The royal dinner was held in the garden on the east side of the palace, and although the banquet was held for the Manchu civil and military affairs, in fact, most of the officials only sat around the periphery of the imperial city and could not see the emperor.

And the only people who could really enter the garden of the palace to eat with the emperor were a few dignitaries, relatives of the emperor, and envoys from the vassal kingdom this time.

In fact, Zhanzhao has not eaten a few royal meals, the first time was when he just met Lord Bao and broke the big case of changing the tanuki for the prince, when the emperor and the queen mother invited everyone in Kaifeng Mansion alone, they had many banquets, and even the servants, maids, and small servants were invited.

Zhan Zhao entered the palace with Bao Zheng at that time, in fact, it didn't take long to happen, and when he saw Zhao Zhen for the first time, he had a good impression of him.

The reason why Zhanzhao couldn't think of him as a relative of the emperor when he saw Zhao Pu at first glance was mainly because although Zhao Zhen and Zhao Pu were uncles and nephews, and there was not much difference in age, they were very different in appearance, personality, and feeling.

To put it mildly, Zhao Pu has the air of an emperor than Zhao Zhen, and I don't know how many times the Dao, and it is no wonder that there are often people in the army and the government and the opposition sighing, thinking that Zhao Pu should succeed to the throne.

Zhao Zhen gives people the feeling of being very mediocre, his personality is very gentle, he is not domineering, but he is noble, after all, he is the emperor.

In addition, Zhao Zhen doesn't seem to be very wise, or is he not sharp? Anyway, the Zhao family has always been thin, and Zhao Zhen, the emperor, is even more so, and it is his turn to be a prince, and he has no brothers and sisters, and Zhao Pu has no intention of grabbing the throne with him. So more people felt that he was not outstanding from many princes because of his excellence, but good luck from the sky, and they always felt that he was incompetent.

After talking to Zhao Zhen, I will feel that he is not suitable to be the emperor, this person is not aggressive at all, the temper of the emperor is not at all, and he often laughs when he speaks.

But fortunately, Zhao Zhen has several important ministers to support him.

One is Bao Zheng.

Not to mention the civil and military affairs of the Manchu Dynasty, even if it is the people of the world, as long as Lord Bao says that Zhao Zhen is a good emperor, most people will support him as the emperor.

One is Master Pang.

His own son-in-law, of course, Taishi Pang is a die-hard royalist, who dares to have two hearts, Taishi is the first to destroy him.

One is the Eighth Prince.

The eighth prince is high and powerful, and raised Zhao Zhen and Zhao Pu to grow up, this person is wise and intelligent, and the most rare thing is that he is pure and kind-hearted, and he is very loved by the people of Kaifeng. In addition, it is said that he looks good, although he is middle-aged, he looks quite young, handsome and chic, and he is also the person Zhao Zhen relies on and trusts the most.

There are several important ministers who will not be repeated, of course, the most important one is Zhao Pu, who has played with Zhao Zhen since he was a child, and is only two years older than him.

Zhao Pu is different from the previous ministers, his relationship with Zhao Zhen is confusing, and the outside world always rumors of their various discords, how Zhao Zhen suppressed Zhao Pu, and how Zhao Pu disobeyed Zhao Zhen.

Only a few old ministers knew in their hearts that these two were not like uncles and nephews, but more like siblings, and their relationship was very iron.

On the way, Zhan Zhao roughly told Bai Yutang about the people he knew.

Bai Yutang asked curiously, "Zhao Zhen is really so weak?" ”

Zhan Zhao smiled slightly, "Tell you something, you can judge for yourself." ”

Bai Yutang raised his eyebrows and motioned to Zhanzhao to say.

"I also asked Master Bao before, is Zhao Zhen really suitable to be the emperor." Zhan Zhao smiled, "Master Bao told me three stories. The first story is about Nangong Ji. ”

Bai Yutang listened quietly.

