After Ming Jinghai finished his meals and washed and changed his clothes at his third brother's house, the carriage sent to pick him up in the palace was parked outside the gate of the Ming Shilang's mansion.

Passing by the Ministry of Rites, Ming Jinghai saw the gate of the Ministry of Rites with vermilion paint. The stone lions on both sides of the door were majestic and asked the groom who was rushing the car: "Eight months ago, when I left the capital, the Ministry of Rites did not seem to be like this?"

"Sir, the Ministry of Rites is currently repairing it." The groom explained: "The stone lion and the floor in front of the door are all newly replaced."

The wheels ran over the stone road in front of the office of the Ministry of Rites. Ming Jinghai looked at the newly built wall and remained silent.

"Sir, are you curious about why the Ministry of Rites has changed so much?"

Ming Jinghai looked up at the groom sent by the royal family and asked with a smile: "I am indeed a little curious."

"A few days ago, His Highness, King Chen, was sent to the Ministry of Rites by His Majesty. Seeing that the Ministry of Rites was in ruins and could not bear to be on duty in such a bitter and cold environment, he asked His Majesty to repair the Ministry of Rites." The whip in the groom's hand gently patted the horse's back: "It was not long before, the official arrangements of the Ministry of Rites had changed drastically."

"Thank you, brother, for your advice." Ming Jinghai put down the curtain and touched his chin, which had been shaved with his beard. There were three roads to enter the palace from his third brother's house. Only the farthest road would bypass the main gate of the Ministry of Rites and finally enter the palace from Zhuque Gate.

This groom intended to let him discover the difference between the Ministry of Rites. I wonder if it was his own decision or His Majesty's intention?

When he met Emperor Longfeng, Ming Jinghai handed him the secret list of officials' examinations and evaluations, and talked about his experiences along the way.

"Thank you for your hard work," Emperor Longfeng sat down with Ming Jinghai: "With a minister like you, I have not become the foolish king on the dragon throne..."

"Your Majesty's words will destroy me." Ming Jinghai's eyes were slightly red: "If you can gain your Majesty's trust, I will never refuse."

Emperor Longfeng patted Ming Jinghai on the shoulder with emotion: "Okay, okay, okay."

After talking about three good words, Emperor Longfeng turned to family matters and asked Ming Jinghai how healthy he was. What difficulties did he encounter on the road: "I know that you have a deep relationship with Mrs. Zun, but Mrs. Zun has been away for a long time, and it is not appropriate for my beloved family to have no one to take care of your family. Why don't I choose a good wife for you and take care of your daily life?"

"Your Majesty is kind to me. I am now in the age of knowing the wrongdoing. I have been used to living alone. How can I delay other people's good women?" Ming Jinghai bowed and refused: "Women are like flowers and jade. It is a grievance to marry a 50-year-old man like me who has two sons. How can I let her take care of my home and take care of the whole family?"

"Your dear friends and civil and military officials can do both things, how can you underestimate yourself?"

"Your Majesty." Ming Jinghai smiled and shook his head: "I met Zhuo Jing when I was young. When I asked her to marry her, I vowed to never give up on her. She passed away early, but I just lived. If I violated my original promise again, what kind of face will I have to see her in a hundred years?"

Knowing that Ming Jinghai was not an excuse, Emperor Longfeng no longer advised: "You, my king and minister have not seen each other for so long. Tonight, you will have a drink and chat with me and talk to you at night."

Ming Jinghai smiled and stood up and bowed: "I accept the order."

"Empress, Your Majesty sends someone to talk to Lord Ming Jinghai tonight and cannot come to see you. Your Majesty also said that it is cold at night, so don't kick the quilt and go to bed early." Xiang Juan walked to Concubine Su: "What do you have to pass on to Your Majesty?"

"Ming Jinghai?" Su Guifei swept her beautiful eyes: "Have he returned to Beijing?"

Xiangjuan nodded: "Eunuch Liu said, Lord Ming just returned to Beijing today."

"He is Jiuzhu's uncle, that is, my son's uncle." Concubine Su thought for a while: "Send a few newly made pastries in the kitchen to Taiyang Palace, and then say... and ask His Majesty and Lord Ming to try it out."

Xiang Juan looked at Concubine Su in surprise. In the past, when His Majesty was serving the ministers, the Empress never gave food.

"Ming's family is different from others." Concubine Su smiled: "Just do what I want."

"Okay, Empress." Xiangjuan went to the kitchen to get the snacks and delivered them to Liu Zhongbao: "Eunuch Liu, I'm working."

"Auntie, you're polite." Liu Zhongbao took the food box and didn't even look at what was inside: "I'm going to say goodbye to me."

