Chapter 0027 The Carriage

Chapter 0027 The Carriage

Before long, Yu Shaocheng left with his belongings.

Yu Shaocheng's position in Jinling was known as the Guard Commander, akin to a deputy general within the Northern Pacification Army. There were many such positions within the army, and their specific duties depended entirely on what the superior officer decided.

Having just turned twenty, Yu Shaocheng was at an awkward age in the military, lacking both seniority and status to command respect. Moreover, he had obtained this position through his father's influence, which made his situation even more challenging.

Those who had fought their way up looked down on him, as did those whose families still held power. Others shunned him due to his strength and the trust he enjoyed from his superiors.

This was the reality of the Southern Yong bureaucracy, not just in the military but also in the government. The concepts of rank and hierarchy were deeply ingrained in people's minds, leading to sharp and obvious conflicts among individuals, all focused on their own interests rather than the state and its people.

Even worse, Sun Renluan, the actual ruler of Southern Yong, was pleased with this situation. He believed that if his subordinates had their own agendas, they would follow his orders. If they united, it would spell disaster for him, the man who wielded power by controlling the emperor.

In contrast, Yang Zangyi wanted to improve this situation. He aimed to unite everyone in support of the young emperor, though his loyalty was not genuine; he simply wanted to remove Sun Renluan. The Yang family had been suppressed by the Sun family for ten years, and as someone who had witnessed the Yang family's peak, he dreamed of restoring their former glory and commanding authority once again.

Given their attitudes... Southern Yong was indeed beyond salvation.

The only consolation for Yu Shaocheng was that despite the darkness in the bureaucracy, the soldiers below him were obedient. With the world in chaos, many joined the army merely for survival. Southern Yong emphasized hierarchy, leading to frequent cases of nobles abusing commoners and slaves. If superiors were cruel, the subordinates could only endure.

Counting the number of innocent lives lost under the hands of Southern Yong's nobles far exceeded those killed by Qu Yunmie, yet the former kept their scandals hidden while Qu Yunmie cared little about his reputation.

An hour later, Yu Shaocheng mounted his horse, leading six thousand soldiers away. These soldiers wore numb expressions, indifferent to where they were going, knowing their lives hung by a thread every day.

Meanwhile, in Yanmen County, Xiao Rong and the others were unaware that a significant event was already underway. They were busy arranging the relocation of the capital.

Not everyone was leaving; twenty thousand troops were to remain behind, per Qu Yunmie's order. His deep-seated animosity towards the Xianbei was ingrained, and he could not leave without sufficient forces.

The two generals tasked with staying were Yuan Baifu and Wang Xinyong.

The former was trusted by Qu Yunmie, while the latter was not favored.

Xiao Rong observed Wang Xinyong's expressionless face, sensing his resignation. Whenever such assignments arose, they always fell to him.

Qu Yunmie planned to attack the Xianbei in autumn, regardless of the relocation. He intended to return in a few months, and after some contemplation, Xiao Rong concluded that no major issues would arise during this period, so he did not object.

Of the remaining fifteen thousand soldiers, two thousand had already departed with less critical supplies. The final thirteen thousand would leave simultaneously with the Northern Pacification King.

Alongside these soldiers, nearly one hundred thousand civilians were relocating. These included families of the Northern Pacification Army and those seeking safety in Yanmen County.

They had moved here hoping for protection from the Northern Pacification Army, but now that the army was leaving, even with twenty thousand troops guarding Yanmen Pass, ordinary citizens feared the Xianbei might breach the defenses. This fear led them to hastily pack their belongings and follow the army.

The day before departure, Xiao Rong left the palace, having spent several days calculating accounts until he developed a headache. Two guards followed him, ordered by Qu Yunmie, whom he could not shake off, so he let them accompany him.

He had lived in Yanmen County for nearly two months, entering and leaving several times, but he had only truly explored the streets on his first day.

Back then, Yanmen County was peaceful, but now it resembled a scene of impending disaster. The streets were filled with ox carts and donkey carts, men loading household items, and women pounding dough on cutting boards to prepare enough food for the journey.

Even those not leaving watched anxiously, their faces reflecting worry.

A single decision to relocate affected hundreds of thousands of people.

