"Your Majesty, under the command of General Zhou Baoyu of the Six Guards Polu Army of Dalong's New Army, Deng Yunzhi, the forward general of Huxiao Camp, is my concubine's husband.
My concubine is Xue Ning'er, the wife of Deng Zhiyun, the forward general of Huxiaoying Camp."
Young Master Liu frowned, squinting his eyes slightly as he recalled.
After a while, Mr. Liu quickly put down the tea cup, stood up and helped Xue Ning'er up.
"Miss Xue, please excuse me quickly."
"Concubine, thank you so much, Your Majesty, long live, long live, long live."
"Miss Xue, stop standing and sit down."
"Yes, I thank you, Your Majesty."
Liu Mingzhi sat down on the stone bench again, looked at Xue Ning'er who was sitting opposite, and sighed sadly.
"I never thought that Miss Xue, you are actually the first wife of that boy Deng Zhiyun."
"Your Majesty, that's right."
Liu Mingzhi picked up the tea again and took a sip, then glanced at Ren Qingrui, who was sitting beside him with a slightly anxious expression.
"Miss Xue, no, no, I should call you Mrs. Deng."
Xue Ning'er heard what Young Master Liu said after he came to his senses, and waved her hand hurriedly.
"I don't dare. I am only in my twenties now. I really don't dare to respond to His Majesty's words, Mrs. Deng.
Your Majesty, you should continue to call me Miss Xue."
Liu Mingzhi frowned slightly and pondered for a moment, then smiled and nodded.
"That's right, you are only in your early twenties now. If I call you Mrs. Deng, I would call you old, Miss Xue.
No matter what, I will continue to call you Miss Nu Xue."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
"Miss Xue, I'm a little curious, how did you recognize my identity?
It has only been about half an hour since the two of us met.
During this period, there seems to be nothing weird about my words and deeds, right?
Have you seen my appearance before, or did Yatou Ren tell you my identity?"
As Liu Mingzhi spoke, he transferred his questions to Ren Qingrui without hesitation.
When Ren Qingrui heard Mr. Liu mentioning herself so frankly, the anxiety in his eyes suddenly relaxed a bit. Not only was his face no longer nervous, but he gradually became more relaxed.
Ren Qingrui knew very well that Liu Mingzhi could ask this question so calmly in front of him, which meant that he was not angry.
Based on his understanding of Da Guoguo's character, if Da Guoguo was angry because of this matter, he would definitely not ask Sister Ning'er so straightforwardly whether he had revealed his true identity.
On the contrary, Da Guoguo would make insinuations about Sister Ning'er and be very careful to mention why Sister Ning'er knew his true identity.
Ren Qingrui looked directly at Liu Mingzhi without concealing her gaze. Looking at the chuckle on his face, she gently placed the teacup on the stone table.
Seeing Xue Ning'er's hesitant look, Ren Qingrui quickly spoke and urged: "Sister Ning'er, tell me quickly, how do you know Da Guoguo's identity?"
Ren Qingrui's tone sounded very anxious. She wanted to know more than Liu Mingzhi how her sister Ning'er found out that Da Guoguo was the current emperor.
If Sister Ning'er couldn't explain it, she was afraid that Liu Mingzhi would misunderstand her.
Seeing the anxious look on Ren Qingrui's pretty face, Xue Ning'er looked sideways at Mr. Liu who was tasting tea diagonally across the street, smiled and shook her head a few times.
"Returning to Your Majesty, it is neither that I have met Your Majesty before nor that Sister Qingrui told me about this."
"oh?"
"Sister Ning'er, how did you know?
Oh, please explain it to me quickly and stop being so pretentious."
Liu Mingzhi and Ren Qingrui expressed their doubts one after another.
But compared to Young Master Liu's indifference, Ren Qingrui's expression was a bit more anxious than before.
It can be seen that she can't wait to know the cause and effect of the matter from Xue Ning'er's mouth.
Xue Ning'er gave Ren Qingrui a calm look, then lifted the pot and refilled Liu Mingzhi's cup of tea.
