Naturally, Liu Xin couldn't eat any more of his breakfast. He threw the bowl in his hand on the table and said to Cai Yan and Zhu Qian: "You guys eat your food. I'll come back when I go."
Cai Yan and Zhu Qian smiled at each other and nodded meekly. Zhu Qian was very satisfied with her current life. Her temperament had always been like this. No matter what Liu Xin said, she would have no objection. But Cai Yan wholeheartedly hoped that her man could become
The best person in the world, and Liu Xin now left half-eaten breakfast for official duties. She still appreciated this approach. However, after Liu Xin left, the two women did not continue to eat obediently, but stopped.
After they got down, they had to wait for Liu Xin to come back.
As soon as he saw Liu Xin, Jushu stood up quickly and said, "My lord, the people sent to Luoyang to deliver gifts to Zhang Rang came back overnight yesterday, and they also brought a copy of the emperor's edict."
He just returned to Xiangyang with Liu Xin yesterday. It was not easy for a dedicated person like him to resist knocking on Liu Xin's door in the middle of the night after receiving the news brought back from Luoyang.
It was impossible to expect him to wait quietly until three o'clock in the morning before reporting the news.
Liu Xin had not slept all night, and was still a little frivolous. He sat down first, then pointed to the chair and motioned for Ju Shou to sit down as well. Taking the edict from Ju Shou, Liu Xin hurriedly read it over and said happily:
"Gongyu, that's great. This edict came just in time. I was still worried about whether it would attract criticism from the government and the public, but I'm not worried anymore."
It turned out that this edict clearly authorized Liu Xin to use force to replace those governors in Jingzhou who disobeyed orders and refused to pay taxes.
Jushou was not as optimistic as he was, and said with a worried look: "Didn't your lord realize there is something wrong with this edict?"
Liu Xin asked strangely: "Is there any problem? I think it's fine."
Jushou leaned over and said: "My lord, under normal circumstances, the imperial edict should be read by the Huangmen chamberlain. And this edict was handed over directly by Zhang Rang to the people we sent. The people we sent this time are all phantom secret agents."
They do not hold official positions in the government, and their public identities are just businessmen. How can the edict be handed over to them casually?"
Because he was worried that giving gifts to Zhang Rang would offend the officials and people in Jingzhou, all these matters were handed over to Phantom in secret.
After hearing Jushu express his doubts, Liu Xin also pondered and said, "Gongyu, what you said makes sense. Could it be that this edict is false?"
Jushou pointed to the edict in Liu Xin's hand and said, "I am not sure whether it is fake or not. But judging from the silk and ink used to write the edict and the seal on the back, there are no flaws."
Liu Xin shook her head and said: "Since this edict was given to them by Zhang Rang, if it is fake, it must have something to do with Zhang Rang. The seal you mentioned may be a problem for others, but for Zhang Rang
It's nothing to say. It seems that the matter of the edict must not be made public. This edict cannot be produced unless it is absolutely necessary."
Jushu nodded and said: "My lord is very worried, but please rest assured, my lord, those who know about the edict are very reliable people, and they will never leak it."
Liu Xin pondered for a moment and said: "Your Majesty, let's make arrangements without further delay. Make arrangements immediately to pay the more than 400 million in taxes owed by Jingzhou in the past two years to the capital. In addition, prepare an additional 100 million, which will be regarded as Jiangxia.
The money that the prefects of the three counties of Wuling and Lingling paid to buy official posts. Also, I have a box of spices here, which I said was a private tribute from Zhang Zi, the prefect of Lingling, and presented them to the emperor."
When they found the two bronze boxes, they couldn't find the keys, so they didn't open them on the spot. After Liu Xin found out, she felt curious, so she quietly opened the boxes alone, and found that there was a very good-smelling spice inside.
, thinking of his women, he took them all home. One of the bronze boxes is now given to Ma Yun, and the spices in the other have been moved by Liu Xin to a sandalwood box and handed over to Jushou.
It was the sandalwood box. Therefore, even Jushu didn't know that the spices in his hands were really found from Zhang Zi's house. He only thought that Liu Xin was an excuse to frame Zhang Zi's head. As for these extremely precious
Where the spices come from, perhaps only the deceased Zhang Zi knows.
Returning to the flower hall, Liu Xin was surprised to find that not only Cai Yan and Zhu Qian were still sitting there, but Ma Yun had also gotten up.
Liu Xin looked at Ma Yun, who looked tired, and said, "Why don't you sleep a little longer, why are you so anxious?"
Ma Yun covered her mouth and yawned, and said: "It's been a month and a half since the academy started, and I still haven't had time to go take a look. Now that you're back, I plan to go to the academy in the morning, and the children's homework must not be left behind.
"
Liu Xin said distressedly: "Wife, why are you working so hard? You can just catch up on your homework after you fall behind a little. You should take a good look in the mirror and don't scare the students with your panda eyes."
