Chapter 143: Unrivaled Farming and Warfare (Bonus Chapter 1 for Rain Sister who beats Sir Dybala)

Assassination...
Yang Xuan subconsciously glanced at his eldest nephew.
Why didn't you get stabbed?
Given Chen Huagu's medical skills, encountering poison and slash wounds meant praying to the gods.
However, if the Prince of Wei died here, Yang Xuan wouldn't be able to escape either. The most likely outcome would be transforming instantly from the Magistrate of Taiping into a criminal of Taiping, happily living out his days alongside felons.
He cast a glance at the Prince of Wei.
This was an internal issue for the Prince of Wei, completely unrelated to him.
According to Yiniang's words: No matter how many of the usurping emperor's whelps die, it's no big deal.
Yet at this moment, he was merely a county magistrate, his wings not yet fully grown.
He still needed to bide his time.
According to Suzaku: You should just become a total badass!
When you left Yuanzhou, you acted like a chuni adolescent—how foolish were you?
You stand before the masses, and in an instant, everyone drops to their knees and kowtows, shouting "My Lord." Every talent should be fiercely loyal to you, and every master martial artist should be utterly devoted to you...
Whether emperors or fierce generals, whatever tricks they try against you are completely useless, easily seen through by you, slapped right back with a casual display of superiority, leaving everyone in awe...
Yang Xuan was dumbfounded and said, "How come I feel like that's not a human, that's fucking a deity!"
Suzaku was choked by these words, and the green light stopped flashing for a long time.
Since the Prince of Wei knew this matter had nothing to do with me, why did he summon me?
"Have a look at Wang San."
The Prince of Wei gestured toward the inner room and picked up his wineskin to drink.
Yang Xuan stepped inside and saw Wang San staring blankly ahead, his hand blindly groping at whatever was beside him.
Upon seeing this sight, the "Medical Saint of Taiping" wailed, "Have a safe journey!"
Yang Xuan's forehead was covered in black lines. "Hopeless?"
Chen Huagu shook his head. "Hopeless."
Thud!
Wang San's hand dropped limply, followed by utter silence.
While pressing hard on Wang San's philtrum, Chen Huagu glanced at the guards, his eyes shifting nervously.
"Wake up!"
For fuck's sake, the man is already dead, stop torturing him.
Yang Xuan knew Chen Huagu was just trying to leave a good impression on the Prince of Wei.
He walked back out.
The Prince of Wei tossed the wineskin over.
"Drink!"
Looking at the opening of the wineskin, Yang Xuan felt a bit squeamish about sharing a container with another man.
He held it a short distance from his mouth, poured a mouthful in, and handed the wineskin back.
"When I was in Chang'an, I offended quite a few people."
"Mhm!"
"My temper wasn't very good back then, yet plenty of people insisted on provoking me."
Who?
Yang Xuan thought of the struggles within the imperial family.
The current crown prince's position was "solid" to a hair-raising degree, but everyone knew that for this crown prince to inherit the supreme throne was practically climbing a tree to catch a fish—the probability was zero.
"Many people wanted to see me meet my downfall, and my response was always fists and feet."
Did this refer to the Four Great Clans?
For the crown prince's position to truly solidify, he had to eliminate potential rivals.
The fierce and valiant Prince of Wei was precisely a formidable enemy.
The crown prince's enemies were naturally the enemies of the Four Great Clans.
Yang Xuan glanced at his indifferent eldest nephew, thinking that anyone who could emerge unscathed from such an inescapable net of plots must possess extraordinary methods.
Yet the Prince of Wei had deliberately projected a brutal and boorish persona—this was nothing more than a deception.
Sure enough, there were no fools in the imperial family.
"Ever since I arrived at my fief in Qianzhou, I've distanced myself from those entanglements."
Yang Xuan said, "His Highness is valiant and wise."
"No."
The Prince of Wei said, "An imperial prince who reaches his fief is nothing more than a hog."
Who would harbor ulterior motives against a mere pig?
Yang Xuan's smile was on the verge of cracking.
He glanced up at the moonlight.
Dim!
Not beautiful at all!
Why on earth was this man feeling so sentimental and reminiscing about his past out of nowhere?
"Yet I grew weary of tranquility and longed for action, so I came to Taiping."
This was the trigger for the assassination.
Yang Xuan understood.
His eldest nephew, who was originally just a hog, suddenly took on a refined and handsome appearance upon arriving in Taiping, and next thing you know, he might just transform into a wolf.
You have to hunt wolves early.
