Chapter 53
After nightfall, the palace was quiet.
Outside, word was spreading that the Sword-wielding Marquis had killed an assassin from the Northern Frontier in front of the Kyoto city gate.
Some people who were not aware of the situation even clapped and cheered.
It is said that the Northern Frontier was only on good terms with the Great Zhou on the surface, but in fact, it had secretly committed countless despicable acts.
There are people who know about it, such as Xie Fu.
After Xie Jingshan returned, he told Master Xie the truth. The latter was not surprised and just took out a piece of paper with his name on it.
"Father, what is this...?"
Grand Tutor Xie said, "A few days ago, your sister asked for an investigation into the matter of Concubine Chu poisoning the Seventh Prince. There are only three people from the mother's family of the empress and concubines who can interfere with the Ministry of Justice and the Dali Temple. The Empress, Concubine De, and Concubine Lan. If there is really a mastermind behind the scenes, it must be one of these three."
Xie Jingshan: "Dad, who do you think it is?"
Grand Tutor Xie: "Let's see who will be the first to step forward at the annual banquet tomorrow when the Marquis kills the assassin this time."
"Do you think the other party will talk about this at the annual banquet?"
"You will know tomorrow if you go and take a look. The position of the Minister of Works is not far back, so you may even be able to watch the show up close." Xie Taishi, "Don't tell the old marquis about this first."
"Wouldn't it be better to tell?"
"He loves his daughter, but he may not love his grandson. Let's wait and see."
-
The next day.
It was a busy day for the adults.
The children had nothing to do, as they didn't have to attend classes or help out - their help was seen by adults as more like making trouble.
Qu Dubian went to Shunning Palace and gave the finished shuttlecock to Zhiyi.
Because the fourth, fifth and sixth kids all liked to play with him, he often came to Shunning Palace, so the place became lively. Zhiyi gradually became less shy and was able to play with the other three little ones for a while.
When it was getting close to evening, people from all the palaces came and called their children away, some to change their clothes and some to wipe their faces.
Qu Duan waved his hand, "Empress Xuan, see you later!"
Concubine Xuan smiled and said, "See you later."
Return to the Purple Palace.
Emperor Chongzhao was also changing his clothes. Qu Dubian looked up at him silently for a while and said, "Dad, you've gained weight."
Emperor Chongzhao glanced at the kid at his feet and said, "It's winter and you're trying to gain weight. Who is like you? You don't even have half an ounce of meat."
Qu Watanabe: “…” If he remembered correctly, it was about gaining weight in autumn.
"Hey, little prince, don't just stand there, change your clothes quickly," Eunuch Yu came in with a tray, "Your Highness is young, so you don't need to be restricted by formal clothes. As long as the style is a little more formal, it will be fine."
Emperor Chong Zhao changed his clothes and went out first. Before leaving, he bent down and pinched his son's face: "Seal all the windows when you change his clothes. Be honest, I will wait for you outside."
Qu Duanbian slapped his hand fiercely.
Emperor Chongzhao walked out with his hands behind his back and twisted his fingers. In fact, there was still some flesh on his face, which felt good.
He stayed outside for a while in the cool breeze.
The palace door opened, and Eunuch Yu's smiling voice came: "When your Highness puts on this, he really looks like a fairy from heaven."
The Great Zhou Dynasty respected black and red, and the orchid was the national flower.
Qu Dubian was wearing a completely black outfit with wide cuffs made of white mink, and a white jade hairpin shaped like a jade rabbit was inserted into her bun, which was full of childishness.
With white mink fur, it looks more like a little rabbit.
Emperor Chongzhao knew, however, that the little guy was not a little rabbit, and sometimes he had one naughty thought after another.
"The hairpin is quite unique."
"It was given by my elder sister. I gave her the shuttlecock and she gave me this. Isn't it beautiful?"
Emperor Chongzhao asked Qu Du to hold his sleeve and said as they walked: "You look more like a girl."