After listening to Liu Xin's words, Ma Yun felt a little unsure. She turned to Cai Yan and asked: "Sister, help me take a good look. Do I have panda eyes here?"
Cai Yan asked with a confused look: "What are panda eyes?"
Ma Yun became a little anxious and said, "It's just the dark circles under my eyes."
Cai Yan was still confused and asked: "What are dark circles under the eyes?"
Women all have a natural tendency to love beauty, and Ma Yun is no exception. Liu Xin looked at her nervous look and found it funny. It seemed that his trick really worked, so he decided to strike while the iron was hot to completely give up the idea of going to the academy.
Go back and have a good rest, so she pointed at Ma Yun's eyes and said to Cai Yan and Zhu Qian: "Look, there is some blackness around her eyes. This is called dark circles. If the color is darker, it will be dark circles."
She has panda eyes. This is all because she didn't sleep last night, so what she needs most now is to go back after breakfast and get some sleep."
Zhu Qian was still looking carefully around Ma Yun's eyes, looking for traces of the so-called dark circles, but Cai Yan had already opened her mouth wide and her eyes were wide open. After a long while, she said: "Sister, you haven't slept all night! It's really true.
so amazing!"
Ma Yun was still thinking about the dark circles under her eyes and didn't notice what Cai Yan said. When she thought about it, she couldn't help but straighten her face, glared at Cai Yan and said, "Who hasn't slept all night? I just didn't sleep well.
"
This was the first time Cai Yan saw Ma Yun angry. He quickly stuck out his tongue and made a face, but couldn't hold it back and burst out laughing.
Liu Xin looked at Cai Yan's funny look, and then remembered that she was just a young girl in her prime, and she would soon have children for herself. She couldn't help but shake her head and chuckle, sighing at the tricks of fate. Suddenly she felt that her arms
During the last burst of severe pain, Ma Yun pinched him hard, and said coquettishly to him: "You're still laughing! I blame you. I can't do it anymore, I have to go back and take a nap."
Seeing that Ma Yun, who was usually calm and handled everything she encountered, was now anxious to go back and take a nap, even Zhu Qian, who had always been reserved, couldn't help laughing.
In fact, Ma Yun didn't mean to get up so early. She was still sleeping, but Ma Fan was hungry and kept crying. Ma Yun refused to find a wet nurse for him and insisted on feeding him with her own mother.
They had no choice but to wake her up. After Ma Yun finished feeding the child, most of her sleepiness had disappeared, so she had the idea of going to the academy to have a look. Unexpectedly, she was deceived by Liu Xin, and she was too busy.
He went back to catch up on his sleep. After all, if there was any damage to his appearance, it would be irreparable.
Liu Xin looked at Ma Yun's hurried away figure, then looked at Cai Yan, who was still full of childishness, and Zhu Qian, who worked hard and took care of housework all day long. She couldn't help but feel that the time she spent with them was too little. In three more years,
The world is about to be in chaos, and there will not be many days when I can spend time with my family as leisurely as now. Thinking of this, Liu Xin said: "Yan'er, Qian'er, you see, the spring is warm and the flowers are blooming, and the scenery is endless. It's a perfect day."
It’s the best time of the year. I think the weather will definitely be good tomorrow, and I have a plan to take the whole family for an outing. You can tell Madam and Yu’er later and let them get ready.”
Cai Yan clapped her hands excitedly and said, "Hubby, can we eat out tomorrow?"
Liu Xin knew that she must want to eat the game he roasted. This little woman was quite greedy sometimes. She had quietly mentioned it to herself several times. It seemed that she had caught the opportunity today. She couldn't help but smile and nod.
Said: "No problem, I will show you my skills when the time comes."
But Zhu Qian said in a coquettish voice: "Master, I still don't want to go. There are many things at home that I can't let go of for a while."
Although there are many maids and slaves in the house now, Zhu Qian, who is used to being diligent, can never be idle, especially her unique skill in making needlework. Liu Xin, Ma Yun and their children are all year round.
The clothes she wore were all made by Zhu Qian herself. Even during the days when she was pregnant, she was not willing to let go of these tasks.
However, Liu Xin knew that she didn't want to go because she had work to do. Now, except for needlework and occasional cooking, Liu Xin had repeatedly given instructions and she was not allowed to do other things.
She mentioned that she didn't want to go on an outing because she felt inferior, so she put on a straight face and said seriously: "No, if you stay at home any longer, you will stink. This time, you have to go out with me no matter what."
Take a walk.”
The next day was indeed sunny and sunny, but everyone who had prepared for the whole day could not make it because it was Bian Yu's turn to be tortured by Liu Xin last night, and she really couldn't get up today. Moreover, it was Bian Yu's turn to be tortured by Liu Xin all night.
, even if she could hold on, she would not get up, because the story about the dark circles Liu Xin told yesterday had reached her ears through Cai Yan's little mouth.
It wasn't until the morning of the third day that Liu Xin took her whole family on the long-awaited outing.