The concubine's edict came very coincidentally, and at this time, Guo Jun was thinking about how to ask His Majesty to go to Daming Palace to see the concubine, but he didn't expect the edict to arrive.

Guo Yan pursed the corners of his mouth and smiled slightly, his sister has a little bit of a heart with him.

immediately changed his clothes and went to Daming Palace. He hadn't seen her in a long time, and the haste betrayed his mind, and he missed her so much that he couldn't wait to see her, even if it was just to look at her from afar.

Walking outside the door of Penglai Palace, Nian Yun still couldn't help it, and walked out of the main hall to greet him. Guo Yan stared at his sister, and suddenly felt that the distance between them was about ten steps, more like twenty years of bright time.

Under the eaves of Penglai Palace, there are still flowers he gave her, each of which is well cultivated and beautiful, just like her face, which has been beautiful for twenty years.

When she saw him, the smile on the corner of her mouth made him feel that this life was not in vain.

She didn't pounce on him and pull his sleeve briskly like many years ago, at this moment he was wearing court clothes, and saluted with ** eyes: "Foreign Minister Guo Yan, I have seen the noble concubine Niangniang, Niangniang Chitose Chitose Chitose Chitose. ”

She accepted his gift, and returned a homely blessing, and invited him into the main hall.

exchanged a few words with him, but she just asked if the family was okay, Princess Hanyang and the county lord of Rong'an were okay, but Guo Yan knew that she was not polite, she really wanted to know the situation at home and wanted to know if he was okay.

So he answered very seriously, although the answer was just "thanks to the blessing of the mother, it's okay" and so on.

The guest and the host sat down, and Nian Yun did not delay him to the side hall or the dormitory to speak this time, but he withdrew all the palace maids and eunuchs, including fennel and pothos, who served closely.

Nian Yun personally surrounded a small red clay tea stove and slowly boiled a pot of mountain spring water. Guo Yan walked over, took the fan in her hand, and squatted aside to fan the fire. His solemn official robe looked a little funny at the moment, but at this moment, his heart was extremely warm.

"Third brother," Nian Yun slowly rinsed a set of Jun Kiln tea sets with warm water to break the quiet atmosphere, "I want to ask you to use the Guo family's private power to go to Qingzhou to investigate Xue Qixi's old affairs." Who is the ancestor, what is his origin, and in whom family he is studying with whom, and why he came to the capital. ”

Guo Yan was slightly stunned, "He should have been by your side for more than 20 years, right?" If he has a second heart, I'm afraid he doesn't know how many times he has succeeded in the past 20 years, why is he suspicious of the old people around him? ”

Nian Yun shook his head and flushed the tea leaves into the first boiling kettle, "It's not suspicious. Third brother, you know that I have always been unsuspicious of employing people, and Qixi has done so many things for me over the years, I just think that if I can untie this knot for him, it can be regarded as doing something for him. ”

The tea boiled until it boiled, Nianyun was about to get the teapot, Guo Yan stretched out his hand to block her, "I'll come, be careful of burning your hands." ”

He took down the teapot and divided them into four teacups one by one, and slowly divided them into three rounds first, which is called Guan Gong's patrol of the city in the tea ceremony. The last cup of tea in the teapot was to be dotted with a few drops in each teacup, a small amount of many times, and evenly divided into four teacups, which was to order soldiers for Han Xin.

Nian Yun saw that his moves were very smooth and natural, and he was surprised: "Third brother, when did you know this?" ”

Guo Yan said lightly: "It's common for you to do this, and I've learned to cook a few times in my spare time." ”

Not only a few times, every time I think about her, I think about the way she cooks tea, gestures, every action is so clear in my mind, so I learned to cook tea without a teacher, and only cooked Yangxian tea that she always liked.

Guo Yan poured the tea, casually put one of the teacups in front of her, and said, "It's not a big deal, I'll just go back and order someone to investigate." I have one more thing I want to tell you, I just want to ask you to enter the palace today. ”

Nian Yun picked up the teacup and took a sip, and the taste was the same as that of his vegetarian cooking.

Guo Yan kept staring at her expression, and was very satisfied with the surprise on her face, so he returned to the topic and said: "I heard that recently, a group of old ministers are preparing to make a decision, admonishing His Majesty, and selecting concubines again. ”

"Widely selected concubines?" Nian Yun was stunned, and then said: "It should be, Heng'er is incompetent, I'm afraid he may not be up to the task, so naturally some people are ready to move." ”

Guo Yan lowered his head, "This time, are you going to choose one for him?" ”

"Pick for him?" Nianyun suddenly smiled, "Third brother, I have been married to him for more than 20 years, if you say how deep the relationship is, it may be a little ridiculous, but after more than 20 years, it is the past...... It's a little narrow-minded. ”

Guo Yan was a little incredulous, and raised his head, "Nianyun, what do you mean ......?"

