Guiyi Fei Tang

Chapter 550 Returning to the old place
"Pattering..."

In late March, as spring was drawing to a close, a spring rain washed the northern land clean.

When the three-day spring rain ended, the people of Didao City in Linzhou spontaneously left the city and walked more than ten miles toward the official road of Weizhou.

The elderly leaned on elm canes, women led children, and young people stood on tiptoe, gazing eastward. Everyone was filled with excitement, eagerly waiting for the figures they longed for to appear in the distance.

"Father, will His Majesty really come by this road?"

"Yes, yes..."

"What does His Majesty look like?"

"I don't know now, but His Majesty in the past was tall and handsome, like a god. I think he was even more handsome than Pan An and Song Yu in those history books..."

"Hissing sound—"

"I'm coming!"

As the crowd thronged and discussed amongst themselves, the sound of horses neighing in the distance stirred up the already restless crowd.

Everyone looked toward the official road in the direction of Weizhou, and saw figures beginning to appear at the end of the road, rapidly approaching Didao in groups.

As they drew closer, the elite Imperial Guards, carrying the banners of the Han Dynasty, came galloping ahead, their numbers countless as they approached.

They passed the people and approached the south gate of Didao City.

It wasn't until the head of the Imperial Guards reached the south gate of Didao that the cavalrymen began to rein in their horses and slow down, splitting into two lines and standing solemnly on both sides of the road.

The people were very excited when they saw them and couldn't help but look at these elite cavalrymen.

The Northern Army, as the emperor's personal guard, consisted of the Imperial Guard and the four Divine Martial Armies, all of which were cavalry, while the two Dragon Martial Armies were composed of infantry and cavalry.

The Han dynasty did not pursue extravagance. Even the emperor's personal guard wore only ordinary lamellar armor, carried matchlock guns wrapped in oiled paper on their backs, and had blunt weapons such as daggers, maces, and axes on their sides of their saddles. They all carried horse spears with banners hanging in their hands.

They were all elite soldiers selected from various armies; without some skill, they could not have stood out.

The people of Didao looked up, feeling their blood boil, and then the sound of horses' hooves and carriage wheels came from afar once again.

The people dared not make any more noise, and could only watch helplessly as the procession at the end of the road drew ever closer.

Banners fluttered in the spring breeze as the jade carriage and the large carriage slowly approached, surrounded by soldiers from the left and right wings of the Longwu army.

"His Majesty!!"

"Your Majesty is here!"

In an instant, the people who had finally calmed down all turned their attention to the jade carriage.

Many of them had never seen Liu Jilong, only knowing that the emperor's carriage was extremely luxurious and pulled by six horses.

That's why they all shouted when they saw Yu Lu.

Unlike them, those who had the privilege of seeing Liu Jilong before paid no attention to Yu Lu at this moment, because their eyes were drawn to the figure riding on horseback in front of Yu Lu.

"It's His Majesty! The one riding the black horse! I recognize him!"

"His Majesty?!"

"Your Majesty is so young?"

"Your Majesty is not old. Could it be that you have attained immortality?"

"His Majesty……"

Her words were like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, instantly creating ripples.

Countless people who had met Liu Jilong before recognized him at this moment.

Over the course of more than twenty years, the child grew into a young adult, and the young adult grew into an old man, but Liu Jilong's appearance, when viewed from a distance, seemed to have remained unchanged.

Despite the many things they have experienced over the years, Liu Jilong's image remains etched in their hearts.

Faced with the sight of people spontaneously lining more than ten miles from the city to welcome him, even Liu Jilong, who had become numb from countless power struggles in the imperial court, couldn't help but show a relaxed smile.

"You've worked hard, go home soon..."

"Your Majesty, do you remember buying my flatbread years ago?!"

"Your Majesty, I often sell candy around the Prince's residence. You even bought some of my candy with the Crown Prince. Do you remember?"

"Your Majesty... Your Majesty..."

He waved to the people from horseback, and countless people eagerly recounted their brief encounter with Liu Jilong.

Although Liu Jilong has forgotten them, for them, that scene is enough to be remembered for a lifetime.

The lively scene made Cao Mao, whose youth had faded, excitedly spur his horse closer to Husi Guang and whisper, "Brother, look at the people of Didao. They are much more sincere than those officials in Luoyang."

"Of course!" Husi Guang laughed heartily upon hearing this: "Your Majesty has led us in battles in Longxi for more than ten years. The people here regard Your Majesty as family."

An Pohu nodded in agreement and added, "If it weren't for Your Majesty, I and these people would probably have starved to death in Tang territory. How could we have come to Longyou and been reborn?"

