Prime Minister Zhu explained many recent affairs of the court, and then discussed with the officials summoned by the First Marquis until the evening approached.
This was more than half a day, which was more tiring than him going to court for seven consecutive days. In other words, he actually went to court only once every seven days.
"Thank you for your hard work, Prime Minister."
The officials in front of me all saluted.
These officials from all over the country were not qualified to go to the court. After returning to Beijing, the officials of the Linzhou court returned to their original positions, while the government officials originally formed by Mrs. Chu retreated and moved.
It went smoothly without the competition that everyone was worried about, probably because these officials had the title of temporary generation from the beginning, and they only had positions but no official positions. Many of them were doing important things for the country, and their status was an official position in a certain state in Huainan Province.
But Mr. Zhu didn’t dare to look down upon him at all. During these days, he knew very well that most of the current operations of the imperial court were controlled by these people.
What's more, he seems to be an official appointed by the Queen Mother, but in fact, like these officials... he bought it from the Lady of Chu.
He has communicated with several people in private and he is the most expensive!
"Everyone has worked hard."
A female voice came from above. Everyone looked over and saluted in unison.
"Thank you for your hard work, ma'am."
Li Minglou called Jiang Liang: "The plum blossoms in the Hou Mansion are in full bloom. Let's prepare a banquet and enjoy the plum blossoms with everyone."
Jiang Liang responded, and everyone thanked him and followed Jiang Liang talking and laughing before leaving.
Mr. Zhu stayed a moment.
"I don't care how to change the positions of imperial officials. The Prime Minister makes the decision." Li Minglou said to him, "But there is only one thing."
Prime Minister Zhu had a slight layer of sweat on his nose, knowing that he could not hide the matter of selling his official position and arranging his own manpower.
There was nothing he could do, because when he suddenly became prime minister, many people were dissatisfied and opposed him at every turn. If he wanted to secure his position, he needed money and manpower...
"I know, you don't need to be nervous." Li Minglou said, "I don't care who is arranged, but one thing is that people can change, but the rules of doing things cannot be changed."
Prime Minister Zhu breathed a sigh of relief and said hurriedly: "Madam, don't worry, all the rules remain unchanged!"
Li Minglou smiled at him: "Thank you for your hard work, Mr. Xiang, please try the wine here."
Mr. Zhu smiled and said yes.
"Prime Minister, I'll go first," Li Minglou said, "I'll go see my mother-in-law, and then I'll have a drink with you."
I went out to patrol the troops for many days, and I have been busy since I came back. It is not easy to be a queen. Mr. Zhu sighed: "Madam, go quickly."
Li Minglou left the front hall and went to the back house. Although it was almost dusk, his bag was still following him. He was holding an umbrella, and Yuanji kept him close at all times.
"It's not about guarding against people," Yuan Ji said, "it's about guarding against inhuman thieves."
Inhuman! Baobao understands, like the kind of wild rabbit demon and deer demon!
"You can see them and knock away their weapons." Yuanji said solemnly, "My wife's safety is left to you."
Baobao tightened his grip on the black umbrella in his hand. Since he was an inhuman monster, he couldn't be careless even in a home surrounded by guards.
The lights in the back house were bright, and Amao, who had grown taller, was looking forward to it on the porch. Through the flying snow, he saw black robes and umbrellas approaching, and he shouted happily, "Madam is back!"
Following this shout, the bright lights slowly dimmed, and the courtyard and rooms in the back house were shrouded in darkness.
The bag put away the black umbrella and hid in the shadow of the corridor. In the room, Jinju happily took off Li Minglou's cloak, and Li Minglou handed his hand to Mrs. Wu.
The Wu woman who was sitting in front of the window held her hand and said softly, "Is it cold?"
Li Minglou nodded: "It's very cold outside."
Mrs. Wu then called out "Wan'er."
Jin Jue brought tea over: "It's coming, it's ready."
Li Minglou sat next to the woman, holding ginger tea in his hands and drinking it slowly, the heat lingering on her snow-white cheeks.
"The governor has sent something." Jin Jue said, holding a bundle over, "This is what the governor gave you."
Then he pointed to the furs spread out on the couch beside him.
"This belongs to the old lady."
She held her face and smiled again.
"And mine."
Li Minglou put down his tea and stood up: "Let me take a look."
She looked at it carefully in front of the bed, picked up each item and compared it with the Wu woman, and discussed with Jin Jue what to do. The Wu woman smiled and agreed with them.
Li Minglou opened the baggage for him again, showed it to Mrs. Wu, and asked how the preparations for the new year's gift for Wu Ya'er were going.
"It's all ready." Jin Jue smiled, "The old lady and I have seen it, and we're just waiting for you to take a look."
After drinking hot tea and talking about home affairs, Amao ran in and said that the banquet was ready.
"Let's go enjoy the plum blossoms." Li Minglou took Mrs. Wu's hand and said, "It's cold, let's have a glass of wine to warm up."
Jin Jue took a cloak and put it on Madam Wu: "The old lady has a good drinking capacity, but Madam can't drink her."
Li Minglou said: "Really? Then I'll try."
Mrs. Wu smiled and said, "Don't drink too much."
Jin Jue hugged Mrs. Wu's shoulders and smiled: "Look, the old lady said you are no match."
Li Minglou smiled, took the cloak, tied it on, and walked out holding Lady Wu's hand.
The garden was shrouded in darkness at night, with red plum blossoms blooming amid the snowflakes, and silken bamboos swirling in the delicate fragrance. Officials in twos and threes wrapped in cloaks were walking in the garden. Some were reciting poems and others were drinking. It was very pleasant.
