Chapter 45: Is this what the Emperor wants?
There are many prisons, bureaus and departments in the imperial palace, collectively known as the Twenty-Four Prisons.
Among them, the weaving bureau has extremely skilled tailors and craftsmen.
At the emperor's command, several old eunuchs who were thin but had sharp eyes walked into the hall, blinked their eyes, glanced at Lu Yi a few times, and then walked out without saying a word.
Yin Yuan sat lazily on the throne, gently stroking his face that was hurt by a bear's paw with his right hand. He put aside what happened last night and began to ask Lu Yi and Luo Qingzhou about the activities of the common people in the market.
Luo Qingzhou could only answer half of the questions he asked.
Being in a high position, especially in a "secret spy" agency like the Guard Palace, the news Luo Qingzhou usually received was nothing more than which ministers secretly made an appointment to visit a brothel, which minister had his face scratched by a "fallen grape trellis" at home, which minister's wife was jealous and ordered the killing of a concubine, etc.
When it comes to understanding the streets of the city, Lu Yi far exceeds Luo Qingzhou.
Gossip about other people's affairs, which daughter-in-law in Anlefang is virtuous, which widow in Min'anfang is charming, which grain shop is the most fair in trade, which silk shop habitually sells inferior goods as good ones, what are the current grain and salt prices in the market, which gangs are harsh on others at the various canal docks in Haojing City, which group of laborers and sailors' bosses are loyal, etc.
The emperor loved to listen, and Lu Yi had a lot of things to say.
The emperor nodded continuously with a smile, and Lu Yi became more and more proud as he spoke. He chattered on and on for more than an hour without realizing it, picking out the latest and interesting things that had happened in some major markets in Haojing City recently.
"Oh, serve tea, and seat yourself." Yin Yuan slapped his thigh vigorously, pointed at Lu Yi and Luo Qingzhou and said with a smile: "Hurry up, serve tea, and seat yourself. After talking so much, you must be thirsty, right?"
Several palace maids swiftly brought over two brocade cushions. Lu Yi and Luo Qingzhou thanked Yin Yuan and sat down.
Next to one of them was a small vase-shaped table, on which were placed an exquisite teapot and beautiful teacups.
Yin Yuan turned his head and smiled at Yu Changle, "Old Yu, tell your men to be more careful and stop focusing on those ministers... I'm tired of hearing about all the things they're doing."
Tapping his fingers on the armrest of the throne, Yin Yuan sighed, "We should be like Lu Qing and ask people about interesting things in the market. For example, the widow Ma in Sanliu Hutong, Jinbaoli, Min'anfang, is she really as good as silver?"
Lu Yi's mouth twitched.
Luo Qingzhou lowered his head, drank his tea, and dared not say a word.
Yu Changle smiled extremely awkwardly and looked at Lu Yi with great resentment.
As the emperor of the Dayinwu Dynasty, Lu Yi has been talking about gossip for more than an hour. Why are you still thinking Widow Ma?
"Lao Yu, please make some arrangements. One day, we can find an opportunity to secretly go to Sanliu Hutong for a stroll." Yin Yuan crossed his legs, his feet swinging back and forth, looking very comfortable.
"Come to think of it, I've never seen a widow in my life." Yin Yuan sighed heavily, "You can't leave any regrets in life, Lao Yu, don't you think this is the truth?"
Lu Yi held the teacup and drank the fragrant tea in small sips.
He had some understanding of the emperor's character.
However, speaking of widows... aren't there a large number of them in the palace? Isn't the current empress dowager the most distinguished widow in Dayin?
Eh?
Eh?
There was something wrong with what Yinyuan said.
Lu Yi lowered his head and stared at the tea leaf in the teacup very seriously.
There was something very, very wrong with what Yin Yuan said.
He hadn't seen the widow?
In other words, the Queen Mother is no longer a widow?
So, what about the legendary emperor who has passed away?
Yin Yuan dropped the topic of Widow Ma. He crossed his legs and looked at Lu Yi with a smile: "Mr. Lu, are you Lu from Jingyang? Are you a member of the Duke of Lai's mansion?"
Lu Yi put down the teacup, stood up, and smiled at Yin Yuan: "Your Majesty, I am now a descendant of the Tian'en Marquisate... Tian'en Marquis is my uncle. He made great contributions in the past, and Your Majesty bestowed the title on him. The Tian'en Marquisate was separated from the Laiguogong Mansion."
"Oh, oh, Lu Yu's nephew." Yin Yuan laughed: "Lu Yu is a loyal minister."
Shaking his head, Yin Yuan said with emotion: "Thinking back then, I was young and full of energy. I thought I had practiced martial arts well, so I ran to the 'Canglang Courtyard' in Jiuqu Garden to fight with the group of more than 300 iron-backed wolves that had just been sent there."
His cheek twitched, and Yinyuan subconsciously reached out and touched his butt hard.
"Tsk, tsk, luckily Lu Yu came to the rescue, I still got hit twice, half of my butt was almost torn off."
"Poor Lu Yu, tut tut, he protected me and escaped from Canglang Court, but he himself was bitten... It was a bloody mess, a horrible sight."
"However, I can understand that Lu Yu is just an ordinary branch of the Duke of Lai's Mansion. In the Yulin Army, he is just a small captain."
"His cultivation at that time was not that great. In order to save me, he risked his life!"
Yin Yuan shook his head regretfully: "There is no greater merit than saving the emperor. I originally wanted to confer him the title of Duke, but too many people opposed it. Even the Duke of Lai's Mansion strongly opposed it, so I could only confer him the title of Marquis."
Lu Yi smiled and said nothing.