"Your Majesty, please use it slowly."
"Miss Xue is welcome."
When Xue Ning'er was about to refill Ren Qingrui's cup, Ren Qingrui suddenly stood up and reached out to take the teapot in her hand.
"Sister Ning'er, I can just refill the cup myself. You'd better explain quickly what's going on.
Sister, I’m almost worried to death, please stop being so leisurely, okay?”
As soon as Ren Qingrui finished speaking, she poured herself a cup of tea with a pretty face and a look of helplessness.
"Sister Qingrui, do you still remember when my sister and I visited your home half a year ago?"
Ren Qingrui put down the teapot, raised her jade neck and thought for a moment, then raised her slender jade fingers and tickled her round and round earlobes twice.
"Sister Ning'er, you visited my sister's house several times half a year ago. Which time are you talking about?"
"On the day when the dragon raises its head on the second day of February, sister and I will go to your home to be a guest under my umbrella.
As a result, it was windy and rainy that day, and most of my clothes were soaked by the rain. In the end, I had no choice but to change into your clothes and stay at your house for one night."
After Ren Qingrui heard Xue Ning'er's explanation, she suddenly understood and nodded.
"Oh, sister, I remembered it. It turns out that Sister Ning'er, you were talking about the day in February when the dragon raised its head.
Oops, Sister Ning'er, why don't you just say it's February 2nd? It's a shame that I've been thinking about it for so long.
But, what does your visit to my sister's house that day have to do with Sister Ning'er knowing Da Guoguo's identity?"
Xue Ning'er pursed her red lips and picked up some tea to moisten her dry throat.
"Of course it does matter, Sarah.
Qingrui sister, have you forgotten?
At that time, because of my sister, almost all my clothes were wet from the rain. When you saw me, you asked me to change into your clothes."
"Sister, of course I remember to sprinkle, and then kind?"
"At the beginning, my sister asked me to go to the closet and help me get a set of clothes to change into.
But sister, you said that we are good sisters, not outsiders. Just let me go to your wardrobe to find something that fits me and change into it.
Qingrui sister, after you told your sister, you hurried to the kitchen to help me cook ginger soup.
Sister Qingrui, you said so, sister, I have no choice but to go to your closet by myself.
When I was selecting clothes in your wardrobe, because I moved a little too loudly, a gold medal suddenly fell out from a light yellow shirt in your wardrobe."
Ren Qingrui frowned, straightened her waist suddenly, and glanced at Young Master Liu next to her with a somewhat embarrassed face, as if she had realized what was going on.
Raising her slender jade fingers to scratch her snow-white jade neck, Ren Qingrui looked at Xue Ning'er and sneered several times.
"Sister Ning'er, you saw the gold medal."
Xue Ning'er glanced at Young Master Liu with a strange look, and nodded gently to Ren Qingrui.
"Yes, sister saw the gold medal.
At that time, my sister saw the gold medal falling from your clothes, so she hurriedly picked it up for you.
But...but...
Sister Qingrui, you also know that people are somewhat curious.
When my sister and I picked up the gold medal, I subconsciously looked at the gold medal in my hand.
When I saw the four characters on the gold medal, "Ru Di is here in person", I was shocked and couldn't help but exclaimed.
Sister Qingrui, you should still remember that after you heard my sister’s exclamation in the room, you were still in the kitchen asking me what was wrong.”
Ren Qingrui glanced at Young Master Liu with an embarrassed look on his face, shifted his body slightly, reached out and grabbed the melon seeds he had placed on the table, picked up one and passed it between his silver teeth like broken jade.
.
It seemed that he was planning to use the behavior of eating melon seeds to hide the embarrassment on his face.
"Uh! Uh! It seems that there is such a thing.
It’s been more than half a year since that day, and I, sister, I can’t remember it clearly.”
Xue Ning'er looked at the pitiful Ren Qingrui and continued to explain.
"My sister replied that nothing was wrong, she was just frightened by the sudden thunder outside the room.
