Zhao Zhen reluctantly withdrew his gaze and said in a faint tone: "Even if I want to promote her to the title of Duke's wife, it will have to wait until you are promoted to the title of Duke?"
Kou Ji was stunned, not expecting Zhao Zhen to say such profound words.
Zhao Zhen lowered his head and said in a low voice: "I am going back to the palace..."
Kou Ji wondered: "You're not..."
"I have already seen it..."
"Don't talk to her?"
"It's not appropriate for me to show up."
"..."
Kou Ji nodded slowly and said no more words.
Zhao Zhen had the same difficulty as Zhao Zhen. Although he didn't know how Queen Mother Liu E and Concubine Li would react after meeting the Zhang family's daughter, he could guess how the censors would react.
The censors and officials will definitely seize on this matter, beat him hard, and scold him until his body is covered with blood.
I will also play the music of Zhang Jianu and Zhang Jianu’s family members.
He didn't care that he was being played, but he didn't want to see the Zhang family being implicated.
When Kou Ji remained silent, Zhao Zhen suddenly stepped forward and gave Kou Ji a strong bear hug, and then left the pavilion happily.
Finally, he disappeared quietly in the Orchid Garden.
Liu Heng and Cao Yi stared at Zhao Zhen's figure disappearing into the Orchid Garden, and looked at Kou Ji with puzzled faces.
They didn't understand why Zhao Zhen left suddenly.
Kou Ji sighed and whispered: "This is the suffering that an emperor should bear..."
Liu Heng and Cao Yi looked confused.
Kou Ji didn't explain much and said calmly: "You will understand in the future."
Liu Heng and Cao Yi looked at each other, still looking confused.
"Let's go! Go see people, they have already seen us."
Kou Ji said casually and walked out.
Liu Heng and Cao Yi were stunned for a moment. They looked across the fish pond and saw the second sister of the Xiang family making faces at them.
The other women covered their mouths and snickered.
Liu and Heng quickly followed Kou Ji's footsteps and reached the other side of the fish pond.
"Brother Kou is polite..."
"Brother Cao is polite..."
"Brother Liu is polite..."
When the women met Kou Ji and the others, they did not show any shyness, but saluted them gracefully.
Kou Ji cupped his hands and said, "Sisters, please be polite..."
Liu Heng and Cao Yi came to see him one after another.
After greeting each other.
As the proprietor, Xiang Yan introduced them to each other.
Its purpose is also to take care of Kou Ji.
She knew that Kou Ji rarely attended banquets and poetry gatherings, fearing that Kou Ji would not recognize someone among them.
When Xiang Yan introduced Zhang Yurou, the daughter of the Zhang family, Kou Ji took a special look at her.
Zhang Yurou is not old, but she is indeed a rare beauty. Her figure and facial features are far more refined than other women.
But compared to Xiang Yan, she is much inferior.
Maybe it's because she doesn't have long hair. When she grows up and has long hair, she should be able to compete with Xiang Yan.
No wonder Zhao Zhen misses her so much.
In addition to Zhang Yurou, daughter of the Zhang family, there was another woman that Kou Ji couldn't help but take a look at.
That is Cao Yun, the daughter of the Cao family.
Her appearance is a bit inferior to that of Zhang's daughter, but she is better than her in being lively and clever.
When he is with other girls, he is actually more eye-catching than the girls from the Zhang family.
The reason why Kou Ji noticed her was because she hugged Cao Yi's arm and called her brother.
In this ancient era of strict etiquette, only brothers and sisters dared to do this.
Since she is Cao Yi's biological sister, then she is the eldest daughter of the fifth room of the Cao family who has been designated as Zhao Zhen's concubine.
That is undoubtedly Empress Cao, who is called the virtuous queen in history books.
Kou Ji chatted with the girls for a while, accompanied them to appreciate the orchids in the orchid garden, and then stopped talking.
Like a piece of wood, it dangles behind the girls.
But Liu Heng and Cao Yi seemed to be used to this kind of situation. They chatted happily with the girls, and even ran to an open space to play pot throwing.
Kou Ji felt that he might not be suitable for such an occasion, so he found an excuse and slipped into the quiet path in the Orchid Garden, strolling slowly to pass the time.
Not long after walking, a soft sound of footsteps sounded behind Kou Ji.
Kou Ji looked around and saw a familiar face.
"Why are you here?"
Xiang Yan held up the hem of her skirt and walked to Kou Ji. She walked with Kou Ji on the winding path and laughed softly: "Why can't I come?"
Kou Ji laughed in a low voice and said, "You will be the host of today's garden party. If you, the host, leave, the guests will feel neglected."
Xiang Yan straightened her hair and chuckled, "I didn't even think about inviting them..."
