Drive a RV and go farming in ancient times.

The affairs of the Pingyuan Marquis' Mansion did not end with the head of the family suffering a stroke. On the contrary, they were full of twists and turns.

When he was condemned by thousands of people and accused of assassinating a court official, Pingyuan Bo was so angry that he suffered a stroke.

When he collapsed on the bed and thought that the Bo Mansion would decline from then on, the court suddenly promoted Prince Meng to the position of Vice Minister of War, which was equivalent to taking over his father's previous position. Not only that, the eldest grandson of the Meng family, Meng Zhi, was selected into the Yulin Guard, the most glorious and enviable guard among the twelve imperial guards.

This turning point came really suddenly.

Many people don’t understand. Not only does the emperor not punish the Pingyuan Marquis’s Mansion, but he also shows him favor?

That is to say, the real culprit behind the assassination of Xu Huaiyi was not Pingyuan Bo?

Otherwise, how do you explain the emperor's actions?

It couldn't be that the emperor knew that the Earl of Pingyuan had committed a serious mistake, yet he still stubbornly protected and promoted the Earl's family?

If this were really the case, none of the civil and military officials in the court would agree. Dayong belonged to the emperor, but some rules were customary. It was not that the emperor could act arbitrarily and without restraint.

It was not until someone saw Meng Yao enter the palace that people realized that it was still unknown whether Pingyuan Bo had sent someone to assassinate Xu Huaiyi, but the fact that the emperor favored Prince Meng and his son provided the answer.

It seems that he is doing it for Princess Anping's sake.

No, what incredible treasure did she present to the emperor again? Before, it was a coal mine and a silver mountain, but what about this time?

For a moment, everyone in the court was curious.

How much chips do you have to give to get such a generous return?

But this time, the emperor did not announce it to the public, and for the time being it became a secret that everyone wanted to find out.

Gu Huanxi was no exception and asked Han Jun, but Han Jun didn't know either. He sent people to investigate, but there were no clues.

It can be seen that the palace was sealed and the matter was kept secret.

The more this happens, the more intriguing it becomes.

Many families were secretly trying to find out, and since they couldn't get any help from the palace, they focused their efforts on the Pingyuan Marquis's mansion.

However, this time the Pingyuan Marquis' Mansion became a gourd with a sawed mouth, and nothing could be asked. Those who tried to test Meng Yao all ended up badly, adding countless mysterious colors to this secret.

Gu Huanxi talked about this with Xu Huaiyi at night, and was quite concerned. "Guess what kind of trump card Meng Yao played to make Emperor Jianxing not only not pursue her rampant behavior, but also reward the Meng family?"

Any emperor, especially one with a strong desire for control, would never tolerate Meng Yao's way of slapping people in the face. He completely disregarded the imperial court. He assassinated the court's heroes time and time again, madly challenging the imperial court's majesty. It would not be an exaggeration to exterminate all nine generations of the family, not to mention that now not only is there no pursuit of the matter, but he is also lavishly rewarding them.

That is to say, the charge of Pingyuanbo hiring a killer to commit murder has not been finally confirmed yet. Otherwise, Emperor Jianxing's action would definitely make him a complete tyrant. No matter which faction the civil and military ministers belong to, they would not agree to it. If they meet a stubborn one, they would probably die for his advice.

Emperor Jianxing would not have failed to think of this, and even after thinking of it, he chose to protect Meng Yao and promote the Meng family without hesitation. This shows that the trump card Meng Yao gave this time was so tempting that it was irresistible.

Xu Huaiyi said thoughtfully, "Before, the coal mines and silver mountains presented by Meng Yao were both valuable enough, but to the emperor, they were just a few more treasures. He was happy, but he would not lose his sense of proportion. This time, he was obviously too excited. In theory, he should not be like this..."

Gu Huanxi took over the conversation, "Yes, for Emperor Jianxing, the most irresistible temptation is the throne, isn't it? Now that he is sitting on it and holding great power, what else can attract him? Stunning beauty? No, a huge fortune? No, it can't be that Meng Yao has a way to deal with the Chu Palace, right?"

Xu Huaiyi shook his head. "Probably not. Even if she has a way to deal with the Chu Palace, it won't be effective immediately. It needs to be done slowly. Emperor Jianxing won't release the eagle until he sees the rabbit. How can he reward the Meng family so much right now?"

"What exactly is that?"

"Do you think it could be..."

Xu Huaiyi paused halfway through his speech and his expression became strange.

Gu Huanxi hated being kept in suspense, so he urged impatiently, "What is it? Tell me now, stop wasting time!"

Xu Huaiyi said in a very subtle tone, "Do you think it could be a pill?"

