Chapter 1104 Leisure Chapter

Chapter 1104 Leisure Chapter

Chapter 1104 Leisure
At the end of winter, a talk was held in Jingu Garden.

Dozens of guests were talking, laughing, and cursing, having a great time.

Tuoba Heli sat in a corner, sometimes agreeing with the conversation, sometimes laughing awkwardly. Unfortunately, no one paid attention to him, and he couldn't squeeze into this circle at all.

Sitting next to him was a middle-aged man named Shan Shao, but he was not from the Henei Shan clan. He was a genuine Xianbei man, and his original surname was Tuoduo.

This surname is very ancient. The first leader of the Qifu Xianbei Alliance was called Tuoduo Mohe.

Tuoduo means "mountain dweller" in Xianbei language.

Mo He is Mo He, which means "father, uncle, or uncle" in Xianbei language.

Translated, it means "Uncle the Mountain Dweller" of the Toduo clan of the Qifu tribe.

He was elected as the leader by tribes near and far, and they established the Qifu clan alliance. Tuoduo Mohe then took his tribe as his surname, and all his descendants took Qifu as their surname.

Shan Shao is the part of the Qifu tribe that did not migrate. He often goes to Pingyang to sing and communicate with a group of old Xiongnu Confucian scholars. He can write poetry, is good at calligraphy, and is familiar with rituals and music. He recently traveled in Luoyang and was recruited by the Duke of Wuyuan County to serve as a "friend".

Because they were both Xianbei people, Tuoba Heli and Shan Shao had a certain sympathy for each other.

"When you first arrived in Pingyang, you were very thin. After several years of separation, I didn't expect you to be so plump." Shan Shao pointed at Tuoba Heli's protruding belly and said with a smile.

Tuoba Heli also laughed and said, "I was scared at first, but later I figured it out. The emperor is very courageous. If he wants me to live, then I will live."

"You have a clear mind and are a blessed person." Shan Shao said with a smile.

After laughing, he asked again, "Why are you here?"

He pointed to the room full of guests, most of whom were from Luoyang's powerful families or noble families.

"The prime minister's grandson, Sima Wang Shiguang (Wang Xian), the left cavalry guard, invited me here." Tuoba Heli said.

"Oh?" Shan Shao seemed to be thinking about something, and said, "Maybe you have something good to say."

"Ziyuan, you're joking." Tuoba Heli sighed, then shut up, obviously not wanting to say more.

"Do you know that Hena's people will be returned?" Shan Shao asked.

"I don't know that." Tuoba Heli was a little surprised.

Hena was his younger brother.

On the eve of the fall of Pingcheng, Hena thought he would die if he stayed, so he fled to Suotou River, while he stayed with his mother and accompanied her until she took her last breath.

He was controlled by his mother all his life, and was not allowed to do this or that, which made him submissive, weak and incompetent. To be honest, Tuoba Heli did reflect on himself at that moment, but it was too late. In despair, he remembered his mother's kindness, so he stayed with his dying mother and refused to go anywhere.

If we are going to die, let’s die together.

But he did not expect that Emperor Liang was so broad-minded that he did not kill him, but only placed him under house arrest in Pingyang. After the grassland situation stabilized, even the house arrest was lifted, and he was only taken to Luoyang and not allowed to leave, but no one was sent to guard or monitor him.

Tuoba Heli didn't want to bother anymore.

A tribal nobleman from the grassland visited him when he went south to Luoyang. He gave him some money and allowed him to buy a house in the capital, and purchase furniture and several servants. This kind of life seemed not bad, and it would be nice to live like this for the rest of his life.

But he was not stupid. After years of careful thinking, he knew that there must be a reason why Emperor Liang did not kill him, and he also figured out the reason: Emperor Liang did not trust Wang and her son at all.

All his policies on the grassland were stopgap measures, and in the future he would most likely become enemies with Wang's mother and son.

Tuoba Heli had already jumped out of the circle. He felt that he could calmly watch the end of Wang's mother and son.

But what was Shan Shao talking about just now? The people of Hena were returned? Then who will lead them?
Shan Shao looked at Tuoba Heli and said, "Do you know Tuoba Gu?"

"Of course I know." He Li replied.

"That's him." Shan Shao said, "The emperor has conferred him the title of Duke of Yuyang County."

"Isn't this another Tuoba Yihuai?" He Li asked in surprise.

He didn't feel the slightest bit of loss.

Logically speaking, Hena's people were all his former people, so it would be more reasonable to confer him the title of Duke of Yuyang. But He Li knew that he was not that kind of person, and the emperor probably knew this too, so he chose Tuoba Gu.

