Brother Xuan is going to war.
Unable to wait for his uncle Prince Rong and aunt Ruyang to arrive, Xuan Ge'er took his personal guards and followed the army to quell the rebellion.
It will take at least half a year, and at most one to two years.
Liu Zhao was worried!
I tossed and turned at night and couldn't sleep.
He wanted to lead people personally to protect Xuan Ge'er's safety.
The weather was already hot, but Liu Zhao was still getting more excited and kept tossing and turning, which was really excessive.
"You're just worrying for nothing. With hundreds of guards protecting him, how could he be in any danger? The generals in command wouldn't let him lead the charge as a vanguard."
Gu Jiu complained harshly about Liu Zhao.
"In the past, some of the children went out to sea, and some went to the Western Regions. Why didn't you seem worried? I never heard you say that you would personally bring people to protect the children's safety."
"How can it be the same? That's Brother Xuan!"
Liu Zhao was right.
"The eldest and second oldest are tough, so they need to be beaten up a lot. Ruyang has the second oldest brother to protect him, so he doesn't have to worry. Xuan Ge'er has no one around him except his guards. I don't believe you're not worried about him."
Gu Jiu snorted, "Although I am worried about him, I will not personally bring people to protect his safety."
Liu Zhao took her hand and said solemnly, "You've forgotten that Xuan Ge'er is a wild child, very wild. I'm afraid that once he gets excited on the battlefield, he'll rush to the front."
"Xuan'er is a steady kid, not a hot-blooded rogue. You're underestimating him."
"He is a child after all. Even adults have impulses, let alone children."
Gu Jiu was annoyed by him and said sternly: "If you dare to nag me again, you are not allowed to go to bed."
Liu Zhao immediately admitted his mistake and kept silent.
When Prince Rong Liu Heng and Princess Ruyang Liu Xiang arrived at the overseas camp, Liu Zhao began to chat with his two children.
Liu Heng secretly complained in private, "Father is really nagging more and more. Now that he has a grandson, he forgets his son."
Prince Rong Liu Heng received the same treatment as Prince Lu Liu Xun, and was neither favored by Liu Zhao.
It turns out to be my biological father.
Gu Jiu laughed, "It's rare for your father to be so concerned about someone. Let him toss around for a few days. When he's tired, he'll calm down."
Liu Zhao took Liu Heng to look at maps every day to predict the actions of the rebels.
The personal guards are on standby at all times and ready to rescue the emperor's eldest grandson when necessary.
Of course, all these things were handled by Liu Zhao alone.
Gu Jiu is more concerned about people's livelihood and economy.
She went to inspect the territory of Prince Rong Liu Heng and Ruyang.
She concluded, "It's time to open a vassal state!"
"My son also thinks it's time. I wonder if there will be any setbacks with my brother."
Gu Jiu said, "There will definitely be objections from the court. With the annual growth of overseas camp income, not only has the revenue and expenditure been balanced, but there has been a slight surplus every year in recent years. This overseas territory has gradually attracted the attention of court officials. If you and Ruyang establish a vassal state at this time, court officials will definitely want to interfere in the appointment of officials for the vassal state. You should be mentally prepared. The establishment of a vassal state will not be decided without a tug-of-war for one or two years."
Prince Rong Liu Heng said, "My son will never allow the court to interfere in the appointment of officials in the vassal states."
"So we need time to play the game, a protracted tug-of-war. During this time, you can first prepare the vassal states. Every man has his place. The court will see that you have already selected the officials, and they can't force you to replace them all."
"Thank you, Queen Mother, for your advice. As for my brother, please say a few good words for me and Ruyang."
Gu Jiu laughed, "Don't worry! Your brother supports you and Ruyang in establishing a vassal state. Your brother even wants to get several princes from the royal family to go overseas to establish vassal states, so that they won't stay in the capital and waste food."
Prince Rong Liu Heng was secretly shocked, "My Royal Brother is really cruel."
Only by establishing vassal states can one truly occupy an unfamiliar land.
Xiliang is the best example.
