Sheng Tang: What is Liu Jianjun going to do today?

Chapter 211 Trivial Matters Before Heading North
Wu Zetian's edict ordered Li Xian to set off immediately, so Li Xian and Liu Jianjun did not delay for long. After packing their belongings at the Prince of Pei's residence in Luoyang, they set off.

It was supposed to be tidying up, but there wasn't much stuff actually to be done.

Liu Jianjun only carried a small bag slung across his shoulder and waist, which couldn't even hold a few clothes. Li Xian's bag was even simpler, containing only a few boxes of pastries he bought from Luoyang.

He wanted to bring some local specialties from Luoyang to the embroiderer.

Liu Jianjun asked him, "Didn't you think about bringing some for Guangshun and the others?"

Li Xian thought for a moment and shook his head: "Guangshun is almost the same age as you, he's long past the age of eating these snacks. Besides, it's not like Chang'an doesn't have them."

Liu Jianjun chuckled, said nothing more, nimbly mounted his horse, and with a light nudge to the flank, walked to the front of the caravan.

The cart tracks rolled over the official road outside Luoyang, raising a fine dust.

Leaving the confines of those vermilion walls and golden tiles, even the air seemed to become fresher and more open.

Li Xian couldn't help but turn back and glance at the Luoyang city walls, which appeared even more majestic and hazy in the morning light. He felt a mix of emotions, but in the end, it all turned into a barely audible sigh.

Then, Li Xian heard a song drifting in the wind from ahead:

A hearty laugh echoes across the vast ocean—the surging tides rise on both shores—

"Floating and sinking with the waves, I only remember today—"

"The heavens laugh—the world's tides surge—"

"Only heaven knows who wins and who loses!"

The lyrics and song, like Liu Jianjun's usual songs, are colloquial, yet they reveal a strange sense of desolation and unruliness.

Li Xian leaned against the carriage, feeling calm, and continued to listen to what other tricks Liu Jianjun could come up with.

But the lyrics seem to be his new composition. After singing one verse, he seemed to forget what to continue, so he used "la la la la" instead, and kept "la".

At first, only Liu Jianjun was singing "la la la la," but later, the accompanying guards seemed to be infected by Liu Jianjun's enthusiasm and joined in as well.

And so, the entire convoy was filled with that strangely accented "la la la la" sound.

Amidst a chorus of "la la," the convoy gradually moved further and further away, leaving the outline of Luoyang city completely behind below the horizon.

……

Changan.

When the familiar outline of Chang'an's city walls appeared on the horizon, Li Xian felt a mix of trepidation and a sense of returning home.

Chang'an City lies sprawled on the Guanzhong Plain, yet it appears like a silent behemoth.

"Yo! We've finally arrived!"

Ahead, Liu Jianjun reined in his horse and leisurely drove back. When he reached Li Xian's carriage window, he leaned on the window with his elbow and exclaimed, "The earthy smell of Chang'an is more reassuring than the incense smoke of Luoyang."

Li Xian, infected by his lightheartedness, said in a slightly annoyed tone, "Be careful, you'll fall off your horse!"

"With my current riding skills, I could not only avoid falling off my horse, but I could even ride a horse and fight the Turks!" Liu Jianjun shook his head nonchalantly.

"Those who drown are all good swimmers!" Li Xian retorted.

Liu Jianjun was somewhat surprised: "This phrase has appeared now?"

"what?"

"No, let's go! Heading into town!"

Liu Jianjun didn't say anything, but with a flick of his whip, he darted to the front of the column again.

……

Upon entering the familiar city of Chang'an, the convoy proceeded towards the Prince of Pei's residence. Li Xian, preoccupied with his thoughts, kept his eyes fixed on the distance behind the curtains.

When the familiar high walls of the Prince of Pei's mansion came into view, Li Xian couldn't help but get excited again.

The embroiderers and the others had been waiting at the gate of the Prince's mansion for a long time.

Clearly, the household had already received news of his return.

Before the carriage had come to a complete stop, Li Xian jumped off and rushed straight towards the embroiderer.

Upon seeing Li Xian, the embroiderer's eyes lit up, and she instinctively wanted to take a few steps forward to greet him, but was carefully supported by a woman beside her.

Li Xian looked closely and realized it was a long letter.

In the past two years, Changxin has grown into a beautiful young woman, showing signs of blossoming into a lovely lady.

Li Xian quickly looked away and returned his gaze to the embroiderer.

