"Dad, this is a temporary truce. The emperor just called me back. He wants to understand the situation ahead. Also, the emperor wants to bring me to the surface."
"Be careful when answering in front of your Majesty. Don't be as stupid as you were at home."
Xiao Shitou rolled his eyes, "I still don't understand this."
Ding Shengkang said, "After such a long time, what do you think of the emperor?" ?.?????.???
Because after all, there are people from the emperor around Xiao Shitou, and they know each other best.
"The Emperor has said that he wants his people to have food to eat, and even if there is a natural disaster, he must try not to starve to death. He said that the border cannot be compromised. If one concession is not kept, the next step will be compromised. In the end, it is his people who suffer.”
Ding Changhe nodded secretly after hearing this, "I have the common people in my heart. It seems that I was right and my bet was right."
Xiao Shitou then smiled and said, "I told the emperor that I will help him guard the border and prevent foreigners from having their own ideas, let alone let them occupy an extra point of land. When I get older and can no longer conquer, I will I went back to the countryside to retire, and the emperor laughed at me for being useless, but he agreed."
Ding Shengkang asked, "This is how you talk to the emperor."
Ding Changhe smiled, "It's because Xiao Shitou is so direct that the emperor feels at ease with him. I guess even if I say this, the emperor won't believe it."
Xiao Shitou smiled and said, "My mother said that if you can sit in that position, it's not easy. Don't play tricks with them. If you don't understand, just ask directly. Say what you think directly. Be more frank, and you'll save yourself a lot of trouble." .”
Ding Shengkang smiled and said, "Your mother thinks many things are very simple."
Ding Changhe said, "It means that Xiao Shitou is young, so being more magnanimous will make people believe him more."
Xiao Shitou said, "That's it. I grew up in the countryside. I don't have so many fuss. I go straight. I don't have to worry about it, and the emperor doesn't have to worry about it. It's great."
Ding Changhe glanced at Xiao Shitou and said, "You are not so frivolous. You don't come to see us first when you get home, but you go through the back door. Let me remember it first."
At this moment, Xiao Shitou's stomach growled. Ding Shengkang sat close and heard it, "But I'm hungry. I haven't eaten."
Xiao Shitou immediately said aggrievedly, "Grandpa, I'm hungry. I haven't eaten. I just want to get home early. By the way, why haven't I seen Zi Heng for so long? Where has he gone?"
"You should be running all over the mountains like you did back then. Your brother has gone to school."
Xiao Shitou curled his lips and said, "I was running all over the mountains for fun at that time. I was looking for food. I didn't go to school because I had no money."
Ding Changhe slammed the table, and Ding Shengkang hurriedly waved his hand, "That's alright. Let's start a fight as soon as we meet. Eat here at noon, and then take your brother back to eat in the evening."
Although Xiao Shitou wanted to go back to accompany his mother, he still said happily, "I wanted to accompany my grandfather at noon. With me here, my grandfather can eat two more bowls of rice."
Ding Shengkang shook his beard and looked at his eldest grandson's laughter. This kid is so old that he can coax people with his mouth.
After the father and son finished their meal in the front yard, Xiao Shitou talked to them in detail about the current situation on the border. Ding Shengkang and Ding Changhe also analyzed the situation for him again, and the three of them chatted all afternoon.
When he finally came out of the front yard, Xiao Shitou quickly ran back to the main yard.
"Why did you come back alone? Where is your father?"
Xiao Shitou curled his lips and said, "Mom, it's not like you don't know that my father is biased. He is waiting for Zi Heng to come over after school."
An Ran shook her head helplessly, Xiao Shitou blamed his father for being partial, and Ding Changhe blamed himself for being partial.
Hearing some movement in the house, Xiao Shitou hurriedly went in and took his younger siblings out.
Zizhuo and Yuan'er hugged their eldest brother. They touched Xiao Shitou's face, looked around, and then got close to Xiao Shitou and smelled it. Something seemed wrong.
An Ran watched happily and stretched out his hand to take Yuan'er over, "Don't hold two children at once in the future. You can't handle the child. Be careful not to drop her on the ground again."
"No way, they don't weigh much together. How can I not hold them in my arms? Mom, will we eat soon, can my younger brother and sister eat too?"
"They can eat, there are steamed egg custards, but now the milk supply is not enough, they will eat food in five or six months, steamed egg custards, boiled vegetable porridge and so on."
Xiao Shitou curled his lips and said, "My father is not even willing to hire two wet nurses."
"Your father wanted to invite me, but my mother didn't let me. She feeds her own child, so why should she take other people's milk?"
Xiao Shitou approached his mother and asked in a low voice, "Mom, how big did I eat at that time?"
An Ran suppressed a smile and said, "You have been eating for the longest time, but your appetite is too big. You will eat rotten rice porridge and the like until four or five months old. You won't be full with just milk."
Xiao Shitou smiled and then stopped talking.
At this time, footsteps sounded outside, and Ding Ziheng ran into the house with a big smile on his face.
"Brother, it's true that you are back, and you are still coaxing me to play like a father."
"Zi Heng has grown a lot. Not bad. Come and ask brother to take a look."
Ding Ziheng said to his eldest brother affectionately, "Brother, I told you when you left that I would take good care of my mother and my brother."
Xiao Shitou pinched his younger brother's cheek and said, "Big brother has brought you something. I will give it to you after dinner."
Ding Ziheng smiled and nodded, "Brother, I have been sleeping in your courtyard since you left."
Xiao Shitou smiled and said, "Go wash your face and eat."
When he came back in the afternoon, he took some time to ask about things in the house. He knew that his mother's life was at stake when she gave birth. His grandmother said that he should keep her young, and his mother could live or die as she pleased.
It was Ding Ziheng who was arguing that he had to have a nanny, just for this reason.
