gnovel Chapter 93 A Mountain with Fusu Meets a Cunning Child
Chapter 93 A Mountain with Fusu Meets a Cunning Child
"Sister Xuan, do you think Gui-ge'er is stupid?"
Gao Huaide repeated the story to his sister, then laughed so hard he slapped his thigh: "If he has seven or eight sons, and they're all named Yang Yan something, he'll have to rack his brains to come up with names."
"And the two young girls from the Fu family."
Gao Huaide, using a high-pitched voice to imitate a woman's, said, "Brother Gao, remember to come visit us when you have time."
"I don't have time to go see them, they're so fussy."
Gao Huaixuan comforted her simple-minded younger brother: "Girls are sensitive and thoughtful. You've been through hardships with them, and you'll surely remember it."
"Tch, it's a trivial matter, nothing to worry about."
Gao Huaide put on an indifferent expression.
When I returned to Yanzhou from Xiazhou, it was already October and winter had arrived.
The greatest joy for the family was Gao Huailiang's return, as if to make up for the year and a half of separation. Madam Gao doted on her youngest son, which made Gao Huaide a little jealous.
"Even his own younger brother is jealous, as if they were still vying for attention when they were kids."
"Nonsense, I'm very busy now, I have plenty of serious things to do."
Since he began actually leading troops, Gao Huaide had to go to the military camp every morning and evening to report for duty, in accordance with Gao Xingzhou's strict requirements, and he did indeed spend much less time idling.
However, aside from the five-day drills and military formation practice, whenever these soldiers had free time, they would play football, polo, gamble, and have fun, which suited Gao Yanei's tastes perfectly.
Gao Yanei was generous and lavish. When he won, he would treat everyone to drinks and meat; when he lost, he would act as a spendthrift. Who wouldn't like such a boss? It was easy to become one of them.
"You think you can control the morale of the army by spending all your time eating, drinking, and having fun?"
Gao Xingzhou reprimanded him, saying, "At best, you'll become a rogue military leader; you're unlikely to become a great general."
Gao Huaide verbally agreed, saying that he understood, but whether he truly understood in his heart, only Heaven knows.
Tell me about the gains and losses in the battle against the Dingnan Army.
Post-war debriefing is an important way for military families to pass on their experience, and Gao Xingzhou wanted to test his son to see how much he had actually learned.
"The Tangut people extend from Yin and Xia in the Hexi Corridor in the east, to Ling and Yan in the west, to Fu and Yan in the south, and to Feng and Hui in the north. Their territory spans a thousand li, with much barren land and sandy desert, which they commonly call Pingxia. North of Fu and Yan, there are many earthen hills and cypress forests, which they call Nanshan."
Gao Huaide recited his father's words of wisdom as if chanting a sutra, thinking to himself that once he became a general, his subordinates would naturally help him devise strategies, so what was the point of memorizing these things now?
"Tuoba is a surname of the barbarians; Yeli is a name of the Qiang people. The Dangxiang are a small barbarian tribe, not a formidable enemy. If they can come out of the mountains and deploy their troops, they can be wiped out in one battle. If they go deep into the mountains, their supplies will be difficult to transport, and if they are pursued relentlessly, their hideouts will be too deep to reach."
Yes, recalling the process of suppressing the Dingnan Army, that's indeed the case.
If Li Yichao had been patient, despite being encroached upon by three sides, they wouldn't have been able to do anything to him for the time being. Unfortunately, he failed to maintain his composure, colluded with the Khitans for external support, and relied on the strength of his Iron Falcons to choose to launch a preemptive attack.
The key turning point in the Yanxia conflict was precisely this battle.
After the crushing defeat at Sanchuankou, the Dingnan Army never recovered. If Li Yichao had not died, Li Yimin and Tuoba Chongbin might not have dared to rebel.
"Then, a secret order was issued to locate their stronghold and arrange for troops to meet in Lin, Fu, Fu, Yan, Ning, Qing, Ling, and Wu prefectures. The troops would then advance from all sides, cutting off their escape routes and launching a combined attack, thus eliminating them without exception."
