After Lu Chen followed Xiao Yun's example and told him his excuse that was purely used to deal with life-long events, the huge living room suddenly became quiet.
At this time, whether it was the empress, Xiao Yun, Gu Simiao and Fu Hua, their faces showed thoughtful expressions.
Seeing this made Lu Chen feel a little sore for no reason.
What's going on? My brothers have already talked about it to this point. Do you still want to introduce me to someone?
To be honest, if it weren't for the system restrictions, he couldn't reveal any information about the system, and he couldn't do anything too abnormal, he would have slapped the table.
How can the incense of enlightenment and ascension be achieved after starting a family and establishing a career?
It's a pity that the performance has to be performed. Otherwise, not to mention the problem of system restrictions, the evil-killing department established to prevent officials from being controlled by evil spirits and harm the common people would be enough for him to drink.
Fortunately, he was relatively straightforward before time travel, had some overlap with his predecessor, and had also been tested. It was relatively simple to assume the role of his predecessor, an aspiring young man who was upright and devoted to the country.
This can be seen from the fact that the abnormal rate of several system settlements is less than 5%.
At this time, Lu Chen suddenly realized a problem.
Having said that, didn’t you say you were here to discuss Tao? Why are you talking about such an unimportant topic as a lifelong event?
The building is crooked, hey.
"Huaiyu."
After a while, Xiao Yun slowly spoke and asked softly:
"If there is a woman who has a benevolent heart, works hard to benefit the people, and sincerely works for the benefit of all people in the world, and is deeply loved by the people like you and falls in love with you, will you become a Taoist couple with her?"
As soon as these words came out, the Empress, Gu Simiao and Fu Hua looked at Lu Chen at the same time.
Damn, it’s endless, right?
Lu Chen complained in his heart, but still nodded lightly in their eyes and said calmly:
"I should be so. Like Mr. Xiao, I am not against marriage. I just put more emphasis on family and country matters than personal relationships with my children. Moreover, I am used to letting nature take its course and will not deliberately pursue marriage. If I am really lucky enough to meet a like-minded good man, If I match, I won’t resist even if I’m here.”
Hearing this, Xiao Yun suddenly smiled.
"Huaiyu thinks so, and I feel relieved."
The empress and the other three people were deep in thought again. After a moment, they raised their heads at the same time and glanced at Lu Chen with different expressions.
Lu Chen felt that he couldn't go any further into this topic. If it continued like this, who knows where the topic would lead. He didn't want to talk about life-long events.
As the saying goes, there are three women in one drama, but here are four women, and he is really overwhelmed.
So he turned his head, looked at the sky outside, and then said:
"It's getting late, Your Majesty, everyone, let's have a meal first."
After hearing this, although they were not very hungry and it was still early, the four of them did not refuse.
After all, it was Lu Chen who suggested it. Maybe he was hungry?
Then several people moved to the dining room.
The house given to Lu Chen by the empress was very large, with rockeries, lotus ponds, gardens, rare and exotic plants, etc. The various halls were also magnificent, and the smell of money was everywhere.
The dining hall of the Lu Mansion is very large, and it is not a problem to accommodate dozens of people.
Several people sat at separate tables.
The empress naturally sat at the top.
Just when Lu Chen was about to sit down below according to the order of honor and inferiority, the empress suddenly stretched out her hand, pointed to the seat next to her, and said to Lu Chen: "Lu Qing, please sit here."
Lu Chen: "???"
The empress said with a natural expression: "Today there are no kings and ministers, and there is no distinction between superior and inferior. There is only the distinction between host and guest. Lu Qing, you are the master of the Lu Mansion. How can the master sit second?"
Hearing this, Lu Chen was about to refuse, but Xiao Yun, who was not far away, looked deeply at the empress, and then looked at Lu Chen.
"Huaiyu, please listen to your Majesty. This is His Majesty's recognition and favor to you. As ministers, we must not live up to His Majesty's kindness."
For some reason, Lu Chen always felt that Xiao Yun seemed to have an accentuated tone when she mentioned the word "courtier".
Gu Simiao also followed: "Yes, Huaiyu, as the saying goes, the kings, relatives and teachers of heaven and earth are all elders. The sages have said that elders dare not refuse gifts. Since it is His Majesty's wish, you can just do it. No need to say more." think."
Fu Hua didn't speak, but sat down in her seat and looked quietly at the indescribably weird atmosphere in front of her.
After hearing what the two said, the empress was stunned for a moment, and then she frowned quietly the next second.
Lu Chen didn't think much about it. Since both Gu Simiao and Xiao Yun said so, he didn't refuse anymore and just went with the flow and sat down on the seat not far from the empress.
Not long after, Luo Xiaoyu and his servants brought the dishes up, one after another, and placed them on the dining table in front of everyone.
Braised fish, kung pao chicken, boiled chicken, fried mutton with green onion...
When all eight dishes and one soup were served to everyone's table, the aroma of the food suddenly spread out, filling the entire dining room with an alluring aroma that made one's fingers twitch.
"Miss Xiao Yu's cooking skills are still as superb as ever."
