The old ministers exited, and silence returned to the hall. The emperor put down a red brocade-covered book in his hand and said to himself: "Thanks to my mother for today."
Eunuch Liu listened and joked softly: "The Holy Mother is in court, this day is full of joy."
The emperor smiled softly. He remembered that Queen Mother Zhang whispered half angrily when she left: "The Queen is very good. I heard the voice outside the palace gate and was very worried for Your Majesty. She is just too soft. With such a soft temper, I am really worried that I will be bullied by others in the future."
"Alas, but the queen mother doesn't know, I just like his soft and sweet temperament!" The emperor thought to himself, but said in his mouth: "My companion, do you think it would be okay if the queen had a character like the queen mother?"
"Your Majesty is ridiculous." Eunuch Liu replied with a smile.
"Oh, what do you say?"
"The queen is the queen, why force her to become someone else? Besides, your majesty's strength and the queen's softness are a match made in heaven. If the queen also has a strong temper, can the harem still be peaceful?"
"Hey, what you said makes sense and is in line with the principle of Yin and Yang." The emperor praised.
Eunuch Liu smiled and leaned forward, and said something out of nowhere: "Actually, people's temperament can change."
"Um?"
"My slave, I should not say something. The Queen Mother was also gentle and gentle when she first entered the palace. This is a temperament that has been tempered by ups and downs. The Queen is now innocent, smart and cute. She will experience more in the future and will definitely be the best one in the future. Holy Mother!"
The emperor looked back at him seriously and nodded slightly: "I hope that at that time, the eldest companion will still assist the inner palace and fulfill his duties wholeheartedly."
Eunuch Liu moved his lips, knelt down and kowtowed, and choked with sobs: "I obey the imperial edict!"
"Get up." The emperor smiled: "I'm in a good mood today, and the useless Yang Tao, let's go and sit with the queen. I lost my temper just now, and she must be very worried outside the palace."
"Yes." Eunuch Liu pressed his sleeves into his eye sockets, walked to the study door and shouted loudly: "Your Majesty, drive to Kunming Palace!"
The guard of honor walked to the palace gate and saw an official wearing a narrow-sleeved ocher robe, a leather belt, and a soft winged hat with a black gauze tucked head. He was holding a tray with a densely folded box of red brocade and gold flowers, standing under the wall. Yield to vehicles.
"Liu Wei, did you just arrive?" Zhao Tuo waved his hand to stop the car, then called the official's name.
Liu Wei, the assistant minister of Huangmen, was the Jinshi who was admitted to Jingwu for the first time. Since then, he has been working in the Running Script Department of Zhongshu Province, from being a minister to a minister and a minister, step by step. Now he specializes in conveying news from all over the world to the emperor. Mi Zhe can be said to be Zhao Tuo's confidant.
Even with his belt authority, he could not only walk in the front court, but also enter the inner palace and reach the steps of the emperor's palace that night. This is called "secretary with the right to walk under the steps", which is an absolute honor!
Hearing the emperor's call, Liu Wei quickly stepped forward to the carriage window and raised the tray above his head: "Yes, Your Majesty, this is delivered by a quick horse from the station in Jiangxi."
Zhao Tuo said nothing and reached out to take the brocade box from the window. Liu Wei heard a series of ringing sounds inside, and then a "click" sound, and he knew that the emperor had opened the brocade box.
He wasn't sure if the emperor had any further instructions, so he took a step back and waited quietly.
Usually if the matter was minor or the emperor didn't want to reply or give instructions immediately, he would say "I understand", but today there was no sound. The driver had no choice but to wait where he was. Everyone remained motionless and silent.
After a while, I heard someone laughing and scolding: "This guy, he is so busy, he still remembers his mother's birthday, it is really a rare act of filial piety!" Then a hand waved at the window: "Liu Wei! "
"I'm here." Liu Wei hurriedly went to the window to listen to the emperor's instructions.
