I heard my brother is a tyrant

Xie Dan stopped, continued to move down, and took a bite on her small earlobe.

The little girl shrank her neck and giggled, "Brother, I'm too skinny to eat, so you should pass on the meal."

Xie Dan smiled lightly and asked, "Does An An not like my brother kissing you?"

"It's not that I don't like it," Ye Chu said, "but you invited me to eat on such a hot day, and I was sweating a little after walking all the way. Once you came in, you grabbed me and kissed me endlessly."

Xie Dan hugged her and couldn't help laughing, Ye Chu felt a little helpless, always felt that her brother was a bit weird and stupid, she pushed Xie Dan away, ran to sit next to Bingjian, fanned The fan is cool.Xie Dan walked over and took the fan and fanned it for her, asking someone to pass the meal.

The Imperial Dining Room has long been ordered by Chen Lianjiang, the girl eats here at noon, and asks to cook a few light and delicate dishes.The last time the imperial dining room prepared meals for the girl was the dinner she had prepared on the day she first came to the palace. As a result, Ye Chu's appetite was poor and he didn't eat a few bites. For this reason, the imperial dining room was ridiculed by Chang Shun.

So this time, the Imperial Dining Room held back its energy and wanted to avenge its shame. When the meal was served, Xie Dan couldn't help laughing when he saw it, and the table was full of flowers.

In addition to fried shrimp with jasmine, roast pork with day lily flower, steamed sophora flower with ham and honey, and fried lotus flower and pumpkin flower.A lot of effort has been put into arranging the dishes. In addition to fresh flowers, even ingredients such as whitebait and scallops are also made into flower shapes, tempting people to have a bite.

Chen Lianjiang had heard that His Majesty and the lady didn't like to have people serving meals in front of them, so they first explained the dishes, otherwise some dishes really couldn't tell what ingredients were used.After Chen Lianjiang finished the explanation, he bowed and smiled: "Girl, there are not many waiters in the imperial dining room. I just heard that the girl doesn't eat fishy meat very much in summer and likes to eat flowers, so I tried to make some for you. Please try it anyway."

Xie Dan joked with a smile: "The imperial dining room seems to have put a lot of thought into it, but your girl is almost so good at eating flowers, she has probably eaten everything that can be eaten with flowers."

Ye Chu looked at the table and said, "I don't eat much of this pumpkin flower. I have eaten stir-fried and stewed ones before, but I have never eaten such fried ones. I have never eaten this white jade hibiscus soup either."

She picked up a pumpkin flower first.The budding pumpkin flowers are wrapped in a layer of batter and fried until crispy. The outer layer is burnt and the petals are soft. Once you bite into it, the fragrance will linger between your lips and teeth, making you want to stop.

Ye Chu tasted the dishes one by one, and he was half full after eating, so he turned his eyes to the bowl of soup that looked very beautiful.This soup has a nice name called Baiyu Furong Soup. Baiyu is tofu and hibiscus is hibiscus. The soup base is stewed with crucian carp. The soup is milky white and fresh, and it combines the sweetness of hibiscus. It is delicious to drink in summer The taste is much more refreshing.

"This soup is delicious." Ye Chu said with a smile.

Xie Tan asked someone to reward the cook who made the soup, Chen Lianjiang trotted out, happily went to the imperial dining room to spread the word, His Majesty almost always eats at Yuqianzhai, Chang Shun had to show off when he got the chance, The imperial dining room has long been run out of temper.

"Are you coming tomorrow?" The two of them drank tea and rinsed their mouths, and held hands to rest in the side hall. Xie Tan coaxed her, "I'm busy these days, and you don't have anything to do, why don't you come here every day Come on, let's have lunch together."

Ye Chu shook his head and said, "No, it's hot, and you have ministers here."

Xie Dan said: "The minister is not in the way of your business. At noon, they have their own place to eat and rest. If it is hot, you should come here early. Just come to accompany your brother. It's boring to eat alone."

It was too hot at noon, so Xie Dan didn't let her go back, and left her in the side hall to rest.After taking a nap in the afternoon, Xie Dan and several ministers went to the main hall to continue their work, while Ye Chu continued to sleep in the side hall, woke up enough to read and practice calligraphy, killing the whole afternoon.

She was in the Mingquan Palace, so Xie Dan was not in a hurry to take the political affairs back to do it. At sunset, the ministers resigned from the palace, and the two simply had dinner in the Mingquan Palace again, telling her to play in the palace and wait for him Going back together, the little girl wandered boredly to the main hall to watch him critique papers.

