The struggle of the reborn prince

Although there are precedents for the emperor to visit his courtiers' homes, accidents happen almost every time.

Zhao Kuangyin, the founding emperor of the Song Dynasty, liked to visit. Once, Qian Chu, the lord of Wuyue, sent an envoy to deliver ten bottles of seafood to Zhao Pu, and put them under the corridor. It happened that Taizu came quietly. When he saw it, he asked what it was. Zhao Pu hurriedly answered that it was seafood.Taizu said: "This seafood must be good." Even if he opened it, he found that the bottle was full of melon seeds.Zhao Pu paused in fear, saying that he didn't know what was going on, otherwise he would definitely refuse to hear about it.Taizu didn't blame him, just smiled and said: "It's okay to accept it. He thought that you, the scholar, are the masters of the country's affairs."

Although this matter was solved with a smile by Taizu, there are few people who can figure out the emperor's thoughts, but at this time, it is well known that Zhao Pu is arbitrary in the court, and he is greedy for money and good goods. Seizing the interests of the people is often attacked by courtiers.But Taizu trusted him very much because of his daring and outstanding reputation, but he didn't believe it.This time, Taizu did not say anything, but began to expand the participation power of Xue Juzheng and Lu Yuqing, the political advisers, to divide the prime minister's power;

The Taishanghuang also liked to drop by in those days. When Prime Minister Wang Fu built a new mansion, he often went there to have fun.Another time, Wang Fu invited him to see the dog pee moss growing on the pillars of his house. As a result, the emperor got so drunk that he stopped court the next day, and it was discovered that the back door of his house was connected with the corner door of Liang Shicheng's house.This aroused the suspicion of the Supreme Emperor and made a big taboo. He hated the collusion between internal officials and foreign officials. As a result, he gradually fell out of favor and was dismissed.So the emperor's visit is like a "Weasel greeting the New Year" and is taboo by the officials...

Rain Master is the word for the emperor, which was a taboo in ancient times, and not everyone can call the emperor's name.Over time, it has long been forgotten.But Li Gang couldn't forget it, so when he saw the famous assassin, he immediately knew that the emperor was coming.Can't help but panic.He prides himself on being an upright official and is not afraid of the emperor finding fault.But this year the emperor wants to rectify the temples and take the lead not to go to the temples to pray for blessings, but as the chief official of the court, he has to go to the Daxiangguo Temple to burn incense secretly with his family, isn't it in line with the emperor's will.If it is small, it means not picking on behavior, but if it is big, it depends on the emperor's intentions, how big it is!

But after all, Li Gang is a veteran minister who has experienced political turmoil. Now that he can't avoid it, he calmed down and knelt down to plead guilty.What the family members didn't understand was that the emperor had come to visit their house.They also hurriedly knelt down to welcome him, but they didn't have as many thoughts as Li Gang. Instead, they thought it was a kind of honor. Not everyone can get this kind of favor. emperor.

"President Li, don't be too polite. I just came out for a walk on a whim. I just got tired here, so I came in to ask for a cup of tea. I'm really bothering you!" Zhao Tang took two steps forward to help Li Gang up, and raised his hand to let his family members get up as well. .

"Your Majesty's visit to the humble house is a blessing for me, why bother!" Li Gang took two steps back and saluted again.But in my heart, there are thousands of turns, my mansion is seven or eight miles away from the palace, and the mansions of princes and ministers I pass by on the way are countless.Wouldn't it be a coincidence that I was thirsty when I walked to my door?It was clearly intentional.It's just that I still can't figure out the emperor's intention here, so I have to be careful.

"The sedan chairs and horses are all ready. Li Xiang is going out, so we won't stay!" Zhao Tun said, calling Jianxi and Zhao Zhong who came in after him to turn around and leave, as if they didn't know what they were going to do. of.

"Your Majesty, I just have nothing to do and want to go out for a walk. There is nothing important to do. Please rest in the hall!" Even if there is a big thing at this time, Li Gang has to say that there is nothing to do, so he can't wait to shout respectfully. Sending off to His Majesty, I dare not say it.

"Alright, let's rest at Li Xiang's house!" Zhao Tun said as he lifted his legs and walked to the hall first. How could he not guess what Li Gang was thinking? He came here today to make things difficult for him. Who asked him to take the lead? Oppose your own conquest!

"Your Majesty, be careful!" Li Gang saw that the emperor was not polite, so he could only take a step behind to lead the way. At the same time, he made his family wink and put away all the unseen things, boiled water and made tea, and closed the door to prevent outsiders from disturbing each other.

"Li Xiang's house is well furnished. There is elegance in the richness, and luxury in the simplicity!" Zhao Tuo entered the lobby and did not sit down. Looking at the calligraphy and paintings on the wall, he kept admiring them.

"Your Majesty's praise, they are all vulgar things, how can they compare with the things in the palace!" Although the emperor said words of praise, Li Gang's ears were like scratching his heart.As the head of a hundred officials, how could he not know that the emperor always advocated frugality, as evidenced by the fact that a lot of celebrations have been reduced this New Year, and now he is just boasting that his family is 'good', does he have other intentions!

"Oh, Li Xiang likes the things in the palace, I will send someone to send you some tomorrow!" Zhao Tong turned around and said with a smile, as if he didn't hear the modesty in Li Gang's words.

