The sound of silk and bamboo wind music sounded melodiously in my ears.

Zhao Xu slowly opened his eyes and looked at the figure sitting in front of him.

"Mother!" He woke up from the bed.

Memories before going to bed appear in my mind.

Prisoner presentation ceremony, Ancestral Temple, sacrifice...

Therefore, Zhao Xu laughed at himself and said in his heart: "Physically speaking, my body is still too small."

There is no way, although he has been working hard and paying attention to nutritional balance.

However, he was still too young after all.

It is really difficult for the body to support long-term high-intensity political activities.

Therefore, after reluctantly hosting the sacrifice at the Ancestral Temple, I boarded the carriage back to the palace. I couldn't hold on any longer and fell asleep on the carriage.

He vaguely remembered that the Queen Mother carried him back to the palace along the way.

Empress Dowager Xiang stretched out her hand to hold Zhao Xu's little hand, and said with a smile: "Brother Six, are you awake?"

"Yes!" Zhao Xu nodded and asked, "How long have you been sleeping?"

"Soon, just over an hour." The Queen Mother smiled and asked, "Brother Six, do you need some food?"

"Yeah!" Zhao Xu nodded.

So, Wen Xunniang, who had been carefully serving the Queen Mother, fetched a cup of meat porridge that had been cooked from the palace, took it to the Queen Mother, picked up a porcelain spoon, and blew it first

He blew the meat porridge, then tasted the taste, and then said to Zhao Xu: "Sixth brother, please try the meat porridge cooked by the queen."

Zhao Xu immediately opened his mouth obediently and allowed the Queen Mother to feed him spoonful by spoonful.

Soon, a small cup of meat porridge was eaten cleanly. He patted his belly and said happily to the Queen Mother: "The meat porridge cooked by the Queen Mother is the most delicious, unlike Feng Jing's, who is always worse.

The taste is so unpleasant to my son!"

Empress Dowager Xiang took out a handkerchief, wiped the porridge marks on the corners of Zhao Xu's mouth, and said with a smile: "How can the Queen Mother's meat porridge compare to the chefs in the imperial kitchen?"

Zhao Xu replied: "The imperial chefs are only skilled in their craftsmanship and have only limited skills. How can they compare to the mother who cooks the food for her son with her own hands?"

Queen Mother Xiang was immediately moved.

This child can always say such words that make her feel deeply satisfied and happy.

Therefore, although she actually doesn't like arguing with others, she hates intrigue even more.

But for the sake of this child, she persisted.

Not only did he participate in government affairs regardless of weather conditions, but he would also appear at the Qingshou Palace even if he sometimes felt unwell.

He will also look at almost all important personnel appointments and promotions.

All I can say is that this is the greatness of maternal love.

Zhao Xu lowered his head slightly and asked: "Queen Mother, how was the birthday banquet in Qingshou Palace?"

Xiang Empress Dowager smiled and said: "Now, my concubine is being favored by the ministers!"

Zhao Xu said oh.

In the Song Dynasty system, on the holy day of the emperor and empress, all ministers had to write imperial poems to congratulate them.

The Empress Dowager is also a face-loving and pompous person.

Last year, because Zhao Xu's father died, he did not receive imperial poems.

This year, I finally have the opportunity, why don’t I take a good look and appreciate it?

Empress Dowager Xiang then continued: "I heard that Su Zhe, a storyteller in Jiying Palace, wrote an imperial poem that was quite appropriate for the occasion, and it won a lot of acclaim!"

"Su Che's poems are certainly good!" Zhao Xu nodded.

After all, he is one of the Eight Great Masters of the Tang and Song Dynasties.

Articles and poems are not weak. In fact, if Su Shi's light was not too dazzling.

Su Che's article alone can kill countless people instantly.

Not to mention, the letter of greeting Su Che wrote to Han Qi when he was young can be regarded as a model for young people in the Middle Ages to pay homage to nobles.

Officials who want to make progress should take a look and learn seriously what it means to be neither humble nor overbearing, how to attract the leader's attention, and how to arouse the leader's curiosity.

"Now the ministers in the palace are still writing poems according to the imperial edict. Do you want to go and see the sixth brother?" asked the Queen Mother.

Zhao Xu shook his head: "My son is young and doesn't know much about poetry. It's better not to show off his shame and talk more with the queen here."

