Northern Prefecture Rivers and Mountains

Chapter 214 Letter

There was no further news from Yuan He. After chatting for a while, Liu Daogui took his leave.

The imperial court hesitated and looked back before making any decisions. This time, the great defeat of Sun Wuzhong and Gao Yazhi made everyone see the true strength of the demon bandits.

Upon returning to the government office, he found Liu Zhong waiting for him for a long time.

"Everything is fine in the north, brother, there is no need to worry. Five fortified villages have been built on the south bank of the Si River. Wang Yuande has recruited refugees to settle and cultivate the land, and even the fields on the north and west banks have been cultivated. After our army set up camp on Mount Tai, Liu, the chief clerk, also followed the route north to manage Dongguan County."

Among his generals, Wang Yuande had the strongest governance ability and was quite strategic. His overall ability was even superior to that of Liu Guangzhi and Mao Dezhu.

The differences between the sons of aristocratic families in the North and South are obvious at a glance.

Although Liu Muzhi was the registrar of Langya, his interests were intertwined with those of the two sides, making them practically one family.

Without the support of Lanling and Lu County, Dongguan could never have been developed.

With the two of them in charge, there were basically no major problems with internal affairs. The Eighth Route Army had long been on the right track. The officers and soldiers were either from the same clan or were part of the local militia. There were also supervisors and commanders within the army, and they were loyal only to Liu Daogui.

What has the Yan army been up to lately?

"The Yan army is concentrated in the north, besieging Murong Yong of Western Yan. Even Murong Long has been transferred away, which greatly reduces our pressure. The two sides are keeping to themselves and did not plunder us last autumn and winter."

The Western Yan was located in Bingzhou, the backbone of the north, and its strategic significance far exceeded that of the few small counties in the Sishui River basin.

Moreover, the Yan state did not pay much attention to Huaibei, treating it as a buffer zone, and the population migrated to the Huatai and Liyang areas.

"Why hasn't Tuoba Gui made a move while the Murong family is fighting amongst themselves?" Liu Daogui asked in confusion.

"Tuoba Gui sent Chenliu Gong Tuoba Qian and Yu Yue to rescue Western Yan, but Murong Chui was one step ahead and captured Jinyang first. The Wei army was intimidated by Murong Chui's power and hesitated to advance."

The old saying goes, "Old ginger is spicier." Jinyang was a vital strategic town in the north. Murong Chui's capture of Jinyang effectively blocked Wei's path to send reinforcements south.

Murong Yong established his capital in Changzi City, which was almost surrounded by the Yan state on three sides.

Even if Tuoba Gui wanted to save him, he couldn't get there quickly.

Liu Daogui estimated that Western Yan would definitely not last this year. Both sides originally came from the Xianbei Murong clan. Murong Yong suffered a great defeat on the battlefield, and his subordinates would inevitably become disloyal.

"If the Yan army doesn't provoke us, we won't provoke them either. Let's just leave each other alone..."

Both the north and south had their own internal problems to solve. The Jin dynasty was plagued by rebellions and the threat of Huan Xuan. The Yan state had destroyed the Western Yan and was now bordering the Wei state on the entire front, with tensions running high between the two sides.

Even if Murong Chui did not attack Tuoba Gui, Tuoba Gui would definitely have marched south to invade the Yan state.

Two tigers cannot coexist in one lifetime. The capital of Wei, Shengle, was right on the doorstep of Yan. Its place of origin, Dai County, was located in the same region as Hebei.

Murong Chui, who had annexed Western Yan, was at the height of his power, while Tuoba Gui was no less formidable, having essentially integrated the various tribes south of the Gobi Desert.

"There's...there's one more thing..." Liu Zhong suddenly stammered.

"What is it?" Liu Daogui knew something was wrong just by looking at him.

"The lady gave birth to a daughter."

"Daughter?" Liu Daogui felt a pang of disappointment.

These days, having a son is the only way to succeed. If the Liu family wants to rise to prominence, they must have many descendants. In ordinary families, a son can help in the fields at five or six years old, become a young laborer at eleven or twelve, and is considered an adult at fifteen or sixteen.

Brothers and their offspring have great power.

