Chapter 160 She Will Be in Charge of the Southern Border for the Next Forty Years
Another golden autumn has arrived.
Song Zhiyun led her women's army, which had been guarding the border for more than ten years, south and witnessed a bountiful harvest.
In the rice paddies, golden, heavy rice stalks bend low as farmers harvest them with sickles; in the sorghum fields, the stalks droop low, the bright red grains creating a sea of red, as farmers joyfully thresh the sorghum; in the peanut fields, farmers wield hoes to dig up clusters of peanuts; in the sweet potato fields, women squat down, carefully picking the sweet potatoes and placing them into baskets on their backs;…
On the mountain covered with chestnut trees, farmers carefully broke off chestnuts with their spiky, cracked shells; in the apple orchards, men, women, and children picked bright red apples, discussing how much they could sell for; in the pear orchards, teenagers sat on the tree trunks, picking pears and filling baskets to hand to their elders below; on the hillside full of persimmon trees, children ate persimmons, running happily down the slope, leaving behind a trail of laughter;…
In the fields in front of and behind their houses, farmers wielded hoes to dig the soil and plant seeds of vegetables such as lettuce, cabbage, and carrots; in the terraced fields by the stream, farmers drove oxen and water buffalo to turn the soil, preparing to plant rapeseed; on the slopes, farmers carried buckets of manure to water the newly planted peas and broad beans;...
The children herding cattle were playing a game of "flying flower order" with great enthusiasm. One of them, looking down at the busy elders, recited a line: "Ten miles of western fields are fragrant with ripe rice, hibiscus fences and long bamboo strips, hanging mountain fruits are green and yellow."[1] Another picked a branch of osmanthus and continued: "The courtyard is white with crows perched on the trees, the cold dew silently wets the osmanthus flowers."[2]
The female soldiers walked and looked around, filled with emotion.
"It's hard to imagine that we're at war now, with the Yun Kingdom and the capital vying for supremacy."
"I thought Jinzhou was able to supply us with food only because of that goddess. It turns out that the people have such good harvests every year."
"If my uncles and aunts in my hometown had been like this... things wouldn't have turned out this way back then..."
"If He Qinglan gains control of the world in the future, will all the people be able to enjoy the joy of a bountiful harvest?"
To their even greater surprise, the counties and prefectures along the way provided them with assistance: the Ministry of Finance sent people to deliver newly harvested rice, vegetables, and fruits, as well as newly made underwear, medicine, alcohol, bandages, honeycomb briquettes, and matches...
Song Zhiyun initially hesitated to accept the supplies, fearing it would cause trouble for the local people. However, the Ministry of Finance officials repeatedly expressed that it was a token of their gratitude, thanking them for preventing the invasion of foreign tribes and for their years of dedication and sacrifice.
In the distance, people dressed in various styles looked toward their camp and waved to them; the bolder children shouted "Thank you!"; and the students of the academy sang military songs in unison.
The female soldiers wore smiles on their faces, but their eyes secretly welled up with tears.
Regardless of their original intentions in joining the army, they truly guarded Yan Hui Pass day after day for many years. They were wounded, bled, cut off the enemy's head, stabbed the enemy's abdomen, and watched their comrades die in their arms.
They were willing to protect the people on the border and the people in the Central Plains.
But the people they protected along the way were grateful, and they couldn't help but feel emotional: who wouldn't want their efforts to have been worthwhile?
They traveled south, from Yan Hui Pass to Shengzhou. Half of the female soldiers, based on what they saw and heard along the way, had already sided with He Qinglan.
How happy would the common people be if they could live under He Qinglan's rule?
How come the people under the rule of other feudal lords live such a good life?
Song Zhiyun saw it all, but said nothing.
Shengzhou, the prefecture capital.
Song Zhiyun went into the city and met Mo Jingchun, from whom she learned about the current situation of all parties.
