Daming prepares the emperor

"Master, sir?"

"Huh?" Li Shanchang opened his eyes, as if he was suddenly awakened from sleep, and a suspicious voice came out of his nose.

Mrs. Chen put down the tea in her hand, frowned and said, "Master, what are you thinking? Look at your paper, there is quite a big piece of ink dripping on it."

Li Shanchang looked down and saw a glaring mark on the paper, he couldn't help but let out a long sigh, rolled up the paper and threw it aside, put the brush aside, and stopped writing.

"Master, are you tired?" Mrs. Chen walked over gently, pressed his shoulders for him, and said softly, "The superior has given you a holiday these days, logically speaking, you shouldn't be tired. It must be the previous day Fatigue has accumulated over the past few days."

Li Shanchang leaned back, leaned on the back of the wooden chair, and said tiredly: "Madam, I'm not tired physically, but tired in the heart. Over there..."

"What's wrong over there?" Mrs. Chen gradually moved her hand to his temple, and while pressing, she asked with concern, "Since the king of Ming conferred the title of Prime Minister Zuo of Jiangnan and other places, he has also mentioned you as a ceremonial attendant." , those later staff members are all headed by the master, the husband is proud of everything, how can he be troubled?"

Li Shanchang heard that she was comforting himself, forced a smile, took her hand off her head, held it in his hand and stroked it carefully, and said: "The superior has a strong desire to control and does not allow others to make irresponsible remarks. He told us to go East, let’s not talk about going west, even if it’s a little bit off. This is still the beginning of the great cause, and the days to come may be even more difficult.”

"Besides, he's still narrow-minded." Li Shanchang laughed shortly. "Anyone who disobeys him, don't look at him in a calm manner, will definitely remember it in his heart. He is always a poor peasant. He doesn't care about small details, but he is actually very careful, he knows exactly what we people think."

"It's not only clear, but I'm afraid it will play us in the palm of our hands!"

Chen's face was still gentle, with a kind of maternal care and relief, and said with a smile: "That's why the superior is the superior. Since ancient times, there is no one who can achieve great things who is not ruthless, and heroes in troubled times are even more ruthless. Master followed If you are a leader, if you have the merits of being a dragon, you will definitely take risks. Isn't it like this in everything you do?"

Li Shanchang sighed again: "I know. I'm worried about the newcomers."

"Song Lian?"

"This person is pedantic, he only cares about learning, and it's nothing to worry about."

"Ye Chen?" Chen made another guess.

"Not right either."

"That's Liu Bowen."

"That's right." Li Shanchang closed his eyes, and Liu Ji's face with a slight smile appeared in his mind, "This person is proficient in metaphysics, can observe astrology, can deduce the changes of ancient and modern times, and his literary talent is not inferior to mine. It is far beyond, and I am worried that the superior will reuse him and neglect me."

Mrs. Chen listened carefully, still massaging him gently with her hands.

"The high-ranking young master is very close to him."

"Eldest son? Didn't the eldest son already worship Song Lian as his teacher?"

"Young Master and Song Lian are studying Confucianism, but with Liu Ji, you may be learning something."

The light cast a big shadow on Li Shanchang's face, he said slowly: "In my opinion, the high-ranking prince is very unusual."

"What's unusual?"

Li Shanchang seemed to have thought of something, and the emotions in his eyes were ups and downs. In the end, he didn't say anything. He swallowed back the words he was going to tell Chen Shi, and just smiled: "Madam didn't notice?"

"One thing, I just don't know if it's right or not."

"Go ahead, madam."

"Although there are many concubines in the superior position, in my opinion, the only woman he really cares about is the madam." Chen Shi said, "In the view of the superior, I am afraid that only the madam and the eldest son belong to his family. They are Zhu Yuanzhang's wife and son. The others are the marshal's wife and children."

Li Shanchang smiled: "That makes sense."

Chen continued: "However, master, your advantages are also very prominent."

"What advantage do I have?"

"Master is clear." Chen said softly, "It's cold, you should wear more, I'll ask someone to bring some new charcoal over."

"You, make it clear—go."

Before Chen went out, she was suddenly stopped by Li Shanchang.

"Madam—" Li Shan said long, "Madam's rouge and gouache seem to be running out. I see that the time-honored brand in the city has some new products. Why don't you go and choose some other day."

