Chapter 16 The Banquet of Thousand Years: Catching Turtles in an Urn

It's night, the banquet of Qianqiu.

The newly built high platform of the flying tower is majestic and magnificent, with carved red couplets and carved beams and painted pillars. The flying tower is surrounded by flowers and trees, which is lush and fragrant. It is very elegant. The middle area is paved with flat gray stone slabs, where the banquet is being held.

.

There are tables and seats set up high in the main position, and they are also arranged on both sides. Opposite is a temporary stage. Although the banquet has not yet begun, there are already dancers on the stage, performing warm-up music. Some of the officials and maids can't help but speed up.

Step by step, busy arranging displays.

At that time, a group of people walked quickly on the road leading to His Majesty's chamber.

The leader is Princess Jiaqing, who was originally the daughter of the Su family. She later married the late Emperor's youngest brother, Prince Jiaqing. She supported the Su family along the way and made good friends with the Queen Mother.

Next to her was Concubine Xiaorong, who was dressed in plain clothes and looked quite solemn.

"Why are you not even allowed in now?" the old princess asked sideways.

Concubine Rong lowered her head and replied: "Originally I gave in, but I guess today's banquet was a mixed bag. Your Majesty is getting better and doesn't want to cause trouble again."

The old princess snorted coldly and said, "The people present today are all royal relatives and nobles, from famous families. What trouble could happen? This is just to give an explanation to each family, so as not to lose control because of His Majesty's illness."

Thinking of the little princess of the Chu family, the old princess couldn't help but feel disgusted. She had been perverse since she was a child and had never obeyed discipline. She was brought back to Kyoto by General Chu. Instead, she led many young masters and ladies to ruin. She ran rampant all over Kyoto and was unseemly. She spent her whole life

I hate this the most.

She couldn't help but scolded: "You, you, you still speak for her. She lacks education and has always behaved erratically. What can she understand at such a young age? To put it bluntly, you are the biggest in the harem now, how can you let them do whatever they want?

I know you are in a difficult situation right now, but I don’t ask you to do anything else. Don’t let others say that you, a noble concubine, are weak and easy to bully, but you have lost the royal dignity!”

The old princess had long heard that Concubine Rong allowed a group of ministers to kneel in the forbidden palace and scream at the sky and the earth, and she immediately felt that it was quite inappropriate.

Now that she is old, she doesn't want to interfere with the affairs of the palace anymore, but this little Rong Noble Concubine only seems to be capable, but she is also a useless person together with the one who eats fasts and chants Buddha's name.

Concubine Rong once again put on a troubled look, her face was full of sorrow, and she said softly with lowered eyebrows: "What the old concubine taught you is that Rukawa sent the imperial army to guard the main hall, presumably because she was afraid that your majesty would go on a business trip again..."

When the old princess heard that the Forbidden Army was being mobilized, she couldn't help but raise her voice a few times. She turned her eyes and thought about it, and asked softly: "How can the Forbidden Army be at her disposal?"

Concubine Rong also pretended to be in disbelief, but she said tolerantly: "Perhaps it's because of the reception of the heavenly official a few days ago that your majesty and the princess are very well connected."

After pretending to mention it unintentionally, Concubine Rong stopped abruptly, raised her hand to help the old princess step onto the short steps, and continued: "This is just a matter of speculation. Maybe His Majesty has other plans and has not been informed."

The granddaughter of the old princess, surnamed Wen Xianwan, who was following behind calmly, said, "Your Majesty has other plans? Instead of discussing it with you, the empress, or your ministers, do you want to discuss it with her, a princess with a foreign surname?"

After hearing this, the old princess frowned, stood up with a straight face, turned sideways and said solemnly: "What does this matter have to do with you? Why don't you quickly go to the banquet and take a seat?"

An old nun beside the old princess immediately stood up, bowed, and said respectfully: "Second Miss, let's go to the banquet."

"Jin Bao." Concubine Rong called in a low voice, indicating that he would lead the way for Wen Xianwan.

Wen Xianwan flattened her mouth, twisted the handkerchief, flicked it, and followed aggrievedly.

Concubine Rong said again: "It's strange that even the Imperial Procuratorate intervened in this matter, and the main hall was surrounded by water. Just now you asked me about the news about your majesty. I didn't say it, but I really couldn't tell it...

