Liu Mingzhi watched Qi Yun and his group gradually go away, and was about to turn around and return home.
Suddenly, I heard the sound of horse hooves galloping behind me.
The sound of horse hooves was far away, and gradually became clearer in my ears.
Liu Mingzhi already knew who the visitor was. As expected, it was most likely his eldest brother Song Qing and Liu Song.
Taking one last look at Qi Yun and his group who had disappeared on the street, Liu Mingzhi turned and looked behind him.
Sure enough, the two people who were rushing towards the door of Liu Mansion were none other than Song Qing and Liu Song.
"Uu."
"Uu."
More than ten steps away from Liu Mingzhi, Song and Qing immediately tightened their horses' reins.
The two powerful horses were chirping rhythmically and raising their hooves high.
After Song and Qing waited until their mounts came down and stopped, they immediately dismounted and walked quickly towards Liu Mingzhi to meet him.
"Your Majesty, Song Qing, wishes you long live, long live."
"Little Liusong, please see the young master."
"Everyone is free of charge."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
"Thank you, Master."
"Willow Pine."
"Master?"
"You put the horses aside, the young master and the eldest brother will go in first."
"I obey, little one."
"Brother, let's talk after we get home."
"Yes, please, Your Majesty."
After a while, the two brothers Liu Mingzhi appeared in the inner courtyard of Liu Mansion.
"Brother, has Liu Song told you the reason why I came to see you so quickly?
By the way, we have already reached the inner courtyard. There are no servants present, so you don't need to continue calling me "Your Majesty."
Your Majesty said it from your mouth, my eldest brother, and it sounds awkward to my younger brother."
"Okay, Brother Wei knows.
Third brother, because time was too short, brother Liu Song didn't have time to explain the reason to brother Wei in detail.
He just roughly told his brother that something happened to Qinglian and his sister.
What's going on? Did Qinglian's sister-in-law encounter something difficult? "
"That's right."
Song Qing frowned and looked towards Liu Mingzhi with a puzzled expression.
"What does it mean to be right?"
Liu Mingzhi sighed with a complicated expression, turned around and walked towards the pavilion in the courtyard.
Seeing this, Song Qing had no choice but to follow him silently.
Liu Mingzhi sat on the stone bench, raised his hand to lift the teapot and poured two cups of tea, then pointed to the stone bench beside him and signaled to Song Qing.
"Brother, sit down."
"good."
Liu Mingzhi picked up the herbal tea and took a sip. He looked up at Song Qing with a slightly downcast look on his face.
"Nothing happened to Lian'er, it was her mother who did."
"What happened to the old man?"
“As the elderly get older, their health is not as good as it used to be.
Lian'er received a letter from her uncle in Miao territory and learned from her heart that her mother-in-law was seriously ill.
The situation her uncle mentioned in the letter was not too serious.
However, we are not in front of grandma, so we have no way of knowing whether the situation stated in the letter is true or false.
Therefore, we don’t know the specific physical condition of her old lady.
It is possible that he is just seriously ill and still has a chance to recover.
It's also possible that Lian'er's uncle was afraid that Lian'er wouldn't be able to bear the blow, so he deliberately reported good news but not bad news."
After listening to Liu Mingzhi's explanation, Song Qing sighed with a clear expression.
"Oh, that's it.
Now that the words have been spoken, how can this be called reporting good things rather than bad things!
Whether the old man is really seriously ill or something else, there is nothing to be happy about."
Liu Mingzhi saw Song Qing's complicated expression and nodded with a wry smile.
"Brother is right, whether it's the former or the latter, there's really nothing to be happy about.
It's helpless for me to think like this, no matter what, before the matter is determined.
I have to hold on to at least seven points of hope, right?"
Song Qing looked stunned. After a moment of confusion, he seemed to understand what Liu Mingzhi meant. He nodded and took off the tobacco bag from his waist.
"That's true. It's better to have hope than to have no hope."
After skillfully filling the tobacco pot with shredded tobacco, Song Qing handed the tobacco bag to Young Master Liu and signaled.
"Want some?"
Liu Mingzhi nodded slightly, reached out and untied his dry tobacco bag, picked up a handful of shredded tobacco in the tobacco bag and put it in the pot.
Smoking a pot of tobacco at this time can indeed relieve some of the depression in your heart.
"Well, fire."
When Liu Mingzhi saw Song Qing hand over the fire fold, he immediately leaned over and put the smoke pot up.
After Liu Mingzhi lit his tobacco, Song Qing lit his own tobacco with his backhand.
