Xu Li suddenly sat up, his heart pounding, breathing heavily, and his forehead was covered with a fine layer of sweat.

Bo Mu immediately came over and asked, "General, would you like some water?"

Xu Li didn't answer, looking out the window at the pitch black outside, and asked, "How long have I been asleep?"

Bo Mu said, "Three hours."

Xu Li sat up and remained silent for a long time.

"Would the general like some water?" Bo Mu asked.

Xu Li didn't mention drinking water, but simply said, "You go out first, I'll lie down for a while longer."

As dusk fell, Xu Li went out, feeling flustered and at a loss.

He remembered the scene in his dream very clearly, even the pain in his head and body felt so real, as if he had experienced it himself.

Right now, the Wei family is completely wiped out, Emperor Xiao is dead, and the Xie family is perfectly fine, and they are even imperial relatives.

Miss Xie was not only not put into the jade box, but was also the founding empress of the Jade Dragon Kingdom.

But what about dreams?

What do you want to tell him?

Are the people from Xujia Village of questionable character?

He couldn't figure it out, so he sat up again.

I sat up and lay down like this three or four times. The bed wasn't a good one either; it creaked and groaned a lot.

Upon hearing this, Changming gently knocked on the door: "General, are you awake?"

Xu Li knew that it was because he kept turning over and disturbing Changming and Bomu.

The dream was too bizarre to describe; to speak of it would be blasphemy against His Majesty.

To have such a dream is utterly rebellious.

You can't tell anyone.

"Changming, come in," he called.

Changming came in, lit a candle, and said, "Would the general like some water?"

Xu Li nodded, and Changming poured half a bowl of hot water from the hanging kettle, saying, "The general will need water when he wakes up after drinking wine."

Xu Li drank his water, his brows still furrowed.

Although it was a "chaotic dream," he had it on the very first day he returned to his hometown, which must be some kind of warning.

He drank some water and asked Changming, "What do you think of the people of Xujia Village?"

Changming noticed the troubled and melancholy look on his face and asked, "How were you doing in the village back then, General?"

"Oh no! Because I'm fat, I often go hungry, get stolen food, and get beaten countless times."

"Then why did the general go to the Xie residence?"

"Back then, my elder brother and sister-in-law sent me to the palace to work as a eunuch... Due to some reasons, I was almost thrown into a well, but Lord Xie Yu saved me and brought me back to the Xie residence."

"Any family with even a little bit of livelihood wouldn't send their child to the palace to become a rootless person. General, you should be more tactful and not be completely open with anyone."

Xu Li nodded. Yes, we can't hold nothing back.

He was carrying out Emperor An's mission to inspect the local customs on behalf of the emperor. His Majesty had said that closing the country off from the world would not bring prosperity, and he was here on behalf of His Majesty to see if his hometown could become a pilot area for reform.

It wasn't simply a triumphant return home.

If Xujiacun lacks virtue, Wenchang County should not serve as that "opening-up pilot."

In his dream, he gave all his silver to his brother and sister-in-law, thinking that he had given them enough and that they would treat him better and protect the ashes of the Xie family master.

Despite giving everything, his brother, sister-in-law, and nephew killed him without hesitation!

Having spent the whole day with him, Changming naturally observed and listened to many things, and suggested, "Since we're going to revise the family genealogy, why don't we find your two elder brothers and include them in the genealogy as well? What do you think, General?"

"Won't it be too late?"

"General, if this servant dares to ask: Since Master Xu (Xu Tiezhu) sold you into the palace as a eunuch, is it possible that your two other brothers were also sold?"

Xu Li shook his head: "It's unlikely. Those two older brothers are smarter than me and older than me."

"They can be sold to be servants in wealthy households, or they can go to work in illegal kilns and mines."

Changming said, "When Grandpa Xu mentioned your two elder brothers today, both the village head and Second Master Xu looked rather uneasy, so I'm quite worried."

Xu Li immediately became alert. He hadn't dreamt of his second or third brother. Could it be that they were already dead by then?

That evening, Xu Li claimed he had drunk too much and did not have dinner with Xu Tiezhu's family.

Xu Tiezhu's family has become the focus of the entire village.

Countless people used various excuses to curry favor with Xu Tiezhu.

And Xu Tiezhu was invited by Master Xu for the first time.

All the prominent figures in the clan were present. Xu Tiezhu tucked his cotton-padded coat in, smiled, and called out, "Second Grandfather."

Master Xu glanced at him disdainfully, then said graciously, "Sit!"

After Xu Tiezhu sat down, Second Master Xu and several other elders of the clan said they wanted to revise the family genealogy, repair the ancestral hall, build roads, and even establish a clan school.

Xu Tiezhu was bewildered and asked, "Second Grandfather, how much money will this cost?"

Master Xu said, "Little Fatty is paying for it, it's not your money. Don't you want our family to stand out from the crowd? Look at the surrounding villages, which one isn't better off than us?"

Xu Tiezhu listened with a forced smile. Master Xu said that all of this would cost several thousand taels of silver.

He immediately jumped up: "Second Grandfather, you are too greedy! I had to swallow my pride and ask him for ten strings of cash today."

"Shortsighted!" said Master Xu. "This is a big deal, and you're only focused on those ten strings of cash? Your vision is only as big as money."

When Xu Tiezhu came out, the village head accompanied him. He was both flattered and resentful, and returned home in a daze.

Liu Ermei and Xu Dalang looked at the soldiers guarding the west room door and dared not disturb them.

When Xu Tiezhu returned, he was furious when he talked about the village's plans.

Xu Dalang said, "My fourth uncle's money belongs to our family. What business is it of theirs? We'll just leave Xu Family Village with my fourth uncle and go to the capital."

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