Gu Yuanbai steered his horse and kept sending the team beyond the capital.
The officials dismounted, saluted, and advised, "Your Holiness, return quickly."
"You all don't know when you'll be back once you leave," Gu Yuanbai smiled, his gaze gently skimming over them, "I'll take one more look at you all."
Daheng officials were stunned at the words and their faces touched, "Your Holiness ......"
The young officers could not afford such a remark; their eyes had reddened, and they endeavored to keep themselves from appearing out of sorts.
Jiang Jin, an official of the Supervision Office, laughed, "Your Holiness, don't worry, we will all come back safely and securely."
Gu Yuanbai's eyes flicked over a few people and moved to Jiang Jin, "As the leader, you have to take good care of them."
Etsu leaned down and murmured, "Yes."
The leader of the land route was none other than Jiang Jin and Xue Yuan, the same middle-aged official; Xue Yuan was the highest among them, holding the power of 5,000 soldiers, and each of the other two had their own place of supervision, but none of them were listed as being loyal to the Daheng monarch in a way that could not be blocked by outside forces.
Gu Yuanbai picks people with a lot of thought, not before the start of the trip, the three of them will intend to get acquainted with each other, a few meals down to each other's temperament in mind, this trip is also easier.
None of the three were people who dragged others down, and since everyone was sensible and wanted to be efficient and come back early, with the same goal in mind, the trip was already halfway there.
Jiang Jin and Kong Yilin, one by land and the other by sea, both participated in the event of rebuilding the Silk Road. The two of them are meticulous, the officials of the Honglu Temple to deal with the countries with them, Gu Yuanbai does not have to worry too much.
Tian Fusheng stepped forward and reminded in a low voice, "Your Holiness, it's almost time."
Gu Yuanbai nodded and said, "Let's go."
The crowd saluted, emotions running high, and Xue Yuan raised his head at the front of the crowd, glancing at Gu Yuanbai one more time.
The rest of the officials had already been led to retreat by Jiang Jin, leaving them one king and one minister to speak at last.
Gu Yuanbai lowered his eyes to look at him, the fine white fox fur on the side of his face was as gentle as the wind, lining his eyes with a single eye jie fluctuation that could cause a ripple in Xue Yuan's heart.
Before leaving, Xue Yuan has already stayed up, he looked at Gu Yuanbai for a long time, and only now did he understand why some people still have to write a poem of separation in a sour way when they are separated, not in order to let the other party know how much they can't bear to see each other, but in order to find a thing to vent the emotions in their hearts.
He didn't speak, Gu Yuanbai didn't speak either, and time passed slowly as Jiang Jin behind him loudly reminded, "Lord Xue, it's time to go!"
Xue Yuan was jolted awake as he leaned over, "Your Holiness, you must be safe after a long goodbye."
Gu Yuanbai responded, "Don't dawdle, go now."
Xue Yuan still made a big salute before getting up, he took one last look at Gu Yuanbai and turned towards the long line of ten thousand people. The figure in armor was still as tall as before, but his footsteps were hurried, as if a wild beast was at his back.
Establishing a great merit, having a prominent great merit in, Gu Yuanbai will be tired of him in the future, and he can stay by Gu Yuanbai's side.
Then hurry back.
The willow branches in February have just sent out new buds, the spring in the cold wind has not yet blossomed, the dust rises up to the sky, ten thousand horses, gradually turning into a small black spot.
Gu Yuanbai exhaled a mouthful of cloudy air and slowly smiled again.
Separation is not a big deal, Xue Yuan will eventually come back one day, while each other young, it is good to go now. Gu Yuanbai can devote his whole body and mind to the affairs of state, and a short period of time in the world of singles may also be very beautiful? Gu Yuanbai might be able to finalize his southern tour. He wanted to see how the roads in Daheng were being repaired, and what was happening in the areas that bred the most corrupt officials. The post stations he had built were well connected, and how well the decrees he had issued were being implemented.
Gu Yuanbai steered his horse back, his fox fur rising and falling with the wind.
