The birthday of the Empress Dowager is approaching in a blink of an eye, and princes and ministers from all over the country have arrived in the capital one after another to congratulate the Empress Dowager on her birthday.
For these princes and ministers, such a grand event is particularly rare. It not only provides an opportunity to strengthen the ties between the families. There is still a chance to show their faces in front of Emperor Hongzhi and the Empress Dowager. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for those bastards from big families who have no inheritance rights.
Therefore, everyone worked hard to prepare all kinds of birthday gifts. If they win the favor of the Empress Dowager, it would be better to be given an official position than to be mediocre and unknown.
The Ming Dynasty ruled the world with filial piety, especially Emperor Hongzhi's success today was entirely due to the Empress Dowager Zhou. If the Empress Dowager Zhou had not fought hard to stop him, I am afraid that Emperor Hongzhi would have died at the poisonous hands of Concubine Wan Gui.
Therefore, Emperor Hongzhi kept everything simple, except for the birthday of the Empress Dowager, the more grand the better!
Zhan Shifu.
Zhu Houzhao held his chin with his hands, looking weak and exhausted.
Just now, he and Chen Ziyu brought back to Zhan Shifu the soap freshly made from the western suburbs workshop and some cod liver oil that had been refined for a long time.
"Old Chen, it's my great-grandmother's birthday in three days. We must prepare the birthday gifts in advance to avoid anything going wrong!"
Zhu Houzhao was extremely filial to Empress Dowager Zhou.
"I understand!" Chen Ziyu nodded solemnly. To put it bluntly, the Queen Mother Zhou was also his great-grandmother. Filial piety was extremely important in this era. He did not dare to be confused about this matter!
Zhu Houzhao stood up, pointed to the cod liver oil and soap beside him and said in a deep voice: "Old Chen, don't these two things seem a bit shabby?"
Chen Ziyu smiled, a strange light flashed in his eyes, and said: "Your Highness, in addition to this, we also have vegetables in the greenhouse. When the time comes, we will get some fresh vegetables and tell the Queen Mother that this is for her health. It was specially researched.”
"In addition, I will also develop a few bottles of perfume in the next few days and present them to the Queen Mother!"
For this kind of woman who is used to seeing glory and wealth, the more novel and uncommon something is, the easier it is to win her favor and attention!
"Okay, okay!" Zhu Houzhao's eyes suddenly lit up and he felt relieved, "Old Chen, you still have a way! This palace must not be compared with the cousins of the emperor's uncles!"
With these things, Zhu Houzhao had a lot of confidence in his heart. You must know that every year on the birthday of the Empress Dowager, those vassal kings who were far away in other places, that is, Zhu Houzhao's uncles, would also bring their families to the capital to pay tribute to the Empress Dowager. Birthday wishes to the Queen Mother.
If he was compared with them, Zhu Houzhao would feel very humiliated!
Usually, the vassal kings of the Ming Dynasty were not allowed to enter the capital without any reason, but this was the only exception.
After all, people want to express their filial piety to their ancestors, even if the emperor doesn’t have a reasonable excuse, he can’t stop it!
Chen Ziyu looked a little helpless, glanced at Zhu Houzhao, and said with a wry smile: "Your Highness, the gift is valuable, there is no need to compare it with anyone!"
"What do you know!" Zhu Houzhao immediately retorted to Chen Ziyu, "If nothing else, let's just say that Zhu Houcong, the eldest son of Uncle Xingwang's family, makes unique gifts every year. Even his father and the masters praise him for his spiritual energy! Great-grandmother every time They were all laughing from ear to ear!”
Seeing what Zhu Houzhao said, Chen Ziyu subconsciously asked: "What gift did Crown Prince Xing give last year?"
"The Taoist classics he copied by himself!" Zhu Houzhao blurted out!
Chen Ziyu smacked his lips. Calculating his age, this old Taoist priest is only thirteen or fourteen years old now. He has really liked this trick since he was a child!
"What do you mean by that expression?" Zhu Houzhao rolled his eyes at Chen Ziyu angrily.
"Nothing." Chen Ziyu shook his head immediately. He couldn't tell Zhu Houzhao that the crown prince of Prince Xing would inherit his throne in the future!
But for Chen Ziyu, now he and Zhu Houzhao are tied in the same boat. As the saying goes, if anything happens to Zhu Houzhao, there will be no good consequences for Chen Ziyu.
Thinking of the old Taoist priest's various ways of treating Empress Zhang who ordered to welcome him into the palace, Chen Ziyu couldn't help but sigh what a cold nature!
It seems that treating Zhu Houzhao's infertility will be put on the agenda as soon as possible, Chen Ziyu said with emotion!
At this thought, Chen Ziyu felt a little moved in his heart. After thinking for a moment, he pretended to be casual and asked casually: "By the way, Your Highness, why haven't you gotten married yet? Your Majesty and the Queen are not in a hurry to find you a princess." ?”
Seeing Chen Ziyu asking questions, Zhu Houzhao didn't think there was anything wrong, so he said:
"I am the Crown Prince, how can I marry a wife at will? In the future, my Crown Princess will be the mother of the country. This is a serious matter, and my father and mother must consider it carefully before deciding. It is not something that I can control."
"Oh!" Chen Ziyu was stunned and continued, "No wonder I have been in Zhan Shifu for so long and rarely see women!"
I saw Zhu Houzhao looking at Chen Ziyu as if he were a fool and saying: "Although I don't have a serious wife, I do have a lot of beautiful women and concubines. These female family members are usually busy with their own affairs in the inner courtyard. Of course you can’t see me anymore!”
Chen Ziyu lowered his head and thought. According to Zhu Houzhao, this guy should not be a virgin for a long time. In this era when you can become a father at the age of thirteen or fourteen, Zhu Houzhao still has no children, which makes many people feel uneasy. .
"What are you thinking about?" Zhu Houzhao poked Chen Ziyu's arm.
Chen Ziyu glanced at Zhu Houzhao with a complicated expression, and hesitated for a long time before speaking: "Your Highness, I am very strange, why does Your Highness still have no heir?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Zhu Houzhao's expression suddenly changed!
Even Liu Jin on the side was so frightened that he lowered his head and dared not speak, with a look of extreme fear in his eyes!
After a long time, Zhu Houzhao's uncertain expression gradually softened, and he slowly said like a frustrated rubber ball: "I don't know why this happened. My father also invited many imperial doctors to check my pulse. The exception is that I am still young and will naturally have opportunities in the future."
Seeing Zhu Houzhao's appearance, Chen Ziyu immediately understood that although Zhu Houzhao seemed heartless on weekdays, he actually cared a lot about a man's dignity.
After all, in this era, prosperous descendants and a prosperous family are more important than anything else.
What's more, Zhu Houzhao is still in such a special position, and the issue of heirs is even more important.
"Your Highness, don't worry!" Chen Ziyu bared his teeth and smiled at Zhu Houzhao. "I have many ways to do it. I will come up with something for Your Highness tomorrow! Besides, my family has only been passed down for three generations, and I still have no heirs!"
Zhu Houzhao smiled very happily and punched Chen Ziyu on the shoulder, "That's what you said, let's compete to see who can give birth to a son first!"
"Your Highness, my son is your nephew!"
"Depend on!"
