The spring of the fourteenth year of Wende came earlier than in previous years.
In the blink of an eye, two years passed.
The stalemate was finally broken.
Beirong and Xiliang were no longer able to sustain the seemingly endless war, so they left behind countless corpses of their comrades and retreated in separate groups.
Pei Meng of the Northwest Army led his troops to pursue the Western Liang Army. Not only would they chase the desperate enemy, they would also kill them all.
The Grand Commandery ordered the pursuit of the Beirong army, and that Beirong must not be allowed to make a comeback. If there was an opportunity, the Beirong royal court would be directly destroyed, and the entire Beirong royal family would be killed.
This is the order of Grand Commander Li.
Liu Zhao volunteered to lead his army to pursue the Beirong royal court, but was rejected by the Grand Commander Li.
"His Majesty has issued an order summoning His Royal Highness the Prince of Qin to the capital to report on his duties. This is the order, Your Highness, please review it."
Liu Zhao suppressed his dissatisfaction, picked up the imperial edict and glanced at it.
As expected, he was summoned back to Beijing.
"The war isn't over yet, why are you calling me back to the capital now?"
"I don't know. Your Majesty, please tell your servants to pack up and set off tomorrow."
"My lord, since you dislike me so much, you must be hoping that I will return to the capital as soon as possible." Liu Zhao exposed Lord Li's inner thoughts.
Lord Li laughed heartily, "Your Highness is a great Buddha. This temple of mine has no room for him. Let's go, let's go."
Lord Li waved his hand, trying to drive Liu Zhao away.
Liu Zhao leading the troops was like heaven and hell for Lord Li.
Every time Liu Zhao led his troops to war, Lord Li worried about something unexpected happening and could not sleep or eat.
If you live like this for four or five years, you might end up living ten or eight years shorter.
He wished he could pack up Liu Zhao and send him back to the capital right now.
The longer Liu Zhao stayed, the more worries he would have to worry about.
Liu Zhao was also very straightforward, "We will leave for the capital tomorrow. Is there anything you would like me to bring back to the capital?"
"Your Highness, I appreciate your kindness. It would be better for you to return to the capital as soon as possible. I have nothing to bring you."
Liu Zhao rolled his eyes.
The next morning, before dawn, Liu Zhao led his personal soldiers back to the capital.
The war continues, and it's time for him to retire.
Looking back, he would miss the land and the people here. But he missed his wife and children in the capital even more. He hadn't seen them for several years, and wondered if they were doing well.
…
The capital city is as bustling as ever, and it's getting even more lively.
At the refugee camp in the north of the city, after confirming that Beirong and Xiliang would not invade again, a large number of refugees packed their bags and prepared to return home.
In order to facilitate the refugees' return home, the car company organized a large-scale convoy.
As long as you pay a small amount of fare, the four-wheeled carriage will take you back to your hometown.
Refugees, carrying large and small bags, lined up to buy tickets.
"Carriage No. 103, five tickets. Here you go."
"Where is car number 103?"
"Go straight down the official road. If you can't find it, ask the driver on the side of the road."
"Oh!" The refugee took the ticket and led his family to look for carriage number 103.
"Buy a ticket and go to Xihe County."
"How many people?"
"Ten adults and four children."
"I need to buy twelve tickets, each ticket is one hundred and twenty coins."
"Why is it so expensive?"
"This is already the best price. If you go to a car dealership outside to rent a car in Xihe County, your family won't be able to rent a car without ten taels of silver."
That's true.
Cao Dalang hesitated. "Take twelve tickets. Can I return them?"
"You can get a refund within five days. Go to the refund window. We don't process refunds here. Which date do you want a ticket for?"
"I want tomorrow's."
Cao Dalang handed over the money in one hand and the silver in the other. He took the twelve bills and kept them close to his body, worried that they would be stolen.
After buying the ticket, he hurried back to the cement house he rented.
Both rooms were filled with luggage.
After enduring several years in Beijing, I can finally go home.
Mr. Cao could not hide his excitement.
It is hard to leave one's hometown.
After so many years away from home, what I miss most are my house, land, and oil press.
"I don't know if my house has been damaged. If I go back now, I can still plant a new crop. I also need to reopen the oil press. Lai Da, have you bought the ticket?"
"I bought it. It's for tomorrow's ticket, and it only cost a little over one ounce of silver. Carriage number 235, leaving early tomorrow morning."
"There are more than a dozen of us in our family. Can one carriage accommodate us?"
"Don't worry. We can even accommodate thirty people, not to mention a dozen."
"Can it hold so many people?"
"It's a widened and lengthened four-wheeled carriage, specially used for transporting goods. It was specially used to carry people for the convenience of us refugees."
"The fare is only a little over a hundred coins per person. Isn't it a loss for such a long distance?" Cao Xu asked curiously.
Cao Dalang shook his head. "I heard it's a benefit for the people, and they only charge a little money for fodder."
"The imperial court has been very kind to us refugees over the years." Cao Xu felt emotional.
Master Cao puffed on his pipe and nodded, saying, "The court today is much stronger than it was in the past. Old woman, do you remember the year we got married? There was also a war. The court wasn't as merciful as it is now. The grain was confiscated by the government, and there was not a single grain left in the house. Fortunately, you hid two sesame cakes on you, so we survived."
"Who says it isn't? The imperial court is really thinking about the people nowadays."
