As the night deepened, heavy snow began to fall from the sky again.
The capital city was brightly lit, with fireworks popping up in the sky from time to time.
The Dong residence had already been decorated with lights and lanterns. In the living room, there were sounds of clinking glasses and laughter.
This was Fu Xiaoguan's first New Year's Eve since he came to this world. He was very happy. Although he was thousands of miles away from home, he felt the warmth of home at this moment.
The Dong family completely accepted him, especially his mother-in-law's attitude towards him, which was a drastic change. It made Fu Xiaoguan occasionally wonder if he was dreaming.
"Little official, come and try this steamed sea bass."
"Little official, eat more and try this prawn."
"Xiu De! That's the squirrel fish I made for the official, don't touch it!"
“…”
Dong Xiu De received a 10,000-point critical hit. "Mom, I just want to ask, who is your biological son?"
Everyone at the banquet laughed, and only then did Mrs. Dong realize something was amiss. She glared at Dong Xiu De and said, "You ignorant thing! Mr. Fu is far away in a foreign land with no relatives. Of course, I have to treat him better!"
Fu Xiaoguan smiled at Dong Xiude: "Second brother... our mother is right, this son-in-law is also half a son. You usually eat so many good things, and this is my first time. As an older brother, you should give in a little."
Dong Shulan pinched Fu Xiaoguan under the table. Fu Xiaoguan grinned and gasped. This girl was so cruel!
Dong Xiu De glared at Fu Xiao Guan, "Is this your first time? You've already eaten four meals at my house!"
"Xiu De, shut up!..." Mrs. Dong scolded Dong Xiu De and looked at Su Su and the other two with a smile on her face, "Don't be polite, you are here just like at home, feel free to eat whatever you want."
Su Jue nodded politely in thanks, and Su Rou smiled slightly, "Thank you, ma'am!" This was the first time that Su Su felt that New Year's Eve could be so lively, and her eyes instantly turned red.
Mrs. Dong looked at Su Su. What a pretty girl she was. But... "Girl, are you cold wearing such thin clothes?"
There was a fire burning in the dining room, so of course it wasn't cold. Su Su choked up a little and shook her head: "Madam, I, I'm not cold."
"Come, eat. This squirrel fish is a famous dish in Beijing. Try it, young lady." Mrs. Dong picked up a large piece of squirrel fish and put it in Susu's bowl. Susu's tears immediately flowed out.
"Ah, what's wrong with you, girl?"
"Thank you, ma'am. I'm fine." Su Su rolled up her sleeves to wipe away her tears, then buried her head and started eating.
Su Jue sighed slightly and said to Madam Dong with some apology, "Actually, we are all orphans. We grew up in the Taoist temple. After leaving the temple, we met Master Fu and were taken care of by him. My brothers and sisters stayed with him to ensure his safety. Su Su is young, and I think she may have lost her composure because she missed her family. I hope you can forgive her."
Dong Kangping knew about the Taoist temple. After all, the affairs of the martial arts world were also under the eyes of the government. Moreover, there was the Light Breeze and Drizzle Tower built by the fifth prince in Shangjing City.
He didn't expect that Fu Xiaoguan had such a close relationship with these people in the martial arts world. This was a double-edged sword. If used well, it would certainly be a powerful help to Fu Xiaoguan, but if used poorly, it might also hurt himself.
He raised his glass. "Ever since I was kidnapped by bandits last time, I've been extremely worried about his safety. To be honest, I do have enemies in the capital, and they might be quite powerful. So from now on, my safety is in your hands. Come, come, I'll toast you three to express my gratitude."
Su Jue and the other two raised their glasses, "Don't worry, Master Dong. We guarantee that Master Fu will be fine!"
The atmosphere gradually relaxed, and Susu also came out of her memories. She frequently toasted with everyone and talked about some interesting things in the temple, which made everyone laugh and made Mrs. Dong love this quirky and beautiful little girl more and more.
The joyful dinner lasted until the end of the hour of Hai. The dishes on the table were cleared away and everyone went to the front hall. Maids served them tea, fruits, and various pastries.
According to the custom of the Yu Dynasty, people had to stay up on the night of New Year's Eve. Although they didn't have to stay up all night, they had to stay up until midnight.
Fu Xiaoguan sat down opposite Dong Kangping and Madam Dong, thought for a moment, and then said, "Uncle and Aunt, this is what I'm thinking. Please listen and see if it's feasible. I want to ask my father to come to the capital next spring to propose marriage and finalize the matter between Shulan and me. As you know, I'm leaving for the Wu Dynasty before the Cold Food Festival next year. If this matter is not finalized... I'm worried."
Dong Shulan immediately lowered her head shyly, her heart pounding.
Dong Kangping and Dong Yuan looked at each other, then looked at Fu Xiaoguan with serious eyes.
"Your aunt and I have no objection to this. It's good that this matter is settled. All I hope is that you can make a name for yourself in this court next year!"
He raised his head, took a deep breath, and continued, "Brother Shulan has been appointed as the prefect of Henan Province. He mentioned many problems in his letter. I won't hide it from you. The Yu Dynasty may seem prosperous, but in fact, it is rotten to the core. Your Majesty is going to overhaul the civil service next year, which will undoubtedly affect the interests of the six major clans and may even cost them their lives! So, Your Majesty's intention is... to let the Yu Dynasty remain in chaos for a few years. This is Your Majesty's great courage. Since we are appointed by the court, it is natural for us to share Your Majesty's worries."
