Chapter 411 The Emperor Arrives from the East
Chapter 411 The Emperor Arrives from the East
Ten days passed in a blink of an eye, and several famous doctors from Hexi consulted the princess again, confirming that she was pregnant and was about two months pregnant.
That night, Xiao Xia was reading in the study. The door opened and his wife Cui Yu walked in with a cup of hot tea.
Xiao Xia quickly stood up and said, "Just ask Xiao Qing to bring the tea. You're pregnant, don't get tired!"
Cui Yu put the teacup on the table and said with a smile: "My husband is exaggerating. She is not pregnant yet! How can you be tired just by serving tea?"
She turned around and sat in her husband's arms, a little jealous, "All you have in your eyes and mouth is Xiaoqing, why don't you ask Ah Chu to bring in the tea!"
Xiao Xia shook his head and smiled, "Didn't you set the rule? Only you and Xiao Qing can enter the inner study."
Cui Yu set this rule actually for his younger sister Xiaomei. He felt that it was not appropriate for his sister-in-law to always go to his brother-in-law's study, so Cui Yu set this rule.
"I don't care. You have to coax me. I feel uncomfortable when you sleep with Xiaoqing all day."
"Then I'll sleep with you tonight!"
Xiao Xia whispered a few words in her ear again. Cui Yu blushed and punched her husband on the shoulder a few times. "Just go to sleep, why are you thinking so many tricks?"
Xiao Xia chuckled, "This isn't called a trick, this is called sentiment!"
"I don't like this kind of mood. Go find Xiaoqing!"
Cui Yu stood up with a red face and sat down on the chair next to her, "I actually have something important to ask my husband!"
"you say!"
"My husband really wants to be transferred back to the Central Plains?"
Xiao Xia nodded, "I don't need to worry about Fengzhou anymore, and the Anxi Protectorate doesn't allow me to interfere. I really don't have anything to do in Hexi. Even if my father doesn't transfer me, I will apply for a transfer."
"But I'm pregnant! Has my husband ever considered this issue?"
Xiao Xia nodded, "I have definitely considered it. I have considered two options. You can choose one. The first option is to return to the Cui family in Chang'an before you show your pregnancy. When the child is older, I will come to pick you and your child up."
"What about the second option?" Cui Yu didn't want to separate from her husband, and she had already rejected the first option in her heart.
"The second option is that I will try to leave earlier, in May, and then we will go to Chengdu and take a boat to Jiangdu."
"My husband is going to be transferred to Jiangdu?"
Xiao Xia nodded, "I agreed with my father at the beginning."
"Then I'll go with my husband. May is a stable period, so it won't be a problem to take a car. We can also take a boat from Chengdu and go to Qingcheng Mountain to visit my mother-in-law."
"I thought so too. I have already made preparations. Basically, military and political affairs have been handed over to Yin Shishi and Fan Zigai."
Cui Yu got a satisfactory answer, stood up and said with a smile: "I won't disturb my husband, don't forget it tonight."
She pinched her husband's wrist gently, then walked away gracefully.
Spring comes very quickly in the Hexi Corridor. It was still snowy and icy in late February, but by early March it was warm and flowers were blooming. Everywhere you look, you can see endless green grasslands, the air is full of warmth, and there is vitality everywhere.
That morning, Xiao Xia summoned all the senior officials of the Grand Marshal's Office to discuss matters.
"Yesterday, we received a message from the imperial court via eagle. The emperor has already set out from Chang'an, with a group of nearly 100,000 people, and is heading towards Longyou. Anyway, Longyou has plenty of food and mutton, as well as various supplies, so we also need to prepare them."
Yin Shishi raised his hand and asked, "Your Highness, how many days will the emperor stay in Hexi? Will he stay in Zhangye County more or Wuwei County more?"
"I don't know exactly how many days I will be here, but I estimate it to be around eight to ten. We will prepare for half a month. We may stay in Zhangye County for a longer time. The emperor will meet with the kings of small countries such as Yiwu, Gaochang, Cheshi, and Pulei in Zhangye, so Wuwei County may just be a stopover."
At this point, Xiao Xia reassured everyone, "Don't be nervous, just do your best to get things done and prepare enough supplies. I will take care of anything that happens and it will never affect you, so please rest assured!"
These words dispelled everyone's worries. Xiao Xia immediately appointed Yin Shishi as the chief steward and Fan Zigai as the deputy chief steward, with the power to mobilize all the resources in Hexi to welcome the emperor to inspect Hexi.
After arranging the reception in Hexi, Xiao Xia immediately led a thousand cavalrymen to Longyou to arrange the reception in Longyou. This was also the last major thing Xiao Xia had to do.
This was the only time in history that the emperor inspected Longyou and Hexi.
In early April, Emperor Yang Guang led hundreds of officials, dignitaries, concubines, palace maids, eunuchs and more than 100,000 troops and arrived at Huangshui County, Xiping County after a march that lasted nearly a month.