Although Zhao Xu's poetry level is not bad, his literary literacy and appreciation level are also very high.

However, since he woke up in Qingning Palace, he has been deliberately conveying to the outside world an attitude that I don't like poetry.

At the Sutra banquet, the officials composed poems, but he never commented on them.

It's a subtle political statement.

Queen Mother Xiang also knew this, so she said, "The Queen Mother will accompany Sixth Brother here to talk."

The mother and son sat in front of the couch and started chatting about their daily life.

This is also what Zhao Xu often does after summer break.

When he had time, he would go to Baoci Palace to talk to Empress Dowager Xiang, and even took time to walk with her and enjoy flowers.

Every three to five days, he would stay in Baoci Palace for a while.

Especially after June, when the drought began to ease and thunderstorms occurred, Zhao Xu would always go to Baoci Palace to accompany the Queen Mother.

In terms of details, it is almost perfect.

Zhao Xu's mouth is very sweet, and he can always say words like 'the most filial piety' and 'the pure saint' from time to time.

Therefore, the relationship between mother and child is not alienated at all, but is even closer.

When mother and son were talking in the inner chamber of Qingshou Palace, they were in the main hall of Qingshou Palace.

The imperial poems presented by the ministers have been read out.

The Empress Dowager was laughing from ear to ear as she listened to the poems praising her holiness and kindness.

Therefore, the imperial edict bestowed gold and silver, and selected some of her favorite imperial poems and ordered them to be framed, intending to appreciate them carefully in the future.

At this time, Liang Congji, the chamberlain beside the Empress Dowager, tiptoed into the curtain and reported in a low voice: "Your Majesty, the Ministry of Rites has said that the congratulatory envoys from all over the world are all ready. Please tell me when will we arrange to enter the palace to congratulate you?"

"

The Empress Dowager finally remembered and asked Liang Weijian who was serving beside her: "Liang Yaban, send someone to see if the officials are awake?"

"No." Liang Weijian accepted the order and left.

…

"Your Majesty, our envoys from all over the world are about to enter the palace to congratulate you." Liang Weijian arrived at the inner chamber, looked at the figures inside the curtain from a distance, and reported outside the curtain.

Empress Dowager Xiang held Zhao Xu's hand and said, "Sixth brother, it's better not to keep the envoys from various countries waiting."

"Well!" Zhao Xu stood up and was served by the female officials led by the Shang Palace Zhang who was beside the Queen Mother. He put on the plain white emperor's uniform, and then the mother and son were surrounded by Yu Longzhi led by Yan Yuan.

After getting off, I left the inner bedroom, passed through the corridor, and came to the curtain of the main hall.

"The bride congratulates the empress on her birthday."

"Sun Chen congratulates the great mother on her birthday!" Mother and son saluted to the great empress dowager.

The Empress Dowager was very happy today and immediately said: "Empress Dowager, officials, please get up quickly."

He bowed to the Queen Mother and Zhao Xu again before getting up.

Empress Dowager Xiang sat upright on the right side of the Empress Dowager, while Zhao Xu sat on a mattress in the middle of the two palaces, looking at the ministers outside the curtain through the curtain.

At this time, the ministers had already stood up and held fluorene to greet Zhao Xu as he ascended the throne.

After he sat down, the officials took their seats one after another.

Next, there is a long and boring part of congratulations from envoys from various countries.

People entering the palace to congratulate them vary according to their size and their relationship with the Song Dynasty.

It started with the envoys of Liao and ended with the chieftains of the five surnames in the southwest.

There is nothing to say. We are all decent people, especially in such a situation.

Even the party members would give enough face to them on such an occasion, obediently follow the terms of the peace between the two countries, and congratulate the Empress Dowager of the Song Dynasty as the "King of Xia Envoy", as shown above.

All Zhao Xu needed to do was respond mechanically and say those few words back and forth in a programmed manner.

However, this process is the most time-consuming.

By the time the process was completed, it was already dusk.

According to the custom and tradition, the Empress Dowager gave a banquet in this birthday celebration palace to entertain the prime ministers, elders, clan relatives, generals and envoys from various countries.

To be honest, the palace banquets of the Song Dynasty were just about sumptuous dishes.
To be continued...