The two of them walked along the maze, and after twisting and turning, they seemed to pass by someone. Li Siye didn't pay much attention to it, but the person turned around and looked at them one more time.
Li Linfu picked up the scissors and stood in front of the tropical plants to cut off the dead leaves. The housekeeper reported behind him: "Alang, General Navmeng just sent a bushel of old pepper."
Li Xiang continued to prune the branches and leaves carelessly, and said: "People who seem to be honest don't seem to be that honest."
The steward crossed his hands and said, "Many people have come to seek help from this Anxi Jiedushi envoy, like Yang Zhilie and Zhou Yi. They all brought richer gifts than this husband, Meng Lingzhao."
Li Linfu stopped the scissors and glanced at the steward: "You can only see money in your eyes?" Then he smiled and said: "You are the steward of the family, and it is your duty to only see money. But what about Yang Zhilie?
, Zhou Yijie started from Beiting to manage Anxi's fetters. Well, Fu Meng Lingcha is the suitable candidate. Besides, he is a barbarian. Even if he has made great achievements in the four towns of Anxi, His Majesty must have
I will not transfer a foreigner into the imperial court to serve as a peace officer. He poses no threat to me, so I can use him boldly."
The steward sincerely complimented him and said, "Alang is really thorough and well-organized in managing things. There is no one else in the world who can compare with him."
Li Linfu laughed dryly, turned around and went back to pruning the green leaves. Sometimes he paused the scissors and murmured: "The young general who was following Fumeng just now was a subordinate of the former deposed commoner Li Ying? Li Siye?"
Wang Xian had already entered the hall, knelt down behind Li Linfu and crossed his hands and said, "Wang Xian has met with Prime Minister Li. If Prime Minister Li is suspicious, can he send someone to investigate?"
"No need to check. I remember clearly that this person used clever tricks to make up for the money Li Yingji owed Taifu Temple. Nowadays, the grass on the graves of common people is three feet high, but this person can find another way and gradually rise from Anxi. Well, in the past
None of Li Ying's former friends has been appointed in the court, so he must have ended up in Anxi."
…
Fumeng Lingcha and Li Siye came out of the Prime Minister's Mansion, their faces full of joy that could not be concealed: "Siye, this may be done, I really want to thank you for the bushel of pepper."
"What did the Protector say? This is because the Protector himself has been appreciated by Prime Minister Li. How much effect can a mere bushel of pepper have?"
Fumeng Lingcha smiled and said: "Having said that, the role of gifts cannot be underestimated."
"Li Xiang also said that there are three things to do in Anxi. After I return to Anxi this time, as long as I can accomplish one of the three things, the Jiedu Envoy's business will be gone."
Li Siye helped analyze from the side: "Protector, in terms of the difficulty of these three things, it seems that it is the easiest to build a desert market town post station with Hexi, it is a little more difficult to appease the cadres of He Moda, and the most difficult is to expedition to Xiaobolu.
.”
Fumeng Lingcha put his hand on his forehead and said with a smile: "Nothing is simple. Our four towns in Anxi are vast and sparsely populated. The food collected is not enough to supply the army and the common people in Anxi. The fiscal and tax revenue can only maintain an army of 24,000 people."
, Where can I get the extra money to expand the inn?”
"He Mo Dagan has no strategy, but great ambitions. If you want to stop this man's ambitions, you have to use weapons. But now he is a meritorious minister. He cannot be beaten or moved. If he is moved, he will destroy the Western Regions.
Everyone is heartbroken. If you want to move him, you must make him do something wrong first."
After listening to Fumeng's analysis, Li Siye smiled and crossed his hands and said: "According to what the Protector said, conquering the Xiaobolu Kingdom is not the most difficult thing."
"No," Fumeng Lingcha raised two fingers and waved: "The expedition to Xiaobolu is a big problem. The mountains are so high and the plateau is hypoxic. There are dozens of mountains to climb in the middle. The Bolechuan is naturally dangerous.
The terrain of Yunbao is dangerous, and there are 100,000 soldiers stationed in Sole City. What is even more difficult is that Tanju Ridge is covered with glaciers in summer, and the cliffs are difficult to climb. If Anxi's 20,000 soldiers and horses are the only one, it will be extremely difficult to break through Xiaobolu Kingdom.
Ascend to heaven.”
Li Siye cursed, you said it would be difficult to defeat Xiao Bolu, but why was Gao Xianzhi able to do it later?
