The emperor would rather have a

Chapter 145 The trouble caused by the moon

Many ethnic minorities live among the Qinling Mountains, living for generations on this remote and backward land, working at sunrise and resting at sunset, with little change over thousands of years.

Of course, no matter how remote a place is, as long as people can reach it and reproduce, it is destined that it cannot be completely isolated from the world, and there will always be a day when it is disturbed by the outside world.

Since the mid-to-late Tang Dynasty, the country has been in chaos, with regional warlords carving up the land and soldiers and generals killing each other. Amidst the flames of war that have raged for over a century, there is no true paradise.

The mountain people didn't know much about what was happening in the outside world, but they knew that there was a constant war going on outside the mountains.

Decades ago, people who went into the mountains told them that the once-powerful Tang Dynasty had fallen, and the Central Plains were now ruled by an emperor surnamed Zhu.

Then a man named Wang Jian declared himself emperor in Chengdu. Officials from the prefecture and county led people into the mountains to inform the mountain people that they would henceforth be subjects of the Shu Kingdom and that the emperor of the Central Plains had no jurisdiction over this place.

These matters had little to do with the mountain people, so they naturally didn't take them to heart. In any case, no matter who was in power, they would still have to pay their dues in full.

Moreover, due to the continuous warfare, the government often levied additional taxes and levies, ostensibly to support the military.

If the mountain people do not obey, the army will come into the mountains to rob them. They will steal whatever they can get, such as the grain they grow or the game they hunt, and they will even kidnap young women.

More than a decade later, it was said that the Zhu Emperor in the Central Plains had been replaced by the Li Emperor, and the Tang Dynasty had been restored to rule over the land... The mountain people did not understand the difference between the Tang and the Tang, they only knew that the emperor in the Central Plains had become surnamed Li again.

Soon Emperor Li sent troops to destroy the Shu Kingdom, and the mountain people once again became subjects of the emperor of the Central Plains.

Then the Tang Dynasty fell, and the new emperor was named Shi Jingtang. It is said that many people were dissatisfied with this emperor, saying that he betrayed the interests of the country and even created the so-called "father emperor" and "son emperor".

Meanwhile, a man named Meng Zhixiang declared himself emperor in Chengdu. His son took advantage of the Khitan invasion of the Central Plains and occupied the four prefectures of Qin and Feng. The mountain people were transformed into subjects of the Shu Kingdom once again.

This Shu Kingdom was different from the previous Shu Kingdom. Although the emperor also collected various taxes, the court would occasionally spend money to buy things... However, the iron coins they gave were not very useful. Merchants from other countries were unwilling to accept them, and the locals also disliked them. Ten iron coins could only be used as one copper coin.

This time, the mountain people learned that the Zhou emperor in the Central Plains had sent troops to reclaim the Qin and Feng regions, and that "all taxes and corvée labor imposed by the Shu people, except for the two taxes, are hereby abolished."

The mountain people didn't know if it was just talk or if it was true, but even if it was false, no one dared to have any objections.

This afternoon.

The villagers were working in the fields as usual when someone looked up and suddenly froze. They saw a large group of people slowly walking towards the village from not far away, crossing the mountain ridge.

Those people were clearly Han Chinese, dressed like that. They were all riding tall horses and carrying swords, spears, bows and arrows. They looked intimidating, and there were probably a hundred of them at a glance.

……

Li Yi saw the mountain people running back to their village in a panic from the fields.

He turned to look at Li Hanchao and said helplessly, "I originally said that bringing a dozen or so people would be enough, but Hanchao, you insisted on making such a big fuss and arranging so many people. Look how scared those mountain people are."

Li Hanchao said with a serious expression, "Qin and Feng have only recently been recovered. Many of the Shu army's deserters have fled into the mountains and dare not come out. If we run into those groups of deserters, it will be easier to deal with them if we have more men with us."

"Not to mention, these mountain people may not be trustworthy either. Since ancient times, the people in the mountains have been known for their fierce and unruly nature. Who can guarantee that they won't have any malicious intentions?"

Li Hanchao's thoughts were also normal. Although he had been promoted to the rank of Military Commander, he would receive a formal appointment upon returning to Tokyo.

However, he also currently serves as the commander of the personal guards, so he must prioritize the safety of Li Yi, the main general.

Moreover, Li Yi now holds a high position of power and is also Li Hanchao's sworn brother; the wealth and status of a large group of people depend on him. It could be said that Li Hanchao and his group are even more concerned about Li Yi's safety than Li Yi himself.

Zuo Ling'er quickly said, "The villagers won't do anything to you, Lang Ge'er... They are all very kind people."

Li Yi gently stroked the girl's small hand and nodded slightly, humming in agreement.

