Holding the Emperor Hostage : Chapter 81: Heavenly Horses

Shentu Yang led his army hurrying along but still could not make it back to the capital before the end of the year. However, the various spoils of war he had collected from the Western Regions and the new maps arrived at the imperial palace on New Year’s Eve.

These were all rare treasures and precious items that Shengtu Yang had carefully selected for His Majesty while campaigning in the various states of the Western Regions. There was a crown made of gold and studded with all kinds of gems, a precious sword made of silver and inlaid with various pearls and gems, an intricately crafted scepter inlaid with gold and gems and full of exotic charm, and even several chains made of gold and studded with gems…

In addition to the glittering gold and silver jewelry full of exotic style, Shengtu Yang also had several large crates of raisins, Hami melons, fragrant pears, apples, red dates, and sheep sent back. These were all top-quality goods that Shengtu Yang had personally selected, delivered all the way to the capital by fast horse and urgent relay, just so that His Majesty could eat some fresh fruit during the winter.

There were also several large iron cages containing animals rarely seen in the Central Plains, such as lions, ostriches, peacocks, camels, antelopes, and leopards… In Shengtu Yang’s words, he wanted to build a zoo for His Majesty, to raise all kinds of fierce beasts inside. For His Majesty to enjoy and relax after tiring work.

In addition to these items for eating, drinking, and entertainment, Shengtu Yang also collected cotton, spices, and fine horses from the various states of the Western Regions. He also had his soldiers escort a batch of prisoners skilled at raising horses back to the capital. These fine horses were his gift to His Majesty. He also planned to establish new horse farms in the Protectorate General of the Western Regions and Youzhou, to have the people of Dayuan teach the common people of the Central Plains how to raise horses.

“Youzhou and Bingzhou are vast and rich in resources, most suitable for raising horses. Now this humble minister has introduced the fine horses of Dayuan. I believe that in a few years, all the soldiers of our Yin Dynasty will be able to ride fine horses into battle. Has Your Majesty ever seen the fine horses of Dayuan…” In the letter Shengtu Yang wrote to Yin Shuhuai, he spent a full three pages describing just how magnificent the fine horses of Dayuan were. Tall in stature, robust in build, proud in temperament, well proportioned in limbs, light and graceful in posture, able to travel a thousand li in a day… Through the soaring handwriting on the letter, Yin Shuhuai could tell just how excited Shengtu Yang’s mood was.

So much so that when writing about the cotton of the Gaochang Kingdom, Shengtu Yang only casually wrote “Gaochang has a flower called the white cotton. The local common people all use this flower to weave cloth. This humble minister feels that this white cotton and the cotton of Qiongzhou seem to have the same wonderful effect. So I had people collect some white cotton seeds to bring back to the Central Plains, and also had the Governor of Liangzhou plant this item in the various commanderies of Liangzhou,” and then moved on, continuing to describe how wonderful the fine horses of Dayuan were!

Yin Shuhuai was actually quite excited too. He had lived this long and had never seen a Dayuan fine horse in real life.

He did not know how Shengtu Yang had negotiated with the people of Dayuan, but he had actually brought back fifty lively and spirited heavenly horses that sweat blood. It was said that when the tribute procession entered the capital, the entire court and countryside were shocked. Not to mention the common people who loved watching excitement all their lives, even the soldiers of the northern and southern armies who were not on duty ran to the city gates to watch the heavenly horses that sweat blood. Even many aristocratic families and nobles, including Grand Commandant Huo Yan, brought their families to the relay station to see the horses.

One could imagine how many regional lords and powerful clans had watched these fine horses along the way from the Western Regions. Fortunately, Shengtu Yang and his Yan Kingdom iron cavalry had a fierce reputation. Otherwise, Yin Shuhuai might not have been able to receive so many heavenly horses that sweat blood. They would probably have been intercepted by local powerful clans before even leaving Liangzhou.

Who could resist the temptation of a heavenly horse that sweats blood?

In any case, Yin Shuhuai could not. He did not even finish reading the letter Shengtu Yang had written to him. He did not care about the goose feather heavy snow falling from the sky, and on the afternoon of New Year’s Eve, braving the wind and snow, he came to the Shanglin Imperial Park. The Dayuan slaves responsible for caring for the fine horses led the fifty fine horses out from the stables. Fifty tall and mighty horses stood before Yin Shuhuai with their heads held high.

