"The child is here."
Liu Mingzhi pointed out the window, rolled up the tobacco bag in his hand, and walked slowly towards the dining table.
"The guests have arrived, welcome them."
"Yes, let's go now, kid."
After Liu Chengzhi bowed, he immediately turned around and walked out of the Tianzihao private room.
Qi Yun stood up gracefully, pulled the chair at the head of the table with a smile, and asked curiously: "Husband, are the guests here?"
Liu Mingzhi smiled and nodded, gently sat on the chair, and casually placed the dry tobacco bag on the table.
"Hehehe, yes, the guests have arrived."
"How many people are here from the Cai family?"
"Four."
Qi Yun nodded with a clear expression and glanced at the food and wine on the table with a slight smile.
"Hey, I know.
Husband, are these food and drinks enough? Do you want someone to add a few more hot dishes? "
Liu Mingzhi casually glanced at the food and wine on the dinner table, chuckled and shook his head.
"No need to add more, these wines and dishes are enough.
After all, our main purpose today is to discuss with the Cai family the life-long affairs of Chengzhi and Ningning.
Eating is only secondary.
Once things between Chengzhi and the two of them are officially finalized, there will be plenty of opportunities to drink together in the future. "
"That's true, then it's up to you, husband."
While Mr. Liu, Mr. and Mrs. Qi Yun were chatting and laughing, some chaotic footsteps gradually came from outside the room in Tianzihao Yajian.
The footsteps were getting closer and closer, becoming clearer and clearer.
Qi Yun, the third princess, the queen, Huang Lingyi and their sisters, as well as Li Jingyao, listened to the footsteps outside the room becoming more and more clear. They arranged their clothes in unison and immediately straightened their sitting postures.
Young Master Liu raised his brows slightly, tapped his fingers lightly on the table, and looked towards the door with a faint smile.
Qi Yun, Wen Ren Yunshu, Murong Shan and the other sisters looked curiously at the door, either intentionally or unintentionally.
In the eyes of everyone, Liu Chengzhi took the lead and walked to the door. He raised his hand and knocked lightly on the door frame a few times.
"My child would like to report to my father, mother, and aunts, the distinguished guests have arrived."
"please."
"Please quickly."
"Yes, the child knows."
Liu Chengzhi turned slightly sideways, smiled lightly and waved his hand.
"Old man, Uncle Cai, Aunt Cai, please go first."
"Don't dare, please come first, Your Highness."
"Your Highness, please come first, please come first."
"Oh, Uncle Cai, Aunt Cai, there is no Second Prince today, only your nephew Liu Chengzhi.
You guys, please don't be polite to me, my nephew. "
"Okay, then I will be disrespectful."
"Hehehe, please."
"Dad, please."
"OK."
As soon as the last powerful words fell, an old man wearing a light gray robe, with white beard and hair, about seventy years old, took the lead in entering the sight of Young Master Liu and others, holding a peach wood crutch in his hand. middle.
The old man who came was none other than Cai Yuanchao, a former doctor in the Ministry of Justice.
Following closely behind were a couple about fifty years old.
"Ningning, come in too."
"Brother Chengzhi, please go first."
"Oh, there are no outsiders today, so you don't need to be polite."
"I...I, Brother Chengzhi, you should treat me first."
"Hehehe, together, together."
Cai Yuanchao looked at Mr. Liu who was sitting in the main seat with a complicated expression, and immediately bowed and saluted.
"Cao Cai Yuanchao, please see your majesty, your empresses, and your highness the Second Imperial Concubine.
Long live my emperor. Long live, long live, my dear queens, a thousand lives, a thousand lives.
Her Royal Highness the Imperial Concubine is a thousand years old, a thousand years old. "
"Cai He'an, the governor of Chenye Prefecture, comes to see Your Majesty, to all of you empresses, and to Your Highness the Second Imperial Concubine."
"My concubine Huang Linlin, please see Your Majesty, all the empresses, and Your Highness the Imperial Concubine."
"Long live my emperor, long live long live, ladies and gentlemen, Your Highness the Second Imperial Concubine, a thousand live, a thousand live, a thousand thousand live."
"The daughter of the people pays homage to Uncle Liu, pays homage to all the aunts, and pays homage to Sister Jingyao."
"Uncle, be safe, aunts be safe, and sister Jingyao be well."
Young Master Liu raised his eyes and glanced at the four people who were saluting him and others, and waved his hand with a faint smile.
"No gifts, no gifts at all."
Qi Yun, the third princess, Yun Qingshi, Yun Xiaoxi and the other sisters, as well as Li Jingyao, followed closely and waved their hands.
"No gifts, no gifts."
"Hurry up and forgive me."
"Thank you, Your Majesty, thank you all, thank you, Your Royal Highness."
"Thank you Uncle Liu, thank you all the divine aunts, thank you sister Jingyao."
Mr. Liu stood up slowly, walked up to Cai Yuanchao with a smile on his face, reached out and held his withered left hand.
