Chapter 174:
On the day Lu Ziyan left the capital, the three armies set off together, with great fanfare.
Officials and nobles of the capital, as well as common folk, all went to see them off. Even His Majesty personally escorted the three armies to the Ten-Li Pavilion, toasting a cup of strong liquor to his beloved legitimate son.
It was said that such a grand send-off greatly boosted the morale of the generals and soldiers.
The reason it was “said” was because Xie Wanning did not go.
Almost all the noble ladies of the capital went to see off the young general star, but she, as a married woman, decided not to join the excitement.
As these favored sons of heaven left the capital one by one, the capital suddenly seemed to quiet down.
Ji Chengfeng went south on imperial orders, Pei Yuqing went to Yangzhou for some reason, and Lu Ziyan was even more direct, leading troops to pacify the frontier.
She originally thought that was that, but half a month after Lu Ziyan left, Qilin Prefecture in the northeast reported that the area had suffered drought for over half the previous year, surviving only by tightening their belts with the court’s disaster relief grain, hoping for better days this year.
Who knew this year would be worse: not a drop of rain since the beginning of the year, millions of acres of dry land yielding no harvest, with the drought disaster imminent and unavoidable.
The news reached the capital, and the civil and military officials of the court wailed in grief.
This was a heavenly disaster; how could human effort shake the heavens?
But the Great Han’s treasury being empty was no secret; these years of disaster relief, warfare, and quelling rebellions had exhausted its already meager foundations—how could it withstand such spending?
After fretting for several days, what needed to be handled still had to be. The current His Majesty was no muddled ruler and would not ignore the hardships of the people under his rule.
He wanted to send people to survey rivers everywhere, to see if water sources could be diverted to manage the drought.
But everyone knew water flows to low places, and the northern region’s terrain was naturally much higher—how could it be diverted back?
These years, floods in the south and droughts in the north had become all too common.
Managing floods and droughts could not be done in a day; the most urgent matter now was still disaster relief.
With the emperor far away, of course trusted ministers had to be sent to inspect the disaster situation.
Xie Yanyu was the third scholar of the previous exam, full of bookish knowledge, with state governance strategies personally praised by His Majesty, from a prominent family, skilled in archery and horsemanship, and no slouch in martial arts.
With serious internal unrest everywhere under the Great Khan now, His Majesty lacked talent in his hands; weak scholars were unfit for toiling across regions, liable to vanish at any moment. Only such outstanding sons of prominent families, exceptional in both civil strategy and martial prowess, were the most favored for re-employment.
This assignment fell on him.
When Xie Wanning heard the news, her heart panicked uncontrollably.
Even when Pei Yuqing went to Yangzhou, she had not been this nervous.
This was her own elder brother, one of her most, most, most important family members, just like her parents.
He was going to Qilin Prefecture thousands of miles away, through mountains and rivers, with bandit unrest everywhere, and a drought raging locally.
One moment of carelessness, and he might never return.
But a man’s ambitions lie in all directions; her elder brother had pursued an official title not to cower in the capital enjoying peace—he had his own aspirations, a bellyful of state governance strategies to implement. Having gotten the opportunity, he certainly would not let it go.
Not to mention Xie Wanning—even Madam Zheng was no less worried.
Her only son had not yet taken a wife!
This time, seeing her mother’s tearful face, Xie Yanyu could no longer refuse.
He relented, and the marriage proposal was rushed onto the agenda almost without pause.
The young lord of Xuanping Marquis’s Estate sought marriage, stirring the hearts of countless marriageable noble ladies in the capital.
At the same time, the marriage engagement between Princess Pingning of Duke Pei’s Mansion and the eldest son of the Zhao family was also settled.
The second month after the engagement was set, Zhao Rui volunteered to enter the military camp and soon left the capital with the army.
After Zhao Rui left the capital, Xie Yanyu’s marriage was also finalized by Madam Zheng.
The daughter of the Supreme Court minister, Li Rong, just seventeen, the same age as Xie Wanning. She had met her a few times and vaguely remembered her as a poised and very steady young lady.
This daughter-in-law was personally chosen by Madam Zheng; bringing her home as the Xie family matriarch would naturally be flawless.
Xie Wanning trusted her mother’s judgment completely, but with her elder brother’s marriage settled so hurriedly, her mood was still slightly complex.
