With the arrival of the New Year, there was a joyful atmosphere. With the elimination of hostile forces, the country gradually stabilized. Because it was expanding too fast, this winter relieved Zhuang Xun from great pressure.
Winter is the time to finalize the second year's finances, file documents, and prepare for the selection and promotion of talents, but there are very few practical things, after all, it is an agricultural society.
The queen is entrusted with politics and Zhuang Xun is entrusted with etiquette.
With He Tan joining, Si Qinmi seems to have a little secretary, who is much easier to work with than Zhuang Xun and has plenty of time.
The family can do some family activities, stay warm together by the fire, and eat some baked food such as rice cakes and shortbread.
"Why isn't Sister Li here yet?" Si Qinmi said casually as he flipped a piece of tofu with his chopsticks.
"Although the residence was chosen next to the palace, it still takes a while. Why did I suddenly think of having something to eat together?"
Zhuang Xun directly stretched out his hand, took a piece of shortbread, switched his left hand to his right hand, and his right hand to his left hand, and ate it in small bites.
"It's not because of you, the wild flowers outside are easier to pollinate, right?" Zhuang Xun looked like his left hand was burned while his right hand was burned, and Si Qinmi showed a faint smile.
"It's unfair. It's hard to say whether it's mine or not. I've been diligent to you. There are so many people, how could I know that she would be the one who got hit?"
Zhuang Xun immediately understood the meaning of Si Qinmi's words, and then he started to complain. They only got together for two or three days, and how could they become pregnant by such a coincidence.
"Unless there is something wrong with Zhao Luofu's brain, he won't lie to people on this kind of issue. Why is it her?"
Si Qinmi dipped the baked tofu in the sauce and handed it to Zhuang Xun's mouth. Zhuang Xun shook his head and said, "You eat it, you eat it, I have my hands..."
"It will get cold if you hide any longer, ah..." Si Qin Mi enjoyed the pleasure of feeding Zhuang Xun, with a smile on his face.
"I still don't believe it. I'm quite pretty. I work hard every night, not just one or two. There's still a time difference. Why are the flowers blooming outside the wall? They're all from outside the wall. It's strange."
Eating dried beans that were hot to his mouth, Zhuang Xun vaguely suspected that his family knew about his family affairs and fertility. He was originally confident and began to doubt his own problems. However, the news about Zhao Luofu came. Although It could resolve his temporary doubts, but he was still at the stage where he couldn't trust Zhao Luofu.
It was only a few times, not even a few times. It was not as good as Tang Fengxia's number of times. She was just used as a tool to torture Lu Buming and Zhao.
How could it be so accurate to win the bid in one shot?
But it seems, it’s not even one shot, the time and density are quite concentrated, it’s overflowing, so it’s not surprising.
But compared to the much-loved Si Qin Mi, Li Rusi seemed too weird. They used to shirk the reason that they had the jade pendant on their bodies, so there was nothing they could do about it. Now that the imperial veins have disabled the jade pendant, why is there still no movement.
The only one who made any movement was Zhao Luofu, who was being discussed today. How could Zhuang Xun believe this? After all, his biggest shortcoming now is that he has no apparent national foundation. He always feels that he is full of conspiracies. If there is something fishy, he will definitely let it go. The other party pays the price.
"Let her come to Hengdu first. If it turns out to be your seed, you still have to protect it. It won't be good if someone with intentions takes advantage of it."
Si Qin Mi took it very seriously. She sighed helplessly at this result. The harem was neither big nor small. In the end, the flowers bloomed outside the wall, and she didn't know what to say.
The action must be carried out. It is really Zhuang Xun's seed. Regardless of whether it is not good, at least protect it first and check later.
"That's right. Let's wait and see for a while. I'll try harder." Zhuang Xun also felt that Si Qinmi was right. While eating the shortbread, he was thinking about what to do if he had a problem.
"If it's really my fault, do you have to ask His Majesty the King of Wheels again? This kind of question is not good, it's embarrassing to ask."
Zhuang Xun was embarrassed to say that he had countless courage to talk about Si Qinmi's problem, but he had nothing to say about his own problem and it felt embarrassing to say it.
"That's right, His Majesty the King of Wheels is not a doctor, and he won't care about this kind of thing. Have you asked Lord Bi Yuexing?"
She had wanted to ask about Zhuang Xun's fertility problem before. She had never had a chance before because she had a reassurance. Now that she was in this situation, she had to consider the issue of Zhuang Xun's offspring.
"I asked, but she doesn't understand." Zhuang Xun asked Bi Yuewu when he first learned the news. The result was not very satisfactory. Bi Yuewu checked him on the inside and outside, and found nothing unusual in the end. .
"Sorry, please take it one step at a time. If you have a chance, ask Empress Xuannv to see if it can be solved. Wait, I haven't determined whether Zhao Luofu's words are true or false. I really think too much."
"Brother Xun, don't worry. There should be no problem. After all, you have everything..."
