A gentle breeze picked up, and the October weather was getting cooler. Pear was already wearing thick clothes, but she still felt cold when the wind blew and shivered.
Gu Ziyi tucked her cloak in, his nonchalant demeanor making Lili feel that something was off.
Why do I always feel that everything is under His Highness's control?
What's with that shrewd, calculating expression? You've even got your hands on the affairs of the Great Jin?
After calming down, Shen Ye was surprisingly persuaded by Gu Ziyi in just a few words, and stopped thinking about it.
Oh well, what's the point of thinking about it? He'll only be a burden to his older brother.
He should hide here carefully, so that his third brother's men don't find him and he doesn't distract his eldest brother.
The barbecue meal was rather unappetizing. Afterwards, as usual, Lili went for a walk outside the mansion with Gu Ziyi.
Shen Ye was in a bad mood today, so Li Li didn't let Yun Shu come with her and asked Yun Shu to stay at the mansion to comfort him.
She no longer had any desire for a late-night snack, and after thinking for a moment, she said, "Your Highness doesn't seem surprised at all?"
Gu Ziyi replied gently, "What's so surprising, the Regent of the Great Jin?"
"Um."
Gu Ziyi didn't want to hide it from her, and there was nothing to hide.
"Do you remember when I went to Dajin at the beginning of the year?"
"Huh?" Lili shook her head. "I don't remember. Was it the time His Highness sent Lili her birthday gift early?"
"Yes. Actually, two years ago, the eldest prince of the Great Jin Dynasty, Yuchi Feng, took the initiative to approach me seeking cooperation."
"ah?"
Lili stared at him in shock, picking at her ear: "Did I hear that right?"
Gu Ziyi chuckled: "If Yuchi Xiu can seek cooperation with Gu Zian, then Yuchi Feng can naturally seek cooperation with me. Gu Zian came to Yuchi Xiu himself, while I, Yuchi Feng, came to him myself."
He remained calm and collected, offering only a few words without further explanation, yet Lili understood.
Perhaps it was the tacit understanding she had developed over the years that made her know the other person so well, or perhaps it was Lili's intuition that was too accurate. In any case, she could roughly guess what Gu Ziyi was thinking once he started a conversation.
Everyone wants the Jin dynasty; it's just a matter of who has the ability.
Before knowing the inside story, Lili couldn't guess who would win in the end, but now she knows that Yuchi Feng will definitely win.
It's not that she's too confident in Gu Ziyi, it's that she's confident in herself.
hey-hey.
To be shameless, the two sides are evenly matched, but with Brother Shen Ye here, Shen Lili naturally sides with Shen Ye. Lili is the lucky charm that can bring good fortune.
Gu Zian is finished, Yu Chixiu has lost the initiative, and Yu Chifeng has the help of Gu Ziyi, who is full of tricks, so their chances of winning are not as good as theirs.
Moreover, Lili refused to believe that the so-called regent had no connection with Gu Ziyi.
Gu Ziyi wasn't surprised at all that she had guessed correctly. He praised her with great appreciation and asked, "Smart, how did you know?"
Lili tilted her head back, her tone haughty: "Of course it was a guess."
Look at that little face, you'd think she figured it out with her clever mind.
Gu Ziyi gently patted her head, his tone indulgent: "Yes, our Lili is so smart."
“Of course.” Lili said with a hint of pride, but the cold wind calmed her down a bit. “But why would His Highness get involved in these things? Does that Yuchi Xiu have some bad intentions?”
"I suppose so. Regardless of whether he has any ill intentions, his cooperation with Gu Zian will inevitably make him my adversary. Yu Chixiu is a very cunning man. Whether for my own sake or for the peace between the two countries, I have to intervene."
Seeing Lili's slightly worried expression, Gu Ziyi reassured her, "Don't worry, the answer to this game was written from the very beginning."
Gu Ziyi thought that Lili was worried about the relationship between the two countries, or perhaps she was worried about him.
To everyone's surprise, Lili shook her head calmly and said seriously, "No, Lili was just thinking about where to retire in the future."
Gu Ziyi: "...?"
Yesterday, his grandfather reminded him that young girls love the most thoughtful people who understand what they are thinking. They love the dashing and scorching young man, and the gentle and warm young man.
He had originally thought that he was older than her and had more experience and knowledge, and he was even pleased with himself for being able to understand her because of this.
But now it seems that he is only six years older than her, so how come he suddenly can't keep up with her jumping thoughts?
