Chapter 452: King Rui (2)

Luo Ling will also go with him. This time, Shen Xin plans to find Luo Ling a job in the Ministry of War to train his abilities. Before that, he will naturally take Luo Ling to get acquainted with some of his colleagues so that he can be of assistance in the future.

During the three days of waiting, Shen Miao listened every day to what Jingzhe and Guyu had been digging about in the past three years, just as a joke. However, she was surprised to find that the Fengxian Pawnshop in the capital had closed down shortly after Shen Xin left for Xiaochun City. For unknown reasons, it had only recently reopened, with the owner reportedly having been away on a long trip and had only recently returned to Dingjing City.

Feng An Ning knew she had returned, and had someone bring her a letter, saying that she had wanted to come to see Shen Miao in person, but since they would be meeting at the tribute banquet anyway, there was no need to make this trip. Besides Feng An Ning, Su Ming Lang had also written her a letter, the handwriting was crooked, and he had his servant deliver it to her without anyone in the mansion's knowledge. Seeing it made Shen Miao laugh and cry.

Just like that, we accompanied Luo Tan to visit restaurants and had fun together, and in the blink of an eye, it was time for the tribute three days later.

The tribute from Ming Qi was a major event for the entire dynasty. Early in the morning, the sound of bells and drums rang out from Nanshan.

The vendors on the street were also talking about this matter. However, due to the royal law, the common people could not enter the palace and could only listen to the sounds and movements outside the palace walls. Most people envied the officials, whose families could enter the palace. If the officials were higher-ranking, they could even participate in the tribute banquet.

The sight of wealth and extravagance always gave people the illusion of prosperity and peace. Common people were always simple-minded, focusing only on the present, believing that the Ming Dynasty could truly endure for generations to come. Few wise people understood that with external enemies still raging and internal troubles intensifying, the situation was precarious. Even if they maintained a facade, how could they truly rest easy?

Chen Xin's carriage stopped at the palace gate, and a palace attendant, already prepared outside, led them inside. Luo Tan looked around curiously, but Chen Qiu held her head to prevent her from offending the palace dignitaries. Luo Ling, on the other hand, appeared very composed. Although it was his first time in the palace, he acted very appropriately.

By the time the ceremony was about to begin, nearly all the civil and military officials had arrived. Drums beat, music played, and hundreds of cannon shots shot skyward, creating a truly solemn and majestic atmosphere.

The Emperor and Empress sat high on the throne. Shen Miao looked up and saw Emperor Wenhui in his dragon robe, his expression steady and majestic. It seemed that he was no different from two years ago. But if you look closely, you can see that he now needs the support of his eunuch when walking, and his steps are not as strong as before. He has indeed aged a lot.

Fu Xiuyi stood to one side with the other princes. His brilliance was growing, and he stood out among them. He was already the youngest, and now, with such handsomeness and slenderness, he drew the attention of many of the high-ranking officials and their wives. Fu Xiuyi had finally reached a point where even his brilliance could no longer conceal it, and it seemed likely that his brothers were no longer as confident in him as they had been at the beginning.

Shen Miao also looked towards Fu Xiuyi, but her gaze landed on a man in blue clothes standing behind Fu Xiuyi, among the court officials. The man had a noble and elegant demeanor, and seemed to stand out among the court officials. He looked more like a scholar than an official. It was Pei Lang.

Pei Lang was standing not far behind Fu Xiuyi. In such an occasion, given Fu Xiuyi's cautious attitude, it was obvious that he relied heavily on and trusted Pei Lang, which was why he gave him such respect. As if sensing the gaze from this side, Fu Xiuyi suddenly turned his head to look over. Shen Miao's eyes flickered, never pausing for a moment. Fu Xiuyi looked at the crowd for a moment, then turned his head away.