However, at the end of December, after the army recaptured Yongzhou, New Year's Eve arrived in the blink of an eye. It should have been a grand festival celebrated by the whole country, but because of the complicated matters at hand, even the prince had to spend New Year's Eve in a busy manner.
Deploy troops to defend the city, search for remaining enemies inside the city, pursue remaining enemies outside the city, investigate the whereabouts of fleeing remaining enemies, clean up the battlefield, bury heroes and provide relief to their families, treat the wounded, reward officers and soldiers and reward them according to their merits... There are so many things to do, and none of them is unurgent.
Unfortunately, the Yongzhou government office was temporarily empty, and the officials at all levels appointed by the court had not yet taken up their posts. There were only soldiers in the city, and there was a shortage of manpower and military supplies. The generals gritted their teeth, worked day and night, and were extremely busy.
On the eighth day of the first lunar month, there was a strong wind and snow at night, and the cold was biting.
One of the small courtyards behind the government office was heavily guarded, and the study was brightly lit with candles.
Prince Li sat at his desk, while the Ninth Prince stayed warm by the fumigation cage, listening to the report together.
The clerk bowed and reported, "Your Highness, I have led a secret investigation for ten days and have confirmed that Heqin had a bumper harvest last autumn, with over 15 million kilograms of potatoes currently stored in the county granary. This is true. Since her exile in Xicang, Guo Jiang has been assigned to Liu Village in Yuehu Town to cultivate the land. She has cultivated the land with great skill and devoted herself to teaching the villagers how to grow new crops, earning the trust of the local officials and the people. This is also true."
"Also, the ginger paste and sweet potato were indeed discovered by Guo Jiang, and there was no fraud or false claim of credit."
Prince Li seemed to be lost in thought, and then he commanded sternly, "I understand. Go down and send a message to the Xicang government office to quickly gather cattle, sheep, wine and food so that we can reward the army during the Lantern Festival."
"Yes." The clerk retreated respectfully.
After a while, only two princes and some close associates were left in the study.
"I just assumed it was true." The Ninth Prince leaned against the fumigation cage and said with a smile, "Even if the Guo family had a hundred guts, and the government at all levels had a thousand, they wouldn't dare to falsify information and claim credit for something! If the memorials submitted were false, it would be a crime of deceiving the emperor, punishable by death."
Prince Li, always ambitious, had been working tirelessly on military and political affairs. His eyes bloodshot, he said wearily, "I don't think they would dare. However, the remoteness of the frontier, coupled with the unusual nature of this matter, has inevitably led to suspicions at court, and so I have ordered a secret investigation."
"It's truly remarkable!" The Ninth Prince exclaimed, cupping his hot tea. "According to research, Minister Jiang's daughter has loved tending to flowers and plants since she was young. And yet, after being exiled to Western Cang with her husband's family, she's become so exceptional at farming. It's truly astonishing."
Prince Li said slowly, "This is a great country with a wealth of talented people. There are many talented people among the people, including many extraordinary women. Jiang is good at farming and sericulture. She is like a timely rain, alleviating the urgent need of the west due to the continuous poor harvests."
All the trusted staff nodded and said solemnly, "Western Cang has suffered from poor harvests for years, and has repeatedly petitioned the court for relief for the victims. Yongzhou has only just been recovered, and there is much to be done. The food shortage problem in the west has been a headache for the court for years."
"Since ancient times, 'grain is the foundation of a country, and food is the people's lifeblood.' Only when people have enough food and clothing can they live and work in peace and contentment."
"In the past few years, countless families have fled south to escape the war. I heard that some villages in Xicang are half empty. Yongzhou is now almost a deserted city, and millions of acres of fertile farmland are abandoned. It's such a pity."
"We must find a way as soon as possible. First, we must recall the refugees. Second, we must move people to the border areas, cultivate land and garrison the border areas, and strengthen the western fortress of Dagan."
…
Prince Li's expression was serious as he listened attentively, nodding occasionally. "Everyone's opinions are valid. I will consider each one and report it to my father as soon as possible to resolve the difficulties in the west." After speaking, he took a sip of tea and said gently, "It's been another busy day. It's late. You should all rest. We'll discuss other matters tomorrow morning."
All the staff members stood up as instructed and bowed, answering, "Yes."
