Chapter 655

Knowing that it was New Year at the Great King's place, before leaving Bai Yang gave the Great King several boxes of sparklers; in his city fireworks are banned, so he could only buy this kind of fireworks.

Bai Yang felt endless regret; the Great King didn't mind, he was delighted, wishing the sky would brighten immediately, so he could take it out to the streets tomorrow evening to enjoy the liveliness.

Since the palace banquet ended, public opinion in Secluded Prefecture has revolved around the banquet for the past two days. Men discuss the lighting and performances of the Purple Forbidden Palace's lanterns; women, from makeup to fabrics, have seen the trend spread rapidly in Secluded Prefecture City.

The Great King was still on holiday; unable to play with fireworks in broad daylight, he restrained himself and went to the Orchid Terrace Hall to attend a class.

In an extremely short time he drafted… a mutual assistance treaty between Great Jin and Wusun.

The main point is:

Hearing that a small country called Guishuang frequently offended Wusun, I was also very angry. Whenever Wusun has something, they think of me first; I am deeply moved—this is Wusun's trust in me!

Although Great Jin has suffered year after year from natural disasters and constant internal turmoil, I will still do everything I can to help you!

Wusun is a dignified country; understanding that the Elder Princess of Eternal Spring is unsuited to the desert environment, I will let her return to her homeland—I like this magnanimity!

You are so righteous; then Wusun is my best friend in the Western Regions. From now on, Great Jin will be Wusun's solid backing. If anyone bullies Wusun, just fight back! If you lack weapons and armor, just contact Zhuti—I have decided to sell weapons and armor only to my Wusun brothers.

Remember, no matter what difficulties you encounter in the future, you can come to Youzhou and find me to settle things for you!

After he finished writing and took it to show Wei Shen, even his cousin got goosebumps from the numbness.

Are you pretending this was written before the Wusun envoy group was wiped out?

Yes~ I want to be a good person. Let Zhuti handle the price talks, let the Grand Commandant write the bad news, and I am Wusun's half-brother.

Wei Shen: ……

He outrageously reached out and pinched the Great King's cheek, saying, 'Let me see if your skin is a few… thicker than ordinary people's—ah, so delicate it could be shattered by a breath!'

Bold!

The Great King flew into a rage, picked up the paperweight and chased after his cousin, vowing to uphold righteousness by punishing kin. 'Can you afford to pay for wrinkling it?!'

Zhao Bao could only try to mediate, while Wei Shen ran behind him and thrust the great work into his hands, saying, 'Here, take this to Xie Yuan to look at—if I actually sent it out like this, I'm afraid he'd cry.' What's the use of all that learning? Disciples still end up like this!

Zhao Bao: ……

Great King: ……

Take it to show Xie Yuan; the Great King doesn't object—anyway, his work is done, and this fellow has finally started his New Year holiday.

The Great King went off to play, and Zhao Bao, with nothing else to do, personally took the handwritten letter to the Xie mansion.

Leaving the Purple Forbidden Palace, the streets of Youzhou were also lively. It is now the first month; even though water freezes in Youzhou, it didn't stop people from going out, since the temperature is a bit higher than in the previous two years. Under the impetus of Zhuti and the Great King, Youzhou has developed a fondness for posting New Year's blessings and couplets, and those who can afford it hang two red lanterns, creating a festive New Year atmosphere.

Zhao Bao went all the way to the Xie mansion and found it decorated with lanterns and bunting, quite lively; at the gate hung a couplet with dragons soaring and phoenixes dancing, the kind that could be mounted and taken to a calligraphy and painting shop.

The gatekeeper noticed Zhao, the steward, examining the couplet and hurriedly explained that it was written by the eldest son.

Upon hearing it was Xie Tu, Zhao Bao twitched the corner of his mouth; imitating the Great King's calligraphy is usually quite a chore as well.

On the second day of the New Year, the Xie brothers were both present; before lunchtime, they surprisingly started drinking.

Xie Yuan was already a little tipsy: '……In such a vast northern region, this year not a single person starved to death, nor did anyone freeze to death! Elder brother, do you know what this means?!'

Xie Che: 'It means you didn't choose wrong.'

Obviously Xie Yuan doesn't need his answer. 'The northern region includes Youzhou, Bingzhou, and Liangzhou—Yizhou's foundation is relatively better; these are all Great Jin's most impoverished places. In such a barren land, last year many refugees starved to death by the roadside, but this year the system runs smoothly, and not a single person has died of hunger in the north.'

Xie Che poured himself a cup, saying, 'The promotion of agricultural tools in the north has been truly effective this year, and the speed of land reclamation is rapid. How did Bai Li Jing think of planting fodder grass to enrich the soil? The newly opened wasteland sown with alfalfa is edible not only for people but also for poultry and livestock.'

Xie Yuan added modestly, '……Reclaiming land is still exhausting, relying entirely on manpower to pull the plow; having a few more oxen and horses would help.'

Don't be so extreme—back when times were better, even the Central Plains and Jiangnan had people starving to death!

'This is all thanks to Chief Steward Zhu's Commerce Bureau constantly disbursing silver and grain to relieve the refugees who came to the north—how could an empty treasury possibly do that!' Xie Yuan slammed the table with the freshly received stack of data. 'The northern population has increased by another forty thousand households, over ninety thousand people this year; His Majesty has sent all the refugees outside Chang'an to the north, and still not a single one has starved… I just don't understand how she can earn so much! Nowadays in Youzhou, hardly any family hasn't taken part in the Emperor's silver‑scattering activity; even that conscripted labor service—with such a scattering method he can still manage a meal—it's… miraculous!'

Xie Che: '……You're drunk.' They've started badmouthing the little emperor.

Xie Yuan was still arguing that he hadn't, when a servant reported that the palace's steward Zhao had arrived.

When Xie Yuan received the Great King's work, his wine instantly sobered halfway. 'You say this is to be sent where? To Wusun? Can we just not save face for the tributary states?!'

Zhao Bao: ……

I feel that Minister Xie is exceptionally sharp today!