Chapter 45 With a heart full of hope for peace, husband: Yan Changjun left.
In the third month of spring, once the ice and snow melt away, the full warmth of spring is revealed.
The road from Jiankang to Liyang is about 700 to 800 li long, and the branches are covered with green leaves and wildflowers greet you along the way, which is quite delightful.
Li Yunru had come out to relax and also wanted to see the beautiful landscape of the Jin Dynasty, so the group was not in a hurry and traveled very slowly. They set out in mid-spring and by the third month of late spring, they had only reached Dongwu County.
Dongwu County belongs to the territory of the Cui family of Qinghe. It is a small place with only a few thousand people, but it covers an area of more than a hundred miles. It is mainly farmland, with hills as a secondary feature.
Thanks to its advantageous geographical location, the area boasts a thriving agriculture and economy, and its people live in peace and contentment.
Li Yunru remembered that when her father was on the throne, he had issued an imperial edict to Dongwu, which was essentially a commendation for the county's annual tribute, making it the top among all counties.
"Let's rest for a few days in Dongwu ahead before continuing our journey."
In the past, when she was in the palace, she only frequented the area around the capital. She had never seen it before. Today, she was passing by, which could be considered a kind of fate. She should stay for a few days to experience the local customs and culture of Dongwu.
"yes."
The group had no further objections to her words, and the carriages and horses entered Dongwu at dusk.
The county was indeed as bustling as she had imagined, with shops lining both sides of the street and vendors constantly calling out their wares: some selling candied hawthorns, some selling silk flowers, and others selling various kinds of firewood and fresh fish...
Too many to count.
The constant noise woke up the few people in the carriage who were initially tired and drowsy, and they all poked their heads out to look.
Shu Yun looked at the people and things she passed along the way and sighed.
"Wow, so many people! Princess, I never would have guessed that Dongwu, despite its small size, is actually quite nice."
Upon hearing this, Yan Sheng stopped eating and naturally picked up where she left off, replying, "Dongwu belongs to Qinghe territory. The Cui family of Qinghe is my maternal grandfather's family. They are a powerful and influential clan. My ancestor, Cui Yan, once held a high-ranking position among the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers. This was the culmination of a century of accumulation. They were also very strict in educating their family members. Now that everyone has arrived..."
She meant that during the reign of Emperor Qi Xuan, the power of aristocratic families reached its zenith.
No, it wasn't Emperor Xuan of Qi, but Emperor Ai of the previous dynasty. He indulged in pleasure and neglected state affairs. The power of aristocratic families was at its peak at that time, but it also caused many problems. For example, the social classes became extremely polarized, making it difficult for people to make a living and causing constant peasant uprisings. This is why people like Emperor Xuan and the current Emperor Shangwu emerged who seized power with hoes.
Realizing this, the powerful families learned from the experience and supported Emperor Xuan of Qi to ascend the throne as a choice to [illegible - possibly "make a choice"].
Emperor Xuan came from humble origins and understood the hardships of the common people. After ascending the throne, he implemented many policies that benefited the people, such as reopening the imperial examinations, returning farmland to agriculture, and reducing corvée labor and taxes. The powerful families tacitly approved of these policies.
During this period, there was a brief balance between the powerful families and the imperial power.
However, Emperor Xuan's ambitions did not stop there. After gaining actual power through the imperial decree year after year, he began to weaken and even eliminate the powerful clans. First, he took back some of the military power that Emperor Ai had given to the powerful clans. Then, he launched a large-scale land redistribution decree, gradually dismantling the land that the powerful clans had held in their hands for many years. Not only that, but the temples and scriptures promoted by the powerful clans were also greatly reformed and weakened.
Ultimately, the powerful families were forced to unite once again to protect their rights...
My brother once said that the power struggles among those at the top are all bloody battles, extremely cruel and brutal, and it's hard to say who is right and who is wrong.
Therefore, Emperor Xuan's fate was expected, but... people are not puppets after all, and it is impossible for them to be completely devoid of emotion and accept everything calmly.
She lowered her eyes, gently clutched the hem of her clothes, and apologized to Li Yunru, "I'm sorry, sister-in-law, I misspoke."
...
When Li Yunru heard her mention the word "Qi," she roughly guessed that it referred to her father, the emperor. Their identities were opposed, and even with this superficial relationship between sisters-in-law, it seemed that nothing could change anything.
This is not Yan Sheng's fault.
She speaks without thinking; at her age, she naturally says whatever comes to mind.
Even knowing this, Li Yunru couldn't say "it's alright" without feeling guilty. She lowered her voice, stroked Yan Sheng's face, and said with a hint of helplessness, "Ah Sheng, I know you didn't mean it, but I don't really want to hear these things, so if possible, please mention them less in the future."
Her family's wealth was not only stained with her tragic past, but also with the blood and tears of her father and mother. Even though they said they had no regrets, and even though she knew that this outcome was inevitable after the failure of the game, and that from everyone's perspective it was neither right nor wrong, she could never forget it.
"I understand." Yan Sheng was young and lively, but she was not heartless or naive. Hearing Li Yunru say this, she fell silent.
This caused the atmosphere to suddenly become awkward.
The carriage fell silent, leaving only the constant commotion outside the curtain.
After about half a cup of tea's time, Yan Sheng broke the silence first, pointing to a candied hawthorn vendor outside and asking, "Sister-in-law, would you like some candied hawthorn? Dongwu's candied hawthorn is the most famous, with a perfect balance of sweet and sour, not greasy or bitter."
This wasn't her first time here. When she was a child, she had passed through Qinghe with her mother and stayed here for half a day. But back then, this place wasn't like this. It was very desolate, with thieves and beggars everywhere on the streets, and many people who didn't have enough to eat or wear.
