Chapter 128: The Huaxia Marriage Alliance
Moreover, he treated his subordinates extremely well, never putting on the airs of a crown prince.
Yet at times, he could be decisive and ruthless, in no way resembling a benevolent sovereign.
What sort of person was Chen Mu, exactly?
At that moment, Chen Mu set down his cup and gazed at Long Xueyao with a smiling expression, as though lost in thought.
After a while, the two finished their meal. Chen Mu went to arrange matters concerning the production of the trains, while Long Xueyao returned to Hua to inspect the situation there.
Before long, summer arrived. Great Xia’s first railway was completed—a line connecting the capital of Great Xia with Hua.
The first train consisted of one passenger carriage and nine freight carriages. Riding this train and carrying nine carriages filled with betrothal gifts, Chen Mu arrived in Hua.
The King of Hua and the princess, Long Xueyao, led their ministers to welcome him at the station.
Watching the train thunder toward them, the king exclaimed from the bottom of his heart, “Chen Mu truly is a heaven-sent genius! Who would have thought he could make such use of a steam engine? This is far faster than our little cars!”
Long Xueyao smiled. “Indeed. The idea of using rails is absolutely brilliant. It makes ingenious use of the train’s weight.”
As they spoke, Chen Mu stepped off the train with Great Xia’s diplomats, ceremonial officials, and others.
“Your Majesty, Xueyao, it has been a long time.”
Long Xueyao greeted him shyly. The King of Hua stepped forward, took Chen Mu by the hand, and said with a laugh, “Chen Mu, we truly have to thank you. You gave Hua priority in using such a marvelous invention. Transporting supplies will be so much easier from now on!”
Chen Mu smiled. “Hua played a part in the creation of this train as well, so naturally you should be the first to use it.”
“Besides, I have a little selfish motive of my own.”
When Chen Mu said the latter part, a mysterious smile appeared on his face. The King of Hua was utterly bewildered.
“Oh? What selfish motive?”
Chen Mu replied, “In truth, this journey serves both public and private purposes. The public purpose is the train itself. The private purpose is the betrothal gifts aboard it.”
“Betrothal gifts?”
The King of Hua froze for a moment, then immediately understood. He said excitedly, “You mean...?”
Chen Mu nodded and turned toward Long Xueyao with a smile.
Of course, Long Xueyao had heard everything. Her face instantly flushed crimson. When she saw Chen Mu looking at her, she quickly lowered her head, her expression filled with both embarrassment and delight.
How could Chen Mu bring this up in front of everyone?
Chen Mu smiled at the King of Hua, then walked toward Long Xueyao.
“Xueyao?”
Long Xueyao kept her head bowed and softly answered, “Yes.”
Chen Mu continued, “Your beauty is like a lotus blooming upon a snow-capped mountain. Your compassion is like sunlight, bringing all things to life. Your wisdom is like the stars in the heavens, flickering with mysterious radiance. Everything about you captivates me beyond words.”
“Xueyao, will you marry me?”
Chen Mu’s tender words sent Long Xueyao’s heart racing. She covered her face with both hands, completely unsure what to do.
At that moment, the people of Hua surrounding them began to clap and chant in unison:
“Marry him!”
“Marry him!”
“Marry him!”
This was a distinctive Hua custom, a blessing offered by relatives and friends to young men and women.
Hearing the crowd, Long Xueyao secretly peered at her father through the gaps between her fingers.
The King of Hua wore a kindly smile and nodded, encouraging her.
His eyes seemed to say: This is the finest son-in-law in the world. Where could you possibly find a second?
At last, Long Xueyao summoned her courage and gave a small nod.
The crowd erupted in cheers.
...
On the seventh day of the seventh month in the thirty-eighth year of the Zhenguan Era of Great Xia,
Crown Prince Chen Mu married Princess Long Xueyao of Hua.
In the sixth year since Chen Mu had come to this world, he took his third wife.
On the day of the wedding, General Zhang Zhong led five thousand soldiers of the Invincible Flying Army, together with Great Xia’s ceremonial officials and others, to Hua to escort Long Xueyao back.
