A Precious Pearl in the Imperial City

When the night came, and the red candle was shining, Zheng Lanyin sorted out the accessories on her body over and over again.

"White peony, Hongmei." She yelled twice, and only the white peony came in. With her thoughts on her mind, she didn't notice this at all: "Is the person who picked me up to the palace banquet hasn't arrived yet?"

Qianyi Pavilion is very remote, close to the three concubine palaces to the west, even if she opens all the windows and doors, she can't hear the sound of silk and bamboo at the annual banquet.

"At this time in previous years, the annual banquet was about to begin. Is it because I live in a remote area, so the palace person who invited me to the banquet has not arrived yet?"

"Do you think my dress looks good? Will it look shabby?"

"Master." The white peony poured a cup of hot tea for Zheng Lanyin, and she waved it away: "Take it away, my palace has a hard time applying a good mouth fat. You can't get it. You can go outside and have a look and invite me to the banquet. Has the palace man arrived yet."

The tea splashed from the tea cup and splashed on the back of the white peony's hand, and soon there was a piece of red. She wiped the water on the back of her hand, and said to Zheng Lanyin, "Okay, master, slave and maidservant, let's go and see."

She walked out and Hongmei, who was sitting in the yard eating melon seeds, raised her head, mockingly said: "Punished again?"

The white peony covered the back of his hand and did not speak.

"For the sake of having worked together for many years, I would advise you to find a new master earlier and jump out from here." Hongmei spit out the melon seed shell in her mouth: "The master has lost power. Grind time."

"We are slaves, do we have a choice?" Baishao looked at Hongmei: "Don't betray the master."

"You are so loyal to her, how did she treat you?" Hongmei stood up and patted her body: "Back then, she said that when you reach twenty-five, she would release you from the palace. What happened? You already have this year. Twenty-eight, I followed her to this shabby place and was beaten and scolded, and received cold faces from other people in the palace."

"Go and see the Mingyue Palace, even a dog at the door has a better face than us."

"You really want to go to Mingyue Palace as an errand. Does Mingyue Palace want you?" White Peony persuaded him: "The palace can't tolerate the servant, Hongmei, don't get yourself into trouble."

"You are willing to be a loyal dog, don't pull me." Hongmei sneered at her and took out two taels of silver from her arms: "After tonight, I won't be here as a errand. You keep this little money. Spend it."

Baishao watched Hongmei twist her waist and leave, reaching out to hold the two taels of silver on the stone table in the palm of her hand. There are only a few women in the palace. Hongmei is the first-class maids beside the master. Even if these women are to maintain the superficial kindness, they can't allow Hongmei to work in their palace, so as not to lose the reputation of being a stone.

Except for the empress in the palace, who else would dare to accept the red plum?

Maybe... it's the errands in the palace, where the clothing, food and other places are also able to receive people.

The silver was warm, and the white peony put the silver into the sleeve cage, walked out of the Qianyi Pavilion, and strolled in the palace alleys. On New Year's Eve, the maids can also put on rouge, put on silk flowers, and get together in twos and threes to talk and laugh.

From time to time, laughter came from the palace wall, and the white peony stopped, and leaned against the wall to look up at the sky. Above his head, there was only a dark sky and a lonely red lantern.

She knew that no one would invite the master to attend the annual banquet, and she also knew that if he went back now, the master would only vent his anger on her.

The wind was a bit cold, and she clutched her aching belly, thinking of the girl with a pair of bright eyes, the big cloak she put on her body.

Warm, soft, with a faint fragrance.

If this palace is a thorny thorn beyond sight, that girl is a little magpie that accidentally fell on the thorn bush.

She has a pair of free wings, and a happy, moving voice.

"Ming Xiaozhu." Wang Chen took two steps, turned his head and said to Jiuzhu who was following him: "Let Xiangjian follow you at night and take her with you no matter what."

Jiuzhu nodded: "Okay."

"Let's go then." He looked at the main entrance of the hall, and waited for Jiuzhu to walk beside him before stepping into the hall.

"His Royal Highness Chen is here, and the Lord of Ming County is here."

The whispering and laughing people hurriedly fell silent, got up and looked at the men and women at the door, to bow to the king of Chen.

