Chapter 497 Do You Want to Marry Him So Much?
This year is a cold winter, and the snow has been falling for nearly a month.
With the experience of the previous years, Xiao Yanci arranged all matters in an orderly manner.
The Ministry of Revenue opened a granary to sell charcoal and cotton clothes to the poor at low prices to prevent prices from soaring after the snow.
The Ministry of Works mobilized civilians to clear the drainage ditches on both sides of the official road to prevent water from accumulating and freezing after the snow melted.
The government stepped up patrols and called on citizens to clear snow from their roofs in a timely manner to prevent their houses from collapsing under the weight of the snow.
Thanks to the joint efforts of all parties, no cases of snow-related disasters have been reported in any region so far.
In the palace, the New Year's Eve banquet was proceeding in an orderly manner.
Ye Hanyi was a little absent-minded.
She learned that Ge Xubai had not returned to Beijing yet.
According to the itinerary, he should have arrived a few days ago.
Officials from all over the country have arrived and completed their work reports, but he is the only one who is nowhere to be seen.
Thinking of the heavy snow outside, Ye Hanyi's heart began to tighten.
Could something have happened to him on the way?
She sent people outside the city to meet him, so that if he encountered any difficulties, her people could help him in time.
As the sky gradually darkened, candles were lit one after another in the palace. In the banquet hall, palace maids and eunuchs served fruits and snacks in an orderly manner, and the officials attending the banquet took their seats one after another.
Male and female guests still sit at separate tables, with a thin screen in the middle.
Even after sitting down at the table, Ye Hanyi had not received any news from his subordinates, and he became even more anxious.
Concubine Rou knew her worries, so she could only hold her hand gently to comfort her.
The guests took their seats one by one. Emperor Defeng attended with the support of Feng Youcai, and all the ministers stood up to congratulate him.
Today is such a good day, and Emperor Defeng's complexion looks much better.
When they were half drunk, a message from the eunuch came from outside the hall.
"Xiping Army Commander Ge Xubai and Longxi Grain Supervisor Yan Mingde request to appear before the Emperor and apologize!"
Emperor Defeng was already a little exhausted, but upon hearing this, his eyelids lifted and he became more energetic.
He originally thought that Ren Zongping, the Xiping Army's commander, was going to Beijing to report on his work. He inquired about it a few days ago and found out that it was Ge Xubai who had returned to Beijing, but he had not arrived yet.
Emperor Defeng said calmly, "Announce."
Ye Hanyi's eyes lit up, and the heart that had been hanging in the air all day finally settled down at this moment.
The fact that he can still come to see the emperor means that he is fine.
All the ministers in the hall turned their eyes towards the entrance of the hall.
The King of Southern Yunnan put down the cup in his hand and looked at it with a sharp gaze.
Ge Xubai and another official walked in one after another.
There were icicles on Ge Xubai's dark cloak, and the hem of Yan Mingde's official robe was covered with mud and snow.
The two of them walked to the front of the emperor and knelt on one knee.
"Your Majesty, please forgive me for delaying your return."
Emperor Defeng's gaze wandered between the two men, finally landing on Ge Xubai, his eyes filled with a hint of majesty.
"I remember that the deadline for reporting is the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month?"
Ge Xubai replied respectfully, "It is I who have delayed the deadline for reporting on my duties, but there are reasons for this. Your Majesty, I beg you to listen to me. We were traveling along the Longxi official road when we encountered a severe snowstorm. The road near Qingfeng Post Station was completely buried in the snow. Half the houses in a nearby village were damaged, and some villagers were trapped beneath the snow. Seeing this, we could not stand idly by."
Yan Mingde also nodded hurriedly, "Yes, yes, General Ge and I have delayed our trip in order to rescue and resettle the victims. I hope Your Majesty will understand."
Upon hearing this, Emperor Defeng's original anger turned into silence.
"Have all the disaster victims been properly resettled?"
Ge Xubai replied in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, when Lord Yan and I left, the disaster was already under control."
Yan Mingde also hurriedly said: "I have left most of the elite troops behind and sent people back to Longxi to redeploy personnel for follow-up matters, so there should be no problems."
Emperor Defeng's expression eased slightly.
Xiao Yanci stepped out and said, "Your Majesty, although General Ge and Lord Yan were late in reporting their duties, they had their reasons. If they turned a blind eye to the people affected by the disaster, that would be deplorable. I believe that, far from being punished, they should be rewarded."
Other court officials immediately followed suit and seconded the motion.
Emperor Defeng's brows relaxed and he smiled slightly.
"Your Excellencies are absolutely right. Lords Ge and Yan are dedicated to serving the people and deserve a reward. Come, please take a seat."
The young eunuch brought over chairs, and the two of them sat down, both breathing a sigh of relief.
Ge Xubai quietly raised his head and glanced across the screen, but he didn't know where Ye Hanyi was sitting. He could only see a series of shadowy figures and had to look away regretfully.
He couldn't find Ye Hanyi's location, but Ye Hanyi's gaze was always following him, and Concubine Rou was also secretly watching him.
She nodded slowly. "He's quite good-looking. He's decisive, responsible, and kind to the people. He has good character and can be trusted."
Ye Hanyi heaved a sigh of relief after hearing what Concubine Rou said, and her face flushed.
"Aunt, Grandfather should be able to look upon him favorably, right?"
Seeing that she was nervous, Concubine Rou deliberately wanted to tease her.
"Your grandfather has a very strict temperament, especially when it comes to choosing a son-in-law for you. I'm afraid he's even more demanding. Whether he's satisfied or not is hard to say."
Ye Hanyi looked across and saw her grandfather staring at Ge Xubai with a fierce look. She couldn't see clearly through the screen, but she felt that her grandfather's eyes were cold and scary.
"Aunt, you have to help me."
Concubine Rou looked at her with a smile, "Do you really want to marry him?"
Ye Hanyi scratched his face. "Isn't there anyone else more suitable? He's good in every way, so let's just make do with him."
Imperial Concubine Rou said sternly, "You can't make do with my niece."
Ye Hanyi had no choice but to change her words, "It's not okay, not okay at all. It's him, aunt..."
Concubine Rou reached out and touched her forehead.
"Okay, I'm relieved about this matter. If father really disagrees, I will find a way to mediate."
However, in her opinion, it was not her turn to take action in this matter. Han Yi was simply too concerned and confused.
Ge Xubai soon noticed another pair of eyes falling on her. She turned her head and met the King of Southern Yunnan's gaze, which was full of intimidation.
Ge Xubai had never seen the King of Southern Yunnan, but he guessed his identity from his clothes. He immediately looked nervous and sat up straight.
He was in a hurry and hadn't taken time to take care of himself. In addition, he hadn't had a good rest for several days. He must have looked haggard and looked like a skeleton at this time.
What should I do if I left a bad impression on you during our first meeting?
Ge Xubai had remained calm in the face of the emperor's questioning just now, but now he felt as if he was sitting on pins and needles when he just looked at the King of Southern Yunnan from a distance.
Emperor Defeng was unwell and left the table early, and the atmosphere in the palace became lively.
As soon as Ge Xubai showed his face briefly in front of the crowd, an official came forward to chat with him, and his intention to make friends was obvious.
Ge Xubai did not dare to leave a bad impression in front of the King of Southern Yunnan and responded humbly.
After the banquet in the hall ended, everyone left the hall one after another and went to the city wall to watch the fireworks.
Ge Xubai walked out with the crowd and headed towards the King of Southern Yunnan.
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