Chapter 78 Celebration Banquet
If you work hard, time goes by quickly.
He Xi spent this period of time thinking repeatedly about future governance. Zhu Yuanzhang also summoned him twice. Jian He Xi's train of thought is not yet clear. There was no further questioning. After all, this big article is difficult to write. Zhu Yuanzhang himself understood it.
More than ten days passed in the blink of an eye.
The draft of He Xi's article has not yet been typed. Mu Ying and other heroes have returned to Nanjing from Yunnan. The time has come for the celebration banquet. He Xi could not avoid such a thing. Don't say anything else. Muying was very influential in the palace. It can even be said that he is the adopted brother of Princess Anqing. Muying also takes great care of Princess Anqing. Even if I return to Beijing in a hurry this time. But he still brought gifts for all the princesses and princes in the palace.
Gifts from others cannot be sent into the palace.
But Mu Ying's is okay.
Therefore, even if He Xi doesn't give face to others, he still has to give face to Mu Ying today.
He Xi sat in front of the bronze mirror. The bronze mirror was polished very smooth and reflected a clear image, not much worse than a glass mirror. There was only a metallic luster, but it lingered, as if a special filter had been added. Like a mirror.
Princess Anqing stood behind He Xi, biting a hairpin. Why Xi combed his hair.
He Xi hasn't had a haircut in several months, and her hair is no longer short. But it's still not enough to do a bun. Originally, He Xi wanted to attend wearing a hat as before. But Princess Anqing was worried that He Xi would be looked down upon at the banquet. I must give He Xi a bun.
No, I don’t know what wonderful method Princess Anqing used. It actually made a bun appear on He Xi's head. He looks exactly like an ordinary Ming Dynasty man.
Princess Anqing finally inserted the hairpin in her mouth into He Xi's head, took a step back and said, "Look, this is good."
He Xi looked at her bun in the mirror and the hairpin that looked ordinary but was anything but ordinary. Said: "Princess, are you just doing tricks?"
The maid next to Princess Anqing smiled and said: "Uncle, this is not a trick. The princess cut off a section of her own hair and made a fake bun for you."
Princess Anqing's face suddenly turned red and she said, "Xiao Cui, don't talk too much."
Princess Anqing is very kind to the maids around her. At first, these palace maids were a little worried about the future prince-consort. After a long time, I also knew that He Xi had a good character, so I dared to interrupt. Of course, Xiaocui is also devoted to Princess Anqing.
After all, women’s hair in this era was different from that in later generations. It won't be cut off easily.
And even with a fake bun, it is easy to get some hair done as Princess Anqing. But Princess Anqing chose to use her own hair. How could He Xi not know the intention?
He Xi stood up and held Princess Anqing's hand and said, "I can't wait to marry you. Fortunately, it will be next year."
Princess Anqing couldn't bear it immediately and was so shy that she couldn't control herself. Said: "What nonsense are you talking about? Go, go, go."
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This celebration banquet was much grander than the reception banquet given to Xu Da and others in the previous section.
Almost all the dignitaries from the capital came. Civil servants from various ministries also arrived. The entire Fengtian Hall was packed with seats, even a little crowded. And this time, He Xi's position was very close to that of the princes. But he is among the consorts.
He saw Li Qi, Li Shanchang's son. There is also Mei Yin, the consort of Princess Ningguo.
He Xi met with the two of them. I found that both of them were smart, capable, and quite elegant. As for their appearance, they were not bad either. After all, Mei Yin is also the nephew of Runan Hou Mei Sizu. Now the Marquis of Runan, under the command of Fu Youde, is chewing hard bones in Yunnan.
It can be seen that Zhu Yuanzhang was actually very picky in choosing his son-in-law.
After three rounds of wine, five flavors of food. Zhu Yuanzhang also let go. Especially the former general. Especially the veterans. Everyone is open-minded, drinking and playing guessing games. Those who were sitting in their original seats also left their seats. Looking for someone familiar.
He Xi did not move.
After all, he didn't know many people. He just wanted to deal with the situation in front of him. There is still a lot to do when we go back.
It's just that some people don't want to let him go.
"Secretary He, no, Consort He. Long time no see." The voice came from behind He Xi. He Xi turned around suddenly and found that it was no one else. It was Fu Zhong.
For a moment, He Xi felt a little ashamed.
Everything I said to Fu Zhong that day is still in my ears, but when things have reached this point, it can only be said that God's will plays a trick on people. He Xi said: "Brother Fu, long time no see."
Fu Zhong sneered and said, "Why do I think you don't want to see me?"
He Xi said: "I'm sorry, there are some things that I can't do anything about. Today, I offer a toast to Brother Fu. I just want to apologize."
Fu Zhong said: "A glass of wine can be considered as apology. Is the face of my Fu family so worthless?"
He Xi said: "Brother Fu, you should know that the decision-making power on this matter is not in my hands."
"Really?" Fu Zhong said, "Why don't you refuse?"
For a moment, the two of them were at loggerheads.
The two of them were very different at this moment. There was a change in He Xi's heart, she was ambitious, and there was a big difference in the way she dealt with people. This difference was also reflected in her temperament. Far less cautious than before. And Fu Zhong is not the same.
