In front of Changhe Gate, the imperial guards opened the palace gate, allowing officials who participated in the palace banquet outside the palace gate to enter one after another.z.br

From this door, you will walk about two hundred steps to stop in front of the car door and then pass through this door. At the end of the left and right sides, one is the Secretariat of the Secretariat, and the other is the newly established Menxia Province, which was changed by Shizhong Temple.

After walking another two hundred steps, it is Duanmen. After passing through Duanmen, it is the palace courtyard of the Taiji Hall. After walking another six hundred steps, it will walk up the steps in the front of the hall and reach the Taiji Hall.

Today's palace banquet is held here.

Along the way, Huazhi followed Lu Zhaoyi. Because it was the first time he entered the palace, he was extremely curious about the environment in the palace and couldn't help but feel a little nervous. His heart kept beating.

Yingxue, who was walking with her, also frowned when she saw her fussingly, and couldn't help but remind Lu Zhaoyi.

However, when Lu Zhaoyi saw this, she couldn't help but curl the corner of her mouth, held Huazhi's hand, and whispered: "Don't be afraid, I'm in everything."

"Not afraid." Huazhi leaned close to her ear and whispered vigilantly, "I'm so old, it's the first time I entered the palace. I didn't expect it to look like this in the palace?"

Lu Zhaoyi was amused by her and said with a smile: "There are opportunities to see you in the future. Let's hurry up."

She held Huazhi with one hand and Yingxue with the other hand, and walked towards the door of Tai Chi Hall.

The two of them happened to pass by Lu Chengye and his son, and the father and son also happened to look up at her at this moment.

Three months ago, since Qu Zhiyun set out in Jingzhou, Lu Zhaoyi sent someone to send Lu Fuchang back to Nanyang Hou Mansion and found someone to send him to the Imperial Academy.

After several months of succession, she occasionally returned to the Hou Mansion to visit Taigong and taught Lu Fuchang, which gradually eased her relationship with the Lu family.

They looked at each other, smiled tacitly, and then passed by.

On the platform, Xia Peiyuan looked at the crowded crowd underground and saw Lu Zhaoyi's figure at first sight. His eyes narrowed and his eyes flashed with splendor.

Behind him, a man in his forties walked slowly and stood behind the emperor.

The man was wearing a black-green python-patterned brocade robe, a sword on his waist, a handsome face, extraordinary momentum, with curved eyebrows and eyes, and said with a smile: "Tonight's palace banquet, will Your Majesty arrange her in the front hall?"

Xia Pei was speechless.

"You have already made Lu Qiniang a courtier, which has aroused dissatisfaction among the people in the court. If the palace banquet is allowed to enter the front hall, it will probably cause criticism. Will this year be fine?" The man continued to ask, with a sense of worry in his words.

"I know, it's the Emperor's reminder." Xia Pei looked back, his voice gentle.

Seeing this, the man sighed, "Forget it, since Your Majesty has made a decision, I don't want to say much. I just hope that Your Majesty should put the overall situation first and should not act rashly. Don't lose your sense of responsibility because of a woman!"

He said, patting Xia Pei on the shoulder.

Xia Pei said lightly, "I understand, thank you for your concern!"

After saying that, he raised his eyes again and stared at Lu Zhaoyi in the distance.

Not long after, Lu Zhaoyi arrived in front of Tai Chi Hall. The crowd was surging and crowded. She looked at the crowded crowd in front of her and frowned slightly.

Until they entered the hall, according to the size of their official rank, everyone found a seat to take their seats.

In the hall, in addition to the important officials in the court, there were also several princes, grandsons, nobles, princes and princes, and princes and uncles who came one after another. When Lu Zhaoyi saw several of them, his eyes lit up and he actually saw a familiar figure on one of them.

And the man was also stunned when he saw her.

"I haven't seen each other for several months, is everything okay for Miss Lu?" the man asked with a smile.

Seeing this person, Lu Zhaoyi couldn't help but feel alert. She smiled and replied, "Thank you for your concern, everything is fine!"

"Hahaha, that's good, that's good!" Right Prime Minister Du Yan smiled brightly when he heard the sound. Then, a hint of chill flashed in his eyes, and a hint of surprise flashed through his eyes, "Today's night banquet, I hope Miss Lu can be as charming as before!"

Lu Zhaoyi's heart sank, as if there was something in her words

talk.

Facing such an old fox, she could not show much, and could only respond faintly, but kept a smile on her face, "Qi Niang will definitely live up to the right prime minister's entrusted!"

A few months ago, Du Yan was confined to the matter of Huainan County. Now that he has re-taken the important affairs of the court, he will definitely not spare her easily.

However, Lu Zhaoyi was not afraid. After all, this right prime minister did not dare to do anything to her.

"That's good, that's good!" Du Yan smiled heartily, then his eyes flashed with a splendor, he glanced at Lu Zhaoyi, and then turned to look at Xia Pei who was entering the hall.

He immediately went up to him and bowed to the emperor, "Your Majesty, I have arranged the banquet in the hall according to your will. Please tell me!"

Xia Pei did not look at him, but stared at Lu Zhaoyi with a burning look. After not seeing him for many days, his heart suddenly felt a little throbbing.

Seeing this, Du Yan also understood the emperor's thoughts, and a smile appeared on his face. He lowered his voice and said, "Your Majesty, I will take my leave first."

It was Lu Zhaoyi's turn. She didn't want to have any entanglements with the emperor in full view of everyone, so she smiled and nodded to the emperor, then turned to her seat.

Her position was arranged in the second row on the right. After Lu Zhaoyi sat down, Huazhi and Yingxue knelt on both sides, ready to serve at any time.

