Chapter 61: Grassland 2 Are you satisfied?
The north is bitterly cold and far away from the center, so it's not a good job at all.
Chen Jinshi was a Jinshi graduate and was personally promoted by the new emperor. He was the youngest in the court and was efficient and good at his work. He could have stayed in the Hanlin Academy and taken the path of a reserve prime minister.
Xuan Che had advised him before, but still rewarded him as he wished.
After dismissing the court, he followed the emperor into the imperial study.
"I only give you three years. After three years, you must return to the court."
Chen Jinshi lowered his head, his expression much colder and sterner than it was three years ago.
"Your Majesty, I can come back in three years, but Your Majesty must grant me a favor."
"How outrageous!"
Instead of kneeling down, Chen Jinshi stood up straighter. In the past three years, he had done a lot for Xuan Che, which was enough to give him confidence.
The Chen Jinshi that Chen Ying left for Xuan Che happened to be the obedient one.
According to him, Xuan Che should be grateful, very grateful to Am.
The emperor's red brush slammed down on the imperial desk, and a few drops of ink splashed out. However, the hand under the bright yellow dragon robe did not really make a gesture of punishment.
Chen Jinshi met the emperor's gaze, his eyes revealing an unconcealable stubbornness.
Xuan Che chuckled. "You want me to grant you two a marriage so you can marry her openly. You're dreaming, but you're only making me bear the stigma of being immoral and making people call me absurd."
Chen Jinshi paused and lowered his voice: "This is not what I am asking for."
He had to marry, but he didn't intend to let others bear the blame for him. He married his mother by imperial decree, so that in the eyes of the world, he would be the innocent one.
He has always been a man who dares to act and take responsibility. As long as the emperor does not punish him, he will do such immoral things, and he will do it openly and honestly.
I just don’t know, after three years, is that person still waiting for him?
Xuan Che raised his eyes suddenly, as if he had never seen the person in front of him clearly.
"What do you want?"
"I demand Your Majesty's promise. If the new policies are implemented in Loufan three years from now and the tribes are willing to return, then Loufan's tribute will be permanently reduced by 30%. They will also be allowed to choose their own tribal leaders. The imperial court will only send officials to supervise them, not directly control them."
He thought that Shen Ying probably wanted this result.
"Do you know what this means?" The emperor pointed at the imperial desk. "The old ministers in the court will accuse you of collaborating with the enemy and emboldening the tribes. When that happens, I'll have to work hard to protect you, let alone promote you."
Xuan Che's Adam's apple moved, and he remembered her saying in the carriage three years ago, "Most of the Loufan people are unwilling to surrender, but if the court truly regards them as one of its own, they will be willing to cooperate with the court to do something."
There was silence in the imperial study for a moment. He picked up a red brush and wrote the word "quasi" on a blank piece of paper. The ink was so strong that it penetrated the back of his finger. Then he threw it to Chen Jinshi with a "swish".
"I grant you this grace and three years. If you succeed, you can return to the court and I will give you the position of Minister of Personnel. If you fail..."
"If it fails, I will never return to the court." Chen Jinshi took the imperial edict.
Xuan Che chuckled and said sarcastically, "You wish! I'm going to chop off your head!"
The wind in Loufan always has a wild feel, and it still carries the remaining snow in April.
The wind blew, making the felt curtains of Dulan's yurt snap.
Dulan was squatting by the stove stirring milk tea. The milk foam in the copper kettle was surging, mixed with the burnt aroma of brick tea, dispersing some of the coldness in the yurt.
Xie Qingyue sat aside, carving wooden wedges to reinforce the shed.
Last night's wind and rain collapsed one corner of the mountain, and the flock of sheep was almost crushed underneath.
"I heard that the imperial court is going to send a border governor here. He'll be given so much power that it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call him a governor. He should be arriving soon."
The betrothal gift sent by the Xie family arrived a few days ago. After seeing the gift, Su He felt the sincerity of the Xie family far away in the capital. Seeing that it was not perfunctory, he was relieved.
Suhe said that he would hold an engagement banquet for the two of them in a few days and invite relatives and friends from several surrounding tribes to come and get together.
Lou Fanren attaches great importance to the engagement banquet. Before the actual engagement banquet is held, no one can be called Dulan's real fiancé.
"Governor? What governor?" Su He asked in a rough voice.
The copper spoon in Dulan's hand also paused.
Su Hezheng picked out ten sheep, preparing to slaughter them for a banquet for Du Lan, and also two cows.
