Chapter 203
"Call it Wen He (Grain of Wen)."
Gu Xiyun laughed: "After harvest, His Highness always allows my brother to bring back half a bag. Father and mother can't bear to eat it, waiting until the New Year festival before having the kitchen staff cook it."
Listening to her speak of these matters, Wen Yu recalled her time in Fengyang when every spring planting and autumn harvest, her father would take her and her elder brother to the fields to watch the farmers work. Sometimes they would even personally transplant rice seedlings or harvest grain in the fields.
Her father said that only by seeing with one's own eyes could one understand what "every single grain comes from hard work" truly means. From the year's harvest, one could also judge whether the people could bear the grain taxes levied by the court.
If decisions were made solely based on memorials submitted by local officials, there was no guarantee that some officials wouldn't falsify or conceal the people's harvest situation to protect their own official positions.
In years of poor harvest, if grain taxes were still collected according to bumper years, people would starve to death.
She picked out husks from the new rice and said: "In the early years after arriving in Luodu, Father needed to conceal his abilities. With the Empress Dowager and the Party of Ao watching closely, Father started planting rice in our backyard. During harvest time, he always made my brother and I cut some ourselves, teaching us that 'food is the paramount necessity of the people,' and that grain is the foundation of the state and the root of people's livelihood. No matter when or where, or what position we hold, we must never forget this."
Mentioning the deceased Changlian Wang and his son, Gu Xiyun's expression couldn't help but darken slightly, momentarily unsure how to comfort Wen Yu.
Fortunately, Wen Yu didn't seem trapped in past emotions. She turned to Gu Xiyun and said: "When this rice is harvested, I'll save a bag for you too."
Gu Xiyun immediately smiled and agreed.
She stood up and replaced Zhao Bai in supporting Wen Yu as they were about to enter the palace hall when they heard what seemed like arguing outside Zhaohua Palace. Wen Yu naturally heard it too and called out: "Zhao Bai."
Zhao Bai immediately understood and went to check at the palace gate.
But before Zhao Bai could exit the palace gate, Gu Xiyun heard the loud, tragic cries of an old minister from outside: "Since ancient times, has there ever been precedent for women taking imperial examinations and becoming officials? The Queen has usurped the King and monopolized our Chen Kingdom's governance, yet that's not enough—now she wants to extensively select women as officials? The Queen, to consolidate her power for personal desires, commits this act that violates yin and yang, damaging our Chen Kingdom's national fortune, worse than those like Baosi and Daji..."
There seemed to be more scolding, but because his mouth was covered, only a series of indistinct muffled sounds could be heard.
Gu Xiyun's face immediately darkened, and she turned to go outside the palace gate. Wen Yu spoke up: "Weren't we going to drink the Mingqian Longjing tea from my palace?"
Seeing Wen Yu calm and composed, seemingly not bothered at all by the troublemaking old minister's words outside, Gu Xiyun was nevertheless furious: "Who is that old fool outside? How dare he speak so disrespectfully to Your Highness! I'll go out and teach him a lesson!"
Wen Yu held Gu Xiyun's hand and only said: "With court reforms establishing the female civil service examination, there will always be some conservative old ministers who need to make such fuss."
Shortly after, Zhao Bai entered with his hand on the sword hanging at his waist and reported: "Your Highness, I have ordered people to 'escort' Grand Tutor Ge back."
Wen Yu said: "Grand Tutor Ge has been kneeling outside the palace gate for many days. With the recent summer heat being severe, I imagine his body can't withstand it. Send imperial physicians to his residence to examine him and order him to rest at home for some time. The government affairs currently handled by Grand Tutor Ge shall be temporarily transferred to Morning Cloud Pavilion for processing."Zhao Bai was momentarily taken aback, but after understanding Wen Yu's intention, he cupped his hands in acknowledgment and withdrew to relay the message.
Before Gu Xiyun led the female officials selected from Liang to Chen Kingdom, she had already learned that Wen Yu had established the Morning Cloud Pavilion within the royal palace—a miniature version of the six ministries.
