Chương 662: Zhang Luojing, Autumn Hunting at Shanglin Garden

The old furniture in the room was still there, including tables, chairs, benches, and the desk he used to study. All of them had been cleaned and were spotless, with his old inkstone still on the table.

Liu Ce touched the desk, recalling the days he used to spend here, feeling a little dazed.

The clan chief said from the side, "After His Majesty left, the government officials often came to clean up, but nothing was touched. They're just waiting for His Majesty to come back and take a look."

Liu Ce nodded and said to the governor of Ji Province, "Hejian Prefecture is my hometown. The people's lives have improved in recent years, but we still need to work harder. We should exempt them from taxes for three years, allocate more funds to repair roads, build more hospitals..."

"I obey your decree!"

When the people heard that taxes were waived, they cheered and insisted that Liu Ce stay for dinner. They stewed a local chicken, steamed cornbread, and cooked millet porridge—all the most hearty meals they could find at home.

Liu Ce actually stayed for a meal and chatted with the villagers for half the night before heading home after dark...

Leaving Hejian, travel north for a few more days, and you will reach Zhuozhou (Zhuoxian).

This place holds a different significance for Liu Ce... When he was the Prince of Yan, his residence was here, and he started his rebellion from here, so it can be considered the place where he rose to power.

Before the ship even docked, the dock was already packed with people, with people crowding in layers, some even standing in the trees.

As soon as Liu Ce stepped ashore, someone shouted, "Your Majesty is back!" Instantly, cheers erupted like a boiling pot.

"Your Highness, Prince Yan!"

"His Majesty is back!"

"Welcome back to Zhuozhou, Your Majesty!"

The people waved their hands, their faces full of genuine joy.

Many elderly people looked at Liu Ce and tears welled up in their eyes... Back then, when the Prince of Yan was here, he fought against the Xianbei, reduced taxes, and opened granaries. The people of Zhuozhou never suffered. The sons and daughters who followed him in raising an army received pensions, and no one ever cursed him.

Dian Wei looked at the scene, scratched his head, and muttered to Xu Chu, "Do you remember? Back then, the two of us were here... fighting the Xianbei with His Majesty..."

"How could I not remember?" Xu Chu laughed as well.

"Back then, you complained that the wine wasn't strong enough and insisted on having a go with me, but His Majesty kicked you to the ground."

"Get lost! You got beaten up too! Your face was swollen for three days that time!"

The two chatted back and forth, reminiscing about their embarrassing moments from back then. Looking at the familiar city gates and streets, they were both a little emotional, and their eyes welled up with tears.

Once inside the city, the streets remained the same, but were much more bustling than before, with shops lining the streets and people coming and going. The shouts of vendors selling cloth, grain, and ironware rose and fell.

Liu Ce walked along, greeting the people as he went, and stopped at the entrance of the Prince of Yan's residence.

The vermilion gate and bronze lions guard the house. The three large characters "Yanwang Mansion" on the plaque are still there, but they show signs of age and the paint has peeled off a bit.

Pushing open the door, the training ground, study, and council hall in the courtyard are exactly the same as they were back then.

Old rifles still sat on the weapons rack, their shafts worn smooth. Military books from the study remained on the shelves, and even the battle maps he had drawn on the wall years ago were carefully protected and covered with oilcloth.

Liu Ce strolled slowly, passing the drill ground, recalling the days when he trained his troops here, the soldiers running laps while shouting commands...

As I walked past the council hall, I recalled the heated debate I had with the generals about launching a military campaign...

Walking to the crabapple tree in the backyard, I remembered that in the spring when it bloomed, Cai Yan once played the zither here, and the petals fell on the strings.

"Time flies," he said softly.

Xun You chimed in, "Indeed, more than a decade has passed in the blink of an eye. Back then... now the Han Dynasty's territory spans thousands of miles, a time of peace and prosperity. I followed Your Majesty back then, never imagining we would have this day."

Jia Xu also remarked with rare emotion: "Your Majesty established the empire with the land of three provinces, and ushered in a change unprecedented in a thousand years. This is unique in history."

Liu Ce smiled and waved his hand, "Don't praise me like that, it makes me embarrassed. We have a long way to go, this is just the beginning."

He turned to the crowd and said, "Zhuozhou is our root; we must not forget it..."

After spending three days in Zhuozhou, visiting military camps, observing local government affairs, and meeting with the families of veterans from that time, Liu Ce made sure they were all settled before setting off back to Luoyang.

On the way back, Liu Ce stood on the deck, looking at the scenery on both sides of the canal, feeling both heavy and warm inside.

Along the way, I've seen golden wheat fields, bustling docks, the prosperity of Jiangnan, and the warmth of my homeland.

He knew that he hadn't gone down the wrong path or done anything wrong.

"Your Majesty, what are you thinking about?" Cheng Yaojin ran over carrying two freshly caught carp, the fish still jumping and wriggling.

"Your Majesty, look! The big carp I caught! I'll have the kitchen stew it tonight, everyone should try it! It's so plump!"

Liu Ce snapped out of his daze and burst into laughter: "Alright! We'll have fish tonight! And some wine, let's celebrate!"

With a long blast of its whistle, the Qiming ship sailed steadily toward Luoyang, braving the wind.

The canal waters surge forward, carrying the warmth and life of a boatload of people, and also carrying the ever-brighter future of the Han Dynasty.

..................

In September of the eleventh year of Shenwu, the autumn heat in Luoyang had just subsided when the sky suddenly brightened.

The sky was a clear, bright blue, as if it had been washed clean. Even the clouds drifted slowly. The wind carried the fragrance of osmanthus blossoms, and the breeze felt neither too hot nor too cold on one's face, making one want to yawn.

The cats along the palace walls were all curled up in the sun, swishing their tails back and forth. Even the eunuchs in the imperial garden were too lazy to chase away the birds. In this weather, no one wanted to move.

After Liu Ce finished reviewing the last memorial, he stretched and his bones cracked a few times.

He peered out the window, where the sun shone on the glazed tiles of the palace eaves, making the outline of Mangshan Mountain in the distance appear as clear as if it had been painted on.

He threw down his vermilion pen on the spot and made the decision: "Why stay in the palace on such a good day? Issue an imperial decree that we go to the Shanglin Garden for the autumn hunt in a week! Bring all the princes and princesses, and all civil and military officials who want to go, sign up. Consider it a team building activity! Li Dequan, make the arrangements immediately."

To put it bluntly, it's like the royal family going on a hunting trip to get some game, stretch their muscles, and check out the next generation's potential.

Li Dequan received the order and went to make the arrangements with great speed.

The imperial decree was issued the evening before, and the entire palace was in an uproar.

The princes and princesses were around sixteen years old, a restless age. Upon hearing that they were going hunting, they were like birds released from their cages, and they didn't even bother to eat dinner.

The third prince, Liu Yao, was the most eccentric. He held his custom-made composite bow and spent half the night polishing arrows.

The triangular arrowheads were polished to a shine, reflecting a person's image. Before going to sleep, he would hang the bow by his bedside as if it were a precious treasure.

His mother, Zhang Ning, came over to deliver a late-night snack. Seeing this, she laughed and poked his forehead: "Is it really necessary? It's like you're going to war."

"Mother, you don't understand!" Liu Yao said without even looking up.

"I lost to my eldest sister at the training ground last time, and I absolutely have to win this time! Losing to my eldest sister is too shameful!"