After the welcoming banquet that day, Princess Liaodong brought her three sons to the palace every day to pay respects to the Queen Mother.

The Queen Mother was obviously much happier and even ordered them to attend the New Year's Eve banquet on the night of the 30th.

The Emperor was always a filial son and had no objection to this.

So the Liaodong King's family was present in the banquet hall on the night of the 30th.

The New Year's Eve banquet is the most important meal of the year.

Everyone in the harem started preparing in the afternoon.

Yan Shu did the same.

However, others started dressing up in the afternoon, but she had not eaten any snacks since the afternoon.

Tsk, who knows how many delicious dishes there will be tonight, she must save her stomach to taste them well.

As the lights came on and night fell, everyone gathered in the Rouyi Palace for the New Year's Eve banquet.

It was similar to the welcoming banquet not long ago. Except for Concubine Ning who was still under house arrest and Concubine Li who was in the cold palace, everyone who was supposed to come had come.

With the addition of Liaodong King Yuwenhao's family, the scene was very lively.

Yuwen Lan sat at the head of the banquet hall and glanced quietly to the right.

Yan Shu was wearing a peach pink skirt, with a neat peach heart bun, two small agate pendants on her ears, peach pink cheeks, cherry red lips, quite playful and lovely.

However, after listening carefully, she heard her muttering in her heart, "Wow, hot pot duck, stir-fried lamb, hot and sour tripe, jade shrimp! There are also soft long fish, crab meat lion head, bird's nest duck slices, three-thread shark fin!" Hmm, what is that? A twelve-ingredient hot pot! Too grand!!!】

【I hope the emperor can say the opening remarks quickly so I can eat quickly.】

Yuwen Lan, "..."

He knew it.

Well, in order to fulfill her wish, he simply said, "Everyone has worked hard this year. Today is the last meal of the year, so don't be too formal."

Then he said to the Queen Mother, "I wish you good health and everything goes well in the coming year."

The Queen Mother smiled and nodded, "Your Majesty works hard for the country, which is the hardest. I also wish your Majesty good health and everything goes well."

Yuwen Lan bowed his head and said, "Thank you, mother."

Everyone followed in unison and said, "I wish your Majesty and the Queen Mother good health and everything goes well in the coming year."

After saying this, they could finally start eating.

Yan Shu smiled and immediately had a bowl of hot duck soup to whet her appetite.

Well, the duck soup is sour and spicy, which makes my stomach feel comfortable.

The emerald shrimps are fresh and refreshing, the smoked cabbage is very tasty, and the mushrooms and chicken sauce are rich.

The soft long fish is fresh and tender, the crab meat lion head is fat but not greasy, and the three-strand shark fin is full of deliciousness.

Not to mention the stewed hot pot, fat chicken tofu, fried lamb liver, bird's nest duck slices and other dishes, all of which are delicious in their own way.

Especially the twelve-ingredient hot pot, venison, chicken breast, roe deer spine, wild boar legs, sea cucumber, scallop, squid, lobster balls, all kinds of mountain and sea delicacies gathered in one pot, the taste is extraordinary.

The New Year's Eve dinner is indeed extraordinary!

This meal is so satisfying!

She was eating happily when she heard the empress dowager say, "Today's dishes are well cooked, especially the hot and sour tripe, which is soft, tender and tasty, and very much to my taste."

Yuwen Lan also nodded and said, "It's really good, the kitchen should be rewarded." As

soon as the words fell, Hu An, the chief eunuch of the Imperial Household Department who was serving on the side, hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, reward the Shangshenjian..."

Zhu Shu, a female official of Ci'an Palace, served the dishes to the empress dowager again and said with a smile, "Empress Dowager, try this white jade cake again."

The empress dowager tasted it again.

After a moment, she nodded again and said, "It's dense and smooth, sweet but not greasy, it's really good."

As she said that, she did not forget to greet the Liaodong Wang family, "You guys should try it too, this white jade cake, A Jing should like it."

Yuwen Hao and his wife hurriedly agreed, and then led the three children to taste the white jade cake.

After a while, the Liaodong Princess smiled and said, "The food in this palace is really different, and the taste is much better than that in Liaodong."

Then she asked A Jing, "Tell the Royal Grandmother quickly, is this cake delicious?"

The little guy was eating with his cheeks bulging, and nodded, "I hope."

Everyone couldn't help laughing.

After eating the white jade cake, the queen mother ate another bowl of three-shredded shark fin and said with a smile, "I'm afraid I've eaten too much today."

Yuwen Lan said, "Tonight is unusual. We have to stay up late later. Your mother has a good appetite, so it's okay to eat more." The queen mother

nodded.

