Chapter Twenty-Three: Spring Prosperity

Spring is the day of farming, Emperor Gao Liu Bang often took a few ministers to the suburbs of Chang'an to inspect the farming in his spare time, looking at the farmers bending down in the fields from a distance, Liu Bang smiled and nodded his praise. He also often went to the Weishui Jingshui area to inspect the water conservancy facilities, and saw that there were many irrigation canals built next to these water systems, which could be just right to divert water into the farmland and not lose the Zhengguo Canal downstream of Jingshui.

In the past few days, the military law book that Han Xin, the Marquis of Huaiyin, had previously applied for together with Zhang Liang, the Marquis of Liu, was sent to Liu Bang, although the war book was about to end, but I heard that Han Xin had been working hard all night to compile the military law and war book for the past two months, and he had a little restlessness in Chang'an City. Liu Bang originally knew Han Xin's ability, although he didn't read much but he was also literate, he couldn't wait to ask someone to bring Han Xin's military law book, and held it in his hand every day to watch, after watching, he praised Han Xin's incomparable ability again and again, but he was more worried about Han Xin's potential sense of chaos, although he had been cut off from military power and idle at home, but Liu Bang knew that Han Xin had the ability, even if he could overturn Chang'an with his bare hands. Liu Bang was more worried after reading the book of war, and sighed again and again, thinking that he had done something wrong at the beginning. Han Xin's life made Liu Bang uneasy after all, and after reading the book of war, he hurriedly sent someone to send Han Xin gold and silver rewards, sent delicacies from the mountains and seas, and sent to the enchanting palace people. Han Xin smiled every time he was polite, and he was more cautious under the noses of these people arranged by the emperor, almost never contacted other ministers, and often went to the house of Fan Xu Li Shang Zhou Bo a month ago, after Fan Hao went to Dai Di, Han Xin gradually did not even go to Li Shang and Zhou Bo, simply idle at home, watering flowers and grass, hearing the birds and flowers, accompanying his wife and children to go to the market, and then going to his own Changyu Pavilion to sit down, each sitting was an afternoon, motionless and did not know what he was thinking. Madame came to call him to dinner, and he said 'oh', sighed and got up to go back to the house to eat. In the future, Han Xin pretended to be sick and lay on the couch every day, and the palace people sent by the emperor served him, so he behaved even more weakly, and even coughed a few times to show outsiders. Several palace people were placed by Han Xin in the lady's room to do things, or the same as before, deliberately asked most of them to commit crimes, and then wrote to the emperor to allow them to be dismissed, Liu Bang frowned, knowing that Han Xin did it on purpose, so he didn't have a good way, saying that the palace people who had been sent out should be the people of Han Xin's mansion, and asked Han Xin to dispose of it himself.

It's mid-April, the mulberry leaves have already grown, and silkworms will be raised in early May. In the palace, Empress Lu told the concubines in the harem to raise silkworms in their spare time, learn silk reeling techniques, and often asked them to come to Changxin Palace to learn about silkworm raising. There is a loom in his own palace, which is still a loom commonly used by himself when he was in his hometown in Pei County, and when he was rich, he also moved it over and put it into his palace, often picking up the pole to weave, not only recalling the sourness of the beginning but also recalling the quiet beauty of the beginning, only himself and his husband and children. Empress Lu also asked people to carry a few looms into the palaces of the concubines of each palace, saying that they would pick up poles to weave cloth in their spare time, and that they should stay away from the emperor's political affairs, do what women should do, and set an example for women in the world.

Recently, I don't know if the emperor is busy or something else, Liu Bang has not come to Changxin Palace for nearly a month, Liu Bang often asks people to send sweet fruits and other things to Empress Lu and Liu Chang, but he himself has not shown up. Empress Lu frowned and thought about it and smiled bitterly, she always knew that the emperor's mind was not here, and Empress Lu often stood in front of the door of the palace and looked at the direction of the Yuzao Palace, and every time her eyes were more terrifying, which made people panic. Every time Empress Lu thought that Qi Ji was blowing the pillow wind to the emperor, and thought of the bad luck that happened to herself and her relatives in recent months, Empress Lu became even more annoyed with Qi Ji, and when she thought of her goblin appearance that seduced the soul and confused the emperor, she hated to eat meat and skin immediately. Empress Lu originally thought that the emperor really liked Liu Chang and would often come to Changxin Palace to see him, but now it seems that Liu Bang is just a fresh Liu Chang for a while, and he soon lost his popularity, and continued to spoil his lively Ruyi. Sometimes sitting down and looking at the baby Liu Chang in the cradle, Empress Lu somehow came to a sense of resentment, remembering what the emperor had done to Zhao Ji in Zhao State, he felt that the emperor was sorry for Zhao Wang Ao and Lu Yuan, and he was sorry for Zhao Ji, who had died, not the emperor, and Zhao Wang Ao would not be deposed as a marquis. Looking at the seemingly cute baby in front of him, but he was born by her husband and someone else, Lu Hou was angry for a while, stretched out his hand to strangle Liu Chang, just touched his neck, Liu Chang's round little eyes looked motionlessly at the relatively familiar 'mother' in front of him, Lu Hou looked at Liu Chang's pure appearance and stopped for a moment, only to find his impulse. So he picked up Liu Chang and put it on his lap, asked Dai Qing to cook porridge, and fed Liu Chang to drink in person, Xiao Liu Chang smiled unconsciously, and Lu Hou also shook his head and sighed bitterly at this time, and continued to feed him porridge to eat, and he was having fun for a while.

