On the eve of the winter solstice, with wind and snow raging, a group of people rode out of the city gate on horseback, led by two yamen runners.
"drive!"
As the wind and snow lashed his face, Guo Honglei, masked, led a few personal soldiers out of the city. He had heard that his wife, despite being ill, had stopped armed villagers from fighting, and he was deeply worried, so he hurried to investigate.
In recent years, thousands of refugees have flocked to Tuning with their families to reclaim wasteland, cultivate land, and settle down.
Although the border area is vast and sparsely populated, land and water resources are limited after all. The number of refugees is increasing, and their numbers quickly exceed those of the locals. In order to compete for the opportunity to reclaim land, outsiders and locals are dissatisfied with each other, confront each other, quarrel at every turn, and even engage in repeated armed fights.
At noon, the sky was gloomy. The Run River had already frozen over, with a layer of ice three or four feet thick. The ice surface was covered with solid snow, level with the embankment, forming a wide open space.
This open space became a place for hundreds of villagers to fight.
Upon hearing the news, the government officials came and shouted with swords drawn, seizing a large number of weapons such as carrying poles, hoes, sickles, etc.
After the chaotic fight, a large area of snow was trampled into a mess and stained red with blood. There were two small piles of corpses, groaning and wailing wounded, and long and short broken arms and limbs... It was horrifying.
Jiang Yushu was surrounded by guards, standing on the river bank, looking down from above, slowly scanning the entire scene with an expressionless face.
Several minor officials ran back and forth, urging a large group of yamen runners and strong militiamen to separate the foreign refugees from the local people and carefully count the casualties.
After a while, a minor official came running up, panting. He was rubbing his hands vigorously from the cold, and his voice was puffing with white air. He reported loudly, "Sir, the current casualties are as follows: In the brawl, sixteen people died on the spot, seven were seriously injured, and thirty-five were slightly injured."
The cold wind was biting, and Jiang Yushu's voice was a little hoarse. She asked calmly, "Have you completed the registration?"
"Name, place of origin, etc. have all been registered!"
Jiang Yushu nodded and ordered loudly: "Immediately appoint a group of constables to escort the injured back to the village for treatment and flexibly select a place to detain and interrogate them. The rest of the people involved in the case will be tied up and taken back to the government office for trial!"
"Yes!" The clerk took the order and walked on the snow, one foot deep and one foot shallow. He called his colleagues to discuss for a moment, then split up and hurriedly did his job. He took out the thick ropes he had prepared in advance and tied up the two fighting parties one by one, tying them into two groups.
At the magistrate's command, the villagers who had just been fighting each other ferociously were dumbfounded, cowered in fear, and filled with remorse. They knelt down and begged for mercy, crying bitterly and blaming each other.
The local people were filled with grievances and indignation, crying out, "Please forgive me, sir!"
"Sir, spare me this time."
"We didn't want to fight at all. It was the other side who provoked us."
"It's all the fault of these unreasonable refugees and foreign thieves. They're robbing us here and there. We're almost out of luck."
"These outsiders are shameless and domineering! They rely on their numbers to bully us. As everyone knows, the Laoya Mountain area has belonged to our village for generations. There is no place for outsiders."
…
The refugees also felt aggrieved, shouting in unison: "We were allowed to settle down by the government, we are not thieves, you are the unreasonable bandits!"
"Laoya Mountain does belong to them, but they are greedy and insist that the entire area within a ten-mile radius is 'Laoya Mountain'. They are so overbearing."
"Humph, you're relying on your status as a local to bully us outsiders. You're talking nonsense and slandering us!"
"I beg the magistrate to make a decision for the common people."
"They are constantly provoking and stirring up trouble. They are so bullying and they are leaving us outsiders no chance to survive." "Please, sir, seek justice!"
Jiang Yushu, still recovering from a cold, looked pale. She frowned and shouted in a stern voice, "Enough! When we get to court, I'll interrogate you thoroughly. Whoever started talking or fighting first must confess the truth."
The north wind was howling, and the sounds of begging for mercy, excuses, crying and shouting... were noisy.
Seeing this, the yamen runner simply raised the bronze gong used to clear the way and struck it hard. There was a crisp "clang" sound, and he roared with a dark face: "Silence!"
"Shut up and stop making noise!"
"You're yelling and shouting in front of the magistrate. That's really unruly."
Jiang Yushu glared and scolded him harshly, "The government has repeatedly stated that any disputes regarding land, water, crops, etc. can be resolved through negotiation or by requesting a court ruling. Fighting is strictly prohibited. This is the second time your village has violated the law. I do not distinguish between 'outsiders' and 'locals'. Those who knowingly break the law will be punished severely!"
