"Your Highness." Jiuzhu looked at Prince Chen seriously and said, "If you say that again, I will be really angry with you."
Master said she was born intelligent and he would not lie to her.
"Well, I was wrong." Prince Chen smiled and said, "We Jiuzhu are the white clouds in the clear sky, the light boat on the blue river, and the red plum blossom in the snow."
Jiuzhu looked at him blankly. He chuckled but did not explain.
"Let's go." Prince Chen gently held her hand. Her palm was very hot. The scorching heat that rushed all the way along her palm spread to his fingertips and all his limbs.
"Where are we going?" Jiuzhu obediently let King Chen lead her.
"Go sit inside and rest for a while." Prince Chen sighed, "You are sweating all over after running. If you go out and get blown by the cold wind, you will get sick easily."
"That can't be possible." Jiuzhu said confidently, "I'm in good health."
"Be obedient and stop messing around." Prince Chen did not let go and pulled the man inside.
"Your Highness, I am not an official appointed by the court. Entering the Ministry of Rites will bring you trouble." Jiuzhu still had concerns.
"You are my future princess, a county lady appointed by the court, so you can come to the Ministry of Rites." Prince Chen pulled Jiuzhu to a leeward place: "With me here, who dares to say anything?"
Pulling Jiuzhu into his office, Prince Chen handed Jiuzhu a dry cotton towel and said, "Your back is sweating, use this towel to block it. I'll be watching outside."
After saying that, he helped Jiuzhu close the door, took a few steps back, and stood with his back to the door.
"Did you see that? The prince just brought a girl into his office study."
"This happened right under Minister Ming's nose, and he actually did this?"
"Hush, keep your voices down, Minister Ming is coming in."
"Why do you all look so strange?" Ming Jingzhou walked into the room and saw his colleagues looking at him from time to time. When he raised his head, they couldn't wait to look away and asked with a smile, "What's going on?"
"Nothing, nothing." An adult laughed dryly and changed the subject: "Where are you going, Brother Ming?"
"Oh, I found a few interesting articles and took them to His Royal Highness Prince Chen to copy." Ming Jingzhou shook the book in his hand and said, "My Lords, please take your time to chat."
"Hey, hey, hey." Several adults hurriedly stopped Ming Jingzhou and said, "Brother Ming, don't you still need to prepare return gifts for various countries? Why don't we help you deliver this book?"
When the King of Qi got married, all the friendly countries around him sent gifts to congratulate him, and Dacheng had to return the gifts.
"It's just a small matter, why do you need my help?" Ming Jingzhou put the book into his sleeve and said, "Please help yourself, I'll be back soon."
"It's over, it's over." The officials of the Ministry of Rites watched Ming Jingzhou leave and began to get anxious.
"Brother Ming's temper should be pretty good?"
"No matter how good your temper is, you can't tolerate your future son-in-law bringing a woman into the government office right under your nose."
"What should we do then?"
"What else can we do?" Shangshu Li En came out, "Two people come with me to take a look. If a fight breaks out, we can stop them."
"Your Excellency is right!" The officials came to their senses and said, "Quick, quick, stop Brother Ming!"
"Ming Xiaozhu." Prince Chen knocked on the door twice: "Are you ready?"
"Okay." Jiuzhu opened the door and twisted his neck: "It's just that the back of my neck is a little uncomfortable."
Prince Chen glanced at Jiuzhu's white neck, then quickly looked away: "It's okay, maybe she's not used to it yet, it will be fine in a while."
"Hmm." Jiuzhu touched his back uncomfortably.
"Come in, I've asked the servants to make you a pot of fresh tea. I'll arrange a carriage to take you back later. Be sure to bring servants with you when you go out next time. As a county lady, you should be more formal."
After saying that, he reached out to pull Jiuzhu's wrist.
"Your Highness, what are you doing?" Ming Jingzhou had just walked into the corridor when he saw the corner of a woman's skirt sticking out of the door of Prince Chen's office study. His eyes suddenly turned cold.
"Father." Jiuzhu heard Ming Jingzhou's voice and leaned forward, "You came at the right time. I was planning to ask His Highness to send someone to look for you."
"Why is Jiuzhu here?" Ming Jingzhou raised the corners of his lips, his eyebrows were kind and his eyes were gentle.
