The morning sun shines in the inn courtyard, and Xi Yu and Ouyang Lian sit at the table and have a simple breakfast.
While packing his luggage, Ouyang Lian said to Xi Yu: "Do you know? Because the conditions here are so bad, taxes have been reduced long ago."
Xi Yu nodded slightly, with approval in his eyes.
"It should be so, people's lives are already difficult."
At this time, the inn owner came over with a pot of hot tea, added it to them, and sighed and said, "The two adults don't know. The people here are not doing well, so many bandits appeared. They are not robbing in this county because there is really no oil and water to catch, so they all went to other places."
After hearing this, Xi Yu frowned slightly and thought in his heart: These bandits must have embarked on this path because of life, but robbing the family is not the right way.
He secretly made up his mind to improve the situation here.
He looked at Ouyang Lian and said with a serious expression: "This clue is very critical. We have to find a way to solve the poverty problem as soon as possible, and also give these bandits a serious way out and can no longer let them cause trouble."
Ouyang Lian nodded in agreement.
"Yes, we have to plan."
Xi Yu stood up and looked at the dilapidated streets outside the inn and the few pedestrians, feeling full of worries and responsibility. He and his friends prepared their luggage, walked towards the town facing the sun.
Xi Yu and Ouyang Lian walked into the village, and the scene in front of him shocked Xi Yu.
The dilapidated thatched huts are spread sparsely, the land is as dry as turtle shells, and several withered crops are trembling in the wind.
Xi Yu frowned, his eyes full of care.
He walked slowly, every step seemed to carry heavy responsibility.
Ouyang Lian followed aside and sighed in his heart.
Ouyang Lian couldn't help but speak: "Prime Minister, you see that this situation is so bad. Even if you are determined to improve, how should you do it?"
He scratched his head, looking worried.
After a while, he said, "The official is thinking that maybe relocating people from the town is a way. But where can I move in this wilderness? I know this may be a bad idea, but I really can't think of a better one."
Xi Yu remained silent, just staring at this barren land quietly.
"There will always be a solution. Let's take a closer look and find the advantages and resources here."
Ouyang Lian looked at Xi Yu's firm eyes and nodded slightly. Although his heart was still full of doubts, he was also infected by Xi Yu's determination and decided to continue exploring.
Xi Yu was focusing on thinking among the fields, and the appearance of a greenhouse in his previous life came to his mind, thinking that if it was promoted here, it would definitely increase the yield.
Just as he was about to turn around and share this idea with Ouyang Lian, suddenly a group of people rushed over.
All of these people looked bad, holding wooden sticks, and a big man in the lead shouted loudly: "Who are you? You actually came to our village and get out of here!"
Ouyang Lian was a little panicked by the sudden situation, and subconsciously leaned against Xi Yu.
Xi Yu was stunned at first, but soon calmed down. He raised his hands slightly, tried to calm everyone's emotions, and said, "Dear villagers, we have no malice. We just passed by here and saw this land, and wanted to see if there was a way to help everyone."
However, the villagers did not believe it. An old man walked forward tremblingly and looked at them with suspicious eyes.
"Hmph, to put it nicely, who knows if you are here to rob us of such a pitiful land."
Xi Yu quickly shook his head with a sincere expression: "Old man, you misunderstood. We really just want to do something for everyone."
But the villagers still glared at each other, and the wooden stick in their hands did not mean to put down. The atmosphere at the scene was as tense as a bowstring.
Ouyang Lian was so nervous that sweat beads appeared on his forehead. He whispered to Xi Yu: "What should I do? They seemed to be unable to listen at all."
Seeing that the villagers were indignant and could not comfort them, Xi Yu decided to show his identity directly.
He took out the token from his arms, raised it high, and said loudly: "I am the current prime minister. I came here this time to solve your hardship."
When the villagers heard this, they were startled and looked at each other in a glance. The scene suddenly became quiet.
