Yuanzi, who had temporarily lost her playmate in the recliner, started sucking on her fingers again. Her focus was something that the two adults who were laughing and playing and not eating properly should really emulate.
Extra (1)
By early December, the new Linchuan City was completely completed.
With the establishment of prefectures and cities becoming more complete, local governance and people's livelihoods gradually entered a more orderly system.
With the Left Vice Minister Song Jiuyuan stabilizing the overall situation, and the Right Vice Minister Fu Ying, a renowned local strongman, skillfully mediating among the powerful gentry and wealthy families, officials at all levels in the six cities under the jurisdiction of the prefecture, after more than a year of painstaking efforts, finally gradually sorted out and brought together the long-disordered financial and tax affairs.
At the end of the year, after taking stock, the state treasury had a small surplus, and with Luo Cuiwei's already ample cash flow to help, the "sending troops to the Northern Barbarians" was finally put on the agenda.
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The reason why the Linchuan Army has been locked in a stalemate with the Northern Di for decades is not only because the emperor was unwilling to take the initiative to send troops, so as to avoid the bad reputation of "exhausting the people's military power and bullying their small neighbors", but also because the Northern Di people are naturally fierce and stubborn. In addition, their habit of moving with the grass for many years makes them agile and swift in action, and it is not easy to kill them with one blow.
Moreover, the purpose of this military campaign was not to completely annihilate the Northern Barbarians, but to "subdue them first, then offer them amnesty." If the scale of this campaign was not properly managed and the Northern Barbarians were wiped out due to excessive force, the Zhaowang Mansion would find it difficult to explain to the capital.
This makes the battle even more difficult to fight.
Although Xiong Xiaoyi had been the commander-in-chief of the Linchuan army for more than a year, the matter was of great importance and the situation was complex. It would be too much to ask him to shoulder such great pressure and make strategic decisions on his own.
The Linchuan army had been guarding the border for many years and had lost too many experienced and capable generals in previous battles against the Northern Di. Furthermore, all parties in the capital had already reached a consensus that they would not provide assistance to Linchuan in its campaign against the Northern Di, so there was no way to expect the capital to send experienced generals to reinforce them.
In other words, the only people who can truly oversee the situation at the front lines in Linchuan right now, besides Xiong Xiaoyi, are Yun Lie, who has already stepped down as commander-in-chief.
Yun Lie had been planning this for many years and had anticipated the various difficulties and challenges he might encounter in the process, so he was naturally fearless.
The situation required him to return to the front lines, and he felt it was his inescapable duty.
After all, this all-out military campaign against the Northern Barbarians is a long-term benefit for the six cities of Linchuan, which have been harassed for decades, and even for the entire northwestern border region.
But when Yun Lie was planning this, he never expected that many years later, when everything was ripe, he would have a beautiful wife in his arms and a young child on his knee.
If he frequently went in and out of the defense zone to oversee the front lines, he would inevitably neglect his beloved wife and daughter; but given the current situation, he obviously could not just sit at home and wait for Xiong Xiaoyi to send someone back with battle reports.
The most important matters of state are sacrifice and war.
But the most important things in a family are the meals and the daily companionship.
With the arrow already on the bowstring, he naturally knew which choice was the right one.
But in this world, many things don't mean that knowing you're doing the right thing will prevent you from feeling pain and hesitation.
When he proposed to Luo Cuiwei, he told himself that he would treat her very, very well.
But thinking about it more closely, it seems that he often leaves her to face many things alone.
After the marriage certificate was initially submitted, she was left alone in the royal palace in the capital for several months; now she's being left here alone again...
well.
(two)
Winter comes early to Linchuan; in early December, the north wind blows and snow at night.
Warm braziers were placed all around the bedroom, and candles flickered gently, their flames crackling softly in the background, accompanied by the rustling of snowflakes outside the window.
At the hour of Xu (7-9 PM), after handing the sleeping Xiao Yuanzi over to Tao Yin to take away, Luo Cuiwei sat on the couch, wrapped in a quilt, and casually flipped through a storybook.
After Yun Lie finished bathing and returned to his bedchamber, Luo Cuiwei casually placed the book on her pillow, rubbed her slightly cold fingertips, and smiled at him, "You just came back from outside, are you cold? Warm yourself up before you come over."
After saying that, he lay down and wrapped himself in a thick quilt, making himself look like a round cocoon.
Unsuspected by her sudden concern, Yun Lie nodded obediently and happily warmed himself by the fire for a long time before finally getting into bed, feeling warm all over.
No sooner had he snuggled into the quilt than Luo Cuiwei leaned closer and slipped her hands inside his clothes.
The cool, soft touch made Yun Lie shiver.
She raised her face, smiling mischievously, "I've been flipping through books for quite a while, my hands are cold, and I'm too lazy to get out of bed to warm them up." That's why she asked him to warm them up before coming over.
Upon learning that he had become a "walking heater," Yun Lie glared at her lightly, but then pulled her close with his long arms, letting her press herself against him for warmth.
"You've seemed preoccupied these past few days," Luo Cuiwei gently nuzzled his chin with her nose, speaking softly, "Is there something troubling you?" @Unlimited good stories, all at Jinjiang Literature City
Because she knew nothing about military affairs, although Yun Lie and Xiong Xiaoyi never avoided her when discussing related matters, she only cared about what assistance she needed to provide and was too lazy to listen to anything else.
Ever since Yun Lie and Xiong Xiaoyi talked for more than an hour in the study last time, Luo Cuiwei noticed that Yun Lie seemed to have some worries in his mind for the next few days.
Yun Lie lowered his eyes and gazed at her for a moment, then took a deep breath and slowly tightened his arms around her.
He buried his face in her temple, letting her soft, sweet fragrance fill his nostrils, before saying in a low, strained voice, "The situation is too complicated. Xiong Xiaoyi might have a hard time handling it alone. I might have to..."
Luo Cuiwei was stunned for a moment, then hugged his waist tightly and said in a muffled voice, "Are you going to the battlefield yourself?"
Noticing her sudden tension, Yun Lie quickly patted her back reassuringly and whispered, "That's not necessary. It's just that you'll need to be stationed in the defense zone more often, so you'll spend less time at home."
Once this battle begins, it will surely be a protracted one. If one's luck is even slightly worse, it may take three to five years to entangle in the conflict.
Although the defense zone is not far from here, he can return home as long as the situation at the front eases up a little, but he still cannot take care of his family completely.
For the next few years, he may be like a fleeting visitor in this home; even though he is close to his wife and daughters under the same moon, he will often feel as if they are worlds apart, unable to reach them.
Perhaps I will miss Yuanzi's first words, miss holding her chubby little hand as she takes her first steps; I will miss holding my wife in my arms when she is tired, miss comforting her and making her smile again when she is sad and down.
Compared to the greater good of the country and its people, these things may seem insignificant; but for a family, they are indispensable.
Yun Lie felt increasingly distressed as he thought about it, a tightness gripping his chest.
"Perhaps I'm being selfish and narrow-minded, but hearing you say I don't need to go myself makes me feel much more at ease," Luo Cuiwei nuzzled his shoulder and whispered, "This is already very good."
“Nonsense,” Yun Lie’s eyes were burning and his throat was choked. “My Weiwei is the most generous and magnanimous person in the world.”