xymnovel Chapter 80 Homecoming
Chapter 80 Homecoming
Upon hearing this, Liu Bei immediately stood up, bowed deeply to Hou Chong, and said solemnly, "This marriage is entirely up to you, sir."
"I will draft a memorial today and send it to the prefectural government by fast horse so that I may request leave to return home and get married."
Hou Chong laughed heartily when he saw that he agreed so readily, and quickly helped him up, feeling even more satisfied.
What he valued was not only Liu Bei's courage and talent, and his status as a member of the Han imperial family.
It is precisely this calm and responsible character, this sense of keeping one's promises, that makes it safe for my daughter to entrust her life to him.
After leaving the governor's mansion, Liu Bei immediately returned to the commandant's office to arrange important military and political affairs in Liaoxi during his leave.
He first summoned Wang Lie, Xu Rong, and Tian Yu, and handed them over the documents stamped with the seal of the Commandant. The instructions were clear and the responsibilities were well-defined.
He instructed Wang Lie, "Mr. Yanfang, during my absence from the prefecture, you will be in charge of all military, political, and administrative affairs in Liaoxi Prefecture."
"The most important thing is that the established policy of integrating Han and Hu people must not be shaken. The farming and herding affairs of the Xianbei villages must be inspected at all times. Any officials who mistreat the surrendered people should be dismissed immediately and severely punished without exception."
"Secondly, the accounts of Su Shuang and Zhang Shiping's trade routes, as well as the income and expenditure accounts of the Jin Cao and Shi Cao, must be checked monthly to ensure that the treasury is full and the trade routes are unobstructed."
"Thirdly, regarding the administrative affairs of each county, you have full authority to make decisions on any difficult matters without waiting for my return."
Wang Lie bowed and accepted the document, solemnly saying, "Rest assured, my lord, I will do my duty to ensure the stability of Liaoxi and live up to your trust."
Turning to Xu Rong, Liu Bei's tone became more stern: "Xu Rong, you will temporarily command the defense of Yangle City and the troops of the entire prefecture."
"During my absence from the prefecture, the border scouts must not be relaxed for even a day. The beacon towers and fortifications along the Liao River must be inspected daily to prevent small groups of Xianbei cavalry from raiding southward."
"The training of the new army must not be interrupted. We must continue to follow the procedures I set, with one drill every three days and one exercise every five days, to ensure that the soldiers' combat effectiveness does not decline."
"In the event of a sudden war, you may act first and report later, and have full authority to command all troops in the county."
Xu Rong knelt on one knee, accepted the military tally, and said in a booming voice, "This subordinate obeys!"
"We will ensure the safety of the Liaoxi border and the stability of the city's defenses, leaving our lord with absolutely no worries!"
Finally, looking at Tian Yu, Liu Bei's tone softened considerably: "Guorang, during my absence from the prefecture, you will be in charge of overseeing the resettlement of displaced people, the verification of land acreage, and the repair of water conservancy projects in each county."
"After spring plowing, field management is especially important. It is imperative to send agricultural officials to the countryside to provide guidance, and to ensure that the people do not miss the farming season."
"Also, you must frequently correspond with Linyu and Lingzhi to coordinate the allocation of grain and military supplies among the counties, and make sure there are no mistakes."
Tian Yu bowed and accepted the order, his eyes full of admiration: "Rest assured, my lord, I will handle everything properly, ensuring the livelihood of the people in each county is stable and the treasury is full."
Subsequently, Liu Bei issued another order, commanding Han Dang to select one hundred elite warriors to accompany him and escort him back to his hometown of Zhuojun.
Cheng Pu led another hundred men to escort Hou Chong back to Juyang in Shanggu to prepare for the wedding.
More than ten days later, the imperial edict from Luoyang arrived.
Emperor Ling of Han already had a good impression of Liu Bei, so he immediately granted him leave for marriage and even bestowed upon him ten bolts of brocade and a hundred gold pieces as a sign of his favor.
With everything arranged, Liu Bei, accompanied by Han Dang and a hundred elite soldiers, traveled lightly and bid farewell to Wang Lie and his men, riding south to his long-lost hometown of Zhuojun.