Liu Laozhi, who had roamed the world for his entire life, was the only son in three generations, which is why he was all alone and his power was unstable despite being the Governor of the Northern Army. On the other hand, Liu Yi was just a fifth-rank clerk, but all three of his brothers were doing well and had a large number of cousins. Every time he fell, he could always get back up.

But even now, no son has been born into the family…

"A daughter it is then." Liu Daogui was still filled with the joy of becoming a father for the first time, after all, she was his own bloodline in this world.

I'm certain there's nothing wrong with my body; if I can give birth to a daughter, I'm sure I'll be able to give birth to a son in the future.

Liu Zhong breathed a sigh of relief. "This is a letter written by the lady herself."

Liu Daogui took it, opened it, and there was a faint orchid fragrance inside.

Every late spring, the orchids in Lanling bloom. Confucius likened them to "the fragrance of a king" because they associate with other plants, and they are a symbol of a virtuous person. Being with good people is like entering a room full of orchids. After a while, you will no longer notice the fragrance, because you will become one with it.

The paper was filled with delicate handwriting, which made Liu Daogui feel very warm.

"In the late spring of March, raindrops tapped against the eaves of the window. I spent half a day unfolding this plain paper, the ink stains spreading several times, yet I could not bear to waste this precious moment. I recall the time in Chengcheng when we broke willow branches, and you, sword in hand, marched south, your lapel still damp with my tears. I remember reading 'Bo Xi' from the Book of Songs, knowing that a gentleman wears jade, and should sharpen his blade to bring peace to the people. Ban Chao abandoned his pen for the sword, and Zhang Qian opened up the Western Regions, both suppressing personal feelings for the greater good. Now, Jiangdong is in turmoil, bandits roam freely, and the people are suffering terribly. A true man should take up his three-foot sword to bring peace to the world. I know you are extraordinary, with lofty ambitions, and should not be concerned with family, but should raise your arms to relieve the suffering of the people... In my haste to write this, I broke three jade hairpins. Suddenly, I saw that the magnolia in the courtyard had already blossomed. This flower understands human feelings best, blooming first on the southern branch every year. Your wife, Cao, respectfully wrote this."

The longing is evident between the lines.

After reading the letter, Liu Daogui sighed deeply.

Actually, I still feel somewhat guilty towards her over the years. After we got married, I was busy with official duties and we rarely saw each other. She never complained and did her job diligently in Lanling, offering advice and strategies behind the scenes.

She handles many of the most meticulous details.

The rapid growth of Building 8 was also due to the strong support of the Cao family and her hard work.

Liu Daogui had previously considered bringing her back to Guangling, but she refused, feeling that Liu Daogui's frequent trips between the two places, spending more time in Guangling and less time in Lanling, would inevitably arouse suspicion. Only by having her, the mistress, stay could people's hearts be at ease.

And then there's the Cao family; with her around, they can truly be used by Liu Daogui.

Liu Daogui then agreed to let her stay, and the couple lived apart.

The only one who is saddened is her mother, Xiao Wenshou, who had previously placed high hopes on giving birth to a son, but this time she will be disappointed again.

However, these things can't be rushed.

Fortunately, both of Liu Yu's concubines, Zhang Que and Hu Daoan, were pregnant.

If they were all daughters, Liu Daogui would seriously suspect that God was deliberately making things difficult for the Liu family...

After closing the letter, Liu Daogui immediately went to buy some rouge, face powder, and silk. He picked out a phoenix-head hairpin, picked up his pen, and had a thousand words in his heart, but for some reason, he couldn't write a single word.

First, she lacks Cao Sifei's literary talent; second, she is not good at expressing romantic feelings between men and women.

In front of outsiders, Liu Daogui could be all sorts of hypocritical and evasive, saying one thing to one person and another to another. But when it came to Cao Sifei, he couldn't utter a single word of the coaxing words he usually used.

After thinking for a long time, he finally wrote down eight words: "With a wife like this, what more could I ask for in this life?"

Let Liu Zhong take it back with him.

For some reason, the resentment that had been building up in my heart suddenly dissipated a lot, and I was no longer so confused about the future.

The saying "harmony in the family brings prosperity in all things" is indeed true.

(End of this chapter)