The Golden Family, rising from the Western Regions

Chapter 280 Eldest Daughter Li Lingyue, Sisters Reunited

The grain-producing areas in the Western Regions have historically been concentrated in the areas north and south of the Tianshan Mountains and the Yinshan and Ili regions.

Jinzhou is actually not suitable for growing grain. The weather is bitterly cold and the accumulated temperature is insufficient, so the grain yield is not high.

In the early years, only the Han people of the Nine Forts and Eighteen Villages could barely cultivate their fields, and most of the time they relied on herding for a living.

But what if there isn't enough food to eat as Jinzhou's population increases?
The Hexi Merchant Guild's horse caravans traversed the Gobi Desert, transporting grain from various places to Jinzhou, a practice known as "South Grain to the North".

The people of Jinzhou sold their livestock to raise money to buy grain and supplies.

Therefore, the importance of the desert to Jinzhou is beyond doubt.

After leaving Hamili, Li Xiao stayed in the desert for half a month, leading officials from the Yingtian Division to traverse a large area west of Changbala.

These places, such as Changji, Kuitun, and Shihezi in later generations, became the granaries of the military corps.

Now, large areas of dugouts have been dug out, becoming the main resettlement site for migrants from northern Xinjiang.

"The newly reclaimed farmland must be planted with soybeans for the first two years."

In the wasteland at the foot of Tianshan Mountain, Chen Chong, the military advisor of the military agricultural affairs office, was reporting his work to Li Xiao.

In the past three years, he led the people of the desert and the prisoners of war from Gaochang to carve out tens of thousands of acres of fertile land from the saline-alkali land, and has become an agricultural expert.

"Look, Grand Protector."

As he spoke, he picked up a clod of soil covered in whitish alkali, crushed it, and scattered it on the ground.

"This soil is very saline, so the beans need to absorb the salt first."

"Once the soil has improved in the third year, we can plant wheat, millet, and sorghum, and I guarantee we can harvest 30% more grain."

Li Xiao gazed at the people in the distance who were turning over the soil with simple wooden plows, turning it evenly in the hard wilderness.

The ground hasn't frozen yet, so it's still manageable to turn over, but it probably won't be able to in a few days.

“Soybeans are a good thing!” Li Xiao nodded slightly.

Soybeans can be used to extract oil, and with more oil, less grain is needed to eat.

Moreover, the oil residue left after pressing the oil can be used to feed warhorses, making them plump and strong.

In short, soybeans are just as important to northern Xinjiang as wheat and millet.

Chen Chong was emboldened by the affirmation and used a twig to draw an area on the ground: "Great Protector, I plan to open up all the land west of Changbala in the spring."

Changbala is the later Changji, and to the west lies the area around Shihezi and Kuitun.

Dozens of rivers fed by melting snow from the Tianshan Mountains flow through the area, making it a wonderful place.

In previous years, due to a shortage of manpower, these fertile lands could only lie fallow.

Now, four households of 10,000 people are about to settle in the desert. The able-bodied young men are enough to turn the wasteland upside down, and the cultivated fields will probably stretch as far as the eye can see.

Seeing him speak so eloquently, Li Xiao smiled, nodded slightly, and gently patted his arm: "I trust you to handle things."

He waved his hand as soon as he finished speaking.

The clerk following behind immediately stepped forward, holding a neatly folded piece of cloth in both hands, and respectfully handed it to Li Xiao.

Li Xiao then solemnly handed it to Chen Chong and said in a deep voice, "Governor Chen, I entrust this place in the desert to you."

"Don't let me down."

During his casual conversation with Li Xiao earlier, Chen Chong had already vaguely guessed what was going on, and now, upon hearing the words "governor," he nodded emphatically.

He accepted the cloth with both hands, saying, "I would gladly die for you!"

Unfolding the cloth, it was just as he had expected.

He was relieved of his post as military advisor in charge of agricultural affairs and appointed as governor of the desert, in charge of civil affairs in the desert, becoming the second governor of the northern frontier.

The lower left corner of the cloth was stamped with the bright red seal of the Protectorate, exuding an unquestionable majesty.

The original military agricultural office was not abolished, and Deputy Military Advisor Gao Zhongyi was promoted to Military Advisor, but his authority was greatly diminished.

The military power previously held by the military forces responsible for land reclamation and field protection has been completely taken back. Now, all that remains are the duties of collecting land taxes and rents, supervising the construction of granaries, and guarding grain supplies.

Li Xiao turned around, looked at the distant desert landscape, and said in a deep voice, "The position of governor is not an official hat, but a burden."