These fine horses probably also knew that they were magnificent. They paced in place and looked down upon the Emperor of Yin dressed in ceremonial robes with a haughty expression.

Yin Shuhuai looked at them one by one, feeling that every single fine horse had the standard features of a small head and high neck, long and slender limbs, glossy coat, and handsome posture. Probably not quite used to the wind and snow of Youzhou, some of the horses restlessly raised their hooves and reared up on their hind legs.

Yin Shuhuai looked at the divine steeds neighing proudly in the wind and snow, his eyes going straight.

Shentu Yang had mentioned in his letter that these fifty fine horses were all personally selected by him. Out of all of Dayuan, only these fifty most magnificent horses had been picked out to be presented to His Majesty. And among these fifty fine horses, twelve were pale golden, twelve were silver white, twelve were date red, twelve were pure black, and two were even rarer pure white… The hair of every single one was as silky as satin. Yin Shuhuai carefully touched one, then looked at his palm. Sure enough, it was tinged with a faint blood red color.

That horse came up to Yin Shuhuai and sniffed him, then nudged Yin Shuhuai’s chest affectionately like a spoiled child.

Yin Shuhuai’s heart itched unbearably. He immediately wrapped his arms around the fine horse’s neck and swung himself up.

The eunuch responsible for caring for the horses was startled and knelt down to beg forgiveness: “Your Majesty, please forgive me. Divine horses are difficult to tame. They have not yet been fitted with saddles and stirrups.”

“No need.” Yin Shuhuai gently patted the horse’s mane and said with high spirits: “Since it is a divine steed, it naturally has spiritual understanding. Giddyup—”

The fine horse beneath him neighed and plunged into the wind and snow. Yin Shuhuai rode the heavenly horse that sweats blood around the Shanglin Imperial Park, round after round, with great delight. His fiery red greatcloak fluttered wildly in the swirling snowflakes, and the horse’s mane flew in the biting cold wind. A group of eunuchs and imperial guards looked at each other in dismay, and could only spur their horses to catch up from behind. Even using all their strength, they could not catch up to His Majesty’s heavenly horse that sweats blood.

He did not know how much time had passed. Feeling completely satisfied and refreshed, Yin Shuhuai reined in his horse and gazed into the distance. Looking at the undulating mountains in the distance, his heart surged and he made a decision.

He would lead all the civil and military officials to go out and welcome them from three hundred li away, to personally welcome back his Grand Marshal.

At the palace banquet on New Year’s Eve, Yin Shuhuai told Yao Wenruo of his decision to personally lead the civil and military officials to welcome the army from three hundred li away, to celebrate the achievements of Shengtu Yang and the soldiers returning in triumph.

Yao Wenruo and the various generals of the Yan Prince’s mansion had also run to the city gates to watch when the Dayuan fine horses returned to the capital. That Shengtu Yang had discovered the heavenly horses that sweat blood in the Western Regions and had personally selected fifty of the most magnificent fine horses to give to His Majesty was something that Yao Wenruo and the generals of the Yan Prince’s mansion found not the least bit surprising.

Their lord was exactly this kind of man who forgot his brothers once he had His Majesty. Not to mention fifty fine horses, even the vast empire was something he would give up without a second thought. The brothers had long grown accustomed to it.

Fortunately, since His Majesty had taken power, he had been clear in rewards and punishments and never feared them. The brothers had all been promoted in rank and title, and had followed His Majesty to earn full to bursting. After going back and forth, they were indeed convinced in their hearts. After all, who would be willing to risk having their nine clans executed and carry their head to rebel, when they could steadily be promoted in rank and title?

Even more so since their lead brother himself had never thought of rebelling! Even if those two had a falling out now, people would still say they fight at the head of the bed and make up at the foot of the bed. There was no need for them to get involved.

So when they learned that His Majesty, after seeing the fine horses, had decided to personally lead the civil and military officials to welcome the triumphant army, Yao Wenruo and the various generals did not find it surprising. Whether they were showing off their affection or not was another matter. If it were them, they would be happy to welcome the army from not just three hundred li, but even three thousand li. Those were heavenly horses that sweat blood, after all!

