"If those winged people really surrender, how will they be settled?" Cheng Huailiang asked curiously.
"Why settle them? Just like they said, even hunters have difficulty surviving in this mountainous area. Let them stay. As long as they obediently collect medicinal herbs, it doesn't matter if we give them some benefits," Qin Mu said.
"Yes, it's really good," Han Chen agreed.
"As long as they don't leave the island, it doesn't matter. We can even have them help search for those pierced-chest tribes," Qin Mu said with a smile.
"So, the battle at Yazhou can be considered over for now," Yuchi Baoqing said as he sat down. He had spent too much time in the mountains and too little time fighting, which had made him restless. After all, climbing mountains every day was not a pleasant experience.
"Yes! Although the war is over, the pressure is still considerable. In the future, we must defend Shicheng on Yazhou Island! It's big enough to accommodate many people, who can farm near the city. Also, the port in Wucheng will be of utmost importance! Controlling the port will ensure that even if something happens on the island, it will be under our control," Qin Mu reminded him.
Sun Hu hadn't expected Qin Mu to look at him while speaking, which clearly indicated that Qin Mu still approved of the Sun family's garrison in Yazhou. With the recent upheaval in Yazhou, the Sun family's women and children had evacuated, along with the island's inhabitants. It was practically an abandonment of their Yazhou stronghold; if the court sent someone else to the island, no one would complain.
However, if Qin Mu were to help by highlighting the Sun family's contributions before withdrawing his troops, then returning Yazhou to the Sun family would be a logical step. Therefore, Sun Hu nodded with considerable gratitude.
In fact, Qin Mu made the choice that was most advantageous to himself. The fact that he had a good relationship with the Sun family was enough, and doing them a favor would be even better.
As for the city we seized, we'll just hand it over, since we can't possibly occupy it ourselves anyway.
Cheng Huailiang and the others would have no objections, as their interests were entirely aligned with Qin Mu's.
A silent exchange ensued, and everyone broke into a bright smile. A shady deal was thus completed.
"Block the Feathered People and prevent them from leaving the island. Give them more benefits: clothes, food, porcelain, salt, and canned goods. Let them live a better life without having to fight desperately. After a few decades, their fighting spirit will be greatly reduced," Qin Mu suggested.
“Understood, one is born in hardship and dies in comfort!” Sun Hu nodded.
"That's exactly right. Let's see what good stuff they can come up with," Qin Mu said with a smile and a nod.
"Actually, as long as the medicinal herbs are good, it's worth it!" Han Chen said.
"That's right. It's worthwhile to be able to do things that we need but are inconvenient to do," Qin Mu agreed.
"Once we're on the island, our focus should be on recovery. For the time being, we need to turn our attention to the Central Plains and help the court stabilize the country," Qin Mu reminded them.
“Understood. Regarding the matters on the island, our main focus should be on reconnaissance. As for the remnants of the Piercing Chest Clan, I'm sure the Feathered People Clan would be happy to help.” Sun Hu nodded slightly.
Knowing that the war was temporarily over, although vigilance had not been relaxed, people were much more at ease, and the atmosphere in the camp was relaxed and cheerful. After all, the great battle was over, no more people would die, and the calculation of merits could be expected.
The Feathered People acted swiftly; on the afternoon of the third day, a force of two hundred people appeared outside the camp.
Qin Mu didn't hesitate. After all, compared to the actual benefits, there was no need to put himself on a pedestal. It would also leave a gentle impression.
As expected, the Winged People relaxed considerably when Qin Mu came out to greet them. Although Qin Mu and his men had killed many Winged People, the rational Winged People knew that they couldn't blame anyone else, since they were the ones who joined the war first.
Nomadic peoples understand the law of the jungle better; if they fail, they must be prepared to die. However, the risk of extermination forces them to choose surrender.
"Governor! This is a gift from the Feathered People. Please accept it!" Flying Eagle waved to the back.
As the eagle beckoned, the winged people led out two warhorse-like animals from behind, except their faces resembled foxes, their tails were also fluffy like foxes, and they had a pair of deer antlers growing behind their heads.
"These are the most precious treasures of our tribe. There are only seven of them in total, and these two are five years old, still in their infancy," Flying Eagle explained.
Chenghuang, its shape is like a fox, with a horn on its back, and riding it grants a lifespan of two thousand years. Qin Mu pondered his memories, found one that matched, and was slightly startled. Although he didn't believe that riding it could grant two thousand years of life, the fact that it was regarded as a treasure by the Feathered People meant it must have something special about it.
"Thank you! I wonder what's so special about them?" Qin Mu asked curiously.
"Once they reach adulthood, they can climb mountains and wade through rivers as if walking on flat ground. Ordinary cliffs and precipices are no challenge for them. Most importantly, they can attract spiritual energy to gather around them, which will gradually become denser and will not dissipate unless someone absorbs it," Flying Eagle explained.