Hearing this, Gu Huanxi was stunned for a moment, then reacted and said in astonishment, "You are not referring to the elixir that is rumored to make people immortal, right? Let's not talk about whether Meng Yao has it or not, let's talk about Emperor Jianxing, he is not a fool, can he believe this?"

Xu Huaiyi said, "Immortality is nonsense, but what about prolonging life? Do you think he believes it?"

Gu Huanxi, "..."

Xu Huaiyi continued, "For an old emperor, what could be more tempting than prolonging his life?"

Gu Huanxi smiled bitterly and shook his head, "It's definitely gone."

Xu Huaiyi sighed, "If there is a slight chance, he will grab it without hesitation and is willing to try. No emperor is willing to pass on the throne, even if that person is his own son, he will be reluctant to do so. He will not give up power until the last moment of his eyes. If Meng Yao told him that taking the elixir can prolong his life, not to mention living to 100 years old, even to 70 or 80 years old, Emperor Jianxing would not be able to refuse. Although he is only in his early 40s this year, the last time he took poison to fight with the King of Chu and the Queen Mother, it was not entirely a show. He can detoxify afterwards, but he has also hurt his body to some extent, which will definitely affect his life span. Who knows how anxious he will be?"

"Meng Yao's offering of the elixir at this time was just perfect and catered to his needs. No wonder..." Gu Huanxi couldn't help but sigh, "No wonder he could tolerate Meng Yao's nonsense."

Xu Huaiyi nodded, "I only now understand why Meng Yao dared to be so arrogant before. It turns out that with such a trump card in hand, she is not afraid of losing at all. She can cause trouble as much as she wants. At least she can make up for her mistakes."

"Since she has such a trump card, why did she plan to make Pingyuan Bo have a stroke?"

"We have to cover it up and shut other people up, otherwise, things will get too ugly. Even if Emperor Jianxing insists on protecting them, they will still end up in trouble if they incur public wrath."

Gu Huanxi said unwillingly, "She escaped again."

Xu Huaiyi sighed depressedly, "Who said it wasn't true?"

In order to get hold of something against Pingyuan Marquis's Mansion, he risked his life and used himself as bait more than once. Only then did he have the chance to catch the killer, pry open the other party's mouth, and have the chance to hold Pingyuan Marquis accountable. However, it was still useless.

He was depressed for only a moment, and then he felt relieved and comforted his wife, "Don't be sad. Emperor Jianxing can't be relied on, but I'm still here. Originally, we were planning to get rid of Meng Yao by ourselves. Now we are just following the original plan. There's nothing to be upset about..."

"You are quite open-minded. Aren't you disappointed or angry when Emperor Jianxing treats you like this?"

Xu Huaiyi said calmly, "I'm not fighting for his kingdom, so it doesn't matter if I'm disappointed or not. As long as the people are not harmed by the Japanese pirates, I think everything I've done is worth it. Besides, he gave me an official title. After returning to Beijing, I should be able to get the title of a fourth-rank Wuyi General, so I'm not at a disadvantage..."

After a pause, he smiled playfully and said, "Besides, since he has been protecting Meng Yao, he must feel guilty towards me. If he feels guilty, he will want to make amends. Who knows, the reward to our family may be even more generous. At the very least, after the wheat and corn production is reported, he will have to give me a title. Otherwise, it will not only disappoint me, but also the entire court and the people of the world."

"I still feel aggrieved..."

"There's no point in getting mad at him. How many emperors have not become senile in their old age since ancient times? What do you expect from him? He's not a good person. Besides, there's no need to feel bad about it. He will get his due."

"Ok?"

"Hey, have you forgotten? Since ancient times, among the emperors who took elixirs, how many of them actually lived long lives?"

Gu Huanxi suddenly understood.

Yes, how could she forget? Those elixirs refined in ancient times all contained heavy metals. When taken in the short term, the effect was quite significant. It would make people energetic and give the illusion of rejuvenation. But over time, it would become chronic poisoning. Not to mention longevity, even the original lifespan would be destroyed.

Taking pills is definitely a way to seek death.

And those who offer elixirs will not have a good ending.

Thinking of this, she couldn't help but be curious, "Do you think Meng Yao really thinks the elixir is useful, or does she think that Emperor Jianxing only has a few years left to live, so even if something goes wrong in the future, it won't affect her?"

Xu Huaiyi shook his head. "I don't know. Anything is possible. Who cares? No matter what the possibility is, she will not have a good ending. Even if she dies, I will find a way to reveal the fact that the elixir is poisonous. At that time, the Pingyuan Marquis's Mansion will be completely wiped out without us having to deal with it."

Gu Huanxi looked at him and asked, "You still won't give up... do you want to get rid of Meng Yao yourself?"