Cao Xu laughed again after she finished speaking, "I never thought that after living for decades, I, an old woman, could also eat a bowl of rice from the imperial court."
Both husband and wife laughed.
Cao Dalang said weakly, "Why don't we stay in the capital? The capital is much better than Xihe County, both for work and business."
"Bullshit!" Master Cao shouted, "Our family is in Xihe County, so we must return to Xihe County. If we don't go back, who will take care of the land? Who will manage the oil press? Don't think about it, just go back and farm for me. The land is our foundation. If we stay in the capital without a house or land, we will be like duckweed. When we die, we will be buried in a mass grave and won't be able to enter the ancestral tomb."
Cao Xu repeatedly echoed, "Boss, your father is right. Xihe County is our root, you must not have any thoughts that shouldn't be there."
Cao Dalang's wife secretly pulled Cao Dalang's sleeve, signaling him not to talk nonsense.
Cao Dalang looked bored. "I was just saying it casually. I didn't say I wouldn't go back to Xihe County. I just thought there were more opportunities in the capital, so I wanted to make some money before going back."
"Dream on! Unless I die, you can't stay in the capital." Master Cao's words blocked Cao Dalang's little thoughts.
The couple returned to the next room.
Cao Dalang's wife complained, "Why did you bring up the idea of staying in the capital?"
"I just wanted to test it out." Cao Dalang said aggrievedly.
Cao Dalang's wife snorted, "Now's not the time to stay in the capital. I've been away from home for so many years, I have to go back first. We'll find an opportunity to come to the capital next year. While I'm at home, I'll do some more embroidery and sell it in the capital. The price will be at least twice as high as in Xihe County."
"So much more expensive?" Cao Dalang was surprised.
Cao Dalang's wife nodded heavily. "I bought silk threads specially. They are not available in Xihe County. Don't tell your mother-in-law about this. If she knew, she would divide my silk threads among my elder and younger sisters."
Cao Dalang laughed and didn't respond. The "eldest sister" and "youngest sister" his wife mentioned were both his biological sisters. What could he do about his mother's partiality for her daughter?
He asked, "What should I do then?"
Cao Dalang's wife rolled her eyes at him and said, "Just keep pressing the oil. Didn't you say that tea seed oil is expensive in the capital? Press more tea seed oil and bring it to the capital to sell later."
"That's a solution. Don't forget that we still have shares in Universal Transport, and we can get dividends every year."
Speaking of this, Cao Dalang's wife looked very happy.
I took a gamble and used all my savings to buy Universal Transport shares. It was a wise decision.
It’s a pity that there are only three shares.
If she had thirty shares, she would wake up laughing in her dreams.
Then she sighed again, "It's a pity that Dabao can't stay in the capital to study. I heard that the elementary school in Xinmin County doesn't charge tuition, and even the writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone are free. There are no free schools in Xihe County for Dabao to study."
"So I said we should stay in Beijing, and we'll buy a house in Xinmin County. We'll live downstairs and rent out the upstairs."
Cao Dalang's wife rolled her eyes at him and said, "Where's the money? Where will it come from? Can you convince Dad and Mom?"
Cao Dalang looked depressed. "Forget it, forget it. I'll find a way to come to the capital next year."
I have to go back this year no matter what.
No one has been home for several years, and I don’t know how dilapidated the house is.
The next morning, more than a dozen members of the Cao family, carrying large and small bags, found carriage number 235 along the official road.
"All large luggage must be placed on the roof of the car. It is not allowed to be placed inside the car taking up space."
"What if the roof falls off the car?"
"It can't fall. If it did, the people sitting at the door would definitely see it."
The carriage door opened at the rear, so if the luggage fell out, it would be visible.
"Can the roof hold so much luggage?"
"Don't worry, the roof is welded with iron bars and covered with wooden boards, so nothing will go wrong. We've made hundreds of trips back and forth transporting people and goods, and there's never been a problem."
"Where did you pull before?"
"We can even go to the frontier and the prairie."
"It'll take about ten days to get to Xihe County. Can you make money with this little money?"
"It won't take more than ten days. We're going fast, so we can get there in seven or eight. If the road were paved with cement, it would be even faster. To be honest, the fare you gave us isn't even enough to cover the fodder, let alone our driver's wages."
"Then are you willing to take us back to Xihe County?"
"With subsidies from the imperial court, the car dealership won't lose money."
"The imperial court is quite generous this year, organizing a carriage to take us refugees home."
"I heard that the imperial court made a fortune last year and has some spare cash, so they're willing to spend it to benefit the people."
"Where does the court make money? Brother, you are well-informed, tell us."
"It seems they captured a hundred thousand cattle, sheep, and horses, as well as tens of thousands of prisoners, all of which were exchanged for money."
"One hundred thousand cattle, sheep, and horses, how much would that cost?"
"One million taels is definitely there."
"How can prisoners be exchanged for money? Isn't it said that prisoners are a waste of food?"
"What you said is all old news. Prisoners are very valuable nowadays. Border troops are not willing to chop off heads, but prefer to capture them alive."
"Tell me, tell me, what's going on?"
"When you return to Xihe County and see it with your own eyes, you'll understand. Even if I tell you now, you won't understand."
－－－－－－Digression－－－－－－
The fourth volume is coming to an end.
Then comes the fifth and final volume.
Double monthly tickets, let’s have fun!
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