"Old man, I call you this, young master. Are you not angry?"
Cai Yuanchao said cheerfully: "Not only am I not angry, but I feel more familiar and cordial.
Back then, Your Majesty, you often scolded the grassroots and several of your colleagues like this. "
Young Master Liu raised his eyebrows, laughed and nodded: "Hahaha, as long as you don't get angry, that's fine.
Old man, we haven't seen each other for many years. It's been a long time since we've seen each other. "
Cai Yuanchao looked at the smiling Young Master Liu with complicated eyes, sighed softly, and nodded with emotion.
"Oh, yes, long time no see.
As if in the blink of an eye, nine years have passed.
The common people have not seen His Majesty for more than nine years. "
Liu Mingzhi looked at Cai Yuanchao's expression full of emotion, shook his withered palm vigorously, and nodded with the same expression filled with emotion.
"You old thing, to be precise, we haven't seen each other for about ten years.
When you retired and returned to your hometown, I, the young master, was in the palace of King Yizhibianjian in Yingzhou, northern Xinjiang, guarding the gates of the country for the late emperor.
Later, when I, the young master, learned from other people that you, the old boy, had retired and returned to his hometown, I lamented this for quite some time. "
Cai Yuanchao was silent for a while with complicated eyes, then laughed loudly and bowed to Young Master Liu with a big salute.
"Hahaha, it is a lifelong blessing for ordinary people to have your majesty value you so much!
Thank you, Your Majesty. Thank you, Your Majesty. "
Liu Mingzhi quickly stretched out his hand to help him up, and shook his head helplessly.
"Old man, meeting old friends again after a long absence is one of the best stories in life. Why are you doing this?"
"Your Majesty, the etiquette cannot be discarded. The etiquette cannot be discarded."
Liu Mingzhi gently patted the back of Cai Yuanchao's withered hand, turned sideways and looked at Qi Yun.
"Yun'er."
Upon hearing this, Qi Yun immediately stood up and gave a blessing.
"My concubine is here."
"Give up your chair, and you sisters will change seats one after another. My husband wants to have a good time catching up with Lao Cai."
"Yes, I obey."
Qi Yun responded respectfully and immediately walked out of her seat.
Upon seeing this, the third princess, the queen, Huyan Yunyao and other sisters stood up and changed their positions.
Seeing this situation, Cai Yuanchao looked at Young Master Liu and waved his hand quickly.
"Your Majesty, no, you must not do this.
How dare you, an old commoner, ask the Queen to give up your seat?
The common people beg your majesty to take back the order. I beg your majesty to take back the order. "
Young Master Liu shook his head happily and pulled Cai Yuanchao directly towards the main seat.
"My young master said I can do it, so I can do it. Come and sit down."
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, ordinary people will never dare to overstep their bounds, never dare to..."
Young Master Liu sat on the chair carelessly, smiling lightly and pointing to the chair beside him that Qi Yun had given up.
"Old man, if I ask you to sit down, just sit down."
"Your Majesty, common people."
"Sit down, that's an order."
Hearing what Young Master Liu said, Cai Yuanchao's expression suddenly tightened, and he looked at Young Master Liu and nodded with a wry smile.
"Okay, then the common people would rather be respectful than obey."
"That's pretty much it. Hurry up and sit down."
"Okay, okay, sit down here, sit down right here."
Young Master Liu moved the chair under him and turned to look at Cai and An.
"Brother Cai, Madam-in-law, please take a seat together."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
"Concubine, thank you Your Majesty."
"Chengzhi, girl Ningning."
"The child is here."
"My little girl is here."
"You two should stop standing and sit down together."
"Thank you dad."
"Thank you uncle."
"Girl Ning Ning."
"Hey, my daughter is here, uncle?"
Young Master Liu picked up the pot and poured two glasses of wine. He turned to look at Cai Ningning and said cheerfully, "It's been a long time since I last saw you. You're beautiful again."
Cai Ningning's pretty face turned red, and a hint of embarrassment flashed through her pretty eyes.
"Uncle...Uncle, you praised me."
Liu Mingzhi looked at Cai Ningning's shy look, smiled, picked up his wine glass and gestured to Cai Yuanchao.
"Old man, can you still drink now?"
Cai Yuanchao nodded vigorously without hesitation and directly picked up the wine glass in front of him.
"able!"
"cheers."
"The common people toast your Majesty."
Young Master Liu drank all the wine in the glass, placed the glass heavily on the table, turned around and waved to Liu Song who was standing beside him.
"Liu Song, pour the wine."
"yes."
Liu Mingzhi rolled up his sleeves, picked up his chopsticks and took a bite of the cold dish. After swallowing the food in his mouth, he smiled and gestured to everyone at the dinner table.
"It's getting late, everyone should be feeling empty in their stomachs, so use your chopsticks."
"Yeah, I understand."
"Hey, I'll use my chopsticks right now."
