Chapter 97◇
What is your wish?
Huang Que sighed softly and said helplessly, "I can walk by myself." He hasn't needed to be carried since he was three years old. Although he can see farther now and being held is comfortable, he still feels a little embarrassed.
Shi Fusheng hugged her tighter and shook his head repeatedly, "Your legs are too short, you walk too slowly, I want to eat it quickly."
Huang Que glanced at the servants who were openly following behind him and felt a headache coming on. No wonder he thought Shi Fusheng and his sister were somewhat alike; their nonsensical behavior was exactly the same.
Huang Que gave up struggling. Since Shi Fusheng wouldn't tell him the real reason, he stopped asking.
Shi Fusheng was puzzled by the silence of the child in his arms. Seeing the child's serious, chubby face, he couldn't help but tease, "What, aren't you afraid that I really want to harm you?"
Huang Que wanted to roll her eyes at Shi Fusheng, and said dejectedly, "If you really wanted to harm me, you wouldn't have brought me out in broad daylight."
And what do I have to harm?
The last sentence was sung by Huang Que in his throat, but how could Shi Fusheng, with his exceptional hearing, not hear it?
Looking at the child who seemed to have been abandoned by the whole world, a faint doubt arose in his heart, "How can you be so self-deprecating, kid? If you were put on the street, you would be the most conspicuous one. Who else would be harmed if not you?"
This is the truth. In Shi Fusheng's eyes, the oriole was like a firefly in the dark night, easily visible and inconspicuous.
Huang Que twitched her lips upon hearing Shi Fusheng's description, and said seriously, "I believe you are Sister Ran's biological brother."
Shi Fusheng was very surprised, "Could it be that you, child, have developed a third eye? Can you see through our true nature beneath our human skin?"
Huang Que's lips twitched, but he ultimately didn't utter the words "unreliable."
Shi Fusheng didn't delve into it further, because he had arrived at the place he was taking Huang Que to.
"Where is this?" Huang Que asked in confusion.
It's unclear how Fusheng managed to do it, but in nearly half an hour, he led Huang Que directly to a desolate mountain in the east of the city.
The place was desolate. Perhaps, if it weren't for his trust in the guards who had been following him, Huang Que would have genuinely suspected that Shi Fusheng harbored ill intentions towards him.
Shi Fusheng did not answer Huang Que's question directly. Instead of his usual playful smile, he gently placed Huang Que on the ground, looked at the desolate mountain in front of him with a serious expression, and asked in a low voice, "Do you know what this place used to look like?"
The view suddenly dropped, but fortunately the mountain in front of us wasn't towering, just a collection of strange rocks. It seemed there had been a landslide not long ago, with many trees snapped in half, making the barren mountain look even more desolate. Even though spring had arrived, only a few scattered blades of grass swayed in the wind, and the whole mountain seemed to have had its life sucked away by something.
When you don't understand what the other person means, you just need to express your true thoughts and feelings. This is what he learned from Feng Ran. So he honestly said, "This must have been a mountain that was not abandoned."
Shi Fusheng was taken aback upon hearing this, then twitched the corner of his mouth and said, "That's right, this place was once lush and majestic. Do you know why it has become like this?"
"This..." Huang Que shook his head sincerely, "I can't imagine it."
What can turn a green mountain into a barren mountain is nothing more than natural disasters and man-made calamities. Shi Fusheng didn't explain much, but sighed, "I wonder if this mountain felt any pain when it disintegrated, and whether the insects and birds that died under the rocks had any regrets in their lives."
At this moment, Shi Fusheng was surrounded by an aura of loneliness, as if he were lamenting his desolate life amidst the chaos of his life, or perhaps he was lamenting his helpless and desperate fate.
Huang Que wanted to comfort him, but didn't know how to begin, so she could only ask, "I wonder what Young Master Shi's purpose is in bringing me here?"
Shi Fusheng's eyelashes trembled, concealing the complexity in his eyes. He turned to Huang Que and said in an extremely solemn voice, "Little child, you were born extraordinary. Perhaps your future life can influence many people. Today, I only want to teach you one principle."
