On the last day of August, in the Summer Palace in the western suburbs of Beijing, countless brightly dressed high-ranking officials and dignitaries were marching through the Xingong Gate at the southeast corner of Kunming Lake with their families and in groups, crossing the long 17-hole bridge, and pouring into Nanhu Island, which is surrounded by water, to attend the 36th birthday banquet of Empress Liu Qianhua.

During the Guangxing period, in order to celebrate the victory of the Asian-Russian War, the former emperor Aixin Jueluo-Zaiyan ordered the construction of a combination of Chinese and Western "Haiyan Pavilion" on the island, which was equipped with captured Russian military flags, steering wheels, cannons, shells and other memorials, and a captured Russian torpedo boat was also moored to the dock on the island.

During the Kaihong period, Liu Yun, the emperor of Taizu Wu of this dynasty, still used the Summer Palace as a summer palace, but in order to avoid the previous dynasty, he did not stay in the Wanshoushan Palace, but built a delicate Western-style villa "Yixinlou" on Nanhu Island, which was particularly eye-catching against the backdrop of the Chinese palace of Wanshoushan across the lake.

In the early years of Chengxian, the empress Liu Qianhua ordered the expansion of the "Yixin Building", connecting it with the "Haiyan Pavilion", and named the entire island complex "Hexin Garden", which was large enough to hold a banquet for more than 100 people, so that the empress could hold various social activities as usual when she stayed in the driving garden as in the Xinhua Palace.

Today's banquet, out of the consideration of wartime economy, after the Imperial Household Agency planned, did not set up a banquet, but took the form of a buffet reception, all the rituals were simple, probably because of this, the atmosphere in the hall seemed relaxed and peaceful, and there was no solemn style of the royal banquet in the past.

Empress Liu Qianhua, who has been sick for many days, has gradually eased since she moved to the Summer Palace half a month ago.

At this moment, Liu Qianhua is wearing a special Tang-style skirt made by Qianqing Fashion Design. He was reclining on the cool floor on the side of the banquet hall, with his hair in a high bun, holding a palace fan in his hand, and smiling at Zhang Zhigao, the Minister of the Interior and the Minister of Zhengde who had come to congratulate him on behalf of the cabinet.

“…… Premier Yang is deeply disturbed by the fact that he has been busy with state affairs in recent days, and has no time to take a break. In particular, he asked the ministers to apologize to the emperor, and Premier Yang said that if he had a little time to spare another day, he would bring his family to the garden to greet the saints. ”

Seeing Zhang Zhigao's decent performance, Liu Qianhua had no hatred in his heart, but only a slight trace of inexplicable sadness, and he was still firmly wearing a mask called "grace" on his face.

"You go back and tell Premier Yang that state affairs are important, and all matters in the palace. I have given full authority to the Regent. I leave the palace to recuperate, quiet is the best, not a royal family, no need to enter the park to ask for peace. ”

"Obey the Order......"

Zhang Zhigao agreed absentmindedly, but his eyes began to search around the cool collapse, Liu Qianhua knew what he was looking for, turned his head and glanced at Ye Jingying, Ye Jingying said knowingly: "Lord Minister." Lord Gong Xiang can't pull away now, do you want to go to the backyard to meet Lady Zhang first? ”

Ye Jingying's mouth is "Lord Gongxiang". is Zhang Zhigao's wife, the current minister of the palace, Luo Sulan, as for the "female official Zhang", it is Zhang Zhigao's only daughter now - Zhang Luying, a 14-year-old female intern in front of the palace.

After the imperial meeting at the beginning of the month, which was comparable to a coup d'état, Luo Sulan took Zhang Luying into the palace, and no matter how Zhang Zhigao sent someone to deliver the message, he just refused to meet. Seeing that the new semester is about to start, Zhang Luying is at the critical moment of promoting primary school to junior high school, Zhang Zhigao's trip is naturally not a drunkard's intention.

