Ci Jinzhi

  Heyuan, the banquet has just begun.

  The palace lady with high temples and long temples swirled and danced on the field covered with thick carpets, with the sound of silk and bamboo lingering in people's ears.

  Beautiful people, beautiful music, indoors as warm as spring, and snow flying all over the sky. Everyone in the hall was already drunk before they even had a drink.

  Xiu Wang picked up his wine glass and raised it in several directions: "Thank you for your donations. On behalf of my father and the disaster victims in Dingbei, Xiao Wang, I would like to offer a toast to everyone."

   "Thank you, Your Majesty, Your Highness Xie Xiuwang." Everyone responded.

   "You don't have to be restrained, just stay at home."

   King Xiu has a dignified appearance and a calm demeanor, without the airs of a prince at all. The originally nervous people gradually relaxed, and the atmosphere became lively.

  Xiu Wang came to Xinyou with a glass of wine in hand: "Xiao Wang has admired Miss Kou for a long time, and today I finally have the opportunity to offer Miss Kou a glass, and I hope Miss Kou will appreciate it."

  Everyone toasted each other, and from the corner of their eyes they desperately aimed here.

  A few days ago, at Princess Zhaoyang’s birthday banquet, they still haven’t forgotten that King Qing asked Miss Kou for wine. Will King Xiu also ask Miss Kou for wine today?

   Tsk tsk, let’s not say whether this matter is good or bad. At that time, there were a total of two princes who came out of the palace to start a mansion, and they all toasted to Miss Kou, and Miss Kou was the only one among the girls in the capital.

   Everyone held their wine glasses as if nothing had happened, but they couldn't wait to see how Ms. Kou would respond.

  He Qingxiao looked at this scene, and also thought of that day.

  After that day, it was said that Miss Kou could drink a thousand cups, but he knew she was drunk.

  Her drunken words are still in my ears: Mr. He, why are you looking better today than usual?

  Thinking of this, He Qingxiao bent her lips unconsciously.

   It was also because of Miss Kou's words, that day when he returned to Changle Hou Mansion, he took a good look in the mirror for the first time.

   Looking in the mirror and being discovered by Aunt Gui is not a good memory, He Qingxiao withdrew her thoughts and slightly exerted her hand holding the wine glass.

  Xiu Wang has always kept a low profile, why is he so enthusiastic about Miss Kou today?

   It is true that Ms. Kou is the one who donated the most money among the people present, but she is a young girl, and it seems a little too much for her status as Xiu Wang.

  But looking at King Xiu's expression, he was calm again.

  He Qingxiao pursed her thin lips slightly, watching the changes quietly.

  Xin You glanced over the tray that Gong'e was carrying, and picked up the wine glass in front of her.

  The seats for the banquet had been reserved long ago, and she served fruit wine at this table from the very beginning.

   "Your Highness, King Xiu, you are welcome." Xin You raised his wine glass, lowered his eyes and drank the fruit wine.

   King Xiu happily drank the wine in his glass, and said in a gentle voice, "Miss Kou eats more vegetables. This dish of preserved deer in honey sauce is a specialty dish of the royal chef in the palace. Miss Kou can try it."

   "Thank you, Your Highness Xiu Wang." Xin You thanked generously.

  She hasn't had much contact with King Xiu, and it's not clear whether it's because she donated the most that King Xiu treats him differently, or King Xiu is gentle and polite to others.

  Whatever it is, it doesn't matter to her.

  Xiu Wang Chong nodded to Xinyou and walked to the next table.

   Seeing that there was no excitement, everyone silently withdrew their attention.

   "Miss Kou, I offer you a toast." A girl at the same table toasted Xin You.

  The young girl has long eyebrows, with a kind of heroic beauty, and there is no sign of coyness when she introduces herself: "My name is Bai Ying, and I came to the banquet for my mother. My mother used to be a general under General Xu..."

  Xin You knew the identity of the girl when she heard it.

