Chapter 432: The Little Princess
When Yang Daquan left the government office, he discovered that Lin'an city was very lively. People were shouting loudly in the streets and alleys, and firecrackers were set off to celebrate the great victory of the Shenwei Army in Xuzhou, which had forced the Mongolian army to flee in disarray.
Only then did he feel that the sky seemed to have changed.
In the chilly wind, the New Year's Eve of 1240 was approaching, and the people of the New Song Dynasty began to prepare for the New Year. Brand new red lanterns were hung in the streets of Chengdu, and the sporadic sound of firecrackers from children seemed to tell everyone that spring was getting closer.
At Zhao Yulin's house, Ma Ling'er and several other women were drinking and complaining that Zhao Yulin was not coming back and she was exhausted from doing all the housework. This year, she would go back to Xuzhou early to look after the elderly and children in Cuiping Mountain and celebrate the New Year at her home in Cuiping Mountain.
Yangjin and Zhao Feiyan spread their hands and said that they were relieved and could ask Lord Cao for leave to go back. However, they could not get away because the Central Court of the New Song Dynasty would hold a grand ceremony to bid farewell to the old and welcome the new in Jinguan City, so they did not dare to ask Lord Cao for leave.
Shunzhidi and Wu Yuqi also said helplessly that they couldn't leave either, and had to serve the adults so that they could work with peace of mind and spend the New Year happily.
Zhao Feiyan pretended to be angry and threw fried soybeans at Shunzhidi, and several women laughed at the same time. I kept calling all the sisters, saying that I will be busy with state affairs in the future, so please help me with more ideas.
The women laughed and said, "Swallow is so delicious, come on, let's have a drink together."
In the Taijian Hall at the west gate of Chengdu, King Cao Youwen invited Fan Zhong, Du Fan and Hua Yue to come and have tea with Ding Gong and others. Old Cao probably wanted to discuss important matters. Even the special professor Qiao Xingjian and Mr. Wuyong from Caotang Academy were invited.
After a while of greeting, Mr. Fan reported to the Censorate on the war in the Central Plains and the adjustment of the official system. The Battle of Xuzhou took place when he returned, so the basic situation could only be reported based on Zhao Yulin's report.
The old man first recounted in a very heavy voice the tragic scenes of cities like Kaifeng and Zhengzhou being repeatedly massacred by the Jin people and the Mongols. He immediately praised Zhao Yulin's governance strategies and looked forward to the old capital Kaifeng to be transformed into a new look.
The officials soon became heated in their discussion, praising the new Song Dynasty for taking one step at a time and recovering a large area of land.
After a short rest, Lao Cao coughed twice and slowly said that he wanted to resign from the position of king and go to Taijian Hall to rest.
Everyone was shocked, thinking that Cao was in good health, so why would he resign and come to Taijiantang to be idle? Only Ding Gong and Qiao Xingjian acted as if nothing had happened and seemed to have known the reason for a long time.
Mr. Ding explained to everyone: The old emperor sent him a secret decree, accusing Sichuan and Shu of not appreciating the emperor's grace and of not sending troops to the desert to rescue them, and the emperor was guilty.
Qiao Xingjian told everyone: The Mongolian Empire will become weaker and weaker in the future, and will definitely use all means to deal with our New Song Dynasty. The government is a trump card in their hands to threaten our New Song Dynasty.
Only Brother Yulin can deal with this card.
Everyone was a little puzzled. Why was Zhao Yulin the only one who could deal with the royal court in the northern desert ?
Cao Cao told the gentlemen: He planned to give up his throne to Princess Feiyan, and only Princess Feiyan could untie this knot. The emperor wanted to say that things were going to get out of hand, and he couldn't just watch his daughter's throne fall.
Everyone immediately understood that this was Cao Cao's plan to escape, to let Zhao Feiyan deal with her father, the old emperor of the previous dynasty. They were immediately confused again. It was true that Zhao Feiyan was the biological daughter of the previous emperor, but Princess Feiyan was mediocre in virtue and talent. How could she sit firmly in the position of the king?
Li Zhongmian asked the others: "Haven't you figured it out yet? Yulin has been asking Princess Feiyan to train for a long time. Princess Feiyan is a dragon seed, intelligent and talented. She has also served as an inspector in the army. The soldiers all think that the princess is fair and just, and has the courage to act and take responsibility. When she returned to Chengdu, she was directly appointed as the deputy director of the Central Council. When I retired from the Ministry of Rites, Yulin said to my face that Princess Feiyan could take over."
I see.
Lao Cao told everyone that he and Brother Yulin agreed that they hoped Princess Feiyan would carry on with the banner of the New Song Dynasty. Brother Yulin would definitely agree with his decision. He believed that with the help of everyone, Princess Feiyan would be able to do the job.
Since this is the case, of course you have nothing to say.
If we talk about the way to govern the country, Yang Jin is the best woman among Zhao Yulin's women. However, Zhao Feiyan has royal blood from the previous dynasty, so this woman is the ruler of the new Song Dynasty, which can just shut up those who still have pedantic and loyal ideas, and can be said to unite the patriotic and anti-Mongol forces of the people across the country to the greatest extent.
But in this case, it would not be appropriate for the King of Cao to be idle at the prime of his life.
Lao Cao smiled and asked who said that being a censor meant being unemployed? In the future, he would go out with the other officials, bend down and take a good look at every prefecture and county in the new Song Dynasty, and make suggestions for the people to live a good life.
Two days later, Cao Youwen convened the officials of the Central Council to discuss matters, announced his resignation as the King of New Song, and proposed that Zhao Feiyan become the third king.
Feiyan was immediately stunned and sat there in a daze, not knowing what to do.
