Chapter 526: Sending troops to fight against the rebels

“I’m not just strolling around!”

Cui Mei was really dissatisfied with her sister’s conclusion and protested, “I am trying to understand the people’s sentiments and listen to their voices. My brother-in-law is so busy and thinks about important matters every day. He has no time to understand the people’s sentiments. Someone must tell him what the people are thinking and what they are worried about. If I don’t listen to the people’s opinions and get their support, I won’t be able to stay as the governor of Jiangnan for long.”

“alright, alright!”

Cui Yu said angrily and amusedly, “Why do you care about your brother-in-law’s affairs all day long? He is in a high position, and his subordinates are responsible for the people’s voices. He is not the only one in charge of the General Administration Office, and he has hundreds of officials under him! How could he not care about the people’s livelihood! Don’t be nosy and don’t run around. If you encounter an assassin, you will have no place to cry!”

Zhang Qiao smiled and said, “Xiao Mei, sister is right. Now is an extraordinary period. Safety is the most important thing. You can go out and play if you want. Let Sister Xiao Ai accompany you next time.”

Cui Mei was about to object, but when she saw her sister’s sharp gaze, she could only pout and say, “Okay!”

She stretched out her hand again and said, “Sister, I have no money, give me some money!”

At night, Xiao Xia worked hard on Xie Ting’s beautiful fields. The princess and Zhang Qiao were both pregnant and could not have sex together. Xiao Qing was also seven months pregnant and it was even more difficult for her to fall asleep. Xie Ting could then enjoy her husband all to herself. Xiao Xia plowed the fields and applied fertilizers every night, and the two of them enjoyed the joy of farming.

Xiao Xia turned over and lay down, feeling a little tired. Xie Ting hugged her husband’s neck and whispered in his ear, “The first movement of plum blossoms is the buds opening, the second movement of plum blossoms is the initial blooming, the third movement of plum blossoms is the fragrance, what is the fourth movement of plum blossoms, my husband?”

“It’s withering!” Xiao Xia said weakly.

Xie Ting couldn’t help but chuckle when she heard her husband’s funny words, and whispered in her ear: “The five movements of plum blossoms are the result, husband, do you want to try harder?”

“Tomorrow is a day off, so have a good rest tonight and come back to Plum Blossom Five Lanes before dawn!”

Xiao Xia reached out and pulled the rope on the wall. A maid quickly came into the room and brought the copper chamber pot into the curtain.

As the night deepened, Xie Ting slept soundly in her husband’s arms, while Xiao Xia held the beauty in his arms but could not fall asleep.

He was still thinking about a piece of urgent intelligence delivered in the afternoon. Li Jing, the governor of Youzhou, was assassinated. Luo Yi became the temporary governor of Youzhou. Gao Jiong believed that Li Jing was assassinated by people sent by the King of Qi. Yang Ling had to prevent himself from being attacked from both sides.

But Xiao Xia was very clear that it must be the Guanlong nobles who assassinated Li Jing, supported Luo Yi to take the throne, and also helped the King of Qi solve the worry of his back.

The key point is that this matter has a great impact. Without Li Jing attacking Yang Ling from behind, the Qi Wang army can rely on the Yellow River and fight against the imperial army heading north with all their strength.

Historically, Luo Yi only seized control of Youzhou in the late period of Daye, but now it has happened five or six years earlier. Yang Ling’s rebellion is likely to completely change history. If the rebellion lasts longer, the three Liaodong battles may be lost, the Yongji Canal cannot be built, and the logistics of Youzhou cannot be guaranteed. The emperor’s Liaodong plan will of course be cancelled.

If the Liaodong War had not happened, would the Sui Dynasty still have fallen? Would the wars of hegemony at the end of the Sui Dynasty still have happened?
Xiao Xia now can’t understand the direction of history. There are too many uncertainties and contingencies.

In a daze, Xiao Xia also fell asleep.

The next day was a holiday, and Xiao Xia did not go to the official residence, but stayed at home to rest for a day.

He was sitting in the study reading a book when his wife came in holding their eight-month-old son. Xiao Xia’s eldest son, Yang Chu, was plump and fair, and could already crawl. He was extremely lively, and when he saw his father, he immediately stretched out his little hands, babbling something. Xiao Xia smiled brightly and took his son from his wife.

