Chapter 114 The Prince Who Failed to Revolt
The nights in Tibet always came later than those in the Central Plains. Zhang Xiaojia sat on the grassy slope outside the tent, watching the last ray of sunset glow gradually give way to stars.
She will set off to return to the Liao Dynasty tomorrow, but He Fei is still discussing matters with the generals in the military tent.
"County Lady, it's chilly at night." Qingxing came over with a fox fur coat and gently draped it over her shoulders.
Zhang Xiaojia gathered his fur coat and felt a hard object on the lining with his fingertips. He felt it out and found it was a delicate copper whistle, only the size of a thumb, with fine patterns engraved on it—the pattern of the Big Dipper.
"This is..."
"The prince ordered it to be made," Qingxing said with a smile. "They say Tibetan craftsmen used a special technique to create it, and the sound can be heard ten miles away. The prince said that if anything happens on the road, blowing it will be heard by the nearby garrisons."
Zhang Xiaojia clutched the copper whistle in her palm, the coolness of the metal gradually warming to her body heat. Three months ago, when she had rushed here, He Fei had laughed at her disregard for her own safety. Now that they were about to part, he had become fussy, even personally overseeing the modifications to the carriage, thickening the walls and adding three layers of cushioning.
"Jia Jia."
"Are you done with the discussion?" Zhang Xiaojia moved aside to make room for him.
He Fei sat down beside her and handed her the item in his hand: "This is for you."
It was a sachet embroidered with geraniums, the stitching fine and the colors vibrant. Zhang Xiaojia sniffed it closely, and it was the unique Tibetan scent of snow lotus, mixed with the bitter aroma of some herbal remedy.
"What's inside?" she asked curiously as she wanted to open it.
He Fei held her hand and said, "Gesang flower seeds. Take them back to the capital and plant them in our yard." His voice was low.
"This time when I go back, I will come to see you in winter." Zhang Xiaojia said cheerfully.
He Fei: "Jia Jia, after this battle, I'll retire, okay?"
"I absolutely agree," she said in a deliberately lighthearted tone, "but I don't know whether you agree or not."
"No matter." He Fei rarely showed a stubborn expression, like a sulking teenager, "In the past fifteen years, we have been apart for most of the time. I won't do that."
His chin rested on the top of Zhang Xiaojia's head, and his voice was muffled. "When we conquered the Great Jin, my brother said we wanted to stabilize the situation. When we recovered the Great Liao, my brother said he wanted to appease the people. Now that Tibet is almost pacified, Jiajia, after we return to the capital, we shouldn't ask this brother to come over, right? We'll take Mother and wander the world~"
"Okay, after this, I'll take Mother to Jiangnan and have some fun for three to five years."
He Fei nodded and held her hand. "The three major tribes have agreed to surrender, so the other small tribes are nothing to worry about." He paused. "Jia Jia, I've asked them to prepare a carriage. Tomorrow you..."
"I know," Zhang Xiaojia interrupted him. "Walk slowly, don't travel at night, and rest at the post station every day." She imitated He Fei's tone, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but rise. "You said it three times."
He Fei pinched her nose helplessly: "Last time you rushed over 800 miles, I was so scared that I almost fell off my horse. If I find you traveling day and night again this time..."
"What?" Zhang Xiaojia raised his chin provocatively.
He Fei suddenly picked her up sideways, startling Zhang Xiaojia so much that she let out a low cry.
"I'll do this for three days and three nights."
Zhang Xiaojia hugged his neck, feeling the warmth from his chest: "You dare!"
————
As the carriage slowly drove out of the military camp, Zhang Xiaojia leaned out the window and saw He Fei standing outside the gate, his posture straight as a spear, his black cloak fluttering in the wind. Even after the carriage turned around the foot of the mountain, the figure remained standing there, as if he was about to stand like a statue.
Inside the carriage, Zhang Xiaojia finally let her tears fall.
