Outside, the wind and snow were still blowing, and the wind was blowing very tightly, pouring down like a white waterfall on the horizon.

The surrounding trees made a crisp "click" sound, and the snow in the sky and the snow in the ground mixed together, circling in the air, dazzling to see.

Beijing, in a private house in the eastern suburbs.

Inside, the fire crackled.

The flames jumped high, and the kettle was blackened.

The soup in the pot is constantly steaming, and the tumbling soup and fragrant smell constantly stimulate the taste buds.

Take a bite of spicy and spicy beef, which is moderately soft and hard, and extremely tender.

The room was warm, and the snow was getting heavier and heavier.

The old cow dozed off against the stove.

Biao, who had just been named Jiaze, sat in a corner, holding an oil lamp.

Reading at night.

On the second floor of the small courtyard, Li Ping'an and Lin Xiaoxue were cooking wine and talking at night.

While baking the fire, you can enjoy the snowflakes falling outside the window.

"If you want to have long-term peace and stability, the vassal king will cut it." Li Ping'an said lightly.

Lin Xiao said with a little embarrassment: "But these vassal kings are all from their own families, and they are connected by blood.

When the ancestors founded the country, they set this national policy.

Divide the feud but not the soil, the lord but not the people, and eat but not govern.

Deprived of real power and given no chance of rebellion.

In this case, wouldn't it be too ruthless to kill them all? ”

Li Ping'an said, "It's not that it's all killed, it's just that according to this method, how long do you think Daxia will last?" ”

Lin Xiao said disapprerovingly: "Isn't it just some clans, and it's not that Daxia can't afford to raise it." ”

Li Ping'an smiled, "You count how many princes there are in Great Xia now, the prince of the county...."

Lin Xiao frowned and calculated in his heart.

"Taken together, it is estimated that there are more than 100 people."

"More than a hundred." Li Ping'an continued, "So these more than 100 people will not have children in the future? Your father's accession to the throne weakened the power of the vassal kings and greatly restricted their activities.

This group of people has lost the motivation to chase power, eats, drinks, and has children at home all day long.

The child's child begets the child, and the children and grandchildren are endless. ”

Lin Xiao frowned, as if he was thinking about what Li Ping'an said.

As a prince, he had no concept of money since he was a child.

Will the royal still be short of money?

Isn't it just a matter of having a few children?

What does it matter, as long as they don't cause trouble, don't rebel, and spend some money to feed them.

This is very worthwhile in Lin Xiao's opinion.

Li Ping'an saw his thoughts, put a piece of mutton in his mouth, and burned his tongue.

Take another bite and you'll have a lot of memorable taste.

"Whew~"

"I've been missing some rice at home lately."

Lin Xiao didn't know why Mr. suddenly mentioned the matter, so he said casually: "Then I'll send someone to send some rice tomorrow." ”

Li Ping'an nodded, "Then thank Your Highness, but how much is appropriate for Your Highness?" ”

Lin Xiao said: "Mr. can give as much as he wants." ”

Li Ping'an saw him in the trap and said with a smile: "How about this, I don't want more of your rice."

There's a chessboard downstairs, you take it, you just give me some rice on my chessboard.

Put 1 grain in the 1st slot of the board, 2 in the 2nd slot, 4 in the 3rd slot, and 8 in the 4th slot....... And so on.

After that, the number of rice in each grid is twice the number of rice in the previous grid, until the 64th box is filled. ”

"....." Although Lin Xiao didn't understand what this meant, he still readily agreed.

Just some rice.

"Okay, half a month later, wait for the son to send me rice."

"Why do you need half a day, I'll have someone deliver it tomorrow."

"Okay."

............

After returning to the palace, Lin Xiao instructed the eunuch to prepare rice according to what Mr. Li said.

The amount of rice in each compartment is twice as large as the amount of rice in the previous compartment until the 64th compartment is filled.

After Lin Xiao gave the order nonchalantly, he went back to the house to sleep.

When he awoke again, he saw the eunuch standing at the door with a look of embarrassment.

"Your Highness, you better go and have a look."

"What's wrong?"

“.... Something went wrong. ”

Lin Xiao frowned, put on his clothes and went out with the eunuch.

When he went to the granary, he saw sacks of grain stacked on the ground.

Put 1 grain in the first cell, 2 grains in the second cell, and 4 grains in the third cell......

Before the twentieth square is reached, the grain in the granary will be emptied.

However, the number of rice is growing rapidly, one by one.

"How can there be so many?" Lin Xiao asked in surprise.

The official who counted the amount of grain on the side wiped the sweat on his forehead and walked quickly in front of Lin Xiao.

"Your Highness, if you calculate it in this way, even if you put together the food of the whole country, it will not be enough.

Not to mention our country, even the food of several neighboring countries together is not enough. ”

"So many?"

The corners of the official's eyes twitched slightly, "What's more... That's just too much... It's too much..."

Lin Xiao frowned, looking at the bag of rice.

At that moment, it was as if I suddenly understood something.

The vassal kings are endless, from father to son, and son to grandson.....

It's like this grain of rice that grows exponentially.

Although there are regulations in the imperial court, the treatment of the clan is lower from generation to generation.

However, it is impossible for each vassal king to have only one child.

Two to four, four to eight, eight to sixteen, and that's just the bare minimum.

Lin Xiao gasped, and it was only then that he suddenly realized.

Following.

Li Ping'an had just finished walking and bought breakfast.

saw a carriage parked at the door of the house, and Lin Xiao was directing his subordinates to carry rice inside.

Li Ping'an stepped forward, "Oh? Why did His Highness take so little rice? ”

"Sir, you already know, don't look at my jokes." Lin Xiao was a little embarrassed.

"Your Highness, please come inside."

In the hut, Li Ping'an and Lin Xiao sat opposite each other.

Before Li Ping'an left, he boiled the tea.

Count the time to come back, no more, no less.

At this moment, the boiling tea made a gurgling sound, the steam carried the fragrance of tea and rose, and a long-lost sense of familiarity calmed the desolation in the chest, and the mind was empty.

Lin Xiao couldn't help but take a few more sips and praised: "What fragrant tea!" ”

The tea leaves stretch, swirl, and sink slowly in a clear turquoise liquid.

Rise and sink again, three ups and three downs.

"Sir, I see."

"Oh? Got what? Li Ping'an asked knowingly.

"I understand what you said about supporting the clan vassal king, what a great burden it is for the country."

Li Ping'an bowed his head slightly and said, "It's good that you can understand." ”

"What can you do, sir?"