While I was thinking about it, a palace maid came in and reported: "Your Highness, your Majesty has sent a servant to invite you."
Zhu Biao nodded and asked, "Where is the arrangement?"
"Reporting to Your Highness, this is Renhe Palace. The queen, the princess, and the princess have already arrived."
"I know, go back to your mother, and we'll be there soon."
"promise"
Zhu Biao stood up, sorted out the memorials in front of him, told Liu An to send them to Zhongshu Province, and then walked towards the side hall. Halfway there, he could faintly hear the chatter and laughter of Lao Zhu and Xu Da.
"Tiande, do you remember that when we first captured Yingtian, there were Yuan troops in the north, Zhang Shicheng in the east, Chen Youliang and Xu Shouhui in the west, and Fang Guozhen and Chen Youding in the south. We were enemies on all sides, but in the end we brothers were able to defeat them. ,Hahaha!"
"It was difficult at that time. We didn't have much territory to say whether we were strong or weak. However, there were still wolves, tigers and leopards all around. Fighting against them was risky, and someone might take the opportunity to take over our hometown. Thanks to big brother With good leadership, our brothers are as prosperous and wealthy as we are today."
Zhu Biao walked in and said with a smile: "My father fought hard from Chuyang and conquered the four directions. Although it was destiny, it was because of Uncle Xu's strength. Uncle Xu was cautious and determined and never attacked. He has been famous since ancient times. If he fails to do so, he is loyal and humble, and upholds his reputation well. He is worthy of being crowned as the founding father of the Ming Dynasty."
Before Xu Da could stand up and say a few words of humility, Lao Zhu on the side said happily: "Listen to what our prince said. I have never heard him praise anyone so highly."
Xu Da hurriedly stood up, but was pulled directly by the shoulders by Lao Zhu, who immediately looked at his son and asked, "They are ready over there."
"The banquet is arranged in Renhe Palace."
"Okay, I think it's not enough to talk without wine, so let's go over."
After saying that, the three of them walked out. Zhu Yuanzhang pulled Xu Da in front. Zhu Biao naturally fell half a body behind. Xu Da was a little reluctant at first. After all, it was against etiquette to walk in front of the prince. However, the emperor's hand was really tight, and it would be disrespectful to force his way out, so he had no choice but to go on like this.
The two were still talking along the way, and Zhu Biao also echoed from time to time. After passing through Qianqing Gate and turning left, they arrived at Renhe Palace. There was an endless stream of palace maids and eunuchs waiting to greet them along the way.
It has to be said that the palace may not have as beautiful and exquisite scenery as the Jiangnan Garden, but as long as you have enough status, you can enjoy the honor and inner satisfaction that cannot be given anywhere else.
Because they all know that as long as they can be treated politely here, they will be treated the same everywhere in the world.
The three people were surrounded by Renhe Palace. Empress Ma, Chang Luohua, Xie Shi, Li Shi, etc. all came out to greet them in person with smiles. The only ones who had the right not to come out were the two infant children.
"I, my concubine, respectfully welcome the Holy Master..."
Except for Empress Ma, who gave a brief salute, everyone else acted solemnly. Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand and said, "No ceremony, please. Today is a family banquet, so we will avoid these red tapes for the time being."
Xu Da and Zhu Biao saluted Queen Ma, and then Xu Da returned the salute to the Crown Princess. Only the emperor in this world can say that he can do whatever he wants to a certain extent, and no one else can.
Empress Ma smiled and said: "Tiande is related to me by birth. I used to call her sister-in-law, but now I am the same as others."
The two of them are actually about the same age, but Empress Ma has always followed through on her words that a sister-in-law is like a mother. Xu Da is now the King of Zhongshan who does not tolerate favors and humiliations, but he was not a worry-free person in his early years. Empress Ma has always treated him as her own brother. Take care of.
Xu Da scratched the back of his head unconsciously, bowed and smiled and said, "It was my fault. I will apologize to you at the table later."
Zhu Yuanzhang noticed Xu Yihua beside him: "Yihua is also a big girl, and she has met her two little nephews."
Xu Yihua generously praised how smart and cute the two little ones were. Naturally, Mrs. Xie and Mrs. Li also followed suit and said nice things. For a moment, Zhu Biao was a little doubtful that his two little ones were really so good.
The sedan chair was carried by everyone. For Lao Zhu and Empress Ma, who had just been promoted to grandparents, they no longer had any feelings about being praised for themselves, but it was new and natural for others to praise their grandchildren.