Someone was also secretly observing the expressions of Ming Jingzhou and his wife. Last time His Majesty held a Qianqiu banquet for Concubine Su Gui, the daughter of the Ming family appeared together with the concubine. This year’s banquet was actually attended by Wang Chen and the Ming family. Prince, what is the attitude?

Sun Caiyao put down the tea cup in her hand and saw that the king of Chen took Ming Jiuzhu into the seat, which was the first in the county chairperson list.

The seat of the royal banquet, the most important order rules, Ming Jiuzhu, a county head sealed by the daughter of a foreign minister, sits higher than the county head with royal blood. The small official in the ceremonial department in charge of arranging seats, no one stepped forward to stop him, but saluted the two of them.

"Four younger brothers and sisters." Jing Wangfei, the nearest to her, greeted her with a smile: "You are attending a palace banquet as a royal for the first time. If you are not used to it, just tell me.

"Thank you Sansao." Realizing that she had been staring at Ming Jiuzhu for too long, Sun Caiyao quickly retracted her gaze and nodded and smiled at Princess Jing.

"Have you seen the old county lord under the head of the Ming county lord?" Princess Jing smiled and spoke like a spring breeze, with a friendly attitude: "Her great-grandmother is a royal princess. The girl of her generation had no knighthood. Can be sealed. In the past, the father was in trouble, the old county owner asked someone to give something to the palace in private. Later, when the father was enthroned, she and Concubine Su were very close. Regarding the kindness of his majesty in the hidden residence, his majesty gave her an exception. County Lordship."

Get close to Concubine Su?

Sun Caiyao had some impressions of the old county owner. The old county owner had always been the county chairperson at the top of the list a few years ago. However, after entering the palace today, she was sitting in the second position without even thinking about it.

The people in the palace are all mature foxes, who have done their best to judge the situation and assess the situation.

Everything that should be ordered was ordered, and even Guo Guo had personally helped Jiuzhu peel two, before Wang Chen got up and left.

After two steps, he turned his head back: "If someone makes you unhappy, just hit him in the face with the cup, and it's mine if you break it."

"His Royal Highness." XiangJian couldn't help laughing: "Don't worry, the servant maid will take care of the county owner."

Jiuzhu touched the cup seriously. It was a pity to use such a delicately crafted cup to smash people.

Xiangjuan noticed her movements and suspected that no matter what His Highness said, the county lord Ming might take it seriously.

When His Highness finally walked away in five steps, Xiangju poured a cup of tea for Jiuzhu. Jiuzhu found embroidered piers under the table, dragged it out and placed it next to Xiangsi: "Aunt, you sit first."

"Thank you, the county host." Xiangjian sat down behind Jiuzhu, her eyes swept over the crowd, smiling gently.

This kind of small embroidered piers were originally prepared for the attendants of the masters, but the nobles of the aristocratic family are strictly hierarchical, so most of these embroidered piers are useless, and the number of servants who can sit down is still less than two or three.

She quietly explained the identities of everyone present to Jiuzhu. Regardless of the relationship between men and women, whose family is related, and the estrangement from the royal family, she explained clearly.

Jiuzhu looked at her admiringly: "Auntie is so amazing."

"The slave servant is a female officer in charge of the fourth grade of Mingyue Palace. If you don't even know these things, how can you treat your empress with a face?" Xiangjuan was amused by Jiuzhu's worshiping eyes. A female officer like her would be raised by the royal family for a lifetime. , The low-ranking officials also have to salute when they see her.

Because the empress is a noble concubine, she is half a rank higher than the other concubines in front of her.

The grand palace lady is the master’s right-hand man and the master’s voice tube, so there are also some palace maids in charge of eunuchs, under the guise of the master, secretly go to the master’s family to ask for benefits. The maiden family cannot enter and leave the harem at will, even if they are deceived, they do not know.

"Your Majesty is here!"

After singing the newspaper three times in a row, the courtiers ordered the women to stand up, face the door, and salute together: "Long live your majesty, long live, long live."

After three salutes, Jiuzhu heard the county lord next to her, and continued with an old but powerful voice: "Manny Chitose Chitose Chitose Chitose Chitose."

