Chapter 90 Whose boy has this name?
This secret decree and the imperial edict of reward arrived together, and the messenger gave them to Lu Jinlan in private.
In the secret decree, Zhao Mincheng gave Lu Jinlan two instructions: first, to assist the delegation in negotiating with the two countries of Jiang and Qu; and second, to find evidence of Ling Zhijing's treason and bring it back with her when she returned to the capital.
After reading it, Xiang Ruzhen asked curiously, "Only a few of us know about your meeting with Suo Hongzhu last time. You didn't tell anyone else besides Wu Xin and me about the letters from Ling Zhijing that are kept in the Jiang Kingdom's palace that are treasonous with the enemy, did you?"
Lu Jinlan smiled helplessly, "Of course I didn't tell anyone. It's not like I have nothing to talk about. Why would I bring this up?"
Xiang Ruzhen said, "That's strange. How did the Emperor know? How did she know you could find evidence of treason?"
Yan Wuxin chuckled, "I have a malicious speculation, let me tell you. I guess the Emperor has no idea whether there is evidence of treason."
"Anyway, the Ling family army no longer exists, and the Marquis of Dingbei has been stripped of his title and thrown into prison. All that's missing is a huge crime for the Emperor to issue an order to be beheaded. Tell me, with the Emperor's intentions so clear, who will bother to investigate the authenticity of the evidence?"
"Since the Emperor sent Jinlan back with evidence, she probably thinks you're unconventional and eccentric. She likely believes that even if you can't find the evidence, you can fabricate one for her to take back. Then, one of you will complete the mission, and the other will have a pretext for murder. Wouldn't that be a perfect match?"
Lu Jinlan nodded. "That's probably what she was thinking, but she didn't realize that I actually know where the evidence is. I was wondering why this old lady, who's always been so stingy, suddenly became so generous. She promoted me and made me a marquis; it turns out that none of these rewards are easy to get. I might really have to make a trip to the Jiang Kingdom's palace."
As the three were talking, someone came to report that Yu Jifang, the governor of Beizhou, had arrived.
Lu Jinlan hurriedly put away the secret decree and had someone invite Lord Yu in.
Yu Jifang had just received the news and came to offer her congratulations.
Upon meeting, he greeted everyone with a smile, cupped his hands, and said, "Congratulations! Congratulations to the three generals on your promotions, and even more congratulations to Marquis Lu on taking command of the Northern Province. I pay my respects to you, Marquis."
Lu Jinlan quickly helped Yu Jifang up, saying, "Lord Yu, please don't tease me. We're old acquaintances, no need for such formalities."
The three men hurriedly invited Yu Jifang to sit down and ordered someone to serve her hot tea.
Yu Jifang smiled and said, "Since His Majesty ascended the throne, he has never granted any fiefdoms to anyone. This time, he has given Beizhou to Marquis Lu. It is truly a great act of imperial grace."
Lu Jinlan chuckled, "I say, Lord Yu, it's one thing for others to say this, but for you to say it like this is just pretending not to know. We have no outsiders here, so let's speak the truth."
Lu Jinlan leaned back in her chair and began to complain.
“It’s not that I look down on Beizhou, but as you can tell, Beizhou is notoriously poor. Changzhou is a place of exile, but at least it has mines, and its annual tax revenue is 20% higher than Beizhou’s. The Emperor gave me Beizhou as his fiefdom, supposedly to provide me with all the annual tax revenue, but how much is actually there? Lord Yu, you know this best.”
Yu Jifang gave an awkward smile. "In previous years, when the harvest was good, Beizhou could collect over 100,000 taels a year. Of course, your Lu family probably wouldn't care about that amount of money. Besides, there have been disasters in recent years, haven't there been three years of fiscal surplus? We've even been in debt for several thousand taels every year."
"But Lord Lu need not worry. Last time you found the disaster relief funds that were lost in Daqingshan, I have already settled all the accounts. There are no outstanding debts now."
Lu Jinlan laughed and said, "Listen to this, if there are any debts, I'll have to pay them out of my own pocket."
Xiang Ruzhen smiled and said, "That may be true, but you can govern your fiefdom autonomously. Beizhou is a large place, and if you manage it well, it might become prosperous. In any case, you are now the 'King of Beizhou'."