But Zhao Tuo did not speak immediately. He thought for a while before lowering his voice and said: "Send someone to go to Anren to see what great things my good brother has done. Then go to Yugan County and give him to his mother." I have prepared a birthday present, and you ask him to bring it back."
"I obey your order." Liu Wei bowed and asked, "Does your Majesty have any letters or messages to bring?"
"No need."
Liu Wei bowed again and said, "I take my leave." He turned back.
Retreat.
"Ask him to give a message to Inspector Lin Zhongtai when he passes by Nanchang." The emperor suddenly said in the car.
Liu Wei hurriedly stepped forward again: "Please give me your Majesty's instructions."
"Why did someone come out to stop Yu Qian from Li Sanlang's grant of civil lordship? I want him to quickly find out the truth and tell the truth!"
"I obey your orders."
"Get off!" Eunuch Liu shouted, and the ceremonial guard moved forward again. Liu Wei bowed and saw each other off by the roadside. He didn't straighten up until the team was far away and hurriedly walked towards Zhongshu Province.
Before reaching Kunming Hall, the team stopped again. Soon Eunuch Liu came forward with a nun from the queen's palace. "Your Majesty, the people in front are here to report that the Queen is not in the palace."
Kunming Hall is the main hall of Yuzhen Palace, where the queen lives. There are courtyards where six concubines live on the two wings, but each is blocked by courtyard walls and passages.
Usually the queen is in Kunming Hall or playing in the Wancao Garden at the back. So when he heard that the queen was not in the palace, Zhao Tuo couldn't help but be startled, and immediately turned to the nanny: "Did the queen go to the imperial garden?"
Grandma was lying on the ground, not daring to raise her head, and quickly replied:
"Your Majesty, Concubine Yun has organized a poetry club. Several empresses have gone to the corridor of Chunjiang Pavilion. I heard the palace daughter who just came back to get pens, inks and papers said that the empress was afraid that she would not be able to write poems well, so she was about to do it on the spot. Painting."
"Oh?" Zhao Tuo felt relieved upon hearing this and immediately became interested: "Let's go to Chunjiang Pavilion and see how they play. Hey, the queen painted. I remember that the last time she painted was before she entered the palace. ?
We had never seen it on site, so we hurried over to have a look. Oh, just stand far away, don't disturb them! "
"Your Majesty wants to see your empress painting, but you can't see her if you are far away." Eunuch Liu was confused.
"You idiot!" Zhao Tuo took out the bronze telescope from his bag. He treasured this thing now and carried it with him wherever he went. "Look, I have this magic weapon. It doesn't matter if you stay far away."
Eunuch Liu immediately laughed and said that he was stupid, while urging the honor guard to move quickly.
The team left the Banqing Gate (North Gate of the Palace City), and far away there were eunuchs who had gone ahead to find a seat and were waiting. Zhao Tuo got out of the carriage and happily took out his precious telescope to take a look.
Nachunjiang Pavilion is located on the west side of Gongchen Road on the opposite bank of Changhong Bridge in the north of Gongcheng. Both ends of Gongchen Road are connected to Changhong Bridge in the south and Zijin Bridge in the north (five hundred steps north of the bridge is the North Gate of Erchong City, Jing'an Gate and the North Gate of Wengcheng). Divide the island into east and west parts.
To the east is the Yukun Guards Station and the residential area for princesses and princes. To the west are the continuous painted boats and vermilion towers, arch bridge corridors, large lotus flowers and period-decorated fish ponds and fishing platforms.
This garden is open to the public, and many officials and their families often come here to play during holidays. If the palace concubines are here, they only need to use curtains to block them, and arrange Yukun guards to guard them.
It is common for concubines to leave the palace and play in Erzhong City. They only need to obtain the queen's consent and register it with the Baochai Bureau. About today, Concubine Yun persuaded the queen, so she came with her.
