With the persuasion of Yi Xiaodao and Li Dingxing, it took Xiang Lian'er a long time to calm down. It's no wonder that Rong Lan is affiliated with Si Tianjian and specializes in observing the stars and fortune telling for the royal family. His words always make people think too much. In addition, Li Dingxing and Xiang Lian'er have worked hard since they got married, but there is no movement in Xiang Lian'er's belly...
"Yi Xiaodao, why did you agree to him just now! You should have torn his mouth off just now and let him talk nonsense!" Xiang Lian'er said still angrily.
Li Dingxing considered that Yi Xiaodao was now a court official after all, so he smoothed things over and said, "That's all, didn't we seize a lot of money from the Eastern Japanese people? It's about four to five million taels. Just give some of it to the court. Anyway, Yi Xiaodao didn't have it just now." Tell me how much to raise.”
"Then how much is appropriate for the court? One million taels?" Xiang Lian'er interjected: "Yi Xiaodao, why don't you say anything?"
"Four to five million taels... I'm afraid it's not enough." Yi Xiaodao said, thinking in his mind.
As soon as these words came out, not only Li Dingxing looked sideways in surprise, but Xiang Lian'er was also startled: "Five million taels is not enough? Are you still the Yi Xiaodao I know? I remember that you regard wealth as your life!"
Of course, these words were deliberately meant to tease Yi Xiaodao. When he left Wancheng, Xiang Lian'er's ancestral house was supposed to be sold to a local king for 500 taels. However, Yi Xiaodao saw that Xiang Lian'er was reluctant to part with it, so he instead sold 500 taels. Asking Yuan Wang to help take care of the ancestral home, Xiang Lian'er has always remembered this. Of course, Yi Xiaodao is quite stingy most of the time.
Yi Xiaodao rubbed his chin, frowned and said: "The imperial court has tried its best for this battle between Chu and Xiang. Among the eight vassal kings, only Chu Xiang has not obeyed the king's orders for a long time. Now your Majesty sends people to collect food, just to fight with Chu Xiang." Xiang will fight to the death. If Chu Xiang wins, his lips will be dead and his teeth will be cold... Nanhuai will indeed not have a good life."
Li Dingxing was silent. His father and eldest brother both died at the hands of Chu Xiang. How could he forget this overwhelming hatred. I just don’t know if the imperial court came to ask for money and food. Is it really that they are at the end of their rope or is they trying to hollow out Nanhuai and suppress Nanhuai in the name of conquering Chu and Xiang...
"I think...if the old prince and the eldest son were here, they would also support us in doing this." Yi Xiaodao said and looked at Li Dingxing, waiting for his response.
Xiang Lian'er looked at Yi Xiaodao, took Li Dingxing's hand, and said softly: "Shall we go see dad and brother?"
Li Dingxing nodded and asked Xiang Yi Xiaodao: "Xiaodao, let's go together?"
"I won't go. It's not appropriate for me to be an outsider when your family is reunited." Yi Xiaodao chuckled and left the room.
Dayang Mountain.
"Father, mother, brother, I brought my wife to see you." Li Dingxing held Xiang Lian'er's hand and stood behind the bamboo forest. There were three large tombs in front of him, and a group of guards bent down to chop the weeds around the tombs.
"Father, mother, eldest brother, Xiang Lian'er kowtows to you." The couple helped each other kneel down and kowtowed three times respectfully.
"Xiang Lian'er, as you have seen, Yi Xiaodao came to my house and asked me to propose marriage. At that time, we all knew that his proposal of marriage was fake and that urging Sui Gong was real. What's funny is that the three of us were still deceived by him. Now." Li Dingxing talked about past events that Xiang Lian'er didn't know about.
Xiang Lian'er looked at Li Dingxing in surprise: "You know it's fake...but still..."
"My eldest brother was very ambitious at that time. I also thought that Yi Xiaodao was a talent, so I wanted to introduce him to my father and eldest brother. Forget it, it's all in the past. Now that I think about it, it's a good thing that I introduced you in the first place. Otherwise, where would I have found you? Such a good wife?" Li Dingxing winked at Xiang Lian'er.
