Chinese New Year

Chapter 1505 Temple of Commemoration

"Be careful, don't spill it!" someone shouted on the winding mountain path.

Because it was a downhill road and the vehicles were fully loaded, it was very difficult to walk. Previously, some people had fallen off the mountain road along with their vehicles due to carelessness.

The mountain path was built on the straight city wall, and below the wall were dense farmlands and forests. If you fell down, you would get more than just bruises.

At the Ice Well Platform at the top of the mountain path, one by one, various items were taken out.

Most of these were not grains, but stored dried meat and cheese, filling cart after cart.

Although dried meat can be used as a shield when it is extremely dry and hard, and cheese can still be eaten even when it is moldy, it is not a good thing to keep it for too long. So we simply took it out, loaded it onto a truck, and sent it to the riverbank.

A long line had formed at the foot of the mountain, stretching as far as the eye could see, extending to the newly dredged riverbed.

The ship had a deep draft and was mostly loaded with grain.

Each time a boat was filled, the boatmen would shout work chants and sail downstream towards Piaoyujin.

The able-bodied men who had been conscripted to work sighed and complained.

It's late April now, and everyone who's planted winter wheat is eager to go home, because the wheat harvest is just twenty days away. Even those who've planted spring wheat or millet want to go home to weed.

However, they were powerless to resist compared to ordinary people. To put it bluntly, most of them living near Ye City were soldiers or their descendants who had been allocated land by Shi Le. After Shi Le's defeat and death, the current emperor did not confiscate their land, but simply re-counted it, and then each person received their own land and lived a peaceful life.

Therefore, even though the court did not pursue the crimes of these surrendered people, they still felt inferior and only dared to complain to acquaintances in private, for fear of causing trouble.

Just as more and more horse-drawn carriages and oxcarts were piling up along the riverbank, Tuoba Fengtian, the magistrate of Sangziyuan, also arrived with a large entourage of carriages and horses.

They carried almost anything they could find, including grains as usual, and even bamboo ware, furniture, writing brushes, ink, paper, porcelain, and so on. Almost all of these items came from Sangziyuan, and they even had more than two thousand bolts of woolen cloth.

It's easy to imagine that Sangziyuan won't be able to contribute anything to the Shaofu's finances this year, because they've truly given up everything they have.

"How can we load the boat like this? We won't be able to finish loading even if we keep going until nightfall." Tuoba Fengtian, who came from the grasslands, was very familiar with water transport, and he frowned when he saw the chaotic scene on the riverbank.

After taking a closer look, he couldn't help but scold, "Don't you know that it's been raining for a long time in Bingzhou? There's a lot of water accumulating in the Taihang Mountains, and it's rushing down. If we don't drive in big stakes, the boat will be washed away."

The people in Ye City found this reasonable and immediately began to make corrections in a flurry of activity. At the same time, they sent people to temporarily build piers and open up more loading points in order to transport the supplies away as soon as possible. Ye City was just one place; Qinghe was the main destination, and they didn't know what was going on there.

Yes, Jizhou mobilized several prefectures, and as long as there was any surplus in the treasury, most of it was loaded onto ships and transported to Piaoyujin, where it awaited loading and departure.

The number of ships under the command of the Yujin Duzhi Xiaowei has almost doubled. The extra boatmen assigned in previous years have come in handy. They have now been directly assigned to new ships, where they are mentoring newcomers as "veterans" and are working hard to supply supplies to Lelang.

The reason they were working so hard was actually not complicated: the emperor had come to Wei County, so they had no choice but to do so—it wasn't that they were unwilling to transport supplies, but rather that they valued the issue and were motivated to act accordingly.

"Where is Your Majesty?" Tuoba Fengtian, who had just finished his work and was finally able to rest, looked south and asked.

"They should be here soon," someone replied. "They were at Yemagang the day before yesterday, so it won't take long to get here."

Tuoba Fengtian nodded, then looked at the densely packed boats on the river, filled with awe.

Only a vast and all-encompassing dynasty could gather so many resources and transport them abroad at any cost.

Thinking back to the former Tuoba Dai Kingdom, he sighed silently. Sometimes they couldn't even get enough food and equipment for their expeditions, which was really incomparable.

As long as the Liang Dynasty continues to develop steadily and its rulers and ministers do not act recklessly, its sheer size and its powerful, yet uncorrupted, army are enough to wipe out all threats.

Thinking of this, he took a sip of water to moisten his throat and then began directing the moving work again.

******
Shao Xun arrived in Ye City very quickly.

Outside the Bronze Sparrow Terrace, there were guards every three steps and sentries every five steps, with strict security. But outside the cordon, officials and civilians of Ye City crowded together, craning their necks to get in.

Shao Xun seemed not to hear, and simply reached out to stroke a stone tablet.

"Since the Han Dynasty, the five Xiongnu tribes have been allowed to reside in the interior, long enjoying the rule of the emperor, and having made some contributions, the court has pacified and rewarded them with kindness and trust. In recent years, however, there have been some wicked and rebellious individuals who have forgotten the teachings of their fathers and brothers..."

"Shi Le, the false General of Andong, was originally a Jie slave. He inherited his grandfather's treacherous schemes and displayed the ferocity of a jackal..."

"General Shao Xun, a man of integrity and benevolence, often thought of killing. However, since the matter concerned eliminating tyranny, it was only right to use the axe. Therefore, he unleashed his thunderous wrath and carried out a swift and decisive execution in the fields... The ancient land of Handan and the famous city of Ye were thus secured, a cause for celebration among all."