"Manny Chitose Chitose Chitose Chitose!"

The old county lord glanced at Jiuzhu, and Jiuzhu also glanced at her.

With this chanting, the two uttered almost simultaneously.

The civil servants hesitated to look at Concubine Su Gui, who was standing with His Majesty. The huge Phoenix Zhengchai on her head shook their eyes a little.

The royal relatives all yelled, did they yell or not?

In previous annual banquets, although Concubine Su was walking with her Majesty, everyone just vaguely worshiped "See the Concubine Empress". Who brought the bad head this year?

There was a moment of stagnation in the main hall, until the two brothers of the Ming family, Wu Shilang, and officials of the third rank and above of the Ritual Department, all put out a gesture of sorrow, and everyone slowed down.

"Emperor Chitose, Chitose, Chitose."

This time, most of the officials' wives in the temple worshipped.

Seeing the more and more pleasant smile on your Majesty's face, everyone still didn't understand that this was the result that His Majesty wanted.

He Tingyu sighed. When he sang the prayer for the third time, he ignored the anger in Shi Lang Yang's eyes and bowed down and bowed down: "Mianniang Thousand Years, Thousands of Years, Thousands of Years."

For the third time, the voice was loud and uniform. Emperor Longfeng took the hand of Concubine Su, walked to the high seat and stood still: "The sentiments of the Qings are connected with me, and I am very moved."

Mind?

What's your mind?

"I met the imperial concubine at a young age. Over the years, she has given birth to a prince for me, managed the harem, and has been frugal and modest. She has never complained..."

Manage the harem?

Your Majesty has been on the throne for so many years, when has the harem entered a newcomer?

As for Gong Jianqian letting these four words, as long as your Majesty does not feel embarrassed when he speaks them, they can also pretend to be that way.

"Over the years, the imperial concubine has always been to me, sharing the worries for me, but because of the busy government affairs, I always neglected the imperial concubine."

When the other concubines heard this, their expressions were colorful. Your Majesty is either in Taiyang Palace or Mingyue Palace, or else on the way to Mingyue Palace, can this be called coldness?

The more civil servants listened, the more they realized that there was something wrong with your Majesty's words. What did your Majesty want to do?

What do you want to do?

"Recently, a minister has played, saying that there can be no queen in the palace forever. I tossed and turned and couldn't sleep at night. In the end, I had to admit that this Aiqing was right."

The ministers look at me, I look at you, guess who is the troublesome person.

When his majesty had just ascended the throne, he wanted to make the noble concubine the queen, but in the end he gave up because there were too many ministers blocking him.

They thought that His Majesty's feelings for Concubine Su were so deep only because of his companionship day and night in the mansion. When there are more women entering the palace later, the feelings will naturally fade, and men will understand.

Unexpectedly, for more than ten years since your Majesty's accession to the throne, there is not a single newcomer in the harem. Everyone prevented him from making Concubine Su as the queen, he simply refused to stand and let Concubine Su dominate in the harem.

With your majesty sitting firmly on the dragon chair and taking control of the world's military power, they no longer dared to pretend to be something to do with your majesty. I'm afraid that your Majesty will come up happily and ask Concubine Su as her queen, but they can't stop it.

So who did this?

The six officials looked at each other, Ming Jingzhou and Ming Jinghai exchanged glances, bowing their heads silent.

Your Majesty is clearly out of nothing.

"Noble concubine Su, virtuous and virtuous, and frugal and respectful, worthy of my empress." Emperor Longfeng finally said the words that scared countless civil servants: "Tomorrow, I will bring the imperial concubine to worship the ancestral temple, and canonize the imperial concubine as the queen. ."

Concubine Su Gui's beautiful eyes trembled, but under the gazes of the ministers, she did not reveal the emotions in her heart, but kept a reserved smile.

Although she didn't know when His Majesty started planning this matter, she knew that he must have planned this matter for a long, long time.

"His Majesty……"

"What?" When Emperor Longfeng didn't laugh, the courtiers would remember that this was the last victor when many princes were fighting for reserve.

"It was you who didn't want me to stand up at first, and then you were the one who asked me to stand up." Emperor Longfeng's eyes fell cold: "Or, my harem, you must have the final say?"