But - Tuoba Heli asked hurriedly: "I heard that Tuoba Gu is in Pingcheng. Can Wang release him?"

"That depends on whether Madam Wang dares to kill him." Shan Shao said with a smile, "If she does it brazenly, who knows what will happen? The emperor may not tolerate it. He is the founder of the country. Once he decides to raise an army, no one can stop him. If she doesn't dare to kill him, then she can only let him go."

Tuoba Heli thought about it. If he were the emperor of the Central Plains, he would not be able to tolerate it, let alone Shao Taibai? Playing these tricks in front of him would not have a good effect.

"You may also be appointed." Shan Shao said again.

Tuoba Heli panicked when he heard this. He opened his mouth but didn't know what to say.

Shan Shao didn't say much, he just smiled, picked up the wine glass and took a sip.

The conversation at the banquet was entering the middle stage, and the topic was exactly border affairs - the scholars who had migrated south to Jianye would probably be shocked to see this. Are the northerners starting to discuss these topics?

"Wuyuan State is isolated and in a remote area. When the prince goes there, he should repair the city defenses and strengthen the army." Someone said, "In fact, I think it would be better to grant a marquis to govern these places full of Xianbei people, just like Helong."

“It’s so hard to send officials to set up the system, why don’t you manage it yourself? If you don’t confer the title of Duke of Wuyuan on Tuoba Jing, you will have to confer the title on someone else. In this case, you might as well let Tuoba Jing do it, at least—” This man was passionate, but fortunately he had a clear mind and braked at the critical moment.

"That's right. The imperial court can't even control the Hu people in Bingzhou and Yongzhou, how can it control the foreign lands? It's as if you just draw a line on the map and all your people are yours. But then again, most of the people in Wuyuan County are Xianbei, so will the officials sent there be useful?"

"Officials from Daliang are useless, but officials from the Tuoba clan are still prestigious. The Duke of Wuyuan is surnamed Tuoba." "This - I'm afraid it won't be of much use. The Xianbei people are not fools. They could fool Liangcheng Kingdom at that time, but how could they fool Wuyuan Kingdom? Ahem, I won't say more."

"Everyone." Wang Bing cleared his throat and put down his glass.

Seeing that everyone was looking at him, he smiled and said, "As far as I know, Hedouling and its vassal tribes will move away, and they will be replaced by the Daijun Wuhuan and Shengle Wuhuan. There may also be some captives from the scattered tribes, and they are not all Xianbei people."

When Tuoba Heli heard this, he realized that the "Wang Gong" mentioned just now referred to this person. He once thought it was Wang Yan's son Wang Xuan or even his grandson Wang Xian.

I just don't know who this person is. Could he also be from the Wang family of Langya? Or the Wang family of Donghai?
In addition, through this person's words, he obtained some information: the Wuyuan Kingdom would actually be mainly composed of Wuhuan people.

Emperor Shao Xun of Liang really dares to think and act!

Did he have the ability to send officials to Wuyuan to set up a system? No! He couldn't even reach it. Daliang Dynasty still controlled Kelan County. Pingyang, Taiyuan, Xihe, Xinxing, and Yanmen still had a lot of Hu tribes, which had not been dealt with yet, not to mention the counties outside Yanmen Pass.

But he used another method to get his hands deep into the place. What if the locals objected? Of course, Mrs. Wang, the most powerful woman in Tuoba Xianbei, would come up with a solution, such as moving the Wuhuan people controlled by the Wang family there.

Otherwise, the migration of the Guanghe Douling tribe would be a huge challenge.

People may obey you now, but if you want to take away their pasture, they may not agree.

If you mobilize all your troops to attack them, they will have received the news long ago as they are so far away, and will flee far away. After your long expedition has been in vain and you are forced to withdraw, they will come back to attack you along the same route.

Under normal circumstances, the Hedouling clan should be granted the title of duke and marquis, and the title of Duke of Wuyuan County should belong to them.

It's just that - oh, don't say anything! Tuoba Heli picked up the wine glass and drank it all.

Although he just wanted to live a peaceful life, he was a descendant of the Tuoba clan after all. He still felt uncomfortable seeing the Tuoba Xianbei being thrown into chaos by a Wuhuan woman and a Central Plains man.

"Wuyuan is a remote place, and the Chinese culture is not strong. If you are interested in border affairs, you can go to Wuyuan." Wang Bing's voice continued: "Xingyang Mao Shuozhen (Mao Bao) has volunteered to the emperor and was appointed as the lieutenant Sima of Wuyuan State. You are all talented people of the time. If you are willing to go north, you may be promoted to an official position."

