Free Web NovelChapter 2342: Chapter 2317: Protector-General of Anxi
General Ashina said, "His Majesty should have already appointed a new Protector-General of Anxi. By the time we return to Xizhou, the Protector-General of Anxi should have arrived as well."
In fact, the new Protector-General of Anxi was still in the capital at this moment. He had only received the imperial decree yesterday, bid farewell to friends and family today, and was planning to set out tomorrow.
Because the war was urgent and the distance between the two places too great, news lagged behind; no one knew what the situation in Xizhou was now. So he could not tarry. For this posting to the Western Regions he would not bring his family, only intend to take some guards and household retainers to assume office.
He had just finalized the people who would go with him when an imperial attendant came to relay a decree: "Lord State Duke, His Majesty has arranged a family banquet in the palace and has summoned you to enter the palace to share a simple meal."
State Duke Qiao thought for a moment, then brought his wife with him into the palace.
It was called a family banquet and it really was just a family banquet. Aside from the imperial couple, there were only the Crown Prince, Crown Princess, and a few princesses.
State Duke Qiao brought his wife forward to pay their respects. The emperor waved his hand with a beaming smile and said, "We’re all one family here, there’s no need for so much ceremony. Sit, sit, have the imperial kitchen serve the dishes."
The Crown Prince led a group of his younger sisters in greeting him as "Cousin," and only then did they separate and sit down.
Of course Imperial Family members didn’t really eat in complete silence, only eating and not talking.
As he ate, the emperor kept recommending dishes he thought were good to Chai Wei, and in passing spoke of matters in the Western Regions. "This time you’re taking up office in haste. The Anxi troops are valiant; they may be somewhat unconvinced. You can consult General Ashina on a thing or two."
The emperor said, "Even Courtier Li once said that Ashina is outstanding among the vassal ministers; in terms of strategy, many Han generals cannot compare to him."
Chai Wei accepted the instruction.
Then the emperor thought of Guo Xiao and gave a cold snort. "Guo Xiao is far inferior to General Ashina. I heard that even when he marched out to war he brought gold and silver vessels to amuse himself, and even his tent was inlaid with gold and silver. He tried to give his military tent to Ashina, but Ashina refused it. You can see the superiority and inferiority of these two generals from this alone. Once you reach Xizhou, don’t learn from Guo Xiao."
Chai Wei answered even more earnestly, saying he would certainly govern the Western Regions well and absolutely not disappoint His Majesty’s expectations.
The emperor nodded in satisfaction. "For the Central Plains, the Western Regions are not important for how vast the land is, nor for how numerous the people are, but for the trade routes. The exchanges between the Central Plains and the Western Regions, and even lands farther away, rely seventy percent on this trade route through the Western Regions, and only thirty percent on the sea. So you must guard the trade route well; do not let those Turks ruin it again."
Chai Wei nodded repeatedly.
The emperor turned to the Crown Prince and said with a smile, "I’ve finished giving my instructions. Ask your cousin whether there’s anything he still needs to be told."
The Crown Prince was thinking, what could he possibly have to say to an elder cousin who was about to be posted out and given heavy troops?
Even if he did, could he say it in front of the emperor? If he said it, would the emperor still be able to sleep at night?
While grumbling in his heart, the Crown Prince lifted his head and said to Chai Wei, "Cousin, once you get to the Western Regions, why not help look for Imperial Doctor Zhou and his group?"
He said, "The last report that came back was vague. It only said they had found some information about cowpox, but nothing specific. Smallpox prevention is a major matter. They’ve been out almost a year; there ought to be some news by now, right?"
He glanced at Mingda sitting to the side and added, "Also, the legitimate imperial son-in-law is still with their party. Mingda will come out of mourning after the New Year; surely she should be married off too, shouldn’t she?"
The emperor had long wanted to bring this up. Hearing the Crown Prince mention it, his spirits immediately lifted and he nodded again and again. "Yes, yes. Once you’re in the Western Regions, look for Bai Cheng. If they’ve found a method for inoculating cowpox, have them hurry back. If they haven’t, they must still return to the capital to report on their mission before going out again."