Xiao Rong leaned against a short wall, arms crossed, slowly scanning the street. When his gaze paused, he turned back, recalling the children singing the Chi You chant on his first day. He had met a little girl from the Butu Wu tribe, which had stirred some memories, making him remember those children vividly.

In front of a closed house, the little girl he had met and one of the boys singing the chant were bidding each other farewell.

The boy, around five or six years old, was very short and possibly had a cold, sniffing repeatedly. He handed the girl two stones, while she gave him a small package, the contents of which were unclear through the cloth.

The boy looked reluctant, speaking to the girl, but Xiao Rong couldn't hear what he said. Then, he heard her mother's voice.

"Dog'er, go fetch water!"

The boy froze, quickly saying something like goodbye, and ran off.

The girl watched his back for a moment, carefully putting away the stones, turning around to meet Xiao Rong's gaze.

Xiao Rong raised an eyebrow slightly, and the girl stared at him for a moment before running away faster than before.

Xiao Rong: "…………"

Was he that scary?

The children disappeared, but Xiao Rong remained, relaxing his arm against the wall.

How wonderful, childhood friendships are the most precious.

Glancing at the irregular clouds in the sky, he sighed softly and turned to leave.

However, he did not return to the palace. The encounter with the children reminded him that Qu Yunmie, who valued Yanmen Pass greatly, was likely doing the same thing.

Arriving at Yanmen Pass, Xiao Rong gazed at the towering fortifications, sighing heavily before climbing up.

At least this time, he was unaffected by Qu Yunmie's aura, feeling neither dizzy nor breathless halfway up.

Qu Yunmie sat on the city wall, a jar of wine beside him. He occasionally poured a cup and slowly spilled it onto the bricks in front of him.

When Xiao Rong arrived, he saw this scene.

The entire city wall reeked of alcohol. Xiao Rong wrinkled his nose and slowly approached Qu Yunmie.

Qu Yunmie poured another cup, looking up at the person who often interrupted his solitude. "Care for a drink?"

Xiao Rong pursed his lips, smiling slightly. "I dare not drink again."

Qu Yunmie, expecting this answer, took back the cup and said, "That night, you weren't babbling drunk; you were speaking the truth, weren't you?"

Xiao Rong found a clean spot to sit, widening his eyes. "Wrong! Drunken words are nonsense; sober words are sincere, without a hint of falsehood."

Qu Yunmie turned his head and squinted slightly. "Dare you swear to the heavens?"

Xiao Rong: "……"

This was not going to be easy to get away with.

After a pause, Xiao Rong was about to raise his hand to swear, but Qu Yunmie cut him off as soon as he saw him open his mouth.

"Never mind."

Xiao Rong was delighted. "Does the King believe me now?"

Qu Yunmie shook his head. "I'm afraid the heavenly lightning might strike both of us."

Xiao Rong: "…………"

He chuckled dryly. "The King has quite a sense of humor."

Qu Yunmie's lips curled slightly, but he did not respond further. Instead, he poured more wine from his hand.

Xiao Rong glanced at his expression and sensed that his mood wasn't too bad, so he asked, "Whom is the King pouring wine for? Is it the King's parents?"

Qu Yunmie hummed in acknowledgment and said slowly, "Parents, my elder brother, the elders from my childhood, the brothers who came later, and the soldiers who died here one after another."

Xiao Rong was stunned. If it were just a few people, he could have talked them through it, but when Qu Yunmie finished speaking, he couldn't utter a single word.

A few words, dozens of characters, countless lives.

Xiao Rong rarely found himself speechless, but he fell silent. Then, Qu Yunmie asked him, "You said your family only has your grandmother and younger brother left, and everyone else has passed away?"

Xiao Rong paused, looking at the wet stains on the ground before answering, "Yes, my family... is not the main branch of the Xiao clan, but a collateral line. We don't live with the main family. My ancestors made mistakes in their youth and were expelled by the main branch. My grandfather worked as a minor official, barely making ends meet. My grandmother took care of the household, giving birth six times and raising four children. My father was the third son. The eldest uncle died of illness at seventeen, the second uncle was killed by bandits while seeking medicine for my grandfather, and the youngest uncle died in battle. My father was a scholar, but without any patronage or recognition, he could only support the family by writing letters for others. Twelve years ago, he died from overwork and constant coughing up blood."