"It is indeed a rare treasure! Thank you, my friend!" Qin Mu patted the flying eagle affectionately and smiled.
Seeing that Qin Mu was very happy, Fei Ying also became happy and pointed to the boxes behind him, saying, "There are fifty boxes of gems and fifty boxes of medicinal herbs inside, which are to apologize to the Tang Dynasty. The other twenty boxes are for you, Governor."
"You're too kind, my friend. But don't worry, the Tang Dynasty is very generous to its friends. If you ever encounter any difficulties in the future, you can tell me." Qin Mu smiled even more contentedly and led Fei Ying into the camp.
"Really?" Eagle asked in surprise.
"Of course it's true! You can move down the mountain to live here, or even move to the city, as long as you report to the government. We will open shops in the former city of the Pierced Chest Tribe. You can exchange medicine or gems for whatever you need. Our Great Tang has countless good things. You'll see for yourself when you come with us during this time," Qin Mu explained loudly.
"Okay, okay." Not quite used to Qin Mu's enthusiasm, Fei Ying nodded politely.
"That's easy! You can come with us for a few days!"
"But we haven't discussed the terms yet?"
"Don't worry about those things. From now on, we'll live in peace. The Tang Dynasty is the suzerain state. Although you are a subordinate tribe, the Tang Dynasty doesn't need you to do anything. Just do me a small favor, really, just a tiny bit," Qin Mu said, waving his hand.
"I'd be more than happy to!" Flying Eagle agreed verbally, but he was a little uneasy, wondering what conditions Qin Mu would propose.
"You know that we and the Piercing Chest Clan are sworn enemies, but there are still a few of them hiding in the mountains. I can't possibly send out a large army for such a small number of enemies! So I'd like to trouble my friend to help me wipe them out." Qin Mu didn't keep them in suspense and said with a smile.
Hearing that this was the only requirement, Flying Eagle breathed a sigh of relief and immediately patted his chest to assure everyone, "Don't worry, we are more familiar with the mountains and forests than the Piercing Chest Clan. We guarantee to clear them out without leaving a single one."
The Pierced-Chest Clan and the Feathered People Clan are mortal enemies. If they can be completely wiped out, then of course we can give them a push.
"Okay, don't worry, I won't mistreat my friends. You'll see later. Now let's eat and drink well," Qin Mu said with a satisfied smile.
They warmly welcomed the Feathered People and set off on their return journey the next day, taking them directly to Wu City. Upon arriving in Wu City, they held another grand banquet, showcasing the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty to the Feathered People.
After three days of feasting and drinking in Wucheng, Feiying, with strong willpower, overcame his desire for enjoyment and bid farewell to Qin Mu.
Qin Mu arranged for a thousand people to see them off, gave them a lot of grain, salt, and porcelain, and promised to send someone to teach them how to farm next year.
Qin Mu certainly didn't have good intentions; settled winged people were easier to deal with than those who lived separately in the mountains.
The supplies, enough to sustain tens of thousands of people for a month, along with porcelain and cloth, astonished the arriving winged people. They never expected Qin Mu to be so generous. For them, food was paramount, especially in winter when they only had dried fruit and jerky.
The herbs given by the Feathered People were quite good. Two of them could be used to refine pills and enhance strength, while the other, the rarest one, could actually improve one's eyesight.
Qin Mu has returned to the capital. His contribution in defeating the monkey tribe was significant enough. However, he needed to stay in Lingnan, so Li Shenfu returned to the capital instead. This time, he was the commander-in-chief and completely resolved the crisis in Yazhou. Since there were no new developments in Lingnan, he needed to personally return to the capital to report on his duties.
This is actually a common tactic used by the imperial court. Commanders of large armies, once victorious in war, must return to the capital. This serves two purposes: firstly, it relinquishes military power, demonstrating the commander's loyalty; secondly, it avoids suspicion, showing no intention of interfering in local affairs. Of course, from the court's perspective, it's crucial to prevent commanding generals from having too many friends in a prestigious region. After the war, the court will typically assign unfamiliar individuals to manage the area. This also reveals whether the commanding general is willing to relinquish military power.
As the Admiral of the Lingnan Navy, Liu Hongji will work with Feng Ang to manage the Lingnan region. Qin Mu, with his wife and children, embarked on his journey back to the capital.
Regarding how to govern Lingnan and Yazhou, Sun Yi of the Sun family, Liu Hongji, and Feng Ang all personally came to visit and seek advice. However, given the current situation, the priority should be stable development. Therefore, after exchanging opinions, Qin Mu did not inquire further about their specific plans.
With the Heavenly Mystery Tower in place, Qin Mu traveled light, accompanied only by two hundred personal guards, one hundred disciples, and a few close friends including Cheng Huailiang! They all went to the capital to claim their rewards. Of course! There were also one hundred castrated members of the pierced-chest clan.