Song Qing took a strong puff of smoke and looked at Liu Mingzhi with a light cigarette in his mouth.
"Tell me, why did you ask Brother Wei to come over as soon as possible? Brother Wei, is there anything you can do to help?"
Liu Mingzhi nodded slightly, turned his head and blew out the smoke in his mouth, then took out three letters from his sleeves and placed them on the stone table.
"This is the decree that I have sent to the chief officials of the various states in the Shu region. When you return later, you will immediately use a golden eagle to pass the message to the chief officials of the various states in the Shu region.
After receiving the letter, they were ordered to immediately summon the famous doctors under their respective jurisdictions to rush to Miao territory to diagnose and treat the illness of the elderly mother.
If the younger brother passes the letter alone, the state officials might doubt the authenticity of the content of the letter.
After all, the chance of my brother, the king of a country, sending a message to them alone is really very small.
Therefore, we have to go through the imperial court once."
Song Qing nodded without hesitation, took a deep breath of smoke, picked up the three letters and carefully put them into his sleeves.
"Brother, I understand. Third brother, do you have any other instructions?"
"As soon as you return, you send someone to inform Chu Renxin, Imperial Physician Chu, and order him to rush to Miao territory with his right-hand assistant tomorrow morning.
By the way, let me tell him that all kinds of valuable and rare medicinal materials can be used as needed, without any need to report them."
"Yes, brother, I understand."
"I don't have anything else to do here. Brother, please go back and take care of things first."
Song Qing hurriedly knocked out the still burning tobacco from the pot, stood up and hugged Mr. Liu with a fist.
"Farewell to my brother."
"I won't give it away."
Song Qing nodded, rolled up the dry tobacco bag in his hand and hurried towards the outside of the inner courtyard.
Liu Mingzhi took a puff of dry cigarette and looked up at the bright moon in the sky with a sad expression.
I hope God will not let down the hope in my heart.
"Husband."
"Husband."
Two voices talking in tandem brought Liu Mingzhi's thoughts back to reality from his meditation.
Liu Mingzhi subconsciously turned around and looked outside the pavilion, only to see the third princess and sisters Xue Bizhu walking towards the pavilion hand in hand.
The third princess also held a tray in her hand.
"Sisters, please meet your husband."
"No courtesy, please sit down."
"Thank you, husband."
After the three princesses and sisters sat down on the stone bench, Liu Mingzhi leaned over and knocked out the embers from the smoke pot.
"Yan'er, Bizhu, why are you two sisters here?"
"Husband, my sisters have been here for a while, but we saw you talking to your elder brother.
My sisters were not sure whether it was convenient for you to come here, so they waited under the corridor over there for a while."
Liu Mingzhi straightened up and pointed at the tray with soup bowls on the table.
"This is?"
"Husband, after my sisters finished packing and bowed, they went to make you a bowl of soothing soup.
Sister Concubine also knows in her heart that you must be very upset now because of what happened to your mother!
However, no matter what, husband, you have to pay attention to your body.
The soothing soup has been cold for a long time, husband, please drink it while it's still hot."
Xue Bizhu nodded in agreement, looking at her husband with a hint of worry.
"Husband, not long ago you comforted Sister Lian'er to take care of her health.
You can't comfort Sister Lian'er and then ignore your own body."
Naturally, Liu Mingzhi didn't want the two ladies to worry, so he nodded with a 'smile', put down his tobacco bag and directly picked up the calming soup on the tray.
Liu Mingzhi took small sips of the soothing soup with a spoon. He seemed to think of something and looked up at the third princess.
"Yan'er."
"Hey, husband?"
"Go to the palace early tomorrow morning and tell the queen mother that your sisters and others are going to Shu.
I don’t know what happened to my queen mother. She hasn’t been able to see you for many days, and she is worried about you all the time.”
"Husband, don't worry, I have thought of this a long time ago.
Even if you don't tell me about my identity, I will go to the palace tomorrow to pay homage to my mother."
"So good, so good."
Liu Mingzhi heard that the third princess had already considered the matter carefully, so he didn't say anything and continued to drink the soothing soup from the bowl.
"Husband."
"Huh? What's wrong?"
"When do you plan to go to Miao territory? Will you go with my sisters? Or will you delay for a few more days?"
"Hmm~ In two days or three days.
The specific date cannot be determined now, and it will have to be determined based on the political situation between the DPRK and China.
It should be no more than three days at the latest.”
"Now that I know about it, my sisters won't wait for you anymore."
"You don't have to wait for me. Although I set off about two or three days later than you, I am still rushing to the Miao territory.
