Just when Xiao Chen and the others were eating Lantern Festival at Qinghe Restaurant and happily gathering together, the palace in the capital was even more decorated with red lanterns.
While the Ming Dynasty was eating Yuanxiao and laughing happily, Ming Chengzu in the palace had no reason to be happy.
Empress Xu has passed away for more than ten years, her four princesses have married far away, and two of her three sons have been alienated from her. This dignified royal family has no atmosphere to celebrate the Lantern Festival at all.
Sitting in the imperial study, looking at the thick pile of memorials in front of him, Ming Chengzu felt an inexplicable sadness in his heart.
Wang Xiaosi walked in cautiously, holding a jade bowl and stirring it with a spoon inside.
"Your Majesty, the Yuanxiao has been cooked in the imperial kitchen. Today is your favorite, preserved fruit stuffing." Wang Xiaosi said in a low voice as he looked at Ming Chengzu who was sitting there with his eyes in a daze.
"Leave it here." Ming Chengzu came to his senses, picked up a memorial, and said calmly.
"Yes." Wang Xiaosi did not dare to refute, so he placed the Yuanxiao on the table beside Ming Chengzu. He bowed his body and took a step back, looked at his toes, and stopped talking.
I flipped through the memorial casually a few times, but I really wasn't in the mood to continue reading.
Raising his hand, he threw the memorial aside.
"Today is the Lantern Festival, what's going on in the East Palace?" Ming Chengzu was silent for a moment and said slowly.
"Reporting to the Emperor, after the morning court, His Royal Highness took the people and went outside the city. He said that today is not only the Ming Dynasty's festival, but also the people's festival. He wanted to go around the capital to see how the people's festival was celebrated.
How about it?" Wang Xiaosi replied hurriedly, bowing his body.
"Well, I understand."
Even so, Ming Chengzu felt quite disappointed in his heart.
The entire Ming Dynasty belongs to me, but during this small Lantern Festival, I don’t even have a single relative around me.
It is understandable that the prince cares about the world. But you also have an old father, have you forgotten about it?
You only care about the people, but you ignore your father. Could it be that in your mind, your father is not as important as the people of the capital?
Ming Chengzu, who had been on the battlefield for most of his life, turned out to be a bit petty at this moment. He was a bit resentful that the prince did not come to visit him.
Seeing the Lantern Festival on the table gradually getting cold, Wang Xiaosi did not dare to say a word of warning.
He understood that the emperor was not in a good mood at the moment. If he continued to persuade him, it was not impossible that the bowl of Lantern Festival would be smashed by the emperor.
There was a slight sound of footsteps, slowly walking to the door of the imperial study room.
Wang Xiaosi looked back, looked at the eunuch at the door, and cast a questioning look.
The eunuch said nothing and waved gently.
After glancing at the sulky Ming Chengzu, Wang Xiaosi bowed and retreated to the door, turned around and walked out of the room.
"What's going on?" Wang Xiaosi asked in a low voice.
"King Zhao, do you want to see the emperor?"
"King Zhao? He hasn't come to pay his respects to the emperor for a long time. Why did he suddenly ask to see the emperor today?" Wang Xiaosi was stunned and asked in a low voice.
"I don't know, he has already arrived outside the main hall, so I came to ask the prince if he would like to report to the emperor." The eunuch whispered.
Thinking of the emperor's state today, although Zhao Wang Zhu Gaosui is not favored, he must be the emperor's biological son. Meeting him may make the emperor happy.
"You wait here, I will report to the emperor." Wang Xiaosi bowed and walked into the imperial study room.
The whole body was leaning on the rosewood chair behind him. Ming Chengzu was pressing his forehead with his right hand, looking very unhappy.
Gently walking to Ming Chengzu's side, as if he was afraid of disturbing him, Wang Xiaosi said like a mosquito buzzing: "Your Majesty, King Zhao wants to see you."
Ming Chengzu stopped kneading in his hands and was stunned: "Suier? He came to see me? Let him come in."
"Yes." Wang Xiaosi responded and waved his hand gently towards the door.
After a while, the sound of striding was heard. Zhu Gaosui, dressed in smart prince clothes and holding an exquisite gift box in his hand, walked into the imperial study.
Standing in front of Ming Chengzu's desk, he put the gift box in his hand on the ground and knelt down with a pop of his knees.
"My son, I have met my father. I wish you long live my father." Zhu Gaosui's loud and confident voice echoed in the imperial study room for a long time.
"What is in the gift box in your hand?" Seeing Zhu Gaosui, Ming Chengzu felt much better. However, in view of the mistakes he had made before, Ming Chengzu suppressed his emotions and asked lightly.
"Father, today is the Lantern Festival. This gift box contains black sesame-filled Lantern Festival that my child carefully prepared for my father." Kneeling on the ground, Zhu Gaosui replied sincerely.
Ming Chengzu frowned slightly. Is this kid out of his mind? I obviously like to eat preserved fruit stuffing, but he insists on talking about black sesame stuffing.
"I, it's been a long time since I've eaten Yuanxiao stuffed with black sesame seeds." A trace of displeasure flashed across Ming Chengzu's face.
Zhu Gaosui raised his head, with a trace of confusion in his eyes: "Does your father still like to eat Yuanxiao stuffed with preserved fruits? When his mother was still alive, the child remembered that she once told his father that although preserved fruits are delicious, they are not good for digestion. This
Black sesame stuffing can nourish the liver and kidneys, moisturize the five internal organs, dispel rheumatism, and clear away fire. The more you eat, the better it is for your health. My father also told my mother at that time that I would only eat Yuanxiao stuffed with black sesame seeds from now on."
"After so many years, I didn't know that my father's taste has changed. In addition, in the kitchen of my house, there is really no preserved fruit to make Yuanxiao stuffing. I originally wanted to give my father a surprise today, but I didn't want to make him dissatisfied.
.My child, please leave now.”
Zhu Gaosui stood up slowly, picked up the exquisite gift box, and bowed his body, about to retreat humbly.
"Wait a minute." Ming Chengzu stood up, walked around the desk, and came to Zhu Gaosui.
He reached out and took the gift box from Zhu Gaosui's hand.
"From now on, I will only eat Yuanxiao stuffed with black sesame seeds." Looking at Zhu Gaosui, who was similar in height to himself, Ming Chengzu had a hint of moisture in his eyes.
The Queen has passed away for many years, but in Ming Chengzu's heart, the Queen seems to have always been around.
In the fifth year of Yongle, I no longer eat Yuanxiao stuffed with black sesame seeds during the Lantern Festival. It’s not that I don’t like to eat it, or that I don’t want to eat it, but I am afraid that if I eat Yuanxiao stuffed with black sesame seeds, I will think of myself.
Queen.
As the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, he has always shown himself as a tough guy, and he does not want to show even a trace of emotion in front of outsiders.
However, today, when Zhu Gaosui suddenly mentioned his mother, Ming Chengzu suddenly felt a little bit off guard.
My son, King Zhao of the Ming Dynasty, couldn't find preserved fruit to make stuffing in the kitchen of his house. As a father, have I gone too far? Do I dare to face his mother?
