In August, there were originally two extremely important days for the court and the opposition. One is the Mid-Autumn Festival on August 15th, and the second is the emperor's birthday on August 30th. However, because of the national mourning of the Empress Dowager, all the celebrations were stopped, so the former only stopped the court for a holiday, the latter only received congratulatory forms from all over the world, and several small gatherings were held in the harem of the important ministers.
Although the scale of the birthday banquet is small, the royal family members still have to present birthday gifts as usual. This has always been a time when they were competing, and everyone spent a lot of thought. The prince presented a large screen with a 10% off flying needle and dragon embroidery. It was ingeniously crafted and splendid. When it was carried out, everyone was envious. King Yu collected a piece from nowhere, and it was two people's height, which was naturally eroded and chiseled into one. The Taihu stone with the character "Shou" is extremely beautiful, and it is also a rare treasure. The other princes either sent the isolated ancient book or the jasper Guanyin, each of which was worth tens of thousands of gold. King Jing gave a divinely handsome falcon, which was well-trained. He stood on Emperor Liang's arm in a dignified manner, tilted his head and looked at the emperor, causing a burst of laughter.
Originally, Emperor Liang liked and praised the birthday gifts he received on the surface, but because of these laughter, many people secretly saw some clues.
Because there was no music during the national mourning period, the atmosphere of the banquet was not strong after all. Although the guests tried their best to chat and laugh, Emperor Liang was not in high spirits. After receiving a few rounds of toasts, Yi Li got up and drove back to the harem.
In the forbidden garden, the queen had already arranged for the people from the six palaces to wait for the banquet. Emperor Liang had already drank a few glasses of wine in the outer hall, and leaned crookedly on the soft pillow to receive the congratulations from the concubines ordered wives. Because of the pain in the waist, after the ceremony, he ordered Concubine Jing to sit beside him for a massage, with his eyes open. Timely looked down at the hall.
Although it was the emperor's birthday, the funeral costumes were in place. Everyone dared not wear plain clothes, nor did they dare to wear makeup. At first glance, it was not as colorful and gorgeous as in previous years, but more elegant.
The wife of the imperial court official gave a salute, and they all withdrew, leaving only the concubine and princess in the palace. The queen naturally congratulated her with wine first, followed by Concubine Yue. Because the prince was repeatedly reprimanded, Yue Guifei also kept a low profile in the palace. Today, she only traced the slender eyebrows that grow into the temples. She has never applied any powder or cinnabar. Her face is pale and light, with a thin smile. It is not as gorgeous and amazing as before, but it makes people feel more pitiful.
Emperor Liang took the golden cup from her ivory-white hand, took a sip, stared at her with a low eyebrow, and remembered that he was in the outer hall just now, and the crown prince also flinched.
Although he was annoyed by the misbehavior of the prince, but after all, he had been fond of the mother and son for many years, and the affection still remained. What's more, now that the teeth are getting older, sometimes I look in the mirror and see the stars on my temples, and I often worry about the twilight. After all, I can't be as cruel as before.
"You've lost weight recently, but you're not feeling well? You should also send the imperial doctor to take a look..." Emperor Liang stroked Concubine Yue's shoulder and said softly, "Ye Qin brought some Luo Dai again, and I ordered someone at night. Where are you going?"
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Concubine Yuegui's eyes were slightly red, but she couldn't cry on such a day, so she tried her best to endure it, her eyes were naturally misty and shimmering. Emperor Liang looked more and more affectionate in his heart, held her hand and let her sit on his right side, talking to her in a low voice.
The Empress was a little sullen, and could not help but glance at Concubine Jing who was beating him on the shoulders behind the Emperor. Seeing that her eyes were lowered and her expression was quiet, as if she didn't feel anything at all, she knew that she could not be expected to win Emperor Liang. 's attention. Just as he was thinking about it, he saw a few young princesses beside him, and he quickly raised his hand to make a toast to the girls.
Like the birthday banquet in the outer hall, this inner banquet did not last long. After three rounds of drinking, Emperor Liang felt sleepy, and ordered the empress to stop the banquet and give out a regular reward, and then got up and drove back to his bedroom to rest.