During the years when Emperor Xingyuan conquered the world, Empress Xin has been walking hand in hand with him. This has set an example for many women. In the troubled times, there have been several famous female generals. Unfortunately, these female generals either died in the war or were injured. Retire, or marry and have children, never to be seen again in court. Among them, General Bai is the most famous and has the highest combat exploits.

  Although the general public rarely mentions General Bai anymore, Xin You has heard of it.

   After the founding of the Great Xia, General Bai lived in seclusion due to old injuries, and then suddenly gave birth to a daughter, but General Bai was not married at that time. This caused an uproar at the time, and many courtiers angrily wrote a letter requesting to take away the canonization of General Bai, but Emperor Xingyuan refused.

   It is said that Empress Xin slapped the dagger in front of Emperor Xingyuan, saying that whoever mentions depriving General Bai of his achievements will destroy his house.

   It is also said that during the years when Empress Xin did not leave, there were few officials and nobles who took concubines. First, they did not want to impress the Empress Empress. Second, the shrew at home dared to carry a knife...

  Bai Ying looks like she is in her twenties, and she still looks like a girl who has never left the court.

  Xin You raised his glass: "My name is Kou Qingqing, to Miss Bai."

   Presumably Miss Bai's mother had had a drink with her mother, and Xin You couldn't help feeling fond of the girl in front of her.

  Feeling Xin You's kindness, Bai Ying drank the wine in her glass in one gulp.

  Actually, she didn't look so calm and breezy, and she was worried about the embarrassment of being rejected when she picked up the wine glass.

  She is a person whose father is unknown. Since she was a child, those people were polite on the surface, but they were contemptuous in their hearts, and many people said some nasty things to her face.

  She just thinks that Miss Kou, who donated 50,000 taels of silver, is amazing. It would be a pity if she could sit at the same table without saying a word.

   "What does Miss Bai do on weekdays? If you have free time, you can often come to Qingsong Bookstore to play..."

  Bai Ying couldn't help but nodded.

  She is not a person who likes to read scripts, but she decided to buy all the scripts published by Qingsong Bookstore and take a good look.

  He Qingxiao looked into the distance, and couldn't help raising his lips.

   Miss Kou seems to have made new friends again.

   After drinking for three rounds, the atmosphere was in full swing, and suddenly a voice came out: "The emperor is here—"

  Everyone in the hall paused, and many people dropped their chopsticks in shock, and then hastily bowed down, saying "Your Majesty".

  Emperor Xing Yuan was surrounded and walked into the hall, and the heat that hit his face made him squint his eyes. The beautiful cloak that had fallen a lot of snow was taken off by the **** Sun Yan, and handed over to the servant at the side.

  Xiu Wang came over: "Father Emperor."

  Emperor Xingyuan nodded slightly, his eyes slowly swept across the people in the hall, and he saw Wu Ya pushing the back of his head.

"The earthquake in Dingbei caused me to be unable to sleep at night thinking about the suffering of the people. Thanks to your kind deeds, you helped the disaster victims in Dingbei to tide over the difficulties. Get up, I came here this time to see the benevolent people in my capital with my own eyes. "

   "Thank you, Your Majesty." Many people quietly wiped their eyes when they got up, and some even trembled with excitement.

  God, I can see the emperor by donating some money, I will donate again next time I have this opportunity!

  When Emperor Xing Yuan saw the expressions of these people, he guessed their general thoughts, and there was a faint smile in his eyes.

  He came here because he was curious about Ms. Kou, and it would be a surprise if he could inspire these wealthy households to donate actively in the future.

   "I heard that the one who donated the most to the disaster area is Miss Kou, the owner of Qingsong Bookstore."

  As soon as Emperor Xingyuan said this, some wealthy businessmen with exceptionally rich family backgrounds regretted it.

  I knew that donating 50,000 taels would be named by the emperor, but it's not impossible to donate.

  Why didn't you say it earlier!

   Duan Shaoqing was in a different mood: Why didn't the emperor say that she was Duan Wensong's niece, but the owner of Qingsong Bookstore?

  Don't mention everyone's thoughts, being ordered by the emperor that there must be a response, Xin You stood up and saluted: "Minister Kou Qingqing, I have seen Your Majesty."