Chapter 28 A strange feeling hit Mu Xue. …
A very strange feeling hit Muxue.
The sunlight shone on her, warm and cozy, and it also shone on them. Regardless of their status, the sunlight always shines generously on the people on earth.
She came here because of the imperial decree of marrying into the Khalkha clan. And these people left their hometowns and became wanderers for a living.
People at this time are very attached to their land and will not easily leave the cave dwellings where their ancestors have lived for generations and move to a completely unfamiliar place unless they are really in trouble or need to make money.
When they left their homes and their loved ones, what emotions did they have? Perhaps the old mother would hold back her tears and stuff a few oatmeal buns made overnight into her bag. The younger girls might tearfully send their lovers all the way to the village entrance.
As for themselves, will they be worried about not knowing where they will be tomorrow? Will they be afraid of the long road ahead, carrying the expectations of their families but not being able to bring back a penny? Or will they be optimistic and hope that good things will happen?
Although their identities and circumstances are very different, in the end, they are all wanderers in the world. They all have to go to a strange place because of various reasons.
Perhaps, she could help them in some places, and they might become her capital to establish a foothold in Saishang grassland for a long time. All plans and plots ultimately need people to complete them.
Mu Xue stared at those new travelers going west for a long time, until the people in front felt strange and came over to urge them.
"What's wrong? What are you looking at?"
The Fifth Prince also looked back like her and thought it was strange. What was so good about a bunch of common people?
"It's nothing, I just think that it's not easy for them either, having to make a living outside the Great Wall." Mu Xue came back to her senses and said with a faint smile.
"You women just love to be sentimental." The Fifth Prince raised his leg and walked forward, "Let's go, Fourth Brother and the others have passed."
Mu Xue agreed, got back into the sedan chair, and was carried by everyone through the gate under the city wall.
It has been sunny recently without any rain. In order to ensure that the princess and the prince have water to drink, the soldiers ahead dug a new well by the road in advance. They are all experienced and good at identifying the terrain, and can quickly dig a sweet water well. If ordinary people dig wells randomly, they will most likely dig a salt water well, and the water is bitter and hard to drink, and can only be used for livestock.
When they stopped for a rest, Mu Xue's sedan happened to stop not far from the sweet water well. The maids brought buckets of freshly drawn water and set up a small charcoal stove to make tea for the fourth princess.
The tea was Biluochun tea brought from the palace. It was brewed with boiling water and the aroma filled the air.
Mu Xue held the teacup, the steam from the tea leaves warming her eyes. She stared at the tea soup, thinking of the people who went west.
After walking so far and under such hot sun, you must be thirsty.
She raised her eyes and looked at the sweet water well. There were two guards standing around the well to guard it. She knew that the water from the well would not be given to ordinary people to drink at will.
So he called her guard Huang Zhong over and gave him some instructions.
Following the princess, the merchants and the geese were also resting.
They were very observant. Although they had to rely on the power of the nobles to follow behind, they could not follow too closely. Otherwise, if the soldiers came to drive them away, it would be troublesome. Therefore, they automatically kept a certain distance so as not to be annoying by sticking too close.
Among the people walking along the geese was a father and son, whose lips were dry and cracked and turned white. The son, Xiao Liu, took out a gourd, shook it, and found that there was still some water in it, so he handed it to his old father.
"Dad, drink some water."
"My baby drinks."
"Well, drink it."
Old Liu had no choice but to sip and moisten his lips: "That's fine, we're still a few miles away from the place with drinking water."
“This road is really hard.”
"That's good. At least you got the documents and can pass through the checkpoint with dignity." Lao Liu said, "In the past, I had to climb over the city wall and crawl through a dog hole to get through."
If they were caught, they would be beaten severely and all the money they had would be extorted. Lao Liu had a friend who was beaten to death because he held on to his money bag and refused to let go.
Now, there were many Eight Banners soldiers stationed in Guihua City. In order to supply military rations, they enclosed ten farms and allowed them to get tickets to farm, which was also a way to earn a stable income. Therefore, Lao Liu took his son to farm together.
After a short break, they saw the princess driving ahead, so they hurriedly picked up the farm tools carefully and carried them on their backs to move forward. This hoe was just redeemed from the pawnshop, and it would be pawned again at the end of the year to get money for the New Year, so even if people were to make mistakes, the farm tools could not be.
Old Liu and Little Liu walked slowly among the crowd.
Passing by the place where the princess had just stopped, I saw a few guards guarding a sweet water well. Passers-by all looked askance, but they could also swallow their saliva. It was obvious that this well was dug for nobles, and was used exclusively by nobles and officials. When no one was around, it would be covered with a well cover and locked.
Strictly speaking, the land outside the west exit was all Mongolian land, so they didn't dare to dig wells at will. Otherwise, if a mounted slave rushed out and trampled someone to death, they would have nothing to say.
The father and son looked at each other reluctantly and continued to walk forward. As they walked past, they suddenly heard a guard speak: "Hey, do you want some water?"
Old Liu was shocked. What? Thinking? Thinking? Is that a sin? He immediately shook his head like a rattle.
The guard smiled and said, "The fourth princess is kindhearted and sympathizes with you for having to travel so far, so she specifically ordered that if you want to drink water, you can come and get water from the well, but you are not allowed to pollute the water source."
Everyone looked at each other in disbelief. Xiao Liu was brave enough to go forward and bow to ask for water. As a result, the guard actually let him draw water from the well.
Xiao Liu was really thirsty, so he held up the gourd and gulped the liquid into his mouth, drinking most of it in one breath.
