Chapter 108: New Year's Eve There were some materials left over from building the Princess's Mansion, such as Cai...
There were some leftover materials from building the princess's mansion, such as paint, wood and stone, which came in handy now.
They rushed to renovate the General's Shrine built for General Fei Yanggu before New Year's Eve.
It was nearly the end of the year, and many people had closed their businesses. Some should have gone back to their hometowns. However, on the day when the military temple allowed people to burn incense, there were suddenly many more people on the streets.
Lao Gao was one of them. On a cold morning, his breath produced white mist. He put on his old fur hat, put his hands in his pockets, and walked towards the generals' shrine. In the felt bag he slung across his body were incense sticks, candles, and a small bottle of liquor.
Lao Gao was one of the first people to come here to do business. Originally, in the Mongolian land outside the Tiger's Mouth, ordinary people like them were not allowed to come here to do business. So even if they knew that there were people trading here in the previous dynasty, they did not dare to act rashly.
Until the Mongolian Khans started fighting, the imperial court sent troops to mediate and suppress the conflict. As the saying goes, "before the troops move, the food and grass must be sent first". In war, soldiers alone are not enough, but also various logistics are needed. Lao Gao became one of the first merchants who were able to enter this place.
It was such a tough job. Soldiers were in the front, riding horses, and those transporting food and grass could only push carts in the back. Even though their legs were frozen and numb, they still had to grit their teeth and persevere. What if they didn't perform well this time and never had the chance to make a living here again?
In the end, two of his toes were frozen, but he managed to get a license and was able to do business in Guihua. He started out in the military supply business, and later when the war ended, he switched to doing business with Mongolian tribes, selling brick tea, leather boots and the like.
But when doing business, you will meet all kinds of people, some are kind and some are not. At that time, Guihua City gathered many different Mongolian nobles. Some people relied on their status and position to be arrogant and domineering. They would pretend not to understand when you asked them for money after receiving the goods. "What do you mean? No, no." Or they agreed to pay with sheep, but they got some old, sick, and dead sheep.
The Han merchants suffered losses and could only swallow their anger. The knife handle was in the hands of the masters, who dared to ask for justice? If they really asked for justice, it was common to get a few whips in return.
Once, a master seized his cart of brick tea and threatened to smash his shop and make it impossible for him to do business here. Lao Gao was angry and scared, and watched those people order their men to drag away his brick tea and cart, obviously they would never come back.
He was so grief-stricken that he didn't care about his dignity anymore. He sat down on the ground and burst into tears.
At this time, the general appeared. He had been riding past here, and seeing this scene, he stopped to ask what happened. After listening to Lao Gao, the general frowned, turned his horse around and chased after him without saying a word.
That evening, the master came to the house in person, returned the tea bricks and the wheelbarrow intact, and also gave two fat sheep as compensation.
General Fei Yanggu sternly warned everyone that if they wanted to do business in Guihua City, they had to behave properly, pay for goods, and never bully others or sell inferior goods as good ones. Anyone who disobeyed would be punished by military law, no matter who they were.
It is for this reason that generals have such high prestige among naturalized soldiers.
It's a pity that such a good person is gone.
Lao Gao sighed and stood in front of the newly renovated General's Shrine. A few people had gathered in front of the door, talking in low voices in groups of three or four.
"I don't know what naturalization will be like in the future." said a person, wiping away tears.
In the past, the general was there, not only to control the border, but also to ensure the peace of these small merchants. Although he was away for two years, they just regarded it as a return home to rest. The patron saint is still there, but now, the general can't come back.
Lao Gao lit the incense and bowed devoutly. "General... I hope that if you are still alive in heaven, you can bless Guihua City."
Suddenly, he heard a commotion outside the shrine. Lao Gao turned around and saw a group of nobles in brocade clothes clearing the way and escorting a gorgeous woman into the general's shrine.
With such a grand demeanor and such a large crowd of people, no one else could have been there except a princess who was descended from heaven.
Lao Gao suddenly became alert. Fearing that the servants would chase him away and that he would be punished for blocking the noble's way, he immediately inserted the incense into the incense burner. He was so hasty that he burned his hand and sighed.
"Is he burned? Give him some ointment."
When a soft female voice sounded, Lao Gao didn't dare to raise his head. He immediately knelt on the ground like the people around him.
"No need to be polite. I'm here to burn incense for Mr. Fei just like you. I see that you seem to be queuing up to burn incense. That's good. Please continue." The princess said with a smile.
She actually did what she said.
He waited until Lao Gao and the two common people had finished offering incense before he slowly stepped forward and burned three incense sticks.
An attendant quietly brought ointment and applied it to Lao Gao's burned finger. Lao Gao's eyes widened, as if he were in a dream.
The whole room was silent, everyone stared in a daze.
After the princess finished burning incense, she turned around and said slowly, "The rules set by the general in the past will not change. If there is any injustice, just go to the government office. Even if the government office can't do anything, I'm still here. Everything will remain the same."
The voice is soft but powerful.
She said, "I am a visitor from afar just like you all, but from now on, this place is my hometown. I want this city to be prosperous and people to live and work in peace and contentment."
I don't know which village elder took the lead, but everyone knelt down and shouted "Long live the princess."
"Everyone, get up. It happens to be the New Year, and this is my first New Year here. From today until the seventh day of the New Year, we will distribute dumplings in front of the General's Shrine, so that we can have fun together with the people."
