"What do you think?" Li Wufeng, who was casually sitting on the cool Jingzhu chaise longue reading books absentmindedly, stretched his waist and took the tender and juicy melon handed by Di Rena who was sitting on the side, while motioning to Mo Lun on the other side to taste it casually.

This wave of honeydew melons is a specialty of the northwest of the empire, sweet and juicy, thin skin and thick flesh, and it is a rare thirst-quenching product in the middle of summer. However, this product is produced in a special place, only produced in the sandy land with groundwater, neither drought nor humidity tolerance, and needs a long time of light, otherwise it will become a defective product, and its yield is not high and not resistant to storage, the price is quite expensive, so only the rich and noble families in the northwest can afford it.

Mo Lun also unceremoniously picked up a large piece and devoured it. He was already fat, and the hot weather made him even more unbearable, and he had applied to Xiao Tang twice for leave but Xiao Tang refused for work reasons, which made him very dissatisfied.

Morun's confused eyes kept staring at the thinly dressed Direna, and the liquid flowing down the corners of her mouth made it impossible to tell whether it was the juice of melon flesh or the saliva secreted by her mouth. Di Rena, who had just finished taking a shower, had wet flaxen hair in a bun casually, and a beige Luo dress set off her white and flawless skin was particularly eye-catching, and even the embroidered underwear she was wearing inside seemed to be a little faintly visible, looking like a charming look.

Seeing Di Rena wiping the melon juice from Li Wufeng's hands affectionately, the scene of the little bird couldn't help but make Mo Lun snort jealously, but this did not affect him from answering Li Wufeng's question.

"This matter has to be carefully considered, whether it is consent or refusal, there are sensitive issues involved, and it must be carefully studied and come up with a response. Clearly, Moren wasn't sure about it. As soon as his lunch break was over, he rushed to the Jiedu Embassy's mansion, but was told by the guards that the Jiedu Envoy did not come to work in the afternoon, so he went directly to Li Wufeng's mansion to report.

The matter came very suddenly, so that people did not have time to think about it, and in view of the importance of the matter, Mo Lun did not dare to make a decision lightly, so he had to report it and let Li Wufeng consider it.

The Juli are a relatively small tribe with a total population of less than 60,000 in the Tengger steppe, sandwiched between the Rope and Mote, who were subjugated to the Rope more than a decade ago. This morning, Morun received a report from the local officials who were preparing to build the three towns in the northwest that the representatives of the Juris had secretly contacted them and asked the entire tribe to move to the northwest of Qingyang Province to settle down, hoping that the local government of Qingyang would receive them and ensure their safety, and that they would be treated as equal residents of the Qingyang area. In exchange, they are willing to recognize the jurisdiction of the Qingyang local political axe over them and promise to assume due diligence and obligations.

Due to the seriousness of the situation, the local officials urgently reported to the Qingyang Mansion City Guard Yamen, Mo Lun did not dare to slack off after receiving the report, after a brief conversation with the representative from the Jurgy, he placed the representative of the Juli people, and he hurriedly reported to Xiao Tang, Xiao Tang also thought that this matter was not trivial, involving the direction of foreign policy, and asked him to report directly to Li Wufeng, so Mo Lun came directly to Li Wufeng.

Seeing that the two began to discuss work, Di Rena packed up the fruit plate and left, watching the wonderful back disappear, Mo Lun reluctantly withdrew his gaze and swallowed a mouthful of saliva.

"Hey, Mo Lun, you still have to pay attention to your image, you are now the head of a mansion, not a disciple who lives in Yanjing, people who know don't say it, and people who don't know still think that our officials in the northwest are all like you, so it's troublesome." Li Wufeng joked about Mo Lundao.

"Sitting and talking doesn't hurt your back, you are surrounded by beauties every day, poor us still run around all night for you, go home at night, long nights, lonely sleepless. Moren shook his head and sighed.

Wu Feng scoffed at this, "Come on, come on, don't pretend to be high in front of me, I heard that someone bought a beautiful female slave from a passing slave caravan two days ago, well, by the way, I heard that it is still a beautiful woman of Indean!"

