Chapter 70 Did the male concubine really cause a fuss by having a meal here? ...
The residence of the Marquis of Xuanping in Dingbei City, Suzhou.
This is the old residence in the northern border that Emperor Xuanyuan once bestowed upon the old Marquis of Xuanping, Chen Yuanqing. The gate is still quite grand, but the carved beams and lacquered pillars are old and worn, and it cannot compare with the mansion in Yongdu.
In the backyard kitchen, there were several large vats, and servants were carrying buckets to fill them with water and covering them with wooden lids.
Chen Liangyu rarely inquired about matters in the kitchen. "Is it full?" she asked.
Most of the servants here are old servants from the Northern Marquis's mansion. They have watched Chen Liangyu grow up since she was a child. They do not call her "General" like outsiders, but still call her Miss as before.
A servant in plain clothes replied, "Miss, there are only two more jars to go."
Like a gerbil digging its burrow in the dunes, this chieftain, after suffering several setbacks, would retreat into the boundless grasslands and deserts whenever he saw the Zhonglin garrison, refusing to engage the enemy head-on. The Han people were not drought-resistant, and in the vast, sun-exposed, and sheltered wilderness, they risked dehydration and death. Venturing too far into the grasslands also meant that supplies could not be replenished in time, resulting in heavy losses. Therefore, although everyone was furious at the chieftain's passive attitude, they were powerless to do anything about it.
This is one of the reasons why grassland tribes have been able to survive. They cannot be completely eradicated.
Winter sets in quickly on the grasslands. Summer in Yongdu doesn't even last until autumn, and the grasslands skip over into early winter. Winter is the most difficult season for the tribe. It's already the height of summer, and in another month and a half, the tribe's granaries won't have enough food and fresh water, making this winter even more difficult.
If a caravan carrying water or grain passes by, even if they know it might be a trap, the chieftain will still risk coming out to rob it.
"Jingming, Jinghe, Ping'er, Lin Yin."
Chen Liangyu called out a group of names, but only Jingming paid attention to her. She looked around and shouted at a sturdy back, "Jinghe, are you deaf?"
Jinghe seemed to snap out of her daze and immediately ran over clumsily, "Miss, I'm here."
Chen Liangyu looked around again, "Where are the other two?"
Jingming said, "Didn't you send those two to fight formations in the deep mountains and forests?"
Chen Liangyu then remembered that Lin Yin had been feeling resentful ever since losing to Bu Ping'er, and had made outrageous remarks during military drills, saying he would "annihilate" Bu Ping'er's entire army. She thought to herself that this girl still retained the rough and tumble spirit she had brought from Bo Gong Village. But after a few months, she discovered that Lin Yin could indeed quickly find the key points and weaknesses in the ever-changing military formations and break through them with little effort.
Under Chen Liangyu's approving gaze, she sighed with utter helplessness, "My surname is Lin! The Lin of the Big Boss!"
So Chen Liangyu threw her into the deep mountains and forests, where there were soldiers and traps everywhere.
Gain more experience.
Chen Liangyu said to Jingming, "Gather our troops, and this time we will definitely drive the chieftain out of his rat hole."
"Still want to fight?"
"Fight! Of course we should fight!"
Jingming said, "The Princess's carriages are almost at the northern border."
"Hasn't the Princess already arrived!" A man carrying a broom emerged from the woodshed. He realized he'd let something slip out of his mouth as soon as he finished speaking and quickly covered it. But it was too late.
Chen Liangyu walked over. "What did you say?"
The man covered his mouth and shook his head.
Chen Liangyu said, "Ying Rui! Don't forget who brought you to Suzhou."
Ying Rui dropped the broom, covered her head, and squatted down to the side. "General, this humble servant does not know why the Princess went to Wuzhou."
Chen Liangyu said, "She's in Wuzhou?" Incredulous, "She went to Wuzhou first?"
"He didn't come to my place?" A strange thought suddenly popped into Chen Liangyu's head. Why was she so certain? She was certain that Xie Wenjun would definitely go to Suzhou first when he came to the Northern Border.
"I'm in Suzhou!" she roared silently in her heart.
