Chapter 29 Blessing or Curse Update
No wonder Fu Zhener was so surprised.
Xiguan County is thousands of miles wide, but most of the land has never been set foot on by anyone.
As a prominent clan that had lived here for generations, the Fu clan had maps in their possession, but those maps were often crude, consisting of little more than symbolic images and general directions. They were nowhere near as meticulously detailed as the one before them, with every stroke and detail meticulously outlined.
He saw Qiansong Ridge stretching out on the map, with each branch clearly outlined in terms of direction and shape.
Every lake, every desert or sand, every river, every scattered city and town was so detailed that it exceeded his expectations.
The areas between Qiansongling and Yansai Mountain, as well as Yucheng and Qingcheng, are connected by thin and tiny lines that meander and twist, as if a silk bridge of the fairyland had been built between these distant mountains and the plains and lakes.
Fu Zhen'er was so curious that she quickly asked again, "What are these lines?"
Liu Ziye came over, looked at the thin lines he was pointing at, and explained, "I call these 'contour lines.'"
“Contour lines?”
Not only Fu Zhen'er, but also the other three had never heard of such words.
Liu Ziye traced one of the lines lightly. "Look at where this line passes, and where it intersects the two mountains. If we use the plain where Yucheng is located as a reference point, then the mountain where this line passes through is at the same height relative to the ground in Yucheng. That's why it's called a 'contour line.'"
The map that Liu Ziye took out today was certainly not the original one left in the box of King Xiguan.
Last winter, when she led hundreds of soldiers to sweep across the entire Xiguan County, she stayed up late every night. In addition to making plans for the next day, she also had two other jobs.
One is that she mobilized formal and informal craftsmen from all over Xiguan County through the "dilapidated house renovation" campaign, and she recorded them in detail and compiled a "List of Xiguan Engineers in the Eighth Year of Tianxi".
The second is the map that everyone sees in front of them.
The map of the Prince of Xiguan was excellent, greatly expanding Liu Ziye's understanding of the entire Xiguan County. However, from her perspective as a later generation, it still had obvious limitations of the cartography of the time.
After personally measuring the main areas of Xiguan, she combined her geographical observations with modern map-making experience to complete a revised version of the Xiguan King's map.
Several people showed admiration and thought. Du Hui exclaimed, "So that's how it is. This design is really ingenious!"
Liu Ziye raised his hand again and pointed at the north bank of Xisai Lake on the map: "Brother Fu, take another look at this place. Does it look familiar to you?"
Fu Zhen'er looked over at his slender, well-proportioned fingers, lost in thought for a moment, blinked, and focused his attention back on the map. He instantly understood Liu Ziye's purpose in pointing him to this place.
Even Liu Ziye himself now set his sights on the location of the salt crystals on the north bank of Xisai Lake that Fu Zhener mentioned last time.
That was the salt lake that he took out today and placed right under Chi Mu's nose, asking Chi Mu to make the decision.
Xisai Lake was a well-known place to the people of Xiguan County. However, no one knew about the salt lake that lay just a dozen miles to the north, amidst a sandy, salty, and alkaline land separated by a towering pine forest.
Liu Ziye has thought about this problem.
Although the location of this salt lake is not easy to find, and the number of people living on the Xiguan border is small, it is indeed possible that no one has discovered it. However, in all these years, hasn't there been someone like Fu Zhener who has explored the area a few dozen miles beyond the activity area?
Liu Ziye thinks otherwise.
The real reason is that even though someone once accidentally discovered this hidden salt lake, for the border residents of Xiguan, there is more than one place that can produce salt.
What they produce is enough for their daily needs.
Salt and iron have always been government-run.
For them, the risk of taking a long journey of more than ten miles to steal salt crystals from a salt lake that had not yet been developed by the imperial court to make a profit was extremely great.
Even if the lake salt was taken privately, it would not be digested in Xiguan County.
If you want to make a profit, you have to leave the county.
Whether it was transporting them westward and northward to the eight Rongdi tribes, or transporting them eastward and southward to the people of the Zhou Dynasty, it would be difficult to succeed without a careful and bold gang organization.
The significance of the salt lake to Liu Ziye is no different from that to ordinary border residents.
There was no place for him to use his skills in Xiguan County, and leaving Xiguan County would be tantamount to seeking death. In this case, wouldn't it be more practical to use it to exchange for something else?
As for why no one has ever reported the salt lake to the governor's office, that goes without saying.
Even Fu Zhen'er, who was so good-natured, hadn't even considered reporting it to the Governor's Office? She simply regarded it as a natural beauty to be admired.
