Although it was bitterly cold in early spring, Li Xian's heart was burning with passion.

Leaving Chang'an was Li Xian's dream. Since he started studying history books at the age of six, Li Xian gradually discovered that royal family affection had always been weak, especially in the Tang Dynasty.

Taizong imprisoned his father, murdered his brother, killed his younger brother, and ate his son. Even his own father could banish his two sisters to the palace for more than ten years without paying any attention to them. What a heart of stone! In Li Xian's view, if you want to live a good life in the royal family, there are only two ways to go. Either you fight hard and become a dragon, or you pretend to be stupid and be a pig, doing nothing all your life.

Most normal people would not want to be a pig, but striving to become a dragon requires destroying one's humanity. If one has to choose one, Li Xian would naturally choose the latter.

However, the development of the four major border areas allowed Li Xian to see another possibility, that is, to become a dragon and continue to expand outward throughout his life.

Looking at the calm river, Li Xian put his hand on Wang Ping'an's shoulder and asked cheerfully, "Ping'an, after we set up the newspaper, how do you think we can better develop the Southwest?"

Wang Pingan raised his eyebrows and asked, "Isn't it a pioneering work?"

Before Wang Ping'an finished speaking, shouting was heard from afar. Although the sound was not very loud, Li Xian could still hear it vaguely.

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Wang Ping'an nodded and continued, "But if we really want to do that, the current situation is definitely not so good, because the so-called common people, Your Highness, can only be the aristocratic families. Ordinary people do not have the ability to open up wasteland, and they are not willing to do it from scratch."

"One basket is not enough. These oranges look like top quality. Buy some more to eat on the way. Eat one before you dock next time so you don't keep cravings."

"Don't worry, things are getting better step by step now, aren't they? Keep going this way, and things will get better and better. We should live a good life while we are still alive."

Wang Pingan nodded.

After Li Xian finished speaking, he shouted to the old, weak, women and children who were constantly looking around below, "Everyone line up at the bow. As long as it's sweet enough, I'll take it."

"So? Have you written to Yuzhou to ask them to send you mining personnel?"

The river was so slow that it was not very difficult to get on the water. In half a month, the two large ships reached Orange Island in the Xiangjiang River.

Wang Ping'an pondered for a moment and said, "Your Highness means that people's joys, anger, sorrows, and happiness are not connected, right?"

"Too."

Wang Pingan sighed and said, "After all, food in the Tang Dynasty is no longer valuable. If we want to achieve success, we have to find another way. Only when the people can make money can the southwest truly develop."

"Haha, how much is this?"

"Haha, are we two brothers trying to do this?" Li Xian laughed and continued, "If you really think this way, why would you set such a high proportion of prospecting when selecting craftsmen?"

Li Xian laughed and said, "I don't mind this, but giving it to them can make their whole family happy, so it can be considered as spreading happiness."

Li Xian sighed and said, "Yes, if the wages are really low, it will only enrich the wealthy families. Even with such high wages now, the wealthy families can still make a lot of money, but ordinary people can only make ends meet."

Hearing Li Xian's shout, the old, weak, women and children who were carrying baskets and selling oranges to earn pocket money had no idea that they had met a big customer, and they all rushed to the bow and crowded together. Li Si hurried over to maintain order.

The two men walked towards the bow. Li Si had already lowered the gangplank and shouted to those below: "We only charge two cents per pound. If you want to sell at a high price, don't come up. We will taste it. If you want to sell inferior goods as good ones, don't come up."

Wang Ping'an couldn't help but curl his lips and said, "Your Highness is really a man of character. Wouldn't it be cheaper and more convenient to buy in bulk?"

Ping An, have you noticed that whenever someone is unlucky or experiencing pain, they will tend to bring happiness to others. For example, when someone falls, there will tend to be people laughing nearby.

"Have you ever been taught by the master?"

Li Xian smacked his lips and asked, "With such high requirements, it might not be easy to find a place like this, right?"

The southwest is so large that we could have chosen to develop in places with convenient water transportation, easy land reclamation, and relatively rich mineral resources.”

Li Xian laughed cheerfully and said, "It's because you set the wages too high, so the people now have higher standards. In the past, hmm, let alone the wages, just the land in the southwest would have attracted the people of the Central Plains. Do you believe it?"

Wang Pingan looked at Li Xian strangely and said, "It can indeed bring happiness, and it can also make people happy for a long time, but Your Highness will probably become a negative example in their mouths."

"I believe it."

I don't know whether it is sweet or not, but it does look big and red, very appetizing, especially some of the peeled ones that make people drool when they smell like oranges. It doesn't matter whether you want to eat it or not.

Li Xian swallowed hard, pulled the corner of his mouth and said, "I have eaten all kinds of delicious food, but the smell of this orange still makes me salivate."

Wang Pingan smiled and said, "There are many mountains in the southwest. It's better to select more prospectors to be prepared."

Seeing Wang Ping'an's teasing look, Li Xian smiled indifferently and said, "Let them think I'm a fool. I'm in a good mood now and don't mind sharing some happiness with them.

Wang Pingan shook his head and said, "No hurry, it will take us some time to sort out the newspaper's affairs, and this time is just right for the prospectors to run around.

“There’s nothing I can do!”

As soon as the boat docked, many old, weak, women and children came over with baskets and shouted, "Oranges, big, red, sweet oranges."

Wang Pingan nodded and said, "There's nothing we can do about it. It's just a natural reaction. There's no need to hold it back. Just buy a basket and eat it."

Of course, bad luck cannot reach the level of horror.”

There were two gangways, and people lined up very quickly. Everyone came up to weigh their oranges, collect their money and leave. There weren't many oranges in a basket, and most of them could be sold for just a receipt and a few copper coins.

After receiving the money, a little boy saw Li Xian and Wang Ping'an approaching and actually bowed to Li Xian and shouted, "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Li Xian shouted happily in response, then immediately winked at Li Si. When the little boy passed by Li Si, Li Si touched the little boy's head and stuffed a big bill into the little boy's clothes.

Wang Pingan, who was cheerful, raised his eyebrows and said, "There are always people who know how to be grateful. I am not at a loss."