However, as soon as these words came out, the ministers became even more silent.

After a long time, only Liu Shihang stepped forward, and Mao recommended himself: "Your Majesty, the minister is willing to go to the northwest for disaster relief." ”

For a while, all the ministers breathed a sigh of relief, and finally someone came out to take on this errand.

Ying Zhan squinted her eyes and looked at Liu Shihang, "Aiqing is not afraid of this errand and tricky?" ”

"As a courtier, as long as you can share the emperor's worries, it is the minister's duty, if everyone only picks good errands, then in times of crisis, who else will share the emperor's worries?"

"In this drought and locust plague in the northwest, if no one is willing to serve the emperor, the minister is willing to go to the northwest and die of his life!"

The officials present were ashamed.

At the same time, everyone squeezed out Liu Shihang in their hearts.

I thought that this Lord Liu was worthy of being a cabinet minister who had been assisting the emperor before he ascended the throne, and he would really seize the opportunity to show loyalty to the emperor.

In this way, if he Liu Shihang has completed the errand, he will be promoted to the rank and knight, and the rewards will be innumerable.

In addition, he is the father of Concubine Rou, and it just so happens that Concubine Rou has just given birth to a prince recently.

Even if he can't do an errand, just because of this loyalty, the emperor will not treat him well.

No emperor would have been moved to hear such faithful words.

At this moment, under the backdrop of a group of ministers, Liu Shihang is particularly outstanding.

Ying Zhan looked at Liu Shihang and bowed slightly, "Very good, it is good for Aiqing to have this intention, if you can also make a difference in action, it will be the icing on the cake, this time, you will go to the northwest for disaster relief!" ”

Immediately afterwards, the emperor discussed some political matters with his ministers, and then the dynasty was dispersed.

A few days later, Prince Mu, Shen Qing, and Liu Shihang went to the northwest respectively.

The expedition with troops, the disaster relief of disaster relief.

Regardless of which wave of people it was, Ying Zhan watched them set off at the gate of the palace.

Due to the successive accidents in the northwest, Ying Zhan went to the harem a lot less.

At most, a few high-ranking concubines walked around a few times.

Or go to the concubines who have an heir and see a few princes.

During this period, he also held a rain prayer ceremony in Beijing.

The rest of the time, he summoned ministers in the Longxuan Hall to discuss political affairs.

Otherwise, it is to review the recital and official documents.

It is said that it has reached the point where it is not worth thinking about tea and rice.

On this day, before Tianyan had lunch, Li Zhong arrived at the Lili Palace.

At this moment, Qian Yan sat at the top of the hall, Li Zhong stood in the middle, and said with a sad face: "Tilt the concubine, the emperor has been busy these days, and he has not eaten much. ”

"After a few days, he only sleeps for an hour at night, and if he goes on like this, the slave is really worried about his dragon body."

"......" looked at Li Zhong with a smile, "The emperor doesn't eat, drink or sleep, it's useless for you to come to the palace, as the chief eunuch, you have to find a way." ”

Li Zhong had a bitter face: "You are the way of a slave, you are an expert in terms of meals." ”

"In addition, you are pregnant, the emperor pities you, as long as you open your mouth to persuade the emperor, he can listen to it."

Tilting Yan didn't plan to go at first, but Li Zhong had been relying on her Tilting Pear Palace, and all the good things he had to say.

After thinking about it for a while, he finally asked Li Zhong to instruct the Shang Food Bureau to cook a few dishes.

Then, she rode to the Longxuan Palace.

When I got there, I saw the emperor sitting on the dragon chair in the Longxuan Palace, intently reviewing the recitals.

It is estimated that what is written in the fold is not good news, the man's thin lips are pursed, and his thick eyebrows are furrowed, as if he is troubled by some trouble.

After entering the hall, his belly was big, so he didn't salute.

Just put his hand on his waist, lowered his eyes and said, "The emperor bows to An." ”

However, she waited for a long time, but did not wait for the man's response.

When he looked up, he saw that the man was writing hard, as if he was reading the handwriting on the fold.

Such a situation has not been encountered before.

In the past few years, several times he has been so absorbed in the office that he didn't even hear her say hello.

So, Qian Yan shouted again: "Your Majesty." ”

This time, the man could be considered to have heard it.

Ying Zhan only glanced up at Qianyan, and then lowered her head again, "Why are you here?" ”

Before the woman could reply, he said, "I'm busy, so sit on the side." ”

Qian Yan knew that he was busy, but he didn't pestering him to talk, but found a rose chair in the hall and sat down.

After touching a stick of incense, the palace maid and eunuch of the Shangshi Bureau came in to make a meal.

