Chinese New Year

Chapter 1449 Onlookers
On the 29th day of the first month of the eighth year of Zhenming, the Crown Prince welcomed the returning troops of the Black Spear Left Camp in the western suburbs of Luoyang. The people of Luoyang also came out to watch.

Peng Chi, son of Peng Ling, the military officer in charge of military affairs in Wuwei, and a student of the Imperial Academy, along with his wife Zhang, also stood in the crowd watching.

There were too many people, and they couldn't see the prince at all, let alone hear what he was saying. So they could only walk west to the outer perimeter to see the rows and rows of camels.

How rare! Although foreign merchants also bring camels, who brings more than five thousand of them at once? Moreover, these five thousand camels are carrying high loads of luggage, which are obviously full of valuables.

Some of the luggage wasn't properly tied up, and a corner was sticking out. Upon closer inspection, everyone realized that it appeared to be brocade.

"Why is there still brocade?" someone asked curiously. "Could it be Shu brocade or Jiangling brocade, bought by a foreign land in the Western Regions?"

Someone scoffed and said, "You can name Shu brocade and Jiangling brocade, so you're clearly not an ignorant person, but you're still a step behind. Haven't you heard of Persian brocade? Even the Three Hans have their own brocade, and India has it too."

The man who had spoken earlier was not convinced and insisted, "Since the Three Hans, Persia, and India all have brocade, why do the barbarians from the Western Regions still come to the Central Plains to buy brocade?"

“If you’re wrong, you have to admit it.” The man behind said bluntly, “Persian brocade and Indian brocade come from the same source. Their silk is too coarse and tough. It’s fine for ordinary people, but it’s not good for wealthy families with a little money. As long as Shu brocade, Jiangling brocade, and even the Yecheng brocade that has emerged in recent years are transported to the west, Persian brocade will not be good enough. As for the Three Hans, it’s simply because their brocade weaving skills are too poor.”

These words were reasonable and well-founded, and quite intimidating. The man who had spoken earlier lost face and disappeared into the crowd.

Peng Chi and Zhang Shi exchanged a smile.

They bought Persian brocade partly because it was rare, and partly to study it.

The weaving method of Persian brocade is different from that of the Liang dynasty; it is more similar to weaving woolen cloth. The craftsmanship is actually quite good, and it can create a gradient effect in color, which is worth learning from.

The Persian brocade that had just been partially revealed appeared to have floral and bird patterns on it, which is a typical feature of Persian brocade—they particularly liked to weave linked beads and floral and bird patterns.

“These brocades should be distributed as rewards,” Peng Chi said. “Some people will surely dislike them and then put them up for sale. At that time, we can go to the market and find one or two to take home.”

Zhang nodded in agreement.

While her husband was studying at the Imperial Academy, she devoted herself to needlework at home, especially the weaving of various brocades, which was her little hobby to pass the time.

Some weaving techniques from the Western Regions are quite unique and not found in Han China. If we could learn them and develop them, it would enrich the methods of brocade weaving in Han China. There's nothing to be ashamed of in this matter; not knowing is the most shameful thing.

"Husband, would you like to buy anything?" Zhang asked.

Peng Chi shook his head and said, "The family has all the books it needs, there's nothing missing."

At this point, he looked at the long queue, his eyes brightening, and said, "A true man should make meritorious contributions on the frontier, rush to the capital with urgent dispatches, and directly capture the barbarian king with a long spear. Only in this way can one fulfill one's lifelong ambition. A few pleasures are meaningless, and I don't need them."

Zhang looked at her husband quietly for a long time, then smiled and said, "I heard that during last year's imperial examinations, many students in the Imperial Academy wrote military poems, which were called 'frontier poems.' I wonder if my husband has any good works?"

As the Imperial Academy's examinations for classical texts have evolved, in addition to copying the classics and interpreting them in ink, a poem or essay is also included, which also accounts for a certain percentage of the marks. As a result, more and more people are able to write poetry and are accustomed to writing poetry.

With a large number of poems, schools of thought will naturally emerge.

At present, most of the content is still about leisurely strolls in nature or rural life, while the style of frontier military life is still relatively rare.

