It’s still bright at this time, it’s still early.

　　The emperor will go up and take a rest, and then he can continue with the second party, which will be a real family dinner this time.

　　The empress dowager held a banquet and the concubines with higher ranks attended. As usual, they ate, drank and watched singing and dancing performances. The emperor went to the empress’s palace to sit and chat with his wife and concubines. Once the fireworks were set off, the Wanshou Festival^[1]The Wanshou Festival, also known as the Nanning Shanglin Wanshou Festival, is a Chinese festival celebrated in Nanning, Guangxi, in February of the lunar calendar. It commemorates Weijue, a figure … Continue reading officially ended.

　　Gu Zhao felt that many people at the open-air banquet were staring at him from behind. If someone greeted him, he would stand up and say a few polite words, then watch the adults go to the front. He would just sit down calmly, pretending that he didn’t know someone was staring at him from behind.

　　A set of action pipeline modes.

　　”Master Gu?”

　　Here it comes again. Gu Zhao stood up and bowed, “May I ask who you are, sir? I have just arrived in the capital, and I am not very familiar with you. I hope you can forgive me.”

　　”Fan, the Minister of Revenue Fan Min.” Fan Min said with a smile, “Speaking of which, we do have some fate. At the beginning, Lord Gu figured out the fertilizer, and I was the governor of Wannan Prefecture…”

　　Also talking about Zheng Hui’s relationship.

　　This is another example of using official connections as an excuse to get close to someone by using personal feelings.

　　Gu Zhao was still polite when talking to Lord Fan. After a few words, Lord Fan stopped and bowed towards the palace gate. Gu Zhao guessed who the new lord was, and when he looked –

　　The official uniform of the second rank.

　　”Master Chu.”

　　”Lord Fan.” Chu Ningyuan waved his hand, meaning that there was no need to be polite.

　　It turned out that this person was the idol of the poor scholars, Mr. Chu Ningyuan. It was the first time that Gu Zhao saw him. On the day of the palace examination, all the Jinshi were staring at their toes and had no chance to look at others. Later, when they were assigned to work units, it was impossible for them to see Mr. Chu who often walked around the palace.

　　Lord Chu and Lord Shi are about the same age, both in their fifties or sixties, with beards and official uniforms, looking very dignified. However, Lord Shi has a serious face and looks difficult to approach, while Lord Chu is very easy-going, with a calm face and a hint of friendliness?

　　Gu Zhao found it quite novel that a second-rank official in the court could be so friendly and easy-going.

　　Everyone bowed and saluted. Lord Chu responded by telling everyone not to be polite. He glanced around and mentioned Yan Jinxin’s name, who then stepped forward and saluted.

　　Lord Chu looked at the junior with a very loving look at Yan Jinxin.

　　”Lord Yan missed the poetry banquet on the 15th last time. I will hold a flower-viewing banquet another day and invite Lord Yan again. We have a deal this time. Will Lord Yan give me this face?” Chu Ningyuan asked jokingly while stroking his beard.

　　Yan Jinxin naturally agreed, and said respectfully: “I accepted the snow-viewing poetry banquet held by teacher on the 15th. It is my fault for missing Lord Chu’s poetry banquet.”

　　”Oh? Lord Yan has found a teacher? Who is his teacher?”

　　”Master Shi, a scholar from the Hanlin Academy, is my teacher.”

　　Chu Ningyuan nodded and said, “Shi Mingwen, you^[2]referring Master Shi are very knowledgeable and you are a Jinshi in the same list as me. That’s great. But when I talk about knowledge, I can’t help but think of the top scholar in our time. It’s a pity that he travels around everywhere. It’s a pity that all his knowledge has been wasted and he couldn’t help the emperor solve his problems.”

　　The gentlemen then acted as if they missed Mr. Sun and said it was a pity for him.

　　Gu Zhao immediately bowed to Lord Chu and said that his master traveled around the world to give lectures to scholars, teaching and answering questions, and he hoped that more capable scholars would help the emperor solve his worries.

　　What it means is that the teacher is not wasting his skills doing nothing, but is also doing practical work for the emperor.

　　Chu Ningyuan looked at Gu Zhao for a few more times, and then said with a smile: “It’s good that Sun Mu has another student. It’s true. If Sun Mu can recruit more talents like Gu Tanhua, our Dali will naturally not lack talented people.”

　　”Thank you for the compliment, Lord Chu. I am just a small piece of gravel. How can I have the talent and ability of Lord Chu? If Your Majesty needs me, I will do my best to help Your Majesty.”

　　Chu Ningyuan nodded with satisfaction, and then went to his seat in front without staying any longer. As soon as Chu Ningyuan left, the adults who had surrounded Gu Zhao also dispersed.

　　Gu Zhao and Yan Jinxin sat down. Du Ruoqi, who was standing next to them, glanced at Gu Zhao and said, “I can now understand why Mr. Sun accepted you as his apprentice.”

　　”Am I brave?” Gu Zhaoxiao asked.

　　Du Ruoqi: …

　　”a bit.”

　　Time reveals a person’s true character. Today, Gu Zhao denied Chu Ningyuan’s words and stood up for his teacher. I hope he can be as brave as he is today in the future. Du Ruoqi thought.

　　After that, Gu Zhao got quiet, and no officials came to see him. The envious eyes were replaced by other speculative looks. Until the arrival of the princes.

　　The younger princes arrived first, eleven, twelve, and fourteen.

　　Gu Zhao looked at the three princes. They bowed as officials. The three young princes were quite imposing. They told the adults not to be polite and courteous. After saying that, they chose his seat in the front row and sat down.