Maybe we’ll get there before you sisters and this girl Serena!”
"That's true. By the way, husband, how about my sisters prepare a bag for you and take it with you on the horse?
This way, you won’t have to waste time packing up the ceremony.”
Liu Mingzhi pursed his lips and remained silent for a moment, looking at the two beauties and nodding lightly.
"Okay, you can help me clean up in advance."
"I know, what do I need to prepare?"
"Just bring two pieces of fun clothing. The rest of the things are available at the inn or restaurant, so there is no need to prepare any more."
"Okay, my sisters understand."
Liu Mingzhi drank the calming soup in three gulps, and then put the soup bowl back on the tray.
"Yan'er, Bizhu."
"Husband?"
"It's getting late. You two sisters should go back and rest first. My husband wants to be alone."
"That's...okay."
"Husband, my sisters will go back to the room first. Don't stay up too late."
"Okay, I understand. You two sisters should go back and rest first."
Sisters Xue Bizhu stood up, picked up the tray, and saluted Liu Mingzhifu in unison.
"Sisters, I'm resigning."
"Um."
After the Xue Bizhu sisters left together, Liu Mingzhi got up and walked to the lawn outside the pavilion and stopped.
Looking at the lawn that had been slightly wet by the autumn dew, Liu Mingzhi put his hands behind his head and lay down nonchalantly.
Liu Mingzhi took a long breath, stared at the moonlight in the night sky with his long and deep eyes, and fell into a daze.
The next day.
About three poles high in the sun.
After the third princess returned from the palace, she made some preparations and boarded the carriage that had been waiting outside the palace gate for a long time. She said goodbye to Hu Yanjunyao, Huang Lingyi and Liu Mingzhi.
Under the watch of her husband waving his hand, he set off for the Miao territory of Shu.
The years are passing by like a white horse.
Two days later again.
After Liu Mingzhi washed up, he casually ate a few bites of the breakfast that the maids had prepared, and then rushed to the palace accompanied by Liu Song.
"We see your majesty, long live my emperor."
"Everyone is free of charge."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
"Continue to be on duty."
"We obey your order and respectfully send His Majesty back to the palace."
"Willow Pine."
"Here, young master, what are your orders?"
"You should rush to the East Palace immediately and ask Chengzhi to meet me at the cabinet immediately."
"I obey, little one."
After Liu Song ran away quickly, Liu Mingzhi turned around and waved to a Forbidden Army soldier on duty in the palace square.
The Forbidden Army soldiers were stunned for a moment, then quickly ran to Liu Mingzhi and saluted.
"I am here to see Your Majesty, long live my emperor."
"No gift."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
"You go to the Ten Kings Palace immediately. If the second prince Liu Chengzhi is handling official business in the Ten Kings Palace, inform him to go to the cabinet to see me immediately.
If not, continue to come back and be on duty."
"Wei Chen obeys the order, Wei Chen resigns."
Liu Mingzhi smiled lightly, waved his hand, and strode straight to the cabinet with high spirits.
A moment later, the Forbidden Army soldiers who were on duty outside the Cabinet Hall saw the figure of Young Master Liu and immediately shouted.
"Your Majesty has arrived."
Some noisy sounds in the cabinet suddenly stopped, followed by some chaotic footsteps.
"I see your Majesty, long live my emperor."
Liu Mingzhi held up his hands and walked into the hall.
"My ministers are exempt from courtesy."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
"Your Majesty, please sit down."
Liu Mingzhi raised his hand to signal and walked straight towards the side hall on the right.
"Mr. Xia, Mr. Cai, the two assistant ministers, and all the ministers, please speak in the side hall."
"I obey your orders."
Before Xia Gongming raised his feet, he hurriedly waved his hand to a young official standing behind the palace door.
"Master Sun, show your Majesty tea right away."
"I will take my orders."
Liu Mingzhi walked to the couch where cabinet officials usually took a nap and sat down. He leaned sideways on the pillow and gestured angrily.
"You don't have to stand, you can all sit down."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
"Your Majesty, please have some tea."
"good."
"My lords, please have some tea."
"It's time for you, Mr. Laosun."
Liu Mingzhi picked up the tea and tasted it briefly, then raised his eyes and cast his gaze on Xia Gongming, the chief minister of the cabinet next to him.
"Mr. Xia, distinguished ministers, the three days I have told you have come. Have the regulations regarding the reward of troops and equipment been drawn up?"
"Reporting to Your Majesty, it has been worked out.
Your Majesty, please wait a moment, I will bring the document to you immediately for your review."