"Mao Bao, a surrendered man, is actually willing to go to Wuyuan?" someone asked in surprise.

"It is precisely because he is a surrendered person that he is willing to go. I heard that Mao Shuozhen went back to Xingyang to worship his ancestors a while ago, and his family was quietly sent back to the north. He must be devoted to working for the emperor."

"He is still recruiting strong men among the surrendered soldiers from Xiangfan with a large sum of money, but there are only seven or eight hundred of them. They should all go to Wuyuan together."

"I see. But it's still a little too few. If the Xianbei rebel, this few people won't be able to stop them."

"I want to be an official, but I am afraid of death. Is that possible?"

Everyone burst into laughter when they heard this.

Tuoba Heli and Shan Shao looked at each other. This Wuyuan Kingdom was really complicated.

The nation was mainly composed of the Wuhuan tribe, supplemented by the defeated Xianbei captives.

The senior officials were either selected from the Central Plains or appointed by Mrs. Wang.

The army was in the middle layer, and it was actually just a few hundred soldiers from Jingzhou.

This country is located to the west of Shengle, and with Liangcheng State on the left and right, it sandwiches Shengle in the middle. It is truly flourishing in the heart of the heartland where the Xianbei power is strongest.

Tuoba Heli sighed again and drank a glass of wine.

At this time, the scholars slowly changed the topic and started talking about the Wang family's "family affairs".

"I heard that the Prime Minister has chosen a husband for his niece. He is the son of General Xu of the Left Flying Dragon Guard. Do you know?"

"Mr. Xu is a founding hero, and you and your majesty have known each other since childhood. He is also a member of the Donghai noble family, and it is common for him to marry into the Wang family of Langya."

"Your Majesty should be mindful of our old friendship. The daughter of the Wang family also likes Xu Xuan, so please agree to it."

"Uh, everyone, I came here from Qinzhou, and I don't know what Wang's daughter's marriage has to do with Your Majesty?"

There was silence for a moment.

"Hey, everyone, the King of Zhao will get married next month, and I wonder what a grand occasion it will be." After an awkward silence, someone finally came out to liven up the atmosphere, saying loudly, "I heard that a Sogdian merchant presented a hundred camels as a gift. Wow, a hundred camels of rare treasures from the Western Regions. The King of Zhao is so rich that he must be the richest among all the kings."

"I have to go and see what this strange thing is."

"Speaking of which, the King of Zhao once met with scholars from Hebei at Sangzi Garden. During the discussion, he quoted extensively and spoke eloquently. His literary talent must be outstanding."

"Have you ever heard of the poem "Ode to the Hometown of Mulberry" written by the King of Zhao? 'The Zhang River flows freely, the Taihang Mountains tower high, the mulberry forest is like a sea, and it reaches Cuiwei. It shades the Three Terraces, and supports all the people; it clothes the world, and its light shines down in all directions. Who will go home with me to the beautiful sites west of Ye? I can only see the herons, with their backs set against the setting sun.' Just a few lines, and that's all."

"I particularly like these two lines: 'In the Bronze Sparrow Tower, dancing sleeves flutter and steal the color of the sunset; in the Golden Phoenix Palace, palace lanterns sway and shine through the icy silk.' The King of Zhao hired skilled workers to weave plain brocade, and the famous brocade from Sangzi Garden was sold in Ji, You, Si, and Bing. This is all the work of the King of Zhao."

"'But the twisted branches still remember the spirit of Jian'an, and the dense leaves still contain the legacy of Huangchu. If Cao Mengde were to come again, he would sigh at the change of the mulberry sea; if Chen Siwang were to write again, he would be surprised at the different paths of the forests and valleys.' These lines are more interesting. When the emperor read them, he applauded. Times have changed, and the world has changed. All of this is included in them."

"'When the autumn season comes, the white dew turns to frost. The mulberry fruits hang down in red, like corals embroidering a tent; the forest glows in red, like clouds burning the hills. Thousands of trees shake in golden hues, like the stars in the Milky Way; thousands of leaves knock on the bells, like the music of the celestial palace.' The magnificent autumn scenery of Sangzi Garden seems to be right before my eyes."

A group of scholars were shaking their heads and commenting on it, and even Shan Shao started to ponder it.

Tuoba Heli's cultural level is too low to understand what is good and what is bad. His mind is not on this, so he can only stay away from it.

However, he still felt a little emotional.

Shao Xun's sons were all so outstanding, what would be the future of Tuoba Xianbei? He was a little afraid to think about it.

(End of this chapter)