Sweep Yuan

Chapter 133 Marrying a Beautiful Wife is a Blessing

In his report, Wu Liujin detailed the course of the Battle of Huaiyuan, his policies after the city fell, and three other matters for his approval and reporting.

The first is the construction of the urban defense system in Huaiyuan County.

In addition to the usual construction of city walls and the addition of defensive facilities such as moats, arrow towers, and ramparts, Wu Liujin also planned to build a water fortress five miles upstream of the Huai River and the Wo River, taking into account the unique geographical features of Huaiyuan County, in order to construct a more complete defense system.

The Huai River and the Huaiyuan section of the Wo River are not very wide. The two water forts are designed to garrison only a little over a hundred people each. The amount of work is not large and it does not cost much money or food. However, to establish a small naval force, it is necessary to report to Marshal Shi.

Second, a survey of pig iron production in Huaiyuan County was conducted.

Iron ore deposits are distributed in the area from Jingshan to Tushan within the territory, but the deposits are relatively deep and mostly of medium to low grade, and the mining conditions are not very good. The Yuan court did not establish an iron smelting commissioner in Huaiyuan, and the county government did not have data on the annual iron production within the territory.

Feng Guosheng consulted many locals before confirming that there were several small, privately run iron smelting workshops, and even visited two of them.

As a result, it was discovered that these workshops all used small earthen furnaces built as needed. After firing, the furnaces had to be smashed to extract the iron, and the crude iron produced had to be returned to the furnace and repeatedly forged before it could be used.

Even with such crude production, the output was pitifully low. Each family secretly produced their own material, and after mining, they would temporarily take soil to build furnaces. They might only fire one furnace every few years, or they might fire several furnaces a year. There was no fixed rule.

Feng Guoyong calculated that the county's annual iron production was estimated to fluctuate between several hundred and a thousand jin. To meet the needs of expanding the army, it was necessary to abandon these private workshops whose output and quality were not guaranteed, and establish a government-run system for the Red Flag Battalion.

Thirdly, the number of people and the amount of land in the county.

Because the land registers and population registers were destroyed in the war, which made it difficult for the new government to mobilize manpower and resources, Feng Guoyong planned to complete them step by step.

First, in conjunction with the repair of city defenses, take advantage of the opportunity for laborers to receive daily wages and grain, and gradually establish a register of people in the villages inside and outside the city.

Once they had established a firm foothold, they organized people to go to the countryside and, under the pretext of changing the seals of the landowners, re-registered and created a register.

The three matters were reported in a specific order, and their actual implementation also varied in urgency and importance.

Only by strengthening the city's defenses and ensuring that the Yuan army could not arbitrarily enter and cause destruction could they safely mine iron ore. With iron, the Red Flag Battalion could continue to expand its army. In order to maintain a stable rule in Huaiyuan for a long time, it was essential to thoroughly investigate the population and land within the territory.

However, that happened later.

Wu Liujin and Feng Guoyong quickly got a pretty good grasp of Huaiyuan's situation in just a few days. Shishan was quite satisfied with their pragmatism and efficiency, but the backward state of Huaiyuan's iron smelting industry still left him speechless.

In fact, long before the battle, Shi Shan learned that Huaiyuan had iron mines but no iron smelting industry, so he provided Feng Guoyong with some ideas for large-scale iron smelting, such as utilizing water power, division of labor and cooperation, and intensive production.

Feng Guoyong also asked private ironworkers about this issue, and the answer he received was that increasing the number of miners, using water to crush ore, and building blast furnaces to smelt iron could indeed increase production capacity by more than ten times or even more.

However, while craftsmen understood that molten iron could be produced continuously without breaking the furnace by tapping it at high temperatures, they were unclear about the specific furnace temperature required, how to prevent the furnace walls from being burned through, and how to prevent the ore from sintering.

The man suggested that Magistrate Feng build several large furnaces at the same time, so that if the sintering failed, there would be spare furnaces available.

Although Shishan had a wide range of interests, he only had a superficial understanding of iron smelting technology and was naturally unable to answer these professional questions.

