Firecrackers roared, plum branches piled with snow, and everything in Haojing City was filled with joy. In the fifth year of King Zhou Yi's reign, the New Year's Eve dinner in the palace had a particularly special atmosphere.

Because it was a family banquet in the palace, the group stayed up all year long, and there were no foreign ministers. Only the concubines and princes with high status in the palace participated. Those beauties were not qualified to attend. Facing the exquisite New Year dishes placed on the table in front of them,

Everyone has different thoughts and faces.

Huang Ying was the happiest, teasing the fat third prince who had just started to grow baby teeth in her arms, and she was in a very happy mood. In just half a month, her face had broadened, and she became much more cheerful, and she no longer shivered like before.

But Bo Ji, who was sitting next to her, was not in such a good mood as she was. She frowned and looked like a worried little adult.

Meng Jiang was coaxing the second prince Shangfu on his left, and his daughter Zhongji on his right hand. He kept coaxing these two children of similar age to eat this and that, and was very busy. Ji Jiang was still in the ground, and King Zhou Yi

So she temporarily entrusted the second prince to her care, which was considered a good intention.

E-sun's expression was as usual, but looking at Huang Ying and Meng Jiang's children, her eyes couldn't help but feel a little sad. As she was responsible for coordinating the affairs of the Sixth Palace, this palace's annual banquet was the first one she had hosted independently.

While drinking, I occasionally urged the dishes to be served and took care of everyone's appetite, but I didn't have much time to be sentimental.

A group of palace maids filed in, each carrying a steaming cauldron, which was still steaming. Everyone was inexplicably excited. This was the most important dish, which meant that the New Year's banquet was here.

climax.

King Zhou Yi smiled and picked up a piece of mutton from the furnace with copper chopsticks, dipped it in a small bowl full of sauce, then gently put it into a bowl of pancakes and advised softly: "It's cold, eat mutton."

Tonic, this sauce is specially prepared for you, it is neither spicy nor cold, and it tastes unique."

Fan Ji smiled slightly: "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty."

The couple whispered, but no matter how low their voice was, everyone in the palace heard it clearly. Except for Huang Ying, who seemed not to hear it at all, E Shi and Meng Jiang quickly looked at each other and then turned their heads.

Prince Ji Hu was overjoyed to see his parents reconciled and he joked: "When my mother gives birth to a younger brother, my father is afraid that he will no longer be able to see the child."

An imperceptible blush flashed across Fan Ji's face, and Ji Xie felt happy, but not really angry: "You kid, you have been an elder brother for a long time, and you still speak like this without rules. Don't be naughty anymore."

.”

"Alas!" Ji Hu put down the wine cup and sighed: "Speaking of which, every time I have a younger brother or sister, I have to teach me a lesson. This time, I will definitely not be able to escape!"

The children's words were interesting, and the whole hall burst into laughter. However, the happy atmosphere was broken by the second prince's untimely cry. Ji Xie frowned and looked at Meng Jiang with an unhappy look on his face: "What's wrong with Father Shang? It's a Chinese New Year.

Yes, it’s unlucky to cry!”

Meng Jiang stood up helplessly, saluted, and said in panic: "I don't know what happened these days. Father Shang has been crying all the time, and he keeps saying he misses his mother. I heard that my sister is in Qiuliao Palace.

I miss you so much, no wonder mother and son are connected after all--"

"Pa--" With a sound, the copper chopsticks in Ji Xie's hand fell heavily on the table, which frightened Meng Jiang so much that he didn't dare to speak again. But E Sui stood up and smoothed things over: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, I heard that the second concubine is in Qiuliao Palace.

She repented day and night, missing her father-in-law, and had been ill for several days. Yesterday, a nun sent to teach her how to teach her to teach her wanted to kowtow in front of the king and apologize to the queen in person. I wonder if the king would be willing to do so.

Opportunity? If the king refuses, she will have no choice but to kneel outside Qiuliao Palace until dawn to ask for forgiveness from the king!"

"It's so cold, has she been kneeling outside?" Ji Xie was a little moved. He glanced at Fan Ji beside him and saw that her expression was as usual, and he felt a little relieved.

"Yes," E-sun lowered her head and replied in a low voice, "I have been kneeling for more than an hour."

"Queen, look ------" Ji Xie asked in a low voice, with a hint of pleading in his eyes. Fan Ji sneered in his heart, it was just a trick, but he wanted to see how she would do it, so he nodded slightly.

nodded.

"Then ask her to come and go back after kowtow! Forget your wish." Ji Xie ordered.

Fan Ji thought that she was so heartbroken that it would be difficult to cause any more trouble. However, the moment Ji Jiang entered the palace, her hand clenched her fist unconsciously. A big hand covered the back of her hand that felt slightly cold,

As if conveying the warmth in his hands to her, Ji Xie held her hand tightly. Fanji understood what he meant, and the two held hands.

Ji Jiang has become thinner and haggard, and her attire is no longer as ostentatious as before. She only has a white jade hairpin on her head and no other jewelry. With tears in her eyes, she walked to the center of the hall and knelt down.

, kowtow three times in a row, and the voice is clear and clear: "I kowtow to the king, please forgive me. May the king be prosperous and have long heirs."