Because of their admiration, the minions set up two tables for the meal.

Qian Yan sat down at the table that belonged to her, and said to the emperor: "Your Majesty, the concubine heard that you didn't eat early this morning, and now it's lunch time, it's time for you to eat." ”

"If you're hungry, eat first, and I'll have to finish these folds quickly." The man on the throne did not lift his head.

With a pen in his hand, he writes smoothly on the fold.

It is said that serious men are the best-looking.

At this moment, the emperor's focused appearance is really fascinating.

Faced with the state of the man's workaholic, Tanyan was not discouraged, "Your Majesty, isn't it the same that you have lunch and then review the folds?" But if you get tired, it will delay your efforts even more. ”

Ying Zhan: "As the monarch of the northern bordering country, I must set an example and handle the day's political affairs on the same day, so that the officials below will be as active as me." ”

"If even I delay political affairs, and the officials below follow suit, and if this kind of delay continues at all levels, when will it take to deal with one thing?"

"If the government affairs are not handled in a timely manner, how can we govern the country? It will only weaken the national power of the northern neighboring country! ”

Tanyan was originally pulled by Li Zhong to persuade the emperor, but instead the emperor was given a political lesson.

At this time, a palace maid served a bowl of duck soup for her.

This old duck soup was specially instructed by Li Zhong to be made by the Shangshi Bureau.

Now looking at this bowl of duck soup, his eyes turned slightly.

She held the duck soup and said lightly: "It's a shame that the concubine specially let the Shangshi Bureau stew the duck soup, I want to say that the emperor has a bad appetite, and it is the most suitable to drink the duck soup in this summer, which can not only nourish the stomach, nourish the blood, replenish the five internal organs, but also dissolve dampness and increase appetite." ”

He first took a sip of the soup, and then took a bite of the duck meat.

Then, her eyes lit up, and she said seemingly casually: "Li Zhong, this duck, have you done what I said and let the Shangshi Bureau specially select it?" ”

"If you go back to Niangniang, the slave is the duck soup stewed by the duck prepared by the Shangshi Bureau according to what you said." Although he didn't know why the concubine ordered him like this.

But he invited the concubine to persuade the emperor, and he can still do this small request.

Qian Yan nodded with satisfaction, and raised his voice, "I'll just say, the old duck soup is only delicious when stewed with a duck from the ground, those farmer's ducks like to eat insects the most, they all grew up eating insects in the mountains." ”

"This kind of duck that grows up eating insects, the duck meat that grows out is strong, the duck meat is delicious, the soup is delicious, the soup is clear and mellow but not greasy, the duck fat is yellow and bright, the meat is crispy and mellow, and the duck eggs taste exceptionally delicious."

"It's a pity, since the emperor doesn't want to eat, the concubines don't force it, anyway, the body is yours, no matter how hungry you are, you can't starve the concubines."

"Niangniang is really a connoisseur in terms of food." Li Zhong lowered his eyes and said: "The slave will go to the Shangshi Bureau to ask later, see if there are any such duck eggs, if there are, let people send them to the Pear Palace." ”

He thinks that the concubine really knows how to eat, and even an old duck soup is so particular.

It's just a pity that the emperor doesn't appreciate it.

Hey, it was he who overestimated the persuasiveness of the concubine and underestimated the emperor's concentration in diligent government.

His Majesty the Emperor is diligent in government, and it is not easy for anyone to speak!

Regarding Li Zhong's words, he smiled back: "Gonggong Li is worthy of being a celebrity in front of the emperor, and being an errand is intimate." ”

Li Zhong: "Niangniang has won the award, this is what a slave should do." ”

Qian Yan didn't speak again, but looked up at the emperor secretly.

Xin said that her voice just now was loud enough, like the emperor is so diligent that he goes mad, the wise emperor, you should understand the meaning of her words as soon as you hear it, right?

Just when he was thinking like this, he saw the emperor's writing hand paused slightly.

Then, he raised his head and looked at Qian Yan, "What did Concubine Ai Shi say?" ”

She pretended not to understand, she thought about it for a while, and tried to reply: "The concubine said that this duck meat is delicious, the soup is delicious, and the soup is clear and mellow without being greasy......"

"It's not." Ying Zhan directly interrupted the woman's words, "You're talking about walking ducks eating insects." ”

"Oh, this one, the farmer's duck eats insects." He looked at the man in surprise, "Is there anything strange about this?" ”

Above, the emperor's deep ink eyes bloomed with golden light.

