Ludongzan waved his hand. Immediately someone walked out from the crowd of onlookers and handed the documents in his hand to Ma Zhou. Ma Zhou took them, glanced at the documents, then looked at Ludongzan and bowed, saying: “Please, Grand Minister, proceed to the post station. This official has been remiss—I ask the Grand Minister not to take offense.”

Ludongzan sat on a sedan chair carried by four sturdy Tubo men with an ambiguous smile and returned to his own tent, completely ignoring Ma Zhou’s invitation to go to the post station.

Ma Zhou didn’t insist. There really wasn’t any post station under Yinshan for envoys to rest at anyway. What he’d said just now was merely courtesy. He tucked the documents into his robe and was about to find Daizhou Governor Zhang Baoxiang. This sort of matter shouldn’t be handled by a petty minor official like himself in the first place. Just now, he had merely been striving to maintain Great Tang’s prestige from falling.

Zhang Baoxiang was in an extremely good mood today. The docility of the old Turkic tribes made him happy from the bottom of his heart. Yun Mu was also very happy. Just now, she had received praise from a tent full of people—at such a young age, she already knew how to perfect others’ virtues and had a pure and kind heart. When she grew up, she would surely be a good woman. This made her a bit shy, and she buried her head in her mother’s embrace acting coquettish, causing everyone to burst into laughter again.

Ma Zhou placed Ludongzan’s documents on Zhang Baoxiang’s desk and said: “Governor Zhang, the Tubo people have come after all. However, they didn’t take Jiannan or Songzhou—they came straight down from Yinshan.”

Zhang Baoxiang didn’t even glance at the documents and instructed the Chief Clerk to forward them to Dingxiang Army. This wasn’t his responsibility. If Ma Zhou hadn’t brought it up, he wouldn’t even want to know about it. Years ago, he had spoken out of turn once and nearly brought irreversible disaster upon himself, so now he only kept his eyes on Daizhou’s one mu three fen of land. He didn’t even want to ask about other matters.

Ma Zhou also knew about his mistaken military report back then, so he no longer mentioned the Tubo Grand Minister. Verifying identity and receiving envoys was Lord Hou’s duty. It wasn’t appropriate to involve Zhang Baoxiang.

Na Rimu sat in a chair continuously introducing the tribal chieftains from the grasslands to Zhang Baoxiang. With each introduction, Yun Jiu showed Zhang Baoxiang their gift lists one by one. After the Chief Clerk verified the gift lists, the accounting office would provide that chieftain with a tribute completion document. Last year there were one hundred sixty-four tribal families. This year, only one hundred fifty-five remained. Nine tribal families had thus vanished into thin air. Without a tribute completion document, tribes had no way to establish themselves on the grasslands. The great army would suppress these rebels, and other large tribes would also attack them, like vultures eyeing carrion. Many times, overnight, a tribe would be completely divided up.

After handling these matters, Yun Jiu clapped his hands. Immediately, servants of the Yun family presented ten purple lamb pelts and bamboo tallies representing numbers of cattle and sheep. Seeing Zhang Baoxiang’s puzzlement, he said: “Governor, don’t be surprised. This is what the Yun family is paying on behalf of the Yudu tribe. This tribe has now sold itself entirely into slavery. The Yudu tribe will cease to exist starting next year.”

The Wuli Adjutant, who never spoke and seemed like a clay figure, suddenly spoke up and asked: “The Yudu tribe has only six hundred seventeen women, elderly, and weak remaining. These people cannot provide any help to your estate. Why would the Yun estate take them in rather than letting them be swallowed by the grasslands?”

Na Rimu looked at this strange person. She had rescued people wrongly? She wanted to open her mouth to rebuke this unreasonable fellow, but remembering what Huan Niang had taught her—watch more, listen more, speak less—she forcibly held it in, planning to observe first before speaking.