The embroiderer was a little plumper than when they parted, and her cheeks were rounder, glowing with a healthy luster in the warm early summer sun. She wore a loose-fitting lotus-root-colored ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) with a thin brocade over it, and her eyes were looking at her with deep affection.

"Your Highness..." The embroiderer's voice pulled him back from his momentary daze.

She looked up at herself, her eyes filled with misty tears and deep longing. "You must have had a long journey."

"You...you all..." Li Xian was momentarily speechless, a thousand words stuck in his chest, finally culminating in only one sentence, "Is everything alright?"

"Sister-in-law! It's been so long!"

Liu Jianjun's abrupt voice interrupted Li Xian's choked sobs.

Li Xian was instantly at a loss for words, looking over at the scene.

But Liu Jianjun seemed oblivious, and looked at Changxin with a grin: "Little girl, you've grown taller! Let me tell you, when your grandpa came back from Luoyang, he bought your mother some pastries, but not you..." He paused, then added, "I reminded him, but he still didn't buy any!"

Li Xian suddenly felt a little envious of Liu Jianjun. He had been away from Chang'an for two years, but it was as if he had just gone out for a stroll in the morning and returned in the evening, without feeling any sense of unfamiliarity.

At this moment, two blushes appeared on Changxin's fair cheeks. Now that she was a young woman, being teased by Liu Jianjun in front of Li Xian made her feel embarrassed. She subconsciously lowered her head slightly and whispered, "Brother Liu... don't talk nonsense. It would be best if Father could return safely."

Li Xian's heart skipped a beat again.

Changxin's expression still seems to suggest that he is deeply in love with Liu Jianjun.
He thought for a moment, then handed the box of pastries to the embroiderer, gave her a subtle look, and said, "I brought these with me on the way. You and the children can have some."

His words essentially included Changxin and his group as well.

Despite the brief meeting, Li Xian suddenly felt as if something was missing. He turned to look behind the embroiderer and saw his three sons standing obediently in place.

It's normal for Guangren and Guangyi to be quiet and well-behaved, but why is Guangshun, who is usually "noisy," so quiet?
"Guangshun?" Li Xian called softly.

"Grandpa! You finally remembered me! When I went out to greet you, my mother specifically told me that you had a hard journey and that if you didn't call me, I shouldn't keep nagging so as not to annoy you!"
"But I have so many questions I want to ask you! How are you and Uncle Jianjun doing in Luoyang? I heard that Third Uncle is back from Fangzhou? When is he coming to Chang'an?"
"And Aunt Taiping..."

Li Xian immediately clutched his forehead.

Guangshun was as talkative as ever, but the only good news was that what he was saying was finally somewhat related to the topic at hand.

"By the way, is the food in Luoyang the same as in Chang'an?"

"I heard……"

"Alright, alright, I'll answer your question later. Let's go inside. What kind of behavior is it to block the entrance?" Li Xian finally couldn't help but scold him lightly, interrupting Guangshun.

After a round of laughter and merriment, the slight awkwardness and sadness that had arisen from the long-awaited reunion finally dissipated, and the group entered the palace gates in a lively and cheerful manner.

Passing through the front courtyard and around the screen wall, familiar scenes from within the mansion come into view one by one.

The flowers and trees in the courtyard were more lush than two years ago. Several young servants curiously hid behind the pillars and looked around. San Dezi and his servants waited respectfully. When they saw Li Xian, they all bowed and paid their respects.

“Those are newly recruited servants of the Prince’s mansion. Their backgrounds have all been checked and they are clean.”

San Dezi had returned to Chang'an ahead of time and was obviously more familiar with the servants of the Prince's mansion. When he saw Li Xian looking at the young servants, he immediately explained in a low voice.

Li Xian asked curiously, "Why have you hired new servants in your household?"

"Your Majesty, it was Chief Secretary Liu who transferred some of the older men to the cotton ecological park, so the manor is a bit short-handed." Li Xian suddenly realized, and when he heard that it was Liu Jianjun who transferred the men, he stopped asking questions and said to the bowing servants, "Get up, all of you. Thank you for your hard work in managing the manor."

At this moment, a nanny with a happy expression walked over, carrying a baby.

"May your husband be blessed, and may the princess be blessed! This is the little princess whom the princess gave birth to two years ago. She just woke up and is in high spirits. I thought the little princess must have sensed your return, so I brought her here!"

Li Xian subconsciously looked towards the baby.