But Liu Ziye found the specific locations of the several salt lakes that Fu Zhener had mentioned that he had visited on the topographic map that night. He also discovered that these places were marked with a mark in an extremely concealed manner.
This discovery surprised Liu Ziye greatly.
She spread out the entire map again.
As expected, he saw dozens more symbols of various shapes on the map. As he had previously suspected, this piece of map not only clearly marked the mountains, rivers, terrain, roads, villages, and cities of the Qianli Xiguan County, but also indicated several natural resource veins.
Liu Ziye also saw that there was a very special mark on the Qiansongling branch near the salt lake sign on the north bank of Xisai Lake.
He invited Du Hui over that evening, and upon questioning, he discovered that even Du Hui, the former confidant of the King of Xiguan, was unaware of the map's existence, let alone the markings and symbols on it. Liu Ziye had a vague suspicion, and to test its authenticity, she decided to send someone to investigate the next day.
The person she sent was Jin Ji. Du Hui, who originally needed to hide his whereabouts, also followed Jin Ji.
After Du Hui and Jin Jie came back, Liu Ziye suppressed his excitement and saw them opening box after box of gold and silver that could blind his eyes.
If it weren't for the system ringing and clanging in her mind, reporting a series of changes in points, Liu Ziye had no doubt that she would faint from excitement.
After all, she was just an 18-year-old high school student from an orphanage who had never seen the world!
She had only felt a slight sense of gratitude towards the King of Xiguan when she first discovered the atlas, but now she was practically overwhelmed with gratitude. Is this what it feels like to have a real father?
King Xiguan, from now on, you are my real father!
This is much more reliable than the almost useless garbage system we have had so far!
In this operation, Liu Ziye and Du Hui also brought Jin Jie, who was loyal, quiet but capable, into the circle of people they could trust.
Fu Zhen'er was originally intelligent and smart, and now that her body had mostly recovered, once she could concentrate on thinking about something, she could naturally cover herself up easily.
Liu Ziye held the map very close to him, and Fu Zhener took in the entire map and some special marks as he turned around. He looked up at Liu Ziye and saw that he was smiling, so he knew that his guess was correct.
He was filled with surprise from the bottom of his heart and exclaimed, "Zi Ye, this... I can't believe it, this is true!"
They have lived in Xiguan for generations. If we talk about their familiarity with the customs of Xiguan, their Fu family is definitely the one that is most familiar with it.
But Fu Zhen'er knew that even within his own Fu clan, no one had ever mapped the entire Thousand Miles West Pass, accurately depicting the direction of every mountain, river, and path, even the salt crystals and other symbols scattered throughout the map...
It is easy to imagine how significant such a map will be.
Liu Ziye did not deny or agree with his words, but seemed to be waiting for him to calm down with some tolerance.
After a moment of agitation, Fu Zhen'er calmed down and looked at Liu Ziye and asked, "Ziye, how do you plan to use this map? Besides the geographical indications of mountains, rivers, and roads, the most important thing here is the various mineral deposits. However, these minerals will not be of much use to us in the short term."
After hearing Fu Zhen'er's words, Du Hui nodded in agreement: "Little Clan Leader Fu is right."
"Xiguan is a thousand miles long, but there are less than ten thousand households. Not to mention that we can't even consume more salt or iron, even if we wanted to mine, forge, or process it, we'd need thousands of people for each mine, and Xiguan doesn't have the people! Furthermore, these mines and mineral deposits are all located in accessible areas. Xiguan has complex geography and a changeable climate. Even if we could form an organization of a thousand people, it would be impossible for us to reach or mine them."
"More importantly, you, young marquis, have lost your fiefdom of the entire Xiguan County. Not only will you lose the right to mine the mineral deposits, you won't even be eligible to receive a commission from the profits! Once this deposit is exposed to the public, you will be handed over to the imperial court like we are doing today."
What Du Hui said was exactly what Fu Zhener had not yet expressed.
It is like they are holding a priceless treasure in their arms, but not only can they not open the outer box that contains the treasure, they can only watch anxiously.
Furthermore, if they couldn't hide or use this treasure, once it was discovered by those who could open it, disaster would surely befall them. Fu Zhen'er, Du Hui, and Jin Jie all knew that Liu Ziye's display of such a treasure was equivalent to handing over his entire fortune and his back to them.
Fu Zhen'er's expression was solemn for a moment: "Ziye, may I ask where you got this picture from?"
"Of course. I accidentally discovered this in my father's study. It must have been made by my father during his lifetime." Liu Ziye said.
