Mountains and rivers pray for peace

The palace was busy preparing for Concubine Zhen's birthday banquet, and everyone in the six bureaus was too busy to keep their feet off the floor.

In recent days, Emperor Xiaowen continued to send rewards to Shuchunxuan. Empress Zhou also sent her Aunt Peng to give her a supply of blood swallow and ginseng supplements. Even Concubine Shu sent people to greet her three times a day.

Anyone with a discerning eye can see that even if a concubine has a miscarriage, she will still be favored.Therefore, everyone in each bureau tried their best to host this birthday banquet so as to please their masters.

On this day, Huo Qi was drawing up the guest list and banquet location for Concubine Zhen's birthday banquet.

The little palace maid Usnea held her breath and concentrated on grinding for Huo Qi.

Useng Luo was two years younger than Huo Qi, and she was accused of accompanying Huo Qi not long after she came to Shangyi Bureau.

Huo Qi was appointed as a new official, and the maids below her were a little dissatisfied when they saw that she was only in her prime years and didn't know her skills.

Usnea is different from what others think.

These days, someone is secretly stumbling upon you, but you just pretend you don't see it and don't care.These days, I have been working hard day and night for the birthday banquet of the Concubine Zhen. The day before yesterday, I discussed the food orders with the people from the Food Department. Yesterday, I discussed the dress patterns with the people from the Clothing Department. I was so tired that my eyes turned blue. One lap.

In Usluo's eyes, although this gentleman is young, he is a strong and powerful character, and more importantly, he can tolerate others' mistakes.There is a future with such a master.

Seeing that it was already past lunch time, Usnea reminded her crisply: "Sir, you haven't eaten yet, and you've exhausted your body from being careful."

"Nothing." Huo Qi copied the gift book, then thought about Usnea having been with her all the time, and finally put down the purple pen in his hand, "That's all, let's take a rest and eat some porridge."

Usnea smiled and nodded. Before the two of them left the house, they saw a dozen palace ladies in goose-yellow palace clothes gathered in the center of the yard. From a distance, they looked like a mist of spring flowers, with streaks of smoky pink dotted in the middle. The stamen is exactly red sandalwood.A group of people were laughing and laughing, it was so lively.

Usnea asked curiously: "What are they doing?"

Huo Qi rubbed his neck and neither stepped forward nor spoke. He only stopped and leaned against the door rail to watch.Usnea stopped talking and followed Huo Qi to observe silently.

After a commotion, Zitan placed the two huanghuali food boxes on the stone table.Each food box had four layers. She pushed open the food covers one by one and took out more than a dozen small white porcelain bowls from inside.

When the maids saw the soup in the porcelain bowl, they covered their mouths and exclaimed in surprise: "It's actually sweet mung bean soup!"

Summer has come early in the capital this year, and the sun is fierce. The maids have recently been overwhelmed with heavy work. Although the sweet mung bean soup is not expensive, it is better than quenching thirst, clearing away heat and reducing fire.It couldn't be better on this hot summer day.

When the sweet-tongued palace maid saw this, she excitedly said to Zitan: "Sister Zitan still feels sorry for us, and even asked for sweet soup for us."

But Zitan smiled and waved his hand: "I feel sorry for you, but Mr. Huo took pity on your hard work recently. He spent his own money and asked me to go to the Food and Beverage Department to get these sweet soups and open a small stove for you."

"It's actually Huo Sibin?" Someone was surprised.

In their eyes, although Huo Qi is not as strict as Yang Shangyi, his temperament is too cold and he seems to be neither cold nor warm to anyone, making it difficult for people to get close to him.Now he thoughtfully prepared sweet soup, which made people's mouth soft. Everyone's view of Huo Qi changed a lot in an instant.

Seeing the scene in front of her, Usnea couldn't help but wonder: "Sir, when did you send Sister Zitan to prepare it?"

"It's not my order." Huo Qi stared at the scene in front of him with interest.

Usnea slapped her head suddenly: "Sister Zitan, are you thinking that the people below are trying to hinder you, so you are sending sweet soup in your name to win your heart?"

Huo Qi was noncommittal.

Zitan has seniority, knows everything about the palace, and behaves with extraordinary poise.She never wanted credit for any beautiful errand she did, but only said that Huo Qi's teachings were good.When he saw some etiquette and rules that Huo Qi was unfamiliar with, he would give him advice when appropriate, but he would never try to teach Huo Qi how to do things.This is not the first time that I have given mung bean sweet soup like this.

Logically speaking, a person who is smart and well-controlled is always lovable.If anyone else had just arrived, even if he didn't regard Zitan as his confidant, he would definitely trust him.

