"I'm not familiar with some people here, but since you selected them, there shouldn't be too much difference." Li Yi put down a list in his hand and said, "That's it, let's settle it for now. Wait for a period of time before another assessment."
The eldest princess nodded, thought of one thing, and said: "Today is Concubine Cui Guifei's birthday. Although you have a lot of disagreements with the Cui family, according to etiquette, you should also give a gift, otherwise, I'm afraid it will attract criticism."
The old lady had already told me about this matter two days ago. According to Li, with Concubine Cui's rank, there are only a handful of people who are older than her in the harem. After all, she is a concubine. Since the Cui family has sent an invitation, Even if you don't plan to go there in person, you still have to prepare a gift so that you don't look disrespectful.
Today, he has too many names on his shoulders, and he is not as bachelor as before. There are some things that should be paid attention to, and should be paid attention to.
"Then send a few boxes of fresh green vegetables, green and oily, which is not common in this season."
It is naturally inappropriate to give such a gift in later generations, not to mention giving it to a noble concubine, but it is different here. In today's season, a handful of fresh vegetables cannot be bought with money. The old emperor gave it to important officials before. The green vegetables, which one is not wilted, are definitely not as green as the ones I gave them, they are so emerald green.
"Alright, although this gift is not heavy, it is meant." Li Mingzhu nodded, and said: "A few years ago, the Cui family failed to win Prime Minister Shen, and the Shen family just gave an ordinary painting. Most of the important ministers in the court who are unwilling to stand in line are also like this."
"Let's leave this matter as it is. There hasn't been any major events in the court recently. After this incident, you should rest for a while..." Li Yi told her a few words, got up and said, "I'll go back first, and the soup is boiling at home." , it should be almost..."
I don't know if it's because she is about to give birth in two months, but Ruyi has lost her appetite recently, and he has developed several new soups, which not only nourish the fetus, but also have the effect of appetizing.
Li Mingzhu sent him to the gate of the hall, and suddenly asked: "You came here recently, why didn't you bring soup?"
"Forget it, it doesn't seem to have any effect, so I won't wear it in the future..." Li Yi shook his head and sighed.
"When you come next time, bring some more. I really like that soup."
Her body froze slightly, she said something in a calm tone, then turned around and walked back to the bedroom.
In front of the bed, the eldest princess of Jingguo, who was the first to personally lead the government and supervise the country on behalf of the monarch, took off her coat and loosened her corset a little...
From the past few days, if the corset is as tight as before, I will be a little out of breath.
…
Every August, there are two great events in Kyoto.
One of them is of course the Mid-Autumn Festival night on August 15th. This is a carnival for all the people in Kyoto. There is no curfew on Mid-Autumn Festival night.
Although Cui Guifei's birthday is far from comparable to the Mid-Autumn Festival, the curfew is only postponed by an hour for the convenience of guests, but every August 23rd, only the carriages and sedan chairs lined up in front of Cui's house will occupy At least two streets.
The night had just shrouded, and there were two people walking on the crowded street, one of them looked forward and opened his mouth in surprise.
"My lord, on Concubine Cui Guifei's birthday last year, the guests' cars and sedan chairs were already lined up here, right?"
County Magistrate Liu nodded and said, "I remember that this year is one less street than last year."
Catcher Zhao thought for a while and said, "It's no wonder that at this time last year, His Royal Highness the King of Shu was still in the capital, and many officials naturally had to look at His Highness the face of the King of Shu..."
County magistrate Liu did not continue, but he knew in his heart that even if the King of Shu was still in the capital today, the scene in front of the Cui Mansion would not be much better than it is now.
Because of the cars parked here last year, some of their owners died, some were imprisoned, some were ransacked, some were exiled, and some felt that this year and the future, there will be no It is necessary to come.
Zhao Butou didn't continue this topic, and asked again: "Sir, should I put down the gift this year and go in and sit for a while before leaving?"
County magistrate Liu shook his head and said, "Tonight, you waited outside for a while, and you have to get back some of your capital after giving such a generous gift..."
At this time, there were not many guests in front of the Cui Mansion, so County Magistrate Liu walked over and handed over the gift list.