"First, inform all the troops that any prisoners and livestock captured from the enemy can be kept for themselves. If they are tempted by this, everyone will be a hundred times braver." (Note 1)
After Gao Huaide finished reciting, without waiting for his father's comments, he asked the imperial court if there had been any feedback.
"The memorial has been approved."
Gao Xingzhou said calmly, "However, the Imperial Censor Lu Sun reported that the late Emperor had issued edicts in May of the third year of the Tiancheng era and July of the second year of the Changxing era, allowing military governors of various prefectures to recommend five subordinates annually, and others to recommend three, while defense commissioners and militia commissioners could recommend two."
"His Majesty decreed that henceforth, vassal ministers with the title of envoy may recommend three people, others may recommend two, and the directly subordinate capital defense commissioner and militia commissioner may recommend one person. In the end, the appointments of Li Yimin and Tuoba Chongbin were approved, while Yang Hongxin's recommendation was rejected."
"Indeed, Linzhou is under the jurisdiction of Zhenwu Army, so it's not my place to recommend it. I'm just giving it a try because of my past status as the military governor."
Gao Huaide thought to himself that Yang Hongxin had worked for nothing and still hadn't gotten an official position; he must be feeling terrible. The court had too many intricate rules and regulations; they always had ways to manipulate people—it was truly despicable.
"Father, you don't have the title of Minister yet."
The military governor was given additional titles such as Grand Councilor, Chancellor, and Chancellor, and was thus known as the Grand Councilor.
The system originated in the late Tang Dynasty and was established to win over the regional military governors. It did not have any real power to participate in politics, but it was used to countersign imperial edicts and decrees appointing generals and ministers to show respect, and they were entitled to separate salaries.
Gao Xingzhou had not yet reached the rank of Chancellor, while Shi Jingtang, the military governor of Hedong, had already been appointed as Chancellor five years earlier.
"Father, when will you be promoted and granted a higher rank?"
"Do you think it's that easy for the imperial court to appoint officials just like that?"
"We quelled the rebellion and solved a problem for the court, so we should be rewarded."
Seeing his son's greed for rewards, Gao Xingzhou felt it necessary to teach him the importance of having a sense of propriety in his actions.
"His Majesty has already granted my memorial out of consideration for our past friendship. In the eyes of the court, if we do not know when to advance and retreat, and instead push our luck, how are we any different from the Li family of Xia Prefecture?"
Gao Xingzhou got to the point: "Select a squad of soldiers; I will be going to the capital next month to participate in the New Year's Day celebrations."
The practice of announcing the new moon originated from the Zhou Rites. Every December, the emperor would announce the policies for the following year and distribute the lunar calendar to the feudal lords.
The feudal lords received the gifts and stored them in their ancestral temples, demonstrating their reverence for the emperor and their emphasis on state affairs. However, nowadays, the vast majority of regional military governors do not go to the capital in person, but are instead represented by their senior officers from the Imperial Secretariat.
Gao Xingzhou's personal trip to the capital to offer congratulations was undoubtedly intended to send a political signal: after capturing Xiazhou City and suppressing the Dingnan Army, the Zhangwu Army remained loyal to the court.
Gao Huaide didn't understand any of this; he was only thinking that his father was going on a long trip so he could enjoy some freedom for a while, and he couldn't help but show his delight.
"You'll come with me to the capital this time."
"Oh? I'm going too?"
Gao Huaide's head drooped instantly.
……
Hearing that the general was going to Luoyang, Gao Huaide inexplicably started winning money more often.
Gao Huaide originally thought he was just incredibly lucky, but Lu Qian's words revealed the truth.
"These guys all want to be chosen by the young master so they can see the world under the emperor's nose."
After hearing Lu Qian's explanation, Gao Huaide was somewhat disappointed: "Even for such a trivial matter, people are trying to curry favor with you."
"Hey, young master, you have high standards. Ordinary people are only after those petty gains."