"Your Majesty may not remember so many things, but every citizen who has received Your Majesty's favor will remember that moment."

The three laughed heartily, while Li Meiling, aboard the jade carriage, looked out the window, overwhelmed with mixed feelings.

Not only her, but also Ximen Junsui, who served her, and many of Liu Jilong's accompanying sons felt the same way.

They had only heard about Liu Jilong's experiences from other people, but those people were just repeating hearsay.

Now, with firsthand experience laid out before them, their sincerity and enthusiasm are unmistakable.

Many people were moved to tears upon meeting Liu Jilong, a feeling they could not comprehend.

Because there were so many people, Liu Jilong could only slow down his horse and try to talk to all the people along the way.

Even after Liu Jilong had reached the city gate, the official road behind him was still crowded with people, who stood there watching him enter the city first.

"Your Majesty, we, your humble servants, pay our respects..."

When Liu Jilong turned around, what appeared before him were thousands of people, many of whom were disabled, blocking the city gate.

Upon seeing them, Liu Jilong immediately recognized their identities and excitedly dismounted, rushing to their side.

Their ages ranged from forty to seventy. Each of them was an old soldier who had followed Liu Jilong in battle, suffered disabilities, and finally lived out his days in Didao City.

"Who led us to reclaim Longxi?!"

"His Majesty!!"

Suddenly, as if they had been prepared, shouts rang out, and more than a thousand veterans responded in loud voices. Even Liu Jilong was somewhat shocked.

"Who led us to defeat the Tibetans and restore the Hexi Corridor?!"

"His Majesty!!"

"Who gave us a life of luxury and ease, and granted us peaceful days?!"

"His Majesty!!"

As the questions and affirmative answers rang out, it wasn't just the old soldiers at the city gate who were shouting; the surrounding people joined in, creating a truly moving scene.

Faced with their words, Liu Jilong felt a mix of emotions. Only after they quieted down did he look at them and meet their gazes.

"Without you, I would not have been able to recover the Hexi Corridor and drive out the Tibetans."

“You are the true heroes of the restoration of the Hexi Corridor; I am merely an ordinary person who has gained fame on your behalf…”

Perhaps in his youth, Liu Jilong felt that he had led the people to drive out the Tibetans and restore the Han Chinese orthodoxy in the Hexi Corridor.

But as time went by, he would often think back to those things and scenes on the battlefield.

Without the support of these people and soldiers, where would he have gotten the strength to recover the Hexi Corridor, drive out the Tibetans, and destroy the Tang Dynasty?
His genuine emotions moved countless disabled veterans who fought alongside him to stand tall with pride, their eyes welling up with tears.

"Tomorrow, as usual, the imperial treasury will allocate funds and provisions. I will treat all the people of Didao to a meal to express my gratitude for the support of the people of Longyou."

Liu Jilong gave the order, and Cao Mao behind him immediately had someone make arrangements. Liu Jilong then walked through the ranks of the disabled veterans and entered the city with them.

Because he was surrounded by civilians on the official road, he couldn't fully appreciate the changes in Didao. So he and the old soldiers went up to the city wall and the horse path, and up to the arrow tower, so they could take in the entire city of Didao.

Standing atop the arrow tower, a gentle spring breeze blows, carrying a touch of tenderness.

In his eyes, the fields outside the city stretched as far as the eye could see, and the crops stretched to the horizon.

The former barren beaches and slopes have been transformed into fertile fields, with ditches crisscrossing like blood vessels, shimmering in the sunlight.

When the officials of Linzhou saw Liu Jilong looking out of the city, they introduced themselves and said, "We have governed Linzhou in accordance with Your Majesty's old system and have not overstepped the bounds in the slightest."

"Last year's land survey showed that more than two million mu of land had been reclaimed in Linzhou, with a population of more than 287,000. There was very little wasteland to be reclaimed in Linzhou, and many restless people even began to build terraced fields."

"Excellent! Very good!" Liu Jilong exclaimed in approval, then turned and walked to the other side of the arrow tower, looking towards the city.

Neat rows of white-walled, blue-tiled houses lined the town, with newly pasted lanterns hanging under the eaves and red paper-cut window decorations pasted on the window frames.

"Upon learning of His Majesty's arrival, the people spontaneously began repairing their houses and sweeping the streets two months ago, even renovating the facades of the most dilapidated courtyards."

The official explained, fearing that his emperor might think the government was pressuring him.

Liu Jilong did not respond, but simply watched with a smile on his lips before turning his gaze to Phoenix Mountain in the distance.

