Chapter 977 - 982, - 983: Eastern Tour, Return to Hometown (Part 2)

The route has been planned, and the personnel have been selected. The eastern tour is scheduled for March 9th.

This time, Chen Mo’s eastern tour aims to visit River Sea. The primary purpose is cultivation, while the secondary aim is to investigate the truth behind the Immortal Fruit and Immortal Island. An entire eastern tour is essentially whipped up for this trivial pursuit, akin to wrapping a dish of dumplings for a measly bit of vinegar.

...

On March 9th, a multitude of six-horse, four-horse, and two-horse carriages were parked outside the palace, and once they set off with the Emperor’s entourage leaving the palace, these carriages, one after another, carried the Emperor, concubines of the Harem, civil and military officials, all escorted by the Imperial Guard, to the canal to board ships.

At the canal quay, thousands of Fish Scale Guards filled several warships to the brim.

Of course, the Emperor’s guards are certainly not just these but also nearly ten thousand infantry.

They are following on horseback across the land.

Departing from the Capital, at each inspection site along the eastern tour route, Chen Mo would disembark accompanied by Wu Mi as well as the Crown Prince and Geng Songfu.

Local officials come to greet them.

Even though Chen Mo had already issued an edict to simplify the greeting ceremonies, at the first inspection site, the reception was grandiose.

When asked why it was not kept simple, the officials replied, "This is organized spontaneously by wealthy merchants and the gentry from the county, only to catch a glimpse of Your Majesty’s presence."

Chen Mo slightly furrowed his brow, criticized lightly, but did not escalate the matter, and continued with the local inspections.

The so-called inspections were merely a few key points.

If there were river works, seaports, or similar projects locally, the first order of business was to inspect these river works and seaports.

Then it was the situation regarding household registration and taxation.

Next, if there were any meritorious soldiers retired due to injury, they would visit and offer condolences to these soldiers.

If time permits, they would also visit local seniors over seventy years old to chat.

Then they would go to some villages to promote legal thinking, check whether new policies have been implemented, and investigate the sufferings among the populace.

During this period, the Empress would bring along the Crown Prince to show care for the children of the populace, highlighting the Empress’s virtuous conduct and the Crown Prince’s benevolence.

It was like this until they reached Qingzhou, and by then it was already June.

Upon arriving in Qingzhou, Chen Mo took Wu Mi and others straight to Fu Ze Village.

This was Chen Mo’s first return to his home village since being crowned Emperor.

For Chen Mo’s children, it was also their first visit.

Currently, Fu Ze Village is no longer just a village; it has been planned into a county town, becoming an urban village.

As the Emperor’s imperial carriage arrived outside Fu Ze Village, the villagers immediately began to shout.

"The Emperor is here."

"The Emperor is here, hurry and have a look."

"Dear, come out quickly, our Emperor is returning to the village, everyone is heading over, we should hurry too, or we won’t find a good spot."

...

Chen Mo, accompanied by Wu Mi, Han Anniang, Yi Shiyin, Xia Zhiqing, Xia Zhining, along with their respective children, and officials like Geng Songfu and Zhang River entered the village together.

Smiles graced the faces of Han Anniang and the others.

Compared to the younger sisters who entered later, they had lived in Fu Ze Village before, and they knew the older villagers.

For Chen Mo, Fu Ze Village is his root.

The men in the village had originally followed him in revolt, fighting against the previous dynasty’s county soldiers, the Celestial Master Army, and various military factions through dozens to over a hundred battles for the establishment of Great Wei, meriting distinction.

When Chen Mo descended from the imperial carriage with Wu Mi and Chen Jia, the villagers surrounded him.

Chen Mo glanced at them roughly and felt slightly disappointed in his heart, as the village was still the same but the people were no longer those of the past.

The majority of those who had first joined Chen Mo’s uprising were ordinary men. After so many battles, only a handful survived till now, and those few have mostly moved to the Capital or other major places.

Of course, there were also those from neighboring villages who had joined Chen Mo’s efforts and merited honor.