"Brother, are you busy with so many things every day?" she asked.

Xie Dan smiled and said: "No, there are a lot of things these days. If I usually hold my hands tightly in the afternoon, I should have finished approving these papers by now."

The little girl sat with her chin on the side and looked at it for a while, then muttered: "It can be seen that being an emperor is not so easy."

"Your brother has only been on the throne for three years, and now everything has been sorted out, and some things can be let go without doing it yourself." He stopped writing, looked at her and asked with a smile, "Do you want to help?"

The little girl pouted: "What can I do, I don't understand you."

"That pile of paperwork...Chen Lianjiang, bring that pile of paperwork to the girl." Xie Dan casually pointed and said with a smile, "You're bored anyway, why don't you approve it for me."

Chen Lianjiang's hands trembled when he heard it, the two of them said these words as if they were talking about what to eat for supper, but this, this... can this be a joke, and can others read this book, let alone approve it.

The notebooks on the case were all sorted. Although Chen Lianjiang knew that the pile of notebooks were written by officials of all sizes to express their stance and loyalty in order to investigate the affairs of the Chu family, but if the girl really drew a few strokes on it, the courtiers would How can you not see it, and I am afraid that it will cause an uproar again.

Chen Lianjiang felt a little dizzy, and he had already started to think about the scenes of the demon concubine harming the country and the veteran imperial officials crying bitterly.

However, seeing the emperor's tone didn't seem like he was joking, Chen Lianjiang wiped his sweat and apologized, "Your Majesty is joking, how can a girl criticize papers? If the girl is bored, this servant will bring you some snacks and things to play with... ..."

"It's okay, you let her approve it." Xie Dan said.

The little girl next to her protested first, and said with a wrinkled face: "I won't do it, and I don't know how to do it. Don't try to order me around."

"Just write a reading and that's it." Xie Dan said.

As he said, he really picked out a wolf hair for her, moistened the cinnabar ink and handed it to her. Ye Chu thought it was a bit amusing, so he took it with great interest, opened a memorial and read it, and wrote a lot of it eloquently. It's flattering to show loyalty, no wonder he doesn't bother to read it himself.

Ye Chu collapsed on the back of the chair laughing as he read it, and laughed, "This man is really amazing, he has a brilliant literary talent, and he wrote so many flattering words without repetition."

"I know how hard it is for your brother this time." Xie Tan sneered, and said with a smile, "Thanks to me, I didn't let them go crazy with a few good words. I really thought that I would be able to return to the world by sitting on the throne gone."

"Is it enough to write a word?" The little girl was eager to try.

"That's enough." Xie Dan replied without raising his head.

Chen Lianjiang watched in horror as the ink brush in the little girl's hand fell down, and wrote the word "read" with a big stroke of the pen. Chen Lianjiang closed his eyes in despair, opened them again, stared at the word again and again, and suddenly understood the emperor's intention. Emboldened.

The character written by the girl is really no different from His Majesty's handwriting.

Xie Tan taught Ye Chu to practice calligraphy since she was a child, and she still uses the copybooks he wrote for her. At first glance, there is almost no difference between the two's handwriting. They are very familiar close officials. Who would doubt the emperor's handwriting? Royal pen failed.

"How is it?" After Ye Chu finished writing, he proudly showed it to Xie Dan.

Xie Tan glanced at it and nodded: "Well, that's good, I wrote all that pile."

Chen Lianjiang: ...

Fine.The emperor is not afraid of the so-called harem meddling in politics, so why bother with him.

In this way, within an hour of being busy after dinner, Xie Dan finished approving the important memorials, Ye Chu also finished approving the pile for her, and the two went back to Yuqianzhai hand in hand.

The night was cool and cool, the maid was lighting a lantern in front, the two walked slowly and leisurely, and soon saw the gate of Yuqianzhai.

Xie Dan sent her to the door of the backyard room, watching the little girl enter briskly.After Ye Chu walked a few steps and turned around, he saw Xie Dan looking at her with a smile in his spare time.

Ye Chu turned around and walked back, seeing that the servant girl had already gone in, and there seemed to be no one around, so she quickly put her arms around his neck and kissed him.

"Did you almost forget again?" Xie Dan said with a smile.

"I haven't forgotten." Ye Chu smiled.

"It doesn't matter if you forget." Xie Dan said, "If you forget, I will get it back twice."

