Chu Liuyun: "How are the defensive preparations for the thirteen border cities coming along? Is the grain supply still sufficient?"
In the council hall, the gazes of the generals collided mid-air before they all lowered their heads.
Qin Guo frowned, his fists clenched on his lap for a few seconds before relaxing, ultimately dropping in resignation.
"The drought two years ago left nothing to harvest. The court ordered the granaries opened for relief, and all the stored grain was used up."
"Last year was a bumper harvest, but less than thirty percent made it into the granaries. I have already ordered the various prefectural and county offices to urge merchants to purchase grain from the south, but there have been no results yet."
The border regions were poor, not just the common people, but even the government offices were impoverished.
Getting merchants to donate funds to buy grain was not easy.
The discussion lasted until dusk before everyone dispersed.
Under the eaves, a youth wearing narrow-sleeved trousers bound at the ankles and a breastplate over his chest appeared at the corner.
Qin Guo said to Chu Liuyun, "This is my unworthy son, Yunqian. He is very familiar with the border region. If the Duke does not mind, you could take him along as a guide when you go out."
Qin Yunqian knelt and bowed. "Your humble servant pays his respects to the Duke."
Seeing the clarity in the other's eyes and his youthful vigor, Chu Liuyun remarked, "I have long heard that your son served on the battlefield at a young age. Seeing him today, he indeed carries the bearing of General Qin in his youth."
Qin Guo replied modestly, "You flatter him, Duke."
Within Huajia Village in Yunzhong City.
The villagers lived in smoke-blackened houses, coming and going like puppets stripped of their expressions.
Most of the houses had empty roofs, with no one living inside.
Qin Yunqian dismounted and kicked aside shards of a broken pottery jar at the corner.
"Only twenty-three people from Huajia Village survived by chance. Their families were destroyed, their homes lost. They survived the harsh winter by begging. Only after the county office lent them rice seeds at the start of spring did they return to tend their fields."
Chu Liuyun pointed at the distant mountains behind the village. "Did the people escape from that direction?"
Qin Yunqian's jaw tightened. "The terrain in the mountains is complex. My father led the Thunderclap Army and searched for five days and five nights before finding their trail."
Chu Liuyun stared at the unfolded topographic map in his hand. The mountains lay to the southwest of Hanyan City and Yunzhong City respectively. One had to pass through endless, rolling peaks to reach Xining City to the east.
The forests held countless wild beasts and poisonous creatures. If an army were to march, they would have to detour.
It took two days to travel from Yunzhong City to Hanyan City, and three days to Xining City.
The Thunderclap Army's camp was stationed on the plains between Yunzhong City and Hanyan City, a position allowing both offense and defense.
Chu Liuyun put away the map and handed it to Qin Yunqian. "We go to Xining City."
The sun was scorching. The waiter at the Food Companion Inn couldn't spare a moment to drink water, continuously shouting invitations at the door.
Chu Liuyun and Qin Yunqian rode into the city on horseback. Their eyes swept over the soldiers standing guard at the city gate and the sparse figures on the city wall. "Why so few people?"
Qin Yunqian lowered his voice. "The main forces are stationed at Hanyan City and Yunzhong City. The other cities only have the county office's constables. The hundred men on the wall now were temporarily transferred by my father."
Chu Liuyun's eyes showed astonishment. His hand holding the reins tightened, veins bulging on the back. "How could this be?"
"As far as I know, each of the thirteen border cities has a garrison of five hundred soldiers."
Qin Yunqian's gaze sharpened to a pinpoint, then slid away from the other's face as if burned.
"The Duke is unaware. In recent years, the military pay allocated by the court to the border has decreased year by year. After my father submitted a memorial to the court, the Ministry of War said the border was stable and having the Thunderclap Army stationed there was sufficient. They disbanded the original garrisons of each city."
Chu Liuyun's expression froze, suddenly recalling a court session three years ago where the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Revenue had argued over military pay in front of all the civil and military officials.
In recent years, the border had been peaceful, relations between the two countries friendly. Coupled with the empty state treasury, the Ministry of Revenue had begun to complain that the Ministry of War spent too much on military pay, saying the court was wasting silver to feed a useless lot.
In the end, the Emperor ordered reductions.
Had the Ministry of War cut all the way to the city garrisons?
"Was it disbanded three years ago?"
Qin Yunqian nodded. "Not just the city garrisons. Even Thunderclap Army soldiers over forty were discharged and sent back to their villages. The camp lost nearly twenty percent of its men."
"Honored guests, please come in and rest. Our inn has excellent fodder in the backyard."
Seeing the two men leading horses, the waiter immediately came out from the door to greet them.
Qin Yunqian suggested to Chu Liuyun, "Their roast chicken is peerless. It's noon now, would the Duke like to go in for a meal first?"
Chu Liuyun gave a slight nod, handed the reins to the waiter, and walked inside.
The waiter took the reins, his steps pausing slightly.
What Duke? A high official has come to Xining City?
Inside, he bowed obsequiously to the two. "Please go upstairs, honored guests. There are private rooms upstairs."
"No need, we'll sit downstairs," Chu Liuyun said, waving his hand and striding to a seat by the window in the main hall.
Seeing this, the waiter said no more. Nobles usually minded eating alongside commoners. Had he misunderstood?
"Miss Song, have you hunted some good game again?"
Seeing Song Jinzhao appear at the door, the waiter greeted her with great enthusiasm.
Last time, that tiger skin earned them a handsome reward from the owner. One more like that and they'd make months' worth of wages.
Song Jinzhao's hands were empty; the bamboo basket held items she had just bought in the city.
"No game. I'm here to buy things this time."
"Please pack a roast chicken and a braised rabbit for me right away."
The waiter looked troubled. "We have roast chicken, but the braised rabbit has been out of stock for several days."
"Since spring began, no one has come to sell rabbits. Our manager is also worried about it."
Song Jinzhao's eyelashes swept downward. "Not a single hunter has come?"
The waiter nodded. "Even Hunter Liu hasn't come for a month and a half."
The worry between Song Jinzhao's brows deepened. "Then pack two roast chickens, separately."
Had something happened? Or were they like her, having encountered something formidable and not daring to go up the mountain?
Chu Liuyun, sitting by the window, glanced at Song Jinzhao. "Women at the border are quite different from those in the capital. They speak decisively, almost like men."
Qin Yunqian turned to look. The girl waiting at the counter wore a cotton short jacket, her hair tied high with a red silk ribbon.
Her sleeves were not wide and flowing like those of ordinary women, but narrow, just enough for a hand to fit through. Quite distinctive.
"Border women's personalities are indeed more straightforward than those in the capital, but not all are like this." This was his first time seeing one like her too.
Song Jinzhao sensed someone staring at her. Her eyes quickly locked onto the two men sitting by the window.
Judging by their clothing, they seemed to be young masters from wealthy families.
"Miss Song, your roast chicken is ready."
Song Jinzhao took the chicken and turned to leave the Food Companion Inn.
Qin Yunqian held his breath. That girl's gaze just now was a bit fierce, making them seem like villains.
He awkwardly picked up his wine cup. "That girl is a bit cold."
Chu Liuyun smiled slightly and shook his head. "Not cold, alert. If we had stared a few moments longer, she would have pulled the dagger tucked at the small of her back on us."
Qin Yunqian was stunned. A dagger?
He hadn't noticed it.
A respectable girl goes out to buy roast chicken at an inn and carries a weapon?
