Drive to the Tang Dynasty, where supplies are refreshed daily!

The little princess of Chengyang next to her took out a piece of pastry and gave it to her.

Others can eat some of these wild fruits, but the two little princesses and Third Sister eat pastries every day and can't stomach this kind of thing.

Empress Zhangsun, wife of Emperor Taizong of Tang, not only sent him cakes and grains, but also fruits.

The gifts given to Li Yuan and the princesses were all of the highest quality.

We usually don't lack fruit.

There were quite a few people there; they all seemed very enthusiastic, knowing it was a village matter.

Xiao Ran couldn't sense it, but Zhang Jinhe and the others could clearly feel that the villagers were becoming more and more united.

They seem to have a stronger sense of collective honor and are very concerned about village affairs.

What was originally planned to be a day's work can now be finished in half a day, and I can go home for lunch by myself.

In the afternoon, the children didn't have to go to school; it was like a half-day holiday.

With the young girls at home, Yu Shinan, Kong Yingda, and others had some free time, and the courtyard was quite crowded.

Xiao Ran asked Zhang Erya to bring out popsicles so everyone could cool off.

The elderly didn't like it much, but the children were quite fond of it.

"Freezing it makes it taste different and refreshing." Xiao Yu held the popsicle. She had tried it when she had porridge earlier, but the taste was just so-so.

"On such a hot day, I like anything that's cold." Princess Yuzhang smiled.

"This tastes quite unique," Zhang Jinhe said, taking a bite.

The little princess on the other side finished her meal and looked at the others.

Princess Chengyang, Third Sister, Yan Yao, Di Renjie, and several others are all gone.

Looking around at the other people, I found that Li Lizhi and Xiao Ran were the most numerous.

Because the two of them ate last.

The little princess led Xiao Hei to Xiao Ran and Li Lizhi's side.

"Sizi, what are you doing?" Li Lizhi asked, looking at her younger sister.

"Hehe~ What is it~" The little princess shyly jumped into Xiao Ran's arms.

Li Lizhi and Xiao Ran could easily know what the little girl was thinking.

"Sister~" the little princess called out to Li Lizhi.

"What are you doing?" Li Lizhi asked while eating her ice cream.

"Is it sweet?" the little princess said with a mischievous grin.

"It's not sweet, and it smells a bit stinky. It's not tasty at all," Li Lizhi teased the little princess.

"I don't believe it~ I'll try it~"

"Hahaha!" Xiao Ran couldn't help but laugh.

"I was lying to you, mine is very sweet," Li Lizhi changed her tune.

"I'll have a taste~"

Li Lizhi figured it out; no matter what, the little princess had to try it.

“Sizi, we still have some at home, but you can’t eat too much of this.” Xiao Ran said, holding the little princess. “Eating too much might make you uncomfortable. If you get sick, you’ll have to take medicine, and it’s a very hard-to-taste medicine.”

The little princess was conflicted; she really wanted to eat an ice pop, but she was also afraid of getting sick.

"We can eat it next time, or tomorrow too. Can you take a bite now?"

"Mmm, mmm~" The little girl listened to the advice.

After taking a bite, the little princess went to play with other people.

Li Lizhi smiled as she watched the little princess's retreating figure.

They simply thought that Xiao Ran treated the little princess specially because she was the youngest and everyone doted on her.

Actually, this is only a small part.

Princess Yuzhang also sent popsicles to the people who were tending the stove.

Winters there are alright, it's warm near the stove, but summers are a real ordeal.

From now on, the smallest popsicles should be given to the glassmakers more often.

Zhang Dalang sat on the other side of the field ridge.

Princess Yuzhang sent over popsicles, and Zhang Dalang's portion was also sent over by Cheng Chumo.

“I saw Dalang earlier, he was always standing there in a daze, what’s wrong?” Princess Yuzhang asked.

Li Ke pointed and said, "Sixth Sister, look where Eldest Brother is looking?"

Princess Yuzhang glanced at Zhang Dalang's spot and said, "Look at the old house, let's cherish the past!"

"It seems she can't bear to part with the house!" Princess Yuzhang remembered that when she first came here, she was in that old house.

New houses were built later.

"It's not that I can't bear to part with the house, it's that I can't bear to part with the other people, it's that I can't bear to part with everything."

Princess Yuzhang didn't understand. "Brother, what does this mean?"

"Sixth Sister, have you forgotten the words on Eldest Brother's forehead?"

Princess Yuzhang suddenly realized that after spending so much time at home, everyone else knew about it too.

Everyone knows that Zhang Dalang is a death row inmate.

Everyone knows that his time will end after the autumn harvest.

"I wonder if the young master has any ideas!" Princess Yuzhang murmured to herself.

Others felt it was a bit lacking.

Princesses and princes cannot influence such matters.

And it's not worth it.

Li Ke wanted to help, since they had spent a lot of time together, but the price to pay was too high.

During this period, Li Shimin had to pay a heavy price to save people.

