No way, it's been ten years already?……
Xie Song frowned slightly, stood up, and lifted the carriage curtain. "Why have we stopped?"
"Reporting, General. There are people blocking the road ahead," a subordinate reported.
"Have you investigated the situation?"
"Reporting, they are border residents from the south of Qingzhou, illegally moving the boundary marker. We await your decision, General!"
Xie Song's frown deepened. Xuzhou was the stronghold of the Thousand Wonders Pavilion. Over the years, thanks to the Pavilion's operations, Xuzhou had indeed become prosperous. But how could these people, for the sake of such petty gains, move the boundary marker and try to join Xuzhou?
He urged his horse closer and looked up, feeling even more displeased.
On the official road ahead of them, two oxen were pulling two parallel carts side by side. On the carts lay a horizontal boundary marker. Around the carts, no fewer than a hundred people were dragging the marker forward through the muddy road like trackers.
At the top of the boundary marker was carved a xiezhi, a mythical beast. In the center were two vermilion-red characters, followed by three slightly smaller rows of text:
Boundary Marker
Location: Boundary between Tong County, Shanyang Commandery, under the jurisdiction of the Xuzhou Military Governor, and Houqiu County, Qingzhou. West boundary: Si River. East boundary: You River.
Date: Established on the Gengyin day of the seventh month of the fifth year of the Dachang era.
Contact: Drafted by Secretary Jiang Linqi. Engraved by Master Craftsman Huaidu at this boundary marker. Stone marker number: Xu 1043.
The numbers on the boundary marker, strikingly similar to Lin Ruo's usual writing style, instantly broke Xie Song's composure. His expression twisted, and he couldn't help but shout sharply, "How dare you! Moving it a few dozen or hundred feet is one thing, but this is a county boundary marker! You've already moved it twenty li, and you still want to go further?!"
These troublemakers!
Usually, they quietly tried to merge villages and towns into Xuzhou's jurisdiction, but now they actually wanted to move an entire county?!
Is there no justice left?
Do they think the Qingzhou military garrisons are all dead?!
The group was negotiating with the convoy, but upon hearing this, they immediately rolled their eyes. "That's right! We're moving the boundary marker to Houqiu City. Don't block the way, move aside!"
Before Xie Song could speak, Guo Jiao in the carriage angrily stood up and shouted sharply, "How dare you casually move the boundary marker! Don't you know this marker divides Qingzhou and Xuzhou? Moving Xuzhou's marker into Qingzhou—are you plotting rebellion?"
Someone from the other side immediately sneered, "How dare Qingzhou rebels accuse Xuzhou of rebellion? Are you blind? We want to join Xuzhou's jurisdiction. Move aside! Don't delay our registration!"
"Exactly, exactly! In half a month, Xuzhou will start collecting the summer grain tax and re-register households. If we don't move the boundary marker now, we won't be able to pay this year's Xuzhou grain tax!"
Mentioning this important matter, the previously weary villagers suddenly seemed energized, as if injected with adrenaline, and began chanting slogans.
"If we can't pay this year's Xuzhou grain tax, we'll have to pay Qingzhou's corvée labor tax again in the fall!"
"If we can't pay this year's Xuzhou grain tax, we won't be able to buy this year's subsidized grain. Non-residents have to pay 30% more for grain in Xuzhou!"
"If we can't pay this year's Xuzhou grain tax, we'll miss the mid-autumn household registration merge. This year, twenty-four fewer kids will get into the village school!"
"Think about why we can't pay—it's because you're not working hard enough to move the boundary marker!"
In an instant, the massive boundary marker began its slow crawl forward again.
"Hurry up, folks! We've moved twenty li already. Just one more li, and we'll reach our village boundary!"
Dozens of more radical young men even picked up their hoes and stepped forward. "The villagers from Shanghuang Village are waiting over there! I'm warning you, if you don't move aside now, we brought our hoes too!"