The servants only hung up the curtains to encircle a piece of land, but they would not even enclose the lake side, so Zhao Tuo left the Banqing Gate and walked west along the road under the city for a few steps to see the colorful flowers and green willows on the opposite side.
The palace city is also called Wanshou Palace, and some people call it Turtle Back City because it is built on a raised highland and the terrain is higher than the surrounding areas. Zhao Tuo was condescending and had a magic weapon in hand, so he smiled and watched it interestingly.
Although Eunuch Liu didn't know what was going on, he could tell from his expression that the emperor enjoyed peeping. After watching for a long time, Zhao Tuocai waved and asked Liu Daban to accompany him across the bridge.
The pterodactyl guards guarding the bridge have received instructions from their eunuchs. They all held their chests high and looked straight ahead. They did not salute or shout, so as not to disturb the ladies over there.
The Bozhou regiment training envoys of Emperor Taizu of the previous dynasty raised troops. Their wealth, vision, knowledge and tolerance were beyond the comparison of a poor monk. Therefore, the open and tolerant atmosphere of this dynasty surpassed that of the previous Song Dynasty to some extent.
However, the pursuit of rigor and rationality in system management can be reflected in the meticulous officers and soldiers of Yukun Guards. Although they get along with the nobles in the palace every day, these soldiers do not have any laziness in them.
Even when they saw the emperor's ceremonial guard passing by, they still maintained their position meticulously, and the concubine's laughter and singing not far away did not hinder them from performing their tasks.
Therefore, the emperor walked dozens of steps away from the concubines without them noticing. Only then did the sharp-eyed female official notice and whispered to Concubine Yun. Concubine Yun was stunned for a moment and immediately told the queen in a low voice.
Empress Zhang then stood up to greet him, bowed her head with a smile and said, "I respectfully welcome you, your majesty! Long live your majesty!"
"Welcome to you, Your Majesty! Long live your Majesty!"
Zhao Tuo smiled and waved to the group of Yingying Yanyan: "No courtesy, everyone!" Then he stepped forward and took the Queen's hand and said:
"I heard that you were dragged away by a large group of people, so I rushed to save the beauty. Unexpectedly, it was Concubine Yun who was the cause of the trouble, and I caught you. Hey, why did I go to Kunming Hall in vain? Concubine Yun, you have to drink wine as a penalty!" Everyone laughed when she said this.
Empress Zhang was young and thin-skinned. When the emperor came and saw so many people, she held her hand and joked about "heroes saving beauties." Her face turned red and she was busy pouring wine for the emperor. He held up his hand and said in a low voice:
"Where did your majesty win the prize today? But you are interested in teasing me."
"Hey, I'll talk to you in detail when I get back tonight." After the emperor said that, he asked everyone to sit down and read the poems they had written.
When the queen heard him say the word "night", she knew that he was going to stay at her place tonight, and she became even more embarrassed. Fortunately, everyone was busy making arrangements and sitting down, so no one noticed, so she managed to cover it up.
After everyone sat down, Concubine Yun got up first, holding a wine glass and confessing: "Today I invited the queen, but I didn't tell your majesty, so you ran away in vain. I am guilty, so I received the decree here to punish you with wine, and then played a song for your majesty, " How about Autumn Everlasting?"
"Okay!" Zhao Tuo shouted: "If you play it well and make up for your mistakes, if you can still sing at the same time, I will have a reward!"
Concubine Sun Yun was originally from a family of poets and writers, so this matter naturally did not trouble her. Seeing that the emperor was happy today, she said: "Sisters have all witnessed it, and your majesty agreed with your words!"
Then he went to the verandah to clean his hands, took a dental instrument and a pipa, played the tune, and thought about it for a while before singing the words.
Eunuch Liu had just listened, when suddenly a young eunuch from behind walked up to him and said in a low voice: "Master, Liu Shilang of the Huangmen is here again."