Sentimentality only lasts for half a day, but Zhang Xiaojia couldn't stand sitting in the carriage for half a day.
She wiped away her tears, secretly laughed at herself for being sentimental, and got up and got out of the carriage. Long Er and the group of Long Weijun were laughing and dividing the bet money. Long Er won. He bet that the Princess of Lin'an would not be content to be a carriage carriage.
Long Er handed the horse to Zhang Xiaojia.
Zhang Xiaojia mounted his horse and said, "Long Er, how many days do you think it will take for us to return to Beijing and then go to Daliao?"
Long Er: "A carriage takes 23 days, 300 miles a day takes 15 days, and 800 miles a day takes 6 days."
Zhang Xiaojia thought for a moment and said, "We'll travel 300 li a day, change horses at the post station, and then leave these carriages for ten days to slowly ride back."
Long Er nodded and made arrangements.
The cement road was flat and wide, and the sound of horse hooves was crisp and rapid. The post stations along the way had already received orders from the Wude Division and had prepared the fastest horses and dry food. The Dragon Guards followed closely behind, and the group swept through the mountains and rivers of Longyou like a gust of wind, covering 300 miles a day and staying at post stations at night, without delay.
Five days later, Tongguan.
Zhang Xiaojia halted his horse and gazed eastward. As morning light broke, the Guanzhong Plain came into view, and in the distance, the Yellow River meandered eastward like a ribbon.
Long Er handed over the water bag: "County Lady, we will arrive in Bianjing in two days."
Zhang Xiaojia took a sip of water, narrowed his eyes and smiled, "Long Er, do you think the emperor would be furious if he knew I didn't take a carriage?"
Long Er grinned: "If His Majesty was really angry, he wouldn't have asked the post station to prepare horses in advance."
Zhang Xiaojia raised an eyebrow, thinking so. Her brother had said, "No late night travel," but the post stations along the way had already been arranged, clearly tacitly allowing her to hurry back to Beijing.
Inside the Purple Palace, the emperor was reviewing memorials. Hearing Zhang Xiaojia's request for an audience, he said without even raising his head, "Let her in."
Zhang Xiaojia strode in and bowed, "Your humble servant greets the Emperor."
The emperor put down his brush and looked up at her. "I told you to take a carriage and travel slowly, but you're so good as to ask me to travel 300 miles a day?"
Zhang Xiaojia came forward with a smile: "Brother, I have something important to report!"
The emperor snorted: "He Fei is in trouble again?"
"No!" Zhang Xiaojia pulled out a document from his sleeve and presented it with both hands. "This is the educational policy that He Fei is promoting in Tubo. Please review it, my royal brother."
The emperor took it and opened it to examine it carefully. The document detailed He Fei's strategy of establishing schools throughout Tibet, teaching Chinese, and instilling the idea of "being a citizen of the Great Zhou." It even included several copies of the Thousand Character Classic handwritten by Tibetan children.
A hint of surprise flashed in the emperor's eyes: "He is thoughtful."
Zhang Xiaojia nodded. "He Fei said that military conquest can only last temporarily, while cultural education can bring lasting peace and stability. Ten years from now, when these Tibetan children grow up, they will be proud to be citizens of the Great Zhou."
The emperor pondered for a moment, then looked up at her and asked, "Are you in such a hurry to come back just for this?"
Zhang Xiaojia blinked: "Of course there's more." She took out another letter from her bosom, "He Fei asked me to bring it to my brother."
The emperor took it, opened it and looked at it, his brows raised slightly.
There was only one line in the letter:
"Brother Emperor, I would like to take Jiajia and Mother to live in Jiangnan for a few years. I hope you will approve."
The emperor raised his eyes, with a half-smile: "Is he thinking of giving up?"
Zhang Xiaojia immediately said, "Brother, he has been fighting for fifteen years. It's time for him to take a break."
The emperor snorted and put the letter aside: "Not allowed."
