King Xiang of the Red Chamber

Chapter 219
Entering Chengming Yuan, Zhu Jinghong asked someone to set up a chessboard, and really asked Baochai for advice.

Of course, these are all face-saving projects, and Zhu Jinghong often asks people personal questions.

"Miss Xue, how are you doing in the palace recently?"

"Okay... the Thirteenth Lord can see it too!" Baochai said, picking up a chess piece.

The two often consulted for teaching and knowledge, and now they are very familiar with each other, so they talk like friends in private.

"If there's anything missing, if it's not convenient to talk to Third Sister, you can tell me directly, after all, we are masters and apprentices!"

"Master Thirteen, don't talk nonsense, even a bachelor in the Hanlin Academy can't afford it, how can I, a little girl, recognize you as a teacher!"

Picking up the teacup, Zhu Jinghong said slowly: "A bachelor in the Imperial Academy can't afford it. Are you scolding me or praising me?"

Baochai raised her head and said coldly, "Of course I'm praising the Thirteenth Master!"

The two chattered like this, and after a random game of chess, Baochai finally couldn't help but get up.

"Master Thirteen, I really have something important to do, and I've been delayed for so long... If the empress asks, it's not easy to explain!"

Zhu Jinghong put away the chess pieces on the table, and said slowly: "Understood, you just want to leave, it seems like I won't let you go!"

"I'll send it to you!"

"No need... my daughter-in-law bids farewell!"

Before Zhu Jinghong got up, Baochai retreated a few steps after saluting, then turned and ran outside.

She has always prided herself on being polite, but now she has to use this impolite way to escape from Zhu Jinghong's harassment.

After leaving Chengming Courtyard, Baochai finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"This thirteenth master is too outrageous, and he should come to Chengmingyuan less often in the future!"

"If you really want something, let Zhen Qin come over..."

"No, no, no, this girl Zhen Qin is obsessed with the Thirteenth Master. Wouldn't it be fulfilling her wish to let her come over!"

"But if you let Ting girl come over...she is the empress's niece, wouldn't she be near the water..."

"Forget it, forget it, I'll come if something happens, just treat it as a loss!"

Baochai muttered in a low voice, and strolled towards Shangyi Bureau.

Because she was delayed in Chengming Courtyard, when she arrived at Shangyi Bureau, Qiqige had just finished washing and dressed up in Daming's attire.

"Miss Xue... why are you here!"

For Xue Baochai, who was born in an "average", the female officials of the Shangyi Bureau were extremely polite, even though they were of a higher rank.

It's all because Baochai is backed by Zhu Jinghong, the thirteenth master. These people in the palace hate the high and the low, how can they not treat each other with courtesy now.

After Baochai saluted all the female officials, she replied: "The princess ordered me to come and take that Junggar girl there!"

"The girl came just in time. The girl has washed up, and we are going to send it there!"

"There's no need to bother you, just leave him to me!" Baochai laughed.

"Then trouble the girl!"

After finishing the polite words, one of the female officers ordered: "Bring the man over and give it to Miss Xue!"

"Yes!"

After a few breaths, a girl in a blue double-breasted jacket and a bun on her head came out. She was really well-dressed.

"It's true...the appearance is upright, full of heroic spirit!"

This is the evaluation given by Baochai. Although the other party's appearance is not very good, but the heroic spirit in the eyebrows and eyes really adds a lot of points, making people remember this face at a glance.

"This is Miss Xue, you go with her!"

"where to?"

"Of course I'm going to see the princess!"

"Oh!"

I saw Qiqige took two steps forward, and said to Baochai openly, "Hello...my name is Qiqige!"

Baochai was completely confused by this, and could only say: "Hello...I...let's go!"

Baochai was not used to this kind of self-introduction, so she didn't introduce herself at all, and led Qiqige out.

"This girl is so stupid and cute!"

"Cute? When she slaughters cows and sheep with a knife, you don't think it's cute anymore!"

"That's right...these people are barbarians, and even women wield knives and guns, so there's a bit of etiquette!"

"Let her serve in the palace like this, I'm afraid..."

While the female officials of the Shangyi Bureau were discussing, Qiqige had followed Baochai out of the Shangyi Bureau.

"What's your name?"

Qiqige's question was straightforward, and Baochai knew that she didn't understand Ming etiquette, so she replied, "My name is Baochai!"

Who would have thought that Qiqige asked in the next sentence: "Are you also a slave in this palace?"