"Nangong began to follow Zhao Zhen at a very young age, when the two were not very old, once there was a stabbing almost successful, Nangong blocked a sword for Zhao Zhen, was slightly injured, and finally there was no danger. But Empress Liu still has to hold all the guards responsible, and they still managed to escape after causing the assassin to sneak attack, and they can't get out of it. Zhan Zhao smiled and asked, "If you are the emperor, what do you do?" ”

Bai Yutang thought for a moment, "Do you want to intercede?" A great opportunity to win hearts and minds. ”

"I also think that Empress Liu gave Zhao Zhen such an opportunity to win people's hearts." Zhan Zhao sighed twice, "But Zhao Zhen didn't do that." ”

Bai Yutang was curious, "Are they all killed?" ”

"Not either." Zhan Zhao said, "Master Bao said that Zhao Zhen said that they were indeed derelict in their duties and should be punished, and it was not good for them to help beg for mercy, otherwise the guards in the harem would take it lightly because of the emperor's kindness." However, he also said that he liked these guards very much, especially if he was reluctant to fight Nangong Ji, it was better to let Queen Liu punish them for something else. ”

Bai Yutang laughed, "It's quite frank." ”

"The queen was also stupid at the time, so she asked Zhao Zhen how to punish her." Zhan Zhao stretched out his hands, "Zhao Zhen said, and punished them to catch the few escaped thorns, and if they don't catch them, they won't be allowed to come back." ”

After Bai Yutang heard this, he nodded clearly, "People who practice martial arts are not afraid of pain, but they are afraid of humiliation." Zhao Zhen asked them to catch the stabbing back, not as a punishment, but as a reward for giving them a chance to save their dignity. ”

Zhan Zhao nodded, "Nangong Ji took people to go, and three days later, he caught the thorn back, and also caught the person who was the chief envoy behind the thorn, and the emperor rewarded them, not gold and silver, but rewarded them with the title of 'the first guard of the dynasty', these people are now the shadow guards around Zhao Zhen, led by Nangong Ji, who is good at kung fu and loyal." ”

Bai Yutang nodded.

"The second story is about Zhao Pu." Zhan Zhao continued, "That year, Zhao Zhen was eight years old and Zhao Pu was ten years old. Zhao Pu has been in the house since he was a child, and Zhao Zhen is said to be in poor health when he was a child. However, Zhao Pu will take Zhao Zhen with him wherever he goes, and Zhao Zhen will follow him. In the Mid-Autumn Festival of one year, Zhao Pu brought two and a half big servants from the palace and said that he was going to catch river crabs. ”

The corners of Bai Yutang's mouth moved, "He was bored enough when he was a child, wouldn't it be okay to eat crabs and buy a few during the Mid-Autumn Festival." ”

"It's cold in the middle of autumn, Zhao Pu didn't let Zhao Zhen go down to the river, let him wait at home, and he couldn't tell the princess and princess, otherwise he wouldn't let him go." Zhan Zhao continued, "But in the evening, it suddenly rained heavily, and after Zhao Zhen looked at the sky in the courtyard, he didn't have an umbrella, and quietly slipped out of the palace with two bundles of rope. ”

Bai Yutang was puzzled - why?

"Zhao Zhen found Zhao Pu and two small servants trapped in a tree by the river, and it turned out that they encountered a flash flood." Zhan Zhao laughed, "The water came down from the mountain suddenly, Zhao Pu held the trunk of the tree with one hand and dragged the two little guys with the other. Zhao Pu saw that he was trapped with a rope and tied to a tree on his body, so he was frightened and asked him not to go into the water, not to drown for a while, and hurry home to call someone. Zhao Zhen said that if he went home to call someone, Zhao Pu would not want to leave the palace for at least a year, so he went into the water. “

Bai Yutang touched his chin and was funny, "With Zhao Pu's character, don't say that you won't compete for the throne with Zhao Zhen from now on, you won't hesitate to go to the soup." ”

