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Chapter 798: Extra: One Year Old

The New Year of the third year of Zhaoping arrived quietly.

Empress Dowager Zheng had been "recuperating in seclusion" and had not seen outsiders. Empress Dowager Li of Ning'an Palace had no interest in hosting a grand palace banquet and only held a family banquet in the harem.

The emperor and the Earl of Changning came to the banquet with Princess Baoer, and there were also several concubines from the palace. As for Concubine Fan Gui, she was nowhere to be seen.

Empress Dowager Li said in front of all the concubines: "Fan Gui Concubine is not very clear-headed now, and her words and actions are not very decent. It's the New Year, so don't let her come out to spoil the fun."

"I have not treated her badly. I have sent her a delicious meal. I will let Prince Ping go and keep her company in a few days."

Empress Dowager Li always took the emperor's interests into consideration when doing things.

He suppressed Concubine Fan Gui without losing the royal family's dignity.

Jiang Shaohua smiled slightly: "I'll trouble you, mother, with these trivial matters in the palace."

From Empress Dowager to aunt, and then to Queen Mother, only Empress Dowager Li knew the feeling.

Empress Dowager Li smiled happily, raised her glass and invited everyone to drink together.

As for the concubines, they have always had a weak presence in the harem. A few months ago, there was a riot in the palace, three palaces were burned down, and one of the concubines was burned alive. Since then, the concubines have been more low-key and more obedient.

After the palace banquet, the concubines left one by one.

Jiang Shaohua was not in a hurry to leave, but chatted with Empress Dowager Li.

Queen Mother Li smiled and said, "After the New Year, Baoer will be one year old. It's time to prepare for the birthday party."

Baoer was born at midnight on the sixth day of the Chinese New Year last year, and on the sixth day of this year, he was exactly one year old. This was a good day, as the Chinese New Year had not yet ended, and Jiang Shaohua had a rare moment of leisure.

Jiang Shaohua smiled and replied, "It's not necessary to celebrate the baby's first birthday. Just invite some relatives to the palace and have a few wedding banquets."

Who are considered relatives?

Queen Mother Li was very careful and asked a question. Jiang Shaohua thought for a moment and said, "Prime Minister Chen must come. The Lu and Cui families are legitimate relatives and can be summoned to the palace. The Wang and Li families can also come to the palace. And Minister Dong, Minister Yang, and Minister Ding, the three of them can also attend the banquet."

You can tell how close someone is by just listening.

Even Queen Mother Li couldn't help but secretly envy Prime Minister Chen in her heart. The monarch and his subjects were like grandparents and grandchildren, and they were close to each other. In Jiang Shaohua's heart, Prime Minister Chen was much more important than her, the Queen Mother.

Prime Minister Chen had been the chief official in the Nanyang Palace for decades, and had watched Jiang Shaohua grow up. After the death of the Nanyang King, Chief Official Chen single-handedly supported the palace. Later, when Jiang Shaohua came to power, Chief Official Chen willingly gave up and devotedly assisted the young princess.

Now, Princess Nanyang has become the Queen of Daliang. It is only natural that Chen Changshi, who has worked hard for decades, has become the Prime Minister of Daliang.

……

Princess Baoer's first birthday party was held under the attention of the public.

Minister Dong and others who were invited to the palace for the banquet straightened their backs, looking very proud.

Minister Zhang, who was not able to enter the palace, was very upset. He simply went to the Ji family and complained to Minister Ji: "Prime Minister Chen went to the palace for the banquet, there is nothing to say. The Lu and Cui families are relatives of the emperor, and the Wang and Li families all support the emperor's enthronement. Why can Minister Dong, Minister Yang, and Minister Ding go to the palace for the banquet, but Minister Zhou is not in the capital, leaving only you and me?"

"Isn't this intended to embarrass you and me?"

Minister Ji glanced at Minister Zhang who was filled with righteous indignation, and said calmly: "This is not a major event of the country. The princess's first birthday banquet is for the emperor's relatives. Minister Zhang and the emperor are neither related nor have any friendship, so what is there to be angry about?" You, Minister Zhang, are full of complaints in private, and you hold the Ministry of Personnel tightly and refuse to let go. Why should the emperor be nice to you?

Of course, these words are too sharp and hurtful, so there is no need to say them directly.

Minister Zhang was choked by Minister Ji's words, and his face looked a little ugly: "Minister Ji is really open-minded and generous."

Minister Ji chuckled twice and said, "I am also a man of age, so what is there to be upset about? Even if I am the Minister of Revenue, I won't be able to hold on for long."

Zhang Shangshu was startled and looked up suddenly: "What do you mean by that, Minister Ji?"

Minister Ji sighed and said, "We have been colleagues for decades. Now there are no outsiders, only you and me. I will say a few words from the bottom of my heart."

"Although the emperor is young, he has the appearance of a wise ruler. He has been on the throne for less than two years, and every single thing he has done is thrilling."

"The Zheng family is not a force to be recuperated. The Empress Dowager has gone into seclusion to recuperate, and Prime Minister Wang has also retired. Three of the six ministries have ministers, all of whom were promoted by the emperor."

"The Ministry of Works is having a hard time, and the Ministry of Revenue isn't much better. As for the Ministry of Personnel, you know the situation best."

"Minister Dai took the initiative to resign and got away with it. I plan to hold on for another year or two, and then submit a resignation letter. I will vacate the position of Minister of Revenue and let Chief Secretary Feng come to the capital as soon as possible. This will also prevent him from occupying the position all the time and making the emperor unhappy."

The Ministry of Revenue was in charge of the treasury of Daliang, and it was indeed the most important. The emperor also criticized the Ministry of Revenue the most. Of course, this also included a hint for Minister Ji to vacate his position as soon as possible.

Whether Minister Ji is willing or not, he has to face the reality and accept his fate as soon as possible.

Minister Zhang was furious, even more annoyed than Minister Ji: "Ridiculous! There are rules for the promotion of officials in the court. Minister Ji, you are diligent and conscientious in your work, why do you want to retire?"

Minister Ji laughed at himself and said, "Oh! There is no reason or reason. The emperor wants to use a trustworthy and capable person to manage the finances and grain. I am indeed not as good as Feng Changshi."

"If I don't know what's good for me and refuse to resign, I might be found to have done something wrong one day, and then I'll be beheaded and my property confiscated."

"It would be better for me to take the initiative and resign early. The emperor will give the Fan family some respect because I am sensible."

When he said the last sentence, Minister Ji looked at Minister Zhang meaningfully.

However, Minister Zhang refused to listen and kept persuading Minister Ji to give up the idea of ​​resigning.

Minister Ji thought to himself, "You are determined to go astray, and I can't do anything about it. If you don't back down and continue to compete with the emperor, I will wait and see what will happen to you."

……

"mother."

Baoer, who was already able to stagger, was wearing a bright red coat, with a bright smile on his chubby white face, and he kept calling for his mother.

Jiang Shaohua squatted down and waited patiently for Baoer to come over: "Come over by yourself."

Baoer took unsteady steps.

Cui Du stood by nervously, and from time to time he reached out to help. Baoer was also stubborn, and he actually pushed his father's hand away, and then continued to walk forward with a heroic spirit. He accidentally tripped over his right foot with his left foot, and sat on the ground with his buttocks.

Cui Du rushed forward, picked up Bao'er, and asked nervously: "Did you fall? Does it hurt?"