When someone really wants to see another person, they often mistakenly assume that the other person also really wants to see them.
Chen Liangyu lowered her head and pursed her lips.
Jingming asked, "Shall we still fight?"
"What are you still fighting for? If you keep fighting, someone will come and beat me up." Chen Liangyu then said to the servants carrying water, "Stop carrying water."
Why are you storing water when no one's even here!
"Prepare my horse."
Jingming asked, "Where are you going?"
Chen Liangyu said, "Wuzhou." She cleared her throat and said, "Go inspect the military preparations in Wuzhou, and while you're at it, take a look at Yaocheng."
Jingming said, "Jinghe will stay in Suzhou; I'll go with you. Jinghe? Ever since he came back, he's been absent-minded all day. Is he possessed?"
Jing He seemed to wake from a dream, "I heard you. You and Miss are going to Wuzhou to find the Princess. Go ahead."
Chen Liangyu: "..."
Literati and poets have sung of "sheep flocks like snow covering the hills, my heart is intoxicated by the boundless green fields" and "the endless green is grazed by sheep, a horse gallops and sings intoxicatingly in the blue sky."
Beautiful mountains, beautiful waters, and beautiful scenery.
Words like "green" and "emerald," which evoke vibrant life, were never part of Chen Liangyu's vision of the northern border.
Chen Liangyu and Jingming led their team out of Dingbei City.
Beyond the city lies an endless wasteland. The key word here is "wasteland"—desolate, barren, and barren. In many places, grass only grows in the summer; the rest of the year, all you can see is an endless expanse of desert and Gobi. There are also herders in the north, but every winter they have to move their pastures again.
They were heading towards Wuzhou along the official road when they encountered men, women, and children carrying earthenware jars of various shapes and sizes, gathered around a patch of uneven ground. There was no water in the sand, only wells—earthen wells, covered with a thick layer of dead rats and rabbits. They had to stir it up to continue drinking, or they would die.
The landscape is mostly saline-alkali land, incapable of growing crops. Even in a good year without disasters, the yield of grain from normal fields is only four or five tenths of that from other places.
What's most lacking here isn't food, it's water.
Clean water.
Once outside the city, Jingming asked seriously, "Have you found out anything about that Xingrui you brought from Yongdu?"
Chen Liangyu uttered three words softly: "Inspection Department".
You know that?
"I know."
Jingming asked, "Whose eyes and ears are these?"
Chen Liangyu said, "He used to be a man of Crown Prince Yizhang of the Eastern Palace. Now that the Bureau of Investigation and Appointment is in the hands of the Eldest Princess, he naturally obeys the Eldest Princess. If it wasn't him, it would be someone else. At least, he won't harm me."
Jingming said, "Don't let your guard down."
It took Xie Wenjun almost half a year to travel from Yongdu to the northern border.
She brought with her civil officials and scribes, who meticulously recorded the land acreage, harvests, and taxes of each prefecture, county, and district along the way. She also brought the Changning Guard with her.
Compared to his first inspection tour of Yongdu, this time the obstacles seemed far fewer. There were hardly any assassination attempts or pursuits along the way; instead, he was treated with respect everywhere. Wherever he went, scions of prominent families from various regions came to pay their respects. Rong Jun refused most of them, but a very few refused to leave, insisting on meeting the Princess and presenting her with treasures. Indeed, most of these people did not come with the intention of bribery; they genuinely admired and appreciated Xie Wenjun.
The Wanliaolu (Records of the Ten Thousand Officials) stipulates that "all land granted by the imperial court shall be equally inherited by the sons of the family, regardless of whether they are嫡子 (legitimate sons) or 庶子 (illegitimate sons).
Most of the noblemen who sought an audience with the princess were illegitimate sons.
Upon arriving in Wuzhou, the man who accompanied Du Peisun to meet Xie Wenjun was named Shi Tan. His family was also a prominent one, and he was the third son of a concubine, currently serving as the sixth-rank Prefect of Wuzhou. He had an elder brother who was an official in Yongdu. His status as a sixth-rank official and a son of a concubine usually put him at a disadvantage, but Xie Wenjun's "equal distribution of land" regulations seemed to have given him a new status both at home and in public.
