Chinese New Year

Chapter 1508 I'll give it to you little by little

Amidst the wind and snow, the sounds of horses' hooves and bells mingled, both crisp and muffled.

Liu Min, a courier at Gongchen Post Station, stepped out of the courtyard and looked around, but all he could see was a vast expanse of white, and he couldn't make out anything. Just as he was about to retreat, dozens of riders appeared in the distance, gradually slowing their pace before finally coming to a stop.

The leader was no longer young, probably around fifty years old, with a weathered face and wearing a sheepskin coat, looking very simple.

But who are the couriers? They have sharp eyes. Judging from the respectful attitude of those around the old man, they can tell that this person is of high status. Judging by clothing alone, you might as well give up now. People from the north often dress very simply, but they might actually be in charge of a large army. You should learn from them.

Just as Liu Min had predicted, the old man entered the courtyard as if it were his right, followed by a large group of people. His attendants even rudely beckoned the postman to feed the horses, their attitude far from pleasant.

Helpless, Liu Min called a few more servants to lead the horses away one by one, feeding them salt water and beans. He then took the opportunity to strike up a conversation: "Where did you come from, sir?"

The man who was calling the courier looked like a team leader. He glanced at Liu Min upon hearing this and said, "Shanyu Prefecture, Yunzhong Town."

He had expected the courier to be startled, but the courier seemed quite normal, so he hesitated to speak.

The courier understood his expression, smiled, and asked again, "Which tribe are you from, sir?"

“Tuoba,” the team leader said.

The courier simply said "oh" without much further comment. After all, Tuoba Shiyijian had become an idle man, with neither power nor money. Once, when he stayed overnight at Gongchen Post Station, he seemed reluctant to stay in the courtyard with the lotus pond. It shouldn't be that bad, though. He ran a paper mill and a leather workshop, which were quite profitable; he was just stingy.

The team leader felt a pang of sadness when he saw that the courier did not respond. But he also knew that although the Tuoba tribe was quite famous on the grasslands, and even though many of its members had been sent away, it was still renowned. However, in the vast and resource-rich Liang, it was not enough.

They've fought their way through the Central Plains, Liaodong, and the Western Regions. They have plenty of manpower, money, and horses. Aren't they much better than you?

Thinking of this, he sighed silently. Even his master, Tuoba Kefu, had come to Bianliang to congratulate Emperor Shao, and he might still have to receive some reprimands.

While he was thinking, he noticed that the courier was wearing a sweater, and was immediately surprised. He asked, "I heard the merchants mention that this item is not cheap, is it?"

"It wasn't cheap seven or eight years ago, but what time is it now?" The courier chuckled. "This thing is warmer than a cotton coat, but it's not very comfortable and can't be worn next to the skin. The wool was bought from the grasslands, I don't know where, maybe Pingcheng."

Inside the courtyard, Tuoba Kefu, who had just finished feeding his own mount, listened thoughtfully.

He didn't know where the wool in Bianliang came from, but it was probably from Bingzhou or Youzhou, with very little coming from the Central Plains.

He himself also wore sweaters, which were indeed very warm. Wearing them under his sheepskin coat not only protected him from the cold but also from the wind. Although they were not as effective as fur coats, they were a rare item for people to keep warm.

It's important to know that even on the grasslands where wool is abundant, they don't weave woolen cloth, but only felt. Felt blankets are also a common item for grassland herders to keep warm—the effect of wearing them is self-evident.

Having thought this through, he was speechless.

The wool produced on the grasslands cannot be turned into cloth to make money for the grassland herders; it can only be sold as wool. How tragic!

But now the emperor is persistently promoting wool textiles so that the people of the Central Plains can keep warm. Before this, as far as he knew, few people in the Central Plains could afford cotton-padded clothes. Most people could only endure the winter, and they couldn't even keep warm by burning firewood every day. They could only light a little firewood on the coldest days, and firewood also cost money.

Although Shao Taibai was ruthless, he sometimes genuinely cared for the well-being of the people under his rule. While he might not have been truly benevolent and caring towards the people, but rather wanted them to be more prosperous so he could exploit them later, he did indeed achieve his goal.

The Liang Dynasty grew stronger day by day, posing a great threat to the so-called "four barbarian tribes".

Didn't he just go to court by imperial decree?

After resting at the post station for one night—Tuoba Kefu was reluctant to stay, perhaps because he was unwilling to spend the money, or perhaps because the lotus pond had lost all its beauty and it wasn't worth the expense—the group rode south at full speed the next day, heading straight for Bianliang.

******
A considerable number of people had already arrived at the side hall of Lichun Terrace.

The leader was Wang Feng, the Chancellor, and others also came, including Pu Gulu, the Deputy Protector-General of the Shanyu, Su Zhongshun, the Vice Minister of the Chancellery, Daxi Heruo, the General of the Left Cavalry Guard, Wang Chang, the Chief Administrator of Bingzhou, Dou Yuzhen, the Junior Supervisor of the Imperial Treasury, and Qiu Dunju, the Junior Supervisor of the Imperial Guard.

