The official's expression changed slightly, and he hurriedly leaned over and bowed: "The first emperor is merciful and promises Prince Xiankang such courtesy, but since it is a promise, it should be treated equally, not charity, since it is treated equally, and if it suffers a disaster, it should be reduced or exempted from taxes for one year in accordance with the regulations——"

He was neither humble nor arrogant, he looked like he was arguing with reason, Ning Hong looked at Ning Yi who was standing beside him, Ning Yi shook his head without a trace, Ning Hong bit his lip and turned his face away.

Behind the curtain, the Empress Dowager Xiliang was dressed in a dark red embroidered peony pattern, and the southern pearl on the golden crown on her head looked more and more dazzling in the faint light.

She is clearly only in her thirties, but she is already the queen mother, that dark color, majestic and calm, but it is like a pool of stagnant water, no vitality and vitality, in the face of such a question, her narrow and beautiful eyes, slightly raised, said: "Those are already old things, Prince Kang and the first emperor have grace, the first emperor Longen is mighty, it is enough, now the successor to the title of Prince Kang is the son of King Kang, who is only as old as Hong'er, do you really expect that a young son can thank the emperor for his imperial grace?" ”

The inch-long nails she kept, knocked on the handrail from time to time, and the little eunuch who bowed down to serve on the side took a bowl of tea cup with interest and served carefully.

The official seemed to be very dissatisfied with the Queen Mother's words, straightened up, and said in a deep voice: "King Kang, although he is still young, but there is an old princess, and the prince has been smart since he was a child, he must not be unreasonable, if the Queen Mother insists on this, I am afraid that it will make the world think that we are bullying orphans and widows and losing the hearts of the people——"

At this time, the queen mother was sipping tea through the hand of the waiter, hearing this remark, she waved her hand and waved the tea to the ground, the sound of the cup breaking was very harsh, and she only heard the queen mother's voice coldly said: "Bullying orphans and widows?" When the adults say this, aren't they bullying the mourning family and the emperor? ”

The man just wanted to take this opportunity to intercede with the south, but he didn't want to touch the queen mother's scales, including the rest of the people knelt down in fear, and even called the queen mother to stop her anger.

Ning Yi looked at it coldly, he seemed to notice that a beam of gaze was fixed on his body through the layers of tent curtains, with a scorching temperature, as if he was about to burn himself out.

He suddenly heard Ning Hong sigh softly, and then said in an almost pleading voice: "The queen mother is angry, they didn't mean to, and I think he is right, no matter what, we can't let the world see the jokes of our royal family, and the prince of King Kang, I have also heard of it, he is a gentleman, the queen mother-"

Ning Yi looked at Ning Hong's eyes with a hint of loss flashing, and then arched his hand and said: "The Queen Mother is angry, now it is about to be the New Year's Festival, and the minister heard that when there was a drought in the north, Prince Kang also represented the south and sent a lot of relief grain, counting, it is also for the court to solve the urgent need, this time it is better to follow the advice of the household department, but considering that for a long time, we have given preferential treatment to the south, which will make the people discordant, and I also ask Your Majesty to personally leave a letter and send it to the prince of Kang, presumably the key to this, King Kang's son and the old princess will definitely understand. ”

The ministers who supported the tax exemption saw the regent standing up and speaking for themselves, and they were all grateful for a while, and they all echoed: "The ministers seconded the words of the regent——"

Ning Hong was very happy, after all, Ning Yi's suggestion was the best of both worlds, which not only saved the face of the royal family, but also did not lose the support of the people, and also reduced the worries.

But the Queen Mother didn't think so, she clutched the handrail of the pear blossom wood under her hand tightly, almost wanting to turn the handrail into powder.

After a moment's effort, she said in a deep voice: "Since the regent has said so, if the mourning family should not be, it is an enemy of you, okay, the mourning family is lacking, and the affairs in the court still have to be said by the emperor after all." ”

As he spoke, he got up, took the hand of the inner attendant and went from the direction of the side hall, and for a while, the civil and military ministers of the Manchu Dynasty had no idea.

Ning Yi was a little helpless, Ning Hong coughed, and said to the officials of the household department: "You and according to the extent of the damage this year, draw up the share of tax reduction, as for the rest, I have my own measure, okay, if you have nothing to do, you can retreat." ”

After the Manchu Dynasty and the military forces left, Ning Hong showed a somewhat tired look and said, "Brother Huang, today's matter is really difficult for you. ”

Ning Yi respectfully arched his hand and said: "It doesn't matter what the minister does, it doesn't matter who thinks of the minister, the main thing is Your Majesty, what the minister is in Your Majesty's heart is the most important." ”

Ning Hong's little face was full of trust, and he said a little shyly: "Father and Emperor once said to me that the imperial brother is smart and generous, and he is a person worthy of trust, but the queen mother, she-"

Ning Yi's heart softened, and his tone was a little more intimate and soft: "Pity the hearts of parents in the world, even in the royal family, the first emperor tried every means to let the ministers assist His Majesty, and now the Queen Mother is so hostile to the ministers, it is all for Your Majesty, and the ministers understand it in their hearts." ”

