mesbooks Chapter 584 Family
Chapter 584 Family
Seeing Xie Buli and the other two arrive together, Jiang Li and Xie Chang'an both showed relieved smiles.
"I was just about to send you a message, you're back so quickly," Jiang Li said with a smile.
"Dad, mother."
After bowing to his parents, Xie Buli leaned against his mother, resting his head on her shoulder, just like when he was a child, and took a deep sniff, saying, "Mother smells so good."
Xie Wuchou, like a bird returning to its nest, buried her head in her mother's arms and complained sweetly, "Mother, my sister says I smell fishy!"
Jiang Li smiled and patted her head: "Mother doesn't dislike you."
After Xie Buqi and Xie Wuyou grew up, they were too embarrassed to rely on their mother anymore, so they could only sit upright and wait for their parents to speak.
Xie Chang'an said seriously, "Bu Li and Wu You are back now. Let's discuss how to resolve this matter as a family."
Although the emperor has temporarily concluded that the so-called "epidemic" was not caused by the Huichang Canal, they still cannot let their guard down until the source of the disease is found.
The Huichang Canal runs through the north and south, covering a vast area of water. If there is a real problem, not only will the people along the banks be thrown into panic and turmoil, but the entire Great Chu will be shaken, and even the foundation of the court will be shaken!
Xie Wuyou sat up from Jiang Li's arms and got down to business. The charming young girl instantly became serious.
“The aquatic creatures are the first to be affected. I have ordered each team to increase their manpower and patrol their respective waters day and night. I also plan to go and check it out myself.”
Jiang Li nodded: "Okay, your father and I will go together then."
Xie Buli also said, "The Bai Xian clan is skilled in medicine. We can ask her to lead the Bai Xian clan to cooperate with the Longmen Medical Bureau to treat the people and find out the source of the disease."
Jiang Li praised, "Bu Li's suggestion is excellent!"
The White Immortals are not only skilled in illusion magic, but also adept at healing various diseases. They can even miraculously restore the health of injured immortal spirits.
Moreover, their approach to treating illnesses and their use of medication differ from those of human physicians, making them a valuable supplement to the Lungmen Medical Bureau.
Xie Chang'an nodded: "I will have Jifeng send a message to Brother Shen."
Xie Wuyou thought for a moment: "Besides finding the source of the disease, we also need to consider whether it is caused by evil spirits."
Jiang Li clapped her hands and praised, "Wuyou is absolutely right! This task will be handed over to the Daoist sect."
Xie Wuyou nodded: "Alright, I will send a message to my master and ask him to make the arrangements."
Xie Buqi scratched his head: "It seems like all I can do is provide medical treatment and medicine?"
Jiang Li smiled and said, "Buqi, your task is also very important. You need to purchase and distribute a large number of medicinal materials. The Longmen Medical Bureau will definitely need a lot of medicines this time. You need to prepare and stockpile all kinds of medicines in advance. Saving lives is like putting out a fire. You can't do without any medicine."
"Yes, Mother is right."
Xie Buqi rubbed his hands together, eager to get started. "I'm not sleeping tonight! I'm going to the Longmen Medical Bureau to take stock of the inventory."
"There's no rush. Let's grab some late-night snacks first," Jiang Li said softly.
Watching her four children grow up and each develop their own strengths, she and Xie Chang'an felt very comfortable with each other.
At this moment, several maids and servants brought over a late-night snack.
There are warming and nourishing dishes such as sea cucumber and abalone porridge, angelica and black chicken soup, chicken soup wontons, several dishes of walnut cake, jujube paste cake, almond shortbread, pine nut shumai, and desserts such as rock sugar pear stewed with fritillaria cirrhosa, and white fungus, peach gum and soapberry rice soup.
Xie Buli personally ladled out a bowl of angelica and black chicken soup and handed it to Jiang Li, saying, "Mother, this is nourishing."
Jiang Li happily accepted it, "My constant companion is still the most considerate."
Xie Wuchou quickly picked up a pine nut shumai and placed it on the plate in front of his mother. "Mother, try this. It smells delicious!"
"Mommy, this walnut cake tastes really good too!"
