"Haha, Uncle Bao! I'm not wrong, your Sanlang is indeed a rare talent!" Li Shimin said with a smile, "He can brew fairy wine, play good music, and write such good calligraphy. Versatility is rare!”
Qin Shubao was also surprised and delighted. He cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, you are ridiculously complimenting me. A dog can't be good at literature and martial arts. It's hard for him to get into the palace with some rudimentary tricks. How can he be talented?"
"Don't be too modest." Li Shimin asked the attendant to carefully collect the music score, looked at Qin Mubai with a smile, and said, "Qin Sanlang, you are outstanding with your unique skills, and you are also a general after a famous official. Have you ever thought that To survive the consequences in the future?”
"Reply to Your Majesty. I have been ordered to go home to serve my sick father, so I won't think of him for the time being." Qin Mubai replied.
"The treacherous son is confused!" Qin Shubao scolded him sternly, "A man has ambitions in all directions. My father has not passed away and I don't need you to keep filial piety. There are many servants in the house, why do you need to serve him?"
"What father teaches is that children know their mistakes." Qin Mubai accepted it with his hand, but secretly laughed in his heart: interesting. I played hard to get, and my father beat the snake with a stick and helped me sing the chorus. We, father and son, even played a double act in front of the emperor.
"Haha, filial piety comes first. Qin Sanlang is not wrong!" Li Shimin smiled, nodded and thought for a while, and said, "Originally, when I saw that you had a skill, I wanted you to enter the Taile Department of Taichang Temple. As a palace musician, but on second thought, it is not appropriate for you to be a troupe actor because you are born in a royal family and have a transcendent status. Moreover, I arrange other official positions for you, and you must go to the palace yamen from time to time to handle errands. I am afraid it will be a problem. It affects your service to your father. Therefore, although I am interested in promoting you, why don't you tell me what job you want?"
Blank cheque? - Qin Mubai couldn't help but feel a little excited, and it was a signed blank check issued by the emperor, with the amount filled in by himself!
Qin Shubao was silent on the sidelines. It was obviously difficult for him to express any opinions at this time, otherwise it would look a bit artificial and overdone. I had to wait and see what happened and let my son deal with it on his own.
Qin Mubai thought in his mind: Today's actors and actresses are not as popular as the film and television stars of the 21st century. They are the lowest and lowest class of people, and they cannot even be ranked among the four major classes of "officials, farmers, industry and commerce"; besides, since the Tang Dynasty, Li Shimin really thought carefully about governing the country with benevolence and filial piety. Now that he has written a blank check, what grade and position should I ask for as an official? ... I’m troubled, I’m not too familiar with the official system of the Tang Dynasty!
Just as Qin Mubai was thinking in embarrassment, Li Ke, who had been listening silently, seemed to see his difficulty. He stood up and bowed his hands and said, "Father, I have something to say."
"speak."
"Thank you, Father." Li Ke said, "There happens to be a vacancy in Erchen's house. The seventh-grade Dongge sacrificial wine should be suitable for Qin Mubai. The Dongge wine sacrificial affairs are not busy, and the Erchen's house is far away from Qin Mubai." The mansion is not far away, and Qin Mubai can still go back to serve Duke Yi after midnight every day. Moreover, it is not inconvenient for his father to study under him, but it is okay for his son to serve as an official in his house. You can learn winemaking, folk art and calligraphy from him, and you can also compete with him in martial arts and archery and listen to Duke Meng Yi's instructions. This is better than letting your son idle around all day long and ask for your permission."
"Huh? Ke'er's suggestion is a good one." Li Shimin thought for a while and nodded, "It's just that the Dongge sacrificial wine from the seventh grade has a low official position and a sparse salary. I wonder what you, father and son, think about it?"
"Quizi has no talent, no morals, and no achievements. He was just a soldier in the army. Wei Chen thinks that even giving him an official position from the ninth rank to the next is too flattering, and will make Wei Chen feel ashamed and uneasy." Qin Shubao bowed his hands and bowed solemnly. , "Moreover, I am worried that the dog's stubbornness and incompetence will make him qualified for the post of offering wine in the East Pavilion of Prince Wu's Mansion? Your Majesty and the King of Wu should think again."
"Uncle Bao, you are just too modest." Li Shimin smiled indifferently, turned around and said, "Qin Sanlang, have you ever been willing?"
"Your Majesty has decreed the grace of the King of Wu, and I deeply appreciate it. I am just worried that I have never served as an official before and am not qualified for the job. I am afraid that I will not be able to convince the public if I accept the official position without merit." Qin Mubai said.
"Haha, you are really a father and son inherited by blood. You have the common problem of being too modest." Li Shimin smiled, "Who would have any objections to the title of the seventh-grade Dongge sacrificial wine in the Prince's Palace for the descendants of my meritorious ministers? No one is. You will be an official when you are born, learn it! - That’s it, Qin Mubai, I will personally appoint you as the Prince of Wu’s East Pavilion, and you can take office at any time as long as your father Qin Shubao allows it!”
"Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty. Long live, long live, long live my emperor!" The father and son were bowing down, and the mountain shouted thanks.
"I'm free of charge!" Li Shimin said with a happy smile, "Come on, let's continue the banquet! I also want to hear this piece of music. Qin Mubai, just play it again!"