"Your Highness, Wang San... has passed."
A guard emerged, looking as grief-stricken as if his own parents had died.
"I know."
The expression on the Prince of Wei's face didn't change in the least.
"Tell me, who wants me dead?"
Yang Xuan turned around.
No one.
Was he asking me?
He had been doing his utmost to avoid getting mixed up in this, precisely fearing he would be dragged into the palace feuds by the Prince of Wei.
"Speak." The Prince of Wei watched him with calm eyes.
He raised the wineskin.
Glug, glug, glug!
His alcohol tolerance was quite good.
Yang Xuan forced a bitter smile. "This subordinate does not know."
The Prince of Wei lowered the wineskin and let out a sigh.
"My hands are feeling a bit itchy right now."
The look he directed at Yang Xuan didn't seem quite right.
If this bastard decided to kill me right now and proclaim to the outside world that I was an assassin as well...
A chill crept down Yang Xuan's spine, and his scalp tingled slightly.
This was forcing him up Mount Liang!
How was he supposed to answer?
The Crown Prince?
The Prince of Wei surely already had that answer in mind.
Then what was the point of asking him?
Was he just bored to death?
Yang Xuan looked up and caught a flash of bewilderment in the Prince of Wei's eyes.
The Emperor?
Yang Xuan instantly dismissed the thought.
If the Emperor wanted to make a move, there was no need for such methods; he could simply find an excuse.
The Prince of Wei had beaten several people bloody in Chang'an, and confinement would have been entirely justified.
Then...
Yang Xuan sighed, "To slaughter one's own kin—it makes one sigh with sorrow."
The Prince of Wei tilted his head back and chugged, at which Yang Xuan said, "I still have matters to attend to on my side..."
The Prince of Wei remained silent, so Yang Xuan took his leave.
Later.
Huang Ping led Chen Huagu out.
"Go back."
"Yes!"
"You may speak freely of tonight's events to anyone."
"..."
"Utter a single word, and you lose your head."
"I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare."
Chen Huagu left drenched in cold sweat.
Huang Ping returned, and seeing the Prince of Wei drinking, he said, "Your Highness, this must be the work of the Four Great Clans."
He stepped forward a few steps and lowered his voice. "His Majesty ordered King Yue to the Southern Frontier and Your Highness to the Northern Frontier. This is clearly meant to keep the Crown Prince and the Four Great Clans in check. Your Highness, this is a magnificent opportunity!"
"Wu Shun was a palace guard back then, assigned to me when I left the palace. Over the years, Wu Shun has been utterly loyal, gradually earning my trust... How many years has it been?"
"Your Highness, six years."
"Six years of forbearance, bursting forth in a single stroke. How long has it been since I arrived in the Northern Frontier? That is to say, the moment the palace decided to send me to the Northern Frontier, they had already resolved to kill me."
Wu Shun forced a bitter smile. "Your Highness, we are still weak right now; we must continue to endure!"
"Indeed!"
The Prince of Wei stood up.
Wu Shun felt a wave of relief, believing the situation was still salvageable.
"Yet I have endured—why shouldn't others?"
Thud!
The wineskin slammed into the ground, the remaining liquor splashing out and tearing the container to shreds.
...
An inn in Qianzhou.
The innkeeper stood behind the counter, smilingly greeting the incoming guests.
Here, one could not only lodge but also dine.
In the main hall, a dozen or so people were currently eating.
The setting sun hung on the horizon, and the interior was somewhat dim.
The innkeeper instructed, "Tell the guests to finish eating early, otherwise we won't serve once it's pitch black."
Such a miser that he couldn't even spare oil for a lamp!
The waiter inwardly complained, but still went to deliver the message.
"My lords, it's getting dark soon, please finish eating quickly."
"Can't you even light a lamp?"
"That's right! The nighttime curfew rules aren't that strict these days, we still want to drink for a while."
In the corner, a man was drinking alone.
He was bald, and the setting sun shone on his bald head, making it gleam with a golden light.
The bald man looked up. "I'd like to order another dish."
The chef had already gone to rest... but the waiter still maintained his professional ethics and asked, "What dish?"
"Meat."
"What kind of meat? We have chicken, mutton, and pork as well, though pork is rather gamey and greasy, I'm afraid the guest won't be used to it."
The bald man stared at the innkeeper. "You should recognize me."
The innkeeper's expression remained unchanged as his right hand quietly reached beneath the counter to grope for a blade.
"The guest's words... I don't quite understand."