Qu Watanabe: "Your Majesty, your skirt is so long."
Emperor Chongzhao: "What's wrong?"
Qu Watanabe: "I'm tired, can you sit on it? You drag me along, and I'll hold you down, and I can mop the floor cleaner."
"..." Emperor Chongzhao gritted his teeth, "Shut your mouth."
"oh."
After a while.
"Really? Dad?"
"…Shut up, no."
-
Wo Lin Palace.
The annual banquet has always been held in this hall.
Several rows of tall candlesticks were placed on both sides, and the hall was brightly lit.
The emperor sat at the top, with the empress next to him.
Next are the positions of the crown prince, four concubines, and the imperial concubine.
Only concubines of the rank of imperial concubine or above could attend the annual banquet. Princes and princesses over ten years old could attend the banquet alone. If they were under ten years old, and their biological mothers were not imperial concubines, they would be taken care of by the main imperial concubine or the queen.
If it is too troublesome, the concubines and the royal heirs may not attend.
Zhiyi had never been here before, but this time she wanted to come and take a look, so she was brought here by Concubine Xuan.
Several representative relatives of the royal family also came, sitting between the empress and the officials.
Prince Ming is among them.
He smiled and bowed to welcome the civil and military officials who arrived one after another, "Please take a seat, everyone. Minister of Revenue, Lord Lin is here. Why do I see that your hair has turned a lot whiter?"
The Minister of Revenue laughed and said, "Those shameless people don't let me live in peace during the New Year. They come here to try to get money. Isn't it because of them that my hair has turned white that they are causing trouble?"
As soon as these words were spoken, countless officials around him were affected.
"Hahahaha, Lord Lin really knows how to joke. Please sit down."
Prince Ming walked forward again and caught a glimpse of a strange face. "Eh? Why haven't I seen this sir before? Are you new here to report on your work?"
The man was about 30 or 40 years old, wearing a light crimson military officer's uniform and a resolute face. Hearing this, he saluted and said, "I am Xia Hong, a fourth-rank general who was originally under the command of the governor of Jeju. I was transferred to the capital. This time I am here to take up the post and report on my work."
"Transferred to the capital?" Prince Ming was puzzled. "What position was he transferred to?"
Xia Hong: "There is no clear intention."
"That's strange, where is your seat?"
Xia Hong pointed, and Prince Ming looked over, only to see that the man was, by chance, in the middle of the right side of the hall. According to his rank and his new arrival in the capital, he should have been at the back.
Prince Ming suppressed his doubts and patted him on the shoulder, "Go ahead."
Xia Hong bowed, and after sitting down, he placed his hands neatly on his thighs with his back straight.
His style of doing things is very methodical.
Prince Ming withdrew his gaze. Soon, he had no time to think about this matter. A eunuch outside shouted, "The sword-wielding Marquis is here—"
"The Sword Master is here."
"Get up, get up."
The ministers who were originally talking in groups of three or four stood up one after another, without mentioning the little thoughts in their hearts, and all had kind smiles on their faces.
"My Lord, I am well!"
Xu Jin returned the greeting and said, "Long time no see, everyone."
The concubines and princes sitting in the front looked in the direction of the voice. Zhiyi whispered to Concubine Xuan, "Madam Xuan, is he the grandfather of my seventh brother?"
Concubine Xuan: “Yes.”
Zhiyi: "Why is he carrying a sword?"
Concubine Xuan: "His name is Marquis Chijian."
"oh……"
Concubine Xuan smiled and gave Zhiyi a piece of cut fruit.
A gaze that was too strong to ignore fell on her. Concubine Xuan paused slightly, and looked over as she felt, meeting the gaze of the sword-wielding Marquis.
The old marquis stared closely at Zhiyi, who was half blocked by her.
Concubine Xuan understood, and probably knew about the matter of the young master in the palace choosing his mother, so she treated Zhiyi as her own grandson.
She turned sideways and shook her head at the sword-wielding Marquis.
