"My Lord, I have never been married."
After Rong Xi answered respectfully, the Queen Mother was about to ask again, but she heard a voice coming from outside the palace, with a hint of laughter in the words.
"Mother, are you going to be a matchmaker for Dalang?"
The young emperor entered the palace, and the corner of his clothes caught Rong Xi's eyes. The black base material was inlaid with golden silk edges, which was extremely solemn and noble.
Rong Xi was about to perform the ceremony, but the emperor exempted him from the ceremony and said with a smile, "It's been a long time, Rong Dalang."
"The prince actually knows Dalang?" the empress dowager asked in surprise.
She didn't know about Rong's house.
The emperor smiled and said, "Mother, you don't know that my brother and I were in danger, but fortunately Dalang took us in and saved us."
The Queen Mother was filled with fear and gratitude, and looked at Rong Xi with even more kindness.
Rong Xi's cheeks were slightly hot, and he said honestly: "Your Majesty is too kind. You are a lucky person, and even if I did not take you in, I could still escape danger. And I am greedy, and I even asked you for some rent."
Being indebted to the emperor is something that ordinary people cannot even ask for, but Rong Xi is unwilling to take on the responsibility.
He just wanted to develop tools in peace.
"Don't be so modest, Dalang," the emperor seemed to be in a very good mood, and even teased him, "When I first met you, you looked fat and plump, but after not seeing you for a few months, you have lost a lot of weight, but you look more energetic."
Rong Xi heard that his words were more intimate, so he stopped being reserved, raised his head and looked directly at the emperor, smiling slightly, "Thank you for your high praise, Your Majesty."
The emperor smiled and patted his shoulder. "You are the most important person in the Military Equipment Bureau. You deserve such a high reputation."
"Your Majesty, I have come here today with Dalang to celebrate my aunt's birthday," Qin Ke suddenly said, "I heard that my aunt loves glass, so Dalang and I have made some special glassware for her to enjoy."
The Queen Mother suddenly became interested, "Really? Show it to me now."
The gifts were ready. The Queen Mother sent an order and two palace servants came in with plates outside the hall. The plates were covered with red silk and no one knew what was on them.
Princess Mingyi and the Emperor were also very curious.
The palace attendant placed the plate on the table and lifted the red silk one by one to reveal the contents of the plate.
On the left plate, a glass teapot stands quietly in the center, and six glass cups are neatly surrounded by it like stars surrounding the moon. The teapot and cups are all exquisite and gorgeous, transparent and dust-free. Everyone in the hall is amazed.
On the right plate is a glass ornament. The phoenix soars into the sky, extremely noble and gorgeous, its entire body translucent and shiny like crystal, so exquisite that people dare not touch it.
Seeing that the Queen Mother was extremely satisfied, Rong Xi felt relieved.
This ornament is still a failure for him. If colored glass can be made, the phoenix will be even more exquisite and unique.
"You two are very thoughtful." The Queen Mother tried to maintain a dignified smile, but the smile on her lips became more and more unstoppable.
Princess Mingyi also exclaimed: "This is the only one in the world, it is really enviable."
"If you like, let A Ke make some for you."
Everyone in the world loves crystal clear things. The queen mother was also a mortal and was delighted to receive the gift. When she saw Qin Ke and Rong Xi, her face became even more loving and she couldn't help but speak.
"I am very pleased with this gift. Dalang is truly talented in making glass. And you helped the emperor escape disaster out of kindness, which is a great deed. If you want anything, just tell me and I will satisfy you."
The emperor also nodded, "Dalang, please go ahead and say it."
Rong Xi had never thought about this, so he decisively replied: "Thank you Queen Mother and Your Majesty for your kindness. I have nothing to ask for."
Since he had nothing to ask for, the Empress Dowager and the Emperor did not ask any more questions.
Qin Ke added, "Your Majesty, the weapons mentioned in the previous secret letter were also brought to the capital by me and Dalang."
"I want to go take a look!"
When the emperor heard this, he was delighted.
The three of them bowed and left the palace. Qin Ke said, "I have someone waiting outside the palace, waiting for your Majesty to summon you."
The emperor waved his sleeves and issued an order, leading Rong Xi and Qin Ke into the martial arts arena.
After a while, the palace servant led a strong man in.
After the athlete saluted, he presented a long wooden box.
Qin Ke took the wooden box, walked to the emperor, stretched out his hand to open the box, and saw a slender iron object with a very unique shape displayed in the box.
"Is this the musket?" The emperor was itching to get it.
"Your Majesty, muskets are dangerous and slightly inconvenient. I will inform you first."
After obtaining the emperor's consent, Qin Ke took out the musket, put gunpowder and stone bullets into it, lit the fuse, and aimed at the center of the bull's eye.