Xie Song's expression stiffened slightly, but seeing the other side had more people, he tried to reason with them in a gentle tone: "Gentlemen, the Prince of Guangyang has already reduced the land tax by half. Now it's only one-thirtieth, while Xuzhou takes three-tenths. With such heavy taxation, how can you abandon the light for the darkness…"
His words only made things worse. The crowd across from him grew restless, and insults soon followed.
"Bah!"
"Is that even human speech? The Prince of Guangyang claims it's one-thirtieth, and we could still endure the summer silk and winter hemp taxes. But the 'rat and sparrow loss' and 'canal labor fees' are like locusts sweeping through!"
"Not to mention the 'ox yellow tribute' and 'Yun brocade donation'! It's better to have Xuzhou's clear and fixed prices!"
"What matters is that Xuzhou's soldiers actually suppress bandits! Unlike Guangyang's cowards, who shrink like quails at the first sign of trouble!"
"Enough noise! Move the boundary stone quickly! If we delay any longer, Xuzhou's patrols will come to make more trouble!"
"Are you going to move or not?"
As they spoke, the remaining men on the other side put down their tracking ropes and picked up hoes, their expressions fierce. It was clear they were ready to fight.
Xie Song's face hardened. Looking at the silent faces of his twenty-some subordinates, he finally waved his hand, signaling the carriages and horses to move to the side of the road.
Immediately, shouts erupted from the other side. Over a hundred people dragged ropes like ants moving a mountain, while dozens of strong men stood guard with weapons, watching intently as if protecting gold and jewels. At the slightest sign of trouble, they would attack as one.
Guo Jiao couldn't help biting her lip: "Husband, we are elite soldiers with armor. Why don't we execute these commoners on the spot?"
Xie Song shook his head with a bitter smile and whispered, "A'jiao, you don't understand. Most of the people in the Xuzhou area are refugees who fled south from the north years ago. Unable to cross the Yangtze River, they settled here. Having suffered from northern raids and killings, they are extremely fierce. Even if we win a fight against them, we would suffer heavy losses."
Moreover, many soldiers in the Qingzhou army were recruited from these refugees. At least three of his own soldiers were locals. If a fight broke out and relatives got involved, how awkward would that be?
Besides, what good would killing these people do? With just over twenty men, could they drag the boundary stone back?
They couldn't.
For a moment, he couldn't help but feel emotional. Lin Ruo was indeed a talented assistant, capable of governing this war-torn land so well that the people rallied to her side. He should have come to find her earlier.
No… He shook his head with another bitter smile. Lin Ruo's talents were extraordinary. If he had found her, he wouldn't have been able to keep her hidden. She might have ended up in the Prince of Guangyang's harem, merely paving the way for others.
Beside him, Guo Jiao fumed, her chest heaving with anger: "These lowly commoners, ungrateful wretches! Once Father conquers Xuzhou, we'll make sure to teach them a lesson!"
Xie Song rubbed his nose and tried to console her: "It's just a small matter. If we can secure the Thousand Wonders Pavilion and coordinate from within and without to take Xuzhou, we can deal with them later. A little impatience spoils great plans."
After much persuasion, he finally managed to calm his wife. They waited for the boundary stone to be moved, and their group finally set off again.
Among the crowd passing by with the stone was a young man dressed in coarse hemp clothes, thin and frail, with a sinister look between his brows. He watched Xie Song's retreating figure, lowered his head slightly, and fell into deep thought.
Then, he slowly looked up, revealing an inscrutable smile, and gave a meaningful glance to the person beside him.
Soon, Xie Song's complete information was delivered posthaste to a certain residence in Xuzhou City, causing quite a stir.
"What? Ex-husband?!"
A startled cry exploded in the inner courtyard of a deep mansion, startling the sparrows resting under the eaves into fluttering away. Seven or eight people, spanning three generations from old to young, crowded into the flower hall, their expressions varied.
"Is that the one our Lord has been pining for, the one he's remained chaste for? He's coming back?!" A young man slammed the table and stood up, splashing tea all over the surface. "Is that scoundrel Jiang Linqi certain he didn't mistake someone else?"