Hearing that his intention was exposed, Zhang Zhigao had no choice but to nod and say, "Thank you, Lady Ye, Your Majesty." Then the minister will ...... first"

Liu Qianhua tilted her head towards the side door leading to the backyard: "Go, father and daughter have a good talk, they are all a family, and there is nothing that can't be solved." ”

Seeing that Zhang Zhigao turned around and left with a heavy heart, Liu Qianhua sighed lightly, hung his head on the grass pillow, and said to himself, half-asking, half-seeking: "This is not caused by me, right?" ”

"It's someone's choice, it's just that he didn't expect this to happen in advance, and besides. This is a family matter, and the emperor doesn't have to take it to heart. ”

"The authority is in hand, and family affairs are state affairs - do you know what to do?"

Ye Jingying's eyes flashed: "Yes, I will focus on supervising this aspect of work next." ”

Liu Qianhua blocked the palace fan in front of her, although her voice was soft, her tone was extremely resolute: "No, you personally control it and report to me at any time." ”

"But ......"

Seeing that Ye Jingying was still a little hesitant, Liu Qianhua raised the palace fan and patted her hand: "Here in the garden, there are people around me to serve, you don't have to worry." The affairs in the palace, you leave it to Lao Huang to take care of first, and it is time for him to exercise. ”

Ye Jingying had to bow her head and obey the order, and while she was talking, Liang Tianhe, who was dressed as a marshal, had stood in front of the two of them for some time, Ye Jingying hurriedly raised her head, and said in a long tone: "Chief of the General Staff of the Imperial Army and Navy, Marshal Liang Tianhe, Marquis of Ningbei, ask to see ——。 ”

"See you."

As soon as the empress spoke, Liang Tianhe, who was holding a two-cornered hat with feathers, immediately took a step forward and knelt down on one knee, until Liu Qianhua stretched out his hand and said "flat", then he got up and stood still, leaned forward slightly, bowed his head and read a congratulatory message first: "On behalf of the seven million officers and soldiers of the Imperial Army and Navy, I would like to congratulate the emperor on his birthday, and wish my emperor long live." ”

Liu Qianhua nodded and beckoned: "Chief of General Staff Liang has a heart, and he took two steps closer to speak. ”

"Obey."

Liang Tianhe held his hat under his armpits, straightened his chest and took two steps forward.

Liu Qianhua put one hand on her cheek and asked seemingly casually: "I heard that the regent has been a little bit at odds with you recently, isn't that so?" ”

Liang Tianhe raised his head and said: "The ministers and His Royal Highness perform their duties for the emperor, do their best, and do their official business, it doesn't matter whether they deal with it or not." ”

"The regent doesn't know what is going on, don't take it to heart, but you also have to pay attention to proportions and leave some decency."

Liu Qianhua deliberately lowered his voice, Liang Tianhe blinked knowingly, and continued to raise his head and say proudly: "The minister obeys the order." ”

"What's the news from the base camp?"

This time, it was Liang Tianhe's turn to lower his voice: "It's decided, next month to attack from all sides, the details have been explained at the imperial meeting, and when His Royal Highness comes down later, he will naturally report them one by one." ”

"It's hard work, you can do it yourself."

Liu Qianhua raised her head towards the buffet rack in the center of the hall.

Liang Tianhe said "obey" again, put on Ling Yu's towering hat with both hands, took two steps back with shoe spikes, and turned around to merge into the crowd.

Ye Jingying couldn't help but leaned into Liu Qianhua's ear and commented: "I can't see it, this uncle can really act, Premier Yang is such a shrewd person, he has been blinded by it." ”

Liu Qianhua covered her face with a fan, and whispered almost face to face, "People can't be disguised, when Liu Bailiang had an accident last year, I knew that he was not so simple, and now it seems that I still underestimated him." Also, your people must be careful not to let the Cabinet Intelligence Agency smell anything, if this uncle is exposed in advance, it will be meaningless to us. ”

"I'll pay attention......"

The black bright eyes exposed outside the fan turned left and right, and Liu Qianhua pushed Ye Jingying's face away with one finger: "The people from the Praetorian Guard are here, let's introduce them." ”

"Yes...... The new commander of the Praetorian Guard, General Su Mengxin, the new commander of the Praetorian Guard, Major General Wu Haisong, the commander of the newly established Praetorian Assault Division, Major General Liang Gensheng, and the new commander of the Praetorian Hussar Brigade, Brigadier General Zhang Xinyu, ask to see——"

…… (To be continued......)