System, help me be an empress

Chapter 182

Xu Youxi didn't rush to summon Du Nian, but first asked Du Zhiyi to inquire about the situation. Before she made this arrangement, she should at least ask her family for their opinions.

When Du Zhiyi heard Xu Youxi mention Du Nian's name, his expression was obviously a bit astonished, but he quickly recovered his usual composure: "It's all up to His Majesty's arrangement."

After getting this answer, Xu Youxi heaved a sigh of relief before proceeding with the arrangement with confidence.

When Du Zhiyi left, he walked hurriedly, as if he had something urgent to do.

In the afternoon, Xu Youxi summoned Du Nian to the palace, and only then did he meet the real person.

Du Nian's eyes when he was concentrating were somewhat similar to Du Zhiyi's. His facial features were all beautiful, but his facial contours lacked the softness of a woman. on her.

The longer Xu Youxi stared at Du Nian, the more familiar she seemed: "Did we meet somewhere before?"

As soon as these words came out, Xu Youxi felt a little inappropriate.

There was a faint smile in Du Nian's eyes: "Your Majesty, during the Mid-Autumn Festival last year, Cao Min met you once."

When it comes to Mid-Autumn Festival, Xu Youxi quickly recalled: "The mid-autumn pitching pot, are you the scholar who won the painting? What men's clothes are you wearing?"

Du Nian was indeed dressed in men's clothing that day, and it was not clear if it was because of the dark sky. Xu Youxi only thought that the scholar was a little thin and weak, but he didn't realize that it was a woman at all.

"Yes." Du Nian admitted generously, "Cao Min traveled a lot when he was a child, and wearing men's clothes will make walking easier."

"You... don't look surprised by my identity?"

"Yes. Except for the Son of Heaven, who else can order Xu Ling, the Commander of Nanzhen Prefecture, in the whole of Shangjing?"

It didn't take much for Du Nian to recognize Xu Youxi's identity. She had also admired the Empress for a long time. In the letter sent back by her father before, she repeatedly mentioned that His Majesty is a "great talent", a rare emperor star in thousands of years.

You know, her father never praised anyone, and when he met a good person, he would just say 'it's okay'.But the more Du Zhiyi mentioned Xu Youxi, the more curious Du Nian became.

Therefore, when she found out that Xu Youxi, whom she met by chance, wanted to vote for the first prize painting at the pot booth, she deliberately took the first step to win it, just to create an opportunity to get acquainted with His Majesty in advance.

However, after waiting for a long time at the pitching pot booth, she saw Xu Youxi reluctantly glanced at the painting she was holding, and left with regret.

……

Xu Youxi looked at the frank Du Nian, but her gaze fell on her calloused hand: "I have read the list of counties that went to the countryside this time, and your assessments are all the best, especially He has profound attainments in archery."

"My father is incompetent. So when Cao Min was young, he often couldn't eat, so he figured out how to use a slingshot to shoot birds for extra meals. Later, when he grew up, he found that bows and arrows were easy to use, and he could hunt more meaty animals. Practice makes perfect."

"Since you are both civil and military, why didn't you take part in this year's imperial examination, but chose this 'going to the countryside' plan?" Xu Youxi was a little puzzled.

"Imperial examinations are held every year, and the grassroots feel that it is more meaningful to participate in the 'Going to the Countryside' plan."

Hearing what she said, Xu Youxi became interested: "Du Nian, if I arrange for you to experience training in Dongning County, which suffered the most from the snowstorm, would you be willing?"

"Grassmen are willing."

Du Nian recalled all the information about Dongning that he had learned before.

"What do you plan to do after you arrive in Dongning?" Xu Youxi asked an open question, and there was no standard answer.

Du Nian said without hesitation, "When the grass people arrive in Dongning, the first thing they need to do is go up the mountain to hunt wolves."

"Why?"

"First of all, the wolves on Dongning Mountain have eaten human flesh, so they must not be allowed to stay; if they don't kill them today, the wolves will still go down the mountain to attack humans in the future when they encounter famine. If you want to become rich, you must use the barren hills, but if there are wolves on the hills, how can anyone dare to go up the hills? Third, killing the wolves is to avenge the dead Dongning villagers. Dongning people hate Through these hungry wolves, organizing them to kill wolves is the fastest way to bring them together."

Hearing what she said, Xu Youxi laughed instead: "A group of ordinary people with bare hands, how do you convince them to risk their lives to slaughter wolves?"

"How can you kill a pack of wolves with your bare hands?" Du Nian said in amazement, "Gunpowder, poison, traps, which one won't work? It really doesn't work. The grassroots arrow skills are good. There are [-] to [-]% sure that you can shoot the wolf king first. Once the wolf king dies, The wolves dispersed."