He paused, then emphasized, “The people’s stomachs must be filled, the ditches along the fields must be dug, and the migrants from the desert must be properly resettled. All of these are on your shoulders.”

"My subordinate understands!"

Chen Chong tucked the cloth tightly into his bosom and said in a deep voice, "I will make sure that the granaries in the desert are fuller year by year."

In the days that followed, Li Xiao traveled between various resettlement sites in the desert.

They checked whether the newly built dugouts were windproof and inquired whether the daily five ounces of porridge were being distributed in sufficient quantities.

When they encountered an old man who had settled in the countryside, they would pull him aside and ask about his harvest in previous years. When they met a new immigrant, they would pat him on the shoulder and tell him about the rules of northern Xinjiang.

The grime on rough palms speaks volumes more than the clerk's account books.

After leaving the immigrant area, he went to various settlements in the second town.

Check their living conditions and verify whether the war merits have been fully paid.

While Li Xiao was busy, the troops of the First Town had already escorted two households of civilians to Jinzhou ahead of time.

The sound of camel bells and the creaking of wheels mingled together, stretching for miles along the newly built official road in Longcheng, the whole procession resembling a wriggling dragon.

We finally arrived in Longcheng before winter.

Meanwhile, after another year of construction, the outer city of Longcheng was basically completed.

The bluish-gray city walls stand like giants on the land of Jinzhou, with arrow towers on the crenellations arranged in a neat and orderly fashion. Although not as magnificent as the great cities of the Central Plains, they are still a behemoth on the desolate land of the Western Regions.

Meanwhile, in a room in the backyard of the Grand Protectorate in the city, the clear cry of a baby rang out again, like a silver bell falling on ice, crisp and clear.

During the time Li Xiao was away on campaign, Han Ying'er gave birth to his daughter.

This news greatly disappointed the faction represented by the Han family, who had hoped to have a son to consolidate their power. Han Ying'er was also depressed about this, sighing and lamenting over the cradle all day long.

But when this news reached Li Xiao amidst the military intelligence reports from the northern frontier, he was overjoyed.

His son was important, but his daughter was just as precious to him, especially since she was his eldest daughter.

Li Xiao immediately bestowed upon her the name "Li Lingyue".

While girls don't have to adhere to generational hierarchy, he still has his own considerations.

Sons are named with the character "日" (sun), such as Li Shizhao; daughters are named with the character "月" (moon), which means that the sun and moon give birth to each other and that yin and yang complement each other, and also corresponds to the sun and moon totems of the northern frontier.

At this moment, Li Lingyue started crying again in the room.

"Stinky, stinky, stinky~"

One-year-old Jin Dao wobbled over to the cradle. He couldn't speak in complete sentences yet, so he could only stand on tiptoe and point at his little sister on the bed with his chubby finger, his little face scrunched up as if he had been irritated by something.

Xiao Yanyan smiled and picked him up, gently patting his little bottom with her fingertips: "Little sister pooped, Jin Dao used to do that too."

She turned to the wet nurse beside her and said, "Hurry up and take her to change her clothes, make sure she doesn't get cold."

Just as the wet nurse picked up Li Lingyue, Wei Fuyao lifted the curtain and walked in.

She wore a moon-white jacket and skirt, with lotus vines embroidered on the cuffs; she was tall, slender, and strikingly beautiful.

His gaze fell on the empty bedding in the cradle, then turned to the baby girl being carried away by the wet nurse, a hint of envy flashing in his eyes.

He then asked, "Where is Sister Han?"

"I was exhausted after a long day last night and just got some rest," Xiao Yanyan said with a light laugh as she sat down in her chair.

Although there were some open and covert struggles among these women, their relationships were generally harmonious.

The main reason is that Xiao Yanyan's power is too strong.

No one dared to cause trouble in front of her.

Otherwise, if he really angered her, even if he killed one of the concubines, Li Xiao would only give her a minor punishment as a warning, and that would be the end of it.

With the support of her family's wealth and having given birth to Li Xiao's eldest son, Jin Dao, Xiao Yanyan was very confident.

However, the more important reason why these women are so harmonious is that Li Xiao is too capable. He can treat everyone equally, and often he will even pour down his love for everyone.

Without needing to deliberately compete for favor, the relationships between these women naturally become more harmonious.

Wei Fuyao sat down next to Xiao Yanyan, her voice as soft as a feather: "Lingyue's crying is much louder than Jindao's when he was a child."