Maybe it was due to fatigue, maybe it was due to illness and drinking, the next day Emperor Liang felt a little lazy, and he passed the decree to stop for a day. The imperial doctor immediately came to the palace, and after a detailed diagnosis, there was no serious illness, and he could only prescribe some evacuation prescriptions for warming therapy. Emperor Liang himself felt that he was just lazy, and there was nothing particularly uncomfortable. He didn't want to make too much noise. He ordered the imperial courtiers not to go to the palace to inquire about their illness. He took the medicine and slept for a few hours. Feeling better.
Although his physical condition improved, Emperor Liang still didn't want to deal with political affairs. After reading a few pages of idle books, he suddenly remembered that Concubine Yue's mother and son were haggard yesterday. With a move in his heart, he immediately called Gao Zhan, told him to arrange a car, and prepared to quietly go to the East Palace to visit the prince. , to show kindness.
The emperor said he wanted to go "quietly", so of course he could not report it in advance, so Gao Zhan only informed Meng Zhi, the commander of the Imperial Army, to arrange defense. The high-walled corridor between the Forbidden Garden and the East Palace quickly and quietly came to the front of the East Palace.
The holy car suddenly came, and the people on duty in front of the East Palace were in a panic, and they knelt on the ground. Because Emperor Liang was already in front of him, everyone was busy saluting, and no one dared to get up and run inside at this time, and no one went in for a while to inform the prince.
"What is the prince doing?" Emperor Liang asked casually.
A man dressed in a sixth-grade historical uniform replied tremblingly, "Hui... Hui, I report to Your Majesty, His Royal Highness is, in... inside..."
"Nonsense! Where would he be if he wasn't inside? I asked him what he was doing inside?!"
"Go back, go back to Your Majesty... The servants don't, I don't know..."
Seeing that his answer was really inappropriate, Gao Zhan hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, let them inform His Royal Highness to pick him up?"
Emperor Liang gave a "hmm". Gao Zhan casually pointed to the Nei Shi who had just replied, and whispered, "Don't hurry up!"
Nai Shi kowtowed, got up and ran inside. Because of his panic, he accidentally stepped on his robe when he went down the steps, fell down and ate shit, and was busy getting up and running. Roll and climb.
When Emperor Liang saw his embarrassed look from behind, he couldn't help laughing, but just after laughing twice, he suddenly became suspicious again. He knew that Nei Shi, and often served by the prince's side. Although his grade was not high, he was not a newcomer who had never seen a driver before. Even if he had an accident today, he wouldn't be so scared and panicked...
"Call that man back!"
Gao Zhan hurriedly ordered the little eunuch to chase Nai Shi back, and brought him to the front of Emperor Liang to kneel and wait for questioning.
"You said just now... You don't know what the prince is doing inside?"
Nei Shi curled up in a ball, fell on the ground and didn't dare to look up, and said in a trembling voice, "It's true that the servant doesn't... I don't know..."
Emperor Liang's eyes remained gloomy on his face for a moment, and he said coldly: "Everyone kneels here for me, no notification, no unauthorized movement. Meng Zhi, Gao Zhan, you all come in with me!"
"Yes."
After bowing to take orders, Gao Zhan felt a little uneasy in his heart. Although he didn't know what was going on in the palace, he always felt that something was wrong. He was afraid of what would happen. He could not help but glanced at Meng Zhi quietly to see what he meant. , just bowed his head and walked along in silence. He had no choice but to bend his body even lower, and followed the Emperor Liang, who was walking faster and faster, in small steps.
Although the regulation of the East Palace is not as good as that of Tiangongcheng, it is the residence of the prince after all. From the main entrance to the Changxin Hall, where the prince lives, it is still a long way. Emperor Liang just suspected that the prince was behaving inappropriately in his palace at the moment, and he was unhappy, so he decided to go in secretly to see for himself, but after all, he was already old, and he was a little out of breath after walking for a long time.
Gao Zhan is the most adept at the Holy Spirit. He has already made preparations in advance. With a wave of his hand, the six people who have been following him stepped forward. Emperor Liang sat on the chariot with the hands of the inner attendant, and his movement speed was almost twice as fast as he was walking by himself. Going all the way in this way, of course, there are many people from the East Palace and others along the way. Although these people don't know the situation, they can still understand the gesture of Mengzhi's silence.
