Chapter 16: The Feast of Thousands of Ages: Catching a Turtle in a Jar

That night, a feast for thousands of years.

The newly built Feilou platform is grand and magnificent, with red carvings and carved beams and painted buildings. The Feilou is surrounded by flowers and trees, lush and green, with fragrance everywhere, and is very elegant. There is a flat painted grey stone slab in the middle, and the banquet is blooming here.

There were tables on the high side of the front seat, and there were also rows on both sides. Opposite was the table. Although the banquet had not yet begun, there were already dancers on the stage, making a warm-up song. Some internal officials and maids couldn't help but speed up and were busy setting up displays.

At that time, on the way to Your Majesty's bedroom, a group of people walked quickly.

The leader was Princess Jiaqing, who was originally a daughter of Su. Later, she married Prince Jiaqing, the youngest brother of the previous emperor, and supported the Su family all the way and had a good relationship with the Queen Mother.

Following Concubine Xiaorong, who was dressed in plain clothes and was much more solemn.

"How come you don't even let you in now?" the old princess asked sideways.

Concubine Rong replied with her first glance: "It was originally a gift, but I think it was because today's banquet was mixed with good and his Majesty was getting better and he didn't want to cause trouble again."

The old princess snorted coldly, saying: "The people attending today are royal relatives and nobles, famous families, what can happen to them? It's just to give an explanation to each family, don't lose your composure because of your majesty's illness."

Thinking of the little princess of the Chu family, the old princess couldn't help but get bored. She was obedient since childhood and never obeyed discipline. She was brought back to Kyoto by Old General Chu. Instead, she led many young masters and ladies. The rampage in Kyoto was unconventional, and she despised this most throughout her life.

He couldn't help but say angrily: "You, you are still talking for her. She is lacking in upbringing and has always been eccentric in her behavior. What can you understand at a young age? To put it bluntly, now the harem is the biggest, so why should they let them mess around? I know that you are difficult to deal with at this moment, and I don't ask you to do anything. Don't tell people that you, the imperial concubine, are weak and easy to bully, but have lost the royal face!"

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

She is now old this year and she doesn't want to interfere in the palace anymore, but this Concubine Xiaorong just seems to be capable, but she is also a useless person with the method of eating vegetarian food and chanting Buddha's name.

Concubine Rong changed into a embarrassed look, with a sad face, and said softly with a lowered eyebrows and pleasing to the eyes: "What the old princess taught her is that Rukawa had sent the imperial guards to guard the main hall, and I think she was afraid that Your Majesty would go on a business trip again..."

When the old princess heard about the mobilizing the Imperial Guard, she couldn't help but say a few loud noises, turned her eyes and thought, and asked softly: "Can the Imperial Guard let her dispatch?"

Concubine Rong also pretended to be incredible, but said leniently: "Maybe because he welcomed and sent the Heavenly Office a few days ago, His Majesty and the Princess are very familiar with each other."

After pretending to mention it unintentionally, Concubine Rong stopped abruptly, raised her hand to support the old princess onto the short stairs, and continued: "This is just a matter of catching things. Maybe His Majesty has made other arrangements and has not been informed."

The old princess granddaughter Wen surnamed Xianwan, who followed behind quietly, responded, "Your Majesty has other arrangements? Don't discuss with you, the Empress, and do you want to discuss with her, a princess with a foreign surname?"

After hearing this, the old princess frowned, stood with a stern face and said solemnly: "What does this matter have to do with you? Why don't you go to the banquet to sit down quickly?"

An old nanny next to the old princess immediately stood up and bowed respectfully, saying, "Miss Two, let's go to the banquet."

"Jinbao." Concubine Rong called out in a low voice, signaling him to lead the way for Wen Xianwan.

Wen Xianwan flattened her mouth, twisted the veil, and followed her with grievance.

Concubine Rong said again: "It's just that even the Censorate intervened, and it made the main hall surrounded by water. You just asked me about the news about Your Majesty. I really can't tell you..."

Before he finished speaking, tears flowed first. Concubine Rong lowered her head and covered her face, twisted her veil and cried quietly. The servant behind her immediately bowed and retreated.

Although the old princess was serious and indifferent, she couldn't bear it. She held Concubine Rong's hand and patted her: "Don't be anxious. The Censorate is the direct agency of Your Majesty. She should not do anything out of the ordinary. Let's take a look at you and you will definitely see Your Majesty today."

Concubine Rong sobbed a few more times, gradually put away her tears, almost kneeling down to express her gratitude.

Soon, the two arrived at the main hall.

As expected, the main hall was surrounded by water and water, and each person was surrounded by five steps, wearing heavy armor.

From a distance, Commander Wei was negotiating something with a man in a mysterious clothes. Concubine Rong's face became heavy and she helped the old princess and walked away.

Before he stepped into the main hall gate, the man in black clothes made an act to stop him and said, "Shen Guan Censor Song Yan had met the Imperial Concubine and Princess Jiaqing."

Concubine Rong frowned and looked at him from above and below. She was indeed a strange face. He only knew that His Majesty often received letters from Gangying and praised this scheming and concise censor, but he didn't know that he was so young and handsome, better than countless men in the capital.