"Your Highnesses, please go to bed early and take care of yourselves."
Prince Li waved his hand and said, "Go ahead."
Soon, only two princes were left in the study.
Seeing that no one was around, the Ninth Prince simply lay down on the fumigation cage. Exhausted, he yawned, "Oh, I'm so sleepy."
"If you feel sleepy, go back to your room and rest. We will meet on time tomorrow morning and don't miss the appointment." Prince Li picked up his pen, dipped it in ink, carefully considered each word, and began to write the memorial.
The Ninth Prince said weakly, "When would I dare to be late? Father ordered us to supervise the battle and patrol the border. If I neglect it, it would bring shame to the royal family."
Prince Li smiled with relief, "I'm glad you understand."
"Royal brother, are you writing a memorial?" The ninth prince said sleepily.
Prince Li nodded.
"Speaking of which, it's truly moving." The Ninth Prince, sprawled on the incense burner, feeling warm and radiant, sighed, "Look at the Guo family. The Crown Prince's greed and criminal activities have implicated the entire family, while his younger brother is upright and brave, having made the greatest contribution in the battle to recapture Yongzhou. They are two completely different people!" After this, an idea struck him, and he curiously asked, "Brother Emperor, how are you going to write this?"
Prince Li buried his head in writing, "When submitting a memorial, of course I will report the truth."
"Then, will Guo Honglei be rewarded?"
Prince Li said without even looking up, "Since this is a military practice, and since it was announced before the battle, it's well known. How can we not reward them? After a great victory, we should and must reward the soldiers. Otherwise, it will discourage them and undermine the dignity of the court."
The Ninth Prince sat up straight and reminded them, "But Guo Honglei's entire family are exiled. According to the law, exiled prisoners are only responsible for killing the enemy and defending their country, but they are not eligible for rewards."
"Well, there is such a rule."
The Ninth Prince stood up, inexplicably wanting to laugh. "This is troublesome. There are rules on the left and rules on the right. Which one should I follow?"
Prince Li frowned and said as he wrote, "That's why General Dou was so embarrassed and asked me what I thought. I thought carefully: the Guo family is one, and the crime was determined by the emperor. I have no right to pardon them. I should ask the emperor for his will."
"Your Majesty, you are wise!" The Ninth Prince pondered for a moment and then asked tentatively, "The eldest son of the Guo family was guilty of corruption and deserves punishment, but the second son and his wife have made meritorious contributions while serving their sentence, and their contributions are invaluable. Shouldn't this atone for their sins?"
Prince Li calmly replied, "I cannot make the decision. It depends on what my father wishes. I will submit a memorial and send it to the capital as soon as possible. I will wait for your approval."
"This is the only way." The Ninth Prince yawned.
Prince Li glanced at him and said, "Go and take a rest. You can't endure it."
The Ninth Prince nodded and said, "Don't overwork yourself, my brother."
At the same time, the wounded ward
The doors and windows were broken, and the cold wind kept pouring in.
A dozen familiar people lived together in the same house to recuperate, getting along well with each other and chatting day and night to relieve boredom.
"Ouch."
"Hiss, it's so cold." Cao Da curled up in his quilt and complained, "There's not even a charcoal brazier in the house, and no one repaired the broken window. Do you want us to freeze to death?"
Pan Kui lay flat on his back to avoid pressing on his face, which was burned by the boiling oil, and comforted him, "Be patient. They are busy cleaning up the battlefield outside. It will probably be a few days before they have time to repair the doors and windows. As for the charcoal basin, don't dream about it. Yongzhou has been looted by the enemy soldiers. The whole city lacks everything except the northwest wind."
Peng Changxing gnashed his teeth and cursed, "Damn those Beijiao bandits! They stole everything they could carry. If it weren't for the strong wind and heavy snow on the day of the siege, the Yongzhou government office would have burned down long ago. These beddings were brought here by our brothers back at Heqin Camp."
"It's the eighth day of the first lunar month." Guo Honglei sighed and said worriedly, "The two places are quite far apart, and the message I sent has not yet received a response. I wonder where the messenger has gone?"
Peng Changrong also sighed, "Xiao Cui'er and the others are at home, they must be waiting anxiously, maybe they think something happened to us."
Cao Da said carelessly, "Why rush? Once you're healed, just go home and tell them you're safe. Don't just scare your family, hehe."