Yu Jifang also said, "That's right. I've been thinking about it these past few days. You have a good relationship with Qu Guo, so now is the perfect time to discuss it with them."
“If we divert the rivers from the territory of Qu State’s Chizhou, we won’t have to worry about drought anymore, right? Lord Lu, Beizhou is your own territory now, you should plan more for your own people.”
Lu Jinlan smiled and shook her head, "So that's why Lord Yu came in such a hurry to offer his congratulations. He doesn't come here without a reason. This is his real purpose."
Yu Jifang smiled and said, "Lord Lu, you can't say that. I've come to offer my congratulations in person. Besides, the Emperor giving you Beizhou is also beneficial to you."
Yu Jifang only revealed a fraction of what she meant before smiling and drinking her tea. Those present were all intelligent people, and naturally understood the unspoken meaning behind her words.
The Chicheng Army was stationed in Beizhou, so the Emperor gave Beizhou to Lu Jinlan, and the 200,000 Chicheng Army soldiers were essentially given to her. Of course, this wasn't a free gift.
Beizhou is on the border, and if there is war in the future, it will be her responsibility to defend the territory.
Lu Jinlan found Zhao Mincheng, this old lady, more and more interesting the more she thought about it. She figured that anyone who could seize the throne must have the ambition that the world was no place for anyone else but themselves.
Zhao Mincheng was well-versed in the art of rulership, and she often had eight hundred thoughts running through her mind before doing anything.
It seems like a reward is given, but something is asked for in return. It seems like certain demands are made, but some benefits are indeed given.
In the back-and-forth struggle, one is neither so delighted as to lose oneself in joy nor so resentful as to harbor hatred, leaving one trembling with fear and walking on thin ice amidst her imperial power struggles, utterly helpless.
Lu Jinlan didn't really like this feeling, but she couldn't help but admire her.
*
A few days later, the two delegations from the capital arrived at the border. Their first task was to pay a visit to Marquis Lu. The representatives of both delegations said, "His Majesty's intention is that since we have won the war, the Jiang and Qu kingdoms should cede territory. However, the specific number of prefectures required is something we need to discuss with Marquis Lu. His Majesty said that you have dealt with them the most, so you know how much you can get, and if we can fight again if we can't get it, we need to ask your opinion."
Lu Jinlan was a little embarrassed. "We can attack Jiang Kingdom, but Qu Kingdom has already formed an alliance with us. It would be a bit dishonest to attack them as well. Has the Emperor given you any hints? At least how many provinces do we want?"
The delegation representative said, "His Majesty wants us to ask for as much as possible, but he also knows that we probably won't be able to get it. If we can get one state from each of the two countries, we will consider our mission accomplished."
Lu Jinlan nodded. "So, Your Majesty wants two cities. I understand now."
Lu Jinlan thought for a moment and came up with an idea: "Here's what we'll do. The group of you who go to Jiang Kingdom, don't be polite to them. Ask for three cities right away, and ultimately get at least two. Tell them that if they don't give them to us, we'll fight. I'll be training troops outside Yecheng every day, so you can talk to them with confidence."
“Those of you going to Qu Kingdom, be polite. When you see Xiao Chengying, tell her that our Emperor wants a city, and it has nothing to do with me; I am strongly against it. But if the Emperor insists on disagreeing, I will have no choice but to beat her. She would better give us Chizhou City, then everything will be fine.”
Both representatives felt overwhelmed after hearing this, "This...this won't work."
Lu Jinlan: "Let's talk about it and see. If it doesn't work, then we'll see. There are many things involved here. I'll submit a memorial to the Emperor later and explain everything in detail. Anyway, the Emperor wants two cities, so we'll get him two cities."
"When you go to talk, don't rush. Talk for a month first. Anyway, I'll be back in Beijing in two months. Let's settle this before I go back."
The representative going to Qu was still somewhat uneasy. "Lord Lu, what do you think we should say when we get to Qu? After all, they helped us fight Jiang. If I open my mouth, won't they just curse us?"
Lu Jinlan said, "Of course I'll give you a good scolding. If I were Xiao Chengying, I would scold you too. But let them scold you, just let it go in one ear and out the other, don't take it to heart. If the other party doesn't agree, don't force them to talk every day."