"Wei Chen obeys the order!"
In the blink of an eye, Qin Mubai's self-proclaimed status changed from a villain to a humble minister.
During the banquet, they drank and talked happily, pipa music floated over the Qin Mansion, and Emperor Li Shimin's hearty laughter could be heard from time to time. The imperial guards at the gate of the palace and the palace people thought together: Since the death of Empress Changsun, the emperor probably has not laughed like this for at least half a year. To be so happy today, the Qin Mansion must receive great grace.
It wasn't until nightfall that Li Shimin took Li Ke to say goodbye and left. Both father and son drank a lot of "Qin Xianjiu" and were a little wobbly when walking.
After seeing the emperor off, Qin Shubao and Qin Mubai let out a long sigh of relief.
"Sanlang, come to my father's room to talk."
The father and son entered the room. Qin Shubao looked at Qin Mubai's rare gentle smile and said, "Sanlang, do you blame your father for his harsh criticism and prejudice against you in the past?"
"Where did my father start talking about this?" Qin Mubai cupped his hands and said with a smile, "If my father didn't criticize and prejudice me in the past, it would be wrong."
"Oh, why?"
"As the saying goes, it is the son's fault if he does not teach his father." Qin Mubai said, "The child has been naughty and unruly in the past and has done many things that harm the father's face and reputation. The father must correct him, otherwise he will be indulgent and doting. From this point of view, , you are a good father.”
"Haha, good! You have been away from home for three years. Not only have your skills greatly improved, but you have also become well-educated and knowledgeable. Good, good." Qin Shubao nodded happily, stroking his beard, and after thinking for a while, he said, "Because my father is ill. He has been suffering from illness for many years. Although he still holds the post of General Zuo Wuwei, he has long been away from the court and ignored government affairs and military matters. It is inevitable that he will leave. Obviously, the emperor is here for you today, and he is very fond of you. However, this respect is not because of your great talents, but just some tricks that are not enough to gain the emperor's private favor. If you really want to achieve great achievements in the future, You have to keep improving your civil and military skills, and there are a lot of things to learn about being an official, do you understand?"
"The child will remember his father's teachings in his heart." Qin Mubai bowed his hands and said, "The child knows that just relying on some strange skills and tricks is not enough to settle down and live in peace. If the child is born in a prosperous age and is a general, he will definitely work hard and make progress day by day. , I don’t dare to be a bit naughty, lest I ruin my father’s reputation.”
"A good man's bravery in his past and his so-called 'famous life' are things of the past that are not worth mentioning." Qin Shubao waved his hand and said, "As the saying goes, 'A poor family produces a filial son, and a proud son raises a rebellious son'. You used to be a playboy. Unkind, my father really hates that iron cannot be made into steel. Now that you are so sensible, my father is very relieved. Now, my father only hopes that you can find your own way in the future, and you don’t have to rely on the emperor’s old friendship with your father. , to make a living. Friendship can be said to be the strongest bond in the world, but it can also be said to be the most insecure thing, do you understand? "
"Father, don't worry, the child understands." Qin Mubai smiled slightly and said, "The child will work hard and make progress step by step, not only to strive for a lifetime of glory, but also to bring glory to the Qin family."
Qin Mubai was startled for a moment, and looked at Qin Mubai with raised sword eyebrows. He nodded slightly and said solemnly: "Have great ambitions, okay! I hope this is not just rhetoric."
"I will prove it with actions." Qin Mubai nodded and smiled, and then asked, "By the way, father, what exactly does the official position of Dongge Jijiu do?"
Qin Shubao chuckled while stroking his beard: "He is a rather idle subordinate officer of the Prince's Palace. Although he is ranked seventh grade like the general county magistrate, he does not have much real power and does not have any important errands. He is mainly responsible for receiving guests from the Palace, arranging banquets, singing and dancing, etc. matter."
Qin Mubai was stunned for a moment and sneered in his heart: Isn't that just a hotel manager? …Forget it, be content with what you have. No matter what, you have entered an official career, so take your time! Those ordinary people who studied hard and took the scientific examinations in cold weather may not be able to get a seventh-grade official position after working hard for more than ten years.
The father and son talked heartily and dispersed late at night.
Finally experiencing some of the feeling of a biological father and son, "blood is thicker than water", Qin Mubai's mood became more comfortable. When he returned to the house, he was slightly drunk and inadvertently hummed a pop song. Just as he was about to open the door, a voice came from behind: "Third brother, what kind of pornographic song are you humming?"
"Little sister?" Qin Mubai chuckled, "You're still up so late, what are you doing here?"
Qin Shuang'er stood up from the stone bench in the yard and said with a smile: "I've been waiting for you here for a long time. I want to chat with you."
"Only talking about King Wu?" Qin Mubai smiled jokingly, and Qin Shuang'er's face turned red: "Bad guy!"
"Come inside and talk."
After entering the room, the brother and sister sat down opposite each other. Qin Shuang'er was quite attentive and had prepared anti-alcohol soup for Qin Mubai to drink.
"Whoever marries a good girl like me will be truly blessed after eight lifetimes of training." Qin Mubai smiled and said, "Shuang'er, tell the truth to third brother, you and King Wu... what exactly is going on?"