I Rely on Beauty to Stabilize the Country - Chap 46
Chapter 46
People with spare money gather in teahouses, ordering affordable tea and eagerly listening to the storytellers. Those who can’t afford it stand nearby, straining their ears to catch fragments of the narrative. Though each person knows they can’t personally contribute to the anti-corruption efforts, they all closely follow the matter with extraordinary interest.
Xue Yuan never expected Gu Yuanbai to allow the common people to be aware of the progress of the anti-corruption campaign, even recording the confiscated money and publishing it.
The “Da Heng State Gazette” was established by Gu Yuanbai. Every day, it receives letters from the Imperial Censorate and the Supervisory Office, which are then handed over to the Zhang family for sorting and printing.
People in the capital city are excited for the commoners in other regions, and they are infuriated by the actions of those corrupt officials.
Unlike in the past, where they were like lifeless bodies going through the motions of farming, eating, and sleeping, now that they know what the country is actually doing, now that they know about the situation of their countrymen in different regions, these busy commoners suddenly seem to come alive.
Many elderly farmers, simple-hearted men, come to the gates of the yamen, their faces flushed and hands rubbing together, as they listen to the constables reading aloud the contents of the “Da Heng State Gazette.”
They are illiterate and lack education, ignorant and unenlightened. Sometimes they can’t even understand the content of the newspaper, let alone the cases of corruption in various regions.
However, this is what Gu Yuanbai requested. Every day, he has the Zhang’s deliver the “Da Heng State Gazette” to yamens in different places, and the magistrate of the capital city arranges for someone to read it aloud to the commoners at a specific time, using plain language that can connect with them as much as possible.
The magistrate of the capital city and the low-ranking officials see no point in this, and the commoners, who react with anger or joy according to the newspaper’s content, are unaware of the usefulness of their knowledge.
But Gu Yuanbai persists and believes that it has a significant impact.
As an emperor, he has the responsibility to enlighten the common people.
All things require subtle and gradual change, but if the initial steps are never taken, change will never come.
Watching this scene, Xue Yuan feels a sensation he has never felt before, a feeling that seems to be called “peace.”
This is something he had never experienced in the borderlands, and it’s all thanks to Gu Yuanbai.
Xue Yuan’s loyal heart began to beat erratically. He couldn’t help but lower his head and look at Gu Yuanbai, who was about to sip the now cooled tea with a smile. Xue Yuan’s eyelid twitches, and he quickly grabbed a cup and held it under Gu Yuanbai’s lips, saying, “Spit it out.”
With a mouthful of water stuck in his throat, Gu Yuanbai looked at him curiously. Xue Yuan couldn’t bear his gaze, feeling his whole body go numb whenever he was looked at. His voice softened instantly, almost inaudible, “Your Majesty, the water is cold, spit it out.”
Gu Yuanbai spat out the water and stated matter-of-factly, “I occasionally enjoy drinking iced tea in the summer.”
Iced tea is made by steeping tea with ice. Xue Yuan had his doubts, “You can drink it?”
Gu Yuanbai placed the teacup down, and Tian Fusheng brought a fresh pot of tea. Upon hearing the question, Tian Fusheng chuckled and said, “It’s nothing if Your Majesty occasionally tries it, but I dare not let Your Majesty consume too much for fear of chilling your body.”
Xue Yuan glanced at Gu Yuanbai again and again, observing his face that lacked any flesh and his soft, delicate hands. It was difficult not to nod in agreement.
Gu Yuanbai smiled helplessly. After spending so much time with Xue Yuan, the rough and tough military man had assimilated into his surroundings, treating Gu Yuanbai like some fragile porcelain, fearing that any harm might befall him.
But Gu Yuanbai was naturally bold, and while others hesitated to step forward and advise, he dared to take direct action.
The storyteller below had already switched to another article, narrating the progress of the anti-corruption campaign in another region. Once again, the commoners voluntarily blocked the city gates, while the entire city stood outside the doors of local officials. Men slept in front of the government office with their bedding rolled up, and during the day, they waited at the office for their wives to bring them meals. They persisted like this until the arrival of the supervisory officers.
Thanks to the assistance of these commoners and some officials, the apprehension of corrupt officials and bribe-takers became much smoother.
Gu Yuanbai couldn’t help but sigh, “Now that we’ve taken down a group of corrupt officials, there happens to be a new batch of outstanding officials emerging.”