Seeing that the two of them were talking about the same thing, He Tan intervened to comfort Zhuang Xun. At this time, a knock on the door interrupted the conversation between the three of them.
"It smells so good. I smelled it right outside the door. What is it?" Li Rusi opened the door, and a tall and handsome beauty wearing a cotton-padded jacket walked up to Zhuang Xun and others with a smile.
"I'm just waiting for you. What took you so long?" Si Qinmi gave up his position and gave Li Rusi the seat next to Zhuang Xun.
"It's hot, be careful..." Seeing Li Rusi take action, Zhuang Xun grabbed her wrist.
"I received a letter from my biological sister. I checked it out and thought about it again, but I didn't waste time. Isn't this a good time?"
He patted Zhuang Xun's hand to show that he knew. His iron hand grasped the roasted brown bun, but there was no reaction.
"I missed a good topic. Mr. Lang may have descendants." Si Qinmi tore open the rice cake, dipped it in sugar, and handed it to Zhuang Xun's mouth.
"Descendant, isn't it... wait, do you have a queen?" Li Rusi was stunned, not knowing whether she was happy or sad, but she still smiled in the end.
"It's not me, are you scared?" Si Qin Mi covered her mouth and smiled, her eyes blinking, a little narrow. Li Rusi's reaction was indeed interesting.
"Hey, is Sister Tan here?" Li Rusi showed a joyful smile and congratulated He Tan who was also laughing next to her.
"It's not me, it's Zhao Luofu." Seeing that she guessed two people wrong in a row, He Tan knew that she was wrong, so he took the initiative to announce the answer.
"Ah, who?" Zhuang Xun didn't bring Zhao Luofu with him on his return trip, so Li Rusi didn't know that Zhuang Xun went to pollinate.
Maybe she had heard of it, but didn't take it seriously and didn't remember it, so when He Tan mentioned it, she couldn't react for a while.
"That's it..." Zhuang Xun was frank and lenient, explaining clearly at once the conflict between him and the Lu family and what he had done.
"Is this true? It can't be false. She got hit just a few times?" As one of the key points of Zhuang Xun's firepower output, Li Rusi said it hard to believe it.
"So when she comes, ask Bi Yue to identify it. Although I don't know if there is anything wrong with me, I can still tell whether the child is mine."
Zhuang Xun assured that it would be easier to invite Bi Yuewu, and that his own women should be more considerate. For others, it would be shameful to ask someone to do such a thing.
"Where's Mr. Bi Yuexing? Let her come to the dinner too." Si Qinmi thought of something when he mentioned Bi Yuewu several times and reminded Zhuang Xun that Bi Yuewu could be considered a relatively close harem.
"No, she is no longer in Hengdu." Zhuang Xun said, thinking of her whereabouts.
"Didn't I just invite Mr. Xinyue Xing here? Now we are starting to make military equipment, and Mr. Bi Yuexing has left again?"
Si Qinmi thought about the secrets of approval and had just mobilized craftsmen to prepare weapons and equipment comparable to those of Zhao State. Why was Bi Yue not here again?
"Aren't we going to form a Jin Yiwei? She also has experience in this field and went to train people." Talents like Shen Lianzhen and He Jung were gathered together to make up for Zhuang Xun's weakness in intelligence.
"Thank you for your hard work. Lang Jun, please reward her well. How is the army training going?" After hearing this, Si Qinmi took the initiative to give Zhuang Xun some advice, and then looked at Li Rusi.
"The army of Zhao State, which is the target, is difficult to train. People, horses, and equipment are all hard conditions. The equipment is now slowly being solved, but it is difficult to achieve results without a year and a half of training."
Li Rusi told the truth, a tenacious iron army, with orders and prohibitions, and organizational coordination cannot be trained in just a few days and months.
"The threat from the enemy is not imminent, so there is no rush. If there are any difficulties, you can tell us as much as possible." It is currently adopting a defensive posture, first digesting the inherent territory, subduing the people's sentiments, and installing loyal officials.
"I'm afraid not. This is the letter that delayed me today. Please check it with the Queen." Li Rusi took out a letter from her pocket.
"There are no outsiders. It's strange to call the Queen the Empress." He corrected Li Rusi's title and took out the letter from the open envelope.
After reading the letter, he handed it to Zhuang Xun with a weird expression. Zhuang Xun took the letter, his expression also became weird, and handed the letter to He Tan sequentially.
"Are you sure it was written by Concubine Li?" Zhuang Xun asked for confirmation, somewhat subverting his own view of Cheng Guo.
"The handwriting and the tone are all hers. I would never have thought that she wanted to betray dad." Li Rusi couldn't laugh or cry, she couldn't have imagined it.
The letter expressed his willingness to surrender, contributed a map of Chengguo, and also provided information that Li Pingyuan was preparing to launch a coup during the Spring Festival to completely end the rule of the Chengguo royal family.
"I have the map with you. It's true. I just don't understand why my sister would think of betraying dad and joining us. There's no need at all."
