Chapter 209 Sister, You Smell So Good (asking for monthly ticket)
Li Xiang still trusts Li Su very much.

Not to mention that the events of the previous life were obviously fictitious events fabricated by the Bian Dynasty. Even if they were true, what difference would it make?

He didn't think that Li Su, a workaholic, would give up Princess Gaoyang, the guardian of the country, for a wild monk.

After returning to Wude Hall, Li Xiang put this matter behind him.

After all, I didn't take it seriously.

The next day, when Li Xiang was on his way to the restaurant, he happened to see Qibi Heli, Ashina She'er and Zhishishili who came together.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince." The three generals were overjoyed when they saw Li Xiang. They dismounted from their horses and saluted him with their hands on their chests.

"There's no need to be so polite, generals." Li Xiang got off the carriage and helped the three men up with a smile.

The three of them stood up, and Qibi Heli said with a smile: "We were just about to go to the restaurant to try our luck and see if we could run into His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. We didn't expect such a coincidence that we would meet him on the road. Could it be God's will?"

"Hahaha, if you three want to see me, just go to the Wude Hall." Li Xiang said with a smile.

Zhishishili shook his head and said, "The Wude Hall is a forbidden garden. How can we go there easily?"

"Well, let's go, and talk while we walk," Li Xiang invited, "Why don't you follow me to the restaurant and have a chat."

"Then we respectfully obey your command." The three of them said hurriedly.

After arriving at the restaurant, Li Xiang asked someone to find him a private room. After the four of them sat down, Li Xiang asked directly, "I wonder why the three generals are looking for me?"

The three of them looked at each other and said in unison, "We heard that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was engaged, so we came here to congratulate him."

As he spoke, Ashina She'er said, "The gifts we prepared for His Royal Highness are still in the carriage behind."

"The three generals are too polite. It's good to show your kindness." Li Xiang said with a smile, and then asked Qibi Heli: "How is General Qibi's waist injury?"

"Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. My injury has healed long ago." Qibi Heli patted his waist and said proudly.

This injury of his was caused by the Goguryeo incident. Even after being stabbed, he refused to leave the battlefield and rode his horse to chase the enemy for dozens of miles.

Since these three were men from the grassland, Li Xiang took their tastes into consideration and ordered two whole roasted lambs to be served.

As the three of them were eating, Qibi Heli said, "I came here not only to congratulate Your Highness, but also to thank Your Highness."

Li Xiang took a bite of the purple apple to reset his oral temperature and asked in confusion, "Thank me? Why should I thank you?"

"The Qibi tribe was exempted from punishment last time thanks to your Highness's intercession," Qibi Heli said after a sigh, "The tribesmen have dispersed to various counties and villages in Gyeonggi Province. Although they are not very skilled in farming, they can survive."

Li Xiang put down the purple apple and asked, "It's been almost three years. Haven't they learned how to farm yet?"

"That's not the case. The people of the Tang Dynasty are all warm-hearted. Although the Qibi tribe members are not good at farming, they have learned how to farm with the help of the people. Now they are living a good life. The other day, my younger brother Shamen came to our house to celebrate the New Year and said that one mu of land can yield 200 kilograms of wheat."

"Wow, that's good." Li Xiang praised.

The per-acre yield of this era was nothing compared to the 500, 700, or 800 kilograms of wheat per acre in later generations. If one could get 200 kilograms per acre, one would be considered excellent.

"Who says it's not true? The monk said that it is more comfortable than grazing on the grassland." Qibi Heli replied with a smile, "Although we are all afraid of bad weather, at least we don't have to worry about the animals running away, nor do we have to worry about other tribes coming to rob us."

The same is true on the grassland. Drought and flood both affect life.

"If you hadn't mentioned it, I would have almost forgotten about it." Li Xiang nodded and said, "It just so happens that I have nothing to do recently. When General Qibi is free, let's go to your brother's house. As the prefect of Jingzhao, I naturally want to see the living conditions of the people under my rule."

"On behalf of the monk, I would like to thank Your Highness for your concern." Qibi Heli said hurriedly.

"Why thank me?" Li Xiang smiled. "The Qibi tribe was also a pilot project. I told the saint at that time to see if the grassland people can adapt to farming life. If the Qibi tribe can succeed, the grassland people will be included in the country. This is related to the future policies of the country."

"If Your Highness is free today, you can go and take a look." Qibi Heli said.

"I would also like to go and see." Ashina She'er said, "If it is really feasible, then I will also respond to the call of His Majesty the Khan and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, and let my people submit to the country and cultivate the land. Isn't that better than wandering around in the grasslands?"

