Chapter 8: Catch it all in one place (Sixth)

"Let's do this, Li Aiqing, go back first and think carefully. Once Aiqing resigns, it will be difficult for me to find someone to replace you, so I need to consider it myself." Zhu Yinglong had no intention of asking Li Yao to resign, so he found an excuse to delay.

"This, I will take my leave first." Li Yao hesitated for a moment, and his pretty face retreated with a sad face.

"Xu Yingyuan, go to Yonghe Palace." Zhu Yinglong closed the memorial in his hand and ordered Xu Yingyuan on the left.

Magu didn't expect that Zhu Yinglong would come to the harem at this time, and she still came to her Yonghe Palace. She was surprised. But when she thought that the sisters had agreed that as long as the emperor did not agree to take back the will to kill Lan Lin, they would not give the emperor a good look. But psychologically, Lan Lin should have killed her, but Lan Rong was also a sister, and it would be unreasonable to not help her. Lan Rong's pure and filial piety also moved her. After all, she herself was a pure filial person. Although she was in the palace and had a wealth of food and food, she always cared about her father far away in Xiangxi. If her father had not been unwilling to stay away from her hometown, she would have sent someone to take her to the capital, so she would take her around her to take care of her.

After the annoying false gift, Zhu Yinglong casually held Magu's slender and gentle little hands and sat on the soft couch.

"The emperor suddenly came over. I wonder what the emperor has to come to see me?" Ma Gumei's eyes rolled, a hint of surprise was hidden in her eyes, and she asked slowly.

"Yes, I'm here to find you something." Zhu Yinglong was still wondering how to talk to Ma Gu about this. When she saw her, it was much better than asking her first, especially when she didn't know that she would have misunderstood.

"The emperor came for Sister Lan Rong's affairs?" Magu asked tentatively.

"No." Zhu Yinglong shook his head and said.

"No, why did the emperor come to find me?" Ma Gu frowned slightly and asked in surprise.

"It's Li Yao and Li Aiqing." Zhu Yinglong and Ma Gu looked at each other, then turned to another place.

"The emperor is willing to let Sister Yao enter the palace?" Magu said in surprise, but immediately thought about it, is this surprise too much at this critical moment?

"Where have you thought of?" Zhu Yinglong said with a wry smile, "After the morning court today, she will come to the imperial study to see me."

"Sister Yao doesn't want to enter the palace?" Magu asked nervously. Although Magu tried Li Yao's feelings many times and found that Li Yao was deliberately avoiding it. Over time, although the efforts to let Li Yao enter the palace are still there, it is far from the strongest when he first had this idea. After all, after getting along with Zhu Yinglong, he knew that the emperor was a man who felt sorry for his women, and a man of flesh and blood. Unlike ordinary ruthless emperors, he lived in the palace more comfortable and happy. Although the sisters could not be as close as flesh and blood, they were all extremely intelligent. Even without Li Yao entering the palace to help him, there would not be a day when she fell out of favor. She asked herself that she would not have done anything that would make the emperor difficult, so she was not so worried.

"She didn't say this, but she came to see me today to resign." Zhu Yinglong smiled helplessly.

"Why are you resigning from office?" Magu suddenly felt confused. He had a happy conversation with Li Yao a few days ago, but there was no sign of resigning. But she wouldn't hide it from her sister who almost talks about her?

"Why, my beloved concubine, don't know whether Li Yao is going to resign from his post?" From the expression on Magu's face, Zhu Yinglong knew that Li Yao must have told Magu that he had resigned, otherwise Magu would not have been so surprised.

"Sister Yao has never mentioned it to me." Magu said in confusion, and he kept recalling the recent situation with Li Yao, and there seemed to be no sign of Li Yao's resignation.

"By the way, Master, why did Sister Yao tell you?" Magu became a little nervous. Don't let it be that she kept hinting that she had entered the palace. She couldn't tell her clearly, so she might as well resign and express her feelings through this hint?

