Chapter 364 - Chapter 364: Complete Convinced

Chapter 364: Complete Convinced

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

During the visit, Xiaoxiao did not forget to suggest, “Mother, erase the record of today’s duty later. The soldiers’ armor covers their faces. So if there’s no record, even the Crown Prince won’t be able to find them when he wants to settle scores with them later.”

Xiao Ran tapped her little nose. “You’re smart.”

Xiaoxiao chuckled. “I can’t let them protect me and get implicated.”

Xiao Ran had the same intention. She took advantage of her daughter’s reminder and instructed.

Regarding the crops to be planted at the border in the future, Xiaoxiao said to Gu Chang’an, “Father, I think it’s better to plant watermelons, grapes, and those trees first.”

“These are plants that can grow in the sand field to begin with. As long as the season is right, they can be planted in large quantities with a little modification of the soil. The rest will require too much manpower and effort Currently, if we want to increase the scale, the expenditure won’t be any less than what we import from the Imperial Capital.”

“Why don’t we plant a large number of fruits first and develop them into border specialties? They have a short growth cycle, a high survival rate, and a good harvest. In the future, be it selling them at a high price to the border or attracting customers, it will be beneficial to the border city…”

Gu Chang’an looked at his daughter, who was talking confidently, and felt gratified and yet, heartbroken. How much did she have to experience to grow to this extent?

“You haven’t eaten breakfast, right? Father made you a burrito with your favorite sour and spicy sauce.”

Xiaoxiao cheered. She took the burrito and took a bite. Only then did she realize that her father had brought a lot. “Could it be that Father and Mother haven’t eaten yet?”

The two of them nodded, and Xiaoxiao busied herself moving the simple table and chairs under the grape vines. “Let’s eat together!”

Father, Mother, let’s set up like this at home in the future. We’ll build a grape trellis. It can shelter us from the sun and cool us down in summer. We’ll admire the flowers and the moon in autumn.lt can block the wind and we can watch the snow in winter. The grass will grow and the orioles will fly in spring How beautiful.”

Xiao Ran imagined that scene and was quite happy. “Where did you find these seeds? I’ve never heard of watermelon and grapes.”

Xiaoxiao chuckled. “I bought them everywhere. I went shopping and bought some of them from wandering peddlers. Big Brother and Second Brother happened to see some of them and collected them for me. Some of them were left for me by Little Big Brother Ah Yan. There were also County Magistrate Shen, Shen Tianci, Li Muyan, and the others who helped me find them everywhere. In short, they were sourced all over. Oh right, some of them were dug from Dayan Mountain!”

“Perhaps I’m fated with the earth. I really discovered many good things when I planted them randomly!”

The couple smiled when they thought of the orderly variety of flowers and plants in the Ning Family’s courtyard. They even had ginseng. “Then if Father and Mother see seeds in the future, we’ll also collect them for you.”

However, at this point, Xiao Ran scratched her head awkwardly. She knew her own storeroom very well, so she could only buy those trinkets for her daughter. However, at this point, she remembered something. “Xiaoxiao, what do you mean by writing to me to sell the dehydrated vegetable’s recipe to the Yan Family?”

Although her financial resources were limited, she did not have to sell her daughter’s secret recipe in exchange for money, let alone give the Yan Family face.

The corners of Xiaoxiao’s mouth curled up even more. “Father, Mother, if the Yan Family hides it excitedly and is prepared to show off, will they explode in anger when the recipe suddenly loses its value?”

“Although it’s convenient to preserve dehydrated vegetables, there’s still a certain difference in taste compared to fresh vegetables. Rich families who want to eat fresh vegetables will no longer be interested after eating them a few times. Ordinary families are not willing to spend money unnecessarily, so the main target of selling dehydrated vegetables is places that lack water and are dry and don’t produce fruits and vegetables.”

“Firstly, it’s the border. The rest is the Xiongnu.”

“The borders don’t have much desire for that anymore. Aren’t fresh fruits more fragrant than dry vegetables? If they want to earn money, the Yan Family can only do business with the Xiongnu.”

Could the family be tainted by doing business with the Xiongnu?

Especially… if the Emperor discovered that the Yan Family had some unusual connections with the Xiongnu in the future, how could he let it go?

After Xiaoxiao chatted with her parents for about two hours, a guard came to report to Xiao Ran with a strange expression. After hearing his words, Xiao Ran also frowned.

The Crown Prince killed that aide and said that he tried to distort the truth and instigate trouble.” What he didn’t say was that the aide’s head was sent over by the Crown Prince as a show of sincerity.

The Crown Prince had good and ruthless methods.

He was really proficient in finding someone to take the blame. He was indeed well taught by the Yan Family. Even if His Majesty found out about what happened today, he could deny it completely.

“Xiaoxiao, you must stay away from that Crown Prince in the future.”

Xiaoxiao nodded vigorously. “I have the same intention. I’m going to find an excuse to go back to my room later, but before that, I have something to give

Mother.”                        8

She brought the two of them back to her residence and took out the Clairvoyant and production blueprints that had already been adjusted from the closet.

The blueprint was rough and simple, but she believed that Xiao Ran could resolve this small flaw.

The two of them couldn’t bear to part with it after trying it out. Apart from lamenting that their daughter was smart again, they didn’t doubt Xiaoxiao’s excuse of “accidentally buying an ancient book” at all. She even took the initiative to say that she was the one who gave it to her if anyone asked in the future.

“Your mother has traveled around for so many years and has collected a lot of strange things.”

Xiaoxiao’s words might be questioned, but as a general, it was not strange for Xiao Ran to obtain this thing. Besides, so what if someone really dared to interfere? She would just whip them with her spear.

Xiao Ran only rested for a short period of time in the border city. She was going to set off again in the afternoon to send food and reinforcements to Rong Yan and the others who were deep in Xiongnu. Xiaoxiao asked her quietly, “Is the Imperial Court planning to completely subdue Xiongnu this time?”

Xiao Ran tapped her nose. “You don’t have to worry about these things. Just take care of yourself. I’ll go with your Big Brother Yan and beat up those bastards who dare to covet Great Xia.”

Gu Chang’an glanced at her from the corner of his eye. “Didn’t you say that this is a secret and can’t be revealed?”

Xiao Ran shrugged. “I didn’t say anything.” At least she didn’t admit it directly.

Her daughter could guess that she was smart.

What she did not tell Xiaoxiao was that most of the people in the Imperial Court now were muddle-headed. Not only were they timid, but they also came up with all kinds of bad ideas, such as “Don’t chase after a desperate enemy”, “Turn hostility into friendship”, “Prefer peace”, pfft! When she heard someone suggesting an marital alliance, she almost could not help but beat someone up in front of the Emperor.

Those old farts were stubborn and did not dare to make up their minds to attack Xiongnu.

One moment, they said that Xiongnu produced iron ore and had abundant weapons. The next moment, they said that Xiongnu’s terrain was dangerous and easy to defend but difficult to attack. The next moment, they said that this battle had already exhausted the money and rations in the treasury. If another war started, wouldn’t it hurt the foundation of the country? The gains did not make up for the losses!

They felt that it was enough to make Xiongnu retreat and behave for a period of time. However, they did not think about how Great Xia’s prioritization of peace was being weak and useless in the eyes of others?

Xiongnu provoked them every year and Great Xia gave in every year.. Then wouldn’t Great Xia be taken as soft persimmons that could be bullied by others? It was true that they had repelled Xiongnu this time, but who could guarantee that they wouldn’t come again next year? Who could guarantee that Great Xia would still be able to defend the next time?