Ma Sanbao led the way, and the two of them passed through the camp and arrived at the vast grassland.
Under the blue sky and white clouds, there is an endless expanse of green, with green grass and flowers, and cattle and sheep scattered among them. This is a place where the Mongolians originally did not allow lotus flowers to come.
I saw Hou Xian waiting there from a distance, leading three horses. In addition to Ma Sanbao's Xiaohei and Hou Xian's maroon horse, the other one is, wow, a snow-white pony. He is small in stature and looks to be only one or two years old. He is all white, even his hoof guard hairs are white. The hair is shiny, long and smooth, the limbs are long and the waist is strong, and the chest is deep and long. There is a mark in the middle of the forehead, which is vaguely shaped like a snowflake.
Lotus exclaimed: "So beautiful!" She stepped forward gently and touched the pony's head with her right hand.
Seeing that Lianhua liked it, Ma Sanbao said with a smile: "I found it in the stable the day before yesterday. It is said to be from the Alutai tribe, and it has not yet recognized its owner. We cleaned it up yesterday, and its temperament is tame. Yes. The prince told you."
"Give it to me? Really?" Lotus stroked the pony's mane. The little white horse looked at her meekly with its big eyes, and rubbed its head against hers, as if it knew it was its owner.
"Could you give me a name? Let's go up there and try for a walk." Ma Sanbao encouraged.
Hou Xian handed over the reins: "How about calling me Bai Xue?"
"Baixue..." Lianhua was startled, and memories came out like a tide: He was riding on Baixue, standing upright and waiting in the middle of the official road; he was riding on Baixue, watching by the roadside; Baixue's neighing was like his plea a thousand times: Don't go ! do not go!
Li Fangyuan, are you okay
Lianhua shook her head: "Call me Xiaoxue."
"Okay! That's great! My little black is just a good companion. Let's try riding on it?" Ma Sanbao was very happy.
Lotus smiled brightly, got on the horse and walked in front. Ma Sanbao and Hou Xian followed closely behind.
What a good horse. Lotus has gained a lot of experience in escaping for a while, and her cognitive ability of horses has been greatly improved. Although Xiaoxue is young, she runs smoothly and briskly. She slowly picks up speed and runs away, as if she is flying.
"How is it?" Ma Sanbao asked from the side.
"very nice!"
Xiaoxue noticed Xiao Hei and Xiao Hong next to her, became naughty and ran straight ahead. Hou Xian's bay-red horse was suddenly left behind. Ma Sanbao urged Xiao Hei to follow closely behind Xiao Xue. The two horses competed with each other and ran like clouds and fog. Xiaoxue snorted from time to time, as if to say: "Chase me? Give it a try?"
There was wind in the lotus ears, and the horse ran happily. Looking at Xiaoxue's cute appearance, she couldn't help laughing loudly. Crisp laughter floated in the air over the grassland. Ma Sanbao also laughed.
Crossing the grassland and approaching the other side of the lake, there is a fiery red forest in the distance. A large group of people lined up in the forest. Lianhua slowed down her pace and looked at Ma Sanbao.
"Those are the Mongolian prisoners this time. The prince lets them choose. Those who are willing to return to the tribe will be given food and silver, and those who are willing to follow our Ming army will stay."
Ma Sanbao explained: "The prince has said that if he is seen among the Mongolian soldiers next time, he will kill them without mercy. Most of those who started to be demobilized the day before yesterday returned to their own tribes."
"Your Majesty is broke this time." Ma Sanbao joked.
Lotus nodded and rode his horse closer.
Backed by the turquoise lake, there is a large pomegranate forest. Spring is late in Mobei, and pomegranates are blooming in June. The red clouds are steaming and the clouds are shining. It is more magnificent than the sunset in the desert, but it is more moist and vital.
King Yan, dressed in an old purple tang robe, stood under the tree and was questioning the fallen Mongolian prisoners one by one. There was still a slight smile on his face, but it was not as careless as usual. There was sincerity in the majesty, and warmth in the coldness. The purple tang-colored robe is dazzling under the fiery red pomegranate flowers. From time to time, there were petals floating down, but King Yan didn't care. He just let the petals scatter as if they were invisible, and they might get stuck in his hair or fall off his purple robe. Wisps of sunlight passed through the flower leaves and shone on his body from behind. The entire outline exuded a golden halo, making it difficult to look directly at him.