Yun Jiu bowed and answered: “The Adjutant doesn’t know—when the Yun family ranch started, it relied entirely on my mistress taking in young people no one wanted. Now, those young people have grown up and reached the age when they need to marry. The Yudu tribe’s able-bodied men all died in battle. For others, that’s a huge burden, but for the Yun family ranch, it’s a very good opportunity. Marrying those women to the ranch’s herdsmen—this way, with both men and women, with balanced numbers of males and females, the ranch will prosper and thrive.”

The Wuli Adjutant wielded great authority in the army. Generally, he didn’t speak, but once he did, even a commander like Zhang Baoxiang couldn’t ignore him and had to explain clearly. Otherwise, great disaster would immediately strike.

After hearing Yun Jiu’s explanation, the Wuli Adjutant thought for a moment and said: “The people can be taken away, but not the pastures. The Yudu tribe’s pastures need to be returned to public ownership. The Yun family cannot touch them.” After speaking, he became a clay Bodhisattva again.

Na Rimu was furious. More than half her reason for taking in the Yudu tribe was for those fertile pastures upstream of the small river. Now, with one sentence, the pastures were gone. How could she swallow this anger? She didn’t understand what kind of existence the Wuli Adjutant was. She opened her mouth and said: “This won’t do. If the Yun family takes in the people, we must take the pastures too. Without pastures, how can we feed those people?”

“That’s your Yun family’s business and has nothing to do with this official. This official has said—people can be taken away, but not the pastures. They must be redistributed.” The Wuli Adjutant looked at Na Rimu with interest. His words being questioned—this was the first time.

Before Na Rimu could speak again, Zhang Baoxiang said with a smile: “The Adjutant is absolutely right. The reason the court divided the grasslands into pieces is precisely because it doesn’t want to see one family dominating. Madam Mu, that’s how it is. This concerns national policy. That the Adjutant permits the Yun family to take in the Yudu tribe’s herdsmen is already showing leniency. Don’t bring this up again.”

Yun Jiu also said with a smile: “Precisely, precisely. Today there are grassland songs and dances, wanderer’s tunes. The Yun family’s head chef has also prepared some food. Let’s all go watch the songs and dances together and taste the Yun family’s food. You should know, everyone, that the Yun family’s food is famous throughout Great Tang—it mustn’t be missed.”

Zhang Baoxiang burst into loud laughter and said to the Wuli Adjutant and Chief Clerk: “Whether we watch the songs and dances doesn’t matter—it’s just grassland herdsmen dancing in circles. Though vigorous and fierce, after seeing it many times it becomes rather boring. But the Yun family’s food—that mustn’t be missed.”

The Wuli Adjutant still had that deadpan face. He cupped his hands and said: “This subordinate is accustomed to frugality. A bowl of noodles is sufficient. I’m afraid I can’t afford to enjoy the extravagance of wealthy families.”

Zhang Baoxiang and Yun Jiu laughed together and gave the Wuli Adjutant a thumbs up. Seeing his confused expression, Zhang Baoxiang continued: “Worthy of being the Wuli Adjutant—hitting the nail on the head. The Yun family is indeed a wealthy family, but their food has never been any extravagant banquet. Plain and simple, ordinary home cooking—but through the Yun family’s hands, it’s truly turning the mundane into the miraculous.”

“Does the Adjutant know that years ago, this Governor and Marquis Yun both served under Duke Wei? During the freezing season, the great army fought with Xie Li. That suffering! One day, in bitter cold, with hunger in my belly, I was invited by Marquis Yun to warm up in his tent. One iron pot, one ball of dough, a handful of green garlic grown in a flowerpot, plus chili and vinegar—he said he’d make something delicious to reward Old Zhang. Marquis Yun pulled the dough into one-inch-wide noodles, added green garlic and chili, splashed it with vegetable oil—tsk tsk, that flavor! I, Old Zhang, still savor it endlessly even now.”

Speaking of military past events, the Wuli Adjutant’s face immediately showed a hint of a smile. All being from military backgrounds, they most enjoyed hearing these military anecdotes. Seeing Zhang Baoxiang’s vivid description, he smiled and said: “If that’s the case, today I’ll experience the Yun estate’s ability to turn the mundane into the miraculous.”