Dong Kangping stroked his beard and said, "This is the best time to establish your career. I hope you can seize it. Even if you don't ask for a title of nobility or a chancellor, you should at least hold a third-rank official position. Only then can you gain a firm foothold in Shangjing for the time being."
When Fu Xiaoguan heard this, he wondered, "Your Majesty wants to scrape the bone to heal the wound?"
This is not just ordinary pain!
After all, it is a cancer that has been growing for more than two hundred years. If it becomes chaotic, it will probably be a big chaos!
But as Dong Kangping said, this is indeed a great opportunity to achieve success. If the six major clans are really eliminated or even weakened, this new force will inevitably rise.
He nodded carefully, "I'll fight for it!"
This decision was made when he came to Beijing last time. Whether for himself or for his family, if he wants to live a better life, he must fight for it!
"Hmm..." Dong Kangping took a sip of tea, "I was just worried that you wouldn't fight for it."
Dong Shulan looked at Fu Xiaoguan with some worry, but Dong Xiude didn't care. In his mind, if his brother-in-law wanted to fight for it, there would definitely be no problem. After all, his brother-in-law was not the good guy he seemed.
This brother-in-law is a very bad person and has plotted against many people. It is said that Yan Xiwen returned to Shangjing and never came to Dong's Mansion. It is said that Shi Chaoyuan told his family members not to mess with Fu Xiaoguan.
Look, this is the attitude of the two major families. At least on the surface, they are unwilling to be enemies with Fu Xiaoguan - no one knows how this kid did it.
Su Su didn't understand these things, but she felt that Fu Xiaoguan was quite pitiful and lived an uncomfortable life.
Isn't the purpose of life to pursue freedom? Why make yourself so hard?
"Uncle, since His Majesty has made this determination, I would like to take the liberty to remind you that the Ministry of Revenue manages the national treasury. The money in this treasury... you must plan carefully. I believe that this chaos will not last for two or three years. Even if Her Royal Highness the Third Princess marries the king of the barbarians and quells their ambitions to move south, I'm afraid the Yi Kingdom to the east will take this opportunity to cross Ximayuan. I don't understand the attitudes of the Fan Kingdom and the Wu Dynasty, but I have to be on guard."
"So, your diplomatic mission to the Wu Dynasty next year has a deeper meaning, and you should be mentally prepared. As for the national treasury... it is indeed very tight. Taxes will increase by 20% next year. This is unavoidable."
Fu Xiaoguan nodded and said, "In fact, if the court gave merchants more convenience and gave more support to the study of things, the tax problem would be easily solved."
"Oh? What do you mean?"
"The court's largest source of tax revenue comes from merchants, but their current low status discourages talented individuals from pursuing a career. If the court could elevate merchants' status, placing them on par with the gentry, this would greatly increase their enthusiasm. Merchants value profit, and if they gain a reputation, more people will inevitably pursue business, rather than simply pursuing official positions. Once this business flourishes, the tax revenue generated will increase rapidly. The study of things is no small matter. Studying this can lead to improved tools and methods. For example, in the weaving industry, if this study of things is emphasized, looms can become more advanced, resulting in higher output and quality. This not only reduces costs but also resolves the contradiction between supply and demand, ultimately boosting commerce. Furthermore, the study of things offers a crucial benefit: it allows people to pursue the truth of things and understand their mysteries. This is a process of accumulating knowledge that can even strengthen a nation and benefit future generations!"
It was not just the Yu Dynasty. In fact, the Fan and Yi States in the Wu Dynasty did not value commerce. Instead, the barbarians born in that bitter and cold land attached much more importance to commerce than the Three Kingdoms.
However, not all merchants could engage in foreign trade; it required an imperial decree from His Majesty. Merchants, however, were driven by profit, and in reality, smuggling between the Yu Dynasty and the barbarians had never ceased, and the volume was enormous.
This was a huge loss for the Yu Dynasty. When Fu Xiaoguan mentioned this, Dong Kangping sighed.
"Your words... make a lot of sense. After the New Year, please prepare a proposal and I'll present it to His Majesty. But don't get your hopes up too much. After all, this is a rather drastic step, and the nobles... might strongly oppose it."
"Yeah!" Fu Xiaoguan laughed, because the gentry would not object at all.
"Alright, alright, you're still talking about these things during Chinese New Year. It's almost midnight, come on, I'll give everyone a red envelope too. I wish you all peace and prosperity in the coming year, a successful career, and abundant wealth!"
Mrs. Dong smiled as she distributed the red envelopes one by one, even to Su Jue and the other two. This made Su Su even happier, and she kept it carefully.
"Let's go set off fireworks."
A group of people came to the yard, and servants brought out boxes of fireworks and placed them on the snow.
At this moment, many fireworks were already blooming in the sky of Shangjing City. Fu Xiaoguan lit a stick of incense and handed it to Dong Shulan, "Come here!"
Dong Shulan carefully lit the fuse and ran back to Fu Xiaoguan.
With a loud "bang...", the fireworks from the Western Hills shone brightly in the sky of the capital for the first time.
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