Long Xueyao, the King of Hua, the ceremonial officials, and the palace maids traveled by train, bringing her dowry with them. The Invincible Flying Army followed in electric tracked vehicles as an escort, and together they journeyed to the capital of Great Xia.
The common people and officials lined the roads to welcome them, offering blessings without end.
Upon reaching the imperial city, ninety-nine ceremonial cannons were fired, while dazzling fireworks blossomed in the sky to bless the newlyweds.
With both kings as witnesses, Chen Mu and Long Xueyao became husband and wife.
Long Xueyao became Chen Mu’s second principal consort.
In the eyes of outsiders, Long Xueyao ranked one level above Mei Linger, but below Liu S素素. Within the Crown Prince’s residence, however, they were all sisters. In Chen Mu’s household, there were no such constraints of rigid etiquette.
After their honeymoon, Chen Mu decided to travel to the Southern Barbarian Kingdom to inspect its rubber plantations.
Although news of the rubber forests had been sent back more than two months earlier, they had yet to be exploited because the roads were impassable.
Now that the roads in the Southern Barbarian Kingdom were nearly complete, Chen Mu decided to go there himself to study how the rubber would be harvested and processed, and then represent Great Xia in signing a cooperation treaty with the Southern Barbarian Kingdom.
Years ago, Chen Mu had led his troops in breaking through the capital of the Southern Barbarian Kingdom and capturing its king. He had installed the ten-year-old prince as the new king and arranged for an instructor to control the government.
Furthermore, the Southern Barbarian Kingdom’s finest warriors had all been conscripted by Great Xia to establish and reinforce the Untouchable Flying Army. It could therefore be said that the Southern Barbarian Kingdom was now extremely secure.
Indeed, it was Great Xia’s most obedient vassal state.
Thus, apart from his guards, Chen Mu brought only one thousand soldiers of the Invincible Flying Army, equipped with firearms and traveling in electric tracked vehicles. Accompanied by relevant officials, students, craftsmen, and others, he arrived in the Southern Barbarian Kingdom.
The young king of the Southern Barbarian Kingdom, along with the instructor and others, had already been waiting at the border. The moment they saw Chen Mu cross the frontier with his people, the young king immediately knelt in greeting.
“I, Liu Fangyuqi, pay my respects to Your Highness, Crown Prince of the Celestial Empire! With Your Highness, my Adoptive Father, gracing us with your presence, our humble vassal kingdom shines with glory!”
The young king had been studying the language and etiquette of Great Xia for several years and had now acquired a respectable degree of fluency and polish.
Chen Mu nodded. “Rise.”
Liu Fangyuqi and the others stood and withdrew to the roadside, inviting Chen Mu to proceed first.
Chen Mu ordered the convoy onward and summoned the instructor of the Southern Barbarian Kingdom to his side. The instructor rode on horseback, his body bent slightly forward as a sign of respect.
The horses of the Southern Barbarian Kingdom were short to begin with, and with the instructor bowing, he seemed shorter still. Chen Mu, seated upon a specially crafted throne, towered over him by a considerable margin.
Chen Mu asked, “How has the Southern Barbarian Kingdom been faring lately?”
In fact, whenever the Southern Barbarian Kingdom sent its annual tribute, it also submitted a report on the state of the country. If it encountered any difficulties, it would request assistance from Great Xia.
Chen Mu’s question now was not about any major affair, but about the young king.
The instructor had governed the Southern Barbarian Kingdom for several years and understood Chen Mu’s meaning at once. Clasping his fist, he replied, “Your Highness, the Southern Barbarian Kingdom is calm and peaceful. The young king is also studying diligently. He has already finished half of The Twenty-Four Examples of Filial Piety.”
Chen Mu nodded. The Twenty-Four Examples of Filial Piety was a work he had adapted from his own memories, with many of its stories attributed to foreign kingdoms and distant lands. In essence, every tale described a child showing filial devotion toward his parents.