Therefore, when receiving the princess, Shi Tan was more attentive and attentive than the prefect Du Peisun.
Du Peisun arranged for the princess to rest at the post station.
Shi Tan said, "Sir, this is too negligent."
So Mao Sui volunteered to take care of Xie Wenjun's accommodations, settling on Qunfang Garden. Qunfang Garden was a place where various flowerbeds were divided, each displaying a vibrant display of flowers.
Shi Tan somehow acquired a flower with a pinkish-white base, densely dotted with deep pink spots, and still in bud-like form. The dense spots resembled the stripes on a deer's body.
“Your Highness, this flower is called Moro. The one I have here is a rare variety of Moro called Deer Seed. Deer Seed is delicate and not adapted to the climate of Wuzhou. I am ashamed to say that I have only managed to grow this one plant, which I am presenting to Your Highness.”
Xie Wenjun looked at the pot of graceful deer, but did not show any sign of happiness.
Dai Qing glanced at Xie Wenjun's expression, stepped forward, and said, "My lord, Wuzhou is dry and lacks water. To grow flowers, the soil needs to be kept moist. How much water is needed to nourish such a large flower garden as Qunfang Garden? How many acres of farmland could be irrigated with the water used to grow these delicate flowers?"
Shi Tan's smiling face froze instantly.
Du Peisun shook his head: "Trying to curry favor and win over the emperor, aren't you?"
Dai Qing said, "Lord Du, are you referring to my prince by the horse's hooves?"
Du Peisun's face also froze.
The other officials from Wuzhou behind them, seeing their governor and chief clerk suffer repeated setbacks, all lowered their heads and kept their faces tense. They didn't dare to laugh.
Dai Qing said, "Your Highness understands the good intentions of the officials, but Your Highness would be even happier if you focused more on improving people's livelihoods."
The officials in the court all nodded and said, "Yes."
Two imposing stone lions guarded the main gate of the Qunfang Garden. After the officials bid farewell to the Princess, they emerged from the main gate. Du Peisun then addressed the other officials, saying, "A very small number of people! If they want to flatter the Princess, they should at least know what she is thinking and what she wants. Doing something worthwhile is what truly matters. Anyone who puts their mind on such sycophantic matters will be severely punished by me!"
The officials agreed again.
Du Peisun said, "Shitan, especially you."
Shi Tan said, "My lord, I understand. Rest assured, the oversight of Qunfang Garden was indeed my fault. I will never make the same mistake again and will do my best to fulfill Her Highness the Princess's wishes so that you can be transferred back to Chong'an as soon as possible."
A series of impassioned words shattered Du Peisun's composure. He pointed at the stone pool, his lips trembling, "You, you, you..."
Shi Tan realized he had said the wrong thing again and hurriedly reflected on it. He clapped his hands and thought that the governor of Wuzhou was at least a fourth-rank official, while Chong'an was a prefecture. The highest rank a prefect could achieve was a fifth-rank official. Asking Lord Du to be transferred back to Chong'an would be like cursing someone to be demoted.
He then said, "Transfer him back to Yongdu!"
Du Peisun tossed his robes and left, saying as he went, "It's not easy for you to be this stupid. I only ask that you show your face less in front of the Princess. Doing this stupid thing once is enough."
The guest room in the post station, which was originally intended to accommodate Xie Wenjun, was not vacant. Chen Liangyu first went to the post station to feed the horses before heading to Qunfang Garden.
She also hauled a carload of things for Xie Wenjun.
Xie Wenjun covered her nose, unable to open her eyes due to the stench.
Dai Qing blocked Xie Wenjun's path, pulling her back. "Your Highness, please move away. General, what is that stinking thing in this cart?"
Chen Liangyu said, "I killed some bandits a few days ago and skinned them."
Xie Wenjun asked, "Shark a car?"
Chen Liangyu exclaimed, "Ah!"
Dai Qing protected Xie Wenjun, fearing that her prince might be suffocated by the smell of the cartload of leather if he wasn't careful. "It stinks, General, why does it smell so bad?"
