Fortunately, Mu Zhuohua received the transfer order, and moved her luggage to the Lifan Temple to report on the same day. However, as soon as she entered the Lifan Temple, she knew that she had thought too simply. Everyone looked at her with eyes that told her one thing - we all know about you and Shen Jinghong!
Those big mouths in the Hanlin Academy!
Mu Zhuohua was so angry that she was speechless and choked. She lowered her head and quietly cleaned up the table. Now that she and Shen Jinghong were separated, she only hoped that everyone would forget about this matter in a few days.
The responsibility of the Lifan Temple is to deal with the relationship with the three countries of Beiliang, Nanyue, and the Western Regions. It has four subordinate departments, which are in charge of criminal law, household, ritual, and military. The criminal department is responsible for legislation and managing the security of foreign populations. The household department is responsible for foreign trade and border trade taxation. The ritual department is responsible for receiving senior officials, and the military department is responsible for foreign military operations.
In recent years, the borders of the three countries have been relatively stable. Of course, this stability is based on the premise of fighting for more than ten years. Nanyue is the weakest, but the terrain is hilly, and it is difficult for the army of the State of Chen to advance. The Western Regions are desolate and cold, and it is not easy for the people of Chen to adapt to the local climate. The Beiliang cavalry is strong and covetous. They are eyeing the wealth of Chen. They will fight if there are conditions, and negotiate peace if there are no conditions. They are the biggest external threat to Chen. However, Beiliang has been beaten by King Ding for nearly ten years. Three years ago, although Liu Yan lost a battle, Beiliang had no chance to turn the tide. In the short term, it has no room for retreat and no power to resist. Only then can it calmly sign the terms of peace with Chen.
Now the highest official of the Lifan Temple is Shangshu Liu Yan. He sits in the center alone, and the four divisions are on both sides to handle various affairs and maintain the balance between Chen and the three countries. After Mu Zhuohua put his things in place, he received an order to go to Liu Yan to wait for his dispatch.
Mu Zhuohua straightened his clothes and then opened the door to go in. Liu Yan was sitting at the table, looking down at the spring border trade report sent from below.
"Your subordinate pays homage to the prince." Mu Zhuohua said respectfully with his hands down.
Liu Yan was still looking at the report, without raising his head or turning back.
The room was silent, with only the sound of Liu Yan turning pages.
After about two quarters of an hour, Liu Yan finished reading the report, took the tea bowl, and drank a cup of tea leisurely.
Mu Zhuohua was also patient, still smiling, standing with his hands hanging down.
Liu Yan put down the tea bowl and said lightly: "From today on, you will take turns to observe politics in the four departments, write an experience every day, and put it on my desk before going to court."
Mu Zhuohua nodded and said: "Your subordinate obeys your order!"
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"You should know your limits when dealing with people on weekdays. I don't like rumors about the Lifan Temple."
Mu Zhuohua's eyebrows jumped when she heard it, knowing that Liu Yan had also heard the rumors about her and Shen Jinghong, so he gave her a warning.
Mu Zhuohua couldn't help feeling aggrieved, and looked at Liu Yan with tears in her eyes: "Your Highness, I was wronged."
Liu Yan glanced at her indifferently: "Oh?"
Mu Zhuohua said again: "Your Highness is also responsible for this."
Liu Yan raised his eyebrows, leaned back in his chair, crossed his hands on his knees, and looked at Mu Zhuohua leisurely: "Go on with your story."
Mu Zhuohua sighed: "The day before yesterday, my colleagues from the Hanlin Academy invited me to the Xiaoqin Palace. I was a newcomer, so how could I refuse, so I went with them. However, I still had a wound on my throat, so I wore a high-necked shirt to the banquet to cover the wound, but it was too hot that day, and I was so tired that I couldn't stand it. My body was soaked with sweat, so I found a deserted place to unbutton my collar to cool off. Unfortunately, Shen Jinghong also came down to avoid drinking, and we ran into each other. My colleagues from the Hanlin Academy came to find us, and when they saw me alone with Shen Jinghong, and saw the red marks on my neck, they thought it was... that... "Mu Zhuohua gave Liu Yan a "you know" look, and then said shyly, "They... misunderstood..."
Mu Zhuohua unbuttoned the collar, revealing her fair and slender neck. There were two faint cherry-red marks on it, which have faded a lot now and cannot be seen without careful observation, but Liu Yan can naturally see his finger marks.
