Chinese New Year

Chapter 1400 Meeting Guests
Shao Xu had only been in Hexi County for a little over ten days, but he had already made a cursory tour from south to north.

My father said that Beiyi Mountain (Helan Mountain) is the northeastern extension of the Qilian Mountains. After he finished exploring it, he found that this north-south mountain range was more than 400 li long. He didn't know how wide it was from east to west, but according to the military academy of Chang'an who accompanied him, it was about 30 to 50 li long.

To be honest, the existence of this mountain is a blessing for Hexi County.

The western side of the mountain range is relatively flat, bordering sandy desert, with lakes and seasonal rivers formed by melting snow and ice, where some tribes live.

The Wei and Jin dynasties referred to them as Xianbei, but in fact they were likely just native people who had become Xianbei.

When the Xiongnu were powerful, these tribes were the Xiongnu; when the Xianbei were powerful, they were the Xianbei. If another tribe were to emerge that could unify the grasslands, they might be given a different name.

To the east of the mountain range lies a vast plain.

The Beiyishan Mountains blocked the encroachment of sand dunes, and the Yellow River, flowing through them, provided irrigation water.

According to his observation, most sections of the river are higher than the flat land on both sides. This has both advantages and disadvantages. The advantage is that "gravity channels" can be built, which directly draw water from the Yellow River to irrigate farmland without the need for windmills or waterwheels to lift water. The disadvantage is that once a flood occurs, farmland, villages and even cities may be submerged.

Especially Lingzhou County, the seat of government.

Outsiders might find it hard to imagine that this is a city located on a sandbar in the middle of the Yellow River, where floods would be a major disaster.

Lingzhou County originally belonged to Anding Commandery, but it has now been incorporated into Hexi Commandery. In fact, the land east of Beiyi Mountain was originally divided between the Liang and Tuoba dynasties, with the Liang holding about one-third of the territory, but now it has all been incorporated into Hexi Commandery.

Lingzhou County (northeast of present-day Wuzhong) became the seat of Hexi Commandery and Shuozhou Prefecture.

This wasn't the only area that was included. Last month, Yanchuan Commandery added another county, namely Quyan County (present-day Dingbian, Shaanxi). The commandery now governs three counties, with its capital at Quyan.

The area southwest of the Beiyi Protectorate was renamed Mingsha County by imperial decree and placed under the jurisdiction of Hexi Prefecture.

The local environment wasn't actually very good; it was just that it was close to Anding, making it convenient to communicate and receive goods, equipment, and food. The governor was Liu Anzhi, the former Minister of War and Governor of Jingzhou. He took office after the mourning period ended, and it had been less than two years since then.

The most valuable land in Hexi County was actually located at the foot of the eastern side of Beiyi Mountain, which is where Shao Xu is now.

"Your Majesty." Upon seeing Shao Xu descend the mountain, the officials of the royal palace stepped forward to pay their respects.

No, calling them subordinate officials is not entirely accurate, as many of them already held official positions in the imperial court, such as Pei Geng, the prefectural administrator; Song Heng, the governor of Hexi; and Li Yong, the magistrate of Lingzhou.

Lieutenant Xue Tao, You Shenjin, and Da Nong Liu Gong, among others, remained officials under the Prince's command.

Oh, and there's a new retainer named Murong Ke. He was sent by the emperor, and I heard his mother is very favored.

However, he was only sixteen years old and honest, so he wasn't highly regarded and was of little use except for running errands.

Shao Xu returned the greeting to everyone, then sniffed and said, "It smells so good."

Then he looked at a person standing not far away and said, "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. Let's have dinner first."

The man who came was named Yu Ning, a cousin of Yu Tan, the governor of Wuxing in Jin who had been killed. After being exiled to Gaochang, he had lived there for several years. This time, he was invited by the Shen clan to come to Lingzhou with the caravan.

Yu Ning wasn't in a hurry. She had lived in Gaochang for four years. Her entire clan of hundreds of people had gone through such a difficult psychological process, from initially finding it unbearable and threatening to fight their way back to the Central Plains, to later crying and eventually accepting the reality. So what was there to rush?

He even wanted to laugh, because the third prince, whom Shao Zei doted on, was likely to be exiled there as well, or at least become an official there. No one had told him this, but these old aristocratic families were all too aware of the political winds and ripples. From the moment the Shen family began to contact them, the Yu family knew that Prince Zhao, Shao Xu, would at least become an official in Gaochang, and for quite some time.

What kind of place is Gaochang? It's a vast, sparsely populated area where you might not see a person even after walking dozens of miles. The scenery is so monotonous it's almost despairing, consisting mainly of deserts and mountains. Most people live near rivers formed by meltwater from the mountains.