Only after the Pei family was granted land and crowned king could they willingly take root in Xiliang and spread the culture of the Great Zhou to the Western Regions.
Gu Jiu is very satisfied with the work of the overseas camp over the years.
She was very generous and used her own money to expand the city where the camp was located, increase employment, and do real estate business at the same time.
The whole camp was filled with joy and excitement.
The Empress Dowager's abilities are obvious to all.
Xinmin County, from nothing to something, and from something to become a city that never sleeps, generating millions of taels of tax revenue every year, it is no exaggeration to call it a miracle.
Now that the Empress Dowager wants to build a city in the overseas camp, it is like pie in the sky, and everyone is so happy that they can't stop smiling.
Prince Rong Liu Heng and Princess Ruyang Liu Xiang became anxious.
Mother, you cannot be partial to one and neglect the other.
Build a city for the overseas headquarters, and also invest some money in them to build the city.
Without saying a word, Gu Jiu took out two more sums of money and expanded the city on the territories of Prince Rong Liu Heng and Ruyang respectively.
Liu Zhao was very curious.
One night, when the two of them were sitting in the courtyard enjoying the cool breeze, he casually asked, "How much money do you have? How much money will it cost to build a city? And you took out the money without blinking an eye."
Gu Jiu drank the juice, thought for a moment and said, "I can't really say how much money I have in my name. I can definitely come up with tens of millions of taels."
Liu Zhao made a prompt decision, "You are richer than me, so you will be responsible for all future expenses."
Gu Jiu looked him up and down, "Haven't I been supporting you these past few years?"
Liu Zhao was embarrassed!
"It doesn't count before! From now on, these 100-plus pounds of mine are officially handed over to you."
Gu Jiu rolled his eyes.
Liu Zhao looked smug.
For an old couple, there is no need to distinguish so clearly.
He took Gu Jiu out every day.
Gu Jiu disliked the hot weather and didn't want to go out.
Gu Jiu doesn't go out. It's boring for him to go out alone.
He ordered people to build a swimming pool in the backyard and fill it with fresh water.
He soaks in the swimming pool every day and has a great time.
Gu Jiu sorted out the information he had on hand, which was enough to publish two books.
She ordered someone to bring the information back to the capital and hand it over to Huang Qubing.
A few months later, the first volume of "Local Strange People and Weird Stories" was published.
Detailed content, beautiful illustrations, interesting stories, plus Wenqing Bookstore has put all its efforts into promoting this book.
With so many advantages combined, the first volume of "Local Weirdos and Strange Tales" caused a buying frenzy as soon as it was released.
This is a travelogue, but it is richer and more interesting than traditional travelogues, and it also has beautiful illustrations that faithfully restore the local scenery.
It is called a travelogue, but it is more like a travel guide that is essential for going out.
The book "Local Strange People and Weird Stories" contains everything, including food, accommodation, local customs, places to eat and have fun, routes, and precautions along the way.
Such detailed content is like a treasure to many young people who yearn for the outside world.
In the past, when I went out, I was completely in the dark. If I wanted to get some information, I was worried about being scammed.
It's so hard to meet a fellow villager, but he might still be a scammer.
Now that we have "Local Strange People and Weird Stories", following the route guide above is a good option.
The book contains luxurious inns and restaurants, as well as small street shops and roadside stalls, allowing people to choose their budget.
Whether you have money or not, it’s a good idea to carry a copy of "Local Strange People and Weird Stories" with you when you go out.
The first batch of 30,000 copies was printed and sold out in less than half a month.
Huang Qubing acted decisively and printed another 50,000 copies, distributing them all over the country.
As a result, this year, there were more young travelers on the official road who were not engaged in business or studying but simply wanted to gain experience.
Inns and restaurants across the country actually welcomed a wave of visitors during the off-season.
Gu Jiu was very happy to learn about this.
She laughed and said, "I never thought that a single book would spark such a trend of independent travel."
“What is free travel?”
"Traveling with your own money and itinerary is called independent travel."
"We are typical independent travelers. Our itineraries are all decided on at the last minute. When we arrive at a place, we stay there. When we get tired of it, we move to another place."