Upon seeing Liu Jilong looking towards Phoenix Mountain, the official immediately said, "Every year during festivals, without any instructions from the government, many ordinary people and students from government schools spontaneously organize themselves to go up the mountain to clear weeds for the National Martyrs' Cemetery. On ordinary days, the government also hires workers to clean it up at all times."

Even when Liu Jilong was in Luoyang, he often inquired about the management of Phoenix Mountain, and the successive officials of Linzhou naturally dared not neglect him.

"I'll go take a look tomorrow..."

Liu Jilong nodded in response, his expression revealing neither joy nor sorrow. The official returned the greeting and then followed Liu Jilong for a walk around the horse track.

Half an hour later, as the people entered the city one after another, Liu Jilong led his men back to the former Han Prince's Mansion, now the Linzhou Palace.

The lintel of the palace remained unchanged, and the various flowers, trees, halls, and pavilions inside were just as I remembered.

Liu Jilong walked into the main hall and saw that the hall was brightly lit and the furnishings were just as they had been before.

Standing inside the hall, he seemed to see his younger self, engrossed in governing the country, and he also saw himself discussing with his generals how to govern Longyou and how to launch a military campaign against Tibet...

After standing for a moment, Liu Jilong silently walked out of the main hall, turned into the corridor, and arrived at the martial arts arena.

The weapon racks on the training ground still stand in their original places, the spears and halberds polished to a shine, as if I had been honing my martial arts skills here just yesterday. The so-called eastward expansion and founding of the country were just a pipe dream.

His gaze lingered on the familiar scenery, without asking the officials of Linzhou how the people were doing.

The court's preferential treatment of Longyou and Linzhou is obvious to all, and he saw it very clearly when he entered the city.

The people were dressed in silk clothes, the children had rosy cheeks, and the old men's canes were polished smooth.

If it were necessary to mobilize thousands of people to stage that scene, the money and grain consumed would certainly be beyond what Linzhou or even the entire Longyou Circuit could afford.

Thinking of this, he walked from the training ground to the old main kitchen, where he saw dinner being prepared.

Freshly ground wheat flour is steamed into flatbread, mutton simmers in a pot, and seasonal wild vegetables are tossed with sesame oil until fragrant.

Liu Jilong took a bite of the sweet rice wine and suddenly laughed, "It tastes just like it did back then."

The chefs standing nearby smiled upon hearing this; they were all elderly men who had followed Liu Jilong eastward from Longyou.

The flavor of Longyou cannot be replicated in Luoyang because of the different ingredients used.

Now that I've returned to Linzhou, replicating the taste of the past is naturally easy.

"Today, let us taste the food we used to eat. After you have all eaten, you may return to your residence to rest."

Liu Jilong turned around and gave instructions to An Pohu and the others, while jokingly asking, "You didn't sell the houses in Didao, did you?"

"No!" Cao Mao and the others laughed heartily, and then followed Liu Jilong to the main hall, where they chatted and ate as they did in previous years.

Although it feels similar to before, no one dares to invite Liu Jilong to dance anymore.

Even when he asked, everyone was still very hesitant and danced with great restraint.

He didn't say much, but after dinner, he rested alone in the old central hall, staring at the ceiling, his mind filled with thoughts.

He came back, yet it was as if he hadn't. The people were the same, the place was the same, but people's hearts had changed. Whether it was him, Cao Mao, Husi Guang, or the others, they could never go back to the way things were.

In his hazy state, Liu Jilong dreamt of many things that had happened in the past. It wasn't until he woke up slowly in the morning that he realized that many of the scenes he had dreamt of last night were just dreams.

It was still early, so he got up and dressed on his own. With the help of Ximen Junsui, he washed up and then headed to Phoenix Mountain under the escort of dozens of elite cavalrymen.

The trees that were planted have all grown into towering trees, providing shelter from the wind and rain for the people climbing the mountain.

The various buildings in the national mourning cemetery are well preserved and have not changed much. There are just more stone tablets than when he left, and each stone tablet is filled with the names of the deceased.

Liu Jilong stood there for a long time, with Ximen Junsui, Zhao Ying and the old soldier in charge of guarding the place standing beside him.

"How many brothers' names are recorded here?"

He couldn't help but ask, and the old soldier bowed respectfully upon hearing this: "Your Majesty, there are 34,657."

"These are brothers who came from Longyou and died in battle. The brothers from other regions each built their own shrines and mausoleums in their hometowns."

The number of casualties in Longyou weighed heavily on Liu Jilong's mind. He had lived up to the expectations of most of his superiors, but he had also let down many of them.

"During the previous Longyou Jingcha incident, were there many families of martyrs who were exiled for committing crimes?"