In summer, the riverbed dries up to almost nothing, and people and livestock can only rely on wells and canals built at some unknown time for drinking water and irrigation.

This canal draws water from the mountains, flowing through man-made underground rivers to towns and farmlands, irrigating the farmlands reclaimed over generations.

At first, they were not used to it and tried to draw water from the river for irrigation. But they gradually understood that the old canal that the government had allocated to them was a legend from the Later Han Dynasty. They tried to irrigate the farmland and achieved some success, which allowed the Yu family of several hundred people and the Kuaiji tribes who depended on them to survive.

Even so, everyone still loathed this place.

Summers are unbearably hot, the kind of heat that can bake you dry. Winters are slightly more comfortable, but the farming seasons are completely different from those in the Central Plains and Jiangnan regions. Can you imagine starting spring plowing as early as the first day of the Lunar New Year?

Sandstorms are a constant presence, settling on rooftops, windows, and even dining tables. The only decent food is fruit, but compared to the harsh environment, it's practically negligible.

The King of Zhao is going to Gaochang? Haha! Good, good indeed, that scoundrel Shao is truly ruthless!
Shao Xu didn't know what he was thinking, but he invited everyone to eat and said with a smile, "As the saying goes, when in Rome, do as the Romans do. Don't think that just because Lingzhou is a county, most of the people are descendants of the Xiutu Hu. We'll eat what they eat today. Come on, drink this bowl of milk first. It was just squeezed at noon."

After speaking, he took the lead in drinking.

Upon hearing this, Pei Geng laughed and said, "The local Hu people say that noon is the time when Yin and Yang alternate, and the milk squeezed at this time is a blessing from the gods, with a special flavor."

After saying that, he lowered his head and started drinking.

Upon seeing this, everyone stopped talking and began to drink.

With a formulaic smile on her face, Yu Ning picked up the porcelain bowl and quickly finished drinking it.

“I had heard that the people of Wu could not tolerate dairy products, but now that I have met Lord Yu, I realize that I was wrong,” Shao Xu said.

"It's been four years, it's time to learn it," Yu Ning said neither humbly nor arrogantly.

As they were talking, a soldier brought over a basket of cakes and began distributing them.

Yu Ning first observed these soldiers. They weren't even fully dressed in military uniforms; their clothes were a motley collection, making them look more like a private army than a well-organized force. However, they were well-equipped, so they didn't seem to be the kind of peasants hastily recruited from the fields—peasants like that don't need much weaponry at all; they wouldn't know how to use it anyway, it would be a waste.

After looking at the soldiers, Yu Ning stared at the pancake in her hand, somewhat lost in thought.

"This is a buckwheat cake," Song Heng, the governor of Hexi, explained. "There are native people in Beiyi Mountain who used to farm and herd livestock in the mountains, and they grew buckwheat. This wheat is quite suitable for cultivation in the mountains, but after the native people came down from the mountains, they had fertile land, yet they stubbornly continued to grow buckwheat day after day."

At this point, he shook his head and chuckled, as if mocking the stupidity of those natives.

Yu Ning used to find it laughable, but now that she's seen it so many times, she's too lazy to laugh anymore.

Northwest of Gaochang, the former Cheshi tribe has been cultivating wheat for countless years. Even in areas lacking water and more suitable for millet, they continue their ways without any change. They are stubborn and still need to be taught many things by the people of Central China. However, to be fair, compared to the barbarians in the mountains of Jiangnan, the natives of the Western Regions seem more civilized. At least they have various crafts, and the cloth they weave is quite unique. Even the nomadic peoples of the grasslands are not as civilized as the natives of the Western Regions.

While thinking, he ate a buckwheat pancake, finding the taste rather ordinary and not particularly appealing, but he still finished it anyway.

"Tufu, what are you standing there for? Serve the food!" Zhao Wangyou Shen Jin stood up and called out to Murong Ke.

Murong Ke responded and ran off.

“Shijian, don’t always bully Tufu. He is filial and kind-hearted, and I like him very much,” Shao Xu said from the side.

Shen Jin responded and then laughed, "I don't know why, but seeing his silly face makes me angry."

“Tu Fu is only sixteen years old, yet he is skilled in archery and horsemanship. He must have worked hard before,” said Lieutenant Xue Tao. “I have been observing him for a long time. When hunting sheep, his arrows never miss. He must have been practicing for seven or eight years.”

"We had some mutton sheep that were hunted today, what were they called again?" Shao Xu asked.

"Stubborn sheep".

“Yes, this is it, just right to entertain our distinguished guests.” Shao Xu then looked at Yu Ning and smiled.

Yu Ning immediately bowed to express her gratitude.

The mutton was quickly served and poured into a large bowl, emitting a wonderful aroma.