There was a little girl sitting next to him...Xu Jin felt a little disappointed.
Prince Ming: "Alright, alright, everyone disperse. His Majesty will be here soon. Don't delay the Marquis from taking his seat." He leaned in and whispered, "Empress Xuan has not been formally adopted yet, so follow His Majesty to the table. You will be able to see her later."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Only then did Xu Jin take his seat.
He sat in the front seat, next to Prince Ming.
Being closer, Zhiyi got a closer look at the sword-wielding marquis. The aura of a general who had fought on the battlefield for half his life was terrifying enough. Zhiyi was startled by the two hideous scars on his face, and then hid behind Concubine Xuan. After a while, thinking that this was the grandfather of her seventh brother, she dared to slowly stick her head out.
Xu Jin didn't expect that he would scare the little princess. He touched his face. He originally didn't care about the two scars on his face, but now he suddenly started to care.
He looked around but couldn't find anything to cover his face.
Prince Ming: "What are you doing, Lord?"
Xu Jin: "Does Your Majesty have anything to cover his face?"
"Of course," Prince Ming pulled out a delicate pink handkerchief from his sleeve, the same color as the flirtatious strip of cloth he used to cover his eyes, "You can use it as you like."
"Why do you suddenly want to cover your face?"
"Children raised in the capital are not as brave as those raised in the border areas. I don't want to scare others."
"Oh, my Lord, you want to imitate me. The eye I cover is also quite scary, hahaha."
Xu Jin picked up the handkerchief with his fingers, his brows knitted. "…What is embroidered on it? There are butterflies and flowers. Only young girls and young men use such delicate colors. I don't want to use it."
"This is called Butterfly Love Flower."
Prince Ming sighed, "Really?"
Xu Jin: “No need!”
The little grandson is a prince, how can he be as pampered as a princess? He won’t cover it up!
Suddenly the atmosphere became solemn. Outside the hall, Eunuch Yu came in with small steps, "Your Majesty has arrived—"
All the officials stood up and bowed.
"Greetings, Your Majesty!"
Emperor Chongzhao: "Today's annual banquet, there is no emperor or minister, no need to be polite, just like in previous years, feel free to be casual."
Qu Dubian walked forward holding Emperor Chongzhao's sleeve. Even though Emperor Chongzhao deliberately slowed down his pace, he still had to stride hard to catch up.
He couldn't help but worry. He tried really hard to eat, was not picky about food, and drank milk every day, but why wasn't he growing taller?
Qu Dubian raised his head and looked to both sides. Which one was his grandfather?
Having never seen him, he had no idea what his grandfather looked like and could only walk around in the line of military officers.
As he was looking, he was hit on the forehead. Emperor Chongzhao said: "What are you looking at? Walk properly."
Qu Dubian covered his forehead with his hands and grimaced, and finally lowered his sore neck and looked at his toes.
When he reached the line of relatives, Prince Ming glanced at Xu Jin beside him, raised the corner of his mouth, and suddenly said: "My little nephew, you haven't met the emperor's uncle yet."
Xu Jin's body froze for a moment. Hearing the teasing in Prince Ming's tone, he cursed inwardly, and then heard a soft child's voice in his ear: "Eh?"
Qu Dubian stopped, looked up, and thought for a moment: "I have met him a few times, but I have never spoken to the emperor's uncle."
Emperor Chongzhao: "So you call me uncle now? I don't usually see you calling father so straightforward."
Prince Ming laughed and said, "I'll make up the gift another day."
Qu Watanabe: "Thank you, uncle."
"Let's go," Emperor Chongzhao led him forward.
After greeting Empress Xuan, Zhiyi and the other royal brothers who were present, Qu Dubian couldn't help but look back every few steps.
The weird grandpa standing next to Uncle Ming, with his pinky raised and a pink butterfly handkerchief covering his face...who is this?
Nowadays, besides Liu Liu who has a girlish heart that is as beautiful as a fairy, there are actually masters?
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