Chapter 278 Return to the City
The Minister of War could only bite the bullet and stand up: "In reply to the Emperor, the court is now engaged in wars everywhere... To the north, we have to fight the Tartars, and to the east, we have to fight the Ming Emperor. We have already deployed no less than 500,000 troops in both places. In addition, last year and this year... the national treasury is not well-off, and tax silver is insufficient. Now we should let the people rest and recuperate..."
The Minister of War's words were subtle, but the Emperor was furious. "Are you telling me... that I should just swallow my anger and let a woman bully me like that?!"
Han Xiang could only step forward to act as a peacemaker, "Your Majesty, calm down. Actually, Xu Zhenying's eight cities may seem like a lot, but in fact, he only occupies one."
The Emperor stared at him, "What do you mean by that?"
"Those three eastern prefectures were originally occupied by the Ming King. They've been fighting like dogs, fighting over those two or three prefectures, not only wasting each other's strength, but they've also become mortal enemies. This is a win-win for us. Furthermore, those three prefectures are remote and impoverished. If we take them back now, we'll have to allocate funds for disaster relief every year, which is a considerable expense. The Supreme Emperor doesn't contribute a penny or a general, yet he can let the two sides fight each other. Isn't this a good thing?"
The emperor was slightly stunned, but his expression obviously relaxed a little.
However, the other people present looked at Han Xiang with some contempt.
This Prime Minister Han is really eloquent. What Ming Wang’s territory? That’s all the territory of the Great Zhou Dynasty!
What's more, what Han Xiang said is too ridiculous.
Yes, Xu Zhenying seems to have only captured Xingyuan Prefecture, but she owns eight cities and will continue to grow stronger. By then, she will become a monster more terrifying than Ming Wang!
"As for the two prefectures in the west, the plague is rampant there, and only one in ten people are left. It's almost a deserted place. To be honest, I really don't know what this traitor is thinking. She even dares to take over a place with smallpox. If she takes over these two cities, the medical expenses of millions of people in the west will be enough to drag her down! Why not let her bleed a little first, let her be arrogant for a while, and once the wars in the north and east are over, we can immediately take back those cities and save a huge amount of medical expenses. Isn't it killing two birds with one stone? So, when I say that Xu Zhenying seems to have taken six cities, she actually only took Xingyuan Prefecture!"
"But Xingyuan Prefecture is only two prefectures away from Bianjing City!" Zhou Mian's face was full of anger, but how much of that anger was genuine was unknown. "That damn Zhou Cangwu, with 5,000 soldiers, couldn't even resist a single rebel! I think he surrendered to the enemy and opened the city gate with the help of internal and external forces! Whenever I think of this, my heart aches!"
Han Xiang immediately took action: "The emperor is worried. Even if he is not a traitor, the defeat in Jinzhou is a fact. It would be better to execute his entire family. This way, we can give an explanation to the world!"
The Emperor was so angry that he covered his chest and said, "Punish all nine clans! Not a single one of Zhou Cangwu's family will escape!"
When the subordinates saw that the retired emperor had finally given up the idea of attacking Jinzhou, the Minister of War and the Minister of Revenue were both delighted and hurriedly praised the retired emperor for his wisdom three times.
One doesn't have to raise money, and the other doesn't have to recruit soldiers, so everyone is happy.
The court was immediately filled with joy.
But they are not jubilant. Anyway, what Xu Zhenying has seized is not their territory. They are anxious, and I am afraid that King Ming and King Zhoushan are even more anxious!
Only Zhou Zhong slightly raised the corners of his lips to hide his sarcastic smile.
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Thousands of miles away in Shouzhou, Wang Sanniang received a secret report from Xu Zhenying at the old location.
She happily hid the letter in her heart, then found a place where no one was around and read it quickly. After reading it carefully, she put it on the candle and burned it to ashes.
Wang Sanniang's face was filled with uncontrollable joy.
Even Wang Yin, who usually paid little attention to government affairs and was only focused on helping Xu Zhenying manage his illegal salt business, came over and asked, "Is there any good news?"
Wang Sanniang was still quite cautious. After all, they were in the heart of the Ming King's territory and had to stay out of sight.