This kind of comfort is familiar and yet strange, and Mr. Zhu is among them. Who dares not to come when the queen invites him? But after he came, he gradually became immersed in it with a few glasses of wine and a few songs. This kind of life used to be his daily life. From now on,
It will always be, that nightmarish day has passed...
Prime Minister Zhu drank all the wine in his hand and his life was better than before. He had never thought that he could become the prime minister before.
The corners of Mr. Zhu's mouth turned up, looking at the jealous and helpless looks of those people! He was really proud of his life!
As for scolding him for relying on women to rise to power...
He was holding a wine flask and pouring himself a glass, when a low voice came to his ears: "Madam is here", "Old Madam is here too", "Over there in the attic", he turned around and looked, there was someone in the attic opposite the Merlin stage.
The figures of the women are enchanting, silhouetted in the dim light of night, and the queen among them can be identified at a glance.
A woman is just a woman.
When the emperor grows old, and when Governor Wu comes back, women can do whatever they are supposed to do...
Prime Minister Zhu raised the wine to the pavilion in a respectful manner, then raised his head and drank it all in one gulp.
Li Minglou drank two glasses of wine, and his eyes were filled with drunkenness. Jinju smiled and refused to let her drink. He drank with Mrs. Wu behind a hook, had a laugh, and then took the woman to appreciate the plum blossoms. Li Minglou
Lou stood on the attic, watching them sniffing plum blossoms in the plum forest and catching snowflakes in their hands. He also reached out to catch a few snowflakes, then took them back and lowered his head to read the letter.
Along with the baggage came Wu Ya'er's letter, just like before.
The content of the letter was the same as before. It said that it had snowed heavily over Yunzhou for several times. It was freezing and the war was at a stalemate. He had suffered several minor injuries. Don't worry, Xiaowan was always by his side...
…
Li Minglou had already read it once. He put it down and then raised his head to look at Xue Ye. In fact, it was still different from before, with a bit of distant politeness.
But she knew that he didn't mean to alienate her, but he didn't know what to say.
She didn't tell the details about the emperor's death, and he didn't ask again.
But he definitely knew that the emperor's death was related to her.
"Has Xiaowan's letter arrived?" She turned around and asked.
Jiang Liang was hiding in the attic to settle accounts. Hearing this, he nodded: "It's in Madam's study. Do you want to bring it?"
Xiao Wan's letter will contain Wu Ya'er's physical condition. Li Minglou said, "I'll read it tomorrow."
King Lu died, and the First Marquis became hers. Has Wu Ya'er's fate also changed? He won't die, right?
After all, Li Minglou didn't wait until tomorrow, so he picked up a plum blossom from Meilin and left back to the study.
"Amao, make the plum blossoms into dried flowers."
She told Amao that Amao didn't learn to lead soldiers in war, but learned a lot of messy crafts.
Amao happily took it: "Ma'am, do you want to send it to the governor?"
Li Minglou hummed and read Xiaowan's letter first. Xiaowan's letter said that Wu Yaer's health was fine.
Li Minglou was thinking about whether to write a letter to Wu Ya'er now or tomorrow. What should he say? Jiang Liang came in hurriedly.
"Madam, the letters from Master Hou and Ande Zhong to Madam have arrived."
After entering Beijing, Zhonghou returned to the army, this time responsible for leading the soldiers and horses of Jiannan Road to pursue Andezhong.
Li Minglou hurriedly took it, lit the lights in the study and read the letter. The battle was going smoothly, but Xiang Yun did not huddle in Longyou, but actually led his troops to pursue Ande Zhong, and he was still invincible...
This is not surprising, Xiang Yun is really capable of leading troops in battle.
Attacked by two parties, the Andezhong rebels are in a critical situation...
As for Ande Chung’s letter.
"I'm asking Madam for help." Jiang Liang said, looking at the letter and he was very impressed. I don't know who the master wrote this letter. It was full of emotion, recalling his mutual acquaintance and mutual respect with Madam Chu, congratulating Madam on the title of Marquis, and telling his own depression.
Lovesickness, finally...
"He said that he is willing to share the world with his wife." Jiang Liang raised his head and said, "He will be the emperor and my wife will be the queen."
Li Minglou laughed and said: "Tell him, if he can cut off his head to help me achieve great achievements again, I am willing to erect a monument to him as my husband!"
Jiang Liang responded with a smile, threw Ande Zhong's letter into the brazier, and then raised his head to see Li Minglou picking up his pen...
"Ma'am, do you want to write?" Jiang Liang asked.
Li Minglou said: "Write to the governor."
Jiang Liang whispered softly and stepped out. It seemed that the relationship between the governor and his wife was not greatly affected.
………
………
The letter paper is snow-white and the dried plum blossoms are red.
Wu Ya'er stretched out his hand to pick it up and sniff it. The bitter cold made his face whiter, and the dried plum blossoms on his lips became more beautiful.
Hu Aqi came from a distance and was shocked when he saw this scene: "Why are there flowers in the winter?"
Wang Li curled his lips: "After all, he is the one who leads the troops at the emperor's feet. Why are you so ignorant? These are dried flowers."
He has seen a lot over the years, and that woman has sent her letters with letters from time to time, including grass, flowers, and even butterflies...
What should be shouted about is not that there are flowers in winter.
"Crow!" He stepped forward quickly, "Be careful! It's poisonous!"
Wu Ya'er raised her plum blossoms and smiled: "Don't worry, she won't harm me."
Wang Li looked solemn: "That's not necessarily the case. Old nonsense, she locked Han Xu in Linzhou. Poor Han Xu, he still thought that King Lu was the emperor and Cui Zheng was the dynasty."
Wu Ya'er folded the dried plums on the letter paper and put it in her chest, saying, "That's because she doesn't want to hurt him."