Chapter 39 Winter Fishing and Spring Ploughing (Part 4) Update
February 20th was the first spring hunt of the year for the royal family of the Great Zhou Dynasty.
The emperor, along with the crown prince and other civil and military officials, left the capital and stayed at the royal hunting ground outside Yanjing. During the spring hunting season, most court affairs would be decided at the hunting ground.
When the emperor travels, it is a time of great responsibility and authority for the Royal Guards.
One-third of the Royal Guard's Inner Palace Guard Battalion was allocated to accompany the Emperor out of the palace, and half of the Outer Palace Guard's troops were stationed tightly around the Royal Hunting Grounds. From the inside out, from the Emperor and the Crown Prince to every minister of the Great Zhou Dynasty, every concubine in the harem, and the ministers' wives and children, all needed to be precisely deployed.
The remaining half of the imperial guards also need to be on high alert to guard the capital to prevent any unusual changes when the city of Yanjing is empty.
Chi Mu's army in Wuweiying was responsible for guarding the spring hunting grounds. They had started arranging related guarding matters a month ago and were busy almost every day from morning to night.
These past few days, the emperor and his ministers have been heading to the hunting grounds one after another. The preliminary preparations have been completed. Today, the emperor and the crown prince of the Great Zhou Dynasty will officially leave the palace and head to the royal hunting grounds outside Yanjing.
The Major General of the Inner Court Guard and Chi Mu of the Outer Court Guard, as members of the ceremonial guards of the Emperor and the Crown Prince respectively, followed closely in the procession of the Emperor and the Crown Prince.
Chi Mu, at the forefront of the entire imperial and crown prince's ceremonial procession, marched out of Yanjing's northern Great Xia Gate and headed north to the spring hunting camps outside Mangshan. Half an hour later, the spring hunting brigades arrived at the camps and settled into their respective quarters. Chi Mu, as planned, was patrolling the perimeters of each camp.
His deputy, Miao Tailin, rode over on horseback: "Major General! The Emperor summons you!"
Chi Mu stopped his horse and looked over, but Miao Tailin had no idea why the emperor summoned Chi Mu when the camp was first set up.
Chi Mu didn't say much, just said: "Let's go."
The two men walked one after the other towards the emperor's tent in the central army. When they were one mile in front of the tent, they dismounted and walked.
Qin Sheng, the Imperial Guard Major General in charge of guarding the Emperor's tent, saw Chi Mu coming and sent someone to report to him. A short while later, a eunuch came out of the tent and said, "Major General Chi, the Emperor and the Crown Prince have summoned you."
Chi Mu was not surprised to hear that the prince was also in the tent.
After all, half of the prince's personal guards were guarding outside the tent at this time, and Chi Mu saw them as soon as he arrived.
He followed the eunuch into the emperor's tent, only to see that the emperor had already placed wine and delicious food in the tent and sat in the middle of the tent, while the prince sat on his left. The table in front of him was also filled with various delicacies, each served in exquisite and gorgeous vessels.
Even when he went out of the palace to hunt, every piece of utensil and object the emperor brought with him was the most luxurious, beautiful and priceless.
Chi Mu quickly retracted his gaze, bowed, and knelt on one knee, saying, "Chi Mu respectfully wishes His Majesty good health, and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince good health."
The emperor of the Zhou Dynasty, Liu Jian, was forty-five years old. Judging from his physique, he looked strong and sturdy.
However, in the eyes of people like Chi Mu who have been practicing martial arts for many years, the emperor has been living a life of luxury for many years and lacks the necessary exercise, and often over-consumes himself. Liu Jian's actual physical foundation is not as strong as he looks.
His muscles were loose, his cheeks were plump, and his belly was bulging, which made his figure even more noticeable.
The Crown Prince Liu Ziling, who was sitting on the side, had a completely different appearance.
The prince, who was still in his twenties, also inherited the unique physiological characteristics of the royal family.
He is tall, with a thin face and sharp eyes, but compared with Emperor Liu Jian and Crown Prince Liu Ziling, he has obviously even muscles and a slender body, and his temperament is much more restrained and calm in his every move.
Emperor Liu Jian was talking to the prince when he suddenly burst into laughter.
When he heard Chi Mu coming in, he called him naturally: "Captain Chi, come here."
Chi Mu stood up and took two steps forward to the center of the hall. However, Emperor Liu Jian did not bother to continue talking to him. His attention was attracted by another little prince and his mother on the right. He leaned over and listened to them carefully.
After a while, he scribbled, "Prince, tell me what happened."
Liu Ziling put down his cup and chopsticks: "Yes, father."
He turned to Chi Mu, nodded slightly, and then said, "General Chi, last year you were ordered by the Emperor to go to Xiguan County to announce the imperial decree. The report you returned with said that on the way back to Yanjing from Xiguan County, you encountered a heavy snowfall within Xiguan County, and because of this, the troops were trapped, and one-quarter of the Wuwei Camp's imperial guards were killed. Is this true?"
