Chapter 401 Rumors about the New Emperor
The war in the northwest is over.
What followed was the end of several years of turmoil in the northwest of Da Qi.
There were many corpses on the battlefield. Some could be found and collected, but some could no longer be found.
The Kuzi people said:
“Those who cannot be found have already merged into the life of this grassland and will exist forever with it.”
In the first year of Ming Zhao, the Qi cavalry broke through the territories of Tiele Khan and Hunxie Kingdom, destroyed their countries, and intimidated the border areas, shocking the court and the public.
When the reinforcements returned to the capital, some of Xue's soldiers also returned to Beijing to receive rewards.
Some of the Kuzi soldiers who finished the battle continued to serve in the army and guard the border here.
Their home is in the northwest, and they are willing to guard the gate here.
Since this area is vast and sparsely populated, with abundant water and grass, it is suitable for grazing.
Some of the Khezi and other nomadic peoples migrated here, bringing with them their surviving cattle and sheep and their newborn lambs.
New tents and villages appeared on this land, and there were still countless cattle and sheep.
The war is over, and the trade routes that were previously blocked by the war can be opened again.
The Song family who went to the Western Regions to explore trade routes have returned.
They met with the elders of the Song family who stayed in the northwest, and asked each other how everything was going. Then they excitedly talked about the gains of this westward journey:
"We passed through the Aro Kingdom, the Moshi Kingdom...we walked through the desert and crossed the strait..."
Song Yu's cousins couldn't contain their excitement:
"The customs and practices over there are very different from ours in the Central Plains. Their houses are very tall, with roofs as pointed as cones. They don't eat rice, but instead bake dough every day."
"Many of them have yellow hair and green or blue eyes, but they're not scary... They saw us and were scared..."
Several people took out glassware, agate jewelry, spices, and exquisite blankets wrapped in layers from their luggage.
"These goods are of higher quality and cheaper than those we bought from merchants in the Western Regions before. Our Song family can establish more caravans..."
Song Yu's father said good things repeatedly:
"Now it's the new dynasty of Da Qi. Our Song family can make a comeback with dignity! Yu'er can also go home."
He was filled with mixed emotions when he said this.
When the old man was alive, the Song family was so prosperous.
But at that time, most of the Song family members were addicted to wine and sex and indulged in pleasure, because they had a fortune that they could not spend in several lifetimes.
Even he himself has been playing since he was young.
Later, something unexpected happened, and they had a very difficult time in the past few years, but it also forced the descendants of the Song family to wake up from their life of spending money, cheer up, and revive the family business.
The Song family discussed all night and finally split into two groups.
The younger generation will continue to stay in the northwest to prepare for the caravan, while the older generation will return to the capital to contact their previous connections.
Song Yu's father and others were exhausted from the long journey and hurried back to the capital.
They were exiled in the sixth year of Zhaoqing and returned eight years later. Looking at the word "Chang'an" on the city gate, they felt as if they were in another world for a moment.
He left the prosperity of Chang'an and also avoided the war in Chang'an.
When they walked into Chang'an City, they saw that the rebuilt houses and roads were somewhat different from before.
The emperor returned the Song family's former properties in the capital to them, but they estimated that the houses had almost been burned down.
When I went to the old house with a nervous mood, I found that although it had been burned, someone had already renovated it.
Song Yu walked out of the gate quickly:
"Dad, Mom, Second Uncle, Third Uncle, Aunt..."
He was very tanned and thin, but he looked very energetic.
After the establishment of the new dynasty, Song Yu handed over his affairs in Heifet Mountain and then came to the capital.
On the one hand, he opened a new ink-making workshop near the capital, and on the other hand, he began to renovate the ancestral home so that the Song family could return home when they returned to Beijing.
The uncles all praised: "Yu'er, good, good, Yu'er is really becoming more and more like the old man's style. The old man really didn't make a mistake in choosing her!"
Song Yu's mother didn't care about anything else. Before she even entered the door, she hugged her son and burst into tears: "My son has suffered, suffered..."
The crying was a bit loud.
But people on the street didn't seem to care much and looked as if it was commonplace.
Because when the imperial army returned victorious some time ago, many families were crying.
Those who didn’t come back will cry, and those who came back will also cry.
During those ten days or so, crying could be heard in the streets and alleys.
It's human nature, and everyone can understand it. I heard that even the emperor's eyes were moved when he saw the empress and princess returning from the expedition.
But this is just a rumor, and they don't know whether it is true or not.
These days, everyone in the capital loves to talk about their new emperor, empress, and princess.
After all, this family is so different.
They had only heard stories about the emperor leading the army in person, but had never heard of the empress and princess leading the army in person.
Especially after the army returned, many soldiers described vividly the heroic figures of the Queen and the Princess in killing the enemies on the battlefield.
They say that the queen can flatten a mountain with one spear and the princess can drive thousands of horses with one whip.
They also said that they were surrounded by various experts, and when they fought, it was like the Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea.
This story later became more and more miraculous, with people saying that the queen and the princess led the heavenly soldiers and generals to fight against the Hu people.
Anyway, it's outrageous.
The key point is that the more outrageous the story is, the more people will spread it. If it continues like this, it will be only a matter of time before people will build statues of them and temples to worship them.
Compared with before, the rumors about the emperor seem less magical.
They knew that the new emperor was a man of refined talent, full of talent, and a benevolent ruler.
The emperor said that if Da Qi wanted to become rich and strong, it should first recuperate.
The imperial court reduced taxes and labor service to less than half of the previous dynasty, and redistributed land to many people.
As soon as this decree was issued, the people were overjoyed.
It is better for people to live. If they live long enough and outlast the emperor of the previous dynasty, wouldn’t that mean a wise ruler will come?
Moreover, the emperor not only exercised benevolent rule towards ordinary people like them, but also changed the punishment for those criminals in prison.
In the past, those who did evil would either spend their entire lives in jail, or spend a few days in jail and then have their heads chopped off.
However, the emperor changed the death sentences of some people and sent them to dig coal, burn mines and open up wasteland, saying that manpower should not be wasted.
Anyway, everyone thought that the emperor was kind-hearted, at least he didn't chop off anyone's head casually.
Moreover, the emperor is very frugal.
For example, the emperor said that there will be no palace banquet for the Mid-Autumn Festival this year, and that extravagance and waste should be avoided. The emperor, his ministers, and the people should work together to overcome the difficulties.
When the reinforcements returned from the northwest to report, summer had long passed in Chang'an.
The Mid-Autumn Festival is approaching.
The palace gave mooncakes to each court official as a sign of good luck and perfection.
There is no court meeting on the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Pei Lingyun, who was repeatedly discussed by people, left the palace incognito with Wu Yingniang and Su Zhizhi after reviewing the memorials, and took a carriage directly to the Pei family's old house.
They wanted to spend the Mid-Autumn Festival there and spend a leisurely day.
When the family was about to get off the carriage, someone went to the mansion to report to Pei Shu.
Pei Shu, Murong Di, Dong Yue and Ren Dong were all in the big kitchen, their faces and hands still covered with flour.
Pei Shu had a sudden idea this year and wanted to make mooncakes by herself.
So he and Dongyue started working early in the morning, and Murong Di and Rendong were also called to help.
The doorman came to report: "Your Highness Princess, King Yue, the Emperor, the Empress, and the Princess are all——"
Before he finished speaking, his eyes suddenly widened:
"Your Highness, be careful, fire, fire, fire—"
"Fire!"
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