Pausing for a moment, he continued, "The eldest uncle never married. When the second uncle died, his wife was pregnant. Her family forced her to abort the child and remarry. She probably consulted an incompetent doctor and passed away within days. They had an older son, but he didn't survive either. My mother was not from a noble family. After my father's death, she supported the family by weaving cloth, providing for my education and my brother's schooling. When I was fourteen, she lost her eyesight and accidentally fell into a pond outside our house at night. She was found only the next morning."

Qu Yunmie was stunned, never having imagined Xiao Rong's family situation would be like this.

It was understandable that Qu Yunmie couldn't imagine Xiao Rong's experiences, because these weren't actually Xiao Rong's experiences. They were the stories Xiao Yi, his distant brother, had told him bit by bit. Last year, due to financial difficulties, Xiao Yi brought his grandmother to New Peace to seek his elder brother who was studying there. But upon arriving in New Peace, he learned that a plague had recently broken out, and the dead were burned outside the city.

From acquaintances, he learned that his elder brother had also succumbed to the plague. Xiao Yi didn't dare tell his grandmother about this. After losing her youngest son, she had already been severely affected; if she knew her eldest grandson was gone, Xiao Yi couldn't bear to think what would happen to her.

So he left the city alone, searching through the pile of dead bodies and belongings, eventually finding his elder brother's documents.

The documents were intact, but the jade pendant was missing. Although their family had fallen from grace, they were still a collateral line of the Xiao clan. Despite their poverty, they still had some valuable items, which they had never sold.

That jade pendant was one such item. Xiao Yi wiped his eyes and went to ask the overseer for the pendant, but how could they give it back? The deceased had been dead for days, and the valuables were presumed to belong to the overseers. No matter how much he protested, they wouldn't return it.

Xiao Rong met Xiao Yi during this time. He heard Xiao Yi calling out his name to the overseer. Later, he realized that Xiao Yi was calling for Xiao Rong, a homophone but different character.

Without his elder brother, Xiao Yi had no hope left. He could only take his grandmother back to Linchuan. But he was only thirteen and couldn't do much. He feared he couldn't support his grandmother.

Xiao Rong listened to Xiao Yi sobbing and telling his story. At that time, Xiao Rong was planning to leave New Peace for Huaiyin. Thus, the two reached an agreement. Xiao Rong needed an identity, and Xiao Yi needed someone to rely on. Xiao Rong took the documents and left ten silver coins from selling sweet bean sauce for Xiao Yi, instructing him to rent a small courtyard in New Peace, study, and take care of his grandmother. He promised to bring them over once he settled down.

Xiao Yi gave Ah Shu to Xiao Rong. He noticed Xiao Rong's poor health and feared he might die too. Ah Shu was the child of their former servant. After the family's decline, the servant was dismissed but returned a few years later, gravely ill, leaving his child behind, asking only for food.

Though losing Ah Shu would make Xiao Yi's life harder, he really didn't want to bury anyone else again.

Xiao Rong had always been conflicted about this distant brother. After all, they had no blood relation, and initially, it was just a mutually beneficial arrangement. But after spending ten days together, Xiao Rong could feel the boy's deep reliance on him, treating him like a real elder brother. It was natural; with the family's misfortunes, Xiao Rong appeared at his most vulnerable moment and saved him. Naturally, he developed a strong attachment to Xiao Rong.

Knowing the Xiao family's situation, Xiao Rong wasn't overly moved, but he felt a bit worried. Soon, he would meet his distant brother, and suddenly, he felt the pressure mounting.

Xiao Rong was merely recalling his distant brother, but to Qu Yunmie, his silence meant something else.

Qu Yunmie always thought his fate was hard, with people constantly leaving him. He assumed the cunning and bold Xiao Rong lived a completely different life, filled with luxury and no worries. It turned out, they weren't so different after all.

Xiao Rong: Not really, we're quite different.……

His expression changing repeatedly, Qu Yunmie suddenly turned his head back, looking at the city wall, and declared firmly, "It won't happen again."

Xiao Rong looked up in confusion, seeing Qu Yunmie's determined face as he spoke again, "Neither what happened to you nor what happened to the Northern Pacification Army will happen again. Chenliu is everyone's new home, and I won't let anyone destroy it."