"How about we hold a grand martial arts competition? The ones who escort Father to the capital must be the finest warriors. Let's see who's the best, and no one will have anything to say about that."
"No."
Lu Qian immediately rejected Gao Huaide's self-righteous idea: "The importance of the soldiers lies in loyalty and unity, not in being brave and fierce. Even if brave men are selected, they will be of no help to the commander-in-chief."
"Then how do we choose?"
"Since the young master says we'll see who's truly capable, how about we draw lots? Nobody can object then."
"Well... okay."
Upon learning that Gao Huaide was going to accompany his father to Beijing, Gao Huailiang was displeased.
He held two brand-new peach wood charms in his hand, waving them around, and complained with a pout, "The year before last, I was ordered to move here from Shuozhou. Last year, I went to the Yang family again. I was thinking of putting up new charms with my brother this year, but who knew I would miss it again."
Feeling guilty, Gao Huaide promised to bring back local specialties as gifts.
In December, Gao Xingzhou retrieved the imperial banner from the White Tiger Hall, along with Li Yiyin's lacquered head, a group of Dangxiang chieftains, and dozens of his subordinates and guards, and set off.
This was Gao Huaide's first trip to Beijing.
Upon leaving Yanzhou City, a wide and flat road came into view, with towering earthen cliffs on both sides and clear ruts on the road surface. Wherever the ceremonial procession went, the caravans hurriedly moved aside to both sides of the road to wait for the procession to pass.
"This road is indeed well-maintained."
As Gao Huaide gazed into the distance, the road resembled a giant dragon winding through the mountains and valleys, its end nowhere in sight.
"This is the Qin Straight Road, which connects Jiuyuan County in the north and reaches Xianyang Palace in the south, stretching for 1,500 li. You are ignorant and incompetent, so naturally you don't know it, and you've even forgotten the road you've traveled."
After being ridiculed by his father, Gao Huaide suddenly remembered that he had taken the same route when he traveled south from Zhenwu Army early last year. He regretted that he hadn't paid attention to it at the time and didn't remember it clearly.
Speaking of the Qin Straight Road beneath our feet, one of its chief builders seems to have his tomb in Suizhou...
Prince Fusu of Qin!
By order of the First Emperor, he was appointed military supervisor, overseeing General Meng Tian to lead an army of 300,000 and a million laborers to drive out the Xiongnu, build the Great Wall, and repair roads. Ultimately, however, he committed suicide by sword due to an imperial edict and was buried atop Mount Shushu. (Note 2)
Gao Xingzhou seemed to see through his son's thoughts and said calmly, "If it were you, and you had an army of 300,000, you probably wouldn't obey your father's orders and would just obediently die."
Gao Huaide's thoughts were indeed as his father had predicted: "Are you crazy? Why are you in such a hurry to be reincarnated without even figuring out if the imperial edict is real?" However, he couldn't admit it directly, so he evaded the question.
"The world is going to the dogs, and people's hearts are no longer what they used to be."
Gao Xingzhou sighed, "What can we expect from Liu Rengong and Zhu Quanzhong, whose own sons imprisoned them and even murdered them?"
These words were quite harsh, and Gao Huaide dared not respond.
"Fine, I doubt you'd dare do anything that violates the fundamental principles of ruler-subject and father-son relationships."
The ruler is not a ruler, and the ministers are not ministers; such is the way of the world. Gao Xingzhou gave up on continuing to criticize his son: "When you reach the border of Yanzhou, you will find the Mausoleum of the Yellow Emperor Xuanyuan. You may go there to pay your respects."
Gao Huaide agreed. In any case, a new journey is always pleasant, and he hummed the song "There are Fusang Trees on the Mountain".
"On the mountain grows the hibiscus, in the marsh grows the lotus. But I do not see Zidu, but see a madman. On the mountain grows the bridge pine, in the marsh grows the swimming dragon. But I do not see Zichong, but see a cunning boy."
This is a poem in which a young girl teases her boyfriend during a date: Instead of meeting a handsome man like Zidu or Zichong, she has met a frivolous and unrestrained little rascal.