Work overtime

Chapter 677

Because of the improved sleep, Li Beichen's energy returned to its peak.

However, the requirements for officials to report have not changed. The style of handling government affairs in the past few days has been continued, with vigorous and resolute actions and clear rewards and punishments. Officials of all departments are required to be concise, come up with plans, and make achievements. This has a strong deterrent effect on subordinates.

Still, officials sensed subtle changes today.

They found that the emperor was not as irritable as he had been in the past few days.

Combined with the gossip they had received, he had been staying in Yonghe Palace with Concubine Yi and Concubine Ning Hui in the past few days. Presumably, the two pregnant ladies were in good health, so the emperor was in a particularly good mood and got angry less often than usual.

Ye Suhua's father, Ye Ming, was becoming more and more adept at acting as the Right Prime Minister. He had a high EQ and knew how to win over and suppress at the same time. The policy that Li Beichen asked Ye Ming to implement had already won the support of a wave of court officials.

There is no way. The higher you go, the harder it is not to take sides.

The court officials were all speculating that, given the emperor's current reliance on Ye Ming, he might directly replace Murong Chi's position next month.

After the court session, Li Beichen summoned Qi Wanyi and Ye Suhua to accompany him, which further confirmed the officials' speculation.

Qi Wanyi hadn't seen the emperor for many days, so she was naturally overjoyed.

She reported Bater's recent situation to the emperor with great joy. It can be seen that Qi Wanyi is very concerned about teaching Bater, and Bater is a precocious child who studies hard and is respectful and polite to Qi Wanyi.

Li Beichen had a smile on his face while listening to Qi Wanyi's babble. He liked Bater from the bottom of his heart.

"Thank you for your hard work these days. Xiaobao, give Qi Wanyi more of her favorite dishes to nourish her body."

Qi Wanyi was flattered and looked delighted.

She sighed secretly, she had done the right thing. As long as she took good care of Bater, the emperor would look at her differently.

Qi Wanyi accompanied the emperor in the afternoon, and everyone thought that Qi Wanyi would sleep with him that night. However, at the beginning of the evening, the emperor specially arranged a sedan chair to send Qi Wanyi back, and he reviewed memorials until late at night.

Li Beichen has now found a few tricks to calm his nerves. In addition to reciting the Π, he can also sing the national anthem, the Young Pioneers' anthem and other passionate songs. As long as he does it a few more times, he can regain his calm.

That night, Li Beichen slept alone and unexpectedly dreamed of Xie Kewei. In the dream, she was dressed in tight clothes, galloping on a horse, holding a whip and calling him to compete, looking very heroic. He also dreamed that she hugged him warmly, kissed his lips, and her fingers wandered, asking for more.
After waking up, I was sweating all over.

After changing clothes, he instructed Liang Xiaobao to call Xie Zhaoyi to go to Kunning Palace to offer sacrifices to the empress.

When the young eunuch went to Qixia Palace to announce the decree, Xie Zhaoyi was practicing the pipa. She was quite surprised to hear that the emperor had summoned her to accompany him.

Isn't it rumored that I have been abandoned by the emperor because I killed his favorite concubine?
As soon as Concubine Lie left, the Emperor turned around and came looking for her?

Xie Zhaoyi changed into a plain white dress, took off her accessories, combed her hair into a snake-like bun, and pinned a small white flower in her hair. She also took a round fan with an ink-and-wash orchid pattern.

Simple and pure, yet with a bit of playfulness and agility.

It is impossible for her to go the demure route.

When Xie Zhaoyi saw the emperor, she was a little surprised. She didn't expect the emperor to be dressed so plainly today.

Li Beichen was wearing a plain white robe with golden cloud patterns embroidered on the collar and cuffs. He did not wear a golden crown, but a white jade crown with a white jade hairpin.

This outfit makes him look elegant and noble.

I thought that on such a hot day, the emperor would arrange a carriage with an ice box or something.

They ended up walking under the scorching sun. Although there were a lot of people, a bunch of people were fanning them to block the sun.

Still can't stand the heat.

When they arrived at Kunning Palace, beads of sweat kept dripping down Xie Zhaoyi's forehead, her two smiling faces were red, and all her makeup had fallen off.

Xie Zhaoyi looked better without makeup because she was young. Especially when she pouted her lips and fanned herself with a round fan, she looked very cute like a little girl.