Zhang Xiaojia sat cross-legged on the ground. "Brother, according to my understanding, He Fei will be able to return to Beijing in two years at most. I still have four years in the Liao Dynasty, so I will also return to Beijing in two years."
The emperor sighed and put down the memorial: "Are you stupid? The road was paved in the early stage. You have to work hard for two years to get the silver. You only have two years to get the silver. In the end, you will return the land under the control of the Liao Dynasty to the court, and you will get both money and fame.
After He Fei returns to Beijing, he can go to Daliao to see you. When winter comes, you can return to Beijing to reunite with He Fei. Jiaer, there is no need to test me. If you and He Fei don't betray me, I will always trust you.
Zhang Xiaojia thought for a moment and said, "Brother, you're the best. By the way, brother, Lin'er is twenty years old and it's time for him to get married. Do you have any good candidates?"
The emperor said calmly: "You choose between the prime minister's granddaughter and the daughter of the Duke of Wei's son."
Zhang Xiaojia thought for a moment and said, "Okay, I'll bring them all back to Daliao this time and see who Lin'er likes."
The emperor looked at Zhang Xiaojia with a mental retardation: "I dare not let the granddaughter of the prime minister, the head of all officials, and the jewel in the crown of the Duke of Wei be picked like cabbages at the market, and you are so good, you want to take both of them to the Liao Dynasty?"
Zhang Xiaojia blinked: "Brother, this gives Lin'er more choices..."
The emperor sneered, "Do you think you're picking radishes in the Liao vegetable garden? If I approve it today, the Prime Minister will be kneeling and crying outside the Purple Palace tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow, the Duke of Wei's wife will submit a memorial saying that their daughter has suddenly fallen ill!"
Zhang Xiaojia curled her lips: "How can it be so serious? How can I get them to agree?"
He suddenly lowered his voice, "What is your son's status? He is my eldest son, raised by your prince, and the next king. His marriage has attracted countless people's attention. Don't you know?"
The emperor rubbed his temples and suddenly sighed, "What sin did I commit in my previous life? In this life, I have to worry about the country and clean up the mess you make every time..."
The emperor suddenly pulled out a memorial from under his desk and threw it in front of her: "Read it yourself!"
Zhang Xiaojia unfolded it and saw that it was a memorial submitted by the Ministry of Rites titled "Request for Discussion on the Ceremony for the Marriage of the Second Prince He Lin". It listed eighteen densely packed rules and at the end included the detailed family histories of the twelve candidate noble ladies.
"This..." Her eyes widened, "How come even the twelve-year-old baby from Minister Li's family is on the list?"
The emperor sneered, "Are you in a hurry now? Didn't you just want to take people to the Liao Dynasty? Next month, when Lin'er returns to the capital to report his duties, I will ask my mother to hold a banquet. Tell him to choose honestly."
Zhang Xiaojia smiled and leaned over to give his brother a shoulder rub. "I'm a wise ruler, after all. Which one should I choose?"
"One of them, the Prime Minister's granddaughter or the daughter of the Duke of Wei's son, will be a good friend to Lin'er in the future." The emperor slapped her hand away, but couldn't hide the smile on his face. "Go to the side hall to eat. Just looking at you gives me a headache."
Zhang Xiaojia made an exaggerated bow: "I will take my leave. I will go find my mother."
The emperor waved his hand and said, "Withdraw, I still have memorials to review." When Zhang Xiaojia reached the palace gate, he added, "Remember, since He Lin pretended to be ill, I will send He Fei to guard Qiongzhou for three years."
Zhang Xiaojia staggered and almost tripped over the threshold. She looked at her brother sadly.
Zhang Xiaojia went to find his mother.
Concubine Chen's eyes turned red when she looked at Zhang Xiaojia, and Zhang Xiaojia sat directly next to his mother.
Zhang Xiaojia whispered in his mother's ear: "Mother, I plan to take you to the Liao Dynasty this time, secretly."