Naturally, Xue Yuan responded, “This minister also deserves credit.”
Gu Yuanbai cast a sidelong glance at him and chuckled, “What credit do you have?”
Xue Yuan stated matter-of-factly with the logic of a bandit, “This minister protects Your Majesty and ensures Your Majesty’s well-being. As long as Your Majesty is healthy, the anti-corruption campaign can proceed smoothly.”
Gu Yuanbai laughed, “Captain Xue is now skilled at making opportunistic remarks.”
Xue Yuan thought to himself, “Please stop laughing.”
His heart was beating faster and faster.
Xue Yuan clutched his pounding heart and sighed, but his gaze remained fixed on Gu Yuanbai’s face, his lips eventually curling into a smile.
After drinking their fill of tea at the teahouse, Gu Yuanbai led his entourage to Zhang’s Bookstore. Preparations for establishing a commercial route required a lot of effort. Now that the news of Zhang’s involvement in building the commercial route for the Emperor had spread, letters from merchants across the land seeking information had piled up like a small mountain. The Zhang family members were busy to the point of chaos, and they had to ensure that every disciple within the family performed their duties without any mistakes.
Therefore, the preparations alone for establishing the commercial route at the border would take at least a month.
The Zhang family patriarch nervously reported the current progress to Gu Yuanbai, but Gu Yuanbai said, “I have already considered this. For now, you can’t make any moves. Before the commercial route is established, there is one more thing I must do.”
The Emperor’s eyes deepened, and he spoke slowly, “I need to send troops to deal with those nomads.”
Xue Yuan’s eyelid twitched, and he looked at him sharply, his eyes instantly lighting up with excitement.
Dealing with the nomads was necessary before the commercial route could be established.
It had to be done!
The terrible state of the border troops and the people affected by the nomads was a thorn in Gu Yuanbai’s heart. At that time, he had already transmigrated to Da Heng and become the Emperor. However, Lu Feng controlled the court, and the entire imperial court was corrupt and polluted. It was the darkest period that Gu Yuanbai had ever experienced.
He had spent three years taking down Lu Feng and had been in power for only six months since assuming direct control. He had put all his efforts into building up the military and cultivating the supervisory institutions because Gu Yuanbai didn’t want to experience such a dark time again.
He knew how many people in Da Heng were suffering, how many lives were lost while he, as the Emperor, was dormant. The roots of the Da Heng Dynasty had rotted, and as an adult, Gu Yuanbai understood the disasters that a weak Emperor could bring. However, when he first arrived, there was nothing he could do.
But now, with a strong military and the preparations for the border route underway, once the road was completed and transportation became convenient, he could gain control over the nomadic regions.
Before the road was built, if he wanted the nomadic cattle and horses, they needed to know they must abide by the rules of Da Heng.
After Gu Yuanbai mentioned “dealing with the nomads,” Xue Yuan remained fixated, gripping the large blade at his waist. The fluctuating emotions emanating from him were palpable to the surrounding guards.
These guards still remembered what he had said during the spring hunt about the “two-legged sheep.” One of them couldn’t help but ask, “Xue Yuan, are nomads easy to deal with?”
Xue Yuan spoke with conviction, “It’s difficult.”
The guards: “…”
Their expressions twisted slightly as they looked at Xue Yuan, who seemed to be boiling with hot blood. They didn’t understand why he was in such a restless state if it was difficult.
Gu Yuanbai also heard the word “difficult.” He motioned for Xue Yuan to come forward and gazed at him, asking, “What do you mean?”
A member of the Zhang family spoke up, “Your Majesty, the disciples from the smaller ethnic groups have already gathered in the capital. Would you like to meet them?”
Gu Yuanbai smiled faintly. “I’ve heard that the disciples of the Zhang family in the western capital are all outstanding individuals. It’s not easy for me to come out this time, so naturally, I want to meet them.”
The Zhang family member left, and the palace chamber door closed, enveloping the room in dim light. The floating dust particles were visible in the subdued lighting.
Gu Yuanbai took the lead and said, “Please be seated.”
Everyone in the room took their seats as ordered. Xue Yuan sat confidently, displaying a bold demeanor. Gu Yuanbai had tea served to them, moistening his throat before asking, “Xue Yuan, is it really difficult to deal with the nomads?”