"I'll ask the queen, the princess to stop." Commander Wei stood in front of the hall, and the imperial guards behind him held the swords in his waist tightly and were ready for battle.

Concubine Rong's face became more and more serious, and her hands tightly twisted her sleeves.

Seeing this, the old princess sneered and said, "Is it impossible for me to enter even if I am old?"

"Can the princess have a reason to enter?" Song Yanqing stood with his hands behind his back. Today, he was much more refined in his mysterious suit, and he was more upright and straight, asking in a deep voice.

"Your Majesty is just falling off a horse and getting sick, so you can't escape the main hall. My body is getting more and more worried about Your Majesty's safety." The old princess looked at the kindness, but she was hinting at the Censorate's ambition.

After listening to this, Song Yan raised his lips, nodded and chuckled, then raised his eyes and said, "The princess is too worried. She guards the main hall to guard against the assassins in Shang Qian's palace..."

"What?!" After hearing this, the old princess tightened her hands, and a hint of panic flashed in her eyes. She turned her head to look at Concubine Rong beside her. Concubine Rong lowered her eyes, but she didn't feel any emotion. Instead, the old princess couldn't help but think about the safety of her granddaughter Wen Xianwan who had left alone.

"What?"

A clear voice came from behind everyone, and then there was a chuckle. Then the man walked to the few people with a bright smile and said, "What? Didn't the concubine tell you? Your Majesty did not fall off a horse, but was caused by climbing the high platform at night and falling from the building. Since Your Majesty got sick for several nights, someone saw the shadow of the assassin running through the palace..."

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

Chu Shou raised his hand and pointed at the towering flying building over there, signaling the old princess to listen. The surroundings were dim, but there was a light on the other side, and he could vaguely listen to the dance music, laughter, and lively.

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

"I've seen the princess."

Chu Shou looked at Song Yanqing who was worshiping, pretending not to care, waved his hand, and signaled to ask for it. After all, the two of them should not be familiar with each other.

"The people in the palace are now in panic. You two are bold. You dare to walk at night in the palace, and you are not afraid of being caught by the thief?" Chu Shou said jokingly.

The old princess wanted to speak, but asked Chu Shou to stop him again, "Come on, the banquet is about to begin. I will not escort Princess Jiaqing, and the imperial concubine will sit down."

"You really dare?" the old princess gritted her teeth and threatened.

Chu Shou sighed sideways: "Is this going to force the younger generation to send you over?"

Then several heavily armored imperial guards came with long swords and were ready to fight.

When the old princess saw that she could not resist, she snorted coldly, sorted out her clothes, turned her head and gave Concubine Rong a fierce look, shook her sleeves heavily, and then left.

Seeing the situation collapse, Concubine Rong stopped pretending and stubbornly stubbornly, ignoring the soldiers, and walked slowly to Chu Shou.

He took a deep breath, suppressed his anger, and said in a deep voice: "You are asking for this Qianqiu Banquet. Now I just want to see Your Majesty, but I have become a villain?"

Before he could wait for Chu Shou to answer the conversation, he changed his mind, his eyes turned into a sharp blade and shot towards Wei Yucheng, and said sternly: "Master Wei, what do you mean? Your Majesty was harmed by evil people because of your omission. I protected your whole family, and you were actually traitorous?"

Commander Wei bowed his head and said nothing.

At that time, His Majesty completed the memorial late at night and climbed the unfinished high-rise building on a whim. He was tired at the time of duty and failed to fulfill his responsibilities. His Majesty brought an internal official upstairs. When he realized that, His Majesty smashed him in front of him and was unable to turn things around.

I thought I missed the opportunity, and the assassin had already escaped from the palace. Unexpectedly, many internal officials and maids were killed in the middle of the night, and the matter had reached an irreversible situation. As the commander of the imperial guards, he was scolding him. The imperial guards should not have followed the orders of the concubines in the harem, but he really had no choice but to obey the imperial concubine and acted for her.

Chu Shou curled his lips and looked at her coldly and said, "Even if I don't mention it, this Qianqiu Banquet will still be done. You dare to do something that Su Ronger dares not do."

Concubine Rong was expressed with her heart, her eyes were scarlet and her mouth couldn't help but tremble. She planned for many days but was defeated by her.

When the witch clan was destroyed, no one was reliable except His Majesty, and no confidence. Everyone could mock her. The only bargaining chip - the prince also followed Rong and wanted to betray her for five years of raising her.

She hated, hated the unfairness of the world. His Majesty said that he loved her and respected her, but he would rather be in the central palace than send her to the rear... Now, her only backing has fallen, and people's hearts are cold and in a few days, the Rong family of Su will come to fight. They can fight. Why can't she... just be enemies of Kyoto, so what? If she wants to live a life of looking at people's eyes and listening to others' dispatch, she would rather fight to the death.

So she helped the imperial commander Wei Yucheng suppress the crime of omitting duties and ineffective work, and said that falling from the building was like falling from a horse.