"Tomorrow," Li Xiang said, "It's getting late today, so let's set out early tomorrow and visit the villages."

"Yes." The three of them responded.

That afternoon, Li Xiang gathered the brothers in the restaurant and said that they would go out and play together the next day.

The young men naturally agreed readily. No one would refuse the opportunity to go out of Chang'an City and play together.

Li Xiang leaned over again to ask Pei Xueqing if she wanted to go with him, but before she could say anything, Li Shu agreed on her behalf.

The next morning, Li Xiang got up early and set out from Wude Hall, heading first to Pei Mansion.

For Pei Xueqing, he even went to Li Mingda to borrow Lianqiao.

Lian Qiao didn't have any objections. First of all, she didn't have the courage to do so, and secondly, she liked Li Xiang very much.

Pei Xueqing was wearing a light blue skirt today with a pure white cloak over it, looking quiet and gentle.

Sitting in the carriage, Li Xiang was next to her and he couldn't help sniffing.

She was just the right age for Mu Ai to be young, and Pei Xueqing was extremely beautiful, so the little elephant always felt that he could not control himself.

"What's wrong?" Pei Xueqing asked with concern. She thought Li Xiang's nose was uncomfortable.

"Sister Pei, you smell so good." Li Xiang leaned over and sniffed again, causing Pei Xueqing's cheeks to turn red.

Lian Qiao sat opposite with empty eyes, looking out the window, trying to pretend to be an outsider.

He asked again: "What about keeping the promise?"

"My brother drank some wine yesterday, and I heard from the old woman that he is sleeping soundly at home." Pei Xueqing said helplessly: "Ever since the emperor issued an edict to grant marriage, our house has been crowded with people, and people often come to invite my brother to drink. I saw that I couldn't refuse yesterday, so I had to go with him."

"A poor person living in a busy city has no one to care about him, but a rich person living in a remote mountain area has distant relatives." Li Xiang thought it was nothing serious: "I'll talk to Shouyue when I get home tonight. No matter how good your body is, you can't do this. It will ruin it."

As he was speaking, just as he was about to extend his Lushan claws to Pei Xueqing's leg, a voice came from outside.

"Brother——"

As he spoke, a head popped in from outside the car. Li Xiang took a closer look and found it was Wei Daijia.

Wei Daijia naturally also saw that there was not only Li Xiang in the car, but also his sister-in-law.

"Sorry, we went the wrong way." Wei Daijia was very tactful. He was not good at the job of a light bulb, so he quickly retracted his head.

"This guy..." Li Xiang was a little helpless.

Just as he was about to take his claws back, he felt something go soft beside him.

Looking to the left, Pei Xueqing had already leaned softly against his side, her breath soft and sweet in his ear. "Da Lang, can you tell me about your time in Liaodong?"

"Tell me what you want to hear." Li Xiang said in a heroic tone and put his hand on Pei Xueqing.

"Well, let's talk about the Battle of Phoenix Mountain." Pei Xueqing looked at Li Xiang with watery eyes, sparkling like the light of a lake.

"Yeah." Li Xiang cleared his throat and began to tell Pei Xueqing about the Battle of Phoenix Mountain.

At the same time, a group of people had gathered and headed out of the city.

"Why are you back?" Li Jingren asked Wei Daijia with a wink.

Wei Daijia squinted at Li Jingren and said with a curled lip, "My brother and sister-in-law are in the car. Why would I join in the fun? I will only be disliked."

"You also know that you are redundant." Xiao Shoudao laughed from behind: "I saw that you were quite active just now, weren't you?"

"Who said it wasn't?" Cheng Chubi leaned against the corner of the carriage, swinging his legs leisurely.

"Alas, after playing for two more days, I will continue my journey to the south of the Yangtze River." Xiao Shoudao looked a little disappointed.

Li Jingren said in a leisurely tone: "Don't people say Jiangnan is great? Why do you look like you don't like Jiangnan very much?"

"I thought so before I left," Xiao Shoudao said with a sigh, "I went there only once and got infected with schistosomiasis. If I hadn't returned in time, I would have been left there."

"From what you said, you are going to Jiangnan this time with a mission." Li Jingren said solemnly, "The saint has issued a decree before, saying that the disease of schistosomiasis must be completely eradicated, and all counties in Jiangnan must do their best to kill snails. This time you go, not only to plant sugarcane and make sugar, but also to cooperate with and supervise the local government in Jiangnan to see if they have done their job well."

