The carriage headed north, the wheels rumbling, and after a long journey, it crossed the Cang River before the snow fell and arrived in Yongzhou.
Tacha is located in the central part of Yongzhou, while Ningzhou borders Beiqi and is located at the northwest end of Dagan.
At the fork in the road, Guo Honglei reined in his horse and said, "Whoa."
"We'll split up!" he commanded loudly. "Be careful the rest of the way. I'm hurrying back to the camp to take care of some urgent matters. I'll visit my family in Ningzhou when I have time."
Jiang Yushu and her youngest son were also riding horses, while her daughter Guo Xiaoyan lifted the curtain to peer outside. She nodded. "You should be careful too. When I'm free, I'll take the children to visit you at Tachai."
Guo Jing bowed on horseback, "Father, take care of yourself."
"Dad, come to Ningzhou quickly. Don't forget, you promised to take my brother and me to the Stone Valley to pick up beautiful stones to play with." Guo Xiaoyan was reluctant to leave.
Guo Honglei replied gently, "Don't worry, Dad hasn't forgotten. You two must obey the instructions of your elders and don't act naughty."
"Yes, sir!"
Jiang Yushu controlled the reins with her right hand and waved the whip with her left hand, "General, take care."
Guo Honglei smiled, said "take care" to his wife, turned his horse's head, led a few personal soldiers, and hurried to Tachayawei, eager to deal with military affairs.
After watching her husband's back disappear around the corner, she cracked the whip and shouted, "Go!" Leading her children and followers, she continued north and arrived in Ningzhou a few days later.
In November, the weather was cold and there was light snow.
The driver pulled the reins and said, "Madam, we're here!"
Jiang Yushu gathered her cloak, got off the car, stood still, looked up, and looked at the four big words "Ningzhou Government Office".
"Miss, slow down." The nurse and the maid supported her. Guo Xiaoyan stamped her feet vigorously, "It's so cold."
Jiang Yushu waved her hand and was about to urge the child to go into the back office to rest when several assistant officials suddenly rushed out of the office, led by Huang Yichun. They were overjoyed and excitedly welcomed the prefect.
"My Lord! You, you—I have finally come back!"
"Why didn't you hear about this beforehand? I shouldn't have come to greet you."
"Alas, in recent months, I and others have been waiting day and night for news, and finally you are back."
"Everyone in the government office, and even the people, don't want you to leave."
…
Jiang Yushu answered each question with a smile, "I have many unfinished official duties in Ningzhou. One should see things through to the end and not give up halfway. Therefore, the court issued a decree to deprive me of my position and sent me back to continue my duties as prefect."
"That's wonderful!" Huang Yichun had served the female official for many years, and had been appreciated and valued, and had been promoted. He was afraid that his destined mentor would resign due to mourning, so he cried with joy and said in relief, "Alas, I was afraid that you would stay in the capital forever and never come back."
"Where? I'm back."
Jiang Yushu took her daughter by the hand, called her son, and walked into the government office gate with her head held high, her steps firm. "My wish is not yet fulfilled. Even if I am in mourning, I will come back. While observing the mourning period, I will also finish my humble agricultural works as a souvenir. When I am old, I can read them in my spare time. It will be worthwhile to have lived in the frontier fortress for more than ten years."
"Your Excellency is so conscientious in fulfilling your duties. It is truly a blessing for the people of Ningzhou!"
"I admire you."
The assistant officials chattered in unison, praising and flattering the prefect, happily surrounding him. They all thought to themselves: Hahaha, no need to waste time flattering the new prefect with an unfamiliar temper, it saves trouble and worry, great!
As for her subordinates, the female official did not accept expensive tributes, was not greedy or lustful, and was exempt from social engagements. She was also exempt from serving tea and water, massaging legs and shoulders, and so on. Who dared to get too close? She only required her subordinates to behave themselves, be fair, and clearly distinguish rewards and punishments. She never maliciously made things difficult for anyone and was very easy to get along with.