"Thank you for your hospitality, Your Majesty."
Liu Mingzhi put down the chopsticks in his hand, picked up his wine glass, leaned on the chair casually, and looked at Cai Yuanchao with a sad expression.
"Lao Cai."
"The grassroots are here."
"Lao Cai, the last time we met was outside the north gate of the capital.
Master, I vaguely remember that when we said goodbye for the last time, you, this old guy, could still see some black hair on your head.
Now, they are all white, including their beard and hair.
Time is so unforgiving! "
Cai Yuanchao heard the sighing tone and raised the wine glass with trembling arms to signal.
"Your Majesty, the common people toast you a drink."
"Okay, cheers."
Cai Yuanchao drank the wine in one breath and silently placed the glass on the table.
Upon seeing this, Liu Song immediately picked up the pot and poured a glass of wine.
"Your Majesty, I have the guts to say something. I hope your Majesty will not blame you."
"Hahaha, but it doesn't matter."
"Your Majesty, you are much older now than you were ten years ago."
Liu Mingzhi gently turned the wine glass in his hand, raised his hand and patted Cai Yuanchao on the shoulder.
"Lao Cai, didn't this young master just say that time is not forgiving?"
"Yes, time is not forgiving, time is not forgiving.
Hehehe, hehehe, the common people would like to toast your majesty again. "
"cheers."
After the glass of wine went down his throat, Young Master Liu picked up a peanut with his chopsticks and threw it into his mouth.
"Lao Yi, Lao Hu, Lao Xing, and Lao Chen... how are these old guys doing now?"
Cai Yuanchao took a bite of the soy sauce beef, and a hint of melancholy flashed through his cloudy eyes.
"On July 18 last year, Lao Hu passed away.
In February a year ago, Lao Yuan passed away.
Two and a half years ago, Lao Chen passed away.
Four years ago, in August and a half, Lao Shen passed away.
At the end of last year, Lao Qiu wrote a letter to Cao Min. He said in the letter that he might not have the opportunity to write letters to Cao Min again and chat about daily life.
To this day, Cao Min doesn't know what his current situation is.
Maybe it is still lingering on, maybe it has passed away without surviving this winter. "
Liu Mingzhi frowned slightly, just took a sip of wine silently, and sighed softly.
"well."
"The common people toast your Majesty."
"Drink together, drink together."
"All the civil and military officials of the Ruizong Dynasty, except for the gentlemen who are still scolding Fang Qiu in the temple.
Nowadays, there are fewer and fewer. "
Liu Mingzhi pursed his lips and nodded gently, picked up the serving chopsticks on the side and gave Cai Yuanchao a chopstick of the dish.
"Lao Cai, people have joys and sorrows, and the moon waxes and wanes.
Let's take things lightly. "
Cai Yuanchao stretched out his hand to wipe the wine from his gray beard and let out a long breath with an indifferent expression.
"Your Majesty, Cao Min, I am already at such an age, and I have already looked away from many things.
Life is short, there are always people to leave. "
Liu Mingzhi took a bite of the food and raised his wine glass again to signal to Cai Yuanchao.
"Lao Cai, life seems short, but it is also very long.
Life is long, but there are also old friends.
Cheers, you old thing! "
"Hahaha, hahaha, His Majesty still sees clearly, His Majesty still sees clearly.
Compared to Your Majesty, I have wasted sixty-nine percent of my life as a commoner.
Cheers, cheers. "
"cheers."
"Drink together, drink together."
Liu Mingzhi took a long breath of alcohol and happily picked up the chopsticks and gave Cai Ningning a chicken leg.
“Girl Ningning, you don’t need to be polite when you come to uncle’s place, you can eat whatever you want.
If you have any special dishes you want to eat, tell your Aunt Yun'er and your uncle will ask her to prepare it for you. "
Cai Ningning stood up quickly, picked up the plate and caught the chicken drumsticks handed over by Mr. Liu.
"Thank you uncle, thank you uncle, Ning Ning is not taboo.
The dishes prepared by uncle, aunts, and sister Jingyao today are all Ning Ning's favorites. "
"Hahaha, that's good."
As Young Master Liu spoke, he picked up the wine glass with a half-smile and turned to look at Cai Yuanchao.
"Lao Cai, back then, you did a lot of trouble for me, young master."
As soon as Young Master Liu said these words, the atmosphere in the private room instantly became quiet.
Qi Yun, the third princess, the queen, Qing Lian and the other sisters all looked stunned, looking towards Young Master Liu intentionally or unintentionally.
Cai, An, Huang Linlin and his wife looked at each other and put down the bowls and chopsticks in their hands nervously.
As for the changes in the expressions of Liu Chengzhi, Li Jingyao, and Cai Ningning, it goes without saying that they are as nervous as they are.
Compared to everyone's different reactions, Cai Yuanchao's reaction was much calmer.
"His Majesty."
(End of chapter)
