The weather gradually became warm and gentle, not as hot as the moon ago, and the blue and white cracked vat that was originally used to hold crushed ice in Jingren Palace was also evacuated by Gao Wanzhi in the morning, and the hall suddenly became much more spacious and spacious.

At the end of the day, Fan Changlu came to Jingren Palace with a smile on his face, Bai Ge hurriedly invited him into the palace, I was having lunch, and when I saw Fan Changlu's red face, I was also happy in my heart, as if I had noticed something, but I also had a feeling of indescribability, I only put down the spoon and asked with a smile: "Does Father-in-law Fan have any good news to tell me?" ”

Fan Changlu raised his eyes, his gaze quickly dusted over my face, and then lowered it again, and said with a smile: "Little master, the emperor invites the little master to go to the Heart Cultivation Palace, and the right attendant of the Ministry of Rites has already arrived when the slave comes out," As he spoke, a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, and he said, "Little master, hurry up and pack up and go to meet!" ”

I laughed and exclaimed, "Zhirui! "Really? ”

Fan Changlu nodded, and after a while, he smiled again: "It seems that the right squire also specially brought some things to the emperor and the little master this time, and the slave seemed to be very happy to see the emperor." ”

I thought for a moment, it must be that the last photo was finally washed out.

I was busy and asked Bai Ge to help me tidy up my appearance a little, because I always like to loosen my hair or tie it as simple as in modern times when I have nothing to do in Jingren Palace, and now the time is pressing, I really don't have time to put on my makeup and put on the flag head, I just ordered to simply braid a twisted braid, Bai Ge was afraid that others would see me and say that I didn't respect the rules of my ancestors, so I easily took out the dark hat from the cabinet and put it on for me, "A lot of gossip in the harem is not good for the little master, so it's better to be careful." ”

I smiled and said to her, "You're still thoughtful!" ”

After I dressed up, I didn't bring anyone out, and I followed Fan Changlu alone, just to avoid attracting the attention of others, so I walked all the way with my head down for a long time, and then I entered the Heart Cultivation Palace, and I let out a deep breath.

Walking into the East Warm Pavilion, I saw the sunlight gently pouring on the clear bricks through the pane flowers and trees, reflecting the slender figures of the two people inside, Zai Xiang and Zhirui sat at both ends of the kang, one looked at the photo in his hand over and over again, and the other was slightly cramped holding the tea cup and didn't know what to do.

I approached quietly, Zhirui turned around when he heard the movement, and when he saw that it was me, his eyes lit up instantly, and he said with a smile: "Zixi," and then, as if he had noticed something, his face was dark, he hurriedly got up and saluted, and then changed his words, "Master Zhen is auspicious." ”

I glared at Zhirui and sighed, "What? And he said, "Have we already been parted to this point?" ”

Zhirui's face was uncertain, "The little master is the little master, and the minister should pay this salute to the little master." ”

I struggled and said, "There are no outsiders in the Heart Cultivation Palace, what are you afraid of?" ”

Zhirui was not left or right, his tone seemed a little apprehensive, and he bowed his head and said: "The minister is really afraid, and he never dares to talk to the emperor and the little master about insiders and outsiders, let alone compare with them." ”

I spat him, "It's only been a few days since I saw you, and your guts are getting smaller and smaller." ”

Zhirui stared at me and said, "This is the Forbidden City, it is the Palace of Heart Cultivation, but it is not my uncle's mansion that will be completed with any trouble." ”

I raised my eyebrows and asked, "Are you teaching me a lesson now?" ”

Zhirui hurriedly bowed his head, "Don't dare," he said, he looked me up and down a few times, and asked strangely, "How did you get this dress today?" ”

I smiled and spun around and asked, "How's it going?" Am I so good-looking? ”

Zhirui hugged his arms, gently touched his nose with his fingertips, and said slowly: "He looks like a young man carved like this, I'm really afraid that there is a young lady in the Forbidden City who will be hooked by you." ”

I sighed lightly and said, "It's still out of the Forbidden City!" If I want to be heard and seen by Lafayette, I'm afraid I won't even be able to walk! ”

Zhirui was startled, raised his eyebrows and said, "Then why don't you hurry up and change it!" ”

I looked at him with a smile, "Don't you call me 'little master' again?" ”

Zhirui's body was stunned, obviously flustered.

