Zhou Baoyu led Liu Chengfeng and others to stop in front of his big tent, and raised his hand to wave to the soldiers guarding the tent door on both sides.
"You all will immediately withdraw from the patrol camp eighty steps away. No man, except His Highness, is allowed to approach the camp without the order of this general. Anyone who disobeys the order will be subject to military law."
"We have been ordered to retreat."
After dozens of soldiers stood up, they neatly divided into four columns and trotted towards the distance of the tent without hesitation.
"Uncle Zhou, how is this possible? You gave up your big tent to your nephew's wife, where do you live?"
"Your Highness, there's no need to be polite. I'm just a big man, so I can just find a camp and work together. I'll get down to business first by settling down the imperial concubine and the emperor's grandson."
"This... then thank you Uncle Zhou."
Zhou Baoyu nodded happily, reached out and opened the tent and gave Liu Chengfeng and the others a nod.
"Your Highness, Imperial Concubine, you go in first, I will also leave first."
"Uncle Zhou, walk slowly. I will go find you after I, my nephew, have settled my wife and children."
"Okay, I will be waiting for Your Highness at any time. I will retire."
After Zhou Baoyu and others entered the tent, they gently put down the tent door and hurried towards the outside of the camp.
"Here comes someone."
"Is this your humble duty, General?"
"Go and tell the Huotou Army that no one is allowed to take the initiative to deliver food to the tent without His Highness's orders. They must wait for orders before taking action.
After delivering the order, you should immediately go to Vice Admiral Ji's camp.
If the last letter has not been sent out, tell Vice Admiral Ji to write another letter and send it to the capital.
Ask him to report to His Majesty the Emperor that His Highness the First Prince has married the Little Empress of Tsarist Russia and has given birth to a little grandson.
If it has already been sent, then send the golden eagle message again, and the news must be conveyed to His Majesty as quickly as possible without any mistakes."
"I have been ordered to resign from my humble position."
After the soldiers left, Zhou Baoyu glanced back at the Chinese army tent in the distance, then walked silently outside the camp while holding on to the hilt of the knife at his waist.
"Song Yang."
"Hey, Uncle Zhou, why did you come out so quickly?"
Zhou Baoyu looked at Song Yang with a surprised look on his face, laughed loudly and slapped Song Yang's shoulders hard several times.
"Good boy, it seems that you haven't suffered much in these more than a year in Tsarist Russia! Not to mention you have lost weight, you are much stronger than when you passed by Xinfu when you were on an mission a year ago.
"
Song Yang laughed a few times and hugged Zhou Baoyu happily.
"Hehehe, Uncle Zhou praised me. To tell you the truth, not only did I not suffer much hardship in Tsarist Russia, but I also lived a very comfortable life.
By the way, Uncle Zhou, how are my parents doing in the capital now?"
"Okay, okay. We old brothers who have been through life and death, your dad's life is the most comfortable and comfortable. Don't worry, kid."
"That's good, that's good. As long as the two elders are in good health, I'll be relieved."
Since I went on mission, I have been thinking about the situation at home all the time. However, the mountains are high and the roads are long and difficult, so it is not easy to write a letter home.
In addition, some unexpected things happened in Tsarist Russia, so the boy was not able to send letters to the swan geese to report safety.
I hope my father and mother can understand my difficulty and not blame me for this."
"Hahaha, you kid, just put your heart in your stomach. Your father is not the kind of person who can't look away from things. He will definitely not blame you.
Brat, tell me how you spent more than a year in Tsarist Russia, and what kind of situations happened?"
"It's not that I don't want to tell you, Uncle Zhou. It's because I don't know what to say. It's better to wait until the commander in chief is not busy and let him explain it to you, Uncle Zhou."
"Is it okay to give a rough outline?"
"It's definitely okay to talk about it in general. Uncle Zhou, how about we find a place to have a few drinks? Is it convenient for you?"
"It was definitely inconvenient before you came back. Now that you have returned from your mission, it doesn't matter. Not to mention having a few drinks, having a drink to your heart's content is not a problem."
"That's a good relationship. It's been a long time since I've had hometown food, so I won't be here..."
"Uncle Zhou, second brother, what are you talking about happily?"
"Your Majesty, Zhou Baoyu, is here to see you."
"The last general Song Yang met with the general army."
"No gifts, no gifts, Uncle Zhou, second brother, there is no one else here, why are you so polite? I won't be happy if you keep being so polite.
Like my father, I don't like this set of vulgar etiquette very much. From now on, when no outsiders are present, we will just use the private address."
"This...then I am bold."
"What the hell! Let's not talk about this anymore. What were you two talking and laughing about just now?"
"Back to Your Highness, I was about to ask Mr. Song Yang to tell me about your stay in Tsarist Russia! I didn't expect that Your Highness would just come out.
How about it? Your Highness should have made arrangements for the imperial concubine and the emperor's grandson, mother and daughter, right?"