It is clear that this was a collective audience of former officials or surrendered people of the Tuoba Dai state, which was of extraordinary significance.

The group looked around, instinctively wanting to say something, but fearing overhearing, they refrained from doing so.

So a group of people sat there like wooden statues, drinking some tea and eating some dried fruit, which was really boring.

After a long while, someone finally couldn't hold back any longer. "We can't talk about military and political matters, but can't we talk about something else?"
Pugu Lü was the first to speak, saying, "This tea is quite good, but why is the tea sold outside Yanmen Pass so bad?"

"Isn't it because they're poor?" Su Zhongshun shook his head and laughed. "I heard that someone from Princess Jingfu's residence sells tea, transporting Mengding tea from Sichuan to Shengle and Pingcheng, but unfortunately, there are very few buyers. On the contrary, the Guanqiu family sells the rotten tea that people from the Central Plains don't want, but it sells very quickly. And you all say it tastes good. If we don't rip you off, who else are we ripping off?"

Everyone laughed.

People didn't really understand tea drinking, but after eating too much meat and dairy, they definitely needed some tea. It helped cut through the greasiness and even allowed them to eat a couple more pieces of meat, so the custom of drinking tea gradually became popular—if there might have been an element of affectation at first, it was later a genuine need.

“We can’t afford good tea,” said Feng Zhen, a military advisor in the Shanyu’s office. “Our Shiben tribe is poor to begin with, and the place is bad, freezing cold. We need the court’s relief from time to time. Where would we get the money to buy good tea? And none of my family members are officials in the Central Plains—”

At this point, he glanced at Tuoba Kefu, a hint of sourness in his eyes.

Yesterday I visited the Tuoba Residence located in Xuanrenfang, Right Street of Dingdingmen, and it was incredibly grand. Most importantly, it's adjacent to the residence of Mao Bang, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. To be fair, this residence was appropriate for Mao Bang in his younger days, but it's somewhat inadequate now. The imperial court has official residences in the best locations for high-ranking officials, but Mao Bang said he had his own residence in the capital and didn't need to waste public funds, earning him widespread praise.

With such a residence, and his son Tuoba Fengtian serving as an official in the Central Plains, Tuoba Kefu naturally had many connections and could easily amass wealth. Feng Zhen noticed that their home even displayed items from the Jiangnan region. Upon inquiring, he learned that Tuoba Kefu had sent several of his nephews to Xuancheng to purchase a piece of land, which they then cultivated year by year, and which was now quite productive.

Compared to the Tuoba clan, the Feng clan was practically beggars.

Tuoba Kefu also felt the other party's gaze and shook his head, saying, "I told you long ago to send your sons south, but you overthought it. What do you think now?"

Feng Zhen felt a little embarrassed and stopped talking.

He remembered the conversation between the two. Although it wasn't explicitly stated, the underlying meaning was clear: if too many family members remained in the Central Plains, they would be like hostages, and it would be difficult to abandon them.

Tuoba Kefu understood this principle, but he didn't want to go through the trouble.

The location of the Shiben tribe's grazing grounds wasn't ideal, being very close to the northern deserts and having close ties with the tribes there. It's understandable that they might have some ulterior motives. It's simply a matter of different choices; there's no right or wrong.

While the two men were talking, a small circle formed over there, discussing the trade of honey, furs, and horses. The latter two were alright, but when it came to honey, they both said that although prices had risen, they would never return to what they used to be. Sugarcane from Jiaozhou was being continuously transported north, squeezing out a large portion of the honey market, and now sugarcane was being grown in parts of Guangzhou and Yangzhou as well, making life almost unbearable.

Furthermore, well-informed individuals reported that the previously unattainable block sugars were now being improved by the people of the Central Plains, resulting in granulated sugar, which would further reduce honey sales. The poor grasslands, which already had few commodities to trade, and honey being of paramount importance, were now completely lost.

Upon hearing this, others sighed, saying that fur and horses were also affected because Liaodong had joined the competition.

Dou Yuzhen, the Junior Supervisor of the Imperial Household Department, remained silent throughout, listening quietly until the very end, when he chuckled inwardly.

Despite their constant complaints, it's impossible to persuade them to stop doing business with the Central Plains altogether.

They had already tasted the benefits, and even if the profits decreased, it was still a significant amount that they would never give up. To be honest, from ancient times to the present, which tribe did not want to trade with the Central Plains dynasties? Everyone from top to bottom wanted to.

Judging from this situation, the emperor's reform of the Tuoba tribes was quite successful. The saying "wealth moves people's hearts" is absolutely true. Even ordinary herdsmen received the pots and pans they desperately needed for cooking, and no one wanted to go against the Great Liang Dynasty, at least not now.

Just as Dou Yuzhen cleared her throat, about to speak, a palace servant entered and asked them to move to the main hall.

The crowd fell silent, straightened their robes, and entered the main hall to pay their respects.

