I Rely On Beauty To Stabilize The Country

IRBSC 105

Chapter 105

Xue Yuan remained calm and composed. “What did Lady Xue say?”

“Your mother warned you not to engage in such thuggish banditry. You forcefully treated someone as your beloved, but they may not even care about you,” General Xue looked at Xue Yuan suspiciously, placing his wine cup on the table with a thud. “Did you use force on that girl?”

Upon hearing this, Xue Yuan chuckled.

How could he use force on Gu Yuanbai’s body?

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It was impossible. If he dared to, he would have been completely cut off from his lineage.

Realizing this, Xue Yuan understood that Lady Xue was just making things up. At most, she could only speculate. But could his mother really figure out who the person in his heart was? Xue Yuan’s expression became lazy as he lazily twirled the jade thumb ring on his finger, his fingertips rubbing against the rim of the cup as he drank the wine, ignoring General Xue’s words.

However, halfway through the drink, Xue Yuan suddenly remembered that Lady Xue had also sent him a letter before the new year. It was just that he had disregarded it because it was placed together with the things returned to him by the emperor, as it was too thin.

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Tl xyel y xldvyz dsvl sq vbkp yde, yqvla vbl nlzlcayvksd oyp shla, alvwadle vs bkp vldv. Gqvla plyanbkdt qsa y obkzl, bl qkdyzzu qswde vbl zlvvla Nyeu Dwl bye pldv bkx.

Mbl ryrla oyp vbkd, yde bl eked’v vbkdj kv oyp sq xwnb kxrsavydnl. Jwv obld bl srldle kv, Nyeu Dwl’p vsdl oyp watldv. Fbl oyp vyzjkdt ycswv bso yqvla vbl lxrlasa bye clld kd bkp assx, vbl fyel sadyxldv bl bye bkeeld wdela bkp cle ekpyrrlyale.

Dwl Zwyd’p takr sd vbl zlvvla vktbvldle, yde bkp tygl pbkqvle vs vbl fyel vbwxc akdt sd bkp byde. Tkp calyvbkdt pzsole, yde pweeldzu lhlauvbkdt clnyxl nzlya.

Fs vbyv’p kv.

Dwl Zwyd qkdyzzu wdelapvsse. Qw Zwydcyk oyp rascyczu ydtau clnywpl sq vbl fyel sadyxldv kdnkeldv. Jwv vbl vawvb oyp naupvyz nzlya, yde blyhld yde lyavb nswze clya okvdlpp. Dwl Zwyd bye sdzu wple vbl fyel sadyxldv vs raynvknl, qlyakdt vbyv bl oswze bwav Qw Zwydcyk yde xyjl bkx czwpb. Gqvla yzz, vbl uswdt lxrlasa’p pjkd oyp elzknyvl, yde bl oswze vwad ale yv vbl pzktbvlpv vswnb. Rq Dwl Zwyd oydvle vs vswnb Qw Zwydcyk, bso nswze bl dsv raynvknl?

Ebu eslpd’v vbl uswdt lxrlasa vbkdj ycswv bso bl nswze clya vs wpl y fyel kvlx vs vswnb bkx?

Dwl Zwyd qwaasole bkp caso vktbvzu, altalvvkdt dsv byhkdt plld vbkp zlvvla kd vkxl. Rq bl bye plld vbkp zlvvla clqsal nyvnbkdt wr okvb vbl xlppldtla yv vbl rspv pvyvksd, bl nswze byhl nsxl wr okvb y nsxrzlvlzu ekqqlaldv lmrzydyvksd yde nzyakqkle vbl alypsd clbkde vbl fyel sadyxldv kdnkeldv.

Dwl Zwyd rwv vbl zlvvla yoyu yde rynle cynj yde qsavb kd vbl assx qsa y zsdt vkxl. Wkdyzzu, bl xydytle vs nyzx esod yde vbkdj ycswv vbl osaep bl bye ldvawpvle vbl rspv pvyvksd sqqknkyz vs elzkhla vs vbl nyrkvyz. Mbl lxrlasa oswze dsv cl xshle cu vblx clnywpl bl bye xkpwdelapvsse vbl ekalnvksd sq bkp lmrzydyvksd.

