Chapter 137
The Second Prince’s Mansion.
Chu Wusheng, the left lieutenant who failed to be selected as the commander-in-chief of the two states, was kneeling opposite the second prince.
He felt very sorry.
"I'm really sorry, Your Highness. If I were more famous, like Xia Fuyang, perhaps His Majesty would not have allowed the Seventh Prince to go. We wouldn't have lost this lucrative job."
The Second Prince: "It's not that you are useless, it's just that this position was originally yours, but it was taken away by my seventh brother."
"However, he chose Zuo Tianlang to follow him, which put what he would do in the future under the emperor's eyes, making it difficult for people to say anything."
Chu Wusheng: "Your Highness doesn't seem to be in a hurry."
The Second Prince: "I asked you to fight for this position for another reason... Although you have lost your job now, it doesn't matter. It's a done deal, just a little slower than the original plan."
He smiled and patted Chu Wusheng on the shoulder.
"I'd like to trouble you to do something for me."
"Your Highness, you are too kind! Please give your orders."
The second prince narrowed his eyes slightly and looked in the direction of the eldest prince's palace.
Brother, you have been enjoying the glory for too long.
-
Qingzhou territory.
After passing the boundary marker, what comes into view are mountains and clear streams.
It is not very hot in early summer. Riding a horse along the river, the green mountains are warm and the weather is cool and comfortable.
Qu Dubian and Xi Zixing were talking in the front, and Zuo Tianlang was very conscious and didn't move forward to be an annoying little ear.
"You've sneaked out twice, right? Won't your father beat you? Besides, you have exams next year, wouldn't it be better for you to review in Beijing?"
Xi Zixing: "My father? Of course he doesn't want me to come out, but I'm a bastard, and he didn't take care of me when I was young, let alone when I grow up."
Qu Dubian: "With the top scorer, you have already won the top three places. Lord Xi, don't you take this seriously?"
"Don't underestimate him because he is the Minister of Justice. In fact, his backyard is a mess. He is very pedantic," Xi Zixing narrowed his eyes. "The family property should be given to the legitimate son. With my legitimate mother in control of the family, I don't think I will get any."
"It's not that he doesn't care, it's just that I haven't been close to them since I was a child. When my mother died, I resented everyone I saw."
The friend complained, but Qu Dubian was reluctant to comment on his friend's family affairs, especially since Master Xi had taught him for such a long time.
He listened silently.
Master Xi is a person who believes that men should not interfere in the backyard and should leave it entirely to the mistress.
Xi Zixing's childhood was probably the growth history of a poor kid who was bullied by his stepmother after his biological mother died. Later, when he encountered a painting turned upside down in a bookstore, he began to read seriously, showing a talent for reading that was much higher than that of ordinary people.
However, this did not make his stepmother realize her mistake and make her support the brothers in their house. Instead, she did not want him to interfere in the Xi family's business, for fear that he would bully her when he became successful in the future.
Xi Zixing owns his own bookshop, and has lived a comfortable life over the years entirely thanks to the profits from the bookshop.
I listened to the family ethics in a daze.
Qu Watanabe: "After you become an official, you can move out of the palace if you get your father's consent."
Xi Zixing said sadly, "Do you know how much it costs to buy a house? You might as well find me a room in your house."
Qu Watanabe laughed dryly.
How can this be possible?
He has a married couple with children at home, how can he let a man from outside into the family? A little white will be angry.
After making jokes and joking around, they arrived in front of the governor's office.
Qu Dubian stopped his horse with a sigh.
Several officials had been waiting in front of the government office. The leader had a round face and a friendly smile. He stepped forward quickly and said, "Qingzhou Governor Ji Huan, accompanied by Tongpan Deng Ximin, Lieutenant General Zhang Gui and others, are here to meet the Seventh Prince and the Left Commander!"
"You are Master Ji Huan Ji."
"Your Highness, please do not call me Sir. Just call me Ji Huan," Ji Huan said with a smile, "Your Highness is a young talent. This time, you have taken on the position of the commander-in-chief of two states. Coming to Qingzhou is a blessing for the people of Qingzhou."
