Rebirth: Phoenix Riding the Ninth Heaven

Time is like a mysterious child. No matter how cold and piercing yesterday was, once the solar term arrives, it will send the warm sunshine like a loving mother. Unconsciously, the beginning of spring has passed and the temperature is slowly rising. Although this change is not obvious,

But the grass, like clever little elves, is quietly poking out tender green buds. They struggle to peel away the winter snow that covers them. Beneath them, the leaves of the spring flowers are already quietly blooming like shy young girls. Grass is the most sensitive messenger of temperature changes, knowing exactly which environment is best suited for its growth and reproduction. Upon receiving the signal that spring is approaching, they exert all their energy, eagerly striving upwards, absorbing every ounce of warmth and injecting endless energy into their thriving growth.

The Fourth Prince frowned, one hand covering his head, the other rubbing his eyes as he slowly sat down at his desk. His slightly haggard face betrayed a deep sense of fatigue and worry. His gaze settled on the mountain of letters on the desk, and gradually grew solemn, as if enveloped by an invisible pressure.

These letters were all urgent reports from officials across the country, including reports of obstacles to the implementation of various policies benefiting the people, slow progress in canal construction, and the numerous difficulties facing post-disaster infrastructure reconstruction. Each letter weighed like a heavy stone on the Fourth Prince's heart, making him feel breathless.

"Alas..." The Fourth Prince sighed deeply and said to himself, "There is a shortage of money and people everywhere! Without sufficient funds and food, who would be willing to devote themselves to these tasks?" Thinking of this, his head began to hurt more and more, and he felt very depressed.

At that moment, the door suddenly opened, and a figure flashed into the room. It was Baili Xi. He immediately saw the Fourth Prince leaning weakly against the edge of the table, rubbing his eyes with his hands, and occasionally pressing his fingers between his brows, looking bitter and resentful.

Upon seeing this, Baili Xi quickly walked up to the Fourth Prince and teased with a smile: "Oh, what's the matter? Look at our Fourth Prince, he is so worried that his brows are twisted into a knot! What on earth could have troubled you so much?" After saying that, he deliberately blinked with a sly smile on his face.

The Fourth Prince raised his head, glared at Baili Xi fiercely, and replied angrily, "I'm upset! Don't bother me here! You've been missing all day, running around everywhere, leaving me alone here struggling to cope with so many difficult matters, and you didn't even come over to help!"

Baili Xi, with a nonchalant look, strolled nonchalantly in front of the Fourth Prince and said lazily: "Hey, look at me, I'm too 'perfect'! I feel like I'm going crazy dealing with these things all day long! So, I thought of going out for a walk and some fresh air." After saying that, he didn't forget to wink at the Fourth Prince.

The Fourth Prince looked helplessly at the unruly fellow before him, sighed deeply, and said, "Ah, you're still the best. When you don't want to work, you can just walk away and enjoy yourself. Unlike me, these complicated affairs are like a mountain weighing me down, almost suffocating me. Sometimes I really want to be like you and just give up and forget about it."

Hearing this, Messi couldn't help but interrupt: "If you're so tired, then just stop doing it! No one is holding a knife to your neck and forcing you to do it anyway."

The fourth prince glared at Messi fiercely and retorted angrily: "That's easy for you to say! If I really quit, what will happen to the common people? Who will raise food, fodder, gold and silver for the soldiers stationed in the northwest? Without sufficient supply of materials, once the Hun army attacks, how can we resist? You are talking without any pain in your waist, huh!" Thinking of the many headaches here, the fourth prince felt his head buzzing, as if there were always endless official business waiting for him.

Baili Xi gazed at the Fourth Prince with a look full of pity and sympathy. He sighed slowly and said softly, "Your Highness, since ancient times, those who want to accomplish earth-shaking feats often need to bear extraordinary hard work and responsibilities. As a member of the royal family, you shoulder the well-being of the people of the world and the prosperity of the country. Sometimes you have to compromise and endure humiliation!" As he spoke, he gently patted the Fourth Prince's shoulder.

"However, Your Highness, don't worry too much. You are not fighting alone. I am here. Although I am just a commoner, I think I have some strategies and wisdom, and I can offer advice to Your Highness and do my best. However, Your Highness must not pin all your hopes on me alone. After all, I have no power and influence, and I am just an idle person on weekdays. If I were to deal with those complicated affairs all the time, I am afraid that I would soon be exhausted and overwhelmed, and even have a mental breakdown." At this point, Baili Xi couldn't help but shook his head again, with a helpless look on his face.

