??Chapter 55: 055 Be cautious in your words and actions (first update)
Chapter 55: 055 Be cautious in your words and actions (first update)
Zuo Ang rode straight to Shulu Xi, dismounted his horse, knelt down, and bent his arm to salute, saying, “Greetings to Lord Shulu, I co on the Khan’s orders to provide support.”
As Shulu Xi held a higher official position than Zuo Ang, it was proper to kneel and bow.
Shulu Xi hurriedly helped Zuo Ang to his feet and said, “Thank you for your efforts, General Zuo.”
Zuo Ang asked, “Lord Shulu, what is the current situation in Yanzhou?”
Shulu Xi honestly reported, “The administrative and military officials in Yanzhou have started a rebellion; I must urgently report back to the Khan.”
Zuo Ang said, “Lord Shulu, please inform
about the details in the city, I fear that delays might cause complications.”
After Shulu Xi recounted the situation in detail, Zuo Ang bent his arm and saluted, saying, “I ask that Lord Shulu convey to the Khan that I shall enter Yanzhou first to suppress the rebellion.”
“Very well, General Zuo, be extrely careful in all matters,” said Shulu Xi.
Zuo Ang allocated over fifty Lieyan Soldiers to escort Shulu Xi back to Shangjing, while he led the remaining nine hundred or so Fla Army troops to Yanzhou to quell the rebellion.
As Shulu Xi and his party mounted their horses, soone who watched the procession moving further into the distance, expressed their concern, “Lord Shulu, the waters in Yanzhou are very deep. Can General Zuo withdraw safely?”
Shulu Xi answered, “Why do you think the Khan values General Zuo so highly? It’s not rely because he’s skilled in martial arts and is brave in battle, but also because he can understand the tis, is full of wit and wisdom, and knows when to advance or retreat. Since General Zuo has made this decision, it ans he has already made his calculations.”
The person said, “I understand.”
Shulu Xi continued, “We must hurry back to Shangjing before dawn to provide General Zuo with a justified reason for the nightti suppression of the rebellion; otherwise, it could be turned against us.”
Hearing this, no one dared to delay; they spurred their horses into a gallop, and soon vanished into the night.
The next morning, Li Xianyun got out of bed and washed up.
Perhaps because she was very tired the day before, she had slept soundly through the night.
After washing up, she sat down at the vanity table to comb her hair and apply her makeup.
Youlan and Zhuo Ma attended her at her side.
Zhuo Ma comnted offhandedly, “Your Highness, the Khan went to the Hall of Diligent Governance before dawn today. I wonder what has happened.”
Li Xianyun glanced at her and said, “Zhuo Ma, you and Youlan may inform
of anything that happens within the Khan Palace, but not a single word to the outside.”
Zhuo Ma replied, “Yes.”
Li Xianyun addressed Youlan and Zhuo Ma, “You two convey my orders to everyone in the Khan Palace: they must be careful with their words and actions, not to speak out of turn about anything they hear or see, and especially not to speculate wildly. Whoever disobeys will be expelled from the palace and never rehired.”
Youlan and Zhuo Ma bent their arms and saluted solemnly, saying, “We shall obey.”
Although Li Xianyun was kindhearted, she was not a doormat. She had her own limits, especially disliking those who stirred up trouble and wished for chaos. She would absolutely not tolerate anyone who could not keep to themselves.
After Li Xianyun finished her makeup, she had a light al. Noticing the chief of the food preparation departnt looked troubled, she asked, “What’s wrong?”
The chief replied, “Your Highness, last night the Khan said he would have breakfast in the Khan Palace. The food has been prepared. Should we send it to him?”
Li Xianyun said, “No need, the Khan surely does not like being disturbed by soone from the harem during his morning court.”
It seed, according to Zhuo Ma, that Yelu Yan had so urgent matters to handle. At this critical mont, it was best not to add to the confusion.
The chief of the food preparation departnt responded, “As you wish.”
Li Xianyun, having finished her al, asked Youlan to take four or five palace servants and maids to the western fields to plant garlic, onions, and leeks, along with so other vegetables.
Youlan had been with Li Xianyun for a long ti and was quite experienced in farming.
Once Li Xianyun had given her instructions, she approached the desk, unrolled the rice paper, picked up her brush, dipped it in ink, first wrote a prescription for Nata’s mother, then began to draw construction plans for the Drying Room.
She needed to hurry and prepare these two items, allowing Bater to deliver them to Nata and Habu as soon as possible.
The prescription was easy to write, but the construction blueprint for the Drying Room was more troubleso.
It wasn’t just a matter of sketching out the exterior and the exploded view of the Drying Room, but also noting the size of the mud bricks, as well as the length, width, and height of the Drying Room, the facilities inside, and the construction deadline and special considerations, all in ticulous detail.
By the ti she had finished the drawings, it had already reached noon.
Li Xianyun handed these two items to Bater, saying, “Bater, make a personal trip, these two things are very important, there can’t be any slip-ups.”
Each day of delay ant a day less of silver earnings.
And Nata’s mother’s illness would also suffer setbacks.
Bater bowed with his arm across his chest and said, “This humble official will attend to it imdiately.”
Li Xianyun asked, “I forgot to ask you yesterday, can you trust your relatives in the East Market?”
Bater replied, “Reporting to the princess, he and I have a relationship that has been forged through life and death, he can be trusted.”
Li Xianyun nodded and said, “That’s good, but don’t tell him too much. The fewer people who know about this matter, the better, so as to avoid any unnecessary complications and troubles.”
“This humble official understands,” Bater said.
“Go and take care of it quickly.”
“Yes!”
After Bater left, Li Xianyun stretched lazily, flexed her fingers, and walked outside.
The Khitan climate was dry, and the sun was always strong, the sky clear.
It was only after arriving in Khitan that she had seen such a blue sky and such white clouds.
Li Xianyun headed to the fields in the west, where Youlan and Zhuo Ma, along with a group of palace servants and maids, had planted garlic, onions, and chives, and had also scattered seeds of small rape and Chinese cabbage.
At the mont, they were pressing rose branches along the edges of the fields, which Li Xianyun had ordered soone to break off from the flower garden by the Qingyan Pool.
The rose was extrely hardy; its branches, once pressed into the soil, could survive. In the following years, there was no need for replanting. When spring arrived, they would sprout and bloom once again, producing many lateral branches. Clusters of densely packed roses of various colors decorated the area, both beautiful and convenient to maintain.
Beyond that, Li Xianyun also planned to plant so night-blooming jasmine.
She was very fond of the scent of night-blooming jasmine.
When Li Xianyun approached, everyone promptly greeted her, “We pay respect to the Princess.”
Li Xianyun said, “You have all worked hard. I have asked the al-preparation hall to prepare so ice porridge, which you all can drink after you’re done.”
“Thank you, Princess,” everyone said with a smile.
Li Xianyun picked up the black seeds of the night-blooming jasmine and pressed them into the prepared holes.
Zhuo Ma said, “Please let
do that, Your Highness.”
Li Xianyun smiled and said, “It’s alright. I enjoy watching the seeds I plant slowly sprout and grow until they blossom and bear fruit; it’s a great pleasure.”
Zhuo Ma could only desist from insisting further.
Li Xianyun was quite adept at the task. She bent down to press the seeds into the shallow pits she had made, and as she walked by, she used her foot to cover them with soil.
People had thought the Princess was a delicate lady who wouldn’t soil her hands, but she proved to be more skilled at the work than they were.
While they were busy working, a cute little head peeped out from behind a rockery, staring unblinkingly at the group of people, finally resting its gaze on the most beautiful person among them.
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