Wu Feng's words immediately made Mo Lun blush and have a thick neck, and he was a little annoyed and angry: "It must be Cui Wenxiu, a villain, who happened to meet him that day, he wanted to flirt with others, and I taught him a strict lesson, so he left in disgrace, so he ruined people's reputation everywhere." If he molests women, the supervision department should investigate and punish him. ”

Wu Feng's heart blossomed, "Wenxiu just said a fair word, why did he become a molesting woman?"

Mo Lun was stunned and didn't say anything, Wu Feng continued: "He said that it is really '''''' for a flower to be inserted in cow dung, alas!"

Mo Lun was overjoyed, "He is indeed too deceitful, for the sake of my old friend, I didn't bother with him." ”

"No, you misunderstood, I mean it's so incisive!" Wu Feng said seriously, and Mo Lun realized that he had been fooled.

Seeing Mo Lun's angry appearance, Wu Feng continued unhurriedly: "I also heard from the supervision department that some officials lingered in Fengyue at night, which seriously damaged the image of our Northwest County political axe officials. ”

As soon as the words fell, Mo Lun's heart immediately hung up, and he secretly played the drum, not daring to speak again.

"I demand that the supervision department seriously investigate and deal with it, and no matter who he is involved in, it must be investigated to the end!" Wu Feng's words were stern.

"Well, this, in fact, political axe officials are also people, you also said that one piece and one relaxation is the way of civil and military, and it is not impossible for people to have entertainment during their rest time. Morren stubbornly defended those actions.

"Well, it seems that you also have this behavior," Wu Feng stared at Mo Lun with a somewhat embarrassed expression, "In this way, I also agree with your opinion, I heard that Qingyang has just opened a new place called Shuiyue Champs, which is said to be the Liansuo store of Shuiyue Champs in Yuhang Mansion, Jiangnan, and the style is extraordinary, although the price is expensive, but it is still full every night, and it is also said that Tao Qian, who has recently become famous in Jiangnan, is also coming to perform on the stage, how about it, you invite me to watch it, how about it?"

Mo Lun shouted in his heart that he was deceived, but he had to agree.

"Also, you'll have to make up a reasonable reason for them. Wu Feng pouted at the inner room.

"Alright, it's time to get down to business. This matter is indeed a bit troublesome, and now we have a good relationship with the Luope people, they control our main trade routes, and once the relationship deteriorates because of this matter, I am afraid that our losses will be quite heavy. But if we don't accept it, it will also have a considerable negative effect, and those small forces and tribes who have always defected to us will be disheartened, and it will also be a considerable blow to our image. Wu Feng gently rubbed his forehead.

"Yes, the Ropes have always regarded the Juris as a branch tribe of their own, and if we take in the Judicians, they will definitely give up, and the opposition to peace with us within the Lope is not small, and they will definitely take this opportunity to stir up trouble. Our economy has just picked up, and the export of goods depends to a large extent on this trade route in the north, and if it is interrupted, the consequences will be unimaginable. ”

"Well, I know this, and now it's up to us to come up with a mutually acceptable solution, but it's really difficult to get the Luope people to accept it. Wu Feng had already stood up, put his hands on his back, and slowly paced around the small tree-lined courtyard, thinking hard.

"Alas, in the future, we still have to find a way to make the goods more shipped, otherwise it will be too passive once we are controlled by others. The five countries of the Western Regions also need to find a way to open up the joints and do work to see if they can reduce their tariffs, so that the pressure on relying on the northern passage can be reduced. Li Wufeng said in a deep voice.

"I'm afraid it's hard. The countries of the Western Regions have always had relatively high tariffs, and they belong to several countries, and it is probably unrealistic to hope to take this path, unless we can control their right to survive. But this is far from quenching the thirst of the near, and the most urgent thing is how to answer the representatives of the Juli. Mo Lun shook his head, disapproving of Li Wufeng's idea.

"I know that, I just feel it. To be honest, Wu Feng has not come up with a way to get the best of both worlds so far, and what annoys him even more is that this incident has also disrupted the military plan he is about to prepare.