"Why don't you all just travel around Qu Kingdom, do some sightseeing, and buy some local specialties for your families? Let's put it off until we have a result from Jiang Kingdom. If all else fails, have Xiao Chengying come to me, and I'll give her an explanation."
The representative hurriedly asked, "What's your plan? Can you give us a heads-up?"
Lu Jinlan said confidently, "You'll see when the time comes."
Hearing of her exceptional intelligence, the members of the delegation were convinced that she must have a brilliant plan, and thus confidently embarked on their mission to both countries.
As soon as the delegation left, Lu Jinlan immediately instructed the entire army: "Do not let any Qu people in. Just say I'm busy lately and won't be receiving guests."
What plan could she possibly have? She had nothing to say to Xiao Chengying, so she could only hide for the time being.
But perhaps a solution will emerge in time, she told herself: "You'll know when the time comes."
*
In order to obtain evidence, Lu Jinlan sent someone to infiltrate the delegation and sneak into Shangdu to investigate the situation inside the Jiang Kingdom's palace.
While she was training her troops, she was waiting for news. One day, the guards rushed over, and Lu Jinlan thought that the people she had sent to Shangdu had returned. But the guards smiled and said, "Lord Hou, someone from your household has come!"
When Lu Jinlan rushed over, he saw Xi Mo and Huai Xing helping Yu Mian get off the carriage, followed by several other carriages of goods.
Lu Jinlan frowned. "Oh my, what are you doing? This is a military camp. Why have you brought your home here?"
Yu Mian hurriedly said, "These are things from the three families. Everyone was looking forward to your return to the capital, but then we heard from Lord Jin that there are peace talks and the formation of the Chicheng Army, so we have to wait another two months. You didn't take much luggage when you left, and winter is coming soon, so we should bring you some winter clothes, right?"
Lu Jinlan sighed helplessly, "Alright, alright. Someone, go and invite Generals Yan and Xiang here. Ximo and Huaixing, you two, divide up the belongings."
She looked at Yu Mian again as she spoke, "You, come with me."
Yu Mian pursed her lips and quickly followed behind her.
Once inside the room, Lu Jinlan immediately closed the door, pushed Yu Mian onto the bed, and interrogated him, pressing down on him: "Tell me, why did you come here without saying a word?"
Yu Mian glanced at her expression and explained, "It was Mother who gave me permission to come. You've been fighting all this time, and everyone at home is worried you might get hurt. We need someone to come and check on you to put our minds at ease. Besides, there are some things that can't be explained in a letter. And besides... I miss you."
Yu Mian rolled around on the bed with her in her arms, kissed her cheek, and looked very aggrieved. "Don't you miss me at all?"
Lu Jinlan lay there with her head on her arm, a slight smile playing on her lips. "Who said that? I dreamt about you just a few days ago."
"real?"
"real."
Yu Mian nestled against her neck and breathed a sigh of relief, "At least you haven't forgotten me."
"How could I forget you?" Lu Jinlan hugged him and touched his warm cheek. "Is everything alright at home? How are our children?"
"Okay, all is well. As soon as you left, your father rushed over from Yunzhou to take care of things at Zhongyong Garden. Our Andong is growing so fast, he's already gained quite a bit of weight. However, there's something unexpected that I'm about to tell you, but don't worry."
Lu Jinlan's heart skipped a beat. "Go ahead."
Yu Mian said, "Ten days ago, Lin Cheng gave birth to a daughter. Although the child is a bit older, both father and daughter are safe and sound, and everything is fine."
"It just so happened that Lord Zeng came to our house that day to announce the imperial decree. It was quite a commotion. Qi Lang thought something had happened, so he came over to see what was going on. That boy from Anbei kicked him in the stomach."
Lu Jinlan asked in surprise, "How much strength can a newborn baby have?"
Yu Mian said, "Don't even mention it, she was so energetic. Qi Lang fainted right then and there, but luckily several doctors were there. The doctor took his pulse and said that his pulse was erratic and dangerous, and that the baby had to be delivered beforehand."
"When they cut open his belly, they found out he was carrying triplets. No wonder his belly was so big. The doctor had suspected twins before, but the signs of the fetuses were uneven, with the weaker one appearing and disappearing intermittently. The doctor was afraid the weaker one wouldn't survive, so he didn't tell us, only mentioning it to my mother."
