The emperor's family banquet today was different from the last time he entered the palace in early summer. Because the weather was still hot at the end of June, the emperor placed the dinner in a pavilion near the Huaqing Pool in the Imperial Garden.
The evening breeze is gentle and refreshing.
When Xia Chu and Xiao Mubai arrived with the Marquis and others, they found that there were only three people in the pavilion besides the emperor.
One is Xiao Zimu, and the other two are naturally Huo Tianxiu and Huo Wenshu.
This time it was actually a real family banquet, unlike last time where we had to pretend to be polite to the princes.
The emperor sat directly above, Xiahou Ye sat on the left side of the emperor, Huo Tianxiu was next to Xiahou Ye, Huo Wenshu was next to Huo Tianxiu, Zhao Xingwen naturally sat next to Huo Wenshu, and General Zhao sat on the right side of the emperor. Xia Chu sat down next to him.
When Xia Chu sat down like this, he happened to be next to Xiao Zimu. Xiao Mubai wanted to get in between Xiao Zimu and Zhao Xingwen.
Seeing Xiao Mubai's face growing cold at a speed that was visible to the naked eye, Xia Chu said to General Zhao, "I'll sit next to the emperor."
The emperor waved to him happily, and Xia Chu sat in naturally.
After all nine people were seated, the family banquet officially started.
"The Ministry of Rites has chosen several dates. Have you ever visited it?" the emperor asked Huo Tianxiu.
"Wen Shu thought that Tianyang had just been laid to rest this year, and it would not be a good time to get married. She planned to keep her mourning for one year and then do it next year." Huo Tianxiu reported to the emperor.
"She is a filial child, so just obey her." The emperor nodded with satisfaction.
"It's just that my cousin is having a hard time day and night." Xia Chu joked from the side.
Huo Wenshu couldn't resist being teased, and her face suddenly turned red.
Zhao Xingwen called out angrily: "Xia Chu!"
The emperor also smiled at him and said, "You are the only one with a poor mouth."
Xia Chu smiled and didn't take it seriously.
"Are you feeling better?" The emperor asked him with concern.
"Well, after absorbing the emperor's dragon energy and inheriting the emperor's thoughts, I will naturally be well when I go back." Xia Chu came with a smile on his face and opened his mouth. After what he said, everyone at the table, except the emperor, froze.
The emperor took advantage of it and laughed heartily: "You are also the one with the sweet mouth."
Xia Chu obediently gave the emperor a piece of food. The emperor looked at General Zhao and the Marquis proudly. This time, they had the same hatred and sneered at the emperor.
The emperor didn't care, and continued to ask Xia Chu with a smile: "Now that you are well, you must think about my ninth princess. She has been talking about it in front of me for a long time since you left."
As soon as the emperor finished speaking, Xia Chu, Marquis and Xiao Mubai choked at the same time.
Of course, the one who choked the most was Xiao Mubai...
The emperor didn't mention this matter, and he had forgotten about it. Before Xia Chu appeared, Xiao Mubai loved this sister the most. He never thought that one day he would compete with his own sister for his sweetheart...
The emperor looked at the three of them with confusion: "What's going on with you?"
"Soup, it's too hot..." Xia Chu pretended to slap his mouth with his hand.
Xiao Zimu looked at Xia Chu suspiciously after hearing this. He had just drank the soup and it was at a suitable temperature.
The emperor didn't pay attention and continued: "Today she didn't know that you were coming to the palace for dinner. Tomorrow the news will not be suppressed. If she comes to the Hou Mansion to find you, I can't stop her."
"Your Majesty, you'd better stop me. I'm going to pick up my sweetheart tomorrow so that the Ninth Princess won't be sad." After Xia Chu said this, everyone at the table except Xiao Mubai was stunned.
Xiao Mubai was not stunned, he just choked again.
"When did you find your sweetheart?" Almost everyone at the table said in unison.
"We grew up together in the mountains, childhood sweethearts." Xia Chu replied quite naturally, because after all, it was not a complete lie.
Therefore, I am still very confident.
The emperor's face was full of disappointment, while General Zhao's old face turned into a smile. The Marquis naturally knew that he was telling nonsense. Huo Tianxiu was thankful that he had not promised Wen Shu to him, and Zhao Xingwen took his place. Happy.
A strange feeling flashed through Xiao Zimu's heart, and then he slowly felt relieved. He always wanted to get a wife, and so did he.
Only Xiao Mubai never expected that this green plum would not only block his heart, but would also block his sister's heart again...
The family dinner that followed was generally a good time for the guests and the host.
After they dispersed, the emperor left Xiao Zimu and Xia Chu alone. They also knew in their hearts that the emperor wanted to ask in detail what happened in the suburbs of Nancheng.
Therefore, Xiao Mubai told Xia Chu that he was going to see Concubine Qi and would call him with her before leaving.
Xia Chu nodded, and Xiao Mubai resigned from the emperor.
The two followed the emperor into the royal study. After the emperor gave him a seat, he took the lead and asked Xia Chu: "I heard that there is a peerless master beside you."
"Yes, they were brought down from the mountain." Xia Chu knew that there were hidden guards there that day, so he couldn't hide it.
"Why did you happen to show up?" the emperor asked.
"His Royal Highness Seventh and I hit it off, and we occasionally exchanged letters after returning to the mountain. When I learned that he was going back to Beijing, and it happened to be that I was about to come down from the mountain, I thought of welcoming His Highness." Xia Chu had already thought about what he said.
Therefore, the answer is watertight.
"Thanks to the one you brought down the mountain, otherwise it would be really dangerous this time." The emperor did not doubt that he was there, but his tone was quite emotional.
"Your Majesty, you don't want to steal someone from me, do you?" Xia Chu pretended to be stingy and stared at the Emperor warily.
The emperor laughed out loud: "I am now in the position of robbing you of people."
"That's good." Xia Chu patted his chest and said "tsk" twice before continuing to say to the emperor: "I happened to be passing by this time, otherwise His Highness the Seventh Prince would have... "
The emperor also suppressed his smile and his expression became serious.
Unexpectedly, Xiao Zimu was assassinated twice when he left the palace this time.
"Your Majesty, if you catch someone, why don't you kill them all?" Xia Chu fanned the flames.
The emperor snorted coldly: "This guy is so bold and reckless. If he is caught, he will not only kill his whole family, but I will kill all nine of his clans."
When Xia Chu heard this, he lowered his head and rolled his eyes, thinking to himself, let's just kill the nine tribes.
Prime Minister Du's wife is your biological sister, Princess Yirou. If the Nine Clans are to be killed, then everyone in the royal family will have to die...
"Father, please give me some more time, and cover up the matters outside the city. I will tell you all after my investigation comes to light." Xiao Zimu said warmly to the emperor.
He didn't tell the truth about some things because that night in the southern suburbs, Xia Chu reminded him that instead of telling the emperor his conjectures bit by bit when the evidence was insufficient, it would be better to wait until the evidence was complete before hitting the snake.
In this way, when the emperor is furious, he will not feel unbearable towards Du Hanfei...
(End of chapter)