"But no, it is said that Zhao Zhen has used all his strength when he swam to the tree, and Zhao Pu dragged the rope alone and brought him and the two little guys to the other side." Zhan Zhao smiled, "When I went, everyone was a soup chicken, and Zhao Zhen said that he ran out and forgot to bring an umbrella, Zhao Pu went to him, and the prince and princess did not pursue it." After that, Zhao Zhen was sick for three days and almost died of fever. ”

Bai Yutang frowned, "Is your nature so pure?" ”

"I thought so at first." Zhan Zhao smiled slightly, "But guess what Zhao Zhen woke up and said to Zhao Pu?" ”

Bai Yutang shook his head.

When he saw Zhao Pu guilty, he said, what are you sad about? As long as I'm not dead, I'll earn it this time! ”

Bai Yutang understood and nodded, "It's not so easy to get Zhao Pu to surrender, Zhao Zhen gambled with his life when he was eight years old, and won the bet in the end, in exchange for Zhao Pu's loyalty." ”

Zhan Zhao nodded.

"What about the third one?" Bai Yutang was curious about Zhao Zhen.

"The three concubines in the harem have their own characteristics, but they have never quarreled." Zhan Zhao smiled and patted Bai Yutang's shoulder, "Three women are one and a husband!" Never quarrel, the harem is harmonious, and it's as if it doesn't exist! ”

Bai Yutang nodded in approval, "Very convincing." ”

Zhan Zhao asked Bai Yutang with his hands behind his back, "So what do you think of this emperor?" ”

Bai Yutang thought for a moment, "Better than Zhao Pu to be the emperor." ”

Zhan Zhao nodded, "Master Bao said the same thing." ”

The two chatted softly, and when they entered the garden, they saw the palace maids and eunuchs who were busy coming and going.

The little palace maids are looking forward to Zhanzhao coming soon, today is really eye-catching, in addition to the nine princes, there is also a beautiful child like a porcelain doll, plus Zhanzhao......

It's just that the palace maids were far from expecting the surprise to come, Zhanzhao not only brought himself, but also brought a handsome guy in white clothes, and the palace maids almost fell off the carp pond from the Jiuqu Bridge.

Gongsun was still puzzled, and asked Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang, who walked to him, "So slow?" Didn't you two come early? ”

Zhanzhao is embarrassed, it's hard to say that he got lost again.

It was Bai Yutang who spoke, "When I met Ouyang at the door, they chatted a few words. ”

Gongsun nodded.

Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang looked around after they sat down, and when they didn't see Zhao Pu, they asked Gongsun, "What about Zhao Pu?" ”

"Jiujiu came here just now, and some are gone." The little fourth son was holding a pomegranate, fiery red, and he didn't know who gave it to him.

Gongsun whispered to Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang, "The banquet seems to be in the courtyard inside, let's sit and rest here first, Zhao Pu said to prepare." ”

Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang were a little curious - please eat, do you want Zhao Pu to prepare it himself?

A maid brought tea, Crescent Moon squatted beside Xiao Sizi to help him break pomegranates, and Chen Xing'er sat beside Master Bao with a teacup and looked around curiously. Mr. Bao was very kind, helped her peel an orange, and told her about the structure of the garden.

Many ministers came over one after another, and when they arrived, they all greeted Lord Bao, and they didn't pay special attention to any etiquette.

Master Pang also came, with a big belly, followed by a young man who looked to be □ years old, looked okay, but gave people a feeling of being a little slippery and a little sloppy.

Everyone tacitly glanced at each other - the little crab, An Le Hou Pang Yu.

Master Pang introduced everyone to Pang Yu, Pang Yu saluted very politely, and then followed his father to the side to sit and wait.

Bai Yutang looked at Zhanzhao, and Gongsun was also curious-it wasn't so annoying to look at.