Li Beichen respectfully burned incense to Xie Kewei and chatted with her for a while. Then he turned around and told Xie Zhaoyi to kowtow to her aunt.

Xie Zhaoyi then realized that she was suddenly called here because of her aunt. She didn't expect that her aunt could still protect her and help her ease the relationship with the emperor after she left.

She quickly threw the fan aside, kowtowed three times obediently, and talked to her aunt. For example, "Aunt, don't worry, I am living well in the palace", "Aunt, I did something wrong and was punished by the emperor. I know I was wrong and I will never dare to do it again", "Aunt, please bless grandma with good health and longevity" and so on.

Li Beichen listened silently at the side.

After Xie Zhaoyi finished speaking and stood up, Li Beichen asked the head palace maid Yuhe whether anyone had come to pay tribute to the queen in the past few days.

"Your Majesty, it's usually Lady Xie and the chief maid Susu of Yonghe Palace. Concubine Yi's chief maid Moyu also comes from time to time."

Li Beichen nodded and said to Liang Xiaobao, "Reward."

Yu He hurriedly knelt on the ground and said, "The Queen has been very kind to me. This is my duty. I feel I cannot afford this reward."

Li Beichen nodded more confidently, "It's worth the reward."

Even though the person is gone, he is still so diligent and should be rewarded.

Li Beichen asked Xie Zhaoyi, "Have you dreamed of your aunt these days?"

Xie Zhaoyi quickly knelt down and replied, "Your Majesty, I dreamed a few days ago that my aunt said she was worried about my mother and hoped that I could go back to see her. She also said that my great-grandmother would be turning 70 soon and she wanted to go back to give her a gift."

"Seventieth birthday?"

Li Beichen was very surprised. Nowadays, the average life expectancy is less than 70 years, and it was not easy for ancient people to live to this age.

"Yes." Xie Zhaoyi answered with lowered eyebrows.

She had dreamed about her aunt several times since she passed away, but she had no recollection of the dream after waking up.

But since the emperor asked, I'll just make up a story that is beneficial to the Xie family.

"In that case, we'll go after the morning court tomorrow." Li Beichen said to Liang Xiaobao with a smile, "Xiaobao, quickly send someone to notify the Duke of the Guard to receive the emperor tomorrow."

"Thank you, Your Majesty. That's great." Xie Zhaoyi clapped her hands and said happily, "Aunt's spirit in heaven must be very happy. I will prepare a gift when I return."

Li Beichen glanced at the portrait of Xie Kewei hanging on the wall and said to Liang Xiaobao, "It's hot, you take Xie Zhaoyi back. Everyone leave."

After everyone left, Li Beichen walked to Xie Kewei's portrait, stroked her eyebrows, his eyes a little moist.

"I dreamed last night that you were riding a horse very fast. You must be living well over there. You asked me to take you to the suburbs to ride horses several times, but I never agreed. I am sorry for you. Can you tell me, will it be painful when people die? Where will they go after death?"

He stared silently at Xie Kewei's heroic face and smiled bitterly.

Obviously the other party couldn't answer him.

Just when he was a little distracted, a large black butterfly with blue spots flew to him and stayed on the painting for a moment.

Just as he reached out to touch it, the butterfly flapped its wings and flew away.

He turned around in amazement, looking against the light at the blue butterfly flying towards the door, a little dazed for a moment.

He asked in a trembling voice, "Is that you?"

Is there really a soul? Did the queen turn into a butterfly to visit him? Or was it just a melodrama deliberately arranged by the author?

I saw the butterfly flying high and low, left and right, and finally it flew to a high place and disappeared.

Li Beichen's lips curled up into a faint smile, feeling a little melancholy and a little relieved.

Perhaps death is not as scary as we imagined, it is just entering another reincarnation.

He really wanted to share this moment, this magical moment, with Jiang Yuebai.

After returning to the Qinzheng Palace, he wrote a letter to tell Jiang Yuebai about this matter. He wrote several letters, but then crumpled them all up and threw them into the trash can.

He wasn't sure if Jiang Yuebai could stand aside and look at his feelings for Xie Kewei. What if he thought he was a scumbag? What if he got jealous or angry?
At the end, he only wrote one sentence, "Jiaojiao, do you think there is an afterlife?"

After writing the letter, he gave it to Liang Xiaobao and asked him to deliver it personally.