Drive a RV and go farming in ancient times.

After putting down the gifts for Mr. Jiang and Dr. Jiao, Xu Huaiyi finally had time to return to the backyard, and the couple were finally able to have a few private words.

The maids obviously misunderstood and thought that the two hadn't seen each other for such a long time, so they must be affectionate first. When they closed the door, they smiled quite ambiguously.

Gu Huanxi, "..."

This is embarrassing and cannot be explained.

But Xu Huaiyi was quite cooperative and came over to be affectionate, saying some cheesy words and acting dishonestly, "Wife, we have to accept their kindness..."

Gu Huanxi pinched his waist twice in annoyance and complained speechlessly, "Didn't you make enough noise last night? It's broad daylight now, be serious."

Xu Huaiyi withdrew his hand and slumped down on the couch. He relaxed like a boneless person, still jokingly saying, "Why should I be serious with my wife? If I get serious, you'll start to cry..."

"roll!"

"hey-hey……"

After the couple chatted for a while, they got down to business. When Gu Huanxi heard him say that he was assassinated again before entering the city gate, his face turned very ugly. "Pingyuan Bodu had a stroke, but Meng Yao still refuses to give up? Isn't she too arrogant? She dared to take action under the feet of the emperor. Who does she take seriously?"

Xu Huaiyi said, "She is fearless because she has the elixir hanging on her shoulders. She is sure that Emperor Jianxing will protect her forever. Haha, she is not only a lunatic, but also a fool. She really thinks that the emperor has such a good temper! She has repeatedly challenged the majesty of the court. Emperor Jianxing must remember it. Even if I don't deal with her, sooner or later, Emperor Jianxing will take her life."

After a pause, he said thoughtfully, "I don't know how long I have to wait if I rely on Emperor Jianxing, so I have to do it myself. But before that, I can add fuel to the fire. It would be best if Meng Yao's rampant behavior can arouse public anger and hit Emperor Jianxing's bottom line. This way, when I take action again, it will be much smoother."

When a person is disliked by those around her and even the emperor is annoyed by her, then isn't her death what everyone wants?

Who will care then?

It was much easier for him to get away.

Gu Huanxi asked curiously, "How do you add fuel to the fire?"

Xu Huaiyi smiled evilly and said, "What do you think about me acting out a murder scene at the banquet tonight? Will it cross the bottom line of Emperor Jianxing?"

Gu Huanxi's eyes lit up when he heard this, "Put the blame on Meng Yao?"

Xu Huaiyi nodded, "Others may not be sure who the murderer is, but Emperor Jianxing must know. I was poisoned by Ninja at the merit banquet. Who would Emperor Jianxing think of first? It must be Meng Yao. The palace is his territory. Meng Yao dared to jump around like this. How could he feel happy?"

"This method is good, but is it too dangerous to use?"

"No, it's better to strike first. We have the initiative, which makes us safer. Who knows if Meng Yao has any other plans to assassinate me tonight? What if she has plans too? If I steal her spot, she will have nothing to show for herself."

"Be careful."

"Well, don't worry."

Not long after Xu Huaiyi rested, he was called away by someone sent by Sun Yu. There were many things to pay attention to when attending the celebration banquet, and some rules must be kept in mind, otherwise, it would be easy to get into trouble.

Especially now that he is in the limelight, all the civil and military officials in the court are watching him. He has offended countless people, and there are people in the dark who want to kill him. It is no exaggeration to say that his situation is difficult. Therefore, every move he makes must be in accordance with the rules, and he must not give others any chance to criticize him or give them the opportunity to attack.

Xu Huaiyi went to Sun's house to cook for himself and was reminded over and over again.

Sun Yu taught him everything he knew, including how to meet the emperor, how to deal with court officials, how to interact with colleagues, how to respond to overt and covert temptations and tests, and how to avoid the common calculations at palace banquets.

Minister Sun occasionally added a few words, emphasizing that one should not easily believe the words of the eunuchs and palace maids in the palace, as they were often traps. Unless it was absolutely necessary, one should not be alone and should not meddle in other people's affairs.

The best strategy is to protect yourself!

Xu Huaiyi listened attentively.

Finally, Sun Yu reminded him of one thing, "Huai Yi, you have made the greatest contribution in this war, and no one will be dissatisfied. The emperor will definitely reward you generously. In addition to promotion, you will also receive a lot of gold, silver, jewelry, land, houses and other valuables. In addition, he may also reward you with a few maids..."

Xu Huaiyi didn't react for a moment, his eyes were blank, "Maid? What's the point of rewarding a maid? It would be much better to give it to a guard..."

