Chapter 236: Bo Qiaohui 48
"Hey? Why don't I see King Liang?"
King Liu Ci of Lujiang looked around and was the first to notice that one of them was missing.
It would be nice if other people were missing. What was the relationship between Liu Wu and the palace? Even Liu Bi would feel uneasy when he was not here.
No way! Is Liu Qi really going to go on a killing spree at his mother's banquet, and kill members of the Liu family? Is he really that crazy?
Then think about it, it doesn't seem impossible that this madman, at the age of twelve, could smash his son's head like a watermelon over a disagreement.
With the exception of Liu Zhi and Liu Jianglu, all seven of the northern Qi princes were present. Their thoughts were similar to the Wu king's, and since everyone was gathered in Chang'an, it would be convenient for them to communicate privately, so they all attended. Upon hearing Liu Ci's words, he couldn't help but panic and unconsciously looked at Liu Bi.
Liu Xi, the only one whose uncles had kept their private plans secret for protection, was somewhat bewildered. He didn't know why his uncles were acting a bit strangely, but he still smiled and said, "Prince Liang has always relied on his close connections within the palace to act recklessly. It's not uncommon for him to be late or leave early occasionally."
Although not all of the other people participated, they all lived in the post station and had their own channels of information, so they knew something. Upon hearing Liu Xi's words, they looked at him in surprise:
Is this guy really stupid or just pretending to be stupid?
Liu Ang, the King of Jiaoxi, quickly embraced his nephew and said, "The elders are talking, why are you butting in?"
"Hahaha, my nephew has a pure heart. Moreover, he is now the King of Chengyang. Naturally, he is different from his brothers who have not yet been enfeoffed."
The King of Wu smiled proudly and patted Liu Ang's shoulder vigorously. "Who cares why the King of Liang is late? We brothers should just enjoy ourselves."
As he spoke, he took the lead and walked towards the palace. A look of disgust flashed across Liu Xi's face behind him, but he glanced at his uncles and followed obediently.
In the main hall, Dou Yifang, who was supported by Guantao, frowned when she saw the layout of the hall. After she sat down and looked up, she saw the princes coming in one after another, and her heart skipped a beat.
She immediately looked at Liu Qi beside her, only to see that her son had already stood up with laughter.
At this moment, almost all the vassal kings from all over the Han Dynasty gathered together, with the King of Wu and the King of Chu leading the way, paying homage and paying respects to the Emperor, the Queen Mother and the Empress.
"You are all family. Today we are gathered together for the Queen Mother's birthday, so please don't be restrained."
Liu Qi raised his glass with a smile, "Come, today I will use this birthday banquet to toast the kings and thank you for your support in protecting the Han Dynasty!"
After everyone drank the cup together, Liu Qi smiled and sat down. Guan Tao immediately signaled the palace servants, and soon the actors and musicians from the Yuefu began playing lascivious music, gradually heating up the atmosphere in the palace.
"Brother Emperor, am I late?"
Just when the kings were on pins and needles, wondering what Liu Qi was up to, a clear voice suddenly rang out from outside the hall. Everyone looked and saw that it was King Liang who had arrived late, with a long sword on his waist.
Liu Qi immediately stood up and walked down the stairs quickly. "You still know you're late? You dare to be late for the Queen Mother's birthday party? Be careful that the Queen Mother will punish you."
As he said this, he punched Liu Wu on the shoulder, then put his arm around his shoulders and walked in front of Dou Yifang.
Liu Wu ignored Dou Yifang's shocked look and calmly bowed. "I took my men out hunting outside the city today, but I forgot the time. I hope your Majesty will not blame me."
Dou Yifang sat there, speechless for a long time.
Liu Wu didn't expect his mother to cooperate with him. He simply turned around and smiled at everyone present. "However, I did hunt some good prey this time. How about giving it to your mother as a birthday gift?"
After he finished speaking, he clapped his hands twice, and a row of guards came out. Each of them was strong and burly, and eight feet tall. The leader, Bo Ren, was holding a black bear in his arms. The bloodstains on his armor were not dry yet, and they were dotted along the way where he passed.
Bang--
The black bear was thrown onto the ground in the hall. The King of Wu, who was closest to him, only needed one glance to tell that the bear had indeed died not long ago. Then, taking a closer look at Bo Ren's clothing, he was horrified. He had never expected that Liu Qi would have such a skilled fighter by his side.
Liu Xi, who was a little further away, was delighted to see the prey. His eyes were sparkling as he looked at Bo Ren. If it weren't for the wrong occasion, he would have wanted to go up and make friends with him.
Indeed, almost everyone present knew who had killed the bear. After all, they had been dealing with King Liang for quite some time, so everyone had a good idea of his personal strength.
"Mother, this bear is full of treasures. I put a lot of effort into hunting it. I wonder if you like it?"
Dou Yifang paled at Liu Wu's words. She had no idea what the brothers were talking about, but how could she possibly be happy when her birthday party was ruined like this? Furthermore, Liu Wu was clearly acting out of personal emotion. Was he deliberately seeking revenge against her? Just because she disapproved of his marriage to his nephew?
Dou Yifang's heart was turbulent, but she smiled gently, as if she knew everything. "I like you very much, Wu'er. You really live up to the name your father gave you."
"Hahaha, I knew that Mother would be reluctant to punish Wu'er, but for my brother and uncles, this hurdle won't be so easy." Liu Qi walked over and picked up the wine on the tray held by the palace servant behind him: "Come, drink three cups first, and I will forgive you for being late."
Liu Wu picked up the wine and drank three cups in a row. The young princes present were also stimulated by the rapid music and the scene before them. Liu Xi couldn't help but shout "good".
This sound was like a signal, and soon Liu Wu found Liu Xi and several princes. He didn't know what they talked about, but they drank one cup after another, and they drank more and more happily.
At this moment, the singing and dancing changed, and the sound of drums came from somewhere. Several dancers actually drew soft swords from their waists. Each of them was dressed in gorgeous clothes and looked as graceful as a dragon. Even the princes who were not interested in beauty were attracted to them.
Liu Qi watched the sword dance with amazement. Suddenly, a soft string sound emerged from the music, and from the misty curtains around them, a dozen dancers with extremely long sleeves suddenly flew out. They were paired with two people, each fighting against a sword dancer. The music gradually became more intense as their sleeves fluttered.
Those who were close could even feel the slight itch brought by the flexible and smooth long sleeves brushing across their faces, chests and palms.
Liu Qi looked down and saw that several people had tensed up and his eyes seemed to be glued to them.
He glanced at Qiaohui who was sitting next to him, and saw that she was still kneeling there with dignity and composure, even the smile on her lips had not changed. He raised his hand and gently pinched her face with the wide sleeve of his clothes.
Qiao Hui immediately turned around and glared at him, but Liu Qi burst into laughter. Seeing that Qiao Hui didn't want to pay attention to him, he whispered, "Thank you, Queen, for taking care of me. If you don't like reading this, why don't you take your mother back to rest first?"
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