The next day, the weather was sunny and warm, although it was early winter, it did not feel bleak and cold, but like early spring.

Sha Ling'er said a long time ago that she wanted Liu Ying to accompany her to visit the palace today, so after breakfast, she went to Changxin Palace early to see Queen Lu, and then walked around the garden to help digest, accompanied by Niu Hu'er and waited in Zhaoming Palace.

In Changxin Palace, Dai Qing accompanied Empress Lu to play Go with great interest, Empress Lu held the chess pieces, frowned and looked at the chessboard, as if thinking about how to move the next chess piece, and after a little thought, he put the chess pieces in a satisfactory place and smiled. Dai Qing said with a smile, "The queen is so powerful, Dai Qing can't compare." ”

Empress Lu covered her mouth and smiled, "When I have nothing to do, I will play chess, how can you be my opponent?" Even the emperor is sometimes inferior to me. ”

Dai Qing also laughed, re-divided the chess pieces and put them in position, and then played.

"Where did the Emperor spend the night yesterday?" Lu Hou lowered his head and asked lightly, it seemed that the question was very natural and understated, and he could answer or not, while placing the chess pieces in the right place.

Dai Qing's hand holding the chess piece trembled slightly, afraid that Empress Lu would be angry, so he cautiously glanced at Empress Lu and replied in a low voice, "At Mrs. Guan's place, I heard that I have been unwell recently. ”

Lu Hou didn't show much reaction when she heard this, and still played chess calmly without changing her face, as if there was no such thing.

"Niangniang, her child will also be crowned king, and she will also become your opponent." Dai Qing said cautiously while playing chess casually.

Empress Lu let out a soft 'um', as if all this was under her control.

"Don't talk about it, the most important thing now is to deal with the affairs of the Huns and our relatives, and I don't know if Princess Luan has found anything, there are words in Niu Hu'er's words yesterday, which is not a good sign, I am afraid that today will be uneasy." Lu Hou let out a long sigh when she said this.

Dai Qing said, "Probably not, yesterday Princess Luan stopped Miss Niu Hu'er in time, I'm afraid she just doesn't want us to see any flaws, she also wants to maintain the best relationship with us, presumably after a night of thinking, Princess Luan will definitely think about it, Niangniang doesn't have to worry." ”

Lu Hou thought that there was some truth in Dai Qing's words, and Sha Ling'er did stop Niu Hu'er in time, presumably she also thought a lot. Thinking about it like this, Empress Lu felt relieved and continued to play chess.

When the two of them were getting up, a dark but healthy little palace maid came in outside, came over to salute Yingying and said, "Queen Mother, the Marquis of Biyang is back, and I ask to see you outside the palace." ”

Empress Lu's eyes lit up, the Marquis of Biyang was judging it, and two months ago he was privately sent by Empress Lu to the southeastern countries to carefully check the situation of various countries, and recently returned to Chang'an to rest for a few days, and today he entered the palace to do something. Empress Lu stopped the chess pieces in her hand, stood up from the mat at once, and said to the little palace maid with a hint of joy and urgency, "Pass quickly." ”

Lu Hou was clear and happy, and hurriedly tidied up his clothes and face, sat upright, and waited for the trial. Dai Qing immediately picked up the chessboard on the case and handed it to the little palace maid in the palace to take it down, and also stood up from the mat and looked at the outside of the hall curiously, knowing that the judge was the favored minister of Empress Lu, but he didn't see the Marquis of Biyang in the past two months, the queen didn't say anything about the Marquis of Biyang, and Dai Qing didn't ask, just as the palace maid said that the Marquis of Biyang was back, and Dai Qing also happened to listen to where he was going.

After a while, a tall middle-aged man appeared in the not strong sunlight at the entrance of the hall, this person wore a high crown, and a hosta was inserted between the crowns, looking handsome, wearing a gray-black clean Hanfu, and a jade pendant hung on his waist, and the jade pendant was embroidered with gluttonous ornaments, which was quite brave. Crossing the threshold, he began to bow and walk towards Lu Hou's side in a hurry and elegance.

"The minister sees the queen's mother, and I wish Her Royal Highness the queen a long and happy life." Judging the food, he knelt on the ground and wanted to perform a grand three kneeling and nine bowing gifts.

"The prince is exempt from courtesy, and the prince has worked the road." Lu Hou walked to his side and picked up the half-etiquette judge, and couldn't wait to ask, "Do you have anything to gain when you go to the southeast this time?" ”

As if he knew what Empress Lu meant, he cautiously looked at the people around him. After Empress Lu understood what he meant, he asked those palace people to retreat, leaving only Dai Qing, but it seemed that he was still worried, Empress Lu smiled and said to him, "Dai Qing is my confidant, you don't know, it's okay to say it." ”

Judging Shiqi nodded, his expression approached Lu Hou's side, slightly mysterious and solemn, "Everything is calm, Huainan, Changsha, Jingguo, Chu have no major movements, everything follows the regulations of Prime Minister Xiao Cheng and lives peacefully, the people live and work in peace and contentment, but Huang Laozhi's learning is vividly embodied, several countries of the opposite sex have nothing else except the regional customs are fiercer than other countries, and the minister has not found any movement." ”

Lu Hou nodded with satisfaction, the impression of each country has been in her mind, usually she knows the general situation of these countries, judging this statement, it is in line with her own verification of these countries, and asked, "How is the economy of each country?" ”