Most of its members were daughters of nobles and high officials, but after the spring examinations next year, talented women from humble backgrounds who passed the civil service exams would also join.
After a moment's contemplation, her anger turned to a smile: "Is Your Highness using one force to counter another?"
The authority of the Morning Cloud Pavilion came from Wen Yu, but the female officials had the support of aristocratic families behind them.
By openly suppressing the old ministers who opposed establishing the female civil service examination and appointing women as officials when the Liang female officials arrived, while simultaneously transferring power to the Morning Cloud Pavilion, Wen Yu created a dilemma.
If the Chen female officials refused this opportunity, they would lose their chance to gain an advantage over their Liang counterparts.
The ministers who had sent their daughters to the palace supported Wen Yu's reform of selecting female officials anyway. Thus, using these aristocratic families to suppress the conservative old ministers' voices was a most calculated move.
Wen Yu lifted the boiling teapot to pour tea into cups: "The art of balance applies everywhere."
Gu Xiyun recalled the old minister's numerous insults against Wen Yu, her expression still dark: "But Your Highness... has likely borne much slander for this. That old fool actually dared say you're doing all this just to consolidate power!"
Wen Yu pushed the freshly poured tea toward Gu Xiyun: "Since ancient times, which emperor or powerful minister hasn't borne slander?"
As she lifted her own teacup, her long lashes cast shadows: "Besides, their claim that I'm consolidating power isn't entirely wrong."
Her casual tone contrasted with Gu Xiyun's tight grip on the teacup and pressed lips. Memories surfaced of visiting Wen Yu at the princely estate long ago, when Wen Yu took her to secretly attend the heir's lessons. Unfortunately, Uncle Yang was present and discovered them, sternly reprimanding them.
Frightened, Gu Xiyun wanted to take full responsibility, claiming she had dragged Wen Yu along out of mischief. But Wen Yu immediately debated with Uncle Yang, demanding to know why women couldn't attend such lessons. When Uncle Yang said men studied those subjects to take imperial exams and govern the country, Wen Yu declared loudly that women could do the same.
Their argument grew so heated that the princess consort had to be summoned to take them away.
Though Wen Yu hadn't shed tears during the public dispute with Uncle Yang, hiding under the backyard swing and poking at flower soil with a twig, her long lashes grew damp as she whispered: "It's unfair."
"Why can't we take the exams?"
Back then, Gu Xiyun comforted her by saying they would surely take exams someday, and she would even become a great general like her father.
Intending merely to cheer Wen Yu up, she was surprised when Wen Yu actually wiped her tears with her sleeve and declared: "Exactly! When Father ascends the throne, I'll have him decree that we can take the exams, and you can join the army as a general! If Father can't do it, we'll wait until Brother becomes emperor to issue these edicts!"
Lost in these memories, Gu Xiyun murmured in an almost inaudible voice: "That's not it at all..."
Wen Yu didn't catch it: "What?"
Gu Xiyun drained the slightly astringent tea in one gulp. Setting down the cup, she said: "I just suddenly feel happy. Now all women in the kingdom can take the exams, and I'll still earn military merits to become a great general."
Wen Yu paused slightly at this.
Some things need not be spoken too explicitly.The two exchanged a glance, sharing a faint smile laden with myriad emotions.
When they first harbored such aspirations, they were still maidens sheltered in their boudoirs, unaware of the vastness of the world and having witnessed little of the people's hardships.
After the fall of their homeland, bearing the blood debt of their entire families, they had trudged step by step to this day, only then realizing the immensity of heaven and earth, the distance of mountains and rivers, and the boiling cauldron-like suffering of the populace across the land.
They had once pinned their hopes on their fathers and brothers to bring about change, but in the blink of an eye, standing amidst this vast landscape, only they remained.
The future now rested on their shoulders to steer the behemoth called the dynasty forward through the course of history.
They further discussed this year's tax exemptions in Chen and Liang territories, as well as the repeated small-scale military probes by Western Mausoleum along Chen's western border. Fortunately, Chen could now temporarily exchange goods with Liang to alleviate financial strains, reducing the burden of corvée and taxes on the people.