"The minister dare not wait!"

"What don't you dare?" Emperor Longfeng fell silent, and the whole hall was silent. Many people didn't want Concubine Su to be the queen, but before the majesty of His Majesty, no one dared to be that bird.

Someone took a glimpse of the Ming family's two brothers with the corner of their eyes, but at this critical moment, the two of them looked like an old monk in peace, and they did not move their heads.

Some people went to see the father-in-law's house of several princes and wanted to know how they reacted. But they are as stable as old dogs, and their postures are more submissive than the Ming brothers.

All of them are crazy. When Concubine Su becomes a queen, Wang Chen will be the protagonist. If your Majesty wants Wang Chen to succeed, it will be justified.

"Tonight is the night of the emperor and his ministers, and all the Qings don't need to be cautious." When the atmosphere grew more and more anxious, Emperor Longfeng smiled, as if he was the benevolent emperor on weekdays: "Sit all your seats."

Yun Yanze's hands hidden in his sleeves trembled slightly, and his forehead was covered with cold sweat.

That's how it is, that's how it is.

In recent years, whether they are raising counselors in private or communicating with outsiders, the father has watched indifferently. It turned out to be for today.

The father imprisoned them in the palace. Everyone knew they were punished for making mistakes, but they didn't know what crimes they had committed.

Which of the prince’s foreigners hasn’t made any small moves in private?

They didn't know what the father had found, and they didn't dare to gamble on the glory and status of the house. So this annual banquet tonight is a gamble between the emperor and these outsiders.

The father bet that they would not object, that they would be afraid, that they would compromise.

Whether it is the Zheng family, the mother concubine, or him, they are all the chickens that are about to be decapitated, and the rest of the family and the prince are monkeys who are played by the father and the emperor between the applause.

Killing a chicken to show the monkey, there is no more old-fashioned tacky method than this.

But it is also the most useful method.

No one wants to be the decapitated chicken, although being a monkey will be laughed at.

"His Royal Highness?" Sun Caiyao gently shook his hand and chose a snack for him: "Try this snack."

"Thank you." Yun Yanze took the dim sum, took a small bite to his mouth, and put it in the bowl until the cold dish was served on the table, and the dim sum did not move again.

"Ming county lord, taste this lotus root clamp." The old county lord sitting next to Jiuzhu smiled and said, "It's crispy on the outside and fragrant on the inside. It's very delicious."

"Thank you." Jiuzhu thanked him, picking up a lotus root and putting it in the bowl.

"The owner of Ming County grew up in Lingzhou since he was a child, and his ministers heard that Lingzhou is rich in mountains and rivers, rich in nine-hole lotus roots. The broken lotus knots can pull out very long and long filaments. I don't know which lotus roots between Lingzhou and Beijing are. The lotus root pulls longer threads?"

Jiuzhu raised his head and looked around for the speaker, but did not find the speaker.

"The county lord, the next official is here." Yang Shilang saw Ming Jiuzhu's eyes roll a big circle without seeing himself, and stood up and said: "Excuse me, the county lord, what's the answer for Ouchai?"

Ming Jingzhou put down his chopsticks, wiped the corners of his mouth clean, and looked at the minister of household who was talking with a smile.

As for Wang Chen, who was sitting on the prince seat, his complexion had completely sunk.

Everyone's eyes turned to Ming Jiuzhu. Sun Caiyao thought she would be uneasy, but she didn't. She just sat there, her big eyes were full of doubts, as if she didn't understand why the other party would ask such strange questions.

"This adult is very sorry." Jiuzhu smiled apologetically to Shi Lang Yang: "I have grown up in Taoist temple since I was a child and have never planted lotus roots. If you are interested in these, you will wait for me to edit the book and ask the elders. Answer your question again?"

"Your Majesty, in the eyes of the minister, no matter where it is, the lotus root will be broken when it is cut, but this does not mean that they are involved in each other." Yang Shilang didn't care about Jiuzhu's answer, he arched his hand to look at the long on the high seat. Emperor Feng: "The relationship between His Royal Highness and the Zheng family is exactly like this. From birth, he has been the grandson of the Zheng family. This is not something he can choose. The Zheng family is responsible for everything, but how innocent His Highness is. Please check carefully."