Ning Hong nodded and said, "It's good to understand, if the queen mother really does something wrong, I will stop her-"

His voice gradually weakened, and he seemed to be a little lacking in confidence, Ning Yi saw it in his eyes, but he didn't pierce it, just nodded, and then said: "The letter sent to King Kang's mansion, Your Majesty should lower your posture and talk more about missing the old prince, the old princess is not an unreasonable woman, this matter will be done." ”

Ning Hong nodded and said, "I know." ”

Seeing that Ning Yi wanted to leave, Ning Hong suddenly stopped him, and then said with some embarrassment: "Why didn't you see the imperial brother to see the county lord recently?" ”

Ning Yi smiled slowly and said: "The mansion has been a little busy recently, if you are free, you must go back to have a look, if Your Majesty sees the county lord, please also ask Your Majesty to say hello to the county lord on behalf of the minister." ”

With that, he gave up his hands, and then left the palace in great strides.

When he got out of the palace gate, he saw someone posting something, he glanced at it roughly, his heart was light, he turned over his horse, and went back to the regent's palace.

At this time, He Xi had already rested, and now in the Regent's Mansion, the fish had not yet been baited, and what she had to do every day was to eat and sleep.

However, when I fell asleep today, I heard the housekeeper come to the court, saying that the prince was back, and asked He Xi if she needed to see him, He Xi just felt tired, and now she was five months pregnant, her belly was getting bigger and bigger day by day, and her movement was inconvenient, so she waved her hand and said: "Forget it, if the prince has something to look for me, you can come back and forth." ”

The housekeeper didn't think He Xi was rude, as if he already regarded He Xi as the hostess, and this regent mansion was not only the housekeeper who thought so, but also those subordinates, and there were many discussions in private, but this was the result that Ning Yi and He Xi wanted.

Who knows, before the housekeeper left, he heard a clear male voice say: "Even if this king has something, it is this king who is looking for you-"

When the housekeeper heard this, he said with sincere fear: "Yes, it's a small negligence, next time the small one must pay attention——"

When He Xi saw Ning Yi coming, he didn't get up to salute, but just asked Ruyi to find a big coat to put on himself, and hugged a red gold hand stove, lazily shrinking on the soft collapse.

Ning Yi couldn't help but laugh when he saw her so lazy, and with a little schadenfreude, he said to her: "Perhaps, this kind of day won't be long in coming, and I'm afraid the fish will be hooked." ”

He Xi sighed for a long time, then adjusted a comfortable posture and smiled: "What's the matter, it's only been a few days, and I can't bear it?" ”

Ning Yi picked up the teacup in his hand and seemed to want to take a sip, but when he noticed that the teacup was a ginseng tea that nourishes qi and nourishes the body, he stopped.

He Xi looked at him with a smile and said, "It seems that the people in the prince's mansion are still not fine enough, and they don't even prepare the tea that the prince likes to drink." ”

Ning Yi coughed and pushed the tea cup away a little, and then said: "Ginseng tea is beneficial to you, it's good to drink some." ”

He Xi was not embarrassed for him, but Zhengse said: "How can it be so fast?" ”

Ning Yi smiled, with a bit of inexplicable bitterness in that smile, and told everything that happened in the court today, and then said: "On Chinese New Year's Eve, although there is no palace banquet, but on the second day, the female relatives of the officials will enter the palace to thank them. ”

He Xi frowned and said, "Does the prince want me to take the initiative?" ”

Ning Yi shook his head, and then said: "It's not that this king wants you to go, but the queen mother will make a decree, since we came back, she has also sent people to inquire openly and secretly, but I have blocked them, this time, even if you are not in the ranks of the officials, she will inevitably make a decree to let you enter the palace." ”

He Xi nodded, it was considered to be agreed, Ning Yi looked at her, and seemed to feel that there were some things that were difficult to speak, He Xi saw this, and said with a smile: "The prince has always been frank, I don't know what makes the prince so embarrassed?" ”

Ning Yi was surprised by He Xi's keenness, but she also understood in an instant that if she was not smart enough, she would not be safe and sound by the side of the four princes of the Great Calendar, and she would not have escaped from the Great Calendar Palace.

But since He Xi has seen through it, he no longer hides anything, and said: "This king doesn't hide it from you, the queen mother hates this king to the core, since you agreed to trade with me, I am also obliged to let you understand the dangers of this transaction, if the queen mother is to you-this king is within his ability, he will naturally help you, but if it involves Li'er-"

He Xi's expression can't say anything, a little envious, but a little clear, the man in front of him, even if he is powerful, he doesn't care about it, it must be that there is an indifference that Mount Tai collapsed in front of him and his face did not change, but he has a weakness, his weakness is Jiang Li'er, if she can, she thinks Ning Yi must be willing to use all of it in exchange for being able to be with Jiang Li'er for the rest of her life.