Before long, the group rode their horses to the village entrance, where the roadsides were already lined with kneeling villagers.

These fierce-looking men were clearly warriors from the military. Since the mountain people couldn't escape and dared not resist, they could only submit respectfully; after all, they were used to it.

Li Yi immediately sent people to wake up all the mountain people. He wasn't there to show off his power; there was no need to force others to kneel to satisfy himself.

"Put me down..." Zuo Ling'er said softly, her face flushed.

The young girl was ultimately shy, and being held by Li Yi on horseback in front of these people she knew was truly embarrassing.

As Li Yi helped Zuo Ling'er dismount, he inadvertently noticed several mountain youths in the crowd looking at him with complicated expressions, seemingly angry but unable to speak out.

But after a little thought, I understood what was going on.

With Zuo Ling'er's looks and her likable personality, there must be many unmarried boys in the village who secretly admire her. Those boys, seeing themselves so close to Zuo Ling'er, must feel a sense of loss and resentment.

Men all go through this age. When Li Yi was in school, he also had a crush on the class beauty. When he saw her laughing and joking with other male classmates, he would feel jealous and unhappy. This is a normal phenomenon during puberty.

Moreover, the people in the village were probably all wondering in their hearts that Zuo Ling'er had been coerced by them and had been taken by force.

Li Yi shook his head inwardly, but didn't take it seriously, nor did he see any need to explain anything.

That's just how realistic this world is. Capable people can get whatever they want; a mere wave of their hand and a beautiful woman will throw herself into their arms. No matter how angry or resentful you are, you can't change the facts.

These mountain people are just insignificant little people, and I will most likely never have the chance to meet them again. What do they think have to do with me?
Before long, an elderly mountain dweller was helped over to pay his respects to Li Yi.

Only after Zuo Ling'er explained did they learn that the old man was the village's chief, which is equivalent to the clan elder and village head in Han Chinese society.

Li Yi had little to say to the mountain people, exchanged a few perfunctory words, and then dismissed them.

The entire village is built against the mountains and beside the water, with wooden stilted houses scattered along the hillside, surrounded by flat terraced fields that meander and run parallel through the mountains and forests.

Zuo Ling'er was like a cheerful little deer, holding Li Yi's hand as they strolled through the village, introducing him to the place where she had lived since childhood and recounting many interesting childhood stories.

It's clear that the little girl really wants to share all the happiness she's had since childhood with Li Yi.

Then Zuo Ling'er took Li Yi to see a middle-aged woman. "Brother Lang, this is Nai Niang. After my mother passed away, my father was often away from home, and it was Nai Niang who took care of me. Ya Da'er, whom you rescued with your troops last time, is her child."

Out of respect for Zuo Ling'er, Li Yi naturally behaved very politely. Although he couldn't understand the woman's local dialect, he still chatted for a few words with Zuo Ling'er's translation.

Then Li Yi had Li Hanchao give a few silver ingots to the middle-aged woman as a way of thanking her for taking care of Zuo Ling'er over the years.

Talking about money may seem vulgar, but no amount of sweet talk can compare to giving money. "Is this your home?" Li Yi stood in front of Zuo Ling'er's stilted house, noticing the chickens and ducks raised under the raised bamboo base, and turned to ask.

"Yes!" Zuo Ling'er nodded, a hint of sadness rising in her eyes. "Since Mother passed away, I've lived here alone. Father only comes back once a month."

As she spoke, she forced a smile and said, "But now that I have you with me, my dear Lang, when Father comes with us to Tokyo, I won't be lonely anymore."

Upon hearing this, Li Yi sighed inwardly, suddenly feeling a little apologetic. He had only thought about taking Zuo Ling'er to Tokyo, but he had forgotten that in that unfamiliar place, besides her father, he was her everything.

But Li Yi couldn't give all his love to her alone, after all, there were still Guo Shi and Fu Erniang at home... and perhaps other women in the future.

Alas... human desires are endless; it's impossible to know when they will be satisfied.

"Brother Lang, I'll take you to see the fairy flowers. It's the season for them to bloom, and they're so beautiful."

Zuo Ling'er quickly calmed down, and a playful smile returned to her face. She pulled Li Yi and walked towards the back of the stilted house.

Walking around to the hillside behind the house, a sight immediately catches the eye. A small plot of land, only a few square meters in size, is planted with clusters of green plants. On the lush, verdant stems, there are coin-sized, multi-petaled flowers in various colors—red, yellow, and purple—swaying gently in the breeze, a delightful sight.

Li Yi doesn't understand botany, nor does he know the scientific names of these flowers; they might just be common wildflowers found in the mountains and forests.