"Something happened just now, I..."
"Brother Ming!"
"Master Ming!"
Two officials rushed up and held Ming Jingzhou's arms, one on the left and one on the right: "I just got a rare copy, and I don't understand some of the contents. Can you help me to look into it?"
"Yes, there seems to be some problem with the gift list records of another country. How about you go over and take a look?"
"My Lords." Fugui was carrying the new tea and snacks prepared for Miss Ming. Seeing several officials from the Ministry of Rites blocking the corridor, he smiled politely and said, "Can you please let me pass through?"
The officials looked back at the things in Fugui's tray. Wow, there was the scented tea that women liked, and some snacks that only women liked to eat!
Fugui was frightened by the looks of these adults and took a step back. Although Miss Ming was not from the Ministry of Rites, she was His Highness's fiancée, the county princess bestowed by His Majesty, and the daughter of the Vice Minister of Rites. It shouldn't be a problem to let her sit in the Ministry of Rites' office, right?
"You have arrived just in time." Prince Chen looked at the officials from the Ministry of Rites crowded in the corridor and said, "I have some new snacks and refreshments here. Please come and taste them."
Officials from the Ministry of Rites: What? It’s bad enough that you bring girls here under Minister Ming’s nose, but you also want them to watch while you drink tea?
Your Highness Prince Chen, the Ministry of Rites has finally been repaired with your help. If Brother Ming gets so angry that he throws a teacup at you, it will be difficult for us colleagues to do anything.
"Thank you, Your Highness." Ming Jingzhou spoke first: "Then I will try it."
After saying that, he turned to look at the other officials: "My colleagues, please."
"Please, please, please." The group of people filled the Prince Chen's study. As soon as they sat down, they saw the little girl beside the Prince Chen walking straight towards Ming Jingzhou.
Seeing this scene, the officials of the Ministry of Rites became nervous.
Little girl, you look very well-behaved and pretty, why do you do things so unrefined?
"Father, these are all bought by my daughter. Please try them." Jiuzhu put Ming Jingzhou's favorite flavor in front of him.
Father, father?
The officials, who were worried, turned their heads to look at the Shangshu and found that he had already been sipping his tea contentedly with an extremely comfortable look on his face, and it was obvious that he already knew the identity of the girl.
Oh, they remembered that the Shangshu had gone to the Ming family to convey the imperial edict and must have met the little girl from the Ming family.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. It was great that they didn't have to struggle and get entangled between their colleagues and the King of Chen.
Ming Jingzhou noticed that his daughter's hair was still wet and her cheeks were red. "Where did you come from today? Why didn't you bring anyone with you?"
"I was in a hurry when I left, so I forgot." Jiuzhu smiled at Ming Jingzhou ingratiatingly: "Father, don't be angry. Your daughter will remember it next time."
There are many cars and people in the capital. When you meet a rich family's car, you have to show your courtesy. I give you three points, and they push and shove each other for a long time. So riding in a carriage is not as fast as running. She was afraid that Sister Zhou would wait in the teahouse for too long and Sixth Brother would not show up, which might lead to a misunderstanding between her and him, so she simply went there herself.
It is also a merit to help lovers finally get married.
"Next time, your mother will confine you." Ming Jingzhou pretended to be serious: "Hurry up and greet the uncles."
"Junior greets all the uncles."
"I dare not, I dare not, you are too polite, County Princess." The officials of the Ministry of Rites stood up and returned the greetings, being very polite to Jiuzhu.
Ming Jingzhou lifted the lid of the teacup and swept his eyes over the officials, memorizing their expressions. He slowly said, "My fellow officials, she is a junior, so it is only right for you to accept her courtesy."
Everyone laughed and responded, but they did not dare to accept the gift from Miss Ming.
In terms of rank, Miss Ming is a second-rank county lady, which is higher than most people present.
In terms of status, she is the future princess. After marriage, she will be a member of the royal family. The royal family has the monarch, and the difference between her and them is that of monarch and subject.
Apart from the royal family, who would have the courage to accept her gift?
Prince Chen looked at the officials in the Ministry of Rites. He thought that these officials in the Ministry of Rites were much smarter than the Zheng family.