Ye Chu curled his lips, tiptoed and pecked his lips, then turned around and slipped away.Xie Dan watched the little girl run away mischievously. At this time, she should go to bed after taking a shower. He stood up and went back to his room with a happy body and mind.

Ye Hui stared at this scene with wide eyes from the crack of the door, closed the crack of the door silently, turned her head and whispered to Ye Ling, "Young lady kissed Your Majesty..."

Ye Ling glared at her hard, and reprimanded in a low voice: "You have some ideas in your heart anyway, don't be surprised, when you don't see the two masters together, do the maids and servants in the yard avoid it?"

***

In mid-July, after more than a month, the trial of the Chu family's treason case was roughly completed. The Chu family was listed with dozens of crimes such as treason, corruption, selling officials and nobles, and even bullying men and women. The three ethnic groups, the rest of the people and the accomplices of the same case are all punished according to the law.

In the Palace of Funing, the Empress Dowager fainted on the spot when she heard the news, and when she woke up, she was drooling and her body was stiff and unable to move.

After Xie Tan heard about it, he called the imperial physicians to see her. What the imperial physicians meant was that the empress dowager was old after all, and it would not be easy to recover from such a serious illness.Xie Dan ordered to do his best to diagnose and treat, if he couldn't be cured, he couldn't force it, but first he saved the Empress Dowager's life.

People are bound to die, he doesn't care when the empress dowager dies, and he doesn't care what the government and the public will discuss. They just say that the emperor is bloody and ruthless. Once something happened to the Chu family, the empress dowager died. He didn't want the reputation of benevolence and filial piety.

But it's inappropriate for the empress dowager to die at this time, we have to wait for him to get engaged.

After the engagement and the three books and six ceremonies, it will take a year or two to get married before it seems rushed. The palace and the Ministry of Rites also have enough time to prepare for the empress's wedding.

In this matter, Xie Dan has enough patience and must be careful.After careful consideration, he felt that it was not appropriate to put the engagement in the palace. An An didn't have her own "mansion", so she lived in the palace. Accepting proposals, asking names, and sending letters of engagement, these etiquettes seemed sloppy in the palace.

However, with the downfall of the Chu family, turmoil in the government and the public, and the emperor's further purging of the court, no one has paid attention to the lively battle for succession for more than half a year. later.

The emperor has no shortage of confidant ministers. It so happened that at this time, Duke Wei and Prime Minister Wang wrote letters one after another, saying that the emperor would be the heir apparent.The emperor, who had always been noncommittal about this matter, said vaguely this time: "What the two Qing family said is true, I will consider it."

This is almost a clear signal. Recalling the draft that was completely manipulated by the Empress Dowager two years ago, another courtier wrote a letter suggesting a general election.The harem is empty now, and there are plenty of places. Since ancient times, the three palaces and six courtyards of emperors, the emperor has not entered the harem for three years. It is obviously a taboo and hates the Chu family. It's time to get married and enjoy the happiness of human relations.

So some people began to be active again.

Xie Dan ignored the papers for the general election, and issued an order to return to Beijing from the palace in early August. At the same time, he issued an order to prepare for the court's triennial autumn, which was also his first selection of scholars since he took the throne.

Shengjia usually returns to Beijing in mid-September for summer vacation, but now the emperor suddenly ordered to return to Beijing in early August, which aroused some speculations. During the court meeting, Xie Dan said that the Empress Dowager was ill and did not dare to stay in the palace for a long time.

This reason is very good, and the courtiers now know that the Empress Dowager is seriously ill.The empress dowager had been ill a few times before, and she was getting older. In addition, the Chu family’s treasonous crimes were confirmed. The fact that the Yi tribe wiped out the whole family, the empress dowager was hit hard, and the government and the public were also concerned. Countless, the Empress Dowager might die.

In this hot day, in case the Empress Dowager dies in the palace, the Zi Palace will be transported from the capital, and after the funeral, the emperor and the officials will cry and kneel all the way to welcome them back to the capital for the funeral. The inner and outer coffins of the palace were transported from the capital, but it was difficult to send them back. The Empress Dowager’s Zi Palace had to be carried by 120 and eight people. According to the rules, the road and bridges were also problematic.It will be very troublesome.

The weather is a little cooler, and the summer solar terms, on the third day of the eighth month, the emperor returns to Beijing with the empress dowager.The emperor was respectful in etiquette and thoughtful in his service, and eight imperial physicians followed the empress dowager's chariot, taking care of them all the way.