Daheng in addition to the capital and the scenery of the Northwest, other places Gu Yuanbai has not gone to see. Now is a good time, the body is better, the world is also happy up, the emperor's chariot, it is also time to drive to the four sides.
The coast, the salt mines, the gold and iron mines of Jinghu South, a thousand mountains and ten thousand rivers, Gu Yuanbai wants to visit them all.
*
Three years later, Jiangnan.
The saint before the southern patrol, the court spent a whole year to supervise this matter, although now the world is stable, people often in the home to offer longevity cards in order to saint longevity, but does not guarantee that there is no danger when the southern patrol, in addition to the East Lingwei increasingly aggravated drills, the garrison army around the world is also at any time to prevent the wrong.
Surveying the route and places of interest is also very important, the first time after the saint ascended to the throne of the tour, up to the capital down to the local are all in full array. Gu Yuanbai the first year diligently dealt with large and small things, the second year to free up time to put forward the southern patrol, but only until the third year to fall the route, across the Yellow River and along the Canal southward, across the Jiangnan, two Zhejiang to the Fujian Coastal Generalissimo.
Along the road officials heard that the saint driving will be afraid of apprehension, especially in these years, hidden want to boldly do things corrupt officials, almost to the extent that the saint and fear. Along the way, the port at the people gathered cheering, banging gongs and drums will only look at the saint ship a glance, at this time, after a slow long-distance, the saint's imperial chariot finally stopped in the south of Jiangnan Longxingfu.
The people of Longxingfu were very excited and gathered at the mouth of the canal early in the morning to welcome His Majesty's arrival. The prefect and the governor of Longxingfu had already waited here, and the officials in the government office were neatly dressed, prepared the gongs and drums and the banner and red silk, and their faces had been reddened in the long wait.
Hundreds of people stretched their necks, picking up the shoulders of the people in front of them to look in the direction of the canal, but everywhere there is a bustle of heads, can not see anything.
The governor and the prefect spoke absentmindedly until they saw His Majesty's cruise ship before their spirits were lifted and they shakily had the flag waved.
Boat, Gu Yuanbai is standing above the deck, he looked at the shore crowded scene, could not help but laugh: "Before listening to the number of soup cover transport reported Jiangnan has not had such a sobering cognition, and now a look, worthy of being the land of fish and rice, the population is huge."
The Chu Wei beside him revealed a light smile, stepping forward and unfolding his folding fan to slowly fan the wind for His Holiness, "It's still a bit hot."
Sea breeze from the front, Chu Wei this cool wind a fan, but also in all directions pleasant coolness, Gu Yuanbai comfortably squinted his eyes, hair at the temples haphazardly dispersed, fluttering broken gold light, a few can be into the picture.
Heat rose from the side of Chu Wei's cheeks, and Gu Yuanbai sensed his abnormality and said helplessly, "Chu Qing, your face is red again."
Chu Wei stiffened in place, quite a bit at a loss for words, "It should be from the blazing sun."
Gu Yuanbai pushed the folding fan in his hand towards him, "Since the beginning of summer, Jiangnan is a bit cooler than the summer in the western part of the capital, but the sun is also poisonous, Chu Qing, worry about yourself."
Tian Fusheng brought a bunch of people to bring a lot of things, Gu Yuanbai used the cooler and iced tea, and in a few moments will be ready to get off the boat.
Chu Wei in the past when traveling to Jiangnan, once painted to the saint of that "thousand miles of river and mountain map" of the second half of the volume of the real, is Chu Wei in the south of a great Confucian there to see. He could not help but smile, "I traveled to study those days will have followed the canal through the south of the river, this will also be able to give the saint to do a guide."
Gu Yuanbai laughed, beads of sweat flowed down from his temples, he took a cool handkerchief and wiped the corner of his forehead again, "Okay, Chu Qing this I can remember. If the road is not well led, I am going to penalize you."
On the side, Chang Yuyan came forward and laughed, "Your Holiness, what is the punishment?"