Chen Liangyu said, "Those grassland people are unclean; they rarely bathe. This fur hasn't been washed in years, so naturally it smells bad. Not only the fur, but the fabric of their clothes turns the water black when soaked." She looked around and realized someone was missing. "Yuanrong isn't here?"
Xie Wenjun walked a little further away. The smell was quite strong.
Dai Qing spoke for her, saying, "His Highness has asked Yuan Rong to stay in Yongdu to handle the accounts. Yuan Rong is already very capable; she can draw an entire Fish Scale Atlas on her own and calculate the approximate amount of land and the grain tax due in each prefecture and county."
Chen Liangyu listened to Daiqing's animated speech and asked, "And what about you?"
Dai Qing said with a pained expression, "I get dizzy just looking at those accounts. It's better for me to come and serve Your Highness."
The owner of this hide is named Xu Teng, a member of the Huanxiao tribe. The chief of the Huanxiao tribe is named Huan Shou, and this man is his youngest son, who has just undergone his coming-of-age ceremony. In Da Lin, the coming-of-age ceremony is called the capping ceremony, which signifies that a man has reached adulthood.
This tribe was wiped out by Chief Di a few years ago, who then seized Huanxiao's territory and population.
Chen Liangyu was taken aback and asked, "You know how to write on the grasslands?"
Dai Qing said, "I read some books with His Highness before, but I don't know much. Doctor Ying, the General has arrived."
Zhu Ying picked a basket of flowers with calming medicinal properties from the flowerbed and came this way. "I heard you talking." Her face was still covered by a black veil, and Chen Liangyu thought she looked unusually thin, if it was just her imagination.
Chen Liangyu asked, "How is the epidemic situation in Li'an?"
Zhu Ying shook her head and said, "The government troops sealed off Li'an and Linxia, leaving only the imperial physicians behind. They isolated those who were not infected with the plague in other places for more than a month before sending them away. I was also sent away. When I returned to Yongdu, the Princess was preparing to go north, so I came with her."
As she spoke, she never dared to look anyone in the eye.
"These flowers can help you calm your mind and sleep. The wind and sand are strong in the north, and the princess is tired from traveling. She can sprinkle the petals into her bath later and soak for a while to relieve her fatigue."
Dai Qing accepted the flower basket. "Thank you, Doctor Ying."
Qunfangyuan is decorated somewhat like the famous Yueyanglou restaurant in Yongdu.
Chen Liangyu hadn't expected that such a golden house was hidden among the many adobe houses in Wuzhou. Seeing the garden full of vibrant, blooming flowers, she frowned, her thoughts mirroring Xie Wenjun's.
How much grain could be grown with the water used to grow these flowers!
As it grew late, the Qunfang Garden began sending food to the dining hall. Chen Liangyu's stomach rumbled, and without waiting for Xie Wenjun's invitation, she sat down at the dining table.
"The hides worn by the grassland people serve a decorative purpose, but most importantly, they provide warmth. Our cloth, though of good quality, cannot withstand the harsh cold of the grasslands, so they need to wear animal hides over their clothing. If the people of our dynasty can accept clothing made of animal hides, it will open up another avenue for trade. I know nothing about commerce, but if Shen Yan has nothing to do lately, I will write to her and invite her to Suzhou."
She emphasized the words "Suzhou" and secretly glanced at Xie Wenjun.
Xie Wenjun seemed to be thinking about something. After a moment, he said, "My brother and I have decided to reopen the Shuofang trade route and trade with the grassland tribes. In that case, the Ministry of Revenue will take over the management of the Shuofang trade route."
Chen Liangyu stared wide-eyed in disbelief.
"Two or three tenths of the military expenditure in the Northern Border comes from the tax revenue of the Shuofang trade route. Originally, the soldiers were engaged in farming, and we had to stretch every penny, tightening our belts and gritting our teeth to make ends meet. Now that we need to recruit soldiers and pay their salaries, you have taken over the Shuofang trade route to the court, and all the tax revenue goes into the national treasury. The military pay and supplies will all depend on the Ministry of Revenue! Asking the Ministry of Revenue for money is harder than asking them for their lives! Zhai Ji took advantage of the chaos to escape from Yongdu back to Beiyong, and he wanders around there with his troops like a street urchin. Kui Rong, Qiu Di, and Ximano come to rob and kill us from time to time. If the two armies clash one day, I will be penniless. Will the 200,000 troops in the Northern Border just wait to die?"