She instructed: "It's not a good idea to only dig one well for Huimin. You should keep an eye on it. When you get back, get the money and hire someone to find a good spot to dig a well. Don't dig too close to the well, and don't dig too far from the well."
After another day of walking, we arrived at Guihua City. In fact, this city is strictly Mongolian and belongs to the Tumed tribe of Mongolia. It was built in the pre-Ming Dynasty. The famous female ruler of the southern desert, "Sanniangzi", presided over the overall situation in this city. She changed four husbands and was in charge of the military and political power of the grassland for decades. Sanniangzi negotiated peace with the pre-Ming Dynasty court and opened a horse market, where Mongolian and Han people could trade. To this day, some Han people still call Guihua City "Sanniangzi City".
Muxue was on her way to Guihua City when she heard Dorji mention this matter inadvertently.
As soon as he heard it, he was fascinated: "To my surprise, there are such people on the grassland."
"Of course, and there is more than one," Dorji looked at Mu Xue and said, "Before the Third Lady, there was Mandu Haihadun. When the Khan died at that time, she was only 30 years old. Everyone wanted to be her successor husband and inherit the Khanship. However, she chose a four-year-old noble orphan as her new husband and new Khan. Unify Eastern and Western Mongolia."
He sat beside her in the carriage, looking at her with a very gentle gaze: "Princess, there may not be a majestic palace like the Forbidden City on the grassland, but you will like it here, like my grassland. So, don't be afraid."
Dorji had accompanied her into the Forbidden City several times. After passing through the layers of palace gates, the Fourth Princess's original relaxation became less relaxed, as if the entire Forbidden City was pressing down on her. In the end, she followed the rules very quietly and could not be faulted.
Being stared at by such a pair of gentle eyes, Mu Xue was actually a little afraid to continue looking into his eyes. She just turned her face to the side, lifted the embroidered curtain with her hands, and pretended to look at the scenery outside.
Dorji's laughter was low.
"Princess, do you like me a little more now?"
"I'm dreaming in broad daylight."
She replied, still not looking at him.
There was a moment of silence, and the wheels rolled over the mud, leaving two deep indentations.
When they were almost there, Muxue thought about the people of the Tumed tribe and asked Dorji: "Are you familiar with the Tumed governor? Is there any special etiquette?"
Hearing this, Dorji's tone became a little indifferent: "The former Tumed governor was indeed hereditary from the Mongolian lineage. But last year, the emperor convicted and suspended the former governor on the grounds that "the Tumed soldiers were listless and unskilled in archery and horsemanship." Later, a Beijing official was sent to be the governor. I don't know this person very well."
At that time, many of his Mobei tribesmen were here, entangled in one place, and occasionally had some minor frictions and conflicts. Therefore, when the emperor blamed the former Tumed leader, the Khalkha tribe remained silent.
But after the battle was decided, looking back at the situation, Dorji felt that it was a bit subtle.
He once privately told his grandfather Tushetu Khan about this, and his grandfather said meaningfully: "The Golden Family has ruled here for more than a hundred years, but now they can't even keep their position as a governor. Bogd Khan is really powerful."
Their Mongolian tribes used to call the Qing emperor Bogd Khan.
Mu Xue understood the subtlety of the tone and stopped asking questions, thinking quietly for a while.
The ones who came to greet Muxue and others were the new governor-general sent by the Qing court and General Fei Yanggu, who was in charge of the army. In addition to them, there was someone who surprised Muxue, the lama who was the seal holder of the local Yellow Sect temple Dazhao Temple, Neiqi Tuoyin.
A white and soft silk Hada was gently placed on Muxue's neck.
"I wish the Fourth Princess good luck, good health and longevity." said the Lama holding the seal.
"Thank you very much."
After presenting Hada to Muxue, the Fourth Prince, and the Fifth Prince, the Seal-Holding Lama looked at Dorji and smiled: "Dundobu Dorji, you are finally back. When your grandfather went north, he was still thinking about you."
Dorji said: "Yes, I brought the princess back with me."
After a few pleasantries, he moved to the Left Governor-General's Mansion and took a few people to their respective places for settlement.
Considering that Muxue was a princess, a large room in the government office was specially chosen for her.
General Fei Yanggu introduced: "This place was renovated from the Shunyi Palace. It has been cleaned up now. Please... cough cough cough... I'm sorry."
He turned his back and coughed.
Mu Xue frowned and asked, "General, are you not feeling well lately?"
"It's an old problem, cough cough, nothing to worry about." Fei Yanggu said.
Since he was ordered to garrison Guihua, he has been on the battlefields one after another, even in heavy snow that was higher than the horses' legs, so he had to go out to fight. This is why he got this disease. It was better in normal warm weather, but even in spring this year, he still felt uncomfortable.
Mu Xue said: "Among the people I brought as a dowry, there is a professional doctor, and I also brought some good medicinal herbs with me, which is just right for treating Mr. Fei."
"Thank you for your kindness, Princess," Fei Yanggu said, "In fact, I have already submitted a memorial to His Majesty. After welcoming the Princess, I plan to return to Beijing to retire."
"This is not a conflict," Mu Xue said softly, "In fact, Mr. Fei and I have a long history. I heard that the house I'm staying in in Beijing was purchased by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and renovated from your mansion."
Fei Yanggu remembered: "It is true."
"I lived in your old house in Beijing, and I am also living in your mansion here, so let me show my appreciation. The doctor is also from the Imperial Hospital, so his medical skills are pretty good."
At this point, it would be bad for Fei Yanggu to not appreciate it. "Then I'll trouble you, Princess."
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