Upon hearing this, the Fourth Prince's expression remained calm as he replied calmly, "Well, if that's the case, then proceed as you please. As long as you can enjoy yourself, I'll be at ease. As for these many troubles, they must ultimately be addressed and resolved by me personally. I suppose this toil and hardship was my destiny." With that, the Fourth Prince sighed deeply once more, turned, and walked away with heavy steps. Baili Xi was left standing there, watching his retreating figure, secretly pondering how to help this ambitious yet arduous Fourth Prince...

Despite the Fourth Prince's words, I had only been sitting in the courtyard for a moment when I was enveloped by a wave of cold air. The chill quickly spread throughout my body, and I couldn't help but rub my hands and feet to warm them. This chill also dissipated much of the lingering melancholy and resentment that had been lingering in his heart.

Not long after, I reentered the study. My gaze immediately fell on Baili Xi, who sat there in a daze. Seeing his dazed expression, I couldn't help but feel a surge of regret—perhaps I had spoken too harshly. So, I raised my hand and coughed softly to get his attention, then slowly walked into the room.

Instantly, a wave of warmth enveloped the Fourth Prince. He gathered himself, then calmly addressed Baili Xi, "Master Baili, let's work together to process the numerous pieces of evidence presented from various locations on this case table. Let's carefully consider how to resolve the difficulties facing the local people."

Miraculously, in just those two words, the friendship between these two grown men was naturally restored. It was as if the previous grudge had never existed, and they immediately rediscovered their former tacit understanding, throwing themselves wholeheartedly into the seemingly endless and complex task before them.

The two worked side by side, and the tasks were completed quickly as if by magic. However, Bailixi picked up a document and read it for a long time, as if it was a peerless secret book, which made him unable to extricate himself and completely forget to continue the next task. The Fourth Prince was full of curiosity, and he came forward like a smart cat and asked softly: "Bailixi, what's wrong with you?" Bailixi woke up as if from a dream, and slowly came back to his senses. He handed the paper in his hand to the Fourth Prince like a treasure. After reading it carefully, the Fourth Prince couldn't help but frowned like a tightly twisted knot, and then asked: "What do you think?" Bailixi shook his head helplessly, like a candle in the wind, and sighed: "I don't know, so I'm stuck here."

Qian Xianhua wrote in a letter that when he was a county magistrate in the south, he saw a plant called sweet potatoes growing there. They could be grown twice a year, yielding up to 20 dan per mu (approximately 100 kg/mu). They were unique in that they favored sandy and arid land. If these seedlings were planted in the northwest, who knows if they would yield a bountiful harvest. The northwest is dry and rainless, but sweet potatoes thrive in arid and sandy soils, a perfect match for the climate!

Upon hearing this, the Fourth Prince frowned slightly. After a moment of thought, he slowly said, "Although that is the case, the south is a thousand miles away from here. The journey is long and full of dangers, which is really worrying. I wonder if this crop can adapt to the climate and soil conditions in the northwest and take root and thrive here." As he spoke, he shook his head unconsciously, his face full of worry.

Baili Xi, standing nearby, listened quietly to the Fourth Prince's words, his face also showing an awkward expression. He replied helplessly, "Yes, Your Highness, I am also unsure about this matter. If we rashly decide to plant here, I am afraid it will require a huge expenditure of manpower and material resources; however, if we give up, it would seem like we have missed a golden opportunity."

After all, if this crop is successfully introduced, the people will have another delicious dish on their tables, and their lives may become more prosperous. I still remember that last year, due to natural disasters and man-made disasters, the Han Dynasty suffered a poor harvest, and countless people starved to death. It was a tragic sight.

If we can do something this time and ensure that the people have enough food to eat, then their lives will surely be much happier!" At this point, Baili Xi couldn't help but sigh, his eyes looking into the distance, as if he saw the beautiful scene of the people living and working in peace and contentment, with no worries about food and clothing.

The Fourth Prince stared at Baili Xi. After a moment's silence, as if finding a ray of light in the darkness, he made up his mind and said, "Then let's give it a try! After all, hope is like the stars in the night sky; though faint, it can illuminate the path forward. Without a glimmer of hope, what else in the world can we achieve without groping? No one can guarantee 100% success in anything we do."