Mu Zhuohua complained aggrievedly: "But these marks are clearly left by the prince."
Liu Yan was speechless...
and these finger marks were left by him pinching her neck, but she made it sound so ambiguous.
Mu Zhuohua sighed sadly: "I dare not refute, and it is also to protect the reputation of the prince, but the prince blames me. I feel very aggrieved in my heart..."
This person's ability to make specious arguments is really unmatched. Liu Yan found that he really couldn't argue with this woman.
"Forget it, be more careful next time." Liu Yan pinched his eyebrows and waved his hand, "You can go down."
Mu Zhuohua's face changed, and replaced with a sincere smile: "Your Highness, please don't be angry, and don't misunderstand me. I am sincere to you, and the world can bear witness to it. Shen Jinghong is not even worthy of carrying your shoes!"
Liu Yan is in a high position and has encountered many flatterers, but this is the first time he has heard such naked and shameless flattery.
"Go down..."
Liu Yan suddenly had an idea-was it a mistake to transfer her under his nose?
The gossip about Shen Jinghong and Mu Zhuohua in the court never stopped. The biggest impact on Mu Zhuohua was that the palace maids secretly excluded her...
This can be seen from the daily lunch.
The affairs of the Lifan Temple are busy, so the lunch is prepared uniformly and distributed to everyone. When Mu Zhuohua opened her food box, it was obviously half the amount of others.
Mu Zhuohua smiled and asked the palace maid who delivered the meal: "Sister, why is my meal so much less than others?"
The palace maid rolled her eyes and said coldly: "That's it. You are a woman, do you eat as much as a man?"
Then she twisted her waist and left.
Mu Zhuohua touched her nose, secretly cursed Shen Jinghong a few words, and then ate her meal. Her desk was full of thick account books. Her job today was to read the border trade records of the past three years and then write a reflection. The more than 30 account books on the table were only records for one year. Liu Yan usually looked at the data summarized by the Ministry of Revenue, while Mu Zhuohua had to read every detail and then write a summary.
When his colleagues in the Ministry of Revenue saw Mu Zhuohua eating and reading the account book, they couldn't help but advise him: "There is always work to do, and you still have to eat well."
Mu Zhuohua smiled at them and said: "Thank you for your concern, I will finish eating soon."
After saying that, she lowered her head to look at the account book.
Mu Zhuohua could read ten lines at a glance and had a photographic memory, so she could read these things much faster than others. While she was reading, she took notes on paper and sat on the chair for two hours without even drinking a sip of tea.
Seeing Mu Zhuohua's desperate look, the other people in Lifan Temple were a little suspicious and looked down on her, but now their views have changed a little.
In the evening, when the palace gate was about to close, Mu Zhuohua was the last one to run out of the palace gate.
Mu Zhuohua's mind was full of various numbers. He walked without distraction. Suddenly, someone pressed his shoulders. Mu Zhuohua looked back and saw that it was Zhimo.
"Brother Zhimo, what a coincidence?" Mu Zhuohua smiled.
Zhimo said with a wooden face: "The prince is calling you."
He called many times, but Mu Zhuohua turned a deaf ear to him. He suspected that she did it on purpose.
Mu Zhuohua really didn't mean it. If she had seen Liu Yan's carriage earlier, she would have climbed up. At this moment, under the guidance of Zhimo, she happily got on Liu Yan's carriage.
"Prince, are you waiting for me on purpose?" Mu Zhuohua smiled brightly and looked at Liu Yan affectionately.
Liu Yan coughed lightly: "I am playing chess with your majesty and just left the palace."
"Since you are not waiting on purpose, then it is fate!" Mu Zhuohua talked to himself, leaving others speechless.
Liu Yan didn't want to continue this topic, so he asked, "How was your observation of politics today?"
Mu Zhuohua said, "I have finished reading the details of border trade for three years, and I will write a report to the prince in the evening."
Liu Yan raised his eyebrows in surprise: "Have you finished reading it all?"
Mu Zhuohua nodded, and said coquettishly, "It's been hard work. I haven't even had a sip of tea."
Liu Yan asked, "The records of September 13th, the twelfth year of Zhaoming."
Mu Zhuohua said confidently, "Bought thirty horses, fifty cows, and two hundred steel knives, sold five hundred stones of rice, three hundred pieces of cotton cloth, one hundred catties of tea, and thirty catties of salt..."
Liu Yan knew that Mu Zhuohua had an excellent memory, but he didn't expect that she could remember all the records of the past three years clearly.
