A few days later, Bai Yichuan came back from the Qingping official mansion, saw Zhou Xiya and Li Mudu, and beckoned to Zhou Xiya, "Come, Xiaoya, uncle has got a good piece of jewelry today, take it for you to wear." As he spoke, he took out a jewelry box from the medicine box.

"Uncle, didn't you go to see a doctor, did you stop by to buy jewelry?" Zhou Xiya asked with a smile, but opened the jewelry box, only to see a red gemstone necklace lying inside, very beautiful.

"It's so beautiful, aunt, come and see, this chain is so beautiful." Zhou Xiya said to her aunt.

"It's beautiful, and it's red and red but it's not kitsch, every bead is so round, it's really beautiful, old man, you really bought it." Chen looked at his old man, he was not interested in visiting the jewelry store.

"How can I have time, it was really sent to me by Qingping Guan, saying that it was for me to pay for the consultation, Li Mu, put it on Xiya." Bai Yichuan sat on the side.

"This is the best red coral, and the color is very good, it is a rare treasure, coral picking is not easy, this thing exists in the deep sea, Dali is not the origin of red coral, but there is such a good red coral jewelry, it seems that the Qingping official is very heavy." Li Mu took the coral and put it on Zhou Xiya, he is a businessman, he naturally knows this thing, coral, pearls, and amber are the most precious natural organic gemstones, and coral is a treasure in modern times, not to mention that in ancient times, it was not easy to have such a good coral.

"I saved the people of the Zheng family, he naturally wants to thank him, if the Zheng family dies here, he will not be able to escape the blame, under the coercion of the Zheng family, it is not certain whether he can keep his official position. Li Mu, what you want to know, I have already inquired about it for you, the people of the Zheng family came this time for the reduction of Dali's court, and they asked Dali to congratulate the new emperor on his accession to the throne this time, and the congratulatory gifts and tributes from previous years were reduced by eighty. Bai Yichuan poured a cup of tea and said.

"Eighty percent? They are crazy, just the arrogant temper of the new emperor, when he ascends the throne and the small country reduces the court, he will definitely raise troops to save his face. Li Mu was also taken aback.

"yes. Therefore, their demands embarrassed the Qingping officials. Originally, the congratulatory gift to the court has been prepared, and everyone is ready to go, and the Zheng family is making trouble, and the prince of Dali is worried. Reduced the fear that the new emperor would be unhappy. If it is not reduced, it will not be able to resist the threat of the Zheng family. And listening to the meaning of the Ping Guan, this time the matter is not only for Dali, but also for the surrounding small countries There are people who have lobbied to reduce tribute. Bai Yichuan sneered. The hands of these families are too long, not only stirring up trouble in their own countries, but also stirring up wind and rain in foreign countries, making everyone unhappy.

"What do they mean by this, the new emperor ascends the throne, and it is customary for the surrounding small countries to go to the court, if the tribute is reduced on such an occasion, it is a slap in the face of the new emperor, what is the benefit of doing this to the family, they just asked the new emperor to build the canal, what are they moving this time?" Zhou Xiya was puzzled.

"They want to mobilize troops, the emperor is angry, blood flows thousands of miles, only to start a war, is the fastest way to consume national strength, from the construction of canals, to the war, such a time and time again, the national strength will inevitably decline, the people are not happy, and then it is time to rise up." Li Mu frowned slightly, already thinking about their motives.

"These crazy people, what do they think of the country, as their toys, they can do whatever they want." Zhou Xiya was very annoyed.

"No way, this is the power of the family, if you don't eradicate them, it will be difficult for the country to be stable, a high degree of centralization of power, for the current state form is stable, these families are more threatening than the feudal kings." Li Mu knew that this was the inevitability of history, if the emperor did not have the determination to suppress the family, he could only passively accept the threat of the family.

"What, you want to get rid of me? I am a child of the family" Zhou Xiya glared at Li Mu, she could say that the family was not good, but Li Mu was not allowed to say that whoever asked Li Mu to eradicate the family would have her family.

"How dare I, I married you, didn't I go along with you? I am firmly on your side, you say let me go east I will never go west, you say let me walk the dog I will never catch chickens. Li Mu hurriedly promised.

"Spineless" Zhou Xiya glanced at him, this guy is sweet-mouthed.

"The backbone is an outsider, you are an insider" Li Mu saw that Bai Yichuan and his wife were not there, and joked.