A servant of Cui's mansion flipped through it a few times, then immediately bowed and said, "Master Liu, please..."
…
In a certain side hall of the Cui Mansion, Cui Qingze, the Patriarch of the Cui family, was holding a thin book in his hand, with a slightly gloomy expression on his face.
"Is that all?"
The servants of the Cui family beside him said in panic, "That's all."
In the back, a middle-aged man stood up, with an extremely gloomy face, "All? The number of people who came to the mansion this year is not even half of that of last year. They really thought that my Cui family would collapse if His Highness went to Shuzhou !"
Another voice came from behind, "Could it be that many people are on the way before the time?"
It's just that this voice is extremely low, it seems that even the owner of the voice knows that he has no confidence in saying this sentence.
"In the past year, too many things have indeed happened." Cui Qingze put down the roster in his hand, took a deep breath, and said, "Don't mention this matter again, the empress is coming soon, let's get ready..."
Today's Cui family is not as lively as in previous years, and the mansion is still full of people. Although the Shu king's family is temporarily in a downturn, they are still a force that cannot be ignored in the court.
Some important guests would naturally not be with most of them. In another quiet hall, compared with other places in the mansion, the environment was much quieter.
"Your Majesty attaches great importance to filial piety. This time, your Majesty is not allowed to return to the capital on this empress's birthday. The paper that was jointly presented by the Ministry of Rituals was knocked down as soon as it was handed in. Now the eldest princess is allowed to manage the government and supervise the country. You say, Your Majesty's heart, What do you think?"
There were only a few people in the hall, and the one who spoke at this time was the Minister of Rites.
"It seems that the last time His Highness did such a thing, it really touched His Majesty's rebellious scales. Alas, I don't know who gave His Highness the idea, and I didn't know it at all, otherwise—the matter wouldn't be troublesome. to such an extent."
"This year, how much we have lost, you have also seen that today's Cui Mansion is completely incomparable to what it was a year ago."
"Now they want to build academies and support poor families. Whether it is the court or the people, our influence cannot continue to be stable..."
…
Every year on the birthday of Concubine Cui Gui, the officials and dignitaries who have turned to the King of Shu gather together. It is a critical day for the whole family of the King of Shu to plan a big event together. Several people in the hall were communicating in low voices. At a certain moment, someone suddenly raised his head and asked: "Now that His Highness is in a difficult situation, what advice does Minister Zeng have?"
Several people cast their gazes over.
Although the Zeng family has only risen in recent years, its foundation is still shallow, and it cannot be compared with families like the Cui family and the Chen family, but Zeng Shichun is really powerful to the extreme. They have worked together for so many years, and they have already made a deep sense of this meeting.
Ever since he stepped into the hall, Zeng Shichun, who had been sitting there just drinking tea, raised his head when he heard the words, looked around in a daze, nodded and said: "Tea is good tea, not bad... Mr. Chen, what do you think?" ?”
Chen Chong picked up the teacup, took a sip, and said calmly, "What Mr. Zeng said is very true. This tea is not bad."
As soon as the words were finished, there was a loud noise from outside, someone from Cui's residence hurried in to report that the imperial concubine had arrived.
…
"Sanggong, can you really tell so much from single eyelids and double eyelids?" Ruyi looked at Li Yi and asked in surprise when she heard him talk about certain things during a routine bedtime story. .
"In fact, many things in this world have rules to follow." Li Yi smiled and helped her tuck the quilt, and said: "It's not difficult to verify this, you just need to find some parents who are single-eyed, Just look at their kids."
Ruyi thought for a while, and then said in surprise: "It's true, in the Liuye Village, there were a few couples with single eyelids, and their children really don't seem to have double eyelids..."
She looked at Li Yi, and said with a smile: "However, there is no one who has nothing to do on weekdays and always stares at other people's eyelids. How boring it is, and how careful it takes to discover these laws... But, how did Mr. Xiang find out?" of?"
"That's not necessarily true." Li Yi shook his head and said, "Maybe there are people who are both careful and boring..."
Cui Mansion.
When the elegant and luxurious Concubine Cui Gui walked from the front, the visitors stood on both sides, nodding their heads slightly, and one person quietly raised his head in the innermost part of the crowd.