Xu Lang is 20 years old and has reached adulthood
After the court session, Liang Rui finished his roll call and asked for leave to go home for half an hour.
In order to avoid being discovered by Xu Yanmiao that his actions were too abrupt, his route of action was as follows: first he went to the small canteen prepared by the emperor for officials to have lunch, and then someone rashly spilled sauce on his official uniform, so Liang Rui had to ask for leave to go home and change.
After arriving home, Liang Rui pretended to mention casually: "I heard that Prime Minister Dou was afraid that the old lady was too lonely and wanted to find a companion for her."
- This was of course false.
Then, before Liang Youwen could react, Liang Rui was furious: "What kind of look is that! I'll beat you to death, you idiot! The old lady is already 95 years old, she can be your great-grandmother, and you still want to show your love to her?! I'll beat you to death, you idiot!"
As he said that, he picked up the firewood in the corner of the yard and beat his eldest son.
Liang Youwen took a deep breath, and his pupils trembled.
Has his expression become so obvious!
Before he could start thinking, the pain in his body invaded his brain in the blink of an eye, and turned into a hot stream that suddenly fell into his throat, emitting a strong sound: "Ah——"
Liang Rui directly took ruthless action.
He was really angry, and he was really beating the emperor, the empress, and the prime minister.
Liang Youwen dodged his leg: "Ah!" Liang Rui's Chai chased him fiercely.
Liang Youwen covered his crotch: "Ah!" Liang Rui's Chai hit the back of his hand accurately.
But Liang Youwen refused to accept it!
*
[Wow! ]
Xu Yanmiao followed in time and broadcasted it to his colleagues without knowing it.
[Liang Youwen, I Xu Yanmiao would like to call you the best! ]
[Even after being beaten like this, you can still shout to your father: A beautiful lady is a good match for a gentleman! You can also shout: I admire the old lady, what's wrong with that! ]
[Wow! Wow! ]
Xu Yanmiao grabbed his outer robe excitedly.
His colleagues - including officials from Ministry A, Ministry B, and Division C who don't know why they are staying in the Ministry of Personnel... probably because it's the end of the year and personnel transfers are very frequent, so they need the approval of the Ministry of Personnel.
The Minister of Personnel originally wanted to go to the toilet, but at this moment, his fat body tightly clamped his thighs, holding the urine in his bladder, as if he was fighting for the last moment at his job.
[Lao Liang directly retorted, and his tone was still so sharp! He really deserves to be the ruthless man who said to drive all the Japanese to a small island and let them kill each other. 】
【It was like a knife stabbing his son's heart. What about your love affecting the old lady? Have you ever considered that the old lady will lose her integrity if she stays with you? Have you ever thought about what others will think of the old lady? You didn't. You only considered yourself. 】
【And more——】
【The old lady is so old. Have you ever considered whether her body can bear it after knowing this? Will she just turn upside down? 】
【Every word is like a knife! 】
【Xiao Liang even cried! 】
The Minister of Personnel almost burst into applause.
Although he was very sorry for Xiao Liang, Liang Rui's words were really typical of "hitting the snake at its weakest point".
He didn't say "you can't do it" or "the old lady can't possibly like you". He just said "if you really like her, you should think about her".
Liang Youwen was directly entangled by his father!
- In fact, it is not a big deal for a powerful woman to keep a lover. Even if they are married properly, people will joke that a 60-year-old man marrying an 18-year-old girl is a romantic affair, but why is it not possible for a 95-year-old lady and a 32-year-old man?
*
Liang Rui threw away the firewood, looked at his son sitting on the ground crying with a dusty face, patted his head, and sighed: "Do you really like him that much?"
Liang Youwen burped and said nothing.
Liang Rui said calmly: "Have you ever thought that even if the old lady also likes you, you will definitely have to face a lot of rumors. Besides, you are 32 years old, and the old lady looks energetic. Have you ever thought that she may live over 100 years old?"
Liang Youwen: "That's a good thing!"
Liang Rui: "Then what about your offspring? People can only have children in those few years - maybe people in their 40s and 50s can still have children in old age, but are you so sure that you will be the chosen one after the old lady passes away?"