After all, compared to Pei Yuxuan, this Miss Li was someone her elder brother had not even met before.
Yet he refused Pei Yuxuan’s affections but was willing to set an engagement with Li Rong.
Simply because he could not bear Pei Yuxuan’s intense feelings.
To this, Xie Yanyu just smiled at his younger sister: “Romantic love really is not that important; Miss Li has excellent character.”
Suitability was the most important.
The two would treat each other with mutual respect; she would manage the household, care for his parents, look after the children, relieving his worries at home, allowing him to pursue his ideals and ambitions single-mindedly.
If it were the princess instead, perhaps three-tenths of his energy would go to the home, and even then it might feel insufficient, eventually breeding resentment and constant strife.
Looking at such an elder brother, Xie Wanning thought she somewhat understood Lu Ziyan’s mindset from her past life.
In those two years of the dream, he was always very busy, occupied with realizing his ideals and ambitions. Probably all men have such grand aspirations, unwilling to be ordinary, turning hands to clouds and rain, manipulating power tactics. He was so busy he could not even see the hardships she endured in the back courtyard.
Because he was very confident, confidently believing he had arranged everything and she would not be mistreated.
In fact, he was not wrong; the several madams of the Lu Family, out of guilt over his favored concubine, were indeed lenient toward her.
And Liu Manrou and Er Xia were wives and concubines of the second branch; as long as she was unwilling, they could not reach her, the eldest branch madam.
Her Shao Guang Courtyard was indeed very peaceful.
As for taking concubines? He probably thought all men do it, and in the Lu Family’s situation, enjoying just two extra women, she would not mind.
But he overlooked one thing: she was not an object; she would feel heartbroken and give up hope.
He never considered her affection would slowly fade; in his plan, she just needed to wait obediently in Shao Guang Courtyard for him.
He was probably like Xie Yanyu, believing romantic love really was not that important.
Indeed, how could one feel the importance of something already possessed?
So, just as he said, only when he was gravely wounded and near death, suddenly realizing in his moment of loss, did his mind fill not with warfare, court rivals, or scheming intrigues, but only with her.
Only nearing loss does one discover what is most important.
Truly mistaken to an outrageous degree.
Xie Wanning gave a wry smile and gazed fixedly at her elder brother. “Since it is not important, please, Elder Brother, remember these words well: devote this life to country and people, and do not again linger on romance between man and woman.”
Who knew what Pei Yuxuan would think upon learning his marriage was set, with the bride a Miss Li inferior to her in birth, looks, and everything else, and the two had not even met before the proposal.
She would probably think: since you can marry a girl inferior to me in every way, with no feelings at all for her, yet repeatedly reject my overtures.
Any girl with a shred of pride would feel this was a great humiliation.
How much must he dislike her to do this?
In any case, these two were beyond repair, impossible now.
Xie Wanning now only hoped her elder brother would never, ever regret today’s decision.
Even if one day he realized he had feelings, it absolutely could not be for Pei Yuxuan.
He had offended her mortally already.
…………
With Xie Yanyu’s departure from the capital, the last wisp of scorching summer faded, gradually entering deep autumn, with the weather already turning cool.
The Northern Frontier Battlefield raged fiercely, with urgent battle reports arriving every few days.
The Jin Dynasty was a nomadic people, living raw and drinking blood, enduring bitter cold; once autumn and winter set in with dropping temperatures, they lacked clothing and food, dooming many to starve.
These years, the Great Han’s national strength waning was public knowledge, so every year-end, Jin cavalry grew restless at the border, with burning, killing, and plundering becoming commonplace.
When the nation weakened, the people suffered.
Women, cattle and sheep, and grain were their prime targets; border folk endured endless bullying, truly unspeakable hardship.
But this year, far from harassing their border, the Jin Dynasty army was beaten into steady retreat by Lu Ziyan, virtually powerless to fight back.
Battle reports reaching the capital grew more inspiring with each one.
Common folk spread the news jubilantly; everyone knew the current King Zhenbei had suppressed the foreign tribes breathless, forcing them back to their grasslands, not daring to invade.
His Majesty even praised three “goods” in succession on the imperial court, muttering about lavishly rewarding the three armies.
The civil and military officials of the court were thrilled.
The Jin Dynasty in the north was the Great Han’s greatest enemy, eyeing it covetously these years, biting off much flesh to nourish themselves. Now that their prestige was crushed, how was this not a great joy?
