Chapter Fifty-Fourth The Current Situation of the Liu Family
Xia Po and Liu Anran both cherished this opportunity to meet. While the two were chatting about the past, they also talked about interesting things in recent years.
Liu Anran was often amused and laughed.
Some people joked that after ten years, this is really not a joke. After chatting with Xia Po once about the queen, Liu Anran's complexion improved a lot.
They chatted from noon to evening, when the rest of the Liu family also came back.
When they heard from Liu Yinghao that Xia Po was coming, they were all excited.
There they kept talking about the legend of Xia Po in Kyoto.
Most of these legends are imagined by civilians, and he has not actually taken any action at all.
When it was time to eat, the Liu family brought out their best food to entertain Xia Po.
It's said to be the best, but it's actually noodle soup with some wild vegetables.
I ate the Xia Po. To be honest, it was not just unpalatable, it was very unpleasant.
He has eaten delicacies from the mountains and seas all his life in Kyoto, how could he possibly survive eating this kind of food?
But the children of the Liu family were extremely happy after seeing such food. It seemed that this was something they could not eat on a daily basis.
After eating, Xia Po's mood was very complicated, so that his face didn't look particularly good.
Liu Anran, who was lying on the bed, seemed to have noticed Xia Po's thoughts, so he said with a wry smile.
"So many things have happened in the Tianyuan Dynasty in recent years. Ordinary families have long had nothing to eat, and the government's funding has long been lost due to layers of deductions. I don't know how many people starve to death every year.
Some time ago, I heard that there was a case of people exchanging children and eating them in the neighboring county..."
Liu Anran said to himself, his eyes full of disappointment for the court.
Eating food by exchanging food...
Four simple words, but very terrifying.
Two people who really have nothing to eat get together and exchange each other's children. You eat my people, and I eat yours...
"Why didn't you tell me? The current emperor Liu Quan still listens to me."
Xia Po was a little moved. He really couldn't imagine how those people lived their daily lives.
Liu Anran shook his head.
"Some things cannot be solved by the court. After all, the entire Tianyuan Dynasty is like this now. If the court could solve it, it would have been solved long ago. To put it bluntly, it is powerless.
Even if you tell Liu Quan, what will he do? It will only make things difficult for him."
After Liu Anran finished speaking, he stretched out on the bed.
"My life is coming to an end anyway, so I'll leave the rest to future generations."
After saying that, he looked like he was concerned that the matter had nothing to do with him.
That's what he said, but as long as he tells Xia Po, at least their county's problem will be solved.
But he never did this. In fact, he just didn't want to trouble Xia Po.
"By the way, I heard that your favorite grandson was stoned..."
Xia Po didn't finish his words, but clicked to stop, wanting to see Liu Anran's reaction.
Liu Anran was not as sad as he imagined, but had a look of anger on his face.
"In the past two years, he insisted on taking men from the county and several surrounding villages to build roads, saying that only by building roads would they become rich.
People in the county and surrounding villages had great trust in the Xia family, and since there was really no way to survive at that time, they followed him to build roads.
As a result, something unexpected happened, and a stone suddenly fell from the mountain, killing more than 20 men, including him."
"Are you talking about the semi-finished road in Beishan?"
"Um."
Xia Po saw that road when he came here.
To be honest, he was quite shocked at the time.
This road runs at the foot of the mountain and leads to other county towns.
If you succeed, then if you keep walking along this road, you can basically visit several nearby counties.
Although it is said to be a semi-finished product, it is actually very long. It only takes less than half the distance to reach a relatively large city.
But in this world, without explosives or modern tools, these people actually rely on the most primitive tools to build roads...
Xia Po has to admire...
Three days later, Xia Po suggested that he might be going through too much trouble and would leave.
A look of struggle appeared on Liu Anran's face.
"What? You can't bear to leave me?" Xia Po asked.
"Fuck you, let's talk about serious things with you."
"Why are you trying to be polite to me? Just say it."
"I have never asked you for anything in my life. Before you leave, can you do me a favor?"
"You haven't asked me for anything?"
Xia Po's face twitched, remembering the past memories between him and Liu Anran.
"Xia Po, come on, come on, my wife keeps saying that I went to Yixiang Pavilion, please tell her that we were together last night."
"Xia Po Xia Po! I'm in urgent need. I lost the tigress's token of love. Please lend me some money so I can buy a new one."
"Xia Po, if you don't help me this time, I'm really doomed. I broke Mr. Xia's teapot. It was the teapot he had raised for more than ten years. If you don't help me plead for mercy, I'm really doomed!"
"..."
Liu Anran seemed to have recalled these memories, and his face turned red.
"Anyway, you have helped me so many times, it doesn't hurt to do it one more time."
"Okay, hurry up and say it."
"You must have met my sons and grandsons.
At present, the position of county magistrate is given to my eldest son. It was originally agreed that when he retires, the most capable descendant of the Liu family will take the position. This person does not necessarily have to be his son.
But this kid has selfish motives, just waiting for me to die and pass it on to his son."
Although the position of a county magistrate is not passed down according to the hereditary system, the court has no control over such a small county.
As long as you are not dismissed because you committed any serious crime, your descendants can basically take over.
After all, the idea that sons inherit their father’s legacy is still mainstream.
In addition, the Liu family's reputation in the neighborhood is surprisingly good, so no one will say anything if they do this.
Liu Anran had several sons, so he naturally wanted the most capable descendant to be the county magistrate.
But obviously his eldest son had no such idea and just wanted to pass it on to his own son.
But this makes sense, who doesn’t want to be nice to his son?
"So you want me to watch your eldest son?"
Liu Anran shook his head.
"No, I want you to give the other families a way to survive, so that they can be separated after my death so that they will not starve to death."
Liu Anran knew that this kind of thing was not easy for Xia Po to deal with and he couldn't control it.
And even if it can be managed, it will still treat the symptoms but not the root cause. After all, Xia Po will die one day.
So I wanted Xia Po to provide some ways to make money, so that the descendants who did not become county magistrates would not starve to death.
He knew that Xia Po had a bright mind and many methods since he was a child, so he must have some method.
But Liu Anran's words reminded Xia Po.
In fact, he came out this time not only to walk around, but also for the purpose of handing over the inheritance of those people in the world to the right person.
After all, this is what he promised back then.
Over the years, he has dabbled in more or less those inheritances.
In fact, they are some good inheritances, which are more than enough to feed the whole family.
If this is the case, if the wealth does not go to outsiders, why can't it be given to the Liu family?
After thinking about it, he nodded.
"Don't worry, as long as I'm here, your descendants will never die of hunger as long as they don't seek death."
"That's good, that's good."
Liu Anran smiled and lay on his side.
Xia Po sensed that something was not right about this guy's aura, so he patted it, but there was no reaction.