White Horse, Silver Spear, Grand Commandant Gao

Chapter 95 The Young Master's Girl-Chasing Adventures in the Capital

Gao Huaide cursed himself for being stupid. The person talking to his father inside was Fu Yanqing, so it was only natural that the Fu sisters would be here.

He put on a smile: "Hello, my two sisters. Where is your mother?"

Fu Rong was young and straightforward, and spoke her mind without restraint: "Mother is pregnant again, and Father said we shouldn't get tired, so he brought us out."

Gao Huaide muttered to himself, "She's probably afraid you'll be naughty." He also wondered if Madam Fu was pregnant with a son or a daughter this time. If she had another girl, she'd probably be called Little Fu.

He suddenly felt his clothes being tugged: "Why are you holding me like this?"

"Brother Gao, let's play hide-and-seek!"

Hide-and-seek originated in the Tang Dynasty. Legend has it that Emperor Xuanzong (Li Longji) and Consort Yang Guifei would often play hide-and-seek under the moonlight, blindfolding themselves with brocade handkerchiefs, and try to catch each other in a small space, with the rule that whoever caught the other would have to do something in return. (Note 1)

Whenever they were drunk, Li Longji would have his concubine lead over a hundred palace women, while he himself led over a hundred eunuchs, arranging them into two formations in the inner palace. Zhang Xia used brocade quilts as flags to attack and fight each other. The loser would be punished with a large goblet of wine as a joke, which was called the "Romantic Formation".

Ever since Xia Zhou rescued Fu Rong, she's become inseparable from Gao Huaide. In Gao Yanei's eyes, she's like a troublesome person he can't shake off.

"Let go of me..."

Gao Huaide tried to break free but dared not use force, so he could only threaten in a low voice. However, Fu Rong was not afraid of him at all and grabbed him tightly.

"Is De'er outside?"

Hearing the voices outside the hall, Gao Xingzhou called out, "Come in."

Gao Huaide felt as if he had been granted a pardon. He snatched the hem of his clothes from Fu Rong's hand and scrambled into the hall.

"Did you gain any insights from your visit to the mausoleum of the Yellow Emperor?"

Gao Huaide thought to himself, "The sacrifices have been abandoned for a long time, the land is desolate, mountains have collapsed and rivers have burst, it's terrible."

While he was still pondering how to answer, Gao Xingzhou had already made his conclusion.

"Looks like it was a wasted trip."

Gao Xingzhou was very dissatisfied with his son's careless attitude: "I ask you, do you know what achievements made the Yellow Emperor the first of the Five Emperors?"

"Because they defeated Chi You... right?"

Gao Huaide was not quite sure.

"During the time of the Yellow Emperor, he sowed the hundred grains and grasses, and tamed birds, beasts, insects, and moths. He built palaces to shelter from the cold and heat, and the world was at peace because people wore clothes. He hollowed out wood to make boats and sharpened wood to make oars, and the benefits of boats and oars enabled people to cross impassable rivers. Cangjie created writing, Rongcheng invented the calendar, Wang Hai tamed horses, Leizu raised silkworms, and Mo Mu made mirrors. With so many achievements, you only know about defeating Chiyou?"

Gao Huaide was speechless and could not answer. Who would remember all the things that the Yellow Emperor and his subordinates had done?

Fu Yanqing interjected, rescuing him from his predicament: "Huai De is not wrong. Military merit is the most important, as it concerns the lives of millions and even the fate of the nation."

Gao Xingzhou snorted: "Since Madam Fu didn't come along, you're in charge of taking care of my two younger sisters. Don't neglect them in the slightest along the way!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Gao Huaide agreed listlessly, looking dejected: with two young girls on his hands, there would be no peace and quiet on the way. He had no mood to mention the strange omens he encountered at the Yellow Emperor's Mausoleum to his father again, and retreated sullenly.

For the next few days, in his spare time, he only had the choice between playing hide-and-seek or kicking shuttlecock.

Continuing south for another 300 li, Gao Xingzhou arrived in Tongzhou. He took the opportunity to visit Feng Dao, who was stationed there, but found no one there.