"Dad, Mom, the City Lord has captured Xingyuan Prefecture! In the east, Instructor Jiang and Zhang Wanjun have taken Jiangling, Bao'an, and Xiangshui Prefectures in one fell swoop! In the west, General Liu and Qiu Chan have advanced all the way, taking advantage of the plague in the west to seize two cities! Now the City Lord controls eight cities! The number of people under his rule is approaching ten million!"
Wang Yin's eyelids twitched, and he was surprised and happy.
What was shocking was the speed at which Xu Zhenying conquered the city.
The good thing was that he made the decision early and surrendered decisively, which caught the city lord's attention in time.
Wang Yin was extremely excited, even trembling. "Great! Great! Fortunately, I surrendered to the City Lord without hesitation. If the City Lord becomes king or emperor, the future of our Wang family will be limitless!"
Wang Sanniang made a hushed gesture: "Daddy, be careful with your words! We are now on the territory of the Ming King!"
Wang Yin immediately became cautious in his words and actions, lowering his voice and asking, "What secret order does the city lord have this time?"
Wang Sanniang smiled faintly: "Dad, you need to notify all the private salt dealers under your command and ask them to help us spread the news!"
Wang Yin listened attentively.
"Anyone willing to move to our city lord's west territory will be given five mu of land as a gift, and will be tax-free for the first year! Bringing children with you, regardless of whether they're boys or girls, will receive a subsidy of 500 wen per child!"
Wang Yin was horrified, "They are trying to steal Prince Ming's girlfriend."
"His wall is already shaky, so it's only natural for us to dig into his corner."
Wang Yin also said, "Okay, I'll do it right away. I'll make sure to spread this news to the ends of the earth!"
Just after the Spring Festival, taking advantage of the beginning of spring, Xu Zhenying left Sun Qingchen in Xingyuan Prefecture and returned to Jinzhou Prefecture with a large army.
Mr. Lin and others also accompanied them.
Everyone was happy to return to their own place. Although there were still wars in the west and south, everyone was still eager to go home.
Mr. Lin had always heard them talk about how prosperous Jinzhou Prefecture was, so he was also full of curiosity about Jinzhou Prefecture.
He had been to Jinzhou Prefecture.
He remembered that Jinzhou Prefecture was close to the southwestern border and was not considered a wealthy prefecture. It was considered a middle-to-low-level county in terms of taxation in the Great Zhou Dynasty.
But along the way, I always heard them talking about Lan County pigs, universal education, cement roads and so on. In addition, before leaving, Sun Qingchen praised Lan County in Jinzhou Prefecture to the sky, which made Old Lin's already restless heart even more itchy.
So Mr. Lin took his small bag and set off with Xu Zhenying and the others.
It was spring and flowers were blooming when a huge team set out from Xingyuan Prefecture, crossed mountains and ridges, and slowly returned to Jinzhou Prefecture.
The mountains along the way are green, accompanied by wild flowers, and the mountain air is refreshing.
Xu Zhenying was quite emotional.
They had walked this road two years ago. At that time, they were still exiled prisoners. They had just started a soap business with Qi Er and had some spare money. However, they were separated by refugees in Jinzhou Prefecture and lost their way.
Walking this road again, the old members of the Xu family’s government team all felt a little emotional.
In just one or two years, they have undergone earth-shaking changes, and Jinzhou Prefecture has also undergone earth-shaking changes. How can one not be moved?
Especially when everyone walked from Xingyuan Prefecture to the border of Jinzhou Prefecture, they immediately noticed the difference.
Old Lin was the first to notice it. He was sitting in the carriage and suddenly felt that the bumps became smaller. The wheels were as smooth as if they were on flat ground, without any bumps at all. The speed was so fast that he almost couldn't hold the horses.
Old Lin was so shocked that he jumped off the carriage, and then he saw a straight and smooth official road among the mountains, like a sharp sword, splitting the mountains in half.
The official road was not an ordinary loess road, but as smooth and supple as a bluestone slab. Whether it was a carriage, livestock or a person, walking on it was smooth and not painful at all!
Everyone couldn't help but cheer: "We've finally reached the territory of Jinzhou Prefecture!"
Old Lin exclaimed, wishing he could sit down on the ground and feel its smoothness. He was both surprised and delighted, and walked back and forth like a child, stomping heavily on the road. "This... this... is this what you call a cement road? My God... it's so smooth!"