But the bamboo book said, "Since the three princes came to the capital, the queen mother is happy and her appetite has improved."

Yuwen Lan did not show any surprise, but just said, "It seems that I should reward them three."

After the voice fell, Yuwen Hao hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, you are too kind. As the younger generation, they should come to the palace more often to pay homage to the queen mother. Why do they need to be rewarded?"

Then he instructed the three children, "Today is New Year's Eve, why don't you go and kowtow to the queen mother and congratulate her?"

The eldest and second children immediately stood up, and the Princess of Liaodong pushed the youngest son Ajing again. , so the little boy stood up ignorantly, followed his two brothers to the hall, kowtowed to the Queen Mother and Yuwen Lan, and said, "I wish the Queen Mother and Your Majesty a long life and good health."

The Queen Mother smiled and nodded repeatedly, saying, "Good, good, you are all good children, get up and eat."

Yuwen Lan also smiled and said, "You are polite and obedient, you deserve a reward."

Hearing this, the chief steward of the Imperial Household Department said, "Give the reward to the three princes of the Liaodong Palace."

The three children knelt down again to thank the grace, and then went back to eat.

In this way, the hall became even more lively.

At this time, the Queen Mother heard Aunt Zhuang beside her say, "It would be great if the young masters could come to the palace more often in the future, but unfortunately... Liaodong is too far."

Hearing this, everyone was stunned -

Aunt Zhuang had something to say.

Sure enough, the Queen Mother sighed, "That's right. It's cold in Liaodong, and the children might catch a cold if they go back and forth. The eldest and the second child are older, so it's okay, but this little Ajing is only four years old. If he gets sick, won't he suffer?"

Madam Zhuang then said, "Why not ask the young master to stay for a few more days, just to accompany you? When the weather gets warmer, we can send the young master back to Liaodong." As

soon as these words came out, everyone immediately murmured in their hearts.

——What does the Queen Mother mean?

Is she going to keep the youngest son of the King of Liaodong by her side?

Yan Shu finally came back to her senses from the delicious food.

——What? The Queen Mother is going to raise a son for the King of Liaodong?

Is she so kind?

Are you going to keep A Jing as a hostage?

Tsk, that's not right. A Jing is not the legitimate son of the King of Liaodong. If he really wants to be a hostage, why doesn't the Queen Mother choose the eldest or second son of their family?

Yan Shu was suddenly stunned. Could it be that the Queen Mother found out that the emperor couldn't do that, so she wanted to adopt a son for the emperor?

At the same time, Yuwen Lan also heard the Queen Mother's thoughts -

[Ajing is not a legitimate son, and his age is suitable, so he is the only one. ]

He remained calm, but he already understood in his heart.

The Queen Mother deliberately chose Ajing, who was born out of wedlock, because she was afraid that Yuwen Hao and his wife would be reluctant to give up their legitimate son.

The Queen Mother had indeed discovered his secret and was making other plans.

He concealed the complexity in his heart and even smiled at Yuwen Hao and his wife, saying, "Mother, this is a very good idea, but I don't know if my cousin and cousin-in-law are willing to let go?"

However, Yuwen Hao hesitated for a moment, and then smiled, "It is Ajing's blessing to be able to accompany the Queen Mother . I'm so happy for him, how can he not be willing to let go?"

Seeing her husband like this, his wife, Princess Liaodong, also laughed and said, "Where did this child get the blessing to be able to accompany the Queen Mother? Ajing, why don't you thank the Royal Grandmother?"

Then, the little guy who was eating snacks was pushed out with a confused look on his face. Under the guidance of Princess Liaodong, he kowtowed to the Queen Mother and said, "Ajing thanks the Royal Mother..."

The little baby voice made everyone laugh again.

However, Yan Shu was quick to notice that at this moment, Concubine Xu beside her seemed to pause.

Hiss...

As a spy with a high psychological quality, this reaction seemed a little wrong.

She immediately called the system, [Looking at Concubine Xu's appearance, could it be that this A Jing is the child she gave birth to Yuwen Hao?]

System, [It should be, but it's not.]

Yan Shu, [??? What does this mean? What do you mean by should be but it's not?]

System, [Concubine Xu herself thought that this baby was hers, but in fact, her child had died due to congenital deficiency. But Yuwen Hao wanted to control her, so he found a fake child and told her to think that this was her baby.]

Yan Shu, [...]

So confusing.

However, she understood it anyway.

That is to say, Concubine Xu's child was actually gone a long time ago, but Yuwen Hao found a fake child to deceive her in order to make her listen to him.

Yan Shu couldn't help but sigh, the Liaodong King's family is really cunning.