In this way, public opinion came from the imperial guards to her. Even if she was scolded for being a witchcraft demon concubine, as long as she held the imperial guards firmly in her hands, she would have the confidence to try it out.

Chu Shou was right. Qianqiu Banquet was a key step in her plan. She specially invited royal relatives, nobles, prominent families and family members of the court and the ministers of the government and the court and the court and the court were the first to call the imperial guards to surround him. Using this as a threat, he would not want the crown prince. His Majesty, who had no true love for her, favored an official woman, and so what if she was digging her belly to take her son. Why couldn't she be the second queen mother?

I thought the plan was foolproof, but I knew that Cheng Yaojin had emerged halfway. Yesterday, Wei Yucheng suddenly led his troops to guard the main hall. There was no news. It happened that the old princess who was accustomed to pretend to behave and entered the palace today. She instigated her to become a leader in a few words. She originally wanted to test it, but she could not help...

In this way, her planning for many days failed.

"It's Your Majesty, it's Your Majesty who asked you to do this, right? You both often send letters, and he had long doubted me, right? He must have known that the official woman was given to him by me... All of this was forced by him, he forced me..."

Concubine Rong was excited, and tears flowed big, with broken hair hanging down, looking particularly haggard. Juyi, anxiously supported her and circled her, comforted her softly, trying to relieve her, "Empress, knowing her mistakes can be corrected, and it is not as good as it can be done, but things have not yet reached an irreversible level!"

Concubine Rong came to her senses, frowned slightly and thought, and cried and laughed, "Yes, yes, it's not that irreversible... Rukawa, Qingqing, would you please let me go this time? They forced me, the witch clan was destroyed, I have nothing to rely on anymore... You should understand mine! Qingqing!"

Concubine Rong dragged her body forward and grabbed Chu Shou, looking at her with tears in her eyes almost begging. She cried so hard that she could not hold her back, but she grabbed her tightly, making her unable to stabilize her body.

Chu Shou was dragged by her, watching her want to speak but stopped, and didn't know how to say it for a moment. When she was stunned, Concubine Rong was pushed away by Song Yanqing. He took off his strength and prevented the Concubine from being pushed to the ground, and then protected her firmly behind her.

A familiar fragrance came to his face and hugged it in his arms again. Chu Shou then realized that the banquet was about to begin. He gently pulled his sleeves, looked up, and nodded at his worried expression. She stood out and said softly: "It was because I was thinking about the witch clan that I would not have committed a huge disaster. Why don't you think about it? Even if you are embraced to a high position, how should the witch clan do it in the future?"

"The Witch Clan is in decline, but you are still the Imperial Concubine. Today's Qianqiu Banquet is the protagonist. Juyi, take the Empress to wash it again..."

Chu Shou stayed for a moment and lowered his eyes and said:

"Have a banquet."

@

With Concubine Rong's seat, the banquet officially began.

The dancer was graceful on the platform built high in front of everyone, and the song was surrounded by the flying eaves. The audience was filled with joy, greeting each other, and the heat was steaming. They ordered the drinks to be drunk, and they all turned slightly drunk and blushed, even the wind was warm.

"You said that the white and clean little man is the real Censor of the Censorate?" Princess Changle sat upright in the upper seat, and the black wooden chair carved with the sea god flowers reflected a gloomy light and shadow. The eyelids were covered with thick crystal blue pink shadows and twitched slightly, and then she did not open it, but only had a bright red mouth opened and closed.

As everyone knows, Princess Changle likes to wear extravagant clothes, mostly in bright colors. The drawings on it are graceful and the arrangement is complex. She wears bright-colored bead hairpins and silver rings with ears on her head. She likes to collect strange ornaments, either listed in the room, holding or wearing them, and never leaving her body. She is actually the most amazing person in Kyoto.

Or in the words of Chu Shou's young and frivolous words - he is damn, he can't dress up even more than her ancestors...

Not only that, her voice was like a crow damaged by a strange snake, but it was not as artificial as when pinching her throat. If she savored her ears carefully, she would feel that it was no different from ordinary people. It was like her face covered with thick powder. Although she did not have a stunning look, she was not mediocre. However, it was like the unfilled circle and the wrong needle method, which was indeed "injustice" and was indeed unbearable.

Naturally, Changle set off the noble girls sitting beside her becoming more and more fresh and refined, and each of them came out like a lotus, which was very pleasing to the eye.

"When I go back to the princess, it's all like this, but I don't know whether it's true or not." Wen Xianwan, who was sitting near me, tugged in a handkerchief and said softly.

"Of course it's impossible to get groundless."

"Oh? What news did Miss Gao get?" Xue Ying's mouth was filled with fish and pastries, and her cheeks were bulging. Hearing what Miss Gao said on the side was so convincing, he was quite a bit showing off. He immediately turned his head and opened his eyes curiously and asked.

In order to block the residue sprayed from Xue Ying's mouth, Gao Zhishui covered his face with a slight silk squid and frowned and said, "On the way back to Beijing, my brother and I met Lord Shen's ranks. The young man had never got off the carriage, so Lord Shen was busy and very respectful."
To be continued...