Memoirs of the Heavenly Khan

Chapter 487 That is my lost youth

In the autumn of the fourth year of the Datong era, Li Shuang, accompanied by his officials and three thousand personal guards, set off from Luoyang and returned to Guanzhong.

After experiencing a severe drought in the second year of the Datong era, the Guanzhong region has only now recovered from the impact of this natural disaster.

Outside Chang'an, Li Shuang's eldest son Li Heng, Su Chuo, a group of officials and generals from Chang'an, and even a group of Khans who came to Chang'an to pay tribute, all gathered at the east gate of Chang'an to welcome them.

From a distance, Chang'an was still an earthen city. After Li Shuang ordered the expansion project to be stopped and the city to focus on reserves, it even fell into a period of decline.

Compared to the luxury and refinement of Luoyang, Chang'an seemed rather small-scale in every way, and could not compare in terms of scale, population, or abundance of resources.

However, Chang'an also has something that Luoyang cannot match: the indelible passion and fighting spirit of the people of Guanzhong, buried deep in the land of Qin.

The people of Qin and the noble families of the six commanderies during the Han Dynasty, with their lofty ambitions like sealing the wolf's lair and inscribing the Yanran Mountain, were trampled into dust by the barbarian cavalry during the chaos of the Five Barbarian Invasions. Now, the passion and fighting spirit forged in gold and fire deep in history are being awakened again. Tempered by natural disasters, they are becoming stronger and stronger, destined to shine with their due brilliance.

"See you, Your Majesty!"

The fiery red-feathered cavalry lined up on both sides. In the martial Guanzhong Plain, there was none of the intrigue and backstabbing that existed in the Luoyang court. All the soldiers looked at the valiant King Qin under the Great Banner of Qin beside the Three Stars Banner, their eyes revealing a deep longing from within.

The rules here are simple: the king is the commander-in-chief of all recruited soldiers, local soldiers, and vassal soldiers, and their direct ally.

"Everyone get up!"

Li Shuang dismounted, looked at his eldest son Li Heng, and asked:

How were your studies when your father was away?

Li Heng inherited his mother's beautiful appearance, with red lips and white teeth. At a young age, he already had a commanding presence among a group of martial artists.

“Father, I have not neglected my studies. Please test me.”

"You little rascal, you're pretty smug, but you'll be crying one day."

Li Shuang then asked:
How are your younger brother and sister?

"Except for the fourth child, who is a bit naughty, the others are all very well-behaved."

The fourth son Li Heng mentioned was Li Hui, the son of Li Shuang and Gao Leling.

Li Heng is five years younger than Li Shuang's second son, Li Yu. Now, at thirteen, Li Heng is already a figurehead, able to pacify Guanzhong and its surroundings when Li Shuang is not in Guanzhong, while Li Yu is still a little kid.

The saying goes that the eldest brother is like a father, and although the two seem to be of the same generation, they are not actually.

After entering the city, Li Shuang and the others did not immediately return to their residence.

"Alright, go back and tell your mother that I will return home tonight."

"Father, you should go back early. If you go back too late, your mothers will be unhappy."

"have a finger in the pie!"

Li Shuang kicked Li Heng in the buttocks and said:
"Get out of here!"

Li Heng rubbed his backside and left dejectedly.

Li Shuang and Su Chuo went directly to the Ministry of Personnel.

This Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, the de facto second-in-command of Guanzhong, has struggled to cope with the great disasters of the past few years, and many of his hairs have turned white. But even so, it cannot change his tireless spirit.

"Your Majesty, the situation in Bashu has now stabilized. The 50,000 households that entered Shu have settled down, and the situation in Guanzhong has also improved."

Li Shuang listened to Su Chuo's report on the current household registration and agricultural situation in Guanzhong and nodded slightly.

"Guanzhong has not yet recovered its vitality and needs to implement more policies to allow it to recuperate and thrive."

"I understand!"

This is not only the case in Guanzhong, but also in Henan, Sichuan, and other places. However, there are no particularly powerful hostile forces surrounding Guanzhong at present. Therefore, there is no need for harsh laws and severe punishments to extract every bit of usable strength from the land of Guanzhong. Instead, the Huang-Lao philosophy can be adopted to allow the people to rest and recuperate, thus accelerating the recovery of their strength.

In fact, Guanzhong has no shortage of capable officials. In fact, a considerable number of them are all-round talents who can rise to the ranks of generals and prime ministers.

As he spoke, Su Chuo presented the countermeasures he had prepared long ago to Li Shuang one by one.

After reviewing the document, Li Shuang nodded. Su Chuo, a veteran Minister of the Imperial Secretariat with many years of experience, was very meticulous in his governance. However, seeing Li Shuang's approval, Su Chuo became somewhat worried.

"Your Majesty, passing merchants say that the Western Rouran, under the leadership of Khan Anagui, have already taken over all the former territory of Wusun. I am worried that once Anagui gains power, he will turn around and raid eastward, disturbing our Liang and Qin prefectures."

Su Chuo was not worried about domestic affairs. What worried him was that if such a policy was implemented, and the Western Rouran army suddenly returned eastward, creating external pressure, it would disrupt the internal rhythm of Guanzhong.

"There can't be two overlords in the Western Regions. Even if Anagui wanted to return east, he didn't have the strength for the time being. After Yujiulü Dengzhusili was escorted to Luoyang, the Western Rouran no longer had any troops loyal to Anagui in the southern desert. The important thing is those Tiele tribes; we can use those that we can."

"I understand!"

……

The Qin Prince's mansion under the moonlight had a somewhat intoxicating air. When Li Shuang returned to the mansion, he found the house empty and there were hardly any people around.

"What about people?"

Li Shuang couldn't help but ask, but Li Heng just shrugged and said:
“I told my father to come back soon, but my mothers got angry.”

"Who are you trying to embarrass!"

As he spoke, Li Shuang rushed into the inner courtyard, panting. Li Heng tried to dissuade him from behind:
"Father, don't be impulsive!"

"We men have to stand up for ourselves. How can we let that spendthrift woman give us attitude? I'll teach them a lesson."

……

midnight.

Li Shuang burst into Liu Sixia's women's quarters, panting, and plopped down on Liu Sixia's bed.

"What are you doing?"

Li Shuang waved his hand and said:

"Can't you tell? You're tired."

Liu Sixia rolled her eyes at him and said reproachfully:

"How can you not work yourself to death!"

Li Shuang sighed and said:

"I'm getting old; I'm not a teenager anymore."

Li Shuang reminisced about the past, her eyes shining with emotion.

"Back then, we worked day and night. Now, I get tired after just a few hours. Time really flies!"

Liu Sixia smiled, stood up, dressed very elegantly, and took a bowl of soup from the side.

"I knew Your Majesty had come from afar and had a long journey. Come, drink this soup to nourish yourself."

Li Shuang touched Liu Sixia's hand and said:

"You're still the most considerate."

As he spoke, Li Shuang opened the bowl lid, glanced at it, and frowned.

"Did you fix this for me?"

"If it wasn't made for the King, was it made for a concubine?"

At this moment, Liu Sixia blushed slightly, pulled out a hairpin from her head, and her black hair cascaded down like a waterfall. She loosened her silk robe slightly, and in the dim candlelight, her figure appeared even more beautiful.

Li Shuang was somewhat stunned.

I was careless; this is the scariest one yet.

……

(End of this chapter)