******
Inside the main hall, the emperor's voice could be faintly heard.

"Murong Ren is arrogant and has been exiled to a distant place. You should all be warned against this. I am not a cruel person, but if anyone disobeys, I will have no way to pardon them even if I want to."

"Even the most benevolent Heaven and Earth have their frost and snow. If they do not submit to our cause, it is only right to use force. You should all remember this."

"The Imperial Liang Imperial Guard has 60,000 troops and over 160,000 soldiers. If mobilized, they would number well over a million! What difficulty would it be to plow the grasslands upside down?"

The rest of the words were not very clear, but Dou Yuzhen felt a chill and knew that these words were spoken to others, and also to them.

The others heard it too, and their faces turned ashen; the cold wind under the eaves seemed to grow even colder.

Fortunately, it didn't take long before they saw a group of people leave the main hall and, led by an official, step into the snowstorm.

Dou Yuzhen looked up and saw that one of the people seemed to be Yuwen Xibaxiong, who also turned his head to look in their direction, and left without saying a word.

A moment later, the famous Imperial Guard Commander Shao Zhen came over and said, "Please follow me, everyone. His Majesty and the Crown Prince are both here."

The crowd agreed repeatedly, and then entered in turn, bowing and saying in unison, "Your subjects pay their respects to Your Majesty and Your Highness."

"Get up, sit down," a deep voice rang out.

Everyone stood up, found seats, and took their places according to their official rank.

Dou Yuzhen stole a glance at the emperor and noticed that he looked tired. Perhaps he was getting old, or perhaps he had received too many officials. Now that the Yuwen tribes had come, what about the tribes in the former territory of the Murong Xianbei? They couldn't be left out.

"I have summoned you all here today for one matter." Shao Xun sat at the head of the table, glanced around, and said, "The Crown Prince has also assumed the post of Commissioner of the Barbarian Tribes. From today onwards, the affairs of all barbarians will be under the full responsibility of the Crown Prince. I will no longer concern myself with matters such as conscription, military service, horse recruitment, clan assessment, hereditary appointments, and even the recommendation system."

Dou Yuzhen listened from below, and a thought suddenly occurred to her.

In fact, the nobles of various tribes were no strangers to the crown prince. Initially, the emperor seemed to keep a close eye on the crown prince, only granting him the power to compile books. Later, he delegated the duties of sacrifices and receptions to him. The so-called receptions included both foreign envoys and tribal leaders. In other words, anyone who had been conferred an official title had to pay homage to the crown prince before attending the grand court assembly on New Year's Day, and they had interacted with him many times.

Shao Xun took in everyone's expressions, nodded, and said, "The Tuoba tribes have always been loyal and brave, so I am very reassured. All benefits, including disaster relief, will be prioritized for you. Ask yourselves honestly, have you ever been shortchanged in terms of official positions? Have you ever been shortchanged in terms of profits from trade? How many people are there on the grasslands, and how much wealth do they have? To be able to serve as an official in the Central Plains is a benefit that others wouldn't even dare to dream of. Do not make a mistake."

"No, no," everyone replied.

Shao Xun gestured to the Crown Prince with his eyes.

The crown prince understood and asked, "Did you come alone, or did you bring your nephews or attendants?"

He brought fifty personal attendants with him.

He brought more than ten nephews and nieces and thirty close attendants with him.

"He brought more than ten of his own nephews and nieces, more than ten of his relatives by marriage, and more than ten of his old friends' children, all of whom were loyal and brave."

……

Everyone was talking about it.

"On the day of Laba Festival, I will gather my close followers and brave warriors in the desert, and I will test their knowledge and martial arts skills," Crown Prince Shao Jin said to the crowd in an unquestionable tone.

"Your subjects obey your command." The crowd responded in unison, secretly breathing a sigh of relief. The Emperor and Crown Prince treated them much more politely than they had treated the Yuwen clan.

The so-called "examination" was just a formality, a way to give out some low-ranking official positions—which was actually quite a good benefit.

Of course, if one has real talent and gains the favor of the crown prince, a meteoric rise to prominence is not a dream.

This is a golden opportunity that we must seize. Judging from the Emperor's reaction, he must have tacitly approved the Crown Prince's favor to them. There's no need to hesitate; we should just do it.

The prince then inquired about the situation in everyone's homes and tribes, and his answers were often insightful, which pleased everyone even more—if the prince didn't know, it meant he wasn't paying attention, which was a bad sign.

The audience finally ended at noon.

The Crown Prince hosted a banquet at the Linzhi Palace to entertain the leaders of the various Hu tribes who had come to pay homage.

Before leaving, Shao Xun stood in the hall and whispered, "Liang Nu, the family fortune is being handed over to you little by little. Don't disappoint your father."

Shao Jin felt a pang of sadness and said, "Father, rest assured, I will definitely work diligently to ensure that all nations of the Great Liang come to pay homage and that our might will shake the world."

Shao Xun chuckled and said, "You get up before dawn every day, which shows your diligence. I believe you."

(End of this chapter)