"That's right." Xiao Shoudao said, "It's not that I don't want to go, but I can't bear to leave the sugarcane industry. Besides, my brother has entrusted me with a task, so how can I, as his younger brother, not do my best?"

"It's my mother..." Xiao Shoudao laughed as he spoke: "She didn't want me to go at first, but then Aunt Gaoyang and Aunt Changle talked to her for a day, and she finally understood."

Xiao Shoudao's mother was Li Xiang's eldest aunt, Princess Xiangcheng.

"What did they say?" everyone asked with interest.

"How would I know?" Xiao Shoudao rolled his eyes. "How dare a junior like me eavesdrop when the elders are talking? I'm afraid your legs will be broken!"

"That's true." Everyone laughed.

It took more than an hour to walk to the village where the Khitan monk was assigned.

That’s not right. He is no longer called Khitan Shamen, but he changed his surname to Chen Shamen.

Although Qibi Heli was given the surname Li, foreigners had no way to change their surnames to Li without the emperor's approval.

"Your Highness, we're here." Qibi Heli said outside.

Li Xiang came back to his senses, still feeling a little unsatisfied.

Pei Xueqing's face was rosy. Li Xiang didn't know if it was an illusion, but he always felt that he saw a hint of enchantment in Pei Xueqing's eyes.

What a charming woman.

This extreme contrast made the fledgling baby elephant a little overwhelmed.

However, Pei Xueqing's expression soon returned to normal, and she became her original gentle and quiet self again.

"Will you come with me?" Li Xiang asked. He looked out the window at the village and said to Pei Xueqing, "Sister Pei, you should stay in the car. Let Lian Qiao accompany you."

"Okay." Pei Xueqing nodded.

There was no shortage of arable land in the Guanzhong region during those years, and land annexation was not serious.

Li Shimin and the court under his rule were still very active. They would never tolerate any acts of land annexation and would crack down on them resolutely.

If Li Zhi had been half as resolute as he was, the Tang Dynasty would not have become like that.

However, the situation of the Khibi Shamans and other grassland people was a little special. Due to their criminal record, each person was only allocated one acre of arable land, and there were nine acres of wasteland, which they had to slowly develop on their own.

As for farming, there are people to guide them on how to farm and how to sow, so there is no risk of people just farming without any instruction.

The seeds were also distributed by the local government considering that this was their first time farming.

"Sramana, Sramana!" Qibi Heli's loud voice was already shouting at the door.

When the Khitan Shaman heard his brother's voice, he pushed the door and walked out of the house.

Li Xiang looked at the Khitan monk, and he looked nothing like the grassland man he had a few years ago. Instead, he was wearing shorts and dressed just like a farmer.

"Brother." The Khitan monk greeted his brother with surprise when he saw his brother coming.

Then he saw the people around him.

"Monk, come and meet His Royal Highness the Crown Prince." Qibi Heli hurriedly called his brother over.

Upon hearing that it was the Crown Prince who came, how could the Khitan Monk dare to be negligent? He came over immediately and bowed to Li Xiang.

"I am Chen Shamen, a humble person. I am honored to meet His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!"

"Get up," Li Xiang said with a pleasant face, "No need to be polite."

The Khitan monk stood up, looking a little embarrassed.

Judging from his expression, Li Xiang had basically been assimilated by the villagers.

Looking at him, there is not much difference between him and the farmers who have met dignitaries, except that he has a big beard, which makes him a little different from a traditional farmer.

But then again, beards are not exclusive to grassland people. Many Han people in the north also have beards.

"This time, the Crown Prince came to see how you are doing and to show concern for the lives of my tribesmen." Qibi Heli said, "The Crown Prince is concerned that my tribesmen have been living by the water and grass for many years and are worried that they will not be able to adapt to life in the Central Plains."

"Your Highness, I am fine." Qibi Shamen said in a panic, "When I first came to Chenjiazhuang, I felt a little uncomfortable. After all, I have lived on the grassland for many years. It was really hard to suddenly change my lifestyle."

"But the people of Datang are very welcoming. When we first arrived, the government helped us choose farmland, and the brothers in the village also helped us to cultivate the land and build houses. They taught us how to plant and harvest crops, and gave us Chinese surnames, so we took the surname Chen from the villagers..."

Oh, so this is how the surname Chen came from...

Li Xiang was still wondering why this Khitan monk changed his surname to Chen.

Isn't this the reason?

(I'll write another chapter later. It's too hot. I'm irritable ==...)
(End of this chapter)