He could only provide a general technical direction, roughly establish incentive policies such as redeeming skilled craftsmen to attract them and replacing taxes with mining, and instructed Feng Guoyong not to worry about money and food, to experiment boldly, to accumulate experience first, and then gradually increase pig iron production capacity.

As for steelmaking, which is even more technically challenging, Shishan doesn't dare to even think about it right now.

He had considered casting cannons before, but cast iron cannons weigh several thousand kilograms each, and Huaiyuan's current technology and production capacity made that idea out of the question.

Everything is difficult at the beginning, but no matter how difficult the beginning is, it is still the beginning. Even without control of the iron ore area, Hongqiying was able to develop to this day. With the iron ore, it will certainly not be worse.

Shi Shan's instructions to Wu Liujin and Feng Guoyong were to prioritize stability and gradually build up their strength. He knew that the wedding was coming up tomorrow and there would be no time to deal with government affairs, so Shi Shan quickly wrote a reply and sent it to Huaiyuan.

……

The next morning, the groom was supposed to accompany his father to the ancestral hall for a wine ceremony to instruct him on how to inherit the clan's responsibilities. However, the Shi family was a military household without a clan lineage, and the father had died early, so this step was skipped.

Previously, Guo Zongli, the magistrate of the Ministry of Rites, had suggested that Marshal Shi's achievements were sufficient to comfort his ancestors, and that a temple could be established for him.

Shishan refused, citing that "without the arrival of his relatives, he cannot establish a clan alone."

The few fragmented memories he retained from his previous life only gave him vague impressions of his biological father and mother. He didn't even know his grandfather's name, let alone his great-grandfather or great-great-grandfather.

If one establishes a family temple but only sets up memorial tablets for the parents, wouldn't that be a joke?

After washing up, Shi Shan, with the help of his maids, put on a red round-necked kylin robe, a red brocade shawl, a black gauze hat, a gold flower in his hair, a gold-inlaid white jade silk belt, and embroidered boots with two dragons chasing pearls.

This outfit, compared to his usual armored look, has less of a menacing aura but more of a heroic air.

The guards had already prepared their ceremonial procession and were waiting outside the courtyard. Once the marshal was dressed and mounted his purple horse, they set off with gongs and drums. People from the city had already stopped to watch this rare and joyous scene and salute Marshal Shi on horseback.

The soldiers of the Red Flag Battalion set up checkpoints along the streets, and although the people were excited, no one dared to bump into the welcoming procession.

At the residence of Liu Xingge, the chief secretary, the bride, Liu Ruoyun, wore a red round-necked cloud-shoulder robe, a five-phoenix crown (symbolizing the completeness of the five virtues), and a five-colored shawl. Early in the morning, under the supervision of her father, she completed the wedding ceremony.

At this time, he was already waiting in the main hall with his mother, Liu Chenshi, for Shishan to personally welcome him.

In ordinary families, the son-in-law must personally visit the bride's parents-in-law, pass through layers of "checkpoints," and perform a kneeling ceremony.

However, there is a distinction between ruler and subject. As the marshal, Shi Shan could not follow customary etiquette. As soon as the welcoming party arrived in front of the mansion, Liu Xingge personally went out to greet him, led Shi Shan into the main hall, and handed his daughter over to him directly.

Because the bride was wearing a red veil, Shi Shan could not see his wife's face for the time being. He only bowed four times (not kneeling) to Liu Xingge and his wife under the guidance of Guo Zongli to say goodbye.

The words "be a good wife and do not distract your husband from household affairs" had been repeatedly given to him a few days ago. Liu Xingge only went through the motions by reminding her to "do not disobey day and night." His wife put the family heirloom jade pendant on their daughter, and that was the end of the ceremony.

After leaving the Liu residence, Marshal Shi rode ahead on horseback, followed by his bride, Shi Liu, in a carriage. The procession was accompanied by musicians playing the gourd flute and bells, guarded by a personal guard, and followed by maids. They then scattered lucky money along the way and received a deafening roar of blessings from the people as they returned to the Marshal's residence.

