Drive a RV and go farming in ancient times.

At night, after Gu Huanxi coaxed her daughter to sleep, she entered the RV, put on an apron, and began to work in the kitchen. The last time they met, Xu Huaiyi complained to her that the food in the barracks was getting worse and worse. When there was no fighting, they could only eat two meals a day, and the food was thin. The only side dishes were pickled radish, and there was no meat or anything like that.

He held an official position and was Sun Yu's disciple, so he should not have suffered any loss. If he wanted to eat something good, the worst that could happen was for someone to buy it for him in the nearby county town. But doing so occasionally was ok, but eating and drinking three times a day would be too conspicuous and attract hatred, which went against his original intention of getting along with the soldiers.

Therefore, if you want to cook for yourself, you can only do it secretly in the car.

As soon as Xu Huaiyi came in, he went straight into the kitchen, smelled the tempting aroma in the air, took a deep breath, and couldn't help but sigh, "Thank goodness I have an RV and a wife, otherwise life would be impossible..."

Gu Huanxi saw him staring at the ribs in the pot with his eyes shining. He said speechlessly, "It's not time yet. You have to stew it for a while longer so that it can be flavored and the soup can be collected. It will taste better. If you are hungry, there are red bean rolls on the coffee table. You can fill your stomach first..."

Xu Huaiyi shook his head. "I'm not hungry, but I'm craving meat. I baked three pancakes for dinner, drank a bowl of sesame paste, and secretly ate a few cookies."

"Is the food in the barracks dry today?"

"No, it was given by my master. It's a mixed grain porridge cooked in the military camp. It's watery and just makes me full and fill my stomach."

“What about the side dishes?”

"No more. Cabbages and radishes have already run out. Now, even pickles are limited in supply. Don't you think it's miserable? Everyone has a pale face. Fortunately, the Japanese pirates haven't invaded at this time. Otherwise, everyone would be dizzy and weak from hunger. How can we fight this war?"

Gu Huanxi frowned when he heard this, "The court is out of money again?"

Xu Huaiyi mocked, "They didn't just cry poor, they just said the journey was long, and the roads were slippery due to snow, so transportation was inconvenient, so they asked us to understand the difficulties of the court and find ways to overcome them. Humph, how can we overcome them without money? Isn't it forcing everyone to save money?"

"Where's the military pay?"

"Alas, it has been delayed for a month. Fortunately, my family does not have to rely on military pay to support the family. Otherwise, wouldn't you and the children have to live with me and eat coarse food?"

"What do the generals say?"

"They have no choice. Even if they have connections, it's useless without money. We can't let them pay for it themselves. That's not a long-term solution."

Gu Huanxi looked at him steadily, "You don't have any thoughts on this, do you?"

Seeing this, Xu Huaiyi immediately looked wronged, "Wife, am I that stupid? I want to have a good relationship with the soldiers so that they will buy my account, but I won't be a sucker. Small favors are fine, but paying out of pocket is the worst option. Besides, it's also taboo. They are the court's soldiers, what's the point of me supporting them?"

Hearing this, Gu Huanxi felt relieved. He was afraid that he would get carried away and his fatherly heart would overflow. "It's good that you understand. It's okay to be kind, but there are also things you should do and things you shouldn't do."

Xu Huaiyi nodded in agreement with her words, "Master also reminded me not to open that door. A little bit of kindness is a grudge, and generosity cannot win people's hearts. To gain people's support and gain success in the military camp, you need real ability. If you are strong, people will follow you."

"Master is right. You should take this as a warning."

"Yes, I have kept it in mind. I am doing well now. There are many people who are willing to follow me. They are sincere and sincere. These people will be my helpers and strength in the future."

"You conquered him by your own ability?"

"Hehe, there is also personal charm..."

Gu Huanxi rolled her eyes at him speechlessly, and put the ribs in the pot on high heat to collect the juice. Before putting them on the plate, she picked up a piece and gave it to him, "Taste the saltiness..."

Xu Huaiyi was so busy eating that he had no time to talk and just kept nodding.

Gu Huanxi motioned for him to take the plate away, then quickly stir-fried lamb with green onions and rapeseed with mushrooms, and made a hot and sour soup to relieve the greasiness. Then she returned to the sofa, sat there and watched him eat with a satisfied look on his face.

"It's delicious and fragrant. It's all thanks to your cooking skills, my wife. This dish of stir-fried mutton with green onions is so authentic. There's not even a hint of mutton smell..."

Gu Huanxi responded casually, but reluctantly reminded, "Eat slowly, I'm not trying to snatch it from you."

Xu Huaiyi sighed, "I'm so greedy, I can't control myself, it's too tempting..."

Gu Huanxi was speechless, "You just ate a big plate of fried chicken the day before yesterday."

There is no shortage of meat at all.

Xu Huaiyi said confidently, "You also said it was the day before yesterday. Yesterday, I was pestered by my classmates and didn't come. Including today, I haven't seen meat for five meals. My stomach has shrunk two inches. How could I not miss it?"

