When Li Mu returned home, he realized that something had happened during the period when he was not here.

For example, after Li Shimin allowed Bai Qiaoqiao and others to leave Luoyang and come to Yangzhou, he arrived in Luoyang not long after, and he traveled to Luoyang to escape the summer heat at Ziwei Palace in Luoyang. The civil and military officials of the court naturally followed him. This move was considered to be a test of Li Shimin's desire to move the capital. For a time, the land prices in Luoyang soared, but for some reason, just a few days before Li Mu returned to the flight, Li Shimin returned to Chang'an and had already bought shops in Luoyang, the officials and merchants in the mansion, and paid a lot of money.

Someone wanted to find out Li Shimin's thoughts, but he didn't find anything. It was as if Li Shimin was really coming to Luoyang to disappear in summer. Li Mu couldn't guess why Li Shimin was like this, and he was too lazy to guess. Everything in Luoyang has already been on track, and even if he didn't go for two years, it would be fine. Now, developing Yangzhou Port and inventing Zhou Port is the focus of his work. As long as Li Shimin doesn't come to Yangzhou, he will do whatever he likes.

As winter gradually approaches, although Yangzhou Port is a port that is not frozen, after the beginning of winter, the river transportation stops and the Grand Canal is also suspended. The freight at Yangzhou Port is reduced by half, and the port becomes deserted. Most of the ships entering and leaving the port are ships transported by sea.

Li Mu had to come to the port every day except for his children and wife. He was waiting for a boat. A boat that was set off almost the same time as him when he went to Japan. This boat should have returned a month ago, but it has not returned yet.

At this time, there was no satellite phone, even if it was a fleet of ships, it could not be contacted a little farther away. All Li Mu could do now was to wait, and only wait.

He sent this ship to explore the waterway. He wanted to find a waterway that could transport grain from Linyi and Zhenla back steadily.

There is no waterway now, but the existing waterway is not stable enough, and in addition, it takes a long time to go around.

The long time it takes means that the crew members who wear it consume more food. It also means more risks and uncertainty. The "exploration team" sent by Li Mu is composed of the oldest sailors in Yangzhou who are qualified to run sea transportation. Their ship is also a newly built standard Qianshi sea transportation ship. Logically speaking, the probability of risk is extremely small.

But for some reason, the boat just didn't come back.

It was already a month later than the agreed time.

Gu Sizhi told Li Mu indirectly that going to sea may usually delay, but generally delaying for seven days and a half months is the most. In this case, if the delay exceeds one month, there is basically no possibility of coming back.

But Li Mu didn't give up, so he had to come to the port every day. Day after day, he returned without success.

The crew members' families had already come to see each other once, and Li Mu agreed that if there was no news at the end of the month, they would pay them a pension according to the agreed number twice. When Li Mu was willing to give two times the pension, all the crew members' families calmed down and no one made trouble again. As Yangzhou people, they were used to the situation where they could not come back from the sea. Their men were sailors, so sooner or later, they had this day. In the past, when they encountered such a situation, the owner compensated the goods and the ship, and basically they did not give them any pensions, and the family members made trouble in vain.

Li Mu not only gave him a pension, but also gave him a high level. This time he agreed to twice the pension. What else can I say?

But Li Mu felt very sad.

In his eyes, those who dare to explore the route are undoubtedly warriors.

But in the eyes of their family, it is just a sum of money after all.

Perhaps the fate of those who are sailors is like this. If a person dies at sea, the only thing he can leave to his family is the money he earns from this life.

But Li Mu still felt very sorry and also felt deeply frustrated.

Seeing that the sun was about to droop, the carriage to pick him up had arrived. Dugu Jiu flashed out from the side, put on a cloak for Li Mu, and said, "Brother, it's almost time, it's time to go back."

Li Mu nodded and said, "Let's go... don't delay when you go back, send the pension to everyone--" Suddenly he stopped, staring at the horizon in a daze, Dugu Jiu looked over his gaze, and said in surprise: "That's not... Yunlong Banner, it's that ship!"

Li Mu called himself General Yunlong. The ship went to sea with his order, so a Yunlong flag was prepared on the mast of the ship.

