Chapter 920 That Blade!

The Emperor and the Prince crossed the river.

The party rested for two days in Yupan City.

The governor of Yupan City was Sun Liang, but the real power lay with his elder brother, Sun Ying.

The Emperor had abandoned his own Imperial Guards to come here, and the Prince wouldn't let the Emperor feel slighted.

The Jinyi Guards (embroidered-uniform guards) acted as the new Imperial Guards, with all the regulations following the Son of Heaven's etiquette. The Prince of Pingxi himself didn't overstep his bounds, giving the glory to the Emperor.

Neither the Emperor nor the Prince were easy to get along with.

But after truly spending time together, their mutual understanding was seamless.

Eastward from Yupan City,

lay a long stretch of desolate area.

The construction and development of Jindong was indeed in full swing, but comprehensive coverage wasn't such a simple matter. The scars of war were still clearly visible.

But as they continued eastward, entering the outer reclamation area centered on Fengxin City, the atmosphere immediately changed.

Everything about the military farms was well-organized. Irrigation canals, construction of fortified villages – even though it was the countryside, it exuded a sense of refinement.

Furthermore,

the routes and arrangements for merchant caravans, the construction and zoning of workshops, the building of military camps, and the regulation of the new county towns all gave a vibrant sense of vitality.

This,

was the true face of Jindong today.

Here, nearly all the Demon Kings had poured their hearts and souls, except for Demon Pill.

Because for those two years, Demon Pill had been busy taking care of the children.

But the other Demon Kings had all put in a lot of effort.

When they were one day away from entering Fengxin City,

the Emperor made a request.

He wanted to visit "Mount Tai" first.

Therefore,

the mountain newly named by the Prince of Pingxi, which was also the first mountain where the Prince of Pingxi had offered prayers, welcomed the legitimate Son of Heaven of this land today.

After these two occurrences,

it was impossible for this "Mount Tai" not to become famous.

And based on this, countless stories and legends about it would inevitably arise.

The Emperor's body was indeed somewhat weak.

This weakness was obvious. It couldn't be seen normally, but when it came to hiking or mountain climbing, it immediately became apparent.

Therefore,

when climbing the mountain,

the Emperor walked with his arm linked with the Prince's;

Empress He Si Si,

followed behind.

Further behind were Wei Zhonghe and the Sword Saint.

The Jinyi Guards had long since cleared the mountain, and the cordon had been extended to the outer perimeter to ensure absolute safety here.

Fortunately, this "Mount Tai" wasn't high.

When they saw the "Mount Tai" stone tablet personally erected by the Prince of Pingxi, it also meant that they had reached the summit.

Chen Xianba, Liu Dahu, and Zheng Man, three young fellows, had already gone up the mountain and cooked a hot pot in the pavilion above, with the vegetables and meat sliced and plated.

The opportunity for the Prince of Pingxi's personal guards to fight on the front lines was actually not that frequent, but if they were released, they probably wouldn't have to worry about business if they opened a restaurant or something.

The Prince and the Emperor took their seats,

and the Empress began to put meat and vegetables into the pot.

This way of eating hot pot wasn't new, but the combination of a spicy beef tallow broth and dipping it in sesame oil was indeed an original creation of the Prince of Pingxi.

Not far away, there was another pot cooking;

Eunuch Wei and the Sword Saint, plus Chen Xianba and his two companions, five people sat together and cooked a pot.

After the Emperor sat down, he wanted to take off his boots to relax his feet, but the Prince kicked him, forcing him to give up.

The Empress covered her mouth and laughed. She knew that her husband was truly relaxed when he was with this Prince of Pingxi.

The Empress first put the vegetables in the pot, and then proactively poured a glass of fruit wine for the Emperor and the Prince of Pingxi.

The Emperor held the wine glass,

looking at the scenery outside the pavilion,

and sighed:

"Zheng Fan, you are remarkable, really remarkable. Before, in the capital, I only thought that you had managed to build this place up, but I never expected it to be managed in this way.

The literati of Qian Kingdom like to tell their officials to educate the world with poetry and books of etiquette, to return to the era of the Great Governance of Ancient Xia.

I used to think that it was a beautiful dream that those literati had been boasting about generation after generation, deceiving themselves again and again;

but unexpectedly,

here in your Jindong,

I saw the real thing."

The Emperor's perspective on things was naturally different from ordinary people's.