"..."

Xu Huaiyi opened a can of beer and ate more and more deliciously, "This is how people should live!"

Gu Huanxi didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "How about I ask someone to send you some food from the military camp so that you can enjoy it openly?"

Xu Huaiyi waved his hand and said, "Goodbye, my master and I have already found a way to solve the problem of eating."

"What can I do?"

"After we clean up the bandit troubles nearby and defeat their lair, will we still be short of silver? With silver, why would we worry about food and drink?"

"Does it fit?"

"There's nothing inappropriate about it. It's not oppressing the people. It's helping the local area get rid of banditry. It's a good thing. No one can find fault with it."

"Do the generals agree?"

"I was a bit apprehensive at first, but later on, even they had to eat porridge and pickles, so why should I be so apprehensive? Besides, we can train our troops while suppressing the bandits, killing two birds with one stone. Only a fool would be unwilling to do so!"

Gu Huanxi didn't ask any more questions, "Just don't give others any handle to attack you."

It is not their job to suppress bandits. This is considered crossing the line. If they are reported, the court will have reason to punish them.

Xu Huaiyi understood her worries and consoled her, "Don't worry, the imperial court will just turn a blind eye. They can't get the money to treat the illness, so how can they stop us from being self-reliant? How dare they do that!"

"Well, when are we going?"

"tomorrow……"

"Tomorrow is the Little New Year!"

"Yes, I just want to rob. No, I want to get some money from the bandits so that I can reward the soldiers. We can't spend the New Year eating porridge and pickled vegetables. We have to have some meat."

"Fine……"

"Tomorrow, ask the servants to prepare a few more good dishes so that you and the children can have a good meal. Don't skimp on any of them."

"Yeah, I know..." Gu Huanxi had already made arrangements, but he just didn't want to say it out loud at the moment, for fear that the names of the dishes would irritate him.

After eating and drinking, Xu Huaiyi leaned comfortably on the sofa, flipped out a movie and played it on the projector in the car.

Gu Huanxi watched for a few minutes, thinking about what Han Jun had said to her during the day. She thought for a while and first told her about his complaints against the King of Qi. Finally, she said, "Now, Han Jun's prejudice against his uncle the King of Qi is getting deeper and deeper..."

Xu Huaiyi was not surprised at all. "The Prince of Qi is not very ambitious. Han Jun has reason to dislike him. Besides, Han Jun's sister's early death is closely related to him. And Xiaoyu, she met us. Otherwise, I don't know what the end would be. Let alone prejudice, even resentment towards Prince Qi is also justified. Who told him that he did not fulfill his due responsibilities as a wife and a father."

"Maybe he's going to give up now..."

"Will Emperor Jianxing agree? We put so many chips on him just to make him qualified to be a pawn and fight with other brothers. Want to run away? No way!"

"Han Jun has thought of a way to break the impasse?"

"What's the plan?" Xu Huaiyi became interested when he heard this. "Could it be that you give him some medicine to keep him sick?"

Gu Huanxi smiled and said, "It's even crueler than this..."

The drugging was definitely a show and would not take the King of Qi's life. He could just wait until he escaped and then recover slowly. But he might not be so lucky on the battlefield.

"What is it?"

"Han Jun asked him to go to the north to fight against the Tartars. It would be best if he stayed at the border and didn't come back for three to five years. This way, he could avoid the royal family's struggles and earn some money for Xiaoyu. It would kill two birds with one stone."

Xu Huaiyi's eyes lit up when he heard this, and he exclaimed in admiration, "It's indeed a good plan!"

"The King of Qi doesn't know how to lead troops in battle, and I heard his martial arts skills are mediocre..."

"You can learn anything. No one is born knowing how to do it. Didn't I also spend a year in the academy?"

Gu Huanxi raised his eyebrows, "Do you really think this is feasible? Aren't you afraid that the King of Qi's life will be in danger?"

Xu Huaiyi said calmly, "Where is there no danger? With his status, it is destined to be difficult for him to have a truly peaceful life. Now he is hiding in the palace, seemingly giving up and not cooperating with Emperor Jianxing, but in fact he is just deceiving himself. He can't resist for a few days. It's not easy for Emperor Jianxing to control him, unless he is not afraid of death. But is he willing to die?"

Gu Huanxi was speechless for a moment.

Xu Huaiyi continued, "On the contrary, if he goes to the north, he will have a better chance of surviving. The conditions there are tough, but it also trains people. Who knows, he might get promoted in the future and be quite capable. If so, it will be a blessing for the people."

"That's not Han Jun's purpose..."

"No matter what his original purpose was, in the end, they all reached the same goal. It's good for both the King of Qi and Xiaoyu, and everyone is happy."

Gu Huanxi smiled and said, "I guess the King of Qi doesn't feel happy..."

Xu Huaiyi stroked his chin and pondered, "It depends on how Han Jun tries to fool people!"

