"You are Xu Jin, the new branch leader?" The little official looked Xu Jin up and down, with obvious envy in his eyes.

Xu Jin nodded: "It's Xu Jin down there." ”

The little official smiled: "Sure enough, there is a talent, please come with me, and don't lose your square inches and etiquette when you see Lord Shangshu later." ”

Xu Jin's heart moved, and he dared to see Mao Cheng, the secretary of the Ministry of Rites, who was a pivotal figure in the court, and hurriedly said, "Thank you for reminding me." ”

Xu Jin followed the officials to a hall, and saw that many officials in plain clothes were busy. The emperor died to do the aftermath, and then he had to welcome the new king, and the officials of the Ministry of Rites were busy.

The little official took Xu Jin through the hall and came to a separate room, which was estimated to be the office of the head of the Ministry of Rites.

"Lord Shangshu, Xu Ziqian brings it!" The little official bowed his head and saluted respectfully to the back of the case.

At this time, sitting at the back of the case was the head of the six departments, Mao Cheng, the secretary of the Ministry of Rites, and the second rank of the senior member, who had already stepped into the cabinet with half a foot. Because the Ministry of Rites is the springboard to enter the cabinet, under normal circumstances, the Ministry of Rites will eventually enter the cabinet assistants, unless there is an accident. For example, if you commit a crime and are pulled down, or you are unlucky enough to get sick.

"Xu Jin meets Lord Shangshu!" Xu Jin bowed his hand and looked up at Mao Shangshu behind the case.

Mao Cheng was about sixty years old, his hair and beard were gray, he was wearing a plain suit, and his hair was tied up with white silk, at this time, he squinted his eyes and looked at Xu Jin for a few seconds, and then said in a slightly hoarse voice: "Xu Jin, you go back and prepare, and set off with this official tomorrow to meet the new monarch in Luzhou, Huguang'an." ”

Xu Jin chuckled in his heart, if this was the case, in fact, before coming to the Ministry of Rites, Xu Jin had a faint premonition, it turned out that he really let himself accompany him to greet the new monarch, and hurriedly said: "Xu Jin takes the order!" ”

Mao Cheng waved his hand and said, "Go, rush to the Ministry of Rites to gather before three o'clock tomorrow, don't miss the hour!" ”

Xu Jin bowed, and then calmly exited the room.

"It is rumored that this son is young and old, and now it seems that he is really advancing and retreating, calm, and he is indeed a talent!" Mao Cheng stroked his beard and nodded secretly, but his expression was a little complicated.

Welcoming the new monarch is a low-hanging fruit, and it was not the turn of Xu Jin, a new priest who didn't even have an official position. In fact, the original envoys to welcome the monarch were the second assistant Liang Chu, the secretary of the Ministry of Rites Mao Cheng, the Duke of Dingguo Xu Guangzuo, the Marquis of Shouning Zhang Heling, the concubine Duwei Cui Yuan, and the eunuch Gu Dayong.

However, Zhu Houxi, the son of King Xing, proposed to add one person, that is, Xu Jin, the new branch association. For Xinjun's small request, the cabinet naturally would not refuse, but with Xu Jin's status, it was obvious that he could not be the chief and deputy envoy of Yingjun, so he was arranged as an entourage of the Ministry of Rites.

Despite this, the old fritters in the officialdom all understand that this new branch will probably soon soar and become a hot upstart in the court. In terms of his own conditions, Xu Jin is the new branch of the Yuan, and it is almost a sure fact that he entered the Hanlin Academy, and besides, he has also saved Xinjun, and his wife is Xinjun's sister-in-law. With all these things, it's hard not to fly!

……

The house of Ming Shifang, the outer room of the back house, the two bright little cabbages in early spring and early summer, are playing with the glass mirror with their hearts.

"The mirror of the foreigner is so beautiful, it is so delicate, but it's a pity that it's too small, if only it could be bigger!" Early summer looked at herself in the mirror with picturesque eyebrows, and stroked her face a little narcissistically.

In fact, there were glass products before the Ming Dynasty, but due to too many impurities, they were all colored glass, which were only used to make some ornamental utensils, and there was no transparent glass, and it was impossible to have a silver-plated glass mirror on the back. In fact, until the end of the Qing Dynasty, the Chinese were still using copper mirrors.

Although the bronze mirror can reflect the appearance of people, its clarity naturally cannot be compared with the glass mirror, so when they suddenly saw the mirror made of glass, all the women screamed in surprise, and took turns to play with it.

