Eyes Charming - Chapter 11
Upon seeing Zhao Xu, he immediately dismounted and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, I have something to report."
Zhao Xu waved his hand to stop him from continuing, saying, "Since you're here, you should practice archery first. If you hit the tiger's eye, I'll listen to what you have to say."
Without saying much, Zhao Hao leaped onto his horse and galloped to the firing point. He reined in his horse, drew his bow, and before the fiery red horse's neighing had even ceased, the arrow had already flown out...
Zhao Xu frowned and stared intently...
Right in the tiger's eye.
Zhao Xu had practiced diligently for two months to perfect the tiger's eye arrow, while his second brother could hit the tiger's eye with a simple, casual shot.
Surprised, a surge of anger slowly rose in his heart.
More than anything, it was resentment.
"Your Majesty, may I speak now?" Zhao Hao asked cautiously.
Zhao Xu suddenly laughed, went over and took his younger brother's hand, saying, "What's the rush? Seeing how accurately you shoot, I'm intrigued too. How about we have a contest?"
Zhao Hao bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I am deeply apprehensive."
Zhao Xu ignored him, turned around and ordered someone to select two branches from a willow tree on the side, peel off a section of bark from them, and tie a red handkerchief under them as a mark.
They stood about two hundred paces from the willow tree.
After waiting for the willow branches to be prepared, he first drew his bow and arrow, concentrated intently on his target, and then released the arrow.
The willow branches fell with a sound.
Precision is naturally superior to hitting a willow leaf from a hundred paces. Zhao Xu was quite pleased and said to his younger brother, "Your turn."
Zhao Hao nodded, preparing to shoot in the same manner, but was stopped by Zhao Xu: "I already hit the target. If you also shoot down the willow branch, it will only be a draw, with no clear winner. How about this: if you catch the willow branch before it hits the ground after you shoot it, you win. Then, whatever you say to me afterward, I will listen attentively."
Zhao Hao agreed after a moment's thought.
Zhao Xu was surprised that he agreed so quickly. Two hundred paces was not a short distance, and the willow branch was no more than four or five feet off the ground.
Before drawing his bow, Zhao Hao pulled out two arrows.
The first arrow flashed past like lightning and snapped the willow branch in two.
The second arrow arrived immediately, striking the lower part of the falling willow branch and bouncing it high into the air.
As soon as the second arrow was fired, Zhao Hao spurred his horse forward. Halfway there, he suddenly leaped off his horse, lightly touching the saddle with his toes, and flew through the air. With a twist and a somersault, he was in front of the tree, reaching out to catch the willow branch just as it was about to fall. Without falling, he kicked off the tree trunk and flew back, landing steadily on the back of the oncoming fiery red horse, which then galloped back.
The surrounding attendants cheered.
Zhao Hao dismounted before Zhao Xu, presented the willow branch with both hands, and asked again, "Your Majesty, now I..." He suddenly froze, because he noticed that his brother's face had turned pale, and he immediately realized that he had made a big mistake—how could he allow his achievements to be better than the emperor's?
Zhao Hao was bewildered and at a loss.
Seeing his reaction, Zhao Xu seemed immediately relieved and said to him in a gentle tone, "Prince Qi's archery skills have improved considerably. Very well, I will listen to whatever you have to say."
Zhao Hao was relieved and thought, "My brother is the emperor after all; his mind is naturally broad. I was overthinking things." He then finally spoke about the Baojia system: "The current Baojia law stipulates that there is no distinction between rich and poor; for every two able-bodied men, one must be selected as a Baojia soldier. Wealthy households can manage to train them daily without much problem, but poor households who need to work every day cannot afford this time. Becoming a Baojia soldier means they are unable to support their families, yet the law must be enforced, forcing some to become bandits. Currently, in Shanxi and other places, due to both drought and insect plagues, people are suffering, and thieves are rampant. The original intention of establishing the Baojia system was to help them cope with this situation, but now many thieves are actually being created from among the Baojia soldiers. Wasn't the court implementing the exemption from military service to reduce the people's military burden? This Baojia system is actually just transferring this burden back onto them! I urge Your Majesty to reconsider and suspend or amend the Baojia system to appease the people's will."
