Chapter 26: Heaven, Earth, and Man
The rebellion in the Huguang area has almost been quelled now, but considering the possible risks, Mu Yan personally led the troops to escort Zhu Yuhuan out of Yunnan.
Although it was Zhu Qizhen who conferred the title on Mu Ang, without the help of Princess Shunde, it would have been extremely difficult for Mu Ang to regain the emperor's trust or even obtain the title. The Mu family had to owe the princess this favor no matter what.
Seeing that they would arrive in Huguang area in a few days, it was time for Zhu Yuhuan to say goodbye to Mu Yan.
"You've worked so hard on this journey, Duke Qian. We'll be arriving in Huguang soon. You don't need to see us off tomorrow. You should return to Yunnan as soon as possible to take care of your affairs."
Mu Yan bowed to Zhu Yuhuan and said, "Your Highness is too polite. Your Highness has been very kind to Yunnan over the years. Without Your Highness, Yunnan would not have undergone such earth-shaking changes in recent years. Both the indigenous people and the Han people would be able to live and work in peace and contentment."
Zhu Yuhuan smiled slightly upon hearing this and said, "I'll need you to take care of the tea fields. I've also instructed the officials. The local officials selected are proficient in tea frying and incense making. The tea may not be good in the first few years, but we can sell it to passing caravans, which will at least generate some income."
Ever since Zhu Yuhuan submitted a petition requesting the reform of the native tribes, the imperial court has allocated substantial amounts of silver annually to build various hydraulic facilities in Yunnan. This has greatly simplified farming, and the harvests have improved year by year. Some areas unsuitable for growing grain have been converted to tea cultivation, as Zhu Yuhuan instructed. The harvests have been quite good, but the skills of tea-frying and other crafts are still patchy, and they still need several more years of practice before they can earn a higher income.
Mu Yan knew that His Highness was very insightful in governing the people's livelihood, so he replied, "Your Highness's instructions are all in our hearts." He hesitated for a moment, then seeing that no one was around, he said, "I'm afraid that Your Highness's trip..."
Zhu Yuhuan didn't expect that he also knew Zhu Qizhen's thoughts clearly, and he couldn't help feeling a little amused.
Now it really became "Zhu Qizhen's intentions are known to everyone."
Zhu Yuhuan met his eyes and said with a smile, "It's just a trip back to Beijing. It's not a big deal."
Mu Yan also knew that his words had gone too far. Seeing that Zhu Yuhuan did not intend to continue the topic, he quickly said, "Your Highness is right. Seeing that the rebellions in Huguang and Guizhou have been quelled, after returning to the capital, His Majesty will certainly send Your Highness to Guizhou, Huguang and other places to replicate the situation, so as to prevent the local people from rising up again like today."
Zhu Yuhuan just smiled and said, "That makes sense."
The next morning, the group parted ways.
He Yong rode his horse behind Zhu Yuhuan and said, "Your Highness, many of those returning to the capital with us this time are local soldiers..."
Zhu Yuhuan glanced at him and said, "Minister Wang went to Fujian to quell the rebellion and took most of the soldiers with him. The officers and soldiers you previously led were also soldiers who were brought to the southwest border to serve. Without the emperor's order, they will have to stay in the border for the rest of their lives. Besides these local soldiers, the soldiers who followed you to the southwest are either dead or injured. Who else can you take with you on your journey back to the capital?"
Even if the rebellion had been quelled, there was no reason for Zhu Yuhuan, a princess, to return to the capital with He Yonghe's remaining army of only a hundred men.
If something goes wrong along the way, wouldn’t it be “the loved ones sad and the enemies happy”?
He Yong also understood this and said, "Your Majesty will naturally understand your Highness."
Zhu Yuhuan sighed and said, "If I wasn't afraid of getting into trouble, I would have thought of stopping by Huguang to visit my fifth uncle."
If Zhu Zhanji knew that Zhu Yuhuan was planning to go to Xiangyang to visit him, he would have run five hundred kilometers away overnight without carrying the palace.
Although Zhu Qizhen's words in ordering Zhu Yuhuan to return to the capital were very mild, Zhu Zhanji's intuition made it impossible for him not to realize this. If the current emperor was Zhu Zhanji, Zhu Zhanji might have said a few words for his niece, but the current emperor was Zhu Qizhen... so forget it.
At least on the surface, Zhu Qizhen still hoped to maintain peace with Zhu Yuhuan.
"Your Highness, what are your plans..."
Zhu Yuhuan turned his head to look at him and said with a smile: "Of course... let it be."
He Yong was speechless for a moment, but he also understood that Zhu Yuhuan was right.
In addition to following Zhu Qizhen's lead, was there any other way for Zhu Yuhuan to do so? But if Zhu Yuhuan thought so, why did he take the initiative to submit a memorial to provoke Zhu Qizhen?
He Yong secretly glanced at Zhu Yuhuan and saw that she looked relaxed and hummed a little tune from time to time. She seemed not to be affected by the sudden order to return to Beijing.
Zhu Yuhuan's heart was not at peace, at least not as calm as it appeared. They say that if you don't succeed, you must die, but for Zhu Yuhuan, putting his mother and sister on the line, gambling his life with her, was the biggest obstacle in his heart.
In addition, although Zhu Yuhuan did have intelligence that the Oirat had unusual movements, and Zhu Qizhen would certainly patrol the border to suppress her reputation, Zhu Qizhen was not a complete fool. If he had the courage to escape or retreat, things would become very troublesome.
Even though Zhu Yuhuan knew Zhu Qizhen very well and was convinced that he would fall into the trap honestly, he also understood the risks of his gamble.
Zhu Yuhuan hated accidents, even though she herself was an accident, but she had to admit that this was her only chance to overturn the chessboard in all these years, and the person who helped her the most was the puppet who had been pressing on her head.
The unified state mechanism that has operated for thousands of years is still stuck in the productive forces of human labor, the cultural concepts that have long been nurtured in a closed greenhouse, and the patriarchal system that is still implemented to this day...
Zhu Yuhuan cannot truly resist any of these by doing his best.
It’s not that Zhu Yuhuan is not desperate, it’s that he has no better way.
The right time, the right place, and the right people—that was the only thing Zhu Yuhuan could strive for. She had no other choice but to keep moving forward.
No matter if there are mountains of swords and seas of fire or snow and wind ahead, she must keep going.
Zhu Yuhuan couldn't help but let out a breath.
He Yong heard her sigh and was somewhat surprised. He asked, "Your Highness, do you want to rest for a while?"
Zhu Yuhuan was silent for a while, then said, "We can't rest, keep going."
This sentence seemed to be a response to He Yong, but also seemed to be an answer to herself.
He Yong also understood.
He heard a determination not to look back.
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