I have to say that the sixth feeling of a woman is quite keen. Magu’s guess is half correct, but Magu did not guess that Li Yao was actually not affectionate to the emperor. Even after the words "Li Yao, you are so beautiful", in that ambiguous atmosphere, Li Yao was once moved, but Li Yao, who was too rational, buried this feeling in the deepest part of her heart. Magu still didn’t know that such a thing happened between the two, so there was no way to guess.

"What else can she say? It's not the old saying of resigning from office. What kind of words are shallow and useless, so I can choose another virtuous person." Zhu Yinglong said with a wry smile. If he knew the reason for Li Yao's resignation, why did he come over to do it?

At this time, the smart Magu understood the emperor's purpose. She really failed the reputation of the talented woman in Miaojiang. It must have been the emperor's question, but Li Yao didn't say it. Moreover, the emperor could not force his subjects in public, especially the other party was a woman, so naturally he thought of himself. As a woman and had good sisters, if she came forward to ask, she might find out the relationship here.

"The emperor wants me to come forward and ask me the real reason why Sister Yao resigned?" Magu knew his man's thoughts too well.

"That's right, the one who knows me is my beloved concubine!" Zhu Yinglong laughed.

"Your Majesty, you will certainly not refuse to let me go. However, if I say something I shouldn't say or make something that shouldn't be decided for the emperor, the emperor cannot blame me?" Magu said seriously.

"I just asked you to understand the real situation. After you understand, I will tell me that I don't need a concubine to make any decisions." Zhu Yinglong was a little unhappy. It was obvious that he wanted power!

"Since that's the case, then the emperor asked not to ask. Even if I went over, I wouldn't be able to ask anything." Magu said as if he was not concerned about his own affairs.

"My beloved concubine, don't you want to help me?" Zhu Yinglong was a little annoyed.

"No, why would I not be willing to help you? If you ask me, I will definitely go back, but there must be a reason for Sister Yao to resign. If I ask the reason, I will be able to help her. If I don't have the emperor's permission, I will naturally not dare to say something. I also think that the emperor doesn't want to see Sister Yao resign? After all, you men are almost thinking about this woman." Magu said her reasons.

Zhu Yinglong thought about it and said that it was the same. It was easier for both women to speak. Magu was very sensible in doing things. Even if he promised nothing, he would not be too out of line. However, he had to warn him: "I can give you what you ask for, but I must grasp the measure. If she really wanted to resign, I would not be willing to make things too difficult for her."

Magu stood up and said seriously: "Will you go now?"

It was noon and it was time to have lunch, Zhu Yinglong said: "Don't be so anxious. I've had lunch with me. It's not too late to go again in the afternoon!"

Magu suddenly pulled his pretty face and said coldly: "I don't know that the emperor suddenly arrived, so I didn't prepare your lunch, so I'd better ask you to go back for dinner or go to the other sisters to check out, they prepare more every day."

"My dear concubine, are you?" Zhu Yinglong said in surprise. He felt that he had caused some bad luck today and everything went wrong. He was still obedient just now and had a clear understanding of his heart. In a blink of an eye, he changed and even issued an order to expel the guest.

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty, who made you a public enemy now?" Magu's cold face immediately thawed, and his pink and pretty face was full of teasing smiles.

"Public enemy?" Zhu Yinglong immediately understood that he had "rebel against the word" in Lan Rong's affairs and was angry. No wonder Magu didn't dare to keep him for dinner here. Although this was nothing, it would slightly affect the relationship between sisters. The smart Magu knew that leaving the emperor to eat here at this moment would isolate himself.

Zhu Yinglong drove out of Yonghe Palace in depression and returned to Yangxin Palace with some consolation. Yanhong was so hard that she could not refuse. Who told her to serve the emperor's meals?

Magu is an impatient person. As soon as Zhu Yinglong left, she took her men and a group of guards out of the Forbidden City and came to Li Yao's general's mansion.