Du Hui had originally guessed this possibility, and now that it was confirmed, he couldn't help but feel a complex emotion surging in his chest.
He recalled that since the King of Xiguan was enfeoffed, he had been able to stay in the Xiguan Palace for no more than one or two months each year for fourteen years.
Most of the remaining time was spent traveling back and forth between Yanjing and Xiguan, jolted by carriages and horses.
Over the past ten years, the Prince of Xiguan has entered and exited Xiguan County more than thirty or fifty times.
Although Du Hui was deeply trusted by the Prince of Xiguan, he was mostly kept at the Xiguan County Prince's Mansion, handling matters related to the mansion and its fiefdom. Unless there was an imperial decree from Yanjing requesting an official to accompany him, he was rarely accompanied by the Prince of Xiguan on his journeys.
The King of Xiguan was a prince of the dynasty and the third prince most favored by Emperor Shengzu. However, whenever he went out, he would only travel with a small team of more than ten people.
The only people who always followed him were Xue Sanniang, the young Marquis of Xiguan's former wet nurse, and a few trusted guards.
This wet nurse came from a family of martial artists and was very skilled in martial arts. Due to the grudges and hatreds in the martial arts world, she was pregnant and had nowhere to go. She was then protected by the Prince of Xiguan and allowed to enter his mansion. Later, when the young marquis was born, his daughter Ahuan had just given birth, so she took the initiative to ask to be the young marquis's wet nurse.
The life of being away from home and sleeping in the open air all year round is something that ordinary people cannot endure.
For example, the King of Xiguan died in his prime.
But no one could have predicted that Xue Sanniang, who had practiced martial arts since childhood and possessed a physique several times stronger than an average person, would die of illness a year before the King of Xiguan. The personal guards who accompanied him, once the King of Xiguan's most trusted confidants, also wore themselves out year after year in the endless torment.
Now thinking about it, the real reason why Xue Sanniang resolutely followed the King of Xiguan to travel all over the country during those years, and why those trusted guards' lives were excessively consumed, was because of this map in their hands!
Du Hui had mixed feelings.
This was undoubtedly the result of the blood and tears of the old prince, Xue Sanniang, and the Xiguan King's former trusted guards.
I just don’t know if they can bear this heavy burden?
Therefore, Prince Xiguan never revealed the existence of this map to anyone until his death.
Liu Ziye had already guessed the story behind this picture. At this moment, she was obviously much calmer.
She looked at Jin Jie, who had remained silent from beginning to end, and asked, "What do you think?"
Only when the question was directly slapped to his face did Jin Jie, who had remained silent the entire time, speak up. "I think Mr. Du and Young Clan Leader Fu are right. This map is both a blessing and a curse. Even the blessing in it, I'm afraid our Marquisate can't afford it right now."
"In that case, I will put this map away for the time being. We'll make further plans after this winter." Liu Ziye made the final decision.
In this era, manpower and labor were limited. Even with the countless treasures of nature, it was difficult to fully utilize them. This was indeed a reality. Moreover, the land of Xiguan was incomparable to other counties, and the difficulties involved were many times greater.
She had guesses and plans in her mind.
If the mechanical civilization system that she brought with her when she traveled through time is really as it claims, then perhaps with the help of the power of machinery, it can greatly expand the limits of human power.
However, she also knew very well that the system was not as reliable as the four people in front of her.
The best way to deal with this matter is to put it on hold for now and wait and see how the system performs.
The reason why she took it out in front of the four people today was, firstly, to show her absolute trust, and secondly, to show her potential.
Let her show those she wants to be her confidants that not only do she trust them deeply, but she's also incredibly capable! Follow her, and the future holds endless possibilities! Morale is crucial for teamwork, so get some energy going!
Sure enough, as she finalized the matter, the system's automatic announcement sounded again.
"Ding! Gain further trust from four key support figures and receive 60 points of Imperial Power!"
, which means both power and credibility.
After this period of exploration, Liu Ziye believes that he has basically mastered the logic of adding points for this item.
After showing off your muscles, it’s time to get down to business.
Ah Huan had just brought today's lunch, so Liu Ziye said to them, "Put the food here. Brother Fu and Mr. Du, you all stay together. After dinner, I'll trouble Brother Fu to take me and others to visit your clan."
·
Seven days later, Chi Mu, who had finished arranging affairs in Xiguan County, organized his troops and prepared to rush back to Yanjing to report before the severe winter arrived.
If they don't leave now, once winter comes, they will have to stay in Xiguan County for at least three months.