The baby in the swaddling clothes opened its big, dark eyes and looked around curiously. It didn't cry or fuss and was very well-behaved.

At this moment, the embroiderer took the baby from the nanny's hands and whispered, "Chang Le, look, this is your grandfather. The grandfather you've been thinking about every day has returned."

Li Xian was taken aback and asked, "Changle?"

The embroiderer stared at him in astonishment and said, "Is it to wish her eternal happiness and joy... My husband doesn't like this name?"

Li Xian gave a wry smile and said, "It's not that I dislike it, it's just... I suddenly remembered what the old woman said?"

Li Xian recalled the old woman's words to him when she left Luoyang: "May you live in peace and happiness." At the time, Li Xian thought that the old woman's words had not come true this time, but who would have thought that they would come true for his young daughter.

He recounted his encounter with Fang Xianzhong to Xiu Niang. Xiu Niang was taken aback upon hearing this and couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle, "So, the first part of what you said, Father, has come true. My husband and Brother Liu have both returned safely from Luoyang."

Upon hearing this, Li Xian couldn't help but chuckle, and the subtle gloom that had been hanging over him because of the name "Changle" dissipated considerably.

He reached out and gently touched his daughter's soft cheek with the back of his fingers. Little Chang Le wasn't shy at all; instead, she grinned, revealing her newly grown baby teeth, and called out in her sweet, childish voice, "A-Ye~"

Liu Jianjun also came over to take a look, and clicked his tongue twice: "She looks like your sister-in-law, beautiful! She'll definitely be a great beauty in the future, I wonder which boy will get her!"

Li Xian exclaimed in surprise, "She can actually talk?"

“He was born in May two years ago, and he should be four years old by the end of this year①. How come he still can’t speak?” The embroiderer gave him a reproachful look.

Li Xian felt somewhat guilty after hearing this.

Yes, he has been gone for too long, so long that his young daughter is already babbling, while he, the father, has been almost absent.

Most importantly, I won't be able to stay in Chang'an for long before heading north again.

"So... the trip north has been decided?" The embroiderer noticed the worry in Li Xian's eyes, looked at him, and asked softly.

"The matter of heading north has been decided." Li Xian's voice lowered. "His Majesty has appointed me as the Deputy Commissioner of Grain and Weapon Transport for Andong Circuit, assisting in the management of military supplies, and placing me under the command of Xue Ne. The imperial edict is... to take up my post immediately."

The atmosphere suddenly froze.

Guangshun opened his mouth wide, forgetting to ask a question. Guangren and Guangyi subconsciously moved closer to the embroiderer. Changxin looked at the embroiderer with concern, and then quickly glanced at Liu Jianjun next to him. The embroiderer's face lost some color, but she just gripped Li Xian's hand even tighter, so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

"I...and the children, will go with my husband." Her voice was still gentle, but with a hint of determination.

However, Li Xian slowly shook his head.

He had discussed this decision repeatedly with Liu Jianjun on the way back to Chang'an.

“No, Embroiderer,” his voice was hoarse but unusually clear, “you and the children stay in Chang’an.”

The embroiderer looked up abruptly, her eyes filled with astonishment and confusion.

Liu Jianjun, no longer joking, stepped forward, his tone unusually solemn: "Sister-in-law, the northern frontier is not like Luoyang, much less Chang'an. It's truly not peaceful there now. Goryeo and the Mohe are harassing the border. Although it's called a military town, it's actually constantly facing the danger of war. Your son's journey there is uncertain, and the environment will inevitably be harsh. The children are still young, and Chang Le is even more innocent. They can't withstand the long journey and the hardships of the frontier."

Li Xian took over the conversation, looking earnestly at the embroiderer: "What Jianjun said is exactly what I was thinking. I am going there not to enjoy myself, but to risk my life."

“If you follow me, I will be overwhelmed and unable to take good care of you, which will only make me feel more at ease. With the Prince of Pei’s mansion in Chang’an, Mr. Liu’s support, and the cotton ecological park located here, we have abundant resources and capable manpower. I feel most at ease with you staying here.”

In any case, Liu Neyan is now the Prefect of Yongzhou and one of their own. It is much safer for Xiu Niang to stay in Chang'an than in the northern frontier.

He paused, then looked at his three sons, especially Guangshun: "Guangshun is growing up, and his studies and martial arts should not be neglected. There are the best teachers in Chang'an who can guide him. If you stay in Chang'an, you will be protecting our foundation. Once I have established a firm foothold in the northern frontier and the situation becomes clearer, we will make further plans."