Following the incident with the Keji spies, Wen Yu understood clearly that Western Mausoleum sought to dismantle Chen from within. They wouldn't have chosen only the Keji tribe as spies; rooting them all out would be difficult. What drove their cooperation was either profit and survival or the pursuit of fairness.
The Keji tribe became spies for Western Mausoleum precisely because Chen had treated them unjustly.
Over the past six months, Wen Yu had revised Chen's laws to ensure that all tribes settled in Chen territory received fair treatment equal to that of Chen's own citizens.
Although these decrees initially sparked brief opposition in both court and common circles, the entire state of Chen quickly stabilized. Tribes led by the Keji no longer harbored the same animosity toward the Chen people as before.
The voices of opposition and criticism against Wen Yu gradually faded away.
After three rounds of tea, Gu Xiyun finally asked, "Have you decided on a name for the child?"
Wen Yu gazed at the green rice shoots swaying like waves in the courtyard breeze, softly responding, "Wen He."
Since King Chen had become the consort of Liang and the entire state of Chen acknowledged her as ruler, the child would naturally take her surname.
Gu Xiyun said, "That's a good name, suitable for either a boy or a girl."
She then asked, "What about a pet name? Have you chosen one?"
As Wen Yu gently stroked her abdomen, her fingers brushed against the sachet hanging at her waist. Lowering her gaze, she paused briefly before saying, "We'll decide on a pet name after the child is born."
Gu Xiyun, remembering they didn't even know if it was a boy or a girl yet, scratched her head sheepishly and said, "That makes sense."
Looking at Wen Yu's prominently rounded abdomen, she added, "Little seedling, your aunt will come see you after autumn."
The sky was overcast, threatening a sudden downpour. Flags outside the main tent flapped and snapped in the wind.
A scout came rushing over and collided with someone. After apologizing, he recognized Zhang Huai and addressed him as "Military Advisor."
Zhang Huai nodded in acknowledgment and asked, "What's the emergency?"
The scout presented a dispatch, saying, "It's a plea for reinforcements from Weizhou. Wei Tong couldn't hold Yanle Mountain and fled with a group of close followers. General Yuan Fang is now holding Yanle Mountain with his remaining troops. All Northern Wei generals are requesting the Marquis's return to take command."
Zhang Huai took the dispatch and asked, "What about that former Jin princess of the Wei clan?"
The scout replied, "I heard she's being escorted to Madam Wei's maternal family in Zhuozhou for refuge."
Zhang Huai said, "The Marquis is currently discussing the capture of Wucheng with the generals. Give me the letter; I'll take it in with me."
The scout expressed his gratitude and handed the letter to Zhang Huai with both hands.After tucking the letter into his chest, Zhang Huai lifted the tent flap and entered. The commanders stood crowded before the long table, holding their breath in silence as they listened to Xiao Li above them outlining the tactics for the battle to capture Wucheng.
"Tian Qing, take the Eastern Fourth Battalion to intercept reinforcements from Fengshui Village. Liu Bing, lead the Western Third Battalion and join Lu Sheng in attacking the northern city gate..."
Each time Xiao Li called out a commander's name, his gaze swept over them sharp as icy stars, making the generals' hearts tighten instinctively and their postures grow more rigid.
In half a month, he had consecutively seized several cities from Pei Song.
After Yuan Fang was urgently recalled to Yuzhou due to Wei Pingjin's death, and Fan Yuan's Liang army—struggling single-handedly—had no choice but to retreat to the Southern Border first, with the regions east and north of Guanzhong once again occupied by Pei Song's forces, Xiao Li had torn open another breach and pressed his army straight toward Luodu.
Anyone could see that these recent battles had been fought with urgency and ferocity, as if he could no longer endure something and refused to delay even a moment longer.
What happened to Northern Wei, what happened to the Northern Border—it all seemed to have nothing to do with him anymore.
During these days, envoys from Northern Wei came every now and then, but Xiao Li did not receive a single one.
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