Jiuzhu understood that the other party didn't care about her answer at all, and just borrowed her to help Prince Qi plead.

People in the capital are so dirty.

"It's not a constant drag." Jiuzhu seriously defended the issue with the other party: "As long as you stand far enough when you break it apart, the wire will always break. If it doesn't break, it must be far enough."

Shilang Yang turned to look at her. He didn't expect that Ming's daughter would still speak at this juncture.

Smart people, should choose to shut up at this moment.

"The adults must have never been in the kitchen before." Seeing the other person looking over, Jiuzhu explained patiently and friendly: "But it doesn't matter, I will understand later."

Shilang Yang said with a sullen face, "Thank you, the county lord, for helping the lower officials."

Now you can close your mouth.

"You're welcome." Jiuzhu smiled and said, "If you still don't understand, you can try it yourself."

Shilang Yang stopped paying attention to Jiuzhu, walked to the center of the hall, and said loudly to Emperor Longfeng: "Your Majesty, please restore the four princes to the title of Viscount. It's not because outsiders have hurt the friendship between your father and son."

Originally, he wanted to impress His Majesty with love through the broken conversation, but this beautiful wish was disrupted by Ming Jiuzhu, and everything became nondescript.

I thought that this kind of little girl raised in a remote state, the Ming family didn't pay much attention to it, and she was timid and timid.

He had known it would be like this, he would pick someone as a guide, and he would not pick her.

"For the New Year, I wanted to save the account until after the new year, but unfortunately some people just want to be so impatient." Ming Jingzhou smiled slightly, touched the thing in his arms, and waited for Shi Lang to continue to speak.

Ming Jinghai lowered his head and took a sip of wine without speaking. Since he was a little boy, his third brother has a temperament that hides a knife in a smile. I am afraid that he will have already arrived at what is going to happen today.

The head of the household department has an impulsive personality, and he highly admires the Prince Qi. It would not be surprising if he listened to some rumors about the Prince Qi and pleaded for the Prince Qi at the annual banquet.

It's just that for the Prince Qi at this time, this is not pleading, but pushing him into the fire pit.

"Shilang Yang, today is a reunion feast for everyone, and it is also a family banquet. Regarding the court, we will talk about it after the opening of the court." Emperor Longfeng raised his hand to stop him from continuing: "I see Shilang Yang is drinking too much. I need to go out to sober up."

"Your Majesty, the Weichen is not drunk." Yang Shilang pushed away the **** who was going to help him: "Your Majesty said this is a family dinner, and Prince Qi is your child. Why can't you mention him at this time?"

Concubine Su Gui glanced at Yun Yanze, whose face was green, and if she hadn't taken care of the man next to her, she could laugh out loud on the spot. Perhaps Yun Yanze himself did not expect that the uprightness in Yang Shilang was a double-edged sword, which could not only be used by him to poke others, but also could hurt himself.

"His Majesty Qi Jun is courteous, compassionate, and filial to your Majesty. How can your Majesty bear the filial piety of abandoning him because of other princes." Yang Shilang said loudly: "Your Majesty’s move is not only a minister, but other adults. The experience of Prince Qi is also sympathetic."

The officials sitting around Shilang Yang shrank their necks. They didn't know who the "other adults" were, and they had nothing to do with them anyway.

As for the representatives of the "other princes", His Royal Highness Wang smiled and drank a glass of wine, quietly waiting for the next performance.

"Father." Yun Yanze knew that Shilang Yang could no longer be allowed to speak, he had to stand up and show his attitude in full view.

"Your Majesty." Ming Jingzhou saw Yun Yanze stand up, and then stood up: "Weichen thought that Shilang Yang's words are reasonable, and that His Royal Highness Qi Junwang is your prince. There is nothing to mention at the family banquet."

He Tingyu looked at Ming Jingzhou in amazement. It shouldn't be. Yang Shilang's mind is straight and he doesn't care about the consequences. How can Ming Jingzhou be so reckless.

Seeing Ming Jingzhou all stand up, everyone put down their chopsticks, faintly feeling that something was wrong.

