Chapter 87 087 The Sixtieth Birthday of the Left Prime Minister.
Last night, Luo Fu praised Emperor Xianping for his wisdom. But when she learned from Xiao Yu that Emperor Xianping actually wanted to arrange for Hong Ge'er to be a study companion for that little tyrant, the Second Prince, Luo Fu pursed her lips tightly and cursed Emperor Xianping in her heart. What's the use of a dignified emperor if he has the ability to hire more famous teachers for the Second Prince instead of tormenting another well-behaved three-year-old child?
Emperor Xianping was confident that the Second Prince would not bully the companion he had chosen, but Luo Fu could imagine how much grievance Hong Ge'er would have to endure once he was by the Second Prince's side.
Sitting opposite his wife, Xiao Yu could not hear her true feelings but only saw her displeased expression. Suddenly feeling insecure, he tentatively asked, "Who is Madam angry with?"
Luo Fu snorted, "I'm not angry with you."
She disliked Xiao Yu for causing trouble and offending the emperors, but this time Xiao Yu was right to refuse. If he really sent Hong Ge'er into the palace, Luo Fu would settle accounts with him.
Xiao Yu was relieved: "I knew Madam wouldn't want to be separated from Man'er."
He couldn't bear to part with him either. He wanted to keep his own child by his side. He wouldn't even let the Second Prince go, let alone let Hongge serve as the Crown Prince's study companion. At least, he was too young, around three or four years old.
"Lie down, it's cold sitting down."
Xiao Yu pulled his wife, who was only wearing a thin undergarment, into the quilt. The couple talked while embracing, and eventually they ended up lying on top of each other.
Luo Fu pinched his shoulder hard, panting, "Our son almost suffered a great injustice, and you still have the leisure to do this."
Xiao Yu: "I'm glad that my wife doesn't blame me for refusing the Emperor."
Actually, it has nothing to do with those things. It's just that over the past few years, his wife has been like a peach, gradually ripening from green to sweet and soft. He's fine during the day, but at night, as long as he's near his wife, Xiao Yu finds it hard to control himself.
Luo Fu had only experienced a false alarm. She couldn't say whether she was happy or unhappy, but on this gradually cooling autumn night, with a husband who was clingy and affectionate towards her as if they were newlyweds, handsome and refined yet possessing a strong and robust physique, Luo Fu's unhappiness was quickly washed away by wave after wave.
Afterwards, Luo Fu brought up a serious matter in Xiao Yu's arms: "This morning we accompanied Mother for a walk in the garden. Mother asked my sister-in-law if Old Master Yang was going to celebrate his 60th birthday on the 8th. My sister-in-law said yes, but Old Master Yang didn't plan to hold a big celebration. He said that it would be a family gathering for a family banquet, and my sister-in-law could take my brother and the children to celebrate his birthday."
"After my eldest and second sisters-in-law passed away, my mother whispered to me alone, saying that Old Master Yang was a man who cared a lot about his reputation. He had a very grand celebration for his fiftieth birthday ten years ago, so why didn't he entertain any guests for his sixtieth birthday? I guessed that Old Master Yang also realized that the emperor had a grudge against him, so he didn't want to hold a big celebration. But I didn't tell my mother about those things in officialdom, so as not to upset her."
Xiao Yu remembered that when the Left Prime Minister celebrated his fiftieth birthday, his father sent him to Songshan Academy. He didn't get to eat at the banquet hosted by Elder Yang, but his father had asked him for a birthday gift in advance, and even asked him to prepare it with care. Xiao Yu didn't want to spend his hard-earned savings on "ingratiating" the Left Prime Minister, so he painted a picture of ancient cypress trees on Songshan Mountain as a birthday gift for Elder Yang, and asked his father to deliver it. After sending it, he never heard from him again, and didn't know whether Elder Yang liked his gift or not.
It's said that few live to seventy, and sixty is considered a long life. A sixtieth birthday might be the last full birthday celebration a person ever has. Therefore, whether high-ranking officials or ordinary people, everyone tries their best to make their sixtieth birthday a grand and lively affair. Now, the dignified Left Prime Minister doesn't dare to celebrate his sixtieth birthday in a grand manner. What will the people think if word gets out?
The next day was the sixth day of the ninth month, and there was an early morning court session in the palace.