Mrs. Chen was already middle-aged. After hearing these words, a few thin crow's feet appeared in the corners of her eyes, and there was a happy smile in her eyes. She said "Hello" softly, and closed the door.

There was a soft closing sound.

Li Shanchang was the only one left in the room again. He picked out the wick and sat down again.In no one's place, all the exhaustion and tenderness that he showed to his wife just now were taken back, and only conspiracy and calculation remained on his face, like an old fox.

He planned to make a trip for Liu Ji.

Treacherous, fickle, judicious, and selfish at the expense of others.This is his advantage.

Outside the door, Mrs. Chen hadn't left yet. Seeing the silhouette reflected in the window sitting down at the table, and watching the lights turn on for a few minutes, she was relieved to go away.

She has always been very confident in her husband, a "monster" who has become a spirit.Even if you are tired, no one else can move.In her heart, this marriage has always been a blessing from God.

Isn't his advantage cunning?

"I won't marry! This blessing is for you! This blessing is for you!"

At this time, deep in the south of the city, a mouse was whimpering and crying bitterly.

It doesn't even have half confidence in its husband.

This is an underground catacomb. It is unknown which dynasty or prince it belongs to. The rats have lived here for a long time, so long that each ear chamber has been enlarged by more than twice.

In the room with the best location, an oil lamp was lit on the ground.

The oil lamp was placed in the corner, and its body was about the same size as this snow-white crying mouse. It emitted a steady and continuous flame, but it only illuminated the miserable appearance of this mouse more clearly, and did not bring any light to it. the warmth.

It was lying on a stone bed the size of a stool, curled up, its head curled up in the pink silk quilt covering it, sobbing so much that the quilt was more than half wet.

"Daughter, I don't want you to marry either." There was another mouse with a gray beard sitting on the bedside, "But, if you don't marry me, we're all doomed!"

"Father, you are worthless." The white mouse rolled up the pillow at the head of the bed with its tail, threw it on the bearded mouse, and said in pain, "You are worthless! Father!"

The bearded mouse froze for a moment, its body seemed to be bent suddenly, and it whispered, "Tiantian, I really...me!"

It got up angrily, clenched and loosened its paws, as if it had made up its mind to find someone to fight to the death, but suddenly lost courage and became decadent.

"Tiantian, you have been different from Bieshu since you were a child." The bearded mouse hesitated, "I thought, it might like your snow-white fur."

Tiantian, that is, the white mouse sneered: "Like my fur? It will definitely like it, it must like it enough to eat me, and then peel off my skin to dry!"

Liu Laoxu shuddered, and said with a wry smile: "Not necessarily, not necessarily..."

"It's a matter of course for a cat to eat a mouse. Why doesn't it eat me? Why?" Tears came out of the white mouse's dark eyes again, "Who would marry it because the food looks good?"

Liu Laoxu didn't speak.

The white mouse said again: "Father, tell me! I'll make you a purple rice, and you should marry it! Let me see if you marry me?"

Liu Laoxu stomped his feet and said: "Can this be the same, can this be the same, sweet, I have asked Zhongshan's Huang Xiuzhu to be a matchmaker this time, you marry it, and cultivate a human form as soon as possible, you won't suffer!"

When the white mouse heard it, it almost fainted, and cried: "You still asked that weasel? Weasels also eat mice. What should you do with your daughter?"

"We can't afford to offend these two." Liu Laoxu gritted his teeth, "If you don't marry, then the cat will eat up our family of five mice a day, half of our rat country will be wiped out in one month, three months. The country is about to perish, and if the country perishes, everything will be over! Even if it's for your father and me...you have to marry!"

The white mouse wept sadly, but said nothing more.

Liu Laoxu's eyes were softer, with helpless relief in the pain, he sat for a long time before slowly going out and closing the door for his daughter.

The moment the door closed, the two mice inside and outside the door cried like the sky was falling.

Liu Laoxu cried for a long time, until it was dawn, and then he put down his arm, and blood dripped all over the ground - it turned out that it was afraid that his crying would be heard by his daughter, so he bit it with two long front teeth. I dared to cry when I hurt my arm. After a long time, the wound was deep.

