Chapter 871 When Will the Mutual Protection Between Officials End?

So when that day came, several people left the palace in disguise.

Because Huang Yu was recommended by Prince Duanhe at that time, Xinbao remembered the person who dug the well and specially called Prince Duanhe.

Lian Duan and the Prince himself were not expecting this and were very flattered. They kept talking to Xinbao all the way.

Wenxiang Teahouse is the business of Princess Wu'an's family, but this place was not chosen because of this. It is mainly because the surroundings of this teahouse are quiet and easy to control.

The Longxiong Guards had arrived early and all the streets were guarded. Those who came with wooden birds could only enter through the front door. Before they came in, Emperor Mingpei and several others had entered through the back door.

Originally, Xinbao thought that it was just the wooden actors coming out to perform, and at most there would be someone singing in the back. Unexpectedly, as soon as he walked in, he saw a wooden man behind each table.

He was wearing a theatrical costume, had a painted face, and was holding a teapot in his hand, just like the little tea-pouring figure he had seen at Xiang Xiaojun's house that year, but this figure was far more refined than that one.

When they entered the private room, they found that there was one too. There was also a little man on the table who had cracked melon seeds for Xiang Xiaojun. He was also made to look like a martial artist in a theatrical costume. When they put the melon seeds in his hand, the martial artist put his hands together and the seeds would crack open.

Not only that, when the pastries were served, I found that even the arrangement of the pastry stand had its own tricks.

It is as tall as a treasure house. Each layer can be pulled out, and each layer has its own pattern. After being pulled to the full extent, it can be pressed down. If you press them down one by one, it will become a large plate with many flat grids.

Xinbao stood there, playing with his hands pulling each other back and forth, and said, "Yeah, did you ask them to do this?"

"No," Emperor Mingpei said, "I didn't ask about it."

He called Fang Wuyou and said, "Call someone to talk to Xinbao."

Fang Wuyou quickly responded and went out, and soon brought in the Minister of Rites.

The Minister of Rites was named Tao. After seeing the gift, he explained it to Xinbao with a smile on his face.

For Emperor Mingpei, this matter was just that Xinbao saw the wooden bird and the wooden armor artist and suddenly felt like playing such a game.

But if we really do this alone, wouldn't it be like the imperial court is endorsing Yanshifang? A non-governmental organization like Yanshifang doesn't have such a reputation.

Besides, the performance of the wooden armor artist lasted only a quarter of an hour, which was not enough in terms of time. Why bother inviting people here and have them leave after a quarter of an hour? Therefore, unless the superiors gave special instructions, the subordinates would naturally have to find ways to make things beautiful.

It is now obvious that Xiang Xiaojun is the one that Xinbao truly values, so there are many things here that belong to Xiang Xiaojun, as well as things from other families.

Of course, that's not the case. Minister Tao was only introducing that on each table there was only a little man pouring tea and cracking melon seeds, as well as this ever-changing plate of pastries and another plate of fruit. But in the lobby downstairs, the images of the little men were slightly different, and the movements of cracking melon seeds were also slightly different.

Later, there will be craftsmen on stage to demonstrate a few things...

As Xinbao was listening, he began to lose his concentration because some people started to come in from below.

She didn't think that Minister Tao was explaining things specifically to her, after all, she was usually just there to listen.

So she got off the stool, stood by the window, and peeked out through the cracks in the window. As she looked, she said, "Yeah, there really are no poor people!"

Although she couldn't tell how wealthy the people below were, judging from their clothes, they should at least have enough food and clothing.

Prince Duanhe smiled and moved a stool over. He also imitated Xinbao and looked through the window. He also talked to her: "This person should be a rich man."

Xinbao asked, “Why?”

Prince Duanhe said: "Because he..."

He paused suddenly, a little surprised. Xinbao couldn't wait for his answer and looked back at him. Prince Duanhe quickly continued, "Because the jade pendant he is wearing should be very valuable..."

Yuan Shenjue turned around and said, "Your Majesty, Marquis Gongke is here."

Emperor Mingpei nodded, not caring, and had no intention of letting him in, so the few people continued to watch.

Marquis Gongke, formerly the second prince, was really lucky this time as the wooden bird flew into his mansion by itself, so he thought about it and came over, bringing his eldest son with him. The father and son were very low-key. The Longxiong Guards guarding the gate saluted him, and he waved his hands, signaling not to make a sound, and then he came in.

Whether it is upstairs or downstairs, a private room or the lobby, it is all written on the wooden bird. There is no distinction between the rich and the poor, whoever is drawn gets the seat, two groups to one table.

After they came in, someone explained to them how to use several types of wooden men. Because only sixty-six wooden birds were released in total, and one bird could only hold two people, they all came in quickly.

Everyone drank tea and chatted with each other. Some people boldly fiddled with the plates, or held cups and asked the wooden man to crack melon seeds and pour tea, while marveling in amazement.

Marquis Gongke carefully glanced at the only closed private room upstairs. He had some guesses in his mind, but he dared not say them out loud. He just chatted with the person sitting next to him.

Prince Duanhe also sat back down, not daring to look at it any longer, but in fact he was feeling very emotional.

You know, the third prince originally played the route of pretending to be a pig and eating a tiger, and he was not very high-profile, so the second prince was really the acting crown prince... He still remembers his high-spirited look very clearly.

There is no wrong version in the 1619 book forum!

But in just two or three years, everything has changed. Now when he looks at the second prince, Marquis Gongke, he seems to have aged twenty years out of thin air. Even his body is a little hunched. He hardly dares to recognize him...

But he admired him very much.

Gongke Hou is really smart, and he is very decisive in being timid. His low profile now is also a wise way to protect himself. Every year when he enters the palace to see the prince, no matter what he thinks in his heart, he is really respectful and never competes...

In contrast, the couple of Gongshun Marquis had not learned to hide their resentment on their faces even after a year! But Gongke Marquis was just an unfamiliar relative to Xinbao, and she didn't care at all. After watching through the cracks in the window, she looked through the cracks in the door, sticking her little face in front of him, leaning this way and that way, looking for the right angle.

Emperor Mingpei said: "If you want to see, just open the door openly."

"No," Xinbao shook his head and chattered, "Aren't we on a secret visit? Aren't we here to listen to the people's voice? We have to listen quietly. Otherwise, once the door is opened, if people find out there are those who didn't get the wooden bird, they will definitely think something is wrong. If they guess it's Xinbao and Yeye, it's fine, but what if they guess we came in through the back door? Everyone will think, when will the officials protect each other?!"

Emperor Ming Pei: "...??"

When will the mutual protection of officials end? ?

Emperor Mingpei thought she might have remembered it wrongly: "That sentence should be about when the cycle of revenge will end."

Xinbao was stunned.

Then she forcefully defended herself: "When will the mutual protection between officials end? It's OK! The ancestors planted trees for the descendants to enjoy the shade. We must learn to draw inferences from one example! The ancestors asked when the cycle of revenge would end, and the descendants can ask when the mutual protection between officials would end... The ancestors asked when the spring flowers and autumn moon would end, and we can ask when the resourcefulness would end."

Perhaps she felt that the last one didn’t make sense, so she thought for a moment and said, “There are learned people and unlearned people in the future. Unlearned people may make mistakes, but, but they can also speak.”

As she spoke, she turned her head guiltily and pressed her eyes against the crack of the door again.

Emperor Mingpei: “…”

After a while, he sighed and said, "I heard that Tao Qing has a little daughter in his family?"

Minister Tao quickly responded, and Emperor Mingpei asked, "Are you always so talkative and full of nonsense?"

(End of this chapter)