Xiao Yu arrived early, but instead of queuing in front of the main hall, he went to the palace gate leading to the Qian Yuan Zhong Hall and asked the Imperial Guards guarding the gate to announce his arrival.
Emperor Xianping also got up very early on the days of court assemblies. He was just about to have breakfast. The court assembly lasted for an hour, so even if he didn't have an appetite, he had to eat something to avoid being hungry and lacking energy.
Upon learning that Xiao Yu wanted to see him, Emperor Xianping guessed that Xiao Yu must have something important to discuss, and granted his request.
When Xiao Yu entered, Emperor Xianping was about to bow when he smiled and said, "No need, no need. Yuanzhi, please speak frankly."
Xiao Yu insisted on bowing, and only after standing up straight did he glance at the breakfast items in front of Emperor Xianping and say, "Please forgive me, Your Majesty. I am not here to disturb Your Majesty for matters of state. It is because I suddenly thought of a private family matter from ten years ago while eating sesame cakes this morning."
Emperor Xianping: "...What private matter?"
Xiao Yu: "Let me first tell Your Majesty about the sesame seed cakes I ate. Your Majesty can listen to my words while you eat your breakfast."
Emperor Xianping glanced at him a few times, and then actually started eating.
Xiao Yu: "I wonder if Your Majesty has heard that after I failed the imperial examination for the first time, I went to study at Songshan Academy. In terms of prosperity and wealth, the Songshan area is far inferior to the capital, but I ate a kind of sesame seed cake there. It was round and thick, half-burnt and half-yellow in color, sprinkled with sesame seeds. Its taste was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, salty and fragrant. It tasted even better when paired with braised mutton."
Emperor Xianping: "..."
Looking at the exquisite breakfast prepared by the imperial chefs, Emperor Xianping suddenly lost his appetite and only wanted to try the Songshan sesame seed cake that Xiao Yu had mentioned.
"My cook has no training in making Songshan sesame cakes, but this morning's cakes were slightly burnt, and by accident they ended up having a texture somewhat like Songshan sesame cakes..."
Emperor Xianping: "Alright, stop talking about sesame cakes. Tell me what you've thought of."
Xiao Yu: "Yes. This reminds me of the sesame seed cakes. Ten years ago, my father wrote a letter reminding me to prepare a gift for the Left Prime Minister's fiftieth birthday. When I read that letter, I happened to be eating a plate of Songshan sesame seed cakes. On a whim, I deliberately ordered my servant to send two packages of Songshan sesame seed cakes back to the mansion as a birthday gift. As expected, my father was furious and wrote a letter ordering me to prepare another batch and send back a few extra pounds of sesame seed cakes as my filial piety gift to my parents for the Double Ninth Festival."
Emperor Xianping: "...So, the Left Chancellor is about to celebrate his sixtieth birthday?"
Xiao Yu: "If I remember correctly, the Left Prime Minister's birthday is the eighth day of the ninth month. However, today is already the sixth day, and my residence has not received an invitation from the Left Prime Minister's residence. I don't know if the Left Prime Minister is too old and has forgotten his own birthday, or if the Left Prime Minister knows that he is not favored by the Emperor and dares not hold a grand celebration."
Emperor Xianping said indifferently, "I do not dislike him. He served the late emperor diligently for more than 30 years and was a meritorious official of the Great Zhou. He was also my Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince."
Although he only served as the crown prince for a year, Yang Sheng only taught him intermittently for a year.
Xiao Yu: "Your Majesty is naturally aware that Your Majesty is magnanimous and would not dislike the Left Chancellor over normal state affairs. However, the Left Chancellor is unaware of this, as are all the civil and military officials and the people of the capital. Out of respect for Your Majesty, the Left Chancellor dares not hold a grand celebration for his sixtieth birthday. This is because the Left Chancellor is judging the Emperor with the mind of a petty person. If I were to know his concerns but conceal them from Your Majesty, causing the sixtieth birthday of the dignified Prime Minister of the Great Zhou to be celebrated in a cold and quiet manner, which would lead to misunderstandings among the officials and people of the capital that Your Majesty harbors a personal grudge against the Left Chancellor, and ultimately damage Your Majesty's reputation, then that would be my fault. I would not only fail in my duty as a censor, but also betray Your Majesty's kindness and trust in me."
Emperor Xianping fell silent, as did the newly appointed Grand Eunuch Xue, who was standing beside him.
