Emperor Hongjing was very happy today.
He has been in power for thirty-two years, the river is clean and the sea is clean, the country is peaceful and the people are safe. Although there were frequent wars at the frontier in the early years, the Tatars have been beaten to death in recent years, and they are lingering, so there is nothing to fear.
Today is his 60th birthday, every sixty years is a Jiazi, how many Jiazi can there be in one's life. On this day, the whole country rejoices, all nations come to court, and all come to celebrate his birthday.
Emperor Hongjing was indeed very happy, especially since the grandson of the emperor had collected ninety-nine people of over 70 years of age from all over the country to enter the palace to celebrate his birthday, which surprised Emperor Hongjing and made Long Yan very happy.
This Longevity Festival, there are too many birthday gifts from the tribute, and there are all kinds of precious treasures. Among them, there are ingenious craftsmen and those who have worked hard, but nothing can satisfy Emperor Hongjing so much.
When people reach their old age, it is inevitable that they will worry about the coming of the life limit, otherwise Emperor Hongjing would not waste money and money to organize this birthday banquet. And the actions of the emperor's grandson undoubtedly told Emperor Hongjing that although life at seventy is rare in ancient times, it is not unheard of. He must be able to live a long and long life like these long-lived people.
Emperor Hongjing couldn't hide his excitement, and praised the emperor's grandson on the spot for his ingenuity and filial piety. And invited him to have a banquet at the same table, and he received countless looks at him for a while.
There have been many rumors in the court in recent years that the prince may only be a prince for a lifetime, and the emperor's grandson will be the next heir to the throne. Now, Emperor Hongjing's move undoubtedly reaffirmed the status of the emperor's grandson.
The prince sitting in the lower left seat showed a displeasure face, just lowered his head and drank heavily. King An, King Dai, King Yong, King Jin and others who were at the same table with him had different complexions. Especially King Lu, who was full of aggrieved face, the birthday gift he prepared with all his heart was not as good as the few people that the brat found.
If it were his usual personality, he would have been in trouble long ago. Unfortunately, today the Hall of Supreme Harmony gathered countless courtiers, feudal officials and foreign envoys. If he dared to make trouble, Emperor Hongjing would have skinned him.
He poured himself a drink and drank a few cups, his eyes turned and fell on the prince, he stood up and walked over.
"Come, come, brother, I respect you. Our eldest nephew is really amazing. Not only has he robbed us uncles of the limelight, but even you, a father, have to take a step back."
"Drink as long as you drink, where does all this nonsense come from!"
King Lu chuckled, and started to exchange cups with the prince.
Halfway through the banquet, the scene was very lively, different from the previous restraint, because of Emperor Hongjing's temporary departure, many courtiers left the banquet to toast at other seats.
During this period, some people came to toast the prince, but more people came to the emperor's grandson to toast. An emperor's grandson made the prince and the kings look dull, which really made some ministers who saw it in their eyes and knew it in their hearts sigh in their hearts. endlessly.
The prince seemed to have drunk too much, and with a red face, he pushed away King Lu who was still pestering him for a drink, "I won't drink with you anymore, I have to go to the toilet alone."
Seeing Lu Wang's drunken smile, he didn't stay long.
After leaving the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the prince's face was pulled down.
He walked hurriedly, hurriedly and quickly, his personal eunuch Deng Cheng could only trot all the way behind, wanting to scream but not daring to scream, pitiful.
When passing by Yanxi Palace, a man in palace attire waved to the prince at the corner.
The prince was already drunk and sleepy, but when he fixed his eyes, he became interested, and immediately followed the woman in palace attire. All the way avoiding people, turning left and right, I came to an uninhabited garden. Surrounded by strange rocks and shaded by green trees, the garden is very secluded.
This place is located behind an uninhabited courtyard on the east side of Yanxi Palace. Because there is a well, several court ladies died in the well. There are many rumors of haunting. Ordinary court ladies and eunuchs do not like to come here, and gradually it is abandoned. up.
The prince crossed a strange stone, and saw a woman in palace attire standing in front of her.
Looking at the familiar and graceful back, the prince's depression disappeared, and he walked up to hug the woman with a smile. The woman snorted, and turned her face, with a pink face and peach cheeks, she looked like a stunning beauty.
"You dare to find Gu Lai at this time, you are so courageous!" The prince said, rubbing the soft flesh in his hand with his big palm.
"That's when no one looks at me."
The prince leaned close to the woman's ear and said some nasty words, which made the woman shy and beat him on the chest with her fist. The prince laughed, picked her up, and went behind a big tree nearby.
Emperor Hongjing prided himself on the spirit of dragons and horses. After all, time is not forgiving, and he felt a little uncomfortable after drinking some wine.
He went back to Qianqing Palace to wash and sit quietly, drank a cup of tea, and took a nap for half an hour before changing into a dragon robe and returning to the Hall of Supreme Harmony.
At this time, the banquet was coming to an end, Emperor Hongjing sat on it for a while, and talked with several close officials before driving to Changyin Pavilion.
This trip was full of vigor and mightiness. While walking on the road, Emperor Hongjing asked Li Dequan: "Where is the prince?"
Li Dequan followed closely, and replied in a low voice: "I just heard someone say that the crown prince seems to have drunk too much and has gone out to pay respects."