The emperor and the palace servants were still confused when a loud noise shook their ears. The emperor seemed to see something rushing out of the muzzle of a gun, but it seemed that he could not see it clearly.
After being shocked, the palace attendant rushed to read.
"How is it?" The emperor stroked his beating chest, his fingertips trembling slightly, and asked calmly.
The palace attendant picked up the stone bullet and came back, saying respectfully, "Your Majesty, it went through the bull's eye."
He opened his palm, and a stone bullet was placed on it. The emperor reached out to take it, but felt that the bullet was burning.
"This kind of power is indeed impressive."
The emperor praised it and wanted to try it himself.
After Qin Ke's careful instruction, the emperor aimed at the bull's eye, but as it was his first time, he failed to penetrate the bull's eye. However, his accuracy was much better than Rong Xi's.
"Not bad. Quite good."
He was in a very good mood, glanced at Rong Xi, and said with a smile: "Da Lang's achievements are worth thousands of years. Let me think about how to reward you."
Rong Xi smiled and replied: "This is the responsibility of the common people."
Common people?
The emperor thought for a moment, raised his lips slightly, and said with a smile: "The auspicious time is approaching, you two should go to Qifeng Palace first and wait with the ministers."
After saying this, he threw the musket to the palace servant and strode away.
"The emperor likes firearms very much," Qin Ke seemed happy for Rong Xi, "maybe he will give you a reward."
Rong Xi didn't care about the reward and asked, "Are the fireworks ready?"
Fireworks contain gunpowder, which is flammable and should not be brought into the palace at will. However, Qin Ke had already explained to the Emperor that he wanted to give the Empress Dowager a surprise.
The emperor still had some youthful nature, so he naturally agreed.
"Everything is ready. Tonight will surely amaze everyone." Qin Ke's expression was extremely gentle, with deep affection in his eyes and brows.
The two of them walked together to Qifeng Palace.
There were complete dining tables in the hall, and the ministers and their families sat separately, with men and women sitting at different seats.
Rong Weijing was a third-rank official, the lowest-ranking person in the palace, so his dining table was near the palace gate, and Rong Zhou was facing him.
Rong Xi and Qin Ke arrived in front of the Qifeng Palace together, and Rong Weijing couldn't help but look up.
He recognized Prince Qin, but what was the identity of the young man next to him? How come I have never seen it before?
His demeanor is in no way inferior to that of Prince Qin.
Although Rong Xi was a commoner, he was specially summoned by the empress dowager and was highly regarded by the emperor. So he was brought into the palace by Qin Ke and sat at the same table with Qin Ke.
After the two entered the hall, it suddenly became quiet, and everyone stared at them in silence with suspicion.
Qin Ke was indifferent to the gazes, and Rong Xi was also calm and composed. After they sat down, everyone began to talk in low voices.
Rong Weijing still didn't understand what was going on. Seeing his wife's face full of shock, he couldn't ask her, so he had to suppress his doubts in his heart.
A colleague at the neighboring table leaned in and whispered, "Minister Rong, do you know who the young man next to the prince is?"
Rong Weijing shook his head blankly, "I don't know."
The hand in Rong Zhou's sleeve trembled slightly.
As soon as Rong Xi entered the hall just now, she recognized him!
After all, she had been "raising" Rong Xi for more than ten years and was very familiar with his facial features. Even though Rong Xi had lost a lot of weight now, she could still tell at a glance.
When will Rong Xi return to Beijing? Why could he sit at the same table with the Prince of Qin?
Her eyes fell on Rong Xi's face, and her heart was in a mess.
Rong Dalang is no longer the same as before. This smart young man in front of her has never given any attention to herself and her husband since entering the palace. He has a leisurely demeanor and does not fall behind Prince Qin at all.
There are not many men like him in Shengjing.
However, when the auspicious time came and the Emperor and the Empress Dowager entered the palace, she had no time to think.
Everyone bowed and congratulated in unison.
After returning to the table, all the ministers presented their gifts one by one. The whole palace was filled with joy and the Empress Dowager's face lit up slightly, as if she was extremely pleased.
After the ceremony, palace servants came in one after another holding trays, their clothes flowing and gorgeous.
The cups were filled with fine wine, the tables were filled with delicious food, the emperor, the empress dowager and everyone else were having fun together, the palace was filled with sweet singing and dancing, and the aroma was rich and fragrant.
After several rounds of singing and dancing, dusk had fallen.
The emperor suddenly said, "I heard that Qin Qing and Da Lang want to present fireworks for the Queen Mother. You may as well enjoy them together."
fireworks? Could it be a peculiar species? Everyone was surprised and confused.
The Queen Mother was slightly surprised. She was already delighted even before she saw the fireworks.
These two children are really adorable.
Rong Xi and Qin Ke stood up together. Qin Ke said, "This flower needs to bloom outside the palace. Your Majesty and the Queen Mother, please move outside the palace."