The little guy was unusually excited about his first long trip and couldn't sit still in the carriage. Princess Changning and Baili Rou had no choice but to take their son and ride on a triangular ox.
"After we go back this time, we probably won't be able to leave Chang'an for a while," Cheng Huailiang said wistfully.
"Princess Qinghe was a very well-behaved little girl," Qin Mu recalled, giving him a strange look.
"Yes, little girl!" Cheng Huailiang sighed. The thought of having to wait several more years made him feel that life was meaningless.
"Brother Qin, Brother Han, I really envy you two for finding someone you like." Yu Chi Baoqing looked at Cheng Huailiang with a sense of shared sorrow and sighed.
"What's there to envy? You mean you don't like the princess? Be careful His Majesty finds out and punishes you," Qin Mu said with a smile.
"Uh! People like you are the truly happy ones, aren't you?" Yuchi Baoqing said wistfully.
"Ahem, do you know what true happiness is?" Qin Mu asked with a smile.
"I don't know." Everyone shook their heads and looked at Qin Mu.
"There are four conditions to meet: first, find a woman who loves you wholeheartedly; second, find a beautiful woman; and third, find a gentle and considerate woman," Qin Mu said with a smile.
"Are you all alright? The princess and Miss Baili both meet the requirements, but we're in trouble. How can we afford to offend the princess?" Cheng Huailiang said, scratching his head.
"The most important thing is the fourth point: you can't let them meet. That's true happiness," Qin Mu said with a sneer.
"What! You said three people?!" Everyone stared blankly at Qin Mu.
After telling a lame joke, Qin Mu ignored Cheng Huailiang and the others who were still feeling melancholy and went to catch up with his son.
It must be said that the drastic changes in the world have had a huge impact, with many new mountain ranges of varying sizes appearing. This situation exists in almost every state, which forces Qin Mu and his group to spend more time taking detours.
The original waterway was blocked, turning what should have been a month and a half's journey into over two months' trip back to Chang'an. Numerous processions were traveling through Guanzhong, a testament to the court's busy schedule. The number of patrolling soldiers in Guanzhong had also increased, but this didn't affect Qin Mu and his men; they were all allowed to pass without question.
Chang'an City remained as prosperous as ever, with crowds flowing in and out, following behind Qin Mu and his group, pointing and gesturing.
"Who is that? I've never seen him before. How come he's leading troops into the city?" A young man asked, fanning himself with a folding fan, in the restaurant.
The other person at the table got up, walked to the window, looked outside, and then turned back with a mysterious smile, saying, "Brother Wang, you haven't been in Chang'an long, so it's not surprising that you don't know them. The leader has quite a connection with your Wang family."
"Oh! I wonder which old friend of the Wang family this is? Brother Wei, please give me some pointers so I can pay him a visit," the young man surnamed Wang asked with great interest.
"The people behind him include Yuchi Baoqing, the second young master of the Duke of E's mansion; next to him, the one with the thick beard, is Cheng Huailiang, the second young master of the Duke of Su's mansion; another is Li Dejiang, the second young master of the Duke of Wei's mansion; and next to him, holding an axe, is Xi Junmai, formerly a member of the Bad Guys, who later joined the Six Doors. As for the one at the very front, he is none other than Qin Huaidao, the youngest Confucian scholar of the Tang Dynasty and the son-in-law of the imperial family!" The young man surnamed Wei pointed downwards and introduced them.
Upon hearing Qin Huaidao's words, the young man surnamed Wang's smile froze on his face. How could he not know the feud between the Qin and Wang families? The two eldest sons of the main branch were still staying in Taiyuan, too afraid to come to Chang'an. He didn't bring up the topic of visiting again, closed his folding fan, and sat back down.
He wasn't interested, but the young man surnamed Wei was very interested. He said to another young man, "Last year, Prince Li returned to Chang'an with hundreds of boxes of treasure to present to His Majesty, which shocked Chang'an. Now, Prince Qin has brought hundreds of boxes again. I wonder what good things are in them. Brother Du, are you interested in going to take a look?"
"Oh! That's quite a lot! This big guy must be a Triangular Cattle! It's really huge! It's said that there are only a few hundred of them in the entire Tang Dynasty, and only about two hundred can be used for combat," the young man surnamed Du exclaimed.
On the road below, the triangular oxen were not only carrying loads but also pulling carts, indicating a considerable scale of activity, which explained the growing number of onlookers. As for Princess Changning, after entering the city, she took her child back to the Qin family home; after all, Qin Qiong and his wife hadn't yet seen their grandson. Also leaving with them were Li Ke, who was traveling incognito from Chang'an, and Han Chen and his wife, who were unwilling to become high-ranking officials.
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