Tiger Guards

Chapter 562 Fate Has Its Own Way
In early February, a sudden heavy snowfall hit the Wuyuan area.

However, the soldiers, civilians, and various tribes here are already used to it. Spring plowing here starts very late, and this is to prevent such heavy snowfall in spring.

This kind of spring blizzard comes quickly and dissipates just as fast.

The envoy Chen Qun, carrying imperial edicts of commendation and congratulations, arrived in the south of Wuyuan County along the Qin Straight Road.

At the end of the Qin Straight Road, the new snow melts, the earth is damp and cold, and the tender green grass is unafraid of the spring chill.

Standing on the vehicle, Chen Qun looked out over the south bank of the Yellow River. On the left, upstream, land was being planned and measured. Captured Qiang and Xianbei slaves, along with registered households and military households, were working together to rebuild the ridges and burn wooden stakes with inscriptions before driving them into the fields as boundary markers.

Not only the three inner prefectures that were recently restored, but also the four outer prefectures of Yunzhong and Wuyuan, all the old military farm areas suitable for reclamation will be re-divided into field ridges in this way.

The original field ridges and markings will be destroyed, and even if the former owner returns, it will be impossible to confirm their identity.

Currently, apart from Hedong County, other regions are also in the same situation of reclaiming land and then redistributing it. This equal land system is the key to Zhao Ji's firm grip on the majority of people.

It was precisely because Zhao Ji had the support of the majority that he was able to push forward with one extreme mobilization after another.

Chen Qun, with his profound family learning, was well aware of the success of Grand Marshal Zhao Ji. Besides his own bravery and skill in battle, there were probably three other factors. The first was Zhao Ji's self-control over his desires. It is said that Grand Marshal Zhao Ji did not have any gold or jade ornaments in his daily utensils.

Even if they exist, they are ceremonial objects used on important occasions.

Secondly, Zhao Ji decisively launched the Anyi remonstrance, coercing the court and luring and killing powerful families in Taiyuan, which also severely damaged the powerful families and clans in Shangdang. This left Zhao Ji with no force that could hinder him, allowing him to govern freely.

The Zhao clan's small size had both disadvantages and advantages. It meant that the Zhao clan could not be the first to break the law; Zhao Ji could enforce the law impartially, and other generals and important officials would not dare to trample on the equal-field system.

The last factor was Zhao Ji's ability to recognize talent. He was always able to identify outstanding individuals and use them in rotation, allowing them to achieve success one after another, which meant that there was no single dominant general under Zhao Ji's command.

Even though Zhang Liao had made similarly unparalleled contributions, there were many in Zhao Ji's army who were not convinced by him.

The officers who followed Zhao Ji and made numerous meritorious contributions actually had limited respect for Zhang Liao... If given similar opportunities, they could also have achieved similar merits as Zhang Liao.

Therefore, there is no need for Zhang Liao to be overly respectful, and Zhang Liao has no need to react arrogantly.

All these factors combined to make Zhao Ji appear to have gathered more than ten famous and valiant generals in just two years, all of whom had fought in battles that brought them fame, making them well-known throughout the country.

In just two years, Zhao Ji had amassed a wealth of talent under his command, which seemed to be a sign of good fortune.

Chen Qun looked around and felt that this mission would be difficult to achieve successfully.

However, his status as the official angel is not important; what is important are the other members of the envoy team. These people will contact specialists within the Grand Marshal's shogunate to discuss and exchange information on more important matters.

As for comforting and encouraging the officers and soldiers on the front lines... Chen Qun's team of envoys couldn't even scrape together twenty gold coins or a hundred bolts of silk, so they used the black characters on a piece of imperial edict to reward and motivate them.
If the Grand Marshal wanted to write a similar edict, who in the court would dare to stop him?

Anyway, Chen Qun had no expectations for this mission. He came here to confirm the specific changes in Zhao Ji's strength.

Is it that after annexing the Qiang and Xianbei tribes, the region became even stronger, or is it that all of this was just a Pyrrhic victory that has exhausted the various prefectures of Xizhou?
However, along the way, Hongnong, Jingzhao, Fengyi, and Shangjun were all carrying out spring plowing, while Wuyuan, although not yet in spring plowing, was carrying out a land equalization campaign that Chen Qun found glaringly obvious.