He knew that the embroiderer was a smart woman who could understand the implications.

The pain of separation between husband and wife, and the distance between father and son, cannot be easily soothed by reason.

As expected, the embroiderer lowered her head, and all her worries, reluctance, and grievances turned into a profound and righteous reply: "My husband... what you say makes sense. It was my oversight. The borderlands are dangerous, and it is indeed not advisable for the children to go there. I... will stay in Chang'an with the children to protect this family business for you, so that you will have no worries."

She raised her head and forced a smile: "My husband, go in peace. Everything at home will be taken care of. I only hope that you... take good care of yourself and be careful in everything you do. My children and I will be waiting for your safe return in Chang'an."

These words were spoken calmly, yet each one carried immense weight, pressing heavily on Li Xian's heart.

Seeing this, Liu Jianjun quickly interrupted, "Oh, sister-in-law, don't be so sad! It's not like we're not coming back! We have Xue Ne looking after us in the north, and the cotton mill as our base. We might even live a more carefree life than in Chang'an! Once we've settled down, we'll bring you over to enjoy yourselves!"

Seeing the embroiderer give him a reproachful glare, Liu Jianjun seemed to realize that the idea of ​​"taking over to enjoy a life of luxury" was somewhat unrealistic. So, he smiled awkwardly and said, "Besides, we're still in Chang'an, aren't we? Staying a little longer won't be a big problem."

……

In the following days, a warm yet tense atmosphere permeated the Prince Pei's residence.

The embroiderer no longer spoke of the journey north, but devoted all her energy to taking care of Li Xian and packing his belongings.

She personally cooked Li Xian's favorite dishes, and at night, by candlelight, she checked each winter and summer garment repeatedly and mended them meticulously.

Li Xian knew her feelings and didn't stop her, but simply spent as much time as possible with her and the children.

Li Xian took some time to test the children's homework.

Although Guangshun was still talkative, his questions gradually began to touch on classics, history, and policy. Occasionally, he could even offer some naive yet insightful thoughts on border defense, which made Li Xian quite gratified.

Guangren was fond of martial arts, so Li Xian taught him some basic horseback riding and archery skills, but Guangren spoke highly of Xue Da.

From Guangren, Li Xian learned that Xue Da was now the Eagle Strike General of the Eagle Guard (formerly the Martial Guard), a military rank of the fifth grade.

Liu Jianjun's judgment of people was indeed excellent.

As for Guangyi, he was the most introverted, but he seemed to be extremely sensitive to numbers. His ability to remember accounts after a single glance surprised Li Xian.

Besides these, there are two daughters. The younger daughter, Chang Le, is particularly attached to Li Xian. She can already walk a little and follows behind Li Xian every day, calling out "Aye" in her unclear baby voice. This makes Li Xian's heart soften, and he often holds her in his arms and teases her for a long time.

As for the long letter...

Li Xian was somewhat at a loss for words. She began to learn needlework from the embroiderers and to become knowledgeable and reasonable. It seemed that overnight she had transformed into the image of a well-bred young lady.

As a father, Li Xian could certainly sense the reason for Changxin's change—Liu Jianjun respected the embroiderer very much. Although he would joke around in front of her, anyone could feel the genuine respect and distance he showed.

Therefore, Changxin also wanted to learn how to be an embroiderer.

Li Xian was unsure how to handle Changxin's feelings, as Liu Jianjun seemed to have always only seen her as a younger sister.

However, he was unwilling to force Liu Jianjun.

Li Xian also took the time to visit the cotton ecological park. The entire cotton ecological park is now able to operate independently without Liu Jianjun. Moreover, the old woman's departure to Muzhou to take up her post brought some orders from Jiangnan East Road to the cotton ecological park, which was an unexpected bonus.

Overall, things are thriving.

The only change was that the gunpowder workshop that Li Xian and Liu Jianjun had originally planned to set up on the south side of Dayi Valley was called off.

Liu Jianjun said that even if gunpowder was manufactured in Chang'an, it would be troublesome to transport it to the northern frontier, so he decided to choose a new site after arriving in the northern frontier.

Moreover, compared to Chang'an, which is under the emperor's direct control, the northern frontier is safer and more secluded.

……

The brief stay eventually came to an end.

On the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, before dawn, carriages and horses were already prepared in front of the Prince of Pei's mansion.

This is the northern frontier.

……

(End of this chapter)