He admired these officials who were sensible and intelligent.
"Your Majesty, Lord Shangshu, Lord Shilang, His Majesty urgently summons you!"
A slightly anxious voice of a clerk came from outside.
Your Majesty suddenly summoned so many officials from the Ministry of Rites. Something big must have happened. Li En looked at Prince Chen and found that he was still stuffing some food into his mouth leisurely.
"Your Highness?" Li En, whose impression of Prince Chen had greatly changed, bowed to him and said, "I will follow you into the palace."
"Yes." Prince Chen looked at the snacks that Jiuzhu brought for him and stuffed a handful into his purse: "My lords, don't be too alarmed. Father summoned you all probably because of the assassination of Prince Qi."
"What?"
"The King of Qi was assassinated?!"
"Your Highness, don't be too sad." Ming Jingzhou stood up and sighed, "No wonder your Highness looked so pale when I saw you just now. It turns out that you were worried about the safety of Your Highness the Prince of Qi."
"Yes, Your Highness." Li En said, "Your Highness Prince Qi is blessed by heaven. If you harm your body for His Highness Prince Qi, wouldn't it make His Majesty worried and sad?"
Prince Chen took the handkerchief handed to him by Fugui and wiped his hands clean: "He is my fourth brother, how can I not worry? If he is hurt, it hurts my heart."
"Your Highness is so kind that he values brotherhood so much."
"Yes." An official from the Ministry of Rites wiped his dry eyes with his sleeves: "What a touching friendship!"
An official from the Ministry of Rites wiped the snack residue from the corner of his mouth, opened the door, and shouted in a hoarse voice: "My colleagues, please help His Highness. He is so sad that he almost fainted!"
Jiuzhu, who was sitting next to her, silently stuffed a piece of dessert into her mouth, holding the teacup and not daring to speak.
The adult world is really too complicated.
She looked up out the window. On the eaves of the Ministry of Rites, the newly replaced glazed tiles were reflecting the bright light in the sun, like glowing gold.
"Your Highness is a man of both civil and military talents, how could he be targeted by an assassin?" Sun Caiyao looked at the pale Prince of Qi lying on the bed and summoned his attendant: "What happened at that time?"
"Princess, with your skills, you could have avoided the assassin's attack." The attendant hesitated for a moment, "But when your Highness walked to the assassin, he suddenly froze for a moment, and the assassin took advantage of this opportunity to hurt him."
Sun Caiyao frowned as she looked at her sleeping husband. His Highness has always been careful and thoughtful in what he does, so how could he suddenly become distracted when approaching a stranger?
"Were there any people around that Your Highness was concerned about?"
The attendant lowered his eyelids: "Princess, no."
"Really?" Sun Caiyao looked at the attendant who had his head lowered and his expression could not be seen clearly.
"No." The attendant bowed and said, "Princess, the only people accompanying us this time are the palace guards and attendants, the Minister of Revenue and the Imperial Guards, no one else."
"Okay, I understand." Sun Caiyao sighed and wiped the forehead of King Qi with a handkerchief. Then someone from Lanxu Palace came to say that Concubine Ning summoned her into the palace.
The prince was injured and needed someone to take care of him. Why did her mother summon her into the palace at this time? Is there anything more important than the prince's safety?
"With so many people, how could the King of Qi be injured? What on earth were you doing?" Emperor Longfeng looked at the deputy commander of the Imperial Guards. "I sent you to protect the safety of the King of Qi and the officials of the Ministry of Revenue. What did you do?"
The commander of the Imperial Guards was scolded by His Majesty so harshly that he dared not even breathe.
"Your Majesty, the officials from the Ministry of Rites and the princes have arrived."
"Let them in." Emperor Longfeng threw the memorial in his hand heavily on the table and snorted at the deputy commander of the Imperial Guards: "Get up first."
The deputy commander looked at Emperor Longfeng with gratitude. His Majesty still gave him some face and did not let him kneel in front of the prince and officials from the six ministries.
"What's wrong with my fifth brother?" King Huai stood outside the gate of Taiyang Palace and saw Yun Duqing being supported by an official from the Ministry of Rites, looking weak.
