C165. Ouyang Ting's Plea.
When the news reached Jizhou, Yuan Li burst into laughter, saying, "Good!"
He instructed the eloquent Cui Yan, who hailed from Youzhou and had been plagued by external threats, to write articles. Upon hearing the news, Cui Yan couldn't contain his joy and, overflowing with inspiration, penned two outstanding articles—one about the Xiongnu and the other about the Wuhuan.
They were both eloquent and captivating, earning applause and deemed worthy of being passed down through generations.
Yuan Li, who had long known about the situation, thoroughly enjoyed reading the articles, feeling his blood boil with excitement. He could only imagine the reactions of others.
He immediately gave a big thumbs up to Cui Yan, saying, "Marvelous, beyond words."
Blushing with embarrassment, Cui Yan smiled modestly, "I've been busy developing agricultural tools at the Artifact Department these days, neglecting my writing. As long as Duke Wen is satisfied, it's all good."
Yuan Li was very pleased and even believed that based on his experience of memorizing several timeless masterpieces from future generations, these two articles might find a place in future language textbooks.
Thinking about this, Yuan Li felt even more satisfied.
He then announced these articles to the world, spreading news of the Xiongnu's defeat and the slaughter of the treacherous Wuhuan people.
Such significant events did not need Yuan Li's promotion; they would naturally spread rapidly. Both literati and common people would be jubilant, writing letters or spreading the news in person to share the joy with others as quickly as possible.
A few days later, Yuan Li received a letter, learning that Chu Hechao and the others would only return at the end of the month. Patiently waiting, he prepared to host a banquet for these heroes upon their return.
In the dead of night, Chu Hechao returned to Yecheng with his army several days ahead of schedule.
As Yuan Li was sleeping when he returned, Chu Hechao didn't disturb him, quietly climbing into bed after freshening up.
Wanting to make Yuan Li feel his presence, Chu Hechao hugged and cuddled him, planting several kisses before contentedly falling asleep.
Initially alert, Yuan Li relaxed upon sensing the familiar scent and continued to sleep peacefully. The next morning, as he opened his eyes, he was startled to find the wild man on his bed, instinctively kicking out a leg and sending Chu Hechao tumbling to the floor with a loud thud.
A heavy impact resounded.
Chu Hechao groaned a few times, veins popping on his forehead, "Yuan Lejun."
Realizing his mistake, Yuan Li coughed and helped Chu Hechao up, asking, "When did you return?"
Using his momentum, Chu Hechao flipped back onto the bed, pinning Yuan Li down, and with closed eyes, said, "Late last night. I haven't had a good sleep in several days. Let me rest a little longer."
Yuan Li replied, "Don't crush me. Sleep on your own side."
"No, you must sleep with me," Chuhe Chao said, obstinately holding down Yuan Li's limbs. He jokingly remarked, "You kicked me this morning without hesitation. You didn't even give me a piece of your clothing to ease my yearning. Don't you feel any pity for your man?"
Ending with a hint of resentment.
Sighing, Yuan Li said, "I do feel pity for you, but you're too heavy, making me uncomfortable."
Chu Hechao chuckled softly, bent down to kiss Yuan Li, and sighed, "You fool, how could I bear to keep pressing you."
He then released Yuan Li, lying beside him and holding his hand, saying, "Wait until I fall asleep before you leave."
Yuan Li obediently agreed and soon heard Chu Hechao's steady breathing. He turned to watch Chu Hechao attentively, noticing the exhaustion in his eyes and the chapped lips.
With a scruffy beard, he appeared to have traveled night and day.
Quietly getting out of bed, Yuan Li called for Lin Tian and asked, "Did the General return late last night? Why didn't you wake me up?"
Lin Tian confirmed this and explained, "The General instructed not to disturb your rest, allowing you to sleep well."
A smile crept across Yuan Li's face, "Has the army returned?"
"That's not the case," Lin Tian had already anticipated Yuan Li's question.
He had inquired the previous night from Chu Hechao's personal guards, "The General returned early with only a few personal guards, while the main army is still due to arrive by the end of the month. My Lord, the General has brought back quite a few things for you, including a sweat-blooded steed being cared for in the stables. Would you like to go have a look?"
A sweat-blooded steed?
Yuan Li's eyes lit up as he immediately got up and headed to the stables.
Upon arrival, he saw the chestnut-red sweat-blooded steed engrossed in eating premium fodder. Its tail swayed gracefully, exuding a majestic and elegant aura.
As Yuan Li approached for a closer look, he noticed the horse's shining red coat, completely devoid of any mixed colors.
Very alert, the horse raised its head threateningly and neighed when someone approached, exhaling sharply, showcasing its untamed nature.
Admiring its spirited eyes, strong and slender limbs, and resonant neigh, Yuan Li almost instantly fell in love with it. "Let it out, I'll ride it for a lap."
The stable hand quickly advised, "My Lord, this horse is very fierce. It could be dangerous to ride it now."
Yuan Li chuckled, "A sweat-blooded steed should have a bit of wildness. Fear not, let it out."
The stable hand had no choice but to release the sweat-blooded steed.
Having never lacked exercise in recent years, and being a master rider, Yuan Li rolled up his sleeves and mounted the horse. After a vigorous ride, both he and the horse were exhausted. The horse stopped prancing around, nuzzled into Yuan Li's palm, showing affection.