Xu Da also acted like he couldn't wait to meet the two imperial grandchildren. The happy Lao Zhu naturally couldn't wait to show off his two big fat grandchildren. Back then, you Xu Da had a son earlier than us, and now you finally have a son. He must have been overtaken by us. Xu Da was naturally happy to be overtaken by the superior.
So everyone happily entered the hall happily. Xie didn't dare to look at the emperor, but just followed Queen Ma closely. Her mother-in-law did the same, and Mrs. Li even shrank a little. This made Xu Yihua look more majestic and natural, which Queen Ma liked. Such a girl.
When they entered the side hall, they could see two children. Old Zhu Xuda walked in without stopping, but the others did not follow. They had just watched enough around the two children. As for Zhu Biao, he thought to himself, Back then, Xu Da had pinched Queque, and now it was his son's turn. As a father, he really couldn't bear to see it.
In less than a moment, the founding emperor and prince of the Ming Dynasty came out laughing amidst a burst of children's cries. Xu Da also muttered: "Not young, worthy of being a dragon..."
The banquet was divided into two tables, with a screen in the middle as a barrier, but Queen Ma drank a few drinks here before going back. By that time, Xu Da had already punished himself by drinking more than a pot as an apology for saying the wrong thing.
Zhu Biao didn't know what happened there after that. His father must also be greedy for wine. Drinking has actually lost a lot of fun at this status. It's rare to have an old brother to drink with him. What he drinks is extremely generous. Zhu Biao sits there naturally. There was no room to hide, and the cups went down.
The two of them talked about the prosperous years of those years over wine, with Zhu Biao holding it beside him. The wine drank faster and faster. Zhu Biao's drinking capacity was incomparable to these two ruthless people who drank wine as water. Feeling a little too much, I took the initiative to bring the topic to a few younger brothers.
When Lao Zhu was in a good mood, he ordered the three elder princes to be summoned. After a while, the three brothers arrived in a daze. When they arrived, Lao Zhu pointed at them and scolded them for being useless. Xu Da looked for all kinds of advantages to help. They excuse.
In the end, the three brothers naturally went to the wine table. It was not easy for the dignified prince to kneel down and be scolded all the time. Zhu Biao felt relieved now that someone was sharing the burden. The second and third brothers had not dared to drink recently, for fear that their father would find an excuse to drink. A rare opportunity to practice and demonstrate the essence of the wine barrel.
As for the fourth child, he was a little absent-minded and would cast his eyes on the middle screen from time to time. He was engaged to the eldest daughter of the Xu family very early, but the Xu family had always kept a distance from him. Both his father-in-law and his elder brother-in-law were very distant. Communicate less with him.
However, his fiancée often sent her handmade knick-knacks, which made Zhu Di very happy. Besides, compared to him, the inconspicuous fourth prince, Miss Xu's reputation in the capital was very high. But everyone can hear it.
When Zhu Biao saw it, others naturally saw it too. After a brief exchange of eyes, they all burst into laughter. Zhu Di was so shocked that he recovered and his face turned red. Old Zhu smiled and said: "When men get married, women get married, you and I are brothers." This in-law family is about to be formed."
Xu Da was fine in other matters, but when it came to his daughter, he felt a little reluctant and hurriedly toasted the emperor with a glass of wine and said: "There's no rush, we're both still young. We think it's not too late to wait a few years."
Naturally, the news here was also transmitted to the other side, and you could vaguely hear Empress Ma praising Zhu Di. Empress Ma was fair and just to the concubines, but she couldn't say that she was very close, but she was extremely kind to all the princes and princesses, big and small. will be concerned about everything.
This was just a small episode, and no one mentioned it again after a while, but the drinks were not heard, and the dishes on the table were basically untouched. Only the two dishes cooked by Queen Ma were clean and fresh. It was eaten by Xu Da.
When it came to the end, the three brothers were already lying down. Zhu Yuanzhang and Xu Da were holding hands and talking with their heads swaying. Only Zhu Biao, who was deliberately controlling, was still awake.
"Tiande, Hier~, listen to me, it won't be easy for us. The world has been conquered, and we have become the emperor, but we still feel that we are not as happy as when we were the commander-in-chief. How can we beat Zhang Shicheng?" Chen Youliang, it was so good back then, don’t you think..."
Xu Da didn't know whether to nod or shake his head. He waited for a while and then said: "Brother, we are not the emperor. We don't understand these things, but we feel that life is getting better. At least we don't have to lick blood from the edge of a knife to live. We can afford wine and meat. It’s great that my mother-in-law can afford to marry her!”