Zhao Xu listened in silence. Zhao Hao then reported, "Now, bandits in Shanxi have begun shouting slogans of rebellion. Your Majesty has always said that I, your younger brother, have not personally investigated the people's conditions and cannot verify the truthfulness of the reports submitted by court officials. I would like to humbly request Your Majesty's permission to send me to Shanxi to investigate the facts, quell the rebellion, and relieve Your Majesty's burden."
"Do you truly wish to share my burdens?" Zhao Xu suddenly recalled Wang Shao's plan to recruit the Western Barbarians and sneered, "Right now, my greatest worry is not those few petty thieves in Shanxi, but the various Western Barbarian tribes. Brother Hao, would you be willing to go to the western border with Wang Shao to sever the right arm of the Western Xia for me?"
The Western Barbarians? Zhao Hao's heart skipped a beat. A land of barbarians, a frontier where war was about to break out.
Looking again, I saw that the older brother's expression was serious, but his gaze carried a hint of doubt and disdain. He probably thought that I wouldn't be willing to go.
"How about it? You can really make full use of your riding and archery skills there," he urged again.
Zhao Hao took a deep breath, stood up, bowed again, and replied, "Your Majesty is right. My most important task now is to follow Wang Shao and recruit the Western Barbarians."
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Plum Blossom
"Now, both the Western Xia and Liao kingdoms are eyeing our country covetously and their oppression is increasing daily. The heavy tribute we pay has become unbearable for our people. In order to prepare for the invasion that may occur at any time, the court must spend a lot of money to maintain the army, raise funds, and assign labor for a long time. If this continues, the country will inevitably become weaker and weaker. This is also the problem that has worried several emperors the most. Wang Shao's 'Three Strategies for Pacifying the Barbarians' is indeed feasible. Recruiting the Western Barbarians to cut off the right arm of the Western Xia is the only way to finally subdue the Western Xia. It is an unparalleled honor for a subject to personally participate in this plan to strengthen the country and revitalize the nation. Moreover, as the late emperor's son and the current emperor's younger brother, I have an even greater responsibility to share the emperor's worries. I have studied military strategy and various martial arts for many years, but I have always regretted not having the opportunity to put them into practice. This time, I am fortunate to be dispatched by the emperor. I am extremely grateful." In the main hall of the Prince Consort's residence, Zhao Hao calmly told Princess Shu and her husband his reasons.
"Is that really what you think, Hao?!" The princess, half pity and half doubt, pushed aside the teacup offered by the maid. Two tears fell simultaneously with the tea that trickled down the corner of the table. Her voice choked with emotion and sorrow: "I know you're wronged, but why are you so repressed? Don't you know your flaw is that you're too kind, too submissive to fate, and don't know how to fight back? You can hand over a glorious future to Xu, but you won't ask him to give you even a little peace and tranquility that he can provide. Is that little request too much? Too much for you to even want?" Tell your own brother and let him exile you to the distant frontier! Fine, if you still refuse to speak, I will go to the palace to ask Emperor Xu if he still remembers the vow he made before our mother in his youth, a vow of eternal brotherhood and mutual support; if he still cherishes your brotherly bond of over twenty years; if he hopes to hear you recite the "Seven Steps Poem" of boiling beans with beanstalks burning, someday in the near future. I will also ask the Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager, if one day they see the endless yellow sands of the Western Regions and the blood-red setting sun burying your young and excellent body and soul, will they feel the same bone-chilling cold and sorrow as I do?
"Sister, I did not relinquish my glorious future to Xu." Zhao Hao looked at the Princess of Shu with calm and gentle eyes, yet his gaze seemed to transcend the princess's illusions and settle on a distant and beautiful realm: "Because my future is not locked within the green tiles and red walls of the palace, nor is it tied to the high dragon throne in the Zichen Hall. I knew this from the moment I learned that Father had written Xu's name on the edict of succession, or even earlier, when I first stepped out of the palace gates and experienced the absolute freedom that even an emperor could not enjoy. I love the river outside the palace; though not as clean as Taiye Pond, it is more unrestrained and joyful. I love the green mountains and white clouds outside the city, and the place that nurtured..." Their clear air possesses a purity rarely found even in the most luxurious palaces. I love the lanterns that adorn the entire city during the Lantern Festival, the bustling crowds enjoying spring outings during the Qingming Festival, and the delightful tradition of climbing mountains during the Double Ninth Festival. Moreover, I think that if I were to experience it firsthand, I would also fall in love with the desolate deserts and the setting sun over the long river in the Western Regions. Compared to the unease of being confined within the Bianjing Palace, I yearn for the rugged freedom, perhaps even desolate, on the horizon. I entrust all my accumulated ambitions to that yellow earth; only there can I find my glorious future. Only by conquering its storms and myself can I find true peace and tranquility. Therefore, I am grateful to my brother for the choice he made for me.