Mu Zhuohua stared at Liu Yan's expression and suddenly burst out laughing: "Your Highness, do you
think everyone can remember everything they see?" "Are you making it up?"
Mu Zhuohua said with a smile: "Of course I can remember everything I see, but Your Highness, do you remember that I lied to you and you didn't know it."
Seeing Mu Zhuohua sitting with her knees hugged, her eyes sparkling and a smirk on her face, Liu Yan couldn't help but feel powerless. He shook his head helplessly, but unconsciously contained some doting. He put away his folding fan and knocked on her head: "Why are you so naughty..."
Mu Zhuohua sighed, raised her hand to cover her forehead, looked at Liu Yan with sparkling eyes, and her stomach made an inappropriate "gurgle".
Mu Zhuohua said miserably: "Your Highness, I'm hungry..."
Liu Yan naturally knew why she was hungry, because the rumors with Shen Jinghong offended the palace maids who distributed food, and her rations were deducted. Now she deserved to be hungry.
Liu Yan turned a deaf ear to her. Mu Zhuohua sighed secretly, and suddenly her nose twitched. She turned around and lay down beside the door, opening a crack, and an enticing aroma of food floated in.
"It smells like Qiansu buns." Mu Zhuohua's eyes lit up, and she couldn't help swallowing her saliva. "The Yipin Pavilion is just around the corner. They just have Qiansu buns out of the oven at this time, and there is always a long queue every time. But if your carriage comes, there will be no need to queue..."
Liu Yan closed his eyes and ignored her muttering.
Mu Zhuohua carefully pinched Liu Yan's sleeve and shook it gently: "Prince... the Qiansu buns are delicious. They select the best meat, chop it up, marinate it with a unique sauce, wrap it up and fry it. Because the skin is fried through a special process, layers of crispy skin will unfold when you bite it, and the gravy overflows from the crispy skin, which is fresh and slightly spicy, and the meat aroma is tangy..."
Liu Yan's stomach suddenly made a "gurgling" sound...
Mu Zhuohua couldn't hold back his laughter, turned around and shouted to Zhimo outside: "Your Highness is hungry, brother Zhimo, go buy some Qiansu buns."
Zhimo called out in confusion: "Prince?"
Liu Yan slowly opened his eyes and said helplessly: "Go."
The people from Yipin Pavilion naturally recognized the prince's carriage and horses, and immediately packed ten buns and sent them to the carriage.
The buns were sealed in a pear wood food box, and Mu Zhuohua held them in her arms happily. Seeing that she was holding the food box but not opening it, Liu Yan asked curiously, "Aren't you hungry? Why don't you eat anymore?"
Mu Zhuohua smiled and said, "This carriage is smoked with priceless galaxy incense. How can I let this mundane thing pollute the prince's immortal aura."
Liu Yan laughed and shook his head, "Can't this thousand-su bun stop you from eating? Since you bought it, just open it and eat it. How could I care about these little things?"
Since the owner of the carriage had said so, Mu Zhuohua did not refuse. She opened the food box with a smile, took out one and handed it to Liu Yan, saying obediently, "Please try it first, Your Majesty."
The thousand-su buns were wrapped in oil paper and were still slightly hot. Liu Yan was not afraid of the temperature, but Mu Zhuohua's hands were tender, so he could only take it in turns. Liu Yan smiled and watched her flustered look, which was quite interesting. In Lifan Temple, she was serious, solemn and self-contained, but in front of him, she was used to acting coquettish and eccentric. It was unknown how many masks she had and which one was the real her.
Mu Zhuohua was concentrating on the buns at the moment, and did not pay attention to Liu Yan's gaze. She carefully took a bite of the pastry, and the gravy immediately overflowed, leaving a lingering fragrance on her teeth and cheeks, hot and delicious. She squinted her eyes in satisfaction, her cheeks bulged, like a cat that had stolen some fish, and she was very satisfied with
the meal. Liu Yan was also aroused by her eating manner. He raised the bun in his hand and ate it slowly and elegantly. From time to time, he raised his eyes and swept across Mu Zhuohua's shiny pink lips.
Mu Zhuohua wolfed down three buns before slowing down to look at Liu Yan.
"Your Majesty, can I take two away..." Mu Zhuohua asked flatteringly, "My Juli likes this bun the most, and I want to bring her two."
Liu Yan remembered the maid, who was also thin and small, but had a name called Juli.