This flag was only available on the Chang'an and this road exploration ship, so when Dugu Jiu saw this flag, he recognized it immediately.

"Here I'm back!" A smile appeared on Li Mu's face. He glanced at Dugu Jiu. Dugu Jiu knew it and turned around to make arrangements.

The dock became lively in an instant. Li Mu sent three boats to pick him up and led the wayfinding boat back to the port.

He walked to the dock himself and watched the ship enter the port.

The crew gathered on the deck. Although they were a little dusty, they were all still energetic. After getting closer, Li Mu saw clearly why the ship was so slow. It turned out that the ship was already full of precious corals, all over the deck.

You can smell the spices from a distance. You can imagine how many valuable spices are.

A familiar figure squeezed out from the crowd. When Li Mu saw him, he truly let go of his heart.

This person is not someone else, but Li You, the deposed King of Qi. He is the envoy of this "exploration" ship. According to Li Mu's character, he would definitely not let Li You go. First, from the professional level, Li You will not have almost any knowledge of navigation. Second, Li You is sensitive after all, and if something happens to him, it will be difficult for Li Shimin to explain.

But this time, Li You had taken some medicine, but he became a slander. He walked one road to the end. Li Mu refused to agree to him, so he stayed at Yuelai Inn as a sergeant, neither making a fuss nor making a fuss, and treated himself as a servant to serve him.

It’s not that Li Mu couldn’t stand Li You’s serving. He didn’t look at monks and Buddha’s faces. Even if Li You was demoted to a commoner, he was a prince after all. He was under Li You’s serving, so Li Shimin couldn’t continue to explain.

In the end, there was no way to endure it. Li Mu asked Li You to write a "disclaimer" in person, saying that it was his voluntary choice to go to sea, and wrote down the process of how he forced him. In this way, if something happened, Li Shimin would have an explanation.

Li Mu has been to the dock every day these days, and in fact, it is also related to Li You. When Li Shimin went to Luoyang, he must have known that Li You was no longer in Luoyang. He didn't ask, which does not mean that the matter was over. The end of the year is coming soon. If you can't give an explanation, even if Li You is a commoner, this matter will definitely become a knot for Li Shimin.

After all, he is a biological child. Li Mu knew that the only one who could kill Li You was besides Li You himself, and he must not have something wrong with him.

Fortunately, Li You is back.

"You're finally back, why are you so late?"

The sea breeze blew for half a year, and Li You, a fat white boy, turned into a dark boy. His height had grown and his muscles became stronger. He did not see the slightest arrogance of his once, and his eyes were embarrassed, but he actually had a hint of the heroic spirit of Li Shimin.

"Brother, when we returned to the voyage, we encountered an ocean current and the ship deviated from the channel, but it was a blessing in disguise. We used the silk and porcelain that were originally used as gifts to exchange for a ship full of gems and spices." Li You grinned and said, "I made a profit in this trip!"

This is a smile from the bottom of my heart, a feeling of pride after I did something.

Li Mu held Li You's appearance and didn't know what to say.

The changes in people are so great. Thinking about what Li You looked like a year ago, and looking at Li You now, I wonder what happened to him this time, which actually made him grow so much.

Li Mu said nothing, patted his shoulder and said, "Let's take a break first, your father--" After pausing, Li Mu changed his words and said, "Your father already knows about you going to sea, so let's think about it first and how to reply."

"Hey!" Li You agreed, as if he wasn't worried.

Li Mu asked Dugu Jiu to arrange to send Li You to rest, and made arrangements for the others on the expedition. As for the things on the ship, Li Mu agreed before going to sea that as long as they completed the mission, all the things they came back from this trip belonged to the crew.

Looking at the things on the boat, Li Mu couldn't help but wonder if these bastards were deliberately doing business along the way because of this sentence, which led to their late return.

However, these are no longer important. After returning half a month late and protruding out the Nanyang waterway, it is very cost-effective.

...

After resting for a night, Li Mu called Li You over the next morning. Yesterday he had asked the people on the boat and called Li You here today to see what he said. The result was already there. The truth was not very important, but if it was not up to the right number, it would be very difficult for Li Shimin to explain it.

What Li You said was just right with the crew. Li Mu felt relieved. Just as he was about to send Li You away, Li You suddenly said, "Brother, I want to ask you to do me a favor."

