Scholars are a group with very strong verbal action ability. Not long after the quarrel with Wei Lan, the "Royal Brushes" of the princes and nobles began to get busy with these scholars' opinions of "requiring the princes to pay taxes". The question of whether or not to reform the law is not so acute.
Seeing that the plan of separation had worked, Wei Lan began to directly ask the top and bottom to start implementing the reform.
Su Bai has no opinion on this matter, but he has always had a big opinion on Wei Lan, so he reprimanded Wei Lan in court many times, and Wei Lan just smiled and said nothing.
A month later, a well-known scholar wrote a letter of ten thousand words in front of the palace gate, asking the emperor to let the princes pay taxes directly.
When the matter developed to this point, the princes and nobles could not help but panic. Within half a month of the people's riots, the local and state governments began to write letters one after another, saying that they agreed with Xie Zichen's reform method, and felt that Xie Zichen's reform was more appropriate than letting the princes pay taxes.
Without the obstruction of these local nobles, the reform was smoothly pushed down from top to bottom. The people rioted for three months, and several Wan Yan letters were published. Xie Zichen secretly issued orders to the prefects everywhere, expressly appease, and secretly arrested all those who secretly took the lead.
Do it all at once, second time tired, third time exhausted. In the summer, the reform was finally implemented.
At this time, Xie Zichen secretly arrested someone and reported to him that a group of people from Ronghua were leading the troubles in various places.
Xie Zichen told Wei Lan about this, and Wei Lan smiled: "Does he think Di Jie is too stable?"
So in June, Da Chu raised the tax rate for Di Jie to enter the customs. Except for horses, all items of Di Jie were exchanged with Da Chu, and the tax was increased by 30%. The commerce and trade in Dachu is more developed than other places. Under such a protection policy, Dijie, apart from horses, has become extremely difficult to sell, including spices and other things. Da Chu can turn to other small countries to buy spices, but Di Jie has to exchange salt and other necessities with Da Chu.
There was a lot of discussion inside Di Jie, and some necessities were cut off. The nobles also knew what happened in their hearts, and put pressure on Ronghua. Two months later, Rong Hua secretly divorced Wei Lan and made peace with Wei Lan. Wei Lan didn't want to have any confrontation with Rong Hua, so she lowered the tariff again.
After such a fight, Rong Hua became much quieter. After all, the situation in the north is more complicated than that in the south. Dijie is a country gathered by ethnic minorities, headed by the Dijie people, who rule about more than 50 small tribes. The riots are much more complicated than Dachu. A little provocation by Wei Lan is enough for Ronghua to accept.
Rong Hua also knew this truth, after being threatened quietly by Wei Lan once, without provoking him, both parties put away their fangs and began to sharpen their knives.
After Ronghua was quiet, the situation in Dachu suddenly became stable. At this time, the concubine Jiang's child was already over one year old, but Su Bai had no plans to establish a heir. , An undercurrent surged in the court.
But all of this was hidden under the joyous song. In the summer of this year, Wang Xi and Xie Yun, the third lady of the Xie family, got married.
This move seemed to be a concession from the Wang family. When Concubine Wang Guifei was pregnant, the Wang family did not take the initiative to attack. Instead, they married Miss Xie's family, which surprised everyone. Even Wei Lan was very surprised when she heard about this, she went to Xie Zichen and asked, "Your Xie family wants to marry the Wang family?"
"Hmm." Xie Zichen looked at the document and said calmly, "Accident?"
"Very surprised," Wei Lan sat in front of Xie Zichen and thought about it, "How did the two of you discuss it and make peace?"
"Wang Xi came to tell me," he said calmly, "When you and I are in court, the Wang family will not leave Yangzhou."
Yangzhou is the state capital directly controlled by the Wang family, and it is also the source of the Wang family's confidence as the number one noble. Among the Kyushu, Yangzhou is the largest and most prosperous. Even Xie Jiahua and Yizhou can't compete with Yangzhou. Wang Xi's meaning is very clear. Their Wang family is willing to give up the power of the entire central group and become a local family. During Xie Zichen Weilan's reign, the Wang family will not compete for the central position.
The root of the dispute between the Wang family and the Xie family lies in the scramble for all resources derived from political resources. Wang Xi suddenly proposed this condition now that Wang Guifei is pregnant, and there is a kind of thought-provoking concession in it.
Xie Zichen originally thought that Wang Xi and him would have to argue for a lifetime, but he never thought that this person was much more transparent than he imagined.
"How did he tell you?" Wei Lan frowned: "Why would he have such an idea?"