…”

Before she finished her words, tears started to flow. Concubine Rong lowered her head to cover her face, twirling her handkerchief and began to cry softly. The servants behind her immediately bowed their heads and retreated.

Although the old princess was serious and indifferent, she couldn't bear to get up. She took Concubine Rong's hand and patted it, saying: "Don't be anxious. The Metropolitan Procuratorate is an agency directly under His Majesty. It should not do anything out of the ordinary. I'll just do whatever you want."

Take a look, I will see your Majesty today."

Concubine Rong sobbed a few more times, gradually put away her tears, and almost wanted to kneel down to thank her.

Soon, the two of them arrived at the main hall.

As expected, the main hall was surrounded up and down, left, right and left, with people standing guard every five steps, all wearing heavy armor.

Looking from a distance, Commander Wei was negotiating something with a man in black clothes. Concubine Rong's face became heavy and she helped the two old concubines walk away.

Before they even stepped half way through the main hall door, the man in black clothes blocked her, bowed and said, "Song Yanqing, the imperial censor of the Imperial Palace, has met the imperial concubine and Princess Jiaqing."

Concubine Rong frowned and looked him up and down. He was indeed a new face. She only knew that His Majesty often received letters from Goshawk and was full of praise for this wily and scheming imperial censor. However, she did not know that he was so young, handsome and even better than

Countless men from Beijing.

"Please, your Majesty, please stop." Commander Wei bowed together and stood in front of the palace. Behind him, the imperial guards tightened their swords in their waists and stood ready.

Concubine Rong's face became more solemn, her hands tightly twisting her sleeves.

When the old princess saw this, she sneered and said, "You can't even get in even if you are old?"

"Is there any reason why the princess has to move in?" Song Yanqing asked in a deep voice, standing with her hands behind her hands. Today, her mysterious clothes were much more refined, and her figure was even more upright.

"Your Majesty just fell off his horse and got sick. You have surrounded the main hall with water. On the contrary, I am more and more worried about your Majesty's safety." The old princess looked kindly, but her words were alluding to the wolfish ambitions of the Metropolitan Procuratorate.

After listening, Song Yan raised the corner of his mouth, nodded and chuckled, then raised his eyes and said: "Princess, you are too worried. The purpose of surrounding the main hall is to be wary of assassins who are still lurking in the palace..."

"What?!" After hearing this, the old princess tightened her hands, a trace of panic flashed in her eyes, and turned to look at Concubine Rong aside. Concubine Rong lowered her eyes and showed no emotion. On the contrary, the old concubine couldn't help but think.

He raised concerns about the safety of his granddaughter Wen Xianwan who left alone.

"What what?"

A clear voice came from behind everyone, followed by a burst of laughter, and then the man walked briskly in front of a few people, with a bright smile, and said: "What? Didn't the noble concubine tell you? Your Majesty did not fall from the horse, in fact,

It was caused by climbing a high platform at night and falling from a building. Ever since His Majesty became ill, people have seen the assassin's shadow running around the palace for several nights..."

"Here, it's the newly built one."

Chu Shou raised his hand and pointed to the towering flying tower over there, beckoning the old princess to listen. The surroundings were dark, but there was only light over there. Dance music, laughter, and excitement could be vaguely heard.

She is still dressed in green today. Although her hairstyle is simple, her makeup, hair, earrings, etc. are very delicate.

"I've met the princess."

Chu Shou looked at Song Yanqing who was worshiping, and pretended not to care much and waved his hand to invite him up. After all, the two of them were not familiar with each other.

"People in the palace are in panic now. You two are so bold. How dare you walk in the palace at night without fear of being kidnapped by the thief?" Chu Shou said jokingly.

The old princess wanted to speak, but Chu Shou blocked her back, "Come here, the banquet is about to start. We haven't escorted Princess Jiaqing yet. The imperial concubine has taken her seat."

"Do you really dare?" the old princess threatened through gritted teeth.

Chu Shou looked sideways and sighed: "Are you trying to force this junior to send someone to carry you over?"

Immediately, several heavily armored Imperial Guards came over with long swords in their hands, ready to stand ready.

Seeing that she couldn't stand it, the old princess snorted coldly, straightened her clothes, turned around and gave Concubine Rong a hard look, shook her sleeves and robe heavily, and then left.