Liu Jilong asked without turning his head. The old soldier remained silent for a moment, unable to answer directly, but instead said tactfully:
“They oppressed the people and committed corruption. Your Majesty did nothing wrong. I believe the brothers will be grateful to Your Majesty for cleaning up their house.”

The fact that the old soldier gave such a tactful answer suggests that the number of families of martyrs implicated in the crimes and exiles was not small.

However, Liu Jilong did not regret it. If he hadn't taken action against these people, decades later they would have become even more vicious, turning from a minor ailment into a scourge.

There are some things that someone has to do. If someone doesn't do them because they care about their reputation, then even more people will suffer.

Exiling them was already the best explanation Liu Jilong could give to his old comrades.

Thinking of this, he lifted his leg and walked towards the cemetery behind him. Before long, he arrived at the cemetery where countless martyrs' remains or cenotaphs were buried.

More than 30,000 tombstones almost completely cover the top of Phoenix Mountain. All Liu Jilong could do was keep walking among them, listening to the old soldiers recount the deeds of these people.

He stayed in the cemetery for two hours, during which time Cao Mao, An Pohu, Husi Guang and others arrived one after another and accompanied him to talk with his brothers.

As dusk approached, Liu Jilong led the group away from the National Cemetery for Martyrs, while Didao City was already bustling with activity.

Every household set up long tables for banquets on the streets. Cao Mao allocated 20,000 strings of cash from the imperial treasury to buy all kinds of meat and vegetables, almost buying up all the pastures, pigsties, poultry, and wild beans near Didao.

120,000 people of Didao ate together in the city, and the aroma of meat wafted out of the city. Liu Jilong shared a meal with his veterans in the square in front of the palace, and laughter filled the air.

Linzhou became younger and more vibrant because of Liu Jilong's arrival, and Liu Jilong also felt a little more relaxed after coming to Linzhou.

The curfew in Didao City was temporarily lifted. Many people did not leave until it was completely dark, reluctantly packing up their dishes and returning to the streets to clean them up.

The next day, Didao City remained clean and tidy, and Liu Jilong did not stay for long. While the people were still fast asleep, he led his team toward Lanzhou.

Over the next two weeks, they passed through Jincheng and Guangwu in Lanzhou, and also crossed Hongchi Ridge and Herong Ridge, which lead to Liangzhou.

The once narrow official road was continuously widened by the government offices of various prefectures through gunpowder blasting, making the road several times easier to travel than before.

Perhaps for this reason, Liu Jilong no longer felt the hardship of the eastward advance, but only felt very relaxed.

He wasn't the only one who felt this way; Cao Mao, Husi Guang, Zhao Ying, and others also shared this feeling.

In mid-April, they arrived in Liangzhou. From Changsong in the east of Liangzhou to Fanhe in the west, a distance of more than 200 li, Liangzhou was no longer the sparsely populated place it once was, but had become a large city with a large population.

Today, Liangzhou has 66,000 households, more than 330,000 people, and more than 2.7 million mu of cultivated land.

Never before in history has Liangzhou been so prosperous, and this is only the beginning.

Under these circumstances, the inspection team began to travel from Liangzhou to Ganzhou along the official road of Yanzhi Mountain.

As Liu Jilong got closer to Shandan, he gradually understood the feeling of being apprehensive about returning home.

For several days in a row, he was unable to get a proper rest. It wasn't until they walked from Yanzhi Mountain into Ganzhou and watched Shandan get closer and closer that his excitement gradually subsided.

"Is this the mountain lily?"

"How about it? Is this a good place to raise horses?!"

Behind Liu Jilong, An Pohu and Husiguang were talking. The former had never been to Shandan before, while the latter was proud of Shandan.

It is lamentable that not many people from Shandan came out of the city to welcome them; there were only a few thousand people, which was not even as many as the officials and soldiers brought by Jiujuyan who came to greet them.

"Your subject, Duke of Gan, Jiu Juyan, pays his respects to Your Majesty."

"Your Majesty, we pay our respects! Long live Your Majesty! Long live Your Majesty!"

On the official road a few miles east of Shandan City, a 67-year-old tavern owner, along with his officials and soldiers, bowed and saluted Liu Jilong.

Liu Jilong dismounted and looked at Jiuju Yan with a complicated expression. Jiuju Yan also looked up to meet his gaze, but quickly lowered his head again.

"You have protected Hexi very well over the years. When I heard last year that you had stepped down as governor of Hexi, I was worried that your health had deteriorated."

"Now that I see you are in good health, I am relieved."

Last year, Zhao Ying's brother, Zhao Sheng, took over as governor of Hexi.

These changes in government affairs, from the old to the new, always left Liu Jilong with much to reflect upon.

"I am ashamed that I failed to live up to Your Majesty's expectations in the past..."

