In Fengtian Temple Square, Daming Company’s annual year-end summary was staged again.
Zhu Yuanzhang was busy drawing the cakes, and later he began to give out red envelopes. This year's red envelopes were much richer than in previous years. The victory over Yuerhai was really gratifying, with countless gold and silver treasures and more than 150,000 livestock.
The treasury of the Ming Dynasty was even more abundant.
In addition, the reconciliation of conflicts between the Han and Yuan Dynasties will be carried out after the new year, which requires the full cooperation of many officials. Lao Zhu, who has always been stingy, rarely becomes generous.
All the officials thanked them and went home happily to celebrate the New Year.
After leaving the palace, Li Qing did not go home, but went to the Wei Guogong Mansion.
He was fully confident that Xu Da's illness could be cured.
Li Qingxin said: "Historically, Xu Da died of illness in the eighteenth year of Hongwu, but now that he has me, he will definitely live a few more years, and history can be changed."
At the Duke of Wei's Mansion, Li Qing performed acupuncture and massage as usual. After half an hour of busy work, a lot of thick pus was removed.
Xu Da feels refreshed, feels that the torture caused by back gangrene has been greatly alleviated, and is more confident in recovery.
"Li Qing, thank you so much." Xu Da sighed and patted his shoulder, "I had given up all hope. I thought I would carry this thing on my back to the grave, thanks to you."
"The Duke is polite." Li Qing said with a chuckle, "The Duke has fought for the Ming Dynasty for half his life and has made many achievements. The subordinates admire him so much that they naturally dare not hide his secrets."
Xu Da laughed heartily, and the more he looked at Li Qing, the more he liked him, "When I get better, we won't come back until we get drunk."
Xu Huizu and other family members were also extremely grateful to Li Qing and prepared a generous gift for him, but he rejected it.
Li Qing is really not short of money. Although Lao Zhu is stingy, he has never stopped rewarding him and is generous with him. This time he was even rewarded 10,000 taels, which he couldn't spend all of his money.
In addition, the salary of the marquis and the salary of the governor and governor are added together, which can be converted into money for future generations, which is like an annual salary of millions.
He doesn't have to worry about money at all.
"Yongqinghou is so noble and upright, I admire you so much." Xu Huizu said, cupping his fists, "On the first day of the Lunar New Year, I won't keep you here. Tomorrow, I will have good wine and food at my house. I hope Yongqinghou will not refuse again.
"
Li Qing smiled and nodded.
After returning home, Li Qing was slightly relieved when he saw that Mu Zhuoer did not come again.
During the Chinese New Year, he gave red envelopes to his servants, one or two red envelopes per person, and they were very happy.
After lunch, Li Qing took a nap on a chair, found a pair of bamboo poles and went fishing in the pond, sitting there all afternoon.
As a result, no fish scales were caught. Li Qing was so angry that he had people buy three large carriages of live fish and put them into the pond. Sure enough, the effect was very good.
The comfortable time always passes quickly. In a blink of an eye, the short annual vacation is over and work starts again.
After these days of training from Zhu Biao, Li Qing gradually became familiar with government affairs. Zhu Biao gave him a small amount of power and let him handle some small things.
Of course, after he reviewed it, Zhu Biao still had to go through it again and confirm it before it took effect.
The poisonous pus in Xu Da's back ulcer has been completely removed, and he will be able to fully recover in just over a month. This good relationship with the Xu family will also be of great benefit to Li Qing.
Li Qing knew that temples were dangerous, and naturally he would not refuse a relationship that came to his door.
Of course, he did not hide it from Lao Zhu. Xu Huizu often came as a guest and told Lao Zhu truthfully.
Zhu Yuanzhang just nodded to express his understanding, without saying anything or showing any displeasure.
After the Lantern Festival, the officials of the six yamen began to be busy. At the same time, officials in Beiping, Daning, Datong and other places were also actively preparing and doing preparatory work.
The situation is great!