"Tomorrow is the Winter Solstice, and instead of celebrating, you've come here to brawl and cause casualties. It seems you're all planning to have your prison meal for New Year's Eve. So, the government will grant your wish!" She was furious. "Not only will you spend New Year's Eve in jail, you'll also be serving your sentence and being forced into military service."
Hundreds of villagers knelt on the ground, kowtowed and begged for mercy, and the cries of crying for "forgiveness" were endless.
She was furious, her eyes piercing, her face stern, and she shouted with an iron fist, "Law-abiding citizens, continue to plant crops and mulberry trees next year. Their diligence will be enough to provide them with food and clothing. Those who have broken the law will help the government build city walls, dig canals, and construct houses next year, until they learn to abide by the law."
"Sir, please be merciful. I know I was wrong." The villagers were either panicked or unwilling to accept the defeat, and begged for forgiveness desperately.
The yamen runners and militiamen were quick and agile, and soon they had tied the wrists of the villagers involved tightly.
Seeing this, Jiang Yushu gave a firm order: "Take him away immediately and take him back to the government office!"
"yes!"
A moment later, officers and soldiers on horseback, armed with knives, escorted the prisoners on foot slowly back to the city.
"The road is not smooth, sir, please go slower."
"Ugh. Sigh."
After a hectic run, Jiang Yushu sighed and said tiredly, "Luckily we arrived in time, otherwise, there would have been heavy casualties. It's almost the New Year, and I didn't expect another gang fight to happen. The government will definitely investigate. This is really giving me a headache."
County Magistrate Huang Yichun followed the magistrate, shaking his head. "Alas, those villagers ignored the official notice and disobeyed the official order again. They are simply troublemakers, troublemakers! They must be severely punished." He changed the subject, "Sir, I'm afraid the county jail is not big enough to hold so many prisoners."
Jiang Yushu took out a handkerchief, shook it, and covered her mouth and nose with it. She said firmly, "Go back to the government office and pick out a few suitable empty rooms. Use them as they are. Wait until next spring and expand the county jail as soon as possible."
"Yes." Huang Yichun nodded, muttering in distress, "Our county's population is growing. It's now over 230,000. We have enough food, and the population will continue to grow. The county jails, warehouses, and other places are becoming too cramped, and there won't be enough constables and runners. We have to find a way to solve this problem."
When the population is small, there is little arable land, and there is a shortage of food, which is a headache for the government; when the population is large, there is much arable land, and there is enough food, new troubles arise, which is also a headache for the government!
Jiang Yushu was heavily dressed, making it difficult for her to move. She struggled to climb the riverbank and walked towards the horse. She said gently, "No hurry, no hurry. Let's resolve this fight first, then rest up for the New Year. As usual, if there's nothing serious, we can make plans after the Lantern Festival. The New Year is a time for celebration, so we can't deny everyone a rest."
"To be unlucky, you need to take a breath before hanging yourself."
“Haha, that’s right!”
Jiang Yushu stopped and touched the horse's neck. The guard quickly brushed the snow off the saddle for her. She coughed a few times, slowly mounted the horse, and said, "Let's go back. It's snowy and windy, so be careful."
After hurrying for a while, Guo Honglei met his wife halfway.
"Huh?"
"Those are... people from the government office. The rest are unclear."
On the opposite side, Guo Honglei was so hot from traveling that he took off his mask to get some fresh air.
"Oh, it's General Guo!" The guards and clerks all laughed. "Did you meet by chance? Or did you come specifically to see the magistrate?"
Jiang Yushu's mood brightened instantly. A smile spread across her face, and she flicked her whip. "Why don't you just ask and find out?"
In a moment, the two sides reunited.
"Why are you here?" She took off the scarf covering her mouth and nose. "Are you hurrying back to camp?"
"I'm coming to find you!" Guo Honglei answered loudly. He approached, reined in his horse, and glanced at the dense crowd. "So many people have been arrested?"
Jiang Yushu reluctantly said, "We have to arrest them. Those two groups of villagers got into a brawl with weapons, and more than a dozen people died on the spot, with dozens more injured. It was like a dead end. The government was in a state of great trouble."
"The case is serious. It seems that Lord Jiang will be busy for a while. I wanted to find you to celebrate the winter solstice in advance." As he spoke, Guo Honglei took off his cloak and tied it around her without saying a word.
"Why--"
"Don't move." He draped the cloak in front of her. "Wearing it like this will keep you warm and protect you from the wind and snow. You haven't recovered from your illness yet, so be careful not to catch a cold again."