Jiuju Yan was still resentful. Seeing him like this, Liu Jilong smiled and helped him up: "If you go to the east with me, where will you put Zhang Huaishen?"

"I have never blamed you. Instead of blaming yourself, why don't you tell me about the changes in Shandan over the years?" After being away for thirty-four years, returning to this familiar place naturally requires a good guide.

Upon hearing Liu Jilong's words, Jiuju Yan, though still timid, forced himself to speak to Liu Jilong:

“In the past, after the Prince of Jiaohe led the people of Liangzhou to retreat westward, the people of all the prefectures followed suit.”

"Many people in Shandan have moved to Guazhou and Shazhou. Today, most of the people in Shandan are people who were migrated from Guandong by the imperial court."

"That being said, many things left by His Majesty in the past have not changed; the eight hundred acres of tea fields have been turned into five thousand acres of tea fields."

"The various irrigation canals and weirs outside the city are still in the same places, but after continuous dredging and reinforcement, they can now irrigate more fields."

Today, Shandan has more than 14,000 households, nearly 80,000 people, nearly one million mu of arable land and millions of mu of grassland.

“Every year, three to four thousand horses from the twelve military horse farms in Shandan are sent to Luoyang, along with…”

Jiuju Yan stood on the official road, talking incessantly to Liu Jilong about the current situation in Shandan.

However, when Liu Jilong learned that the people of Shandan had been relocated to Guazhou and Shazhou, he couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

The Shandan had changed beyond recognition, which dampened his previously high spirits for the inspection tour.

Even so, he pretended to be in high spirits and, led by Sakaju Nobuyoshi, returned to the courtyard where he used to live in Shandan.

Although the people in Shandan City were not as wealthy as those in Didao, Linzhou, their lives were no worse than those of the people in the capital region.

The streets were clean and tidy, and the houses in the neighborhoods on both sides were mainly tiled. The former county government office had been expanded considerably, and Liu Jilong's former residence looked so out of place among the white-walled and gray-tiled buildings.

Upon arriving here, Cao Mao was far more excited than Liu Jilong. After entering the courtyard, the situation seemed unchanged from when he left, but Cao Mao still pointed out something amiss:
"No, no, the houses in this courtyard weren't that tall before. There were no flowers or plants inside, they were bare and easy to clean."

Cao Mao excitedly pointed out various things that were wrong, while Liu Jilong just watched him chatter away with his hands behind his back, as if he were seeing that twelve-year-old boy again.

In contrast to the composure of the two men, the officials of Ganzhou were sweating profusely.

Fortunately, Liu Jilong did not blame them. He simply looked at them and said, "Thirty-four years have passed, and it is already quite good that it has been preserved so well. You don't need to blame yourselves."

Officials could sense his alienation from them from Liu Jilong's choice of words.

After all, when he was drinking with people like Juyan, he used "you" and "you all," but when he was talking to officials, he still used "you" and "you all."

However, the officials didn't feel anything was amiss; they were simply relieved to have survived.

"Your Majesty, shall we stay here for the night?"

Cao Mao walked out of his room happily, and Liu Jilong nodded with a smile upon hearing this: "That's fine too."

After saying that, he turned to look at Ximen Junsui and Zhao Ying: "You two arrange for the imperial concubines to rest at the temporary palace, and I will stay here."

"Yes..." the two replied. Seeing Liu Jilong say this, Hu Siguang immediately smiled and found a room: "I will stay here today as well."

"You used to live in Qilian City, when have you ever lived here?"

Cao Mao got impatient and started arguing with Hu Siguang, disregarding his status.

Seeing this, Husi Guang said smugly, "In the past, when I dined and drank with His Majesty, I slept here before. Don't think that you are the only one who has slept here."

Cao Mao was so angry that he blew his beard and glared at Hu Siguang, who found a house to stay in on his own, completely unconcerned about whether the simple mud house was comfortable to live in.

Liu Jilong ignored their quarrel and returned to his bedroom. He sat on his familiar couch, quickly took off his boots, and lay down on it.

"call……"

Even though he wasn't physically tired, he couldn't help but let out a long sigh of relief when he lay down on the bed.

This feeling was as if I had returned to thirty-four years ago, to a certain afternoon before I set off for Liangzhou.

The training had just ended, and my head was still spinning. I lay on the couch, reluctant to get up.

Even though he already knew that things had changed, he was still captivated by this feeling.

Before he knew it, he had fallen asleep with a smile on his face.

Whether it's revisiting an old haunt or clinging to outdated ideas, he truly felt a sense of peace he hadn't experienced in all these years.

