After Zhou Shuren waited for the retired emperor to leave, he sat motionless in deep thought. The retired emperor did not explain why the prince was performing so well now, so he could only think about it on his own.
Zhou Shuren's eyes never left the chair where the retired emperor had sat. The retired emperor had the kingdom under his butt, and now it was passed on to the emperor. When the emperor was still the crown prince, he was a thoughtful person.
Zhou Shuren realized that the more lively the prince was, the less likely the father and son would drift apart. Otherwise, both of them would be hiding something in their hearts, haha.
At the Zhou family, Zhulan received an invitation from Ning Xu's mansion to Ning Xu's birthday party.
Li took the gold-embossed post and was impressed by its grandeur. She also asked in confusion, "Didn't Lord Ning's birthdays used to be celebrated in a grand manner? Why is it being celebrated in a grand manner this year?"
Zhao pointed at Ming Jing who was running in the yard, "Because the Qin Palace has an eldest son, the second son is right in front of us."
Su Xuan waved her fan, "There are two Ninghou Mansions, and the other one has always been very low-key."
If Song had not come to her house often, she would not have seen Song at the banquet for a long time.
Zhulan peeled a handful of pine nuts and ate them in one mouthful. They were so fragrant. After her daughter-in-law had finished speaking, Zhulan spoke up, "Being low-key is the way to survive. The two Ninghou Mansions are already very high-profile. There is no need to show off your status, lest you get into trouble."
Li asked, "Mother, Lord Ningxu only has concubines and no proper hostess in his mansion, who arranged this banquet?"
Zhulan, "It must be the Song family."
It is not convenient for Xue Han to go there, not only because she has to take care of Ze'er, but also if she goes there now, rumors will spread that it is too embarrassing for the Prince Qin's Mansion to be so popular.
Zhulan looked at Li and said, "You will come with me this time."
The eldest wife will inherit the title in the future, so Zhulan would bring Li to such large occasions every year.
Li: "Yes, my daughter-in-law will go back and prepare now."
In Xuzhou, Chang Lian was at home on vacation. He and his wife looked at their little son who could already run. Chang Lian said, "Time flies by so fast. It seemed like he was only as big as a cat yesterday, but now he can run."
Dong kept smiling, watching her son with her peripheral vision, and replied, "Yes, by the way, the last time I saw Zhao Ji's wife at the prefect's banquet, there was something wrong with her. How should I put it? She was much tougher and no longer running around like a headless fly."
Chang Lian curled his lips and said, "Another imperial examination, Zhao Ji must be anxious. You also know that he has not done much in the Maritime Affairs Department in the past three years."
Another three years passed, and Zhao Ji didn't want to stay in the Maritime Affairs Bureau anymore. He wanted to go somewhere else, but he was panicking.
Dong, "Why aren't these two panicking anymore?"
Chang Lian threw back the cloth ball kicked by his son, "Because I have someone to rely on."
Mrs. Dong also continued to ask, and continued to ask that her husband would not tell her, but would worry about his own family's affairs, "What about you?"
Chang Lian lowered his voice and said, "It doesn't make much sense for me to stay in the Maritime Affairs Department. I can't get promoted. Dad and I want me to be transferred to a different place."
Dong, "Then I'm going to prepare to pack my luggage."
Chang Lian held down his wife's hand and said, "Don't worry, wait until the dust settles before cleaning up. It's not a good time to get out now."
Mrs. Dong nodded, and looked at the purse on her husband's waist again, her eyes full of tenderness, "Yuyi's needlework is getting better and better."
Chang Lian likes his eldest daughter very much. The first child is different in a special sense. The joy of being a father for the first time is always engraved in his heart. Therefore, Chang Lian favors his eldest daughter and he and his wife always read the letters from his daughter.
He was happy about his daughter's increasingly cheerful personality.
Chang Lian suddenly laughed out loud, "Among the young ladies in our family, the third one seems to be the most normal."
The daughter is the most normal. Her temperament, which should not have been taken seriously, is highlighted instead.
Mrs. Dong also laughed, "Mother said that Yuyi has become a big sister when she goes back. Sometimes when she gets angry, she will yell a few times."
Chang Lian and Dong missed their daughter. Even with the portrait, they still missed their daughter. Chang Lian said, "Wait a few days, and you can return to Beijing to wait for the day."
The round trip is not short, and it would be a bother for the two daughters. It would be a good opportunity to bring the son back to see his parents. His parents have never seen this boy since he was born.
Mrs. Dong was also thinking about going back to stay for a while. Now that Mrs. Li was at home, she had nothing to worry about. "Okay."
The next morning, Zhou Shuren got up and said to his wife, "My eyelids have been twitching for a long time. I feel like something bad is going to happen again."
Zhulan thought carefully, "It shouldn't be a big deal."
Zhou Shuren put on his shoes and said, "No, my feeling is not wrong."
This made Zhulan panic, fearing that something might happen to Mingyun while he was out.
At the morning court, after Zhou Shuren saw the prince, he realized where his uneasiness came from. The prince limped to the morning court, and Zhou Shuren was speechless. The prince's teacher was Xu Daxueshi. Oh, the Daxueshi did not come today. Ha, it was a great thing for him to teach in the palace. He must have been well-informed and was hiding.
The emperor gave him a glare, and thought, "That's why it was right not to teach the prince."
Zhou Shuren didn't look at the prince, nor did he look at the other ministers. These ministers only knew that the prince often went to see him, but they didn't know that he was helping the prince solve his problems!
So Zhou Shuren remained calm when facing the scrutinizing gaze. He found the source of his panic and his heart instantly calmed down.
After the morning court session, the emperor has been in a bad mood these days. He got angry yesterday and Zhou Shuren was left behind.
The prince was waiting in front, limping. Zhou Shuren walked so slowly that the anxious eunuch almost cried. He said in a shrill voice, "Oh, Lord Shangshu, please lift your feet a little more. I beg you."
Zhou Shuren cleared his throat and said, "Okay, I won't embarrass the eunuch anymore," and walked faster.
Zhou Shuren twitched his lips when he saw His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, "Why is Your Highness waiting for me here?"
The Crown Prince said dryly, "I'm telling you, Your Excellency. I made my father very angry yesterday. I knelt for half an hour last night."
Zhou Shuren rolled his eyes in his heart, it was too weird that the prince would kneel down obediently. Even though he was limping, he must not be injured. If he was really injured, he would not be able to attend the court.
The prince felt uncomfortable being looked at by Minister Zhou. "I didn't do anything. I just changed the shape of my father's bonsai."
Zhou Shuren stumbled, "In front of the emperor's desk?"
"Ah, isn't there just one basin in Father's study?"
Zhou Shuren, "... Is this the point?"
That bonsai was brought here, and the emperor likes it very much, so he has always taken care of it personally, and no one is allowed to touch it!
Zhou Shuren, "Hehe."
The emperor just punished him to kneel, it was a lot of noise but little action. The emperor was really upset and wanted to change the person. Haha!
The prince smiled dryly, "Well, I'll leave first."
"No, Your Highness won't go with us?"
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince smiled, and then the pain in his legs went away, and his feet became nimble again. He led the palace maids and eunuchs away and left, leaving only Zhou Shuren's outstretched hand. He had been tricked!