Chi Mu's expression remained unchanged as he bowed and replied, "That's right."
"Okay. Then do you know what the snow situation is like in the other two cities and thirteen areas of Xiguan County, as well as the eight Rongdi tribes northwest of Xiguan County?" the prince continued to ask.
Chi Mu looked at the other concubines and princes in the account. The Crown Prince and the Emperor naturally knew that they still had spies and manpower left in Xiguan County to monitor the general situation of the Xiguan Marquisate and Xiguan County, and Chi Mu was the interface for reporting this information to the capital.
Since the Crown Prince and the Emperor were not going to hide their secrets from others, Chi Mu responded frankly, "I have received a report on the situation in Xiguan County."
"Okay, then tell me." said the prince.
Chi Mu: "According to reports, at the beginning of last winter, from November 29th to December 5th, Xiguan County experienced a snowstorm far heavier than in previous years. This snowfall was not only heavy and prolonged, but also arrived early. It was precisely because of this that the Imperial Guard, led by me, was caught off guard and trapped in the valley of Yansai Mountain. The report also states that the two cities and thirteen counties of Xiguan County were also significantly affected by this snowstorm, with collapsed buildings and winter hunting activities impacted. However, despite this, the snow didn't fall continuously over the seven days, but rather intermittently. The border inhabitants of Xiguan, long-time residents and experienced in dealing with the situation, didn't experience a significant impact. I've even heard reports that thanks to this heavy snowfall, the weather has warmed this spring, melting the snow and flowing into the rivers, significantly benefiting Xiguan County's spring plowing this year. As for the situation of the eight Rongdi tribes, I don't have any detailed information at this time."
After hearing this, Liu Ziling paused for a moment and asked, "What about the Xiguan Marquisate?"
"Several old houses in the Xiguan Marquis Mansion collapsed because of the snow. The winter in the Xiguan border county is long and cold, and they suffered a little due to the lack of charcoal and heating, but it's not a big deal." Chi Mu said again.
Upon hearing this, Emperor Liu Jian casually remarked, "Suffering a little is a good thing. In the past, it was because my third brother was too indulgent that he developed this kind of temper."
Chi Mu bowed without saying anything, and the prince nodded in agreement.
Liu Ziling, however, looked at the emperor and said, "It seems the Xiguan County Governor seems to be exaggerating the snow situation to seek credit for it. If the snow situation is indeed as severe as reported by Xiguan County, General Chi's troops will undoubtedly have difficulty returning to Yanjing. What the Rongdi Eight Tribes say is not entirely true. However, while the Rongdi Eight Tribes are close neighbors of Xiguan County in the Great Zhou, they are still hundreds of miles away from Yucheng, where the Marquis of Xiguan resides. It is possible that the snow situation is different."
"Um."
Liu Jian hummed softly, agreeing with the prince's statement, and then said, "Call our people from the eight Rongdi tribes and report back on the situation."
The prince nodded in agreement and turned to Chi Mu, saying, "Thank you, General Chi."
Chi Mu's eyes met with Crown Prince Liu Ziling's in an instant. He bowed his head without hesitation and left the tent.
Outside the tent, Chi Mu met his deputy general Miao Tailin who was waiting for him. Without saying anything extra, the two of them said goodbye to General Qin, the inner court guard who was guarding the camp, and continued their spring hunting patrol.
Chi Mu did not mention why the emperor summoned him, and Miao Tailin did not ask questions without authorization.
Some tacit understandings have long been formed between them and are unbreakable.
·
The impact plain where Yucheng is located is located in the north, and the natural solar terms are slightly different from those in the Central Plains. Even crops such as grains are mostly harvested once a year, and the entire winter is a winter rest period for farming.
However, just after the Grain Rain, the people of Yucheng also started to bring their farm tools to the ridges of their fields, preparing to loosen the soil, weed, apply fertilizer and sow seeds.
In the continuous spring rain, a shiny shovel slid smoothly into the soil, and with a flip of the shovel head, it dug up a piece of fresh soil.
Liu Biao bent down and grabbed a handful of yellow-black and reddish soil. With a slight force of his five fingers, the soil loosened and broke into pieces in his hands and slid to the ground.
Liu Bian showed a delighted expression and nodded repeatedly, "Great, great! With this fertile soil soaked by the melting snow, our two hundred and twenty acres of permanent farmland in the Marquisate will never be left to waste!"
Liu Bing, who came to the plot with him, also breathed a sigh of relief: "Yes, now you don't have to worry too much, Dad."
Liu Biao nodded and asked, "Have you arranged all the manpower and tools for the spring plowing?"
"It's all arranged. There are a total of twenty-three people in the mansion who can work in the fields. Last year, the young marquis brought back enough oxen from the governor's mansion. For plowing the land, we can each have an ox! We still have more than enough!"