Only when the post station sends the letter again after the New Year will he be able to explain the reason behind his secret possession of the jade ornament in the letter.

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*

When the official from the post station in the New Year came to collect the letters in the North Border, it was already after the fifth day of the lunar month.

Xue Yuan had already prepared the letter to hand it over to him. This time, the official who came to the post station had a different face, probably instructed by the previous post station official. When he saw Xue Yuan, he was even more respectful, almost trembling with fear. “I will safely deliver General’s letter to the capital.”

Xue Yuan smiled kindly, “I’ll leave it to you, sir.”

This letter had to undergo a long journey of thousands of miles, and even if it reached the capital, Xue Yuan might not receive a response. Watching the figure of the post station official leaving, Xue Yuan stood straight in the snowy field, his black hair fluttering with the wind, and the flags rustling beside him.

He turned his gaze further north. If he were a little faster, if he were even faster, could he return to the capital in the second month of spring?

*

The New Year in the borderlands was lively and bustling, while in the imperial capital, before the thirtieth day of the lunar month, the emperor welcomed back the eunuch who had been sent to the summer palace.

The eunuch presented a letter written by Consort Wan to the emperor. Gu Yuanbai placed the letter aside and asked earnestly, “How is Consort Wan’s health?”

If it weren’t for Gu Yuanbai’s poor health and the lingering effects of last year’s serious illness, he would definitely have gone to the summer palace himself to spend the New Year with Consort Wan.

The eunuch replied, “Reporting to the Emperor, Consort Wan is relatively healthy. She just misses the Emperor dearly. When I arrived at the palace, I saw Consort Wan staring at a stack of plum blossom cakes in a daze. Her maid said that those were the Emperor’s favorite pastries when he was young.”

Gu Yuanbai sighed and smiled, “Indeed, I also like them now.”

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The eunuch then went on to share all the trivial matters regarding Consort Wan.

Gu Yuanbai listened attentively, occasionally asking a few questions. How many meals a day does Consort Wan have now? How much can she eat in one sitting? He asked without getting tired, and the person answering didn’t dare to be the slightest bit negligent. Between the questions and answers, an hour passed.

Gu Yuanbai snapped back to reality and dismissed the person. Then he unfolded the letter in his hand and read the contents word by word.

Consort Wan also missed Gu Yuanbai deeply, but she repeatedly warned him not to brave the cold winter and come to see her. Everything was fine in the palace, she ate well and lived comfortably, but the only regret was that the Emperor was not by her side.

However, even if the Emperor were by her side, Consort Wan wouldn’t meet Gu Yuanbai too often, so as not to burden him with such grief when they had to part.

After finishing reading the letter, the tender longing in the letter still lingered in Gu Yuanbai’s heart. He suddenly had someone bring him a fox fur coat and put on leather gloves. Accompanied by his attendants, he walked into the imperial garden.

In the imperial garden, there was a patch of plum blossoms, with a hint of pale red among the snow. As Gu Yuanbai approached, a chilly fragrance accompanied the petals, which were dripping with melting snow. He reached out and plucked a petal from the plum blossoms.

With the red plum blossom in his hand, Gu Yuanbai said, “Bring me some handkerchiefs. I will pick some plum blossoms and make plum blossom cakes.”

*

On New Year’s Eve, there was supposed to be a palace banquet, but the emperor, citing fatigue, allowed the royal relatives and ministers to celebrate with their families and advised against accompanying him.

There were no concubines or children in the palace. In previous years, it hadn’t bothered him much, but during the New Year, he always felt lonely. Gu Yuanbai also noticed the silence in the palace. After thinking for a while, he had Tian Fusheng select a few well-behaved and lively children from the royal relatives to be sent to the summer palace after the New Year to keep Consort Wan company.

Tian Fusheng, understanding the intention, asked, “Your Majesty, should we also invite some young princes to amuse themselves in front of the palace?”

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“No need,” Gu Yuanbai said with a wry smile. “If they were by my side, the palace would not be peaceful.”

The New Year in the palace passed uneventfully. When the winter break ended, officials from the Da Heng Dynasty returned to their offices. The first thing the court had to prepare for was the martial examination, which took place in March.