"Where's the second sister?"
"Second sister and Cao's sister are playing Cuju..."
"..."
The two of them were talking wordlessly.
Went deep into the winding path.
They both spoke at the same time.
"Wait a moment……"
"What's wrong?"
Xiang Yan asked with a low smile.
Kou Ji stared at her and smiled: "You tell me first..."
"You got a leaf on your head..."
"The same to you……"
The two looked at each other and smiled, reaching out to each other to help each other take away the leaves above their heads.
Keep walking forward.
At the end of the winding path, there is a moon gate.
Xiang Yan pointed to the Moon Gate and said, "When I was a child, I would run here when I was wronged.
There is a small yard behind here.
There is a Buddhist edge stone in the yard.
Grandma invited it from White Horse Temple.
Don’t let anyone touch you on weekdays.”
"Go and see..."
"Um……"
The two passed through the Moon Gate and after walking a few steps, they saw the Buddha's edge stone.
It was a huge stone, like a naturally formed Buddha head.
On the front of the boulder, there is a Buddhist character engraved on it.
Xiang Yan saw the Buddha's Edge Stone, ran over to it, climbed onto the Buddha's Edge Stone, sat on the Buddha's Edge Stone, and waved to Kou Ji.
Kou Ji followed and climbed up the Buddha's edge stone.
Xiang Yan laughed softly and said: "When I was young, my grandmother wouldn't let anyone touch this stone, but I like to sit on it."
Kou Ji pondered for a moment and commented: "Maybe it's because of rebellion."
"Rebellion?"
"Sit over here and I'll tell you."
"..."
Xiang Yan chuckled lightly, but did not sit down.
Seeing that his plot failed, Kou Ji could only stretch out and lie down on the Buddha's edge stone with the sunshine.
Xiang Yan lowered her head, stared at Kou Ji and asked, "You don't seem to be used to lively scenes?"
"It's not..."
"Um?"
"A too lively scene will affect my ability to see the shining girl?"
Xiang Yan looked confused. Kou Ji's words were completely wrong and she couldn't understand the meaning for a while.
She asked doubtfully: "There are still girls who can shine?"
Kou Ji stared at her and smiled lightly: "Of course..."
Xiang Yan followed Kou Ji's gaze, looked at herself, and blinked.
She followed Kou Ji's example, lying on the other side of the Buddha's edge stone and stretching out her arms.
When she saw her arms covered with a faint halo in the sunlight, she glared at Kou Ji and said angrily: "When did you learn to speak glibly?"
"I didn't..."
Kou Ji was basking in the sun and said lazily: "I am a relatively honest person. I say whatever I see."
"I don't believe you..."
"..."
The two of them just lay on the Buddha's edge stone and chatted.
Chatted for a long time.
Until the shouts of Xiang's second sister rang outside the Moon Gate.
Xiang Yancai stood up from the Buddha's edge stone and said, "It's time to go back..."
Kou Ji did not stand up in a hurry, but asked: "Are you and your second sister born from the same mother?"
Xiang Yan was stunned and asked in confusion: "Why do you suddenly ask this?"
"curious……"
"No, what's wrong?"
"Then why does she keep following you?"
"She didn't follow me much in the past, but my younger sister spent more time following me.
Ever since I showed her the stories you wrote to me, she has been pestering me all day long.
You said you were following me, but you actually wanted to deceive me from the story you wrote to me."
Hearing this, Kou Ji nodded.
Xiang Yan smiled and said: "Speaking of which, you haven't finished writing the story of Master Xuanzhuang's journey to the west.
That girl asked me for it several times, but I didn't have anything to give her.
She also said that after seeing you, she would take good care of you.
I saw you today, but there was no movement."
Kou Ji sat up suddenly and sighed, "She has already taken revenge..."
Xiang Yan asked doubtfully: "Why didn't I see it? How did she get revenge on you?"
Kou Ji stared at Xiang Yan and said quietly: "When I went out today, she told me to keep an eye on us to prevent me from secretly eating your rouge..."
When Xiang Yan heard this, she was stunned for a moment, and then her cheeks slowly turned red.
She covered her face, hurriedly jumped off the Buddha's edge stone, and muttered, "This girl is getting more and more unruly. Why do you dare to say anything?"
Kou Ji stared at Xiang Yan's running back and asked, "Are you coming to the garden tomorrow?"
"If you don't say anything, I'll take it as your promise."
"..."
Xiang Yan has never been seen again since she ran away.
Kou Ji lay on the Buddha's edge stone for a while, then jumped off the Buddha's edge stone and walked out of the Moon Gate.