"Tell him to wait." Eunuch Liu was a little angry, and suddenly felt something was wrong. When he turned around and looked at the eunuch, it turned out to be Liang Wu. Eunuch Liu took a few steps to a deserted area and asked in a low voice, "Didn't he just leave? What is he doing here again?"
"It's said that the prince of Shangrao County sent someone to send you an urgent secret."
Eunuch Liu felt that his hair was about to stand on end. He looked up at Liu Wei standing in the distance, then looked back at the emperor who was listening with great interest and sighed:
"It's really not easy for Your Majesty. You won't have a moment to spare. Just ask him to wait, and I'll find an opportunity to talk to Your Majesty." After saying that, he paused and waved his hand: "Forget it, I'll go over." After that, he walked over and talked to Liu Wei. After chatting softly for a few words, he took the brocade box and walked back.
At this time, Concubine Yun just finished playing, Zhao Tuo applauded, and Concubine Yun asked about the reward. Zhao Tuo asked for a pen and paper, then looked around and wrote on the paper:
The golden wind fills the sky with fragrance, but where can I find good yellow flowers?
It's not that Hongdu has no good faith, so he talks about Qiuyang for the king.
Everyone applauded when they saw it. Concubine Yun looked at the emperor and smiled and said, "I also have a song, how about giving it to your majesty?"
"Okay!" Zhao Tuo was overjoyed. Everyone watched her covered in ink and wrote on a new piece of paper:
The autumn water is long and the sky is as wide as a glance, and the gold is thousands of miles apart.
There is no way to extend your life by paying homage to me. The road to Chang'an for thousands of miles is at the top of the mountain.
"Oh, it's such a good poem. The harmony sung by His Majesty and Concubine Yun is really eye-opening for me." Concubine Xian Yi next to her smiled and joined in the fun, saying, "How about the Empress also try one, that would be great! "
When she said this, everyone was a little embarrassed. Everyone knew that the queen was not good at this at a young age, so she had just painted paintings instead of poems, but now Concubine Xianyi brought it up again, in front of the emperor, didn't she want to conquer other people's troops?
Zhao Tuo then wanted to speak out to help her out, but Empress Zhang spoke first.
He said: "In that case, I will give it a try. But if it doesn't work well, don't laugh at me." After being humble, he ordered someone to lay out the paper again, thought for a moment, and wrote:
I can hear the sound of autumn when the fence falls by the waterside, and I can feel the clear white dew blowing in the wind.
This is the beautiful autumn moon in the Liang Garden, with sycamore trees hanging on every door.
"Well, good! Yuan'er (the queen's maiden name, Zhao Tuo used this to express her intimacy) has made great progress in writing poems, very good, very good!" Zhao Tuo deliberately praised loudly, and Concubine Yun saw his intention and praised her vigorously.
Zhao Tuo then asked where the painting painted by Queen Cai was? "How did your majesty know that I have painted before?" The queen was surprised. Zhao Tuo didn't answer. He took the painting and looked at it. He saw two fishermen and a fisherman working together on the water to pull the net. There seemed to be many fish in the net and they were struggling.
Zhao Tuo looked at it and laughed and said, "I didn't expect the Queen's painting to be so interesting. How about I write a poem to add color to you?" The Queen smiled and agreed, and Zhao Tuo took the Queen's pen just now without licking the ink. Polish your pen, think about it and write it in one stroke. but it is:
Many fish in the net are suffering because they have to dive against the current.
Wherever Bai Bai happens now, it all depends on the two smiling people of the fisherman's family.
The queen looked at him and laughed out loud, and everyone laughed too. Everyone was happy, and the emperor ordered Concubine Xian Yi to play the flute, and Concubine Jing Yi and Concubine Fu sang "Wang Can Climbing the Tower" acapella.
Seeing that the emperor was in high spirits today, the imperial concubine simply asked the imperial chef to cook some meals in the dining hall of Changqing Palace. Everyone had fun together by the water, had lunch, and then returned to each palace. Zhao Tuo is right.