After renovation, the Marshal's Mansion, with its front office and rear residence, has become a huge courtyard.

In the government office, Shi Shan, holding the bride's hand, walked up to the main seat and sat down to receive congratulations from his civil and military officials, officially announcing that the Red Flag Battalion had a mistress.

Afterwards, the newlyweds entered the inner courtyard surrounded by everyone, exchanged vows, and drank the nuptial wine together, a lively yet solemn occasion.

Although Shi Shan's generals were bold and dared to say flattering things, none of them actually dared to make a scene in the marshal's bridal chamber. Not long after the ceremony, everyone tactfully dispersed.

Because the wedding ceremony was greatly simplified and the route was very short, an awkward problem arose before noon when the entire ceremony was completed—should they consummate their marriage at this time, or wait until night?

Of course, embarrassment is only for ordinary people. Shishan is not an ordinary person, so he will not feel embarrassed.

The sun was shining brightly outside, and the room was well-lit, so there was no need for red candles; I could carefully admire my wife's beautiful face.

When Shi Shan abducted Liu Xingge's family in Lingbi County last year, he glanced at Liu Ruoyun from afar. At that time, the woman was worried about her reputation being damaged, so she deliberately messed up her hair and covered her face with ash.

In Shi Shan's memory, Liu Ruoyun was quite tall with well-proportioned features. Although her face was covered in dust, her complexion was still quite fair.

When they met again, the bride had a face as full as the moon, skin as white as snow, a broad and round forehead, a square jaw, a straight nose like a jade peak, phoenix eyes as gentle as spring mountains shrouded in mist, cheeks flushed like the first bloom of a crabapple, and lips full and red as cinnabar. Her smile was as warm as a spring breeze.

Even though Shi Shan's descendants are used to seeing all kinds of stunning beauties online, they can't help but exclaim in admiration:
"What a magnificent sight of peace and prosperity for the nation!"

"Husband."

Liu Ruoyun was two years younger than Shishan. Although she was poised and generous, she still made Shishan a little shy. She took the initiative to speak, her eyes lowered and her teeth straight and pearly, her voice as clear as a nightingale's song.

"Is my husband thirsty? Let me pour you some tea."

Shishan secretly praised Liu Xingge for his excellent parenting skills. Although it was a political marriage, he was already very satisfied with her appearance and manners.

"Madam please!"

Liu Ruoyun rose to her feet, her steps as graceful as a willow swaying in the breeze, her feet light and steady, her skirt fluttering gently without being disheveled, each step perfectly balanced, subtly conforming to the "Nine Palaces Steps" etiquette. Her hands were clasped at her waist, the jade bracelet on her wrist tapping lightly, the sound like the tinkling of jade pendants, highlighting her dignified charm.

When she turned around and saw that her husband was still staring at her intently, Liu Ruoyun felt both shy and happy. Her face became even redder, and she immediately knelt down, offering the teacup with both hands, raising it to eyebrow level so that the tea did not spill.

"My lord, please have some tea."

Shishan picked up the teacup, drank it all in one gulp. After being busy for half a day, he was indeed a little thirsty. He figured the bride must be thirsty too, so he got up and went to the tea table, pouring himself a cup as well.

"Madam, please!"

"Thank you husband!"

Liu Ruoyun accepted the teacup gracefully, but only lightly pursed her lips, drinking the tea while keeping her mouth moist without showing her teeth.

After finishing her tea, Liu Ruoyun wanted to ask her husband if he wanted some fruit to satisfy his hunger.

Taking advantage of the opportunity to receive the empty teacup, Shishan grasped her delicate, white hand and pulled her into his arms. Instantly, a sweet fragrance filled the air.

Seeing her husband's face getting closer and closer, Liu Ruoyun knew what was about to happen, and said shyly:

"My lord, it's still early."

"It's getting late! The harmony of Yin and Yang, the rites of Zhou Gong, the fundamental principles of human relations, are the natural order and righteousness!"

"Then I will help my husband undress."

"Need not……"

(End of this chapter)