Liu Mingzhi stood up silently, looked at the five people parked outside the pavilion with a faint smile, and pointed towards the benches on both sides of the pavilion with his jade fan.
"Brother, Madam-in-law, today's banquet is a small banquet. There are no outsiders present. You all don't need to be polite. Come sit down in the pavilion and talk."
The five people headed by Song Qing looked at Mr. Liu who was standing in the pavilion with a smile on his face, and bowed in unison again.
"I would like to thank Your Majesty for the seat. Long live, long live."
"Okay, okay, just come in and take a seat."
After the five Song and Qing people straightened up, they walked into the Qingfeng Pavilion one after another in the order of their respective identities. Liu Mingzhi smiled lightly and looked at the eldest brother Song Qing and pointed his finger casually.
"Brother, don't be polite, please sit down and have a rest first."
Song Qing glanced sideways at the four Xu Lings behind him, hesitated for a moment, and finally nodded with a slight smile.
"Hey, you're welcome as a brother."
After Song Qing took his seat generously, Liu Mingzhi looked at Xu Ling standing in front of him and saluted with a smile.
"Mrs. Sister-in-law, we haven't seen each other for many years. How are you doing now?"
When Xu Ling saw Liu Mingzhi saluting her without any pretense, her mature and elegant face suddenly felt at a loss, and she hurriedly bowed out of instinct.
"I will never dare to accept this gift from Your Majesty."
Liu Mingzhi gently held up his hands and looked calmly at Xu Ling, who was a little embarrassed in front of him.
"Sister-in-law, what are you doing? Your Majesty is not your majesty. I, Liu Mingzhi, will always be your unbearable brother, and you will always be my sister-in-law, Liu Mingzhi.
You are my brother-in-law, so why not do I salute you?
There is no need to be nervous, please sit down."
Xu Ling looked at Liu Mingzhi's sincere expression, and her originally nervous heartstrings gradually relaxed.
"Yes, my concubine Duan Xu Ling would like to thank Your Majesty for the seat."
Xu Ling walked gently to the bench opposite Song Qing and sat down. Liu Mingzhi looked at Qi Yun and the three sisters with a smile.
"Yun'er, Yan'er, Sister Ya, let me introduce you to my husband. This is the lady-in-law that I just told you about.
You three sisters, please stop sitting there and show your respects to Madam-in-law."
After hearing this, the three Qi Ya sisters immediately stood up and bowed to Xu Ling who was sitting next to them.
"Little sister Liu Shi Qiyun."
"Little sister Liu Shi Li Yan."
"Little sister Liu Shi Qiya."
"I've met Mrs. Sister-in-law."
When Xu Ling saw the three beauties saluting her, she quickly stood up and returned the salute to Qi Yun and the other three sisters.
"Don't you dare? My concubine, Xu Ling of the Duan family, has met the three empresses. She will be a thousand years old."
"Sister-in-law, there is no need to be polite. Please sit down."
"Thank you to the three empresses, I am being disrespectful."
After Liu Mingzhi saw the three ladies and Xu Ling greeting each other, he turned and looked at the brothers Duan Rui and Duan Hongling who were standing a few steps away.
"Girl Hongling, although your eldest brother Duan Rui doesn't often meet with his uncle, he has visited Beijing several times on certain days over the years.
He must be no stranger to my uncle, but what about you? It has been so many years, do you still remember your uncle?"
Duan Hongling's pretty face looked slightly nervous as she looked at the gentle-looking Young Master Liu in front of her, and nodded her head without showing her teeth.
"Hong Ling remembers that although Hong Ling hasn't seen Uncle...Your Majesty for many years, she still remembers your appearance."
Young Master Liu looked at the gentle and virtuous Duan Hongling, who was already twenty years old, and laughed loudly several times.
"It's good to remember it, it's good to have it. Years have passed in the blink of an eye, and the little girl back then has now grown into a tall and graceful girl.
I know your eldest brother is married now, uncle. How are you doing? Are you married to a good family now?
Hongling girl, if you still don’t have the ideal husband, would you like my uncle to help me introduce you to a few young talents who are worthy of being entrusted to you for life?
When the time comes, just tell me which one you like, and I will handle it for you directly."