Unfortunately, their lead brother’s heart and mind were completely filled with making His Majesty happy, and he did not think of his brothers at all. The soldiers sighed and grumbled to themselves on one hand, and respectfully acknowledged the order on the other.

Yin Shuhuai suddenly remembered something and said to Yao Wenruo and the others: “The Duke of Yan also mentioned in his letter that he selected a batch of breeding horses and horse breeders in Dayuan, preparing to bring them back to Youzhou with the army. At that time, he will establish horse farms in Youzhou and Bingzhou to breed the heavenly horses that sweat blood. Within three to five years, all the soldiers of our Yin Dynasty will be able to ride heavenly horses that sweat blood onto the battlefield.”

Once these words were spoken, the crowd was stirred up. Even the aristocratic families and nobles could not help but excitedly exclaim: “Is this true?”

Yin Shuhuai smiled: “The Emperor’s word is his bond.”

So they could start preparing the horse farms now. Yao Wenruo excitedly rubbed his hands together. His mind automatically sketched out the map of Youzhou and Bingzhou, and he instantly thought of four or five locations suitable for horse farms.

Speaking of maps, Yin Shuhuai naturally took out the maps of the Western Regions that Shengtu Yang had sent back by fast horse, to appreciate together with his beloved ministers the new territory that the Grand Marshal had conquered for His Majesty. However, everyone’s eyes intentionally or unintentionally fell upon the location of Dayuan.

Grand Commandant Huo Yan downed a cup of strong wine and immediately thought of a good idea. He felt that since the Silk Road had already been reopened, they could also organize merchant caravans to do business in the Western Regions, to go to Dayuan to buy horses. They would not even have to wait three to five years. One trip could bring back several good horses! The other aristocratic families and nobles all thought the same.

What Huo Yan and the various aristocratic families and nobles did not know was that Shengtu Yang had only personally selected fifty horses that he considered the most magnificent to give to His Majesty. This did not mean he had only brought back fifty horses.

In fact, Shengtu Yang and the tens of thousands of troops he led had emptied out all the fine horses of Dayuan. From him downward, every officer at the rank of captain and above in the Youzhou iron cavalry and the Western Liang army had switched to a fine horse. When the army left Dayuan, it was said that the King of Dayuan led his officials to see them off for over a hundred li. He cried as he sent them off. No one knew whether he was heartbroken over the horses or over himself.

Even the pasture of Wusun at the foot of the Qilian Mountains had been requisitioned by the Protectorate General of the Western Regions. The Grand Marshal was arrogant and overbearing. To say he plucked every feather that passed by would not be an exaggeration.

In the letter he wrote to His Majesty, Shengtu Yang also regretfully stated that Dayuan was too small and its national strength too weak. The entire country could only gather ten thousand fine horses, not even enough for them to divide among themselves. He also worried that the fine horses would not acclimate on the long journey from the Western Regions to Youzhou. Before leaving, Shengtu Yang had also brought back all the slaves who raised horses in the Dayuan royal court. He hoped that with these people’s careful care, these fine horses could safely and steadily return to Youzhou.

Shentu Yang also pleaded in his letter to Yin Shuhuai that if the Dayuan slaves could really bring these ten thousand fine horses back to Youzhou without losses, he hoped His Majesty could bestow Yin Dynasty household registration upon the Dayuan slaves. He wanted them to be rewarded according to their merits and allowed to serve as officials in the Yin Dynasty, staying in the Shanglin Imperial Park to care for the horses for His Majesty.

Yin Shuhuai happily agreed.

He had thought that Shengtu Yang’s mind was completely occupied by the Dayuan fine horses, since he had spent a full three pages describing to Yin Shuhuai how magnificent the fine horses were. He had not expected that at the end of this letter, Shengtu Yang’s pen would turn, and he would actually mention again that the Western Regions were too far from Ji County. The road was long and endless. He could not make it back to Ji County before New Year’s Eve to spend the New Year with His Majesty. Shengtu Yang considered this a great regret. But on the road leading the army back to the court, he had also noticed that the official roads of Yongzhou, Sizhou, Bingzhou, and other places were all built flat and wide. The army could travel straight all the way. He believed he would soon be able to return to Youzhou and reunite with His Majesty.

Shentu Yang also enclosed a petal of a tulip in his letter: “The local people say this flower represents passionate and eternal love. Just like this humble minister’s love for Your Majesty. Until death do us part.”