Before Ming Chengzu could say anything, Xiao Chen chuckled and stood up.
He took out a paper package from his arms and handed it to Ming Chengzu with both hands.
"What kind of mess is this?" Staring at the paper bag, Ming Chengzu said so, but he still reached out and took the paper bag.
"Well, this is the best Longjing tea you can buy in Hangzhou at this time. The emperor is busy with state affairs and often stays up late. Drinking this Longjing tea can refresh you." Xiao Chen rubbed his hands and said flatteringly.
Holding the paper bag in his hand, Ming Chengzu said: "Don't change the subject. I ask you, why did you not come back to me when you returned to Beijing yesterday?"
Xiao Chen couldn't help but sigh in his heart. Why does the Ming Emperor always hold on to trivial matters?
Besides, this prisoner has already handed over to the Ministry of Punishment, so isn’t he just going to be reinstated? He still has to come to the palace to have a chat?
I was thinking this in my heart, but I didn't dare to say it truthfully.
Rolling his eyes, Xiao Chen said: "After thousands of miles of journey back from Hangzhou, I am either dusty or smelly of sweat. How can I get into the palace with that image? What's more, this bag of tea was specially given to me from Hangzhou by Wei Chen.
The emperor brought it back with such a look. If you carry the tea leaves on your body, how will you, the emperor, drink this tea?"
"Then if I don't tell you today, are you still not planning to enter the palace?" Ming Chengzu said reluctantly.
Xiao Chen waved his hand hurriedly: "No, no. When the prince went there, I was preparing to change my clothes and enter the palace!"
"What a coincidence?" Ming Chengzu glanced at Xiao Chen with disdain, and then focused on the paper bag in his hand, "However, considering that you brought me a bag of tea from Hangzhou, I won't
I'm arguing with you."
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Xiao Chen said with a playful smile, turned around and moved the chair where Yang Shiqi had been sitting to the window, "Your Majesty, if you want to enjoy the scenery, it is more comfortable to sit down."
"It's so bare outside, what's there to see?" After glaring at Xiao Chen, Ming Chengzu sat down on the chair.
In Ming Chengzu's heart, Xiao Chen didn't seem to treat him as an emperor, but rather as an elder.
I had only experienced this feeling when the three princes were still young.
But since they have grown up, they have been plotting their own interests with each other, and since they are usually very strict, they have no other feelings for themselves except fear.
And this Xiao Chen suddenly gave him a feeling that he had not seen for a long time. Especially the bag of tea brought back from thousands of miles away in his hand was even more impressive than the achievements of arresting hundreds of corrupt officials.
Ming Chengzu was pleased.
However, Ming Chengzu didn't know that Xiao Chen bought more than a hundred kilograms of this kind of tea, and there were more than fifty bags divided into two kilograms of paper.
If he knew that Xiao Chen had brought back so many tea leaves and only gave him one bag, he would have thrown the tea leaves on Xiao Chen's face and cursed him.
Seeing Ming Chengzu sitting firmly on a square chair and looking at the empty space outside the window with a smile, Xiao Chen came over.
"Your Majesty, you just said that someone said something bad about me?" Xiao Chen asked tentatively.
"Some people say that I have arranged for people to greet you at Yongding Gate. This posture is already comparable to the scene when I went to court." Without looking back, Ming Chengzu continued to look out the window and said with a smile.
"So exaggerated?" Xiao Chen took a deep breath and made an extremely surprised expression.
Hearing Xiao Chen's exaggerated tone, Ming Chengzu turned his head and saw his exaggerated expression. A trace of contempt appeared on his face: "Are you so surprised?"
"Yes, of course." Xiao Chen straightened his waist and began to talk loudly, "After hearing what the emperor said, I really regret not coming back on time yesterday and letting down the emperor's love."
"Well, continue." Staring at the tea in his hand, Ming Chengzu said calmly.
He wanted to hear how a Dongchang master who could continuously solve major cases would be different from others in flattering him.
"Being able to arrange for hundreds of officials to go to Yongding Gate to greet Wei Chen, firstly, it shows that the emperor attaches absolute importance to the smooth sailing of the treasure ship, and secondly, it is a recognition of Wei Chen in the emperor's heart. However, I did not go to Yongding Gate because I was feeling unwell.
In this grand scene, I have failed to live up to the emperor's high hopes." As he said that, Xiao Chen knelt down on one knee and bowed to Ming Chengzu.
In fact, this gift was not a deliberate act by Xiao Chen, but a sincere respect for Ming Chengzu.
A generation of emperors did not hesitate to use the highest etiquette of worship by hundreds of officials to greet themselves. This is a kind of recognition, a kind of sharing, and at the same time, it is an attitude.
"Get up, just know that you have lived up to my high hopes." Ming Chengzu said with a smile, "What I did was originally out of good intentions, but I never thought that it would become an excuse for someone with good intentions to attack you.
Ridiculous and pathetic!”
Hearing what Ming Chengzu said, Xiao Chen also put away his playful smile.
He looked at Ming Chengzu seriously: "Actually, it is normal to have such thoughts, and the emperor does not need to be angry. You stand at the highest point of Ming Dynasty, but it is impossible for the officials to have your vision. They only see this kind of vision."
Etiquette is not suitable for an ordinary captain, and they cannot blame you for not seeing your good intentions."
"If it were just like this, I wouldn't be angry. However, they should not use a trick to pass these words to the ears of the most upright official around me, and take advantage of his character who only thinks about me to repeat these words in front of me."
After saying this, Ming Chengzu's face turned gloomy and terrifying.
Xiao Chen didn't answer.
With Ming Chengzu's current expression, no matter how he explains it, it will only add fuel to the fire. And once the emperor breaks out, the lieutenant general will be in a bloody storm again.
It's not that I feel sorry for those officials who made things out of nothing, I just don't want to make the emperor angry.
For some reason, Xiao Chen had an indescribable special feeling for Ming Chengzu. In front of Ming Chengzu, he never felt any fear. If anything, it was a kind of supreme admiration and a sense of fear.
Something that is inexplicable.
"Xiao Chen." Ming Chengzu called out softly when he heard no reply.
"I'm here!" Xiao Chen responded hurriedly.
"Guess who said these words?" Ming Chengzu asked calmly.
Xiao Chen pondered for a moment: "The person who said this may really be thinking about the emperor and does not want others to interfere with the emperor's holy power. Another point is that he is jealous of this kind of treatment. And he can be jealous of this.
He should always be the object of admiration by all officials. In other words, he is the number one person under the emperor."
Having said this, Xiao Chen stopped and observed Ming Chengzu carefully.
"What, you don't dare to say any more?" Ming Chengzu said.
"No, I don't want to hurt your feelings!" Xiao Chen looked calm, as if everything had nothing to do with him.