Xiao Rong: "……"

Although he didn't understand why Qu Yunmie suddenly made such a grand declaration, he certainly wouldn't dampen the spirit. Xiao Rong immediately applauded and cheered loudly, "Good! I believe the King can definitely do it!"

Qu Yunmie: "……"

For some reason, hearing Xiao Rong's applause, he felt both happy and embarrassed.＊

The next day, the army set out.

With over two hundred thousand people moving together, the scene should have been magnificent. However, Xiao Rong, amidst the chaos, wished he had a drone to see the aerial view. At this moment, his only feeling was disorder.

Despite meticulous arrangements, the actual departure was still chaotic. The guards brought the carriage Xiao Rong requested, and Gao Xunzhi squeezed through the crowd, marveling at the new design of the carriage.

At this time, carriages usually had only two wheels, but Xiao Rong modified it to have four, extended the floorboards, added a canopy to the cabin, and opened small windows on both sides. Since the weather was warm, the windows were simply holes with a small piece of cloth serving as curtains.

As for the door... well, time was tight, and Xiao Rong wasn't a blacksmith or carpenter, so he couldn't figure out a flexible hinge that could be easily removed. So, the door was also covered with a curtain, though a heavier one made of leather.

Cotton had already been introduced to Central China, but due to its difficulty in cultivation and lack of awareness of its warmth-retaining properties, it was far from widespread. This was one reason many people froze to death in cold weather, lacking long-term warm clothing.

Inside the carriage, it was even more luxurious, with quilts, tea sets, and pillows stuffed with chicken feathers.

Chicken feathers were abundant, while duck feathers were harder to find. Besides, Xiao Rong didn't know how to remove the odor, so chicken feathers were better than the strongly scented duck feathers. After enduring several bumpy rides, Xiao Rong decided comfort was paramount.

Seeing Gao Xunzhi's amazed face, Xiao Rong smiled and said, "Does the Chancellor like it? I had two made, one for you."

Gao Xunzhi was taken aback and then delighted. "Oh, thank you, Ah Rong!"

Finished speaking, he happily went to find his carriage, and Xiao Rong watched him with a smile. With Gao Xunzhi sharing the special treatment, no one could say anything about it.

Mi Jing, carrying his own bag, appeared among the crowd. Everyone would naturally part like the Red Sea when they saw him. Mi Jing slightly bowed his head, saluted everyone, and then walked towards the convoy.

During the summer residence period, Mi Jing was not supposed to leave, but he wasn't a particularly strict monk. As long as he stayed inside the carriage without coming out, he could travel with everyone else.

Their journey would take at least a month, given the large number of people. Thinking of keeping the Buddha's Son in a carriage that could only seat one person for an entire month seemed quite unreasonable. Therefore, Xiao Rong had built such a large carriage, intending for the Buddha's Son to share it.

Qu Yunmie was nearby. Seeing Xiao Rong adjust his clothes and expression, he immediately understood what he was going to do. He raised his eyebrows high and instructed the guard beside him, "Go, have the Buddha's Son sit with Mr. Gao."

The guard responded and quickly ran over.

From a distance, Xiao Rong suddenly paused, listening to the guard speak with the Buddha's Son. Xiao Rong blinked in confusion, then swiftly turned his head to look at Qu Yunmie.

The latter just happened to turn around, combing the mane of his horse with his hand.

Xiao Rong: "..."

He even cares about the Buddha's Son now, how rare.

Well, this way he doesn't have to be with anyone else. Xiao Rong smiled and returned to his carriage.

Just before departure, Xiao Rong finally saw the mysterious Butu Clan. They looked much stronger than the people from the Central Plains. Both men and women carried bags on their backs and walked alongside the army instead of riding horses.

They only spoke among themselves, and the Northern Pacification Army seemed accustomed to this. The scene was both distinct and harmonious.

Finally, everyone was gathered. Qu Yunmie, riding his horse at the front, looked back, then picked up his whip and cracked it into the sky.

"Let's go!"

Instantly, all the soldiers behind moved, and those holding the banners waved them vigorously while running ahead, using this special language to signal that they were leaving.

Xiao Rong lifted the curtain, watching the faces outside—some excited, some calm—for a moment. Then, he curved his lips slightly and let the curtain fall again.