Half a month later, Mu Zhiming returned to the capital, and his mother Gong Shi and Cai Wei learned of the news of his return to Beijing, and they were waiting in front of the mansion early this morning.
Mu Zhiming visited his parents, told them what he had seen and heard in the frontier, and decided to go back to the east wing to rest after entering the palace tomorrow morning to see the sage. After Caiwei was busy, she didn't dare to neglect for a moment. Mu Zhiming went back to the house with her. A young servant hurried over with a copper basin full of hot water. When Caiwei saw it, her brows furrowed: "Why are your hands and feet so unfavorable?"
The boy panicked and apologized again and again.
"It's alright, you can go down." Caiwei waved her hands, cleaned up the ground, took a clean silk cloth and soaked it in hot water, then wrung it dry, and wiped her cheeks and hands for the dusty Mu Zhiming
Mu Zhiming wondered, "I've only left for half a year, why are there so many new faces in the mansion?"
Cai Wei smiled and said: "Young master, what do you know, the seventh prince was crowned king a few days ago, and the mansion is located next to the imperial city. Madam was worried that the people next to him would not be comfortable serving him when he first came out of the palace, so she selected dozens of smart people in the house. The clever little servant girl went over, so we have fewer people, and the old housekeeper brought in a lot of people yesterday."
"I see." Mu Zhiming nodded and asked softly after pondering: "Then... Is the fifth prince also a king?"
Caiwei nodded and replied, "Yes."
"The day is really getting closer..." Mu Zhiming was worried and whispered. "What day?". Cai Wei was puzzled. "Nothing." Mu Zhiming raised his head. "Young master, take a rest earlier, look at you, you were already thin, but now you have lost a lot of weight after going to the frontier. Hey, don't say that Madam is distressed, I see it, and I feel..." Caiwei sighed. . "It's not that exaggerated." Mu Zhiming smiled, "Don't worry, I'll raise it back in a few days when I go home. "
Caiwei wiped his face and hands for him, and helped him untie his hair crown: "I'll ask the cook tomorrow to make her more dishes that you like!"
Although the winter in the capital is also freezing to the bone, the Mu family's mansion is full of ambiguous feelings because of the reunion, and even the two stone lions at the door are covered with crimson cloaks.
The next day, Mu Zhiming went to the palace to meet the sage, and reported all the investigations on the frontier. The sage was furious when he heard that, and ordered twelve inspectors to go to the frontiers to investigate the tax collection without authorization, and to eliminate corrupt officials and corrupt officials.
And Mu Zhiming was rewarded with silk gold and silver for his great deeds, and he was awarded the post of servant of the Ministry of Rites.
After leaving Xuande Hall, Mu Zhiming went to Fengyi Palace to meet with the concubine. Fengyi Palace is as always full of flowers, even in this severe winter, you can see the cold plums in the courtyard like Qiongzhi from a distance, with a warm fragrance, the imperial concubine is still graceful and elegant, bright and moving, when I heard Mu Zhiming came, she trotted with her skirt Greeting him at the front of the palace, it seems that no amount of time can wear away her agility: "Little Li Zhu, you are back!"
"My concubine, I haven't seen you for a long time." Mu Zhiming bowed and wanted to salute, but was dragged into the palace by the concubine: "Little Lizhu, why are you still estranged from me after not seeing you for half a year? What salute, come in quickly~"
Speaking of which, the noble concubine took Mu Zhiming to the golden thread embroidered peony cushion in the inner hall, pressed him to sit down, and ordered the palace servants to take melons and fruits to eat with him: "I've been suffocating these days, you tell me Talking about the frontier, is it fun there?"
"It's fun, but it's also very cold." Mu Zhiming relaxed and stopped being polite. He took out a small wooden box from his arms and held it in both hands, "Niangniang, this is what I brought back from the frontier town, I don't know. Will you like it?"
"Bring it to me and see." The concubine said with a smile.
The palace servant waiting beside. He stepped forward and took the small wooden box from Mu Zhiming's hand and handed it to the imperial concubine. She took it with a smile and opened it.
There are three little clay figurines in the wooden box, dressed in exotic northern costumes. The workmanship is not exquisite, but it is more interesting. It seems that you can see the vast and vast scenery outside the Great Wall.
The imperial concubine held the clay figurine happily and couldn't put it down: "Oh! It's so cute! Sure enough, Xiaoli Zhu understands me!"
Mu Zhiming said: "I heard from my father when I was young, that when you were young, you liked to travel the world alone, collect exotic and strange things, and make your grandfather's nose crooked."
The imperial concubine covered her lips and smiled and said, "Yes, they all say that I am a girl, and I can run around everywhere, and I am in a good way, but I don't care what they say, I just go wherever I want. Qing Wan is..."
Suddenly, her voice dropped, as if thinking of something, her thoughts were erratic, and her words were so weak that they were almost inaudible,
But unrestrained.
Mu Zhiming called to her softly, "Niangniang?"
"Ah." The imperial concubine came back to her senses and smiled softly: "It's alright, I thought of the past days! Xiaolizhu, tell me what you have seen and heard, I am still in the north of Baicheng. Haven't been there!"
On that day, the vermilion palace walls were deeply locked with plums, and the snow-capped courtyard was empty. Inside the Fengyi Palace, Mu Zhiming vividly told Mu Qingwan about the customs outside the desert fortress.
Until Mu Zhiming saluted and left, the concubine was still unfulfilled, and reluctantly took his hand and asked him to come back to the palace to see him next time. Mu Zhiming responded three times in a row before the concubine let him go.
After Mu Zhiming left the Fengyi Palace, he bumped into Doctor Kuang in the corridor. Doctor Kuang was probably dizzy, so he shouted at Mu Zhiming, "Prince Concubine?"
Mu Zhiming hurriedly grabbed him, stopped Doctor Kuang from salute, and said with a loud laugh, "Doctor Kuang, I know that I look similar to the concubine, but I'm not at the point where I can admit my mistake, right?"
"Hey Yoyo, I'm really dizzy and dizzy." Dr. Kuang took a closer look, patted his forehead repeatedly, annoyed, and his old face turned red, "It's Li Zhu, you came back from the frontier outside the frontier?"
"Yes." Mu Zhiming bowed to Doctor Kuang, "Why did you come to Fengyi Palace all of a sudden? Could it be that... the imperial concubine is not feeling well, but I just met her, and she looks very energetic."
Dr. Kuang hesitated for a moment, grabbed Mu Zhiming's wrist, and lowered his voice: "Li Zhu, you have been close to the imperial concubine since you were a child, you are not an outsider, so I will tell you that it was the sage who ordered me to check the pulse of the imperial concubine. ."
"Huh?" Mu Zhiming wondered, "Why?"
"Oops... Mother's belly, it doesn't live up to its expectations." Doctor Kuang said helplessly, "It's been so many years, there's been no movement."
Mu Zhiming was slightly startled.
It's really weird to think about it. After the imperial concubine has been in the palace for so many years, the saint's wholehearted favor with her has not been reduced by half, but the two of them, except for Fu Ji'an, have no pearls.
"Because of this, the emperor has been anxious for a few years. Hey, I won't tell you more." Dr. Kuang waved, "I have to go to Fengyi Palace."
The two said their goodbyes, and Mu Zhiming continued to walk outside the palace. He didn't know what his fortune was today, and he bumped into another person before taking two steps.
This time I met Fu Yi.