"Your Highness, Prince Huai, your Highness, Prince Chen was very worried when he heard that Prince Qi was assassinated. He was very angry and his spirit was not good." Li En bowed to Prince Huai and said, "Please don't worry, the Ministry of Rites will take good care of the prince."
Worried?
Anger and anger?
Does Yun Duqing believe such nonsense?
He glanced at Li En and raised his eyebrows slightly. Li En was a staunch royalist and would not speak for Yun Duqing. It seems that Lao Wu's acting skills have improved a lot during the time he stayed in the Ministry of Rites.
Thinking of this, he slowly said: "Fifth brother has always been kind and gentle, thank you all for taking care of him."
vomit!
"Please rest assured, Your Highness." Li En pretended not to notice the insincerity of Prince Huai's words, walked to Prince Chen's side, and supported his other arm: "Your Highness, you are better now."
"Thank you, Minister Li. I feel much better now." Prince Chen raised his eyelids and smiled weakly at Prince Huai and the other two princes. "Seeing my three brothers here, I feel much more at ease."
The three princes: "..."
Ugh, ugh, ugh. When did Yun Duqing become so disgusting?
What the hell did he learn in the Ministry of Rites?
When everyone entered the hall, Emperor Longfeng looked at his son who was supported by Li En, and his expression changed slightly: "Minister Li, what happened to Du Qing?"
"Your Majesty, when His Highness heard that His Highness Prince Qi was injured, he was so angry that he felt a little weak." Li En sighed, looking worried: "Your Majesty, please punish the murderer severely to comfort His Highness Prince Qi and His Highness Prince Chen."
The officials from the other five ministries glanced at Li En out of the corner of their eyes, as if they had heard some earth-shattering lies.
Would Prince Chen be so sad that he couldn't even walk steadily because of Prince Qi's injury?
What kind of joke is this?
"Liu Zhongbao, quickly bring a chair for Prince Chen to sit on." Emperor Longfeng sighed, "My son is just too soft-hearted and sentimental."
Other princes: "..."
Okay, as long as father is happy.
Prince Chen sat on the cushioned chair and even "coincidentally" adjusted himself into a very comfortable sitting position.
Emperor Longfeng seemed to be unable to see it, and was even worried that Prince Chen would feel cold sitting on the chair, so he asked the eunuch to cover him with a cloak, and almost had someone feed him fruits and snacks.
King Huai turned away, not wanting to look at this glaring scene. He cupped his hands and said, "Father, I think this matter must be investigated thoroughly, and this kind of thing must never be allowed to happen again."
"Yes." Emperor Longfeng nodded. "In order to ensure the safety of the princes and princesses, I have arranged for the Palace Department to thoroughly investigate the identities of all the servants in the prince's mansion and the princess's mansion. All the servants of the princes and princesses will have their identities and relatives re-checked. Anyone who is suspicious will not be allowed to stay. The chief secretary and the clerks in the mansion will all be re-selected by me."
The officials from the six ministries felt something was wrong after hearing this. Is His Majesty trying to protect the princes and princesses, or does he want to keep all of them under his nose?
"Thank you, father, for your concern for your son's safety." Prince Chen stretched out his arms from his thick cloak and bowed to Emperor Longfeng: "I am incompetent and have caused you, father, to worry."
The smiles on the faces of the three princes faltered.
How much effort and energy did they put in to plant spies in their brother's house?
With the emperor's order, not only have all their efforts over the years gone to waste, but they are also under the emperor's watchful eyes all the time. What else can they do? What else can they dare to do?
From today on, they will be blind with open eyes and deaf with long ears.
Who else could be happy except the idiot Yun Duqing?
"You are my blood. I only hope that you will be safe and sound, free from illness and disaster." Looking at these sons with different expressions, Emperor Longfeng sighed and said, "Before the identities of the servants in the palace are fully investigated, all the princes and princesses will move back to the palace to live."
"You don't have to leave the palace today, and please put your affairs in the various departments on hold for now." Emperor Longfeng looked at his sons and said, "I have asked the palace maids to prepare a place for you to stay. Just stay here and feel at ease."
The princes did not dare to meet the gaze of Emperor Longfeng, as if as long as they met his eyes, everything they were thinking would be seen through by him.
None of the officials from the six ministries who could stand here were fools, and no one dared to speak at this time.