She lay on the ground for a long time before she heard Ji Xie say: "Okay, I got it! You've finished kowtowing, it's time to go back to the palace!"

Ji Jiang raised her head in disbelief. She thought that her move would at least win a little sympathy from the King of Zhou, but unexpectedly it turned out to be so cold. When she looked up, she saw Ji Xie and Fan Ji holding each other tightly on the table.

With both hands, the jealousy and resentment in his heart suddenly exploded like a volcanic eruption. If looks could kill, then Fan would have been chopped up hundreds of times.

Now that King Zhou has given the order, Ji Jiang can no longer stay in the palace no matter how nostalgic she is. She stared at Fan Ji with hatred, and then looked at her son Shangfu with nostalgia. The two and a half year old little Douding seemed to not recognize her at all.

, and did not rush to act out a drama of "deep love between mother and son". Seeing that the situation was not good, Meng Jiang did not dare to do anything else. In this way, Ji Jiang's kowtow was just regarded as a part of the palace's annual banquet.

The disharmonious episode passed away and no one mentioned it again.

After the Haishi watch, Fanji felt a little tired and stood up to leave. King Zhou Yi was very concerned: "Prince, send your mother back to the back hall to rest. She will also pass when she is alone."

"Congratulations to your Majesty! Congratulations to Your Highness the Crown Prince!"

Under the eager gaze of King Zhou Yi and the complicated gazes of the palace concubines, Ji Hu helped her mother walk along the path towards the back hall. Under the palace lamp, seeing Fan Ji silent, Ji Hu thought she was still worried about what happened just now.

, then advised: "Don't worry, Queen Mother. When the son saw his father seeing Ji Jiang, there was not much pity in his expression. It must be just to appease Ji Hou's heart. Now the father's heart is with the Queen Mother, and he must not

It would be wrong.”

Fan Ji said calmly: "That's not what I'm doing. I was just thinking, why would Meng Jiang speak for Ji Jiang? Haven't their sisters always been at odds?" There was also E Shi, whose behavior was also quite suspicious------

"After all, they are sisters. They both prosper and suffer. Although Ji Jiang treats her badly on weekdays, if she really falls, Meng Jiang will not be able to stand on her feet. According to Erchen, Empress Meng Jiang is a sensible person.

, I don’t know how much better than Yiji." Ji Hu said slowly.

These words surprised Fan Ji. She stopped and looked directly at her son: "Hu'er, before you know it, you have grown up. My mother can no longer treat you as a child."

On New Year's Eve, not only the royal palace, but also every household in Haojing City, whether it be princes, nobles, or common people, closed their doors to watch the New Year's Eve and eat New Year's dinner together. But there are always some lonely ghosts. When thousands of families are reunited,

We can only hug each other for warmth.

As a minister of the Zhou Dynasty for generations, Duke Guo had his own residence in the city, but he spent most of his time in the East Palace during the day. He only came back to sleep after the palace gate was locked at night, so it was treated as a hotel.

At this time, most of the servants in the mansion went home to watch the New Year's Eve, and few people moved around. However, the sound of people drinking and drinking could be heard in the main hall, mixed with the roars of men shouting about guessing and drinking.

Guo Gong had drunk a lot, and he spoke with a bit of a tongue. He was originally a straight-tempered man, but now that he was drunk, he spoke without restraint. He put a hand on the young man's shoulder, stroked his tongue and said, "Young man."

Liang, you ------ your kid is either following ------ the prince all day long, or ------ pestering Zhao Zimu, like a shadow. What? What's wrong with you today?

Come to me------me?"

Wei Duoyou raised his handsome eyebrows and said sadly: "The prince wants to reunite with the king and queen tonight, and Zimu also has a family. I am the only one who is a lonely ghost, so I came here to live with you. Could it be that the Duke of the country dislikes me?"

Are you down?"

Before Guo Gong's eldest father could speak, Wei Gongzihe took over the conversation: "Brother Ziliang, what you said is wrong. None of the three here are in trouble, you are not the only one!"

"Yes, yes, yes!" Elder Guo echoed: "They were all left alone when the Wan family reunited. It's the same for everyone! Drink!"

"How is it the same? It's different!" Wei Duoyou stood up, swayed, pointed at the two of them and said: "One of you has a wife and children in Guo State, and the other has a father and mother in Wei State. Only I. Only I am the one."

A real lonely ghost!"

He suddenly sat down and murmured: "I will go back to the grassland tomorrow to find my home!"

Father Guo and Wei He were both very drunk and did not hear what he said clearly------

Just after midnight, Ji Xie hurried straight to the back bedroom, where he had already gone to bed. He stretched out his hand to gently pull up the bed curtain, and saw half a bush of dark cloud-like hair exposed in the brocade pile, but his whole body was hidden from view, and a single

Her arms, as white as lotus joints, were exposed horizontally.

He chuckled, carefully picked up his arm and tried to put it into the quilt. He turned around and went to the clean room. After washing, he changed into a satin underwear and returned to the bed, only to find that Fanji had woken up and was leaning against the bed.

On the pillow, looking at him with eyes open.

Fan Ji shook his head and frowned: "It's not the king, it's him who's kicking me."
Chapter completed!