Yuan Li then adorned it with reins and equipment, preparing to take it for another ride. "Let's go, show me your prowess."
The sweat-blooded steed was a legendary creature in later generations, excessively expensive. Riding one for the first time, Yuan Li understood its value.
Upon their return, his hair was tousled by the wind, but his smile remained unchanged. Getting down from the horse, Yuan Li affectionately stroked its neck, saying, "From now on, you'll be with me. How about I give you a name?"
Lu Bu had Red Hare, Xiang Yu had Dark Feather; Yuan Li felt compelled to assign a prestigious and memorable name. However, a mischievous idea struck him, "How about calling you Little Red?"
"...Then why not call it Blood Sweat?" Yuan Li's cheerful voice turned back, "Are you awake?"
Chu Hechao, casually dressed in a robe, walked over, looking puzzled. "You're really going to call it Little Red?"
With a mischievous grin, Yuan Li grinned, "I'm just teasing it."
Chu Hechao chuckled, "Let's see if it understands you."
Glancing at the majestic steed diligently eating, Yuan Li felt it couldn't understand.
"In my opinion," Chu Hechao said casually, "just pick a name, like Windchaser (Zhuifeng) or Red Feather (Chiyu)."
Accepting the suggestion, Yuan Li agreed, "Then let's call it Red Feather (Chiyu)."
Among the eighty thousand horses obtained, around a hundred were sweat-blooded steeds, with Red Feather being the most magnificent.
Yuan Li and Chu Hechao planned to breed sweat-blooded steeds, intending to use Red Feather as a stallion. However, Red Feather was reluctant, prompting them to choose another robust sweat-blooded steed.
By the end of the month, the army arrived with their spoils, including attention-grabbing livestock such as cattle, sheep, and horses. The sight of over a hundred thousand Xiongnu and Wuhuan captives also drew gazes.
Chu Hechao spared these captives, and Yuan Li had no intention of executing them either.
Instead, he set them to work on cultivating farmlands, constructing cities and roads, mandating them to discard their tribal clothing and wear Northern Zhou attire, forbidding them from speaking in the Xiongnu and Donghu languages, only permitting them to speak the language of Northern Zhou.
Assimilation and intermarriage; if they perform well, the children born will be considered Northern Zhou people, entitled to Northern Zhou's rights, no longer captives or slaves.
After dealing with this matter, Yuan Li didn't forget to write to the emperor, also sending over a few good horses.
By doing so, he not only wanted to convey the message to the emperor like, "I constantly think of and value you, and whenever I acquire good things, I rush to present them to you," to improve his relationship with the emperor. He also wanted to assess the current situation in the south.
More importantly, he intended to sell the livestock, such as cattle and sheep, to the south, establishing connections with southern traders.
Over the years, Yuan Li had met many prominent Northern Zhou merchants, engaging in business with over seventy percent of them. Particularly in the affluent southern regions, his white sugar and soap had brought him a great deal of wealth and provisions.
Amidst the chaos of war, Yuan Li's ties with southern traders had never been severed. While soap was no longer being sold, white sugar remained a precious commodity that southern traders were reluctant to relinquish.
Following the five-year alliance treaty between Yuan Li and Prince Chen, the number of traders conducting business discreetly grew. They were not ignorant of the political landscape but driven by profit, willing to resort to violence and deceit.
Why hesitate to engage in secretive trade?
Also, the discreet business dealings enabled intelligence operatives from the Grain Allocation Department to infiltrate Prince Chen's influence subtly. Acting on Yuan Li's orders, they clandestinely purchased numerous grain stores.
Over the years, they had amassed a considerable amount of influence.
Building a navy was not an overnight task; when Yuan Li proposed the five-year alliance treaty, it was primarily to train the navy. Also, because he was unsure if he could defeat Prince Chen with a navy, he chose to take a different route, proposing a trade war with Prince Chen.
South's economic prosperity implied that if Yuan Li controlled the economic lifeline in the south, he could cripple it significantly.
With the defeat of the Wuhuan people now evident, Yuan Li had no need to conceal the fine salt issue. He planned to leverage fine salt and white sugar to seize control of the southern market secretly.
While not everyone enjoyed sugar, salt was a necessity for daily consumption. Yuan Li believed no one could resist fine salt.
However, this plan required careful and cautious execution, as only Chu Hechao and a few trusted individuals were aware of his intentions.
After the horses were dispatched, heavy rain fell continuously in Jizhou.
Despite the summer heat, a hint of coolness lingered in the northern nights. This year's abundant rainfall had nurtured the crops splendidly.
Time passed swiftly, and before they knew it, August had arrived.
Blessed by the abundant rains, the fish in the river this year are even more plump and delicious than in previous years. Basket after basket of fish are sent to the Chu Estate, all of which are prepared in eight hundred different ways.
By the time Yuan Li was about to get tired of fish, his teacher Ouyang Ting sent him a letter.
This was strange. Yuan Li took the envelope and said, "Didn't the teacher send a letter two months ago?"
What could be the matter that Ouyang Ting would send another letter so soon?
Lin Tian whispered, "My lord, the horses that delivered the letter have run to death. This is an urgent letter from 600 li away."
Yuan Li's eyelids twitched and he immediately opened the letter.
There was only one thin piece of paper in the envelope, with scribbled handwriting on it.
Yuan Li's expression sank.
This was a letter for help.
Xuzhou was flooded!