“Baby, what do you want to play with Daddy? Rock-paper-scissors, mountain climbing, or horseback riding?”

The little guy stretched out his legs and climbed onto Xiao Xia’s neck. Hey! This meant he was about to ride a horse, so Xiao Xia had no choice but to lie on the ground and let her son ride on her neck while she slowly crawled away. Cui Yu held the little guy tightly, fearing that he would fall off. The little guy was so happy that he danced and laughed.

After crawling on the ground for a few circles, the little guy reached out to grab the table again. It was time to climb a mountain. Xiao Xia stood up and sat down, letting his son climb up along his body. The little guy quickly climbed onto the table and was spinning around on the wide table. This was also his favorite place.

Xiao Xia looked at her son and asked with a smile, “I heard from Xie Ting that she is going shopping with Xiao Mei today. Don’t you want to go with them?” Cui Yu smiled bitterly and said, “I just got pregnant. The doctor told me to walk less and rest more. I don’t have the mood for that. Unlike that damn girl, she goes out shopping all day!”

“You mean Xiaomei?”

Cui Yu nodded, “I’m just worried that she’ll run into an assassin or a scoundrel!”

“Let two female guards follow her. Jiangdu’s security is not very good. It is located at the junction of the north and the south, and there are a lot of immigrants. The government records that the permanent population is 300,000, but in fact there are 600,000. There are all kinds of people here. There must be assassins who want to kill me.”

Cui Yu suddenly became a little worried, “Husband, Xiao Ai also said that our house is not safe, can we move back?”

Xiao Xia nodded. “More than one person has advised me to move back. How about this? I will write a letter to the emperor. If he does not tour the south this year, then we will move in.”

“What if the emperor says he will tour the south next year?”

Xiao Xia smiled and said, “If the emperor decides to tour the south next year, I will build him a Yangzi Palace by the Yangtze River.”

Cui Yu thought for a moment and said, “Xiao Mei heard many old people chatting in the teahouse, saying that if the King of Qi rebelled, the emperor would no longer trust anyone and would not tour the south again. Is that true?”

Xiao Xia picked up his son and smiled, “That’s half right. If I were transferred away and the Jiangnan General Administration Office was abolished, the emperor would still go on a southern tour.”

Cui Yu became even more worried, “My husband, do you mean that the emperor no longer trusts us?”

Xiao Xia shook his head and said, “This is the evil result of the King of Qi’s rebellion. Even the legitimate son rebelled. How could the emperor trust me, a bastard? In fact, he never believed in me. From the beginning, he always asked my eldest brother to tell me what to do. He never talked to me face to face alone!”

“If the emperor transfers my husband away, will he obey and leave?”

“I have no idea!”

In front of his wife, Xiao Xia didn’t want to hide his thoughts. He looked at his son’s cute little face, was silent for a moment, and then said: “I will try my best not to let this happen.”

In Luoyang, Emperor Yang Guang summoned Yuwen Shu and Shi Wansui.

Yang Guang pointed at the map and said slowly: “To attack Hebei, I am considering sending troops in two directions, one to Henei County and the other to Baima County in Dongjun. One of our goals is to recapture Liyang Warehouse, and then use Ji County as a base to seize Wei County and Qinghe County.”

Yang Guang said to the two men, “General Yuwen can lead 80,000 troops to Henei County, and General Shi can lead 50,000 troops to cross the Yellow River at Baima. Your two armies will support each other and meet at Liyangcang.”

Yuwen Shu whispered, “If we cross the Yellow River, can we transfer the navy from Jiangnan Road?”

When it comes to the navy of Jiangnan Road, Yang Guang suddenly said with some displeasure: “Prince Jin said that the navy was sent to Liuqiu Island to wipe out the remnants of Shanyue. They can’t come back for a while, and their warships are all under repair, so there are not many available. It is better to use the ships I prepared to patrol Jiangnan!”

Shi Wansui smiled and said, “Your Majesty, in the second year of Daxiang, I led the army to help suppress the rebellion of Yuchi Jiong. I once crossed the Yellow River at Baima, which was a good place to build a floating bridge. There was no need for warships.”

Yang Guang nodded. “Whether it’s building a floating bridge or using boats, I can provide the means to cross the river. The key is that I want results. Take down Liyang Warehouse and the army will set out in three days!”

The two of them bowed together and said, “We obey your orders!”

(End of this chapter)