Xiang Lian'er's pretty face turned slightly red and she urged, "Let's talk business with Dad and the others."
Li Dingxing then said seriously: "Father, the imperial court has sent people again. Now Chu Xiang has raised 200,000 troops, and the imperial court has raised 300,000 troops, and they are fighting outside Wancheng. The imperial court is short of money and food, and wants to come to Nanhuai to collect food, but I am worried... The imperial court is still coveting Nanhuai..."
"After you left, I didn't even have anyone to discuss everything with. I could only discuss it with Xiang Lian'er, but Xiang Lian'er listened to me in everything. Now I have no idea, so I came here to report to my parents and eldest brother."
Li Dingxing paused for a moment and waved. Not far away, several guards ran over carrying bundles of paper money, spread them out in front of the grave, and started making fire folds.
"It's been a long time since I've been here to see you. If you are short of money, tell me in your dream, don't ask for Xiang Lian'er, she is timid." Li Dingxing said, stepped forward, grabbed the paper money, put it into the fire and burned it. Xianglianer also stepped forward to help. Although there are guards who do the work for them, in order to respect their ancestors, the younger generation should do it themselves both emotionally and rationally.
"If you agree, you can take the paper money with confidence. If you don't agree, let a whirlwind blow out the fire. I listen to your wishes." Li Dingxing muttered in his mouth, and unconsciously speeded up the delivery in his hand. The speed of paper money.
Suddenly, the bamboo forest rustled, and a whirlwind passed through the forest and reached the grave. Countless paper money was caught in it and floated in the air. The fire lit by the guards flickered on and off as a result, looking like it was about to go out at any moment.
"Dad..." Li Dingxing took Xiang Lian'er and took several steps back, protecting Xiang Lian'er: "If you don't agree, I will send someone to reject the court. Just don't scare Xiang Lian'er!"
All the paper money was wrapped up in the whirlwind, and not a single piece of paper money was left on the ground. The paper money in the sky not only shocked Li Dingxing and Xiang Lian'er, but also the surrounding guards, who knelt down and kowtowed.
The paper money all over the sky was carried by the whirlwind, slowly gathered in one place, and was completely pressed down, firmly pressing on the fire. The flames that were flickering just now were now suppressed by the paper money and were no longer visible. Only a little bit of green smoke was left in the air, choking Li Dingxing and Xiang Lian'er to cough.
"They don't agree..." Li Dingxing and Xiang Lian'er stood in front of the grave, looking at the pile of paper money and couldn't help but sigh.
"Let's go then. They must still be angry now. Should we come see them another day?" Xiang Lian'er asked, looking up at Li Dingxing.
Li Dingxing was about to nod when suddenly the green smoke slowly grew larger, and a ball of flame slowly poked its head out from the paper money, and soon enveloped the entire pile of paper money. The small flame gradually grew bigger, burning the entire pile of paper money with a crackling sound.
"Father, mother, brother, you agreed!" Li Dingxing's eyes lit up: "Brother, you must be the one causing the trouble, right?"
The flames had no answer, they just burned brighter.
"Nanhuai has been returned to the imperial court. I originally just wanted to settle in Su City with Xiang Lian'er and live a stable life. But after the imperial envoys came today, when I talked about you, I realized that I wanted to avenge you even more... Dad, Mom, brother... I miss you so much..." Li Dingxing said, and two lines of tears flowed from his eyes unconsciously.
Xiang Lian'er also looked at the fire and was surprised by this strange scene, but she quickly noticed Li Dingxing's emotions and took out a handkerchief to wipe away Li Dingxing's tears: "Such a big man is still crying, let's let my parents and the others It’s a joke!”
Li Dingxing pulled Xiang Lian'er to kneel down in front of the grave, kowtowed three more times in a dignified manner, stood up and said, "The military situation is urgent. I will go down the mountain to collect food right away and won't accompany you. I'll see you next time." As soon as Li Dingxing finished speaking, the fire began to slowly become smaller. All the paper money had been burned away, leaving only scattered fire points flickering in the charcoal ashes.
Li Dingxing ordered the guards to pack their things and led Xiang Lian'er away, leaving behind the pile of charcoal ash. Although the charcoal ash still has heat, the surrounding weeds have been removed, and there is no worry that it will burn the vegetation and cause a wildfire.