Princess Shu stared blankly at her younger brother, vaguely sensing that he was not as submissive and unambitious as everyone thought. He had his ideals and hopes, although she did not fully understand his thoughts.
"But, Hao..." The princess hesitated, feeling that what she had originally planned to say now seemed so pale and powerless.
"Princess," Wang Pang, who had been sitting quietly to the side, spoke up, "I also believe that His Majesty's dispatch this time is not a demotion of Prince Qi, but an immense and glorious favor." He continued, "Those who receive the emperor's bounty should share his burdens. Currently, court officials frequently criticize His Majesty for being too biased towards the imperial family and for bestowing excessive rewards. Looking at the current imperial family, while there are many capable individuals who can help His Majesty resolve difficulties and govern the country, there are also quite a few royal sons who enjoy the emperor's favor without thinking of repaying the country. Prince Qi and Prince Jia are still young, yet they have both been enfeoffed as princes. People generally believe this is entirely due to their shared mother with His Majesty; without political achievements and military exploits, it will be difficult to gain public support. Therefore, I believe that His Majesty's arrangement is precisely to allow Prince Qi to use the opportunity of recruiting the Western Barbarians to lay a solid foundation for the future conquest of Western Xia. In the future, when we destroy Xia and defeat Liao, enhance our national prestige, and restore our borders to their former glory as during the Han and Tang dynasties, Prince Qi's contribution will be indispensable. At that time, everyone will admire Prince Qi's unparalleled achievements."
After a long silence, the prince consort Wang Shen looked up at the princess and said, "What you say, Prince Wang, is not without reason." He was practically a member of the imperial family, and always sensitive to criticisms of the imperial family members by court officials. Zhao Hao and Wang Pang's words had subtly stirred a long-dormant sense of patriotism within him. Protecting the country and restoring the borders of the Han and Tang dynasties—this was an ideal that no ambitious Han man could refuse. In that instant, he felt he understood Prince Qi's thoughts somewhat, but the prince's slightly melancholic composure remained difficult for him to comprehend.
Princess Shu rose and walked to Hao's side, tidying her younger brother's disheveled hair as she often did when he returned from playing Cuju (an ancient Chinese football game). Then, gently but firmly, she said, "You can go, Hao, if you insist. But if you don't return safely and healthily, I will never forgive you, I will never forgive Xu!"
Hao nodded, smiled, and replied, "Yes, sister."
When Wang Pang returned home, the snow had gradually intensified, blanketing the buildings and the ground in a layer of white feathers. As he walked, he wondered what his beautiful little wife was doing now. Was she, like his younger sister Wen'er, overjoyed at the arrival of the auspicious snow, going out to play and build a snowman? Or was she, like a small animal that had quieted down after the busy autumn, curled up in the warm bedroom, sleeping soundly? Unconsciously, a gentle smile appeared on his lips. Although the weather was freezing cold, his heart was already filled with the warmth of spring.
After walking through several winding corridors, just as I arrived at the back garden, I suddenly saw a beautiful woman in red lingering under the plum blossom tree, her steps light and graceful, like a fairy.
She wore a crimson cloak, trimmed with fluffy silver fox fur. It was originally hooded, but now it draped loosely over her shoulders, revealing a stunningly beautiful neck. Her hair was styled into a loose, almost askew bun, with a few stray strands falling gracefully against her snow-white skin. She moved with delicate steps, slowly admiring the newly opened plum blossoms, a gentle smile on her face, her movements graceful and ethereal, like a goddess descending from the heavens. A breeze wafted by, carrying a subtle fragrance, whether from the flowers or the beauty herself, it was hard to tell.
"Di..." he murmured in his heart, a tenderness, a sense of wonder, and a lingering joy and longing that filled his heart.
He seemed to have returned to that April day in the human world, when the willows were swaying and the breeze was gentle on his face. The figure of the beautiful woman was as graceful as a startled swan and reflected in his heart. So he was intoxicated and repeatedly sang that eternal song "Tired of Seeking Fragrance".