"He sees far." Xie Zichen also expressed appreciation in his words: "He told me that he saw that our reform was actually aimed at the Northern Expedition. If we have such intentions, the Wang family is willing to back down."
"Moreover, he also understands that the current situation is not the end of the two of us at all. If the Wang family continues to carry on, it may be overthrown."
Wei Lan nodded, Xie Zichen raised his hand and brushed her soft hair: "We, Lan, have the ambition to bring peace to the world."
He spoke plainly, with gentle words, and for some reason, he felt that this person was full of eyes and pampering, as if he was holding the world and playing a big game with her.
There was a very subtle emotion in Wei Lan's heart, both awkward and joyful.
She responded and turned her head away.
After Wang Xi and Xie Yun's marriage was settled, the night before the wedding, he called Wei Lan and Ruan Kangcheng over.
The three of them seemed to be the same as when they were teenagers. They were drunk at Wang's house. Wang Xi and Ruan Kangcheng took some Wushi powder and felt a little hot, so they loosened their clothes and tied them loosely with a belt. The summer night is warm, Wang Xi lay in the grass, eyes blurred and said: "I remember the first time I met Alan, it was in this courtyard, and I thought that Alan was as beautiful as a woman amazing."
Wei Lan didn't speak, she followed Wang Xi's words, recalling the past, Wang Xi seemed to be recalling something, closed her eyes, and said slowly: "There were so many people at the reception that year."
"Yes." Ruan Kangcheng answered the words and drank the wine, feeling a bit bitter.
They used to drink, they were always noisy, never once, like today, they were speechless and could only drink quietly.
Wei Lan pondered why, and then remembered that no matter what kind of occasion or atmosphere, Wang Xi always had a way to liven it up. He is like a fish, and the world is water, he swims happily in the world, is good to everyone, and has a distance from everyone.
Wei Lan has always been uncertain about what is important and what is not important to Wang Xi.
Except for Lin Che.
Lin Che's death was the only time when Wei Lan saw Wang Xi reveal his right and wrong so thoroughly. This made Wei Lan realize that even for someone like Wang Xi who doesn't seem to care about anyone, there will be someone who makes him unable to let go and give up his principles.
The three drank quietly, and Ruan Kangcheng fell down first. Wang Xi asked someone to help Ruan Kangcheng down, turned to look at Wei Lan, raised his glass and said, "Are you still drinking?"
"Drink." Wei Lan smiled: "Ah Xi wants to drink, so I will."
"Actually, when I was young, I thought that I would call out my brothers the night before we got married. We would drink happily, and we would lie on the ground laughing. At that time, I thought that when I got married, I must be happy of."
"I don't know why," Wang Xi raised her hand, pointed at the empty seat beside Wei Lan, and said with a wry smile, "I'm looking at the empty seats, but I feel sad, too sad."
"Soon, Ah Che will be gone for almost a year." Wang Xi closed his eyes and sighed, "Ah Shao has also been gone for almost a year."
Wei Lan didn't speak, Wang Xi looked up at her, and said gently: "A Lan, this life is too short, so cherish it."
"You don't know when the person next to you will disappear."
Wei Lan opened her mouth, unable to speak. The voice of the guards announced from outside, saying that Xie Zichen was coming to pick her up. Wang Xi knocked on the table with a fan, saw the servant leading the young man in a white robe embroidered with cranes in, and said with a smile, "Look, it's still the same as before."
"As soon as you drink," Wang Xi's brows and eyes were full of nostalgia: "he came."
While speaking, Xie Zichen had already walked to Wei Lan's side.
She raised her head and stared at him blankly, he looked at her with blank eyes, knowing that she had drunk too much, he stretched out his hand to her, and said gently: "Alan, I will take you home. "
Wei Lan heard his voice, and it took her a long time to recover. Holding on to his sanity, he turned his head and bid farewell to Wang Xi. Wang Xi waved his hand, and Xie Zichen helped Wei Lan get up.
Wei Lan's footsteps were a little flimsy, Xie Zichen held her waist with one hand, put his hand on his shoulder with the other, and led her out.
As the night wind blows, Wei Lan turns her head to look at the person beside her, feeling a little dazed.
"Zichen," she couldn't help but say, "will you leave me?"
"No." Xie Zichen said decisively: "Alan, I have never been a person who will let it go."
"That's good..." Wei Lan said slowly: "I'm afraid, what should I do if you are not by my side."
"Don't you still have a career?" Xie Zichen chuckled, "Even if I'm not here, you still have a lot to do."