Xu Huaiyi understood what she meant. With the offering of the elixir, he could use it as an excuse to kill Meng Yao, but this was too slow and he didn't want to take the risk. "I'm afraid it's too late. What if Emperor Jianxing takes the elixir and it works well? She uses this as an excuse to slander me. What if Emperor Jianxing gets dizzy?"

"But if you take action now, you are highly suspicious?"

"Don't worry, I have a way to clear myself."

Gu Huanxi didn't ask what the solution was, but instead talked about returning to Beijing, "You can get home tomorrow, right?"

Hearing this, Xu Huaiyi smiled and sighed, "It's not easy to get home. Emperor Jianxing may ask Prince Duan to welcome the soldiers back in triumph. By then, the city will definitely be very lively. Do you want to take the children to see it?"

Gu Huanxi glared at him and said teasingly, "Of course I have to go. Even if I don't like to join in the fun, I can't resist your daughter and Xiaoyu. They have already booked a private room. By then, I'm afraid Mr. Jiang and Doctor Jiao will also go together to welcome you, the great hero. Your daughter has even prepared a basket of flowers and plans to throw them at you."

Xu Huaiyi laughed out loud when he heard this.

The next day, several children took leave and after breakfast, they could not wait to watch the army's triumphant return.

Gu Huanxi didn't want to spoil their fun, so he had to cooperate and arrange a carriage and set out an hour earlier.

For the army to enter the city gate, they needed to calculate an auspicious time in advance. It was still very early, but this did not stop the children's excitement.

After entering the private room, Gu Huanxi had tea and snacks served, but the children had no appetite to eat. They chattered and lay at the window on the second floor, sticking their heads out to look into the distance, their excited little faces full of joy and anticipation.

Especially Gu Xiaoyu. When Xu Huaiyi was around, the feeling of missing him was not obvious. After not seeing him for more than half a year, he realized how deep his dependence on and admiration for Xu Huaiyi was. During this period, the two of them exchanged letters constantly. He had to read those nagging and earnest instructions between the lines every night before going to bed.

Only in this way can you have a good night's sleep.

Ah Li, on the other hand, was less excited. After all, the father and daughter could see each other in the RV from time to time, so she didn't think about it that much.

Gu Huanxi was the same. It was difficult for him to pretend to be excited. He felt awkward and was also afraid that his acting skills were not good enough, which would arouse suspicion. So he just acted freely and started chatting with Dr. Jiao about the pharmacy.

The pharmacy has been renovated, and the shopkeeper and clerks have all started work. They organize the medicinal materials every day and are familiar with the rules of the shop. Doctor Jiao asked Mr. Jiang to help calculate an auspicious day, and the shop will open for business five days later.

Gu Huanxi didn't interfere much and left almost all decisions to Doctor Jiao, only giving him the job of housekeeper to help run errands.

There is also the little follower A Li, who is also busy around and really puts in some effort. For example, in the backyard of the store, she cleared out a piece of land and planted some relatively rare medicinal herbs.

At first, Doctor Jiao was not optimistic, thinking that it would be difficult to keep them alive in the yard. However, as the weather warmed up, green buds sprouted from those herbs. If nothing unexpected happened, the harvest would be just around the corner.

For this reason, Doctor Jiao praised Ah Li a lot, saying that she was born to do this job, and if she mastered the medical skills, she might become famous in the future.

Ah Li was so happy that he had a bright smile on his face every day during those few days.

Mr. Jiang drank tea and listened to the two people talking. He was more concerned about the agricultural supply store that was still under renovation. When the two people finished talking, he couldn't help but ask Gu Huanxi, "Are the yields of those seeds really as high as you said?"

Gu Huanxi had responded to this question before, but Mr. Jiang took it too seriously, or perhaps the output she provided was too shocking, so he was always hesitant to believe it completely and became worried and anxious.

"I dare not say that all seeds can maintain high yields, but some of them have been verified. For example, you saw wheat last year, 700 to 800 kilograms, which is considered high yield, right? If corn is planted properly, the yield per mu can be about 1,000 kilograms. This is also the data obtained after trial planting in Hutian Village. Vegetables such as peppers and tomatoes have been planted twice since last autumn and harvested several times. Overall, the yield is also quite good. As for others, we need to verify them again. I have already grown seedlings and will move them into the store in the future. Whether it is a high-yield seed or not, let's talk about it with facts. This cannot be faked."

Mr. Jiang did not suspect that Gu Huanxi had committed fraud. He was just too worried and anxious. He always wanted to feel at ease by listening to her tell him stories again and again. After all, high-yield grain was a treasure that could save the people of Dayong from hunger. Once the yield was verified and the grain was released for promotion, it would bring a huge shock. It was conceivable that his contribution was so great that it would go down in history. Therefore, no matter how cautious he was, it was not excessive.