But as a man, it's really disgusting to use a woman like this!

Not far away, Yuwen Lan heard her voice word for word.

Very good, the queen mother wanted to adopt another chess piece, but this little kid was not of the Yuwen family.

He said to the queen mother and Yuwen Hao and his wife without showing any strangeness, "In this case, let the child stay for a while. It will be a great achievement for him to make the queen mother happy."

Yuwen Hao immediately laughed, "Your Majesty is polite, this is his blessing, haha!"

Yan Shu thought that the fat man's smile was really disgusting.

For the sake of ambition, he separated an innocent child from his family, and used him as his tool so openly.

If the child was really his own flesh and blood, could he still bear to do so?

However, in this case, wouldn't the Queen Mother have raised a child who had nothing to do with the royal family?

If it was the eldest and second child, it would be understandable, after all, they are the blood of the great grandfather!

At this moment, the system suddenly popped up again, [You think too much, those two are not from the Yuwen family.]

Yan Shu, [???]

[What does this mean? Those two children are not Yuwen Hao's either?]

System, [That's right.]

Yan Shu's eyes lit up, [Could it be that the Princess of Liaodong also cheated on the King of Liaodong? 】

Yuwen Lan, who was not far away, heard this sentence, "???"

The Princess of Liaodong cheated on Yuwen Hao???

What's going on?

System, [Do you think everyone is as unlucky as Linwu Hou? These two children were actually found by the Liaodong Prince and his wife from somewhere else, in order to replace their own flesh and blood to go to the capital. 】

What???

Yan Shu felt that her brain seemed to be insufficient tonight, [Bringing fake children to the capital? What do these two mean? 】

System, [Do you think it's a good thing for the princes to go to the capital? If the emperor is unhappy, he may detain them, punish them lightly, or behead them seriously. The Liaodong Prince certainly doesn't want to take this risk! 】

Yan Shu, [……]

Okay, she finally understood.

What the hell, the Queen Mother and the King of Liaodong are even more powerful than each other!

How could this guy be so cunning?

But this is a serious crime, once discovered, he will be beheaded.

Isn't this fat guy afraid?

The system is very experienced, [It is very difficult to be discovered. They come to the capital once a year at most, and they only look for people with facial features similar to their children. Who else can recognize them except their own people? ]

Yan Shu, [...]

That's true.

There are no photos in this era, so no matter how good the portraits are, there will still be discrepancies. What's more, children grow up every year. If a child who has not been seen for a long time appears occasionally, as long as the facial features are not very different, it is really difficult to find him. Tsk

tsk tsk tsk, Yuwen Hao, this fat guy is really a thief!

What do you eat all day long? How can you be so cunning!

She sighed in her heart, and Yuwen Lan, who listened to everything, already understood.

Oh, so that's it.

None of the people that Yuwen Hao and his wife brought to the capital this time were their own flesh and blood?

This matter sounds ridiculous at first, but it is very possible for Yuwen Hao.

What's more, after experiencing so many shocks before, he no longer has any doubts about Yan Shu.

Good, very good.

It seems that this cousin has made up his mind to do something big this time.

Outside the hall, the sound of firecrackers continued to be heard. Inside the hall, everyone was still eating and drinking happily, and saying auspicious words to each other for the new year.

Yuwen Lan drank a glass of wine calmly.

Oh, this throne, can you sit on it if you want to?

~~

Unconsciously, the night was deep and the New Year's Eve banquet finally came to an end.

After seeing off the empress dowager and the emperor, everyone dispersed.

Yan Shu returned to the palace to change clothes and wash up, while Jindong and a few others prepared melon seeds, snacks and some fruits, preparing to stay up tonight.

However, when Yan Shu came out after washing up, she had no intention of staying up tonight.

She thought about it and felt that the melon she ate tonight was really big and was closely related to the emperor. As the emperor's leg pendant, she could not stand idly by and had to find a way to let the emperor know.

If it were usual, she could remind him implicitly as she did the previous times, but tonight was New Year's Eve, and according to etiquette, the king had to spend the night in the Central Palace. Now there was no queen in the palace, so he could only sleep in the Qianming Palace and could not come to the concubines.

So she couldn't see him.

After thinking about it, she had to go to the desk and start writing.

Seeing this, Rendong was surprised

and said, "Master, don't you want to take a break tonight to celebrate the New Year?" Yan Shu sighed silently and could only make an excuse, "I suddenly thought of a very good story. I have to write it down quickly, otherwise I will forget it tomorrow. You guys go to celebrate the New Year by yourselves, don't worry about me."

After speaking, she began to write.

Rendong didn't understand why, so she had to retreat and not disturb her anymore.