Li Yao's general's mansion also has a little contribution from Magu, otherwise it would be impossible for her to have such a good mansion with just her brigade. Of course, there are many other factors in it. Therefore, Magu is not unfamiliar with the way to General Li Yao's mansion. He was a cluster of cars and horses along the way, and he arrived in front of Li Yao's mansion in half an hour. This also relies on the imperial court to mobilize troops to clear the snow on the streets so that it can be unobstructed.

After Li Yao returned from Yangxin Palace, she originally wanted to go to the military camp to check it out and mobilize the troops in the capital and the nearest capital to clear the official roads and various streets in the city. The officers and soldiers of her brigade were also responsible for it. But after returning to the house, she thought about it and had to deal with this kind of matter, but after she returned to the house, she would just lock herself in the study alone.

Everyone in the mansion, including Li Yao's newly-successed goddaughter Li Lian'er, felt very strange. Li Yao's behavior today was very different from usual. Could it be that something big happened in the court? Whether it was the family or servants in the mansion, they were all speculating.

"Godmother, you are like this. Your eyes are dark. You didn't have a good rest last night, right?" Li Lian'er personally cooked a bowl of bird's nest and brought it into Li Yao's study. Seeing Li Yao sitting in a chair, her official uniform did not change, she put down her bird's nest, and asked with concern.

"Oh, it's Lian'er here!" Li Yao's voice was a little hoarse, her eyelids gently raised, and she saw Li Lian'er imprinted in her eyes.

"Godmother, what's wrong with you?" Li Lian'er asked anxiously.

"Godmother is fine, it's okay, I just cough..." Li Yao smiled and coughed a few times.

"Godmother, you are sick, are you? Lian'er is going to find a doctor for you!" Li Lian'er was anxiously about to turn around.

"Silly girl, my godmother is not sick, she just didn't sleep well last night, and she was a little tired." Li Yao smiled and grabbed Li Lian'er and said.

"Godmother is really not sick?" Li Lian'er said worriedly.

"Godmother is really not sick. Don't believe that you can try touching my godmother's forehead?" Li Yao smiled and took Li Lian'er's hand and touched her forehead.

Only then did Li Lian'er feel relieved. The temperature on Li Yao's forehead was normal.

"Lian'er, my godmother has resigned today when she meets the emperor." Li Yao said slowly, with complicated gazes shot out from her eyes.

"Resigned, godmother, why did you resign?" Li Lianer asked inexplicably.

"It's too tiring to be an official, my godmother doesn't want to do it anymore." Li Lian'er was simple-minded, and Li Yao didn't want her to be filthed by those in the officialdom.

"Since my godmother doesn't want to be an official, then don't do it!" Li Lian'er also witnessed a lot of darkness and complexity in the officialdom. If Li Yao really treats Li Lian'er as a simple girl, it would be a bit wrong. I wonder if Li Yao was also a simple and carefree person at the beginning, fantasizing that one day she could marry a man who stood up and live a happy life, but is this possible? Her father's death changed her destiny and everything about her.

"Okay, we will go back to Xiangxi in a few days. In a few years, we will find you a good husband's house. If it's really not possible, we can marry into a marriage. We live happily and will no longer care about the disputes of fighting and killing. Do you think it's okay?" Li Yao said with boredom in her eyes.

"Okay, Lian'er listens to her godmother, Lian'er doesn't want to get married. Lian'er wants to spend her life with her godmother and serve her godmother for the rest of her life." Li Lian'er's legs bent down slightly, leaning her beautiful little head against Li Yao's thighs, and said emotionally.

"Silly girl, how can a girl not get married?" Li Yao's stroking girl Li Lian'er said lovingly, but she hoped that her decision was right.

"Lian'er, don't you marry, godmother, don't you marry, have you lived a good life?" Li Lian'er gently raised her head and met Li Yao's confused gaze.

"Godmother is different from you." Li Yao really didn't know how to answer this question, maybe this answer is the most appropriate one.

