Upon hearing this, the boss chuckled and said, "That's nothing. Back then, it was good enough if we could even keep our lives."
"Thanks to our Emperor for quelling the war, bringing in so much grain, and reducing taxes, we common people are able to enjoy our comfortable lives today."
Liu Yan smiled and nodded: "Indeed, we are able to enjoy our good life today all because of His Majesty."
The noodles were served, along with a platter of meat and vegetables.
Looking at the white noodles in her bowl and the dishes on the table, Shen Lanxi felt comforted.
Liu Yanhui explained from the side: "Xining mainly produces wheat and corn. Three years ago, we also introduced cotton and chili seeds. These crops are very suitable for growing here. Although Dongchuan is cold and can only grow one or two crops a year, it has a large land area. With the addition of crop improvement and animal husbandry, it can not only be self-sufficient, but also export crops every year."
"The meat platter contains beef, pork, chicken, and lamb," he said, placing a piece of each on Shen Lanxi's plate with his chopsticks.
"The beef and mutton are all transported from a little further east, where there are more grasslands. Xining is relatively far to the east, so the population is denser. The main livestock raised here are chicken and pork, while ducks and geese are raised in areas with more water."
"It's a bit warmer here than further east, so the planting time is shortened considerably, allowing for one more season of vegetables compared to the far east."
"These vegetables are all locally grown. I just heard the owner say that he usually also has fish, meat and salted eggs here, but his wife hasn't delivered them yet today."
Although the taste wasn't the best, Shen Lanxi was very satisfied with her meal. A bowl of noodles brought her a sense of contentment.
"tasty."
You eat too!
Liu Yanhui raised the corners of her mouth. She had just taken two bites when she saw a woman pushing a wheelbarrow with two children on it. The older one was walking, and the younger one was sitting on the wheelbarrow.
The guards immediately gripped their weapons.
"Eat noodles!" Shen Lanxi's voice rang out.
The guards immediately buried their heads in their bowls and ate the noodles.
"My lord, I left home a little late today."
The noodle stall owner ladled out the noodles, placed them on the table, and quickly helped unload the truck.
“It’s alright, they just came to eat. You’re already working hard taking care of two kids, I’ll find someone to watch the stall next time and I can go back and push it myself.”
The woman smiled and said, "The child fell when I left home today. I'll leave earlier next time so you don't have to go back. It takes too long to go back and forth."
The noodle stall owner held the child in his arms with a pained expression: "Just bear with it a little longer, save up some money for a few more months, and we can buy a house in the city. Then we won't have to commut every day anymore."
The woman said with a satisfied look, "Okay."
Liu Yan went back and asked for another fish and a few salted eggs.
"Such a feast is quite a sight!"
Shen Lanxi glanced at the woman's round face and nodded with a smile: "Indeed, Xining is not bad."
Liu Yan thought to herself that the loyal official here was truly blessed.
“Hmm, this gentleman looks somewhat familiar,” the woman said suddenly upon seeing Shen Lanxi.
Liu Yanhui and the others accompanying her immediately tensed up.
They weren't worried about being recognized, but rather about assassins.
The noodle stall owner chuckled and joked, "How could that be? These owners don't sound like they're from around here. Could they be from the capital?"
Liu Yanhui and the others became even more tense.
"Excuse me, my wife is a migrant worker from the capital, and I retired from the Dongchuan army. That year, my wife happened to be in our army to select soldiers... Oh dear..."
The woman felt a little embarrassed and pinched her husband.
"I'm sorry, sirs. Many of the people here are migrants. I must have misjudged them."
Shen Lanxi raised an eyebrow. No wonder.
Liu Yanhui and the others breathed a long sigh of relief.
So that's how it happened. What a coincidence!
Shen Lanxi said with a smile, "It seems that His Majesty made the right decision to relocate Ding. The two of you are a happy couple, which many people envy."
This woman must have seen her when she was presiding over a marriage match. Unfortunately, back then, the women who were willing to move to another place for marriage were all skin and bones, completely different from how they looked now. Even if she had a good memory, she wouldn't recognize her.
Liu Yan replied: "Congratulations!"
The couple felt embarrassed by their guests' behavior and, when settling the bill, not only reduced the charge by twenty copper coins but also gave them a lot of salted eggs as a gift.
The woman meant that it was rare to meet a fellow townsman from the capital, and her words made it hard to refuse.
After they had walked a distance, Shen Lanxi asked, "Did you give them the money?"
“I gave it to you. I even found a red envelope and sealed it before giving it to you. Consider it a congratulatory gift.”
In the afternoon, many soldiers arrived at the city gate. The loyal official the people spoke of also came and helped the soldiers clear the road.
"Clearing the road didn't disturb the people on the street. This Zhang Jin is interesting."
The street vendors are still operating as usual, but their locations have been reduced significantly, and a fast path has been cleared out of the street.
The Eastern Expeditionary Army is arriving.
Shen Lanxi: "Let's go, to the next place."
"Zhang Jin, having rendered meritorious service in governance, was promoted one rank and transferred to the capital after returning to Beijing."
Liu Yan smiled knowingly and said that Zhang Jin was lucky.
"yes."
In the afternoon, I strolled around Xining City, and there was no difference between the inside and outside, which means that I didn't know she was coming and was just doing this perfunctorily.
This is how it usually is here.
"If other places could be like Xining, I wouldn't have to stay up all night processing memorials anymore."
Liu Yan replied with concern, "After returning to the capital, I must submit a memorial to the emperor, requesting that the senior officials keep their memorials as concise as possible. Meaningless drivel and flattery should be avoided to prevent them from wasting time."
Shen Lanxi sighed, "Liu Qing understands me."
As the Eastern Expeditionary Army set off, various slanderous remarks about Shen Lanxi spread daily in Tianjin.
"How can Shen Lanxi, a mere woman, be worthy of being the ruler of a country!"
"A hen crowing at dawn disrupts the foundation of my Great Zhou Dynasty. Sooner or later, my Great Zhou will be destroyed in her hands."
"She plotted to usurp the throne, a heinous crime deserving of death by everyone!"
"She plotted to murder the late emperor and killed members of the royal family. Shen Lanxi is ruthless and cruel, bringing disaster to the country and its people."
Che Mingyuan and his men, who had been guarding the periphery, launched a counterattack immediately after the rumors spread.
"Zhou Ruyuan angered the late emperor to death, colluded with foreign tribes, and brought disaster to the country and its people!"
"Zhou Ruyuan is blind and can't tell the difference between pearls and fish eyes. He called for water three times in one night!"
"Zhou Ruyuan is a fake war god, but in reality he is a good-for-nothing, and he is being defeated one after another."
"So what if Zhou Ruyuan is a man? The exorbitant taxes and levies in Tianjin have driven countless people to their deaths or forced them to leave."
“Under Zhou Ruyuan’s rule, pirates were rampant and officials oppressed the people. He was simply a tyrant.”
"If His Majesty hadn't stepped forward and taken charge of the overall situation, and Zhou Ruyuan had actually ascended the throne, the Great Zhou Dynasty would probably have been divided up and destroyed long ago." (End of Chapter)
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