　　The three of them walked with the wind, and when they passed by Gu Zhao, Gu Zhao only took one or two glances. What impressed him most was that the heights of these three people were in a signal pattern, from short to tall, and the tallest one had a striking appearance at first glance.

　　Although he looks a bit childish, he has a high nose, deep eyes and fair skin.

　　Gu Zhao thought the tallest one was the eleventh prince, but later, after hearing the officials’ greetings, he realized that this one was the fourteenth prince. The mixed-race prince? No wonder.

　　After that, the Sixth Prince and the Eighth Prince came. The Fifth Prince actually came with the Second Prince, Prince Kang. The Fifth Prince and the Sixth Prince were brothers from the same mother. Logically, they were closer. But the Fifth Prince followed Prince Kang to do things last year. According to Zheng Hui, he got a bargain. Now it seems that the Fifth Prince still acts like a younger brother in front of the Second Prince and is not arrogant.

　　Pretty steady, Gu Zhao thought.

　　Just as he was about to start a mess, the Second Prince, Prince Kang, who was halfway there, turned back a few steps and came in front of Gu Zhao. Gu Zhao hurriedly saluted, but Prince Kang raised his hand to block his way and said, “Are you Gu Zhao? Who saved Kang An?”

　　”I am just passing by…” Before Gu Zhao finished speaking, he saw Prince Kang took out a jade ring and gave it to him, “I used this ring when I was on the expedition – now I give it to you, thank you Lord Gu for saving Kang An.”

　　Gu Zhao wanted to refuse, but when he saw the look in Prince Kang’s eyes, he changed his mind, took it with both hands, and said, “Thank you, Prince. I accept it.”

　　”Yeah, it’s a straightforward one.”

　　After Prince Kang finished speaking, he went to the front position.

　　Gu Zhao felt the ring was hot when he took it, but when he looked at Prince Kang just now, he really saw gratitude in Prince Kang’s eyes. He was really grateful to him for saving Kang An.

　　Prince Kang didn’t explain the ring clearly, but Gu Zhao guessed it was probably given to the Second Prince by Emperor Kang Jing when he was so happy after winning the battle.

　　This thing is so precious, but the Second Prince can now give it to him. Should we say that the Second Prince remembers the blood relationship of the First Prince in the world, or that the Second Prince’s admiration for the emperor has faded? This ring that was once a treasure can now be given to others.

　　Prince Kang sat down, touched his empty fingers, and talked and drank with his younger brothers as usual.

　　The eunuchs reported everything that happened at the banquet, and Wang Zetian then told the emperor.

　　”Did the second brother give the ring to Gu Zhao?”

　　”Yes, Prince Kang thanked Lord Gu for saving Kang An.” Wang Zetian replied. From what the emperor said, it seemed that he was feeling fatherly towards the Second Prince again.

　　After all, they are father and son.

　　Emperor Kang Jing nodded and said, “It’s his duty. He is his eldest brother’s grandson. He still remembers his eldest brother.”

　　In fact, thinking about it, the eldest and the second oldest had the best relationship. The eldest took the second oldest with him everywhere and taught him how to draw the bow, shoot arrows, do boxing and practice calligraphy. But on the way back, the eldest died for no reason. The second oldest cried so sadly. Emperor Kang Jing saw it and was somewhat suspicious at the time, wondering if the eldest oldest was killed by the second oldest.

　　But the second child was only a little old at that time, and the eldest child was surrounded by his confidants. When the eldest child died, the first person he suspected was the second child.

　　Could it be that he was wrong?

　　Emperor Kang Jing had been suspicious about this matter for many years, but he had never found out the truth, and it had always been a thorn in his heart. Now that he saw that the second son still remembered and knew how to cherish the eldest son’s grandson, he realized that he might have misunderstood the second son and Concubine Duan.

　　So after a while, it was time for the princes to present gifts at the banquet.

　　Basically, they were all calligraphy and paintings, festive ones, with the word “Fu” on them. Prince Kang asked his younger brothers to come first and give way to them. The emperor looked at them with appreciation and accepted all the calligraphy and paintings with the word “Fu” on them.

　　When it came to the eighth prince, it was natural for him to revise the book.

　　The emperor praised and commended greatly. In the past, he always mentioned the Hanlin Academy, but this time he directly talked about rewarding money and called Gu Zhao to the front to answer the question. He heard that Gu Zhao also revised the book and so on.

　　It is talking about the integrated revision of books by Gu Zhao and Yan Jinxin.

　　Gu Zhao naturally brought his second brother Yan along, and he was telling the truth. He said that this way, it would be more convenient for poor students from farming families to read.

　　Emperor Kang Jing looked at them with kindness and praised them for their good work.

　　It would be a great joy to show my face in front of the emperor and get a compliment. Gu Zhao thanked him according to the rules and went back.

　　It was Prince Kang’s turn. Prince Kang said that he was not good at writing and would rather show off his sword skills with his father.

　　Emperor Kang Jing readily agreed. The sword the eunuch gave was a wooden sword. Prince Kang showed off a bit, which brought back many memories for the emperor. It was like he was back to that time when the second and eldest sons followed him, holding swords and saying they were going to mount their horses to fight the enemy.

　　When the sword dance was over, Emperor Kang Jing laughed loudly, praised the performance, and rewarded Prince Kang with a jade ring.

　　Prince Kang had just sent one to Gu Zhao, and not long after that, he got a new and good one.

　　This banquet was really lively.

　　Gu Zhao has gained a lot of experience.