Everyone left the hall one by one. The area outside the hall was very spacious. At that time, the night was falling and the stars were shining.
"Ake, Dalang, where are the fireworks?" The Queen Mother looked around but didn't see a single petal.
As soon as she finished speaking, there was a loud bang, followed by fireworks shooting into the sky and blooming outside the palace.
The sound is deafening and the flowers are shocking.
Not only the Queen Mother, but almost everyone was intoxicated by the brilliant fireworks.
The beauty of a moment is unforgettable in people’s hearts.
The fireworks flew high enough, flying over the palace walls, presenting a unique scene to the people outside the walls.
Shengjing is destined not to be peaceful tonight.
Prince Shun stood among the crowd and saw the fireworks, and his thoughts were different from those of others.
As he thought about what his retainer had said, his eyes could not help but fall on Rong Xi, and he deeply felt that Rong's eldest son was indeed a man of great talent.
The fire bomb incident was confirmed to be true.
When the fireworks faded from the night sky, everyone woke up, reentered the palace, and sat down to listen to the Queen Mother's laughter.
"This flower is very beautiful. You two are very thoughtful."
Qin Ke and Rong Xi said in unison: "May the Queen Mother live long and prosper."
Everyone in the hall congratulated him.
The emperor was very pleased to see the empress dowager so happy, and after the banquet, when the empress dowager left and returned to the palace, he sent a palace servant to fetch the imperial edict and read it out.
Since the emperor did not move, the ministers naturally did not dare to leave their seats easily. Seeing the palace servant preparing to read out the imperial edict, everyone's heart was filled with emotion and they pricked up their ears to listen.
The general meaning is: Rong Xi, the son of Rong family, was intelligent, ingenious, and good at making tools when he was young, so he was specially appointed as the Shaoqing of the sixth rank.
There are many words of praise, no need to elaborate.
Everyone asked in surprise: Who is Rong Xi? How can a young boy be qualified for a sixth-rank position? His Majesty actually created the post of Junior Minister of Works specifically for a young man?
After all, there is no such position in the Wei bureaucracy.
From a commoner to the sixth rank, although the official position has no real power, it is still enviable.
Rong Xi was surprised, then he knelt calmly before the prince, accepted the decree and expressed his gratitude.
Beside the palace door, Rong Zhou's face was pale, and she suddenly looked towards the seat opposite her.
Rong Weijing first widened his eyes in disbelief, then became angry and proud, with an extremely complicated expression.
His colleagues looked at him in shock.
Minister Rong doesn’t even recognize his own son!
Everyone had different thoughts, and only left the palace and returned home after the emperor announced the end of the banquet.
Qin Ke and Rong Xi had just left the palace when they heard someone behind them calling, "Da Lang."
The voice sounded awkward and helpless.
Rong Xi turned around and saw Rong Weijing and Rong Zhoushi, and said calmly, "Father."
The other officials and their families deliberately slowed down their pace to watch the fun.
Rong Weijing was very proud, so he said: "Da Lang, since you have returned to the capital, please come back with your father. Your father has something to ask you."
As the head of the family, he is used to giving orders and his words are somewhat tough.
Qin Ke's eyes became fierce, and he said in a cold voice: "Minister Rong, Dalang and I have something important to discuss, so it is inconvenient for Dalang to return home."
After saying this, without waiting for Rong Weijing to respond, he and Rong Xi mounted their horses and rode away together.
Rong Zhou took a deep breath and said, "Don't be angry, my husband. Dalang may have some grudges in his heart. There is no such thing as overnight hatred between father and son. Just clear up the misunderstanding."
"He has a complaint?" Rong Weijing shouted, "What is he complaining about? Is he complaining about me for punishing him to go to the ancestral home? If he hadn't made any mistakes, I would have punished him..."
He stopped talking abruptly, and suddenly remembered something.
It was not Rong Xi's original intention to bully Liang Siwen, but it was due to the threat from Rong Han. In the final analysis, Rong Xi was also a victim.
Rong Weijing is not a stupid person, he just values his own face and authority.
Regardless of whether Rong Xi has done anything wrong or not, as long as you do not obey his wishes, you are considered disobedient and unfilial!
The next day, everyone in Shengjing was talking about the fireworks, and Rong Xi became famous again.
However, rumors spread in the market that Rong Xi had disregarded etiquette and did not enter the palace when he returned to the capital, and did not recognize his own father when he saw him, which was simply treason!
The rumors became more and more intense and outrageous.
Prince's Mansion.
Rong Xi changed into ordinary clothes and asked Qin Ke: "How is it?"
"It looks good." Qin Ke spoke without hesitation.
Rong Xi smiled helplessly and said, "I'm going to do something bad, what's the point of looking good?"