Xiao Yong led his army to attack Qingzhou, and Cao Yuan led the Qingzhou army in a fierce resistance. The two armies fought for three or four months, and the Qingzhou army was defeated. Xiao Yong successfully occupied Qingzhou, captured the governor of Qingzhou and Zhu Kexuan, and Cao Yuan committed suicide.
From then on, Qingzhou was renamed "Sun".
At the same time, Meng Junping led his troops from Maozhou and captured Liangzhou, which originally belonged to Sun Yannan. He then planted the flag of the Yun Kingdom on the city walls of both Maozhou and Liangzhou.
Ye Hui was stationed in Chuzhou and Chaozhou, and was locked in a stalemate with Hu Dazhu, who was stationed in Ganzhou, for two months. When she saw that Hu Dazhu seemed to be heading north to help Ning Huai'an, she brazenly launched an attack.
Little did he know that Xiang Yuesheng was just feinting to lure her into sending troops, so that he would have a reason to attack her Chuzhou and Chaozhou.
Therefore, the two armies fought in the territory of Ganzhou. After several months of fighting, Hu Dazhu broke into the territory of Chaozhou and captured one county after another.
Of course, the one who has attracted the most attention is the biggest enemy, Sun Yannan.
"Yue Yao, lightly armed and with a small cavalry force, intercepted Sun Yannan's army before they entered Pingzhou Prefecture, and together with Ning Huai'an who was chasing behind, they launched a pincer attack. The two sides have been fighting until now."
Mo Jingchun spoke quickly, “Zhu Yunze couldn’t sit still in the capital. He was worried that Sun Yannan would be defeated in Pingzhou, so he led his troops south to rescue him. They have now entered Pingzhou territory.”
Song Zhiyun asked, "Isn't Xiao Yong from Qingzhou bringing troops to reinforce us?"
Mo Jingchun smiled slightly, "He'd better not leave Qingzhou."
Song Zhiyun thought of Meng Junping from Liangzhou and suddenly realized, "As soon as Xiao Yong leaves, Qingzhou may very well no longer belong to the Sun family."
Mo Jingchun nodded, "That's right. But the situation is changing rapidly these days, and he can do whatever he wants."
Song Zhiyun understood that if Sun Yannan couldn't hold on, Xiao Yong wouldn't be able to stay in Qingzhou either.
Mo Jingchun picked up the teapot and refilled Song Zhiyun's teacup.
Song Zhiyun picked up her teacup and took a sip; the osmanthus tea left a lingering fragrance on her lips and teeth. She asked, "What should I do?"
Mo Jingchun put down the teapot and smiled, "I request General Song to send troops to intercept Sun Yannan."
Song Zhiyun paused, "I thought you were going to send me to intercept Xiao Yong."
Mo Jingchun said, "Let's leave Xiao Yong and Zhu Yunze to Ning Huai'an and Yue Yao."
The female soldiers who entered the city with Song Zhiyun were granted permission to wander around the city. Filled with intense curiosity, they began to visit the cities of the Central Plains.
They admired the colorful porcelain cups, vases, and bowls in the porcelain shop, selected colorful stationery printed with flowers and plants in the bookstore, played ring toss to get cute animal dolls on the street, looked at all kinds of jade carvings in the exhibition hall, and bought a bag of roasted chestnuts from a roadside stall...
They brushed past the people living in this city.
The babies here have fair, delicate skin; you can pinch their flesh. The teenagers here are full of energy; they can discuss world affairs, do mental math problems, play football and shuttlecock, regardless of gender. The middle-aged people here work in workshops, producing popular goods. The elderly here are healthy and can dance in the square or play chess under the trees.
The female soldier, munching on a candied hawthorn, had a cheerful smile on her face. "Tell me," she said, "what's the difference between the people of Shengzhou and the people of our border region?"
The female soldier, admiring the handkerchief she had just bought embroidered with phoenix feathers, turned to look at the passerby, hesitated, and asked, "Does that mean you look healthier because you're eating better?"
