After the few people left, the Fourth Prince waited until it got dark before he carried Pumpkin like a treasure and took Afeng to the Qin Mansion.
Afeng glanced at the wrapped pumpkin in the fourth prince's hand.
"Your Highness, you can't finish your meal and want Miss Qin to help you eat it, right?"
"I'm not criticizing you, but you've been busy lately. I'm afraid it's inappropriate to send Miss Qin off with a pumpkin now."
The Fourth Prince stopped and said, "You know nothing. This is not for eating."
As he said that, he raised his leg and walked straight into the Qin Mansion.
The doorman was not surprised by this, as the young lady had specifically instructed that the Fourth Prince could just go in directly.
Qin Qianqian looked at the table full of food in the room and had no appetite at all.
She put down her chopsticks, raised her hand to support her chin, and asked the maid next to her.
"How long has it been since the Fourth Prince came?"
The maid covered her mouth and chuckled, "I thought the food was not to my liking, but it turns out that the young lady is missing the Fourth Prince."
"Okay, you're making fun of me, your daughter."
Qin Qianqian pretended to be angry and glared at the maid.
"I dare not. Miss, if you want the Fourth Prince to come, just go and see him."
Qin Qianqian quickly shook her head, "No."
The Fourth Prince had finally started to make progress, and she couldn't disturb him.
"What's wrong?"
The maid turned to look at the Fourth Prince who came in and saluted with a smile.
"This servant pays homage to the Fourth Prince."
Worried that the maid would talk nonsense, Qin Qianqian waved her hand and asked her to go down.
"I will go get a set of bowls and chopsticks for the Fourth Prince."
After the maid took the bowls and chopsticks and retreated with Afeng, Qin Qianqian suppressed her joy and said calmly, "Why did you have time to come here?"
The fourth prince picked up his chopsticks and said, "Let's eat first."
After the two finished their meal, Qin Qianqian looked at the things placed next to the Fourth Prince with curiosity.
"What is that?"
The Fourth Prince remembered Afeng's words and hesitated for a moment before taking out the wrapped pumpkin.
Qin Qianqian: “???”
Seeing that the Fourth Prince looked like he was presenting a treasure, Qin Qianqian didn't want to spoil his fun, so she asked with a flattering smile.
"Is this for me to eat?"
The fourth prince placed the pumpkin on the table, and the tips of his ears turned slightly red.
"You wanted a different kind of lamp, didn't you? I made one out of a pumpkin."
He paused, a look of embarrassment on his face. "It's just not very successful."
Qin Qianqian blinked and held her chin with both hands.
"I see."
She thought it was for her to eat.
The fourth prince took out a piece of candle, lit it, and placed the pumpkin over the candle.
The candlelight shone through the thinly peeled pumpkin, and the warm yellow light made the room cozy.
Qin Qianqian leaned over to look at the pumpkin in front of her, then raised her eyes to look at the Fourth Prince.
"I just said it casually, why do you still remember it?"
Having said that, the corners of his mouth couldn't help but rise.
The Fourth Prince scratched his head. "Don't you like it? This pumpkin lantern really wasn't very successful. If it weren't for my father's sudden arrival, I would have succeeded."
You can also engrave some patterns on it.
"The Emperor arrived unexpectedly?" Qin Qianqian looked worried. "Did you get scolded?"
The Fourth Prince smiled and shook his head.
"The Emperor didn't say anything, but he praised me for my progress in calligraphy."
Qin Qianqian just stared at the Fourth Prince quietly, her long eyelashes trembling slightly as she said seriously, "Why didn't I realize you took my words so seriously before? I really like this lamp."
"As long as you like it, then you won't be angry anymore?" The smile on the corner of the Fourth Prince's mouth widened. Afeng said that Qin Qianqian would not like it, which was simply nonsense.
"Why should I be angry?" Qin Qianqian glared at the Fourth Prince. "Okay, you think I can only be angry, right?"
The Fourth Prince quickly shook his head, "No, I just simply want to make you happy. If you are unhappy, just tell me."
Afeng, who was eavesdropping at the door, raised his hand and touched his arm.
His Highness was not smart before, but now he is so corny. He got goosebumps all over his body just hearing it.
Just as he was thinking, the door was opened from the inside and Afeng quickly stood up straight.
"You should go back soon. Don't make pumpkin lanterns anymore. You've wasted a lot of pumpkins."
Afeng responded with a rude tone.
"That's right," she added quickly, feeling the sharp glare from the Fourth Prince, "His Highness said that Miss Qin's happiness is the most important thing."
Qin Qianqian's face turned red instantly and she quickly closed the door.
…
After the morning court the next day, Yu Yiluo was still regretting not being able to hear Mu Chen's gossip yesterday, when she heard Eunuch Cao come in to report that Mu Chen wanted to see her.
She sat up suddenly and stared at the door of the imperial study.
Mu Chen strode in and saluted respectfully.
The emperor asked him to stand up and said calmly, "What do you want to report to me?"
Mu Chen took out a memorial and said, "The tax system previously drafted by the Ministry of Revenue has many unreasonable aspects. After discussing with Minister Qi, I have drafted a new one. I hope Your Majesty will review it."
Eunuch Cao presented the memorial to the emperor. The emperor opened it and read it, then put it on the table.
"I was just about to discuss this with you and Qi An, but I didn't expect you to have already drafted a plan. In that case, let's start implementing it next year."
"Yes," Mu Chen bowed and was about to take his leave when he heard what the emperor said.
"You've handled official business very well. I wonder how things are going in the backyard?"
[The tyrant's question really hits the nail on the head.]
Mu Chen looked ashamed. He wanted to send his cousin back home after she recovered from her illness, but his mother was worried that she was not fully recovered yet, so she asked her to stay for a few more days. This time, she stayed for several months.
His mother didn't mention the matter again, and he didn't want to bring it up either.
[Looking at Mu Chen's behavior, I don't think things are going well.]
Madam Mu is so foolish. She knew that letting Mu Chen marry Xu Xiaoxiao was a wrong decision, but she didn't cut her losses in time and insisted on continuing to waste the three of them.
After leaving the imperial study and returning to the Ministry of Revenue, Mu Chen entered the room, and a sour voice sounded.
"Lord Mu actually bypassed his superior, Minister Qi, to meet the Emperor. Furthermore, he's from the Hanlin Academy, and yet he's so clueless about etiquette."
No one else said anything, but they stared at Mu Chen who came in through the door as if they were enjoying a good show.
Mu Chen looked at the person who was speaking. This person had worked in the Ministry of Revenue for many years and was dissatisfied that he could meet the emperor after only a few months.
I often say sarcastic things to him.
"Mu Chen naturally told me when he went to see the emperor," Qi An strode in and looked at the person who was speaking. "If you have this spare time, you might as well do the work at hand. If there are any mistakes in the accounts, be careful with your head."
Everyone knew Qi An's temper, and for a moment no one dared to speak. They all dispersed and went about their own business.
"Minister Qi, I am only speaking up for you."
Qi An snorted and laughed, "You are dissatisfied in your heart, right? Mu Chenxing is upright and honest, why do you need to stand up for me?"
Then he looked at Mu Chen and said, "You told me that you were going to see the emperor. Why didn't you tell me so that people would misunderstand you?"
Mu Chen was cautious and careful in his work, so he would naturally not go past him to see the emperor. Moreover, the tax system reform was also carried out by Mu Chen himself, but the other party actually wanted him to take the memorial to see the emperor.
"I was just about to say Minister when you came."
As they talked, they entered the inner room. Qi An gestured for Mu Chen to sit down and said, "Have you shown the memorial to the emperor?"
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