From then on, Jiang Yushu and her mother lived in the back government office for a long time. Her son studied in the city academy, and she hired a tutor for her daughter to learn piano, chess, poetry, calligraphy, painting, astronomy, geography, arithmetic, agriculture and sericulture. She was deeply disgusted with the saying that "a woman's virtue lies in her lack of talent", and was afraid that her daughter would grow up only knowing the three obediences and four virtues, supporting her husband and raising children, and would be unable to make a living without support.
Winter passed and spring came, the warm south wind stopped blowing and turned into a bitter north wind. The fields on the border went through several cycles of withering and flourishing. Time passed quickly, and three years had passed when she completed "A Collection of Northwest Agricultural and Sericultural Works".
In a blink of an eye, another three years have passed.
In spring, everything comes back to life and Ningzhou is full of vitality.
The bright morning light illuminated the four large gilded characters "Ningzhou Prefecture Yamen".
People frequently come in and out of the government office. Except for the officials and servants of the state, everyone else needs to be notified, or have their name cards handed over, or have their names recorded.
The doorman and the servants were busy running errands until noon, and when the number of people coming and going gradually decreased, they finally had time to sit on the benches to rest and chat.
A middle-aged man shook his legs and said, "Oh, I've been busy all morning. My legs are sore from running errands."
"Be patient, the shift will be handed over in two quarters of an hour."
"There have been so many guests visiting the prefect recently."
"Our lord has completed three years in office and has been promoted. He will return to the capital to take up his new post at the end of the month. His colleagues, relatives, and friends are all congratulating him, so it's bound to be more lively than usual."
"They say they're congratulating me, but nine times out of ten they're actually trying to get close to me and build a relationship."
"I'm counting on our adults to help me."
A young man got excited while chatting. He took out his wallet and shook it proudly. "Tsk, why bother with so much? Whether it's congratulations or just trying to make friends, as long as you give me money, I'm happy to run errands!"
"Hey, kid, that's great. How much reward did you get this morning?"
"Hey, not much, not much, just, just one or two taels," the young man replied vaguely. Seeing his companions clamoring for a drink, he immediately regretted showing off, quickly put away his purse, and interrupted by asking, "What exactly does the 'Minister of Agriculture' manage? Is it a high-ranking position?"
My companion muttered a few words of "stingy," then casually said, "I heard she's in charge of agriculture. Last year, the court established the Sino-Agricultural Office and put Jiang Zhizhou in charge. She's the first Minister of Agriculture, a fourth-rank official. She's deeply trusted by the court and has been promoted repeatedly. She truly is 'a woman as capable as a man.'"
"Her husband is even more capable! General Guo has been granted the title of Marquis of Zhenbei, a very famous title."
"Zhizhou Jiang is not bad either. Both he and his wife are capable people. Otherwise, where would the name 'Ningzhou' come from? In the old days of Tuning County, the people were poor, the government was poor too, there was famine, and life was hard."
"When I was a kid, I often went hungry. Few of my relatives or friends were wealthy. After finishing the last meal, I worried about the next. It was a very hard feeling."
…
The next moment, a carriage slowly drove over. The driver reined in his horse and helped a strange middle-aged man in a blue official robe get off the carriage. His entourage smiled apologetically and walked towards the gatehouse.
The young man who had just shown off his purse trotted over to greet him, smiling before his companions could. "Sir, may I know what brings you to the Ningzhou government office?"
The visitor wiped his sweat and said, "My master is the magistrate of Chujie County. He has come to visit the prefect to discuss something." As he handed over the name card, he slipped in a dime of silver and said, "Please inform him."
The doorman accepted the errand fee expertly and apologized, "Unfortunately, the prefect is out on business and hasn't returned yet."
"Huh? Then what should we do?"
The concierge was enthusiastic. "No problem. I can report this to the Tongzhi for you. He will probably arrange for you to stay and wait. Please wait a moment."
"Okay, okay, thank you very much!"