"However, the grasslanders are more inclined to use drugs, so that after slaughtering wolves, the whole wolf skin can be peeled off, and it can be sold at a good price outside; wolf hair is used to make writing brushes; wolf teeth and wolf bones are used as weapons and jewelry. It is very popular, although the wolf meat is not delicious, it is a pity to throw it away, so it can be marinated and dried, and it will be used as an emergency food reserve later..."

Before Du Nian went to Dongning, he made a clear plan for the fate of the wolves on the mountain.

This made Xu Youxi dumbfounded. With Du Nian's method of dealing with wolves, if she entered the court and worked as an official for a few years, Du Zhiyi wouldn't need to be her backer, right?

"While hunting wolves, the roads and houses were rebuilt, and the abandoned land had to be replanted."

"After the wolves are sold, you can use the money to buy some chickens, cattle, sheep, etc., and raise them on the mountain to make money. As for the barren hills, if the conditions are right, you can consider planting fruit trees. If not , you can consider forestry development and the like... When you have money and everything goes well, pave cement roads and open factories, Dongning will soon become rich."

The previous course of 'Yao Dacheng' was not in vain. For the post-disaster reconstruction work in Dongning County, Du Nian has already considered how to drive the people of Dongning to get rich in the future.

"This...Du Nian, I arranged for you to go to Dongning County with the Prefect Wang of Pingshun Prefecture to complete the post-disaster reconstruction. If you have any requests, you can ask me in advance."

"The grassroots have no demands, but only hope that they can do more for the local people." Du Nian said sincerely.

"In this snow disaster, Dongning County is the place with the most casualties in the whole north. Now people all over the world are staring at it, waiting for the result. If Dongning's post-disaster reconstruction work is not done well, then people all over the world will naturally I feel that the reconstruction quality of the entire snow disaster is very average. Therefore, you who went to Dongning are also under the most pressure."

Du Nian did not expect the burden to be so heavy this time: "Your Majesty, the people of Caomin must do their best to carry out this task, and if they encounter problems that cannot be solved during the process, they will report to the court in time."

"it is good."

After talking with Du Nian, Xu Youxi became more determined about the original arrangement; besides Du Nian, Xu Youxi assigned Bao Youjin to a small impoverished county near Guangdong.Xu Youxi had been there before, and although the environment was a bit harsh, the folk customs were fine, and the people were kind. If Bao Youjin went there, he would suffer a little materially, but don't worry too much about safety.

The imperial decree prepared by Xu Youxi was issued a day later, requiring officials in charge of post-disaster reconstruction to leave within five days. Students in Xiaxiang County do not have to make mandatory requirements, and they can leave within half a month.

When Xu Youxi's imperial decree is conveyed, it can be said that some families are happy and some are sad.

The day after Bao Youjin saw the imperial decree, he packed his luggage and set off. He was also the first of their group to leave Shangjing.

"No need to send it off. Each station will have a special person take me for a journey, so I won't get lost. I will write to Shangjing regularly to report safety." Good friends say goodbye one by one.

It was a sunny day in Shangjing, and the sky was exceptionally clear, with a few clouds drifting carelessly.

"Bao Youjin, is it possible that you have prepared too few things?" Xu Youxi looked at the bag that contained at most two or three changes of clothes, it was a bit too crude, right?
He Muqing, who was standing beside him, sighed: "I tried to persuade him, but it was useless. He admitted his death, saying that he went to a remote county this time to endure hardship, not to enjoy it in the past. How can he be greedy for temporary material wealth?"

"...he will regret it."

Xu Youxi only thought it was absurd.

"Fortunately, he went to Guangdong. Peiyao was there, and my father was there. I wrote to them to pick him up in advance. By the way, he prepared some necessities for Bao Youjin. If it was in another place, I would There is really no way to save him." He Muqing looked helpless, "The same group of people who are going to the countryside and counties with him have prepared several carriages and things, such as changing clothes, bed sheets, bedding, cakes and dry food. You can see To see him."

Xu Youxi really couldn't figure it out: "Why did he somehow feel that he could not bring more luggage?"

Standing by the side for a while, the same scholar who came to see him off from Xiaxiang County answered their doubts: "Because we are No.1 in this batch. What Bao Youjin said just now came from that one." In the mouth of the name, No.1 said that she only needs to bring a change of clothes and a bow and arrow, and Brother Yujin felt that she was so courageous as a woman, so he followed suit."

"...The first thing you said was Du Nian?"

"Yes, you know Du Nian?"

