Gu Yanxi returned to the Qisu Division, waved away the subordinates who wanted to come up to report, and locked himself in the room.
Are you upset? Yes. Are you sad? Yes, but there is no surprise. Maybe when you were young, you had the purest admiration for the elder who was high up in the political arena but cared for you. But people grow up, and the feelings are still there, but you already know to leave room for it.
Only the right amount of emotion can maintain the relationship with the king. Too much will be too heavy, too little will be too light. You have to strike a balance. The emotion that has been weighed is both present and filtered.
On the way back, he was thinking about what to do. It was true that he wanted to give up and not care about anything. It was true that he would rather be demoted to a commoner. It was true that he wanted to live and die with Azhi. It was also true that he wanted to test the emperor's persistence in this matter. However, he used up all the chips in his hand and put all the years of uncle-nephew relationship into it, but the result did not change at all.
The emperor was determined to build the canal and leave his name in history in this way, turning a blind eye to all other hidden dangers. I'm afraid that even if the Chaoli tribe attacked the border now, as long as they didn't reach the capital, he would have people open the canal first and then ask where the enemy was.
After pouring a glass of cold water into his stomach, Gu Yanxi felt a chill in his heart. He didn't know whether the water made his heart colder or his heart made the water colder.
Human and financial resources.
Gu Yanxi dipped his hands in water and wrote these words on the table, then crossed out the financial resources. With Ah Zhi's ability, this might really allow her to come up with a plan. What he should consider is how to solve the manpower problem. Adding corvée labor would absolutely not work. Once it starts, it cannot be stopped. It will hurt the people and will do no good to Daqing.
Just as I was thinking about it, there was a knock on the door.
"Master, Aunt Yuxiang is here."
It seemed that grandma might have received some news, so Gu Yanxi walked over and opened the door.
Yuxiang bowed and said, "Your Majesty, please come over and have dinner."
Gu Yanxi looked up at the dark sky and walked towards Fushou Palace. Although other people in the inner courtyard could not go there, he could, as this was the right of the leader of the Seven Stars Division.
***
In Fushou Palace, the Queen Mother, wearing a simple white dress, sat on the Arhat bed and gently twisted the beads. She was reciting the scriptures that she had memorized by heart, but now she was reciting them incoherently. She simply stopped, put down the beads, and sighed deeply.
The palace is so small that any slight disturbance can attract the attention of other palaces. Although the emperor has withdrawn all the palace servants who served in the imperial study, it is still possible to tell whether the atmosphere is good or bad.
Others couldn't see anything, but she knew Yan Xi's identity and became worried. She hoped that the uncle and nephew, who had always gotten along well, would not have any rift between them.
Hearing the noise, she looked outside the hall and waved to Yuxiang.
Yuxiang understood and sent everyone else away, standing guard at the door herself.
Gu Yanxi called out "Grandma" in a hoarse voice.
The Queen Mother smiled and said, "Come and sit down, and talk to Grandmother."
Gu Yanxi sat down opposite her grandmother, took off the mask and put it aside.
"You must have been wronged." The Queen Mother looked at his bruised face with heartache. She did not dare to touch it and instead held her grandson's hand. The rough touch under her hand made her want to sigh again. Every prince and nobleman was raised delicately and tenderly, but hers had such rough and thick skin.
Gu Yanxi shook her head. "Nothing. Don't listen to those who say that the wind is rain."
"There's no need to listen. I can tell from your face that it has something to do with the girl from the Hua family."
"Grandmother..."
"Grandmother doesn't know what you said, but she knows who entered and left the palace. How come the emperor punished you?"
Gu Yanxi thought with self-mockery, this wasn't just cleaning up, this was clearly beating to death.
"The Emperor disagrees with your plan?" The Queen Mother laughed. "I'm not surprised. It would be strange if he agreed."
"The emperor used the Hua family as a threat and asked Azhi to dig a canal for him. The total length is about 600 kilometers. All manpower and financial resources were left to Azhi to solve on her own." Seeing the stunned look on the face of her grandmother who had always remained calm, Gu Yanxi smiled bitterly, "He wants to be remembered for eternity and force Azhi to be remembered for eternity."
"Is he crazy? How can this be a good time to build a canal? Has the Chaoli tribe's problem been solved? Has the crown prince been appointed? Has the natural disaster been dealt with?"
"I am responsible for the Chaoli tribe's problems. The crown prince will be chosen from among the princes anyway. There are ministers to provide relief and deal with natural disasters. There are too many people to share the worries."
The Queen Mother frowned slightly, "That girl is capable, but no matter how capable she is, she can't stand such torture from him. Can I go and talk to the Emperor?"
"It's useless, grandma. No matter who goes, it's useless. He won't listen to anyone now. No matter whether it's Azhi or I who explained all the pros and cons, he just pretended not to see or hear anything. He only wanted that one result."
How could the Queen Mother not know the temperament of the son who came out of her belly? She pinched her eyebrows and asked, "What are your rules now?"
"Azhi was slightly injured and went back to rest. The emperor gave her a day to consider it. Although it was considered consideration, she had no other choice but to take this job." Gu Yanxi's brows were furrowed from beginning to end. This matter was too difficult.
The Queen Mother really couldn't think of any solution. She was silent for a moment, then called Yuxiang in and said, "Go and get my smallest box."
Although it is said to be the smallest box, it is actually not small. Yuxiang knows best that the things in this box are the most valuable things the Queen Mother has.
The Queen Mother opened it and turned the box around. "All of Grandmother's things are here. There are quite a few deeds to the land, property deeds, banknotes, and shops. If we put them all together, they should be of some use."
"You don't have to do this. How can your grandson have the nerve to use your money?"
"I was planning to leave it to you, but I just handed it to you earlier. This is all I have, and I don't think they would value it, so I won't share it." The Queen Mother closed the box and smiled jokingly, "The Hua family girl's ability to turn stone into gold has spread to the palace. Once this silver is in her hands, she may be able to make more money."
Turning stone into gold? Gu Yanxi suddenly had an idea and connected the matter. When the emperor was investigating him, he found Ah Zhi and heard about Ah Zhi's ability to turn stone into gold. The emperor, who had always wanted to build a canal but had no money or people, found the money bag, so he brought Ah Zhi into the palace, tricked and frightened her, and after a lot of threats, he forced this fatal task on her head!
I see!
Gu Yanxi stood up suddenly, "Grandma, I remember that I have something to take care of, so I will take my leave first."
The Queen Mother did not stop him, "Go and get busy. Take your things with you."
Gu Yanxi looked at the box and shook her head. "My grandson will not be polite if he needs it. I don't know what Ah Zhi's rules are yet, so it's better for you to keep it for now."
"That's fine. I'll just think about it again."
Gu Yanxi bowed again and strode away.
Yuxiang escorted the people out of the palace, and when she came back, she saw the Queen Mother pouring out all the things in the box, "Your Majesty, I am here."
The Queen Mother let go of her hands and said, "Count carefully and see if there is anything left. Collect them all together."
"yes."