Eunuch Liu looked at the emperor in high spirits, but the secret box was still in his arms. After gritting his teeth for a long time, he finally stepped forward while changing the tea and said with a smile: "Your Majesty, I am brave."
"Huh? What's the matter?" Zhao Tuo's hand that was playing the rhythm suddenly stopped. This is his requirement for himself, and he will never let sensual entertainment take the first place.
"There is a secret, from Shangrao."
There was a noise, and the emperor opened the box and took out the memorial. When he saw the words on the cover, he couldn't help but read: "This guy still doesn't practice calligraphy well!" He opened it and read it. The Queen and Concubine Yun both looked at him worriedly, wondering what was written on it?
Unexpectedly, the emperor's expression didn't change much at the end. Zhao Tuo closed the memorial, put it back into the box and said, "I understand."
Eunuch Liu turned around and nodded to Liu Wei, then handed the box to the eunuch in the inner study, said, "Record it," and stopped caring about it.
The eunuch in the inner study will issue the invoice, and then put half of it in the book, and return the other half to Liu Wei together with the box. Liu Wei will then return the box to the visitor or take it back to the inn.
"Sister Yun Fei, has the third brother gone south? Has he received a letter?" the emperor suddenly asked.
"Your Majesty, I just received a letter from him. He said that he had just arrived in Anqing and was looking for a boat to go south." Concubine Yun replied quickly.
"Oh." Zhao Tuo said nothing more. But Empress Zhang was already sensitive to the fact that he didn't seem to be as enthusiastic as before, which must have something to do with the secret message she received.
Despite this, the emperor still insisted on having lunch with his concubines, and then got off in the name of going back to take a nap. Before leaving, he once again told the queen that he would go to Kunming Palace tonight, and squeezed her little hand.
On the way back, Zhao Tuo remained silent in the car, seeming to be thinking about something.
When he was approaching the gate of the palace, he suddenly called Eunuch Liu over and said, "I remember that the Winged Dragon Guard sent someone to Yugan to get Chen Shi'an's child last time, right? Send someone quickly to find out who went there at that time. Order him to come see me."
Eunuch Liu was taken aback and didn't know what he meant, but he responded habitually: "I obey the order."
Lu Rui and Zhao Baogen never thought that they would meet the emperor one day. They met the emperor from a distance when they were on duty, but that was different from face to face alone.
There are three hundred people in the Winged Dragon Guard who are responsible for guarding the prison and capturing important criminals. They are what the people call "Tiqi". However, this job is easy to offend people, so the Winged Dragon Guard has a rule: guard duty in turns, each shift for half a year.
The two brothers returned to the capital and completed their duties. They were rotated ten days later. Now they are both guarding Chongli Youmen. Suddenly, an order came from their superiors, telling them to be laid off immediately. After removing their armor and handing over their weapons, they followed the four Yukun guards into the palace.
The two of them were inexplicably sent to the shooting range (archery practice venue) outside the inner palace's Kentoku Gate.
Here I saw five tall and round eunuchs who picked them up and took them to the gate of Qiande Hall.
Here, the four Longxiang guards pinched the corners of their clothes, and at the same time, there was an expressionless eunuch beside them who kept telling them what to do and what taboos they should do in etiquette. Lu Rui suddenly realized: he was about to meet a driver!
But when I walked to the door of the main hall, my mind immediately went blank and my feet felt weak. Even as soon as Zhao Baogen entered the hall, he was so frightened that he lay on the ground and kowtowed, unable to speak. "My lord, my lord, my lord..."
Lurie hurried over and kicked him: "Get up, we're not here yet!"
"Ah?" Zhao Baogen then realized that this was just a doorway, and two eunuchs were standing by the door looking at him strangely. He quickly stood up awkwardly and followed the eunuchs who led the way and continued walking inside.