The so-called "stubborn sheep" are actually ibex, which often roam the mountains and grasslands. Now, they are cut into chunks and stewed together with wild onions, wild leeks, rehmannia leaves, and sand rice, creating an extremely rustic dish that perfectly complements the local environment.

Xue Tao personally distributed the meat to everyone.

Shao Xu patted the empty space beside him and said, "Tu Fu, sit next to me."

Murong Ke was taken aback for a moment. After seeing Shao Xu's encouraging gaze, he thanked him and sat down next to Shao Xu.

Xue Tao also served him a bowl, saying, "Your Highness is so kind-hearted."

Murong Ke deeply agreed, thinking to himself that after observing the King of Zhao for some time, he found that the King was indeed kind and benevolent, and treated people very kindly.

Good people should not be bullied. Now that he is a servant in the Prince of Zhao's household, he should be diligent and careful in his duties from now on.

After everyone slurped down a bowl of meat, Xue Tao got up again to distribute the meat.

Shao Xu picked up a buckwheat pancake, took a couple of bites, then looked at Yu Ning and said, "I haven't asked yet how Lord Yu is doing in Gaochang, whether he's settling in well?"

Yu Ning glanced at Shao Xu, thinking to herself that life was unbearably miserable, but said aloud, "We can only rely on wells and irrigation ditches to irrigate the fields and barely fill our stomachs. At times, the barbarians also raid us, and several members of the Yu family have already died in battle."

"Robbery? Where did it come from?" Shao Xu asked, his expression turning serious.

“We came from the snow mountain (Tianshan).” Yu Ning replied, “There are two passages on the snow mountain that can pass through the army and lead directly to the back of the mountain. There are many Hu tribes there. I don’t know their ethnicity. Anyway, they live by water and grass and change their places frequently. They should not be one tribe.”

Shao Xu nodded.

He also heard that there were many tribes north of the snow mountain, and the biggest reason why they failed to march south and conquer Gaochang was that they were not united and had conflicts with each other, some of whom were even sworn enemies.

In addition, these tribes were constantly migrating and did not have the habit of staying in one place, so the vast Gaochang Prefecture was able to maintain itself.

In addition, he also recalled a casual conversation with his father, in which they mentioned that there were some nice places north of the snow mountain. If they found Gaochang too hot in the summer, they could build a city behind the mountain as a "summer palace" to escape the heat.

After summer, before the heavy snows of late autumn close the mountains, one can travel south to Gaochang and use it as a "winter palace".

Shao Xu was very interested in hearing this, but his first reaction was not to conquer the tribes behind the mountain, but to pacify them.

The father listened without commenting, only saying that these tribes were ignorant and barbaric, and that perhaps they could be appeased, or perhaps not.

Shao Xu understood this principle.

Appeasement is not a simple matter. First, you need to have a certain charm to gain the approval of the chieftain. Then, you need to be fair in your dealings and win his hearts.

Many chieftains on the grasslands rose to power not entirely through fighting and killing, but often by winning over influential figures from other tribes and gaining their willing following.

Shao Xu had read many books, including foreign books, and had a considerable understanding of the culture of the Western Regions. He knew that it was a political culture that was very different from that of the Central Plains and could not be judged by common sense; it had to be adapted to local conditions.

“The Yu family has had a tough time.” Shao Xu sighed. “The Emperor intends to recover the Western Regions, and it may be just a few years from now. If you seize this opportunity, the Yu family may well be able to return to the ranks of the gentry.”

Yu Ning wasn't particularly moved by these words. Even if she achieved further merit, could she really return to Jiangnan?

As if he could read Yu Ning's mind, Shao Xu said sincerely, "Lord Yu, things have come to this point, and there's no point in thinking about it anymore. Taking root in Gaochang may still offer a chance for growth. Yu family members can enter the Imperial Academy and the National Academy, be recommended for the civil service examinations, be recommended as outstanding scholars, or even enter officialdom through hereditary privilege. There are still opportunities. I've heard that Lord Yu already has grandchildren born in Gaochang. Even if you don't consider yourself, you should at least plan for your descendants."

These words touched Yu Ning.

Yes, the Liang Dynasty's national strength is growing day by day, and people's hearts are becoming more and more stable. They probably really have no chance to return to their hometown.

After much thought, I realized that besides causing myself pain, I gained nothing, so I might as well face reality.

He sighed deeply and said, "Your Highness is absolutely right."

Seeing this, Shao Xu took the spoon from Xue Tao's hand and personally served Yu Ning a bowl of meat, saying, "We must work together from now on."

Yu Ning thanked her and accepted the porcelain bowl.

Actually, having decided to come here already meant he had made a decision, didn't he? He secretly mocked himself, "Why be so pretentious?" He then ate his meat heartily and said no more.

(End of this chapter)