The female soldier, having cracked open a chestnut shell, picked up a chestnut and popped it into her mouth, casually replying, "Richer? Better dressed?"
The female soldier swallowed the crushed hawthorn and said, "I think they look more energetic."
Her comrades turned to look at her in surprise, unable to comprehend, "More...energetic?"
"Hahaha, you must be joking. How could the people of the Central Plains be more spirited than the people of our border town?"
"Exactly, exactly! Our people are facing enemies at any moment, how can they not be spirited?"
What spirit are you referring to?
The female soldier, who was being questioned, shook the candied hawthorn and said, "Do you guys understand? I'm talking about something that's produced by material abundance, which makes them look very energetic."
Fellow soldiers: "?"
I can't understand what she's trying to say.
The female soldier was in a hurry. Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck her. She took a bite of a candied hawthorn and exclaimed, "Confidence! It's confidence, the kind of confidence that comes from being raised in a wealthy family!"
Fellow soldiers: "..."
The female soldier raised one eyebrow and said, "We have protection, we eat well and dress warmly, we have jobs, we have land to cultivate, and our children can go to school..." Her spirit is different from that of us poor border people!
Jinzhou, Goddess's Palace.
He Chen put down her pen and took the letter that He Qinglan handed to her.
The little girl blinked and quickly read through the text, “...Song Zhiyun, the leader of the Women's Army at Yan Hui Pass?”
He Qinglan calmly and patiently explained to He Chen the relationship between the border and the Yun Kingdom, "...Now that her father is in poor health, the border is entirely under her control. She wanted to do something for me, so she led her troops south."
The goddess's gaze was icy cold as it fell on her daughter's face. "Do you know why?"
He Chen thought for a moment, “She is showing her loyalty to you. If you gain the world and establish a new dynasty in the future, but she has not made any contributions, it will be difficult for her to maintain her current position in the new dynasty.”
He Qinglan could easily transfer other generals to the border, which would go against Song Zhiyun's original intention to protect the Song family army and the women's army. Therefore, Song Zhiyun had to go south no matter what and make military achievements under He Qinglan's command.
“Not bad.” He Qinglan nodded. “This is for me, for the people in the Yun Kingdom’s administrative office, and for the people of the world.”
He Chen put down the letter and asked He Qinglan, "Are you going to reply to her?"
He Qinglan nodded.
He Chen picked up the brush, dipped it in ink, and held the tip above the inkstone. She asked, "What do you want to write?"
He Qinglan said, "Tell her that if she can capture Sun Yannan, I promise her that she will be in charge of Yanhui Pass for the next forty years."
He Chen: "Huh?"
The future Crown Princess couldn't understand. She looked at He Qinglan and asked hesitantly, "Can you tolerate her guarding the border for forty years?"
That's the border! In her upbringing, places like the border were always entrusted to trusted confidants. Did her mother really trust Song Zhiyun that much?
He Qinglan's lips curled up slightly. "Song Zhiyun's ancestors were generals for generations. She began guarding the border with her father when she was sixteen and retired at the age of seventy. She spent her life on the battlefield and never let any foreign tribes cross Yan Hui Pass."
He Chen's eyes widened.
He Qinglan reached out and touched her head, her voice softening slightly, "This is a prophecy from your mother."
It was also a blessing from the goddess to Song Zhiyun.
However, there's no need to worry, as He Chen won't lay a hand on Song Zhiyun in the future.
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Author's Note: 1. The next chapter will deal with Sun Yannan, and the chapter after that will conclude the story.
[2] The courtyard is white with snow, crows perch on the trees, and the cold dew silently wets the osmanthus blossoms. Tonight, the moon is bright, and everyone gazes at it; I wonder whose heart is filled with autumn thoughts. (From "Looking at the Moon on the Fifteenth Night, Sent to Vice Minister Du" by Wang Jian, Tang Dynasty)
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