At this moment, in the inner room, Xie Xiaowan and Yue'er were packing their luggage, the former was sullen and reluctant, because Xianggong was going to leave for Huguang tomorrow to pick up the little slave, and it was estimated that it would take a month or two to come and go. And Mei Wan Yue'er is happy, walking around briskly to pack things, her small waist is swaying and twisting, she was originally a palace maid from Xingwangfu, so this time she served the master.

"Little hoof, look at you. Seeing that the weather is about to get hotter, Xianggong is prone to sweating, bring more clothes, and be careful not to slip into mosquitoes when you sleep at night! Xie Xiaowan slapped Yue'er's buttocks and said a little sourly.

"Ouch, the maid knows!" Yue'er blushed and stuck out her tongue, the little waist didn't dare to sway so briskly anymore, carefully folded the old man's clothes, and then put them in the wooden box.

At the beginning of the next day (three o'clock in the morning), when the sky was still numb and dark, Xu Jin was called by Xiaowan, and after grooming and dressing neatly, Erniu drove to the Ministry of Rites to gather.

……

The guards of Xingwangfu in Anluzhou, Huguang are obviously much stricter than before, and even the garrisons of several guards near Anluzhou have been transferred to garrison outside the gates of the four cities. You must know that the prince in the Xingwang Mansion is not what it used to be, and he will soon fly for nine days, and the magistrate will not dare to be negligent. If, at this time, a thief sneaks into the city to plot against him, injuring or alarming the future emperor, then it will be a big trouble. Therefore, the local officials of Anlu Prefecture have been worried for several days, carefully guarding the safety of the Xingwang Mansion, and only hope that the embassy taken over by the imperial court will arrive soon.

At this moment, there are almost five steps and one post in the Xingwang Mansion, ten steps and one sentry, and all the palace guards stand with their heads held high and stand very vigorously. It's no wonder that as the so-called one person attains the Tao, the chicken and dog ascend to heaven, His Royal Highness the Prince will soon inherit the throne, and the status of these royal guards will naturally rise with the tide.

In the palace hall of Princess Xing, Princess Jiang was accompanied by a group of palace people, talking to Zhang Daoren who came to ask for peace.

Zhang Zhenren was dressed in a Taoist robe, dressed like a fairy wind and bones, was holding his beard, and said with an unfathomable face: "Princess Niangniang, when the first king was still alive, the poor Dao said that Anlu Prefecture is the land of Zhong Ling Xiangrui, and the feng shui where the palace is located is also wonderful, and there is an imperial atmosphere. ”

This is obviously an afterthought, putting gold on his face, anyway, Xingwang Zhu Youyuan has already returned to the west, as the so-called death has no proof, the ghost knows if he once said it.

The most important thing is that the Jiang clan of the Xingwang clan obviously likes to listen to this kind of auspicious words, and said with a smile: "Zhang Zhen's man-made skills are profound, can you make a hexagram for Xi'er to see if this entry into Beijing will go smoothly!" ”

Zhang Zhenren smiled and said: "Poor Dao watched the sky at night last night, which means that His Royal Highness the Prince's life star is getting brighter and brighter, and it has moved to the north, which is an auspicious omen for the Ninth Five-Year Plan, so you can know that His Royal Highness the Prince will enter the capital smoothly this time, and the auspicious stars will shine brightly!" ”

Zhang Shenstick sounded mysterious and mysterious, and Princess Jiang of Xing was so happy that she ordered someone to give a rich reward on the spot, and personally sent Zhang Shenstick out of the palace gate.

"Grandpa An, what are you doing now?" The princess sent Zhang Daoyou away, and asked An Dahai, the eunuch who was waiting by her side.

An Dahai is an old man who has waited for King Xing Zhu Youyuan, and he was the one who accompanied King Xing to Shangrao to pick up the little slave, and he had the highest status among the eunuchs in the palace, and after King Xing's death, he was also very relied on by Princess Jiang of Xing.

"His Royal Highness the Prince is studying in the study!" An Dahai said in a shrill voice.

Princess Jiang nodded when she heard this, as a mother, she could naturally detect that her son was obviously uneasy these days, in fact, let alone her son, even her mother was very uneasy, inheriting the throne is a great joy, but there is also a great risk hidden in it, she is orphaned and widowed, and the court has nothing to rely on, if there is any recurrence, the consequences are unimaginable.

Because of this, the Jiang family called Zhang Daoren to ask the good luck today, just to ask for psychological comfort. Jiang is not a smart woman, but she is not stupid, words like "the palace has the air of the emperor", how could Zhang Daoren have told her deceased husband before, this is a big taboo.

Of course, understanding is understood, but thousands of clothes are worn, and sycophants are not worn, so Jiang Shiquan listened to it as auspicious.