At the very least, come back and get married first.
The emperor said with a smile, "He’s your cousin-in-law. If he doesn’t conduct himself properly, you may feel free to discipline him."
Chai Wei only took those words as something to listen to. Did he not see Princess Mingda sitting to the side with her face flushed red?
Clearly she was very satisfied with this future imperial son-in-law. As the saying goes, a son-in-law is half a son, and this one was not only the imperial son-in-law of a legitimate princess, he also seemed very much liked by that legitimate princess. If Chai Wei really went and "disciplined" him, the one likely to be disciplined in turn would probably be himself.
Still, Chai Wei agreed verbally, and even followed along to praise Bai Cheng. "Young Master Bai is also a young talent. At such a young age he has already passed the jinshi examination. He is naturally a man who knows propriety; how could he fail to conduct himself properly?"
The emperor recalled the young man who had once thumped his chest in front of him, vowing to treat his daughter well, and secretly nodded.
Seeing the emperor actually nod in approval, Chai Wei was even less inclined to "discipline" Bai Cheng.
The meal ended with affection between ruler and minister—no, between relatives—anyway, Chai Wei finally left the palace with his wife in high spirits.
The State Duke Qiao’s wife felt a bit worried. Her husband’s promotion was naturally a good thing, but he was going so far away to the Western Regions. She’d heard that out there all you saw was yellow sand, and some people went half a year without taking a bath.
The State Duke Qiao’s wife said to her husband, "When will we set out for Xizhou? After you’ve settled in?"
State Duke Qiao glanced at his wife and said, "What would you all go there for? The sand blows everywhere and the sun is fierce. The children are still young, at a critical age for studying and practicing martial arts. Once we’re there, it won’t be easy even to hire a proper tutor."
He said, "You stay in the capital. When you have nothing to do, just enter the palace and sit with Her Majesty. His Majesty and Her Majesty have an excellent relationship with Mother. You can visit the palace more often. Once the children are older, perhaps you can even make use of Her Majesty’s connections to get them into the Chongwen Pavilion."
The State Duke Qiao’s wife was taken aback. "The Crown Prince is already so grown. Aren’t there already many study companions in the Chongwen Pavilion? Why would they still add more people?"
State Duke Qiao said, "As long as the Crown Prince remains the Crown Prince, he has to keep studying. The ones teaching in the Chongwen Pavilion are not the Crown Prince but the Assistant Lecturers. No matter how many batches of students rotate through the Chongwen Pavilion, as long as the Crown Prince is still the Crown Prince, there must be study companions there."
The State Duke Qiao’s wife: ...
After a pause she whispered, "Didn’t you used to tell us to have as little contact with the Crown Prince as possible?"
"Times are different now," State Duke Qiao said. "The Crown Prince already has a little imperial grandson. Even if in the future... we would be acting under an imperial edict. His Majesty would not hold it against us."
Could the risks now compare with what they once were?
So it was acceptable to draw a bit closer.
The State Duke Qiao’s wife nodded. Thinking that she wouldn’t have to go to the Western Regions, she felt secretly delighted. In her happiness she wanted to make State Duke Qiao happy as well. "When the time comes, I’ll send a few more attendants to serve you, my lord. It’s bitterly cold out there; someone must look after you."
The State Duke did not refuse, but still said, "Send fewer. His Majesty dislikes people who are extravagant and indulgent."
The State Duke Qiao’s wife agreed.
Chai Wei was the emperor’s nephew. His father was a founding general, and his mother and the emperor were siblings born of the same mother. Whether as siblings or as ruler and minister, the relationship between the two sides had always been excellent.
Especially his mother, Princess Pingyang. This princess was truly honored in life and mourned in death; in her lifetime she was also a female general of both wisdom and courage.
Chai Wei’s ability was not bad either, so when the emperor promoted him repeatedly, breaking custom to raise him several ranks in one go until he became Protector-General of Anxi, the officials did not have much objection.
Everyone accepted it calmly, and Chai Wei just as calmly went to take up his post.
