Before it even got dark, the moon was already eager to climb up and eat the elm seeds.
Don't miss the elm seeds in spring; if you miss them, you'll have to wait another year.
Birds are flying in the blue sky.
Huan Yue longs to fly, but she doesn't want to be a bird-person.
Get down carefully. Look at that scoundrel.
Xie Zhou tried to help her up, but she wouldn't let him. Was she really not going to come down from the tree?
Huan Yue doesn't have that severe mysophobia. As long as a guy isn't too rough around the edges, his chivalry is probably something he honed with his "white moonlight" (ideal woman), or maybe it's just a natural talent. Whatever.
Huan Yue took out a string of elm seeds and offered them to Di Erlang. Because they were to be offered to the emperor, she herself did not eat them.
Di Shan took it and asked, "Is the top even tastier?"
As he ate, he nodded vigorously, "Delicious!" Di Shan looked up at the tree: "I'll pick some for Grandma."
Huan Yue said, "I will go. I should take good care of my maternal grandparents."
She handed the bag to the scoundrel: "Take this and present it to His Majesty. If His Majesty likes it, I'll make some more tomorrow morning. Elm buns, elm seed cakes, and other snacks are quite delicious."
Xie Zhou took the bag, looked at his wife, and said that the good food was given to Di Shan, while he was just a gofer when it came to running errands.
Huan Yue glared at him. What kind of nonsense is it to send it to his father to build a relationship? Besides, only he could deliver it smoothly. How could anyone else just send it to the emperor? It's freshly picked, so we should eat it while it's still fresh.
Xie Zhou felt that his wife should kiss him before he went to get her.
Huan Yue had already asked the eunuch for a bag and quickly climbed up the tree.
Seeing that she was quick-witted, Di Shan didn't try to take it. It was His Highness's business to show concern.
Moreover, the Crown Princess personally picked the fruit to present to the Duke of Yan, which naturally carried a different significance.
Xie Zhou glanced at Di Shan, but there was no reason for him to leave the two of them behind.
Not to mention there were so many people around, this was in broad daylight.
Xie Zhou did not hesitate and quickly went to find his father, the Emperor.
While on his way, he gathered information about the current situation. Once Xie Zhou stood outside the Zichen Palace, he suppressed his cold smile.
Only after his father, the Emperor, summoned him did he follow the eunuch inside. He glanced around and saw a group of people gossiping about the Crown Princess like long-tongued women.
The hall was already dark, and the eunuchs were preparing to light the lamps; none of them seemed to mind the lateness.
Everyone quickly went to pay their respects to the Crown Prince.
Xie Zhou was usually very gentle and kind.
The emperor, seated on his throne, asked Jiro, "What are you holding?"
Xie Zhou stepped forward with the cloth bag in his hand.
The eunuch brought over a plate.
Xie Zhou took out a string of elm seeds and placed them on a plate.
The lights had just been turned on inside the hall, and the white porcelain plates paired with the tender green elm seeds created a striking visual impact.
The main thing is that they're freshly picked, so incredibly fresh, it's like they're about to jump right into your mouth.
A servant took a cloth bag and went to wash the others.
Although it rained yesterday and the fruit was picked clean today, it would be even better to wash it.
Before her son could speak, she reached out, picked a few elm seeds, ate them, and nodded, finding them sweet.
Xie Zhou reported: "Qing'e heard that elm seeds are a life-saving food for people during the lean season, and she likes to eat them. She took that bag and climbed up the tree to the top to pick some for Father Emperor to try. If Father Emperor is willing, she will pick some more tomorrow morning. Steamed elm seeds and elm seed cakes are very delicious. The Crown Prince plans to finish the elm seeds in the next few days."
Jinri glared and asked, "Why did you make her climb the tree?"
Xie Zhou said helplessly, "Father doesn't know, apart from hitting her head, Qing'e learned to climb trees sometime ago, and she's quite good at it."
People today might imagine: "Could it be that they were starving and secretly climbed a tree? How pitiful."
Xie Zhou, Father Emperor Xie, what a biased attitude! Anyone who didn't know better would think Qing'e was his own daughter.
Just as the group was making false accusations, the eunuchs brought out a large platter of fresh elm seeds.
The emperor was delighted: "Put some here for me, and let all my ministers try it. These elm seeds are delicious. If the people had elm seeds to eat, it could save a life."
If there's no food, then we'll die.
Grand Secretary Xu asked a eunuch to give him some, and while eating, he chatted with the emperor: "Elm seeds are delicious, and the elm seeds in the Eastern Palace are even more delicious. Back in Qingzhou, I also climbed a tree to pick elm seeds."
While eating, he asked, "Do you want some? Have Qing'e Palace send some to your residence."
Grand Secretary Xu ate without bothering to kneel, and said without hesitation, "Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty. My wife will surely be happy. Sometimes she complains to me that now we have everything we want to eat, so why are we still picky? It would have been better if we had eaten elm seeds back then, when everyone would have been happy. We just hoped that more elm trees would grow so that everyone could have a half-full meal."
Xue Song clutched his stomach and refused to eat.
I'll just glance at him now.
Xue Song hurriedly said, "I have an upset stomach."
Xie Zhou glanced at him, but didn't rush.
Xue Song was over sixty years old, and his old face stiffened for a moment, but he had extremely thick skin.
Xue Song was the Minister of Rites, a high-ranking official in the court. His weight was measured by his waist circumference of 38 feet.
With a waist like that, her jade belt must be twice the size of others'.
Xie Zhou's waist is truly only half the size of his.
Xie Zhou brought over a bag of elm seeds. There were many people gathered around, and even those who didn't want to eat them soon finished them.
Xie Zhou thought that after eating his wife's elm seeds, and with his father showing favoritism to the extreme, a group of people were still trying to slander his wife, which was very audacious.
But that's not surprising.
Xue Song's daughter married into the Zheng family and became Zheng's second sister-in-law.
Xue Song's son then married the daughter of the Duke of Rongguo, who was also the younger sister of Empress Dong.
Xue Song was able to remain in the position of Minister of Rites only because of the strong support of the Duke of Rong.
The man surnamed Dong isn't here right now.
No need, the Dong family has plenty of cronies anyway.
We've finished eating the elm seeds.
Xue Song continued the previous topic: "Empress Mingde only had one niece. How can Qing'e Palace not respect Empress Mingde's niece?"
Xie Zhou retorted directly: "What kind of respect does Lord Xue show? Indulgence, cover-up, indifference to right and wrong, and failure to distinguish truth from falsehood? Although I have not received any of the Empress Dowager's teachings, I believe this is definitely not her original intention. Is Lord Xue's distortion of Empress Mingde's original intention considered respect? Or does he think that Empress Mingde is that kind of person?"
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