I was giggling, Zai Yan slowly put down the photo in his hand, got up and approached me, raised his eyes and glanced at Zhirui, and said with a smile: "Zhen'er, don't scare him anymore, he was scared in Ningshou Palace yesterday, and he hasn't recovered today!" ”

I frowned nervously, "Ningshou Palace? ”

Zhirui sighed, turned his back to his hand, and his expression suddenly became serious, "Yesterday, Erchen was taken to Ningshou Palace by Gonggong Li, who was next to Lafayette, to speak, and listen to Lafayette...... Probably trying to win over. ”

I chattered: "Li Lianying, Li Anda......" I was busy and asked: "What about you?" How so? ”

Zhirui looked at me awe-inspiring and asked, "The little lord doesn't believe in the ministers?" ”

I shook my hand repeatedly, "I didn't say that. ”

Zhirui said: "The Tao is different, and if you don't conspire with each other, the minister naturally refuses." ”

I said softly: "Lafayette asked you to go to Ningshou Palace to talk, why don't I know at all?" ”

Zhirui smiled, "Lafayette has a lot of eyeliner in the Forbidden City, and it is easy to hide something unknowingly, and it is normal for the little master not to hear the wind." ”

I looked sideways at Zai Yan and asked softly, "Then how did the emperor know?" ”

Zai Yan smiled when he heard this, "I naturally have my way to know." ”

I squinted my eyes and stared at Zai Xiang, one arm reached Zai Xiang's shoulder, and I approached step by step and whispered: "Zhen'er knows, because the emperor also has eyeliner." ”

Zai Xiang grabbed my arm, looked down at me and smiled without saying a word.

Zhirui smiled and sighed: "It's really the water spilled by the married girl," I was ashamed, glared back at him, and he said, "The last photo minister sent it to the emperor and the little master," he pointed to the little one and asked me, "The little master doesn't want to see it?" ”

I walked over, picked up a few black and white photos on the small table and looked at them carefully, although not more than the modern high-definition color, but I can also see how heroic and dignified the Zai Xiang is, dignified and dignified, I am so smiling like a flower, slender and exquisite, but unfortunately these photos are destined to be destroyed, destined to leave no one, there will be no descendants to be able to glimpse these styles from any photo, thinking of this, I can't help but feel a little sad in my heart, for a while, the voice behind the head of the Zai Xiang pulled me back, "Zhirui, I have something to ask you, After a pause, he said, "Have you ever contacted Deng Shichang?" ”

I looked back and saw Zhirui frowning and slowly shaking his head, "Isn't Deng Shichang the proud protégé of Master Li Zhongtang?" Then he said, "Why is it that many people have mentioned this person in front of their ministers recently?" ”

Zai Yan hurriedly asked, "Who else mentioned it?" ”

Zhirui smiled faintly: "It's not a big person, it's just a brother who happened to meet before, he has recently mentioned Deng Shichang many times in front of the minister, and most of the words are full of praise for Deng Shichang, and he is even more praised that he will be a generation of heroes in the future, and he is about to shake the minister's words, but everyone knows that Li Zhongtang values Deng Shichang very much, and he preaches everywhere that this person is his protégé," he hit a thousand, and said slowly, "Minister, don't dare to act rashly." ”

Zai frowned and asked, "Who is that person?" ”

Zhirui smiled, "It's just a cloth cloth, named Tan Sitong, who likes to call himself 'Donghai Sai Ming Clan'." ”

Zai Yan repeated slowly, "...... of the East China Sea Sai Ming Clan" said, he looked sideways at me, "A few days ago, Zhen'er also mentioned it to me," and then asked softly, "Zhen'er told me that you met on the day of Qixi before entering the palace, and many of the news was revealed to you by this Donghai Sai Ming Clan?" ”

Zhirui glanced at me, nodded and said, "Yes," and said, "This person is indeed talented, has means, knows a lot of things that the ministers don't know, and the most important thing is that his thoughts coincide with the emperor's reform thoughts." ”

Zai Yan nodded slightly, frowned even tighter, and asked, "Tell me carefully, what did he say about Deng Shichang in front of you?" ”

Zhirui thought about it, "He said that Deng Shichang is a righteous and awe-inspiring person who regards death as home," After speaking, Fu Yi smiled again, "The emperor must not believe it, how can he know the inside story, I'm afraid he just thinks about it casually." ”

Outside the window, a ray of sunlight shines through the thin clouds, shining on the verdant and verdant, with a clear stream, quietly reflecting the silver sharp light, dazzling people's eyes, I gently put down the photo in my hand, took a deep breath, and finally turned around, and said loudly: "Zhirui," step by step towards Zaiyan, Qingyue said, "Rather believe it than believe it, if the emperor wants to know what Deng Shichang is, when will he find an opportunity to summon him to come to confront him?" If it is good, the emperor will use it for himself, if it is not good, the emperor will abandon it, as the saying goes, 'it is better to be famous than to meet', the emperor must not miss the talent because he is afraid of all things. ”

Zai Yan listened to the right hand under the collar and pondered for a moment, his eyes stared at me, "Zhen'er is right, since someone said so, it means that it is not groundless," paced two steps, and then said to Zhirui, "You will arrange this matter when you go back today, I want to see if he is a real gentleman or a fake villain." ”

Zhirui didn't know why, "The emperor wants to summon Deng Shichang and directly ask his father-in-law to lead people, why do you want to pass through the ministers?" ”

Zai Yan's eyes flashed, and the corners of his mouth smiled slightly, "First, I don't want to startle the snake, and secondly, because I want to meet the East China Sea Sai Ming clan in your mouth before meeting Deng Shichang." ”

Zhirui and I were both shocked.