Xie Qingyue explained to him in plain language: "He is the official sent by the court to manage the affairs of our Loufan."
Su He snorted heavily: "We Loufan have our own tribal leaders to manage us. Do we really need the imperial court to intervene?"
Xie Qingyue continued to carve the wooden wedges and said with a smile, "Don't worry, the imperial court is here to please us. Even a newly arrived governor has to coax the villagers into doing things their way."
Su He said, "No matter what kind of official he is, if he wants to work in our area, he should first give ten yaks to each family in the village!"
Du Lan stood up and poured Su He a bowl of hot milk tea. "As long as we in Loufan can live a peaceful life without being bullied by soldiers from both sides, that's enough."
Xie Qingyue finally stopped what he was doing, put the wooden wedge on the ground, and took her hand to comfort her: "Don't worry, as long as I am here, I will never let your family suffer any injustice again."
Dulan laughed out loud, and without pulling his hand away, he said to Suhe, "How much are ten yaks worth? If one family can really get ten, then the imperial court will really be very kind to us."
Su He took the milk tea but didn't drink it, his brow still furrowed. "I wasn't saying this out of anger! A few years ago, some official came and said he wanted to take charge of us. He demanded that each of our households pay an extra tribute of two sheep, claiming it was for border defense expenses. Later, General Zhao intervened and they drove that man off to the Bingzhou government office."
He put down the bowl, picked up the knife and walked towards the sheep pen. "If this kid dares to mess around again, I'll chop him down with one blow!"
Du Lan shook his head, disagreeing: "He's an official appointed by the imperial court, Dad. I don't want you to be captured and beheaded."
As Suhe walked towards the sheep pen with a knife in his hand, his steps became lighter. It was obvious that he was not so angry anymore. There was going to be a wedding in his family soon, so he didn't care whether he was the governor or not.
The sheep in the pen were castrated sheep that were driven from the lakeside in late autumn last year. Their wool was shiny and smooth like rubbed cashmere. He walked around the flock twice, picked out the three strongest ones, wrapped the rope around their horns, but did not pull them away immediately. Instead, he reached out and touched the sheep's back.
According to Loufan customs, the meat for the engagement banquet must be slaughtered by a "lucky person", who must be an elder with many children and grandchildren and a harmonious marriage, so that the newlyweds can live a stable life in the future.
He had already made up his mind and decided to go to the neighboring tribe in the afternoon to invite Eji Naren over. Naren not only knew how to slaughter sheep, but also how to make Chagan Yide with sheep blood. She was a well-known skilled hand in Loufan.
In the yurt, Dulan had already poured out the milk tea from the copper pot and set it aside to keep it warm.
She took out an indigo blanket from the wooden box. It was the one Suhe brought her when he went to Hucheng to exchange salt two years ago. The edge of the blanket was embroidered with curling grass patterns, which was the work of a Han embroiderer.
According to the rules, when getting engaged, the woman has to give the man a blanket with milk tofu and dried meat on it, which is called the table-raising gift.
Xie Qingyue pulled out a few roasted potatoes from the earthen stove, brushed off the ashes, and handed them to Dulan. "Fill yourself first. There's another letter from the capital saying my eldest and second brothers are on their way to Loufan."
Du Lan nodded: "Dad said that we will have an engagement party next month and the wedding in the fall."
For the people of Loufan, life was pretty good before winter came. Once winter came, even the richest families had to store enough food, firewood and grass, and then stay in their homes to spend the winter. As for going out and wandering around, that was no joke.
Xie Qingyue broke the roasted potato in half and took a bite. "That's perfect! We can still do it before the first snow. Let's move our yurt to the valley. Choose a spot you like so it'll be warm in the winter."
Dulan smiled and took a bite of the potato. The soft texture mixed with the aroma of charcoal warmed her heart.
"When your brothers come, we'll go to the lake to hunt gazelles."
Xie Qingyue raised his hand, looked into her smiling eyes, and gently placed it on her head as if he had received permission, rubbing it gently: "Okay."
As they spoke, the felt curtain snapped in the wind. Suhe came in with three sheep, their hooves leaving light marks on the felt. He tied the sheep to a stake in the corner of the yurt and wiped his hands. "Naren will be here in the evening and will have dinner with us. You two go to the west slope and pick some sea buckthorn and boil it into sauce."
Du Lan said "Oh", stood up, put on her coat and was about to go out, and Xie Qingyue followed her.
In April in Loufan, the sea buckthorn trees on the slopes had just produced small, orange-red fruits, with a hint of sourness. The two of them, carrying bamboo baskets, walked slowly through the ankle-deep grass.
