Reclaiming Wasteland: Carefree Mountain Farmer

Chapter 194 Growth
On the fifth day of the first lunar month, Beijiwu hosted a banquet for Wan Dai and Wan Qizhen.

Sitting next to Bei Jiwu was Consort Wan, and opposite them were Wan Dai and his wife, and Wan Qizhen and his wife.

Wan Guiren has not given birth yet. Beijiwu thinks this woman is too short, so he used her as a body pillow a few years ago.

In recent years, some women in the palace have given birth, especially after the Khitan princess became pregnant this year, it should be Consort Wan's turn.

Gathering together during the Spring Festival is not to express any attitude, but simply to have a meal and chat casually when there's nothing else to do.

Wan Dai smiled and said, "Now the Western Expeditionary Army has reached the West Asia Province, and has conquered a territory of five thousand li from east to west and six thousand li from north to south for Your Majesty. This West Asia Province is larger than the entire Central Plains."

"His Majesty is truly a sage ruler unlike any other in history!"

Wan Shi's wife and son also smiled at Bei Jiwu, revealing gentle and humble expressions.

Beijiwu raised his glass, "The territory is too big to manage. We'll have to wait until there are more people in a decade or so before we can send some people over. Right now, most people probably won't go."

Wan Di suggested, "Whom does Your Majesty intend to send to govern the West Asia Province?"

Arctic Martial Arts hadn't thought this through.

"Let the Liao people manage it for now. Among the tribes, only the Liao people have experience in managing a large country. It's a good opportunity to let them train their troops there."

"The rest of them have already come back to celebrate the New Year and receive their rewards. They'll rest for a year or two until they've spent all their money before going out again."

"The population of the Guihua tribe is relatively small, but in recent years they have plundered other tribes on the grasslands and fathered many children, most of whom are now six or seven years old."

"Over the years, the three tribes have been absorbing other tribes. During the war, they have recruited many people to use first. In a few years, they will have a steady stream of people going out to conquer more distant western territories."

Wan Shi cautiously reminded him: "Won't this become a trap, raising a tiger that will eventually threaten us?"

Beijiwu shook his head in denial, "I know about the situation in the west. They don't speak the same language, and they have different gods and often fight each other over their so-called gods."

“These people who surrendered are fickle. Only when there are more Han Chinese and mountain farmers in the future, and they have multiplied their offspring, will they all be our people in a few decades.”

Wan Dai learned of Beiji Wu's plan and raised his glass in a toast.

After the two had a drink, Beijiwu inquired about matters in Shu.

"How's it going in Sichuan?"

Wan Di replied, "Everything is fine. We are encouraging the people to cultivate the land and multiply."

Being a good local official becomes much easier when there is no need for money, nor for managing an army or dealing with foreign enemies.

Most people in this position will be fine as long as they don't cause any trouble.

"Lin'an Prefecture is developing well too. I have had a batch of large ships built, and I plan to send envoys to inspect the South Seas."

"I'm too lazy to fight the surrounding countries anymore. After sending people there to communicate, I'll also let the locals learn Chinese as soon as possible. It will make things much easier for them whether they surrender or do business in the future."

Upon hearing this, Wan Qizhen immediately volunteered, saying, "Uncle, I am willing to go to Southeast Asia to uphold our national prestige!"

Beijiwu shook his head. "The climate in the south is complicated, and it's easy to get sick there. It's easy to die in storms at sea, and you could easily be killed by the local climate if you go there. Let others handle this kind of thing."

Wan Di didn't want his son to go to his death, so he advised him, "His Majesty has his own arrangements."

Arctic Army needs people to do things, but it already has quite a few talented people under its command.

“It’s not good for those people in Zhengcheng to spend their days indulging in pleasure and doing nothing. I plan to send more people to see the world.”

Wan Dai heard Bei Jiwu mention those officials from Zheng City.

“Those people…” Wan Dai said awkwardly, “I think they are all mediocre and incompetent people, so it’s best not to have too high expectations of them.”

Beijiwu laughed and said, "That's natural. Although I am in good health now, I can't guarantee that something might happen to me one day. For the long-term stability of the country, I plan to put the name of my future successor on the plaque of the Daming Palace."

"When I am about to abdicate, or if there is any change, the governors and commanders will come together to obtain the imperial edict and assist the new emperor in ascending the throne."

Wan Dai asked curiously, "That's a good idea, but why not establish a crown prince sooner?"

Beiji Wu looked at Wan Dai, who had been the crown prince, and smiled, "I don't want to put too much pressure on the child, nor do I want those ministers to be scheming against each other all day long, all clinging to the new emperor and forming factions to exclude one another."

"I am still young. I should be fine as emperor for another ten years. I will at least let the people live a comfortable life for ten or twenty years. After that, I will not cause any more trouble."

Wan Dai sighed, "It is a blessing for all the people of the world to have such a wise ruler."

Beiji Wu didn't want to hear these clichéd words repeated a thousand times, so he casually chatted with Wan Shi about everyday matters and stopped talking about national affairs.

