Xiao Gao's expression was complicated when faced with Tang Liu's question.

Wang Tianze had been watching his confidant talk to Tang Liu when he suddenly noticed tears streaming down the other man's face.

This is a rare occurrence for Xiao Gao, who is usually incredibly calm and composed.

"Why are you crying for no reason!"

Tang Liu waved his hand impatiently when he saw Xiao Gao's expression, wanting the latter to stop.

Xiao Gao wiped away her tears and forced a smile.

"I'm just happy. When I left Qihuai County, the Tang family was in a much worse situation. For years, I thought they were gone, just like my parents..."

After a long and arduous journey to the capital, Xiao Gao was already incredibly lucky to have survived. He found it hard to imagine how his friend could have survived in such harsh conditions in Qihuai County.

Hearing that they are still alive and well, how can one not be excited?

"You really know them?"

Tang Liu asked in confusion.

Xiao Gao sighed, "You used to call me Uncle Gao."

Tang Liu pursed his lips, then scratched his chin. "Since you know a lot about my family, I'll waive the city entry tax for you."

Xiao Gao cupped his hands and said, "Could you take me to meet your parents?"

"Okay, but please wait a moment."

The genuine emotions they displayed didn't seem fake, and Tang Liu was also very curious about the two men in front of him.

He turned around and shouted a few times towards the back of the city gate. Soon after, another person came over. After the two handed over their work, Tang Liu waved to Xiao Gao.

Xiao Gao turned around and asked Wang Tianze in a low voice, "Sir, I got a little excited and want to go see my old friend first, is that alright?"

"Can."

Since he was Xiao Gao's friend, Wang Tianze thought he would go and see him, and if there was anything he could do to help, he would be willing to lend a hand.

Of course, the most important reason is that they still don't know who the author of that strange book is, so they have to go through a certain amount of investigation.

Tang Liu and Xiao Gao passed by without incident, but when Wang Tianze tried to enter the city, he was stopped by the second guard.

While picking his ear, the other person stretched out his hand and said, "The city entrance tax is twenty taels. I'll waive some of it for you since Xiao Niu knows you."

Wang Tianze said with a dark face, "Didn't they say the city entry tax was waived?"

"That person can be exempted, but yours cannot."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Gao immediately looked at Tang Liu, but the other party remained expressionless.

Under these circumstances, Xiao Gao had no choice but to take out ten taels of silver from his pocket and hand it over before he could peacefully lead Wang Tianze into the city.

Upon entering the city, a dazzling array of sights came into view.

Because their carriage was impounded at the city gate, they had no choice but to walk the rest of the way.

Wang Tianze silently watched the bustling scene in Qihuai County, while Xiao Gao's eyes were already wet, and his vision was blurred.

Tang Liu turned and glanced at Xiao Gao. "Why are you crying again for no reason?"

"I am happy that Qihuai County has finally escaped the poverty and hardship of the past, and no one will starve to death anymore..."

Tang Liu said, "No one will starve to death anymore. When I was a child, the county was indeed very poor, and many people couldn't afford to eat. But after a few years, life improved."

"Why?" Xiao Gao asked, puzzled.

"Because Lord Tang came, if it weren't for him, Qihuai County would be no different from when you left. If it weren't for Lord Tang's help, our Tang family wouldn't be in such a good state now."

With the familiar local accent and the stories of Qihuai County that Xiao Gao occasionally told, Tang Liu gradually came to believe in the other party's identity.

I'm happy to say something to them.

Wang Tianze's biggest concern was, of course, the mysterious Lord Tang; most of his questions revolved around this.

Tang Liu briefly introduced how Tang Huan led people to reclaim wasteland to solve the famine, and also vigorously developed industry and commerce, and cleaned up the environment...

Qihuai County's development has been inseparable from Tang Huan's policies.

Half an hour later, Tang Liu brought the two back to the Tang family.

After passing through the gate, a middle-aged man was leisurely drinking tea while lying in a rocking chair in the large courtyard.

Looking at the other person's face, Xiao Gao's eyes welled up with tears again, and he called out in a trembling voice, "Brother Tang..."

The man in the rocking chair looked up at the sound, and after looking for a while, he suddenly said in a hoarse voice, "Gao Yi, you're not dead?"

...

"What? Someone claiming to be an old resident of Qihuai County has arrived?"

Tang Huan accidentally fell off the chair.

Xue'e couldn't help but chuckle a few times, earning her a glare from Tang Huan.

Qin Yu silently walked over and helped Tang Huan up.

However, this action did not win Tang Huan's favor; instead, it earned him a scolding.

"Look, look, I knew there would be no shortage of trouble. We just got this maid's household registration sorted out, and now another one has appeared. How can Qihuai County possibly accommodate so many people now!"

Li Daikui, who came to report the news, looked up at Tang Huan and said, "Sir, if you are unwilling, why don't I go and drive them away directly?"

"Drive them away? Don't you know what kind of people were in Qihuai County? They survived from that time only because they were incredibly lucky. They're all pitiful..."

After letting out a long sigh, Tang Huan asked, "Where is that person now?"

"That person is an old friend of the Tang family."

Without much thought, Tang Huan waved his hand and said, "Prepare the carriage and come with me immediately."

Qin Yu instinctively tried to follow, but Tang Huan stopped him.

"You have no sense at all! This is a trip to meet outsiders. What are you, a mere maid, doing following me? If others think I'm a person of extravagance and pleasure, what kind of image will that create!"

Qin Yu was reprimanded and silently lowered his head.

But in his heart, he cursed Tang Huan's entire family.

Qin Yu ultimately stayed in Qihuai County, and Tang Huan did not actually send her to a brothel to entertain guests, but rather reluctantly kept her by his side as a maid.

Every day, he bossed Qin Yu around, making him serve tea and water, cook, and do laundry, which made Qin Yu more and more angry.

But she knew very well that she had to be patient.

The Tang family.

Inside the courtyard, two middle-aged men embraced and wept bitterly, while a woman sat beside them, occasionally wiping away her own tears.

This scene evoked different emotions in Wang Tianze and Tang Liu.

As the Minister of Revenue, Wang Tianze had witnessed much suffering, but seeing this scene still moved him deeply.

Tang Liu's emotions remained relatively stable. Even though his parents' behavior confirmed that the man was indeed an old resident of Qihuai County, he still had no recollection of him whatsoever.

Suddenly, Tang Liu heard footsteps behind him. He turned around and immediately became serious.

"Lord Tang, what brings you here!"

As soon as Tang Liu spoke, the Tang couple couldn't help but look up.

Tang's father grabbed Gao Yi's hand and introduced him, saying, "Gao Yi, this is Lord Tang Huan. If it weren't for him, Qihuai County would probably be a ruin by now, and we wouldn't have had the chance to meet again..."

Gao Yi raised his head to look at the newcomer and cupped his hands in greeting.

Looking at the man with graying temples in the courtyard, Tang Huan recited a poem.

"I left home young and returned old, my accent unchanged but my hair gray. The children I meet don't recognize me, laughing and asking, 'Where do you come from, stranger?'"