Sun Yu explained, "They say they are maids, but in fact they are the ones who serve you in the room. They are trained in the palace, so they are not bad in appearance and talent, and they are also knowledgeable and tactful. This is a common practice."

"What?" Xu Huaiyi's face changed, and he said anxiously, "Disciple does not take concubines."

Sun Yu glanced at him speechlessly, "Who told you to take a concubine? Just make her a concubine. If you give birth to a boy or a girl, you can raise her status. Anyway, no matter whether you like it or not, you have to take the person back."

If he hadn't known that his apprentice was different from ordinary people in this regard, he wouldn't bother to remind him. When the emperor gave a beautiful maid as a reward, which general wouldn't happily accept it? Only his apprentice would regard such a romantic affair as a trouble that he couldn't avoid.

Xu Huaiyi still wanted to fight back, "Master, I don't need a concubine. I promised Huanxi that she is the only one in my life and I will never betray her."

Sun Yu angrily scolded, "What's the point of you agreeing? If the emperor opens his mouth, can you still disobey his order? Just accept it with a smile, otherwise, you will suffer the consequences."

"master……"

"You fool, take him home first, at worst I can just keep him and not touch him!"

Xu Huaiyi had a sad face and didn't say a word.

Seeing this, Sun Yu laughed angrily, pointed at him, and said with hatred, "Look at how little you have achieved. A real man, who doesn't have three wives and four concubines? Is it necessary for you to be so scared? After tonight, you will be a fourth-rank general, and you still can't stand up straight in the mansion?"

Xu Huaiyi said seriously, "Master, I am not henpecked. I am willing to live alone with my wife. If I really have a philandering heart and mess around outside, who in the family would know? I really don't have that intention. I just want to be with her for the rest of my life. This is my promise to my wife, and it will not change no matter we are rich or poor."

Sun Yu choked and stared at him, not knowing what to curse at him.

His apprentice's view on love was too different from the current customs and he couldn't accept it.

However, Minister Sun looked at Xu Huaiyi with some appreciation in his eyes, "Huaiyi is a man who values ​​friendship and loyalty. That's right. A gentleman honors his promise. Since you have promised, then you should keep it to the end. That daughter-in-law is also a good one. She can handle things independently at home and outside. It will be of great benefit to your career."

Hearing this, Xu Huaiyi was overjoyed and stood up to express his gratitude.

Minister Sun said with a smile, "You don't have to thank me, but I still have to say what I should say..."

At this point, he lowered his voice and said meaningfully, "Not only should you take back the person the emperor has given you, you must also be grateful. Thunder, lightning, rain and dew are all grace from the emperor, and you can only accept them well. Only in this way can you both live in peace."

This is almost saying it clearly: the emperor has given you the man to beat me, not only to serve you when you sleep, but also to monitor you. What will the emperor think if you don't take him back?

Wouldn't that make me suspect you of having bad intentions?

Can I still trust you in the future?

Xu Huaiyi understood immediately. This time he no longer looked bitter and resentful, and agreed readily.

After he left the study, Sun Yu couldn't help but complain, "Huai Yi is good in every way, but he's not generous enough in this aspect. How can a man be restrained by a woman? He's not a woman, so why should he keep his chastity? Giving him a roommate is like asking for half his life. Do you think it's worth it?"

Minister Sun glanced at him calmly and said, "That just shows what makes Huaiyi different. He has a pure heart and is purely loyal to his feelings. How rare is that for a man? As a master, you are not only not proud of this, but you even say that you are being too generous. I think it's not him who is not generous enough, but you are."

Sun Yu smiled bitterly, "How could my son be willing to scold him? I just feel sorry for him. It's not like he doesn't have the ability to take a concubine, so why bother to keep one?"

Minister Sun snorted, "You are not a fish, how do you know the joy of a fish? Some people like to enjoy the happiness of many people, while others like to drink from only one ladle out of the vast ocean. Don't judge others by your own ideas. Look at Huaiyi, do you feel aggrieved?"

Sun Yu shook his head. Actually, he was not a playboy nor did he care about women, but he really could not understand the idea of ​​being loyal to a woman.

Minister Sun said, "Since Huaiyi has no intention of accepting a beauty, you should not mention it in the future. It is a gift from the emperor, so he cannot refuse it. If it is given by other superiors or colleagues, and he is not willing to offend others by speaking out, you should help him take it and block it for him, so as not to get a reputation of being unsociable and ungrateful."

Sun Yu frowned, "Does it have to be like this?"

Minister Sun sighed, "How many people in this world can remain loyal to you no matter how rich or poor you are? You should cherish him. If he can treat his wife like this, he will treat you like this as well. You will be happy in the future."

Sun Yu's expression froze when he heard this. "You mean..."