When the last stack of dishes was put down, Xiao Yun looked at the exquisite dishes in front of her and said sincerely:
"With this skill, if Miss Xiao Yu goes out to open a restaurant, I'm afraid all the restaurants in Luojing will have to go out of business. Not to mention those chefs who strive for excellence in restaurants owned by wealthy families. Even the royal chef in the palace doesn't have Xiao Yu. The girl is about 30% level."
Hearing Xiao Yun, the female husband-in-law, praise her so much, Luo Xiaoyu, who was about to leave, suddenly blushed.
"Xiao...Master Xiao is so...much flattering. I...the little girl is not that powerful either."
The empress picked up a piece of diced chicken and put it into her mouth to taste it. She chewed it a few times and suddenly her eyes lit up.
I don’t know how this chicken was processed, but it didn’t taste good at all. Instead, it was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. When I took a bite, a burst of fresh gravy burst out from the inside. After I swallowed it unconsciously, there was still an unforgettable flavor lingering on my lips and teeth. The fragrance makes people unable to resist picking up the second and third pieces...
The last time she came to Lu Chen's house was when Lu Chen moved to a new house. Moreover, she came late at that time. The banquet had already ended and the table was full of leftovers. She wanted to take a bite to express her respect, but Lu Chen responded by saying that a king cannot eat leftovers. Geng stopped.
That's right, that day she specially went from Ziji City to Lu Mansion to support Lu Chen, but ended up returning to the palace without even eating hot food.
This was the first time she had tasted Luo Xiaoyu's cooking, which really surprised her.
"Xiao Aiqing is right."
After the empress swallowed the food in her mouth, she whispered to Luo Xiaoyu: "Miss Xiaoyu's craftsmanship is indeed several times better than that of the royal chef in the palace. I grew up in Ziji City and have tasted delicacies from all over the world. I have been young, but I have never been as excited as now with my index fingers and appetite."
At this point, she glanced at Lu Chen inexplicably, and then continued: "To be honest, if Miss Xiaoyu hadn't been Lu Qing's cousin, I would have summoned you to the palace to take charge of the royal dining room."
Hearing this, Luo Xiaoyu's face suddenly turned redder.
"Your Majesty, it's fine if you like it."
Lu Chen ate in silence, not listening to what was going on in front of him, and only focused on being a cook.
Fu Hua looked at Lu Chen who was concentrating on cooking, and then asked what delicacies the dishes were made from, as if he was very interested in the art of gourmet food.
When she learned that these ridiculously delicious dishes were only made from ordinary poultry and livestock, rather than precious ingredients such as spiritual animals, she couldn't help but be a little surprised, and subconsciously wanted to ask how it was done.
But as soon as she twitched the corners of her mouth, she suppressed the curiosity in her heart.
Although this kind of thing can't be regarded as magical, it is still a skill. It is still a bit rude to ask rashly, and someone may be unhappy.
Immediately afterwards, Gu Simiao repeatedly praised Luo Xiaoyu's skills, making Luo Xiaoyu feel that his busy work this morning was all worth it.
For Luo Xiaoyu, everyone present is a big shot that she must carefully serve!
My cousin is so hot-tempered that he can easily get into trouble. If something happens, we have to count on these big shots to lend a helping hand. As long as we can win their favor, they may be able to pull her overly upright person back at the critical moment. Cousin.
So she had to find a way to help her silly cousin win their favor.
However, she should be in the position of being a pleaser, but she was constantly praised by the four women, including the empress. Either she was beautiful or her craftsmanship was good, and she didn't know which stinky man she would take advantage of in the future.
Then he accidentally agreed to their invitation to make an appointment to go out and play in their free time.
Fu Hua even asked her if she had any thoughts of seeking Taoism.
Luo Xiaoyu soon became a little confused after these rounds of sugar coating, and for a moment he couldn't figure out whether he was trying to please them or not.
Until she left the dining room, her little head was still a little dizzy.
After Luo Xiaoyu left, the dining room finally became quieter.
And Lu Chen was almost full.
"His Majesty."
He slowly put down his bowls and chopsticks and looked at the empress beside him, his expression inexplicably serious.
"There is something that Wei Chen wanted to write to me after tomorrow morning. Since His Majesty is here today, Wei Chen will just say it here."
When it came to business, the empress quickly calmed down.
"Lu Qing, please speak."
Lu Chen bowed his hands towards the empress and continued: "Your Majesty, it has been nearly a thousand years since Emperor Taizu Hongwu expelled the Tartars and established the country in our Great Xia Dynasty. Nowadays, it has accumulated many ills. So many ills are constantly eroding our country. If Xia's national destiny is not completely cured, Daxia will be like a seriously ill person, unable to recover and completely overturned."
Hearing this, the other three women looked stern at the same time.
As a minister, you must distinguish between priorities at all times. Relax when you should relax. When you should be serious, you must be meticulous, concentrate, and focus on the matter in front of you.
Lu Chen's opening remarks were so solemn, which meant that what he was trying to elicit was definitely not a trivial matter. As a powerful force representing the civil, military, and holy kings, they naturally had to listen attentively to every word Lu Chen said next.
