Re-embroidering life

In Qionglin Garden, tall pines and ancient cypresses are planted along the tooth path, and there are pomegranate gardens and cherry gardens on both sides. There are also many pavilions and terraces, which are magnificent and golden.

Today, the Qionglin Garden is contrary to its usual quietness. It is bustling with people coming and going, and the Qionglin Banquet is about to begin.

When the newly-appointed Jinshi finished his horse-riding parade and arrived at the banquet, many court officials were already seated here, toasting and chatting. The eunuch guided Ji Zimo to sit down at the top scholar's seat. Before he sat down, a court official in the uniform of the third rank came towards him. This man was about 40 years old, a little short and fat, with a pair of small eyes under two thick eyebrows and single eyelids. When he smiled, his eyes narrowed and became two curved lines, and even the eyeballs could not be found.

Ji Zimo hurriedly stood up and saluted.

"No need to bow, Mr. Top Scholar. I am Minister Ying from the Ministry of Works. I was the first one to read your palace examination paper, and I gave you an excellent grade." Minister Ying said with a smile.

Ji Zimo thanked him, and the two started chatting. Upon learning that Ji Zimo had been trained in Hong County for several months, Minister Ying suddenly realized: "No wonder your policy paper is meaningful and not just empty talk. I knew you had practical experience. How did you come up with the idea of ​​planting trees upstream? Although it takes a long time to take effect, it is a real cure for the problem."

After a few visits, the two of them felt that they had met too late. Minister Ying had already called each other brothers. He put his arm around Ji Zimo's shoulders and said, "Why don't you work in the Ministry of Works? We can work together to control the floods!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the eunuchs sang loudly, "Your Majesty has arrived!"

Everyone took their seats. The emperor, in his regular clothes, made some polite remarks as usual, encouraged the new scholars, and then left.

After the emperor left, the eunuch leaned over quietly and said to Ji Zimo, "Top Scholar, His Majesty invites you."

Ji Zimo's heart skipped a beat, he lowered his head and held his breath, followed the eunuch out of the banquet and came to the imperial sedan chair. The thick curtains of the sedan chair were lowered, and nothing could be seen. Only the emperor's voice came from inside, slow, low, and a little desolate.

"Ji Zhuangyuan, do you have a brother who was a Jinshi in the Xinyou year?"

Ji Zimo's heart was beating wildly, almost bursting out of his chest. My elder brother was just a fifth-rank official in a local government, and he passed the imperial examination more than ten years ago. How could the emperor remember it? Could it be that the court had never let go of what my elder brother had done...

He calmed himself down and took the initiative to explain: "Your Majesty, my elder brother's name is Ji Zixuan. He was a Jinshi in the Xinyou year, and later served as the Tongzhi of Jiangxia Prefecture. He was dismissed from office nine years ago for a crime."

No one knew what the emperor was thinking and he didn't speak for a long time.

Just when Ji Zimo was about to lose patience, the emperor asked, "How is your family now?"

Ji Zimo was startled again and quickly replied, "Everything is fine. Thank you, His Majesty, for your grace. Last year, you issued a commendation order to the Ji family and returned the mansion and land. The whole family has moved back to the old house and is living and working in peace and contentment."

The emperor did not speak again. The eunuch called for help, and the imperial sedan slowly moved forward. Ji Zimo stood up, cold sweat dripping from his forehead.

He had no intention of handling the rest of the banquet, and his mind was always wandering. In the eyes of the court officials, this top scholar was too arrogant, and he didn't take people seriously before he entered the officialdom. Fortunately, Ji Zimo learned to read people's expressions in Hong County, and soon discovered his mistake. He hurriedly pretended to be drunk and asked the eunuch to give him a cup of sobering soup.

When the court officials who had just complained about him saw this, they thought that he was not feeling well and did not take it to heart.

Soon, the eunuch who brought the hangover soup came over. He had nothing in his hand and said to him, "Mr. Zhuangyuan, there are rooms in the garden. If you are not feeling well, why don't you go over and rest for a while? I will bring the hangover soup to your room."