"If a duck eats insects, will it also eat locusts?" Ying Zhan's frowning brows gradually relaxed, and he asked Qian Yan, "Does Concubine Ai know what ducks eat locusts?" Or which duck eats the fastest and most worms? ”

"Your Majesty, the concubine is a layman, and she only knows what duck is the best, but if you ask about this, the concubine won't know." In fact, Qian Yan knew, but she deliberately said that she didn't know.

In the twenty-eighth century, she had seen in the news and newspapers that there was a locust plague in the steppes of the territory.

Later, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and other areas sent hundreds of thousands of hemp ducks to the territory, and in less than three months, they won the battle of locust plague.

Qian Yan knew that there were no chemical pesticides in the northern bordering country, and there was no precedent for ducks to eat locusts.

There are only a few methods that have been come up with the wisdom of the ancients.

In her opinion, using ducks to exterminate locusts is the most suitable one in this ancient northern country.

It's just that the emperor has never liked women who are too shrewd.

Now the emperor didn't think of this method.

If one of her harem concubines thought of it, it would hurt his dignity as an emperor.

Therefore, she didn't want to give the emperor a feeling that "she knew too much".

Rather, it seems to inadvertently reveal favorable information.

Otherwise, it will leave the impression of a shrewd woman to the emperor.

In the future, if she encounters something in the harem, he may think that she will definitely not be bullied and will be solved.

I won't come forward to settle for her, and I won't pity her.

Moreover, her words and deeds may be amplified by him, thinking that everything she does is premeditated.

Of course, if you want to survive in this harem, most of the things you do are intentional, but you can't let the emperor know.

Because no man wants a woman to be false to him.

Ying Zhan saw that he didn't know, so he asked Li Zhong and the palace maids and eunuchs, "Do you know what kind of duck eats locusts?" And eat fast and much? ”

As an emperor, he was both civil and military, but he didn't know much about agriculture and animal husbandry.

Most of the palace maids and eunuchs present were children from poor families.

I still know a little about chickens, ducks and geese, pigs, dogs, cows, horses, and sheep.

Even Li Zhong has never suffered any hardships, has never farmed, and shook his head to show that he doesn't understand.

Only one palace maid said: "If you go back to the emperor, the slave maid was born in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, and we have a kind of hemp duck there, which likes to eat insects." ”

"How much do you like to eat insects? How many worms can you eat in a day? Ying Zhan asked very seriously.

The palace maid shook her head, thinking to herself that she had so much farm work when she was a child, where did she have time to count how many insects the ducks ate, "The slave maid doesn't know." ”

Ying Zhan didn't blame the palace maid, but just said to Li Zhong: "Li Zhong, you ask someone to get some hemp ducks, catch some locusts, and see how much they eat in a day!" ”

"Yes." After Li Zhong responded, he went out to do errands.

At this moment, Ying Zhan was already half sure in his heart, thinking that this hemp duck could destroy the locusts in the northwest.

It's just that everything has yet to be certified.

At that time, according to the amount of ducks eaten and the locust plague in the northwest, the corresponding number of ducks will be dispatched.

Thinking of this, Ying Zhan looked at Qian Yan with a smile.

The minions present looked up and saw that His Majesty the Emperor finally showed a long-lost and rare smile, and couldn't help but admire the charm of this concubine.

Before a meal was eaten, the frowning emperor smiled.

Ying Zhan put down the wolf pen in his hand and walked towards Tianyan.

He walked over to Qian Yan and sat down, looking at her with a smile, "Concubine Ai has made a contribution today, but what reward do you want?" ”

"Look at what the emperor said, where is the credit of the concubines, the concubines are just greedy and mistaken, it all depends on the emperor's thoughtfulness and thoughtfulness." Instead of inviting credit, she also blew a rainbow fart.

She really didn't think she had much credit or how powerful she was.

She just took advantage of the twenty-eighth century.

In that era of advanced information, she just gained the experience and knowledge of her predecessors.

If she was asked to think for herself, she might not be able to come up with such a good way.

Then, Qian Yan did not forget the main purpose of Li Zhong inviting her here.

"However, the concubine heard that you don't think about tea or food these days for the sake of the country, and the concubine finally persuaded you to eat, but you are thinking about the people in the northwest and ignoring your own dragon body."

Hearing this, the smile on Ying Zhan's face gradually disappeared, and his expression became solemn.

"Concubine Ai doesn't know that now the locust plague in the northwest is becoming more and more serious, and the locusts cover the sky and the sun, and the black pressure is overwhelming, but in just a few days, it has risen from 650,000 to more than 3 million."

"The wheat, sorghum, corn, bamboo, fruit trees, cotton, barley, grass, whether it is the food of the common people, or the flowers and trees, have all been gnawed bare. Where the locusts sweeped, it was barren, and hundreds of thousands of acres of fertile land were not spared! ”