The martial examination occurred once every five years, and this time it coincided with the year following the literary examination. The martial examination in the Da Heng Dynasty was just as grand as the literary examination. After attending court, Gu Yuanbai went through the family records and reviewed the papers of the previous martial examination top scorers.

The martial examination was not only about martial arts. In addition to physical fitness, it also required knowledge of military strategy, understanding of military tactics, and the ability to choose strategic locations for encampments, among other things.

Gu Yuanbai revised the scoring method for the martial examination and changed the way physical fitness was assessed.

As he contemplated these methods for the martial examination, a relaxed smile appeared on the corners of his eyes and lips.

His own health was poor, but it was indeed enjoyable to come up with ways to challenge others.

After satisfying his wicked sense of amusement, time quickly passed and it was already February.

One by one, the memorial letters from the Northern Border started to arrive in the capital, like snowflakes. Since the beginning of February, the border soldiers had been engaging in frequent conflicts with the nomadic tribes. After enduring multiple attacks from the soldiers of the Da Heng Dynasty, who had severed their emotional ties, the remaining Khitan tribes finally decided to set aside their grievances and unite against the Da Heng Dynasty.

At this time, only four of the original eight Khitan tribes remained intact.

As the nomads consolidated their forces, their threat to the Da Heng Dynasty would significantly increase. The soldiers were on high alert, preparing to propose peace talks at the appropriate time. However, an unexpected event occurred among the Khitan tribes.

The critically ill chief of the Khitan tribes passed away.

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The plan for a united front among the Khitan tribes fell apart, and internal divisions and hostilities emerged. They no longer needed to act against the Da Heng Dynasty openly; signs of hostility and separation were already beginning to appear.

In mid-February, under the unease both internally and externally, the Khitan people took the initiative to seek peace with the people of Da Heng.

General Xue, feeling both surprised and understanding of the situation, had a thorough discussion with the Khitan people regarding the peace negotiations. He secretly planted a seed that aligned with the Emperor’s desire to assimilate them.

When the majority of the nomadic people could obtain food, tea, spices, and silk without the need for war or plunder, and when the things they desired could be acquired with Da Heng’s currency at the marketplace, would they still be willing to wage war?

The common people would not be unwilling.

They would gradually become content with the current situation, ultimately becoming the horse stable for Da Heng’s fine steeds.

From August to February, a period of six months, the border standoff finally came to an end. In the memorial letter submitted by General Xue, he expressed his intention to remain in place to oversee the construction of the trade routes, while General Xue Yuan, responsible for transporting military provisions and troops, had already returned to the capital with his men and horses.

Day and night, he yearned for it, as he rushed back to the capital as if flying.

Gu Yuanbai read this memorial letter several times, and his blood seemed to boil in response to General Xue’s brief words. A faint flush appeared on his face, his eyes sparkled, and he exclaimed, “Excellent!”

Six months, finally over!

Gu Yuanbai couldn’t help but stand up, wanting to sing a song of joy, but he managed to calm the surging emotions in his chest. With his hands behind his back, he stood in front of the palace, gazing at the scenery outside, as if his eyes could pierce through mountains and rivers, seeing the tens of thousands of troops on the border.

Happy, so happy that he wanted to laugh.

The timing, the advantageous situation, and the people all seemed to be on Gu Yuanbai’s side. The internal turmoil among the Khitan people was bound to cause a major disturbance that could disrupt their entire tribe. Without a strong leader emerging, this kind of internal strife could even last for several years.

Gu Yuanbai’s mind was solely focused on this matter, thinking only about this. As the night grew darker, during the time of the evening meal, he suddenly remembered what was mentioned in General Xue’s memorial letter—that Xue Jiuyao was coming back.

Xue Jiuyao.

Gu Yuanbai felt a bit dazed, and in an instant, he saw a flash of Xue Yuan’s face with a crooked smile at the corner of his mouth, a false smile.

Tall and upright, polite.

When the Emperor remembered something, he turned to Tian Fusheng and asked, “Some time ago, did Xue Jiuyao send a letter to me?”

Tian Fusheng nodded and respectfully replied, “Yes.”

Gu Yuanbai hadn’t read the letter yet, but he thought that it was probably a gesture of gratitude for the flowers he sent. He casually said, “Go and bring it to me, let me take a look.”


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EA [Translator]

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