"What about the little fish?"

"This is for the greater good. Xiaoyu is sensible and will definitely not object."

Gu Huanxi rubbed his brows and said, "Forget it, never mind. You are not in the capital anyway, so you can't take care of your ideas. As for Han Jun, it is even more impossible for him to discuss it with me. If he really wants to persuade the King of Qi to go to the north, who can stop him?"

Xu Huaiyi took her in his arms, massaged her shoulders with a familiar face, and said casually, "That's right, don't worry, we are all adults, we should be responsible for our own actions. Whether the King of Qi goes or not, it is his choice, and the choice determines his future outcome, whether it is good or bad, he has to bear it himself, there is no reason for you to worry about him."

"I'm worried about Xiaoyu, okay?"

"I understand, but we can't throw the baby out with the bathwater. Besides, Xiaoyu still has us. We won't let him down. And there's Han Jun, his uncle. After Xiaoyu's mother passed away, according to current customs, Han Jun could make the decision for him, and he wouldn't hold a grudge."

Gu Huanxi closed his eyes and murmured, "Han Jun seems to be interfering more and more in Xiaoyu's affairs now, and his expectations of him are getting higher and higher..."

After hearing this, Xu Huaiyi hit the nail on the head, "The more you give, the more you will think about it, and the more you will care about winning or losing. This year, he has been planning for Xiaoyu everywhere, spending money and effort, and the stall is getting bigger and bigger. Naturally, he doesn't want to fail. When people are barefoot, they don't ask for too much. As long as they have a pair of shoes, they will be fine. If they don't ask for anything, they will have nothing to fear. But now? Not only does he have shoes, but he also has gorgeous clothes, food and clothing, and guidance from famous teachers. And there are no more intrigues. Do you think he can't have more expectations?"

Gu Huanxi asked, "Do you think this is a good idea?"

Xu Huaiyi said calmly, "It doesn't matter whether it's good or not, human nature is like this. Even for us, having come this far, can we still be willing to abandon everything and return to the countryside? We can only work harder and move forward!"

After a pause, he changed the subject and continued, "However, we cannot interfere too much. Too much interference will turn it into control. Xiaoyu is a human being, not a puppet in someone's hands. We must reflect on ourselves from time to time in the future. Don't interfere too much. If we control the child so much that he loses his sense of rightness and only knows how to listen to us, then it will be useless..."

"Yes, I know. He makes all the small decisions on his own. We will discuss the big issues with him. This is how we educate our family, not only for him but also for other children."

"That's right. We should respect the children's ideas. If they really do something wrong, we can remind them, help them make amends, and then point out their mistakes harshly and let them correct them. But we can't just suppress them. If they don't make mistakes when they are young, they won't learn from them."

Gu Huanxi echoed and teased, "I hope you can maintain this educational principle for your daughter."

Don't spoil your child blindly without any bottom line.

Xu Huaiyi laughed dryly twice, and did not respond, continuing the previous topic, "Well, in addition to not interfering too much, I also have to remind Han Jun not to care too much. This will easily put pressure on Xiaoyu. If it is not handled well, the relationship between uncle and nephew will deteriorate."

"I said it's not appropriate. Let's wait for you to come back and communicate with him face to face."

"Okay, I think we'll be able to go back in March or April next year."

Gu Huanxi asked in surprise, "So soon? Didn't you say last time that it would be great if we could come back before the wheat harvest? Has the situation changed?"

Xu Huaiyi explained, "I don't want to drag it out any longer. A protracted war consumes food and grass. The court can't afford it, and the people will suffer as well. So, I'm thinking of taking the initiative to attack in the spring of next year and kill the Japanese pirates all at once. Then the war will be over."

"Taking the initiative to attack? Will those generals agree? Your master wouldn't dare to take the risk, right?"

"So, I have to convince them with reasons, so that they firmly believe that we will win if we take the initiative to attack. Then they will naturally not object."

Gu Huanxi looked at him in confusion, "How can you guarantee victory?"

Xu Huaiyi said, "Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be in danger in a hundred battles."

Hearing this, Gu Huanxi narrowed his eyes, "You don't want to act as a death-defying pioneer and sneak into the enemy camp to find out the situation of the Japanese pirates, do you?"

Xu Huaiyi sensed the danger and said quickly, "How can I have the spirit of sacrifice?"

"Heh, I thought you were capable of anything with your protective clothing and RV."

"Haha, you misunderstood me, my wife. I'm not so young and frivolous. I used drones to investigate and couldn't even find the Japanese pirates. It's safe."

Gu Huanxi suddenly realized that he had forgotten about this. There was a drone in the RV, which he had bought before. He originally planned to use it to take pictures of the beautiful scenery along the way when traveling in the RV. Xu Huaiyi also specially bought a powerful and fully functional one, which cost a lot of money. Now it can finally be used. It is perfect for detecting the enemy situation and is comparable to the best scout.