"Take them all away." Liu Yan said.
"Your Highness is such a good man!" Mu Zhuohua was not polite and packed up the stuff with a smile, "You are indeed the person I admire!"
Liu Yan almost choked. He was not used to Mu Zhuohua's flattery and courtesy anytime and anywhere, but this man just spoke without thinking.
The carriage stopped at the gate of Prince Ding's mansion. Mu Zhuohua jumped off the carriage and said to Zhimo, "Thank you for seeing me off!"
If the carriage of Prince Ding's mansion stopped at the back street of Zhuque, it would be too conspicuous. Mu Zhuohua understood this principle, so he took the buns and walked back by himself.
Liu Yan got off the carriage, glanced at Mu Zhuohua's cheerful and happy back, couldn't help but curled the corners of his lips, and turned to walk towards the gate.
Guo Juli ate six buns and sighed with satisfaction.
"His Royal Highness Prince Ding is such a good man..." Guo Juli said, touching his belly, "Miss, let's have peony rolls next time."
Mu Zhuohua was writing a report at the case. Hearing what Guo Juli said, she couldn't help laughing and said, "You think the prince is a cook and you can order the dishes!" Guo Juli felt a little regretful, but immediately became open-minded: "Forget it if it doesn't work... Miss, it's so late, aren't you going to bed?"
"Almost, I'll go to bed after I finish writing here, you go to bed first."
Guo Juli yawned: "Being an official is so hard."
"No matter what you do, no matter who you are, it's hard. If the hard work is rewarded, you won't feel it's hard anymore." Mu Zhuohua said.
Guo Juli said, "Today I was sweeping the courtyard, and the nurse of the official came to visit and talked to me for a long time. I saw that she seemed to want to be a matchmaker for you, young lady."
Mu Zhuohua said without raising her head, "You know how to push."
Guo Juli nodded, "Of course I understand what the young lady wants, but the nurse is not giving up. She keeps saying that the most important thing for a girl is to find a good man to marry."
Mu Zhuohua sneered, "Finding a good man is much more difficult than passing the imperial examination."
Guo Juli agreed with him, but felt something was wrong. He turned his head and said, "Young lady, for you, passing the imperial examination is not necessarily that difficult. It's just a little bit away..."
"Go away, go to bed, don't disturb me from getting promoted and making money!"
The next morning, Liu Yan saw the report submitted by Mu Zhuohua on his desk. He picked up five sheets of densely written paper and looked at them, then looked outside.
Mu Zhuohua was observing politics in the Ministry of Justice today. He had to read all the laws and regulations on foreign countries that he had learned over the years, so he had no free time.
The people in the Lifan Temple soon discovered that Mu Zhuohua worked very hard and was kind and easy to talk to. Gradually, they accepted her and patiently answered her questions. Liu Yan did not reduce the tasks assigned to Mu Zhuohua. Since he knew that she was capable, he doubled the pressure on her. If it were someone else, he would probably complain and secretly criticize her, but Mu Zhuohua still smiled every day and completed the tasks assigned by Liu Yan on time and efficiently.
In addition to the work of the Lifan Temple, she still had to give lectures to the prince every three days. With the experience of observing politics in the Lifan Temple, she was more comfortable talking about the affairs of the Northern Liang countries. Liu Jin seemed to admire her more and more, but Liu Chen disliked her more because the rumors about her and Shen Jinghong had tainted his eyes and ears, and his provocations against Mu Zhuohua were even more excessive, which led to frequent disputes between Liu Jin and Liu Chen in the classroom. Liu Yu had a good temper, but was caught in the middle and was in a dilemma, unable to stop the two hot-tempered people.
That day Mu Zhuohua talked about Beiliang's military affairs. He mentioned that Beiliang was rich in iron ore, and had the sharpness of steel knives and the bravery of horses. This made Liu Chen unhappy again, and he sneered: "Beiliang is just a defeated general of Chen State, so how can it be said to be sharp and brave?"
Mu Zhuohua said: "Historically, Chen State has used troops against Beiliang no less than a thousand times, but has never really defeated Beiliang. Beiliang people may seem rough, but they are very cunning. They will fight to the death to win a battle in exchange for the conditions for peace talks."
Liu Jin interrupted and said: "Mr. Mu is right, brother, you lost a battle back then, and Beiliang used this as an excuse to make peace. "Haggle over the terms."
