Lu Baichuan nodded and told the emperor about the ideas that he and his wife had discussed before.
"Although we don't have any contact with overseas countries now, it doesn't mean that they won't have designs on us. We can turn the passive into the active. When they have designs on us, we can also see how they are developing and learn from their strengths and discard their weaknesses."
This was Jiang Jiuniang's advice: simply refusing to associate with someone is useless. Not only will it prevent you from developing yourself, but it will also blind you to the other person's progress, making it easy for you to be surpassed.
As the saying goes, "Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated."
In the past, the ministers in the court felt that there was no need to associate with foreign countries. Those people lived like barbarians, and there was no benefit in associating with them. But now Lu Baichuan said that we should understand each other, take the essence and discard the dross.
The emperor had never heard such a statement before and found it quite novel. He felt that Lu Baichuan's words made some sense, but the current situation of the country did not allow it. After all, Dongting alone was already a headache, and if they were to trade with those people, who knew how much trouble it would cause.
If this is just a minor problem, that's fine. But if it's like letting a wolf into the house, it's tantamount to playing with fire and getting burned.
At present, the emperor's greatest wish is to govern the country well and let the people live in peace and contentment; he does not want to think about such dangerous things.
"Forget it, let's focus on living our lives well for now. The daily affairs of the court are enough to keep me busy."
He waved his hand, feigning disinterest.
Lu Baichuan understood his meaning and didn't say much. At present, trading with foreigners was indeed not the main thing.
Furthermore, the exact situation outside is still unclear; we need to go and see for ourselves to find out.
Recalling what the retired emperor had just said, he suspected that the emperor probably didn't know that the retired emperor wanted to go out. He had wanted to tell him, but after thinking about it, he decided that it would be better to let the father and son talk to each other.
After the two finished discussing their business, the emperor invited Lu Baichuan to stay for a meal before letting him leave the palace.
From the moment the emperor sent someone to summon Lu Baichuan to the palace, many people in the city received the news that Lu Baichuan had returned.
Qin Jian was no exception. Knowing that Lu Baichuan was going to the palace, he was not in a hurry. He rode his horse to the palace gate and waited there. He would see Lu Baichuan as soon as he came out.
"You're only coming out now? Did the Emperor invite you to stay for a meal? I'm still starving, brother. Come on, let's go have a drink!"
After not seeing each other for more than half a year, Qin Jian was still the same as before. When he saw him, he didn't say any nonsense, but put his long arm around him directly.
Lu Baichuan didn't stand on ceremony and said directly, "It's your treat."
He had already guessed that Qin Jian would ask him to meet, so he deliberately saved room in his stomach, hoping to have a few drinks at the restaurant now.
"Please, please, please!"
Qin Jian laughed heartily, and the two went to the restaurant together. They ordered a small private room and drank a cup of wine before even speaking.
After putting down his wine glass, Qin Jian finally asked, "How have you been? Have you had a great time these past six months?"
"Not bad, I've acquired a few more properties."
Lu Baichuan spoke modestly, but he couldn't help but smile.
Qin Jian rolled his eyes and said bluntly, "You think you're so great just because you live off a woman?"
Lu Baichuan wasn't annoyed at all; in fact, he seemed to enjoy it, saying, "There's nothing I can do. My wife is just too outstanding; I don't need to do anything. What about you? How come you're so free?"
"I currently hold a sinecure at the Military Command, with no real power in my hands. I usually stay at home with my wife and children, which is quite nice."
When Qin Jian said this, he looked very relaxed and didn't think there was anything wrong with him having a sinecure.
Now that there is no war on the border, life is peaceful, and he quite likes this kind of life, as he can spend more time with his wife and children.
"By the way, my son can call me 'Dad' now, it's such a wonderful feeling!"
As he spoke, he happily ate a peanut.
Lu Baichuan raised an eyebrow and asked, "Did you request to go to the Military Commandery yourself?"
"Yes, you all went out one by one, and it was no fun for me to do anything alone. So I pushed Lou Chong out to block the way, and then found a leisurely job to go and nod to the Emperor."
"How about that, buddy? Pretty smart, right?"
He looked at Lu Baichuan with a smug expression, as if he had done something particularly outstanding.
Lu Baichuan: ...6. No wonder the court's efficiency has been declining lately; it turns out even Qin Jian has stepped down from his post.
Seeing that Lu Baichuan remained silent, Qin Jian drank a glass of wine and said, "Hey, I really don't think there's anything wrong with it. My identity is a bit sensitive, with so many people watching me. Besides, I finally managed to get married, so shouldn't I spend more time with my wife? I'll rest for two years and wait for you guys to come back before we talk about it!"
Anyway, it's time to develop the brothers who have worked with them all these years. They're all their brothers, so he doesn't feel bad about giving up his position.
Peng Yuan had followed him on his previous campaign, and now that he had some free time, he wanted to make up for it as much as possible.
Now that he's at home, he takes care of his son, so the first person his son calls out is "Dad," which makes him incredibly happy.
Lu Baichuan smiled, understanding his thoughts, but then said, "If you're bored, go to Jingzhou and check out the clubs. Take your wife and children there for a while, so that no one can take advantage of the situation."
Qin Jian also owns shares in that club. He doesn't know how long it will be before he can return. There are many wealthy and powerful people in Jingzhou, so someone needs to be there to keep an eye on things regularly.
"Hehe, that's a good idea. It's been a long time since I've visited the Fire Cloud Division. Staying there for a while wouldn't be bad."
They had many experiences and memories in Jingzhou, but they never expected to settle in the capital.
"By the way, I heard that your dog was taken away after the assassination attempt. Is he alright?"
Actually, judging from Lu Baichuan's relaxed and casual demeanor, he guessed that nothing was wrong, but he still wanted to check on him, since he was, after all, his nephew.
“It’s okay, it’s just that we were careless. The day he was kidnapped was the day he gave birth to his sister. I didn’t notice until the day I went to find him. I was worried that something had happened.”
Speaking of this, Lu Baichuan still felt somewhat guilty and fearful. If those people hadn't been so arrogant and hadn't acted beforehand, he wouldn't know how to make amends.
"Tsk, I was nervous for you just listening to that. I didn't expect the Duan family to have such powerful figures. But it's good that everything is alright now. Just keep an eye on him in the future. That child is sensible and won't blame you."
"However, speaking of having a daughter, let me tell you, my wife has been really into it lately. Our son was born less than two years ago, and she already wants a daughter. She talks about how wonderful and cute a daughter is, just like my sister-in-law was!"
Qin Jian stopped drinking and stretched his neck to complain: "When she gave birth to my son, I made up my mind not to have any more children. It was too terrifying. I really can't imagine letting her go through something so horrific again. Besides, we can't decide whether a child is a boy or a girl. If she has another son, will she want to have a third one?"
"Sigh, I wish your wife could come back with you. She could help me talk to her. I don't know why, but lately she's started treating my son like a daughter, braiding his hair every day..."
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