While he was resting peacefully, a group of several hundred people arrived in Zhangye City, more than a hundred miles to the west.

"I was unaware of the Prince's arrival; I have failed to greet you properly!"

In front of the Zhangye Prefecture government office, since all the prefectural officials had gone to Shandan, the military advisor of Ganzhou who was left behind rushed out of the office to greet Zhang Huaishen upon learning of his arrival.

The sudden appearance of Zhang Huaishen, who was fifty-six years old, not only threw him into a panic but also threw the entire Ganzhou government office into chaos.

Zhang Huaishen walked to the main seat in the state government hall and sat down, looking at the military advisor: "Where has His Majesty arrived?"

"We should have reached Shandan by now," the Military Advisor replied hastily, not daring to delay.

Zhang Huaishen nodded upon hearing this, and the two robust young men who walked into the hall with him both looked at him upon hearing this.

"Father, should we rush to Shandan tonight?"

"No need, just continue waiting here."

Zhang Huaishen shook his head. He knew that if Liu Jilong knew that most of the familiar people of Shandan had been relocated to Guazhou and Shazhou, he would definitely go to Guazhou and Shazhou.

Therefore, he did not need to go to Shandan; he only needed to wait in Zhangye for a few days.

"Is this a bit inappropriate?"

The younger man spoke up, but Zhang Huaishen replied, "If His Majesty knew, he wouldn't have allowed me to go."

As soon as he finished speaking, seeing that the two young men were about to speak again, he frowned and scolded them, "Don't treat His Majesty like an ordinary person."

"Yes..." The two young men had no choice but to give up upon hearing this, and Zhang Huaishen looked at the Military Advisor and asked him to arrange a place for them to rest.

From the time he learned that Liu Jilong was on an inspection tour of Hexi until now, only a month and a half has passed, yet he has already led his men on a journey of nearly two thousand miles.

Now that he's only a hundred miles away from Liu Jilong, he should rest for a few days and get enough rest before going to see Liu Jilong.

The two had not seen each other for ten years. They originally thought that their last meeting was a farewell forever. Now that they could meet again, Zhang Huaishen naturally cherished it.

Along the way, he already knew that Liu Jilong was in good health; otherwise, he would have really thought that Liu Jilong was unwell and that this inspection tour was his last wish.

With these thoughts in mind, Zhang Huaishen settled down to rest.

As he lay on his bed in Zhangye, he couldn't help but think that more than thirty years ago, the two of them, one stationed in Zhangye and the other in Shandan, had protected the people of Ganzhou.

However, nowadays, Ganzhou has matchlock guns and cannons, and with numerous stone fortresses built at Qikou in the north, although it looks like a border town, it is as carefree as the interior, and no longer needs their painstaking protection.

Thinking of this, Zhang Huaishen couldn't help but sigh, but then he was excited about their upcoming meeting.

Thinking this, he tossed and turned and couldn't fall asleep until the watchman rang the watch several times, and he finally drifted off to sleep in a state of excitement.

While he was asleep, Liu Jilong got up in Shandan, a hundred miles away, and skillfully walked out of his bedroom to sit and rest in the main hall.

Two snoring sounds kept coming from the left and right side rooms, which made Liu Jilong smile wryly.

Half an hour later, the accompanying cook came out of the side room, stretched, and was startled when he saw Liu Jilong.

Liu Jilong waved his hand, indicating that he should go and make something to eat first.

These cooks had followed Liu Jilong for many years and knew he wouldn't hold it against them, so they immediately rushed into the kitchen, and soon a lot of chaotic noises could be heard.

After these sounds began, Cao Mao and Husi Guang's snoring finally stopped, and Liu Jilong breathed a sigh of relief.

"Squeak..."

The two doors were opened one after the other. The sleepy Cao Mao and Hu Siguang looked at each other, their eyes barely open. After their eyes met, they saw Liu Jilong sitting in the hall, who seemed to have already drunk several cups of tea.

"His Majesty……"

"Go wash up, look at the state you all are in."

Liu Jilong couldn't help but tease the two of them, but they didn't feel embarrassed. They went into the kitchen, got some hot water, and then went to the yard to wash up.

Watching them wash up, and looking at the small courtyard, Liu Jilong felt a sense of inexplicable calm.

This feeling is very comfortable, even more comfortable than sitting on a golden platform and commanding the world.

If the world weren't so chaotic, perhaps he would choose to stay in Shandan and enjoy the peaceful, uneventful life without so much intrigue.

However, given the chaotic state of the world, it's less that he wanted to advance eastward, and more that he was being pushed along by the times.

Thinking this, Husiguang and Cao Mao finished washing up and walked towards the main hall, each grumbling to themselves.

