Chapter 149 Ending: The Eternal Grassland
It was foggy when we set out. I had already gone to the palace yesterday to bid farewell to Emperor Kangxi, the Empress Dowager, Concubine Yi and others, so I didn't need to go again today, so I had no time to rush.
Mu Xue changed into riding clothes for easier movement, and the maids opened the windows, revealing a thick fog.
"It just so happens that there is heavy fog today." Nanny Wu said, "I don't know when it will dissipate."
Muxue turned her head to take a look and saw that the fog was indeed very thick. It was not yet bright, and the people busy packing their luggage in the courtyard had to carry lanterns to see clearly.
"It's okay, the fog will eventually dissipate," Mu Xue smiled slightly, "After the fog dissipates, it should be a sunny day."
She walked into the mist and arrived at the gate of the princess's mansion, but saw many lanterns with different stickers on them, including the words "Yong" and "Heng".
The Fourth and Fifth Princes were talking in front of two horses with brocade saddles. When they saw her coming, the Fifth Prince smiled and took two steps forward: "Fourth Brother and I will see you off."
Mu Xue smiled: "I have walked this distance more than once, and I am not a child anymore, so why should I trouble Prince Yong and Prince Heng."
"Tsk, we also want to take the opportunity to go outside the capital for a walk, just to relax." The Fifth Prince turned around and said, "Fourth Brother, don't you think so?"
The Fourth Prince put his hands behind his back and nodded, "Yes."
"Then I would like to thank my fourth and fifth brothers."
Similar people and similar seasons made Muxue feel a little dazed, as if she was relived when she left the capital many years ago.
However, there is still a difference. In the past, she rode in the silver-topped red-wheeled carriage of Princess Heshuo, but now the carriage frame has been replaced with the gold-topped red-wheeled carriage of Princess Gulun. This rank was earned by her own efforts.
Mu Xue bent down and was helped by a maid to sit into the golden-topped and red-wheeled carriage.
The wheels rumbled forward for a long time, and Rong'er, who was sitting on the axle, said, "Princess, we are leaving the inner city."
Mu Xue heard it, stretched out her hand to lift a corner of the curtain and opened it. The fog was much thinner, the sky was getting brighter, the tall city gate stood silently, and people along the street were carrying loads and baskets. Because the prince and princess were passing through the city gate at this time, they were stopped by the guards at the corner of the street and looked around curiously.
It's almost dawn.
When the carriages left the outer city and the team stopped for a short while, Mu Xue abandoned the carriage and rode on a horse. The white horse she rode was still the one given by Dorji.
The fog dissipated and the sun came out brightly. Mu Xue held the reins and looked back at the distant Sijiu City in the sunlight. Her mood was as calm as the clouds in the sky.
Judging from the time, the Fourth Prince and the Fifth Prince should also return.
"Thank you, fourth brother and fifth brother, for seeing me off," Mu Xue said while riding on horseback.
The Fifth Prince was a little reluctant: "Hey, I don't know when we'll see each other next time."
He could see that the Fourth Princess was eager to return home.
Mu Xue smiled and said, "There will always be a time for us to meet. Or if you have some free time, come and relax at my place, that would be even better."
“If there is such an opportunity, I will definitely go.”
The Fourth Prince glanced at her and said, "Take care."
Mu Xue nodded: "You too, take care."
She turned her horse, gave a shout, and rode away.
It’s still more enjoyable to ride a horse, Mu Xue thought as the strong wind blew her hair.
Traveling westward, they arrived at Shaohukou. Muxue saw from afar that many people were stopped on both sides by guards.
She didn't pay much attention to them at first, probably because they were merchants who wanted to pass through the customs. But when she got closer, they suddenly knelt down and shouted "Fourth Princess" loudly.
Mu Xue was startled, reined in her horse, and asked the people around her in doubt, "What's the injustice?"
The local official accompanying him said hurriedly, "There is no grievance. These people heard that you were passing through here, so they waited here to pay their respects. Many of their families are going to naturalize or make a living in Mongolia, and they are very grateful to you."
Mu Xue was skeptical. Her eyes wandered among the crowd of people kneeling to pay their respects. They landed on an old woman with a girl and asked someone to call them over for questioning.
"Old man, don't be afraid. Is there something wrong?" Mu Xue dismounted and spoke to the grandparents and grandchildren very gently.
The old woman unexpectedly had the opportunity to meet the princess, and she could not speak complete words, mixed with local dialect, stumbling and excited. Basically, she said that the children of their family could not support themselves by farming in Kouzi, but after going to Xikou, they found a way to make a living.
"My son and daughter both said that the princess helped a lot. We didn't collect rent in the first few years of the land reclamation, and even if we did, it was much lower than the rent in the village." The old woman wiped her eyes, "It's good now that we have something to eat."
Mu Xue's heart softened: "That's the result of their hard work. I didn't do anything."
The little girl who was supporting the old woman shouted, "I heard that the princess allows girls to go to school. Is that true?"
"It's true," Mu Xue bent down and rubbed her hair, "If you study well, you can become a manager."
The little girl's eyes lit up instantly: "I'm so smart. Next year when I grow up, I will also go to Princess City!"
"Princess City?" Mu Xue blinked.
The official next to him explained: "People call it that in private. It used to be nicknamed Sanniangzi City, but now people are gradually calling it Princess City. It's just like calling the post road to Kulun Princess Post Road."
Mu Xue was flattered: "This, everyone is too flattering to me."
She also greeted some people carefully and chatted with them about family matters. Although she felt a little embarrassed, the corners of her mouth kept rising and she couldn't suppress it.