"Upon reporting to Grand Tutor Gao, it was learned that Minister Feng has been reinstated as Minister of Works and has gone to the capital to express his gratitude."

The man left behind at the government office was a fat man, just over forty years old, with a robust physique and a round belly. He probably weighed over two hundred pounds when weighed.

Gao Huaide noticed that the man had an arrow tattooed through his cheek, and his mouth twitched as he spoke. The goose's wings trembled as if it were struggling to survive.

"The handsome man is still as dashing as ever after more than ten years."

"You recognize me?"

"I was originally a soldier in the Luoyandu army, and later became the captain of the Silver Spear Loyalty Captain. I also served under Wang Yanzhang. During the battle of Difang Town, I was fortunate enough to witness the might of Commander Gao. Later, I served under His Majesty Emperor Mingzong, so Commander Gao naturally wouldn't recognize a mere captain."

This person was not particularly good-looking, and although he spoke humbly, he could not hide his unruly and arrogant nature.

Gao Xingzhou frowned slightly, thinking to himself, "Feng Dao is usually so calm and easygoing, how could he have such a subordinate?" (Note 2)

When asked his name, he said it was Feng Hui, and I understood. He must be a relative of Feng Dao, just someone who was using Feng Dao's influence to bully others.

Fu Yanqing couldn't help but interject, asking, "Has the Duke of Shiping been re-appointed as one of the Three Dukes?"

The Grand Tutor, Grand Preceptor, and Grand Protector are the Three Masters; the Grand Commandant, Minister of Works, and Minister of Agriculture are the Three Dukes.

Feng Dao held the official positions of Grand Master of the Palace and Pillar of State, and served as Minister of Works. He was granted the title of Duke of Shiping, with a fief of 2,500 households. After being appointed as the Military Governor of Tongzhou, he was transferred to the position of Grand Commandant.

According to the promotion sequence of Grand Tutor, Grand Commandant, Grand Preceptor, and Grand Protector, the next rank should have been Grand Tutor with the title of Acting Grand Tutor. Li Congke's appointment was clearly intended to bring Feng Dao back to the central government.

Gao Xingzhou pondered the possibility of a new power structure forming in the imperial court and left Tongzhou.

The group continued southeast and passed Tongguan.

Gao Huaide and Fu Yun stood on the south bank of the Yellow River, gazing at Fenglingdu across the river, which belonged to the territory of Hezhong Prefecture.

"The tomb of Duke Li Jing of Wei is right there, but unfortunately I didn't have time to cross the river to visit it and pay my respects to this great military genius of the Tang Dynasty. I had to miss it."

"I heard that the Jade Maiden Mausoleum of the Goddess Nuwa is also located there."

Gao Huaide thought to himself that after paying homage to the Yellow Emperor, Nuwa had come too. Indeed, the Yellow River was the origin of Chinese civilization.

The two young children could not have imagined the circumstances under which they would reunite in Hezhong Prefecture fifteen years later...

……

To make a long story short, along the post road between the two capitals, with a post station every fifteen to thirty li, passing through Pandou, Chousang, Taolin, Gantang, Xin'an... it took nearly a month to finally arrive in Luoyang.

When Gao Huaide first arrived in the capital, he was deeply moved by the sight of this imperial capital of the Central Plains.

Wow, the city gate alone has three gate openings, each two zhang wide, enough for four carts to pass side by side, and separated from each other by rammed earth walls of the same width.

By this calculation, the entire city gate is a full ten zhang wide!

"It truly deserves the title of 'Divine Capital'."

Gao Huaide sighed in amazement. Fu Rong peeked out of the car and looked around. Fu Yun reminded her sister to be careful, and she also rolled up the curtain to peek quietly.

The carriage passed through a gate that was six or seven zhang deep, and suddenly the view opened up before it.

The city gate connects to a wide street, which leads in all directions. A low wall, waist-high, is built over the central imperial road, and no one dares to step inside.