Wei Lan didn't speak, Xie Zichen helped her into the carriage and let her lean on his shoulder. She closed her eyes, smelled the smell of this person, and said slowly: "But, I will be sad."
"Xie Zichen," she said hoarsely, thinking of Huan Heng, Ji Shao, Su Cheng and that group of people back then. Hoarsely said: "If there is no you in this world, no matter how many things I have to do, I will be sad."
Xie Zichen was taken aback for a moment, this is the first time that Wei Lan has put together those grand plans and great achievements in his life and hers.
His heart was full of warmth, and he couldn't help but bowed his head and kissed that person.
"Don't be afraid," he said softly, "Just go forward, I can keep up, and when you turn around, you will be able to see me."
"I'm here." His eyes were all on her: "I've always been here."
Wei Lan was hungover all night, and when she woke up the next day, she rushed to Wang's house to prepare for Wang Xi's wedding. She is Wang Xi's best man, and she wants to help Wang Xi open the way to meet relatives and guests. Wang Xi has a romantic temperament, even if he marries a woman based on politics, he will be well prepared.
So on the day of the wedding, the maid sprinkled flowers from the street to the end of the street, which made the girls in Shengjing very envious.
Wei Lan watched the two worship with a smile, Xie Zichen looked at Wei Lan's smile, and whispered: "Envy?"
Wei Lan turned around in surprise: "How come?"
She chuckled lightly, and there seemed to be a clear breeze between her brows and eyes: "These are all things that the Liang family likes, but I don't like them."
"Then what do you like?" Xie Zichen smiled: "The world?"
"The world is unified, and the world is clear and bright." Wei Lan put her hands behind her back, and said with emotion: "If you can win the reputation of future generations, it will last forever. If you can live like this, you will have no regrets."
Hearing this, Xie Zichen stood shoulder to shoulder with her, and quietly took her hand under his wide sleeve.
"I don't have a big wish." He looked at Wang Xi and Xie Yunbaitang with flat eyes, "I just want to put my name with you everywhere."
You leave your name in history, and I will accompany you in history forever.
The two looked at each other and smiled, Xie Zichen looked back at Xie Yun, but then remembered again: "Speaking of which, it seems that you and I have never had a good time playing."
"The night I went to the moat..."
"I deliberately led you to find traces of Yan Lan's murder."
"Tsk." Wei Lan showed a disgusted expression: "Xie Zichen, you are really too calculating."
"I'm not counting on you this time," Xie Zichen held her hand and tilted his head slightly: "Will you spend the Qixi Festival with me?"
"The ministers invite you, there will be mountains of swords and seas of fire, let's go now."
Xie Zichen was used to her emphasis, so he smiled and didn't say much.
In the next few days, Xie Zichen became busy. He seemed to be doing something quietly without letting Wei Lan know. He doesn't tell, and Wei Lan doesn't ask, everyone has some little secrets, and she doesn't like to get to the bottom of it.
After the household tax was pushed down, the tax revenue for the first season was raised, which was more than three times that of previous years, and the common people did not see any complaints. For a while, the voices that originally questioned Wei Lan disappeared.
With money, many things can be done easily. Wang Ning then increased the army, and the army that Wei Lan handed over to Wei Xiong also began to recruit soldiers, from the initial 30,000 to 80,000.
Wei Lan was busy contacting Wei Xiong about the military affairs, and soon it was Qixi Festival. On Qixi Festival, Xie Zichen went back to Xie Mansion by himself, and made an appointment with Wei Lan to wait in Yuelao Temple. Wei Lan pushed away all the official duties, and before going, she put on her long-lost women's clothing, and asked Ran Mo to give her a delicate bun. She didn't have any women's things, she gathered them up scatteredly, and there were not many hair accessories on her head.
But this can't conceal her exquisite appearance. She wiped off her usual heroic makeup. Like in her previous life, she drew slender eyebrows, licked the cherry-colored pure paper, and pasted plum blossoms on her forehead. It makes her a lot more beautiful.
She had never dressed up in such detail before, when she stood up, Ran Mo opened her mouth, and said after a long time: "My lord, it turns out that you still have a bright future..."
Wei Lan smiled slightly, her smile was frank, instantly mixed with a kind of indistinguishable beauty, sweeping away the soft and charming temperament just now. Ran Mo immediately said: "Forget it, pretend I didn't say it."
When she was ready, Wei Lan took the gift she had chosen for Xie Zichen, got into the carriage, and came to Yuelao Temple.