Xie Qingyue bent down from time to time to help Du Lan move away the thorny branches that blocked her way.
"My eldest brother wrote to say that things have been quite uneasy in the capital lately. The old ministers seem to disagree with the new emperor's political views and are constantly working against him."
Dulan hadn't heard about these things for a long time and had never taken the initiative to inquire about them.
Xie Qingyue didn't know who the new governor was, but he guessed that he was a close minister that the emperor trusted very much, so he should be a newcomer, not one of those old guys in the court.
Du Lan said "hmm" softly, without much speculation about the matter.
When the prince ascends the throne, all the people in the world will become his subjects and must bow to him.
It was the prince who drove her back to Loufan, the prince who is now in power.
"Chen Jinshi" is more like a dream that has gone away.
How could she dare to still harbor such feelings when those in power had declared she should get rid of them?
I can only never think of him again, never think of him again.
"No matter what, as long as we can live a stable life, that's all that matters."
Xie Qingyue nodded: "Yes, after we get engaged, I will learn how to tan sheepskin from my father and make you a new sheepskin coat so that you won't be cold when riding and hunting in winter."
Du Lan also nodded: "Okay, then I will go and hunt the biggest yellow sheep and make you a fur collar. It will look very nice with your armor."
The two chatted and laughed, and the bamboo basket was soon filled with sea buckthorn berries.
When I returned to the yurt, Naren had already arrived and was talking to Sukhe by the sheep pen, holding a leather bag of kumis in her hand.
Seeing them come back, Naren smiled and raised the wine bag: "Dulan, drink with me."
Du Lan waved her hand and said she would drink later.
"I'll go boil the sea buckthorn berries first."
Qiqige came over and wanted to eat the milk tofu on the table. Tuya was not there, so Xie Qingyue lifted her up and put her on his lap: "Which piece do you want?"
Qiqige pointed to the piece at the edge: "I want the square one!"
Xie Qingyue carefully broke the milk tofu into small pieces and handed it to her mouth, reminding her: "Eat slowly, don't choke."
The little girl chewed until her cheeks were bulging, and she said crisply, "Uncle, you are so beautiful."
Du Lan was pouring water into the copper pot. When she heard this, she turned around and smiled. Xie Qingyue's ears turned red.
He has actually been a little bit inferior over the years.
I am too dark now, and my body is too big and strong due to my experience in the military camp, not delicate at all.
Dulan seems to like handsome men.
Naren came over and pinched Qiqige's face: "Our Qiqige has good taste! But, this man is not your uncle yet, please don't yell at him."
Dulan poured the sea buckthorn berries into the copper pot, stirred it with a wooden spoon, and covered it with the lid.
He walked over, bent down, and pinched Qiqige's cheek: "What's so good about him?"
Qiqige puffed out her cheeks and said, "Uncle's skin is rosy and shiny, and his teeth are white, which is good-looking." As she spoke, she reached out to touch Xie Qingyue's face, "And uncle's arms are thick and strong, which can hold Qiqige on his shoulders."
Tuya was just coming back and saw her little daughter talking nonsense. She was about to pull her down, but Dulan couldn't help laughing.
Xie Qingyue felt even more embarrassed.
Only a child would think these are his strengths.
Du Lan scratched her nose and said, "You're such a sweet talker. I'll give you some scones later."
"Great!" Qi Qige cheered and hugged Du Lan's neck, then secretly turned back and winked at Xie Qingyue.
The governor sent by the imperial court arrived earlier than the two brothers of the Xie family.
It seemed as if he did not take the carriage arranged for him by the emperor, and he also ignored the county magistrate who was waiting to entertain him along the way. He rode his horse and rushed to the land of Loufan.
Although it is spring, Loufan is the best season of the year.
The wind still carried sand, which rustled as it hit the horse's back.
Chen Jinshi stopped on the hillside and pulled the reins. The big black horse snorted and its hooves dug shallow pits in the grass.
The black cloak was blown up by the wind, revealing the official robe embroidered with dark patterns underneath. The black hair would no longer be blown on the cheeks by the wind, or flutter in the wind with the hairband, but was neatly tied in a watery purple gold crown inlaid with beads.
His eyes and brows, which were even colder and harder than three years ago, were gazing at the vast and boundless land.
The wind blew in from the distant Gobi Desert, sweeping over the rolling low slopes. The newly sprouted green grass on the slopes was sparse, like broken green scattered by the earth, shivering in the wind and sticking to the ground.
