In the imperial city of Gyeonggi Province, Emperor Zhu Chengyuan was concentrating on painting in the imperial study, a map of the border city outside the northwest fortress, Lai Si stood aside and carefully grinded, and the two also exchanged ideas from time to time about what the shape of the border city in the northwest should be. For two hours, the emperor painted, and the cabinet grinded. Qiu Sihai, the big inner manager standing next to the desk, was stunned and didn't dare to disturb, even if the little eunuch on the side whispered to remind His Majesty the Great Internal Administrator that it was time for dinner, he was helpless.

For Emperor Zhu Chengyuan, in addition to government affairs all day long, it is rare to have leisure and leisure to concentrate on painting. As His Majesty the Emperor's personal internal manager, Qiu Sihai didn't know this, so he resolutely chose to paint between eating and painting. Once this matter is spread by a small eunuch who is not strict-mouthed, the group of officials in the Yushitai will probably have to criticize the eunuchs for disrupting the government in the early dynasty.

Emperor Zhu Chengyuan was extremely satisfied with this picture of the border city, although the painting was what he looked like when he was in the border city twenty or thirty years ago, but for the small border city in the northwest that has been in war every year, the development of these twenty years does not seem to have much to do with them. Half of the sparsely populated border cities are guarded by border troops, and a small half are passing merchants and small traders and hawkers, and there are very few local people.

"Your Majesty, your painting and copying skills are unmatched in the whole Dahua country, your picture of the northwest border city is really vivid, especially the expressions and mouth shapes of the small merchants and vendors in the city, as if they are bargaining when they see the painting, and the soldiers guarding the city on the city gate have solemn expressions and uniform movements, which portrays the city guards of our country vividly." Rice looked at the work on the desk and was full of praise.

Zhu Chengyuan is actually very satisfied with his paintings, even though he knows that Lai Si has a bragging element in it, he still enjoys this feeling, and he has not been so relaxed for a long time. His Majesty the Emperor picked up the hard and heroic pen and wrote the book, and the heroic and dry poems have been passed down for centuries.

Qiu Sihai, who was on the side, saw that the two big men were finished, so he asked, "Your Majesty, can you have dinner now?" ”

"It's really reluctant that the leisure time is inadvertently gone." His Majesty the Emperor sighed, turned to Lai Si and said, "I have a rare day of leisure today, so you can accompany me to the guard after lunch." ”

"Your Majesty wants to talk to that one?" Rice asked cautiously.

His Majesty the Emperor did not speak, and walked towards the imperial dining room, followed by Rais. Zhu Chengyuan is not particular about dining, no matter who is still around His Majesty the Emperor during the meal time, it must be left to eat together, in the words of Emperor Zhu Chengyuan, if you don't eat a meal at the emperor's house, what kind of loyalty is there to talk about! The old dean Weng Shixiao, who often accompanied His Majesty the Emperor, once saw Qiu Sihai, the chief administrator, accompany His Majesty the Emperor to dinner, and at that time, a well-informed person like Rao is master was quite shocked by Emperor Zhu Chengyuan's approach. In this regard, Zhu Chengyuan didn't care, just a meal.

Halfway through the meal, His Majesty the Emperor turned his head to Qiu Sihai, who was standing beside him, and asked, "Qiu Sihai, how many meals has Lord Lai eaten here today?" ”

Qiu Sihai was happy when he heard this, and said with a smile: "Back to Your Majesty, this is Lord Lai's seventy-sixth meal in the imperial dining room. ”

"yes, got it." The emperor said with a smile.

When His Majesty the Emperor said this, Lai Si was biting the chicken leg intently, almost choking. made Zhu Chengyuan laugh, and Qiu Sihai's kind smile on the side made Lai Si's heart panic, and now he began to wonder if His Majesty the Emperor would ask him for silver if he ate the chicken leg in his mouth.

"Qiu Sihai, Master Lai has always liked meat, and every time he eats more than half of the meat on the table, you can watch and remember a few more meals." His Majesty the Emperor laughed constantly, and the chicken leg that Lai Si had just bitten into squirted out, but fortunately he bowed his head in time, otherwise it would be fatal to spray on His Majesty's face.

Zhu Chengyuan looked at this cabinet assistant who could be regarded as his favorite minister, and suddenly asked: "Laisi, I heard from the imperial doctor that Li Xianlai's health is getting worse and worse. ”

Laisi: "Well, Lord Li's health is getting worse day by day, and sometimes he can't come to the court. ”

Zhu Chengyuan: "The day before yesterday, he came to me again, saying that he wanted to take his grandchildren back to his hometown to enjoy Qingfu. ”

Laisi: "Your Majesty, let's find a quiet place in the suburbs of Gyeonggi Province to support him, so that everyone can take care of something else, and his family is also here, and it is not so difficult to reunite." The New Year will be more than a month away, and if he, an old guy, returns to his hometown, it will still be a little cold, and he can't chill the hearts of their older generation! ”

Emperor Zhu Chengyuan turned his head and looked at Qiu Sihai again and said with a smile: "Qiu Sihai, did you hear it, Lord Cifu said that I was cold and indifferent, and what crime did I blatantly deceive?" ”

Qiu Sihai on the side couldn't do it, and said with a smile: "Back to Your Majesty, the old slave is stupid and can't remember the laws of Dahua." ”

Zhu Chengyuan waved his hand and said with a smile: "It's okay, I remember that he has no merit and hard work, so the punishment will be lighter and deduct one year." Because it is a great disrespect to me, this money is directly given to me. ”

Lai Si couldn't cry or laugh, for no reason he lost a year of money, and the eunuchs and palace maids who were waiting next to him couldn't help laughing.

"Your Majesty, the minister can't be fined anymore, and if he is punished again, he really won't be able to open the pot, and besides, you don't know my mother-in-law, if I don't take money from home, I won't even be able to enter the door." Lai Si said aggrievedly.

The emperor smiled and said, "How can I take it back once I have opened Chrysostom, is it possible that you want me to be a faint king who breaks his word." ”

"Your Majesty, the minister knows his mistake, and the minister is willing to be punished." Lai Si was about to cry, thinking that he would not have a good face when he went back tonight, what kind of meal is this, obviously it is eating silver!

Emperor Zhu Chengyuan put down the dishes and chopsticks and said: "Laisi, as soon as Li comes and leaves, the seat of the first assistant will be empty, do you have any ideas?" ”

Lai Si also put down the chopsticks in his hand and wiped his mouth and said: "Your Majesty, in fact, Lord Li can stay for another year, it doesn't matter if the minister can worry more, if he leaves, our cabinet will lose a backbone." ”

Zhu Chengyuan knew that Lai Si was playing tricks at this time, and he had mentioned to Lai Si about taking over as the first assistant, but this kid just didn't want to, and said that he was not strong enough, and it was enough for Li to come first. Now that the first assistant Li Xianlai is doing his best for the rest of his life, it is time for him to stop and retire, looking at the entire court, it is Lai Si who can take over the position of the first assistant, so Zhu Chengyuan called Lai Si over to take a preventive shot in advance.

Emperor: "Don't be serious, I'm not happy to let you take over as the head of the cabinet, you know how many pairs of eyes are staring at this position, let you follow you, where did so much nonsense come from." ”

Lai Si got up and bowed down: "The minister Lai Si will live up to Your Majesty, live up to my Dahua millions of people, for the prosperity of Dahua, the ministers will not hesitate to do anything!" ”

The emperor said with relief: "Ten years ago, my husband told me that Lai Si can be of great use, but my husband's vision is vicious. ”