The cruise ship is about to dock, Gu Yuanbai looked at the shore of the ten thousand people, the heart moved, "on the penalty Chu Qing will be in front of this scene for me to draw down, the name I have thought of a good idea, it is called "June 27 down the south of the Yangtze River map."
Chang Yuyan laughed at the name, "I thought that His Holiness would name some paintings such as 'Spring Willow Early Summer Picture' and 'Jingping Jiangnan Picture'."
Tian Fusheng silently thought in the bottom of his heart, the saint has always been named like this, but it has never changed.
Chu Wei pursed his lips and smiled, "Your Majesty's name is all thought out, so the minister will just punish himself."
His words were soft and only pleasant.
Gu Yuanbai lightly coughed a few times, and Su Ning, a former martial arts scholar on the side, suddenly said, "I remember that Lord Chang had also so ordered the name of the poem, so let me think about what the poem was called ...... Gift to a Friend - A Night Talk with Xue Jiuyao on the 21st of July, wasn't it?"
When he suddenly mentioned the name Xue Yuan, Chang Yuyan and Chu Wei were both stunned, and Gu Yuanbai was the first to come back to his senses, as he slowly tucked the paddle into his arms and hummed and laughed, "Isn't that so?"
The ship had docked, Donglingwei was the first to disembark, and the local officials came forward to pay their respects. By the time His Majesty stepped onto the shore, the sound of drums had already risen to the sky. This hot welcome drive has been busy until the evening, and when Gu Yuanbai had his meal and bathed, the people of the East Lingwei had already surrounded the mansion to the point that no mosquito flies could fly into it.
Tian Fusheng knocked on the door, "Your Holiness, it's time to take your pulse."
After getting a sound, the imperial physician quietly came in and took the saint's pulse. The palace maid wiped away the dew from Gu Yuanbai's hair, and Gu Yuanbai casually flipped open a page of travelogues, "Go summon Xu Ning here."
Xu Ning is the engineering department's wizard, several years ago in the battlefield successive victory over the enemy's crossbow and stone throwing machine is made and improved by him, Gu Yuanbai this time the southern patrol also brought him back, not only to give the talent welfare, more importantly is to take a look at Xu Ning last year's improved out of the water dragon car.
Water dragon car in Jiangnan with the most, but some places on the effect is flat, Xu Ning worried, day to day worried to eat.
After Xu Ning came, he talked to the saint about the water dragon car that he had just entrusted the prefect to take him to see, "...... than in the capital to be a little different, I can't quite see it now, and tomorrow I have to entrust the prefect to move the water dragon car from the water up."
"Go ahead and do it," Gu Yuanbai said, "I trust you."
Xu Ning was instantly energized and retired without wishing to delay.
Outside, a Dong Lingwei came in, "Your Majesty, a flying pigeon has come."
Gu Yuanbai's tone was still lazy, "What was written?"
"It's a letter from Lord Jiang," Dong Ling Wei said, "When they walked to Kang, Kang was in the middle of a chaotic war with Bound Chi, and Lord Jiang decided to return after discussing with all the lords, and this time there is still one last leg of the Silk Road left on the road."
Gu Yuanbai froze and hastily reached out to take the note, and after a long moment of contemplation, he said, "Doing the right thing."
He read the note over and over again several times, and when he looked up, he saw that the people around him did not hide their regrets in their expressions, and Gu Yuanbai laughed, ''What kind of expressions are these? The Silk Road hasn't been traveled for a long time, and before their party reached Kang, they had already sold not much of what they had brought with them. When they returned, they were afraid that even the last remnants would be gone. Although Kang Country and Bound Chi were small, people in times of war and chaos were not reasonable. They don't care if this party is a messenger of the Great Heng Heavenly Kingdom or not, with several carts of gold, silver, and grain, isn't this rushing to be robbed?"
When he finished speaking, he froze and looked down at the date, this letter forwarded by the Inspection Office had already passed two months from the time when Jiang Jin sent it out.