Free Web NovelChapter 2343: Chapter 2318: Friendship Forever
Together with Chai Wei to the Western Regions was also the decree concerning the handling of Guo Xiao. The emperor was very angry about Guo Xiao losing the city, believing it was due to his carelessness.
Even though the Left Prime Minister of Kucha had repeatedly warned him to be cautious of the people inside the city, he still didn’t take it to heart. He didn’t even deploy more patrols, which led to the internal collusion with external forces causing this disaster.
So the emperor directly stripped him of his official position.
But after Chai Wei had gone far away, the emperor one day emerged from the main hall and stopped to view the bleak winter scene as the cold wind blew outside.
Gu Zhong hurriedly draped a cloak over him and cautiously said, "Your Majesty, it looks like it’s going to snow."
The emperor glanced at the dark clouds in the sky; Gu Zhong was right, it indeed looked like snow was coming. Moments later, snowflakes began to fall gently from the sky.
The emperor gazed at the snow for a while, then finally sighed and instructed, "Let the Central Secretariat draft a decree to restore Guo Xiao’s official position. Send someone to Xizhou to bring him back, and have the Ministry of Rites prepare the funerary rites for him."
Gu Zhong immediately acknowledged, feeling somewhat elated. The emperor’s mindful consideration was a good thing.
Manbao and the others knew nothing of this. When they returned to Xizhou, the new Anxi Protector General had not yet arrived, and General Guo had already been placed in a coffin. Junior General Guo had to wait for the court’s decree to escort the coffin back home. If the court showed no mercy, he would either have to bury his father in Xizhou or resign and return home.
At this time, General Guo’s coffin was placed in the national temple of Kucha. The day after Manbao and the others returned to Xizhou, they routinely went to the national temple to pay their respects.
As Mr. Zhuang said, "After all, you once knew each other. The person is dead, the grudges are gone, and paying respects is a matter of etiquette."
Therefore, Bai Shan and the others prepared funerary rites to go and pay their respects. Liu Huan, being a relative, was required to prepare even more elaborate rites.
With General Guo’s death, he and Junior General Guo genuinely started to interact as relatives, addressing each other as cousins when they met.
Junior General Guo began to emerge from his grief and could even joke with them, "We’ve always been close, and with all the blood you’ve transfused into me, we’re even closer."
Liu Huan nodded emphatically in agreement.
Bai Erlang chimed in, "Then we’re close too since the blood we gave you was the same."
Bai Shan curiously asked Manbao, "Didn’t you say blood donation from close relatives isn’t advisable? How come Liu Huan could give blood to Junior General Guo?"
Manbao replied, "Are they very closely related?"
"Of course," Liu Huan puffed up his chest and said, "My grandmother is his family’s aunt."
After calculating, Manbao said, "It’s fine; there are several generations in between. There’s a gap, and we’ve already transfused the blood for so long, and there’s been no harm, so it must be okay."
At this time, the seven of them sat in a row on a railing in the national temple, watching the busy monks and the people coming to worship. Junior General Meng asked Junior General Guo, "Are you planning to stay in Xizhou?"
Junior General Guo replied with some depression, "It’s still uncertain if His Majesty will hold my father accountable. If His Majesty permits, I’d still like to stay in Anxi."
This troop, led by his father for several years, also had him serving in it all along. Even though life in the Western Regions was harsh, he was reluctant to leave.
Junior General Meng patted his shoulder and said, "I can ask my father to plead for you."
Junior General Guo did not decline, he nodded, "Thank you."
Bai Shan said, "We can’t be of much help in this matter, but if we return to the capital, we can plead for you face-to-face."
Now being outside, writing a petition to participate in local military affairs is clearly impossible.
Junior General Guo smiled and said to them, "I understand, you are civil officials; it’s quite inconvenient. By the way, on this Western Expedition, you also have achievements, don’t you? Are you planning to take office when you return?"
Bai Shan sighed, "The new Anxi Protector General hasn’t arrived yet, and General Ashina hasn’t determined when to return to court. We have to wait. The Ministry of Rites’ exam is regular, but the Ministry of Personnel’s exam is only held once at the end of March each year. If we miss it, we have to wait another year. If we want to take office, we must return to the capital by February."
Otherwise, we wouldn’t be able to register.
Junior General Guo: "... Given your status and achievements, you can take office directly, right?"
Bai Shan reluctantly said, "Even though we’ve already passed the imperial examination, not taking the Ministry of Rites and Ministry of Personnel exams would be a waste."
Bai Erlang also nodded repeatedly, "Exactly, if His Majesty directly appointed us, would it count as a favor or our own merit? No, no, it’s better to take the exams normally."
Liu Huan asked him, "As a prince consort, do you still want to be assigned as a county magistrate?"
Bai Erlang was taken aback and asked, "Why can’t a prince consort be assigned as a county magistrate? Look at General Ashina; isn’t he a prince consort as well? Yet he still leads troops in battle."
"But..." Liu Huan scratched his head and said, "But that’s a princess from the previous generation. The prince consorts of this generation of princesses seem all to hold idle positions, not real ones."
Everyone is living off the princess; who would want to be a mere sixth or seventh rank county magistrate?
"Moreover, your position as a prince consort is more exalted than others. You are the Prince Consort of Princess Mingda."
There are ranks among prince consorts too, as the husband relies on the wife’s noble status. Princess Mingda is not only a legitimate princess but also the emperor and empress’ most beloved daughter. Naturally, Bai Cheng, compared to other prince consorts, is more exalted.
Liu Huan didn’t understand him, "We don’t want to be prince consorts because we don’t want to be bullied by a princess. Since you’ve already become one, obviously you don’t mind relying on a princess, so why bother becoming a county magistrate?"
Bai Erlang was momentarily at a loss, then lowered his head in thought.
Seeing his face showing approval, Manbao said, "Mingda also wants to travel to various places, but His Majesty loves and cherishes her, and certainly would not want her to leave the capital. If you are assigned elsewhere, taking Mingda along would be perfectly reasonable, wouldn’t it?"
Upon hearing this, Bai Erlang’s eyes lit up, "Right, Mingda still wants to visit other places. If I’m assigned elsewhere, I can take her with me."
This even piqued Junior General Guo’s curiosity, "You became a prince consort not to live off her?"
Bai Erlang said, "Of course, I plan to live off her, but I don’t want to live off just anyone."
He added, "I only want to live off Princess Mingda."
Bai Shan turned to him and said, "Once we pass the exams, we can choose our postings together, see if there are places where two counties are close, and then we can be assigned together."
Manbao applauded, "That sounds great; then we can visit you when we can."
Bai Erlang asked her, "If Bai Shan and I are assigned, that’s fair enough, but could you also be assigned elsewhere?"
Manbao chuckled and said, "Then you’ve underestimated me; Bai Shan and I have long had a plan. It’s not a big problem. As for you, getting a posting elsewhere is the real priority."
Junior General Meng listened enviously and then turned to Junior General Guo, asking, "Why don’t you come to Shazhou and we’ll guard Yumen Pass together?"
Junior General Guo shook his head, "You keep the inner pass; I’ll guard the outer pass."