Xie Buqi also picked up a piece of walnut cake and placed it in front of Jiang Li.
Xie Wuyou silently added another almond shortbread.
Seeing the small plates in front of Jiang Li piled up instantly, Xie Chang'an felt quite jealous.
"And what about the father?"
These unfilial sons and daughters!
They only care about their mother and leave their father out in the cold!
Xie Wuchou chuckled and said, "Father, don't be in such a hurry. Mother goes first. It will be your turn soon."
The four children were busy serving him soup and vegetables.
Xie Chang'an then smiled with satisfaction.
Jiang Li teased him through the Heart-to-Heart Pact: "You get jealous of everything? Is your ancestral home in Shanxi?"
Xie Chang'an asked curiously, "Why Shanxi? The Xie family's ancestral home is Chen County."
Jiang Li chuckled and said, "People from Shanxi love vinegar."
Xie Chang'an smiled.
At this moment, Xie Buqi brought up the Emperor's birthday celebration.
"The Emperor's birthday is just a few days away. There are suspected outbreaks of the epidemic in various places. Will His Majesty still celebrate the birthday?"
Xie Chang'an pondered for a moment and said, "It depends on how the epidemic develops."
If the epidemic spreads, His Majesty will probably lose interest in celebrating his birthday.
Xie Buqi's eyes lit up; it would be best not to pass by!
Xie Wuchou giggled and said, "Brother is afraid of being betrothed on the spot during the Emperor's birthday celebration."
When the topic of marriage came up, Xie Buli's face immediately darkened.
She put down her chopsticks. "Mother, I plan to accompany Bai Xian to various places to provide medical treatment and medicine."
Xie Buqi hurriedly added, "I also need to go to various places to collect medicinal herbs!"
Jiang Li smiled slightly: "Don't worry, His Majesty will not force a marriage."
Xie Wuchou asked curiously, "Why?"
The eldest prince, Nangong Yuanhong, is already twenty years old and still not engaged. Anyone with eyes can see that he has been waiting for Xie Buli to return.
Princess Chang Le is the emperor's most beloved daughter. She once declared that she would not marry anyone but Xie. Would the emperor disregard her wishes?
"A forced marriage is never sweet. His Majesty is a wise ruler and would not do such a thing as forcing someone to do something against their will."
Back then, wasn't Nangong Qing also deeply in love with Jiang Li?
But with the bigger picture at hand, he had no choice but to put aside his personal feelings for his children.
Despite Jiang Li's advice, the probability of someone in the royal family "choosing love over the throne" is extremely low.
If you want to have both power and beauty, it all depends on whether you have the ability.
Nangong Qinghe still needed to rely on the power of Empress Zhang, the Duke of Zhenguo, and the aristocratic families, so he had to accept the marriage alliance to consolidate his power.
The same applies to the eldest prince now.
He and the second prince came from the Cui clan of Qinghe, the third prince from the Lu clan of Fanyang, and the fourth prince from the Wang clan of Taiyuan.
The eldest prince was not born of the empress; he was merely the eldest son. If he wanted to surpass the other princes and become the crown prince, he would have to pay a price and gain the support of various powerful families and court officials.
Originally, Xie Buli represented the military force led by Xie Chang'an, and was an ideal candidate for Crown Princess.
However, in order to win over and balance the various forces, the Crown Prince will not only have the Crown Princess in the harem.
Not only was Xie Buli unwilling, but Jiang Li also didn't want her daughter to suffer such injustice, so she wouldn't allow Xie Buli to marry into the royal family.
Xie Buqi felt the same way. Her son was perfectly capable of roaming the world and living a carefree life. Why did he have to become a submissive prince consort, trapped in the capital city forever?
Just as Nangong Qinghe couldn't keep her back then, he can't keep her children now either.
She possesses mysterious and unpredictable abilities, capable of reaching thousands of miles away in an instant. As long as Jiang Li is determined to leave, no one in this world can stop her family!
Nangong Qinghe was well aware of this. No matter what, he could not "offend" Jiang Li, his right-hand woman, because it was because of her that the Great Chu had achieved its current prosperity!