After a moment, Emperor Xianping nodded and said to Xiao Yu, "I understand. Yuanzhi, you may leave now. Your reminder was timely, and I thank you."
Xiao Yu said, "It's my duty," and calmly took his leave.
After the person left, Emperor Xianping put down his chopsticks, looked at the few breakfast dishes he had long since lost interest in, then looked out the still dark window, and slowly sighed.
A quarter of an hour later, Emperor Xianping stepped into the Qianyuan Front Hall and began his morning court session as if refreshed.
Although the late emperor had passed away, the succession to the throne of the Great Zhou Dynasty went smoothly. Famous generals and elite troops were still stationed on the border, and neither the two Hu tribes nor the Yin Kingdom dared to make any rash moves. The people within the territory lived in peace and prosperity. Occasionally, some places would report minor disasters, or a few corrupt officials would be found. These were all common national affairs. Emperor Xianping had seen how the late emperor handled these matters when he was a prince, so he adapted very quickly after ascending the throne.
As the hour-long court session drew to a close, just as the civil and military officials had nothing to report and were looking forward to the end of the session, Emperor Xianping suddenly looked at Yang Sheng, who was standing at the head of the civil officials, and said with a smile, "If I remember correctly, the Left Chancellor will be celebrating his 60th birthday on the 8th, right?"
Upon hearing this, everyone turned to look at Yang Sheng.
Sixty-year-old Yang Sheng's hair was already gray. Before Emperor Xianping spoke, Yang Sheng stood silently, his mind filled with the official business of the Secretariat that day. Suddenly hearing the emperor mention him, and it was his birthday, the old prime minister, who was completely unprepared for the emperor's concern, suddenly had tears welling up in his eyes and rolled down his cheeks. He quickly wiped his tears with his sleeve and choked out, "Yes, I did not expect Your Majesty to remember my birthday. I am deeply honored. Please forgive my rudeness in front of the emperor."
The officials began to whisper among themselves, some envying the favor bestowed upon the Left Chancellor, others praising the Emperor's care for his ministers—a truly beautiful story of harmonious relations between ruler and subject.
After listening for a while, Emperor Xianping waited for the ministers to quiet down before speaking to Yang Sheng in a friendly tone: "The Left Prime Minister is a meritorious official of our Great Zhou Dynasty and also my mentor. His sixtieth birthday celebration must be a grand and glorious affair. I happen to be relatively free recently, so when the Left Prime Minister sends out invitations, please don't forget to include me. My birthday gifts are all prepared."
Upon hearing this, Yang Sheng both cried and laughed, and knelt down to kowtow in gratitude for the emperor's favor.
After the court assembly ended, almost all the civil and military officials surrounded Yang Sheng, all asking him for invitations to the birthday banquet. Yang Sheng had served as the Left Chancellor for more than a decade, holding a high position and wielding great power. He certainly enjoyed the flattery from his colleagues. The fact that Emperor Xianping personally urged him to hold a grand birthday celebration relieved him of a great worry. He had a very pleasant day. When he returned home in the evening, he called his wife to help him write the invitations. At least the invitations for the important officials and nobles needed to be written by him personally, including the one for the Emperor.
On the morning of the seventh day, Xiao Rong received one of the letters. His father-in-law, who held a high-ranking position, told him to bring his whole family along.
Since resigning from his official post, Xiao Rong has only maintained contact with a few elderly dukes and marquises who have retired to live out their retirement. He has long since distanced himself from officialdom. Suddenly, he has been given another opportunity to socialize with the important officials of the court. Xiao Rong is very proud and shows off to his wife with the invitation, saying, "Look, although I am no longer in officialdom, the current prime minister does not dare to look down on me and still has to treat me with respect."
Madam Deng spat at him hard: "The older you get, the more shameless you become. If it weren't for your eldest daughter-in-law, you would be nothing in the eyes of the Left Prime Minister."
Xiao Rong, still grinning, leaned back in his chair, dreaming happily: "In two more years I'll be celebrating my sixtieth birthday. Who should I invite?"
It's a pity the late emperor is no longer here; otherwise, given their deep bond of life and death together, the late emperor might have personally come to celebrate his birthday.
As for Emperor Xianping, Xiao Rong gave up on that dream.
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Author's note: The late emperor: You miss me, come down and have a drink with me?
Xiao Rong: "..."
Here they are! 100 little red envelopes, see you late at night!
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