Chapter 195: Western Tour

"These are just normal pregnancy reactions—the fetus is perfectly healthy, my lady need not worry." Inside Cuifang Hall, the old imperial physician spoke in a Guanzhong accent, respectfully reassuring Pure Consort Geng.

Lady Geng's jade-like hand gently stroked her belly, a layer of maternal radiance spreading across her delicate features. Hearing his words, she let out a slight sigh of relief and said, "That's good then......"

Her tone carried an indescribable softness, yet in her expression there faintly lingered a trace of anxiety and melancholy.

Seeing this, the old physician rose, stepped back, and bowed: "This old man will prescribe another course of pregnancy-stabilizing medicine. My lady need only maintain her usual routine and rest to nourish the child."

"Thank you for your trouble, Physician Hu." Lady Geng snapped back to herself and offered the old physician a faint smile.

"This old man takes his leave."

"See the physician out." Lady Geng instructed a serving maid.

Cuifang Hall had Cuifang Garden, and the late-spring breeze was exceptionally mild. Supported by her serving maid, Lady Geng strolled along the garden paths. All around was vibrant with life, yet Lady Geng's face carried a persistent trace of sorrow. She stopped to rest briefly in a pavilion and couldn't help reaching up to touch her cheek—the sensation of weight gain was unmistakable.

"Sigh......" Her expression grew more bitter.

Lady Geng was already eight months pregnant, her belly now round and full, her body having thickened a full size, her bosom noticeably larger as well. Liu Chengyou had felt it before—the feel was even better than before. Unfortunately, Lady Geng's mood grew daily more gloomy, finding no joy.

At bottom, she felt neglected. After all, even back when Liu Chengyou doted exclusively on Lady Geng, he hadn't had much time for sweet nothings with her, let alone now that he had married an Empress and taken a Noble Consort, compounded by her own physical condition.

Lady Geng was by nature soft and gentle, content and considerate, but also somewhat sensitive and fragile. Though she did not vie for favor or curry flattery, nor cause trouble in Liu Chengyou's harem, she could hardly help secretly pitying herself.

"My lady." A palace eunuch ran from outside the garden to the pavilion.

Lady Geng pulled herself out of her resentful mood, looked at the eunuch, and asked softly: "Has the imperial procession departed?"

The eunuch nodded, breathing slightly heavily: "The imperial procession has already crossed the Rainbow Bridge, heading west on inspection."

Lady Geng was briefly stunned, then asked: "The Empress and Noble Consort Gao truly accompany His Majesty?"

"Yes."

Hearing the answer, Lady Geng fell silent for a moment, a hint of grievance forming on her face as her eyes slowly reddened.

"My lady is with child and cannot bear the rigors of travel—His Majesty is only sparing your health. Otherwise, His Majesty would surely have brought you along as well......" Seeing Lady Geng's sorrowful state, a palace maid beside her seemed to read her thoughts and couldn't help consoling her.

"I know." Lady Geng replied softly, her mood no better for it.

"Mind your tongue!" An old woman beside them scolded the palace maid, then said gently to Lady Geng: "My lady must not overthink things. His Majesty is busy with affairs of state and has no time to attend to the harem—He does not dote exclusively on the Empress or the Noble Consort either. You are with child now; nurturing your health and bearing His Majesty a fine son is what matters most. Hm...... while His Majesty is away on tour, you might go to Renming Hall to keep the Empress Dowager company and fulfill your filial duty before her."

Hearing the old woman's words, Lady Geng came back to herself, looked at her, and much of the melancholy faded from her face. After a moment's thought, she said: "I understand. Thank you, Old Madam Li, for your guidance."

This old woman was the very matron Lady Li had previously assigned to attend Liu Chengyou. After entering the Eastern Capital, she had been recalled to Renming Hall to serve as Palace Stewardess. When Lady Geng became pregnant, given their familiarity, she had been dispatched to Lady Geng's side to care for her.

Seeing Lady Geng somewhat recovered, Old Madam Li smiled in response, inwardly relaxing slightly. She knew well that if Lady Geng remained so gloomy for long, it would hardly be good for the imperial child in her womb......

Having long dwelt deep within the palace, ignorant of conditions among the people, Liu Chengyou used this as his reason to make the decision for a "Western Inspection Tour." No sooner was this proposal put forth than it met with opposition from court officials led by Yang Bin. After Liu Chengyou ascended the throne, Yang Bin had kept a low profile for a time, but after a while, discovering that Liu Chengyou was wholly devoted to governing the state and stabilizing the people's livelihood, he began to raise his head again, once more "butting heads" with Liu Chengyou.