Moreover, this Emperor was probably the most skilled at managing things in history.

Managing a shop and managing an empire were definitely different, but there were actually similarities.

The Prince took a sip of wine, and because the Empress was sitting opposite him, he could only slightly turn his body to look at the scenery on the other side.

"Efficiency."

The Emperor uttered these two words.

Zheng Fan turned to look at the Emperor and nodded with a smile.

The Emperor truly understood.

The fundamental purpose of the development and planning of Jindong was one thing: to allow the Prince to fight better in the next war.

The standard households were for fighting, growing grain was for fighting, commerce was for fighting, workshops were for fighting;

The purpose of development was to cope with the next round of larger-scale war, but incidentally, the people, mainly refugees, had their lives enriched.

But from another perspective, it could also be brought back around. Jindong was in a strategic location. If it couldn't keep out foreign enemies and didn't have sufficient war capabilities, once war came, the people would once again become two-legged sheep.

Zheng Fan deeply understood this point. The destruction caused by war was the most direct and the greatest.

However, the Emperor obviously didn't intend to discuss anything with Zheng Fan in detail. There were many memorials about the Jindong development model in the Emperor's imperial study, and even in the usual correspondence, there would be some exchanges.

Although the Emperor was clear that the one communicating with him might not be this Zheng in front of him.

"Since ancient times, the state monopoly of salt and iron hasn't been rare, and imperial estates aren't rare either. Your current momentum can indeed maintain a steady rise in the coming years.

But as the population of Jindong increases and the area that truly recovers becomes larger, relying entirely on your Prince's estate's industries to support everything, both large and small, will instead have a limiting effect."

Zheng Fan nodded and said, "After a few more years, when it develops to a certain level, some industries will be opened up for the common people to operate, but the premise is to ensure that the industries under the Prince's estate are the main body of Jindong, and the operation of the common people is positioned as an effective supplement to the Prince's state-owned operations."

The Emperor opened his mouth,

somewhat surprised;

then reached out and patted his forehead,

and said:

"Unexpectedly, you actually really understand."

A simple sentence, but it explained the key elements of "main body" and "positioning." For an "expert" like the Emperor, it could be said to have reached a certain level of depth.

The Prince held his wine glass and smiled reservedly;

I don't really understand, but I can memorize it.

"It's a pity that your set of things is only suitable for Jindong, and it can't be promoted in other places."

"Yes, it has the advantage of starting from a blank slate."

"That's right, everyone knows that it's the most straightforward and labor-saving to plow the land once and then replant the crops. To hell with governing a large country like cooking a small fish, to hell with the window paper menders.

Everyone knows that small troubles can't solve the fundamental problem, but what can we do?

My reform has just entered the right track, and it's also by relying on this Eastern Tour, coming to your place to borrow a wave of spring breeze, that it can really be pushed forward. To be honest, it's a trick."

"You're too polite."

"But there are also problems here." The Emperor said solemnly, "Your standard household system has indeed bridged the complex contradictions between the ethnic groups under your command, and it also ensures that you have sufficient force and the ability to accept and absorb from all directions during this period.

But how long can the standard household system last?

If it's always a place of war, that's fine.

Now, the Snow Plains are temporarily not a threat, and after the Chu Kingdom is defeated in the future, once there are no more strong enemies that can threaten you, your standard household system will immediately decay.

The current Yan people, Jin people, Chu people, wild people, and barbarians, they can be loyal to you, follow you in your southern and northern campaigns, and not fear death, but once peace prevails, their next generation

will inevitably become good-for-nothings who only know how to eat this iron harvest!

Then,

they will become a… heavy burden on your Prince's estate."

Zheng Fan took another sip of wine. The military system of the Prince of Pingxi's estate was something that he and Blind Man had jointly modified from the Eight Banners system, and it was indeed suitable for the current environment and situation in Jindong.

Ji Lao Liu's prediction was actually very accurate, because in another time and space, after the Manchus entered the Pass, the Eight Banner Iron Cavalry, which once had a small number of people but outstanding combat power, soon degenerated into a group of useless people who raised birds and fought crickets. At the same time, the Qing court had to bear a very heavy financial burden for them every year.

The Emperor looked at Zheng Fan

and asked:

"Do you think I'm wrong?"

"You really understand."

"Hehehe." The Emperor smiled contentedly.

Zheng Fan said, "A temporary method to adapt to the temporary situation. The situation is like water, and water has no constant form, and the law also has no constant form."