"Now, Morun, arrange for the messenger of the Juris to rest for a good life, and tell him that we will give him a satisfactory answer in the last two days, but be careful to keep it secret. In the end, Li Wufeng still didn't have a better idea, so he had to let Mo Lun leave first.

In the early summer in the northwest, the weather is hot and dry during the day, but by the evening, the temperature has dropped significantly, and the cool wind blows down from the snow-capped mountains in the distance, which makes people feel even more relaxed.

Dressed in plain clothes, Wu Feng mingled in the crowd, and as the crowd walked up to a well-known teahouse in the south of the city, it was time for business, and many travelers and locals liked to make a bowl of tea here after dinner, and pass the time while resting and chatting.

Wu Feng hadn't gone out alone like this for a long time, and the guards were determined to follow out, but at Wu Feng's insistence, they had to put on makeup and stay on guard in the streets and alleys from afar.

"Boss, have a bowl of tea. Wu Feng, who walked up to the teahouse, glanced at the position near the window, the position facing the street here was almost full, only a young man sat alone on a tea seat, and there was a position next to it, but the young man's attitude was cold, which made people feel unapproachable at first sight, maybe this is why no one sat at the same table with him.

After signaling to borrow light, Wu Feng unceremoniously sat on the only vacant seat. Looking at the street, the light blue cloth is dancing in the evening breeze, and the word "tea" is still clearly recognizable.

The young man sitting across the table glanced at Wu Feng, ignoring Wu Feng's greeting at all, and still looked at the street market outside the window.

Wu Feng, who touched a nail, didn't care, while picking up the fragrant tea given by Dr. Tea, blew the jasmine flowers floating on the water, and took a small sip gently. Looking at the tea guests who were busy and idle, Wu Feng, who was originally a little sullen, couldn't help but feel a happy mood in his heart.

There were probably two small businessmen sitting behind him, talking about their respective businesses, "Lao Du, I heard that you made a lot of money on this trip." ”

"Well, it's okay, the porcelain on our side is really selling at a starting price over there, if it weren't for the fact that we were too timid this time and didn't dare to bring too many goods, we would have sent it this time. The bearded old Du replied with great interest.

"This trip is more than three months, how is the situation along the way? I heard that there are many fewer checkpoints on the territory of the Luope people now, and the attitude of those soldiers along the way is much better, I wonder if it's true?"

"Well, although those soldiers still want benefits, their attitude is much better than before, and they don't dare to blatantly extort, the most important thing is that these people don't dare to detain our goods at will, and the security situation is much better. It seems that our good day is here, Lao Meng, you have to seize the opportunity to make two more trips over there, I will go to the Famini Empire again next week. I found out through the Chamber of Commerce, and the prices over there are better, and this time I have to plan well and try to get a lot of money. Lao Du proudly persuaded his old friend.

"I'll tell you the truth, Lao Du, I'm going to Heidelberg the day after tomorrow, these two truckloads of tea were bought back from Jiangnan after spending a lot of money, and the car dealership has already been found, so I'm ready to do this ticket business. Alas, the son is about to marry a daughter-in-law, so he has to save two more. But this kid, I don't want to find anyone, I have to find a slave-born Indean woman, her eyes are brown, and her hair is brown, and my mother and I can't get used to it, but this kid has to be, and we can't persuade the two of us. Lao Meng shook his head and sighed.

"Hey, you too, let the younger generation make their own decisions, not to mention who cares about your origin and ethnicity here? Lord Li has long stipulated that no one shall be discriminated against by ethnicity, race, or origin, and all people are equal, and you don't know it. Lao Du said disapprerovingly.

"I didn't mean that, I just looked different from us Tang people at first glance, and I was a little unaccustomed to it. That old Meng was also a little embarrassed.

"Hey, after watching it for a long time, you won't get used to it. Catch up with Ming'er, we have made a lot of money, and we plan to marry another Famini woman. The more Lao Du thought about it, the happier he became.

Although his eyes looked out of the window, the conversation between the two behind him was heard clearly, and Wu Feng's heart couldn't help but feel a trace of worry. It seems that this trade route does involve the livelihood of many people, and I really have to take a good account of it, and it turns out that it is still a little too optimistic.