Chapter 138 Attending the Palace Banquet
However, our Chang Xixi was once a top student and a person who had gotten rid of vulgar tastes. How could she possibly watch such a bloody scene?
After she went out, she went straight to the teahouse, greeted everyone and went directly to the college. As soon as she entered, the students greeted her one after another and respectfully called her "Sir".
Chang Xixi naturally prefers the place here to the teahouse... What a great atmosphere, and no intrigue or deception.
…
Gu Rongyu hadn't seen Chang Xixi for many years. The longing he missed her was like a mountain standing in front of him, pressing down on him wherever they went, making it impossible for him to breathe evenly.
I felt very suffocated no matter what I did, especially when I saw Qingnan's face.
In the past, Qingnan always followed Chang Xixi and did things for her. Sometimes she even acted as a tool, but fortunately she knew everything herself.
Several years have passed, I wonder if my wife has remarried or if she misses me at all!
As he thought about this, he fell into endless thoughts. During the years at the border, he always wanted to go back to the city to overturn the case so that he could bring his wife to the city with a legitimate reason, and the two of them could live together, or find a place to open a shop and make a living.
She earned money and he followed her around doing odd jobs. Thinking back, those days were really good!
But, it was all just his fantasy. The old emperor refused to overturn the verdict! He also forbade anyone to mention it! As a result, the officials below were unable to overturn the verdict even if they wanted to! They could only wait for the right opportunity.
His position as a prince seems to be well-deserved, but if he fails to act according to the rules, he will be doomed and may be beheaded at any time.
…
"Eunuch, why are you here?" Qingnan stood at the door and saw the eunuch who was delivering the imperial edict for the first time waiting outside the prince's mansion with a group of little boys.
The eunuch said, "I have my reasons for coming here... Why hasn't the general come to receive the order?"
Qingnan then realized that this eunuch was here to deliver an imperial decree.
He politely invited the eunuch in, offered him a cup of tea, and whispered to him, "The general has been in a bad mood recently. Please sit here and wait for a while. I will go and call someone. Please bear with me. The general has encountered something unhappy. It's not a big deal. If I go there rashly, I will be killed."
After saying that, Qingnan took out a silver note from his arms and handed it over, then went to the backyard with a smile.
He waited at the door for a moment, and when he heard no sound of anything being thrown inside, he slowly knocked on the door, "Young Master, someone from the palace has come, and they want you to receive an imperial decree."
Gu Rongyu took the wine glass in his hand, took a sip, and asked, "The palace? It's only been a short while, and you're already looking for me for something. I'm afraid it's not a good thing."
After he finished speaking, without waiting for Qingnan to answer, he grabbed the bottle of wine on the table, opened the lid, drank the wine in one gulp, opened the door and walked out.
Seeing him like this, Qingnan said, "Young Master, why don't we change our clothes? You smell too much and it's inappropriate."
"What's the point of being decent? I won't be like that. If I spend all day reading books and military manuals, I'm afraid His Majesty will hate me if he sees me."
It’s true, they say that serving the emperor is like serving a tiger, and our emperor is a lion!
Gu Rongyu went to see his father-in-law while reeking of alcohol. Although he looked drunk, he was still in high spirits and his manners were impeccable.
After the imperial edict was read, Gu Rongyu knew that he was required to attend the palace banquet.
The last time he met the princess of Zhu State was in the court. This time, he wanted to host a banquet to entertain her, so as to maintain the etiquette of a great country and to make the Southern Dynasty have a good reputation. This is the part that His Majesty likes most.
The palace banquet will start tomorrow evening.
Most ladies of high rank had to attend palace banquets with their husbands, and the female relatives in their families, or talented girls would also come along.
The first is that the emperor can marry and take concubines for the next generation of the royal family.
Secondly, there are some young people who can do their best for the country, and they can also take this opportunity to get to know those officials with connections.
Third, it can also let the emperor know which people are in cliques and which people are in conflict with each other.
All the palace servants present here are the emperor's spies, and every word you say will be recorded.
It is normal for Gu Rongyu to be invited to the banquet. Now, in the eyes of other officials, he is the most popular person in the eyes of the emperor!
Therefore, he had to attend this banquet. If he didn't go, Gu Rongyu would be in big trouble.
…
The banquet was held on the second night after receiving the imperial edict. The banquet started at 1:05 pm and ended at 1:00 pm, lasting a full half day.
He first went to the banquet and walked around, but the emperor had not yet arrived. The princess of Zhu State was currently meeting with the queen, the imperial concubine and others.
Gu Rongyu found it very boring. He didn't know many court officials, but everyone knew him.
If he left for a moment, people would know he was gone, so he couldn't leave the table. He could only sit on a stool, drinking in silence, watching the so-called officials chatting and laughing, their mouths full of benevolence and righteousness, their hearts full of schemes.
There were many royal family members here today, and Gu Rongyu had never seen any of them before. Fortunately, he had done his homework before coming.
What kind of personality does a person have? What kind of things will he or she probably do? Who is the most thoughtful? Who cares most about the people? Who is mediocre?
The Crown Prince rarely appeared at palace banquets because he was always busy sharing the emperor's worries. Almost all the memorials that the emperor wanted him to read were kept in his East Palace.
If you don't have talent, you can only make up for it through hard work.
Gu Rongyu accidentally made eye contact with him… The prince smiled faintly and raised his glass to toast him. Not wanting to embarrass the prince, Gu Rongyu also raised his own glass, stood up, and drank it all in one gulp.
However, his action was seen by Prince Rui who was standing beside him. He said jokingly, "Oh my! Look at this great general who has made great military achievements. He is so humble. You should all learn from him. Don't just jump around without any ideas just because you have some achievements."
"Prince Rui is right. I was rash. I only felt that I was familiar with the Crown Prince, and I forgot to offer you a glass of wine. I also want to borrow your auspicious words to prevent a humble minister like me from speaking rashly."
Gu Rongyu picked up the wine glass again, drank from him, and drank it all in one gulp.
Prince Rui's face turned pale. Who would have thought that Gu Rongyu would actually... speak for the Crown Prince, disdain to associate with him, and seemingly don't want to get close to the Crown Prince.
After drinking this glass of wine, Gu Rongyu's attitude of not wanting to talk to anyone was recognized by everyone, so... except for these two, no one dared to talk to him anymore.
The eunuch walked into the center of the hall and said, "The Emperor has arrived."
Everyone held their breath, came down from their seats, and knelt on the ground to welcome him.
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