It tidied up, wiped off the blood on the door of the white mouse, and slowly returned to its room.After crying for a long time, it almost lost its breath and couldn't walk steadily.

The two mouse servants at the door bowed respectfully, one on the left and one on the right to open the door for it.

The inside of the door is resplendent and magnificent, the floor tiles are paved with gold, the walls are inlaid with beautiful jade, grains are placed on silver plates, and wine is placed in porcelain jugs.

Liu Laoxu stepped into a smaller room. Although this room was smaller, it was the real treasure room.It picked up a bag, and with a wave of its hand, all the countless gold, silver and jewels in the room were lined up and flew into the small bag one by one.Liu Laoxu carried it behind his back and tied it in a knot in front of his chest.

With the burden on his back, the mouse tied a flowered scarf on his head to keep warm, and hurried out the door.

In fact, there was one more thing it kept from its daughter. The weasel promised to be a matchmaker, but it had to pass by its territory on the way to see off its relatives.This seems to be one thing, but it is actually two troubles.

Liu Laoxu could only find someone to help.

As the sun rises, the sun shines on the snow, and the snow reflects it, illuminating the entire long street clear and bright.The cold wind whizzed past and blew on Liu Laoxu's fur, making him tremble with the cold.

After only a short while to get used to it, it got out of the hole completely, stepped on the icy snow, ran on all fours, and went straight ahead.

Ahead lies the light of dawn.

"sit down."

Liu Chubai sat down.

"stand up."

Liuchubai stood up on two legs.

Zhu Biao reached out and drew a circle.

Liu Chubai immediately followed, chasing his tail around in a circle.

"Go, pick it up."

A palm-sized cloth ball was thrown into the yard, covered in snow, rolled many times, and fell into the lawn.

Six out of nowhere went to pick up the ball again.Asking it to do this kind of thing is really a bit condescending, but Zhu Biao only played these games with Liu Chubai because he wanted to improve his tacit understanding and kill the boring time in winter.

If conditions are possible, he even wants to make a frisbee or a bone toy or something.

Ma Xiuying held the lantern that Zhu Yuanzhang brought back last night, and hung it on the branch with a smile, watching the silhouettes inside change back and forth.

Liu Chubai came back from the lawn with the ball in his mouth, and when he passed under the tree, he carefully lowered his head to avoid the hanging light spikes, fearing that he would get a lesson by dirtying it.

It has to be said that Zhu Yuanzhang's prestige has become more and more serious, and his temper has become more and more one-sided. Although Liu Chubai has not yet become a monster, he is instinctively afraid of him.

"Mom, aren't you sleepy?"

"Not sleepy." Ma Xiuying opened the curtain to enter the door, looked at Zhu Biao who was sitting on the steps, and said something to him intentionally, don't freeze his butt, remembering that the child is in good health, she gave up and said, "Last night." Although it takes longer to watch the New Year's Eve, I'm not too busy, so I can't say I'm tired."

Zhu Biao nodded, touched Liu Chubai's head, fed a handful of jerky, and threw the ball out again.

"Wang Wang!"

This time the ball was thrown a bit far, and Liu Chubai came back after a while. When it came back, Zhu Biao was staring at the sky in a daze, and took what was in Liu Chubai's mouth without bowing his head.

Fluffy and a little hot.

Well, throw it again...

Zhu Biao suddenly lowered his head and looked at the things in his hands.

Liu Chubai actually brought back a mouse for him.The mouse was shivering with a bundle and a turban, and even straightened its four legs, pretending to be dead like a hard bench.

"...Xiao Liu, what did you pick up?"

On Liuchubai's dog, Zhu Biao saw the tangled expression of first being dazed, then stunned, lowering his head, frowning and disgusted, as if he didn't even know what he had brought back.

Then the mouse moved and jumped out of Zhu Biao's hand, jumping three feet high, shaking his beard and clasping his fists, he said: "This, this lord, this is Liu Laoxu, the rat king of the Rat Kingdom in the south of the city. "

The rat king of the rat kingdom?

Immediately, Zhu Biao thought of the rats that had increased recently, hummed, and asked without changing his face, "What do you want from me?"

Liu Laoxu was overjoyed, he had doubts about Zhu Biao when he was still young, but now he found that he was calm and composed, and it would not be too bad, so his confidence suddenly increased, and he was ready to tell the whole story.