Not only was their return to Beijing delayed, but the guards, who had long been accustomed to the climate and environment of Yanjing, were also eager to leave this adobe city as soon as possible and return to their prosperous and comfortable home in Yanjing.
According to etiquette, before Chi Mu set off, he brought his team to the Xiguan Marquis Mansion to say goodbye.
The young Marquis of Xiguan personally opened the gates of his mansion and greeted him outside, sincerely asking him to stay a little longer and leave next spring. However, Chi Mu's itinerary was already set, and it was naturally impossible for him to change it easily based on a few words from him.
Finally, Chi Mu was outside the Xiguan Marquis' Mansion, wrapped in a thick cotton cloak, and bowed again to the young marquis standing outside the mansion.
"Chi will go ahead. Take care, young marquis. If there is a chance in the future, Chi will visit you again."
The tone was so good, so polite and courteous that one could not help but admire and yearn for the majesty of the captain of the Royal Guard.
At the same time, the "visit" he mentioned was just a social term.
Anyone who sees through the situation of the young Marquis of Xiguan knows that it is unlikely that someone like Chi Mu, a descendant of a noble family in Yanjing and a rising star in the military world, will have such a chance to meet again.
However--
"Of course! This Marquis and Young General Chi are destined to meet, and we will surely have the chance to see each other again soon!" The young Marquis of Xiguan responded repeatedly with both regret and excitement.
The sound of horse hooves rang out, and when Chi Mu pulled the reins and turned around, Liu Ziye, regardless of the imperial order, stepped out of the mansion and chased forward a few steps.
She grabbed Chi Mu's horse's reins without any dignity, looked up and shouted to him, asking him to make another promise: "General Chi, please don't forget what you promised me. When you arrive in Yanjing, you must tell my uncle the emperor and my cousin the crown prince!"
The whole guards could see clearly the way he chased the horse and begged for permission.
Chi Mu lowered his head and looked at the young Marquis of Xiguan who was riding down from his horse. Finally, he folded his hands and said, "Chi will definitely fulfill his mission."
"Okay, okay, then I'm relieved."
After Liu Ziye got the promise, he murmured and let go of Chi Muma's head.
Chi Mu squeezed the horse's belly, wearing uniform horse protective gear, light armor and thick fur, and walked on the frozen soil of winter, passing through the onlookers of the people of Yucheng, Xiguan County, and gradually walked away.
Not until the whole team had walked four or five miles did Chi Mu look back as if possessed by a ghost, and he could still see the young Marquis of Xiguan wearing a dazzling and eye-catching blue and white fox fur cloak, sparkling in the light.
The deputy general Miao Tailin beside him couldn't help but say, "Major General, the young marquis of Xiguan is still watching you go."
Chi Mu withdrew his gaze, but said, "It's a difficult place here. I'm afraid it will be hard to see him again in the future. I hope the spirit of King Xiguan in heaven can protect him a little and let him earn a few more days of peace."
When Deputy General Miao Tailin heard this, although he was not very surprised, he couldn't help feeling a little sad.
The young Marquis of Xiguan kept saying that he was looking forward to seeing them again, and hoped that one day he could enter Yanjing and pay a visit to his imperial uncle and cousin.
However, even these Yanjing Imperial Guards knew that this was just a delusion.
Moreover, if he really went to Yanjing, it would be an even more difficult and life-threatening test for the young Marquis of Xiguan.
It would be better to just rot quietly here in Xiguan.
At least I can survive for a few days.
After a sigh, Miao Tailin felt a pain in his shoulder.
Chi Mu calmly retracted the scabbard that struck his shoulder. He once again took the reins with both hands and looked at the vast, deep blue sky ahead: "Don't forget who we are loyal to. That's enough."
Miao Tailin's expression froze when he heard this. He immediately stopped grimacing in pain and shouted, "Yes!"
On Qinyang Street in front of Xiguan Hou Mansion, Liu Ziye waited until Chi Mu's team completely disappeared at the end of Yucheng Street before he turned back to the mansion reluctantly and in frustration.
The door of the Marquis' Mansion slammed shut again with a clang.
According to the Emperor of Yanjing's request, she still had more than half a month of confinement to complete.
Chi Mu left, but the emperor's spies he left behind were still hiding somewhere in Xiguan, Yucheng, and inside and outside the Marquis' Mansion. Of course, Liu Ziye had to continue to be her stupid but obedient little marquis.
However, as soon as the mansion door was closed, Jin Jie also brought a group of people, silently bid farewell to Liu Ziye, and left the Xiguan Marquis Mansion through the back door.
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