Xiao Yanyan played with Jin Dao on the soft couch, glancing at Er Ya's empty waist and belly, a smile playing on her lips: "What child doesn't cry?"

"If you're in a hurry to hold the baby, you'll have to grit your teeth and hold on until the end." She deliberately dragged out her words, her eyes full of teasing.

Upon hearing this, Er Ya's face flushed slightly. She thought of the absurdity of everyone's actions. It was clear that whoever could hold out the longest would reap the greatest benefits!

However, she didn't shy away like a typical young lady. Instead, she picked up a candied fruit from the fruit plate and offered it to Jin Dao's lips, her voice gentle and soft: "Sister, you're still young, there's no rush to have a child."

She ran her fingertips through Jin Dao's soft baby hair, her smile becoming more genuine: "But Jin Dao is really cute."

"Come here, let your aunt hold you."

Er Ya opened her arms, and Jin Dao, attracted by the clinking of the silver bracelet on her wrist, crawled over with a giggle.

But in reality, her saying she doesn't want to have a child early is just deceiving herself.

In this Great Protectorate, which woman doesn't long to give birth to a child?
Especially the son, who is the support for the rest of his life and the foundation for him to gain a foothold in the family.

However, these thoughts cannot be revealed too clearly in front of Xiao Yanyan. This legal wife may seem gentle, but she cannot hide the shrewdness in her eyes. If she is too ambitious, she will be at a disadvantage.

Er Ya is not a naive and innocent girl without any guile.

Last year, after marrying into the family for three months, Li Xiao stayed in her room almost every night. The panting under the candlelight and the tenderness under the brocade quilt were all genuine favors.

But getting pregnant ultimately depends on fate; there's no use rushing it.

She bounced the golden knife around, and the child laughed even harder, drooling onto her moon-white clothes like a tiny cloud.

Er Ya gently wiped her eyes with her handkerchief and asked casually, "The Grand Protector should be back soon, right?"

Xiao Yanyan picked up a silver spoon, preparing to feed the freshly served egg custard to Jin Dao, but upon hearing this, she paused and looked out the window: "I'm staying in the desert. I'll come back after I finish investigating the land reclamation. I should be able to come home by the end of the month at the latest."

She paused, then looked at Er Ya with a half-smile: "What? It's only been half a year since we parted, and you already miss me?"

The golden knife in Er Ya's arms reached out to grab her hairpin, and she lowered her head to gather her hair, concealing the expectation in her eyes, and smiled, "Don't you want to, sister?"

"Besides, Jin Dao misses his father too, doesn't he?"

She pinched Jin Dao's cheek, and the little guy clapped his hands as if he understood, saying, "Daddy, Daddy, Daddy~"

Under Xiao Yanyan's tutelage, he could already call her "Dad," but he had completely forgotten Li Xiao. Xiao Yanyan was amused and raised her hand to tap Jin Dao's forehead: "A little devil."

As they were talking, Xiao Yanyan's maidservant tiptoed in, stood by the warm curtain with her hands at her sides, and said in a very low voice: "Madam, Commander Liu just sent someone to report that the immigrant convoy from Hexi is less than ten miles away from Longcheng."

Liu Xun, who remained in Longcheng, was originally one of the four thousand households of the Wuwei Army.

When Li Xiao led three commanders on the expedition, he specifically left him behind to guard Dragon City and supervise the city's construction. Now, he is directly responsible to Xiao Yanyan.

Although Li Xiao was inspecting the desert, the pace of the migration could not be delayed. Otherwise, if winter came and they had not reached their destination, a large number of people would freeze to death.

Therefore, the main force of the First Town was ordered to escort the people northward to Jinzhou.

The number of people who migrated to Jinzhou this time was not large, only three households, and most of them were elite soldiers from the Western Xia army, strong men.

This is mainly because the weather in Jinzhou is extremely cold, and people with strong physiques have a higher survival rate.

In addition to the three households that moved to Jinzhou, there were also four households in the desert, two households in Yili, one household in Qihe, two households in Yinshan, three households in Gaochang, and three households in Xihai.

In addition to the three 10,000-household groups from Jinzhou, there were a total of 180,000-household groups of immigrants. These constituted the entire population that migrated to northern Xinjiang.

However, along the way, illness, exhaustion, scorching heat and bitter cold claimed the lives of many.

The total number is probably less than 500,000 now.

Fortunately, the team included a large number of Western Xia prisoners of war and laborers, with a very high proportion of able-bodied men. They were all independent households, which was more than enough to support the establishment of fourteen 10,000-household units.