As Chen Qun observed the surrounding area, a knight spurred his horse closer and said, "Angel, the river is covered with ice floes, and the boats for crossing are unusable. We request that you move to the inn in Heyin City to rest for a while. Once the river is clear, we can arrange for boats to cross."

Before Chen Qun could speak, a court attendant asked, "Since boats are difficult to cross, how will the Grand Marshal communicate with the counties on the south bank?"

The knight, who was subordinate to Wataru, did not even look at the eunuch, but still answered: "Ropes are strung between the two sides, and pulleys turn, so that letters and official documents can be exchanged smoothly between the two sides."

Huangmenlang looked indignant, but the knight who delivered the message smiled and glanced sideways at the hilt of the sword hanging on Huangmenlang's left waist.

Upon seeing this, Chen Qun immediately said, "Since the floating ice blocks the crossing, let's stay in Heyin for a few days. We can still exchange letters; I will write one to the Grand Marshal later, explaining the reason for this trip." "Your Excellency is free to do as you please. If there are any letters or official documents, just send someone to deliver them to the crossing."

The knight bowed to Chen Qun, then to the other relatively important deputy envoys and attendants, saying, "This humble servant takes his leave."

From Chen Qun down, everyone watched the knight leave without offering a proper farewell.

The knight galloped back to the ferry, his feet crunching on the snow-soaked grass and mud. He dismounted and said to the garrison commander, "Captain, the imperial envoy has agreed to let us stay temporarily in Heyin."

"Yes, you go to Heyin City yourself and have the city keep an eye on these people. If any people or livestock contract waterborne diseases, isolate them on the spot and do not allow them to leave or come out."

"Here."

The surrounding military officers also bowed in response, but they did not like the people from the imperial court.

These people are all arrogant and haughty.

If these envoys hadn't traveled along the imperial highways and post stations one by one, they would have wanted to use bandits and remnants of the Xianbei army to punish these people.

The garrison commander returned the salute and watched his subordinates depart. Only after the sound of horses' hooves faded into the distance did he step out from behind the low wall of the dock and gaze at the envoy team several miles away.

After pausing for a moment, the garrison commander clicked his tongue for a while and spat out a mouthful of thick, bloody saliva onto the ground.

Ironically, before Chen Qun's official delegation of envoys from the imperial court, some self-proclaimed bigwigs and former officials had already come to Wuyuan under the guise of official business, and naturally, there were quite a few among them who solicited bribes.

Besides those who solicited bribes, there were others who wanted to exchange inferior horses for fine stallions at post stations and passes; and others who attempted to force officials along the route to collect young women from the Central Asian region for them.

He also heard from his colleagues that there were supposedly other unusual fetishes, which broadened his horizons.

More than the rewards brought by imperial envoys, the post stations and customs systems now fear diseases brought by them.

Other Xianbei, Xiongnu, Qiang, or other mixed nomadic groups had already adapted to migration.

This large-scale migration took place in winter. Although the environment was harsh, there were generally no soil-related diseases or other rapidly spreading epidemics.

As the winter snow gradually melted, various severe soil-borne diseases were brought in as envoys from all sides of the imperial court arrived one after another.

Many envoys, already physically weak from the long journey, would quickly fall ill with septic diseases after entering the Wuyuan region and staying in various converted pavilions and inns.

The local post stations handled these people simply by isolating them on the spot, providing them with wheat cakes and hot water, and leaving their fate to fate.

As for medicinal herbs... since the start of the war, the reserves of medicinal herbs have been very tight.

In autumn and winter, you can process and prepare medicinal herbs, but you cannot collect or cultivate them.

How can such precious medicinal herbs be used on these pillars of the imperial court?
These imperial envoys must be protected by divine mandate; why would they need medicine to save them?
Even if a high-ranking imperial envoy like Chen Qun died in front of this Guan Jinwei, he wouldn't even bat an eye.

His promotion and evaluation depended on the Grand Marshal's office, not the imperial court, nor on the people of Ruying, or other famous scholars or prominent families.

Let alone one Chen Qun, even if ten messengers similar to Chen Qun fell ill together, he wouldn't even flinch, let alone provide them with medicine to save them.

Of course, if the envoys' entourages were sensible and willing to pay for the medicine, it was not something that couldn't be negotiated.

(End of this chapter)