Ming Xiaoshuang smiled and said, "Why, Mr. Lin, we didn't lie to you, did we? This cement road is really as smooth as a bronze mirror, right?"
Old Master Lin couldn't help but reach out and stroke the ground, his face filled with excitement. "I, Lin Han, have never seen such a magical object in my life! How much does this...how much does it cost? Can it be used for other purposes?"
"The cost is very low. Just a few taels of silver can pave a mile of road. And this cement can not only be used for paving roads, but also for building houses, repairing river embankments, and reinforcing city walls. It has many uses!"
Elder Lin was so excited that tears were almost coming out. "Great! If this material could be used to reinforce the riverbank, the Wujiang River wouldn't have flooded two years ago, leaving hundreds of thousands of people downstream homeless—"
Elder Lin suddenly knelt down in front of Xu Zhenying's carriage. "City Lord, this divine object is truly a blessing to all the people! You are so blessed. With this object, I'm sure you will be able to unify the world in the future!"
Xu Zhenying was startled and quickly ordered someone to help Elder Lin up. "Elder Lin, you are too kind. This is not a recipe I came up with—"
Elder Lin, however, seized her arm and interrupted her, "City Lord, I understand this secret cannot be revealed. There are some things you cannot say. No matter where this cement came from, whether it's from this world or from outer space, as long as it can benefit the people, it's all the City Lord's credit!"
Xu Zhenying rolled his eyes secretly.
This old man Lin has an eccentric way of thinking, almost the same as that of old man Fang in Jinzhou Prefecture.
One day, this person secretly tried to trick her into telling her about something that happened in another time and space, which scared Xu Zhenying so much.
From then on, Xu Zhenying always felt scared when facing the shrewd eyes of this old fox.
So were the ancients’ ability to accept things so strong?
Ming Xiaoshuang laughed and said, "Mr. Lin, we've only just begun! We've only just entered the territory of Jinzhou Prefecture. When you walk a little further, you'll understand why we all say Jinzhou Prefecture is a great place!"
Elder Lin moved quickly. Since arriving in Xingyuan Prefecture, this skinny old man had gained more than ten pounds, enjoying his meals, sleeping more soundly, and working more cheerfully. He was now much stronger than before, climbing into the carriage with great agility, urging, "What are you standing there for? Hurry up and get going!"
Qi Er also sighed, "No wonder you all say Jinzhou Prefecture is a great place. Now that I see it, it's truly unique. I'm really curious about what Jinzhou Prefecture is like."
Zhao Qiaonian, who was standing nearby, also said, "That's right. I always hear Ming Xiaoshuang talking about Jinzhou Prefecture, saying how it's some kind of paradise. I'd love to see what Jinzhou Prefecture actually looks like!"
"Unfortunately, we'll have to take the civil servant examination in just a few days after entering the city!"
"Come to think of it, Xingyuan Prefecture also has an examination hall. Why don't you take the exam directly in Xingyuan Prefecture?"
Qi Er smiled and said, "It's so hard to meet the City Lord again, I have to show my face in front of him. Besides, since I have decided to work for the City Lord, how can I not even go to Jinzhou Prefecture for a pilgrimage?"
Zhao Qiaonian nodded in agreement, and looking at Xu Zhenying surrounded by thousands of people, he felt a little bitter in his heart.
Until now, Xu Zhenying has never told him anything.
Zhao Qiaonian himself didn't know how the city lord would arrange for him after the official passed the assessment.
well.
Da Niu and his friends all ran to Jinzhou Prefecture to look for another way to make a living. It is said that the cement business there is doing very well.
Since he was determined to follow Xu Zhenying and seek a position as a successor, he had no choice but to take the exam first.
He believed that Xu Zhenying would not treat him unfairly.
The news of Xu Zhenying's return to the capital was no secret in Jinzhou Prefecture!
She had been gone for nearly half a year. Not only did the officials keep a close eye on her movements, but even the people of Jinzhou Prefecture were always trying to find out when the city lord would return.
The news of her return to Jinzhou Prefecture first reached Qian Zhenniang, and somehow it spread like wildfire, and soon the whole city knew about it!