"Actually, twins were fine, but no one expected it to be a triplete. The doctor said that if we had known it was a triplete, we should have removed it last month. Otherwise, the father's body wouldn't have been able to hold on, and neither the mother nor the babies would have survived. Fortunately, Qilang is in good health, and all the babies have survived and are now being cared for at home."
Lu Jinlan breathed a sigh of relief after hearing this, but the thought still sent chills down her spine.
The medical conditions here are far worse than in modern times; without 4D or 5D ultrasound, it's practically like opening a blind box. Even modern production is a life-or-death ordeal, let alone here.
"Is Qilang alright? Giving birth to three at once must have been really tough on him."
Yu Mian hurriedly said, "He's alright. Luckily, you left some medicine, which stopped the bleeding. The rest can only be managed by slowly raising him. The children are being taken care of by the wet nurse. He asked me to ask you what to name the two boys since our daughter is named Anxi. The two boys were born weak and frail, so he wants you to give them names that are easy to raise."
Lu Jinlan pondered for a moment, "Let me think about it."
She opened the birth gift pack the system had given her. The gift packs for her two daughters were the same as before, containing the same four items: a permanent "Mother's Strength Pill", a "Lifelong Mother's Worship Pill", a "Baby's Body Strengthening Pill", and a "Husband's Postpartum Repair Cream".
The gift bags for the two sons contained only two items. The first was a skin-enhancing cream to improve the boys' appearance.
Lu Jinlan grinned, thinking, "They're just giving me useless stuff. It might improve the child's looks, but what's the use of a pretty but sickly child? He'll be afraid of being bullied by his wife's family after he gets married."
Fortunately, the second item is an infant immunity booster powder, which can help children get sick less often between the ages of zero and three.
Lu Jinlan thought about it and agreed. Although the two boys were frail, once they got through the most difficult period of raising them, she wasn't worried about anything happening to them. At worst, she could supplement their diet with more cow's milk and goat's milk, and make sure they grew up safely.
Lu Jinlan took the strength pill himself, wrote down who the remaining items were for and how to use them, and handed them all to Yu Mian.
As for a name, she thought long and hard, and the most solid things were iron and steel.
Lu Jinlan: "I've got it. One boy will be named Lu Sitie, and the other Lu Sigang."
Upon hearing this, Yu Mian hurriedly said, "Think about it again! What kind of boy has this name? How will he get married in the future?"
Lu Jinlan: "What a sturdy name!"
She pondered for a moment longer, "How about this? Legend has it that black iron is the most durable. Let's name one Lu Xuansheng and the other Lu Xuanping. Is that alright now?"
Yu Mian nodded repeatedly and smiled, "This is much better; it sounds like you have a gentler temperament."
Lu Jinlan then asked, "Was Anxi the first to come out? Or were these two the first to come out?"
Yu Mian said, "Originally, Anxi was the first to be born, but Father said that the two boys should be the older brothers so that they could learn to take care of their younger sister in the future, so Anxi was chosen to be the younger sister."
Lu Jinlan sighed; she had often heard of such things in modern times.
For example, with twins, even though the boy was born first, the girl was always made the older sister. The reason given was that older sisters are more caring and can help their younger brothers later. Now, things have reversed; isn't this a kind of karmic retribution?
Lu Jinlan: "I understand. You can rest for a few days and then go back. I'll be returning to Beijing soon too."
Yu Mian refused, "Just let me take care of you for a while, okay? Look at your place, it's such a mess, how can you manage without a man to serve you?"
Lu Jinlan laughed and said, "This is a military camp. It's not appropriate for a man like you to stay here. Let it be chaotic, it won't affect anything."
"Really?" Yu Mian glanced at her meaningfully, folded the clothes scattered on the bedside, and said sourly, "I heard that there was a man with you the other day?"
Lu Jinlan chuckled softly, then asked guiltily, "Who told you that?"
Before she could finish speaking, Xiang Ruzhen knocked on the door from the outside, "Is it convenient for you to come in?"
Lu Jinlan exclaimed happily, "Convenient, so convenient! Come in quickly!"
After exchanging a few pleasantries with the two, Xiang Ruzhen couldn't help but ask, "Why didn't Xueqing come?"
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