At this moment, there was no one in front of Yuelao Temple, she had nothing to do, so she bought a pure white mask and put it on her face, and then quietly waited for Xie Zichen.
Not long after, she saw Xie Zichen coming. He was wearing a lake blue wide-sleeved robe, his hair was tied with a white jade hairpin, and he held a small fan in his hand. He looked casual, like a young man traveling.
When he came to Yuelao Temple, maybe he had never seen her in women's clothing before, so he didn't recognize her, and waited there quietly.
Wei Lan thought it was funny for a while, so she stood beside him wearing a mask and looked at him quietly without saying a word.
He stood there for a while, but he didn't feel impatient, but asked Xie Tong, "Where's Madam? You haven't come yet?"
Xie Tong shook his head: "The dark guard said he's already here."
Xie Zichen frowned, seemingly puzzled, and then he looked in Wei Lan's direction. Wei Lan knew that if she avoided it at this time, it would definitely arouse Xie Zichen's suspicion, so she pretended to be shy and lowered her head, and turned around to pick out the sachet, as if feeling shy.
This kind of woman is definitely not Wei Lan. Xie Zichen turned his eyes away and stood at the door for a while, but he was not even a bit impatient.
Wei Lan wanted to go up to reveal her identity, but at this moment, Xie Zichen suddenly stepped up and left the original position.
Wei Lan felt a little curious, so she followed, but saw Xie Zichen entered the Yuelao Temple alone, then asked for a wooden sign, wrote their names, and hung it in the middle of the rows of wooden signs. Then he entered the Yuelao Temple and knelt down to worship Yuelao himself.
After visiting the Yuelao Temple, Xie Zichen walked down the street, but he had no intention of looking for her at all. Wei Lan was not sure what Xie Zichen meant, so she followed him and watched him wandering around. I bought hosta for a while, bought gouache for a while, bought pastry for a while, and bought a folding fan for a while...
He bought a bunch of miscellaneous things, and then guessed the lantern all the way.
He is very good at guessing riddles, guessing all the way from the street to the end of the street, there is no riddle that he can't guess without the stall. According to the rules of Qixi Festival, he was the one who guessed it, and the lantern should be his, but he guessed too much, so he simply refused to take it.
At the end of the guess, he stopped in front of an orchid lantern.
This is a marquee lantern made in the shape of an orchid. Turning it around, you can see butterflies flying on the flower, which is extremely delicate. However, the riddle of this lantern is also the most difficult to guess. It is rumored that this lantern has been on for nearly ten years at the Qixi Lantern Festival.
Xie Zichen went all the way to guess the riddles, and everyone noticed that there was a large group of people following behind him at this moment, and Wei Lan was mixed in with this large group of people. Seeing Xie Zichen listening in front of the orchid lantern, everyone started whispering.
"He will definitely not be able to guess it." A man said, "I have been guessing this riddle for ten years."
"How could it be?" A girl continued, "He is so handsome, he must be able to guess it!"
"What does being handsome have to do with guessing riddles?" The man seemed a little annoyed: "You're judging people by their appearance."
"That's right," the girl said frankly, "If you look as handsome as that young master, I think you are good at everything."
"you… "
The two started arguing, Wei Lan looked at the people in the crowd with a smile, and after a while, Xie Zichen raised his hand and picked up the riddle hanging under the lamp.
The white snake crosses the river with a red sun above its head.
Originally, this riddle is not difficult to guess, but it requires that after guessing this thing, it is necessary to use a pair of puzzles to come up with a second line.
Xie Zichen looked at the lantern and said calmly: "Oil lamp. The oolong is on the wall, and it is covered with ten thousand gold stars."
After speaking, he raised his hand and took the orchid lantern.
The boss didn't stop him, which means he indirectly acknowledged his answer. The crowd made a commotion, and a young girl suddenly said: "My lord, you don't have anyone to give this lantern to, why don't you give it to me."
Hearing this, everyone laughed. Xie Zichen hooked the corners of his mouth, and stood in a dimly lit place, his delicate facial features shrouded in a light layer of light, as if he had been exiled to the mortal world, and just one glance made one's heart flutter.
Xie Zichen cast his eyes on Wei Lan, but said, "Who says I have no one to send?"
With that said, he walked towards Wei Lan.
Wei Lan didn't move, just stood there, seeing the crowd make way for him, he held up the lantern, slowly came to her, handed the lantern to her, and said gently: "This lantern is my It was specially won as a gift for my wife."
Wei Lan smiled, took the lantern calmly, raised her hand and took a rabbit lantern from the side, but handed it to the little girl who spoke.