As a result, the Chujie County Magistrate drank tea for half a day and then went back to the guest room to take a nap. By the evening, the Magistrate had still not returned to the government office.
Dusk is falling and the wind is howling outside the Great Wall.
Jiang Yushu rode back to the city and passed through the streets. There were shops on both sides of the street, and there were a lot of cars and people walking around. It was very lively.
Although Ningzhou is located outside the Great Wall, it is rich in grain and has a prosperous trade. It is known as the "Jiangnan outside the Great Wall" and is like a bright pearl that shines brightly after the dust is wiped off.
At night, surrounded by guards, Jiang Yushu rode slowly, passing by wine shops, teahouses, pawnshops, cloth shops, grain shops and noodle stalls... The food smelled delicious, the vendors shouted, and suddenly there was a burst of charming flirtation and melodious music, it was the women from the brothel soliciting customers.
She inspected the area along the way, and by the time she entered the back hall, it was already pitch dark.
"mother!"
"You're back." Fifteen-year-old Guo Jiong, a young man full of vigor, hurried to greet his mother. "The magistrate of Chujie County came to visit. He waited for a long time and stayed in the guest room."
"Oh? Send someone to tell him that it's too late today. If there is no urgent matter, please ask him to have a good rest and we will meet again tomorrow." Jiang Yushu's health is gradually not as good as when she was young due to running around and working in the wind and rain, and she looks tired.
Guo Jiong immediately sent a servant to pass on the message and asked with concern, "Is the matter settled?"
"After years of arguing among the towns, and repeated measurements under the auspices of the government, the barren mountain was finally clearly demarcated." She walked towards the bedroom and said tiredly, "Otherwise, Mother would be worried about leaving."
"Thank you for your hard work, mother. Come in and sit for a while. Dinner will be ready soon!"
The mother and son were walking and talking. When they passed by the wing room, they heard the sound of something heavy being moved. She stepped forward to take a look.
There were two wooden boxes on the ground, and the old women were working together to move them out.
"Mother is back." Guo Xiaoyan came closer affectionately, and the servants bowed to her one after another.
Jiang Yushu asked with a smile: "Have you packed your luggage yet?"
"It's almost there!" Guo Xiaoyan, now a slender and graceful young lady with fair skin and a beautiful face, said crisply, "These two boxes contain various inkstones and stone carvings. I want to take them back to the capital and give them to my relatives."
"As you wish. Good job, you know how to bring gifts to your relatives."
Guo Jing opened the box and picked up a goose yellow inkstone with green embellishments. "Two boxes of stones, too heavy."
"Put it in the car. No one has to carry it." The girl put the inkstone back into the box. "Most of these stones were picked up by my father when he took us to the rocky gullies on the edge of the grassland. He carefully selected them with great effort. I can't bear to throw any of them away."
Guo Jing didn't like the colorful stones, "Since my sister likes them, I'll take them all back to the capital!"
"Mom, when will Dad be done with his work?"
Jiang Yushu sat aside and drank tea. "It's hard to say. The commander must explain his official duties clearly before leaving. Anyway, we will leave at the end of the month."
"Then what?"
"What 'then'?"
The girl looked around the bedroom where she had lived for several years, her expression somewhat bewildered. "After we go back this time, will we come back again?"
Jiang Yushu was stunned. She held the teacup and stared at the vast night sky outside the window, her mind full of thoughts and silent.
"What are you doing back?" Guo Jing was also a little bewildered. "Our hometown is in the capital, and my parents have been promoted and transferred back to our hometown. They probably won't be coming back."
Jiang Yushu calmed herself down and slowly answered, "Back then, when I was exiled, Mother... was only sixteen years old. It seems like twenty years have passed in the blink of an eye. Mother has lived in the northwest for a full twenty years, settling down and building a family. She has long considered the frontier her 'hometown.' In the future, if I have the chance, I will definitely come back to visit."
"Don't forget to bring the kids!" Guo Jiong had just finished speaking when Guo Xiaoyan chimed in, "And me too!"