"Let me ask you, the family has made such a big move, you, a big businessman, will definitely make a move, are you going to make war money?" Zhou Xiya asked rhetorically.

"Of course, it's a fool not to make money, don't look at the current tense situation, but it's the best time to make money, there is an opportunity to make money, I don't earn this money, I will let those families earn, they hoard food and disrupt prices, the people are already struggling to make a living, they will make the people even more unable to live, and with this money, you can develop your charity, you can save more people." Li Mu made no secret of his ambitions.

"You're the wolf in sheep's clothing," Zhou Xiya snorted.

"Thank you for the compliment," Li Mu smiled.

A few days later, Li Mu finished his business in Dali and told Zhou Xiya that it was time to go back, and Zhou Xiya went to find Bai Yichuan and his wife.

"Uncle, aunt, you come with me, now the situation is unstable, I don't know what the chaos will be in the future, I don't know what it will develop, I really don't worry about you outside, follow us back to the capital, so that I can honor you well, and my grandfather and grandmother, they miss you very much, my grandfather is old, I hope you can be by your side." Zhou Xiya persuaded.

"We have guards, and we are not involved in government politics, just drilling in the deep mountains and forests, who can do anything to us, what kind of character I am, your grandfather knows it very well, and he will not force me to go back to accompany him, and we will return to the capital in two years." Bai Yichuan refused, he was used to being loose, let him return to the capital, he would have to face all kinds of people, and he would have to socialize, annoying, and his medical skills were there, it was very likely that his father would arrange for him to get a position in the Imperial Doctor's Department, which was not the life he wanted.

"Aunt......" Zhou Xiya turned her head to grind her aunt, as long as she got her aunt, her uncle could only be obedient.

"Old man, let's go back. These years have not been filial piety by the parents' side, it is already our fault, the parents are not far away, we have passed these years of freedom, it's time to go back to honor the elderly, and Xiya, I have always regarded Xiya as my own child, seeing that she is going to get married, and she will have children in the future, her father is so busy. Let's go back to the capital and help her take care of the children. Only an old man can do it by her side. "Chen is not for anything else, she has to go back for Xiya, and the most worrying thing for her is Xiya.

"Yes, uncle. My dad is so busy. Away from home all day. I'm lonely, what if Li Mu bullies me, I don't have a mother. Dad is not around, lonely, pitiful......" Zhou Xiya babbled her pitiful words.

"Okay, okay, it's like how pitiful you are, you grew up being pampered by everyone since you were a child, who dares to give you a little grievance, I'll go back with you." Bai Yichuan raised his hand and surrendered, Xiaoya moved her mother out, can he still surrender, his sister is what he cares about the most, just for his sister, he also has to take care of Xiaoya, it's just that he has been at ease for so many years, and it's time to go back to the tight spell.

"Uncle, you said this yourself, I didn't force you." Zhou Xiya blinked strangely.

"Yes, yes, I took the initiative to go back, you girl" Bai Yichuan nodded Zhou Xiya's forehead helplessly.

"Hehe" Zhou Xiya smiled, "Uncle, let's go, I'll help you pack your luggage"

"Good"

――――――――

The return trip was not fast, because Li Mu had business in various places, and he had to take another route, so he could take care of it.

The new emperor ordered the canal to be built, the route of the canal has been planned, the local officials have begun to recruit the people to start building the canal, this is a decree, no one will pay wages, let alone take care of the rice, the wheat in the south is ripe early, the local officials forcibly recruit strong labor, so that the grain in the field can not be harvested, so the old women and children have to go down to the field to harvest the grain.

However, the time limit given by the emperor is small, and the construction period is tight, not only to build the canal, but also to build palaces in major cities on both sides of the strait.

"Mother...... Mother...... Don't pull my mother to ...... Don't pull my mother to ...... My dad is dead...... Don't let me go to the canal......" a little boy cried and pulled his mother, while the servant dragged a woman.

"Little rabbit, you let me go, it's because you don't have a father, your family wants your mother to go to the top, every family pays strong labor to repair the canal, your family and your mother don't go to whom, I tell you, in a few days, the people who repair the canal are not enough, and you want to go on top." The servant kicked the boy away.

The little boy threw himself on the ground, was pulled by the neighbor's grandmother, shook his head at him with tears in her eyes, and the little boy could only watch his mother not pull him away.