But Huo Qi is not like that.

Because Rosewood's flattery and pandering are too obvious.The experience of being betrayed in the previous life told her that some people make pilgrimages to Qingshan and go to great lengths to climb mountains and ridges, not to appreciate the beautiful scenery on the top of the mountain, but to burn the Qingshan to the ground with a fire.

She doesn't care about these superficial things, she only believes that time will tell people's hearts.

Huo Qi admired the pretty figure in the center of the yard and said calmly: "Usnea, what kind of person is Zitan?"

Usnea didn't know why, but she still answered truthfully: "Sister Zitan has a beautiful life, and she is kind in daily life. In addition, she can help solve problems that others can't solve, so she is very popular in the palace." As if she thought of something again, Usnea added: "I am also very loyal to the Queen Mother."

"Oh?" Huo Qi glanced at Usnea.

Usnea thought for a while, scratched her head and said: "The year before last, the Queen Mother wanted to marry Sister Zitan to Master Cao, the Prime Minister of Dali Temple. Although Master Cao's family was relatively poor, he was an upright man and had a smooth career. He was only 25 years old. . At that time, many people envied Sister Zitan for her good fortune and being able to find such a good husband. But Sister Zitan begged the Queen Mother in a daze, saying that she only wanted to serve the Queen Mother, and she pushed forward the marriage."

Huo Qi nodded thoughtfully: "That's it."

After saying that, he walked towards the yard.

The maids in the courtyard had noticed Huo Qi's figure. They all put down the porcelain bowls in their hands and bowed to her: "See you, sir. Thank you for the reward."

Huo Qi smiled slightly and asked them to stand up: "No need to be formal. You go down and use the soup first. The red sandalwood stays behind."

When everyone saw this, they all retreated.In the blink of an eye, only Huo Qi and Zitan were left in the yard.

Zitan was not worried about the embarrassment at all. She took the initiative to take out a bowl of sweet mung bean soup from the bottom of the food box and handed it to Huo Qi: "Sir, please try this sweet soup too. I know you don't like sweetness, so I didn't put this bowl away." Honey."

Huo Qi took it, simmered the green soup, and fiddled with it a few times with a spoon.Then he raised his eyes and smiled: "I have the intention. But, how do you know that I don't like sweets?"

"As long as you observe carefully, you can always know." Zitan replied with a smile, with sincerity on his face.

Huo Qi smiled and put down the bowl in his hand: "Thank you very much for the mung bean soup today."

Zitan smiled and said: "It's just a trivial matter, nothing to worry about. I know that you are not a person who doesn't understand the world, but you just want to prove yourself through the birthday banquet of the Concubine Zhen, so you are not warm to the people below these days. It's just that Mr. Zitan I thought, a bowl of sweet mung bean soup doesn’t cost a lot of money, and if it can benefit the people below, they can do their job reliably and won’t be a hindrance to the adults.”

The words were clever, and he praised Huo Qi calmly, but also showed that he was worried about Huo Qi.

Huo Qi just said: "Zitan, there are still some details that have not been finalized on the birthday banquet of the Concubine Zhen. Can I ask for your advice?"

Zitan Yingying bowed: "Zitan is willing to share your worries."

※※※

The two of them entered the room and sat down. Huo Qi pointed to the location map that he had just drawn and said, "I have drafted the basic location map according to rank. There is nothing else. It's just that ministers are officials in the court, and there will inevitably be disagreements. , it would not be beautiful if you put people you don't deal with in one place. You have served the Queen Mother for many years, and you think you are more thoughtful than me. Why don't you help me take a look and see if there is anything wrong?"

Zitan took the drawing and looked at it carefully, pointing out some details that could be improved.Huo Qi nodded and responded one by one.

Finally, Zitan's fingertips landed on a position in the front row: "Sir, Mr. Liu, the Minister of Civil Affairs, is the uncle of Concubine Zhen, and he had some issues with Mr. Liu, the cabinet bachelor next to him. The two families wanted to discuss marriage, but in the end The in-laws have not formed a family, but they have formed a rift. If arranged like this, the two of them will have a heated conflict for a while, and I am afraid that the concubine Zhen will not be able to save her face. "

"Oh? There is such a thing?" Huo Qi raised his eyebrows, "In your opinion, what should we do?"

Zitan pondered for a long time and said, "How about changing the positions of Lord Liu and Lord Lu, the left minister of the opposite military department?"

Huo Qi's eyes wandered over the drawings for a moment, then he smiled and said, "That's very good."

Do you still remember red sandalwood? It was made with soy sauce a long time ago (つД`)ノ