"When it comes to the economy, it's all about improving, and all of them are moving forward. Iron smelting, copper smelting, salt making, lacquerware manufacturing, fishing and some silk weaving industries have all developed faster than before, mainly because the central management of the Han court is more relaxed, so the country has developed so rapidly. "The general trend is development, but this year, except for a few rains in early October, there is generally not much rain throughout the year, so the local areas are still very poor, and the harvest is not very good." The minister did not go to the Qi country, but when he was in the southeast, he repeatedly heard that the economy of the Qi country had risen greatly. ”

"There is a Cao Xiangguo in the Qi country, how can it not rise? Shanhuang Lao is inactive, and there are not too many differences with Xiao Chengxiang. Moreover, during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, after the good governance of Guan Zhong, the Qi State dominated the Eastern economy, and its rise is not surprising. Empress Lu squinted her eyes and looked out of the hall, then personally went to the side of the case to find tea and handed it to the judge, and finally said, "What is the military situation?" ”

He took the tea and continued in his hand, "All countries have a small number of troops stationed on the borders of neighboring countries, and in the minister's opinion, it is just to prevent neighboring countries, but in fact, most of the soldiers of various countries have already left their troops and returned to their hometowns to work as farmers for many years, but the number of soldiers stationed on the border with South Vietnam in Changsha is much larger. ”

Empress Lu sighed, her expression was flat, and her eyes were deep and admiring, "Your Majesty will not do useless work after all, and use Changsha to contain South Vietnam." ”

It seems that the trial is under the order of Empress Lu to quietly visit some big countries in the country, saying that it is a visit, in fact, it is to check what is happening to those kings with different surnames or kings with the same surname, based on the rebellion of Yan Wang Zang Di and Han Wangxin, the central government of the Han Dynasty is always quietly on guard, and this is the reason why the trial went to the southeast. Although it was not instructed by the emperor, Empress Lu did this for the safety of the Han Dynasty, there was no need to tell the emperor, and after telling the emperor, he instead wanted to blame Empress Lu for participating in political affairs, so Empress Lu just quietly sent a judge to act secretly.

Regarding the review of his return, Lu Hou frowned and was slightly satisfied, but soon worry came to his heart, "Quiet is not necessarily a good thing, and all unstable factors are hidden in quiet." So how will you talk to the emperor when you go to the southeast this time? ”

Judging the food and laughing, "Niangniang doesn't have to worry. Then he shouted outside, "Carry in." ”

Lu Hou and Dai Qing looked at the trial of the food for some reason, and after a while, a few people came in from outside the door, carrying a few boxes of things, but they didn't know what was in the box, and Lu Hou looked at the trial with a puzzled face.

"Prince, this is ......"

Judging by his smile, he stood next to the box, looking at the boxes with joy, and patted his hand on it, looking confident.

"This is when the minister is in the southeast, the special products purchased in the street town, the gadgets of all nationalities have, I heard that Niangniang likes Shu brocade and Bashu tea in Shu, Chen specially went to Shu to purchase, these two boxes are all Shu brocade and Bashu tea." As he spoke, he asked someone to open the two boxes full of Shu brocade and Bashu tea, which were really all good Shu brocade and Bashu tea, and the fragrance of tea came to the nose for a while, and the fragrance was very fragrant.

The corners of Lu Hou's mouth couldn't help but smile with joy, and slowly walked to the box to look at the contents of the box, I couldn't believe that I had traveled all over the southeast in the past two months, and I also deliberately went to Shu for my favorite Shu brocade and Bashu tea. Suddenly there was an inexplicable emotion, if Liu Bang gave her these things, Empress Lu might not be able to be moved, Liu Bang gave her things to compensate, and the things he gave her were to really make her happy. Although he was a courtier and should have done this, Empress Lu was moved by him, and looked at him for a long time, such a man is a good man, who knows how to give women what they want most, and they have to find it when they travel all over the world. For a while, the image of judging and eating it immediately became tall in Lu Hou's heart, and she felt a warmth in her heart.

Gently pick up the Shu brocade in the box and stick it on the cheeks, it feels so soft, gorgeous and gorgeous, and it feels very good, it is a kind of brocade that Lu Hou likes. Put down Shu brocade, picked up the box of Bashu tea and opened it, smelled it in his mouth, and suddenly the fragrance of that tea was refreshing, and it smelled so good, it must be good to drink.

"The prince is really smart, he clearly purchases Bashu tea and Shu brocade, but in fact, he carefully grabs the political secrets of various countries." Empress Lu smiled with satisfaction, and really admired this favored minister in her heart.

Judging Shiqi also laughed, bowed his head and flattered and said, "I am willing to be sent by the queen." ”

Hearing this, Empress Lu laughed heartily, and said again and again, "Okay, good, there is a big prize in this palace." Is it just that the prince has gone to see the emperor? ”

"The minister once went to the Xuanshu Hall of Weiyang Palace to meet the emperor, but the eunuchs on both sides said that the emperor stayed in Yuzao Palace day and night, unless there was any major event, he would go to the court to discuss matters, if not, he stayed in Linhua Hall or Yuzao Palace, and the minister did not see the emperor, so he came directly to Changxin Palace." Judge it and answer truthfully.

Empress Lu didn't see a smile on her face at this time.