The roads on both sides are bustling with traffic and pedestrians, and ornately decorated horse-drawn carriages pass by from time to time, showing the city's vitality.

Gao Xingzhou and Fu Yanqing were extremely important figures in local prefectures and counties. Their ceremonial processions clearly indicated their high status. However, they were not uncommon in Luoyang and did not attract the attention of passersby.

As we passed through one neighborhood after another, the two-zhang-high walls dividing the city into neat, square blocks. However, some of the bricks and stones on the walls were peeling off, and occasionally, one could see ragged beggars in the corners of the streets and alleys.

Gao Huaide started counting from the moment he entered the city, but as he counted, he lost focus for a moment and forgot exactly how many neighborhoods he had passed through.

"Brother Gao, Father mentioned that the Luo River divides the city into the south and the north. The south city has ninety-six wards, while the imperial palace is in the north, which also has thirty wards."

Hearing her sister explain to Gao Huaide, Fu Rong interrupted, "I heard the most lively places are the north and south markets. Once we're settled, Brother Gao, you have to take me there!"

As we were talking, we happened to pass through the South Market. Vendors were calling out their wares along the street, their voices rising and falling, mixed with the sounds of donkey and horse hooves and the clatter of cart wheels, and there was no trace of the winter chill.

As Gao Huaide looked around, he saw a dazzling array of shops lining the street, including silk shops, porcelain shops, teahouses, and taverns, each with a different signboard hanging at its entrance to welcome guests from all over the country.

"It is said that during the prosperous period, there were 120 trades and more than 3,000 shops in the city, with more than 400 stores on all four sides."

Fu Yanqing doted on his two daughters and told them about the former prosperity of the Eastern Capital.

"Unfortunately, in the past two hundred years, Luoyang has successively experienced the An Lushan Rebellion, the Uyghur raids, the Huang Chao Rebellion, and then suffered the brutality of Qin Zongquan, Sun Ru, Li Hanzhi and others. Now it has only recovered half of its former glory."

This is only half a percent? What will it be like at its peak?

Gao Huaide suddenly felt that his imagination was too poor, and he couldn't think of anything at all.

"When King Zhang of Qi first took office as the governor of Luozhou, the city was littered with bones, overgrown with thorns, and the fields were barren and uncultivated."

"Zhang Linggong led his hundred or so men, gathered the remaining hundred households, built a small city in the prefecture, and jointly protected the central prefecture. He established eighteen settlements, raised flags and posted notices, and recruited displaced people to cultivate the land. There were no severe punishments or taxes. Within a few years, there was no idle land in the capital region, and fifty to sixty thousand households were registered. Only then did Luoyang become what it is today."

"Farming in chaotic times? Aren't you afraid of fattening up the pigs only to be slaughtered?"

Gao Huaide blurted out, expecting to be scolded by his father, but to his surprise, Gao Xingzhou agreed.

"Zhang Linggong first served under Li Hanzhi, the military governor of Henan, then followed Zhu Wen, the founding emperor of the Liang Dynasty, and finally submitted to the current dynasty. He was indeed known for his governance rather than his military prowess."

Gao Huaide recalled the story his father had told about the destruction of the Liang dynasty. Zhang Zongshi, as the deputy marshal of the army, volunteered to fight but was refused. This must have been because he lacked prestige in the army and could not command the generals.

Whether words are effective in crucial moments or not, you have to prove them with your fists.

"Aren't you going to say goodbye to Uncle Fu?"

As Gao Huaide was lost in thought, the two groups parted ways and headed to their respective lodgings.

Haha, finally free from those two little girls. Gao Huaide didn't realize that he had inadvertently changed how he addressed the two sisters.

Sigh, let's just consider it as having two more younger sisters.

Goodbye, Brother Gao.

Fu Yun was gentle and graceful, while Fu Rong was lively and vivacious. They waved goodbye to Gao Huaide.

He immediately clasped his hands in a fist salute and said, "Farewell, my two sisters."

-----------------

Place Name Comparison

Tongzhou: present-day Dali County, Weinan City, Shaanxi Province