As far as the eye can see, the sky is a low gray-blue, blending into the khaki grassland at the horizon. It is impossible to tell where the sky is and where the earth is. There are only a few withered black sea buckthorn trees standing alone, with branches twisted like claws, as if trying to grab something, but they only grab the wind howling all over the world.
This is the loneliest place in the world, but also the happiest place in the world.
It all depends on one person.
There are no flying birds or running animals, only the wind that blows tirelessly, blowing up sand and hitting the rocks, making a rustling sound, as if the land is sighing softly.
The spaciousness here is not an open expanse, but a loneliness in which even time seems stretched out.
Today's green grass will wither, tomorrow's yurts will be moved, and even the officials sent by the court and the people in the tribe are like sand in the wind, and no one knows where they will be blown.
The world is so vast and humans are so small. Everyone's destiny is like the grass on the grassland. It seems free, but it has long been engraved with an inescapable trajectory by the wind and the land.
Chen Jinshi didn't know where fate would take him since he had come here like this.
Eminem, can you show me the way?
The two attendants following behind him caught up and whispered, "Sir, should we go to the Bingzhou prefect to inform them and ask them to receive us?"
Below the territory of Loufan, the border town under the jurisdiction of the imperial court is Bingzhou. Outside Bingzhou is the lonely and free land of Loufan.
Chen Jinshi was the governor, and his governor's office was located in Bingzhou City.
But he came too early, and the prefect might not have received the news yet.
"No need, go back to the government office first."
The follower was stunned for a moment, then hurriedly urged his horse to catch up.
They followed Lord Chen all the way north from the capital and had already figured out his temperament.
I have always valued practical results over empty formalities.
The horse's hooves trampled over the newly sprouted green grass, startling a few jerboas, which quickly burrowed into the ground and disappeared. Chen Jinshi reined in his horse and his eyes fell on the felt tent in front of him where wool was hung to dry.
This place is still on the border of Bingzhou, not deep into Loufan. He shook his head. That couldn't be her home.
He really missed her.
Just because of her words “Don’t think about me, don’t look for me…”
Today, those thoughts suddenly came flooding back, he gripped the reins, and waves surged in his heart.
The longings that were suppressed deep in his heart were now like wild beasts that had broken free from their chains, gnawing at his internal organs like crazy.
Three years, more than a thousand days and nights. He thought he was calm and controlled enough, but standing here, he imagined that she might be standing not far away, smiling.
All pretense and "obedience" were shattered to pieces.
The black horse pawed its hooves anxiously as he reined it in.
The pain was so severe that he could hardly breathe.
"Am..." His Adam's apple rolled, and his voice trembled without him even noticing, "I'm coming."
The wind grew stronger, blowing up his black cloak like a tattered flag.
He turned his horse around and said calmly, "Return to the government office."
Seven days later, the sound of stringed instruments could be heard from the Bingzhou prefectural government office, and the air was filled with the aroma of wine and meat.
Prefect Jiang Zhiyun, dressed in his highest-quality official robes, waited at the gate with a group of subordinates. Since the Governor-General's arrival, he had been confined to the yamen, handling official business and declining all social engagements. It took much persuasion from his subordinates, who, under the pretext of "needing to discuss border defense with the Governor-General," finally invited Lord Chen, a close minister of the Emperor, to attend today's welcoming banquet.
As the sun set, a group of people finally appeared at the street corner.
Chen Jinshi was riding on a black horse, wearing a black cloak over his blue official robe, and surrounded by a team of guards, looking very majestic.
He glanced at everyone, his face still cold and hard.
The attendant dismounted and was about to announce it when Jiang Zhiyun quickly stepped forward and said, "Governor, a small banquet has been prepared in the palace. Please move in."
Chen Jinshi walked all the way to the door before reining in his horse. He swept his eyes over the officials, paused for a moment on General Xie's face, and nodded lightly.
"No need to be so polite, let's talk business first." After saying that, he dismounted and walked straight inside.
Jiang Zhiyun hurriedly caught up and wiped the sweat from his forehead.
The newly dispatched Border Envoy from the capital was originally a Second-rank official, but the Emperor had specially appointed him Vice Minister of War, a testament to his trust. Now a Second-rank official, he oversaw the military, civil affairs, justice, and supervision of Bingzhou and Loufan, effectively making him Jiang Zhiyun's immediate superior.
When we entered the main hall, the banquet had already been set up according to the regulations.
Chen Jinshi sat in the main seat. In terms of rank, Xie Qingyue was now much lower than him, so he sat at the last seat some distance away from him.