"Cao Langjun's snoring almost blew the roof off, so I didn't dare to rest."

"Nonsense! My brother's snoring was so loud last night that I thought the earth had turned upside down."

The two bickered as if they had returned to more than thirty years ago, which Liu Jilong found very interesting.

Seeing the two sit down and pour themselves some tea, Liu Jilong looked toward the kitchen. He saw the cook carrying a wooden tray to the main hall, where he placed three bowls of meat noodles on the table, along with a plate of fresh mutton patties.

"Stop making noise and eat something."

Liu Jilong stood up with a smile and sat down at the dining table. Cao Mao and Husiguang also quickly sat down.

Three bowls of meat noodles and twelve meat pies were devoured by the three of them in less than half a cup of tea's time.

The cook came to clear away the dishes, and Zhao Ying arrived in the yard at that moment.

"Your Majesty, the Prince of Jiaohe and his two sons arrived in Zhangye yesterday. Will the imperial entourage continue its western tour?"

Zhao Ying's words cheered Liu Jilong up a bit. Last night, he thought about it and felt that if Shandan had changed so much, the changes in the west must be even greater. He was already thinking about returning to Luoyang.

Seeing Zhao Ying say this, Liu Jilong pondered for a moment and then said, "Since Shandan has come, let's go see Zhangye in five days."

He didn't ask to go to Suzhou and Guasha, because although those places held memories of his past, they didn't hold the people he cared about.

After meeting with Zhang Huaishen, he prepared to return to Luoyang.

Perhaps this will be the real farewell.

"Yes!" Upon learning that His Majesty was also going to Zhangye, Zhao Ying bowed and left the courtyard to make arrangements.

Seeing him leave, Liu Jilong looked at Cao Mao and Husi Guang: "Sit for half an hour, then come with me to Qilian City later."

"Alright." The two nodded, and then chatted jokingly for half an hour before having horses prepared.

Because Qilian City was located in a remote area, Liu Jilong did not bring Li Meiling and his sons with him. He only took Cao Mao, Zhao Ying, Husi Guang, An Pohu and others, along with more than a thousand Imperial Guards.

Qilian City was indeed located in a remote area, but it was also a major transportation hub.

After the founding of the Han Dynasty, the post roads along the way were repaired, and the once narrow valleys were widened again and again by craftsmen and laborers using gunpowder.

Today, Qilian City is no longer a small military fortress, but a county town where nearly 10,000 people have gathered.

The place where Shang Yanxin once fought has now been cultivated land, with wheat growing luxuriantly, and it is completely unrecognizable from its former appearance.

Liu Jilong and his group rested in Qilian City for one night and returned to Shandan the next day.

Over the next few days, the group frequently traveled in and out of Shandan, visiting not only Yanzhi Mountain and Longshou Mountain, but also many other places.

But times change, and everything has changed, which is quite poignant.

Under these circumstances, Liu Jilong did not stay in Shandan for long. Instead, he ordered Ximen Junsui to lead nearly half of his troops to protect Li Meiling and the princes in Shandan, while he himself went to Zhangye under the escort of several thousand cavalry.

On April 24th, a day that was not a holiday, Liu Jilong, along with Cao Mao, Husi Guang, An Pohu, and Zhao Ying, arrived in Zhangye City.

Zhang Huaishen led many officials from Zhangye out of the city to greet them, and both sides took the initiative to approach each other as the other drew closer.

"Your subject Zhang Huaishen pays his respects to Your Majesty."

As the chanting of the salute began, Zhang Huaishen and his men dismounted and bowed to him.

Upon seeing this, Liu Jilong dismounted and approached, taking in Zhang Huaishen's aged appearance.

Zhang Huaishen was a brilliant young man, but now he cannot escape the passage of time; his beard is gray and he looks old.

"old."

Liu Jilong sighed, but Zhang Huaishen, seeing that he looked no more than thirty-seven or thirty-eight, felt a mix of emotions.

Although Liu Jilong was only two years younger than him, he looked ten or twenty years younger, which really made him feel helpless.

"Fifty-six years old, I am indeed getting old."

Zhang Huaishen had to admit that he was getting old, and Liu Jilong chuckled when he saw this, then looked at the two young men behind him who looked somewhat similar to him when he was young.

Upon seeing this, Zhang Huaishen took the initiative to introduce them: "This is my second son, Zhang Yanli, and this is my third son, Zhang Yan'e. There are also my fourth, fifth, and sixth sons in the family."

"If you can accumulate merits and enter the court as an official in the future, Your Majesty, it will not be too late for you to learn about it slowly then."