"Aren't you cold?"
Guo Honglei shook his head and urged, "The snow is getting heavier, hurry up!"
"Yeah." With the cloak wrapped around her, she felt much warmer, and her heart felt even warmer. The two of them rode side by side, heading back to the city against the wind and snow.
Her husband had specially come to visit her on the eve of the winter solstice, so how could Jiang Yushu bear to disappoint him? She cooked dumplings, glutinous rice balls, and a mutton hotpot, and the couple had a heartwarming meal together.
The next morning, although he was worried, he had to return to the camp.
"Take good care of yourself and take good care of yourself."
"I know!" she reminded him, "We've received several letters from home saying that the old lady had two minor illnesses in the winter and is a little depressed. Elderly people always look forward to reunions."
Guo Honglei understood, "In previous years, I was busy with military duties and couldn't get away. This year, I stayed in the camp during Mid-Autumn Festival and Double Ninth Festival just to go home for the New Year. General Song has approved it."
"Great! I'll wait for you, we'll go back together."
"OK."
So, in order to go back to Heqin with her husband to spend the New Year with the elderly and children, she was busy directing her subordinates to try the case and sentenced the two ringleaders to death to serve as a warning to others. The rest of the accomplices were imprisoned or fined, and her thunder-like approach shocked the entire county.
As a result, after the case was successfully closed, the magistrate's old illness had not yet been cured, and he developed a new illness. He was feverish and drowsy and bedridden.
On the 16th day of the twelfth lunar month, while she was resting in bed, she vaguely heard someone calling in her ear:
"mother?"
"Mom, wake up, it's time to take your medicine."
Guo Ye was fourteen years old. He was still growing, with a sturdy, rather thin build, and handsome features that looked like a copy of his father, though still childish. He was already as tall as his tall mother, and exuded a heroic spirit.
The young man knelt on the footrest, worried, and called out repeatedly: "Mom, wake up quickly."
In a trance, Jiang Yushu thought she was dreaming. She opened her eyes in surprise and found that it was her eldest son. She was immediately surprised and delighted, "Yer? Why are you here?"
"Mom! You finally woke up."
Guo Ye lay on the edge of the couch. "I came all the way to Tuning to take you home for the New Year. I didn't expect you to be so seriously ill."
"It's nothing, just a minor cold. I'll be fine after taking a few doses of medicine." Jiang Yushu stirred, and her eldest son hurriedly helped her sit up. "It's strange. It's almost New Year, and the old lady actually allowed you to go on a long trip?"
Guo Ye smiled proudly, "My grandmother didn't agree at first, but I kept asking her, and she finally agreed."
"Request?" Jiang Yushu understood her son well. "Are you being naughty?"
"Hehe." Guo Ye didn't respond, but turned around and waved, "Bring the medicine here. Mom, drink it quickly."
The maid standing by the bed came over and helped the patient drink the medicine.
After a while, Guo Ye asked with concern: "How is the medicine? Do you feel better?"
Jiang Yushu couldn't help laughing. "Silly child, even a magic pill can't work immediately! But I've rested for a few days and feel much better. How's your family? Is there anything wrong?"
"Everything is fine at home, don't worry."
"How is the old lady?"
"He has recovered from his illness a long time ago, but he often misses his hometown and sighs. He always says that he wants to go back to the capital and is afraid of dying in a foreign land. His ancestors keep repeating these words to him every now and then. No matter how we try to comfort him, it's all useless." Guo Ye naturally would not hide the truth from his mother and told her the truth.
Jiang Yushu was helpless. "Actually, your third uncle successfully stayed in the Imperial Academy and was appointed an editor. He's already established himself in the capital. Plus, your fourth uncle runs a pharmacy and a silk shop in the capital, so he's fully capable and willing to support Mother. Two years ago, when your father was reporting to the capital, he suggested sending the old lady back to her hometown on the way, but she refused. It's been delayed until now... The journey is long, and the old lady is old and frail, making it difficult for her to endure the hardship of the journey."
"The child knows why."
"Huh?" She was stunned.
Guo Ye hesitated for a few breaths, then leaned closer and whispered in her ear, "Although the old ancestor never said it to our faces, I know she dislikes her third uncle for being a concubine's son and not being close enough to mother, and that her fourth uncle is too romantic, with a mistress on one side and an illegitimate child on the other. Therefore, she doesn't want to leave Heqin for the time being and has been hoping that the court will transfer you and father back to the capital. Then, the whole family can go back together."
That's true.
To put it bluntly, parents often choose to rely on their most promising son to live a stable, proud and respectable life.