"The arrangements have been made. My nephew asked Serena's maid Nina to serve her and feed the child, and then he came out first."
"I feel relieved now that the arrangements are in place. Are you hungry, Your Highness? How about we go get some food first?"
"That's great. My nephew will listen to your arrangements, Uncle Zhou."
"Then please, Your Highness, you two brothers, please move on. Let's go directly to the Huitou Army. We can let them cook whatever we want to eat, and we can also take the opportunity to have a few drinks."
"The relationship is good. Uncle Zhou, let's go together. Don't be polite to anyone. There's really no need."
"Thank you, Your Highness."
Within a moment of burning the incense, Liu Chengfeng and the others were already sitting at an open-air dining table.
Each of the three people held a fragrant roast leg of lamb in their hands and tasted it with great gulps. From time to time, they picked up the wine glasses in front of them and drank with each other.
"Uncle Zhou, second brother, let's have another drink."
"Please, your Highness."
"To the Commander-in-Chief."
Liu Chengfeng put down his wine glass, nodded at the endless green fields outside the tent, then used a small blade to cut off a piece of mutton and slowly brought it to his mouth.
"Uncle Zhou, what's going on with the potato seedlings and sweet potato seedlings outside the camp? Why are you plowing fields and growing food in this place?"
"Your Highness doesn't know. His Majesty ordered his ministers to lead the soldiers to act like this. It has been going on since last year."
"What? My father ordered you to act like this?"
"Of course, otherwise, without His Majesty's will, how could I dare to mobilize my troops and horses to leave the new mansion without authorization!"
"What is my father thinking? I ordered you to plant tens of thousands of acres of grain in this deserted place. Can you really get a harvest?
I know potatoes and sweet potatoes are both very productive, but do they deserve their place?
When my nephew led the delegation to pass by this place two years ago, it was a barren land, and it didn't look like it could grow food at all.
You rashly plant tens of thousands of acres of potatoes and sweet potatoes here, and if you fail to harvest, your hard work will be in vain for a year."
"Your Highness, if you can plant it, you did it last year."
"Ah? Food can really be grown here?"
"Yes, we can really grow food, and the harvest is quite impressive. Although the harvest is not as good as the three inner palaces in my Dalong territory, it is still pretty good.
Although only one season of food can be harvested in a year, with this food, the national treasury can save a large amount of money for the construction of people's livelihood and government.
Last year we planted all potatoes, but we only planted sweet potato vines this year. Whether we can harvest anything depends on the season.
Regardless of whether it works or not, we have to give it a try. It would be better if we can get something, but if not, it’s not a big deal.
This year, tens of thousands of acres of grain will be planted, and next year we, Dalong, will be able to add tens of thousands of new recruits.
For the long-term peace and stability of our country, Dalong, we have to give it a try, let alone a barren land before, even if it is a pile of stones."
"But there are a lot of wilderness plains in Xinfu. Why don't you farm there instead of going as far away as Lake Baikal on the border?"
Zhou Baoyu paused slightly while eating the barbecue, glanced at Liu Chengfeng with a complicated expression, who looked surprised and curious, and let out a heavy breath.
Liu Chengfeng looked at Zhou Baoyu's hesitant expression and seemed to understand something. He chuckled twice with complicated eyes, picked up the wine pot and filled up the three glasses one by one.
"Uncle Zhou, if it's inconvenient, forget it. Don't be embarrassed. My nephew can just ask his father in person when he returns to Beijing."
Zhou Baoyu nodded with a wry smile, picked up the wine glass and gestured to the Liu Chengfeng brothers.
"Your Highness, I offer you a drink."
"Let's have a drink together and cheers."
Zhou Baoyu put down the wine glass in his hand and sighed sadly.
"Your Highness, there is actually nothing that cannot be said. The reason why Your Majesty ordered the ministers to plant potatoes and sweet potatoes here is to protect the safety of you and the soldiers of the mission."
"Protect our safety?"
"Yes, in order to protect your Highness's safety, I don't know how to describe the specific situation to Your Highness.
Your Highness, you should wait until you return to the capital and ask Your Majesty yourself, and Your Majesty will explain the whole story to you."
"Since Uncle Zhou has said so, my nephew will stop asking questions and just drink wine and eat meat."
"Thank you for your understanding, Your Highness. I would like to toast you."
"Let's have a drink together."
Three days later, the Dalong Mission, under the leadership of Liu Chengfeng, left Zhou Baoyu's military camp after taking a short rest and embarked on the journey back to Beijing again.
On the eighth day of the sixth lunar month in the sixth year of Dalong's reign, the study room in the inner courtyard of the Liu Mansion.
Young Master Liu sat on the chair, looking through the Golden Eagle Biography several times with a shocked expression on his face, as if he had seen something incredible.
"Gudu... Gudu..."
After a long time, Young Master Liu slowly put down the letter in his hand, picked up the tea with trembling arms and put it into his mouth.
"Liu...Liu Song."
"Master?"
"This... this young master has become a grandfather."