"Ministry of Rites?" Fang Zilan frowned slightly, "Invite people in."
Shangguan Min came over and said, "Master, what's wrong?"
"It's nothing." Fang Zilan calmed down, "Come with me to see the Master of the Ministry of Etiquette. Remember to watch more, listen more and talk less."
"Okay." Shangguan Min nodded and followed Fang Zilan to the front hall.
After the person sent by the Ministry of Rites saluted and said hello, he went straight to the topic and said: "Master Fang, regarding the procedures on New Year's Eve, I need to confirm with you again."
Fang Zilan knew it well, but her face was blank and she said: "What is the process?"
"Master Fang doesn't know?" The visitor looked stunned, Fang Zilan remained calm, "What do I want to know?"
"Your Majesty will be accompanied by hundreds of officials during the year-end ceremony, New Year's social opera and New Year's Eve palace banquet on New Year's Eve." The visitor said in disbelief: "As the Duke of Yue, Lord Fang is completely unaware of this?"
Fang Zilan smiled slightly, "Your Majesty, what you said is funny. I was the Duke of Yue last year, but I was not involved in the process that your Majesty mentioned."
She said as if she suddenly remembered something, and said: "That's not right. I played the evil spirit in the New Year's social opera, so I participated in it at least. As for the other processes mentioned by the adults, I was not involved, so it must have nothing to do with me, right?" "
The visitor took a deep breath and said, "Mr. Fang, there is a misunderstanding. Last year, Mr. Fang was granted the title of Duke of Yue at a palace banquet. There was no edict to be announced to the world before New Year's Eve. Our Ministry of Rites was also in a dilemma..."
"Embarrassed?" Fang Zilan chuckled, "Sir Shicai said that hundreds of officials will accompany His Majesty on New Year's Eve. Before I was granted the title of Duke of Yue, wasn't I, Duke of Bei, one of the hundreds of officials?"
"This..." The visitor said with a thin layer of sweat on his forehead, "Although Mr. Fang is the Duke of the Northern Kingdom, he did not come to the capital from the northern border. The Ministry of Rites was already busy at the end of the year and made mistakes..."
"Didn't you come to Beijing from the northern border? Is it wrong?" Fang Zilan said with a half-smile but not a smile: "Do you believe these words yourself?"
The visitor wiped his sweat and said, "This... I'm just here under orders. If Lord Fang has any dissatisfaction with our Rites Department, you might as well say it directly so that I can be prepared."
"Dissatisfied?" Fang Zilan's smile faded a bit, "Your Excellency, you think what I just said was unreasonable and not the fault of your etiquette department, right?"
The visitor hurriedly bowed and said, "I don't dare to do this."
Fang Zilan was not angry and said proudly: "Although I don't like to cause trouble, I have never been afraid of anyone. I have never written to Your Majesty about the omissions of the Ministry of Rites before. I feel that these small things do not need to be brought to the imperial court. It is not good-looking."
Her voice became colder, "However, it doesn't mean you shouldn't see it if it doesn't look good. I, the capital, value the most etiquette, and the Ministry of Etiquette cannot always make omissions. Please go back and tell the Minister of Rites that the identity of the Duke of Yue is not a fiction, and neither is Fang Zilan." What kind of weak person can be bullied? If there is another time, we will see you in front of the emperor."
"Master Fang, please calm down." The visitor knelt down with a plop, "It was a mistake made by the lower official. Master Fang must not vent his anger on Master Shangshu."
"Since I entered the capital, the Ministry of Rites has done so many little things to me and the people in my house behind my back. Your Lord Shangshu knows it best." Fang Zilan lost her power and sat back on the main seat. "Whether I am expressing my anger, you just need to be honest." To reiterate, your Lord Shangshu has made his own judgment, so there is no need for you to apologize here."
"Yes." The visitor said cautiously: "The process on New Year's Eve..."