The Emperor nodded and said, "I know what you mean, reform, right?"

Before the Prince could speak again,

the Emperor slapped his thigh

and said:

"But the problem comes again. When Father Emperor crushed the aristocratic families, he used the Zhenbei Army (Northern Garrison Army), and the commander was Li Liangting. The Zhenbei Army was the army of Beifeng County and the desert. Although the Li family was once called the most powerful aristocratic family of Great Yan, you and I both know that the Li family is actually not an aristocratic family.

It was precisely because of this Zhenbei Army that crushing the aristocratic families became possible.

Why did the Prince of Jingnan want to exterminate his entire family? Why didn't Father Emperor use the Jingnan Army first in crushing the aristocratic families?

Because at that time, in Great Yan, the only ones who were not restricted by the aristocratic families in the court, the local government, and even the army, were the Zhenbei Army.

Everyone knows that if Great Yan wants to completely defeat the barbarians and unify the Xia, it needs centralization, but the problem is, whose power should be centralized?

Use their knives to cut their own flesh?

Why is reform so difficult?

Who can sit on a chair and turn the chair over at the same time?

For example, in this situation in Jindong,

if one day, the two of us really succeed,

you, Zheng, are still here, with your prestige, you may be able to change it a bit at the end;

what about your son?

Can your son change it?

These standard households support your son's succession to your throne, and it is they who are supporting your son to sit firmly on the throne, so how can they cut their flesh again?

In the end,

it's another three years new, three years old, patching and mending for another three years."

Zheng Fan was silent.

Many times, as an outsider in this world, there is always a kind of… loftiness.

I always feel that I see through everything and am above everything, but in fact, in every era, there will be some people whose eyes can penetrate the limitations of the era and see higher and farther.

For example, Ji Lao Liu.

The Emperor ate a piece of meat, took a handkerchief from the Empress, and wiped his mouth:

"So, after thinking about these things, I let everything go.

I can't live forever,

and there can't be a true eternal law in this world.

The sun and moon alternate, the seasons change,

and in the end, it's still that sentence, children and grandchildren have their own blessings."

The Emperor reached out and put his arm around the Prince's shoulder,

"Let's unify the Xia in our generation, and the rest, let the descendants play by themselves."

This was the Emperor analyzing his own state of mind;

These words were not suitable to be said in letters, and only by speaking them face to face could they show sincerity.

After all, this was also a kind of agreement.

Distrust and counter-distrust,

the court and the local government,

all kinds of contradictions, can be put aside and left to the descendants.

The two of them

only needed to have fun in this life.

As the Son of Heaven, it was really commendable to speak to this point.

"Heh."

Zheng Fan smiled

and said:

"Ji Lao Liu."

"Yes."

"Let me tell you something from my heart, Zheng Fan, from beginning to end, I don't think I owe you anything."

"You're talking nonsense!

Don't think I don't know what's buried in the coffin you brought when you went on expeditions in your early years and under your Prince's estate."

The two first met in the desert, in front of the Marquis of Zhenbei's mansion, where Sha Tuo Que Shi knocked on the door. When they were surrounded, they broke through and rushed straight to the Sixth Prince's carriage, and Zheng Fan "risked his life" to save him.

"I thought it was strange from the beginning, how could your Crouching Dragon and Phoenix Chick, such a talented person, have such a good life and happen to save me?

It's not that I deliberately investigated you, but in recent years, your foundation has become deep, and you don't hide it anymore. There are many rumors about the coffin under your Prince's estate.

When you think about the corpse of the Left Wise King who left after being resurrected, it all adds up!

You didn't save me,

but I helped you from the beginning,

and I even tried to transfer you to the front line of the battle at Cui Liu Fort in Yinlang County through the Ministry of War.

You call that not owing me?"

"What is the meaning of owing?" Zheng Fan asked.

"Huh?"

"Only when I acknowledge this debt is it called owing this debt. If I don't acknowledge it, I don't owe it."

"..." The Emperor.

The Empress couldn't help but laugh, got up, and poured wine for the two men.

"Si Si, listen to what this Zheng is saying, he's really shameless!"

Zheng Fan stretched and said:

"Doing business, I set a trap, and you jump into it. That's called being blind yourself. Besides, did you support me back then just because I saved your life?"

"Could it be that it was because you were good-looking? Are you better-looking than me?"