As soon as he finished speaking, someone came over to build a fire in front of the ancestral hall and picked up a big pot. On the table were white and plump dumplings. You could tell at a glance that they were made with good flour and a lot of ingredients. The dumplings were very plump.
There were delicious foods, good luck, and no money was needed. Everyone present couldn't help but laugh, and some smart people even ran back to their homes, asking people to line up quickly.
Shuo Dai, the governor of Guihua City who was following behind the princess's procession, felt mixed emotions when he saw this.
At this rate of message transmission, once the New Year is over, everyone in Guihua City will know that after the general is gone, they have a princess who is willing to have fun with the people and rule for them.
She is worthy of being the emperor's daughter.
Although he sighed, he felt a little jealous in his heart. He Shuodai dared to guarantee that there were still many vendors named Xiao Ming who didn't even know his name as the governor, but they knew the princess's reputation.
However, it might be a good thing. This princess is quite capable in business. If the governance of Guihua City can be improved, maybe when the official assessment comes, she can get an excellent grade and be transferred back to the capital or the prosperous and beautiful places in the south to serve as an official.
The New Year of the 41st year of Emperor Kangxi's reign arrived in Guihua City amid the aroma of dumplings.
"The time is too tight, otherwise we can organize a Spring Festival Gala." Amid the sound of firecrackers bidding farewell to the old year and welcoming the new year, Muxue said to Dorji with her feet on the charcoal basin.
"What is that?" Dorji asked with interest. "It sounds interesting."
Mu Xue smiled: "It's just a group of people performing some shows, such as playing the violin, dancing, singing songs, telling jokes and so on. It will be very lively. But we always have to tell everyone two or three months in advance. Just now, we performed some good shows."
Dorji smiled at her, stood up and said, "Indeed, it is a bit late to ask others to rehearse the program at this time. But if Princess wants to have fun, I have a way."
"What is it?"
Dorji leaned forward and raised his eyebrows, saying, "For this method, we need to ask for some benefits in advance."
Seeing his expression of asking for a kiss, Mu Xue knew what he meant and her face felt a little hot.
The maids waiting by the door also tactfully lowered their heads and hid the smiles on their faces.
Mu Xue snickered and gave him a quick kiss.
"Is that all right?"
"Of course," Dorji said, "We'll settle the payment. I'm always fair."
He had a smile on his face and his eyes were fixed on Muxue. He took a few steps back, gave a few instructions, and then stood still on the large floral carpet in the middle of the bedroom.
The candlelight lit up his handsome face, full of youthful vigor. Monk had brought two people in with a horse-head fiddle and other musical instruments, and sat down on a stool at the side.
Dorji turned his neck to stretch his muscles and said, "I will dance for the princess to cheer her up. It's our dance on the grassland."
After saying this, he stretched out his arms, held his head high, chest puffed out, waist and back straightened, and the moment the sound of the horse-head fiddle rang out, he suddenly took a step, stomped his Mongolian boots heavily on the carpet, and actually started to dance a Mongolian dance.
Dancing casually, with wide and open movements, his strong waist moves to the rhythm of the horse-head fiddle, the gold buckle on the belt makes a clattering sound, sometimes like an eagle soaring in the sky, sometimes like a galloping horse, full of vigor and vitality, rough and bold, fully showing the spirit and elegance of the children of the grassland.
Mu Xue’s eyes widened.
With the last leap, he knelt on one knee, looked up at her, his chest heaving, and smiled, "Are you stunned?"
"Very nice." Mu Xue stood up and wiped the sweat off his face with a handkerchief, her eyes sparkling. "You can also dance."
Dorji grabbed her hand and kissed it gently: "I told you long ago that I am the most worthy of your love on the grassland."
These were the words spoken when they were newlyweds. When she heard them again, Mu Xue chuckled, "Okay, okay."
“Since you like it, I will dance for you on the Spring Festival Gala next year, every year,” said Dorji.
"Really? Then I'll be looking forward to it from now on." Mu Xue said with a smile.
Although they both knew that after the New Year, it would take another half a year before they could meet again.
On the day of departure, Mu Xue still saw him off all the way to the foot of Daqing Mountain.
The clouds on the horizon are floating slowly.
Dorji held her face, kissed her, and said, "Okay, you go back first."
"What? It's obviously you who want to leave."
"I can't bear to leave when you look at me like this." Dorji smiled, "I'd better wait until I see your figure disappear before I'm willing to leave."
Mu Xue nodded, rode on the white horse, and looked back at him deeply: "I'm waiting for you."
The wind from the wilderness blew her hair, and she walked for a long distance against the wind. When she looked back, she could only see the distant green mountains.
When they returned to the princess's mansion and dismounted from the horse, Mu Xue felt nauseous and started to dry heave.
"Did the master get knocked over by the horse?" Rong'er asked anxiously.
Nanny Wu at the side suddenly thought of something and whispered to someone to call Qiuhua over so that she could take Qiuhua's pulse and take a closer look.
Qiuhua rushed over and as soon as he felt the patient's pulse, his eyebrows and eyes lit up with joy.
"Congratulations, Princess. Your pulse is like pearls rolling on a jade plate. This is a slippery pulse."
Mu Xue was startled: "What do you mean?"
"You are pregnant."
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