But compared to those famous flowers and plants, this so-called "demon flower" has a unique beauty.

"Isn't it beautiful?"

Zuo Ling'er flitted about like a butterfly, joyfully roaming through the flower field, laughing as she crouched down and stroked the blossoms with her hands.

"I collected the seeds of these fairy flowers bit by bit and spent a lot of effort to grow them."

Zuo Ling'er looked up at Li Yi with a proud and smug expression, her smile more beautiful and radiant than any flower.

In this situation, Li Yi felt a soft spot in his heart being touched.

The girl before me was just like this enchanting flower, growing tenaciously among the towering mountains. Even though she was beautiful and charming in full bloom, she went unnoticed and unnoticed, and in the end, she could only wither away silently.

Beauty fades quickly, youth is fleeting... If she hadn't met this nightingale-like girl, her fate would probably have been like that of those mountain women, trapped in the mountains for their entire lives, marrying, having children, and toiling day after day, their spirit worn away by the ravages of time.

She eventually turned into a handful of dust, and no one in the world ever knew that such a beautiful young girl had ever existed. Just thinking about it makes one feel what a great regret it is.

Li Yi slowly walked up to Zuo Ling'er, reached out and pulled her up, then smoothed the hair at her temples and said softly, "The flowers are pretty, but you are more beautiful than the flowers."

The girl lowered her head shyly and remained silent, the blush on her cheeks spreading rapidly to her ears.

Just then, Li Hanchao turned the corner of the stilted house and saw the two people's intimate behavior. He stopped in his tracks and then turned to leave.

"Hanchao, is something the matter?"

To his surprise, Li Yi had already seen him. Li Hanchao quickly said, "It's nothing serious, I just came to ask if we're going to spend the night here?"

Li Yi nodded and said, "Hmm... that's fine. It's getting late, and the road up the mountain is difficult to walk. It's not safe to travel in the dark. Anyway, there's no rush. Let's rest here for the night and go up the mountain early tomorrow morning."

"Go talk to the mountain people later and see if they can make room for the brothers to stay in the night. You can compensate them with some money... But never mind, we can't understand the mountain people's language. Let Ling'er go instead."

He looked down at Zuo Ling'er in his arms, "Go and ask everyone about this for me."

Zuo Ling'er gave a soft "hmm".

After Li Hanchao left, the two cuddled together for a while, and then Zuo Ling'er went to discuss the matter of staying at the mountain village.

The mountain people naturally dared not have any objections, and even refused to accept the money, willing to give up several rooms for the soldiers free of charge.

However, under Li Yi's firm stance, the mountain people obediently accepted the money.

As night falls, the sky is filled with countless stars, like a painting.

On the platform extending from the stilted house, Li Yi gently embraced Zuo Ling'er. The girl obediently leaned against his strong chest, listening to the powerful beating of his heart, and an unprecedented happiness welled up in her heart.

Not far away, Li Hanchao and several of his personal guards sat around a campfire, all tactfully turning their backs to him and deliberately lowering their voices to chat.

Tonight, the guards will take turns guarding this stilted house. In addition to Li Hanchao leading a few men in front, there are also seven or eight guards stationed behind the house.

As for the remaining personal guards, they slept in several stilted houses nearby, ready to provide support at any time.

"It's so beautiful!"

Looking at the starry sky, Li Yi couldn't help but sigh.

Rarely did he have such a relaxed and pleasant time. Holding the obedient and cat-like Zuo Ling'er in his arms, he was in a daze and returned to his past life, to the naivety of his first love... It's just a pity that his beautiful first love ended in regret.

"Mmm, so beautiful," Zuo Ling'er murmured.

Li Yi looked down at the girl in his arms and met her gaze. The girl's eyes were filled with tears, sparkling like the starry sky.

In this situation, Li Yi's heartstrings seemed to be touched, and a song from a later era floated into his mind. It was his favorite love song, which he had practiced for a long time specifically for confessing his feelings.

He couldn't help but hum a tune—

"I admit it's all the moon's fault. The moonlight is so beautiful and gentle that in that instant, all I wanted was to grow old with you..."

A melodious tune flowed from Li Yi's lips, and he suddenly realized that he seemed to have a talent for singing. With this voice and his handsome appearance, he might have the potential to become an idol in later generations.

But things in this world are often very dramatic.

He clearly had the looks to make a living, but unfortunately, in this cruel and chaotic Five Dynasties period, he could only be a warrior with blood on his hands.

After humming the tune, Li Yi sighed softly and looked down at Zuo Ling'er again, only to find that the little girl's eyes seemed to be filled with tears, and her affection was about to overflow.

"Brother Lang, if only I had met you sooner, sob sob..."

(End of this chapter)