"You certainly understand."
The bald man stood up.
"You've been in Qianzhou for six years. Exactly half a month after His Highness was enfeoffed in Qianzhou, you opened this inn. Has business been good?"
The innkeeper's hand grasped the hilt of a blade beneath the counter. "What is the guest talking about?"
The bald man stood before the counter.
"His Highness ordered me to come and kill you."
The hand beneath the counter tightened fiercely around the hilt.
A crazed look erupted in his eyes.
Whoosh!
Blade wind shrieked.
The bald man's hand was faster.
Just as the saber was being swung, a punch landed.
Thud!
The innkeeper flew backward as a whole, slamming into the cabinet behind him.
Thud!
He remained plastered against the cabinet, his eyes bulging; blood slowly oozed from his eyes, nose, mouth, and even ears.
Thump!
He collapsed straight down.
On the cabinet behind him was a human-shaped indentation.
Yuan Fei walked out of the inn and instructed, "Report to His Highness, the target is dead."
"Understood!"
Several horsemen galloped toward the north.
Yuan Fei rode all the way back to the Prince's Mansion.
"Is the Princess consort in?"
"She is."
Yuan Fei arrived before the inner courtyard gate.
A moment later, he was led inside.
The Princess consort was dining.
Her face round as a silver platter, with a heroic spirit between her brows, she put down her chopsticks, and a maid behind her handed over a cup of tea.
The Princess consort took a sip of tea to rinse her mouth, a maid presented a spittoon, and she parted her red lips slightly to spit it out, wiping her lips with a handkerchief.
"What is it?"
Outside, Yuan Fei reported, "Princess, that man is already dead."
The Princess consort said indifferently, "Was he killed fair and square?"
"Yes."
"In that case, the Four Great Clans should now understand His Highness's attitude."
"Yes."
"His Highness's situation over there is perilous; you are to go to Taiping and guard him well."
"Yes. But... the safety of the estate..."
The Princess consort's voice turned abruptly cold. "Without you, Yuan Fei, am I simply destined to wait for death? Go!"
—Get the hell out!
Yuan Fei took his leave.
The swelling on Lady Zhao's face had subsided, though her cheeks remained bruised. She stepped forward and curtsied slightly.
"Princess, His Highness provoked a murderous intent back in Chang'an while in Taiping, and the safety of the estate cannot be underestimated either."
"I know."
Outside, someone was weeping.
The Princess consort said coldly, "It's not dark yet, it's not time to wail to ghosts and spirits."
A delicate-looking woman walked in. After paying her respects, she choked out, "Princess, this maid cannot help but worry about how His Highness is doing in Taiping. I've heard it's impoverished over there—when has His Highness ever suffered such hardship? Just thinking about it breaks this maid's heart."
The Princess consort tapped the table. "Want to go to Taiping to monopolize his favor? Not a bad idea."
The woman looked up, her tear-filled eyes hazy. "Princess, this maid is merely worried about His Highness."
"I'm not dead yet, so it's not your turn to worry about His Highness!" The Princess consort pointed at the woman. "You look like you're full of suppressed fire. Fast for two days, only given water, to cool your temper."
"Princess..."
"Get out!"
The Princess consort stood up, and a steward stepped forward. "Princess, someone wants to do business under the banner of the Prince's Mansion and is willing to pay a share of the profits."
"Speak no more of business. One rule: those who wish to do business with the Prince's Mansion must do so honestly and down-to-earth. Anyone trying crooked and devious paths shall be driven out without exception."
"Yes."
"Princess!"
That woman struggled and lunged forward.
That fragile and tender appearance would have made even a woman like Lady Zhao's heart flutter.
The Princess consort remained indifferent.
The woman lunged forward, just as she was about to kneel.
The Princess consort kicked the woman over and slowly walked out.
She stood upon the steps, where the stewards below stood in neat rows.
"His Highness was assassinated in Taiping, and hearts are fluttering within the mansion. Who wants to leave?"
No one answered.
"His Highness will not die! As long as I am here, the Prince of Wei's Mansion will not fall!"
The group of stewards lowered their heads.
"Yes."
...
"Your Highness."
Yuan Fei hurried to Taiping.
"The Princess consort ordered this humble subordinate to come and offer my service."
"Is that woman worried about becoming a widow?"
"..."
"How is Chang'an?"
"Back in Chang'an, it is rumored that the Crown Prince is exceedingly filial."