After eating for two hours, the gathering dispersed. Beijiwu had someone escort the Wan family home, and he and Wan Guiren also went back to rest.

The palace was filled with countless beauties, and he could have his way with whichever he wanted. However, Beiji Wuhua spent very little time with women, usually finishing them off hastily.

Despite the freezing weather, Consort Wan, who had received the emperor's favor, was wrapped in a cotton quilt by a group of palace maids and ladies and carefully carried back to the palace on a frame to rest.

Beijiwu's house was not used for the accommodation of concubines and palace maids. It was usually managed by Xidanjiangcao and a few adopted palace maids.

The palace housed many noblewomen who had been princesses or dukes, as well as many women who had been captured from foreign lands.

In the rigidly hierarchical imperial palace, Beiji Wu was the master of fifty to sixty thousand people, and the supreme ruler of forty to fifty million. Beiji Wu took a bath, and several palace maids nearby helped him wash himself.

Jiang Cao sat to one side, soaking her feet, and said with a smile, "Master, Xiao Er came to wish me a Happy New Year today, and he called me 'Auntie' in order to get lucky money!"

Beijiwu said with his eyes closed, "You should call her Auntie."

Xi Dan said, "It's different. Xiao Er is close to Mu Lin, Ai Zhu, and Ai Niu. He almost called us 'sisters'."

These words made Beijiwu feel that his son was even more foolish.

"You guys can go out and have some fun tomorrow if you're free, just come back before dark."

Upon hearing this, both of them nodded happily.

"Thank you, Master, for your reward!"

Beijiwu added, "When you come back, let your family come too. They can stay until the 16th before going back."

"Okay!" Both girls wanted to have some more fun with their friends.

During the Lunar New Year, Arctic Martial Arts also made everyone happy and avoided any further reckless actions.

However, this is not a good thing for some groups.

Arctic martial arts cannot satisfy everyone.

Fortunately, he never intended to please everyone; his hard work in governing was mainly about finding things to do when he had nothing else to do.

I've never really cared much about the world.

Many people are unhappy at this time, and children are far more likely to cry than laugh during the Chinese New Year.

The newspaper-selling girl, Sijiuba, was sighing in the small house.

"Let the first month of the lunar calendar pass quickly, then we can go back to work."

Little Gua was sleeping on the bed with her two older sisters and an older sister who was five years older than her.

Four people slept in one bed, and the room was so dark that you couldn't see anything.

Xiao Gua laughed and said, "You money-grubber! Wouldn't it be better to take a month off? You could sleep in."

498 said angrily, "What's so good about sleeping? I've been having a hard time sleeping these past few days!"

Little Gua ignored her and quickly fell asleep with her head tilted to the side.

Sighing, Si Jiuba said, "Earning one or two hundred coins less each day adds up to three or four taels of silver a month, enough for me to buy a nice dress."

Xiao Ya immediately said, "Sister, isn't there a newspaper recycling business? You go out and have fun tomorrow, I'll help you with the work."

498 cursed, "You brat! You think I don't know about you stealing newspapers? I'll find you a husband next year! That way you won't make me angry at home anymore!"

Xiao Ya was extremely aggrieved. "I don't have a single copper coin in my pocket, and I'm already twelve! Besides, if anyone's going to get married, it'll be you who gets married first. If I leave, how will the three of you manage?"

Hu Yan was an outsider, and she only stayed in Luoyang after begging her siblings to do things there.

I earn some money by helping Xiaogua sell newspapers every day, but I have no idea what the future holds.

As long as she doesn't leave Luoyang, it's fine. Hu Yan is very mature for her age. She knows the good things about Luoyang, and she also knows that if she continues to go back to the countryside with her brother who has been punished, things will definitely turn out badly.

"498, you meet so many people on the street every day, don't you like any of them? You're at the age to get married."

498 immediately retorted, "I'm not getting married! My household registration is mine! Go to sleep, stop talking!"

Seeing what Si Jiuba said, Hu Yan and Xiao Ya also went to sleep under thick cotton quilts.

This cotton quilt is very warm, and there is also a warm blanket on the bed.

Ordinary families don't have such good things; only close relatives and those with connections can receive them.

There was no year-end bonus this year, but we received a lot of blankets and quilts to keep warm, as well as soap for washing our hair, face, and hands.

The surplus grain was used for brewing wine and raising pigs, making pork, mutton, and beef much more common.

As life got better and better, the well-fed and clothed Sijiuba began to think about men.

Si Jiuba has met many people in his life, but at this moment, he is not thinking of Wen Shumo, who he considers to be elegant and charming.

He was a man with many wives and children, ten years older than her, whose names she didn't even know.

Sijiu doesn't care about money, nor does he think Arctic Wu is particularly handsome; he just feels a sense of security about Arctic Wu.

It's not the reassuring feeling of knowing someone is a good person, but more like a sense of security that comes from knowing someone can handle things.

Sijiuba couldn't understand the feeling that Beijiwu gave off, and didn't realize that the two of them were from completely different worlds.

(End of this chapter)