Seeing the situation collapse, Concubine Rong no longer pretended to be casual. She stiffened her neck and ignored the soldiers, but walked leisurely to Chu Shou.

He took a deep breath, suppressed the anger in his heart, and said in a deep voice: "It was you who planned to host this Qianqiu Banquet. Now I just want to see your Majesty, but instead I have become a villain?"

Without waiting for Chu Shou to answer, he changed the topic, his eyes turned thousands of times, turned into a sharp blade and shot towards Wei Yucheng, and said sternly: "Commander Wei, what do you mean by this? Your Majesty is because of your omission.

You were killed by a gangster, I protected your whole family, and you betrayed your trust?"

Commander Wei lowered his head and said nothing.

At that time, His Majesty finished approving the memorial late at night, and on a whim, he climbed up to the unfinished tall building. He was tired from duty and failed to fulfill his responsibilities. His Majesty brought an internal official upstairs. When he reacted, Your Majesty smashed him in front of him.

, there is no way to save the day.

I thought I had missed a good opportunity, and the assassin had already escaped from the palace. Unexpectedly, many internal officials and maids were killed in the middle of the night. The matter had reached an irreversible situation. As the commander of the Forbidden Army, he could not escape the blame. The Forbidden Army was not allowed to escape.

He should have obeyed the instructions of the concubine in the harem, but he really had no choice, so he obeyed the concubine and acted for her.

The corners of Chu Shou's lips raised, he looked at her coldly and said, "Even if I don't mention it, we still have to hold the Qianqiu Banquet. You dare to do what the Second Su Rong clan doesn't dare to do."

Concubine Rong's heart was revealed, her eyes were scarlet and her mouth could not help but tremble. She had been planning for many days, but she was defeated in her hands.

The Witch Clan was destroyed, and she had no one to rely on except His Majesty. She had no confidence, and everyone could make fun of her. The only bargaining chip, the Crown Prince, followed the Rong family and wanted to betray her five years of upbringing.

She hated, hated the unfairness of this world. His Majesty said that he loved her and respected her, but he would rather leave her in the middle palace empty than send her to the back seat... Now, her only support has fallen, and people's hearts have

Liang Bo, in a few days, the Su family and the Rong family will all come to fight. They can fight, why can't she... If she doesn't just want to be the enemy of the whole capital, so what? If she is allowed to live a life of looking at others and listening to others.

During the day of deployment, she would rather fight to the death.

So she helped Wei Yucheng, the commander of the imperial army, to suppress the crime of neglecting his duties and failing to do things well, and dismissed the fall from the building as a fall from the horse.

In this way, the public opinion shifted from the Forbidden Army to her. Even though she was accused of being a witch and a demon concubine who harmed the country, as long as she had the Forbidden Army firmly in her hands, she would have the confidence to fight.

Chu Shou was right. The Qianqiu Banquet was a key step in her plan. She specially invited other royal family members, noble families, and family members of ministers from both the government and the public. When the banquet started, she called the imperial army to surround her as a threat.

There is no need for a crown prince. Then His Majesty, who has no true feelings for her, favors an official woman and has to disembowel her to have a son. So what if he establishes a crown prince? Why can't she be the second queen mother?

I thought the plan was foolproof, but unexpectedly, Cheng Yaojin showed up halfway. Yesterday, Wei Yucheng suddenly led his troops to tightly surround the main hall, and there was no news. It happened that the old princess who was accustomed to putting on airs entered the palace today.

She instigated and became the leader. She originally wanted to test it out, but unexpectedly she couldn't do anything...

In this way, her many days of planning came to nothing.

"It's your Majesty, it's your Majesty who asked you to do this, right? You two often write letters, he has already suspected me, right? He must have known that I gave him the official girl... all of this is

He forced me, he forced me..."

Concubine Rong became agitated, with tears streaming down her face. Her broken hair hung down, and she looked particularly haggard. On the side, Zhu Yi anxiously supported her and comforted her softly, trying to calm her down.

, there is no such thing as a good thing, things haven’t reached the point of irreversibility yet!”

Only then did Concubine Rong come back to her senses, she frowned slightly and thought, then she burst into laughter while crying, "Yes, yes, it's not irreversible... Liuchuan, Qingqing, can you let me go this time?"
To be continued...