Chapter 484 : Guilty Conscience

Yun Qing stayed in the room for quite a while before going to the front yard.

Huo Changqing was startled to see Yun Qing’s expression look so unpleasant that he asked, “What’s going on here? Did you have a fight?” No matter how good a couple’s relationship was, there would be times when they would argue. However, Huo Changqing was curious about what could cause such a big conflict between the couple.

Yun Qing was silent momentarily before answering, “It’s not a family matter.”

Huo Changqing understood right away. “Since it’s a public matter if you two have different opinions, you can discuss it slowly. So there should be nothing to argue about, right?” Most importantly, Han Shi was not an unreasonable person!

If there was anyone in the world that Yun Qing trusted the most, it was none other than Huo Changqing. Even Yuxi could not compare to Huo Changqing in this regard. Yun Qing repeated what Yuxi had just said, and after finishing, he asked, “I also know that selling things outside the pass can bring us huge profits, but doing so is like drinking poison to quench our thirst1.” Even if they didn’t sell grain and fodder, other daily necessities were just as important to the northern barbarians.

After listening to Yun Qing’s words, Huo Changqing asked, “Then what do you think should be done? If the Imperial Court won’t give us any money, what will we do with the soldiers? How can the soldiers defend Yu City if they themselves are struggling to survive? What will happen if the northern barbarians break through Yu City? Once Yu City is broken through, not only Yu City but also Xinping City and several nearby cities will be turned into rivers of blood2.”

Yun Qing clenched his fists and vowed, “I will never let that happen.” Even if he had to put his life on the line, he would not let such a thing happen.

Huo Changqing said, “Yun Qing, it’s not a question of whether you want to or not.” The world was not at peace these days. If Yun Qing didn’t do something about the soldiers’ situation soon, they wouldn’t be able to protect Yu City.

Yun Qing asked dejectedly, “Uncle Huo, do you also agree to sell goods outside the pass?”

Huo Changqing shook his head. “I don’t quite agree with Mr Xia’s method, but only if you can think of a better one. Otherwise, if you can’t let these soldiers survive the winter in peace, you’ll have to do it even if you don’t want to.” It was impossible to actually watch the generals freeze and starve to death! Rather than rushing to do it at that point, it would be better to arrange it early so that no one would catch them doing it.

Yun Qing muttered, “Other methods?”

Huo Changqing nodded. “As long as you have another way to get supplies and money to support the 100,000 army in Yu City, there is no need to take such a risk.”

After weighing the situation, Yun Qing replied, “Yuxi said she wanted to form a caravan to sell the specialities from the West Sea, Shaanxi and Gansu regions to Jiangnan and the capital.”

Huo Changqing raised his head and said, “This will not be an easy task. Even if you have successfully established the caravan, it may not be able to make money so quickly.” At this point, he paused and asked, “Did your wife say anything else?” With Yuxi’s abilities, it was impossible for her not to see that this method was not that feasible.

Yun Qing let everything off his chest, “The premise is that I can become the Governor of Shaanxi and Gansu. In that case, I will no longer have to be controlled by others. The military supplies of Yu City’s 100,000 soldiers will then be able to meet their own needs and no longer need to rely on the Imperial Court.”

Hearing these words, Huo Changqing smiled. “Although this idea is very bold, it can fundamentally solve the problem.” As long as it was well managed, the taxes of Shaanxi and Gansu provinces could still cover the expenses of the 100,000 soldiers in Yu City.

Yun Qing smiled bitterly. “The idea is good, but it is impossible to achieve. How can the Imperial Court let me become the Governor of Shaanxi and Gansu?”

Huo Changqing smiled and asked, “Have you not yet realised what kind of person your wife is? Do you think she would say something impossible to achieve?” There must be some basis for Yuxi to suggest such a thing.

After Yun Qing came to his senses, he hurried back to the backyard.

Seeing Yun Qing walk out quickly, Huo Changqing’s smile deepened. In fact, after his marriage, Yun Qing had become much more lively than before. In the past, all he ever thought about was revenge, revenge, and more revenge.

When Yun Qing entered the room in the backyard, he saw that Yuxi was teasing Zaozao, and his restless heart immediately calmed down. He also did not ask Yuxi if there was a way for him to become the Governor of Shaanxi and Gansu because no matter how anxious he was, he was in no hurry at that moment. He sat beside her and looked at the giggling Zaozao, saying, “This child loves to laugh.”

Seeing that Yun Qing looked calm and seemed to have forgotten their argument, Yuxi smiled and replied: “It’s good that she loves to laugh. Others will love a child who loves to laugh.” To be loved by someone was a blessing.

The couple chatted about household matters with no trace of the tense atmosphere they had experienced. Until Mama Xi walked in and announced, “General, Madam, the food is ready, and you can eat it now.”

After dinner, Yuxi told Yun Qing, “The residence next door has already been properly set up. Let’s go over and take a look.” She thought that if they had more children in the future, their three-entry residence would definitely not be enough, so she divided half of the land initially intended for a garden into three small courtyards before using the remaining half for the actual garden.

Yun Qing was always busy, and this was his first time there. Looking at the vegetables in the garden, he asked: “Didn’t you say you wanted a garden? Why are you growing vegetables instead?”

Yuxi felt a bit depressed as she said, “It’s not easy to grow flowers here.” The orchids, peonies, roses and other flowers she liked needed careful tending. Besides, these flowers were yet to be available in Yu City, so she had to go to Jiangnan to purchase them, which was very expensive. Although she didn’t have to worry about food and clothing, she had no spare money to spend on those things.