Xie Dan was really afraid that the Empress Dowager would die at this time, even if she could keep her funeral secret, it would not be auspicious.

The guard of honor for the emperor's return to Beijing was mighty, and the clan courtiers and many foreign wives and officials also went back with him. Some people began to be curious about the rumored favorite woman by the emperor's side, and wanted to find a chance to see her true face.

Sure enough, there was a distinctive carriage in the convoy. The carriage did not carry an insignia, nor did it have a crown that symbolized its grade. After the palace, the car curtains were always lowered, and the eyes of the ladies and noble daughters of all families were staring sorely, but they didn't see the woman showing her face.

When they stopped to rest and eat at noon, the Empress Dowager and Shengjia entered the residence hall prepared in advance beside the official road. There was so many people that there was no room for them in the posthouse. At any rate, there is still a place, and the low-ranking courtiers and the wives and noble daughters of the various families behind can only make do with resting and eating in the carriage.

Wang Si stared at the carriage of the water-green Hangluo soft sedan, leaned close to Guo Zijin and said in a low voice, "Look, county lord, that woman probably knows that her status is embarrassing, and she doesn't even have a decent status if she says she is favored by the sage." No, I don’t even have the nerve to get out of the car and show my face during lunch.”

Guo Zijin glanced at it but didn't speak. Wang Si's mother, Madam Wang, came over and scolded in a low voice, "Stop talking nonsense, I'm afraid you want to die, and you can talk about anything?"

Wang Si lowered her head and twisted her fingers, "Mother, I, I didn't say anything."

"What else are you talking about?" Mrs. Wang scolded, "Go back to your carriage and don't come out. You're talking nonsense. How can I raise a fool like you!"

Wang Si went back with her face flushed and her head lowered. Mrs. Wang bowed to Guo Zijin Fu and said with a smile, "My little girl is neglectful of discipline. The county magistrate is laughing at me."

Guo Zijin nodded and smiled back, looking at Mrs. Wang's back and sighing silently.Nowadays, there are rumors in the circle of officials and noble ladies that the woman looks similar to her, and she is the only one who is favored, but she, the county head who is "born with a phoenix", is embarrassed.There is never a shortage of people who push the high and step down the low, and play the rudder according to the wind, and now even the wife of a fourth-rank Yushi Zhongcheng dares to reprimand her daughter like this in front of her.

Unbeknownst to anyone, the carriage was simply empty.Ye Chuyi was brought into the imperial chariot by Xie Dan early in the morning. Under the eyes of everyone, she was dressed up by Xie Dan as a servant and dressed in the clothes of a servant. The little girl was quite novel and interesting. She nestled in Xie Dan's arms when she entered the imperial chariot Eat some snacks.

Chen Lianjiang personally sent two bowls of sour plum soup in, quickly put down the curtains and secretly wanted to laugh, His Majesty was sitting on the soft cushion covered with ivory mat, with a white pillow on his lap. If any old minister sees it, he will probably cry bitterly again and grab the ground with his head.

Although the weather is not as hot as midsummer, traveling in early autumn is still not a comfortable thing, and it gradually makes people sleepy. Ye Chu usually can't get up so early, and there is no scenery to see along the way. She is lying on Xie Dan's leg On the bed, I fell asleep and went back to the cage when I lay down.

When the imperial chariot entered the post, Chen Lianjiang lifted the curtain and took a look. Xie Dan had a person in his arms, and his eyes lightly swept over, signaling to clear the venue.

Chen Lianjiang hurriedly sent the idlers out with the excuse of "Your Majesty is tired", leaving only the people in front of the imperial court, Xie Dan got out of the car and carried the little girl down.

Unexpectedly, she woke up again just after she was put on the bed, and asked in a daze, "Is it there yet?"

"It's early." Xie Dan suppressed a smile.

"It takes two days to walk eighty miles, I'm convinced." Ye Chu yawned and sat up, complaining in a low voice.

"Otherwise I'll send you back tonight?" Xie Tan asked.

"No, I want to go with you." Ye Chu said.

"Then let's go together." Xie Dan said, pulling her up to have lunch.He scooped a spoonful of shrimp and eggs into her bowl, and said in the tone of daily chat, "An'an, let's get married first when we go back?"

"Okay," Ye Chu also said in a casual tone, "I'll listen to my brother, so you can tell me."