Section III

He hugged his fists and said: "Wu Hou is now the face of the imperial court, and the full moon wine of the second prince is naturally a major state event, as a representative of the Ministry of Rites, I naturally want to come to congratulate, when I saw you five years ago, I knew that you would become a great weapon, and sure enough, not only a very human minister, but also a Ding Jiakou, haha."

When I saw Shi Zhan five years ago, I hadn't recovered from the grief of losing He Yi at that time, so I was bitter, what can I see when I show it? However, Wu Ming was a little emotional, when he first met the show, although he was exquisite, he still did not lose his sincerity and enthusiasm. After a few years of edification, it is a compliment to meet now, and I am afraid that it will be difficult to hear a few words of truth from him.

Wu Ming smiled: "The Ministry of Rites is polite, the kid is also a coincidence, why worry about it." It is a happy event that the Ministry of Rites and Rites has every opportunity, and it has also taken the time to come. ”

He didn't say that it was okay, but as soon as he said it, he called out to hit the sky: "Hou Ye doesn't know, he just sent away the high-end guests yesterday, which is really tiring." These guys learn Chinese so paradoxically that they can't communicate, if it weren't for the death order given by the mother, the lower officials would really want to pick a son and quit. ”

High sentences? Wu Ming's heart moved, Gao Ju is close to the four northeastern provinces, and Daoyi is a strip of water, very close, the two have been entangled, they are natural rivals, the Queen Mother is now receiving Gao Ju's envoys, and she must have made a calculation to contain Daoyi.

After the fall of the prime minister, with a series of actions by the Queen Mother, coupled with Wu Ming's forbearance, the relationship between the two heated up rapidly, and it was now the honeymoon period. When it was about to be noon, Tao Ziqian, the uncle of the imperial court and who had now been promoted to the secretary of the household department, and Lu Zhengli, the secretary of the criminal department who had always been known for his cold face, also arrived one after another.

As soon as noon arrived, Chen Qifeng held a tray with bright red eggs on it, and He Yi and Liu Hui held a child and slowly turned out of it. Everyone took the red egg and gave some small gifts to the children, with a smile on their faces, and words of blessing in their mouth......s.

The ministers "hummed", stood up one after another, and were about to go out to greet them, when the queen mother was surrounded by a large group of eunuchs and palace maids, she turned around from the outside, and immediately knelt down in the hall, and shouted in unison: "The ministers ask the mother to say goodbye." ”

The Queen Mother smiled and said: "Ladies and gentlemen, today's palace, like you, is also here to congratulate Zhenxi Hou Xidelin'er, get up, you are so polite, it is a bit noisy." ”

It seems that the Queen Mother is in a good mood today, and it is rare to make a joke in public. Although the Chinese and Western military and the Queen Mother are in the honeymoon period, when they come to eat the full moon wine of the Hou family in Zhenxi, there is always a suspicion of scolding Wu Ming, and the ministers are worried. Hearing the ease in her tone, the big stone in her heart also fell to the ground, and hurriedly responded: "Xie Niangniang." Then they got up.

After the Queen Mother sat down, Liu Ze turned out from behind her, saluted Wu Ming and said, "Master Hou, the next official is late, please forgive me for the crime of rudeness." ”

His hair is fluffy, his eyes are bloodshot, which is very different from his usual elegance, it seems that Lu Fang is right, Liu Ze has been tossed enough by the Queen Mother recently. Wu Mingna dared to blame him, and smiled: "Liu Gongbu is busy with state affairs, if it is delayed because of the children's full moon wine, it is the real sin, there is no need to be polite, please sit down." ”

Liu Ze thanked him, looked around, and saw that Lu Fang was sitting in the corner munching on the case, and hurriedly ran over, shouting from afar: "Lu Shilang, tell you good news, I have eyebrows for that thing......"

As he spoke, he had already rushed to Lu Fang and sat down, and the two were muttering together, not knowing what to discuss. Wu Ming's heart moved, that thing? What is it? Is it a gunwale? was about to step forward to ask what happened, when the Queen Mother said: "Marquis Wu......"

Wu Ming hurriedly turned around, saluted and said, "The minister is here." ”

The Queen Mother glanced at He Yi, who was holding He Xiaoyao, and said with a smile: "Second lady, the old people have seen each other, and they are happy on the full moon, and the palace has to express it, otherwise it will be stingy." ”

Seven years ago, Wu Ming led the remnants of the Southern Expeditionary Army to return north, and He Yi served her all the way. The Queen Mother said that the two were old friends, but it was not a lie. However, when she came to the Qingting, she pushed He Yi out to Liao Sheng, although there was also a voluntary element of He Yi, but the latter had some pimples in his heart after all. When He Yi heard this, he bowed and said lightly: "Niangniang's words are serious, the next daughter is a happy girl, it is a natural thing to serve you, and I dare to ask for a reward." ”

The Queen Mother didn't seem to notice the coldness in He Yi's words, and still smiled: "Madam is not only the wife of the Marquis of Zhenxi, but also the daughter of the Governor of the Northwest, plus the title of Our Lady of Bailing, in addition to the palace, I am afraid that there is no second woman in this court who has this ability." As the saying goes, we can move around more in the future. ”

As she spoke, her narrow Danfeng eyes swept over He Yi, and finally landed on Wu Ruoxi in Liu Hui's arms, and sighed: "If I had a daughter, it would be great......"