The mother couldn't bear it, so she set up a charity hall and distributed porridge for two days. Everyone there called her a female bodhisattva.
But she said she wasn't a female bodhisattva.
She did all this simply to make her and her brother understand the difference between them and these people.
The poor struggle with all their might but cannot even touch their toes; a mere flick of the finger from a noble family can save their lives.
That's the difference between them and these people.
They may give alms to these people whenever they feel like it, so that they will be grateful and serve them, but they must never forget their own identity and get too close to them.
She told them that everything she had was given to her by her family, and that without her family, they would also be one of those beggars fighting with vicious dogs for food.
Therefore, no matter what the future holds, one should always prioritize the interests of the family and not be overly concerned with personal desires.
ah!
These dogmatic words were like a knife hanging over her head!
It's so painful and depressing!
So... she ran away.
"good."
Li Yunru knew that she was trying to ease the tension, and that she herself had been somewhat inappropriate earlier. Besides, she really liked this food, so she picked up on the conversation and agreed.
The group got off the carriage, stopped the vendor selling candied hawthorns, and took about ten skewers.
The bright red fruit, coated in syrup, is so appealing that it stimulates the taste buds.
She likes this.
However, we didn't have those means when we were young. A string of candied hawthorns cost three coins, and my older sister would have to wash the old lady next door's clothes for more than an hour to earn one coin. She would have to go up the mountain to dig for ginseng for a long time to earn ten coins.
This money has to support four siblings... even basic necessities are a problem. And that's considered good. If the situation gets bad and the authorities come to arrest people, then there won't be a single penny left. They'll have to hide in the mountains and eat wild vegetables and tree bark to survive.
Therefore, she wanted to eat, but there was nothing to eat, and she could only watch longingly.
Li Yunru had a very hard life, begging for food like a beggar. She would pick up the cakes that were thrown on the ground, wipe them clean, take them home, and share them with her older brothers and sisters.
Because of the hardships I've endured, I've always had a strong craving for these sweet cakes and treats. Even though the palace had everything, including countless delicacies, I would still sneak out to buy some food whenever I had the chance.
Things that were unattainable in youth are always endlessly romanticized in memory, remaining fresh and unforgettable.
...
After buying candied hawthorns, they weren't in a hurry to leave. They asked Song Ji to find an inn to arrange accommodation first, while the girls strolled around the streets.
The Great Jin Dynasty had a curfew. In the past, during the reign of Emperor Ai, the gates were closed at the hour of Xu (7-9 PM), and no one was allowed to leave. Those who violated the order were fined a thousand coins for minor offenses and lost their lives for serious offenses.
The reason for such a severe sentence in this matter stemmed from Emperor Ai's idea that people should rest as dusk approaches, and those who walk outside are either thieves or criminals. Therefore, this law was strictly enforced.
However, after her father ascended the throne, he relaxed many restrictions in order to promote people's livelihood and economy, and the lock was not put on until three quarters past 9 PM.
Emperor Shangwu had only been on the throne for half a year and had not made any changes. Therefore, by this time, it was completely dark and the excitement had not subsided. However, they had been traveling a long way and did not have much time to enjoy themselves. They took a quick stroll, bought some things that the young lady liked, and then returned to the inn.
Song Ji arrived early and had already arranged everything. He drank two cups of tea as soon as he entered the room, and after he had recovered a bit, the dishes were being served in the kitchen.
After eating, Songji discussed tomorrow's itinerary with her, and then they went their separate ways.
Li Yunru returned to her room, washed up, and was about to rest when she heard a knock on the door.
The man put on a coat, got up, and opened the door. He saw a minor official in blue robes outside and asked, "May I ask if you are Lady Liyang?"
"Um?"
"What is it?"
This sudden appearance, especially the one who called her by name, made Li Yunru more wary. She took a step back without making a sound, gripping the door with both hands, thinking that if the person dared to do anything, she would immediately close the door, and if she was quick enough, she could even crush him with the door!
Unaware of Li Yunru's thoughts, she took out a letter from her sleeve and said, "A letter from the County Magistrate."
He handed the things to her and left without asking any further questions.
Seeing that the person had gone far away, Li Yunru suspiciously opened the letter. Inside, she saw a beautiful handwriting in small regular script, the strokes elegant and graceful, just like its owner.
The letter was brief, containing only a few words: "Greetings, from Yan Changjun."
Li Yunru looked at those words and didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
It's commendable that he was so thoughtful as to remember to send her a letter, but how he knew she had arrived in Dongwu and settled there remains a mystery.
She thought about it and decided that perhaps she should reply to him.
Since leaving Jiankang, she had deliberately avoided mentioning this. Yan Sheng would send letters home to let her know she was safe, and she would also send a separate letter to her brother. The two siblings were in frequent contact. Yan Sheng asked her if she should also send a message to Yan Ning, but she refused.
The two had no contact whatsoever along the way.
She learned from Yan Sheng that the man had entered the capital in March, taken up the post of Governor of Sizhou, and assumed military power in Jiangzuo.
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Author's Note: I made a few minor changes, but the overall structure remains the same. This chapter will focus a little more on the plot and political intrigue. The male and female protagonists will also grow in this chapter, especially the female protagonist, whose mindset will undergo a qualitative change. She will no longer be as inclined to a hedonistic mentality of living day by day as before. However, I am not very good at writing political intrigue. The main purpose is to serve the plot of the female protagonist's growth. Please understand. [Milk Tea]
Ah! I thought I'd get skipped, but I actually made the list! 20,000 words, oh my god! I'll try my best to write even without a draft. I'll let you know in advance if I don't update. I'll still update around 11 PM every night. Hope you'll add this to your favorites to help me get on the next list! Love you all! [Orange Heart]
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