However, in fact, my sister was so frightened that her heart almost jumped out of her mouth.
Sister Qingrui, although I, my sister, are just a female generation who have never seen much of the world, my man, my sister, is a general who serves in the army and defends the country.
When your brother-in-law comes back to visit his family every year during his vacation, he will more or less mention some matters related to the court to my sister and me.
Therefore, sister, even though I have never seen anything big in the world, I still know what the words “Ru Di’s presence in person” mean!
At that time, my sister's heart was so frightened that she subconsciously thought that Qingrui sister, you...you...
Sister Qingrui, you should understand what my sister wants to say."
Ren Qingrui hurriedly picked up a melon seed and put it in her mouth again, her pretty face nodded gloomily.
"Well, I know, sister Ning'er, please go on."
"At first, sister, I was so scared that I was completely helpless. Then, sister, I thought about it carefully.
Based on my sister’s understanding of your character, Sister Qingrui, you shouldn’t do such a treacherous thing.
We sisters have been getting along with each other for so long, and I am more or less aware of your character, Qingrui.
So my sister calmed down and thought about it carefully. Maybe there was some misunderstanding.
Therefore, my sister put the gold medal back for you and pretended not to know about it at all.
About a month later, sister, you came to visit your sister because you were in a bad mood.
In the afternoon, there happened to be no customers in the pharmacy, so the two of us had a few drinks together.
That night when we were sleeping together, sister Qingrui, you mentioned something about you and your Majesty, intentionally or unintentionally... ahem... you mentioned something about you and someone.
That night, after my sister heard you vaguely talk about some past events about you, my sister's worried heart was finally completely relieved.
Reading between the lines when you talk about your past, my sister vaguely knows where the gold medal in your closet comes from...
All in all, since that day, sister, I can finally stop worrying about you.
Sister Qingrui, you already know what’s going to happen next.”
After Ren Qingrui heard Xue Ning'er finish explaining the cause and effect, she turned around and looked at Young Master Liu with an angry expression.
She raised her hand and patted the melon seeds in Young Master Liu's hand. Ren Qingrui smiled wryly with a pretty face.
"Hehehe, hehehe, Daguoguo, sister, I didn't mean to do it.
I knew it right away. Sister Ning'er happened to be a guest at my house that day.
I suddenly knew that the gold medal you gave me happened to fall out of the clothes in the closet when Ning'er was gathering to change clothes.
I really didn’t mean it, you have to believe me.”
Liu Mingzhi looked at Ren Qingrui's pitiful pretty face, chuckled, shook his head, and dropped a melon seed into his mouth.
After spitting out the melon seed shells in his mouth, Liu Mingzhi looked curiously at Xue Ning'er opposite.
"Miss Xue, did you confirm my identity just by relying on a Golden Dragon Token that you saw once from Miss Ren?"
"Your Majesty, is it more than just that?"
"Oh? There are other things? I would like to hear the details."
"Your Majesty, at the beginning, I just treated you as an ordinary guest with a good status.
Later, when sister Qingrui greeted you, I realized that you were with her.
My concubine, Your Majesty, you have a good temperament, and I can immediately see that Your Majesty, you are not an ordinary person.
Later, when I saw Qingrui's sister introducing you, my concubine was unusually vague, as if she was too busy to explain.
So, I felt something was not right.
I carefully observed your Majesty's temperament, and then roughly guessed your age.
I couldn't help but think of the past events that Qingrui's sister mentioned before, and I roughly guessed your identity, Your Majesty.
Even so, I am just a little suspicious, and I don't dare to be 100% sure that you are the emperor."
Liu Mingzhi looked at Xue Ning'er who was chatting quietly, and gently took off the tobacco bag from his waist.
Just as Liu Mingzhi opened the cigarette pouch, he suddenly realized that he was a guest at someone else's house and casually placed the cigarette pouch on the table.
Xue Ning'er glanced at the tobacco pouch on the table, stood up, picked up the tobacco pouch, and handed it to Young Master Liu with a chuckle.
