Li Guang remained silent and listened as Li Xue continued to speak.

"Brother Zhao, do you still remember when we helped the emperor in the Kingdom of Jindian to eliminate the power of the Peng and Xie families? This action brought generations of friendship between the two countries."

Imagine if we had personally helped Yelü Khan seize the throne; the outcome would certainly have been different.

It's conceivable that Yelü Khan, after so many years of preparation, possessed considerable strength. Yelü Wu, having held power for many years, had accumulated a great deal of public resentment; he simply lacked someone to ignite it.

If we go to the foreign country now and only act as the one who starts the fire, there should be no danger.

Furthermore, Narcissus Village has an army of 100,000, and Marshal Han has 150,000 troops at the border. At this time, the foreign kingdom is weak and dares not make any rash moves; they are simply at our mercy.

Li Xue's words impressed Zhao Xian and Li Guang. If they could go to the foreign country and help the matter be accomplished, the best outcome would be achieved.

Emperor Yelü Wu of the foreign kingdom never dreamed that such a thing would happen. As long as he did not reveal his whereabouts, there would be no great danger in going to the foreign kingdom.

Now that we've made up our minds, let's take a long-term view.

The group then began discussing how to do it, and after discussing it until evening, they finally came up with a preliminary plan.

Over the next few days, Li Guang continued working in the fields, and Ge Kaishan rolled up his trousers, picked up farm tools, and followed Li Guang, diligently learning how to do farm work.

Although it was spring plowing season, the temperature was still very low, and working barefoot in the mud was not a pleasant experience.

Just then, Zhao Xian arrived with Li Xue and the others. Judging from their clothes, they were also there to do farm work.

Upon seeing this, Li Guang immediately pulled Ge Kaishan out of the mud and brought him to Zhao Xian and the others.

"General Ge, let me introduce you. This is the Marquis of Zhengyang of our Great Northern Dynasty, and this is the current Princess."

Upon hearing this, Ge Kaishan was greatly surprised. These two were both relatives of the emperor, yet they had come to the village and were doing farm work. This was unimaginable in the foreign country.

Ge Kaishan quickly stepped forward and bowed to the two men.

"I am Ge Kaishan. I have met Marquis Zhengyang and Princess."

“You must be General Ge. I have long admired your name. You have traveled a long way to Shuixian Village to learn farming techniques for promotion, which will benefit the country and the people. I admire you greatly,” Zhao Xian said.

"You flatter me, Marquis Zhengyang. This trip to the Central Plains has left me with many impressions. Your country's court values ​​agricultural production and the people's livelihood, but foreign countries are keen on invading other countries, which have caused great disasters to your country in the past."

Year after year of war has caused the people of the foreign lands to be displaced. Since Ge retired from the army last year, he has come to know the suffering of the people.

"My sole purpose in coming to the Central Plains to learn farming techniques is to increase grain production so that the people of the foreign lands will have enough to eat and won't starve."

As Ge Kaishan finished speaking, he lowered his head, revealing his deep distress and helplessness.

"General Ge's concern for the country and its people is truly admirable, but it is basically impossible for him to change people's livelihoods and prevent famine on his own."

Even if General Ge learned planting techniques here and increased grain production, it could not change the people's situation; they remained poor and lacked food and clothing.

"Perhaps the grain that General Ge painstakingly grows will be used by your court to develop your military strength, which is something General Ge would not want to see."

Upon hearing this, Ge Kaishan frowned and fell into deep thought.

Zhao Xian's words make a lot of sense. Everything he has done so far is just wishful thinking. With such a court, his wishes will not be fulfilled.

After a long while, Ge Kaishan finally raised his head, looking blankly at the boundless fields in front of him and the farmers working in them.

At this moment, Zhao Xian rolled up his trousers, grabbed a shovel, and walked into the muddy field to start digging drainage ditches.

Li Xue, accompanied by several guards, used sickles to clear weeds from the field ridges.

The people of the Great Northern Dynasty were very hardworking. Here, whether they were farmers, soldiers, or even members of the royal family, they were all the same. Regardless of their social status, they all worked in the fields. This was something Ge Kaishan had not expected.

Ge Kaishan picked up the shovel again, went to the field, and continued digging ditches.

After digging for a while, Ge Kaishan encountered the ditch that Zhao Xian had dug. Seeing Ge Kaishan working while deep in thought, he spoke up:

"General Ge, I have something to say, but I don't know if I should say it."

“Lord Zhengyang, please speak freely,” Ge Kaishan hurriedly said.

"Alright, General Ge, let's go upstairs and talk."

After Zhao Xian finished speaking, he walked towards the edge of the field. Ge Kaishan dropped what he was doing and followed Zhao Xian to the edge of the field.

At this moment, Zhao Xian's legs were trembling from the cold. Working barefoot in the mud in this kind of weather was really unpleasant. Li Xue watched from the edge of the field, feeling a little sorry for him.

Seeing Zhao Xian leading Ge Kaishan toward the ridge of the field, Li Xue immediately ordered the guards to start a fire.

Several guards immediately lit a bonfire. Seeing this, Zhao Xian walked over to the bonfire and sat down. Ge Kaishan also followed suit and sat down by the bonfire.

A guard came over carrying a teapot and poured tea for Zhao Xian and Ge Kaishan.

Zhao Xian drank a few sips of hot tea and felt much better.

Li Guang continued digging the ditch when Zhao Xian beckoned to him. Upon seeing this, Li Guang put down his shovel and came over.

Li Guang sat down by the campfire, took the hot tea offered by the guard, and drank it.

At this moment, Zhao Xian spoke up: "What I want to talk about is the affairs of your vassal state. I feel it's not appropriate to say such things."

"You're too kind, Marquis Zhengyang. We're just having a casual chat, so please feel free to speak."

“If your current emperor, Yelü Wu, continues to rule, the people of the Fan Kingdom will not have a good life, and the Fan Kingdom will find it difficult to recover. If things continue like this, the possibility of the country's demise cannot be ruled out.”

Ge Kaishan sighed and said:

"I share the same sentiment as Marquis Zhengyang, but I can't very well start a rebellion and change the dynasty."

"General Ge misunderstood me. I was just thinking that twenty years ago, when your late emperor was in power, the Fan Kingdom was rich and powerful, and its relationship with the Great Northern Dynasty was very good."

However, after Yelü Wu ascended the throne, the two countries became mortal enemies, basically fighting every year until the death.

All of this was caused by Yelü Wu, and he was the one who instigated all the trouble.

If he had focused on the people's livelihood, cared about their hardships, and refrained from foreign aggression and expansion, the foreign kingdoms wouldn't have fallen to their current state.

Ge Kaishan listened attentively, head bowed and silent. What Zhao Xian said was true; the current state of the Fan Kingdom was entirely caused by Yelü Wu.