Yun Jiu, beaming with joy, immediately invited Zhang Baoxiang and the Wuli Adjutant outside, saying the Yun family’s cooks had already prepared everything—today they would eat noodles.

Na Rimu was so angry her eyeballs were about to pop out. Zhang Baoxiang not helping her was one thing, but even Yun Jiu, that dog slave, didn’t help her either. When leaving, he didn’t even look at her. Truly without discipline.

Huan Niang emerged from who knows where, holding Yun Mu in her arms. She tapped Na Rimu’s forehead and said bitterly: “All you have is a pretty face. Inside and out, you’re just an empty shell. What kind of person is the Wuli Adjutant? I’ve told you three times. Today, if the Wuli Adjutant hadn’t said anything, you could have done whatever you wanted. But once the Wuli Adjutant spoke up, you should have immediately shut your mouth. Not to mention you—even if the Marquis were here, if the Wuli Adjutant said this, the Marquis absolutely wouldn’t oppose it.”

“Fortunately, Governor Zhang spoke for you, and Yun Jiu was clever enough to gloss over the matter. Since the Wuli Adjutant was willing to go eat, that means he didn’t take it to heart. Otherwise, you would have caused great disaster. What crime is incorporating Turkic tribes? You don’t understand. Even the Marquis would suffer reprimands.”

“I just wanted that pasture. Who cares about incorporating tribes? One more person isn’t as good as one more sheep. It would make my daughter’s dowry more substantial in the future. My husband is so capable—he wouldn’t fear a small sixth-rank adjutant.”

Seeing Na Rimu talking back stubbornly, Huan Niang kept reciting Amitabha Buddha, saying with a bitter face: “What sins did this old woman commit back then to forcibly push you into the Marquis’s bed? Now look what’s happened—marrying you, the Marquis is truly unlucky to death. Can’t give birth to a son, gave birth to a daughter, and the Marquis just happens to treasure his daughter and treasure you too. A concubine so arrogant she can shout at the Wuli Adjutant—do you think the Marquis isn’t unlucky enough?”

“Then what should I do? I really wanted that pasture. Now we’ve taken in over six hundred people for nothing, but the pasture doesn’t belong to our family. What should we do?” Hearing Huan Niang speak so seriously, Na Rimu lowered her head and didn’t dare talk back. She could only bring up the pasture issue.

“That’s right—the Marquis is the cleverest person in the world, so marrying a foolish wife balances things out. Your eyes were only fixed on the pasture. Didn’t you hear the subtext in the Wuli Adjutant’s words? The pastures must be returned to public ownership—this is iron law that no one can violate. The pastures return to public ownership—the Adjutant didn’t say the grass also returns to public ownership, did he? Who can graze sheep on it? Isn’t it still our family?”

“The Adjutant manages regulations, but he doesn’t manage pasture allocation. As long as we ask Lord Hou not to allocate this pasture out, isn’t that enough? How many times have you grazed on public pastures over these years? Raising so many cattle and sheep, all grazing on public pastures. Your own pastures have all been cut into hay and stored away. Which family has this ability? The Qibi family’s pastures are also nearby. When have you seen them do this? This is the Marquis’s true ability.”

Hearing that she could graze sheep there, Na Rimu immediately became happy and grabbed Huan Niang’s hand, saying: “I’ll listen to you from now on. I absolutely won’t speak recklessly again.”

Huan Niang looked at the girl who had already fallen asleep and said tenderly: “No wonder the Marquis would leave his daughter with you. He’s just afraid you, this foolish woman, will suffer losses, so he deliberately left his daughter on the grasslands. Those fierce generals, even if they don’t acknowledge your status as a concubine, must at least give the Yun family’s eldest daughter some face. To take care of you, making himself separated from his own flesh and blood—thinking about it is truly pitiful.”