Finally we passed Shaohukou and a grassland with lush green grass appeared in our sight.
The sky was high and blue, with clouds floating slowly by. Many sheep were grazing on the grass. A shepherd who was sitting on a rock to rest caught a glimpse of the fourth princess's flag, and immediately stood up, took off his hat and saluted from a distance.
After the princess's team had passed by a little, the shepherd hurriedly drove the sheep back, thinking that he had to tell the people in the tribe about the princess's return.
The fourth princess finally came back, and someone finally took care of the matter that had been pushed back before.
Without the Fourth Princess guarding over them, some officials were like herding sheep. They were too lazy to deal with even trivial matters.
The horse's hooves stepped on the green grass. Muxue looked up and saw an eagle circling above the grassland, its broad wings sweeping across the blue sky.
Looking at the eagle flying in the sky, she felt happier for some reason.
Gradually, fields appeared on the edge of the grassland, which was her rouge land.
There were vast tracts of farmland, clear ditches, and neatly built houses. In the distance, one could see the roofs of the commune and school that she had built.
The wind blew with the scent of wheat. The wheat is about to ripen.
"The princess is back!"
I don't know which farmer shouted, and the busy people in the fields looked up with surprise on their faces. Before the wheat was ripe, the princess finally came back.
In front of the city gate, the people who had been waiting for a long time were excited by the princess's flag in the sunlight.
Muxue urged the horse to go faster. When they were not far from the city gate, she sighed and asked the horse to stop.
She had to stop, her little princess had already rushed out first, as agile as a little antelope.
As soon as Muxue got off the horse, Nuomin jumped into her arms.
"Mom! You're finally back. I missed you so much..."
The little princess spoke in a long tone and acted coquettishly in her arms.
Mu Xue lowered her head and hugged the little princess tightly: "Mom misses you too."
"Only think of her?"
A familiar teasing voice sounded, accompanied by a smile. Dorji stood not far away, his light-colored eyes filled with the sunlight of the entire grassland.
He took two steps forward and opened his arms towards her: "My moon is finally back."
There were low, friendly laughs all around.
Muxue's cheeks were slightly hot, and she glared at him. They were an old married couple, but they were still like this. "I'm holding Nuomin." Muxue whispered.
Dorji raised his eyebrows and said, "It's okay, no conflict."
He suddenly put his arm around Muxue's waist with one hand, picked up the little princess with the other, and easily lifted them both up.
Mu Xue was caught off guard, and she cried out in surprise and hugged his neck. The little princess on the other side laughed, "It's so fun."
"Is it fun? It can be even more fun." Dorji tilted his head towards Muxue and whispered in her ear, "Hold tight."
Mu Xue hugged him tightly.
The next moment, Dorji actually spun around with them in his arms. The hems of the mother and daughter's clothes spun out like petals, shining in the sunlight.
"Okay, put it down." Muxue smiled and patted Dorji's shoulder.
Dorji still put them down.
The little princess turned her head, smiled at Duoerji, and complained loudly to Muxue: "Mom, Dad heard that you were coming back, so he didn't sleep much last night. Look, he even put on powder."
Dorji said nonchalantly, "What do kids know? I'll let your mother see my best side. Let's go home."
"Well, go home."
Muxue held Dorji's hand in one hand and the little princess's in the other, and walked towards the princess's mansion surrounded by the crowd.
Every brick and tile she saw was built with her own eyes. In the past, the area around the princess's mansion was a wasteland, but now it is full of houses and shops. Crowds of people are bustling and camel bells are ringing.
She walked through the city with her heart filled with pride.
When she returned to the princess's mansion, the governor and other officials, the garrison soldiers, and the nearby taijis saluted her one by one, with increasingly respectful and humble attitudes. His Majesty had previously sent an edict to grant the fourth princess the power of supervision. Everyone knew that this princess would guard this place for a long time, and they dared not disobey her.
After resting for a while, Muxue began to inspect the grasslands, starting from Guihua City, following the post road north to Kulun, then to Maimai City, and finally spending the New Year in Kulun.
The heavy snow in Mobei fell as expected. The little princess, who was spending the New Year in Kulun for the first time, felt particularly curious and went out to watch people making snowmen and ice sculptures.
Inside the golden tent, Muxue and Dorji sat side by side on a jewel-studded throne, discussing matters with the princes and taijis.
"This is the law for the three major Khalkha banners. Next year, the officials of the Lifanyuan will work with you to finalize the specific regulations." Mu Xue glanced at everyone, "Do you have any objections?"
No one objected.
After the meeting, Muxue and Dorji walked out of the golden tent and watched the little princess playing in the snow.
The snow has stopped, and the clouds that blocked the sun have been blown away by the wind. Golden light shines on the snowfield, brilliant and glorious.
Mu Xue looked at the vast snowfield in front of her, and for a moment she thought of the distant Forbidden City.
The bloody storm surrounding the dragon throne will never stop, but it is a distant thing.
What she cares about at this moment are the grasslands, herdsmen, cattle, sheep, caravans and crops.
The winter snow will melt, the spring grass will grow again, and the wheat will ripen. Year after year, life will never end.
What can we leave behind after coming here?
Mu Xue smiled softly.
I don't know if she can leave any traces or accomplish any earth-shaking feats. But at least, she tried her best not to be changed by the world.
In the midst of ice and snow, she chose to see the grass roots that would grow again beneath the snow.
The grass on the plain withers and grows again every year.
Wildfires cannot be extinguished; they will spring up again with the spring breeze.
(over)
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