After a moment's thought, Peng Chi said, "Spring is in full bloom on the road to Tongtuo, and the moon is already bright over the city of Shule."

"Anything else?" Zhang asked.

Peng Chi opened his mouth, somewhat embarrassed, and said, "I can't make it right away; I need to polish it a bit more."

“It’s already quite good.” Zhang took her husband’s hand and smiled, “It has more spirit than those who only know how to talk about the moonlit stream under the pine trees.”

Peng Chi was even more embarrassed and shook his head, saying, "But it's not as good as the poems Your Majesty recited when you were at the Imperial Academy?"

"Oh? Your Majesty also writes poetry?" Zhang asked in surprise.

“Just a few words,” Peng Chi said. “I heard that when His Majesty recalled the difficulty of the campaign, he casually said, ‘The general never takes off his golden armor at night. In the middle of the night, the soldiers march and their spears clash. The wind is like a knife and cuts to the face.’”

Zhang chewed the food a few times and then smiled, "His Majesty really loves that golden armor."

Peng Chi also laughed and said, "You only see the golden armor, but I see that only someone who has experienced the battlefield can write such a poem."

"Is there really a future in going to the frontier?" Zhang asked.

"President Yang has twice requested to resign, and the Emperor has granted his request. Do you know who has succeeded him?" Peng Chi asked, looking at his wife.

"who?"

"The princes and dukes who hold the imperial seal and command the military affairs of Yining and Ningzhou."

"Wang Que'er".

Peng Chi coughed and said, "Do not address a distinguished person by their given name."

Zhang covered her mouth and chuckled softly.

Generally speaking, only superiors and elders can address someone by their given name, but there are quite a few scholars who directly call him Wang Que'er or Jin Zheng. Those who know, know what their intentions are.

"Is the Prince going to become the Prime Minister?" Zhang asked, changing her form of address.

"The dynasty no longer has a prime minister," Peng Chi corrected. "The one who manages state affairs is generally called a 'prime minister'."

Zhang said "Oh," and then asked, "Your Highness comes from a humble background, do you really want to become prime minister?"

“It’s the Emperor’s decree; who can stop him? Besides, it might not be a bad thing,” Peng Chi said. Madam Zhang nodded repeatedly.

As a woman who marries, she follows her husband's wishes; she is a member of the Peng family, not a member of the Zhang family of Hanoi. The Peng family of Hanoi is, in essence, a military family, and thus aligned with Wang Que'er.

"When the prince enters the capital to become prime minister, his former subordinates should all benefit, right?" Zhang asked again.

“That’s for sure,” Peng Chi said.

"Then, my husband..."

“I will go to Yang Gong myself,” Peng Chi said. “Even if Yang Gong doesn’t govern the Western Regions, someone else will. Anyway, I’m going to the Western Regions. Only here are there official positions, and it’s easy to squeeze in.”

Zhang fell silent for a moment.

It wasn't that she was worried about the hardships of going to the Western Regions. In fact, such officials who traveled thousands of miles to serve their families usually didn't bring their families along, but that very fact meant that she and her husband would be separated for long periods of time, which she found quite difficult to bear.

Peng Chi was oblivious to his wife's thoughts; he was lost in his daydreams of achieving great things.

People of this age often feel extraordinary and special, full of enthusiasm and a sense of self-worth!
On the other side, Crown Prince Shao Jin, following the procedure, rode into the capital with Dong Le, one after the other. After reaching Tongtuo Street, they turned north and went straight to Changhe Gate, where they completed the ceremony of presenting the captives in the square.

For safety reasons, the people were quite far away and couldn't see clearly, but just like when Lu Bu flew into Chang'an, even those who were usually unhappy with their lives held their heads high and cheered loudly.

Looking at the towering gates of Changhe Gate, hearing the thunderous cheers, and seeing the gleaming armor of the warriors, King Bo Shun of Kucha was horrified.

Although he was in a hurry, he saw many sights and sights of the Great Liang Dynasty along the way and truly felt the vastness and wealth of this dynasty. He secretly thought that what his ancestors said about the Han land being too powerful to be an enemy was indeed true.