Perhaps Gu Ziyi's confusion was too obvious, so Lili smiled and explained gently, "Your Highness is so resourceful and capable in handling things. You can even handle such important matters very well. I am very pleased."
Gu Ziyi frowned, still not understanding what this had to do with what she was talking about regarding retirement.
"Your Highness is so amazing, can't Lili just eat, drink and have fun for the rest of her life without worry? The shops Your Highness gave Lili are enough to ensure that Lili has no worries about food and clothing. In addition, with Your Highness's words about the peace of the country, Lili doesn't have to worry about internal and external troubles or political instability that cause some places to be unstable. She can consider traveling around the world."
Lili clasped her hands together, her face filled with longing, her dimples reappearing on her cheeks, and her nose was slightly pink.
"When I get old, I'll find a place where it's not too hot in the summer and not too cold in the winter. At that time, the person by my side should be Fufu's grandson or great-grandson. I'll take it for a walk in the city every day!"
Lili thought about it and felt a little sad when she realized that when she got old, Old Man Shen, Old Woman Shen, Doctor Sikong, and Old Master Yang would all be gone.
The little girl's description was so vivid that Gu Ziyi seemed to be able to see the scene through those few words. He was instantly infected by the atmosphere and smiled from the bottom of his heart, feeling peaceful and warm.
After a while, Gu Ziyi casually asked her in a low voice, "Are you alone?"
“Of course not.” Lili smiled. “I still have my father and mother! My eldest brother is going to be a general, my second brother is going to manage the shop, my third brother will definitely enter officialdom in the future, and my fourth brother will probably be like Grandpa Sikong, going around treating patients wherever he goes. If I think about it, I’m afraid that only my fifth brother will be able to see me often in the future.”
But Lili wasn't sad at all. Her brothers would all shine in their own fields, how wonderful!
Gu Ziyi's gaze darkened, a hint of disappointment flashing across his face, but his expression remained unchanged, and he concealed his emotions very well.
She said so much, but not a single word about him.
Gu Ziyi felt like she was soaking in acidic water.
The streets were bustling with activity, and the early arrival of the cold air did not significantly impact people's lives.
Many people were still drinking and playing drinking games at the stalls along the street, and the soup pots in the wonton shops were still steaming hot.
The air was filled with the aroma of cooking, the sounds of people were lively, and the atmosphere was peaceful and harmonious.
Gu Ziyi's fingers turned white from pinching, but he nonchalantly bought a skewer of candied hawthorns from a vendor next to him and handed it to the little girl who was skipping around beside him.
Pear, who originally had little appetite, gradually lost her gloom during the casual conversation and started to crave food.
Pears were eaten with great concentration, one after another, each one sweet and sour.
When they had almost finished the string of candied hawthorns, Gu Ziyi asked again, "What about me?"
It drifted lightly in the cold wind, somewhat casually, yet also cautiously.
It seemed like a casual question, yet it also seemed like something that had been carefully considered for a long time.
Lili was taken aback and turned her head to look. Gu Ziyi had a faint smile on his face, as gentle as ever.
She was still chewing on hawthorns, the crunching sound mingling with the wind in her ears, making Lili momentarily forget whether Gu Ziyi had just said that sentence.
Lili's hesitation was like another punch to Gu Ziyi. Gu Ziyi smiled wryly and shook his head half-heartedly: "It's nothing. I was just saying, do you want to go eat your favorite fried tofu?"
"oh……"
"Let's go."
Gu Ziyi took the lead and walked forward, leaving Lili somewhat at a loss.
What did His Highness just say?
'And what about me?'
What does this mean? His Highness is naturally in the capital.
Your Highness will inherit the throne in the future, so naturally you should be a diligent and people-loving good official.
Lili was confused and stared blankly for a second.
Gu Ziyi noticed that she hadn't followed, so he went back and took her hand.
Lili shook her head, too lazy to think about it anymore.
As the weather grew colder, Lili's premonition grew stronger.
Anding City is now Gu Ziyi's base of operations, and Lili has heard more news from various sources there.
This year, the weather turned cold early and unusually cold, causing much worry among the people. However, due to the increasing grain reserves, they haven't paid much attention to it.
This made Lili suddenly realize that she had been focusing on food, but forgot that people could die of cold in addition to starvation.
If the weather continues to get this cold, and the people are not prepared, something bad will inevitably happen.
Lili was a little anxious. Yun Shu had just retrieved the grain storage figures from the granaries in various parts of Nanlin County from Gu Ziyi. Seeing her worried face, she couldn't help but ask, "Miss, what's wrong?"