When they arrived at the pavilion in the middle of the Orchid Garden, they saw Liu Heng and Cao Yi holding wine bottles and drinking heavily.
Xiang Yan and the other girls disappeared.
Kou Ji came forward and said to the two of them: "I'm back home..."
"What are you doing back home? The house is in a mess."
Cao Yi took a sip of wine and said calmly.
Liu Heng nodded in agreement.
Kou Ji asked suspiciously: "Is there any trouble in the house?"
Cao Yi sighed and said, "Isn't it because of the dismantling of the Xiang Army? My uncles and uncles all got into a quarrel."
Kou Ji pondered and said: "Your Cao family is not short of money, but you can't give up the blood of soldiers?"
Cao Yi opened his mouth, let out a long sigh, and said: "My Cao family has a great business, and some things cannot be decided by just one person.
Moreover, the issue of the dismantling of the Xiang Army is very involved. Even if my Cao family agrees and the other families do not agree, it will not help.
My aunts and sisters will definitely run back to the house to cause trouble..."
Kou Ji nodded thoughtfully.
He looked at Liu Heng and asked, "He is unwilling to return because of the issue of dismantling the Xiang Army. Why are you unwilling to return?"
Liu Heng took a sip of wine and said calmly: "Recently, many court officials are impeaching my father, saying that Li Zhaoliang's assassination in the northwest was my father's fault, and they want my father to bow his head and plead guilty.
My aunt is now imprisoned in the palace, and my father feels a little uneasy.
I spent the past two days drinking at home to drown my sorrows.
I looked upset and didn’t want to go back.”
Hearing this, Kou Ji said, "Then follow me to Kou Mansion."
Liu Heng and Cao Yi heard this, nodded in agreement, and followed Kou Ji out of the Orchid Garden.
Kou Ji took the two of them back to Kou Mansion, found a yard for them to rest, and asked the kitchen to prepare some food and wine, and drank with them for a while.
In the evening.
Kou Zhun returned home and met Kou Ji.
Kou Ji rushed to Kou Zhun's study, and Kou Zhun said straight to the point: "Who did the official meet today?"
Kou Ji wondered: "Why would grandfather ask this question?"
Kou Zhun did not answer Kou Ji's words, but continued to ask: "Did you meet a woman?"
Kou Ji asked in a deep voice: "Has the official family revealed a flaw?"
Kou Zhun said with emotion: "He was so brave when facing the Queen Mother and the Dowager Concubine. No matter how much they scolded them, he didn't say a word.
When I returned to Zishitang and followed me to observe the government, I kept holding a copy of the Book of Songs, and I saw the clues."
Kou Zhun stared at Kou Ji and warned: "I won't ask you who the official family has met, and I don't want to know who the official family has met.
I just want to remind you that you must never let the officials see that woman again."
"Why?"
"For the good of the official family, and also for the good of that woman."
"..."
Kou Ji questioned: "Can't the official family be with the woman he likes?"
Kou Zhun was stunned and said: "Yes...but he must first learn to hide his thoughts, otherwise he will only harm others and himself."
"Let's not talk about the official family! I will tell you about the government affairs in recent days.
You will go to the Ministry of Civil Affairs to report in a few days, and you should also understand clearly the trends in government affairs."
Kou Ji asked, "Has something big happened in recent days?"
Kou Zhun tugged at his beard and said: "It is still the issue of dismantling the Xiang army. The civil and military officials are in a heated dispute. It has even become more and more intense. Some officials even put aside their official duties and participated in the struggle specifically.
I have a headache every day from their noise.
Today in the court, a censor moved out of the Taizu system and planned to force the officials to speak for the civil officials.
If I hadn't taken the officials out of the palace in advance, I'm afraid they would have succeeded.
I finally see clearly that the problem with the Xiang Army is that it is a drug-fueled puppet that will explode when ignited, and it will also kill people.
Fortunately, I listened to you and didn't express my position in advance, otherwise I would probably be in trouble now."
After a pause, Kou Zhun said again: "I guess I can't delay it for too long. If we let them continue to make trouble, the court will be in chaos."
Kou Ji frowned and said, "The civil and military officials haven't reached a conclusion yet?
Isn’t there a side that has the upper hand?”
Kou Zhun shook his head and said: "I didn't speak, and neither did Xiang Minzhong, Wang Zeng and others. At present, the civil and military struggle is about 50-50."
Kou Ji pondered: "The decision-making power is in our hands, we don't have to be anxious, we have to wait for them to come up with a result.
It would be best for the civil servants to win."
Kou Zhun didn't pay attention to Kou Ji's last words. He sighed: "I can't wait any longer. If we let them continue to fight, the court will be in chaos."
Kou Ji said in a deep voice: "This matter will be easily solved by then..."