Pan Kui was half asleep and half awake, and said in a daze, "Boys, be patient. It's been windy and snowy every day lately. The horses can't run fast and the movement is too slow. The messenger won't be back so soon." After that, he gradually fell asleep, snoring like thunder.
Guo Honglei's injury has not healed yet, and he cannot leave the city without permission. He is helpless and anxious.
The road was blocked by snow and wind, so the messenger set out from Yongzhou City. It was not until the Lantern Festival that he delivered the letter of safety to various places.
Liu Village, located on the south bank of Cangjiang River, received the letter the fastest.
"Is there a letter from the Master? What does it say?" Cuimei dragged Xiaotao into the main hall, anxiously asking, "Manager Zhou, quickly open it and take a look. What does it say?"
"Quick, tear it down!"
"Are they safe, sir?"
Surrounded by people, Zhou Yan breathed a sigh of relief as he glanced at the envelope, excitedly saying, "Look, this is the young master's handwriting, I recognize it! Well, at least the young master is safe." His hands trembled as he opened the letter, and he read it quickly. After reading it, he excitedly said, "Hahaha, the young master said that although the four people were injured, fortunately they were not seriously injured. They are recuperating in Yongzhou City and can only return home after they have recovered!"
"Very good!"
Everyone was overjoyed, "That's good. You can slowly recover from your injuries."
Cuimei felt a huge weight lifted off her chest. She hugged Xiaotao tightly and said with a choked smile, "Oh, that's great, it's really great. I heard that many people died this time... Fortunately, they are all alive."
"Are you relieved now? Silly girl, why are you crying? Be happy." Xiao Tao hugged her to comfort her.
Zhou Yan cleared his throat, smiling broadly, and urged, "We're relieved, but Madam and the Third Young Master are still worried in the county. Zou Gui, Hu Gang, pack up immediately and come with me to town to have someone deliver the letter."
"Okay!" The two servants ran away happily.
The capital and Yongzhou are far apart.
The victory report and memorials were sent to the capital one after another. Emperor Chengguang was very pleased. He listened to the disputes among civil and military officials in the court for several days, thought carefully, and issued several imperial edicts in succession, ordering the imperial envoy to go to the border to announce the edicts as soon as possible.
It’s a long journey of thousands of miles.
It was not until early February that the imperial envoys arrived at Yongzhou City.
That afternoon, the wind died down, the snow subsided, and the sky brightened. Guo Honglei and the others, gradually recovering from their injuries, were bored and began practicing boxing in the yard.
In order to avoid involving the wound, Guo Honglei hung his left arm and fought with Pan Kui with one hand.
"Hah!" Pan Kui attacked with all his might. He had lost one eye to the scalding oil, and half his face was covered in scars, but his injuries were unharmed. With his martial arts prowess, he subdued his opponent in a matter of seconds.
"Good!" his companions cheered loudly.
"Brother Kui is so skilled!"
"Master Pan, can you accept me as your disciple?"
Guo Honglei took two steps back and said, "I admit defeat."
Pan Kui, with a broad back and muscular build, waved his hand and said, "This one doesn't count! Tsk, you guys are either going to break an arm or a leg, so my victory is unfair."
Guo Honglei shook his head and said frankly, "Before you got injured, we were no match for you either. We've lost so many times, and now we're convinced."
"Hahaha~" Pan Kui laughed heartily, then sighed wistfully, "I'm over forty, old. If you keep practicing, you'll be able to defeat me soon. Alas, I'm blind in one eye now. I'm old and blind, what can I do in the army? I'll go see the general in a couple of days and retire due to injury."
"What?"
"Are you leaving?"
"No way? H-How is this—"
Everyone was shocked and surrounded him helplessly, trying to persuade him reluctantly: "Brother Kui, please reconsider it."
"With your abilities, you can clearly still kill the enemy for another twenty years!"
Pan Kui had shown Guo Honglei great kindness and the two of them had a deep friendship. Guo Honglei became anxious upon hearing this and was about to dissuade him when he heard a commotion at the gate of the courtyard and someone shouted:
"There is an imperial decree!"
"Guo Honglei, go to the front hall immediately to receive the order!"
The author has something to say:
Well, the baby, the baby will definitely be born in the next chapter...I will update early today too!
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