"I will not be absent from the year-end ceremony and the New Year's social drama, but the New Year's Eve palace banquet..." Fang Zilan paused, "I'm afraid my body won't be able to hold up until then, so I won't disappoint His Majesty and all of you."
"Yes, I'll report back right now." The visitor was about to get up when he heard Fang Zilan say: "Wait a minute, you should explain the specific rules and precautions to me clearly, right?"
"Of course you should." The visitor knelt back and Fang Zilan glanced at him, "Others thought I was bullying you. Get up and sit down to answer."
"Thank you, sir." After the visitor sat down, he recounted the process of the New Year's Eve in detail, covering everything, even the possible unexpected situations.
After hearing this, Fang Zilan looked at the visitor intently, "My lord, the process is clear and meticulous. Those lame excuses before have really embarrassed my lord."
The visitor didn't dare to answer, Fang Zilan's lips curled up slightly, "Who have you offended, sir, to be sent to my house to look at your face?"
The visitor said sarcastically: "Master Fang is joking."
Fang Zilan looked at the visitor thoughtfully, "What's your name?"
"Xiaoguan Xue Haoyu." The visitor answered quickly, but Fang Zilan was stunned, "Who are you, Mr. Xue, the former Minister of Rites?"
"It's Xiaguan's uncle." Xue Haoyu lowered his head, and Fang Zilan sighed: "No wonder..."
Shangguan Min was confused when he heard this, but he did not dare to ask questions at will. He only listened to Fang Zilan and said: "Except for the last part of what I just said, I will directly relay it to Lord Shangshu."
"Don't worry, Mr. Fang, I know what's appropriate." Xue Haoyu said solemnly, "Thank you, Mr. Fang."
After Xue Haoyu left, Shangguan Min finally couldn't help but ask: "Master, why did you target Master Xue just now?"
"I am not targeting Mr. Xue, but the Ministry of Rites. Since I entered the capital, the Ministry of Rites has always suppressed and suppressed all the rewards that should be given, and will not deal with it unless it is absolutely necessary." Fang Zilan said coldly: "If the Ministry of Rites just treats me like this, I will It’s just a matter of looking for an opportunity to hammer it out, but the Ministry of Rites actually did the same to Lao Cao. As a result, after Lao Cao’s reward came down, the Ministry of War didn’t know how to deal with it.”
Shangguan Min asked: "What does it mean that I don't know how to arrange it?"
"After the reward is awarded, Lao Cao, as a general, should not continue to stay in my house as a general. If the reward is given on time, I can go to the Ministry of War to coordinate in time." Fang Zilan snorted coldly, "But the Ministry of Rites delayed it again and again, causing the Ministry of War to I asked insinuations and asked again and again, making it appear that I was unwilling to let him go because of my military merits, and what's worse, I was afraid that I kept a high-ranking general in the house with ulterior motives."
Shangguan Min was stunned and said: "Why is the Ministry of Rites doing this?"
"At first, it might have been that although I was in a high position, I was weak and could be bullied by myself." Fang Zilan thought deeply, "That may not be the case now."
"What do you mean?" Shangguan Min was puzzled, and Fang Zilan said: "Mr. Xue, the former Minister of Rites, was born in a commoner family, and he didn't rely on anyone. How could the great noble families allow the Ministry of Rites, one of the six departments, to be alone? Mr. Xue didn't If you are willing to stand in line, you will be walking on thin ice. When Emperor Ningshun was still in power, he was demoted and released because of the reward for his beloved concubine."
Shangguan Min seemed to understand, "I understand, Mr. Xue was demoted. As his nephew, Mr. Xue must have been implicated, and his life in the Ministry of Rites will be difficult."
"It's not entirely because he was implicated." Fang Zilan looked serious, "Mr. Xue is still young. I think he may not have been in the Ministry of Rites when Mr. Xue was demoted."
Shangguan Min frowned and said, "Besides being implicated, what else is there?"