Liu Bing looked at Liu Biao and paused before continuing, "If you could ask the young marquis to send some of our private guards, that would be even better..."
“Nonsense!”
Liu Biao propped himself up on his crutch and said, "The Marquis's private guards are there to protect the young Marquis and the Xiguan Marquis's Mansion. They are only ever deployed by the young Marquis. How could a servant like you or me take advantage of them without permission?"
Liu Bing quickly admitted his mistake: "I was wrong, Dad, please don't be angry!"
He returned to the previous topic and continued his calculations. "I've done the math. With twenty-three people, each with one ox, and 220 acres of dry land, assuming one person and one ox plows one acre per day, that means the first plowing will take ten days. Then, harrowing, sowing, covering, and conserving moisture will take turns. It won't take more than thirty-five or thirty-six days, which certainly won't delay the farming season!"
"Well, that's good."
Liu Biao usually had a good temper. He was only a little strict just now because the matter involved the young Marquis of Xiguan and he believed that the dignity of the master should not be compromised.
He took a deep breath and said, "Even though there are twenty-three of us, we can't guarantee that anyone won't have a minor illness or disaster. Even a normal person would have trouble staying out of bed for more than thirty days straight."
Liu Bing said, "We still have a son and a daughter-in-law. If one of us can't do farm work one day, we can just go and fill in for him. No matter what, we can't let the last piece of permanent land in our family go to waste."
"Oh, it's hard for you."
Liu Biao sighed. Most of the manpower in the marquis' mansion was lost this year. If it weren't for these extra oxen, they would not be able to plow 200 acres of land no matter what.
"I have also been nursing for a winter and am in good health now. I can go to the fields like you. I will take over when the time comes." Liu Biao said.
Liu Bing disagreed: "Dad, your body is..."
"Uncle Liu!"
At this moment, the two heard Xiying's greeting coming from a long distance.
Xiying rode a horse and galloped over along the road between the ridges of the fields. When she arrived, she jumped off her horse and said, "Uncle Liu, the young marquis will be here soon. He was just looking for you!"
Liu Biao was a little surprised: "Young Marquis is coming to the fields?"
"Yes, there are also Mr. Du and Mr. Hao, a group of more than a dozen people! The young marquis said he brought something and asked you to wait and see it."
Xiying had said all that, but then she remembered something and added, "Also, the young marquis said this morning that he wanted to see you, Uncle Liu. Transfer half the staff from the marquis' mansion to him today. He could be of great use!"
Liu Biao and Liu Bing were both shocked. "Transfer half the staff? Young Marquis...what is the young marquis going to do?"
The two of them had just finished their plan, and if the young marquis took them away at this moment...
"I don't know about that, Xiying. I think the young marquis has his own arrangements. You'll know when you see him later." Xiying replied.
This was only when he was talking to the old steward Liu Biao, he was still willing to reveal a little of what he knew. If it were someone else today, he might have stopped himself from saying even the last word and absolutely not say any more.
Liu Bing looked worriedly at Liu Biao, who was also a little unstable. He knew that Liu Biao didn't want to hear it. Even though his heart was full of waves again, he didn't say any words of complaint.
Liu Biao simply no longer cared about the farmland. He walked back to the road between the ridges of the fields and stood there looking straight in the direction where the young marquis was coming.
After a while, a group of people came out from behind the rows of elm trees in the distance.
Liu Ziye was riding a horse in the middle, followed by more than ten people, some riding horses and some pulling carts. The carts were full of things. I don’t know what they were. I guess they were the “good things” that Xiying said the young marquis wanted to show her, right?
What surprised Liu Biao was that there were several oxen in the team brought by the young marquis!
From a long distance away, Liu Biao could hear the oxen mooing occasionally as they were urged forward.
Obviously, this sound was very common in the fields, but coupled with his young marquis's high-profile and bright attire and aura, Liu Biao felt it was indescribably strange...
Liu Ziye dismounted in front of the elm forest, tied the horses there temporarily, and walked over on foot with the cart and oxen.
Liu Biao's original anxious mood unconsciously dissipated when he saw their young marquis walking briskly and calmly, with an imposing and heroic appearance.
What can I do?
Their young marquis is no longer the ignorant and mischievous child he was last year.
This winter passed without anyone knowing, but Du Hui and he, who were guarding the closest area, knew that Xiguan County was spared from a disaster thanks to the "actions" of their young marquis!
The young marquis must have his reasons for doing whatever he wants to do.
"Uncle Liu, you left the city too early, and I had to chase you all the way here!"
Liu Ziye greeted Liu Biao with a smile from about ten steps away.
Seeing the young marquis's high spirits, Liu Biao couldn't help but smile and said, "I am old and sleep less."
Liu Ziye was irritated. "You're only about fifty years old, how can you call yourself old? I brought you something good!"
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