Li Rusi's confused look was hard to understand. If Li Pingyuan's winning rate was very low, there was still an explanation for calling Xia Guo over in order to gain a chance of survival.
This is because Li Pingyuan has the advantage and has a high probability of solving the problem of King Cheng's royal family becoming king on his own. In this case, summoning the Xia Kingdom and betraying Li Pingyuan is not a wise move.
"Is it because of your reputation as Lang Jun?" Si Qinmi pondered for a while and then volunteered, having ideas for solving the problem.
"Am I so powerful that when others know they are going to be hostile to me, they want to surrender? It would be great if this were the case."
Zhuang Xun laughed, looked at He Tan and asked, "Sister Tan, what do you think? You have also started to get involved in national political affairs. What is your judgment?"
"I think it's because Concubine Li likes to ask her brother." He Tan said uncertainly, his face slightly red, but he still looked at Zhuang Xun boldly without flinching.
"You little girl like me, do you think everyone in the world likes me? You hated me so much at the beginning. Do you think I am gold and silver? Everyone likes me."
Zhuang Xun just thought that He Tan was trying to make him happy, and he didn't eat anything, so he held He Tan in his arms.
"No, no, has Brother Xun forgotten the promise King Cheng made to you in the underworld? Isn't it time for a woman of the country to honor it now?"
He Tan remembered the experience of going to the underworld most clearly. She had just said that it made no sense and could not understand, and this idea came to her.
"Ah, is there such a promise?" Li Rusi didn't know and asked immediately.
"I gave you a brief description at that time. It is true, but these have become the fate of the country. The country is dark and weak, and there will be monsters and natural disasters in the country."
Zhuang Xun already knew through Bi Yuewu that he was lucky enough to win Chengguo and Xiaguo. He also felt that it was too bad. Is he really coveting Li Rusi's sister?
"Is this so? This possibility cannot be ruled out." Li Rusi's round almond-shaped eyes were filled with suspicion, either because she didn't believe Zhuang Xun or because she didn't believe her sister.
"In that case, do you know how condescending your sister is, do you think she will have a crush on me?"
Recalling the way Li Shaoyun faced him, not to mention domineering, he was as proud as snow. Anyway, he had never looked at her with a straight eye, so it would be ridiculous to have feelings for him.
"Yes, maybe it was the Queen who said it. She was afraid of His Majesty's reputation." Li Rusi recalled her sister and felt that what Zhuang Xun said made sense.
"Is my reputation so scary?" Li Rusi said it all, and Zhuang Xun couldn't help but wonder.
"The color of the myth is too strong, and the story is also legendary. Don't belittle yourself. You are actually very powerful in the eyes of others, and of course in the eyes of my concubines."
Si Qinmi explained that Zhuang Xun recalled his experiences after time travel, but looking at each incident, it seemed that he was not in the main position, but actually in the main position. It seemed normal to feel scared when he heard his name.
Being protected by gods, slaying demons, and being able to escape from the Zhao Kingdom against the will of heaven are all legendary experiences.
"Are we going to take on this battle? In the New Year, the territory under our control is still unstable, and the mountains are blocked by heavy snow. Li Pingyuan can do it. No one will have a holiday on New Year's Eve. It will be difficult to live through the New Year, and there are no new recruits. Train it out.”
"Take it, take it if you have the chance. In this world of great competition, we cannot let go of any chance. Li Pingyuan relies on the heavy snow to seal the mountains. If we hold back, we are playing into his hands."
Si Qinmi's suggestion is to participate. Compared with the development, Zhuangxun is more developed here. The new law is implemented, and it is stable for one or two years. In the second and third years, it begins to generate taxes that far exceed those under the family's rule.
As the old saying goes, Zhuang Xun doesn't have time. He doesn't have time to farm honestly. It's better to expand farming. As long as he can eat, he will work hard to eat.
"Hmm! Do you want to go straight to Huanglong? It's quite close from Jiannan to Jidu." Zhuang Xun nodded, and Si Qinmi made up his mind. He agreed. There was no need to point fingers at a Wang Zuozhicai.
"No, take down King Donghua first. If you don't pull out this nail, your feet will hurt when you walk. We just give the information to King Qinghe and he will handle it."
"Would he rather be a snipe or a clam?" This made King Qinghe wary, and if they started fighting, both sides would suffer.
"Not even willing. The Zhao State behind him will not see him fail easily. No, no, the Zhao State may have given up on King Qinghe."
He had a clue as to why King Qinghe would step into Li Pingyuan's trap. He didn't write anything in the letter, but wrote that he planned to attack and kill King Qinghe while the guards were empty on New Year's Eve.
How could King Qinghe die so easily with the help of Zhao State? Looking at the map and thinking about the current situation, Zhao State needs someone to check and balance Xia State. At present, only the complete Cheng State in Jizhou has this ability. King Qinghe cannot help him. The best The choice is self-evident.
(End of chapter)