Empress Lu was tired of teasing Liu Chang, and inadvertently thought that Lu Yuan had been in the palace for a long time, and sent someone out of the palace to pick up Lu Yuan several times, and Lu Yuan asked someone to reply that it was inconvenient for the Hou Mansion to enter the palace. Empress Lu knew that Lu Yuan was still blaming the emperor's father for King Zhao and Zhao Ji's affairs, but Empress Lu was even affected by Lu Yuan's mentality. Empress Lu missed those lovely grandsons very much, and the palace was very bored, so she went to Lu Yuan's Yuanqing Hall in the palace to sit. Someone said that the prince came to worship her, so she was willing to get up and leave, but fortunately there was still her son in the palace.

After the prince had performed the ceremony, Empress Lu asked him to sit down and wanted to talk to him. The prince said that he had been writing to his father for the past few days, saying that he wanted to go out to check the people's situation for his father, but for some reason his father blocked him back, and he did not approve or agree. Empress Lu took the fruit and handed it to the prince to eat, brushed the hair in front of his forehead, and after a moment of contemplation, he persuaded the prince, "There are river embankments in every county, you don't have water conservancy skills, and you don't have to worry about it." "The prince couldn't get any comfort here after Lu Hou, so he was a little sullen.

Dai Qing brought delicious bait soup, every morning, Empress Lu wanted to drink this kind of bait, saying that it was good for the body to calm the spirit, and also asked the prince to drink more, and also asked the deacon female official of the prince's palace to cook this kind of bait soup for the prince in the future. After talking for a short time, the palace people said that Mrs. Bo came with Liu Heng and waited outside, and Empress Lu called them in. Mrs. Bo saluted respectfully as usual, Liu Heng also followed his mother's example to make a big salute, Liu Heng's sensibility was very much loved by Empress Lu. Empress Lu asked Dai Qing to help Bo Ji and Liu Heng up and sit down on their mats. Seeing that the prince was also there, Bo Ji smiled at him and nodded, and the prince also nodded back to Bo Ji, and said with a bow, "I've seen my mother." ”

Bo Ji said in a gesture of support through the air, "Your Highness is exempt from courtesy." Liu Heng stayed quietly by his mother's side, and when he saw that his brother was also there, he got up and bowed again, raised his hands above his head to salute, and said immaturely, "My brother has seen His Royal Highness the Prince." ”

Liu Ying looked at the cute five-year-old doll brother in front of her, smiled sincerely, got up and walked past her brother and nodded and smiled at him, "Why should my brother be polite and sit with my brother." Liu Ying took Liu Heng's little hand and asked Liu Heng to sit beside him, and Liu Ying gave Liu Heng fruit to eat.

Empress Lu asked Bo Ji what he had been doing in the palace in the past few days, and Bo Ji said that he was preparing to raise silkworms in his Jinhua Palace according to Empress Lu's instructions, and had already asked someone to set up a silkworm raiser and a loom, and he would read more articles about Huang Lao in his spare time. Empress Lu liked Bo Ji's appearance, and immediately asked someone to reward Bo Ji with brocade silk Gebu Bashu tea, and Bo Ji thanked him and then cautiously accepted it.

Seeing Liu Heng obediently sitting beside the prince, the adults did not ask, and Liu Heng never spoke first. Empress Lu asked him with a smile, "Liu Heng, tell my mother-in-law, what have you been learning recently?" ”

Liu Heng put down the fruit in his hand, sat upright, and said to Lu Hou, "Mother taught her son to learn from Min Ziqian to be filial to his parents, and his mother also said, 'Chang Di Zhihua, noisy and unruly', and love each other with brothers." ”

Empress Lu smiled with relief, Bo Ji did not give Liu Heng the learning of the king's world avenue, but purely filial piety to his parents. Empress Lu liked Bo Ji's attitude very much, so she smiled and said to Bo Ji, "You really raised a good son, look at how sensible Liu Heng is, unlike Liu Ruyi of Qi Ji's family, no big or small, no politeness." Then he smiled and said to Liu Heng, "Heng'er, in the future, you will come to this Changxin Palace with your mother to see your mother-in-law." ”

Liu Heng knelt down and buried his head on the ground, "Liu Heng is filial to his mother, loves his brother, and his son will often come to visit his mother." ”

Empress Lu liked Liu Heng more and more, and asked Liu Heng to come over and hug Liu Heng by his side, Liu Heng glanced at his mother Bo Ji with small eyes, Bo Ji signaled him to be relaxed and well-behaved, and Liu Heng was as quiet as staying in Bo Ji's arms.

Prince Liu Ying smiled with satisfaction, Liu Heng is a good brother. Bo Ji smiled too, knowing she was safe.