Bai Linglong asked the guard beside her, Wang Meng, to make arrangements for the little boy.
She smiled, her eyes full of concern, and asked softly, "Little guy, what's your name?"
The little boy raised his head, tears still lingering on his face, and said in a voice that was a little timid but full of gratitude: "Sister, my name is Xiaohu."
Bai Linglong touched Xiaohu's head and said gently, "Xiaohu, follow this brother first. He will take good care of you."
Xiaohu nodded obediently and followed Wang Meng to the arranged room.
Afterwards, Bai Linglong asked the inn to prepare a sumptuous dinner.
Everyone sat together, and the fatigue from a day's running around gradually dissipated in this warm atmosphere.
Although the emperor, the empress dowager and the queen were dressed in casual clothes, their every move still exuded dignity.
Everyone talked quietly, sharing what they had seen and heard that day, occasionally mixed with the innocent laughter of children.
After dinner, everyone went back to their rooms to rest and recharge their batteries for tomorrow's trip.
The next day, just after dawn, sunlight shone through the gap in the window onto the bed.
Nangong Yan and Bai Linglong got up early, washed up simply, and then went to wake up the four babies.
After a while, everyone gathered in the lobby of the inn, ready to go shopping together and get to know the local customs in depth.
They strolled through the bustling market. Both sides of the street were lined with various stalls and shouts.
Bai Linglong stopped in front of a cloth stall, picked up a piece of cloth, gently stroked the cloth, and said to the stall owner with a smile: "Boss, your cloth looks good, what do you think?"
The stall owner was a simple and honest Chinese man. He quickly responded with a smile: "To answer your question, this cloth is woven by ourselves, so the quality is definitely excellent.
That's what I mean. It's been a bit difficult lately. ”
Nangong Yan frowned slightly and asked, "Oh?
How difficult is it?
Is there something wrong with the supply channel, or is the sales poor? ”
The stall owner sighed and said, "To be honest, the cost of purchasing goods has not changed much, except for the tax!
It feels heavier than before. As a result, the profit margin is thin and fewer people buy cloth. ”
Bai Linglong and Nangong Yan looked at each other, a trace of worry flashed in their eyes, and Bai Linglong comforted him: "Boss, don't be too anxious, there will always be a way to solve this problem."
Next, they came to a stall selling cakes.
Sibao Nan Jinyao was attracted by the sweet smell, and pulled Bai Linglong's hair and said coquettishly: "Mom, I want to eat that cake."
Bai Linglong smiled and nodded, and said to the stall owner: "Boss, give me two cakes."
The stall owner handed over the cakes enthusiastically and said with a smile: "Little girl, you have a good eye. The cakes here are made from our ancestral craftsmanship. We use only the best ingredients. They are very popular in this town."
Erbao Nan Jinyi asked curiously: "Uncle, your family is doing so well, so you must be living a good life, right?"
The stall owner's smile froze for a moment, and he said, "Well, it looks good, but these days are also difficult.
The rain has been unusual these past two years, and the grain harvest has been poor, so the price of raw materials has risen. Our small business can only barely maintain itself. ”
The Queen Mother said softly, "It's not easy for the people to live. The court should pay more attention to the people and reduce some taxes so that everyone can live a good life."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
As they walked, they came to a shop selling farm tools.
Nangong Yan walked into the store, picked up a hoe, looked at it carefully, and said to the boss: "Boss, your farm tool looks very sturdy. There are many farmers nearby. It should be good, right?"
The boss smiled bitterly and said: "Sir, you don't know, these farm tools look easy to sell, but the farmers have no money.
The grain harvest was poor, so they don't have any spare money to buy new farm tools. ”
Dabao Nanjinxuan asked innocently, "Why is the grain harvest so bad?"
The boss patiently explained: "There are many reasons for this. The uneven rainfall is one reason, and the pests are also severe. In addition, the taxes are heavy, so farmers don't have the heart to farm anymore."
After hearing these questions, the emperor looked solemn and secretly took note of them.
They came to a fruit stand again. Bai Linglong picked up an apple and asked, "Auntie, your apples look fresh. Are they expensive?"
The old lady smiled and said, "Girl, these apples are all grown in our orchard, they are absolutely fresh.
It’s just that the harvest is not very good, and the price is a bit higher than before, but I dare not sell it too expensively, for fear that no one will buy it. ”
Bai Linglong asked again: "Auntie, do you think your life is going well?"
The old lady sighed and said, "Well, as long as my family is safe and sound, I will be content.
I just hope that God can open his eyes and let us have a good harvest tomorrow, and I also hope that the government can think more about us ordinary people. ”
Along the way, they talked with many people and learned a lot about the actual situation.
The common people complained that taxes were too heavy, and coupled with the influence of weather and insect pests, the grain harvest was poor and life was quite difficult.
These situations made everyone feel even more depressed.
Before they knew it, it was noon and they found a restaurant to sit down.
After ordering the dishes, Bai Linglong looked at everyone and said, "After this trip today, I know how difficult life is for the people."
Nangong Yan nodded slightly and said, "Yes, these problems must be solved as soon as possible, otherwise it will be difficult for the people to live and work in peace."
The emperor looked serious and said, "After returning to the palace, I will immediately call together the ministers to discuss reducing taxes, building water conservancy projects, encouraging farming, and making sure the people live a good life."
Everyone obeyed the order.
After dinner, they continued to stroll around the town. When I came to an alley, I heard a quarrel.
Everyone walked over curiously, only to see a young man and a middle-aged woman arguing.
The young man said angrily: "You are deliberately making things difficult for me. The goods are not damaged. Why don't you accept them?"
The woman said shrilly: "If you say you don't want to accept it, then don't accept it. Why are you talking so much nonsense!"
Nangong Yan stepped forward and asked, “What’s going on?
Stop arguing, let's talk it over nicely. ”
When the young man saw someone coming to mediate, he quickly said, "Big brother, please give me your opinion.
놖 was a deliveryman, and as agreed, he delivered the goods to 누 her store, but she deliberately made excuses not to accept them and refused to pay the shipping fee. ”
The woman retorted: "He delivered the goods late, and the whole thing was delayed. It's good that I didn't ask him for compensation!"
Bai Linglong walked up to the woman and said, "Auntie, it's not easy for everyone. This guy delivered the goods on time, and you should receive the goods and pay as agreed.
If you have suffered losses because of my lateness, you can discuss compensation with me, but you cannot deliberately make things difficult for others. ”
The people nearby also nodded and blamed the woman.
When the woman heard everyone say this, she felt she was in the wrong, so she stopped arguing, accepted the goods and paid the shipping fee.
The young man said to Nangong Yan and Bai Linglong gratefully: "Thank you both very much. If it weren't for you, I really don't know how to solve this problem today."
Nangong Yan smiled and said, "It's a small matter. If you encounter any problems in the future, you should communicate more and don't hurt the harmony."
After resolving the dispute, everyone continued on their way.
The sky gradually darkened and fewer and fewer people came to the market.
They returned to the inn, although they were a little tired physically, their hearts were filled with harvest.
What they saw and heard that day made them more deeply aware of the importance of the people and strengthened their determination to seek welfare for the people.
In the room of the inn, Nangong Yan and Bai Linglong discussed carefully what they had learned about the day.
I worked out some preliminary solutions and planned to report to my father after returning to the palace.
It was late at night and the inn was silent. Everyone fell asleep with expectations for the future, looking forward to bringing more changes to the country and its people.
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