"Oh." Li Lian'er lowered her head as if she didn't understand. Her godmother was not only beautiful, but also very capable, understanding, and loved herself so much. These were things she couldn't compare to. Maybe she couldn't compare to when she grew up. Maybe this was the difference she said!

"Report to General!" A voice came from outside the study.

"What's the matter?" Li Yao's expression turned right, and the confusion in her eyes disappeared in an instant, completely different from the softness and gentleness he had just now.

"Empress Yi is here!"

"What?" Li Yao was extremely calm, and was still a little caught off guard by the arrival of this news, and even a little nervous.

"Hurry, order the whole mansion to follow the general to welcome him!" Li Yao was a little confused. She had even guessed that the sudden arrival of Concubine Yi Magu was inseparable from her resignation this morning. She should have thought that the emperor would not agree to her request for resignation at once, and would also tell Concubine Yi about her resignation. Concubine Yi was so fast that she was even more uneasy. She had not yet figured out how to tell her about this matter, and it was obvious that she could not get over it if she was perfunctory.

"The Wei-Minist General Li Yao led the family members of the mansion to visit Concubine Yi!" Li Yao did not change her clothes, but went to greet the emperor in an official uniform.

"General Li is about to settle down. You and I are sworn sisters. I will not want these false gifts after this. The emperor has emphasized it a long time ago." Magu walked towards Li Yao with a smile, leaned over and pulled Li Yao up and said, "Since the emperor gave this general's mansion to Sister Yao, this is the first time I have come to Sister Yao's house. Today, the Japanese palace is a bit abrupt. I hope Sister Yao won't blame me!"

"Where is the Queen's words, the door of the Weichen family is always open for the Queen. It's okay to come whenever I want to." Li Yao responded absent-mindedly. Both of them were extremely smart women. The smarter the woman was, the easier it was to speak and the harder it was to deal with.

"Sister Yao, you have always lived in the military camp. On weekdays, you always come to the palace to find your sister. Today I heard that my sister returned to the mansion, so my sister came over to take a look." Magu had already seen a trace of sorrow hidden between Li Yao's eyebrows, so he was so stupid that he suddenly made the words clear.

Perhaps because of the concern in her heart, Li Yao's intelligence seemed to have declined a lot, and she did not notice that there seemed to be a deep meaning hidden in Magu's shallow glance just now. But she said that she completely believed that Magu came in. At this moment, an indescribable gap appeared between the two women. Everyone wanted to know what the other party was thinking, but no one could understand what the other party would think, because of the knot and responsibility. If Li Yao could not let go of these, or was not honest enough, this gap would never be eliminated.

"Please, Empress!"

"Sister Yao is the master, and my sister is my guest and will follow the host." Magu smiled, with an incomparable sincerity in his eyes.

In fact, Magu knows Li Yao very well. Li Yao likes to close an iron gate for her thoughts, and the mechanism is inside. That is to say, if she doesn't want to say it herself, others will not know what it is. Magu's strategy today is to let Li Yao say it on his own initiative, and this is why she immediately rushed over when she got the news that Magu wanted to resign from Zhu Yinglong. Therefore, even if Li Yao guessed her purpose at this moment, she could not be sure of it. Although she believed in her heart that the emperor would tell her the news of her resignation, it might not be so fast. Magu's primary purpose is to dispel Li Yao's uncertainty and make her think that she did not know the news, but came just for some other purpose. This is the first step to success.

When he entered Li Yao's study and looked at the simple furniture arrangement, Magu couldn't help but exclaim. Li Yao's current official position could completely make the calligraphy arrangement more luxurious and more refined.

After Li Lian'er presented the incense tea, she quietly looked Magu up and down, and felt a sense of shame in her heart. Magu's beauty can indeed make women jealous. Although she became Li Yao's goddaughter, she was not qualified to accompany her to the palace. Therefore, it was the first time she had seen her sister whom she had been talking about in her godmother's mouth. Concubine Yi, who is now the emperor's favorite, is also a phoenix talented woman from Xiangxi.

