Xin Xiran had never been to the place where Qiu Ji made an appointment, nor had he heard of it. He asked Fujian to inquire about it and found out that it was in the outer city. He couldn't figure out why Qiu Ji asked to meet him in the outer city. However, since he agreed, he had no choice but to go to accept the appointment. So after breakfast the next day, he said goodbye to Yuan and went out.

Yuan was worried that he would go out, and said that he would let Xin Xiran bring a few guards by his side. Xin Xiran was unhappy and repeatedly promised to come back. Yuan was a little relieved and told Fu Jian to stay by the young master at all times, so he looked at Xin Xiran out reluctantly.

After a few days, he came out again and looked at the bustling streets, Xin Xiran suddenly felt a little dazed. The bleak scene in the first half of the month was still lingering in his mind. He knew that he would never forget that experience in his life, that painful, life worse than death, and loneliness.

When he walked on this bustling street, he would be attracted by all the lively things. He was like an innocent child who looked at all fresh and fun things carefreely, but now he no longer had that thought.

It turns out that human growth is really just a day or a night.

Fushimi also saw that his young master was in a wrong mood, but he just sat next to him silently without a single word of redundant words.

The carriage drove out of the inner city and entered the outer city. It took another quarter of an hour to reach the location Qiu Ji mentioned - Banshanju.

It is said to be a half-mountain residence, but it is actually a pavilion on the side of the mountain. Xin Xiran came to the half-mountain residence and saw that Qiu Ji had already sat down in the pavilion. Two cups and a pot of wine were placed on the stone pier.

He walked into the pavilion and sat down opposite Qiu Ji. Seeing that there was already wine in the glass, he picked it up and drank it all. Suddenly he sighed: "This is the first time we have sat face to drink." It seems to be something that only old friends have, but they are no longer friends.

Qiu Ji also drank the wine in front of him, and then added the guard's letter to the two of them again, then retreated to the side to be a transparent man.

This time, Xin Xiran didn't serve the wine glass. He knew that Qiu Ji must have invited him here to reminisce about the past, and he came to such a remote place. Although we couldn't meet in the mansion, there were a wine shops everywhere in the capital, so why did he come here?

He looked around and found that the location of the half-mountain residence was on the outer side of the hillside. There was a mountain on the back and a low cliff on the front. Of course, what attracted Xin Xiran was not the cliff but the panoramic view from here.

The location of Banshanju is not very high, but when you look here, you can see the whole picture, but it is not as prosperous as the inner city, but it looks like a mess here.

Below is a slum, a dilapidated house, and several crossed streets are also grayish white. I don’t know what the situation is on the street, but I can only see groups of people crowding and pushing.

Other places have experienced it occasionally. Although I can't see it clearly, Xin Xiran also saw that those people were not much better in dressing thin and ragged beggars.

The mountain was already cold. When the cold wind blew, Xin Xiran shivered coldly. He stared at the situation below and remained silent.

"Do you know what they are doing?" Qiu Ji asked suddenly.

Xin Xiran looked at him and then turned her eyes to the lower position, "You ask me to come, what do you want to say?"

If he hadn't asked so straightforwardly in the past, but now, he only looked at important questions, and he would never allow himself to act impulsively regardless of the consequences.

Qiu Ji did not answer him first, but instead said to himself: "This is a location close to the edge of the city. Below is one of the many slums in the outer city. These people are grabbing food from others every day."

It is common to sneak here. To put it bluntly, this is another world that people in the inner city cannot see on weekdays. However, this is the situation in most parts of Xiye Kingdom now.

When you are in the inner city of Kyoto, you can see natural prosperity, but when you leave the prosperous inner city, you will be covered in dirty areas.

Xin Xiran listened but didn't say anything. After a while, he picked up the wine glass and drank it all. Wei Zha was about to pour him wine, but he waved his hand to refuse.

Qiu Ji continued: "I'm going to come today-----"

Xin Xiran finally turned his head and looked at him head-on.

"You are here because you want you to help these miserable people."

Xin Xiran said in confusion: "How can I help? Even if I spend all my money, I may not be able to help these people."

Qiu Ji simply stopped him and said bluntly: "If the future comes, more than half of the officials in the court will come to the court. They will ask for a large-scale expansion of the army, smelting weapons, and casting walls based on the rampant military marches in Weizhou."

Xin Xiran was so confused that he wouldn't talk about the news in the court that Qiu Ji came from. Even if he knew from Qiu Ji's father, this issue wouldn't be discussed by him?!

Qiu Ji did not rush to explain and continued: "Since ancient times, the large-scale expansion of the army will definitely involve increasing taxes. The people are already suffering. They are no longer covered in their bodies and food and can't fill their stomachs. It is harder to collect taxes than to take their lives."

Xin Xiran was slightly drooping. If he had not experienced those hard days for more than half a month, he would definitely not be able to empathize with him at this time.

But because he had felt that he knew the pain, cold, cold and hungry, and there was no one around him who could help him, that kind of despair was really more uncomfortable than death.

"Even if I want to do something for them, I can't do anything. This is the court's business, the elders' business. These things are not our turn to worry about, and it is even more impossible to be influenced by us." He hasn't entered the officialdom yet, and he is really powerless to do these things.

Qiu Ji leaned forward slightly. He played with the wine glass in his hand. It seemed plain, but in fact it had some indescribable confidence. "Just stop this ministerial proposal, it can stop the expansion of the army.

Now that the Yi army is still in peace in Weizhou, the troops of Xiye Kingdom have been competing with it for ten years, and there is no need to rush to expand the army at this moment. Therefore, as long as the ministers can stop the movements of these suffering people, they can save them from a disaster."

Xin Xiran looked at Qiu Ji for a long time. From Qiu Ji's face, he could not see any playfulness, nor could he see any innocent attitude. It was a kind of self-confidence that he could not understand. He suddenly felt that the boy in front of him, who was no more than two years older than him, had much broader vision than him.

What surprised him even more was that Qiu Ji was actually concerned about major affairs in the court? Those were the decisions of the officials in the court. What role could he play, a young master who had not yet become an official, even if he was a junior, have the role of his assistant?

He asked half suspiciously and curiously: "What will you do?" If the court really wants to expand its military and increase taxes, it is impossible for them to participate in this matter no matter how they look at it.

What's more, Yangshan Academy is about to enter the school in the beginning of spring.

Qiu Ji looked at him and said lightly: "It depends on whether you are willing to help me."

Xin Xiran paused. He actually didn't hate Qiu Ji in his heart. On the contrary, because he was a childhood playmate, he cared a little. But that kind of care gradually faded after he met Yao Si.

He knew that Qiu Ji had a good relationship with Yao Si, and even Qiu Ji knew Yao Si earlier than him. He could often see the unspeakable subtle atmosphere between the two, which made him feel really uncomfortable.
Chapter completed!