I, Mu Yunxi, am not someone who hides behind the curtain watching the excitement; I am a participant who holds a gun and charges to the front; I am someone who has truly contributed to this country.
The bricks on the Yunzhou city wall were fired by my men; the grain ships in Jiangnan were protected by my men; and the post roads in the Western Regions were repaired by my troops.
This vast land bears the marks of my gun and the soil soaked by my sweat. That's enough.
The most comforting thing is that no one is pressuring me to get married anymore.
After Qin Qianluo and Su Jinyun got married, all the eyes in the court that had been watching my marriage suddenly shifted away.
It was as if a stone that had been pressing down for many years had finally been lifted off the ground; no one felt that "General Mu should get married now."
Every time I went to court, someone would come up and pat my arm: "General Mu is not young anymore, he is twenty-five years old. He should get married. If he doesn't get married, he will be alone in the end."
“I have a son who is gentle and refined, and proficient in all the arts, including music, chess, calligraphy and painting. He is the perfect match for a valiant man like you, General.”
Even the Emperor once jokingly said in the Imperial Garden, "Yunxi, how about I arrange a prince for you?"
The Fifth Prince is gentle and kind, and the Second Prince is brave and fierce; they will surely be considerate and never let you suffer any injustice.
Every time, I would make excuses like "the border is not yet pacified, I have no intention of starting a family," but in my heart it felt like a stone was pressing down on me, making it hard to breathe.
Now, it's as if all the officials in the court have made a pact to avoid mentioning the word "marriage."
Even the meddlesome Imperial Censor Li only talked about "military affairs at the border" when he met me.
The already relaxed days became even more enjoyable.
On weekdays, we would practice shooting on the drill ground. As soon as the morning light shone on the blue bricks of the drill ground, carrying a touch of dew and coolness, I would carry my rifle into the field, the tip of the rifle scattering fallen leaves.
Sweat soaked through the lining, but it didn't feel tiring against my back. I just felt like I had all my strength going. The sound of the gun tassels swinging was more beautiful than any music.
Occasionally, when he was sent out on a mission to fight, he would encounter a strange person along the way who could make mechanical wooden kites.
That man could make flying birds out of nanmu wood. Once strung, they could fly three miles, and their wings could flap. I bought one and hung it under the eaves of the general's mansion. When the wind blew, it would coo.
When she encountered a remarkable person who could identify hundreds of herbs to treat arrow wounds, the old woman casually picked a "hemostatic herb" and applied it to the arrow wound. The wound scabbed over in three days without leaving a scar.
I learned to identify herbs from her, and now the military doctors in the camp all ask me, "What kind of wounds can this herb treat?"
Last time I brought back a talking parrot from the Western Regions. It was all emerald green, with yellow tips on its wings and red claws.
Now, he jumps around under the eaves of the general's mansion every day, shouting at the top of his lungs, "General Mu is the best!" "His spear is the sharpest!" "Peace reigns throughout the land!"
The maids in the mansion gathered around to watch it every day, and even Aunt Zhang, who cooked, would feed it millet.
Upon returning to the capital, he took two jars of fine Fenjiu liquor and went to the Prince Zhao's residence, owned by Qin Qianluo and Su Jinyun, to freeload a meal.
At this time, the chef at Prince Zhao's residence would always make my favorite braised pork hock, stewed until it was so tender that it fell off the bone and melted in my mouth.
Su Jinyun and Qin Qianluo would warm a pot of wine, and the three of them would sit around and chat.
Qin Qianluo loved to tell me funny stories about Su Jinyun "arguing" with others in court. I would often laugh so hard that I would spill half a cup of wine.
Even the Longjing tea that Su Jinyun handed me, I can now drink smoothly, no longer just taking a sip and putting it down like before. Now I can taste the fragrance in the tea.
Looking at Su Jinyun now, I'm gradually not so displeased with her anymore. Last month in court, the Emperor asked us to discuss the matter of stationing troops in the northern border.
The northern border is bitterly cold, and the soldiers have been stationed on the frontier for three years without being able to return home. Last winter, the snow was so heavy that even letters from home could not be sent. Many people looked south and shed tears, and the morale of the army gradually declined.
Su Jinyun stepped forward, holding the memorial, her voice clear and bright: "In my opinion, the defense of the border is not only about protecting the frontier, but also about reassuring the people."
A system of "rotational border defense" could be implemented, with soldiers rotating every six months. Upon returning home, they could bring with them cloth and grain bestowed by the imperial court, easing their homesickness and reassuring their families that they were safe and sound.
No sooner had the words been spoken than an old minister jumped out to object: "Rotating every six months? It will disrupt the allocation of provisions and the deployment of troops, wasting time and effort!"
Before Su Jinyun could speak, I stepped forward, gripping the gun barrel: "Your Excellency is mistaken!" The entire court was stunned.
In the past, when I discussed matters in the imperial court, I would either listen without speaking or deliberately pick on Su Jinyun's words. This is the first time I've stood up for her like this.
"Only when soldiers are at peace can they fight to the death. If they are worried about their families, how can they defend the border with all their might?"
"Premier Su's method, though seemingly wasteful of supplies, actually stabilizes morale and strengthens border defenses. In the long run, it's more effective than forcibly retaining soldiers!"
As soon as I finished speaking, Su Jinyun turned to look at me, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes, before the corners of her mouth curved into a smile.
The Emperor clapped his hands and laughed: "It seems that Minister Mu and Minister Su have reached a mutual understanding! Let it be so!"
After the court session ended, Su Jinyun took out an oil paper package from her sleeve and handed it to me: "These dried bayberries were just transported from Jiangnan. They are sweet and sour and appetizing. You can keep them with you when you lead troops."
I took it, pinched a piece, and chewed it. It tasted even better than fresh bayberries, so I mumbled, "At least you have some conscience."
She raised an eyebrow and smiled: "So you're not calling me an old fox anymore?"
My ears burned, and I turned to leave, saying, "Let's go! Time to practice shooting at the drill ground!" Her laughter came from behind me, warmer than the spring breeze.
A few days ago, an urgent report came from the northern border, saying that the Xiongnu took advantage of the autumn weather and the horses being fat to invade and plunder two villages.
Just as I was about to leave with my troops, Su Jinyun showed up at my door with a military strategy map.
She spread out a map and pointed to the valley west of Yanmen Pass: "The Xiongnu are used to cavalry raids, so they will definitely take this shortcut."
"You lead three thousand light cavalry to ambush them here, and have Vice General Li lead two thousand men to flank them and cut off their retreat. I have already prepared oil; when the time comes, burn their supplies, and we will surely defeat them in one fell swoop."
Looking at the ambush points and grain storage locations marked on the map, even the wind direction was clearly marked, I couldn't help but say, "You've planned everything very thoroughly."
This chapter is not finished yet. Please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com