Chapter 159 Fireworks

As the moon rose high in the sky, the banquet gradually came to an end.

"Your Majesty, I am late. May I ask for a cup of wine with you?"

Before he arrived, his voice preceded him. At the entrance of the main hall, Prince Guo, Yunli, dressed in casual clothes, walked in under the moonlight.

"Of course there is." Yixiu smiled warmly, looking at Seventeen with the same gaze she had for Honghui. After all, back in the Prince's mansion, Seventeen often ate meals with Honghui in the main courtyard. Yixiu was quite fond of her younger brother, the Emperor, who was on her side.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

"Seventeen, where have you been? Today is the Empress's birthday, why are you only arriving now?" Yun Tang couldn't stand Seventeen's smug attitude, acting as if he was the only one with a close relationship with the Emperor and Empress, so he immediately asked loudly.

Yunli smiled broadly, completely unconcerned about Yuntang's little provocation, and said to Yixiu above, "Your Majesty, I have prepared a birthday gift for you on behalf of Your Majesty. I am a little late, please forgive me."

"A congratulatory gift?" Yixiu looked at Yinzhen beside her with some confusion.

Yinzhen smiled slightly and took Yixiu's hand. "Yes, this is a birthday gift I specially prepared for you. Now that the seventeenth has arrived, I presume everything is ready. Would the Empress like to come out of the palace with me for a look?"

Yixiu nodded with a smile. The most honored couple in the world got up and walked out. The other curious and confused people followed behind, leaving the Qianqing Palace and standing quietly in front of the spacious hall.

What kind of riddle is this?

Yun Tang curiously put her arm around Yun Li's shoulder, while the others nearby also pricked up their ears to eavesdrop.

Yunli glanced at Yunzhen, who was being supported by his thirteenth brother, and smiled slightly. Opportunity always favors the prepared. "Ninth brother, don't worry, you'll see soon enough."

"Hey……"

"Bang—bang—"

Before Yun Tang could speak, dazzling and brilliant flowers exploded in the sky above the distant city wall, like fire trees and silver flowers, fleeting yet endless, so beautiful that one could not take their eyes off them.

Everyone stared up in awe at the beautiful scenery in the sky, and for a moment no one spoke.

Peonies bloom in the sky, phoenixes rise from the ashes, and immortals celebrating birthdays are surrounded by cranes, their peaches transforming into countless stars that scatter across the earth…

A breathtaking fireworks display that left everyone amazed and captivated.

"How is it? Do you like it?"

Yinzhen tilted his head, and as the fireworks burst forth, his eyes seemed to be filled with the image of Yixiu. Through Yinzhen's deep eyes, Yixiu saw her own sweet and gentle smile reflected in them. "I like it, I like it very much."

The two stood close together, smiling as they watched the fireworks display, their warm and intimate atmosphere seemingly impenetrable. Nian Shilan, standing behind them, noticed this and her eyes darkened; even the most beautiful fireworks lost their appeal.

Standing at the back of the crowd, Zhen Huan gazed at the dazzling fireworks in the sky, a night illuminated solely for the Empress. Envy and confusion welled in her eyes; she always felt this honor should belong to her. Looking at the two people leaning on each other at the front, Zhen Huan made up her mind. She would fight for it, she would reach the Emperor's side, instead of standing silently at the back like this.

"These fireworks..." Gazing at the fireworks techniques that far surpassed anything seen before, Yun Si was amazed, but other thoughts also came to mind. He moved silently to Yun Li's side and asked in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Are they firearms?"

It sounded more like a statement than a question. Seeing Yunli's momentary stiffness, Yunsi knew the answer without Yunli needing to reply. He smiled, patted Yunli's shoulder, and walked away.

Yunli was left standing there, filled with regret. Damn it, why couldn't the Eighth Brother's brain be as simple as the Fourteenth Brother's?

On the other side, a half-drunk Yunzhen leaned against Yunxiang, gazing at the dazzling fireworks. He was still thinking about the firearms he was about to acquire, and he was happy with himself, thinking that he had kept it a secret very well. He didn't realize that Seventeen had caught him red-handed and gotten involved.