Zai Yan smiled, "If he is really talented, I really want to ask him why he didn't get famous?" ”

I hurriedly said: "Then what if the emperor sees him and thinks he is nothing more than that?" ”

Zai Yan pursed his lips and sighed lightly: "Then I have no choice but to cure him for the crime of bullying the king." ”

My heart jumped suddenly, I stepped forward and pulled the corner of Zaiyan's clothes, and asked in a low voice: "Your Majesty, we said everything, when did he deceive the king?" ”

Zai Yan looked at me sideways, "His fame has spread all over the capital, but he has no real name, he is a bully." ”

I looked at Zai Yan in a daze, my back was cold, I couldn't help but worry about what to do if Tan Sitong really died like this, wouldn't history have to change, after a while, my brain suddenly reacted, although this Tan Sitong is from the modern era like me, but he is fundamentally different from me is that he has completely inherited the original Tan Sitong's thoughts, knowledge and vision, but it is not in name only, thinking of this, I am a little relieved.

Zhirui walked over and said: "The emperor has always wanted to take back the military power of the Beiyang Naval Division, but he has always been held by Li Zhongtang to death, and he refuses to relax at all. ”

Zai Yan chuckled, "Li Hongzhang has been prosperous in the previous dynasty for so many years, and it is impossible to expect that if I want to completely get rid of the control of the government, I must take back the military power of the Beiyang Naval Division," sighed, and said, "How can he, an old fox, be willing, seeing that I am getting bigger, I will only hold the military power more tightly." ”

Zhirui asked: "The minister knows that the emperor has always avoided the edge, but he is just ......."

Zai Xiang asked, "Just what?" ”

Zhirui said: "The imperial court has allocated a large amount of military salaries to the Beiyang Naval Division, but if the emperor does not return to the Beiyang Naval Division, it will only raise tigers." ”

Zai Xiang said helplessly: "If the imperial court does not allocate military salaries to the Beiyang Naval Division, once the enemy attacks, I am afraid that I will not be able to protect myself, but it is indeed difficult to take back the military power of the Beiyang Naval Division for a while, especially those old and conservative ministers who form a party and cover each other for personal gain, even if there are some things that I know very well in my heart, but once I want to intervene, these people will hold a group to prevent me from acting, as if it is a wall standing in front of me, making it difficult for me to move an inch." ”

After speaking, there was only silence left in the cabinet, and just when the two of them were distressed by this, I raised my eyes lightly and said: "Since we can't gather and annihilate them, then let's break them individually, there must be many people in the court who are on the emperor's side, but they are just pressed by these old ministers and can't get out." ”

Zai Yan said: "I also know about this, but I can't be in a hurry, the reserve talent must be gradually and slowly tested, and it will not be possible to do it in three or five years." ”

I said softly: "Then the emperor will take his time, temptation, promotion, promotion, appointment, not a single step can be rushed, not wrong, appointing people on the basis of merit, the most important thing is to award officials according to their ability." ”

Zai Yan nodded.

Zhirui slowly leaned over and said, "The ministers outside the palace will also think of recruiting available talents for the emperor in secret." ”

Zai Yan said "um", and said in a deep voice: "In this way, let's start with what we talked about today!" ”

I looked at Zhirui and instructed: "Although acting outside the palace is no better than being restrained in the Forbidden City, you must also be cautious and not show any horse's feet to be caught." ”

Zhirui responded, "Don't worry, the little lord knows it," and said to me with a smile, "It's really not as good as before, the whole person is more mature, and his ideas are much more thoughtful, but there are some shadows of the little master Jin back then!" ”

Speaking of Ziyu, Zhirui's eyes darkened a little, and he sighed: "I don't know what happened to Little Master Jin, but I haven't seen her for a long time." ”

I reassured, "Don't worry, everything is fine with my sister, don't worry." ”

Zhirui smiled and said: "Where is the minister worried!" ”

I laughed, "I know that grandma and uncle will not be at ease." ”

Zai Yan thought for a while and said, "Why don't you find Concubine Jin too?" ”

I was overjoyed in my heart, but before I could speak, Zhirui preemptively said: "Your Majesty, don't bother, I am not very grateful to see the little lord Zhen, and the little lord also told the minister the current situation of the little lord, and the minister can explain it when he goes back, it will be late, and the palace inner garden, the minister is really not suitable to continue to stay for a long time." After speaking, Zhirui smiled lightly at me.