There are also many female slaves from the Naiman and Kereit tribes in Jinzhou. After being sold to these men, the population will increase in just a few years.

In the warm room, upon hearing the news of the people's impending arrival, Xiao Yanyan remained calm, while Er Ya was the most excited.

"Ten miles?"

Her beautiful eyes gleamed with eagerness, and her voice trembled uncontrollably, "You've finally arrived!"

Not long ago, Li Xiao sent a letter saying that he had found her eldest sister's family and arranged for them to move to Jinzhou in the Hexi immigrant group.

When Er Ya heard the news, she was completely stunned.

My eldest sister has been married to the Western Xia for six years. At that time, I was still young, and my memory of my eldest sister's features was already blurry.

I only remember that my older sister was very good to me, but we've been separated by a long distance and I haven't heard from her for a long time.

But to everyone's surprise, Wei Xuan found his elder sister's family during this expedition to the east, and they would even move to the northern frontier to reunite.

So, during these days, although Er Ya appeared calm on the surface, she had actually stood on the city wall countless times, gazing at the official road to the south.

Seeing her excited expression, Xiao Yanyan smiled gently and said, "It seems that my sister can't wait to see her family."

So he immediately turned to his servant and ordered, "Change your clothes, I want to go to the city gate to greet him myself."

It wasn't to welcome Daya's family, but to welcome these 30,000 immigrant households.

As Li Xiao's legal wife, her identity was never just that of a woman in the inner quarters; it always carried strong political significance.

Soothing the emotions of the migrants and checking on their resettlement were her inescapable responsibilities. These people who had moved from other places were an important force in northern Xinjiang.

Er Ya quickly handed the golden knife to her trusted wet nurse, her fingertips still trembling slightly: "Sister, wait for me, I'll go change my clothes right away."

A moment later, both of them changed into thick mink cloaks.

Xiao Yanyan's dark gold cloak was trimmed with white fox fur, and a jade belt was tied around her waist. She walked with an air of elegance and grace. As Li Xiao's legal wife, she was naturally entitled to wear dark gold clothes.

Er Ya, on the other hand, wore a plain white cloak, the rabbit fur at the collar making her cheeks flushed. Her steps were so light that she seemed to be flying, and the anticipation in her eyes was almost overflowing.

Outside the city gate, Xiao Yanyan reined in her horse, gazing at the black dots gradually appearing on the distant horizon, and spoke in a deep voice to the guards beside her.

"Tell Commander Liu to first arrange for the elderly and weak to move into temporary shelters, boil some ginger water to ward off the cold, and then prepare two hundred sheep to be slaughtered."

Li Xiao had previously told the people that they could eat meat once they reached the northern border region.

Xiao Yanyan naturally had to make the arrangements; she couldn't break her promise.

There wasn't much meat, but even meat porridge was a rare treat for ordinary families, a meal they rarely had all year round.

"Yes!" The guard obeyed and left.

Er Ya stood quietly to the side, gripping the reins tightly, her gaze constantly fixed on the south, as if she could see through the snow and wind to the familiar yet blurry figure in the immigrant caravan.

The distant black dots grew closer and closer, and gradually it became clear that they were a continuous convoy of vehicles and people carrying things, like a long snake wriggling in the wilderness.

Meanwhile, Daya's family was walking in the immigrant procession and received special care from the Northern Frontier Army.

Apart from the confiscated farmland, all other family property was retained.

Therefore, you can see Su Renli and Daya each driving a horse-drawn carriage, pulling the child and luggage forward.

Moreover, several soldiers from the northern border region were keeping a close eye on them and even offered to help.

"Is that Dragon City?"

Su Wuji suddenly pointed ahead, his little fingers red from the cold wind, and shouted excitedly, his eyes shining.

Daya looked in the direction he pointed, and on the distant horizon, the outline of the bluish-gray city wall was gradually emerging, like a giant beast lurking on the earth.

As they drew closer to Longcheng, Daya's heart felt like it was being gripped by an invisible hand. She was both apprehensive and excited, her heart pounding faster and faster, drumming against her chest like a drum.

Three li away, two li away, one li away...

The city walls became clearer and clearer, and one could even see a group of horsemen standing outside the city gate, all dressed in yellow armor, looking much like the northern cavalrymen around them.

She knew she would soon see her younger sister, the little girl with pigtails who always followed behind her.

The younger sister who cried her eyes out and chased her for two miles when she got married is now waiting for her in that city.

She never imagined that this little girl would become the high-ranking wife of the Grand Protector.