Jiang Yushu smiled and nodded.
Having said that, she is almost forty years old, and her health is getting worse year by year. The three thousand miles journey is a long one, and perhaps in a few years she will not be able to withstand the hardships of trekking through mountains and rivers.
I am reluctant, extremely reluctant.
Late April, early morning
Outside the government office, several carriages were waiting, and the servants were busy carrying the luggage and putting it into the carriages one by one.
Jiang Yushu did not wear an official robe, but a frosty dress with light green orchids embroidered on the lapels. She wore pearl hairpins and jade hairpins in her temples, looking dignified, elegant and capable.
When the magistrate was promoted and left office, everyone in the yamen came to see him off.
"Thank you all for seeing me off." She smiled. "In a while, the new governor will take office. I hope Ningzhou will become more and more prosperous, and I wish you all a bright future."
"Sir..." The clerks in the government office were all reluctant to leave. Those who were appreciated and promoted had red eyes and choked with sobs, saying, "Sir, take care on your journey."
"From now on, I will no longer be able to serve you. Please take care of yourself."
"I will never forget your kindness in recognizing and promoting me."
…
After working together for many years, even if there is no gratitude, there is friendship, and even if there is no friendship, there is familiarity.
Jiang Yushu was naturally upset, but she managed to remain calm and said with a smile, "Thank you very much. I accept all your blessings. The mountains remain unchanged and the rivers flow forever. We will meet again in the future. Farewell." After she finished speaking, she gave the order in a hoarse voice, "Let's go."
In a short while, everyone got on the carriages and horses. The guards leading the way cracked their whips, and the wheels rumbled as the carriages gradually moved away from the government office.
Jiang Yushu and her daughter were in the same car. Guo Xiaoyan lifted the curtain and looked out, saying softly, "Ah, look, Mr. Huang is crying, and the magistrate is crying too."
"No matter how far you travel, all good things must come to an end." She leaned back in her chair and sighed melancholy, "There's always a time to say goodbye."
"I wonder if Father has finished his work?"
Jiang Yushu took a deep breath and answered, "We have an appointment. We will meet at the fork in the road at the end of the month and return to the capital together."
"I really hope to see my father soon. I haven't seen him for two months." Guo Xiaoyan was full of anticipation. "Also, my eldest brother wrote to say that the princess will give birth in July. I hope you can come home to take charge of the situation."
"He's about to be a father, his wife is about to give birth, and it's time for him to take charge of the situation."
"Big brother trusts parents."
The mother and daughter chatted for a while, and as they were about to leave the frontier, she felt very uncomfortable and closed her eyes to rest, "Mom, take a nap."
"Yeah." Guo Xiaoyan carefully took out a thin cloak and covered her mother with it.
Soon, a procession of carriages and horses entered the street.
Jiang Yushu was closing her eyes to rest when the carriage suddenly stopped. The mother and daughter were caught off guard and leaned forward, almost falling.
"Ouch--"
Jiang Yushu hurriedly supported her daughter and asked outside, "What happened? Why did you stop?"
There were discussions outside the carriage, and the guard reported loudly: "Madam, many people are blocking the road!"
Blocking the road? Another person crying out for justice? Jiang Yushu subconsciously guessed.
Unexpectedly, the guard happily informed him, "The common people are here to see you off, and they've even prepared umbrellas for everyone!"
"What?"
The Wanmin Umbrella is an umbrella made and presented to officials by local gentry, merchants and common people when they leave office to praise their benevolent and virtuous policies. A cloth strip is tied to the umbrella with the name of the donor written on it.
Jiang Yushu was startled. "Wanmin Umbrella?" She opened the door curtain in surprise, took a few steps out, stood on the car, and looked around carefully:
The streets ahead and the alleys on both sides were crowded with people from different places, groups of people holding umbrellas they had made themselves. The wealthy places used silk cloth to write their names, while the rest used coarse cloth.
