Chapter 232 Minglan’s transformation
But when Zhao Xing thought about it carefully, it seemed that it was not impossible.
Because the rumors he had people spread, although somewhat exaggerated, were not entirely false.
Over the years, he has spent a lot of money on establishing secret guards. The secret guards have a very important task, which is to collect intelligence from officials all over the world.
And Bianjing is the top priority.
Nowadays, there is a room in Chaoyang Palace dedicated to storing the files of these officials. These files not only record the resumes and interpersonal interactions of all officials, but also the privacy of some officials.
Zhou Yizhong had an affair with a concubine of his son. This matter was mentioned casually by a steward of the Zhou family when he was drunk.
I quickly realized and didn’t mention it again. One of the people drinking with the steward at that time was a secret guard.
So he reported the news. Yin Hanzhang investigated it after learning about it, but found no clues.
However, the news was still recorded in Zhou Yizhong's file.
If the affair between Zhou Yizhong and his son's concubine was exposed due to external rumors, and his family found out, it would not be impossible for him to be angry to death due to shame and some hidden health problems.
"Okay, please step back." The official waved his hand tiredly.
After hearing this, Eunuch Liu bowed and left.
"Things are a little troublesome now. Be honest and stop messing around. This matter must be settled as soon as possible." The official looked at Zhao Xing seriously.
"I know it!" Zhao Xing said seriously.
He also knew the seriousness of the matter. If he used this method to deal with Zhou Yizhong, all civil servants in the DPRK and China would have a grudge.
As the saying goes, you can kill with just a nod of the head.
The ancients valued reputation very much, especially literati. Even if men were stealing and women were prostitutes behind their backs, they would still look decent and kind on the surface.
But if Zhou Yizhong survives, many people may have grudges, but the matter has nothing to do with them, and they will mostly just watch the excitement.
However, things are different when people die, and it is inevitable that people will feel the sadness of death.
"Go!" Guan Jia waved his hand and said.
"My son, please retire!" Zhao Xing bowed and retreated.
Zhao Xing came out of Longtuge with a headache. He did not expect that Zhou Yizhong would be angry to death.
In this case, the next means will not be used.
It is conceivable that in order to appease people's hearts, the father will definitely give him a posthumous title and then quickly cut the mess to calm the matter.
As a result, the effect of what I did this time was greatly compromised.
Being stigmatized and not achieving the expected results made Zhao Xing a little irritated.
Zhao Xing can’t say he regrets, he’s just a little depressed.
But man’s calculations are not as good as God’s calculations, so how can everything develop as he wants.
Zhao Xing's guess was good. Early the next morning, the officials announced that Zhou Yizhong would be granted the posthumous title of Grand Master, and ordered the Ministry of Rites to send someone to handle his funeral and draft a posthumous title.
Most of the people captured by the Military and Horse Division of the Five Cities were released, and all officials were notified that no one could continue to discuss the matter, otherwise they would all be sent to the army.
The matter settled down just like that, at least on the surface.
Zhao Xing was also very honest and did not continue to make any small moves.
I took Zhang Guifen, Rulan Minglan and others to Jinmingchi Villa to stay for a few days.
Because there were many things going on these days, Zhao Xing did not go to Rulan Minglan's place. He had not seen Rulan and Minglan for some days.
Seeing Minglan this time, Zhao Xing felt that Minglan had changed a lot.
This change is not external, but internal.
The smile on Minglan's face was a little brighter. Zhang Guifen invited her to play polo. She didn't give in like last time. She played back and forth with Zhang Guifen and won in the end.
Zhang Guifen complained to her for a while, saying that she deliberately withheld her hand last time.
Minglan smiled and apologized, but Zhang Guifen did not go into details.
If she had learned that Ming Lan deliberately wanted to do this, she would have been unhappy because she looked down on such people.
But now she has matured a lot, and she can understand Minglan's difficulties to some extent and doesn't care.
A few girls, with their clothes tied up at the waist to show off their figures, walked towards the tent talking and laughing.
Zhao Xing showed appreciation and looked at the women with a smile.
The women noticed Zhao Xing's gaze but did not pay attention.
Minglan also smiled brightly at Zhao Xing.
As usual, Minglan would lower her head slightly when facing Zhao Xing's gaze. It seems that this time the change is really big.
Minglan is much brighter and more generous now. I wonder if the words I told her before had any effect.
But this change is also what Zhao Xing hopes to see.
The ladies entered the tent, first saluted Zhao Xing, and then took the tea offered by the palace maid and drank it.
After drinking some tea and taking the wet handkerchief to wipe his sweat, Zhang Guifen came to sit next to Zhao Xing, while Yu Yanran and Rulan Minglan sat down.
"Your Highness, don't you want to have fun?" Zhang Guifen pinched a grape and started eating it.
"What? The princess wants to compete with Gu Bibi?" Zhao Xing said with a smile.
“For comparison, your Highness may not be as good as your concubine when playing polo.” Zhang Guifen said with a smile.
"Just playing polo is boring, how about adding some bonuses?" Zhao Xing said with a twitch of his eyes.
As soon as Zhang Guifen saw it, she knew that Zhao Xing didn't have any good ideas, so she said a little warily: "What kind of bonus does Your Highness want to add?"
Zhao Xing whispered in Zhang Guifen's ear.
After hearing this, Zhang Guifen blushed and gave Zhao Xing an angry look.
"What? You don't dare to compare?" Zhao Xing said excitedly.
"Your Highness, don't use provocation. Just compete, but I will be paired with Minglan." Zhang Guifen looked at Zhao Xing playfully.
Zhao Xing touched his nose angrily when he heard this.