But such a great joy was not shared by everyone.
For instance, the other princes and their consorts.
Lu Ziyan, as a legitimate prince, was now King Zhenbei commanding hundreds of thousands of troops, and had won the people’s hearts…
His Majesty kept saying he would reward him, but aside from the chair beneath him, there was nothing left to bestow. Once he returned victorious, the position of Crown Prince would be the only fitting reward.
Then, beloved by the people, grasping military power, and the legitimate Crown Prince—what room would there be for them?
…Living under others’ noses—how could princes of noble imperial blood endure it?
Especially the First Prince and Second Prince; if they had seen no hope at all, fine, but before Lu Ziyan’s identity was restored, they were the most likely candidates for Crown Prince!
The enemy’s enemy is a friend—this rang entirely true.
The two princes fought over interests, then bound together over interests, discussing endlessly with their staff.
At first, they wanted Lu Ziyan dead in the north, done and over.
But Lu Ziyan was no ordinary man; he ran a tight ship, his deputy generals all personally promoted by him. Not to mention their petty schemes could not reach the military camp—even if they did, they would achieve little, let alone assassinate him.
Realizing they could not kill him, the two princes switched tactics, wanting Lu Ziyan to suffer defeat. No matter how biased the emperor, he could not reward a defeated commander, right?
But Lu Ziyan was indeed a master of warfare; as commander, all deployments were his call, never a mistake. Besides him, no one could sway victory or defeat.
Finally, they thought to strike at the rear supply lines.
As the saying goes, grain precedes troops; even a master of warfare must feed his generals and soldiers.
But tampering with grain supplies was no easy matter.
Everyone, including His Majesty, had both eyes fixed on the Northern Frontier Battlefield; any stir there, and no one could escape involvement.
Then, forget living under noses—this crime of betraying the nation would doom even princes to death.
The imperial family was not without precedent for killing sons; not long ago, the previous emperor personally ordered the death of two princes who, for personal gain, colluded with foreign tribes.
Ideas of touching the grain were thus dropped.
Making Lu Ziyan suffer defeat was surprisingly difficult!
Could he truly be an impregnable fortress, a natural general star without a single weakness?
…………
These people’s private scheming was known only to themselves; from top to bottom, Shengjing City was immersed in long-absent joy of victory.
Everyone hoped Lu Ziyan would keep winning, suppressing the Great Jin all the way, striking fear into them, securing the border, until they dared not invade again for a century before returning in triumph.
The Great Khan would shed its waning sun image, rising like a brilliant red sun.
With victory on the frontier, Xie Wanning was of course happy too; patriotism was not only for men. Noble ladies like her, though raised in deep boudoirs, were well-read in poetry and books, no less in propriety, righteousness, integrity, and shame.
Compared to the nation’s rise and fall, what were her personal grudges?
She was genuinely happy; every temple visit, besides praying blessings for her husband and elder brothers, she also sought safety for the generals and soldiers battling on the sands.
Pei Yuqing left the capital in early spring, saying he would return in three to five months, but now half a year later, no return date was set.
Even, amid local unrest, his letters, once every three days, became every five, then slowly every half month.
His letters brimmed with longing between lines, but he truly could not extricate himself. After handling Yangzhou, Xu Prefecture had issues; Xie Wanning knew he yearned to return, so she never urged him, always just telling him to handle affairs steadily and stay safe.
The only good news was that Ji Chengfeng, who should have died in midsummer in the dream, had no death report; he was alive and well, even sending a letter.
An unmarried cousin writing to a married cousin was, even in the open customs of the Great Khan, quite untenable.
Thus, this letter was not shown to Madam Zheng; instead, when the Ji family servant delivered festival gifts to the Xie Family, he said a small gift was left separately for Xie Wanning.
Madam Zheng naturally would not open her younger sister’s gift for her daughter; when Xie Wanning opened it, she found a letter tucked inside.
The letter’s content was simple: besides reporting safety, it solemnly thanked his cousin for saving his life.
At the end, it praised her fortune telling skills as spot-on; among the box of gifts was a rare volume describing various occult arts.
Evidently, he thought his cousin truly had talent as a divine stick and specially found it to give her.
Xie Wanning found this somewhat amusing and wry.
But that book, she really flipped through several times; it was indeed interesting.
Four thousand words, one more chapter later~~~