Jiang Yushu knew it all, but as a mother, she warned, "No, they are all sons. We are all flesh and blood. The old lady is fair. If you hear the servants gossiping, don't believe the rumors!"
"I understand, son." Guo Ye was not stupid, so he stopped there wisely. "I have never told anyone these words except you."
Jiang Yushu poked her son with a finger and continued to ask, "How are Jiong'er and Xiaoyan?"
"My younger brother and sister are great. They both want to come to Tuning, but grandma won't allow it, hahahaha."
"So, what about the rest of the family?"
Guo Ye scratched his head and thought for a moment, "Everything is fine. Oh, by the way, I heard from the nanny that Fourth Aunt is about to give birth."
"She's about to give birth again?" Jiang Yushu didn't know what to think. "She already has four sons."
"Yes, our ancestors often praised her."
Four children, with ages ranging from two years apart to the same year, would be hard work, not to mention the physical strain. To win the heart of her philandering husband, Hui Niang was desperate.
Jiang Yushu sighed secretly, but did not show it on her face.
The next moment, the half-closed door was pushed open and Guo Honglei strode towards the bed.
"Awake? Feeling better?"
When Guo Ye saw his father, he immediately stood up and made way for him, "Dad."
Jiang Yushu turned her head at the sound, her eyes lighting up. "Are you taking a break for a day or two, or are you starting your vacation?"
Guo Honglei sat down on the edge of the couch. "We've finished our New Year's work and will leave in two days—but you're sick, so it's not suitable for you to travel quickly."
"Don't worry about me coughing, coughing, coughing," Jiang Yushu hastily turned her face away, covered her mouth with a handkerchief, coughed a few times, and said apologetically: "Alas, I may not be able to make it back to Heqin. You should take Ye'er and leave quickly. My third brother and his family of three are far away in the capital, and the house is deserted. You'd better go back as soon as possible and spend more time with the old lady."
"What?"
Guo Honglei raised his eyebrows. Guo Ye was stunned. The father and son said in unison: "Then what are you going to do?"
In reality, Jiang Yushu was seriously ill, but she pretended to be cheerful. "Me? I'll stay in Tuning for the New Year. Please apologize to the old lady for me. I'll go home to visit the old people and children when I'm free next year."
"This isn't right." Guo Honglei frowned, "It's almost Chinese New Year, I can't—"
Jiang Yushu leaned against the soft pillow and interrupted with a smile: "It's precisely because the New Year is coming soon that we can't let the elderly and children down. If I don't go home and you don't go home either, how disappointed will my family be?"
Guo Honglei frowned, pondered for a moment, and said helplessly: "How about this, Ye'er stays and spends the New Year with you, and I'll go home to visit the elderly and children."
"Okay!" Guo Ye said without hesitation, "I think so too." He knelt in front of the bed and looked up at his mother, "Mom, let's go together. We won't let you be alone."
Mother and son looked at each other, and Jiang Yushu felt warm and touched. "If you want to stay, then stay."
"Who wouldn't want to?"
Guo Honglei sat upright, patted his eldest son's still thin back, and ordered sternly: "Take good care of your mother. Don't make any mistakes! Otherwise, you will be punished after the New Year."
"Yes!" The boy was inexplicably excited as it was his first time to spend the New Year alone with his mother. He walked with a brisk pace. After seeing off his father who was leaving for Heqin, he excitedly began to get busy, directing his servants in a proper manner and taking care of the New Year affairs.
Jiang Yushu chose to watch from the sidelines, gave only a few instructions, and then handed over power to her son, letting him make arrangements and taking the opportunity to cultivate his management ability.
After New Year’s Eve, the Lantern Festival lanterns were taken down in a blink of an eye.
The wind and snow gradually weakened and the weather gradually warmed up.
According to the date, Guo Honglei should be returning to the camp, but there is still no news.
It was not until the end of the first month that Jiang Yushu heard that her husband had been ordered to go to the capital to report on his work.
"Report?" Guo Ye put down his pen, stood up, and stretched. "Why do you want to report again? Why did you suddenly ask my father to go to the capital to report?"
"The imperial decree must be obeyed."
"Then why don't you need to report?"
Jiang Yushu had recovered from her illness and paused while drinking her tea. "Who said we don't need it? We do it at least twice a year, mid-year and year-end. However, Mother only goes to the government office to report to the prefect, so there's no need to go to the capital."
"Why not use the capital?"
Jiang Yushu was very patient. "Because the court didn't order me to do so. There are so many officials and the journey is so long. If they all rushed to the capital, it would be troublesome and would easily delay official business."