"Dadfather-in-law, walk slowly." Seeing Liu Zhongbao away, Xiang Juan returned to the inner hall. Seeing the empress dazed in front of the mirror, she stepped forward and gently kneaded her shoulders: "Empress, are you thinking about it?"

Concubine Su was amused by her: "Don't tease me anymore, I'm afraid that the Ming family would suspect that I would steal their daughter."

"The weather is very gloomy today, and I remembered something that happened a long time ago." Concubine Su took off the phoenix hairpin on her temples and leaned gently on the soft couch: "Do you still remember eight years ago, I accompanied Du Qing on a pleasure boat to fish on the river surface of Lingzhou. Du Qing rescued a girl about nine years old?"

"Why did the Empress remember this?" Xiangjuan put the side phoenix hairpin into a jewelry box. The little palace maid brought it to the embroidered stool. She sat down next to the soft couch: "Have you told Your Highness not to mention this matter to the public?"

"I don't know what's going on. I've always remembered the little girl who was rescued, silently crying and not crying." Concubine Su laughed at herself: "Is it because I am old?"

"The Empress is not old, even the 28th girl is not as good as you." Xiang Juan smiled: "In my opinion, it is the Empress who is weak-hearted and sympathizes with that little girl."

"I remember that day, I originally planned to take Duqing to eat a famous local fish dish. Because I saved the little girl, the Lingzhou fish dish was not eaten in my mouth." Concubine Su closed her eyes and smiled: "However, it is very cost-effective to save the little girl's life with a fire fish."

"A good person will be rewarded, but the empress is kind and will be rewarded." Xiangjuan saw that the empress was sleepy, took the brocade and covered it with Concubine Su, and sat quietly aside.

Of course she remembered what happened that year. His Majesty originally planned to take His Majesty to visit the famous roasted fish in Lingzhou with his Majesty in a private tour. Unexpectedly, an urgent report came from the capital, and His Majesty had to stay on the dragon boat.

The Empress couldn't bear the disappointment of Your Highness, so she accompanied Your Highness to ride a pleasure boat to enjoy the scenery and fish. Unexpectedly, Your Highness didn't catch the fish, and caught a little girl with all limbs tied up.

The little girl is not thin, with a white face and tender flesh, as if she was carefully raised by an adult at home. Perhaps because the little girl was wearing a thick cotton coat and could not struggle with her hands and feet, she did not sink to the bottom of the river.

When she was caught, her whole body was frozen, her mouth was blocked by rags, and she couldn't even make a sound. It was not until His Highness took off the cloth from her mouth and put her fox-haired cloak on her that she began to tremble and cry.

After changing into clean clothes, Your Highness fed the little girl a few candies, and the little girl slowly spoke, but she was unwilling to tell her life story.

Later, she couldn't remember what the little girl said clearly. She only remembered that the little girl gave the Empress a ceremony like a Taoist practitioner, saying that she would repay her kindness to the Empress and His Highness in the future. When she said this, her eyes were astonishingly clear as if she wanted to remember the Empress and His Highness into her heart.

Afterwards, the Empress sent someone to Lingzhou City to investigate and learned that a child trafficking case occurred in Lingzhou. Local officers and soldiers were following the abductors and found several children who were left behind in desperation.

I think that little girl was also left behind by abductor.

The little girl didn't know that the world was so great that the Empress was not an ordinary noble lady. I'm afraid she would never have the chance to meet the Empress again in her entire life.

"If I had known that the little girl was just taken away by abductor, I wouldn't have said so seriously to her." Before leaving Lingzhou, the empress was still worried that the little girl would really not say anything to her family after hearing what she said.

Thinking of these past events, Xiangjuan shook her head. The empress at that time had just experienced the struggle between princes for a few years and was frightened by various assassinations and plots, and acted very cautiously and cautiously.

If it were the current Empress, she would definitely send someone to investigate on the spot and would also go to His Majesty to complain.

"Oh." She sighed and walked out the door to look at the exquisite and gorgeous palace. How many people in this palace were victims of the struggle for imperial power?

Your Majesty, Empress, and other concubines in the harem, seem to be the winners of the struggle, but the haze left by the bloody struggle back then has never dissipated from this palace.

Maybe……

She withdrew her gaze and turned to look at the sleeping queen.

Maybe it will continue.

During dinner, the palace people arranged the meal, and Liu Zhongbao put the snacks on the table: "Your Majesty, this is a new style snack in the palace of the Imperial Concubine. The queen asked the old slave to bring them to you and Lord Ming to try them."

"My dear concubine is intent." Emperor Longfeng's face looked a little surprised, and then returned to normal. He said to Ming Jinghai: "My desserts in Mingyue Palace have always been delicious. Can you try it?"