The left prime minister Yuan Qi, Situ Lulin, Sikong Wu Chong, Jiuqing and his adjutants, Cai Yu and Qiu Quzi; and the Secretariat, who wrote to the two provinces Wei Dan and Lu Chengye, Henan Yin Li Qian and other important officials of the court have all settled.

During the banquet, the only man in a python robe with a sword attracted everyone's attention.

He was wearing a python robe, with a cold and solemn face, and a pair of sharp eyes as sharp as an eagle and falcon, giving people a feeling of being powerful without anger.

Everyone was stunned when they saw the man in the python robe.

"Who is this?"

Lu Zhaoyi turned around and asked Qiu Quzi who was closest to him.

"This is, King Xia Zhu, the younger brother of the former king, who has been stationed in Puyang City, Yanzhou Prefecture since the founding of the court. He has just returned to Luojing recently. His Majesty specially granted the King of Puyang, praise him for not being named, and does not go to court, and goes to the hall with swords and shoes."

"King of Puyang?" After hearing this, Lu Zhaoyi frowned slightly, and then suddenly realized.

It turns out that he is the King of Puyang!

If you praise and worship without being named, go to court without going to court, and go to the palace with swords and shoes, you can have such honor, which shows that the position of King Xia Zhu of Puyang in the court is below one person and above ten thousand people.

Thinking back to the beginning, in the previous dynasty, Wu Gong had this honor, and could go to the palace with a sword, and was powerful in the court and the country, and ultimately laid the foundation for the creation of the Dayuan Dynasty.

However, King Puyang is different from the previous king. After all, he is the younger brother of the previous king and His Majesty's uncle. No matter what, he is still the emperor's elder, so it is difficult to neglect.

Moreover, although King Puyang was the brother of the previous king, he had no real power in the court, and was just a false reputation.

The sky gradually darkened, the lights in the hall were lit one by one, the palace lanterns lit up, and the people in the hall gradually became quiet. Emperor Xia Pei sat on the dragon seat, waved his sleeves and ordered the banquet to begin.

There were some wine and a lively atmosphere.

During the banquet, Lu Zhaoyi didn't say much. She lowered her eyes and just raised her glasses to drink tea occasionally.

Her eyes swept across the audience. For some reason, she always felt that the atmosphere of the banquet was very strange, which made her feel creepy.

She couldn't help but look at Du Yan on the side.

Du Yan was having a close conversation with Lu Lin at this moment, and looked at her from time to time, as if she was holding back some bad thoughts. Seeing this, Lu Zhaoyi's heart was rolling in. She had to prepare early, otherwise, if he attacked her, it would be troublesome.

However, how should she deal with such a banquet?

"Miss Lu."

Suddenly, Qiu Quzi, who was closest to her, whispered, "Today, Du Xiang and Lu Situ are afraid to target you. Qiu will settle it for you later, but you can agree to Qiu's condition!"

Upon hearing this, Lu Zhaoyi raised her eyes and her eyes fell on his face.

Qiu Quzi saw her looking at him, and said with a smile: "I heard that you are planning to recruit Shi Zoden, this person Qiu is here.

Shinye had already paid attention when he was about to introduce him to the Shangshutai, and asked Mrs. Lu not to compete with Mr. Qiu."

Lu Zhaoyi raised her eyebrows.

When she had just returned to Beijing from Jiangzuo, she noticed Shi Zodeng from Shinye Jiyang and asked Lu Chengye to pay attention to this person, but for several months, this person had never taken the initiative to go to Shangshutai and could not contact this person.

Now that I think about it, Qiu Quzi must have hidden this person and not gained it by her, I can't help but feel silent. Qiu Quzi is so thinking, but fortunately, she is still an alliance at the moment. If it is an enemy, it is afraid it will be difficult to deal with it.

And today, he couldn't wait to stand up and compete with her.

She curled her lips and sneered, with deep eyes, "Qiu Zhongcheng, Shi Zhadun is Shinno's good material and beautiful quality. Qi Niang has heard of it a little. Since this is the case, Qi Niang is not convenient to take away Qiu Zhongcheng's preferences."

As soon as he finished speaking, Qiu Quzi nodded with satisfaction.

Just in time, there was some movement outside, and then the eunuch shouted, "The Empress Dowager is here!"

Hearing this, everyone stood up and knelt down toward the door.

Lu Zhaoyi also quickly knelt down.

A moment later, the Empress Dowager slowly walked into the hall with a group of palace maids and nanny. Seeing a scene in the hall, her face froze. Then, a smile appeared on her mouth and walked towards the emperor, "Emperor, I'm late!"

"Mother, Queen." Xia Pei stood up and hurried to the gate of the hall to greet him.

Everyone in the hall gave a great bowing ceremony, and shouted:

"The Queen Mother Qianqiu!"

The Empress Dowager was wearing a golden phoenix robe, graceful and luxurious. With Xia Sheng's support, she slowly walked into the hall. Seeing everyone kneeling and worshipping, the smile on the corner of her mouth became even stronger, "Get up quickly, you can't give me any gifts!"

"Thank you, Empress Dowager." Everyone saluted again.

The Queen Mother looked at the people in the middle of the hall, and then her eyes fell on the woman in red, with a beautiful face and a beautiful temperament. She was slightly stunned, and then the smile on her lips became stronger.

She walked slowly and walked towards the only female guest in the hall until she stood closer.

Xia Pei and Xia Sheng, who followed the Empress Dowager, suddenly looked nervous and looked at Lu Zhaoyi with his eyes in unison.

Lu Zhaoyi felt the gaze projected by everyone, and her heart tightened, not knowing what to do.
Chapter completed!