"Your Majesty, my concubine's father and husband both smoke cigarettes. I have long been used to it. Please do it."
Liu Mingzhi was startled for a moment, then smiled and nodded, then took the dry tobacco bag and skillfully filled it with shredded tobacco.
"Since Miss Xue, you were not 100% sure of my identity at the beginning, then what is the reason that made you, Miss Xue, sure of my identity?"
Xue Ning'er sat down gracefully and pointed at the teapot on the stone table with complicated eyes.
"I returned to Your Majesty because of the tea on the table."
Liu Mingzhi turned around and blew out a puff of smoke, looking at the teapot on the table with a puzzled expression.
"Tea? What can this tea do..."
Liu Mingzhi suddenly stopped mid-sentence, raised his eyebrows slightly and smacked his lips several times.
"Tribute tea."
"Your Majesty is Holy Ming."
Liu Mingzhi turned his head and took a puff of cigarette, then sighed with a strange expression.
"I was a little puzzled before, but it turns out the problem lies with the tea leaves."
"Your Majesty, this Mengding Nectar is one of the tribute teas in the palace. How can I afford to drink the tribute tea in the palace with my parents' family's little wealth?"
As Xue Ning'er spoke, she raised her eyes and looked at Ren Qingrui opposite.
"Sister Qingrui, where does this fine tea come from? It's up to you to explain it to His Majesty."
"Sister Ning'er, are these tea leaves given to you and me by my sister?"
"Well, these are the tea leaves you gave to my sister, otherwise, how could my sister get such high-quality tea leaves!"
"With just a brief taste, you can tell that this tea is Mengding Manna, a famous tea in Sichuan.
Apart from His Majesty who is used to drinking tribute tea, I really can't think of anyone else.
By combining the two together, I have determined your identity, Your Majesty."
Liu Mingzhi smiled lightly and threw away the folding fan in his hand.
"Girl."
"Ah? How's it going?"
"Study hard, this is wisdom."
"Da Guoguo, what do you mean by this? I am also a smart girl, can I spread it?
Sister Ning'er didn't mention these things to me before, so I knew she would guess your identity!"
Liu Mingzhi ignored Ren Qingrui's charming words and looked at Xue Ning'er opposite with a slightly raised corner of his mouth.
"Miss Xue, given the sisterhood between you and Yatou Ren, even if you guessed my identity, there is no need to point it out.
If you do this, you should be asking for something else, right?"
Xue Ning'er's delicate body trembled, she pursed her lips and remained silent for a long time, then stood up and knelt directly in front of Young Master Liu.
Liu Mingzhi looked stunned and hurriedly stood up to help Xue Ning'er up.
"Miss Xue, what are you doing? Get up quickly."
Xue Ning'er shook her head with a complicated expression and insisted on kneeling in front of Young Master Liu.
"Your Majesty, I dare to ask your Majesty a question."
Liu Mingzhi frowned slightly, and a look of doubt flashed in his eyes.
"Miss Xue, what do you want to ask?"
Xue Ning'er bit her red lips with her white teeth and was silent for a moment, then bowed again.
"Your Majesty, my husband, it has been more than three years since he started his Western Expedition on March 28, the third year of Taiping.
Concubine... I just want to know about my husband and the soldiers who marched to the west.
When can I return to my hometown?
Your Majesty, I have not seen my husband for more than three years.
My concubine misses him, and my parents at home miss him.
My son, I miss him too.
It is said that people who have traveled thousands of miles have not yet returned, and the concubine is worried that she will never see her husband again.
Your Majesty, I have absolutely no other intentions.
I just want to ask about our Western Expedition soldiers of the Great Dragon Heavenly Dynasty.
When can I come back?"
"Deng Zhiyun, that boy, had outstanding military exploits during the Western Expedition and repeatedly performed extraordinary feats.
I roughly remember that this boy seems to have been promoted from the official position of forward general to the fourth rank of general Xuanwei."
"Your Majesty, my husband has indeed been promoted to the fourth rank, General Xuanwei."