Otherwise, the other officials in the court would continue to press the matter relentlessly.

In short, you have to convince everyone else.

"I mentioned it to Fifth Sister before, but I don't know how Fifth Sister and the young master talked." Li Ke didn't know anything after that.

After delivering the popsicles, Princess Yuzhang returned to her courtyard.

Seeing Li Lizhi return to her room, he quickly followed her upstairs.

"Sister!"

"Sixth Sister, what is it?"

"Summer has arrived, and autumn is getting closer and closer."

Li Lizhi didn't understand. "So what if it's autumn? Are you thinking about the potatoes that the young master planted?"

“No! Have you forgotten about Dalang? He was a death row inmate!” Yuzhang pulled Li Lizhi along. “Although Dalang doesn’t talk much, he’s not a bad person. He’s honest and law-abiding. He’s already suffered a lot.”

"If Dalang is gone, how heartbroken Second Mother and Third Mother will be!"

"Sister, aren't you going to think of something?"

"time is limited."

Li Lizhi smiled and said, "About this!"

"Sister, aren't you in a hurry?" Princess Yuzhang didn't expect Li Lizhi to react this way.

"What good is it for you to be anxious? What good is it for me to be anxious?" Li Lizhi retorted to Princess Yuzhang.

The sisters' efforts to speak on these matters had limited effect.

Empress Zhangsun was eloquent, but she didn't know how to speak properly.

“The young master said it should be possible!” Princess Yuzhang said.

"Is the young master closer to the eldest son, or are we closer to the eldest son?" Li Lizhi asked rhetorically. "The young master doesn't have a registered household right now, so theoretically he's still an attached household of the eldest son's family. Of course, they're closer."

“That settles it then?” Li Lizhi continued, “You know what kind of person the young master is.”

“If Zhang Dalang were a vicious person, he certainly wouldn’t care, but Zhang Dalang is a good person, and what happened before wasn’t his fault. Under these circumstances, how could the young master possibly ignore it?”

Princess Yuzhang thought this made a lot of sense. "That's right, the young master doesn't seem to have done anything!"

"Trust the young master and leave it alone. There's no use in us worrying about this. The young master won't just ignore it."

Princess Yuzhang nodded. "Okay, I understand."

Li Lizhi is absolutely right.

Princess Yuzhang didn't dwell on it, left the room, and went back to the stove.

Upon seeing Princess Yuzhang arrive, Li Ke put down his work and went over to her. "Sixth Sister, what do you have to say?"

"I told my older sister, and she said not to worry."

Princess Yuzhang repeated what Li Lizhi had said.

Li Ke paused for a moment, then said, "Fifth Sister is right. We know what kind of person the young master is; how could we possibly ignore him?"

Li Ke returned to the stove, asked Cheng Chumo and Qin Huaidao to watch over it, and pulled Zhang Dalang aside.

"Big Brother, are you worried about what will happen after the autumn harvest?"

My family all know about this, but no one has ever said anything.

They were afraid of upsetting Zhang Dalang, Zhang Erya, and Sanniang.

Zhang Dalang was also surprised to hear someone say that directly.

But she still nodded, "Yes, it's good to be with the young master now, but I'm still reluctant to leave, and I'm also unwilling to give up."

"What do you think of the young man's abilities?" Li Ke asked.

"Nature is wonderful."

"Then there's no need to worry."

Li Ke recounted what he had heard from Princess Yuzhang.

Everyone believed in Xiao Ran's abilities and knew that he was good to those around him. Zhang Dalang's actions also had their reasons.

Zhang Dalang recalled when he first met Xiao Ran, he said he was going to die.

Xiao Ran said he would not die.

Zhang Dalang remembers all of these things.

Zhang Dalang stood frozen in place, oblivious to the rustling of corn leaves in the wind along the edge of the field, staring only at the hem of his tightly clenched clothes.

The surface was still covered with ash from when the glass furnace was being fired, a mark of the peaceful life they had lived in these past few days.

The heaviness that had been weighing on my heart was lifted up by something, letting in a sliver of light.

"Can't die"

He repeated the sentence in a low voice, his Adam's apple bobbing, and his eyes suddenly felt a little sore.

These days he often sits on the edge of the field in a daze, looking at the courtyard of the old house, watching his second aunt drying clothes in the yard, and watching his third aunt identifying medicinal herbs with Mr. Sun.

He was afraid. He was afraid that once the autumn harvest came, he would be gone, and his two younger sisters would be left helpless again. He was afraid that they would be bullied again, and that the hard-won warmth in their lives would be in vain once more.

But now, Li Ke said, "Young Master won't ignore this," and "He has a way." Those words were like a stabilizing force, slowly calming his heart, which had been hanging in suspense for so long.

He looked up to the other side and saw Xiao Ran bending down to stroke Xiao Hei's fur, the little princess lying on his shoulder laughing, and his second aunt carrying freshly cooked mung bean soup over. Even the air was filled with a comforting warmth.

