The morning wind is a little cool.

The day after Ning Xiaochuan recovered from his injury, Ning He returned to Xiangzhou with his bodyguards.

At the transition between spring and summer, it was the season when the Western Qiang Northern Barbarians frequently harassed people heading south. At this critical time, Ning He, as the head coach of the Ning Family Army, had to rush back.

Ning Zhi and Ning Xiaochuan were the only ones left in the huge Ning Mansion. Fortunately, news came from Qingzhou that Mrs. Ning and the third son Ning Song were about to leave for Yindu.

Ning Xiaochuan and Zhu Youjun were walking on the street, cracking melon seeds and saying, "By the way, Dahei, why haven't you seen Hu Shangyi and Wei Zhengchun these days? What are they doing?"

"Hu Shangyi, he has been busy helping his father with the agricultural affairs these days. When I went to the Imperial College a few days ago, I heard that the Imperial College was conducting annual assessments. I guess Old Wei was busy with this." Zhu Youjun said as he walked.

Ning Xiaochuan sighed helplessly, "So, we are the only idlers?"

"That's right, but I have to leave soon. I will be eighteen in a few days, and my father wants me to go to the army to gain some experience.

I didn't make a name for myself in my studies, and I didn't pass the Imperial Army Examination, so I might be able to make some progress by becoming a big-headed soldier." Zhu Youjun said with emotion.

Ning Xiaochuan turned to look at Zhu Youjun, and it was true that Zhu Youjun himself had a lot of fierceness and fighting spirit, and it would be a good choice to join the army.

"Then has your father decided where you should go? Why don't you go to Xiangzhou to find my elder brother, and I can give him a message."

"No."

Zhu Youjun hurriedly shook his head, "As you know, my father has always said that I have no future, so I decided to have a future this time. I plan to sign up at the Ministry of War myself. When I become a general, let's see what my father says about me.

"

"Signing up to join the army yourself? Then you are designated to be the hardest-working big-headed soldier, your son, the dignified minister of the Ministry of War, to be a big-headed soldier?" Ning Xiaochuan looked at Zhu Youjun in disbelief.

"What's the point? I, Zhu Youjun, am not afraid of anything. How can I be afraid of becoming a big-headed soldier?" Zhu Youjun said with a smile.

Ning Xiaochuan, who was born in a military family, certainly knows how hard it is for soldiers at the lowest level, and it would be better to be in the Ning Family Army. Ning Zhi and Ning He both love soldiers as much as their own children.

If he were in other armies, he might be oppressed in what way.

Ning Xiaochuan patted Zhu Youjun on the shoulder, "Since you are determined like this, I support you as brothers."

"Okay, let's not talk about this anymore. Let's go and have a drink. This wine will cost you one meal." Zhu Youjun pulled Ning Xiaochuan and walked towards Zhenbaozhai.

Shortly after Ning He left Yindu, King Gaolan of Jingbei also left Yindu. However, before he left, he went to the palace to see the emperor. As for what he said, no one knows.

Wu Daoxiong's incident has come to an end, but there are undercurrents surging in the seemingly stable palace.

Conflicts in the harem are inevitable for royal families in all dynasties. Whether it is the intrigues between concubines or the love and hatred between royal children, the palace is full of treacherous atmosphere.

As the Dafeng Emperor, Gao Zhen had three sons. The crown prince, Gao Yuan, was born to Concubine Qin.

The second prince Gao Ling's mother is the current queen's eldest son.

The third son, Gao Chang, is the orphan of the late empress. Compared with the imperial advisor behind the crown prince and the Gongsun family of the Jiangnan clan behind the second prince, the third prince seems a little shabby.

The prince and the second prince have always been at odds with each other, which is no secret in the palace. One is the prince and the other is the son of the queen. They are both strong contenders for the future monarch of Dafeng.

The two have been fighting openly and secretly for so many years, and have always been at a stalemate. It was not until what happened in Jiangbei Town half a month ago that their eyes turned to the protagonist at the time, Ning Xiaochuan.

At that time, Gao Zhen's words on the terrace that all five sons of the Ning family were talented were accidentally transmitted to the harem. This instantly attracted the attention of Gao Yuan and Gao Ling, and each sent people to secretly investigate this dandy.

…

The place of the East Palace, the residence of the prince.

At this time, Gao Yuan was sitting upright on the soft couch, with incense lingering on the table in front of him and the tea being clear.

He picked up the tea, drank a cup of it, and breathed a long sigh of relief. In front of him, an old man with white beard slowly opened his closed eyes and said: "How long have you been unable to calm down? How will you deal with it in the future?"

Your second brother is vying for the position of crown prince."

"Grandpa, I don't quite understand. Ning Xiaochuan looks like a playboy. A year ago, he broke the arm of the only son of the Minister of the Ministry of Finance in the street, and a few days ago, he broke the arm of the Prince of Jingbei.

As for other princes, ministers, and some wealthy children who have some grudges against him, why would my father still think highly of such people?"

The old man with a white beard in front of him is Gao Yuan's grandfather, Concubine Qin's father, Qin Wanzhong, the great master of the country.

Qin Wanzhong smiled faintly, "The Ning family is now the only family in Da Feng that holds military power besides the royal family. The four sons of the Ning family have not clearly expressed their support for any of the three brothers.

Even if Ning Xiaochuan is a dandy, if you stabilize this dandy and see the big from the small, the second and third princes will definitely hate the Ning family.

When the time comes, won't the Ning family naturally support you? With the support of the Ning family, won't the position of the emperor be within your reach?"