Xie Qingyue volunteered to guard the border instead of staying in Beijing and following his family's arrangements. Now he naturally acknowledges that his official rank is not as high as Chen Jinshi's.
He didn't care about these things at first, but he was stunned when he saw that the other party was a little surprised.
Chen Jinshi also saw him. His eyes swept across his face, and his heart felt like it was stabbed hard.
His expression remained calm. He just picked up the teacup and took a sip before saying calmly, "Everyone, sit down."
As the sound of stringed instruments began to play, Jiang Zhiyun raised his glass and stood up first: "Your Excellency has just arrived in Bingzhou and must have been exhausted from the journey. I would like to offer you a toast first."
Chen Jinshi raised his hand to support her, his tone calm, "I'm here only to implement the new policies and appease the tribes. All of this is inseparable from the cooperation of General Xie's troops."
He picked up the wine glass and raised it towards Xie Qingyue.
Xie Qingyue also raised his glass: "Your Excellency is too kind. However, my troops only attack the enemy and never harm the civilians."
"Of course." Chen Jinshi nodded, his fingertips stroking the rim of the cup. He changed the subject: "I heard that the Tamu tribe had a conflict with the border town garrison last month. The reason was that the salt carts were detained?"
When it comes to official business, Xie Qingyue's expression becomes serious.
Jiang Zhiyun spoke first, "Their salt carts were about to enter Bingzhou. Last month, the garrison saw that their salt carts were overloaded, so they just deducted half of the salt as per the rules. Unexpectedly, they resorted to violence on the spot. Tsk, these northern barbarians are not easy to control."
Chen Jinshi raised his eyebrows slightly, but didn't express his dissatisfaction with the matter. He just looked at Jiang Zhiyun coldly and said, "Prefect Jiang, I'm here to tell you about the new policy that the emperor is about to implement. From now on, when tribes purchase salt and grain, as long as they don't violate the regulations, they will not be criticized harshly. If they lack transportation capacity, the government must step in to coordinate and help them. We must make sure they feel the court's sincerity."
Jiang Zhiyun wiped the sweat from his forehead and quickly agreed: "Yes, I will arrange it tomorrow."
Jiang Zhiyun sensed the new emperor's intention from Chen Jinshi's words, and as if to redress his earlier stance, he quickly added, "The relationship between the tribe and us is no longer as tense as it was a few years ago. We all get along very well on a daily basis. Just like our General Xie, he's getting engaged to the daughter of the Suhe family on the sixth day of next month. Lord Chen, please come and have a drink at the wedding."
Chen Jinshi's fingers gripping the wine glass suddenly tightened, the rim of the glass almost digging into his palm.
The clear voice just now seemed to be blocked by a thick layer of felt, making a buzzing sound.
His mind went blank.
"Who is the daughter of the Suhe family?"
Xie Qingyue gave him a solemn look, then stood up and bowed, "Su He is the leader of the Dalan tribe in the northwest of Loufan. He has only one daughter, named Dulan."
Chen Jinshi lowered his eyes, and the turbulent waves surging in his eyes were completely concealed.
When he looked up again, that moment of loss of composure had been suppressed into bottomless calm.
He drank the wine in the cup in one gulp. The wine slid down his throat, but it couldn't quench the burning pain in his heart. He only nodded faintly to Xie Qingyue, and his tone was calm and without any emotion: "Since it is a happy event, if I have time, I will go and join in the fun."
She taught him how to be a decent person and handle things properly, and today he has enough ability to master it.
Satisfied? Eminem.
After he finished speaking, he even raised his glass towards Xie Qingyue, as if he was sincerely congratulating him.
Only he himself knew that at this moment, his chest was like a grassland swept by a strong wind, desolate and barren, and even the thoughts that supported him to get here were shattered into sand that could not be pieced together.
He forced himself to sit up straight, his fingertips still stroking the rim of the cup steadily, as if as long as he maintained this calm appearance, he could deceive everyone, including himself who had already collapsed in his heart.
In the second half of the banquet, Chen Jinshi said no more. He just listened quietly to Xie Qingyue and Jiang Zhiyun discussing border defense, nodding occasionally.
When the banquet ended, it was already dark. He refused the accommodation and beauty arranged by Jiang Zhiyun and went back alone.
The black horse stepped on the stone road, and the sound of its hooves was particularly clear in the silent night.
It turned out that Loufan was really just a lonely place for him.
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The author has something to say: This author is silent, just waiting for the madness to happen
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