But soon, a young young man shouted loudly: "So what if you are the prime minister? No one who is an official is good!"
A whistle echoed in the crowd.
An old man was shaking with a cane and his beard was so angry that he was trembling.
"You officials can eat delicious food and drink spicy food. Have you ever cared about the lives and deaths of our people?"
Xi Yu felt ache and quickly explained: "Friends, I am different from those corrupt officials. I know that your life is difficult, so this time I will find ways to improve everyone's lives."
But the villagers didn't buy it, and some people snorted coldly: "To put it nicely, who believes your nonsense!"
Xi Yu looked at the angry villagers and knew that they were heartbroken by the long-term suffering and the evil deeds of the officials.
He did not retreat, took a step forward, and looked at everyone sincerely.
"I know that everyone has suffered a lot and has a lot of dissatisfaction with the officials. But please give me a chance to prove myself, and I will definitely seek welfare for everyone."
Ouyang Lian was also speaking aside.
"Friends, the Prime Minister is sincerely doing his best. You might as well listen to what he said first."
However, the villagers still glared at them, holding the wooden sticks in their hands tighter, and the situation was still extremely tense.
The villagers gradually approached with wooden sticks, and were about to drive away Xi Yu and Ouyang Lian.
At this tense moment, the secret guard suddenly appeared, blocked Xi Yu, and asked sternly: "Who dares to do anything wrong?" The atmosphere was instantly tense.
Xi Yu hurriedly raised his hand to signal the secret guard to retreat, and said with a serious expression: "Retreat, these are all ordinary people, not enemies, so there is no need to attack them."
The secret guard followed the order and left.
Ouyang Lian took a step forward and said loudly: "The Prime Minister is here to solve everyone's poverty problem. Why do you say that you don't care about the lives of the people? Let's calm down first and listen to us finish our words."
The villagers stopped, but were still full of vigilance and hostility.
A middle-aged villager shouted: "You officials can only speak beautiful words. Why should we believe you?"
Xi Yu looked at everyone with sincere eyes: "I know everyone has suffered a lot of grievances in the past, but I came here without a soldier. I just really want to do something for everyone. If you have any demands, you can tell me directly."
At this time, one person stood up.
"We work hard every year, but the land is poor and we can't even eat enough to eat, and the children are so hungry that they cry. Can you solve the problem?"
Xi Yu felt sad and said firmly: "I will find ways to improve the land so that everyone can have a full meal. I will also give more support."
After hearing this, the villagers began to whisper and talk. Although the hostility had not completely dissipated, their attitude was no longer as tough as before.
Xi Yu and Ouyang Lian looked at each other, saw a turning point, and were ready to further convince the villagers.
Xi Yu straightened his body, looked at the villagers with firm eyes, and said loudly: "I will give myself half a month, and I will definitely solve the problem of farming. If I can't do it, I will be willing to resign from the position of prime minister."
When Ouyang Lian heard this, he widened his eyes and quickly pulled the corner of Xi Yu's clothes and whispered: "Prime Minister, why are you doing this? What if..."
Xi Yu shook his head slightly, signaling him not to say anything more.
Xi Yu looked at the villagers and continued, "I do what I say, do I dare to make bets with me?"
The villagers looked at each other with suspicion and hesitation on their faces.
At this time, a gray-haired and respected villager stood up and said, "Since he said that, it's better to believe him for the time being."
Xi Yu was delighted and said quickly: "I will never let everyone down. Now I want to live here."
The old man nodded and said, "You can provide you with a residence, but the conditions are very difficult."
Xi Yu smiled and said indifferently: "It doesn't matter, as long as there is a place to settle down."
Although Ouyang Lian was still worried when he saw Xi Yu's firm look, he was also infected by his determination.
The villagers began to disperse, whispering while walking.
Xi Yu looked at their backs and sweared in his heart that he would solve the problem within half a month and live up to the trace of trust given by the villagers.