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Ming Jinghai just picked up a piece of snack when he heard the palace servants report that His Highness Chen was here.

He glanced at Emperor Longfeng, put down his chopsticks and prepared to salute.

"Oh." Emperor Longfeng held him down: "This is my private banquet with you, and there is no need to pay attention to the etiquette of the monarch and the ministers."

Ming Jinghai noticed that His Majesty held his hand and used seven-point force. He knew that he was not joking, so he sat down as if he was sincere and at ease.

"Father." King Chen walked into the inner hall, bowed and bowed to Emperor Longfeng, and gave Ming Jinghai a junior gift: "Mr. Ming."

"Your Highness, your Highness." Ming Jinghai bowed and returned the salute.

"It's all my family, sit down and have a meal." Emperor Longfeng waved and asked King Chen to sit down, "Your uncle Ming traveled all over the mountains and rivers of Dacheng, and his culture can help the people and his martial arts can arrange troops. Learn more from him."

Ming Jinghai looked at Emperor Longfeng silently. Seeing how His Majesty said, he would have a prince and nephew if he had disagreements. Even if His Majesty dared to say this, he would not dare to admit it.

King Chen nodded, and the chopsticks had reached towards the food on the table.

"Father, how do you cook this pigeon soup? It seems to be particularly fresh and fragrant?" King Chen tasted it two more: "You asked the imperial chef to write the recipe to Erchen, and Erchen asked the chef of the royal palace to learn how to make it."

"I remember you didn't love these soups before." Emperor Longfeng raised his eyebrows: "Have the taste changed recently?"

"Pizi Tang replenishes the brain." King Chen said with confidence: "My son has worked hard to read and practice calligraphy recently, and I want to make up for it more."

By the way, I would also give Ming Xiaozhu some extra money. He is so embarrassed to eat food from his fiancée's house every day.

"Your Highness is so wise and intelligent, and there is no need for these external objects." Ming Jinghai saw that the royal father and son were not particular about the rules of not speaking, so he put down his chopsticks and said, "There are a few military books in the house of Wei. These military books are all things that Wei is thinking about when he is bored. If Your Highness does not dislike him, he can choose a free time and take it back to watch and play."

Not long ago, Ming Jingzhou also told him this.

King Chen tried hard to smile: "Thank you, sir, I will go to your mansion to borrow books tomorrow."

"It's just a personal silence, your highness doesn't have to be so serious."

"It is the honor of the younger generation to be able to borrow the master's calligraphy and treasures." King Chen continued to smile hard: "With the master's talent, every word is the essence, so how can it be a mediocre work?"

They are all the elders of Ming Xiaozhu, and the elders of Ming Xiaozhu, be polite, be polite.

"It is my luck to be valued by you. Tomorrow morning, I will wait for your highness in a humble house." Ming Jinghai smiled slightly and said to Emperor Longfeng: "Your Majesty, I look down at the appearance of the palace, with a majestic and extraordinary demeanor, and a bit like His Majesty when he was young."

Emperor Longfeng laughed out loud after hearing this.

"I feel much more relieved when you Ming family see this uneasy boy." Emperor Longfeng patted Ming Jinghai on the shoulder: "My dear, he will be your Ming family's son-in-law in the future, so you should worry."

Ming Jinghai stood up and bowed to the end: "Your Majesty's wishes, I understand."

After standing up, he looked at King Chen and showed the unique kind smile of his elders.

But his thick eyebrows and big eyes and smiled, King Chen's heart beat a few times. The last time he felt this way, it was when he gave Ming Xiaozhu silver and was discovered by Ming Jingzhou on the spot.

The next morning, after Ming Jinghai returned home, he changed his clothes and practiced the Five Animals Play in the yard. Ming Cunfu, who was getting up in the morning, walked to the main yard in a daze. He was shocked when he saw Ming Jinghai: "Father, why did you come back from the palace so early?"

"The plan for one day is in the morning." Ming Jinghai saw him dressed in exquisite clothes: "Where to go?"

"Son, my son will give Miss Zhou a collection of poems." Ming Cunfu lowered his head with blushing.

"Well, I know how to please my future wife, like a man." Ming Jinghai took out a silver note and gave it to him: "Go, don't be stingy in front of the little girl."

Ming Cunfu looked at the denomination, forty taels!

My father is so generous!

"Uncle, Brother Fu Liu." Jiuzhu leaned out of the yard and came in: "Mother asked me to send hot snacks to my uncle."

The two brothers' yards are closely adjacent, only separated by a courtyard wall. Ming Cunfu glanced at the yards of the two families: "Sister, did you climb over the wall again?"

No wonder he didn't hear the news from the servants.
To be continued...