Concubine Chen didn't believe her and was very angry. "She said she was going to Jiangnan. She has been saying that for more than ten years~"
Zhang Xiaojia raised his hand and said, "This time it will definitely be a success. Spring plowing in Kyoto starts more than a month earlier than in the Liao Dynasty. I'm going there in two days."
As soon as Concubine Chen finished speaking, Nanny Qiao smiled and said, "Don't worry, Your Majesty. I'll go and prepare it right away. But..." She glanced at Zhang Xiaojia hesitantly, "County Lady, should I inform His Majesty about this first?"
Zhang Xiaojia waved her hand. "Don't worry, Ma'am. My brother will be away presiding over the Spring Ploughing Ceremony for three days. By the time we realize Mother is missing, we'll have already reached Tongguan." She gave a sly smile. "Besides, if my brother gets really angry, I'll say Mother forced me to take him."
Concubine Chen poked her forehead and said, "You little girl, you even dare to make up stories about me!"
Three days later, the emperor returned from spring plowing. As soon as he stepped into the palace, he noticed something was wrong - palace maids and eunuchs were kneeling on the ground outside the Purple Palace.
"What's going on?" The emperor frowned. Kneeling and bowing were not permitted in this dynasty. This matter was serious. Jia'er returned to the capital, and her mother...
The eunuch stepped forward tremblingly: "Your Majesty, the Queen Mother is missing..."
The vein on the emperor's forehead jumped: "What do you mean it's gone?"
"This morning, the palace maid went to pay her respects and found that the bedroom was empty, leaving only this..." The eunuch handed over a letter.
The emperor unfolded it, and on it was written Zhang Xiaojia's flamboyant handwriting:
"Brother, I'm taking Mother to the Liao Dynasty to see the snow. Don't worry. By the way, you can decide on Lin'er's marriage. I have no objection!"
There was another line of small characters on the back of the letter, written by Concubine Chen: "Don't worry, Your Majesty. I will be back soon."
The emperor clutched the letter, speechless for a long moment. Despite the glorious spring sunshine outside the palace, he felt his heart pounding.
"Send an order," he took a deep breath, "have the Wude Division send a team of soldiers to provide covert protection. Also..." He paused, "tell all the post stations along the way that the Concubine Dowager is old and must be provided with the most comfortable accommodations."
Just as the eunuch was about to leave, the emperor called him back: "Wait, I have one more message for the Princess of Lin'an..."
"Just tell her I've issued an edict forfeiting her five-year salary."
---
At this time, an inconspicuous carriage was galloping on the official road leading to Tongguan.
Inside the car, Concubine Chen opened the curtains and looked out the window at the passing scenery, her eyes full of curiosity: "Jia'er, is this the cement road you mentioned? It's really smooth."
Zhang Xiaojia: "Yes, mother. The emperor used up all the money in the inner treasury to build a cement road in the Great Zhou Dynasty. He stole my money to spend!"
She leaned close to the concubine's ear and said, "When we get to the Liao Dynasty, I will take you to see something even more spectacular—the Liaohe Dam, which is even more magnificent than the Hongqiao Bridge in Bianjing!"
Concubine Chen smiled and nodded, then suddenly remembered something: "Oh, about the Emperor..."
Zhang Xiaojia waved her hand. "Don't worry, mother. My brother will just deduct some of my salary. I'm not short of money. Besides..." She smiled slyly, "I asked Qingxing to leave a letter, saying that you've been dreaming about your grandparents for years and want to visit the places where they fought..."
Concubine Chen's eyes were slightly red, and she sighed softly: "You child..."
The carriage suddenly slowed down, and Long Er reported from outside: "County Lady, there is a post station ahead, do you want to rest?"
Concubine Chen was about to refuse, but Zhang Xiaojia said, "Take a break. Mother can't stand the constant torment of traveling day and night."
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