It turned out that he wasn't the only one who couldn't bear to part with him; the young master had long regarded him as "someone to work with," and Li Ke, Wu Niang, and the others didn't treat him as an outsider either.

The previous worries, like fog blown away by the wind, slowly faded away.

He no longer needs to worry about "what will happen to his sister after he's gone," nor does he need to lie awake at night worrying under the moon, because someone will help him. The person who said "he won't die" is really trying to find a solution for him.

He slowly loosened his grip on the hem of his clothes, took a deep breath, and felt much of the tightness in his chest dissipate. Even his eyes brightened as he looked at the cornfield.

"Thank you," he said to Li Ke, his voice a little hoarse but with an unprecedented sense of peace. "I understand. Work hard and wait for the autumn harvest."

There's no need to daydream anymore. Keep an eye on the glass furnace and wait for Xiao Ran's solution—he wants to live, stay with his two younger sisters, and continue living this peaceful life.

Li Ke smiled and patted his head. "I've been so preoccupied with Liuli lately that I didn't even think about these things."

"Fifth Sister is still the smartest."

Li Ke also followed back to the stove.

Cheng Chumo and Qin Huaidao also noticed that Zhang Dalang's expression was different, and subconsciously looked at Li Ke.

“Once the eldest son’s inner conflict is resolved, things will naturally be different.”

"It's untied?" Cheng Chumo looked at Li Ke, then at Zhang Dalang.

Li Ke and Zhang Dalang both nodded.

"What do you mean? To die a heroic death?" Cheng Chumo asked.

Li Ke: "."

Zhang Dalang: "."

"The eldest son will be alright; the young master won't abandon him."

After listening to Cheng Chumo and Qin Huaidao, they suddenly understood.

Now everyone in this family believes that Xiao Ran is capable.

Knowing who Xiao Ran is, it's impossible for him not to save him. With these two conditions met, Zhang Dalang will naturally not die.

Although Li Lizhi had already figured it out, she still wanted to ask Xiao Ran.

"Xiao Langjun!"

"Fifth Sister, what's wrong?" Xiao Ran asked the little princess to take Xiao Hei and the others to play.

"Although I know that Dalang will be fine, I am still curious to ask you what price you are prepared to pay."

"Price? Why should I pay a price?"

"Aren't you going to take care of Dalang?" Li Lizhi was startled, wondering if she had forgotten about it.

If we need to save them, we can start preparing now.

"Do not care!"

"Huh? What does this mean?"

“Dalang doesn’t need to die, so I don’t need to worry about him. I know he’s been preoccupied with this lately.”

“When we first met, I told him he wouldn’t die, but he didn’t believe me,” Xiao Ran said helplessly. “And now you don’t believe me either!”

"Why?" This confused Li Lizhi.

Xiao Ran was a time traveler and knew the outcome of this matter: all the death row inmates were returned, and Li Shimin and the court were so pleased that they were all released without charge.

Those who were released were not inherently wicked; they all had their reasons and were not guilty of heinous crimes.

Seeing that Li Lizhi was still somewhat confused, Xiao Ran decided to explain more clearly. His words showed a deeper understanding of the logic of governance in the imperial court, but he never strayed from the principle of "the bystander sees more of the game" and did not reveal any trace of being a time traveler.

"Fifth Sister, let's think about this more deeply—is His Majesty's decision to send these death row inmates home really just out of 'benevolence'? Not entirely."

"Behind this, His Majesty is doing something more important than punishment: to educate the world with virtue, so that the people will trust and obey him. This is the most fundamental intention behind releasing prisoners back to prison."

Xiao Ran's gaze fell on the villagers working in the fields outside the courtyard, and his tone became more serious:

"Think about it, why was there chaos at the end of the Sui Dynasty? It was because of Emperor Yang Guang's harsh policies. He used severe punishments at the drop of a hat. The people feared him but did not obey him, and in the end, they had no choice but to rise up in rebellion."

"Your Majesty has personally experienced such a chaotic era and knows better than anyone else that you cannot control people's hearts with a knife, nor can you stabilize the world with punishments."

“In the years since he ascended the throne, he has reduced taxes, promoted new grain production, and lightened punishments. Which of these measures was not an attempt to make up for the loss of virtue at the end of the Sui Dynasty? And the release of prisoners was a grand strategy he put forward to the people of the world to promote the rule of virtue.”

"Releasing death row inmates home and agreeing to return them to prison after the autumn harvest is itself an 'educational experiment'."

Xiao Ran continued, "Your Majesty wants the world to see that even those sentenced to death are given the opportunity to go home and see their families."

"And these people are willing to keep their promise and come back—what does that say?"

"This shows that 'education' is useful, and that as long as the court treats the people with 'virtue,' even those who have made mistakes can be influenced and follow the rules."

"This will convince the people more than executing a hundred death row inmates that 'following His Majesty will ensure a peaceful life.'" (End of Chapter)