This time, however, the majority of court officials sided with Yang Bin. They felt that with the state just stabilized and the Son of Heaven newly ascended to the throne, he ought to remain seated in the Eastern Capital to steady the realm. They further cited the unrest at the four borders and turmoil within the empire as reasons to stop him. A basketful of reasons, but at bottom, they simply felt that Liu Chengyou, as Son of Heaven, was a bit too restless.

But their reasons only served as motivation for Liu Chengyou's western tour. What one hears is ultimately somewhat hollow—seizing the moment of initial stability, Liu Chengyou resolved to see the people's condition with his own eyes. His will was firm, and the court officials simply could not stop him.

Among the chancellors, Su Fengji and Feng Dao accompanied the imperial procession; the rest remained with Yang Bin at the helm and Guo Wei assisting in overseeing state affairs. The Longqi Army escorted the procession as guards, and Shi Hongzhao, by imperial decree, led men to protect the imperial person, serving as Commander-in-Chief of the field headquarters.

Liu Chengyou emphasized that the imperial western tour should be conducted with utmost simplicity—no grand display, and certainly no waste of labor or resources. Aside from the necessary ceremonial regalia and escort guards, there was almost nothing arranged for show. Even the Empress and Noble Consort Gao accompanying him had essentially just "grabbed their bags" and come along.

Though heading west, Liu Chengyou had no intention of going far—the furthest point being the Western Capital, Luoyang, with emphasis on inspecting the conditions of prefectures and counties between the two capitals.

At present, the state's population was sparse, lands lay barren, the economy was depressed, governance was lax, and officialdom was corrupt. Liu Chengyou's primary purpose on this journey was to observe the people's condition, reassure the populace, encourage production, and develop the economy. At the same time, he also wanted to make this new Son of Heaven's presence felt and grab some attention.

Several thousand men and horses slowly advanced westward. On the spacious carriage, Liu Chengyou sipped tea and read a book, appearing quite at ease. But as they traveled, the carriage never ceased jolting, and the farther they got from the Eastern Capital, the worse it became—even with the imperial carriage's "shock-absorbing" measures, it was somewhat uncomfortable.

He lifted the carriage curtain and looked outside. The road was terrible, full of pits and ruts, clearly not having been repaired in years.

"The roads must be fixed! The roads absolutely must be fixed!" Amid the jolting, Liu Chengyou resolved solemnly.

But soon a hint of helplessness crept onto his face. Given the current state of the nation, his heart was willing but his strength was lacking—if the people could barely manage food and clothing, where would the manpower and resources come from for "infrastructure"?

It was already late spring. Along the western route, on the plains by the roadside, one could already see some cultivated land, mainly planted with wheat and rice. The greenery was not particularly lush, but Liu Chengyou was delighted to see it. Elsewhere he couldn't say, but the farming in the vicinity of the capital had clearly not been neglected.

After leaving Kaifeng, Liu Chengyou's first order was a strict prohibition against trampling fields or damaging crops—any violator, regardless of who they were, would be beheaded.

Then, almost as if slapping Liu Chengyou in the face, shortly after the order was issued, several cavalrymen under Shi Hongzhao's command, their horses startled, bolted into a farmer's field and were seized by Ma Quanyi, Chief Inspector of the field headquarters. Shi Hongzhao tried to protect them—those men were his confidants—and the matter was brought before Liu Chengyou. Not punishing them, or punishing them lightly, was out of the question; otherwise, what authority would Liu Chengyou have as Son of Heaven?

The outcome was naturally predetermined—all of them were executed, their heads displayed at the field headquarters as a warning to others. Not only that, the horses, all fine animals, were killed as well, to demonstrate the Son of Heaven's resolve to value agriculture and protect the crops.

This sobered everyone in the field headquarters, from high ministers and officers down to common soldiers and grooms—the Emperor's edicts were no joke; they truly cost lives, and even Chief Commander Shi couldn't protect his men. Shi Hongzhao was furious about Liu Chengyou executing his subordinates and privately voiced complaints, which, in the fastest possible time, all reached Liu Chengyou's ears.

"Your Majesty, Zhongmu County has arrived!"

He had only dozed briefly on the imperial carriage; when he woke, the sun was already slanting west. Zhongmu County fell under the jurisdiction of Kaifeng Prefecture—practically at the Eastern Capital's doorstep, less than sixty li away in a straight line.