It is already mid-June, and there is not much time left until the Dragon God Festival on the first day of July.

Chu Yuening did not intend to leave the temple fair to officials or female officials.

She has someone more suitable.

The next morning, the palace was quiet and solemn. The morning light cast a faint golden glow on the palace, making it look even more magnificent and majestic.

Qian Dafu and Zhang Hai followed the instructions of the palace servants, walking with their heads down, not daring to look around, for fear of violating some taboo.

Although this was their third time to meet the emperor in the palace, they still felt uneasy.

After all, in the face of absolute imperial power, any slight mistake could lead to death.

While the two were worried, the emperor and empress came in hand in hand, walked slowly and sat down at the top of the table leisurely.

Qian Dafu and Zhang Hai immediately knelt on the ground and bowed in unison.

"I pay my respects to Your Majesty! I pay my respects to the Empress!"

"Well, stand up."

Chu Yuening nodded slightly, her tone gentle yet dignified, her whole body exuding the graceful demeanor of a mother of the country.

In fact, she had already been yawning in her heart.

I just want to finish this quickly so I can go back and take a nap.

Ying Zheng glanced at his wife and saw that there was a mist at the corners of her eyes, and it was obvious that she was still sleepy.

He couldn't help but laugh, a hint of doting flashed across his phoenix eyes, then he waved to the palace servants and spoke in a deep voice.

"Come here, please take a seat."

"Thank you, Your Majesty, Your Majesty, for your grace."

The two people below thanked in unison, then sat on the chairs in fear and trepidation, waiting for the emperor and empress to give orders.

Chu Yue's eyes flickered, and she opened her red lips slightly, saying a greeting first.

"You two have performed well in recent years, and I admire you very much."

"No, no, your Majesty, thank you for your compliment."

Qian Dafu and Zhang Hai hurriedly bowed and spoke modestly, but the flushed faces revealed their complacency and joy.

The two have outstanding abilities and have been rated as excellent for four consecutive years. If they are rated as excellent again this year, they will be able to move up a level.

By then, becoming an official in the court and bringing honor to the family will be just around the corner.

Chu Yuening smiled faintly, then her expression became solemn, and she slowly explained her final intention.

"Now that the Dragon Festival is approaching, I want to organize a temple fair for it."

"I wonder if you are willing to take on this important task?"

In the silent palace, the woman's voice was soft and gentle, like the gurgling of water, but it revealed an invisible sense of oppression.

The smiles on Qian and Zhang's faces froze, and their lips suddenly closed tightly.

Both of them are old foxes, shrewd and cunning, how could they dare to agree rashly?

They held their breath, their minds racing over the pros and cons.

They are no strangers to temple fairs.

It originated from the ancestral temple and suburban system. People offered sacrifices to statues or tablets of gods and prayed for blessings from the gods. They also performed some wonderful songs and dances, which gradually evolved into temple fairs.

Since the establishment of the Dragon God Festival, people have spontaneously held temple fairs every year to worship the Dragon God, but on a smaller scale.

From what the Empress said, it seems that she wants to hold a large and formal temple fair.

The two did not try to figure out the deeper meaning of this move, but instead considered whether they could take on this opportunity.

If it is done well, everyone will be happy and there will be generous rewards.

If I mess up, not only will I be in trouble, but my family may also be implicated.

Chu Yuening looked down at the two people with unpredictable expressions, raised her eyebrows slightly, and threw out a heavyweight chip.

"If this temple fair is successfully organized, I will not hesitate to reward you."

"Those who have made outstanding contributions will be promoted to a higher rank as an exception, and this will not affect their previous evaluations."

"how?"

She deliberately dragged out the tone of the last two words, and the long tail sound was like a hook, full of endless temptation.

Zhang Hai was the first to react. His eyes were instantly filled with fanaticism and he was so excited that his whole body was shaking.

He quickly stood up, knelt down and saluted, his voice of excitement particularly loud.

"I am willing to take on this important task!"

At this time, Qian Dafu came back to his senses from his daze.

He didn't have time to secretly curse the old man who changed his attitude according to the situation, and immediately knelt down to agree.

"I am also willing to take on this important task!"

Hearing the shameless words, Zhang Hai turned his head and glared at Qian Dafu with gritted teeth.

This old guy is really greedy. He already has a son who is an official, but he still wants to compete with him, a commoner.

Qian Dafu was thick-skinned and secretly gave a provocative look back.

Opportunities, regardless of order, will go to those who are capable.

When their eyes met, countless sparks seemed to fly, and neither of them was willing to show weakness or give in.

For a moment, the atmosphere in the hall became tense.

Seeing this scene, Chu Yuening's eyebrows flashed with a sly smile.

Competition is motivation.

Ying Zheng's mind was always on his wife. Seeing her mischievous look, it was like seeing a lively little fox.

His heart softened, his phoenix eyes shone with soft light, and the corners of his lips unconsciously curled up in joy.

The emperor and empress at the top had not spoken for a long time, and Zhang Hai couldn't help but feel anxious, fearing that Qian Dafu would snatch away the opportunity.

At this moment, he no longer cared about being cautious and began to recommend himself.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, I have been engaged in business for many years and have considerable abilities. I will definitely be able to organize the temple fair properly."

Qian Dafu was unwilling to fall behind and kept showing off his advantages.

"My son graduated from the Imperial Academy, and I've learned a lot about business from him. With my many years of business experience, I'm sure the temple fair will be a complete success."

Zhang Hai gritted his teeth and continued to show a trump card.

"The supply and marketing cooperatives run by ordinary people are widely praised by the people..."

"My son has won the trust of the Queen and has been appointed an official to the court..."

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