On this day, Mu Zhuoer, who had not visited for more than half a month, came.
Li Qing welcomed her into the living room politely and said, "Hongxiu, go and prepare a sumptuous meal."
"No, no need." Mu Zhuoer waved his hand, "I'm not here to drink today."
"Don't drink?" Li Qing said in surprise, "Then why Princess Mu Zhuoer came here...?"
Mu Zhuoer glanced at him and saw that after half a month, Li Qing's beard had grown out, and his body was even more masculine. He was still young and revealed a mature temperament that was not available at this age.
Today, he is even more handsome in a dark robe, with sharp eyebrows and starry eyes, and a graceful appearance. The slim robe makes him taller and taller. Although he is not tall and majestic, he is well-proportioned and does not appear thin.
Mu Zhuoer blushed and her heart skipped a beat. Thinking about Ah Man's behavior, she suddenly felt that there was something wrong with her previous aesthetics.
"Um...Li Qing." Mu Zhuoer cleared her throat, "Since you call me Princess Mu Zhuoer, you have acknowledged my princess status, right?"
Li Qing nodded lightly. After all, Lao Zhu admitted it, and since the relationship between the two parties was about to be reconciled, he still had to take other people's feelings into consideration at the moment.
"Well, that's good." Mu Zhuoer turned away and hummed: "I have inquired before, if your Han consort marries a princess, he cannot have other women, not even prostitutes."
Li Qing frowned suddenly, and an unknown premonition surged into his heart.
He asked tentatively: "What does Princess Mu Zhuoer want to say?"
"I..." Mu Zhuoer's face turned red, "This princess is not an unreasonable person, and I won't care about the past. But after we get married, you can no longer have affairs with other women."
After a pause, "Of course, they have been with you for so long, so you can't treat them badly. Just give them a large sum of money and send them away. Don't worry, I will never cause trouble to them."
Li Qing sneered secretly: "Do you really think of yourself as a princess?
I won’t marry any princess from the Ming Dynasty, so how can you, a princess from the Yuan Dynasty, have any sense of superiority?”
To be honest, he had seen several of Lao Zhu's daughters, and all of them were good-looking. After all, Lao Zhu was very good-looking, and none of his concubines were ugly, so none of his daughters were ugly.
But how could Li Qing give up the entire forest for a leaf?
Besides, the three little girls were so lovely and deeply affectionate to him, so Li Qingwan couldn't abandon them.
Even if Princess Ming comes, it still won’t work!
"Princess Mu Zhuoer, you are a good person." Li Qing suppressed his anger and said in a gentle tone: "Thank you for your favor, but we are not suitable."
"Isn't it appropriate?" Mu Zhuoer was stunned for a moment, then realized the truth and couldn't help but feel ashamed and annoyed, "Am I not as good as a few maids?"
"Everyone has their own preferences for radish and green vegetables." Li Qing said lightly, "I can't bear the princess's love."
"You...!" Mu Zhuoer said bitterly, "Have you thought about it?"
Li Qing nodded.
"Li Qing, you don't know what is good or bad." Mu Zhuoer broke his guard, "How can I, Mu Zhuoer, Princess Dayuan, share the same husband with her?"
Her wild eyes were filled with tears, "Li Qing, you have gone too far!"
Li Qing was also suffocating in his heart. The princess was amazing, let alone just a princess from the previous dynasty. But the big things were important at the moment and he couldn't get angry, so he had to be patient and comfort her.
He said some unintentional words that belittled himself and elevated Mu Zhuoer.
Mu Zhuoer didn't listen and said angrily: "Let me ask you, choose me or them."
"Choose them." Li Qing said simply.
"Okay, okay, you are amazing, you are noble!" Mu Zhuoer cried angrily and cursed: "It's not like I, Mu Zhuoer, can't get married, so who do you think you are?"
As he spoke, he wiped away his tears and walked out angrily.