"Girl," she said softly, "Girl is so cute, it goes well with this lamp."
The girl froze for a moment, obviously the person wearing the mask in front of her was a woman's costume, but being watched by those watery eyes, even if she couldn't see her face, the girl felt her heart beat faster. She took the rabbit lamp, but hesitated and couldn't say anything. Wei Lan returned to Xie Zichen's side, held up the lamp and said, "Let's go."
"Give her a lamp, but not me?" Xie Zichen folded his hands in his sleeves, raised his eyebrows and said, "Is it so unfair?"
"I am all yours," Wei Lan raised her hand and tied her hair behind her ears, and said calmly, "A mere lantern, are you still jealous?"
Xie Zichen was seen through, coughed, turned his head away, but said: "Come with me to the tower, let's go see the scenery."
"Huh?" Wei Lan was a little puzzled, and then said, "Okay."
In fact, originally, she also planned to let Xie Zichen go to the tower.
But Xie Zichen brought it up first, although she was puzzled, she also kept her thoughts to herself.
The two dragged each other along the streets and alleys, bought things for each other, and then climbed up the tower.
When approaching Zizi at that time, the people who were originally playing also dispersed. Standing on the tower, the whole Shengjing seemed to be extraordinarily quiet.
The stars in the sky were very close, Wei Lan and Xie Zichen stood side by side, Xie Zichen said slowly, "Sometimes I envy Wang Xi."
"What do you envy him for?"
"I envy him for always having so many ways to please people."
Xie Zichen smiled: "I have never pursued anyone, and when I am with you, I never know what to do and how to do it. You will disdain me if I coax you like an ordinary woman, but if I don't do more What, I always feel it's unfair to you."
As he said that, he turned his head, his eyes were full of tenderness: "I want you to have what other women have. I want you to have what other women can't use."
Wei Lan froze for a moment, and at this time the ion time was less than a quarter of an hour, Xie Zichen raised his hand and took off her mask.
Under the mask, the soft facial features of the woman are shockingly beautiful, which coincided with countless dreams of his youth, and hit Xie Zichen's heart hard.
This is his wife.
He has never had such a clear realization for a moment that this person is already married to him, and this person will be with him for the rest of his life.
He raised his hand to cover her clear eyes, bowed his head and kissed her.
When he kissed her, Shengjing's lights seemed to be organized by someone, and large areas were extinguished.
It turned into a piece of pure black, and then Xie Zichen raised his head, pointed at Shengjing with his fan, and said gently: "Lan, look."
Wei Lan turned her head away, the night wind was blowing her hair, the hair was entangled with Xie Zichen, and her hand was holding his. Then she saw the lights in Shengjing light up bit by bit, as if they were burning, quickly connecting lines across the city.
The lights are connected together to form a huge territory. At that time, when Da Chu had not been expelled from the north to the south by Di Jie, the complete territory of Da Chu.
"I know, if I just give you romance and a lantern, in your heart, it's probably a man's thing." Xie Zichen's voice floated in the air, and said slowly: "But I always want to give you more A little bit, so I thought, I’ll give you Da Chu’s country.”
"Alan," Xie Zichen held her hand tightly, and said earnestly, "I will definitely be with you in this life. I will send you lanterns all over the city today, and I will send you thousands of miles in the coming year."
Wei Lan didn't say a word, just at that moment, the time had come.
The bell ringer rang the ancient clock of the city tower, and the bell rang throughout Shengjing. At that moment, fireworks shot up into the sky and bloomed in the sky.
Under the gorgeous fireworks, Wei Lan smiled, and said a little embarrassedly: "I... originally wanted to give you a firework."
"But compared to now," Wei Lan sighed: "It seems that the fireworks are nothing."
The author has something to say:
[Small Theater·Interview]
Mo Shubai: "Wei Lan, what do you mean by this fireworks?"
Wei Lan: "I originally thought that Xie Zichen was envious of Wang Xi's romance with his wife, but then I thought... as for Wang Xi's kind of pediatrics, I will too!"
Mo Shubai: "Then?"
Wei Lan: "Then, I found out that in front of Xie Zichen, we are all pediatricians. Mo Shubai, tell me the truth, is this the first time he has been in love? The first time?!! Is it really the first time?!! "
Mo Shubai: "Really... the first time..."
Wei Lan: "I don't believe it, I don't believe it! The old driver I've talked to so many times doesn't have this kind of flirting!!"
Xie Zichen: "Alan, why, aren't you happy being teased by me?"
Wei Lan: "..."
I feel that I have lost the dignity of the old driver.