Emperor Hongjing snorted, but did not speak.
When they arrived at Changyin Pavilion, Empress Wei was already waiting with many concubines.
Amidst the overwhelming 'Long live my emperor', Emperor Hongjing sat down beside Empress Wei. Accompanied by the middle of the second floor of the Yueshi Building, apart from Empress Wei, several high-ranking concubines and concubines are the Emperor Taisun, King An, King Jin, King Yong and others.
As for the princes and ministers, the feudal officials, foreign envoys, and some high-ranking wives, they are all in the surrounding buildings.
Emperor Hongjing said a few words, and the play began.
This play is "Four Seas and Peace" just compiled by the Shengping Department. The play is novel and full of tricks. Even if the vision is as high as Emperor Hongjing, he couldn't help but praise it several times.
After the first fold, Emperor Hongjing hadn't seen the prince appear yet, so he couldn't help frowning: "The prince hasn't come yet?"
Hearing this, Queen Wei couldn't help but go to see the grandson of the emperor.
Zhao Zuo's heart was already on fire, and he still pretended to be calm: "The grandson has ordered someone to look for it, and the father must have drunk too much."
"It's worthless!" Emperor Hongjing reprimanded in a low voice.
Empress Wei sighed inwardly, and was about to persuade her, when a soft female voice came from beside her: "Not only is His Royal Highness the Crown Prince not here, but the Crown Princess is also absent, so something must have happened."
The person who spoke was Concubine Zhang Shu.
Concubine Shu is one of the four concubines who gave birth to Prince Yong, and she can be regarded as an old man beside Emperor Hongjing, very respectable in the palace.
Empress Wei didn't like to compete with these concubines, but today is Emperor Hongjing's birthday, and the crown prince is her son. Concubine Zhang Shu said this, not cursing her.
She turned cold: "Concubine Zhang Shu, if you can't speak, just keep your mouth shut."
Empress Wei was the Empress of Yuan Dynasty, and Emperor Hongjing always respected her, so she was very majestic in front of the concubines of the sixth palace. As soon as she spoke, Concubine Zhang Shu repeatedly admitted her mistake: "It's all my concubine's slip of the tongue, and my concubine is also a little worried."
worried? What are you worried about? I'm afraid that all the concubines who have sons wish for the prince to be bad, Empress Wei knows it well. If it wasn't for her and His Majesty's young husband and wife, if it wasn't for the empress dowager's success, the crown prince's position would have been replaced by someone else long ago.
"Go and find the prince!" Empress Wei ordered.
The great eunuch Hong Rang next to her took the order.
She then softly explained to Emperor Hongjing: "This kid likes to be brave, and he was toasted by those courtiers. He probably fell asleep somewhere because he was drunk. When he comes, His Majesty will punish him."
Emperor Hongjing didn't speak.
After about two quarters of an hour, several eunuchs surrounded the prince and arrived.
The prince's face was pale, his expression was panicked, and his walking posture was a little staggering. And King Lu followed not far away, his face could not hide his excitement.
King Jin looked over, his eyes fixed, he looked at King Lu, and then at King Yong.
King Yong seemed to notice the look in King Jin's eyes, and showed him a normal smile.
The prince stumbled and knelt down beside Emperor Hongjing's legs. Emperor Hongjing was even more angry when he saw his son so useless. It's just that he came a bit late, why should he be so surprised, there are so many courtiers and envoys present, there is no way to lose the face of Daqian Dynasty.
He winked over, Li Dequan went to help the prince, and said: "Your Highness, you really drank too much, please walk carefully."
The prince was forcibly lifted up by him, his fat body trembling uncontrollably. Before he could stand up straight, King Lu spoke suddenly, and he slipped and fell to the ground immediately.
"Just now I saw that the elder brother has the spirit of a dragon and a horse. He kept attacking and made the concubine cry and beg for mercy. How can he not stand still now?" After saying this, King Lu moved closer to Emperor Hongjing, and said eagerly: "Father, you don't know what my son saw just now. The elder brother actually had an affair with your new favorite concubine."
Obviously, the gongs and drums on the other side of the stage are noisy, and the surrounding buildings are cheering continuously, but it is so quiet here that it seems like no one's land.
No one dared to speak, they all knew that the sky was going to collapse.
The emperor stood up abruptly, and was about to say something, when suddenly there was a rush of footsteps behind him.
Following the sound of footsteps, two court ladies rushed over with mournful faces.
They went straight to the emperor's grandson, saying incoherently: "Your Highness, it's not good, it's not good..."
The emperor's grandson was excited, and wanted to yell at him.
Unexpectedly, before the words were spoken, a female voice took the lead: "Grandfather, don't reprimand them, they are also good slaves who are loyal to the Lord, yes..."
She didn't finish speaking, she was full of embarrassment, hesitated to speak, and sighed.
Seemingly having finally made up her mind, she looked at Queen Wei hesitantly and said, "Queen Mother, you should go and have a look."
"What happened?"
"It's the princess..."
Concubine Yong's appearance is really surprising. First, something happened to the crown prince, Empress Wei was already unsure, and then she heard that something happened to the crown princess too, so there is nothing to worry about.
"Speak up if you have something to say, don't hesitate!"
"The crown princess had a tryst with the guards, and was bumped into by someone."