Everyone was looking at her with a smile. Lao Cao took the lead in applauding, and thunderous applause immediately broke out in the hall.
Zhao Feiyan resolutely refused, but Lao Cao resolutely stopped her. He also told her that this was the unanimous decision of the Central Council and she had to accept it and do it well.
Haha, I just sat there in a daze.
Yangjin said with a smile that everyone thought that she could do it well and she believed that she could do it.
Everyone laughed and applauded again.
Zhao Feiyan then stood up and bowed to everyone, taking over the throne of the new King of Song. However, she would ask Cao Youwen to preside over the New Year's sacrificial ceremony no matter what.
Lao Cao nodded in agreement, let out a long sigh as if he had put down a heavy burden, and said: From now on, you must assist Princess Feiyan in handling state affairs. If anyone is lazy and does nothing, he will be the first to disagree.
All the gentlemen expressed their willingness to obey Feiyan's orders and gave warm applause again...
Zhao Yulin and his team worked in Kaifeng for more than half a month, and the city and the countryside were changing with each passing day. The most obvious thing was the establishment of local sewage cleaning bureaus. The beggars and poor people in the prefectures and counties were organized to work. After cleaning, the environment of the city changed immediately. The garrisons in various places set up lime kilns to help burn lime to paint walls and build new houses. The streets and alleys quickly took on a new look.
The common people who had fled to the countryside and mountains began to move back to their villages, towns, and cities. More and more people were working in the fields, and the streets of the city became bustling.
The second is the opening of supply and marketing cooperatives and grain stations.
Cooperatives and grain stations backed by the Shenwei Army were established one after another. Common daily necessities and grains such as soap, perfume, Wu Gu Feng and Gu Jing Yu Ye entered large and small cities in the Central Plains, and their prices dropped significantly compared to the previous period of Mongolian rule.
The next step is to clear and dredge the canals and dig farm channels.
The Chengdu Transportation Department exported tens of millions of strings of new currency to the Central Plains. Chen Chen asked all localities to allocate new currency to repair the roads and canals that were most urgently needed. The people who had nothing to do in the winter found work and had income.
The people who earned money took the new currency of the New Song Dynasty to the supply and marketing cooperatives to buy their favorite things at a clear price. Those who liked to drink rushed to buy Chen Yi Shao and took it home to entertain their friends and neighbors, saying it was a great blessing. If the Shenwei Army had not come, they would not have been able to eat Chen Yi Shao.
The wealthy families in the city who used to cling to the Mongolian rulers and exploit the people were unhappy. They looked at the earth-shaking changes before their eyes with a mixture of emotions. They still dreamed of continuing to act tyrannically and make a lot of money, but this was unrealistic.
The Shenwei Army led by Zhang Qi was dispatched to patrol the Shunfeng Division and various places. After the Shenwei Army stabilized the border defense, it began to investigate and liquidate these traitors and hidden spies. People were constantly caught, their property was confiscated and they were sent to prison. A large amount of stolen money and silver was confiscated and returned to the treasury.
Chen Chen and Hu Lan were delighted. The confiscated gold and silver alone amounted to tens of millions of strings of cash, enough for them to spend for a while.
By the end of the year, Kaifeng was filled with clear skies and fresh air.
Zhao Yulin hosted a grand banquet in the government office, where they drank and talked about the New Year.
Lai Chuanfang said with a smile that Brother Miao had returned to Chengdu, leaving the third young master here to accompany his brothers for the New Year, leaving our young master to suffer.
Everyone came to toast him and his two ladies.
Zhao Yulin said with a bit of shame that in terms of suffering, it was the brothers who suffered the most, and he was nothing. He had been enjoying himself in Chengdu these years, and only came out today to guard the border village with the brothers, so he was the one who suffered the most.
He invited Chen Chen and Hu Lan to toast the brothers together, and told them to have a good meal, saying that after today, we will do something big next year.
The crowd was having fun until midnight before leaving.
Chen Chen watched over the half-drunk Hu Lan as she slept. The little woman woke up and found that Chen Chen was also awake. She asked her: A moment of spring night is worth a thousand gold, why isn't my sister in Brother Yulin's room?
Chen Chen pinched her face and said, "Brother is worried about you, so I asked you to come and look after you."
The little woman felt warm in her heart.
Since arriving in Kaifeng, Hulan learned that Zhao Yulin went north to deceive her two brothers into launching the Battle of Xuzhou, so she started a cold war with Zhao Yulin and they have been living separately ever since.
The little woman shrank her body and leaned into Chen Chen's arms. Chen Chen scratched her and said that she was afraid of the cold. If she was cold, they could all go to the brother's room. It would definitely be warm if the three of them slept under the same quilt.
Hu Lan twisted her body and remained reserved. Chen Chen tickled her and asked, "Why are you hesitating? You must have thought about it a long time ago, right?"
If you want to go, let’s go together.
As he spoke, he lifted the quilt off his body and walked away.
After a while, Ke Zhenxie whispered towards Zhao Yulin's room: Third Young Master, the Madam is here.
The two women quickly got into Zhao Yulin's bed. Chen Chen said that Hulan had been standing for a long time and was very cold. He took his hand to tickle Hulan, and the three of them quickly performed a spring festival.
At dawn, Zhao Yulin got up early and asked the kitchen to prepare brown sugar powder, fermented glutinous rice and eggs and bring them to the room. The two women were still dozing. He called them to eat, and Chen Chen asked him to feed them. The two women sat in a row wrapped in quilts. Zhao Yulin used a spoon to feed one and then the other, busy and happy.
The two women were happy. After looking at each other, they ate happily, one bite at a time, and kept shouting "I want more, I want more" and didn't allow him to stop.