Zhan Zhao looked at the sky and said to Lord Bao Nunu, that means - Lord Bao is here, of course he is honest, and he doesn't dare to be dishonest.

"Young Master." Crescent Moon leaned behind Bai Yutang and Zhan Zhao and said to the two, "I saw a woman at the door just now. ”

Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang glanced at each other, and Gongsun teased her funny, "Oh, seeing a woman is so powerful!" ”

The crescent moon flattened her mouth, indicating that she was serious!

Bai Yutang asked, "Who did you see?" ”

"It looks like an apricot." Crescent Moon said uncertainly.

Zhan Zhao was slightly stunned.

"I saw it too!" Chen Xing'er ran over with an orange in her hand, and followed the crescent moon, "It's at the gate of the palace, but she is dressed so strangely, we didn't dare to recognize her, she should have entered the palace." ”

Bai Yutang sounded fresh, "Enter the palace?" ”

"Why will Xing'er enter the palace?" Zhanzhao also said he didn't understand.

"She's not alone, ...... with a group of women" Before the crescent moon finished speaking, she suddenly gasped and covered her mouth and looked ahead.

Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang were slightly stunned and looked back.

And they saw a man come unto them.

The two of them were sitting, and when they looked up, they saw a man who looked like he was in his thirties, with a long body and uniform bones, a face like a crown of jade, clear eyebrows, a thin beard, delicately trimmed, elegant and noble. He was dressed in purple civilian clothes, with a golden official hosta tied on the top of his head, black hair reaching to his waist, and he was chic.

Bai Yutang and Zhanzhao roughly knew what was wrong with the crescent moon - this crescent moon was different from ordinary girls' families, it stands to reason that she was sixteen or seventeen years old, and she should love those sons in their early twenties. The girls in Kaifeng Mansion have a lot of choices, Zhanzhao, Bai Yutang, Gongsun, Zhao Pu, four completely different types of beautiful men, there is always one suitable for ...... But the crescent moon doesn't like any of them, she only likes uncles.

Yue'er had a crush on Tianzun before, of course, she was talking and playing with Chenxing'er, she felt a pity all day long, why didn't Tianzun keep a beard? Not enough uncle!

But now the noble "uncle" in front of him has completely hit the tip of the crescent moon's heart, and even Bai Yutang and Zhanzhao think she should like it.

Chen Xing'er grabbed Yue'er's arm, "Calm down! Slobber! ”

Bao Zheng saw someone coming, stood up and saluted, "Lord Wang." ”

"Bao Xiang, it's back." The man smiled very well.

Bai Yutang glanced at Zhan Zhao, and Zhan Zhao's hand under the table made a gesture of "eight" to him.

Bai Yutang knew in his heart that this was the legendary handsome and virtuous king, the eighth king Zhao Defang.

As soon as the eighth prince came, many people ran over to say hello.

Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang watched the Eighth Prince's return salute and talk on the side, and the two looked at each other silently - did this prince come out of the ancient painting? There is a legendary sense of elegance in the gestures, which is good for classical...... It's not easy to look like this even after a beard!

The two of them were in a daze, and the Eighth Prince smiled at Zhan Zhao, "Zhan Guard, I haven't seen you for a long time." ”

Zhan Zhao came back to his senses and stood up to return the salute to the eighth prince, he also wondered, in fact, he had seen it a few times before, and every time he saw it, he felt a little more handsome than before......

Bao Zheng introduced everyone to the eighth prince one by one.

The eighth prince looked humble and gentle...... Or gentleness is more precise, even the voice has a sense of quietness, and he wears a wide-sleeved robe out of the style of the Wei and Jin dynasties written by Gu Kaizhi, the state of a celebrity.

The little fourth son was holding a pomegranate, and his expression was almost as surprised as the crescent moon.

The eighth prince had already seen him and praised him for his cuteness.

Gongsun picked up the little fourth son and said to the little fourth son, "Call someone." ”

The little fourth son came back to his senses, "What's it called?" ”

The eighth prince reached out and hugged him.

