Chapter 26: Li Er's Decision
"Why did he want to sell the seeds to Your Majesty instead of presenting them? Doesn't he understand that 'presenting' and 'selling' have completely different meanings? His family may be short on money, but with Cheng Zhi in charge, there shouldn't be any urgent need for cash. Why is he so anxious to bring up the subject of money? Does he think that presenting the seeds wouldn't result in a reward? Even if he's a virtuous person, it's unusual for him to express himself so hastily and clearly state that his relationship with Your Majesty is purely transactional, without any emotional connection. A 15-year-old youth who makes his stance clear from the very beginning must have ulterior motives. I'm extremely curious about this young man and look forward to meeting him."
Empress Changsun ignored the military dagger in Emperor Taizong's hand and the new method of refining steel, instead focusing on the word "sell" and making a big deal out of it. She had been married to Emperor Taizong for 15 years and knew him very well. If there was something he didn't want to say, she could say it for him; if there were questions he didn't want to ask, she could ask them for him. Even in private conversations between husband and wife, this was the case.
The emperor's hand, which had been rotating the military dagger, paused for a moment before quickly rotating again. After a brief rest, he firmly grasped the hilt and pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe the blade clean. Once the entire dagger was spotless, he wrapped it in the handkerchief and put it back in the wooden box, placing the box on the dragon case before speaking to the empress: "In ancient times, there was the saying 'white clothes disdain kings and nobles.' People with some abilities often have some resistance to etiquette. Yun Ye, who has been dependent on his teacher since childhood, must have picked up some unconventional habits and doesn't quite fit in with the world. In the end, he's just a child, Empress. You're worrying too much. Cow Jin Da presenting Yun Ye's family background to me is clearly an attempt to get me to comfort the Yun clan, using kindness from above to win over their hearts through Yun Ye and make him useful to me. It's not bad, it shows some thought. Fine, let's give face to Cow Jin Da. Summon the person!"
The eunuch holding a feather duster hastened to arrive at the sound, bowing his head and waiting for the emperor's instructions.
"Order the hundred horsemen to gather all members of the Yun family, not a single person can be left out, regardless of where they are. Those who are slaves will be immediately freed, those with low status will be promoted, and all will be sent to the Ping'an County male fiefdom. Order the Ministry of Works to construct the Ping'an County male mansion according to the baronial system, all expenses will be borne by the imperial treasury. The work must be completed before the 15th day of the first month."
A memorial to the throne in the morning, demoted to Chao Yang Road eight thousand miles away in the evening. One word can decide the rise and fall of a dynasty, that is the emperor. The tragic cloud of Han Yu did not appear due to the tight schedule and heavy task, the Ministry of Works quickly organized craftsmen and materials, three days later, a team of 500 builders entered Ping An County, male Fengdi, amidst the rumors, started building Yunfu.
Yun Zhao was already sixty-one years old, with blue cloth wrapped around her graying hair, sitting in a thatched hut with wind blowing through all sides, weaving a new batch of hemp cloth. Da Ya and Er Ya's clothes were worn out, if they couldn't earn enough food before winter arrived, these two frail children might not make it through the winter. Last night's labor had exhausted this old woman's last bit of energy, she cut off the woven hemp knots, sighed, and finally admitted that she was no longer useful with age, her eyesight was getting worse, and the newly tied hemp thread broke again. The old woman rubbed her sore shoulders, looked at the wooden plaque on the table, slowly got up, untied her headscarf, and gently swept away the dust from the plaque. All the men in the Yun family were gone, she still remembered the lively days of the big Yun house. Overnight, the sky had collapsed, her father-in-law, husband, elder brother-in-law, younger brother-in-law, all fell to the ground, crimson blood flowing everywhere, her eldest son wailed and rolled around in the blood, a long knife wound on his chest gushing out blood, she tried to stop it with her hands but couldn't, watching as her son quietly stopped moving. Yun Zhao thought of this and still felt a sharp pain in her heart, there were no more tears in her eyes, she had cried them all dry over the years.
Three families were left with only broken legs, and unfortunately, only two young granddaughters were left behind when they passed away. The nightmare was not over yet, as the married daughter was also divorced by her husband's family. If it weren't for the young granddaughter who relied on herself to survive, Yun Zhao would have given up on life long ago and wanted to leave this cruel world. Without any hope of continuing the family line, no one wanted to marry a girl from the Yun family, even in the new dynasty, where the "Losing Gate Star" was synonymous with all women of the Yun family. The ancestral property left by Lantian had been occupied by officials, wealthy families, and tenant farmers over the years, leaving almost nothing behind. No one sympathized with the Yun family, no one wanted to marry a daughter from the Yun family, not even officials would listen to their plight, because the Yun family were rebels, traitors, regardless of whether it was in the previous or current dynasty. The poor Yun family girls could only become slaves or servants, and lower their status to become songstresses.
"Grandma, I'm hungry," a soft and tender voice suddenly awakened Yun Zhao from her long memories. Da Ya and Er Ya were hugging their legs with their big bright eyes staring at her. Yun Zhao suddenly felt full of energy again, yes, there were still two little ones relying on her.
Embracing the two frail little bodies, my heart is filled with sorrow. No matter what, I must raise these two little ones to adulthood. The fortune teller said that these two children are born with a wealthy and noble fate. No matter how much suffering there is, it will eventually come to an end; no matter how difficult the journey is, it will eventually pass. My family has never done anything to harm heaven or righteousness, why must we suffer such hardships for generations?
In the vast and profound sky, it seemed as if there was an arrangement. Just as Yun Zhao was praying to the heavens for a few more years of life so that she could raise her two children to adulthood, a team of robust knights surrounded a carriage driven by two horses, driving towards the Yun family from the village entrance. The carriage stopped in front of the Yun family's gate, and an old servant in green clothes held a visiting card with both hands and knocked on the worn-out wooden door of the Yun family.
Yun Zhao heard the knock on the door, wondering who it was, as no one would normally knock on the Yun family's door, and people usually just barged in, putting down the firewood they were carrying, and led her granddaughter to the outside of the door.
"The old slave has come at the behest of our master to pay respects to Old Lady Yun," said the old servant, presenting a visiting card with both hands.
Yun Zhao had not received a visiting card for fifteen or sixteen years. The last time someone sent a card to pay respects was when her father-in-law was still alive, and her husband was in good health. She opened the card with some confusion and saw that it read "Cheng Men Pei Shi" with the seal of the Lu Guo Gong Fu (Lu National Duke's Mansion). Yun Zhao was shocked - why would the Lu National Duke's Mansion send a visiting card to an old widow like herself? Just as she was about to say that they had sent the wrong card, a woman with a head full of pearls and jewels got out of a carriage, came before Yun Zhao, and bowed: "I, Cheng Pei Shi, pay my respects to Old Lady Yun."
Yun Zhao was shocked and couldn't close her mouth, but saw that Cheng Pei took out a wooden sign from his sleeve and asked Yun He: "Does the old lady know what it is?"
A peach wood sign, one inch long and half an inch wide, with a thickness of one fen, appeared in front of Yun Zhao. Yun Zhao grasped the wooden sign, flipped it over to look, and saw that on it was written: "Yun male, Ruo". Yun He's mother clutched the wooden sign and burst into loud wailing.