The morning breeze blew, and umbrellas of the people and countless long strips of cloth with the names of the people written on them fluttered in the wind.
As soon as the prefect appeared, the crowd became excited and rushed to give him umbrellas.
"grown ups!"
"Master Jiang, this umbrella is a token of our fellow villagers' kindness. Please accept it."
"Take our Jingzhen people first!"
"Sir, can you stay a few more years?"
"Yeah, stay!"
"Why are you leaving so suddenly?"
"Strange, didn't he say he would be re-elected?"
Every face, every call, every word of retention, is sincere and heartfelt.
She has been a government official for more than ten years, and all she sees are her people.
Jiang Yushu glanced at the people, her heart warmed, her eyes instantly burning. She tried her best to hold back her tears and soothed them, "Don't push, don't push. Be careful not to fall or step on others. Listen to me! Don't worry, the court has sent a new governor. Move back—ah, don't push forward, move back!"
She stood on a high place, her voice drowned out by the noisy calls for pleas to stay and for gratitude. The guards and servants tried to dissuade her in vain. In this border town with tough people, it seemed as if they could not express their gratitude if they were slow to deliver the umbrellas. The strong men holding umbrellas rushed forward and piled them in front of the prefect. The two coachmen could not avoid them and were forced to accept them in a panic.
Fortunately, the government officials and soldiers followed and escorted her all the way, and agreed to send the prefect to reunite with her husband.
However, in such situations, officers and soldiers could not draw their swords and could only roar with dry mouths and tongues to disperse the crowd with difficulty.
Jiang Yushu was kind and persuaded her for a long time before she was able to return to the car. As soon as she sat down, tears welled up in her eyes. She smiled and shook her head, and her tears soaked her frosty clothes.
"Mom, are you okay?" Guo Xiaoyan handed over a handkerchief.
"It's okay. I just, it was just an accident. I didn't expect that the people would give the Wanmin Umbrella."
"Of course, they are willing to give umbrellas out of respect and reluctance. Otherwise, even if you hold a knife to your neck, you can't force so many people to send you off with gratitude."
Jiang Yushu wiped her tears and was speechless for a long time. She felt moved and fulfilled in her heart, and thought to herself: All the sweat I shed in Ningzhou was worth it!
Three days later, at the fork in the road leading to Tach, Guo Honglei was waiting as promised.
The Ningzhou government official dismounted and said respectfully, "My Lord, we have escorted Lord Jiang here, and now it's time to return. The road to the capital is long, so please be careful."
Guo Honglei nodded gently, "Thank you."
Jiang Yushu opened the curtains and said, "You guys go back."
The officers and soldiers solemnly paid her a final salute and turned back to Ningzhou.
"Dad!" Guo Xiaoyan leaned forward, and Guo Jiong had already ridden his horse towards his father.
Guo Honglei chatted with his wife and children for a few words, then rode south, crossed the Cang River, climbed over mountains and ridges, traveled by day and slept by night, and returned to the capital.
Along the way, she passed many post stations and recalled the hardships she had experienced during her exile. She often couldn't help but recall the good times and took the opportunity to educate her children.
In mid-June, the group arrived at Quantai Posthouse, a suburban county of the capital.
"Whoa!"
Guo Honglei and his son dismounted, Jiang Yushu and her daughter got off the car, and their entourage and trusted followers took their business cards and went in to arrange for food and lodging.
Upon hearing the news, the postmaster rushed out to greet him, bowing and smiling, "I didn't know your Majesty had arrived. I apologize for not coming to greet you. I'm so sorry! Please, please come in and rest."
Jiang Yushu was still outside the door, looking up at the plaque on the door, "Quantaiyi."
"Quantai Posthouse." The twin brother and sister stood side by side, also looking up at the gate plaque. "Mom, have you ever stayed at this posthouse?"
"certainly!"