There is no problem with this in essence, and it is not wrong to say that a servant in the palace is a slave, but after all, a servant is different from a servant who serves others.

"Just like you, she is the princess' attendant!"

"Oh...then it's not a slave!"

The two walked forward for a while, and then heard Qiqige ask: "How is the princess's personality? Do you get along well?"

Baochai replied calmly: "Whatever the princess's character is, you and I need to get used to it!"

"But I have a bad temper, and I often beat and scolded when I was in the palace..."

Before Qiqige could finish speaking, Baochai interrupted her and said, "That was in Junggar, now you are in Daming, so you have to abide by the rules of Daming!"

How dare a slave teach himself a lesson?Qiqige was very upset.

After speeding up her pace and walking alongside Baochai, Qiqige asked again: "Is this palace fun? When can I go out?"

Baochai replied calmly, "You should learn the rules of the palace first, and then you can talk about it!"

She knew that Junggar and Daming were at odds, so she was not optimistic about Qiqige's future.

The two were talking, and soon came to Kunning Palace.

At the same time, the emperor's decree also came to the East Palace.

Zhu Jingyuan was flipping through the past memorials, when he heard the oracle, he would not dare to be negligent, he put down what he was doing and rushed out.

In the outer hall of the East Palace, under the busyness of a group of eunuchs from the East Palace, the incense table futons needed for receiving the order have been set up.

A group of Eastern Palace scholars surrounded Zhu Jingyuan and came to the outside of the hall, standing in line to receive the order.

"My son, Zhu Jingyuan, ask for the emperor's peace!"

The eunuch who delivered the decree responded with "Sheng Gong'an", and then read: "The lord has spoken, and on the ninth day of October, we will invite the chieftain envoys of all countries and allies to host a banquet for me!"

"Kin this!"

"My son leads the order!"

After Zhu Jingyuan kowtowed, the eunuch passed the decree and hurried down the steps and helped the prince up on the ground.

After hearing the eunuch's compliment, the officials of the prince's mansion sent him out, and then entered the living room with the prince.

"Your Highness, the Holy Majesty ordered you to preside over the state banquet, which shows that His Highness's favor is still alive and your position is stable!"

"That's right, this matter needs to be carefully planned, and we must let His Highness handle the errands well!"

Everyone talked to each other, and began to discuss the yamen involved in the banquet, and divided their respective tasks.

Everyone was discussing, the preliminary plan for the state banquet has been discussed, Zhu Jingyuan nodded in agreement.

After a group of bachelors left, Zhu Jingyuan's old habit of nervousness recurred, so that he couldn't even read the memorial, and turned directly into the inner house.

Every time he encounters a major event, especially an errand assigned by the emperor's father, Zhu Jingyuan will unconsciously become nervous, so that he becomes anxious when he thinks deeply.

After he entered the study in the inner house, Yuan Chun, who knew the situation, also rushed over, and saw Zhu Jingyuan's face was pale as if he was seriously ill.

"What's the matter, Your Highness?"

Zhu Jingyuan replied honestly: "Father entrusted me with an errand, and I'm afraid I'll fail again, so at this moment, my heart is overwhelmed and I feel uneasy!"

Although he dotes on Wang Yi more, he also knows that Yuan Chun can find a way, so he confessed his thoughts at this moment.

"With the bachelors to share their worries, His Highness can take an overview of the overall situation, and nothing will happen!"

Hearing Yuan Chun's comforting words, Zhu Jingyuan couldn't help but said: "I just don't know what to do, if only... if the thirteenth brother is here!"

Remembering that in Jinling before, with Zhu Jinghong's help in making suggestions, although the matter was "thrilling", but the errand was done well, Zhu Jingyuan naturally felt at ease.

"This... During the banquet, let the Thirteenth Lord follow!"

"I'm going to invite him over to listen to his opinion, or send someone to invite him today!"

"No hurry, let's invite them tomorrow, by the way... Lian Sheng'er invited them together, and said that they were invited to come over to enjoy the flowers, and the crabapple flowers in the garden just happened to bloom!"

"Why did you invite Sheng'er?" Zhu Jingyuan didn't answer.

"Just invite the thirteenth brother, isn't the intention too obvious!"

Zhu Jingyuan nodded and said, "Please contact me about this matter, the time will be... tomorrow afternoon!"

"Well... tomorrow I will enter the palace!"

(End of this chapter)