Heading south, after leaving Liaoxi, they entered the territory of Youzhou.
After more than ten days, they arrived at Zhuo County, Zhuo Prefecture.
After several years, his hometown remained unchanged. However, when the people in the streets and alleys saw Liu Bei's entourage, they all gathered around and greeted him warmly, calling him "Xuande" and "Lord Liu" affectionately.
The boy who once wove mats and sold shoes has now become a military commander in charge of a prefecture, a hero who protects the people of the region. The elders and folks of Zhuo County are all proud of him.
Liu Bei first returned to his old family home.
He pushed open the courtyard gate, and his mother was sitting in the courtyard weaving a mat. When she saw him enter, the shuttle in her hand suddenly fell to the ground. She stood up shakily, and her eyes instantly reddened.
"Mother, your child is back."
Liu Bei quickly stepped forward, knelt down in front of his mother, and choked with emotion.
Liu held his shoulders, looked him up and down, tears streaming down her face, laughing and crying at the same time: "Good, good, it's good that you're back."
"My son, you've grown taller and stronger, and you've become successful."
The mother and son embraced and wept, talking for a long time.
His mother held his hand and asked about his recent situation.
"Mother, now that I have established myself in western Liaoning, after I get married, I will bring you to western Liaoning to enjoy your old age, and you will no longer need to worry about these things."
Liu Bei held his mother's hand and said solemnly.
Liu smiled and shook her head, patting his hand and saying, "There's no need for that. A true man's ambition lies in all corners of the world. Just focus on your work."
"My mother is getting old, and it's hard for her to leave her homeland!"
"Now that you've made something of yourself and have a good marriage, even if your mother dies, she can close her eyes and go to see your father in peace."
Liu Bei quickly and gently comforted his mother for a long time before she stopped crying and started smiling.
After settling his mother in, Liu Bei prepared generous gifts and, accompanied by Han Dang, went to his uncle Liu Yuanqi's house the next day.
Liu Yuanqi was his paternal uncle, the head of the Liu clan, and had given him a second chance at life.
If it weren't for his uncle's generous help back then, he would never have had the chance to become Lu Zhi's apprentice, let alone achieve what he has today.
When he arrived at Liu Yuanqi's residence, the elders of the clan had already received the news and were gathered in the hall, waiting for his arrival.
Among them was his uncle, Liu Zijing.
Unlike Liu Yuanqi's appreciation, Liu Zijing once rebuked Liu Bei for saying "riding in a carriage with a feather canopy," warning him, "Do not speak recklessly, or you will bring ruin upon my family."
However, that's how it is with relatives; there are good relationships and bad relationships, so there's no need to worry too much.
Upon his entry, the crowd rose to greet him, each with their own distinct attitude.
Some were genuinely happy for him, some were sycophants with fawning faces, and others were jealous and displeased. All walks of life were on display in this one room.
Sitting in the main seat, Liu Yuanqi looked at the composed Liu Bei with a face full of satisfaction, and laughed heartily: "Xuande, good lad!"
"As expected, I haven't disappointed my uncle's expectations!"
"Now that he has become the Commandant of Liaoxi, in charge of the military power of a prefecture, he has brought great honor to our Liu family of Zhuojun and the lineage of Prince Jing of Zhongshan!"
That's right, their entire village is composed of members of the Han imperial family.
Liu Bei bowed respectfully to Liu Yuanqi and the assembled clan elders, saying, "I owe my success today entirely to your support and assistance, Uncle, and the clan. I will never forget this."
His words were neither humble nor arrogant, acknowledging the kindness shown to him while also preserving the reputation of the clan. The elders in the room nodded in approval, and even those who had initially harbored jealousy concealed their true feelings.
After they sat down, Liu Yuanqi asked him about his plans for returning to his hometown.
Upon learning of his impending marriage, she was overjoyed and immediately declared, "Xuande, rest assured! The clan will take care of all the arrangements for the wedding!"
"Leave the guest reception, wedding banquet setup, and ceremony to my uncle. He'll make sure it's a grand affair and doesn't bring shame to the Liu family!"
He knew that Liu Bei's family was not wealthy and their residence was cramped; given Liu Bei's current status, it was simply not suitable as a wedding venue.