"Why should I worry about this?"
Liang Youwen glanced at his father, as if to say "You are such an old antique": "Dad, not everyone thinks about the bridal chamber and having children when they get married. The first time I saw the old lady, I made the decision not to have children."
Liang Rui choked.
After Liang Youwen choked his father, his eyes turned red again: "Dad, I know what you mean. I will hide my thoughts that I shouldn't have in the future..."
Liang Rui subconsciously said: "No need."
The civil and military officials in the whole court knew about it.
Liang Youwen was at a loss: "What?"
Liang Rui sighed and patted his head: "If you can pass the exam this time, you will know."
Unable to figure it out, Liang Youwen simply gave up thinking about it and decided to ease the stiff atmosphere: "Dad, I learned a dish called 'Heavenly Ladder Duck Feet'. The duck feet have been soaked some time ago. I will cook it for you."
*
After peeling the duck feet, they are soaked in rice wine and become very fat and plump. At first glance, they feel particularly meaty and chewy.
Liang Rui watched his eldest son skillfully pull out the main bone and tendons of the duck's paw, and couldn't help squinting his eyes: "Did you learn this for the old lady?"
The eldest son, who had been silent since he started cooking, finally spoke: "Well, I will use ham to sandwich the duck's paw, and spread honey on the spring bamboo shoots, and steam them over low heat until they are thoroughly cooked. They will taste very moist, fragrant, and rich, and easy to chew."
Liang Rui said calmly: "You may not have the opportunity to cook for the old lady."
Liang Youwen smiled: "Dad, didn't you often teach me and my brother to plan before taking action? Regardless of whether it succeeds or not, we should prepare what needs to be done first."
Liang Rui stopped talking. He just watched his eldest son concentrate on cooking.
After a while, he suddenly said: "Other things are impossible, but if you want to cook a meal for the old lady, I can ask Prime Minister Dou."
Liang Youwen's eyes lit up, he quickly dropped the spatula and sat down next to Liang Rui: "Dad! Are you serious?"
Liang Rui glared at him: "In the name of a thank-you gift - don't think too much, you have to remember, the old lady doesn't need a cook."
Liang Youwen nodded vigorously: "Dad, I know, I just want to cook a meal for the old lady, and I don't ask for anything else."
Three days later, on New Year's Eve, the old lady Wei Chi had a delicious reunion dinner, rewarded the cook with a smile on her face, and then hugged her granddaughter and listened to her. She said softly and crisply: "Grandma, you don't know how lucky I was when I went to my uncle's house a few days ago. They just came back from picking winter dates, and I ate a basket of them in one go! So crisp and sweet! It's not so coincidental at ordinary times!"
The old lady smiled and tapped her forehead: "Little girl is greedy."
The granddaughter took a handful of winter dates from her pocket and said: "Grandma, I brought them back for you, you should eat them quickly, they are delicious!"
Although the old lady was old, her teeth were still very good. She bit off a piece of winter date flesh and smiled happily.
Surrounding her were her surviving brothers and sisters-in-law, sister and brother-in-law, her sons and daughters-in-law, daughters and sons-in-law, nephews and nieces-in-law, all of whom came forward to kowtow and offer tea. Everyone gathered together to talk, and it was very lively.
The granddaughter recited poems with her head shaking, and after she finished reciting a poem, the old lady gave her a red envelope.
The grandson dressed up in colorful clothes to entertain his parents and did somersaults for the old lady. The old lady also smiled and gave him a red envelope.
The grandson-in-law was like he was back home, chattering and ordering the housekeeper: "I want glutinous rice cakes! I want vermicelli! I want tofu! I want rice cakes!"
There were other grandchildren running around in the yard, making a fuss...
"It's great." Liang Youwen took a look from a distance, and left with a smile while holding the reward money.
＊
[It's great...]
Xu Yanmiao was flipping through the gossip system and saw this scene, and her eyes were suddenly stunned.
[What a lively New Year's Eve.]
Although he also spent New Year's Eve in the palace with other ministers, the feeling was still different.
The young man lowered his head slightly, and the white water in the cup swayed slightly in his eyes. He didn't know whether he saw the hustle and bustle of traffic or the tall buildings reflected in the water.