After passing the wall of Mingtang, turn to Yongfeng Pavilion, and next is Changxin Hall. Emperor Liang went down to the chariot, and as soon as he stepped onto the all-wood-paved hall corridor, he heard the sound of silk and bamboo music coming from inside, and he was immediately furious and his steps quickened.
Music is banned nationwide during the national mourning period, which is a ritual system. It’s just that the three-year period of filial piety has become longer. Later, many people in the civil society will start to quietly violate the system. As long as it is not public, it is not excessive, and the court will mostly turn a blind eye. But after all, the identity of the prince is not the same as that of ordinary people. First, he is the heir, and secondly, he is the direct descendant of the empress dowager. The national filial piety carries two layers of filial piety. Besides, it is not the late stage of the funeral system, and it has not even passed half a year. He started to perform music, which was extremely disobedient.
But to say that the prince didn't know that performing music at this time violated the etiquette, of course not, but he has always been used to enjoying himself and could not bear the silence during the mourning period. The doors and windows of the hall were quietly playing in it, and it was impossible for the assistant imperial censors of the East Palace to know about it. As for the sudden arrival of the father, since it had never happened before, he had never even thought about it.
Emperor Liang stood for a while in front of the closed door of the hall under the corridor, and his face was very ugly when he heard the music that was deliberately lowered. But at this time, he still had some reason left in his mind, knowing that if he broke in like this, the crime of playing music during the prince's mourning period would be conclusive. For Daliang, who has always advertised the rule of filial piety, this is not a crime. A small crime is enough to overturn all the already weak virtues of the prince. Not only will there be a single rubbish word in front of you, but also a large number of people related to the East Palace will follow. Taking a step back, even though he has lost his thoughts about the prince now and no longer has any pity, Emperor Liang still wants to do this slowly, and does not want an unexpected accident to become the cause of his abolition.
Thinking of this, Emperor Liang endured the anger in his heart, didn't say a word, turned around with a dark face, and was about to leave quietly when a voice suddenly came from inside.
"Your Highness... Let's have another drink... Your Majesty is ill, and I won't summon His Highness today. It's okay to be drunk..."
After the tender and charming words, the crown prince snorted coldly, "Even if the royal father is safe, he will not call me. Besides King Yu, who else is in the eyes of the royal father?"
"Why do you say that, Your Highness? You are the prince of the dynasty and the future emperor. Of course, in Your Majesty's eyes, you should be the only one..."
"Forget it, I've seen it through a long time ago, my father is ruthless and suspicious, and always scolds me for not cultivating morality... He doesn't even think about it, if he hadn't helped King Yu to get up and do the right thing with me, why would I do those things... My virtue is not good, is my father's virtue better?" The prince said this, and laughed out loud, followed by the sound of swallowing wine and throwing glasses.
Emperor Liang's complexion was ashen, and his whole body was shaking like chaff. Gao Zhan approached worriedly, reached out to help him, but was pushed away violently and almost fell to the ground. Emperor Liang didn't even look at him, rushed down the steps in a few steps, pulled out a long knife from Meng Zhi's waist, turned around and rushed back. Gao Zhan was so frightened that his face turned pale, he took a few steps on his knees and hugged Emperor Liang's thigh, crying softly, "Think again, Your Majesty! Think again, Your Majesty!"
In fact, Emperor Liang was just furious, and he didn't know what he wanted to do. He just rushed to the closed door with the knife, but he felt dazed. He waved his blade back and slashed hard, and a slash in the vermilion column in front of the hall was cut. Deep Mark, then threw the knife to the ground fiercely, and strode away.
This movement was not small, and the prince in the hall was startled. When he rushed out to look, he only saw a corner of Emperor Liang's ochre yellow robe disappearing outside the door of the outer hall. Then he looked back at the knife marks on the pillar, and suddenly felt sweaty. There was a humming sound on the head, the bones in the whole body seemed to be taken away at once, and the whole person slumped to the ground.