He turned around and said to Ouyang Lian: "Let's start preparing, time is tight."
Ouyang Lian took a deep breath, nodded, and walked towards the residence pointed by the old man with Xi Yu.
Xi Yu and Ouyang Lian followed the villagers to the broken house arranged for them.
The thatch on the roof is incomplete, there are several cracks on the walls, and a damp and moldy smell is everywhere.
The only pieces of worn-out furniture are also shaky, as if they will fall apart at any time.
Ouyang Lian frowned, looked around, and said to Xi Yu with apologetic expression: "Prime Minister, you have been wronged. This place is really..."
Xi Yu looked calm and smiled calmly, saying, "I was planning to endure hardships, so I don't have to mind these things. Compared to the long-term hardships the people have suffered, what is this?"
As he said that, he walked to a worn table and gently brushed away the dust on it with his hands.
Ouyang Lian looked at Xi Yu and felt a sense of admiration in his heart. He stopped complaining and began to clean up the house.
"The Prime Minister is right. Since we have made up our minds, we should not care about these minor details." Ouyang Lian said, picking up some hay from the corner and preparing to spread it on the ground as a bed.
Xi Yu nodded slightly, walked to the window, and looked outside through the window with several holes.
The village was ruined, but his eyes were full of hope.
After a while, the village was rushing to come.
As soon as he saw Xi Yu, he hurriedly knelt down and said in fear and fear: "Prime Minister, the youngest is Li Zheng. I just heard that you and the governor were insulted by the troublemakers. The youngest was very angry. I hope the two adults can forgive me."
Xi Yu hurriedly stepped forward and helped Li Zheng up and said gently: "Li Zheng doesn't have to do this, I don't mind. They are all kind and simple people. They are just too poor, so they have some extreme behaviors. And I came to solve this problem."
Lin Zheng raised his head, his eyes full of surprise and emotion. He did not expect the Prime Minister to be so magnanimous.
"Prime Minister, you really love the people as much as your son." Li Zheng sighed.
Xi Yu shook his head slightly.
"It is the fault of our officials who suffer. I will find a way to improve the status quo."
Li Zheng nodded repeatedly.
"Sir, it is a blessing for our entire village to have this heart. I will definitely help you with all my strength."
Ouyang Lian watched from the side, and admired Xi Yu even more.
Xi Yu looked at Li Zheng and asked seriously: "Li Zheng, you know the situation in the village the most. What do you think is the most urgent problem to be solved at the moment?"
Li Zheng pondered for a moment and said, "Sir, the land in this village is barren, and the crops have always been bad, so it is really difficult for the people to make a living."
Xi Yu frowned and thought about a solution in his mind.
"The land issue is the key, and we have to find ways to increase our food production."
Li was watching Xi Yu's focused expression.
There was a light flashing in Xi Yu's eyes, and he excitedly began to tell Ouyang Lianhe and Li about the greenhouse.
"Do you know? There is a way to build a shed with special materials so that crops can be grown in cold weather and can also grow faster and better."
Ouyang Lian frowned, scratched his head, and felt full of doubt.
"Prime Minister, what kind of novelty is this? I have never heard of it. You can grow crops with a shed? Is this possible?"
Li Zheng was also confused. He lived in the village for most of his life, and what he knew were farming methods passed down from his ancestors.
"Sir, this greenhouse sounds amazing, but what should I do? I really can't figure it out." He said cautiously, afraid that his ignorance would offend Xi Yu.
Xi Yu looked at them confused and understood that this idea was too novel for them.
He was thinking in his mind how to explain it more clearly.
"It's like building a house for crops. This house can keep warm and keep crops from being affected by cold weather. We can use bamboo as brackets, and then use some thick cloth or oil paper to make the roof and walls of the roof." Xi Yu said while gesturing the shape of the greenhouse with his hands.
Ouyang Lian tried hard to imagine the scene described by Xi Yu, but his mind was still in a mess.