"I see." The young man suddenly realized, and after a moment, he continued to ask, "Mom, you have served for six years. Will you get a promotion?"
You chatterbox boy, you always bring up things that are not related to the topic!
Jiang Yushu took a deep breath and said, "I don't know yet. Mother is waiting for news."
"When you get promoted and need to report to the capital, can you take us with you?" Guo Ye said enthusiastically. "Two years ago, when my father reported to the capital, he took me back to my hometown to visit relatives. I found that there were many fun places in the capital, but unfortunately we were in a hurry and left before we had enough fun."
"Wait until you've been promoted to the point where you need to report to the capital"? Son, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed. It's not certain... unlikely that I'll ever become a high-ranking official.
As this matter concerned his career, Magistrate Jiang felt a mixture of anxiety and anticipation. He sighed quietly, approached his desk, tapped on a copybook, and asked sternly, "Just for fun. How's your calligraphy going? How many pieces have you practiced? If you're not concentrating, be careful your father will come back and teach you a lesson."
"Yes, you see. I'm afraid of my father getting angry, so I never miss a day of school. If he gets angry, I'll be punished."
"That's good to know!"
Jiang Yushu carefully examined her son's handwriting and writing, and encouraged him, "Well, not bad. Good boy, you must study hard. A well-read mind is naturally elegant, understand?"
"clear!"
Children naturally like to be close to their mothers. Guo Ye stayed in Tuning on the pretext of taking care of his mother. It was a rare reunion for mother and son, and the boy was happy every day:
When his mother was in charge of official business in the front hall, he was studying in the back hall; when his mother went out to do business, he would follow her nine times out of ten, mostly using excuses such as "spring outing, practicing horse riding, and relaxing."
It was already March, and Guo Honglei still had not returned to the Northwest.
Jiang Yushu gradually became worried and wrote several letters to inquire about the news, but her father, husband, relatives and friends all told her that everything was fine and not to worry.
That evening, the magistrate and his entourage returned from leaving the city and rode towards the city gate.
"Gee!" Guo Ye, wearing a sky blue suit and a sword hanging from his waist, acted as his mother's bodyguard, looking energetic.
Jiang Yushu was dressed in official robes and was an expert rider. She had been ill and thinner, and when she wasn't smiling, she looked even more majestic, making ordinary people afraid to look directly at her.
The rise of grain workshops and textile workshops made Tuning richer and more prosperous day by day. In the evening, when the border city gate was about to close, many people rushed into the city, and the crowd surged. The soldiers guarding the city carried swords and checked and let everyone in one by one.
The magistrate and his entourage frequently entered and exited the city gates, so they rode their horses straight to the corner gate without any need for verification.
Jiang Yushu reined in and walked slowly, not looking around. When she was several feet away from the corner gate, she suddenly heard a smiling voice calling from the side:
"Mrs. Guo?"
who?
"County Magistrate Jiang, correct?"
She instinctively turned her head and spotted a procession of carriages and horses, heavily guarded, slowly moving forward with the crowd. Among them were two spacious carriages. The curtains of the rear carriage were drawn back, revealing a man in fine clothes, slightly overweight, with a round face and eyes, and a kind smile, sizing her up.
Jiang Yushu also looked at the other person and frowned in confusion.
"You don't recognize... me?" The man in gorgeous clothes was well-dressed, with jade collar buttons and a silver cloud-patterned collar. It was obvious that he was either rich or noble.
Jiang Yushu stared at him intently for a moment, then hesitated and answered, "He looks familiar, but I can't remember who he is. What should I call him?"
"You really forgot."
The man in fancy clothes sighed, glanced around, spotted Guo Ye, and immediately ordered, "Boy, come here!"
The other party's tone was very rude. When the yamen runner was about to reprimand him to protect the magistrate's eldest son, Jiang Yushu raised her hand to stop him. She said calmly, "Ye'er, come here."
"Ah?" Guo Ye rode his horse closer to his mother. Like a newborn calf fearless of a tiger, he looked at the people in the carriage curiously.
The man in fancy clothes asked confidently, "You are Guo Honglei's son, correct?"
Guo Ye nodded and asked, "So you know my father?"
"Of course. We've known each other for twenty years. Are you his eldest son?"
Guo Ye nodded again.
"How old?"
Jiang Yushu racked her brains to recall, "My son Guo Ye is fourteen years old now."
The man in elegant clothes nodded, raised his hand and patted the windowsill, looking full of emotion. "Fourteen years old? The last time I came to the northwest was actually fourteen years ago?"
The author has something to say: How long has it been since I last had sex? I can’t even count on my fingers…
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