Huang Que was startled and subconsciously became wary of Shi Fusheng. Did this person know something? But the expression in his eyes was too open and honest, without the slightest calculation. It was as if he had brought him here like a teacher, to give him an ordinary social practice and teach him the allusions that were difficult to understand from books.
Huang Que's cultivation was clearly inadequate, and Shi Fusheng easily saw through the defensiveness in his eyes. He smiled faintly and said, "Don't be afraid. I have no demands on you, only wishes, and I will never harm you."
"What is your wish?" Huang Que didn't know what a small child like himself could do.
With a hopeful expectation in his eyes, Shi Fusheng said gently, "If you want to take something, you must first give something. When you have great power one day, I hope you will cherish the flowers, plants, rocks, and trees. While it is permissible to carve rocks and cut down trees, do not forget moderation. Balance is the way to long-term success."
The oriole seemed to understand, but nodded seriously nonetheless.
The border defense forces were heavily guarded. Because they were stationed there year-round, military camps and drill grounds were built at the border. Every spring, soldiers were also assigned to cultivate the land to reduce the burden on the imperial court in maintaining the army.
Ancheng's garrison commander, Chen Guangjun, had already received a message from the Marquis of Dingbei via carrier pigeon, so he instructed his men to let Duan Jingchuan and Feng Ran pass immediately if they came.
"Husband, did Father just send us to visit? Don't we need to bring any gifts?" Having been the Crown Prince's wife for so long, Feng Ran knew that one should not visit empty-handed.
Duan Jingchuan explained gently, "There are many eyes in the military camp, so bringing gifts would be inappropriate. Besides, I've already decided what to give him."
Feng Ran looked him up and down, then pouted and said, "Husband, you're playing dumb again. You don't look like you're prepared at all."
During this period, she was practically glued to Duan Jingchuan every day. If he had prepared any gifts in advance, how could she not have heard about it? Feng Ran had reason to believe that Duan Jingchuan's gift was just a hollow promise, like an empty check from a scumbag.
Duan Jingchuan wasn't annoyed by Feng Ran's unfounded suspicions, maintaining his air of mystery. "You'll find out soon enough."
Upon arriving at the camp, the two dismounted and walked slowly. Chen Guangjun looked up and saw a beautiful couple approaching him with a spring-like air about them. He immediately understood that this was the rumored young master and princess.
To be honest, having spent half his life in the military, although he admired the Marquis of Dingbei, he had only a so-so opinion of the Marquis of Dingbei's heir.
They say a tiger father begets no dog son, but this guy doesn't seem to have any reputation at all. What else could he be but a coward? However, to save face for Marquis Dingbei, even though the newlyweds were just there for sightseeing, he still came out to greet them personally.
Upon seeing Duan Jingchuan and Feng Ran, he slightly clasped his hands in greeting and said with a stern face, "Your Highness and Princess Consort have come a long way and must be tired. I wonder if Ancheng is to your liking?"
Before they could even open their mouths, they were already being criticized for being idle. Feng Ran and Duan Jingchuan exchanged a helpless smile.
If anyone else had dared to look down on Duan Jingchuan like that, Feng Ran would have exploded long ago. But the burly man in front of her, who exuded a strong aura of bloodshed, was an absolute hero. She was always exceptionally kind to such people, so she kept quiet and even took a weak step back, leaving Duan Jingchuan to face Chen Guangjun's disdain alone.
Duan Jingchuan's expression was gentle, and even though he didn't receive a pleasant look, he didn't show the slightest dissatisfaction. The smile on his lips didn't diminish in the slightest. "With a hero like General Chen guarding the city, Ancheng is naturally peaceful and tranquil, a place that people linger in and never want to leave."
Chen Guangjun was not swayed by Duan Jingchuan's sweet talk and continued in a cold voice, "Your Highness is too kind. This general was merely doing his duty."
Chen Guangjun had only heard that Duan Jingchuan was coming to the military camp, assuming he was just there for a visit, unaware of his true purpose. In his eyes, Duan Jingchuan was no different from those spoiled scions of wealthy families, always seeking various privileges thanks to his ancestors' protection.
Bringing the Crown Prince's wife, Feng Ran, to the military camp seems more like a rich young man passing the time when he has nothing better to do.