At that time, he was just a playboy. There is a carefree temperament inside. But now I have taken a trip between life and death. He forced his way out of a dead end. The whole person is completely transformed from the inside out.
Although He Xi felt that she had gained weight by breaking her promise, she felt a little regretful. But when I think of Princess Anqing, I don't care about this little criticism. After all, in He Xi's eyes, the gentle Princess Anqing was a woman he had never dared to think of in modern times. It is also a good match in this era.
It is impossible to make people determined.
He Xi said: "The situation has become what it is and cannot be changed. Brother Fu, I can't help you. I apologize to you again." He Xi raised his glass and said: "I'm sorry."
Fu Zhong sneered and said, "This sentence is so easy."
"That's enough Fu Zhong." Mei Yin said: "This is not a place for you to mess around. Don't you know that Princess Anqing has never been interested in you? He Xi may have broken his promise, but it is enough to toast and apologize. What else do you want? How about it?"
Fu Zhong was excited and took a breath.
In the Battle of Baishijiang, Fu Zhong was not seriously injured, but it does not mean that he was not injured. Originally Fu Youde wanted him to rest in Yunnan. But he was holding a breath in his heart. This is why we have to rush back to the capital from Yunnan. Fortunately, after leaving Guizhou, we can take a boat all the way south. It’s not too hard either.
Even so, it delays wound healing. When I was angry at this moment, I felt the burning pain in the wound.
The more this happened, the more unwilling Fu Zhong was.
It is difficult for any man to bear the hatred of seizing his wife. If it were someone else's Princess Shang Anqing, Fu Zhong would certainly be unwilling to accept it, but He Xi, Fu Zhong would not be able to go with this tone.
Fu Zhong snorted coldly and said: "Okay, Brother Mei is right. I shouldn't have messed around. But to apologize, just a glass of water and wine is not enough." Fu Zhong said loudly: "Uncles, Your Majesty."
At this moment, Zhu Yuanzhang was drinking with Xu Da.
In fact, Zhu Yuanzhang was already preparing to leave at this time.
After all, there is a difference between king and minister. Back then, Zhu Yuanzhang would also have a good drink with his old brothers. But now when he is here, the people below cannot let him go. After a few drinks with some old brothers, he went back.
Suddenly I heard Fu Zhong say this.
The entire hall fell into silence. Zhu Yuanzhang said: "Fu Zhong, come here. What do you have to say?"
At this moment, Zhu Yuanzhang still admires Fu Zhong. Although it is said that among the second generation of Ming Dynasty nobles. There are also some mature ones. But very few. Among them, Geng Bingwen is one of them. Many people think that Geng Bingwen was famous before the founding of the People's Republic of China. He is a founding hero. In fact, he inherited the arrangements of his father and brother. He is also much younger than the founding heroes, a serious second generation founding father.
However, most of the noble children are not as good as their fathers and brothers, and they are much worse. Geng Bingwen is one of the few.
But Fu Zhong fought in Baishijiang and was able to fight his way out. Tempered out. From now on, I dare not say that I will be alone. But thinking about it, there is no problem at all in serving as the chief military officer of a province in ten or twenty years.
Zhu Yuanzhang still had preferential treatment for this newly minted hero.
Fu Zhong said: "It's not that I have anything to say, but Secretary He saw the grandness of today's celebration banquet. He felt inspired and expressed his feelings impromptu, but he didn't dare to report it to Your Majesty. He could only let me do it for him."
When Zhu Yuanzhang heard this, he knew something was wrong.
Zhu Yuanzhang knew He Xi very well. Poetry or something. He Xi can only read, but definitely not write. And Zhu Yuanzhang also knew what He Xi was doing recently, saying that He Xi now wanted to write tens of thousands of words. A large article like Wang Anshi's "Emperor Shang Renzong's Concerns". It is possible.
After all, he's been busy with this recently. Zhu Yuanzhang is also looking forward to this.
What poems did you suddenly write? It's simply not possible, and it's not in line with He Xi's character.
But since Fu Zhong said such words to his face, Zhu Yuanzhang had to ask him no matter what. Zhu Yuanzhang asked: "He Xi, do you have any good words? Tell them and listen to them?"
Fu Zhong looked at He Xi. He had also been with He Xi for a while, so he naturally understood He Xi's shortcomings in poetry. I simply don’t believe that He Xi can write any outstanding poems. Fu Zhong's purpose was to make He Xi look embarrassed on such an occasion.
He was actually ready.
Once He Xi couldn't answer, he immediately apologized. He also excused He Xi and said something for He Xi's sake. Others would only think that He Xi failed to live up to the expectations of his friends, or some could see that Fu Zhong was specifically targeting He Xi.
But so what if you see it?
At today's celebration banquet, Fu Zhong is a meritorious official who has just crawled out from the dead. Even if he does something extraordinary today, the court will not punish him at this time. Otherwise, it will only make the world feel that the court treats its meritorious officials harshly.
Furthermore, drunken remarks are inherently between commentable and undiscussable. Because drinking drunken words is a crime, it should not be taken too seriously.
It can be said that Fu Zhong was able to advance and retreat freely today. The pressure is on He Xi's side.