Lotus stared blankly. The breeze blew against his face, seeming to bring him a familiar smell.
When Xiaoxue saw this beautiful scenery, she suddenly raised her head and hissed. Ma Mingfeng and Xiao Yi are as beautiful as jade, attracting the attention of countless people beside the pomegranate forest.
King Yan also looked over, his face changing color slightly, his thick eyebrows and tiger eyes filled with indescribable nostalgia, overflowing and floating in the fiery red pomegranate forest.
The two people's eyes met, and Xiaoxue seemed to feel the longing in King Yan's eyes, tapping the horse's hoof lightly, urging the master to move forward.
Lianhua quickly looked away and turned the horse's head. Xiaoxue shook her horse's head in confusion and ran towards the road with small steps.
"Mother saw the words as if she had met her before: the child has been well since leaving Seoul, and has arrived in heaven soon. Sure enough, the mountains and rivers are beautiful, the people are extraordinary, and the land is outstanding. I met Ma He, the servant of Prince Yan's palace, who looks exactly like his younger brother... "
Lianhua wrote a letter to her mother. In her letter to her mother, she reported good news but not good news. She did not mention a word about her being robbed. She chose the happy personnel, horses, three treasures, Wang Jinghong and Hou to show off these things.
The letter to the king explained the situation in detail, especially the process of Zheng Zongze risking his life to save himself. Finally, he said: "Zongze said that he was a Korean citizen, so why should he spare his own body? The loyalty of the Zheng family is clear and can be seen from the sky. I am very lucky to be in Korea if I beg my father Wang Shengming to understand." He hesitated for a moment and did not mention Wang Shi.
I put down my pen and hesitated, writing the letters from my father and mother. Where is Li Fangyuan? Can I write to him? Of course it's impossible. In North Korea at that time, although the distinction between men and women was not as strict as in the Central Plains, it was still clear; not to mention that Lianhua's identity was the lady of the East Palace, the grandson of the emperor who was about to be married. Lianhua sighed, even if he dared to shock the world, the king would not leave it to him.
"What are you sighing for?" A mellow voice sounded, and it was King Yan who entered the tent. I haven't seen him for the past few days, and suddenly a man came to the tent, like a surprise attack.
Lianhua glanced at him and felt that King Yan seemed different. He stood up hastily and was about to salute. But Zhu Di held him up with one hand: "Yining, don't be too polite."
Lianhua blushed: "Your Majesty!"
Zhu Di let go of his hand and smiled casually: "I actually don't like you calling me Prince."
Lianhua blushed to her neck and didn't know how to answer. He avoided King Yan's gaze and asked in a panic: "Have all the prisoners been punished?"
I felt a little regretful as soon as I said the words. This question sounded like supervision work and spying on intelligence.
Fortunately, King Yan didn't pay attention and nodded: "Today is over. Most of the Mongolian soldiers are from the Alutai tribe and the Mahamu tribe. As long as they return to the tribe, they will live a good life. I sent my personal soldiers to deliver my letter To the clan leaders of these two tribes, the list is listed above, and it is clearly stated that if they encounter these people on the battlefield again, they will no longer be polite to them. There are still many who are unwilling to go back and want to stay, and have already formed a team. , come back with us during class time."
Lianhua was moved in her heart, they were the Mongols, enemies of the Celestial Empire. King Yan treated him kindly despite his own troubles.
Zhu Di saw Lian Hua's expression and smiled: "It's true that a few of the Jurchen clan are slave guards. They said they were returning to their hometown. I don't know whether they are true or not."
"Nu'er Ganwei? Is it in the area around Naowenjiang, Hulu Wenhe and Aduolian? I heard it was set up the year before last?" Lianhua was a little curious.