This kind of thing happened in every household, and the entire county town was in chaos, and there was a crying voice in every house.

Zhou Xiya walked on the street with Li Mu, watching this scene with her own eyes, and her heart was very touched, a policy above would be so big for the people below, although it was expected that there would be such a situation, but seeing it with her own eyes, it would still touch people's hearts, the people are like ants, they don't have any ability to resist, and it is always the people at the bottom who suffer.

"How so?" Zhou Xiya's furrowed brows tightly.

"If you go to the canal and look at it, you will be even more unbearable. Now it's just the beginning, and if you look at it a year later, the people who built the canal don't know how many people will die," Li Mu took Zhou Xiya's hand and comforted.

"Let's go, let's go to the shore and deliver some food, let's help a little." Zhou Xiya sighed, she had already arranged for someone to make some dry food and send it to the people who were working, she didn't dare to give food directly, there were overseers on the shore, and they were given food, and the food couldn't eat in their mouths, so it was better to send it to them directly, although it was not much, but it was better than not eating anything, doing such a hard job, if you couldn't eat again, people would die of exhaustion sooner or later.

In the evening, Zhou Xiya and Li Mu returned to the inn, seeing Zhou Xiya's tired face, her shoulders were almost unable to lift, Chen was very distressed: "You kid, why are you working so hard, don't you know how to find someone to help, the shore is so chaotic, you go out as a girl, it really worries me to death, I haven't eaten yet, right?" Chen couldn't help but babble.

"Okay, don't you see that the children are so tired, stop talking to them, let the children wash their hands and eat." Bai Yichuan pulled his wife.

"Uncle, don't worry, we're fine, but I just saw that those people who were suffering felt a little uncomfortable." Zhou Xiya smiled at Chen and said that she was fine.

"You kid, it's just that your heart is too kind, it's not easy for the people, let's do what we can, just do what we can to help them, don't exhaust yourself." Chen persuaded her, she has been with her husband all the year round, how can she not know that it is not easy for the people, but what can they do, they are not the rulers of this country, there are thousands of ditches in their hearts, and there is no way to show it, even if it is above the court, the family fights, the division of interests, and the benefits are all taken away by them, how can there be any benefits for the people.

Zhou Xiya nodded.

Chen felt sorry for Zhou Xiya, and the meals she cooked were all Zhou Xiya's favorite food, and Chen felt sorry for her, and the meals were very rich.

But Zhou Xiya looked at these sumptuous meals, and felt very uncomfortable, it was good for people who built the canal to eat a few mouthfuls of dry food, but it was really a sin for herself to eat such a sumptuous meal, but looking at her aunt's concerned eyes, she didn't say anything, just took a big bite of the food, and made up her mind that no matter what, she must change this situation, even if she can do very little, she must do her best.

"Li Mu, where are we going next?" Bai Yichuan asked.

"After finishing the things here, let's go directly to Yangzhou, the construction of the Grand Canal will inevitably drive Yangzhou's economy, and I got the news that the palace built in Yangzhou is the largest and best along the coast, and the emperor intends to stay in Yangzhou when he goes down to the south of the Yangtze River in the future, so the future development of Yangzhou can't be wrong, so I want to expand the business in Yangzhou, and I may have to delay some time there." Li Mu said.

"Okay, then let's go to Yangzhou with you, I haven't been to Yangzhou for some years." Bai Yichuan nodded.

"Is the Cui family's territory in Yangzhou?" Chen spoke suddenly.

"Which Cui family?" Zhou Xiya didn't react.

"One of the families, their eldest Miss Cui chased your uncle crazy tightly, I heard that she didn't seem to be married in her life, I don't know if it's to wait for someone." Chen said sourly, this vinegar is still old acetic acid!

"Poof" Zhou Xiya couldn't help laughing, looking at Chen's family, looking at his uncle, his eyes were full of gossip.

Li Mu just lowered his head and took the meal, these jokes are not something he can see, if the two elders are lively, he will be the one who suffers, but think about it, Xiya's uncle Don't look at him now, he is middle-aged, but he is still handsome and extraordinary, if it is in modern times, a proper handsome uncle can follow a group of little girls behind.

"Ahem, what are you doing in front of your children, it's been a matter of many years, didn't I get married in the end" Bai Yichuan was a little embarrassed. (To be continued......)