Despite the passage of time, the inscription remains as clear as ever, and has even been coated with a layer of red paint, making it quite striking.

In addition to the stone tablet, a courtyard was even built, and the county sent troops to guard it, turning it into a tourist attraction that is regularly open to the public for visits.

This was the first battle in which the emperor established his rule over Hebei, and it was of great significance. Shi Le and Wang Mi gathered 60,000 ragtag troops, but they were utterly defeated at Yemagang, fleeing in disarray. They could no longer hold their ground in Yecheng and collapsed for hundreds of miles, directly changing the situation in Hebei.

At that time, countless people congratulated Grand Tutor (Sima Yue) on his "good fortune," which made him feel uneasy, but also subtly changed the views of many people in the shogunate.

While politics determines military affairs, military affairs can also influence politics. Sometimes, the petty political maneuvering and exchanges of interests are no match for a decisive victory on the battlefield.

The Battle of Yemagang was a prime example, directly signaling the rise of a military leader.

Shao Xun naturally understood this principle well, and at this moment he looked at the monument with an appreciative and wistful gaze.

“Was the stele originally erected in the second year of Yongjia (308)?” he said softly after reading the last word.

Actually, no one needs to answer; the date is already at the bottom.

"Your Majesty has decisively defeated the stubborn enemy and pacified Hebei. Your great achievements are unparalleled." The county officials congratulated him in unison.

Shao Xun smiled, glanced around, and then said nothing more.

He was indifferent to the people in front of him; he was only interested in the sentiments of the people of Hebei.

"Does anyone usually come to this temple?" he asked.

"Your Majesty, it is open for five days every ten days, and every time the crowds are overwhelming."

"Your Majesty, the people all call this 'Temple of Commemoration of Merit' and feel honored by it, and they often worship it."

"Your Majesty, there is a large market outside the Temple of Merit every month, which attracts people from far and near. While selling local fruits, vegetables, poultry and eggs, people can also watch performances."

"Your Majesty, the Temple of Merit is even more famous in Ye City than the Bronze Jue Garden. Over time, the people will all know about Your Majesty's great achievements in stabilizing the world, and the hearts of the people will be with you."

"With this stele standing guard, Ye City will be safe! Hebei will be safe!"

Officials showered the officials with flattery, which, while slightly exaggerated, was not far from the truth.

Shao Xun was very pleased to hear this, and felt somewhat relieved, which made up for the slight regret in his heart. He had figured it out. The so-called "old friends" had either died of illness, been killed by him, or been taken into his harem. They were no longer of any significance, unless he could go on a long tour to the border, but that was no longer necessary.

"The safety of Hebei depends on the soldiers' courage and the presence of this monument, but with the passage of time, it's hard to say how effective it will be," Shao Xun said. "To truly bring peace to Hebei, we must rely on your concerted efforts and diligent work. Only then can I be at ease."

"We will obey Your Majesty's decree," the crowd replied in unison.

Shao Xun nodded slightly, watching the golden eagle circling in the sky, and smiled silently.

******
In mid-May, Shao Xun, having spent a few days in the Ye Palace, lost interest and prepared to return south.

Just as he left the palace, he encountered two women who requested an audience and presented him with brocade woven by their own hands.

Shao Xun found it strange. Did he still have such charm that he could make a woman offer him this thing willingly?

Upon inquiring, it was learned that the two women were relatives of the deceased Tao Bao. It turned out that after Tao Bao's wife, Zhang, passed away, the two women were divided into wives and concubines, and they were very grateful for Shao Xun's contributions in bringing stability to Hebei.

This place had been repeatedly ravaged by war and ravaged by Sima Ying, Sima Yue, Sima Teng, Ji Sang, and Shi Le. If someone hadn't stepped in to quell the chaos, who knows how many more people would have perished, and the two girls would certainly not have survived either—at that time, the whole family was so poor that they only had one pair of pants left, and the two young women stayed huddled on their bed all day, unable to go out, which was truly pitiful.

Shao Xun happily accepted the brocade and inquired about the recent situation of Tao Bao's offspring. He was very satisfied to learn that the two sisters had given birth to three sons and two daughters, one son was an official in Pingcheng, one son had gone to Jiangnan, and one son was studying at the Imperial Academy. He instructed the accompanying officials to write down the names of the three men, and the Ministry of Personnel would send someone to assess them. If they were talented and had reached the required age, they would be immediately placed in suitable positions in Hebei and promoted.

When he said this, there were quite a few onlookers, and many people were envious.

Shao Xun also felt somewhat emotional.

He ultimately left his mark on Hebei, and there are still people who are grateful to him, not just those who fear him.

Looking at the wool textile workshops that are now scattered throughout Yecheng, Handan and other places—generally existing in the form of family workshops—it seems that the economies of the grasslands and Hebei are also linked, with both sides exchanging goods and taking what they need.

The existence of Wudi and Piaoyujin has opened Hebei's maritime gateway. Although the Liaohai Sea is treacherous, there are still suitable seasons and methods for navigation. With the rapid advancement of navigation technology, this may also be an opportunity. To be honest, it is quite strange that there are still very few fishermen on the Liaohai coast, and this needs to be changed gradually.

Hebei still possesses traditional advantages in silk weaving, and mature agricultural technology has led to a steady increase in grain production. Furthermore, Shao Xun has continuously provided opportunities for Hebei scholars to enroll in schools, and the Crown Princess herself is from Hebei. In the future, Hebei will surely become a vital region that is as important as Henan in the Liang Dynasty.

Therefore, there's really nothing to worry about.

Shao Xun did not delay any longer and ordered a return to Bianliang.

(End of this chapter)