"I see, what you mean, grandpa, is that regardless of whether Ning Xiaochuan is a playboy or not, I have to find a way to recruit him, because behind him is the Ning family. What we want is not Ning Xiaochuan, but the Ning family." Gao Yuan suddenly realized.

"Yes, that's it. If I think so, the people around the second prince will also think so, so the top priority is to find a way to recruit Ning Xiaochuan to his army." Qin Wanzhong continued.

Gao Yuan nodded thoughtfully, "Grandpa, in a few days it will be the Zhonghe Festival. I want to hold a Zhonghe reception and invite the students of the Imperial Academy to come to the palace to drink. When the time comes, I will invite Ning Xiaochuan too, and then I will recruit

, what do you think?"

"Um?"

Qin Wanzhong hesitated for a long time, "Would this be too blatant? His Majesty is the most disgusted with this. In my opinion, you might as well send someone to arrange it outside the palace. When the time comes, you can hide your identity and enter the reception and act according to the opportunity."

, more secure.”

"Grandpa makes sense. It's a good idea. Okay, then I'll send someone to make arrangements." Gao Yuan nodded and said.

Qin Wanzhong nodded. It can be said that the students of the Imperial College are all future Dafeng officials.

If the newly appointed emperor wants to secure the throne, he must have his own team, and the Imperial College is the best place to cultivate his own power.

Of course, in order to prevent harem disputes from filling the court, Gao Zhen was very opposed to princes going to the Imperial College to win people's hearts. For this reason, although the Imperial College is the best school in the world, no prince has studied here so far.

…

In the palace.

Gao Zhen was reviewing the memorial. Han Zhongxuan came in and whispered a few words in Gao Zhen's ear.

After hearing this, Gao Zhen's expression changed suddenly, he closed the memorial and said, "Go and find out who sent the message. We can't keep such a rude person!"

"yes!"

Han Zhongxuan raised his hands and said, "What about the prince?"

"Since he has such an idea, let him go. It's okay if he has the intention, but I don't know if he has enough courage."

Gao Zhen said confidently: "Also, what happened to the things I asked you to arrange last time?"

"Your Majesty, don't worry. Everything is safe. It's just that Hu Tongxun, the agricultural official, doesn't have enough oil and salt. I'm worried that something bad will happen." Han Zhongxuan said in a low voice.

Gao Zhen frowned, "This Hu Tongxun is a man, a rare talent, but this time I want to see what his abilities are."

"Yes, I understand."

Han Zhongxuan bowed his hands and stepped back. Gao Zhen looked at his white hair in the bronze mirror and couldn't help but sigh to himself.

…

The Zhonghe Festival is here. As one of the most important festivals of the year, the streets of Yindu are also extremely lively. A handful of wheat ears are hung on the door handles of shops to pray for the blessing of the God of Light.

Farming is the foundation of a country. In order to offer sacrifices to the god of mango and pray for a good harvest in the coming year and for the people to live in peace, on the first day of March every year, people hang wheat ears in front of their homes and give each other fruits and Yichun wine. It is very lively.

Over time, this became a tradition and was named Zhonghe Festival by the Ministry of Rites. It has been passed down for hundreds of years.

On this day, Su Min and Su Su also began to decorate Ning Xiaochuan's yard, pinning wheat ears in front of the door, and the yard was kept spotless.

Just yesterday, Su Min came back from home. She was very happy. She saw that her father's condition had improved, and she began to thank Ning Xiaochuan again.

Originally, on the day she was taken away, her old father was so disheartened that he didn't even want to live.

Fortunately, a servant came and stopped him. Not only did he send him home, he also gave him a sum of money and told him that his daughter had been chosen to stay in the house as a maid.

Just like that, the old man returned home with half-belief. It wasn't until Su Min came home this time that he completely believed that the Su family had met a noble person.

"Poetry and Wine Conference?"

Ning Xiaochuan looked at the invitation that appeared inexplicably in his hand with some surprise, "Is this definitely for me? It's not for my third brother. Besides, the third brother is not at home..."

The servant outside the door touched his head and felt a little strange, "I also asked about this, and the man said it was for you, the Fifth Young Master, and he also said that he hoped you would be there."

"interesting."

Ning Xiaochuan shook his head helplessly, "Why did you ask me, a playboy, to go to the Poetry and Wine Conference? To cause trouble?"

He threw the invitation aside casually. In previous years, his third brother Ning Song would do this kind of thing.

Moreover, those literati students looked at me with a look of disdain and wished they could stay far away. Why did they invite me in such a weird way this time?

"Master, today is the Zhonghe Festival. It is not appropriate to refuse other people's kindness. Since someone has invited you, it would be better for you to go."

Su Su walked in. She heard clearly what Ning Xiaochuan had just said, and she couldn't help but comfort her.

Ning Xiaochuan grabbed the invitation and curled his lips, "It's okay, just go. I haven't been to any of those literati poetry and wine conferences in my life. Going this time will open my eyes."

Ning Xiaochuan said this, but he had already been thinking about it in his heart.

A few days ago, Kong Zhenxuan and Nie Hongyi told him that someone was following him. At that time, Ning Xiaochuan guessed that it was probably Lei Kangshan.

Now that this invitation suddenly appeared in front of him, it further confirmed his suspicion. Who would invite a dandy to a fine poetry and wine gathering? There must be a conspiracy behind it.

But this is fine. Once the Wu family disappeared, the clues about the man in black would be gone.

Good thing this time, the clues came to his door again. In this case, Ning Xiaochuan wanted to see what kind of Hongmen Banquet this cocktail party was.


Chapter completed!