Li Qing followed the etiquette of heaven and sent her out of the house. He looked at her leaving back and said to himself:
"As a little princess, she shouldn't be able to affect the overall situation. After all, Emperor Beiyuan has agreed. What kind of waves can she make?"
Back at home, the more Li Qing thought about it, the more uneasy he became. What if Lao Zhu forced him to marry this bitch?
He knew what had to be done!
"Someone is coming!"
"Master." Yingying, the maid at the door, came forward and saluted, "Master, what are your orders?"
"Go and call the three butlers here. Master, I have something important to see them."
The maid responded and left in a hurry. After a while, three girls came together, not wanting to leave.
Hong Xiu was waiting at the side just now. She heard Mu Zhuoer's words and informed Wanling Lianxiang so that they could be mentally prepared.
"gentlemen."
"Yes." Li Qing leaned on the chair, looked up at the roof, and rubbed his eyebrows, "Hong Xiu, go and prepare. There will be a big wedding banquet in the house tomorrow, and let the servants in the front yard buy meat and vegetables."
Hongxiu's lips turned white, and Wanling Lianxiang's face turned pale.
After a while, Hongxiu said in a trembling voice, "My maid knows, sir, don't worry, the wedding banquet will be a beautiful one."
She knew that this was the last thing she could do for her husband.
Although she tried her best to restrain herself, the heart-wrenching pain still made her unable to control herself, and she burst into tears.
The same goes for Wan Ling Lian Xiang. They didn't know what happiness was before, but after following their husband, they did.
And now, the happy days are coming to an end!
They don't hate Li Qing, they only blame themselves for their misery.
"Alas!" Li Qing sighed and continued to look at the roof with a gentle tone, "My husband was wrong before. He was too forward-thinking and not free and easy enough. If you think about it carefully, it seems ridiculous!"
"Sir, I don't complain, I really don't." Wan Ling shook her head, her crystal tears rolling down one by one, "I am very satisfied to be able to get along with you for so long."
"Um?"
Li Qing sat up straight, looked at Wan Ling, and found that not only her, but also Lianxiang Hongxiu was in tears, with a face full of nostalgia and reluctance.
"What are you..." Then, he realized it clearly, feeling funny and distressed at the same time, "Don't cry, don't cry. You misunderstood. Sir, I didn't mean to drive you away. This wedding banquet is just for you."
"Tomorrow, sir, I will take you as my concubines!" He said gently, "You have been with me for so long, but you still have no status. It's your fault, sir, and I have wronged you."
Li Qing thought about it. Since he couldn't suppress his emotions, it was better to take advantage of the good times to make the three little girls happier. Regrets would eventually be faced and he had to bear them alone.
He is not a heartless person, and the three little ladies have given their hearts to him. How could he not know that the comfort from his master last night and Mu Zhuoer's incident made him determined.
Status is so important to a woman.
Of course, the reason why he took concubines instead of marrying wives was not because Li Qing disliked them, but because the Ming Law clearly stated that officials were not allowed to marry women who were born in brothels.
Even if he takes a brothel girl as a concubine, he will be impeached, but this is nothing to Li Qing.
There are many people who are unhappy with him, but as long as it is not a principled mistake, it will not hurt him at all.
Who is not Lao Zhu’s favorite?
The three girls looked at him blankly with tears in their eyes. Wan Ling said timidly, "Sir, he just said..."
"Sir, I want to take you as my concubines and have a banquet tomorrow." Li Qing said warmly, "From now on, you are no longer servants, you are my woman, Mrs. Li."
"Mrs. Li..." the three girls chanted crazily, their eyes bright.
After a while, they came out of great sadness and turned into great joy, their little faces filled with overflowing happiness.
Hongxiu said worriedly, "But sir, that woman is Princess Yuanren after all. What if..."
"Be your Mrs. Li with peace of mind." Li Qing said with disdain, "She is nothing! To the emperor, a Princess Yuanren is far inferior to a Marquis Yongqing!"