Thinking of the Qin Residence, which was filled with bouquets of flowers and piles of silk3, Yun Qing suggested, “How about bringing some pots of flowers from over there! I remember that the flower garden at the Qin Residence has many varieties.”😌

Yuxi smiled. “When I first wanted a garden, I also wanted a spacious place to walk around, and now, having this vegetable garden is just as good.” The garden’s centre was paved with gravel, making it easy to walk around.

Looking at the lush green fields, Yun Qing felt a surge of sadness in his heart. He held Yuxi’s hand and said, “I have made you suffer for following me.” Yuxi’s dowry alone was enough to feed and clothe her. But now, because of him, she had to live a frugal life, where she was even reluctant to buy a few flowers.

Yuxi smiled and said, “It is very hard, so you have to be twice as kind to me. Otherwise, my hard work won’t be worth it.”

Yun Qing didn’t know how to use sweet words and honeyed phrases5. He could only say, “Don’t worry, I will be good to you for the rest of my life.” Yuxi had worked so hard for him; if he still didn’t treat her well, he would truly be worse than an animal.

Yuxi smiled sweetly.

After washing up at night, Yuxi fed Zaozao and let Mama Lan carry her out. Since Yuxi’s return from Xinping City, Zaozao had been sleeping with Mama Lan. Every day, she only had to feed her once before bedtime, once in the middle of the night, and then again at dawn.

Yun Qing asked, “Yuxi, when did you get the idea to form a caravan?” He had never heard her mention it before.

Yuxi replied, “The idea came to me after I returned from the estate. The medicinal herbs and skins in the West Sea are half the price of those in Yu City. However, this idea is not yet mature, and the timing is not right. It cannot be established in just two or three years.”

Yun Qing nodded his head. “It’s hard to make money from boxes of medicines unless you have the same image as the Wu family.” It was easy to make a small amount of money, but not easy to make a fortune from it.

Yun Qing chatted with Yuxi for a short while about a few things. She was not in a hurry and would respond to whatever Yun Qing said. After talking for a long time, Yuxi yawned a few times and said, “I’m sleepy. Let’s not talk anymore and just go to sleep, okay?”

Yun Qing was very torn for a while. He was really not good at asking for things by going round the curves and skirting the corners6. It was better to ask her directly, “Yuxi, do you think the Imperial Court will let me be the Governor of Shaanxi and Gansu?”

A slight smile appeared at the corner of Yuxi’s eyes. How could she not tell that Yun Qing had been deliberately rambling around just now? However, she purposely didn’t point it out, wanting Yun Qing to speak out about it on his own. Yun Qing had made much more progress than before; at least he knew how to go round the curves and skirt the corners6. Although the effect wasn’t perfect, she still responded, “Do you think it’s possible? You have 100,000 troops in your hands, and if you are appointed as the Governor of Shaanxi and Gansu, won’t you become the local tyrant of the northwest? What do you think the Imperial Court will do then?”

After a while, Yun Qing said, “I also know that it will be impossible.” But he still had a thought in his heart. It was not that he wanted the position. Still, if he could serve as such, he would not have to worry about the military supplies for the 100,000 army in Yu City and would not have to agonise over whether to sell goods outside the pass and make high profits from the price difference.

Yuxi said: “Don’t think about it. Things can always be solved. It’s already very late. It’s time to go to bed.” It wasn’t impossible for Yun Qing to become the Governor of Shaanxi and Gansu, but it was impossible to take the usual route. Of course, even if they didn’t take the usual route, they couldn’t do it now because the time hadn’t come yet.

Yun Qing whispered: “Uncle Huo also said that if there is no other way, we must continue to make money this way. Even if we don’t worry about money right now, it doesn’t mean we won’t worry about money in the future.”

After Yuxi lay down, she said, “I know why you don’t want to sell things outside the pass.” Not only was Yun Qing afraid that things would leak out and he would bear a bad reputation for it, but he was also worried that the northern barbarians would become stronger after getting these things. At that time, it would be the soldiers of Yu City who would suffer.

Yun Qing also followed Yuxi to lie down and turned his body sideways to speak to her, “Now I know how great the responsibility is when I finally sit in this position.” This responsibility was indeed a heavy burden. But even though this burden was difficult to bear, he could not throw it away either.

It was the first time Yuxi had heard Yun Qing say such discouraging words, but she knew that this emotional confession was also because he was under too much pressure. Fortunately, Yun Qing had recovered from his illness. Otherwise, she didn’t know what would happen if he was under such heavy pressure then.

The rumour in her previous life that Yun Qing had a penchant for killing might have been true. It wasn’t because he liked to kill, but it was likely that he simply couldn’t control himself under such heavy pressure. If Yun Qing’s situation had continued in this life, he would have lost control without her around to guide him.

Yuxi said, “You, why are you so stubborn? Why don’t you know how to turn? When you sell things outside the Great Wall, you can exchange them not only for cattle and sheep but also for horses, medicinal herbs, and leather! We need these things, too!”👏

Yun Qing asked a question that made Yuxi terribly unhappy, “How can it be that simple?” How could the northern barbarians trade horses with them?

Yuxi was truly speechless before she spoke, “Right now, it is they who are short of salt and other necessities, not us. So it is they who are the most anxious, not us.”

Yun Qing thought for a moment and said, “It will be a good deal if we can trade horses with them.” The northern barbarians’ warhorses had outstanding endurance, which their horses could not even match.

Yuxi said, “It’s not urgent for a while. Go to sleep!” She was exhausted. She hadn’t had a moment’s rest since her return to Yu City.

Yun Qing felt incredibly relieved and nodded. “Okay, let’s sleep.”