"With your Highness's blessing, Qing and Ji provinces will be like a long-awaited rain after a long drought. Under your Highness's wise and powerful leadership, all the bandits will surely be wiped out!"
Qu Watanabe: “…”
He dismounted and said, "Thank you for the compliment."
Ji Huan was very perceptive. He immediately sent someone to move his horse away and to arrange for the guards who had accompanied him. He invited Qu Dubian and Zuo Tianlang to come in. "You two, please go in first."
"You've come all this way, and you've worked hard. Lord Deng and I have prepared a welcoming banquet for you two. After you two have bathed, rested, and gotten some rest, we can eat and chat."
The implication is that he doesn't want to talk about the bandit problem in the two states right now.
Qu Dubian smiled and said, "Okay, let's do as the governor says."
Let’s take a look at what this Qingzhou governor is up to.
He and Zuo Tianlang were invited into a room that had been prepared in advance.
Qu Dubian looked around his room. It wasn't exquisite in every way, but it was obvious that some clever ideas had been put into it. There was also a faint fragrance in the room.
He sniffed and found a small box of spices on the desk.
It was not lit, but the aroma that escaped was enough for him to smell.
Xi Zixing tapped his fan and said with a half-smile: "It seems that this Lord Ji has taken the trouble to inquire about your hobbies."
It is no secret that the Seventh Prince loves all kinds of spices. Anyone in the capital can find out with a little attention. However, Qingzhou is far away from the capital. If he could find out about this hobby, I'm afraid he made some plans after he received the news that the Seventh Prince would be the commander-in-chief.
Qu Duanbian picked up the spice box and smelled it.
“It’s not a very special or expensive spice, just a lower-middle grade one.”
Xi Zixing: "If you think these spices are of medium or low quality, then they are already good in the eyes of the world." He leaned closer and whispered teasingly, "I wonder if our Seventh Prince feels flattered?"
Qu Dubian put the spice box back and pondered for a moment.
"It's a bit strange."
Xi Zixing: "It's a bit strange."
Qu Watanabe: "If he wants to please me, wouldn't he be able to get me expensive spices just by selling them to me given his position as governor? Now he's putting out some mediocre spices, which seems like he's testing my attitude."
"This man is very smooth in his job as an official," Xi Zixing looked around, stroked the back of the chair with his fingers, and then leaned over to carefully observe the inkstone, "Look at the things he picked, they are all of average quality."
Qu Dubian found Ji Huan more and more interesting.
"Go check Commander Zuo's room."
The two of them went to Commander Zuo's room across the street. Zuo Tianlang was carefully observing a knife hanging in the middle of the room, looking quite absorbed in it.
Qu Watanabe: "Commander-in-Chief Zuo?"
He walked forward and asked curiously, "Is this knife precious?"
Zuo Tianlang suddenly came back to his senses, his old face slightly reddened, "I'm sorry to have embarrassed you, Your Highness. This sword is not very precious, but it seems to be the last sword that the famous general of the previous dynasty, General Zhou, wore before he died on the battlefield. I admire that general more, so I was fascinated by it for a while."
Qu Dubian and Xi Zixing looked at each other.
Zuo Tianlang: "But this is probably Lord Ji Huan's collection, I just want to take a look."
Qu Watanabe: "Then Commander Zuo, please take your time. I will go back to take a shower and change clothes. It is getting late, and we will not keep Master Ji waiting for a long time at the welcoming banquet."
Zuo Tianlang: "Yes, Your Highness, take care."
After Qu Dubian walked away, he lowered his voice and said, "If Zuo Tianlang showed that he wanted that knife, do you think Master Ji would give it to him?"
Xi Zixing put his fan to his lips and said, "After tonight's welcoming banquet, we will know what he wants to do."
The two separated and went to their own rooms to shower and change clothes in preparation for the evening.
-
The moon is high in the sky.
Futai backyard.
After turning a small door, the view ahead suddenly opens up.
This was a fairly large courtyard. Qu Dubian, Xi Zixing and Zuo Tianlang sat on one side, each with a small desk. On the other side sat the Governor Ji Huan, the Tongpan Canjiang and others.
Fine wine and delicious food, chatting and laughing.