After the old emperor heard the inner voice, he looked at Xu Yanmiao from a distance, stretched out his hand to hold the handrail, and stood up.
No one paid attention to the emperor's standing up.
——It was like this every year in the past. At about this time, the emperor would call the empress and his children to gather alone to celebrate the New Year.
After a while, an eunuch walked up to Xu Yanmiao: "Xu Lang, the emperor wants to see you."
Xu Yanmiao was stunned for a moment, stood up and followed the eunuch.
After many twists and turns, they arrived at the border of the harem. Xu Yanmiao was startled: "Wait, this..."
[No way? Again? ! ]
[Will they find another palace maid to frame me this time? 】
Then he heard the old emperor's impatient voice: "What are you doing? Come over here."
Xu Yanmiao breathed a sigh of relief and trotted over: "Your Majesty?"
"Follow me."
The old emperor said, striding ahead, Xu Yanmiao could only walk behind in confusion.
After walking for a while, they arrived at a brightly lit palace.
The King of Tang ran out with thumping steps: "Dad! Where have you been? Why are you taking so long? Hey! You are! Who are you!"
Xu Yanmiao bowed: "Xu Yanmiao has seen the king."
The King of Tang grinned: "You are indeed my father's private... umm!"
【Ah? Private what? 】
The prince covered his mouth and dragged him away, not forgetting to turn around and smile at Xu Yanmiao: "Since my father brought you here, you can come in, don't be shy."
Xu Yanmiao was even more confused.
Following the old emperor into the palace, he saw Empress Dou sitting in front of a large round table, as well as the prince, the King of Qin, the King of Han, and the King of Tang who had been "taught" by the prince and was mumbling something. In addition, Princess Fangling, Princess Qinghe, and Princess Xiangyang were also there.
Further back, there were other children, sitting at another large round table.
The old emperor sat in the main seat, commanded Xu Yanmiao to sit on his right, and then shouted: "It's time to serve the dumplings!"
Then a palace maid brought up steaming dumplings and put them in the bowls in front of everyone.
The old emperor first took the dumpling and put it in his mouth: "Hey! Why is it filled with tofu vermicelli? It's not sauerkraut and pork grease dumpling!"
He muttered angrily: "Pork grease dumpling is more delicious, cut a long piece of fat meat, fry it over low heat to get the oil, add salt, wait until the fat is all boiled out, the remaining grease will be so delicious that it will make your tongue fall off!"
Xu Yanmiao stared at the dumpling in the bowl in a daze.
Others had already picked up their chopsticks.
Xu Yanmiao also picked up his chopsticks, and what he ate was the sauerkraut and pork grease dumpling. When he took a bite, the oil flowed out.
The old emperor was still nagging: "You guys are living a good life now. When I was a kid, I would make dumplings while my parents were out in the fields, and I would ask my brothers and sisters to get flour from home to make dumplings. At that time, I was especially afraid that my parents would suddenly come back, and my hands were shaking so much that I couldn't get the stove to light well."
"I was so anxious that I poked the stove hard with a poker, but there was no fire, and my face was covered with smoke, which made me snot and cry."
"Later, when the fire finally came up, I hurriedly poured the dumplings into the water, but the water never boiled. After half an hour of cooking, the dumplings all turned into wild vegetable soup. My brothers and sisters also ate them with relish, licking the bottom of the bowl clean."
Xu Yanmiao ate dumplings while telling the story. The dumplings had thin skin and big fillings, and he couldn't eat seven or eight at a time.
The emperor's entire family, dozens of people, were eating dumplings in the palace.
While eating, Xu Yanmiao felt something between his teeth, and when he spit it out, he saw that it was a small coin.
Princess Xiangyang clapped her hands and laughed on the spot: "Xu Yanmiao, you got the money. May you have a prosperous new year!"
Outside the window where snowflakes were flying, a sound suddenly came: "Duang——"
What a loud bell—
it's the New Year!
Xu Yanmiao felt a weight on his head.
It was a crown.
He raised his head in surprise. Then he saw the old emperor looking at him with a slight smile.
"Xu Yanmiao, congratulations, you have become an adult."