The two returned to the backyard of Anxiliu along the winding alley of Pingkangfang. Li Siye thought that something had happened here, so he said goodbye to his husband Meng Lingcha. He heard that the new Jiedu envoy was approaching Chang'an, and their return to Anxi was imminent. However,
Many things at home have not yet been completed, the basement of the east wing is still under construction, and the shop run by Michagan and Shali is not yet open for business. He always has to take a look before leaving to feel reassured.
Before dark, Li Siye returned to Xinchangfang and stepped into the courtyard covered with dust. Mei'er was sitting at the table in the main room, lighting an oil lamp and reading books. He took off his Liuhe boots in front of the threshold outside the hall and walked in with his footbags on.
, sat down cross-legged and waited quietly.
The dim light of the oil lamp shone lightly on Li Mei'er's face, adding a bit of girlish concentration to her childishness. Only then did he begin to think that Mei'er was no longer a child who didn't understand anything. She had grown up and had many things.
Things should be discussed with her. This is the best way to cultivate her independence.
"Mei'er, brother wants to tell you something."
Li Meier continued to hold the book, sinking his face into it and reading it carefully, and said: "Brother, please speak."
"I'm going back to Anxi to take up a post in a few days. I'm going to take you with me when I go back this time so that I can take care of your life. Besides, this matter can't always bother Zhang Xiaojing and Wen Ran."
"Brother, you want to take me away?" Li Meier looked a little surprised on his face and asked him, "What about our home here? Although this yard is rented, I can't let it go after living there for three years."
"I plan to find Zhang Lu, a charlatan, to buy the yard. When I return to Chang'an in the future, this will be my place to stay."
Li Meier closed the book, lowered his head and remained silent.
Li Siye smiled generously, folded his hands on the desk and said: "The place in Anxi is indeed a bit colder and more barren, and it is far less warm than Chang'an. But my brother always misses you in Anxi, and his heart is not at peace. If you can stay in Anxi,
Only by my side can I feel at ease. If Chang'an wants to go back, it can be done every year."
Mei'er shook her head slightly melancholy: "Brother, I don't miss Chang'an, I miss these people in Chang'an City, Sister Wenran, Brother Zhang Xiaojing, and my mentor Mr. Gao. I don't want to leave them."
Li Siye smiled helplessly: "Well, this matter really puts you in a difficult position. Let me think about it again."
"Captain! No, General!"
Yan Xiaosi's voice came from the east wing, and Li Siye patted Mei'er's shoulder lightly: "You should study hard first, and I'll go over and take a look."
Li Siye crossed the threshold and took two quick steps to the east wing. Yan Xiaosi was already waiting at the door holding an oil lamp.
"What, is it done?"
Yan Xiaosi held the lamp and crossed his hands and said, "General, please go down and visit."
Li Siye took the lamp from his hand, walked down the wooden stairs, and then walked down the corner into the darkroom. They made a wooden door, with the walls and top covered with wooden boards, and four wooden pillars used to evenly support the pressure from the roof.
Wine jars with gold coins are placed next to each other against the wall.
"It's not bad. Now we just need to hide the entrance."
There are many skilled workers in Chang'an City, who are very capable of making locks and mechanisms. However, Li Siye's secret room needs to be kept secret. Only he and Yan Xiaosi know about it for the time being. He decided to place a wooden wardrobe at the entrance of the secret passage, with the entrance hidden
in the cabinet, and then lock the cabinet door with a copper lock.
On the morning of the next day, the bad guy and charlatan Zhang Lu came to Xinchangfang. When he walked in, he shouted the good news: "General Li! General Li! I have contacted the owner of this house for you!"
Li Siye let him into the main room and gave him a bowl of water to moisten his throat first. Zhang Lu put down the bowl and said: "I am afraid that this imperial physician will never come back to Chang'an in this life, but his ancestral grave is in Chang'an. On Qingming Festival
I will be coming back soon. His son plans to sell the house. I will take care of this matter and I will guarantee to buy it for you at the lowest price."
"Very good," Li Siye patted Zhang Lu on the shoulder and said, "There is no need for a minimum price, as long as it is reasonable. As long as you can negotiate, I will give you a substantial agency fee."
"What, what's the fee?"
Zhang Xiaojing walked into the main room wearing a black crotch-less robe. Meier stepped forward and grabbed his robe to call him eldest brother. Zhang Xiaojing took out a pinwheel from his arms and handed it to her. Meier was not happy after taking it and pouted and said: "
Mei'er is no longer a child and doesn't like these children's things."
Zhang Xiaojing crossed his arms and nodded, looked at the house in front of him and said, "This courtyard is not in a good location in Chang'an City. Aren't you going to take Mei'er to Anxi? What's the use of buying this house?"