"It was set up the year before last and belongs to the Liaodong Capital Command and Envoys Department. That area was originally the territory of the Mongols, and the imperial court had weak control. The current Nuergan guards are just a decoration. In fact, there are only one thousand soldiers, and Nuergan guards the city. The doors are all tightly closed. Such a large area with fertile soil and beautiful water is suitable for grazing and farming. It's such a pity." Zhu Di said, his careless smile turned a little gloomy: "I wrote to the emperor and suggested that he be promoted to Nuergandu Commander, my father has not returned yet, I don’t know what he thinks.”
Lianhua didn't dare to answer and changed the topic: "It is said that the Jurchens are brave, right?"
"More than just bravery, savages are uncivilized and bloodthirsty."
Lianhua thought for a while: "How about building a temple there? To influence the obedient people is also the imperial court's intention to show compassion and love for the people."
Zhu Di was startled: "Yes, the Buddha's teachings are to persuade ministers to be loyal, to encourage children to be filial, to encourage the country to be governed, and to encourage families to be harmonious. Maybe the Jurchens can be taught by the Buddha to lose their barbaric and murderous tendencies and live a good life." After thinking for a moment: "The temple can be called Yongning Temple."
Lotus clasped her palms and smiled: "Your Majesty has a quick mind, and this name has a very good meaning."
After he finished speaking, his mind raced: "Does it have anything to do with Yi Ning?" He couldn't help but glance at King Yan, their eyes touched, and he couldn't help but blush again, and quickly looked away.
Zhu Di sighed, stared at the lotus and said slowly: "Yining, I've thought about it. I've been avoiding you these past few days, but it's no use. Buddhism pays attention to cause and effect. Everything in this life is the sum of causes and conditions, and they arise from time to time. The fate is gone. I met you in the desert, we encountered sandstorms, and we saw mirages and pagodas together. These are all fruits. I don’t know how many lifetimes I have cultivated. The world is impermanent. I don’t want to live in the future. In the present. At least now, I can see you and be by your side."
Lian Hua was a little dizzy. The "karma", "impermanence" and "moment" mentioned by Zhu Di were indeed Buddhist principles, but they seemed to mean something wrong...
People in the Celestial Dynasty are so smart!
Lianhua said weakly: "But, but..."
Zhu Di interrupted Lianhua's protest, still smiling nonchalantly, and speaking so domineeringly that there was no doubt: "Yining, you don't have to worry about so much, just be the same as before. I will lead the army to set off tomorrow, and it will take ten days as fast as possible, and it will take as long as it takes. Come back in half a month. Ma Sanbao will bring 200 soldiers to accompany you here, and we will return to Daning Mansion together."
Lianhua was startled: "Where are you going?" She was so anxious that she didn't call the prince.
There was some joy in Zhu Di's smile, and he consoled him: "Solin Timur confessed to Bor only in Ulianghatu City, which is about three hundred miles away from here. I will come back as soon as I go."
"But you are injured..."
"The inquiring scouts have returned. Wulianghatu City is a simple and lonely city. It has only more than 3,000 soldiers guarding it. Apart from Bo'erzhao, there is only one general, Halawu. It's okay."
It turns out that I have been waiting for the intelligence from the scouts for the past few days. . Lianhua admired in her heart, it was really no accident that the Ming Dynasty could drive the Mongols out of the Central Plains.
Zhu Di stretched his head to look at the letters on the case and said with a smile, "Just two letters?"
"Yes. To my father and mother." Lianhua saw that King Yan was a little confused and explained: "My father is my foster father."
"Father? Where is your father?" Zhu Di asked with concern.
Lianhua thought for a while and said, "It's a long story. Your Majesty will go on an expedition tomorrow. Let's talk after he returns home in triumph and is free."
When Zhu Di heard the title of Prince again, he frowned, looked at Lian Hua's clear eyes, sighed, and replied softly: "Okay."
(Note: Nurgan Dusi and Yongning Temple were established and built successively during the Yongle period. Their jurisdiction was vast, which stabilized the Ming Dynasty’s rule over the Heilongjiang region until the rise of Nurhaci in the early 17th century. At that time, the territory extended to the estuary of Heilongjiang, including the Ku Page Island. Unfortunately, the two stone tablets of Yongning Temple are now in the Vladivostok Museum, Russia.)