Jiuxi

Chapter 994 992 [Old Friend’s Heart]

On December 19th, Empress Dowager Ning, accompanied by Emperor Li Daoming and dozens of important ministers, went to the imperial mausoleum in the western suburbs to offer sacrifices to the heavens.

This is the last major event before the New Year. Except for a few officials who need to be on duty at the yamen, everyone else can enjoy a festive and joyful New Year.

The city was filled with a cheerful and lively atmosphere, and the Prince Qin's Mansion was no exception, and it was even busier than other places.

The warehouse was almost full of gifts sent by officials in the court and prominent families. The butlers in the front house were very busy because except for a few guests who needed to be received by Lu Chen in person, they had to entertain everyone else.

The harem was not much better. Although the wives of the noble families did not dare to disturb them easily, because Lu Chen had worked so hard this year, the Princess of Qin, the three concubines and the two concubines were all pregnant. Who among the maids and servants would dare to be careless? If there was any mistake, it would be a big deal.

Zhaoqiu Courtyard, in the main room.

"Slow down, slow down, don't be in a hurry."

Lu Chen supported Li Bingxue's arm and looked very nervous.

Li Bingxue said helplessly: "It's not like she's going to give birth soon, why is the prince acting like an old woman?"

At this moment, one of her hands was supported by Lu Chen, and the other hand was supporting her waist. Her belly was bulging due to being more than seven months pregnant.

The maid next to her couldn't help but smile.

Lu Chen didn't mind hearing this and smiled apologetically, "This is your first pregnancy, so you can never be too careful."

Li Bingxue looked at the tiredness between his eyebrows and sighed, "It's really hard for you. There are pregnant women in the whole family, all with big bellies, and you don't favor any one of them. You wish you could turn yourself into six people. I heard from Sister Lin that the night before yesterday you spent the first half of the night with her, and the second half of the night with Sister Chulong?"

Lu Chen supported her and walked slowly forward, nodding: "Yes."

Li Bingxue asked curiously, "Aren't you tired? You can't rest for a moment during the day. Those civil officials, military generals, prominent families, village elders, and great scholars who want to see you have already lined up in a long line."

“I am a little tired, but not mentally.”

Lu Chen smiled slightly and said softly: "As long as you are safe and happy, I will be happy no matter how tired I am."

Li Bingxue's eyes were full of smiles and she held his hand.

The couple walked slowly to the reception room in front. A man in his thirties stood up immediately. His eyes first lingered on Li Bingxue's increasingly round face, and then he saluted to Lu Chen and said, "Your humble servant greets His Majesty."

Lu Chen quickly shook his head and said, "Brother-in-law, what are you doing? I don't have any extra hands to help you now, please stop being polite."

The person who came was Li Liangyu.

Li Bingxue also said angrily: "Brother, this is my little sister's yard, not the King Qin's study. Why should we be so formal as a family?"

"The etiquette cannot be abolished."

Li Liangyu smiled warmly. He could see that his sister was living a happy life, and his originally uneasy heart immediately calmed down.

Lu Chen first helped Li Bingxue sit down on the couch, then sat opposite Li Liangyu and said sincerely: "It has been a year since my father-in-law passed away. Logically, I should not affect your mourning period. However, the court is in a state of disrepair and the implementation of new policies urgently needs help. Therefore, I can only petition the Queen Mother to reinstate you. I hope you will forgive me."

Li Liangyu replied, "Your Highness, this is too much. The sons of military families only need to observe mourning for 100 days, and my father-in-law specifically told me before his death that he hoped I could continue to serve the country."

Hearing the brief conversation between the two, Li Bingxue's eyes turned red.

Because she missed her father very much.

Lu Chen wanted to give some instructions, after all, Li Bingxue should not be too emotional right now, but Li Liangyu was calm and steady and definitely not a rash person, so he stood up and said, "I'm going to do something in the front, you two brothers can have a good talk."

Li Bingxue nodded slightly, and Li Liangyu stood up to see her off.

Lu Chen signaled him not to be polite, then gave Li Bingxue a comforting look before walking away.

Half an hour later, Qin Zilong brought Li Liangyu to the study in the front house.

Lu Chen put down the file in his hand and noticed that his brother-in-law looked normal. He had obviously suppressed the sadness of his father's death and the reunion of his siblings. He nodded and said, "Sit down."

Li Liangyu said calmly, "Yes, Your Majesty."

"Before my father-in-law passed away, you were the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of War. The court did not agree to your resignation, but only asked you to return home to take care of my father-in-law. This time, you should return to the Ministry of War, but now with the establishment of the Grand Council and the further division of powers and responsibilities of the Grand Council ministers, the importance of the Ministry of War will actually become less and less."

Lu Chen spoke calmly, and then asked: "But I must ask you what you think first. If you want to return to the Ministry of War, I will not object, and this is the truth."

Li Liangyu was lost in thought, and Lu Chen did not urge him. After a moment, Li Liangyu looked up at Lu Chen and said frankly: "Your Highness, you know that I am not a Jinshi. This position of Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of War was also awarded by the court for the sake of my father. Those civil servants are not the same as me. In the end, even if I become the Minister of War with the support of Your Highness, I will still be an alien in the eyes of the civil servants. Rather than scheming against them, I still hope to work in the palace. Of course, if Your Highness needs me to stay in the Ministry of War, I am also willing to stay."