He laughed out loud, which made Yunxiang unable to bear it. He pushed his head away and refused to admit that he knew Yunzhen. "When you're sober, go find your wife. Don't try to get close to me."

Yunzhen steadied himself and winked smugly at Yunxiang, "Hey, Thirteen, you still don't understand..."

"Yes, yes, you understand. Please go to the side and don't disturb me while I'm watching the fireworks." Yunxiang smiled and silently moved closer to his twelfth brother, Yuntao.

Yun Tao: ...Honest people, stay away from me.

In the end, Yixiu's birthday banquet concluded with a grand fireworks display, but it was talked about by the people of the capital for a long time. After all, they had benefited from the Empress's presence and witnessed a night sky view they had never seen before; this night was one they would cherish for a lifetime.

...

"Brother, brother, the firearms battalion is all ready. When are you going to go and see it?"

Yunzhen excitedly pushed open the door and entered, only to be greeted by many familiar eyes: the eldest, second, eighth, ninth, tenth, thirteenth, and seventeenth.

"Everyone's here? Nobody told me, haha..." Yunzhen forced a smile and, under the ambiguous gazes of his brothers, almost walked into the Hall of Mental Cultivation in unison.

Su Peisheng, standing to the side, felt wronged. It was all because the Fourteenth Prince rushed in too quickly; he hadn't even had a chance to speak yet. It wasn't that he didn't want to tell him.

"Firearms Battalion?"

"Ready?"

"What are you going to see?"

The relentless questioning from the group made Yunzhen break out in a cold sweat, and he tried to ask his fourth brother for help. However, Yinzhen avoided his gaze and silently picked up his teacup to drink.

What a joke! He was cornered in the Hall of Mental Cultivation by the Eighth Prince and his men early this morning. Why should Yunzhen escape? He's the emperor; he calls the shots. The opportunity to explain is left to Yunzhen. He can't expect to get benefits without taking any responsibility, can he?

"Uh..." Realizing that his fourth brother wasn't going to speak up for him, Yunzhen felt a chill in his heart. Facing his brothers' stares, he forced a smile and explained, "Listen to me, listen to me..."

"Speak!" Yun Ti sat in his seat, rolled up his sleeves, and glanced at Yun Zhen casually, a look that made Yun Zhen's whole body ache. It was as if he had returned to the days when he was being trained by his boss.

"I, I..." Yunzhen paused for a long time before suddenly realizing what he had said. He had earned the firearms through his own abilities, so what was he being shy about?

Having figured it out, Yunzhen straightened his chest instantly and arrogantly glanced at the brothers present, "There's nothing to say. It's normal and reasonable for the firearms battalion to be equipped with firearms. Even if you gave them to your men, they wouldn't know how to use them!"

Wow, Yunli looked at Yunzhen with amazement. Fourteenth Brother really was constantly refreshing his understanding of things. He was really reckless.

"Bang!" Yun Ti slammed his hand on the table and stood up. "You brat, who are you saying doesn't know how to use it?"

"I'm talking about your soldiers!" Yunzhen was startled, but still stubbornly shouted back. Of course, if he hadn't slipped to Yinzhen's side, his momentum would have been even stronger.

"You'll be able to use it as soon as you get it!"

"It's not that simple, brother. You can't just make things up to get firearms."

"Who's talking nonsense? If you don't believe me, bring out your muskets, let's have a contest..."

Yinzhi and Yinzhen were arguing incessantly when Yinsi, unable to bear it any longer, stepped in and stopped them, saying, "Alright, alright, we're not here to fight. The specific allocation of firearms still depends on His Majesty's decision. Right, Your Majesty?"

Yinzhi smiled as he looked at Yinzhen, who was silently watching the show from the shadows, as if he wished the two of them would fight on the spot. His gaze swept over the other brothers who were also watching the show, including the once glorious and aloof Crown Prince, and he felt inexplicably tired.

It's unclear who infected whom, but all his brothers, who were once aloof, serious, or dignified, have become people who love to watch the drama unfold. It feels like he's the only mature and composed prince in the entire Hall of Mental Cultivation.

Having become the focus of attention in the hall due to Yinzhi's words, Yinzhen blinked slightly, his expression calm: "This matter..."

"Report! The Dzungar Khanate has come to pay homage!"