A long time after the two led the guards away, the bamboo forest suddenly rustled, and a person walked out leisurely. It was Yi Xiaodao!
Yi Xiaodao came to the three tombs and bowed deeply: "Old prince, princess, eldest son, Xiaodao did this out of necessity. Chu Xiang will never be destroyed, and the Great Qi will be restless."
The flames extinguished and then rose again, it was actually Yi Xiaodao's doing: full of fire, he secretly threw the paper money into the pile and burned it clean!
"Nanhuai is rich, as everyone knows. If Nanhuai does not give money and food to the court, no matter which side wins, it will inevitably come to Nanhuai for liquidation, and the Li family will not be safe. At this time, it is best to give money and food to the court, fully assist the court, and annihilate Chu Xiang. The world is stable. Not only for the Li family, but also for the six hundred people of Nanhuai who are guarded by the Li family, and the people of Nanhuai..."
A little spark ignited again, only for a moment, and then extinguished. This time it was completely extinguished, and it was not Yi Xiaodao's fault.
Yi Xiaodao bowed deeply again, turned around and left.
Before the person had gone far, he heard the crackling of bamboo beside the grave. When he looked back, there was no movement.
In the fire, as the sparks were extinguished, a few green smoke floated up, and the smoke was hazy. In a trance, Yi Xiaodao seemed to see the looming figures of the Nanhuai King, the Princess and Li Yaoyang again.
Yi Xiaodao rubbed his eyes. There was only a piece of green smoke and nothing else: "What's wrong with me..." Suddenly, a thought appeared in Yi Xiaodao's mind: "Protect Li Dingxing and Xiang Lian'er."
Yi Xiaodao was horrified. Yi Xiaodao had never been to graveyards and cemeteries. When he was a beggar, he even slept in Yi Zhuang and mass graves. His courage was unparalleled, but he was shocked to death at this time.
"Don't worry, everyone, Xiaodao will do his best!" Yi Xiaodao suppressed the shock in his heart, knelt down to the three graves from a distance, and kowtowed three times. After kowtowing, the surprise and shock in his heart were silently suppressed.
Yi Xiaodao didn't dare to look back, turned around and left, leaving only a wisp of green smoke floating towards the sky...
It was getting late, and by the time Yi Xiaodao returned to Li Mansion, Li Dingxing and Xiang Lian'er had been back for a long time.
"Xiao Dao, where have you been?" Xiang Lian'er came up and asked.
"Huh? Oh, I'm fine, just walking around." Yi Xiaodao said vaguely.
Li Dingxing came over and said with a smile: "Xiao Dao, I have decided to contribute another three million taels to the court, plus the five million taels captured from the Eastern Japanese, for a total of eight million taels. This is Nanhuai's annual tribute. All in all. Pay it to the court!"
Yi Xiaodao shook his head silently.
"Not enough?" Li Dingxing raised his eyebrows, eight million taels is not a small amount. The imperial court's expenses for the first and second half of the year were no more than this, and all of this was used as military expenses, which was more than enough to last for one year.
"It's not that it's not enough, it's that the Li Mansion's money and food cannot be spent. No matter how big the Li Mansion is, it can't always be spent from the Li Mansion. I think this money should be filled by the common people!" Yi Xiaodao said.
"The common people will fill it? The imperial court attacks the war, but the common people bear the burden. What's the truth?" Li Dingxing is not an indifferent young man. Even if Su City is one of the richest people in the world, Li Dingxing knows that it is not easy for the common people.
"We need to let the people know that the imperial court attacks and fights not for personal gain, but for the public good! The people of the world need to have respect and trust in the imperial court, so that the world can be stable for a long time. Otherwise, if the imperial court goes to war, the people will just feel that it has nothing to do with it. I, the imperial court and the Li Mansion will eventually be unable to support themselves." Yi Xiaodao said calmly.
Xiang Lian'er glared at Yi Xiaodao, complaining that he had too many things to do, and then turned to look at Li Dingxing.
Li Dingxing smiled bitterly and said: "That's true... Then listen to my uncle and give it a try!"
