Chen Jiali did not stay overnight, leaving only a few strands of long hair and a slight lingering smell on the pillow.
Soon, another person came to the wooden house by the lake, Mrs. Dong Gao. Gao gave Princess Jinsuo a pair of jasper bracelets. Jinsuo called her aunt as soon as she opened her mouth. Gao was stunned at first, and then she smiled and praised her. She liked Guo Shao's little daughter very much, and spent most of her time here playing with Jinsuo.
At the beginning of the twelfth lunar month, a fleet of Jiaolong Army ships will sail south from Haizhou to deliver more armaments to Cao Bin in Guangnan. Guo Shao plans to go a little further from Beijing and personally go to the harbor to inspect his warships and practice for the Jiaolong Army generals.
After the first snow in Tokyo, the weather cleared up again, which was a good day for traveling. Snow still hung on the branches of the trees on the street, like white flowers blooming, with beautiful colors in the bright sunshine. When the wind blew, it was like catkins fluttering, adding a bit of vitality to the silent winter.
Longjin Bridge connects to the north-south central axis of the outer city, and overlooks the inner city gate, Suzaku Gate, to the north. A large group of parade guards with umbrellas and flags pass by here. The armor of the guarding cavalrymen shines, and their fiery red scarves flutter in the wind, which is very eye-catching.
With such a grand ceremony, it was obvious that the royal family was traveling. Pedestrians all avoided the intersection and waited on the side street, and the common people also stood on the roadside to watch the excitement.
A four-horse carriage was surrounded by palace maids and military generals, and a corner of the curtain of the carriage was gently lifted.
Guo Shao looked out of the carriage and saw a familiar scene. In front of a shop at the corner of Hengjie Street, hoes, shovels, kitchen knives, etc. were placed outside the shop, smoke was coming out of the roof, and fire was flickering inside.
There was a banner hanging at the door of this blacksmith shop, with only one word on it: Huang. There was no need to write the words "blacksmith shop" or anything like that; the things on the stall and the things on the shop were the signboard.
A white-haired old man sat on a bench outside the blacksmith's shop, looking over with dim eyes. At this time, a middle-aged man with bare arms in the middle of winter came out of the shop to watch, followed by a woman with her hair wrapped in a bun, holding a bowl and walking up to the old man.
Guo Shao showed a casual smile on his face, as if he was greeting the old man, without any condescending attitude. Perhaps if we look at life from another angle, the old man's complete and peaceful life is no less humble than anyone else. Guo Shao observed for a while, and found that there was only one acquaintance left here, and no one else he cared about. The carriages and horses gradually passed through the cross street, so he lowered the curtain.
There was another person in the large carriage, Zhaoyi Lu Lan, who was also the only woman accompanying the emperor on this trip. Guo Shao saw that she was also looking at the scene outside, so he asked, "Did Zhaoyi Lu see the blacksmith shop?"
Lu Lan turned her head back and nodded, "I see."
Guo Shao smiled and said, "My former home is right there."
Lu Lan was stunned for a moment, then smiled and said, "Didn't Your Majesty live in the Guo Mansion before? I also lived in the mansion when I first arrived in Tokyo."
Guo Shao stopped smiling and said seriously, "Even earlier. When I was young, I lived in Daming Prefecture and Hezhong Prefecture. I didn't have a house of my own and lived in a barracks with the soldiers. After I moved to Tokyo, my first old house was the blacksmith shop. The military pay and bonus for the imperial army was in cash, and I saved up my military pay to buy this house."
Lu Lan's rosy face showed surprise: "I've never heard your majesty mention it."
Guo Shao said: "If you don't believe me, go back and ask Yu Lian. I don't need to mention it to others, because I didn't meet many people during that period, and I have no interest in others."
Lu Lan hurriedly said, "How can I not believe what your majesty said?"
Guo Shaoyong said casually, "There is a small alley behind that side street. Yulian's family used to live there. I hired her to do laundry, cooking and odd jobs. The old man with a white beard sitting at the door just now is named Huang. He is also an old blacksmith I once hired. Now that the world is becoming more peaceful, the blacksmith Huang's family has a shop in the downtown area and has skills. I guess they are living a prosperous life."
