The elite did not migrate south

Chapter 826: Noise Outside the Window (End)

The walls of Yuancheng are still grayish white.

From a distance, you can see many traces of war left on the city walls.

But the road leading to Yuancheng is different from the muddy road in my memory.

The main road made of gravel, wooden sleepers and rammed mud is flat and wide, and the carriages no longer feel so uneasy when driving on the road.

Cao Mao rode a tall horse, accompanied by several people, pointing at the surrounding scene and explaining with laughter.

The scene around here is both familiar and strange.

"Send someone to get the county magistrate immediately! Have him come to see us!"

Cao Mao urged the knights around him.

Cao Mao came to Yuancheng secretly this time. His carriage was still behind him. He rode his horse secretly and led a group of knights to come here at a faster speed.

Therefore, until Cao Mao appeared here, no officials came to greet him.

Yuancheng is still that quiet little county town.

The drizzle fell, and the wind was not too strong, which was quite refreshing.

Occasionally, you can see a few people wandering out of the county town. When they see the knights outside, their eyes are full of curiosity, and they even start chatting in low voices.

An army of this size rarely appears here.

Cao Mao was now dressed like a rich young man, while Liu Lu was wearing the short clothes he wore when he was a knight-errant. He had been to many places over the years, but had hardly ever been to Yuancheng.

At this moment, the two looked at each other with mixed feelings.

"Your Majesty originally lived here."

Zhong Hui murmured a few words in a low voice, but refused to continue.

The story of that time is still quite embarrassing to talk about now.

Who would have thought that the country boy from Yuancheng could achieve what he has today?

An ox cart was carrying a family slowly out of the county town. The old man on the cart was telling stories to his grandchildren around him.

But the knights not far away caught the children's attention. The naughty children looked at the tall and mighty knights and started shouting.

The old man looked at the knights with a smile.

If they had seen such fully armed knights in the past, they would probably have turned around and fled on the spot.

But now, looking at these people, I feel inexplicably at ease.

When the old man saw the young man among the knights, his expression suddenly became complicated. He frowned and pondered something.

"Grandfather? What's wrong?"

The older children asked worriedly when they saw his appearance.

The ox cart was getting farther and farther away from the knights, but the old man's brows were getting more and more furrowed, almost twisted together.

"How can they be so similar?"

"No, the saint is in Luoyang."

The old man shook his head, and the ox cart moved farther and farther away.

Soon, the city gate was blocked, soldiers stood all around it, and a carriage came galloping towards it.

A man jumped out of the carriage in a hurry and rushed to Cao Mao in a panic.

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you!!"

Cao Mao looked at the familiar long hair in front of him and couldn't help laughing.

That’s right, the commander of Xinyuan City, Sima Yan.

Sima Yan had served as a deputy minister beside Cao Mao for many years and finally got the opportunity to serve as an official outside. His first stop was to serve as a county magistrate in Yuancheng.

Cao Mao jumped off his horse and helped him up.

"Sima County Magistrate, it looks like Yuancheng hasn't changed much. Has everyone been drinking and having fun in the city these days?"

If any other county magistrate heard this, he would probably be scared to death, but Sima Yan just smiled foolishly.

He was not very good at governing in Yuancheng, so he chose to ask for advice from people who knew how to govern.

That’s right, Cao Mao was the best candidate. He often asked Cao Mao questions through letters and inquired about the key strategies for governing the local area.

Cao Mao saw a relatively real picture of the grassroots situation from his letters, and at the same time remotely controlled An Shilai to govern the county.

"Your Majesty, the changes cannot be seen from outside the city."

"Why don't we talk about it after we get into the city?"

Cao Mao laughed loudly and then led everyone towards Yuancheng.

As expected, the changes in the city have been huge.

Compared to those big cities, it is a little desolate, but the streets are full of children running around, and there are old people watching their children at the doorsteps, with food placed in front of them, talking and laughing.

Occasionally, there would be a skinny vendor carrying a basket full of snacks, with children following behind him, making a lot of noise.

Cao Mao chuckled.

Cao Mao did not go to the county government office, but instead walked towards the former royal palace.

The road is still clean, and the restaurants in the distance are booming.

The palace was exceptionally quiet and the gates were tightly closed.

Liu Lu came up first and opened the door. Cao Mao led everyone in, and the soldiers stood guard outside.

As he walked into this familiar mansion, countless memories flooded Cao Mao's eyes.

"Hahaha, it's still very clean."

"Lu, look over there. The pillar we broke when we were practicing archery is still there in the same condition as before."

Cao Mao pointed around and led everyone into his "living room".

This was a spacious courtyard, where Cao Mao once drank and enjoyed himself with his followers. Cao Mao sat in the familiar seat of honor, and everyone else sat down on either side.

Cao Mao began to speak, "At first, I almost didn't dare to go back to live in the house. I wanted to stay here every day. I was so nervous that I couldn't sleep because I couldn't hear the voices of the guests outside."

"So, I lived here. Every day I could hear the noise of the guests and slept very comfortably."

Hearing this, several ministers lowered their heads, except Liu Lu, who smiled and said, "We were very surprised at that time."