"Hmm?" Li Mu threw his puzzled eyes and remembered something, saying, "If you want to go out to sea again, you must tell your father in person that I can't agree to anything."

"It's not this." Li You smiled and waved his hand. Li Mu breathed a sigh of relief and said, "This is almost the same. After that, what's the matter."

He knew that Li You was not short of money now. Not to mention anything else, the things on the boat were sold at a price, and it was distributed to him at least 10,000 or 20,000 yuan. He is a bachelor now, where can he spend money?

"Don't our Tang Dynasty want to develop Jiaozhou Port? Brother, I want to be a Jiaozhou Maritime Envoy."

"You fart!" Li Mu suddenly became excited and pointed at Li You and said, "You are even more excessive than going to sea. Jiaozhou Port has not been established now. Do you want to be a market envoy? You have not grown enough to bear this important task?"

There is another saying that Li Mu didn't say, after all, you are a deposed prince. What impact will it have when you become a warship envoy? Can your father trust you? What will the civil and military officials in the court say?

"Brother, I have thought about it carefully." Li You did not retreat because of Li Mu's anger. He looked at Li Mu solemnly and said, "Brother, I think I can do this well. If you think I have no experience, you let me start from a young age. I believe that one day, I will be worthy of being a maritime envoy of the Tang Dynasty."

"Oh?" Li Mu heard a little smell. He glanced at Li You. This kid was so smart that he learned to pay back the money at the spot. He made a request that was impossible first, and then he said his true purpose. It felt like he had taken several steps back. In fact, the following sentence was his true purpose.

Seeing Li Mu's eyes, Li You smiled embarrassedly and said, "Brother, I really think I am very suitable for this. In the past, I became a prince and became domineering. Later, in the Fourth Brother's Literature Museum, I didn't know anything. Others recognize me. The look of my eyes are always strange..." As he said that, he lowered his head and looked at him. Li Mu could probably understand his feelings. If he was the King of Qi in the past, but was demoted to a commoner, he would naturally be looked down upon. Under the protection of Li Tai in the Literature Museum, who could really take him seriously?

"At that time, I knew that I had to find a place that could start over. Brother, can you understand?" Li You was a little excited and said, "Brother, I had to find a place that no one knew me and start over. Although I was suffering in the past few months of floating on the sea, I was very happy. Because no one looked at me strangely, the people on the boat did not regard me as a deposed prince, but regarded me as a brother and friend like them. When they arrived in those small countries in Nanyang, as envoys of the Tang Dynasty, they valued me very much and respected me very much. I like to do these things. No matter how difficult or hard it is, I can do it."

"What's more, Jiaozhou is also the Tang Dynasty. Although it is the southernmost end, there must be someone there." Li You smiled bitterly and said, "Unless, father... my father can't believe me in his heart, then there is really nothing he can do."

"That's right—" Li Mu was about to make a long-term plan when suddenly a voice came from behind: "I agree."

"Father?" Li You stood up instantly as if there was a thorn in his butt. Li Mu also quickly stood up, and he didn't know that Li Shimin would appear here.

"Your Majesty, why are you here?"

Li Mu bowed and saluted, Li Shimin waved his hand, but his eyes looked at Li You: "I haven't seen you for almost a year, and my son has changed. If your mother could see you now, she would definitely be very pleased."

"Father..." Li You choked up and couldn't speak.

"How great would it be if you were like this before." Li Shimin also cried and said, "It is hard to collect the water. If you do something wrong, you have to bear the consequences. I cannot restore your..."

"Father, the child never thought about it." Li You said quickly: "The child only hopes to do more things for the Tang Dynasty to make up for the mistakes he made in the past. He only hopes that his father can still trust the child, and the child will be satisfied."

"You are my biological son, so what do I do not believe in? However, the responsibility for the ship is heavy and your qualifications are not suitable. I can promise you that you will let you do what you like. I will only think about what to do before deciding."

Li You was already satisfied to get this sentence and said respectfully: "Thank you, father."

"What you have to do now is to meet your mother. I will take one step first. Your mother will have two days to arrive. You can bring a few guards to greet you."

"Yes! Father!"
Chapter completed!