As Chen Liangyu spoke, she moved closer and closer to Xie Wenjun, until her face was almost touching Xie Wenjun's. She reached out and touched Xie Wenjun's forehead, "Let me see, do you have a fever? Are you confused?"
Xie Wenjun scolded lightly, "You're being insolent."
Chen Liangyu said, "Don't give me that! This time I have no choice but to be outrageous." She cupped Xie Wenjun's face in her hands, examining her closely from all angles. "Let me see what kind of genius could come up with such an idea?"
Xie Wenjun, who was already feigning solemnity, turned her face away upon hearing this and chuckled while leaning on the dining table. She suppressed both her tears and laughter, making almost no sound, and even when she laughed so hard that her whole body trembled, only a few groans could be heard.
Chen Liangyu leaned back and said, "Speak frankly. What you're really after is definitely not the Shuofang trade route."
Xie Wenjun said, "I wish to reclaim the Southern Continent. This is also my elder brother's wish."
Chen Liangyu waited for her to continue.
Xie Wenjun said, "You led the troops to quell the last unrest in Nanzhou, so you must know how to attack!"
Chen Liangyu asked, "Why the sudden decision to send troops to retake Nanzhou?"
Xie Wenjun uttered two words casually, "Lack of money."
The servants lined up at the entrance and entered the dining hall, their white robes catching Chen Liangyu's peripheral vision. They tacitly ceased discussing court affairs.
Chen Liangyu's eyes were focused on the food and soup. Suddenly, she looked up and saw a man who, after serving the food, did not leave like the others. Instead, he was almost hanging on Xie Wenjun, considerately testing the food on Xie Wenjun's plate with a silver needle before putting it into his own mouth.
Chen Liangyu scolded, "If you're going to test the food, then test the food. Why are you standing so close?"
The man had fair skin and a handsome face, but his clothing was extremely inappropriate.
Chen Liangyu noticed that his clothes were a pair of acacia robes.
As its name suggests, the garment is half-open, exposing the chest and collarbone, symbolizing harmony and joy.
The man, instead of being frightened by her rebuke, laughed. There was even a hint of… shyness in his smile?
It seemed like they were laughing at her for lacking romance.
Chen Liangyu stood there dumbfounded, stunned for a moment. She looked around and saw that all the men who had served the meal were dressed the same. There were at least a dozen or twenty people standing in the dining hall.
The man stood beside Xie Wenjun, smiling broadly, "This humble servant is Lu Sutai, serving Your Highness your meal."
Xie Wenjun coldly replied, "No need. Step back."
Lu Sutai glanced at Chen Liangyu, smiled meaningfully, and calmly withdrew. He also tactfully dismissed the rest of the group.
What does this mean? Am I superfluous? Did my meal here delay things?
She didn't know how she finished the meal; she only knew that her stomach was rumbling when she entered the dining hall and was still rumbling when she came out. She seemed not to hear it herself.
As they left the Garden of Beauties, Jingming was already waiting with his horse by the stone lion. Seeing that she seemed distracted, he asked, "What's wrong? What did the Princess say to you?"
Chen Liangyu's face was gloomy, and he remained silent.
Alright. He's so eager to serve the government, he's gone to such lengths for this!
"Jingming, go and twist Du Peisun's head off!"
The author says: At this moment, Shi Tan said, "This was handled beautifully! The Princess is also a woman, without a husband. I have selected more than twenty of the most handsome young men in Wuzhou. They will surely serve the Princess well! Sir, just sit back and wait for your promotion!"
Du Peisun: "My life will be lost to you sooner or later!"
I'm so sorry, I didn't write anything that Jinjiang (the platform for online literature platforms) wouldn't allow. It's really not a scam, please believe me, I've been working very hard on the plot!
Thank you for reading this far!
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