Ji Zimo was not feeling unwell, so he thought it would be good to go out and hide. He really had no mood to attend social events today. So he followed the eunuch obediently. The eunuch led him through the maze-like palace garden, and finally opened the door of a wing room and invited him in.

Unexpectedly, Ji Zimo said, "Young eunuch, I don't feel my headache anymore. I don't need to rest. I'll go back to the banquet first." Then he turned and left.

The young eunuch was dumbfounded behind him. Just as he was about to catch up, a woman's slightly hoarse voice rang out: "The number one scholar is leaving now?"

Ji Zimo shuddered slightly and turned around to look. A lady in gorgeous clothes was walking out of the room. She was about thirty-six or thirty-seven years old, well-maintained, with fair skin. She had beautiful features and a dignified temperament. The two faint crow's feet at the corners of her eyes not only did not destroy her beauty, but gave her a gentleness that came with the passage of time.

"Madam, what can I do for you?" Ji Zimo turned around and bowed, his whole body tense.

The woman noticed his stiffness and smiled softly, with a hint of charm on her dignified face. "Don't be nervous, I just admire the talent of the champion and want to talk to him."

The young eunuch immediately took the opportunity to come over and whispered in his ear, "This is Princess Dihua, your Majesty's cousin."

Ji Zimo was still confused. What did Princess Dihua have to do with him?

Princess Dihua looked at his stunned expression and smiled, "You are such a fool, it's a waste of your good looks."

After saying that, she walked closer to him. A faint fragrance came into Ji Zimo's nose along the breeze, and Ji Zimo couldn't help but take a step back.

Ji Zimo was a top three scorer in the imperial examination, so he was no fool. Princess Dihua's ambiguous words, actions, the way she looked at him, and the fact that the eunuch had deliberately led him here, made it easy to figure out what was going on.

Ji Zimo felt like he had eaten a fly, and the overnight meal was churning in his stomach. The woman's beautiful face fell into his eyes, not only did he not find it beautiful, but he avoided it like a carnivorous plant.

Ji Zimo's retreat and his expression of resistance naturally fell into Princess Dihua's eyes. Her gentle expression disappeared, replaced by a cold face, her eyes filled with silent anger: "Do you think that you can rise to the top just because you won the first place? Don't be so naive. I want to help you out with good intentions, don't miss this opportunity."

Ji Zimo bowed and said, "Thank you for your kindness, Princess. I think many people are looking forward to your support. Why don't you show more kindness and consider others?"

"Hahaha! Very good, you two are both so ungrateful." Princess Dihua turned back into her dignified and gentle face: "Forget it, I was just teasing you. I won't bother you today. You can go by yourself."

After saying that, a group of eunuchs and palace maids suddenly appeared in the yard and walked away behind Princess Dihua.

Ji Zimo took a step back in shock. Where were these people hiding before? How come he had no idea?

At this time, the eunuch came over again and said, "Ji Zhuangyuan, you have offended the princess badly today. His Majesty has no biological sister, and has always treated this cousin as his own sister. It is your blessing that she likes you!"

Ji Zimo looked at the eunuch coldly: "Little eunuch, are you from this palace or the princess's mansion?"

The eunuch choked up, and understood what he meant. He didn't even say hello, but just walked away with a flick of his sleeves.

Ji Zimo walked out alone following his memory. If it were an ordinary person, he would have long been lost in this huge palace. He had a photographic memory and an extraordinary memory, so he could barely find the way. When he came in, it was precisely because of the complex terrain that he became alert, otherwise, he didn't know what would happen if he entered that room today.

Princess Dihua mentioned them as a couple. Did she know Qinghua? Ji Zimo's calm eyes were filled with turbulence. It was okay to plot against him, but it was absolutely not allowed to plot against Qinghua.

When walking out of the palace, Ji Zimo looked back at the magnificent palaces. They were so magnificent, yet so filthy.