Chapter 51: Just a trifle!

Hearing this, Xu Luo couldn't help but laugh out loud, "Haha, don't listen to Lao Li's bragging. How can I claim to be famous for my little tricks? It's just nonsense.

"After hearing this, Fang Xuanling smiled with a hint of feminine charm. Her eyes were as clear and deep as autumn water. She did not say much, but just shook her head gently. In that movement, the curve of her neck looked particularly attractive.

Fang Qiao, courtesy name Xuanling, was a unique name in the Tang Dynasty. But Li Shimin liked to call him Fang Xuanling, and it became a habit after calling him so many times, and even people in later generations followed suit.

At this moment, he claimed that his surname was Qiao, but it did not arouse Xu Luo's suspicion. After all, Lao Fang was a man of quick mind. Otherwise, with this rare surname, even if Xu Luo was confused, he would have been able to guess it almost exactly.

"Sir, what do you just mean by the scorching heat in the southwest in July and the displacement of Tianshu?" Li Shimin was concentrating on asking the victims questions, so he had no time to study Fang Xuanling's surname.

Xu Luo, however, looked helpless. He shook his head and said with a smile, "Old Li, are you playing dumb? You come to ask me, don't you have any idea?"

He paused, then continued, "During the drought in Hedong Road, corrupt officials were rampant, and all the relief money and grain fell into their pockets.

The people were starving, some even had to eat their own children, and that’s why they went to Chang’an to file a complaint.

As soon as Xu Luo finished speaking, Li Shimin was stunned. He seemed to see the miserable conditions of the disaster-stricken people and was shocked.

He paused, and then continued, "These corrupt officials, relying on their power, compare the Tang Dynasty to a money tree. They are the parasites on the tree, and they wish to chew every leaf!"

"In the past, if they were greedy for a little money, Your Majesty might have been able to turn a deaf ear to it, but this time, they even took the life-saving money and food of the victims!" Xu Luo became more and more angry as he spoke, with raging fury hidden in his voice.

Li Shimin listened at the side with a gloomy expression and nodded slowly, as if he saw the ugly faces of those officials.

"Yes, these people embezzled disaster relief funds, which is simply rubbing salt into the wounds of the victims!" Li Shimin echoed.

Xu Luo sneered, his eyes sharp as a knife: "Your Majesty, even you can do nothing about these guys. You can only watch them get away with it."

Xu Luo glanced at her and saw that Liu Ruyan had a slender neck and jade-like skin. He was slightly stunned, but he quickly came to his senses and continued:

"It is precisely because no one dares to speak out that this corrupt abscess has only grown bigger and bigger. But today, I, Xu Luo, will break through this layer of window paper!"

Hearing this, Li Shimin was shocked. He knew that what Xu Luo said was true. Although he was angry, he could only sigh helplessly.

This joke actually made Li Shimin feel a little relieved at this moment. He laughed at himself and thought, wasn't he also the corrupt official who collected taxes from the "tax-free village"?
"Yes, it's not that easy to govern a country." Li Shimin sighed and continued, "The family wealth of the Tang Dynasty has been swindled away by those corrupt officials. What can I, Li Shimin, do?"

Xu Luo looked at Li Shimin and said affectionately, "Your Majesty, don't worry. The problem of Hedong Road will be solved."

"Yes, I did hear from my old friends in the court that the current emperor also feels helpless about this matter!" Li Shimin nodded with a solemn expression.

"Governing a country is not easy, not to mention that the Tang Dynasty has been at war for years and has been plagued by natural disasters!" Xu Luo continued.

"At that time, Emperor Yang Guang of the Sui Dynasty launched large-scale construction projects, which consumed the national strength. How much of the national wealth is left now?" Xu Luo's words made Li Shimin's heart move.

"Alas, the people are in trouble now, do you think the emperor is having an easy time?" Li Shimin said with emotion. At this time, he noticed Xu Luo's eyes, which were as clear as water, as if he could see through everything in the world. Those bright eyes made Li Shimin feel warm.

"I took out money and grain for disaster relief, but it was all swallowed up by corrupt officials!" Li Shimin said angrily.

"If it were me, I would also be furious, let alone His Majesty?" Xu Luo said.

These words made Li Shimin feel relieved. He looked at Xu Luo with slightly red eyes. He didn't expect that this young man who set up a stall to tell fortunes on the street was the one who understood him the most.

He thought to himself that this young man might be the talented person who could govern the country that he had been looking for.

At that moment, Li Shimin's heart was in turmoil, and he almost blurted out his true identity. He even wanted to drag Xu Luo into the palace and immediately give him a position.

But after careful consideration, he suppressed his impulse and slowly calmed down.

He looked at Xu Luo firmly and asked, "Mr. Xu, what should we do about this predicament? The treasury is empty and the refugees are starving and cold. If we don't find a solution, I'm afraid..."

Hearing this, Xu Luo turned around. His eyes seemed to be able to see through people's hearts. He suddenly put his arm around Li Shimin's shoulders and said mysteriously, "Solution? Don't worry, Old Li. I have a secret to tell you."

Li Shimin was stunned for a moment. Xu Luo's sudden mysterious attitude made him curious, so he followed him to the side.

After being away from Cheng Yaojin and others, Xu Luo's face became serious, as if he wanted to get to know this old friend again. He looked Li Shimin from top to bottom.

Li Shimin couldn't help but feel strange and asked in confusion: "Mr. Xu, what do you mean by looking at me like this?"

Xu Luo just chuckled, and there was a bit of unknown cunning hidden in that smile.

The Tang Dynasty's imperial court was over, and the civil and military officials filed out in a bustling and lively atmosphere. However, the Tibetan envoy Buda walked out of the palace's crimson gate listlessly, like an eggplant hit by frost.

As soon as he stepped over the threshold of the Suzaku Gate, the knot in his heart became tighter and tighter, as if a tangled mess was tied in his chest.

Along the way, he felt as if a stone was pressing down on his heart, making him feel suffocated. Before coming to the Tang Dynasty, he had done his homework. On the contrary, he thought he knew all the information about the Tang Dynasty.

Unexpectedly, this mission made him feel like he had jumped into a trap set by others.

Not long ago, the Tang Dynasty imperial family was in turmoil. Li Shimin launched the Xuanwu Gate Incident and ascended to the throne with ruthless means. Buda originally thought that the new emperor was not yet firmly established, so he could take advantage of the opportunity to make a move and bring some glory to Tubo.

Who would have thought that this Emperor Li II not only sat on the throne as firmly as Mount Tai, but also made the Tang Dynasty strong in military and military power, and rich in country and strong in people.

"No, no, this is not right!" Buda couldn't help but shake his head as he walked, with doubts in his heart surging like a tide.

"Your Excellency, what's wrong with you?" the accompanying attendant asked hurriedly, looking nervous.
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(End of this chapter)