For some reason, when the words "remained chaste" were mentioned, the remaining few in the group exchanged knowing glances but didn't correct him.
"Tsk—" A woman in purple sitting by the window toyed with a dagger in her hand, its blade glinting coldly in the sunlight. "Jiang Linqi is part of the old guard our Lord brought out from the Wubao. They grew up drinking from the same well in the same village. He even mentored that little whelp from the Xie family for two years. How could he mistake him?"
"Then why didn’t that ex-husband recognize Xiao Jiang?" A middle-aged scholar among them fanned himself with a folding fan, smiling meaningfully.
"Hah," an elderly man with a white beard at the head of the table stroked his beard, squinting as he chuckled. "With Xiao Jiang’s looks, he’d disappear in a crowd. How else could he work in intelligence? But as for my Xie family’s two boys…" He coughed lightly, unable to hide a hint of pride and boastfulness. "Setting aside their character for now, their appearances are truly… remarkably handsome!"
"Hmph! Just relying on looks to serve the Lord!" the purple-clad woman retorted bluntly, driving her dagger into the table with a sharp clang.
The hall fell silent.
"This matter must be reported to our Lord first," the old man said slowly, rising to his feet and thumping his cane heavily on the floor. "As for the rest of you…"
He scanned the group, his gaze sharp as lightning. "If you want to go watch the spectacle, fine, but you must go one by one! Anyone who neglects their duties—"
"Fine, fine!"
"We promise not to neglect our duties!"
The group responded in a clamor, their eyes gleaming with gossipy excitement.
"And one more thing," the old man added, turning back at the doorway. "Send word to that Jiang kid. Tell him to stop playing around with the Jiebei out there! Keep a close eye on that ex-husband and await our Lord’s instructions."
"What if our Lord doesn’t want to see him…" The purple-clad woman pulled out her dagger and gently blew on its edge.
"Then let him remain a memorial tablet," the middle-aged scholar said, closing his fan with a gentle, refined smile.
"Exactly," the old man nodded, stroking his beard. "He was just a memorial tablet before anyway."
"Old Xie, or should I call you, Provincial Governor," the purple-clad woman suddenly called out to him, a challenging glint in her eyes. "That ex-husband is also your junior, and now he’s gained some standing. Don’t you feel the slightest bit of pity? Don’t you want to restore the glory of your Xie clan?"
The old man smiled faintly. "My grandnephew may be a man of talent, but over these years, the twelve northern states have risen and fallen, and there have been countless ambitious figures in this chaotic era. He’s not the only one. However…"
He bowed respectfully toward the distance, speaking solemnly. "Our Lord possesses a heart that cares for all people and the insight to see through the ages. I am fortunate to serve him with my remaining years—it is a blessing from heaven. How can ordinary men compare to the bright moon? Huai family’s, don’t you dare try to sow discord between me and my Lord’s pure bond of loyalty!"
With that, he strode away, head held high.
"Tsk, the old man’s just been around longer," someone nearby sneered. "He used to be so arrogant, but he didn’t even need seven captures and releases—our Lord just defeated him twice, and he started scrambling to pledge allegiance to a wise ruler."
"Speaking of which, that ex-husband must have some ability. Could he enter our Lord’s service?" someone suddenly asked.
"How is that possible!"
"Is he even fit to sit at the table?"
"Enough chatter! Let me test that ex-husband’s mettle first. If he wants to see our Lord, I’ll make sure he dies of shame before he gets the chance!"
As they excitedly discussed, a person in the corner who had remained silent until now timidly asked, "Should we mention this to General Xie?"
Everyone exchanged glances.
"I think we should let him know that his dear second uncle is back," the woman in purple said with a smile in her eyes. "As for the fact that his second uncle has remarried a lovely wife, let's keep that as a surprise for now. We can tell him in a couple of days—no rush."
"Agreed!"
"Seconded!"
Author's Note:
Note: 205 is skipped. Just the numbers a bit messed up.