Magu's observation was quite keen. Although there were not many servants in the Li family, there were more than a dozen, including four or five maids. It seemed that only this little girl named Lian'er could follow in the small courtyard in Li Yao's study. It can be seen that this little girl was very skillful and could enter and exit the study without any information. She had a good status in the mansion. In other words, she should know many secrets in Li Yao's heart.

"Why is Sister Yao not in a good mood today? Are you sick?" Although Li Yao covered the dark circles with the help of Li Lian'er, the fatigue that was inadvertently revealed in her eyes could not escape Magu's keen eyes.

"Thank you for your concern. Maybe it was because my sister didn't sleep well last night, so she might have caught a cold." Li Yao responded calmly. At this moment, her doubts about Ma Gu's purpose had not been dispelled, for fear that Ma Gu would see something.

In fact, Li Yao had thought of passing Magu first and then resigning to the emperor. This might not be so troublesome, but she had some conflicts in her heart. The relationship between her and Magu was not just a sisterhood, but also mixed with complex kindness. In Xiangxi, if it weren't for Magu's persuasion, she would have abandoned the darkness and turned to the light. Otherwise, she and the Li family would have been buried with Wu Heimiao. Although they resigned at this time, although they had their own ambitions, they always made people feel that this was a betrayal or an ungrateful one. If she told Magu about her resignation, what would she think? Will the sisters' relationship end from now on.

Li Yao has few friends, and only Magu is the only friend who can truly care about and care.

"That's good!" Magu smiled happily, "I came here today to try your skills, sister. Although I have a royal kitchen in the palace, my skills are far inferior to my sister. If my sister doesn't mind, my sister doesn't mind giving you a blow. I haven't been in the kitchen for a long time!"

As soon as this proposal was released, all the speculations, uncertainty and uneasy in Li Yao's heart were thrown away, and he immediately agreed happily, recalling the days they were in Xiangxi. At that time, Magu was pregnant with a child in his stomach and had a very strong mouth. Whether it was Zuo Liangyu or Ma Laogong, they found several of the best cooks on the ground in Xiangxi, but the food they made was not as good as Magu's taste. By chance, Li Yao showed her skills. After Magu ate it, she was very happy. From that time on, Li Yao became Li Yao's full-time cook and nanny in addition to official duties. The relationship between the two became deeper and deeper since that time. Although they did not become sisters at that time, they also became friends who could talk almost everything.

When I entered the kitchen, only Li Lian'er was left, and the others were driven out. Anyway, the mansion was not a kitchen, so I didn't have to worry about cooking without a kitchen.

"Sister, have you sent a letter from your home recently?" Magu asked casually while washing vegetables. It was Li Lian'er who was responsible for fetching water beside the well. Naturally, this heavy work cannot be done by Concubine Yi. Li Lian'er has been learning martial arts from Li Yao for many years, so fetching water can naturally not hurt her.

"Here, I heard that the court demolished the besieged city, and all the bricks were put on the Miao people in the mountain. Many Miao people came out of the mountains and distributed the land. The tax was also reduced for five years. I also heard that the court was about to change the land and set up counties and towns to govern with the Han people. I heard that several of the imperial examinations this year were extraordinary Jinshi. Have you heard of it?" Speaking of his hometown, Li Yao was really happy. Isn't this what her ancestors hoped for throughout their struggle?

"I naturally know this. I have met these people a few times. Now they are all in the Imperial College. Are there two disciples who are still Master Lechen?" Magu said with a smile.

"Master Lechen, is my sister talking about Zhuoba's wise man?" A gloomy flashed in Li Yao's eyes. Although Zhuoba had not taught her anything formally, Zhuoba had helped her intentionally or unintentionally several times during her days under Wu Heimiao. Wu Heimiao coveted her beauty and tried to attack her several times. It was only after Zhuoba's secret care that he was able to escape from the danger. He was also grateful to Li Yao, the wise man who had helped the evil.
To be continued...