The Grand Commander of Liangzhou and Shanzhou, King of Jin Xiao Xia, as well as Deputy Commander Changsun Sheng, Chief Clerk Qifu Hui and other officials welcomed the emperor's arrival dozens of miles away. Of course, Xiao Xia had been accompanying the emperor and his entourage since Jincheng County.
An army of more than 100,000 set up camp outside Huangshui City. Emperor Yang Guang brought Empress Xiao and the eldest princess to live in Huangshui County. Huangshui County specially built a palace for the emperor to stay.
Yang Guang then inspected the Hehuang Valley accompanied by Xiao Xia.
The group stood on a high place. Xiao Xia pointed to the endless wheat fields in the distance and said, "Father, please look. This is the plain formed by the impact of the Yellow River and the Huangshui River. It is lower than the terrain on both sides, so it is called a valley. The land is fertile, easy to irrigate, and has sufficient sunlight. It is very suitable for growing wheat. Currently, only 30% has been developed, 20% military land and 10% civilian land. There are still more than 100,000 hectares of fertile land that has not been developed."
At this time, Yang Guang saw several old farmers pedaling a waterwheel to fetch water a few hundred steps away, so he walked over along the canal.
These old farmers were of course arranged by the government. They were not fake, they were indeed farmers from nearby. The government needed to find a few old farmers who were brave and eloquent to answer the emperor's questions.
Yang Guang stood on the ridge of a field and asked an old farmer, "Excuse me, does your father-in-law live nearby?"
The old man pointed to the south and said, "We are farmers from Hezhong Village in the south. We have been farming here for generations."
“How many fields are there?”
"There are five people in our family, including me, my old wife, two sons, my eldest daughter-in-law and my little grandson. Dalang and I farm, and Erlang is a soldier stationed in Xihai. Our family has 80 acres of wheat fields. If the two sons split up, the government will give them another 40 acres of land."
Yang Guang nodded and asked, "How much wheat can one acre of land produce?"
"We have one crop per year here. Last year, the wheat yield per mu was about 300 kilograms, and we paid a total of about 2,000 kilograms of grain taxes."
"How much money can you earn in a year?" Yang Guang asked with a smile.
"Growing crops and doing other small jobs together, the whole family can earn 50 strings of cash a year, but we own all the food and vegetables, so we don't have to buy them. It's not bad, we live and work in peace and contentment!"
Yang Guang was very satisfied. This income was indeed good in the frontier. He turned back and asked Xiao Xia, "Is it true?"
Xiao Xia nodded, "It's true. Although life in the frontier is hard and the climate is cold, as long as you are willing to work hard, you can live and work in peace and contentment. Where there is a bitter side, there must be a sweet side."
Yang Guang pondered for a moment and asked, "Just now, the emperor said that only 30% of the Hehuang Valley has been developed?"
Xiao Xia shook his head. "During the Northern Wei Dynasty, 50% of the land was developed. But due to the rise of Tuyuhun, they constantly sent troops to harass Hehuang, which was very unsafe. Many Han people moved to the Tao River Valley."
"Now that Tuyuhun and Dangxiang have been destroyed, we should be able to focus on developing the Hehuang Valley!"
Xiao Xia nodded, "Of course it can be developed, but it requires the support of the imperial court, the migration of Han people from the Guanlong area, and then tax exemption."
Yang Guang thought of something and turned to ask Prime Minister Yang Su: "I remember that the Political Affairs Hall seemed to discuss this matter. Is there any comment?"
Yang Su bowed and said, "Your Majesty, we are not discussing only the Hehuang Valley, but the arrangements for the entire Longyou area. The court believes that His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin's plan is feasible. The Grand Commander will be changed to the Longyou General Office, weakening the military function and increasing the farming and animal husbandry function. The Hehuang Valley is the focus. The border troops will be changed to the prefecture troops, and the court will grant land for reclamation and cultivation. In addition, we must indeed move in civilians from Guanlong. The initial consideration is to move in more than 10,000 households and establish three counties. We will then discuss with local officials to finalize the details."
Yang Guang smiled and said to Xiao Xia, "My son, do you still recommend Changsun Sheng as the first governor of Longyou?"
Xiao Xia nodded, "General Changsun is very familiar with Longyou and is good at dealing with the Qiang people. I am not worried about the Hehuang Valley, but the four newly established counties, especially Xihai County. The area is too large and is basically inhabited by Qiang people. If the court wants to rule the Qiang people well, it must use both kindness and power. It is not enough to rely on civil officials alone. It must be a veteran like General Changsun who is both civil and military and has rich experience. If he lays a good foundation, it will be easier for the officials behind him to do their work."
Yang Guang pondered for a long time and finally made a decision. He said to Yang Su, "Let's do this! Establish Longyou Jinglüe Prefecture, which will govern eight counties: Fuhan, Lintao, Xiping, Jiaohe, Heyuan, Xihai, Shanshan and Qiemo. Jincheng County will be assigned to Guanlong Dao. Appoint Zhangsun Sheng as Longyou Jinglüe Envoy. It will take two months to prepare and be officially established in early June."
(End of this chapter)