Xu Youxi was in a very complicated mood.

Du Nian dared to say such a thing with confidence, even if he didn't bring dry food, if he went to the wilderness, there would be picnics everywhere!He Bao Youjin passed by, and he couldn't even tell which tree's bark was edible, okay?

Ugh.

In the court hall, Du Zhiyi pits Bao Shoufu;
Under the court, he became the only son of Du Zhiyi's daughter, Keng Bao Changnian;

Well, as an emperor, why do she have to worry about the complicated family relationship of her courtiers?
He Muqing asked curiously: "Li Si, do you know Du Nian? Does she only carry such a small amount of luggage?"

"Du Nian and her father have been to many places, and she can take care of herself even under extremely harsh conditions, but Bao Youjin grew up rich and well-off, there is no comparison between them." Xu Youxi sighed, " You see, he has suffered a lot along the way."

After Xu Youxi finished speaking, he saw the familiar face on the city wall from the corner of the eye, and turned around to see that it was indeed Bao Changnian in casual clothes.

He lost the high spirits he used to have in court, and looked like an elderly father looking worriedly at his silly son who had left home.

……

Among this group of students, Du Nian was the second to leave Shangjing.

She left on the fourth day after the decree was issued, mainly to wait for the Wang Zhifu from Pingshun Prefecture to go with her, so she wasted a lot of time.

Also a warrior who doesn't need luggage!

With these two people at the head, those who hadn't set off in the back were a little ashamed to face their four or five carriages with luggage. Everyone secretly thought in their hearts that they should reduce their luggage by an appropriate amount when they go back!
Du Nian is wearing a whole set of gray men's clothing today, and if you look carefully, you can still see her daughter's body. Apart from the small burden on her back, there is only a small bow hanging behind her.

When seeing off Du Nian, Xu Youxi came over.He Muqing also heard a lot of legends about Du Nian in the past two days, which made her too curious about this person, so she came over with Xu Youxi to see him off with a shy face.

Du Nian handed the scroll that he had been holding onto to Xu Youxi: "After the Mid-Autumn Festival, I haven't had a chance to give this painting to you."

Xu Youxi paused for a moment before taking the scroll: "Thank you, be careful on the road."

Du Nian smiled very cleanly: "I have to tell people who meet me to be careful."

Soon, three carriages drove over from outside Shangjing City, and the prefect Wang of Pingshun Prefecture jumped out of the carriage awkwardly, saw Xu Youxi at first sight, and ran over excitedly, about to salute: "I pay my respects to Mr. Li! "

"Haha. Long time no see, Wang Zhifu looks more and more like a parent official." Xu Youxi also had a smile in his eyes, "Pingshun Mansion is not what it used to be! The last time cholera sent supplies to Beiyuan City, this time the snowstorm rescued nearby cities The county has done exceptionally well, and you are not far from being promoted as a parent official."

"It's thanks to Master Li's promotion."

Xu Youxi introduced Du Nian to Wang Zhifu: "Wang Zhifu, this is Du Nian who is traveling with you, a very good pillar of the court, please take good care of her along the way, in case you encounter problems that cannot be resolved later For things, ask her more."

"Yes, yes." Wang Zhifu nodded modestly, "Miss Du, I have prepared a separate carriage for you to rest on the road, and I have prepared a lot of food and drink. Follow me, along the way I’m sure you won’t have to worry about food and drink! We’ll be discussing the post-disaster reconstruction ideas of Dongning County on the way later!”

Du Nian didn't expect Wang Zhifu to have such a good personality. At first, she was a little worried that they might not be able to talk.But thinking about it is also true, His Majesty attaches so much importance to the post-disaster reconstruction of Dongning County, it is impossible to assign an unreliable official there.

Prefect Wang had a warm conversation with Du Nian, and before returning to the carriage, he couldn't help but look at Xu Youxi again: "Master Li Si, if you have time to visit Pingshun Mansion, we folks haven't been able to take care of it yet. Thank you!"

Xu Youxi smiled and told them to leave quickly.

Until their carriage went far away, Xu Youxi did not find Du Zhiyi nearby.This Du Zhiyi was really willing to give it up, she didn't even come over to see it off in person.

In the next period of time, officials from the inland of Shangjing City came to send their children to remote counties one after another.

When Xu Youxi first proposed this plan, there were not a few officials who opposed it, but in the end, the officials were still willing to let their children take this opportunity to go out and experience more.

　Bao Youjin: My father is stubborn

　　Pei Yao: My Father Willful

　　Du Nian: My father is incompetent

　　……

　　Xu Youxi: My father is a fool
　　
　
(End of this chapter)