Summon all the princes and princesses back to the palace, do not let them leave once they come in, and then send people to thoroughly search their residences. This move of cutting off the source of the problem is really cruel.
Your Majesty has always been kind and benevolent, but he made such a choice. It seems that what these princes and princesses did has crossed your Majesty's bottom line. No wonder these princes can't even maintain a basic expression at this moment.
Li En turned his head slightly to look at Prince Chen who was sitting on the chair. No, there was still a fish that had slipped through the net.
Unexpectedly, among the princes, Prince Chen was the most normal one and the one who cared the least about this matter.
Logically speaking, the Prince of Chen is arrogant and extravagant by nature, so he should be the one who fears Your Majesty's thorough investigation the most. Why is the fact the other way around?
"Father, my princess is still in the palace. I..."
"Don't worry." Emperor Longfeng interrupted Prince Huai and said, "I have sent someone to bring your princess in as well."
The officials from the six ministries frowned.
Oh no, now no one can escape.
The last glimmer of hope in the eyes of the three princes was completely extinguished.
Prince Chen glanced at his three brothers with mixed feelings. It was a pity that he and Ming Xiaozhu had not yet married, otherwise he could ask his father to bring Ming Xiaozhu into the palace, so that he could take her to his mother's palace for dinner every day.
There is not only a lot of food at my mother's place, but also a lot of jewelry, fabrics and jade. It would be great if I could pick out some that are suitable for Ming Xiaozhu to take away.
Prince Huai, Prince An and Prince Jing saw Yun Duqing staring at them with envy and resisted the urge to roll their eyes.
Neuropathy!
"Du Qing, why are you looking at your brothers?" Emperor Longfeng looked at Yun Du Qing with a smile.
"Father, I am just sighing that you are a good father who loves his children. You feared that my brothers would be lonely living alone, so you even brought the princess in."
Officials from the six ministries: “…”
Otherwise, why do people say that Prince Chen is hated?
What a heartbreaking and sarcastic statement.
If there is no mistress left in the palace, it means losing all control over the palace. With the royal family's ability to investigate people seriously, I'm afraid they can find out even several ant nests in the palace.
The mood of two officials who are biased in private has sunk to the bottom. Your Majesty has become suspicious of the princes.
Recalling the tragedy caused by the princes' fight for the throne when the previous emperor was alive, the officials of the six ministries became even more silent.
This is good too. With Your Majesty firmly controlling these princes and princesses, at least what happened in the 30 years of Xian De will not happen again.
When the King of Qi opened his eyes and woke up, he found that the surrounding environment was a little strange. He looked around vigilantly, and a young eunuch who was unfamiliar to him came over and said, "My Lord, are you awake?"
"Where is this?" The King of Qi glanced at the clothes on the young eunuch and lay back down.
"Your Highness, this is Zhangliu Palace. His Majesty is worried about your safety, so he sent someone to take you to the palace to recuperate."
Isn’t this where the prince lived before he came of age?
He was injured, but his father actually brought him into the palace when he was unconscious?
Is this out of worry about him, or out of a desire to control him?
"Thank you for your concern, father." King Qi smiled and said, "What is your name? Where are all the attendants around me?"
"My humble name is Ercheng. All the servants who usually serve you, Your Highness, will stay in the palace. If you and the princess need anything, just tell me."
He and the princess were placed under house arrest by their father?
The King of Qi's face was pale. At this moment, he seemed to feel that he had returned to the 30th year of Xian De.
There were sounds of quarreling outside the yard, and he seemed to hear vaguely the voice of King Huai.
"Why is there so much noise outside?"
"Your Highness, the palace servants outside are tidying up the bedrooms for the princes." Er Cheng said with a smile, "Because you were assassinated, His Majesty is worried about the princes. So His Majesty ordered that all the princes move to the various halls of Zhangliu Palace before the beginning of next spring."
"You mean, all the princes have been brought in?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. All the princes, consorts and princesses have moved into the palace." Er Cheng said, "The princesses are all living in Xiyu Palace. After you recover from your injury, you can go and walk around."
King Qi: “…”
He only used Ma Fei San to treat his injuries and fell asleep for a few hours. Why did the weather change when he woke up?
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