"A benevolent father and a filial son." A hint of mockery filled the eyes of the Prince of Wei. "To be able to hand over even his own princess consort into the palace—since ancient times, I have never witnessed such filial piety."
He kept one thought unsaid: *Since ancient times, I have also never witnessed such an affectionate and lenient old father.*
"Yes."
The Prince of Wei asked, "Does Chang'an have any opinions regarding the Northern Frontier?"
Yuan Fei replied, "Chang'an has plenty of critical words for Huang Chunhui, saying he fears battle and refuses to advance. Although defeating over five,,000 enemy troops last time was counted as a great victory nonetheless, Chang'an claims that the Northern Frontier raises over a hundred thousand soldiers, pointlessly wasting the national treasury for zero effect."
The Prince of Wei suddenly laughed.
"Huang Chunhui is known as 'Old Muddle-head'; how do you suppose he will respond?"
...
Spring plowing was busy.
Yang Xuan felt that patrolling around a bit would suffice.
Waking up early in the morning, Cao Ying and Yiniang were waiting outside.
Both wore serious expressions.
"Is this... did the Prince of Wei die?"
Ahem!
Cao Ying's cheek twitched. "My Lord, today is the day to go down to the fields."
"Me go to the fields?" Yang Xuan only knew how to hunt; farming...
"Indeed!" Yiniang turned around. "Fourth Lady."
Fourth Lady walked over holding a set of garments.
Coarse cloth garments.
The belt was a hemp rope.
"My Lord shouldn't look down on these! The sages of antiquity wore these very clothes and led our ancestors through brambles and thorns, and only then did we have the prosperous Central Plains." Yiniang chattered away while helping him change his clothes.
"All done."
Yiniang stepped forward and inspected him carefully.
"My Lord is valiant... and handsome!"
Yang Xuan felt that using "handsome" to praise a man was a bit much.
"Fourth Lady, isn't that right?" Yiniang asked.
Zhang Siang nodded. "Yes."
Yang Xuan felt a bit lightheaded with pride.
"A woman's praise is a man's driving force. Little Xuangzi, go on and be a perpetual motion machine." Suzaku piped up.
Stepping out of the county office, diagonally across the street, Yue Er walked out with two children, bowed, and said, "May the Magistrate excel in both agriculture and warfare!"
"May the Magistrate excel in both agriculture and warfare!"
The surrounding commoners bowed as well.
Yang Xuan solemnly returned the bow.
The ancient sages led the ancestors through hardships to reach this very day, farming in times of peace and living in harmony. When foreign tribes bared their fangs, these seemingly simple farmers would pick up weapons, mount warhorses, and march wave after wave onto the battlefield.
Unrivaled in agriculture and warfare!
This was the faith of the people of the Central Plains!
We pray for peace.
Yet we never abandon the means to defend peace!
Yang Xuan felt as though he were a sapling; when he first set out from Yuanzhou, his root system was shallow. His experiences in Chang'an were like a process of fertilization.
Upon reaching the Northern Frontier, he felt his roots extending deeper step by step.
And the nourishment was precisely these acts of faith.
Only by integrating oneself and driving your roots deep into this land could you draw forth that faith.
"The Magistrate is here."
Urging on the plow was rather boring; it essentially meant swinging a hoe to turn over soil that had already been tilled, followed by a group of officials and commoners singing praises on the sidelines...
"The Magistrate wields a hoe with consummate mastery."
"The Magistrate's tilling shows he's a true expert at the craft."
"The Magistrate..."
Yang Xuan simply felt a sense of harmony and contentment as he drank a mouthful of peasant water, then ruffled the hair of a few children playing noisily in the fields.
"Hello, Magistrate."
A little girl looked at him timidly.
"Why am I good?"
Yang Xuan teased with a question.
The little girl thought for a moment and said, "Mother said that only when the Magistrate comes can we leave the city to farm, and only by farming can we have food to eat. The Magistrate gives us food, so the Magistrate is good."
"This little girl's logical deduction is impeccably structured. Little Xuangzi, see if she's a mathematical genius." Suzaku seemed lonely.
Yang Xuan smiled warmly and said, "From now on, you'll eat even better."
"Yay!" The little girl smiled happily.
Yang Xuan ruffled her head again, straightened his back, and looked out into the distance.
In the distance, a flock of sheep moved slowly, looking just like drifting white clouds.
Herds of horses galloped past, urged on by the shouts of the herdsmen.
Yang Xuan had never felt time to be so tranquil and beautiful.
The sound of hooves interrupted his reverie.
"Magistrate Yang, the Governor summons you."