No one knows what these four extremely special women, the empress, General Shenwu, Grand Scholar of Lingyung Pavilion, Commander of Xuanji Guards and Manager of Tiance Mansion, did in Lu Mansion on that day.
Those who paid close attention to the movements of the Lu Mansion only knew that the Empress and the others went to the Lu Mansion in the morning, but did not leave the Lu Mansion until late at night, and then went back to their respective homes.
No one knew what Lu Chen said to them, and no one dared to send someone to follow their whereabouts.
After all, none of these four women are easy to mess with.
Two powerful men in the Guiyi Realm, the empress who has understood the way of the emperor, and the mysterious and unpredictable Mr. Xiao Ge. With such a luxurious lineup, who dares to pay attention to them? At most, I just take a look from a distance to understand their approximate destination.
But just like that, after learning that they had been staying in Lu Mansion for a whole day, some interested people instinctively smelled an unusual smell, and then started to speculate, wondering if Lu Chen was going to make another big move. .
However, what surprised them was that during the morning court meeting the next day, Lu Chen didn't speak at all and stood in the front row of civil servants like a wooden stake. The Empress, Gu Simiao, Xiao Yun and Fu Hua were also the same as usual, no matter their demeanor. No matter how he behaves, there is no difference at all.
There were no signs at all.
It was as if they really just went to Lu Chen's house yesterday to drink tea and chat, and didn't talk about state affairs at all.
Until the next morning meeting, Lu Chen didn't even say a word except for the necessary worship, and it was strangely quiet.
This is also the calmest morning in recent times.
Some courtiers were a little confused about this rare peace.
Lu Chen naturally didn't care what these people thought, or he didn't care about these people at all.
After going to court, as before, he finished all the official affairs that had accumulated for the day in the public room, then got up and left the Yamen of the Ministry of Industry, and walked towards Wuji Palace with Wang Qi and Zhang Xuan.
The Wuji Palace in this matter is still the same as before.
Because Lu Chen said before that no one except the cooks would be allowed to start work before the new regulations were issued, so the laborers and the clerks responsible for supervising them were very idle at this time, although all the good ones were at the construction site. There is no one working.
If the imperial censor or the engineering department saw this, they might not want to read it.
It is not a trivial matter to delay the renovation of Wuji Palace and the arrangements for the Xinyuan Ceremony.
Those officials affiliated with the Ministry of Industry are quite anxious. If the project progresses unfavorably, no matter what their superiors do, they will definitely be in trouble.
But if Lu Chen, the right minister of the Ministry of Industry, didn't say anything, they didn't dare to make their own decisions.
Unexpectedly, the three former officials and their confidants are now missing. If they disobey Lu Chen, who knows if they will suffer the same fate as Xu Sanping.
Fortunately, Lu Chen didn't intend to deliberately embarrass them.
Just when they waited eagerly for noon and it was almost lunch time, Lu Chen's figure finally slowly appeared at the gate of Wuji Palace.
As soon as they saw Lu Chen, everyone rushed to greet him.
"Greetings to Mr. Lu, little one!"
"Good day, Mr. Lu!"
"..."
Looking at the groveling and respectful officials from the Ministry of Industry in front of him, Lu Chen just nodded indifferently.
Although this feeling of being in control of a superior person is quite good, it is not very attractive to him, at least it will not make him intoxicated and unable to extricate himself.
"Come with me."
As always concise and to the point.
Then Lu Chen took steps and walked towards the tent not far away, and the others hurriedly followed.
Arriving at the camp, Lu Chen took the main seat without hesitation.
"Everyone, sit down, don't stand."
"Thank you, sir."
Seeing that Lu Chen's face was calm and not as indifferent as before, everyone was slightly relieved. After thanking him, they hurriedly found a place to sit down in other places in the camp.
Wang Qi and Zhang Xuan sat beside Lu Chen.
"I have a few things to say about the upcoming project arrangements for Wuji Palace. Please listen carefully. If there is anything you don't understand later, you can ask questions on the spot."
After a pause, he continued: "No matter what questions you have, you can ask me. I will explain it to you patiently. If you have any opinions, you can also mention them to me. As long as they are reasonable and beneficial suggestions, I will Not only will it be accepted, but the proposer will also be rewarded, but there is one thing you must remember, that is, never do anything with doubts."
Hearing this, everyone suddenly became stunned.
"Thank you for your teaching, sir. I will definitely keep it in mind."
All the officials patted their chests in assurance.
Lu Chen nodded slightly, and then gave Zhang Xuan a signal to look at.
Zhang Xuanxin understood and took out some black-covered documents, then stood up and walked to a group of officials, handing the documents in his hands to the official at the front.
"This is the charter I made at home yesterday."
Lu Chen's voice sounded again.
"The first thing I want to say is this new charter. You guys are reading it while I am talking about it."
After hearing this, everyone couldn't help but become nervous, and opened the cover with trembling hands.
And when some officials saw the contents of the first page of the document, their pupils suddenly shrank for some reason, and their eyes were full of disbelief.
"Sir, is there something wrong with this charter?"
Recommend a friend’s book
(End of chapter)