Qu Dubian turned the wine glass in his hand. The wine he used to entertain him was Zhenbao wine, but if it were someone else, they would have drank it.
Unfortunately, he doesn't like strong alcohol.
Just as he was about to give the wine to Zuo Tianlang, he saw Ji Huan's expression become serious: "Come here! How are you serving? Your Highness is not yet twenty years old, quickly bring some fruit to drink."
Qu Dubian's eyebrows moved, and he looked up at Ji Huan. Facing Ji Huan's round smiling face, he said, "Master Ji, you have good taste."
"How can you say I have good taste?" Ji Huan said, "I saw the wine jug on your Highness's table and remembered it. I am sorry for not taking good care of it. Your Highness, please forgive me."
Soon, two slim maids came in from the side door, sat on Qu Dubian's left and right, and helped him change the treasure wine into fruit drink.
Ji Huan said, "You two should stay here and serve His Highness. Please take good care of him."
The maid said, "Yes."
Xi Zixing began to frown.
Zuo Tianlang's attention was also drawn here.
It was true that the Seventh Prince not only had few servants in his mansion, but even fewer beautiful maids. Not to mention a wife or concubines, he didn't even have a room with a single bed, and he was never seen visiting brothels.
The person around him is so clean that he doesn't look like a prince.
Empress Xuan was not anxious. Of course, there were two reasons for this. First, the Seventh Prince was in poor health, so it would be a good thing for him to marry later. Second, the Seventh Prince had not yet come to his senses.
But with such a beautiful girl in his arms and the Seventh Prince being a young boy, how could he resist?
Zuo Tianlang had been an official for quite some time, so he had naturally experienced situations where people below him had to try to please him. He felt that this was not very appropriate, but the Seventh Prince did not seem to have any intention of refusing, so he could not refuse on the prince's behalf.
One of the maids had a bright look in her eyes, and said, "Your Highness, let me massage your shoulders."
She stretched out her hand and gently placed it on Qu Watanabe's arm. A pair of chopsticks hit the back of her hand. It didn't hurt, but the intention to stop it was obvious.
"Your Highness?"
Qu Dubian threw his chopsticks on the table and said to Ji Huan, "Master Ji, don't you think the welcoming banquet is too monotonous?"
The smile on Ji Huan's face paused, "Your Highness means."
Qu Dubian smiled and said, "There was no music, no singing or dancing, and only a few people were there to keep us company." He glanced at the Tongpan and the soldiers, "And they were all like wooden stakes, unable to tell a joke."
Judge Deng covered his sleeves with embarrassment and drank his tea, while Army Officer Zhang lowered his head silently.
"When I was in the capital, as long as I liked someone, even if the person had several children, I would take them to my house to raise them. I lived a carefree and carefree life and never attended such a shabby banquet!"
"When your Highness is in a bad mood, he may kill people."
Xi Zixing quickly opened his fan and covered his lips.
Ji Huan quickly stood up and apologized: "Your Highness, please calm down. I really... I really didn't prepare anything today."
As soon as he stood up, Deng Tongpan and Zhang Canjun did not dare to sit down, "Your Highness, calm down."
The two maids knelt with their heads hung to their chests, nervous and scared.
Qu Dubian picked up the newly served fruit drink and sniffed it. It was chilled, obviously prepared early in the morning.
"Oh? Not prepared."
"I found out that I like all kinds of incense, so I put it in my room. I also found out that Commander Zuo admires famous generals from the previous dynasty, so he specially put the sword he wore when he was alive... Now you say you don't have any preparations?"
He raised his eyes and said, "Master Ji, you are just testing whether the two of us are serious about suppressing the bandits, or whether Commander Zuo brought me here to gild myself."
Ji Huan's heart skipped a beat, "I dare not test Your Highness!"
Qu Dubian was very interested: "I have been here for the whole afternoon, but not only did you not mention the bandit problem at all, you even sent a beautiful woman to the welcoming banquet, intending to disrupt my determination to suppress the bandits. If this is not a test, then you are colluding with the bandits."
After he finished speaking, his face turned cold, his eyes turned cold in an instant, and he slammed the cup.
"Ji Huan, you are so brave!"
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