Liangyu combed its mane and said, "Is it not to your liking? This is all that's left, so make do with it for now."
The warhorses were exhausted, having always been fed concentrated feed; hay was no longer enough to replenish their strength. They were trapped in a ravine in a desolate mountain, where everything was barren and there was no water. Both men and horses were utterly exhausted.
Most of the hundred men who were used to lure the enemy died from dehydration.
For Chen Liangyu, the most unbearable thing was the hot and humid weather and the poisonous ants and insects of the South Continent.
She grew up in the north, accompanied by the dry, biting winds, while the south was humid and hot, causing her to develop rashes from dampness. Insects and ants, with their long legs larger than a child's hand, would bite her, leaving a hard, red, swollen welt that itched all over her body. She couldn't help but scratch, which could truly cause her to fester and feel like she was dying.
Chen Liangyu led his men in several breakout attempts, but each time they were forced to retreat back into the mountains. Without water or food, continued siege meant certain death.
Famous horses are very intelligent and perceptive.
Red Mane swallowed with difficulty, finished the hay in Chen Liangyu's hand, let out a mournful cry that echoed through the long night, then broke free from the reins Chen Liangyu was holding, leaped up and crashed into the rocks, sending rubble tumbling down.
Chen Liangyu threw a short knife with an eagle and cloud pattern to his subordinate, and before Hong Zong could die, he slit his throat to bleed him out.
Thanks to that blood, they managed to survive for another three days.
Three days later, reinforcements finally arrived.
While Liang Qiufeng's troops were encircling Chen Liangyu, Liang Qiuting diverted his reinforcements and attacked Liang Qiufeng's rear camp. After his victory, he seemed to realize that some soldiers were still trapped. Because of his breach of promise, nearly a hundred elite soldiers and their horses perished in vain.
Chen Luan played with crickets for a while in the pavilion in the back garden, and then coaxed Chen Huai'an to take a nap at noon. Jiang Bojin was still playing chess and wouldn't let up. After coaxing the young one, Chen Luan also had to coax the old one. After finishing both, she finally had a moment to relax and sat down to drink some tea when the steward came to report again.
"My lord, someone from the palace has arrived." The steward approached and whispered, "Our scouts report that the commoner advisor who serves King Liang Qiuting of Nanzhou has left Yongdu, and an envoy from Dongyin named Meng Yuanliang has also traveled by water to Nanzhou."
Chen Luan went out to greet him, and a purple-feathered eunuch was waiting in the front hall with his hands clasped together. Chen Luan recognized the face; it was the Imperial Eunuch. Only for important matters would the Imperial Eunuch personally come to make this trip.
After exchanging greetings with Chen Luan, the eunuch said in a high-pitched voice, "My lord, the Emperor requests that you and the General come to the palace to discuss matters. Eh? Where is the General?"
"They're playing with horses in the stables behind here," Chen Luan said, glancing at the steward.
The steward replied immediately, "My lord, I have already sent someone to inform the General."
As she spoke, she took out a brocade pouch from her sleeve and stuffed it into her father-in-law's hand. The father-in-law tried to refuse, but the pouch was half-heartedly handed to him. His hand sank down, and his face lit up with joy.
He naturally knew the purpose of the money bag.
Eunuchs, who made a living by reading people's expressions, were quick-witted and had a silver tongue. They could easily come up with flattering words. "This servant congratulates the Third Miss on acquiring the finest steed in the world. It's not that this servant is trying to flatter you, but only such a steed is worthy of a war god like the Great General."
After changing her clothes, Chen Liangyu went to the front hall. After the purple-feathered eunuch finished flattering her, he praised her again and lowered his sharp voice, saying, "The Princess and the officials are all in Chongzheng Hall. This servant hears that it seems to have some connection with the Southern Continent, the Agriculture and Sericulture Bureau, corvée labor, and artisans."
Author's note: As usual, I'll punish myself with a red envelope if I stop updating.
Thank you for reading this far!
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