Xue Yuan momentarily became distracted as he spoke, casting an inexplicable glance at the young emperor’s lips, then refocused and said, “The nomads are fierce and skilled in horsemanship and archery. Da Heng has been constantly harassed, and by not fighting back, we have only emboldened them further.”
“I am aware of this,” Gu Yuanbai nodded slightly, “but despite the difficulty, you managed to seize many fine horses from their hands.”
Xue Yuan’s lips curled, concealing a hint of mockery. “Your Majesty, although the nomads are fierce, Da Heng’s continuous retreats have bolstered their confidence. They have always believed in their invincibility. However, once Da Heng adopts a tough stance and they experience a defeat, it will be a complete collapse.”
“As long as there is a trend of collapse, they will panic and flee, becoming a group of cowards. The nomads are divided into eight tribes, and they rarely gather together. The aging leader of the Khitan tribe has already passed away, and the leaders of the eight tribes are vying for power in secret. They are scattered in different regions and are unlikely to form alliances. If we want to fight them, it will be much easier.”
Gu Yuanbai nodded thoughtfully.
The state of the Da Heng Dynasty was a bit chaotic.
When Gu Yuanbai first arrived, he was completely bewildered by the chaotic state of the country. He resorted to studying late into the night, desperately trying to make sense of the national situation. Through his research, he shattered the historical memories he had of the Tang Dynasty.
The Da Heng Dynasty had its own unique version of history, blending neighboring dynasties together. After the period of late-night studying, Gu Yuanbai had also assimilated into this era.
He adapted well to concepts like the Khitan Eight Tribes.
Xue Yuan continued, “When General Xue and I were stationed at the border, the court sent frontier commanders who were literati with no experience leading troops.”
Gu Yuanbai was taken aback and looked up at Xue Yuan, realizing that this must have happened before his arrival.
“These literati knew nothing about military affairs. They thought being a commander was easy after reading a few books on warfare. They looked down on martial artists, disregarded their advice, and were arrogant and proud. Their downfall came even faster than a collapsing mountain,” Xue Yuan’s tone was indifferent.
Upon hearing this, Gu Yuanbai couldn’t help but wonder who came up with the genius idea of having literati lead troops.
It would be understandable if they were truly talented individuals, but people who were well-versed in military strategy but lacked experience reminded him of Ma Su, whom Zhuge Liang had high hopes for. Ma Su was knowledgeable in military matters but ultimately lacked experience, leading to his tragic end. On the other hand, there was Wang Ping, who only knew ten characters and couldn’t read, but was an exceptional military commander.
There was no need to say it out loud. It must have been Lu Feng’s suppression of Xue Yuan’s family. The Xue family had been loyal for three generations, and Lu Feng, as a treacherous official, feared such loyalty.
After thinking it through, Gu Yuanbai casually said, “Then, when the time comes, I’ll let Captain Xue lead the troops. I believe suppressing the nomads won’t be difficult for you, right?”
Upon hearing this, Xue Yuan couldn’t help but respond, “I won’t let Your Majesty down.”
Gu Yuanbai nodded, and at that moment, someone came to report that the Zhang family members had arrived. Gu Yuanbai invited them in to meet.
One of the surrounding guards bumped Xue Yuan and said, “Lord Xue, are you so happy just because you can go to the border and fight the nomads?”
Xue Yuan was inexplicably surprised and asked, “Why?”
The guard wondered, “Even if you’re happy, there’s no need to smile so sinisterly.”
Xue Yuan was taken aback, touched his lips, and realized that they were indeed curled upwards.
Was he really so happy just because he could fight the nomads?
That would be overly ecstatic.
Xue Yuan furrowed his brows and tried hard to suppress the upward curl of his lips. But as soon as he thought about the words of affirmation from Gu Yuanbai regarding his abilities, he couldn’t help but want to break into a wide grin.
Unconsciously, he glanced at Gu Yuanbai.
Gu Yuanbai seemed to sense something and also glanced at Xue Yuan. When he saw Xue Yuan’s contorted expression, struggling to hold back his laughter, he couldn’t help but be amused.
In that moment of amusement, a faint smile appeared on Gu Yuanbai’s lips, almost as if they turned pink.
Pink.
Xue Yuan couldn’t hold back any longer. He couldn’t suppress the upward curl of his lips.
Damn it, how could Gu Yuanbai… How could he smile so beautifully at him?
What did it mean?