No wonder there are only rumors outside that Lu Yu had made great contributions and was granted a title by the emperor, but no one has ever said what contributions Lu Yu had made!
You really can't tell anyone about this, right?
A dignified emperor jumped into a wolf's den and fought with a group of wild wolves. He was nearly bitten to death. Lu Yu risked his life to save the emperor, but was bitten to pieces by a group of wild wolves... This is not the merit of conquering enemy countries and punishing disloyalty. If you put this achievement in history books, it would be a disgrace to your ancestors!
No wonder Lu Yu himself never mentioned how he was granted the title of marquis.
"Lu Yu's kung fu is still a little weak." As he was talking, Yin Yuan changed the subject again: "In the lineage of Duke Lai of Jingyang, Lu, there used to be a very powerful one, called... Lu, Lu... Lao Yu, the one who defeated most of the Yulin Army by himself during the internal competition of the Yulin Army. The one that Father liked the most?"
"Lu Xiu!" Yu Changle hurriedly said with a smile: "Lu Xiu, the 'Dragon Spear of the Broken Army', was in the Yulin Army back then. Although there were several other generals with similar reputations, I remember clearly that the generals in the Yulin Army all acknowledged that Lu Xiu was the number one general in the Yulin Army, including the General Yuwei at that time, who was convinced."
"Yes, Lu Xiu." Yin Yuan nodded and said, "Lu Xiu's kung fu is much stronger than Lu Yu's."
Lu Yi coughed lightly and said, "Your Majesty, General Lu Xiu is my grandfather."
Yu Changle narrowed his eyes and smiled kindly.
Yin Yuan suddenly opened his eyes wide: "Oh? Lu Xiu is your grandfather? As expected, looking at your figure and your appearance, well, well, not bad, not bad. What about your father?"
Lu Yi laughed dryly: "My father is Lu Chan."
Yin Yuan gently patted his forehead, frowned and murmured: "Lu Yu? Lu Yu? This name is also very familiar to me..."
After tilting his head and thinking hard for a while, Yin Yuan suddenly slapped his head and said, "Ah, is it because I was born tall and big, and usually speak and act in a gentle and refined manner, but when I fight I become like a mad dog?"
Lu Yu's face twitched violently.
Like 'Mad Dog'?
He didn't know that his father had such glorious deeds.
After all, how old was Lu Yi when Lu Yu left him and ran away from home, his whereabouts unknown?
"It's him." Yin Yuan saw the change in Lu Yi's expression, and he laughed happily: "He was my study partner for two years. He was the disciple of the Minister of Internal Affairs. The old man, the Minister of Internal Affairs..."
Yu Changle coughed a few times hurriedly.
Yin Yuan rolled his eyes and glared at him resentfully: "What are you afraid of? What are you afraid of? That old man hasn't shown up for nearly ten years. Who knows, he might be dead somewhere out there. Why should I be afraid of him?"
"Oh, back then, when that old bastard, the Minister of Internal Affairs, used a ruler to force me to study, your father, Lu Yu, would read the books from the Secret History Bureau, and he specifically picked those books about demons, ghosts, foxes, and fairies."
Yin Yuan licked his lips vigorously. "He also secretly found some interesting books for me. Tsk, those vixens are really getting worse with each generation. Back then, they would turn into beauties to seduce scholars. Why are they nowhere to be seen now?"
Yu Changle smiled helplessly.
Lu Yi and Luo Qingzhou laughed awkwardly.
Yin Yuan murmured with great longing: "But, it's not bad. Although there are no fox spirits now, there are beautiful female ghosts... It seems that it's not bad either."
"What do you think, how can we tie up that female ghost?" Yin Yuan frowned and fell into thought.
Yu Changle coughed heavily.
Yin Yuan sighed, put down his legs, and looked at the sky outside the window: "It's almost noon, get ready, serve the meal. Lao Yu, Lu Qing, and the one with the big head, your name is... Luo Qingzhou, right? Luo Qing, have lunch with me. Those four bear paws can't be wasted."
With a sigh, Yin Yuan looked at Lu Yi again, and pointed at him with a smile on his face: "Grandson of Lu Xiu, son of Lu Yu, hee, I will remember you. Lu Xiu was my father's most trusted and close minister back then, and Lu Yu and I also have a friendship."
"Lu Yu, do a good job."
"The Palace Guard is different from the Outer Court. In the Outer Court, if I want to promote a county magistrate, there will be a group of people making a fuss."
"But the Guardian Palace is an inner court agency. I can do whatever I want and promote whoever I want."
"Work hard and make more contributions. For example, make Bai Changkong vomit blood again. It would be even better if you can piss him off to death. If you really piss Bai Changkong off to death, I will make you a baron!"
Lu Yu raised his eyebrows.
The emperor actually has such a dislike for Bai Changkong?
This really suits Lu Yi's taste.
Luo Qingzhou standing by was so jealous that his eyes turned red. Has Lu Yi been remembered by the emperor?
Sure enough, having a good grandfather and a good father is something that a minister like him who is more 'down-to-earth' and 'conscientious' is going to take advantage of.
The red robe that Luo Qingzhou was wearing was earned by him after working hard as a palace guard for more than 20 years.
But what about Lu Yi?
Luo Qingzhou wanted to vomit blood and he didn't want to talk.
Just at this moment, footsteps were heard, and a dozen young eunuchs carried a sedan chair and walked in swayingly.
Prince Yinqi of Lancang was lying on a sedan chair. As soon as he entered the hall, he was so excited that he danced and shouted: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, hey, I really saw a ghost last night. Guess who the female ghost leader was?"
Yin Yuan sneered and curled his lips.