Some servants prepared food and some prepared good wine.

Cao Mao was still sighing, "When I left Yuancheng, I never thought I would be able to come back again."

Looking at the unusually quiet crowd, Cao Mao finally burst into laughter. "Stop talking about this and have some wine!"

Sima Yan started laughing first, and the awkward and embarrassing situation improved.

"Your Majesty, weren't you here to inspect the disaster? There's no disaster in Yuancheng, so why are you here?"

Sima Yan asked doubtfully.

Cao Mao said calmly, "We need to inspect both sides of the river. Hebei needs more attention, as there's a lot of water flowing here, and it's raining, too."

"What about the disaster in Qingxu?"

Cao Mao took a sip of the wine.

"There's no need to be afraid. With everyone's strength, nothing will be a problem."

"I'm relieved that Mr. Guo is in charge of Yongliang. Once the projects on both sides are completed, they will not only protect us from disasters, but will also benefit the farmland."

Cao Mao spoke for a few words before he smiled and said, "I am not afraid of any disasters now."

"Any policy of resistance cannot compare to the people's loyalty."

"In the past, I always felt that I hadn't done enough, that the results weren't obvious enough, and that I should continue to do something. But until this time, I suddenly realized that I had actually done something."

"The people are actually willing to go out and fight the disaster on their own initiative. Hundreds of thousands of people are fighting together. What else do I have to fear?"

"Back then, I slept in the small room across the street, and could only fall asleep by listening to the voices of the guests outside."

"Now, as long as I am still in this land, I can sleep peacefully wherever I go and always hear the sound of the wind."

Sima Yan seemed to understand, but also seemed not to understand.

Zhong Hui had already understood. He drank some wine and his face turned red. At this moment, he couldn't help laughing.

"How ridiculous! Those famous officials in the court have been talking about benevolent government all their lives, and they constantly accuse Your Majesty of not being benevolent. They've been learning the wrong things about benevolence and government their entire lives."

The table was piled with food, but Cao Mao had been traveling for a long time and had not eaten anything.

Cao Mao took the lead, and the others also ate together, wolfing down their food.

After eating some meat and drinking some wine, Cao Mao's face became more and more rosy.

"The world is plagued by great disasters, three great ones and countless smaller ones."

"But the solution to this problem is very simple. It lies with the people."

“A person who treats the people of the world with kindness and compassion cannot be harmed by any natural or man-made disaster, nor can he be shaken from his state, much less harmed by his people.”

"Although the Great Wei is still riddled with holes, the aristocratic families have been pacified, education is in place, the chaotic times are over, and the people are united in facing all the enemies, all of whom must submit to China. Those who refuse will perish!"

"Even with natural disasters and man-made calamities, there are still those who will continue to fight with all their might for the promise I made when I left Yuancheng. Has it been fulfilled?"

Cao Mao looked at the people around him, his eyes a little drunken.

"Your Majesty has accomplished the great feat of quelling the rebellion, defeating foreign invaders, stabilizing the frontier, governing the great clans, ensuring the well-being of the common people, promoting education, resisting natural disasters, and bringing order to the world."

"I have never done this for any merit."

Cao Mao interrupted the accompanying officials' flattery.

He took another sip of wine. "At first, I just wanted to run away, but these people are so kind. I just bowed to them, and they thought I was a wise man. They never bullied them. When officials came to cause trouble, they even risked their lives to protect me."

"But these good people have such a hard time. I just want them to live a good life."

The banquet that day had a unique atmosphere. Cao Mao seemed to have completely opened up himself in this long-lost hometown. He even sang a song after drinking.

This song is not an elegant poem, it is just a folk woodcutter's tune, crude, but with a unique charm.

Late at night, the starry sky is exceptionally clear, and the stars are twinkling, making them particularly clear to see.

Several ministers supported the drunk Cao Mao and, at his request, they stayed in the small house where they used to live.

There was a gentle sound of wind outside the window.

Cao Mao lay on the bed, frowning and turning over and over.

From a distance, I seemed to hear the hearty laughter of an old man sitting at the door, and the children were playing in the stream, with waves splashing up.

The shepherd boy rode on a cow, wandering across the endless farmland, and the music from his flute echoed far away.

The students in the school read the article aloud following the chief priest.

Vendors were hawking their wares in the streets in groups, shouting something to customers who were asking for prices.

Armored soldiers patrolled back and forth on the Great Wall, their armors clashing with each other, and Wen Xiaoniao leaped from the foot of the city on his horse.

Several ministers of the court were sitting in the hall, arguing loudly about the policies. Zhang Hua's face turned red with anxiety.

On the scorching land, the people were digging enthusiastically. Guo Ze, wearing a short shirt, joined them.

Large ships broke through the wind and waves and headed towards an unknown direction.

A caravan of merchants walked across the golden desert, bells ringing
So many noises gathered together, and Cao Mao felt as if he had heard the noise of the guests outside the window. His brows relaxed and he slowly fell asleep.

He slept soundly.

Early to bed, early to rise.

Tomorrow, there will be more.

Complete book.

(End of this chapter)