Were those cavalrymen in yellow armor at the city gate protecting her?
Is she now dressed in fine silks and living in a house with gold-brick floors?
What if... she doesn't recognize her sister who's covered in dust?

"Mother, look, those people are coming." The eldest son stood on his mother's cart and pointed at the cavalry at the city gate.

Daya snapped back to reality, looked up, and sure enough, saw the cavalry in yellow armor approaching the column.

Two women wearing cloaks were riding on the two horses at the very front.

A dark gold cloak trimmed with white fox fur, her posture dignified and exuding majesty.

Another figure, wearing a plain white cloak with rabbit fur at the collar that made his profile stand out, was looking eagerly in this direction, his gaze sweeping across the convoy like a searchlight.

Daya's breath hitched, and she stared blankly at the woman in white, but she still couldn't bring herself to recognize her.

It's been seven years; she has been married into the Western Xia dynasty for seven years.

Seven years ago, Er Ya was just a little girl.

But the woman in front of him was dressed in fine clothes and had an indescribable air of nobility in her eyes. Where was there any trace of a country girl?

But Er Ya had already recognized her sister.

Just as she remembered, Daya's appearance hadn't changed much, except that she looked a bit more mature and had more wrinkles on her forehead.

But Er Ya recognized her at a glance; it was her older sister.

"Miss."

Er Ya rode up to them and jumped off before the horse had even come to a complete stop.

Her eyes shone brightly as she stared intently at Daya, tears streaming down her face like a broken string of pearls: "Big sister, it's me, Erya!"

Daya nodded repeatedly, choking back tears, and said, "I know, I know it's Erya, how could I not recognize you!"

She stretched out her rough palm, her fingertips covered in chilblains and cracks, and held it in front of Er Ya's cheek but hesitated to let it fall.

With a "plop," Er Ya rushed into Da Ya's arms, and the two sisters hugged each other tightly.

The grievances that had been building up in Er Ya's heart for years finally found an outlet: "Big sister, our home is gone..."

"My parents are gone, my grandfather is gone, the entire Sanhebao is gone..."

The massacre of Sanhebao Village back then was undoubtedly Er Ya's nightmare.

A night ablaze with flames, blood everywhere, the last look in her parents' eyes as they shoved her into the cellar…

These images, like venomous snakes, gnawed at her heart day and night.

Now, facing her only sister, she can finally unleash all her fear and pain without restraint.

Daya held her younger sister's trembling body, her whole body ice cold.

Who could have imagined that the year she married into the Western Xia dynasty, her parting from her parents would be their last?
In the distance, Xiao Yanyan held the reins and watched quietly, a hint of loneliness showing in her expression.

Er Ya at least has family, but what about her?

His only brother, Xiao Simo, is also gone.

The boy in her memory always liked to pull her braids and say, "Ah Man, don't be afraid, your brother will protect you."

But now, she no longer has a brother.

Xiao Yanyan gazed in the direction of Dongdu, a thin layer of frost quietly forming on her eyelashes. After the heat in her eyes subsided, she took a deep breath and whispered to the personal guards behind her, "Pass on my orders."

"Bring out the cattle and sheep so that everyone can have meat porridge, and also make some ginger soup to ward off the cold!"

Her voice was clear and resonant, carrying an undeniable air of authority.

Soon, the sounds of cattle and sheep mooing came from the city gate.

At first, the people in the immigrant line stared blankly, but when each hundred households received a sheep, the numbness in their eyes was gradually replaced by surprise.

A man wrapped in a tattered felt blanket asked tremblingly, "Madam, this...this is for us?"

Xiao Yanyan nodded, her gaze sweeping over the faces red from the cold: "You've all had a long journey. Now that you've arrived in Jinzhou, you're home."

"No matter where you came from before, from now on, you are all subjects of my northern frontier."

"As long as you pick up a hoe to farm the land, or a knife or gun to protect your home, you are all one family!"

"The Protectorate will distribute pastures and fields to you, and lend you cattle, sheep, and seeds..."

Having followed Li Xiao for so long, Xiao Yanyan had learned a lot. Her words were like a pot of charcoal fire, instantly igniting the enthusiasm of the crowd.

Everyone got busy, slaughtering sheep and cattle, and making a meat porridge themselves.

After a period of rest and recuperation, Xiao Yanyan dispersed the 30,000 households into groups of 100 and resettled them in various parts of Jinzhou.

Get everyone settled before the blizzard arrives, and then it's just a matter of hiding in dugouts to hibernate.

(End of this chapter)