In the heart of the Queen Mother, her daughter had already been slapped to death by Steward Hu, although now the revenge has been avenged, but when she saw Wu Ruoxi, she must have been touched, although Wu Ming knew Tang Wei's true identity, but she would definitely not go to find trouble, but said: "If you like it, Weichen can often bring the little girl to see you in the future." ”

The Queen Mother smiled, nodded and said, "That's a good feeling, but when you go in and out of the imperial palace, you have to give the little guy a name, otherwise it's too inconvenient." She groaned, and then said: "Ling Lang has succeeded to Governor He, and he will be the head of the He family in the future. In this way, I think this little girl is quite pleasing to the eye, so I will call her Princess Huaining, and I hope that Zhenxi Hou will remember today's words, and often take her to the imperial palace to accompany the palace to relieve boredom in the future. ”

This is the most critical step for the Queen Mother to encircle the Chinese and Western military, Wu Ming's base is in China and the West, and when he conquers Hanshui, he will return to the court sooner or later. If his daughter becomes a princess, the Queen Mother can justifiably summon her, and through guò Wu Ruoxi, the two will have more opportunities to contact and communicate, which can effectively reduce misunderstandings between the two parties. This is also a yang scheme, although Wu Ming understands it in his heart, he has no reason to allow it, and he saluted and said: "In this way, Weichen thanked the little girl on behalf of him." ”

Since this reward cannot be avoided no matter what, then it can only be accepted safely. The Queen Mother glanced at Wu Ming, and said: "Since most of the relevant personnel are here, it is better to choose a day than to hit the sun, and when this is the case, the palace wants to borrow Wu Hou's mansion to discuss how to deal with the reinforcements of the organ city." ”

Wu Ming was taken aback: "The organ city has sent reinforcements?" ”

The black-clothed guards are all over the world, and they are very well-informed, but now they haven't gotten the news, and the Queen Mother actually knows, so it can be seen that her spy system is even better.

Seeing Wu Ming's expression, the Queen Mother was also a little proud, and couldn't help but say: "This is also what the palace just knew, so I was anxious to discuss with Wu Hou, and I don't blame it." ”

Wu Ming bowed and saluted again: "This is all within the responsibility of the ministers, and An dares to complain." ”

The conversation between the two, although it was not very loud, did not deliberately lower the volume, and the people around naturally heard it. Wu Ming sent them one by one, and when she was done, the Queen Mother looked around, nodded and said, "In this way, there are no more people around, and they are down to business." ”

She smiled at Wu Ming and said, "Wu Hou, today I will let you see the new weapon that Liu Gongbu has tried." ”

A new weapon? Thinking of what Lu Fang said, Wu Ming couldn't help but say: "Could it be that the gunwalstick was developed?" ”

The Queen Mother was noncommittal, and said to Liu Ze: "Liu Gongbu, you should show it to Wu Hou." ”

Liu Ze answered, "Yes." He took out a swarthy long tube from his arms, with a handle at one end, about a cubit long, he glanced at the Queen Mother, but his expression was a little hesitant: "Niangniang, you won't disturb the family of Zhenxi Hou, right......?"

When this thing was taken out, Wu Ming's heart was already a little touched, and when he heard this, he hurriedly said: "Liu Gongbu, please rest assured, Benhou has already settled his family." ”

Hearing Wu Ming say this, Liu Ze nodded: "That's good, this thing is a little loud, please be careful." ”

As he spoke, he opened a trap door on the long tube and poured some black powder into it. It was a sulphurous gas, gunpowder. After installing the shot, close the trap door and pour some iron sand into it from the front. Liu Ze looked around and said, "Everyone, please stand back so as not to be injured by mistake." ”

He said it solemnly, and everyone stepped back. Liu Ze ordered someone to erect a pillar ten meters in front of him, and then hung a piece of kraft paper on it. After trying the distance, he stepped back a little, about twenty meters away, which was the farthest distance in the living room, and when he retreated, he stuck to the corner, and he felt for a fire fold, lit it, and leaned towards a thin rope on the long tube. The rope ignited with a "zi" and burned inward very quickly, Wu Mingzheng was a little shocked, and suddenly there was a loud bang in his ears, as if he had a thunderbolt around him, and the shock made his ears buzz. In front of Liu Ze, there was a puff of white smoke rising, and the smell of sulfur was extremely strong. The Queen Mother fanned the white smoke with her hand and said to Wu Ming: "Wu Hou, go and have a look." ”

In the smoke, Liu Ze had already called a few workers to carry the pillar over. His face couldn't be concealed: "Take off the kraft paper and show it to Wu Hou." ”

At this time, the white smoke had dissipated, and Wu Ming's ears were still a little ringing. A worker was taking off the kraft paper and handing it to Wu Ming, he reached out and touched it, and said movingly: "It's really powerful, it's really a musket." ”

The kraft paper is full of holes, like a sieve. Hearing Wu Ming say this, Liu Ze was taken aback and said, "Master Hou, have you ever seen this thing before?" I know the name of this thing. ”

Wu Ming reacted immediately, and quickly shook his head and said: "That's right, I just called it casually according to the shape, but I didn't expect it to be called a musket." ”

Liu Ze breathed a sigh of relief, and his face was already colorful: "That's right, this is the musket." I've done experiments, and within fifty paces, one shot is enough to penetrate leather armor. ”