So even out of respect for the Marquis of Dingbei, he still didn't give Duan Jingchuan a friendly look. As for why he didn't target Feng Ran? That was because he was giving the young lady face; a dignified man like him wouldn't stoop to making things difficult for a woman.
Duan Jingchuan could tell that Chen Guangjun didn't welcome them, so he didn't say much, nor did he take the initiative to introduce Feng Ran to him, after all, he didn't want his wife to be treated coldly.
"General Chen, would it be convenient for my wife and me to take a walk around here?" Since the other party didn't like them, he didn't want to say anything more. Some misunderstandings needed to be resolved with facts. Today, he just wanted to take Feng Ran around and see the sights.
Although it was a border garrison, the movement of Ancheng residents was not restricted on a regular basis. Even if Duan Jingchuan and his wife did not ask for their opinions, they could still walk around. Chen Guangjun had no reason to object.
Because of Duan Jingchuan's status, he followed behind the two with a cold face and pinched his nose, constantly emitting cold air to express his dissatisfaction.
But who are these two people in front of him? Duan Jingchuan had always suspected that Feng Ran lacked that sensitivity, and what about himself? This mere bit of cold air was not even one-thousandth as strong as his father's, so naturally he wasn't afraid.
Feng Ran rolled her eyes back, not daring to meet Chen Guangjun's gaze, but she wanted to cheer up Duan Jingchuan and comfort him, so she made a face at him.
Duan Jingchuan chuckled and said in a low voice, "Don't be naughty, be serious here."
Chen Guangjun simply followed along, showing no intention of acting as a commentator. Feng Ran also didn't want to invite trouble or be snubbed under someone else's nose. When she saw something that piqued her curiosity, she directly turned to Duan Jingchuan and asked him.
"Are all the garrison troops supposed to be self-sufficient? I see some soldiers tilling the land."
Duan Jingchuan shook his head and explained in a low voice, "That's not the case. The imperial court issues corresponding military pay every year. Military pay is more generous during wartime, but during truce, it becomes very tight. If you tighten your belt, you can still survive, but some troops are gradually learning to be self-reliant in order to improve their living conditions."
The garrison troops are different from ordinary soldiers. Ordinary soldiers can retire and return to their hometowns during the truce, while the garrison troops will dedicate their entire lives to this place. In particular, the garrison troops stationed on the border have even greater responsibilities and cannot slack off in the slightest.
Feng Ran nodded in understanding and asked again, "Don't these soldiers have families? They work in the military camp all day long, how do they support their families?"
Duan Jingchuan really didn't know these things, but weren't there people behind him who did? He cast a curious look at Chen Guangjun and said softly, "General, could you enlighten me?"
Chen Guangjun snorted lightly, neither pleased nor angry, and said, "During the busy farming season, soldiers will have a rest period, one day off every three days, and most of them take advantage of this time to go home and help."
Feng Ran looked distressed. "Doesn't that mean these soldiers don't have enough pay to support their families, and they can't even help with farm work? Being a soldier is so unfair!"
Chen Guangjun's breath hitched. He desperately wanted to refute Feng Ran, but Feng Ran was right. His soldiers were defending their country with only their passion, and they had indeed suffered some injustices.
But a true man must give up something to gain something. Having chosen this path, who would put aside grievances?
Duan Jingchuan pursed his lips, surprised that the soldiers on the frontier were in such a state. "General Chen, may I ask how the harvest is in Ancheng?"
If the harvest is decent, then all this hard work will be worthwhile.
Mentioning this, Chen Guangjun's face, which had been tense all morning, turned slightly bitter. "Those who toil in the fields rely on the weather for their livelihood, and even soldiers can't change that."
Seeing that Duan Jingchuan and Feng Ran were genuinely worried about the soldiers' living conditions, Chen Guangjun's expression softened, and he took the initiative to say, "There's nothing we can do about it. The military pay is actually enough, but the people of Ancheng have suffered from disasters for years. How can we sit idly by? In order to help the refugees, the military pay is a bit tight."
The use of military funds was done with the consent of all the soldiers. After all, their homes were in Ancheng, and they certainly wanted the city to get better and better.
They didn't really care that they ate worse food or did more work.
A note from the author:
I'll keep striving to update!
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