Nian Yun smiled, "I also figured it out, at this age, grace is already a passing cloud, if he wants to choose a concubine, just choose it." It's best to choose beauties from the people, there is no foundation, simple-minded, honest and the best to give birth to, I'm too lazy to go around in the harem, tired. ”

Guo Yan saw a little desolation in her eyes. She is no longer young, she is still beautiful, but she is no longer the beauty of a young woman. In her tone, there was a sigh of beauty in the twilight.

Guo Yan's fingers holding the teacup tightened, and said, "If you don't want to, the Guo family will also fully support it." Now the eldest brother and several nephews are holding important positions in the court, and the power in their hands is not small. Coupled with the prestige of the Guo family that has not diminished for many years, Your Majesty must also consider it carefully, and you don't need to wronged yourself. ”

And what he didn't say was that although he himself could not hold important positions as a colt, the business he controlled openly and secretly in his hands had spread all over the capital, and even extended to Luoyang, as well as several important prefectures and counties nearby. It can be said that the economic lifeline of the entire capital is also controlled by the Guo family to a certain extent.

The teacup in Nianyun's hand was gently placed on the table, and he shook his head firmly, "Third brother, I really don't need it." You know, I've been lucky enough. In all dynasties, which emperor has had so few concubines around him for many years? ”

After years of living in the deep palace, she has learned to compromise. In this world, the premise of all the stories of talented and beautiful women is that they are young and beautiful, and no one will care how many twists and turns and difficulties they have to go through when they are in the twilight of their lives.

The kind of compromise she chose is also the most conducive to the stability of the DPRK situation. Guo Yan was helpless and put down the teacup, "If you really have thought about it, I have to support your decision." ”

Nian Yun bowed his head and looked at him very seriously, "Thank you, third brother." ”

Guo Yan sighed lightly and walked out.

In the court the next day, there was indeed a wave of agitation for His Majesty to choose a concubine, and this kind of folds were piled up with half of the desks.

Earlier, when His Majesty first ascended the throne, although he chose a concubine, none of the six concubines who entered the palace at that time gave birth to a prince, and even a princess did not give birth to one.

In this regard, first of all, the officials from several major families were not convinced, and wanted to select some school-age women from their respective clans to be sent to Daming Palace.

An old minister played: "Now there is only one prince who can share the worries of His Majesty, and His Royal Highness King Li does not care about things, and the minister proposes to choose a concubine to spread the branches and leaves, and share the worries for His Majesty......"

Li Chun knew in his heart that he was afraid that the prince's behavior had also caused the dissatisfaction of some officials, but it was difficult to say it clearly, so he had to go around the bend to suggest that he choose another concubine and have another child.

Li Chun casually flipped through the pile of folds on the case suggesting that he choose a concubine, and found that the Guo family had neither opposition nor support, and it should be said that the Guo family did not say a word in this matter at all.

Li Chun smiled bitterly and said: "It's really not easy to be an emperor, there are too few women and children in the palace, and you are so bitter to persuade me to accept concubines and concubines." If I had heard from you, I might have been so heartbroken that I should not be too quiet. ”

The ministers looked at each other, not knowing what he meant. I saw him look around twice in the main hall, and finally his eyes fell on Guo Zhu. As a concubine, Guo Zhu does not need to come to the court every day, so at this time, Guo Zhu is equivalent to the representative of the Guo family.

Li Chun paused and asked, "I don't know what Guo Aiqing thinks?" ”

This question, to many people's ears, is actually asking "I don't know what your Guo family means".

Guo Zhu stepped forward unhurriedly and dusted off his sleeves, "Back to Your Majesty, I think you are right." ”

For a while, the ministers were in an uproar. Li Chun raised an eyebrow, "Oh? So, you think I should expand my harem too? ”

Guo Zhu said: "Your Majesty does not have many heirs, and it is appropriate to choose concubines." However, the minister's opinion is somewhat similar to yours, and the minister thinks that if the situation is stable today, and the country and the people are safe, His Majesty might as well order the world to select good families from various states to fill the harem. ”

In the past, when the ministers suggested that the girls should be drafted from various states and counties, she refused, and she took a lot of effort to select a few young women from several major families and local forces.

This time, why did she change her mind again and let him choose young and beautiful women from good families from all over the country to enter the palace?

Perhaps, she has no intention of stopping him, even if he has three thousand beauties in the harem, maybe she can deal with it calmly now.

Is it getting older, or is it no longer caring?

He suddenly felt a little lost.

Previously, he asked Guo Zhu because he hoped to hear what she meant from the Guo family's mouth, or rather, to hear opposing opinions, and he even thought that he could watch a good show between the Guo family and the courtiers for a long time.

But no, this time, the Guo family didn't seem to care at all.

Li Chun suddenly felt distracted, he pointed to the fold on the case, "Liufu, clean up, it's all the same meaning anyway, I don't want to see it." If nothing else, then retreat. ”

Retreat? What does that mean? His Majesty neither said yes nor disagreed, and just quit the court?