Lili took the granary book: "I'm thinking, it's already so cold now, what are we going to do in December?"
Yun Shu closed the window and added some charcoal to the stove: "His Highness ordered people to purchase silver bone charcoal from various places at the beginning of the year, so Miss need not worry."
Lili shook her head: "But what about the people? They have to burn charcoal in this weather, and the charcoal will eventually run out. What will they do when the charcoal is used up?"
Yun Shu thought what she said made sense, but there was still a lot she didn't understand: "What does Miss mean?"
“These days I’ve seen many poor families in the suburbs. Most of their houses are thatched huts, built with mud, thatch and wood. The walls are made of rammed earth, which has poor insulation and sturdiness. The roofs are covered with thatch, which is prone to leaks and difficult to repair regularly.”
Yun Shu suddenly realized that Li Li was worried that the people would be ignored, so she told her, "Miss, these people live in the suburbs because they can't afford houses in the city. But Anding City is a major border city with the Red Eagle Army stationed here. How could they ignore the people? Every year before the New Year, the old general would order his men to make an inspection tour and distribute coal to each household as needed."
Lili hesitated for a moment: "In previous years it wasn't this cold, we could just burn some charcoal and get through two months. But this year..."
Yun Shu nodded. Indeed, this year was very strange; winter arrived in October, and it was bitterly cold.
“Miss is right. The weather this year is really strange. In previous years, we would just be wearing autumn clothes at this time, but this year we can already wear padded jackets. If this continues, it might snow heavily in Anding City.”
An Ding City is located at the southernmost point. In previous years, at most a few grains of rice would drift down, and it would last for no more than three days.
But this year, it's hard to say.
"Well, An Ding City has never experienced heavy snowfall, so the people naturally wouldn't think to reinforce their thatched huts to withstand the weight of a snowstorm. What they're afraid of is a sudden blizzard... So I was thinking, could we help those people with their houses, or perhaps some other method?"
"A blizzard?"
Yun Shu didn't quite agree. After all, Nanlin County was the place with the mildest climate in Southern Jin. It wasn't exactly spring-like all year round, but the climate was still pleasant.
The snowfall was always a light, delicate snow, and even in the prefectural city, heavy snow was extremely rare.
Blizzards, I guess, only happen in the north.
But the weather was really strange, and after spending time with Lili these past few days, Yun Shu had come to see her as a woman who was well-versed in farming and knew everything about astronomy and geography.
Lili is her master, so naturally whatever Lili says goes.
Yun Shu thought for a moment and offered her a suggestion: "Miss cares about the people and is very thoughtful, so it is indeed appropriate for you to make more preparations. But I don't know much about these things. If you have any complaints about someone, let me take care of them. I can immediately relieve your worries. Otherwise, why don't you go and discuss it with His Highness? His Highness will definitely help you find a solution, and as long as it's something you want to do, His Highness will definitely support you."
Lili thought it made sense. If it really meant to help the people repair their houses, it would be expensive and laborious. She could contribute money, but she would still have to rely on Gu Ziyi for the labor.
With exceptional efficiency, Lili immediately asked, "Didn't Your Highness go to the military camp this morning to watch Grandpa Chu train the troops? Has he returned home yet?"
Yun Shu immediately went to inquire about it for her.
A short while later, Yun Shu returned: "Miss, His Highness is still in the military camp. There is a martial arts competition in the army today, and His Highness is watching from the sidelines."
"A martial arts contest?"
It sounds familiar.
"Ah, Your Highness asked me a few days ago if I wanted to come along, I forgot." Lili's eyes widened slightly, somewhat annoyed that she had refused. "I should have agreed. I was just thinking that I hadn't taken Ziqi out to play in a long time. Who would have thought that Ziqi would be taken by Brother Chenye to that restaurant in the south of the city to eat meat today?"
Lili frowned in annoyance. It was still early, and it would probably be quite a while before Gu Ziyi got home.
Why don't we just go find him in the military?
She was also curious about what the martial arts competitions in the military camp were like.
Lili hugged Yunshu's arm and said coquettishly, "Yunshu, Yunshu, will you take me to the military camp to find His Highness?"
Yun Shu would of course not refuse: "Then this servant will pick out a thicker cloak for Miss. The military camp is spacious and windy, so don't catch a cold."
Lili waved her hand and pushed her out: "It's okay, it's okay, I can choose by myself. You go and tell someone to prepare the carriage."
"yes."
Lili closed the door to change her clothes, and Yunshu quickly went to instruct the servant to prepare the carriage.
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