Minister Sun said earnestly, "You know best about his performance on the battlefield. He went out for a while and was promoted to a fourth-rank general when he returned to the court. How could his future prospects be small?

Of course, his current achievements are due to your support and the protection of our Sun family, but we have contributed a little bit to it. You should also understand that most of it is due to his own ability.

His ability is self-evident, and his edge cannot be concealed. Now that he is not fighting for the time being, it will be difficult for him to gain military merit. But don't forget that the wheat will be harvested soon, and there will be high-yield treasures like corn later. Once these two things are exposed, the world will be shocked.

Such a great achievement is enough for the emperor to grant a title and make one's name go down in history. Our Sun family has been planning for a hundred years and claims to be a noble family, but we have not even got a title, let alone a name that will go down in history."

Sun Yu, "..."

So after all his time, he is still worse than his apprentice?

With broken hearts, Sun Yu and Xu Huaiyi rode to the palace for the banquet.

On the way, he hesitated several times.

Xu Huaiyi was puzzled by his gaze, "Master, what's the matter?"

Sun Yu shook his head. He didn't have the face to say that he was jealous of his own apprentice.

"Is it really okay?"

"Once you enter the palace, follow me, and don't let anyone plot against you. The mastermind behind your assassination has not been found out yet. It's not uncommon for accidents to happen at a palace banquet."

"Yes……"

It was Xu Huaiyi's first time entering the palace, and he was originally very curious. However, when he arrived at the palace gate and saw a large number of parked carriages, he lost some interest.

Entering the palace requires careful inspection and the waiting process is very long.

Just like in the previous life when we went to tourist attractions during holidays, there were crowds of people everywhere, so how could we have the heart to have fun?

Moreover, in the past, queuing was based on a first-come, first-served basis, but now there is no fairness at all. People with high status can go first, and no one dares to say anything.

First came the royal family, then the nobles and wealthy families, and then the court officials according to their rank.

By the time Xu Huaiyi came in, more than half an hour had passed and all his enthusiasm had been completely worn out.

By now, it was getting dark, so after Xu Huaiyi entered the palace, he was too lazy to look around. Everything was blurry anyway. The lanterns could at most light the way, and the scenery was like seeing flowers in the fog, not very interesting.

Seeing that he did not look away, Sun Yu thought that he remembered the rules and was very pleased.

After arriving at the palace where the banquet was held, the atmosphere became much more lively. The court officials greeted each other and talked with each other, taking this opportunity to build relationships.

As a celebrity at the celebration banquet, Xu Huaiyi was the object of everyone's acquaintance. He was very popular and many people came forward to greet him.

Xu Huaiyi responded with neither arrogance nor humility. He did not have the frivolity of a poor man who had suddenly become rich, nor the pettiness of someone who had climbed up from the bottom. On the contrary, he was calm and at ease in dealing with people, showing the demeanor of a great general.

Many people saw this and secretly marveled at it, but they put away their contempt.

There were only a few people who spoke sincerely, like Mr. Jiang's disciples. When they chatted with each other, there was no insincere compliments or tests.

Xu Huaiyi also took the initiative to pay a visit to Prime Minister Lu. He didn't want to be so high-profile and appear to be a snobbish person trying to marry into someone higher than him, but Lu Changzhi lived in his home and the two families often sent gifts to each other. Although the adults had little interaction, it would be a bit too much to turn a blind eye to it.

This action of his attracted a lot of attention, and many people were waiting to see him get humiliated. After all, all the civil and military officials in the court knew how serious Prime Minister Lu was, and he hated it most when officials fawned over him. Whenever someone approached him, at best he would give them the cold shoulder, and at worst he would reprimand them mercilessly, making them lose face.

However, Prime Minister Lu's reaction was beyond their expectations.

The man who usually had a stern face, after meeting Xu Huaiyi, his expression became noticeably gentler, with a hint of smile in his eyes. He kept him by his side and talked for a long time, and only let him go when the emperor was about to arrive.

Xu Huaiyi's seat was not at the front. After all, even though he had made great contributions, he was only a fifth-rank official before being rewarded. He felt more comfortable sitting next to several classmates from Jingwu Academy and talking to them.

As soon as he sat down, Zhao Sanyou said enviously, "Huaiyi, even Prime Minister Lu favors you. From now on, I will rely on you for my livelihood."

There has always been a clear distinction between civil and military officials, and civil officials often look down on military officials. Military officials may be good at fighting, but they do not have much say in the court, mainly because they have little education, cannot compete with them in eloquence, and are even worse at writing. They cannot beat the cunning civil officials at all, and often end up at a disadvantage.

If I could establish a relationship with Prime Minister Lu, the head of the civil officials, would I still be afraid of being bullied by the civil officials?