When Duan Hongling heard Mr. Liu's straightforward words, her pretty face with almond-shaped eyes and rosy cheeks was suddenly stained with a layer of red. She secretly glanced at her mother, Xu Ling, who was sitting a few steps away. Duan Hongling's pretty face lowered her head in embarrassment.
head.
"Your Majesty... Your Majesty, please stop joking with Hong Ling."
Liu Mingzhi looked at Duan Hongling's shy daughter's appearance, and knew in his heart that he could not continue joking, otherwise, this girl would have to find a crack in the ground to hide in shame.
Liu Mingzhi's eyes turned to Duan Rui, and he raised his hand and gently patted Duan Rui's shoulder.
"Duan Rui, Hong Ling, you two brothers and sisters, please sit down too. You don't have to be polite when you come to Uncle Liu's place. Just treat it as if you are at your own home."
Brother and sister Duan Rui looked respectful, while the other nodded obediently.
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
After Song and Qing sat down on the bench one after another, Young Master Liu looked at Duan Dingbang who was standing at the edge of the pavilion with a calm expression.
"You brat, your eldest brother and sister still remember me. What about you, do you still remember me?"
Liu Mingzhi, who previously addressed Xu Ling as his brother and addressed Duan Rui and Duan Hongling as his uncle, changed his title to me when Duan Dingbang came here, and even the smile on his face became dull.
Quite a few.
In an instant, the atmosphere in the pavilion suddenly changed subtly due to the change in Young Master Liu's expression.
Duan Dingbang looked at the imposing Young Master Liu in front of him. The original unruly temperament in his brows had long since disappeared. He smiled and scratched the back of his neck a few times, and nodded heavily.
"Dingbang remember, Your Majesty, you are my Uncle Liu."
Xu Ling, who was sitting aside, saw her son showing a little boldness in front of Young Master Liu, and immediately gave her son Duan Dingbang a wide-eyed look.
"Dingbang, you are too presumptuous. You should not be so rude in front of His Majesty.
What kind of status is Your Majesty? What kind of status do you have? How dare you call Your Majesty uncle so directly? Why don't you apologize to Your Majesty?"
When Duan Dingbang heard his mother Xu Ling's scolding, he nodded hurriedly.
"Yes, I realized my mistake."
"Your Majesty, I was rude just now. I hope your Majesty will forgive me."
When Xu Ling saw that Duan Dingbang had admitted his mistake, she immediately stood up and saluted Liu Dashaofu.
"Your Majesty, I don't know how to teach my son well. This child in Dingbang has been spoiled by my concubine. You must not be like him."
Young Master Liu glanced back at Xu Ling's slightly anxious expression, smiled lightly and waved his hand.
"Mrs. Sister-in-law, you don't need to be so nervous. I really like this guy Dingbang's upright character.
Please sit down first, and I will have a brief chat with this boy first."
Xu Ling let out a silent breath, and Shi Shiran sat back on the bench behind her.
"I thank you so much, Your Majesty."
Liu Mingzhi narrowed his eyes for a moment and looked at Duan Dingbang, who only reached his waist back then but was now half a head taller than him. He smiled lightly and turned around, walked to the main seat and sat down.
"Duan Dingbang, Duan Dingbang of Anguo Dingbang, Duan Dingbang of Dingguo Anbang. Boy, do you still remember what you said to me when you were a child?"
"Report to Your Majesty, I remember.
I told your majesty at that time that my father gave me this name because he hoped that one day I could serve as a great dragon, your majesty, and the court like him."
Liu Mingzhi picked up the herbal tea in front of him and took a sip. He stared at Duan Dingbang, who was standing motionless like a spear, and fell silent.
Liu Mingzhi stared at Duan Dingbang in silence for a long time, then lowered his head and fiddled with the tea lid in his hand.
"So, you can say it, can you do it? And can it live up to its name?"
"Your Majesty, I will do what I say and do what I say."
"Hahaha, hahaha, you are not very old, but your tone is not bad, and you are not afraid of the wind blowing your tongue.
You are much more arrogant than your father back then. When he was still alive, he didn't dare to speak like this in front of me."
"Reporting to Your Majesty, I have the courage to say something.
My father told me when I was a child, how can a man be without ambition and have no desire to serve the country?
If I can’t do it, I’ll be willing to come and see you in the future.”