"Can this really make the crops grow well? How much does it cost?" he asked worriedly.
Li Zheng also nodded in agreement. He thought to himself that the village was already poor, so there was no extra money to build this greenhouse.
Xi Yu saw their concerns and said patiently: "Some investment may be required in the early stage, but once successful, the grain output will be greatly improved, and everyone will no longer have to go hungry in the future. We can find ways to raise materials together, and we can also ask the villagers to help, with more people and more power."
Ouyang Lian and Li Zheng heard this, although they were still half-believing and half-doubted, when they saw Xi Yu's firm eyes, they couldn't help but have a little expectation for this greenhouse.
Xi Yu said: "I will order taxes from other places to support this place. At present, we will first solve the urgent problem, and then we will discuss development strategies in the long term."
Just as I heard it, tears suddenly appeared in my eyes, my lips trembled slightly, and I was about to kneel down and salute again.
Xi Yu hurriedly supported him.
Li Zheng was so excited that his voice was choked: "Sir, you have saved the whole village of our family. We have been struggling on the verge of food and clothing. Your move is like a bright light in the dark."
Xi Yu frowned slightly and said with a serious and sincere look on his face: "Li Zheng, this is what I should do. I have no choice but to pay attention to the people's suffering."
Ouyang Lian watched from the side, and was full of admiration for Xi Yu.
He knew very well that it was not easy to mobilize taxes from other places, and it required huge pressure and many tedious matters, but Xi Yu made this decision for the sake of the people without hesitation.
Li Zheng calmed down his emotions and said, "Prime Minister, we will definitely cooperate well and will never let you down."
Xi Yu nodded with a smile: "I believe everyone. As long as we work together, we will definitely make the village better."
At this time, the dilapidated house seemed to be full of hope, and the wind outside seemed to be no longer so cold.
Several farmers who participated in the trouble during the day sat together, and the candlelight swayed, reflecting their faces full of doubt and uneasiness.
They gathered in a dim home called Zai Tianlong.
A young farmer took the lead in breaking the silence and frowned and said, "You said, is that man claiming to be the prime minister, really? Could it be a fake?"
An old man next to him whispered a sip of dry tobacco and said slowly: "But they came out with the token."
An impatient man answered immediately.
"Tokens may also be faked. And we don't know what tokens are true or false at all."
At this time, a more calm person in the corner spoke.
"But if this is the case, what exactly are you going to do when you come here as a prime minister?"
Everyone fell into deep thought, and the room was so quiet that only the occasional crackling of candlelight could be heard.
Lei Tianlong touched his chin, pondered for a moment and said, "If it is fake, we can make great contributions. It is better to go to Fangjun to report tomorrow."
The others nodded after hearing this, thinking that this was a feasible solution.
A woman said worriedly: "What if they are really prime ministers? Will we be punished?"
Lei Tianlong frowned: "If he was really the prime minister, he would not care about us. Moreover, they said they wanted to solve our problem, so we were just asking for the truth."
After hearing this, everyone felt it made sense, so they began to whisper to discuss the specific matters of going to Fangjun tomorrow, and they were both expectant and a little nervous.
Lei Tianlong stood up.
"I'll go to Fangjuncheng to report the news, this is the best way at present."
An old man stroked his beard and said slowly: "Tianlong, the journey here is difficult and dangerous, so you should be more careful.
"Lei Tianlong solemnly saluted the old man.
"Don't worry, uncle, I will definitely live up to my mission."
After everyone dispersed, Lei Tianlong stood there, thinking about tomorrow's itinerary, but heard a burst of rapid footsteps coming from behind. He turned around and saw his woman walking over with anger on his face.
Her brows frowned, her lips tightly pursed, and her eyes were full of dissatisfaction.
"Why do you have to go to the county town? Can't you let others go?" Her voice was filled with a little resentment.
Chapter completed!