20 Monarchs Mind (1/2)
The Shangguan family was brightly lit the whole night. Other than the six-year-old third young miss, Shangguan Ning, who slept soundly, the rest of them worked all night.
By the time the sun rose on the second day, a new room had already been prepared by the crowd. Apart from the fact that the beams had not been moved, the walls had been painted snow-white, the windows had been replaced with new paper, and the door had been painted with fresh paint, making it seem as bright as new.
Shangguan Yong looked at the brand-new room and nodded, then said to his brothers in the army: ”This will do, many thanks brothers!”
The military officials laughed and waved their hands.
”We also came to invite Big Brother for a goblet of wedding wine!” Someone said, ”Big brother, when do you plan to set up the wine?”
Shangguan Yong's face immediately turned bitter. If his brothers hadn't said so, he would have forgotten, he would have had to set up a few tables for the wedding, but he wasn't prepared for that at all.
”That won't be difficult.” The military officer looked at Shangguan Yong's face and immediately said: ”Since there's no chef at home, just go to the restaurant and wrap up a few tables of food and wine.”
”That's right, big brother. The wine and food at the tavern outside won't cost much,” said one of the brothers, who seemed to have been through a lot in the past.
Shangguan Yong hesitated before saying, ”If someone from the Grand Preceptor's estate arrived, would the wine and food from the tavern work?”
Everyone fell silent. Marrying the Grand Preceptor's daughter might have been a blessing, but things really wouldn't be easy.
”If things really don't work out, can't our brothers gather together and go to the big restaurant to order a few tables? Can't they just keep the Grand Preceptor's estate from looking down on them?” After everyone thought for a while, someone came up with an idea.
Everyone agreed, and only Shangguan Yong shook his head, ”I can't ask you for more money. I'm not some rich man, even if you want to pretend you don't want to. Miss An Er should be a good woman, I think she won't mind. ”
”If Second Miss An cares about these things,” someone among the military officials said, ”she is not Big Brother's good companion.”
This sentence caused the people in the courtyard to remain silent for a long time.
Shangguan Rui said: ”Big brother, you should go to the court now, you should leave quickly.”
Shangguan Yong shook his head and mocked himself: ”Even if I was standing here and listening to His Highness, how can this be called going to court?”
”What did Big Brother say?” Immediately, a military official said, ”As long as we are willing to work hard in the military, are we still afraid that we won't be able to achieve anything?”
Shangguan Yong only smiled when he heard this and let his brothers rest at home. He left the house with an empty stomach and rode his horse to the palace alone.
Meanwhile, in an inner room of the imperial study, Eunuch Xie was personally carrying a brocade box that Grand Preceptor An had brought to the palace. He reported to the sect master, ”Your Majesty, the Grand Preceptor presented this box.”
”What is it?” The Shizong lowered his head as he asked without even raising his head. He was writing something down on the table.
”This servant has checked,” replied Eunuch Xie. ”This brocade box contains the embroidery from yesterday's Grand Preceptor's estate. The Grand Preceptor said to call for the moon to burn a lotus fragrance.”
Shi Zong raised his head. The embroidery in front of him was like a painting. The moonlight was bright and the pool was clear. The two green lotuses were slender and elegant, as if there was a faint fragrance wafting in the air despite the lack of wind. After looking at the embroidery for a long time, Shi Zong could even imagine An Jin sitting in front of the embroidery rack, focused on embroidery.
Eunuch Xie stood off to one side, watching the Emperornloolimg at the embroidery for a long time. He asked tentatively, ”Your Majesty, where should we put this embroidery?”
”Hang it there,” Shizong pointed casually.
”This servant obeys the decree.” Eunuch Xie did not say much, but quickly bowed and received the decree. ”Even if he was ableto guess, he would pretend to not know anything.” Your Majesty, ”Eunuch Xie took the decree, then said to the Emperor,” The Grand Preceptor's still outside the hall.
”I won't see him.” Shizong looked at the embroidery before him and said this word in a cold voice.