As Chen Mo walked towards the village, a middle-aged man with a limp and a walking stick slowly approached him, smiling with excitement, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, I was a soldier under General Zhang. After the decisive battle at Song Family Slope, you honored me in Linzhou. Your Majesty, you were quite fierce back then."

"Indeed, indeed."

"Your Majesty, I also fought in the Song Family Slope battle."

A few middle-aged men stepped forward; although not part of Chen Mo’s earliest followers, they had been soldiers and shared the commonality of being disabled, thus retiring from the army.

Though physically impaired, their hearts were unchanged; their attire was not luxurious but tidy and without patches, speaking not of enforced retirement regret but rather displaying admiration for Chen Mo.

Compared to the previous chaotic era, they genuinely felt life had improved vastly.

Moreover, Chen Mo’s triumph over Jin Xia had "conquered" Jin Xia, bringing them a chance to hold their heads high.

Truthfully, Chen Mo did not remember them, being ordinary soldiers, and during the Song Family Slope battle, he was already a First-class Duke.

But this certainly could not be uttered aloud.

He smiled and shook each veteran’s hand.

Without uttering a word, their faces simultaneously beamed with excitement and privileged surprise.

Chen Mo inquired about their health, family numbers, and life sustenance.

The veteran who playfully remarked about Chen Mo’s fierceness replied with excitement, "Your Majesty, thanks to your great fortune, our family can eat well and dress warmly, even having spare money to dine at the hot pot restaurants. My son is with the Divine Brave Guard now, and last year he followed Your Majesty to confront the Jin Xia Barbarians, earning merits."

After speaking, several veterans eagerly invited Chen Mo to visit their homes.

Suddenly, a multitude of emotions welled up within Chen Mo.

Afterward, he went to his old home.

The old house, made of yellow clay, remained in its original state when Chen Mo left the village, indicating local officials had taken great care to preserve it.

Chen Mo invited the other concubines and their children to join as well.

"Is this the house where Father used to live? It’s so shabby." Chen Nuo blurted out.

As soon as he spoke, Xia Zhiqing covered his mouth with her hand, saying, "Babbling like a child."

Chen Mo approached Chen Nuo, squatted, pinched his little cheek, and smiled teasingly, "Little rascal."

"This humble dwelling embodies my virtuous spirit."

At that moment, the Crown Prince Chen Jia suddenly articulated this saying.

Chen Mo was taken aback.

As were everyone including Wu Mi and the concubines.

"Father, was my citation incorrect?" Chen Jia asked in bewilderment as Chen Mo and the others remained silent.

"Correct, absolutely correct." Chen Mo walked over, picked him up, and laughed, "Looks like the students at the Imperial College aren’t all incompetent."

"Congratulations, Your Majesty." Geng Songfu congratulated Chen Mo for the Crown Prince’s virtues.

Xia Zhiqing glared lightly at her son, a hint of frustration flashing in her eyes, as if to say that despite being taught by the same mentor, why couldn’t he say something like this.

Chen Nuo, not understanding the significance, merely felt his father was biased, puckering his small mouth in grievance.

"Chong’Er, learn from your Crown Prince Brother more in the future." Han Anniang taught her son.

Though evening had fallen, Chen Mo, caught up in his emotions, planned to spend the night in his old house.

Wu Mi and Han Anniang, thus, could only accompany him.

Fortunately, the house was regularly cleaned from inside out, neat and tidy, needing only bedding for sleep.

The next morning, Chen Mo, along with the women and children, visited the Imperial Mausoleum.

This Imperial Mausoleum was constructed under Chen Mo’s order, specially built for his deceased parents, brother, grandfather, and grandmother.

Chen Mo took them to pay respects to the ancestors.

He had the descendants bow before the grave.

Given that Chen Mo was a transmigrator, he didn’t have emotional attachments to the original parents.

However, Han Anniang, upon reaching the grave, teared up and cried.

In that moment, it seemed as if she returned to ten years ago when Father Chen and Mother Chen were still around, recalling Mother’s last words to her.