His polo playing skills are passable, not much worse than Zhang Guifen. In addition, chasing the wind is slightly better than Ruhuo, so it is not difficult to beat her.
But if Zhang Guifen is paired with Minglan, then he can only be paired with Yu Yanran or Ru Lan.
How can we fight this?
Looking at Zhang Guifen's slightly proud eyes, Zhao Xing gave her a waiting look in return.
Zhang Guifen shrugged her nose playfully, looking fearless.
As a result, Zhao Xing was punished that night and he begged for mercy again and again. But the next day Zhang Guifen became lively again. She swam for a while in the morning and took Minglan to play polo. She was full of energy.
Zhao Xing even doubted whether Zhang Guifen saved him some face by begging for mercy last night.
In the evening, a group of palace maids and eunuchs arranged themselves on the polo field, and soon a whole sheep that had been packed was put up and roasted.
An imperial chef led several eunuchs to watch, while others were making the rest of the kebabs.
After a while, the aroma filled the air.
“It smells so good.” Ru Lan smelled the fragrance and swallowed.
"Haha, wait, it still needs to be baked for a while." Zhao Xing looked at Ru Lan's cute look and laughed.
"Your Highness was teased by Sister Rulan." Zhang Guifen defended.
After being in contact with each other for the past few days, Zhang Guifen felt that she was the most compatible with Minglan, but she also liked the carefree Ru Lan very much.
"Okay, okay, it's Gu's fault. I'll go to her room tonight to make it up to her." Zhao Xing said with a smile.
Ruanshi Rulan has a carefree temper and was made red-faced by Zhao Xing's words.
While joking, the kebabs were served, and it took a long time to roast the whole lamb.
A few people started eating while talking and laughing.
The kebabs are flavored with Zhao Xingren's special seasonings.
Zhang Guifen and the other girls were full of praise for their food, but Zhao Xing felt that the taste was lacking without the chili.
The taste of dogwood is somewhat different from that of chili pepper, and Zhao Xing doesn’t like it.
I don’t know if Sheng Wei can get peppers by contacting overseas traders and asking them to get some seeds that are not available in the Song Dynasty.
Zhao Xing didn’t know where the chili peppers came from, so he could only try his luck.
The girls didn't know Zhao Xing's melancholy, so they ate very happily.
By the time the roasted whole lamb was ready, everyone was already full.
But looking at the golden roasted whole lamb, they still tasted some.
The rest was rewarded to the palace maids and eunuchs.
After the barbecue, it was completely dark.
After admiring the moon and stars for a while, the girls retired to the room.
Zhao Xing sat alone for a while before going to Rulan's room.
Walking into the hall, Magpie saluted and said: "Your Highness, the side concubines and the sixth girl are waiting for Your Highness in the inner room."
Minglan has no status, and her status in the East Palace can only be regarded as a palace maid.
But her status is very special, so it’s hard to call her by her name.
Magpie and Xiao Tao were originally servants of the Sheng family, so they simply continued to call Miss Six.
The rest of the palace maids and eunuchs followed her example and called her Sixth Girl.
Zhao Xing was a little strange when he heard this. When he was admitted to the hospital, a palace maid had already come in to inform him.
Ordinarily, Rulan and Minglan would greet him when he came to the hall.
But not only did they not come out, they even stayed inside.
Could it be that he is taking a bath?
But considering that Magpie just said that the two of them were waiting for him in the inner room, it was unlikely that they were taking a bath.
And I came here late on purpose, as both of them should have already taken a shower.
With doubts, Zhao Xing walked into the inner room.
Going around the screen, Zhao Xing saw Ru Lan and Ming Lan standing there.
Zhao Xing's eyes lit up when he saw their outfits.
Cheongsam!
The two of them were wearing cheongsam, no wonder they were not outside.
The cheongsam is still a bit too revealing at this time.
"Your Highness!" The two of them blushed and bowed down.
Zhao Xing came back to his senses and looked up and down.
Cheongsam needs to be tall and slightly plump to look good.
The two of them are a bit different in stature, and there are no high heels in this era. In addition, due to their age, they wear cheongsam and their charm is much different.
In the words of later generations, it was just a bit unbearable.
However, compared to the conservative clothes of this era, they are still very attractive.
Zhao Xing remained silent, which made the two of them a little uneasy and couldn't help but look up at Zhao Xing.
Seeing Zhao Xing looking at them with fiery eyes, he quickly lowered his head.
"Ahem..."
Zhao Xing came back to his senses, walked forward, held one in each hand, sat down on the bed, and let the two of them sit on his lap .
“This dress is made by Yanran?” Zhao Xing asked.
"Yeah." Minglan nodded.
“Now that she has done it, she doesn’t even know how to show it to Gu, and look back to see how Gu punishes her.” Zhao Xing said.
He told Yu Yanran the general style of cheongsam before and even drew a picture.
It's just that his drawing skills are average. There is no difference between drawing and not drawing.
Yu Yanran tried to make it several times and showed it to Zhao Xing.
Zhao Xing instructed her to make corrections, but because she was busy later, she forgot to ask about the progress.
Unexpectedly, it has already been made.
"Your Highness, Sister Yanran didn't hide it from you on purpose." Ru Lan became a little anxious upon hearing this.
Minglan heard that Zhao Xing was not really angry, but she defended Yu Yanran: "Your Highness, sister Yanran is shy and embarrassed to wear clothes."
"What about you? Whose suggestion was this bold?" Zhao Xing asked.
"It's what I mean as a slave." Minglan said.
"No, that's what I mean. Your Highness is my concubine." Rulan said anxiously.
(End of this chapter)