When the Emperor asked this, he looked at the Empress.

The Empress spat at the Emperor and ignored him.

The Emperor was a little helpless. In his early years, the Emperor was also a handsome young man, but in recent years, he has gained a lot of weight.

This Zheng has been fighting all the time, and his cultivation has also been steadily improving. The gap has suddenly appeared.

"I only acknowledge two debts, one is the promise I owe to the Prince of Jingnan, and the other is that in Qian Kingdom, eight thousand soldiers and officers covered my retreat."

"I understand, we have to attack Chu Kingdom first." The Emperor immediately grasped the key point, "Qian Kingdom will be last."

At this time,

in this small pavilion,

the two men with the highest power and status in Great Yan,

smiled at each other.

…

Fengxin City made ample preparations to welcome the arrival of the Great Yan Emperor.

And since ancient times,

the first rule of welcoming distinguished guests is a thorough cleaning.

Originally, there was a series of ostentatious displays that needed to be presented to the Emperor, and the Prince's estate wasn't stingy in this regard.

Even Blind Man, who was dedicated to rebellion, insisted on welcoming the Emperor with grand etiquette. No matter what, the standards couldn't be lowered.

But the Emperor sent someone ahead of time to issue an imperial decree, meaning that everything should be kept simple.

The one who sent the imperial decree was Liu Dahu. After Liu Dahu finished reading the imperial decree, he conveyed an oral instruction from the Prince:

"He's not saying the opposite."

Therefore,

the grand welcome ceremony was gone.

But the soldiers and civilians of Fengxin City still had great… curiosity about the Great Yan Emperor.

It wasn't really enthusiasm, but curiosity. It was purely to see something rare.

After all, in the eyes of the people here, their Prince was the real "Son of Heaven."

They wanted to see what the Emperor looked like, and he even had the nerve to not give up his position to their Prince.

Fortunately, such thoughts were only kept in their hearts, and no one would shout them out in a high-profile manner.

And when they saw the Emperor's carriage,

the people were very sensible and knelt down, shouting "Long live the Emperor."

One "Long live the Emperor,"

one "Long live the Prince,"

shouting and shouting, they didn't know who was taking advantage of whom.

The Emperor and the Prince sat together in a large carriage specially made by the Prince's estate,

listening to the shouts of "Long live the Emperor" outside,

the Emperor smiled and said, "How about this, Zheng Fan, I'll give you the title of Nine Thousand Years. Rounding it up, you're also a Ten Thousand Years Lord."

If it were an ordinary person, being said like this by the Emperor would probably scare them into kneeling on the ground.

This clearly meant that they had done something wrong and offended the Emperor.

But the Prince of Pingxi just glared at the Emperor unhappily

and cursed:

"Get lost."

At the Emperor's request, the party didn't directly enter Fengxin City, even though the Empress was already missing her son terribly.

The party took a detour and first went to the Calabash Temple outside the city.

In the temple, in addition to the gods and Buddhas and the Prince's family's longevity tablets, there were also some inscriptions commemorating the fallen soldiers. They were also here, enjoying the incense offerings.

The Emperor first came to pay tribute to them.

After paying tribute, the Emperor and the Prince officially entered Fengxin City and entered the Prince's estate.

After the two most distinguished guests left,

the little monk supported the old monk and sat by the well in the temple. Because it was a last-minute addition to the itinerary, the Calabash Temple was very busy for a while. The two masters and apprentices were really tired at this time.

"Disciple, I saw the Emperor."

"Yes."

"Disciple, perhaps because we see the Prince too often, this is the first time I've seen the Emperor, but… that's all there is to it."

"Yes."

While the master and apprentice were muttering to themselves,

the paper figure who had been curled up in the corner floated out again,

and he was also talking to himself:

"Isn't this obvious? Your Prince is only missing a dragon robe to be the Emperor. No, just add one more claw to that python robe, and it's done.

Two bumpkins who have never seen the world!"

The little monk picked up half a bucket of water by the well and splashed it on the ground.

"Ahhhhh!"

The paper figure retreated screaming, afraid of getting wet.

Then,

the paper figure returned to his corner,

muttering to himself:

"I didn't expect it, I didn't expect it.

Too insidious, too insidious. I thought you were cultivating for a lifetime, and I thought that the world should only have you and me with the same name. Who would have thought that you really don't even want your face anymore.

Hehe,

Zang Fuzi's blade,

actually landed here."