"Your Majesty's beloved, how dare I take away the beauty!" Li Gang was taken aback and quickly declined.Not everyone can use the things in the palace, if they are not handled well, they will be impeached and have disobedience, but he dare not compare with Wang Fu, he dared to move everything home, and finally moved his head.

Zhao Tang saw that Li Gang was taking every step of the way, and answered decently, but he didn't go on the road, so he began to gossip.In fact, he knew that Li Gang was a second-generation official. His ancestor was a descendant of the Li Tang royal family, with a high status. His father, Li Kui, was also a close minister of the emperor.However, officials in the Song Dynasty received the most generous treatment in all dynasties. Based on his background and status, it was determined that he would not lack in fine clothing and food in his life.According to some unofficial history notes uploaded by Zhao Tong in his previous life, even after he was demoted later, his family had a lot of wealth, and when he took out the jewelry as a gift to his friends, the amount was astonishingly large. Strange, I just deliberately found fault to tease him.

When the emperor arrived, Li Gang's family members had to come to pay their respects. After changing clothes, Li Gang's second-rank wife, headed by Li Gang's wife, led the whole family to pay their respects.Now Zhao Tun got excited and asked all the young and old members of the Li family about who he studied under, what books he had read, whether he was famous, how old he was, what he would eat every day, and his wife and engagement. No, I asked clearly about every detail.

The emperor seemed friendly, as if he cared about the lives of his subjects. Li Gang was so nervous that he was dying. He understood the truth that if you talk too much, you will lose your words, and the emperor had to answer the questions. If you shouldn't say it, it will cause a catastrophe.Fortunately, my family is well educated, everyone answered decently, and didn't say anything outrageous!

"Your Majesty, it's almost time for lunch, please have dinner at the minister's house!" The emperor asked for a glass of water, but he drank a pot of tea and didn't show any intention of leaving.It was noon, and it seemed that it was time to eat, but Li Gang knew that the emperor usually didn't live outside to eat, mainly because he was worried about safety issues, and was afraid that someone would poison him.So he reminded the emperor that it was getting late and it was time to go home.

"Really? Li Xiangyi said that I really feel hungry in my stomach!" Zhao Tong said, rubbing his stomach.

"Your Majesty, Li Xiang's family banquet is well-known in the capital, but I have no chance to taste it!" Zhao Zhong said with a smile after hearing this.

"Well, I've also heard that Li Xiang's cooking skills are not inferior to those of the royal chefs in the palace, especially good at cooking river fish!" Jian Xi also said from the side.

"Oh, there are always those kinds of food in the palace, let's just ask Mr. Li for a meal!" Zhao Tun said, swallowing his saliva.

"Hehe, the rumors from the outside world are exaggerated. There are only a few rough cooks in the mansion. I'm afraid it's hard to get into the mouth of His Majesty!" Li Gang was angry after hearing the evaluation of the two. He is the head of the servants, and can be said to be the first person in charge of the emperor's safety. Instead of persuading the emperor to leave, he adds fuel to the matter. I really feel at ease with myself!

"Li Xiang's words are wrong. I have also fought on the battlefield. It is common for me to eat and sleep in the open. It is good to have something to fill my stomach. I don't care about exquisite delicacies. Could it be that Li Xiang still can't care about my meal?" Zhao Tuo looked With the intention of 'chasing the guest', how could he leave so easily, he said with a dark face.

"Your Majesty... I will order someone to arrange it!" Li Gang reluctantly agreed with a bitter face.

The emperor's words had already pushed Li Gang to a dead end, and it didn't matter whether the meal was worth it.But it also made Li Gang extremely embarrassed. Cooking some home-cooked meals would be like treating the emperor slowly, and if cooking a big meal, it would be extravagant and wasteful, but this is still a trivial matter.What made him even more troubled was that the emperor had procedures when eating out, especially when someone had to "taste the poison", but the two who accompanied the emperor today were not of low status, and they were the emperor's confidantes, so they would definitely not do such a thing. Even if the emperor feels a little bit uncomfortable, he can't escape the entanglement...

"Li Xiang is a thief. He only ordered the housekeeper to make arrangements, and let his wife supervise the kitchen, but he pushed everything clean without leaving the hall!" Jian Xi whispered to Zhao Zhong.

"Hehe, I'm an old man, how can I not know how to watch people order dishes, but watching Li Xiang is like sitting on pins and needles, and I am suffering a lot!" Zhao Zhong said with a light smile.

"Hmph, he deserves it. The second master has been preparing for the Western Expedition for so long, and spent so much private money to build the fleet, but in the end, they messed it up. Can you not be angry?" Jian Xi snorted coldly, in his eyes The distinction between good people and bad people is very simple. Anyone who makes the emperor unhappy is a bad person, even if he is the head of the court.

"Master Xi, it looks like we won't be able to eat this meal, and the second master is calling you!" Zhao Zhong smiled when he heard Xi complaining that the officials had disturbed the emperor's good deeds, but he didn't dare to intervene. It's right and wrong, it's just that Zhan's position is different. In short, they are all under the banner of being for the emperor and the good of the Song Dynasty.And the emperor is even smarter, so how could he not understand the reasoning behind it? Li Gang's spoofing seems to have other meanings besides venting his anger, which also needs to be tasted by himself...