Liu Jilong nodded in agreement, and then he and Zhang Huaishen walked one after the other to Zhangye City, which was not far away, with the rest of the officials following behind them.

This city of Zhangye is much larger than it used to be, and there is more farmland outside the city.

Looking at the majestic city of Zhangye in the distance, and then at the endless fields and the people weeding in the fields, Liu Jilong was filled with mixed emotions.

"These are all thanks to His Majesty. If it weren't for His Majesty, Longyou wouldn't have so many people today."

Zhang Huaishen spoke frankly, and Liu Jilong smiled after hearing it. Instead of being modest, he told Zhang Huaishen about many things from the past.

“When you were stationed in Zhangye, I was stationed in Shandan. Ganzhou was as solid as a rock. Even when Shang Yanxin and the Uyghurs invaded, they could not gain any advantage.”

"Now that Ganzhou is at peace, we are all old, and this world must eventually be handed over to future generations."

"I just don't know if future generations will treat the people as we have, and whether they will be able to continue the peaceful life we ​​have today."

Liu Jilong's sentiments touched Zhang Huaishen, who nodded unconsciously: "I often think the same way, which is why I keep trying to go west."

"If I can recapture Suyab, can I stop the invading enemy from the west west of the Tianshan Mountains?"

"But now that I think about it, with cannons and muskets, even if future generations are not as good as Your Majesty and I, we would not have lost our territory."

"It's hard to say." Liu Jilong shook his head with a wry smile, after all, no one can predict what will happen in the future.

During their conversation, the two entered Zhangye City and climbed the arrow tower of the city wall, where they could see the entire city inside and out.

The city of Zhangye, home to nearly 100,000 people, was bustling with activity. Merchants of all kinds could be seen, and the people were all in high spirits, enjoying their lives to the fullest.

"If my uncle sees this, he will be very happy."

Looking at the scene inside the city, Zhang Huaishen spoke with feeling. Liu Jilong nodded in agreement and praised, "With you, Zhang, in charge of Anxi and Beiting, Hexi can rest easy."

"Hehe, with His Majesty here, how dare the barbarians raise troops?" Zhang Huaishen also praised Liu Jilong without reservation, then added:

"Fortunately, His Majesty chose to go to Longxi back then; otherwise, I really don't know how the world would have changed."

Zhang Huai sighed deeply, but he didn't know what the answer was, while Liu Jilong knew it very well.

But he eventually came and chose to move eastward, and his choice made the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period a memory that belonged only to him.

There's nothing wrong with that. At least the chaos of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms was avoided, and later rulers wouldn't be afraid of warriors like tigers. The martial spirit of the Han dynasty could continue to flourish for several more generations.

"What are Your Majesty's plans after this trip to the west?"

Seeing that Liu Jilong remained silent, Zhang Huaishen took the initiative to inquire about Liu Jilong's subsequent plans.

Upon hearing this, Liu Jilong looked at the bustling city dwellers and chuckled, "As I have said, it takes ten years to pacify the world, ten years to nurture the people, and ten years to achieve lasting peace."

"Now that the world is at peace and all the barbarians have submitted, peace is just around the corner. All that remains is to make the people prosperous."

"Aren't the people already well-off enough?" Zhang Huaishen chuckled.

He wasn't the only one with this idea; many others in the court shared it as well.

In their view, people are considered wealthy as long as they have food to eat and clothes to wear.

However, for Liu Jilong, the people have not achieved the level of wealth he envisioned, at least not yet.

"We are well-off, but it's not enough."

Liu Jilong looked at the people in the city, his expression seemingly calm, yet always carrying a smile.

"Not enough?" Zhang Huai looked at him in confusion, while Liu Jilong turned to meet his gaze.

“The seeds of abundance have indeed been sown, but it will be a long time before they take root and sprout.”

"We won't see it in our lifetime, and our children and grandchildren... will probably not see it either."

"However, even if we cannot see it, those who come after us will always be able to see it. Just as King Liang could not see this scene before his death, but you and I can see it on his behalf."

Zhang Huai was puzzled and could only smile wryly as he looked at the people in the city:

"I really don't know what kind of abundance you're talking about. If only I could see it, what a pity..."

He sighed deeply, but Liu Jilong did not describe or explain to him. He simply gazed into the distance, as if he had already seen the so-called abundance.

Seeing that he offered no explanation, Zhang Huaishen did not delve into the matter. Instead, he stood with him against the parapet, gazing at the people within the city.

"His Highness the Crown Prince is quite wise; perhaps he can see this."

"Him?" Liu Jilong's lips curled up upon hearing this, keeping Zhang Huaishen in suspense as he waited: "Who knows?"

"You guys..."

(End of this chapter)