The crescent moon covered her heart, and Chen Xing'er on the side fanned her so that she couldn't faint!

When the eighth prince was holding the little fourth son, his wrist was exposed, and Bai Yutang looked at Zhanzhao - very thin.

Zhan Zhao was helpless - after all, he was a civil official.

The fourth son touched the arm of the eighth prince, and inexplicably felt guilty that he was too fat, this handsome uncle was a little thinner than his father.

The little fourth son also owes his hand, and subconsciously touched the beard of the eighth prince.

Gongsun poked his ass in the back, "Don't be rude, call the eighth prince." ”

The fourth son turned around and asked the eighth prince curiously, "Are you the eighth?" Is it Jiujiu's brother? ”

"Ninety-nine? Do you mean Zhao Pu? The eighth prince amused him, "Yes, I'm his brother." ”

"I'm fourth." When the little fourth son heard this, Zhao Pu's brother was more impressed, "My nickname is Little Four, is your nickname Little Eight Son?" ”

Gongsun supports the forehead.

The eighth prince was naturally not angry, and just wanted to say a few words to the little fourth son, Zhao Pu probed out in the courtyard, and seemed to be waiting for him, so he rushed out in three or two steps, "Brother!" ”

The Eight Kings saw Zhao Pu at a glance and were pleasantly surprised.

Zhao Pu rushed to the cut and frowned, "Why don't you grow flesh and beard!" As he spoke, he took the little fourth son with one hand and touched the prince's arm with the other, "Skinny!" ”

The eighth prince doesn't care about this, he hasn't seen Zhao Pu for a long time, "I just sent people everywhere to look for you, but I didn't see you, and as soon as I left, you came and told me to take a look." ”

Gongsun took the little fourth son, and the eighth prince pulled Zhao Pu to look at it carefully, stretched out his hand and patted his shoulder, "More and more powerful." ”

As he spoke, an old eunuch with gray hair walked to the gate of the courtyard, "Please take your seats." ”

The civil and military who were waiting in the courtyard got up one after another and entered the inner courtyard in twos and threes.

Bao Zheng also led everyone to stand up.

Bai Yutang deliberately walked behind, and Zhanzhao joined him and asked in a low voice, "How is it?" What does it feel like? ”

Bai Yutang glanced around, "The guards are stricter than expected, and there are more masters than expected." As he spoke, he glanced back at the crescent moon and the stars.

Chen Xing'er is no problem, but the crescent moon is a little dumbfounded...... Bai Yutang was also helpless, this girl has always been shrewd, and it was the first time she saw a like this.

Zhan Zhao was amused and asked Bai Yutang, "It doesn't matter, right?" ”

"I guess I don't have to be in love." Bai Yutang raised his eyebrows, "My master was squeezed down by the Eighth Prince." ”

"Nope."

Who knew that Yue'er suddenly came back to her senses and shook her head resolutely, "Tianzun is still the first!" ”

Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang looked at her puzzled, "Can you still keep the first place?" ”

"That's right, Tianzun's disadvantage is that he doesn't have a beard, it's wonderful to keep it!" Yueya touched her chin, looked at the eighth prince who was walking forward by Zhao Pu on her shoulder, and sighed, "Is this...... It's good for everything, it's just too weak! ”

While they were discussing, a large number of people came, coming from another Jiuqu Bridge, and they walked face to face with Zhanzhao.

These people are not wearing Han Chinese clothes, they should be envoys of the vassal state.

Zhan Zhao glanced at it roughly, Bai Yutang didn't look at it because he wasn't interested, but he felt that the crescent moon and Chen Xing'er behind him reached out and grabbed his sleeve at the same time.

Bai Yutang looked back at the two of them, and the two girls looked at him vigorously, "Young master, look, that's Xing'er!" ”

Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang were stunned, and looked in the direction where the two girls were looking—how could there be an apricot here?