This hit Liu Chen's sore spot, and he was immediately furious: "What did you say! You live a life of luxury in the palace, what do you know about marching and fighting? If there hadn't been a traitor in the army, my uncle and I would have wiped out Beiliang long ago."
Liu Jin said: "This is consistent with what Mr. Mu said. The people of Beiliang are cunning. They actually planted spies under your nose, and deceived you and the uncle."
Liu Jin said that Beiliang was cunning on the surface, but the implication was that Liu Chen and Liu Yan were incompetent and deceived. Liu Chen was furious and rushed to Liu Jin and grabbed his collar. "What qualifications do you have to say that about me and the emperor's uncle? You are just hiding in the imperial city, but we are fighting bloody battles on the front line!"
Liu Jin was not afraid at all: "I can also go to the front line, but I just don't have the opportunity. Brother, I may not be inferior to you in martial arts!"
Liu Chen was provoked by Liu Jin and sneered: "Okay, then let's compete. Whoever admits defeat is a coward!"
After that, he pushed Liu Jin away and turned around and strode out. Liu Jin smiled disdainfully and followed immediately.
Mu Zhuohua was dumbfounded. He didn't expect the situation to develop like this. He hurriedly said to Liu Yu: "Second Prince, please persuade them quickly!"
Liu Yu smiled bitterly: "I don't know martial arts, how can I persuade them?"
"Where is your majesty?" Mu Zhuohua asked as he chased outside.
"Father must not know about this, otherwise he will get angry and hurt himself."
Mu Zhuohua gritted his teeth and said, "Then we can only call His Royal Highness Prince Ding. His Highness will listen to him."
Liu Yu nodded and immediately asked his tutor to go to Lifan Temple to ask Prince Ding for help.
Meanwhile, Liu Chen and Liu Jin had already picked their weapons and were ready to fight.
The open space in front of the imperial study was very large, and the two of them occupied one side, each holding a sword.
Liu Yu shouted, "We are all brothers, so stop at a certain point and don't hurt each other!"
Liu Jin said, "Don't worry, second brother, I won't hurt my eldest brother."
Liu Chen sneered, "You'd better be careful of yourself!"
After that, he raised his sword and rushed forward, full of murderous intent, without any strength to retreat.
Mu Zhuohua didn't know martial arts, but he could understand the situation. Both sides were angry and were fighting to the death. No one present knew martial arts and could only watch. The guards didn't dare to intervene in the duel between the princes. With Liu Chen's temper, anyone who dared to intervene would be punished with a hundred strokes of the cane.
Mu Zhuohua watched anxiously and shouted, "Your Highnesses, stop it now. Today's class is about literature, not martial arts! His Majesty will be furious when he sees it!"
The courtyard was filled with swords and shadows, and both of them turned a deaf ear to them. Mu Zhuohua had no choice but to hope that Liu Yan would come quickly. Liu Yu's tutor quickly ran back, panting, "His Highness Prince Ding is not in the Lifan Temple! I left a letter for them. If His Highness Prince Ding comes back, they will pass it on."
Mu Zhuohua thought, it would be too late by then!
Sure enough, the scene in the courtyard became even uglier. Liu Jin stabbed Liu Chen's right shoulder with a sword. Although Liu Chen dodged, his clothes were torn. Liu Chen was furious and attacked more fiercely. Liu Jin was forced to retreat step by step.
Liu Yu said anxiously: "Enough! Third brother, stop and admit defeat!"
Liu Jin gritted his teeth and refused to admit defeat. Liu Chen sneered: "Don't admit defeat, I will beat you to the point of being convinced!"
At this time, Liu Jin's eyes lit up. When Liu Chen was talking, he found a flaw. He dodged the sword and stabbed Liu Chen at the flaw. Liu Chen hurriedly returned his sword, and the sword blocked Liu Jin's sword. He was forced to retreat a few steps. Liu Jin took the opportunity to bully Liu Chen and caught him off guard. Seeing that he was about to lose,
how could Liu Chen accept such a defeat? Suddenly, a fierce look flashed in his eyes. He actually gave up defense and used a double-death strategy, stabbing Liu Jin's abdomen with a sword. Liu Jin was also frightened by Liu Chen's desperate fighting style. He was unable to dodge and the sword brushed past his waist, causing blood to spurt out. Liu Jin's sword was also unable to retract and pierced Liu Chen's right leg.
Mu Zhuohua's mind made a "buzzing" sound, as if she heard her own death knell...
The two princes fought in her class, and both were injured...
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