Perhaps the Central Plains were embroiled in a long period of war and had no time to look westward, which led his ancestors to have a misconception. He himself was also greatly misled, which led to the situation he is in today.

Kucha has only 100,000 households, which is equivalent to only one prefecture in Liang. If they really attack us regardless of the cost, how can we resist?
He recalled that he had ignored the several letters sent by the Liang Kingdom, and now he felt somewhat regretful.

Fortunately, Emperor Liang gave him a chance when he summoned him in Chang'an and did not humiliate him excessively. Now his wife and children are still alive and the whole family is reunited, which is a blessing in disguise—well, strictly speaking, not really, his sister was left with Emperor Liang.

Sigh. He sighed silently.

How could he not guess Emperor Liang's purpose? First, to keep someone familiar with the affairs of the Western Regions by his side as an advisor; second, to pose a threat to his younger brother.

If he disobeys or even rebels, Emperor Liang still has ways to deal with him.

Peng Chi and his wife followed the crowd to Changhe Gate Square, where they heard the constant chatter of the people. To be honest, he quite enjoyed listening to the "outrageous remarks" of the people of Luoyang and Bianjing, because they really knew a lot, or at least they seemed to know a lot.

"During the Wei and Jin dynasties, the Western Regions were limited to Loulan and Gaochang. Now, Your Majesty has restored the territory of the Han dynasty. The Great Liang is truly a glorious and righteous dynasty."

"I think so too. But the dynasty doesn't really need to fight the Western Regions. Emperor Wu of Han's western expedition was actually to deal with the Xiongnu. There are no Xiongnu to the north of Daliang anymore, so fighting the Western Regions is optional."

"That's all you've got. Haven't you seen any Sogdian merchants in Luoyang these past few years? Not long ago, some Sogdians even bought houses in the city, saying they wanted to do business and make and sell grape wine."

“Since you are so fond of conquering the Western Regions, you should be made to perform corvée labor. One trip will make you behave.”

The others burst into laughter upon hearing this.

Peng Chi couldn't help but chuckle. Yes, everyone's pursuits are different.

A military man who wanted to achieve merit could secure a position for his wife and children.

Scholars only thought about managing their property and passing it on to their descendants.

Scholars like him, who came from humble backgrounds, actually shared the same interests as military men. They needed to join the frontier commanders, hoping that if one of them achieved success, all his relatives and friends would benefit from his influence.

As for ordinary people, they just want to live their own lives. You can fight a war, as long as it doesn't affect them. What they fear most is being conscripted into the army to help with supplies, which would be an unbearable hardship.

Of course, it cannot be ruled out that some civilians, relying on their bravery, wanted to gain military merit, but these were a minority.

But under the overwhelming force, the power of an individual is too insignificant. Everyone is swept along by the torrent, unable to control their own destiny.

Just then, a large group of soldiers came over and pushed the crowd of people who were trying to push forward back.

Peng Chi met the eyes of one of them, and both of them were stunned.

The person opposite was none other than the junior officer of the Black Spear Left Battalion, who had just returned from battle. He had been lining up in the square earlier, but now he was here to maintain order.

The man, who appeared to be a team leader, had a flag on his back. He smiled at Peng Chi, then turned and went elsewhere, continuing to berate him.

“When my father was the head of the village, he recommended him to be the team leader. He came to our house a few times,” Peng Chi whispered to his wife.

Zhang nodded.

The Black Spear Left Battalion was stationed in Yewang County, Hanoi District, so it was quite normal to run into acquaintances from the army there.

Peng Chi then turned his gaze back to the arena.

The captain, wielding a sword in his left hand and a bow in his right, was clad in heavy armor and exuded an imposing presence. Over his original lamellar armor, he appeared to be wearing a new, interlocking suit of armor, a rather unusual sight. Could it have been captured?
They should be returning to Hanoi to rest soon. They must have received quite a few rewards when they met the emperor in Chang'an, right? Including the spoils of war, everyone probably made a small fortune.

Peng Chi took a deep breath. He was truly a useless scholar. Next time the Imperial Academy went to the Biyong Hall to practice riding and archery, he would definitely practice diligently and pick up his increasingly neglected skills.

Better to be a centurion than a scholar!

(End of this chapter)