Lu Lan said softly: "It turns out that Your Majesty still has so many memories."
Guo Shao reached out and held her hand. Lu Lan's palm also had calluses, just like Yu Lian's. He stroked the calluses and said, "You and I have many memories. I remember when we first met, you were still a teenage girl. Sometimes I feel that people are not just a body, but a process, and memories are the process of identifying oneself."
Lu Lan listened quietly, looking thoughtful. The most special feeling Guo Shao had when he was with her was that he could always find a peaceful state of mind.
Outside, the wooden wheels of the carriage creaked and the carriage shook slightly, but the journey continued and the process was not interrupted. Guo Shao looked back at the past and also looked forward to the journey that had not been taken.
The large group of troops left Tokyo and first went along the Bian River to Songzhou, then passed through Xuzhou, and then went to Haizhou.
Outside Tokyo, there are large areas of houses and city walls, which are bustling and densely populated. These are "annexed cities". The population of the big city is very large, but the residents are relatively concentrated. The country, which is mainly agricultural, has not yet formed an urban belt. After people and horses pass through the city walls, there are large areas of farmland and fields, with villages dotted in between.
In the wild villages, there is a dirt yard with black smoke from time to time. It is a workshop that uses coal to boil dung. The gunpowder saltpeter used by Xu Jun comes from saltpeter mines. Most of it comes from such dung workshops. The residue is the necessary fertilizer for the large farms nearby.
On the banks of the Bian River, several cities stood tall, like the Acropolis of Tokyo, but above the cities, many plumes of black smoke rose. From far away on the post road, one could hear the loud clanging of metal.
In the quiet farmland, these smoking monsters are very abrupt. After so many years, the people nearby may have already gotten used to them.
But in Guo Shao's eyes, these workshops are sparks. They break the silence of the crowing of chickens and dogs and will awaken the sleeping earth. Guo Shao believes that one day greater productivity will make the Great Xu Empire more prosperous and lively.
The thick smoke dyed the blue sky black, just like the unique traces engraved by Guo Shao here.
Guo Shao went east along the post road, inspecting his territory along the way. The land along the way was just a corner of his territory, and it still took him several days.
When they arrived at Haizhou, the Jiaolong Army had already prepared their ships at the port, and they had delayed their journey because they were waiting for the emperor. Guo Shao sent pigs and sheep to reward the army, and that night he hosted a banquet at the Jiaolong Army headquarters at the port, entertaining the military commanders and above who were heading south. Haizhou Port was bustling all night, as if it was a festive occasion.
The next morning, Guo Shao saw the generals off to board the ship at the seaside, but he did not board the ship himself. Guo Shao had done a lot to build the Jiaolong Army, including the organization, weapons, and warships, but he had never been on a ship and would probably never be on one in the future. No one would allow such a thing. No matter how big the Jiaolong Army's warships were, the sea route was still the most risky route at present.
So he could only stand on the shore and watch. The sea breeze on the pier was constant, but the weather was sunny, and the sea and sky were clear. Guo Shao's cloak and sheepskin coat were blown against his body by the wind, but he was still standing steadily on the pier with his head held high.
Under the bright sunshine, the blue color of the sky and the water becomes more beautiful, and the white sails cover the sea, just like the white clouds in the sky. The sound of the waves, bells, drums, and horns play together, countless soldiers on the ship shout and shout, and the seagulls' graceful wings glide over the water, leaving behind their cries. The sea is the most lively place.
Guo Shao squinted his eyes and watched the huge warships and light boats slowly go away. Looking at the fleet's endless journey, his heart felt unprecedentedly open.
This is not the end, but a brand new beginning of the world.
Completed
This book has been completed. There are some good parts and some unsatisfactory parts. No matter what, the companionship of book friends for such a long time is the most important. I am most sincerely grateful and touched.
Xifeng's career of writing is not over, but a new beginning. In the short time after finishing the book, I will summarize my experience and lessons, draw nourishment and insights from knowledge and life experience, and strive to make progress in the new book. Take a breath, the new book will be uploaded in about a month, and generally the update of the new book is more stable than the later ones.
Dear book friends, Xifengjin is looking forward to meeting you again in a new chapter after a short separation and feeling your familiar heartbeat again.
Strong westerly wind
...