Before Xu Zhenying returned to the city, countless common people set out from the county town or village, or took public horse-drawn carriages to the provincial capital, to do some small business or gain some knowledge, while also welcoming the city lord home.
Two days before Xu Zhenying returned to the city, the people who heard the news almost broke down the west gate of Jinzhou Prefecture.
Qian Zhenniang and others had to send people out to maintain order.
The officials could only persuade them to leave while holding loudspeakers, and finally drove them away.
But the people were not afraid of the officials at all. Even if the officials drove them away with sullen faces, they would still respond with a smile.
"Alas, we all came from the mountains and walked for two days and two nights just to see the City Lord! Official, why don't you find us a better seat so that the City Lord can see the representatives of our Xiaoshui Village when he returns!"
"Hey! Official, please stop covering up the red banner of our Fanjia Village! It was specially written by a calligraphy master from the city! Please move aside!"
"Don't push! What's there to push for? This is the bacon I brought for the city lord. You're all squeezing me to death!"
"Alas, your family is the only one that has smoked meat! We in Shangang Village brought over a hundred pounds of game to the City Lord!"
"The wild game is so smelly! The City Lord doesn't want it! We from the Women's League made two baskets of wild flowers for the City Lord. They're so pretty, he can take them home and put them in his study! Hey, hey, hey, big brother clerk, stop stepping on my flower baskets! If you do, I'll file a complaint against you!"
The clerk rolled his eyes in anger and turned to complain to his superiors: "Secretary Qian, this job is really impossible to do..."
Secretary Qian could only helplessly console them: "Just bear with it for a while. Go put up a banner and don't let the people crowd the main road."
Someone shouted, "Please make way, the Xu family's carriage is here—"
Everyone looked up and saw two huge and luxurious carriages parked a mile away from the city wall, and then several people got out of the carriages.
Leading the group was a middle-aged couple, dressed simply, even plainly.
Then came a young man with a jade crown and hair tied up, fair skin, and a majestic look without even getting angry. Behind him followed a little girl of eight or nine years old who looked like a pink jade sculpture.
The clothes and jewelry of this group of people did not look expensive, but the simple word "Xu" on the wooden sign above the carriage revealed the extraordinary identities of these people.
In the carriage behind him, an old woman was helped off the horse. Then several people were recognized: "Isn't that Director Xu from our factory?"
"What Director Xu? That's the city lord's fourth uncle!"
"Oh, these are all the Xu family! As expected, they all look so noble..."
"That old lady is the city lord's grandmother, right? She's so old, yet she came to personally take the city lord home."
Everyone was talking and craning their necks to look, and the Xu family, who were at the center of public opinion, seemed to have long been accustomed to this kind of gaze. Sometimes they waved to the crowd, sometimes nodded slightly, and sometimes greeted the people around them. They were very approachable and kind.
Among them, several concubines and their children clung tightly to their grandmother.
Xu Deyuan was already dead, and the mainstay of the Xu family's second branch was now far away in Qianzhou, while the head of the household had also gone to Xingyuan Prefecture. Their second branch was weak, with only a group of concubines and illegitimate children left. Normally, they could only curry favor with the third branch, but in this situation, they couldn't be too blatant, so they could only quietly cling to Grandmother.
After Huang lost her son, all her previous hatred towards Xu Deyuan disappeared. Instead, she only remembered the good things about Xu Deyuan. At least Xu Deyuan had allowed her to enjoy the life of an official's wife for more than ten years. Now that he is dead, her motherly love can only be directed towards the other people in the second house.
As a result, one of them was eager to curry favor with her, and the other subconsciously protected her, and the second branch became closer and closer to the grandmother.
Someone shouted, "They're back! They're back! The city lord and the others are back!"
The team suddenly became restless!
"You're back?! Where are you? Where are you?!"
Only then did everyone see that at the end of the official road, a huge group of people appeared.
When the others approached, Xu Meixiao shot out like a cannonball, "Sister! Sister!"
She shouted happily, rushed to the front of the crowd, and then quickly climbed onto the carriage.
A hand stretched out from inside and pulled her up. The two sisters hugged each other, "Sister! You're back! Mei Zi missed you so much!"
Xu Zhenying hugged the somewhat firm Xu Meixiao and said with a smile, "Yeah, you've gotten darker and fatter, which is good. Did you have fun in Qianzhou?"
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