From beginning to end, he never deliberately mentioned the existence of Li Bingxue, nor did he mention the help Li Tianrun had given to Lu Chen back then.

Lu Chen smiled and said, "In that case, you shouldn't stay in the military department. It will only waste your talent."

Li Liangyu responded calmly: "Yes."

"After the new year, I will petition the Queen Mother to set up a new government office to be responsible for the preparation and supervision of various new policies. The specific implementation will be the responsibility of the Secretariat and the various ministries. In short, the overall planning of the new policies will come from this government office, and the supervision during the implementation will be the top priority. I will be in charge of this government office."

Lu Chen briefly introduced himself, and then said with expectation: "But you also know that I am very busy and cannot do everything myself, so I need someone to help me take care of the daily affairs of the Xinzheng Yamen. I wonder if you are willing to do it?"

Li Liangyu was startled.

Although he didn't know the specific content of the new policy, he knew from the new land tax policy across the country this year that Lu Chen would definitely carry out drastic reforms. This new government office would definitely have great power, and the official position that Lu Chen arranged for him was almost second only to one person. This trust in him was self-evident.

He took a deep breath and said solemnly, "Thanks to your trust, how dare I not try my best?"

Lu Chen thought highly of his elder brother-in-law's abilities. Although he had never fought in the battlefield like Li Bingxue, he was fully responsible for the general affairs and logistical supplies of the entire Jingzhou Governor's Office. He was able to gain a foothold in the border army because of his ability to manage these matters in an orderly manner, rather than just because of his identity as Li Tianrun's eldest son.

Lu Chen explained the general framework of the new policy to Li Liangyu, who listened very carefully. Not only was he able to keep up with Lu Chen's thinking, but he was also able to give some effective suggestions on how to fill in the gaps.

The two talked for more than two hours, and before they knew it, it was getting dark.

"That's about it. After the new year, several capable people will come to Beijing. We will discuss it in detail then."

Lu Chen had a smile on his face, and it was obvious that he was very satisfied with today's conversation.

Li Liangyu agreed and then said, "Your Highness, I have another letter here. It was written by my late father before he passed away. He told me to hand it to Your Highness personally."

Lu Chen's eyes narrowed slightly as he took the secret letter with the wax seal intact from his hand.

Li Liangyu said no more and bowed and left.

Holding the light yet heavy secret letter in his hand, Lu Chen sat quietly for a long time, his eyes obscure and unclear.

After nightfall, he came to Zhaoqiuyuan again.

Li Bingxue leaned on the couch and did not ask what he and Li Liangyu talked about.

Lu Chen came over and sat on the edge. He leaned over and put his ear on Li Bingxue's bulging belly, and whispered, "The little guy is very well behaved today. Could it be because he feels that his uncle is here?"

Li Bingxue smiled and said, "How can it be so magical?"

Lu Chen stood up, took out the still unopened letter from his arms, and said slowly: "My eldest brother-in-law left this letter before he left, saying that it was written to me by my father-in-law."

Li Bingxue did not take the letter immediately. Instead, she looked at her husband with some concern.

She was well aware of her father's loyalty to Da Qi, especially the relationship between him and Li Duan. If Li Duan relied on the support of Xue Nanting, Qin Zheng and Xu Zuo in the court during those years, then the solid defense line built by Li Tianrun on the border was his greatest confidence.

With Li Tianrun's shrewdness and vision, when he learned that Lu Chen killed Emperor Jing on the Lei Ze battlefield, he could foresee what would happen to the giant ship of Da Qi next.

From Li Tianrun's perspective, it is probably not difficult to guess the content of this letter. Even if Lu Chen is not affected, how can Li Bingxue stay out of it?
Looking at the worry in his wife's eyes, Lu Chen smiled and said, "Don't worry, if my father-in-law really wanted me to follow Marshal Yang's example, this letter would be handed directly to you instead of specifically pointing it to me."

Li Bingxue trembled and asked, "Really?"

"Let's watch it together."

Lu Chen sat side by side with her, then opened the letter, and the couple's eyes fell on the paper at the same time.

Soon, tears rolled down Li Bingxue's eyes. Lu Chen was also overwhelmed with emotions and reached out to hold her in his arms.

Li Tianrun wrote the following words at the end of the letter: "To be loyal to one family is a small loyalty, which is my way. To benefit the people of the world is a great loyalty, which is your way. My dear son-in-law Lu Chen, I hope you will be loyal to your own way, do not hesitate, do not retreat. Of course, I also have selfish motives. If you give in and the royal family regains power, your entire family will be destroyed. If you take power, you can keep the royal family bloodline alive. This move will also be of great benefit to you, so please consider it."

"The deeds of the past, regardless of loyalty or treachery, have nothing to do with you. I hope you will stick to your heart and create a prosperous world that will benefit the people."

"When the world is unified and at peace, you and Bingxue, bring your children to my grave and pour a cup of wine on the ground as a sacrifice."

"That's enough for me."

(End of this chapter)