The past was vivid in her mind, and her heart was filled with emotion. "This was the first post station during our exile to Xicang. We had just completed the first fifty miles and were too tired to move. The limited food we had was steamed buns made of whole grains, and many people went hungry. Your cousin was only three years old at the time. He used to be fair and chubby, but by the time we reached Xicang, he had become dark and thin."
The brother and sister couldn't imagine, "How pitiful."
"Everything has a cause and an effect." Guo Honglei dismissed the postmaster, approached his wife and children, and solemnly warned them, "Let this past lesson serve as a warning to future generations to avoid breaking the law and repeating the same mistakes."
Jiang Yushu warned, "Once you break the law, not only will you be severely punished, but your family will also be implicated. At the very least, your property will be confiscated and you will be exiled. At the worst, your entire family will be executed, and even your entire clan will be implicated."
The brother and sister listened in awe, "My child understands that he must be an upright person and will never dare to take bribes or pervert the law!"
The couple nodded in satisfaction, "Let's go in and rest. We'll be home tomorrow."
The brother and sister were curious and observed the post station as they walked.
The couple walked faster, and Guo Honglei whispered, "Back then, when I stayed at this posthouse, I was so worried that I couldn't sleep the whole night."
"Me too. On the first night of exile, few people could sleep at all." She sighed, "At that time, I was very afraid of dying on the road. What about you? What were you thinking?"
"I'm worried about my mother falling ill, my sister-in-law secretly committing suicide, and I'm worried about having no way to survive in Xicang... What I worry about most is that the Guo family will be completely ruined and I'll never be able to return to the capital."
She sighed, "Thankfully, we held on, turned the tide, and returned to the capital!"
The next day, noon
"Whoa!"
Guo Honglei reined in his horse and looked towards the city gate. "We're here."
Jiang Yushu then reined in her horse, "My Lord has won. I shouldn't have doubted your ability to ride three thousand miles. My back aches after just two days of riding. I'm ashamed of myself and admit defeat."
Guo Honglei smiled and shook the reins, "Let's go home and rest early."
"drive!"
The two of them rode side by side, passing through the tall city gate, crossing the bustling streets, and heading to the mansion bestowed upon the Marquis of Zhenbei by the court. They settled in Zhuquefang and became neighbors with the nobles again.
Twenty years ago, she was transmigrated as a sixteen-year-old wife, and he was a seventeen-year-old boy in charge of the family.
The Marquis of Jingyang's mansion collapsed overnight. On the first day of exile, when they were tied up and paraded through the streets, the young couple led the way side by side, leading their desperate, ashamed and crying family members, and they left the capital in silence and embarrassment.
The couple loved each other deeply and stood together through thick and thin. They worked hard until now. She was promoted to Minister of Agriculture, and he was named Marquis of Zhenbei for his military achievements. The Guo family made a comeback and became more powerful than before.
Guo Honglei turned his head and stared at his wife: Twenty years of wind, frost, rain and snow at the frontier had carved fine lines between her eyebrows and eyes, but her eyes were still bright and clear, and her gaze was full of spirit.
Jiang Yushu noticed, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing. Just watch your way."
What on earth is it that a man in the world chooses to abandon his wife? Guo Honglei couldn't understand it. For him, it was absolutely impossible. He simply couldn't bear to let go. Losing his wife was like having his heart and lungs ripped out. He couldn't live.
Jiang Yushu turned her head and looked at her husband, who usually had a serious and stern face, and thought to herself: Do all these romantic men in the world who have women on both sides never consider whether their first wives will be sad? Fortunately, he kept his promise and did not take a concubine. In the blink of an eye, they have been married for twenty years. Another twenty years or two more will accompany them and grow old together. How wonderful!
Under the brilliant sky, the husband and wife rode side by side, one in a black military uniform, the other in a light blue cloak. Their backs matched perfectly as they gradually disappeared in the crowd of the capital.
Completed
The author has something to say: This article is finished (＾o＾)/～Happy New Year in advance, I wish everyone good luck, peace and happiness in the Year of the Pig (*＾▽＾*)
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