Gu Jiu nodded repeatedly.
This trip is a large-scale independent tour for them.
After the New Year, another year begins.
Xuan Ge'er finally returned safely.
He became darker, taller, and more muscular.
Speaking of his figure, Liu Zhao has lost a lot of weight since he arrived at the overseas camp, perhaps because he sweated too much.
Plus, he swims every day and has a body like a middle-aged man.
He was very proud, patting his chest, "In the past two years, I have obviously felt much better. The pain caused by old injuries can be completely ignored."
Gu Jiu smiled.
Liu Zhao's health has improved, which is the biggest gain from the trip.
The second is Xuan Ge'er's rapid growth.
After experiencing the baptism of war, Xuan Ge'er has become much calmer.
The teenager already has the steadiness and wisdom of an adult.
Enjoyed everything from eating to drinking.
They decided to leave and continue their journey.
We took a ship to Lingnan.
Gu Jiu bought some property.
Then head north and turn northwest.
After leaving the Northwest for decades, Gu Jiu once again set foot on this land, feeling a surge of pride and emotion in his heart.
She told Liu Zhao, "My biggest regret is that I never met the Duke of Lu. It is truly a pity that I never met such a great hero."
"That old guy was so cunning and treacherous, and he's been dead for so many years. Why are you still thinking about him?"
Liu Zhao was not happy.
Gu Jiu laughed. "The Marquis of Lu and I have known each other for a long time and we appreciate each other. I wonder if the Anxi Palace has a portrait of the Marquis of Lu in his prime."
"If there are any portraits in the Anxi Palace, they are of him in his old age."
Gu Jiu said, "Old Marquis Lu, I have no interest in you."
Liu Zhao laughed heartily, and his mood turned from gloomy to cheerful.
"If you've met Pei Meng, you basically know what the Marquis of Lu looks like. They have similar facial features, practically cut from the same mold."
In the end, Gu Jiu never saw the portrait of Duke Lu in his prime.
Northwest is where she started.
The breeding and textile industries here are very prosperous.
Cashmere products and wool products are sold at home and abroad, bringing a steady stream of income to local people.
There are also horse farms here, and private horse farms are gradually thriving.
As a large number of people responded to the court's call, of course also to seek an official position, and went to the prairie to develop and operate, the exchanges between the northwest and the prairie became more and more frequent.
A cement road is under construction deep into the heart of the prairie.
The roads that have been opened to traffic are bustling with traffic, all seeking to exchange supplies.
Gu Jiu wanted to see how his prairie plan was going.
So the group left the northwest and followed the cement road into the prairie.
The idea of enclosing land and becoming a king, and being appointed as a seventh-rank official by the Ministry of Personnel of the imperial court, is quite attractive to many people.
Along the way, we came across several large-scale ranches, all of which were run by children from marginalized families.
They even met several members of the royal family in the heart of the prairie.
Several members of the royal family recognized the retired emperor and the empress dowager at a glance, and screamed with excitement.
Kill cattle and sheep to entertain them.
Liu Zhao was very curious, "When did you come to the prairie?"
"Reporting to the Emperor, we arrived here six years ago."
"How could you have found such a good pasture when you ran to the prairie six years ago?"
What the hell.
"I dare not deceive the emperor. We bought this ranch from the Zhou family in Chuzhou."
"Why did the Zhou family in Chuzhou sell the ranch?"
"The Zhou family of Chuzhou are all from the south, and they're not used to the climate and life on the grasslands. Their family is a scholarly family, and they're complete outsiders in running a ranch. While all the other ranches around them were making money, theirs had been losing money for several years. So, they decided to sell it. We were in Beijing at the time, and by chance, we learned that the Zhou family was selling the ranch. We immediately signed an agreement with them and successfully acquired it."
"It must have cost a lot of money to take over this ranch."
"I mortgaged two farms to acquire this ranch."
"You have guts! How's business now?"
"The Shaofu directly buys cattle, sheep, and horses from us, and business is pretty good. Plus, the annual sale of cashmere and wool also brings in a considerable income."
"Empress Dowager, let's build a city on the grassland!"
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