"Before entering the palace, the Weichen found out some things related to the Zheng family and Zheng Meiren, but he couldn't bear to see the unbearable face of his relatives on New Year's Eve, so he chose to remain silent." Ming Jingzhou took out his arms thickly. A pile of things, there are various IOUs for profit, confessions from the field, and even evidence that Zheng Meiren bought the officials of the Royal Racecourse.

"In the fifth year of Longfeng, Zheng Meiren used the excuse of being seriously ill to let the emperor's fourth son be in the palace, but secretly sent a killer to Lingzhou to assassinate Concubine Su and King Chen. Fortunately, the concubine was kind and saved halfway through. The drowning girl did not travel as planned."

"In the six years of Longfeng, the Zheng family indulged hundreds of acres in the tribal circle, causing dozens of farmers to lose their arable land and be displaced."

"In the eighth year of Longfeng, the Zheng family took five thousand taels of bribes to obtain the post of county magistrate of the seventh grade for others."

"Longfeng ten years, Zheng Meiren censured the palace lady until she died, concealing her serious illness. Pity the palace lady's family is still waiting for her to go back."

"In the spring of the 11th year of Longfeng, two eunuchs in Zheng Meiren's palace died suddenly for unknown reasons."

"Longfeng..."

As Ming Jingzhou listed all the crimes, the whole hall was so quiet that he couldn't even hear the breathing.

In the presence of so many relatives and relatives of the imperial family, the courtiers ordered the wives, all the crimes committed by the birth mother of the Qi Jun king and the outside family were clearly spread, and it almost cut off all the hope of the Qi Jun king to ascend the throne.

Unless all the other princes are dead, the throne will no longer have a relationship with the Qi Jun King, although these things may not have much to do with Qi Jun King.

"Master Shangshu." Zhou Rui swallowed, shrinking her neck and asked Li En, "Brother Ming, what's the matter...?"

In front of so many people, the face of Qi Junwang was torn off, even if it was life and death.

I haven't seen him have any comments from the Prince Qi before. Why do you put the Prince Qi on the ground and make a face today?

Ming Jingzhou is still counting the guilt of Zheng Meiren and the Zheng family, and even the Zheng family owes two hundred taels of silver to a certain cloth house.

"Your Majesty, this is the relevant evidence found by the minister." After finishing all the charges, Emperor Ming Jingzhou Longfeng gave a big gift: "I beg your Majesty to severely punish these evil officials, so as to behave like others and return the people to justice."

Everyone saw the thick evidence being put into His Majesty’s hands, thinking in a daze, Ming Jingzhou is the minister of the Ministry of Rites, not the minister of the Xing Department, or the Shaoqing of Dali Temple, right?

As if this was not enough, Ming Jingzhou raised his head and looked at Yun Yanze with a pale expression: "Your Highness, the little girl said very well, there are no unbreakable lotus roots in the world, there are only cooks who don't care enough. Please don't blame your highness. The subordinates revealed these things today. The subordinates did not intend to target His Highness, but for the people of the world.

"His Royal Highness is generous and kind, loves the people, and can understand the blood of his subordinates if he wants to." He turned his head to look at the already stupid Yang Shilang, and sighed: "If it wasn't for Mr. Yang, the Weichen would not say it at this time today. of."

Ruthless, too ruthless.

If you slap someone in the face, you have to say that it doesn't hurt at all.

Jun King Qi glanced at Ming Jingzhou and reluctantly said, "Master Ming is not wrong, it is my grandfather's family who did it."

"It's not just the Zheng family that is at fault." Ming Jingzhou added with a smile: "His Royal Highness's biological mother, Zheng Meiren is also at fault."

"Father." Junwang Qi knelt in front of Emperor Longfeng in a daze. He no longer wanted to know what other people were looking at. His forehead hit the ground, and he couldn't even say the words of pity.

Ming Jingzhou dared to say this in front of so many people, there must be conclusive evidence.

When he turned his head, he saw Ming Jiuzhu, who was sitting at the top of the county chairperson's rank, picking up a lotus root clamp and putting it in his mouth.

It seemed that everything that happened in the hall was not as good as the lotus root clip in front of her.

Perceiving his sight, she looked up.