Chapter 3181 Eyes (Update 5)
It was a rare day off for the emperor, and he was traveling with his beautiful wife. He grabbed a handful of fish food and threw it into the water. Immediately, several fish swam out of the water and were chasing the fish food to eat it.
The emperor shook his head and asked, "Why are there so few fish in this lake? I remember that in the past, if I sprinkled a handful of water, more than a dozen fish would swim up."
Gu Zhong bent down and was about to reply when the beauty beside him, unwillingly clinging to the emperor's arm, twisted and turned, "Your Majesty, are you here to see me, or to admire the fish?"
The emperor laughed and said, "Of course he came to see the beauty. That's all. Although the fish are a little less, they are still smart."
"Then why are you still talking about fish?"
The emperor's smile faded a little, and he said with a faint smile, "Okay, let's not talk about fish anymore. Well, I think the scenery over there is quite nice. Let's have someone row the boat over there and take a look."
The beauty said, "There are no lotus flowers anymore. The only thing on top is lotus pods of varying heights. There are also many mosquitoes. Your Majesty, let's go to the other side. From there we can follow the lake down into the river. Following the river down is the Daming Palace."
The emperor asked, "Why, my beloved concubine wants to go to Daming Palace?"
"I've been in the palace for years, but I haven't been there yet. I heard Daming Palace is located high up, at the foot of the mountain, so it's very cool and dry in the summer and autumn. Unlike Taiji Palace, which is located in a low-lying area, it's very hot and humid in the summer and autumn, especially in the spring. It's so uncomfortable." The beauty leaned against the emperor's arms and said, "I also want to see what Daming Palace is like. It's a good opportunity to pay my respects to the Empress."
The emperor didn't say anything. A eunuch rowed a small boat and quickly caught up with him. After getting on the big boat, he hurried to Gu Zhong to report.
Gu Zhong stepped forward quickly, interrupting the beauty's gaze. "Your Majesty, Lord Wei has come to the palace to request an audience. He said he has something important to report. He is already waiting outside the Taiji Palace."
Upon hearing this, the emperor immediately stood up and said, "Wei Zhi has come to see me at this time, it must be something important. Come, return quickly."
"yes."
When they reached the shore, the emperor left the beauty behind and quickly walked towards the Taiji Hall.
Although the beauty was dissatisfied, she did not dare to delay the emperor from handling state affairs. She could only stamp her feet secretly and leave helplessly.
As they walked a little further, the hurried emperor slowed down his pace and began to avoid the sun, walking under corridors and eaves. He grumbled to Gu Zhong in dissatisfaction, "You can't even be quiet on your day off. What's going on with Wei Zhi?"
Gu Zhong smiled and said, "Master Wei didn't mention it, but the eunuch reported that Master Wei was carrying a box. I guess he was here to give His Majesty a gift?"
The emperor couldn't help but laugh out loud. As he slowly walked back, he said, "Gu Zhong, your joke is not funny at all. Wei Zhi gave me a gift? That's not the sun rising from the west, but the sun didn't rise at all, right?"
Gu Zhong also laughed, and then said: "Your Majesty is laughing happily now, right? As long as Your Majesty is happy, this joke of mine is worth it."
He paused and said, "Perhaps Lord Wei really came to give gifts? He didn't come to the palace alone, he brought Minister Zhuang with him."
The emperor laughed heartily upon hearing this, and then asked, "Which Minister Zhuang is this?"
Gu Zhong smiled and said, "Lecturer Zhuang from Chongwenguan."
"Oh, Bai Shan and Zhou Man's teacher, now teaching the Crown Prince's Zhuang Shijiang?"
"Your Majesty has a very good memory. It is Mr. Zhuang."
The emperor then quickened his pace slightly, no longer wandering around, "Let's go and see what they have to report."
By the time he reached the Taiji Hall, the emperor was sweating all over and felt very stuffy, which made the sweating even more uncomfortable.
The emperor took the handkerchief handed to him by Gu Zhong, wiped his face and hands, and then said, "Announce Wei Zhi to come in."
"Yes." Gu Zhong withdrew to announce the arrival of the guests. As he left, a young eunuch and two palace maids hurried up with food boxes and said, "Eunuch, this is the soup sent by the beauty. She said she had it prepared early in the morning. She had originally intended to dine with Your Majesty on the boat, but Your Majesty had state affairs, so she asked us to bring it to you."
Gu Zhong only glanced at it and waved his hand, saying, "Leave it to us. We will deliver it to His Majesty in a moment."
The young eunuch bowed his head and replied "yes", then left respectfully after leaving the food box.
Gu Zhong then said to his attendants, "Take the food boxes away and divide the food among yourselves."
"Yes, thank you for the reward, eunuch."
Gu Zhong nodded, and with a smile on his face, he went to invite Wei Zhi with his apprentice, "Master Wei, His Majesty invites you."
He nodded to Mr. Zhuang, who was sitting beside him, and while leading Lord Wei to the study, he said, "Your Majesty was in the Imperial Garden earlier. When he heard that Lord Wei had arrived, he immediately rushed over. Because it was hot, he walked too fast and his clothes got wet. Now he has changed his clothes and is waiting for you..."
Gu Zhong sent Wei Zhi into the hall. Seeing Wei Zhi glance at the people in the hall, Gu Zhong looked at the emperor. Seeing him nod slightly, he turned around and took all the eunuchs in the room out.
"Go make a pot of Mengdingshihua. I'll serve tea to His Majesty and Lord Wei later."
"yes."
After the others left, Gu Zhong took a few people to guard outside the door. An eunuch took out a purse and stuffed it into Gu Zhong's hand, saying in a low voice: "Sir, this is what the beauty stuffed into my hand when I got off the boat just now. She said it was for you, sir."
Gu Zhong weighed it for a moment and then stuffed it back to him with regret, saying in a flat voice, "Give it back. We will not accept gifts from this beauty in the future."
The eunuchs were startled and quickly agreed.
After they all left, Gu Zhong's apprentice couldn't help but ask, "Master, why didn't you accept her reward?"
"If we can't do their work, how can we accept their gifts?"
The disciple was confused. "Didn't she just ask Master to say a few good words to His Majesty?"
Gu Zhong glanced at him, raised his hand and patted his head, "Fool, after all these years, how come you still haven't figured it out?"
He said, "If His Majesty likes it, we can naturally say a few good words. After all, good words don't cost money. They benefit, and His Majesty is happy. But if His Majesty doesn't like it, then our good words would be like taking off your smelly socks while you're drinking tea. Do you think His Majesty would be happy?"
"But weren't Your Majesty and the beauty quite happy just now while boating on the lake?"
"I was happy at first, but then I wasn't." Because he was his apprentice, Gu Zhong explained in more detail and taught him, "The person your majesty likes, regardless of appearance or personality, must act generously and fulfill his duties..."
"But this is the harem..."
"The concubines in the harem also have ranks and their own rules to follow," Gu Zhong said. "Your Majesty likes people who follow the rules, and also likes those who are talented, insightful, and care about the world."
He snorted and said, "This beauty has overstepped her bounds. She has neither talent nor character. Your Majesty will probably never see her again."
At least he won't take the initiative to meet her, so there's no need to say anything good on her behalf.
Although the apprentice was honest and clumsy, he was not completely clueless. After a while, he whispered, "Just like the Empress?"
Gu Zhong looked at him approvingly. He wasn't a complete loser after all.
Unlike other emperors who like simple, kind and weak women, the current emperor likes women who can stand shoulder to shoulder with him the most, and he also likes women who are both talented and virtuous.
See you tomorrow, good night
(End of this chapter)
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