He specifically borrowed a set of clothes from a servant in the Prince's Mansion and wanted to ask someone for the result, but that person was not professional at all.
"I'll go with you." Qin Ke's eyes showed worry. He really didn't want to leave Rong Xi alone.
Rong Xi sighed secretly, doesn't Mr. Qin know how beautiful he is? If he went with them, how would the people care about watching the fun?
"No, if you are worried, just send guards to follow in secret."
To comfort him, Rong Xi held his face and kissed him hard on the lips, "Be good, wait for me at home."
Qin Ke: “…”
Facing Rong Dalang, he really had no dignity as the God of War of the Wei Dynasty.
Rong Xi left the Prince's Mansion and went straight to the West Market.
The West Market was still bustling and noisy. He walked to a gold shop and stopped.
The owner of the gold shop saw that he was dressed in ordinary clothes and did not look like someone who could buy gold jewelry, so he turned his head and ignored him.
Rong Xi stood there for a moment, then finally walked into the store.
He looked shabby, so the shopkeeper ignored him and let him take a closer look.
"Shopkeeper, do you have any gold hairpins?"
Suddenly the shopkeeper raised his eyelids when he heard the young man ask, "What kind of gold hairpin do you need?"
"The most expensive one." Rong Xi said calmly.
The shopkeeper was slightly shocked. He looked Rong Xi up and down carefully and said, "Young Master, do you know how much the most expensive gold hairpin costs?"
Rong Xi was curious: "Geometry?"
The shopkeeper gestured with his hand, and Rong Xi nodded and said, "Bring it here and have a look."
He was so calm that the shopkeeper hesitated for a moment and then asked the servant to get it.
After a while, the shop servant carefully brought the box and handed it to the shopkeeper.
The shopkeeper rolled his throat a few times and opened the lid of the box. A golden light flashed inside the box, almost burning people's eyes.
The gold hairpin was extremely finely crafted, and the butterfly on the head was as thin as a cicada's wing. Rong Xi wanted to reach out to take it, but the hand was moved away by the shopkeeper.
"My dear, the money and goods are settled."
Rong Xi smiled and said, "Such a valuable item, I need to take a closer look. If I just put it in the box and cover up its flaws, who can I complain to?"
The shopkeeper saw that he looked serious and seemed ready to buy something, so he said, "Be careful not to damage it..."
Before he could finish his words, the butterfly on the hairpin was broken by Rong Xi.
Rong Xi raised his eyebrows slightly, pretending to be a rogue: "This hairpin is of poor quality, I just gently..."
"Someone! Stop him!"
The shopkeeper yelled, furious.
Rong Xi was immediately surrounded by the shop servants, and people inside and outside the shop all came closer to watch the fun.
"You broke the hairpin, you have to pay me!" the shopkeeper was furious.
Rong Xi held the golden hairpin in his hand and said with a smile, "What will you do if I don't compensate you?"
"If you deny it, I will sue you!" the shopkeeper yelled.
The common people are afraid to report to the authorities, so I'm sure this scoundrel won't dare to make excuses anymore.
Rong Xi was about to respond when he suddenly heard the voice of a young boy coming from outside the shop.
"Get out of the way! Let me in!"
The boy finally squeezed into the store and asked with an extremely unhappy look, "What happened?"
When the shopkeeper saw him, he immediately cried, "Mr. Silang, someone damaged the most valuable hairpin in our shop, and dared not to compensate!"
There are no classes at school today and the atmosphere at home is solemn, so Rong Han has nothing to do, so he comes to stroll around the West Market.
He took a fancy to something, but had no money on him, so he came to the gold shop to withdraw money.
Unexpectedly, the gold shop was crowded with people. He squeezed his way into the shop and heard the shopkeeper complaining. He became furious and glared at Rong Xi.
How dare you damage his gold hairpin!
"You pay the money!" He pointed at Rong Xi and shouted angrily.
Rong Xi's eyes flickered slightly, and he said with a smile: "If I don't compensate, what can you do to me?"
"Send him to the official! Silangjun, send him to see the official!" suggested the shopkeeper.
With the support of his young master, he is quite confident.
Rong Han nodded solemnly, "You little thief, today I will make you taste the power of the stick!"
After saying this, the inn servant arrested Rong Xi and wanted to take him to the government office.
Rong Xi glanced at them coldly with an awe-inspiring aura, and none of the servants dared to move.
He swung his long sleeves and said arrogantly, "Then come and see the official."
The author has something to say:
Suddenly I thought, there seems to be nothing wrong with a tiger not recognizing its own cubs, hahahaha
PS: The Chief Architect was an official position in ancient times, responsible for building palaces, utensils, etc. for the royal family. I am using the title of "General" here, please don't be offended, muah~
Next chapter slap in the face
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