In the next two days, Jiang Rui never took a step outside the palace gate.

Hanyan, only because Niangniang was angry with Lu Xingzhou and did not want to go out, afraid that she would recover from a serious illness and be suffocated in the house, she quietly went to the Chongzheng Hall to deliver a message that when the Little Emperor was free, invite him to come to Chang’an Palace.

Originally, according to the rules, the Little Emperor should have come to ask for peace every day, but Empress Dowager Xie was distressed by the child’s young age and was reluctant to let him run back and forth, so he was exempted. Now the Little Emperor spends all day under the nose of Lu Xingzhou, not very comfortable speaking and acting, and comes even less.

“Queen Mother!”

Jiang Rui opened her eyes and just happened to pick up the small body that rushed over.

“Fuzzy, what should I do if you fell?”

“No, is the Queen Mother all right?” The Little Emperor climbed on her legs.

“Alright.” Jiang Rui hugged the person, “How come you have time to see the Queen Mother today?”

The Little Emperor said: “It was Lu Gonggong’s fairness. Lu Gonggong said that the Queen Mother was not in a good mood, so let me accompany the Queen Mother. Why are you in a bad mood?”

Hanyan pouted as she listened to the sidelines, why was Niangniang in a bad mood? It wasn’t that she was offended by Lu Xingzhou. Now he pretended to say so, people who don’t know will think he was really caring about Niangniang.

Jiang Rui touched the Little Emperor’s head, “The Queen Mother is not in a bad mood, what has Rui’er been doing these two days?”

The Little Emperor’s attention was immediately diverted. He snapped his fingers and said, “Last morning, I watched Lu Gonggong criticize the paper and then played with Xiao Fuzi… But playing with Xiao Fuzi is so boring, he is too timid, he does not dare to play, that one does not dare to play, this does not dare to play. Queen Mother, I want to go to the royal brother and others, can’t I?”

“Rui’er’s royal brothers are going to school.”

“Then, I want to study too!” When the Little Emperor heard this, he was interested and pulled Jiang Rui’s sleeve to act coquettishly, “The Queen Mother went to talk to Lu Gonggong, let me study with the royal brother, okay?”

The princes were enlightened at the age of five. Originally, the Little Emperor should have enrolled in school last year, but unfortunately, encountered the death of the first emperor, so it was delayed.

Later, he sat on the throne, but Lu Xingzhou did not mention this and no one else dared to say it. Only Scholar Xie went to give a memorial once and asked the Little Emperor to choose the emperor’s master. But it was lightly fluttered by Lu Xingzhou who said that His Majesty managed everything, where there was free to go to school, so the scholar was blocked back.

Everyone knows that his words are just an excuse. The Little Emperor does not know a single word, what can he talk about?

But even so, no one dared to mention it again.

Others can seek advantages and avoid disadvantages, but Jiang Rui cannot.

First, she promised Empress Dowager Xie that she would take good care of the Little Emperor and save his life and throne. Since ancient times, there has been no emperor who is illiterate and it is imperative to enroll in school. Second, this is also an opportunity for her to come into direct contact with Lu Xingzhou.

She hugged the Little Emperor and said: “Reading is not a joke. Once you enter school, you can’t go back in the middle. You must persist regardless of the cold or the heat. Can Rui’er do it?”

“Yes, yes.” The Little Emperor nodded sharply.

Jiang Rui touched his round face and said with a smile: “Then I’ll find an opportunity to talk to Lu Gonggong.”

“Thank you, Queen Mother!”

The Little Emperor returned to Chongzheng Palace not long after and Hanyan sent him out of Chang’an Palace. After returning, she frowned and said worriedly: “Niangniang, Your Majesty’s enrollment, I am afraid that Lu Gonggong will not easily agree.”

“I know.” Jiang Rui lowered her eyes slightly, “But Your Majesty, as the king of a country, can’t always be so ignorant forever. No matter whether he succeeds or not, he has to try. You have someone to send a message to Lu Gonggong, tomorrow in the afternoon, I invite him to meet him in Fubi Pavilion.”

“Yes.” Hanyan responded and sighed slightly, “I hope Your Majesty can understand the painstaking effort of Niangniang.”

She stepped back to make arrangements. After about half an hour, she replied angrily: “Niangniang, Lu Gonggong said that there is a lot of work and he is afraid that he can’t get out of it. If Niangniang has something important, please move to the Chongzheng Hall.”

Jiang Rui frowned when she heard this.

Hanyan became even more angry: “His shelf is also too big. Niangniang can’t even invite him and has to go to see him in person. Even when the first emperor is there, he doesn’t dare to snub Niangniang like this!”

“That’s it.” Jiang Rui was silent for a long time and sighed: “Don’t you see the situation clearly? The world has long been the world of his surname Lu. That man is the sword, I am the fish, why should he be polite with us.”

After listening to it, Hanyan collapsed and she could only sigh along with her.

In the afternoon of the next day, Jiang Rui went to Chongzheng Hall. The Little Emperor was taking a nap in the inner hall. She asked the people who were waiting to retreat and faced Lu Xingzhou alone.

“The minister was flattered at the invitation of Niangniang yesterday. But there are so many chores at hand, so this minister can’t do anything. It was really the sin of the minister to ask Niangniang to go in person.” Lu Xingzhou came out from behind the wide book and invited Jiang Rui to sit down at the coffee table. With a smile on his face and his thoughtful manners, as if he was the master of this Chongzheng Hall.

Jiang Rui did not look at him. Her face was faint and said, “Why does Lu Gonggong have to say something like that? I’m here today just for one thing. Your Majesty has reached the age of enlightenment. I wonder what arrangements Gonggong has for this?”

Lu Xingzhou smiled and said, “Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven, how dare this minister arrange the Son of Heaven? It’s better for Niangniang to taste this tea. It is the Longjing of the Ming Dynasty that was just delivered from below. There are only seven or eight catties in total. The ministers are thinking about it, such a precious and rare thing, I’m afraid that only a noble person like Niangniang can enjoy it.”

That’s what he said, but this year’s tribute new tea was never seen in Chang’an Palace. Jiang Rui is still drinking last year’s aged tea.

She took a deep breath, picked up the teacup, took a sip, and tasted it, so she said, “Good tea.”

Lu Xingzhou chuckled softly: “In that case, let someone send tea to Niangniang in a while.”

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