Yan Shu thought while writing, and soon she didn't care about anything.

NND, this story is too brain-consuming.

The adoptive mother has become suspicious, and the cousins ​​are constantly making trouble. Emperor, emperor, you must thank me!

That night, there were constant sounds of firecrackers outside the window, but Yan Shu almost forgot that it was New Year's Eve.

When it was almost dawn, she finally finished writing.

She put down her pen and yawned, then called out to someone outside.

When Ren Dong entered the room, she was startled to see her still sitting at the table, and asked hurriedly, "Master, have you been writing until now?"

Yan Shu hummed, and said, "When it's dawn, find a chance to send this stack of manuscripts to Qianming Palace, and say that it's my new storybook, please have a look, Your Majesty."

Ren Dong agreed, and packed up the manuscripts.

Turning around, she saw her fall to the bed in a few steps and fall asleep.

Ren Dong shook her head, thinking, why did the master do this? She's already a favorite concubine, and she's still thinking about writing storybooks to make money all day.

Tsk, what a hard-working person.

~~

On the first day of the first month, the king was very busy.

At five o'clock in the morning, Yuwen Lan had already washed and changed his clothes, and came to Fengxian Hall to worship the ancestors.

After dawn, he led the concubines to pay New Year's greetings to the empress dowager.

After paying New Year's greetings to the empress dowager, he returned to the palace to change clothes and attend the New Year's ceremony.

After the ceremony, there was the New Year's banquet, and the monarch, ministers and relatives shared the first banquet of the New Year.

When the banquet ended and he returned to Qianming Palace, it was already afternoon.

When changing clothes, he heard Fu Hai report, "By the way, Your Majesty, just now the Queen of Guiyi asked someone to send a stack of paper manuscripts over, saying that it was a newly written storybook, please take a look."

Hmm?

Yuwen Lan was a little surprised. She still had time to write a new storybook during the New Year?

So he said, "Bring it."

Fu Hai agreed and handed over the manuscript.

Yuwen Lan took it and read it.

After a while, he realized that this was the story she told about that night between the young family head and his cousins.

However, some plots were added this time, such as the cousin and the beautiful spy were once in love and had a son. The man used the child as a threat to contain the beauty;

but the adoptive mother of the family owner had other ideas and planned to support others...

The scheming cousin also arranged a substitute for his child in an attempt to deceive the family owner...

Yu Wenlan, "..."

Well, he already knew, she wanted to remind him of what happened at the New Year's Eve banquet.

And the clear scent of ink on the paper told him that she had probably just written this story.

In fact, after returning to Qianming Palace last night, he had already sent people to Liaodong.

Unexpectedly, she was worried about him and wrote such a story to remind him.

It was not easy for a person like her who loved to eat and sleep to stay up late to write a storybook.

Although being a king was not easy, there was a little girl in the harem who cared about him.

Yuwen Lan suddenly wanted to go to Ganlu Palace.

But he couldn't.

Because today was the first day of the first month, according to etiquette, he could not go to the concubines for three consecutive days.

After thinking for a while, he suddenly called, "Come here."

Then he saw Fu Hai hurriedly came in front of him and said, "I'm here."

Yuwen Lan said, "Go to Ganlu Palace and deliver something to Li Guiyi."

...

~~

Yan Shu was also very busy today.

You can't sleep in during the first day of the first month. As soon as the sky got light, she and other concubines followed the emperor to congratulate the empress dowager.

After that, there were more ladies and relatives coming to the palace to pay their respects, and she attended a noon banquet for the New Year. She had just returned not long ago. In addition, she stayed up late last night to write a storybook, and she was feeling sleepy. She was about to take a nap, but she saw Fu Hai coming with a box.

"I congratulate the Queen on the New Year."

Fu Hai smiled, "Your Majesty sent me to give you a treasure."

Hey, treasure?

Yan Shu immediately asked curiously, "What treasure?"

Fu Hai carefully opened the box, "Please take a look at it."

In an instant, the palace was filled with bright light.

Yan Shu was shocked.

——It turned out that there was a golden bowl in the box.

The bowl was about the size of a palm, and the workmanship was very delicate. It was inlaid with red and blue gems, which was so bright that it was blinding.

She was stunned for two seconds before she remembered to ask, "Why did your majesty give me this?"

Fu Hai said, "Your majesty said that the queen's storybook is well written, and this is a reward for you."

Reward?

Yan Shu thought about it, he must have understood this, right? So he gave her this to reward her loyalty?

Hahaha good! Very good!!!

She hurriedly asked Ren Dong to take it, and said happily, "Thank you, your majesty."

Tsk tsk, this night was really worth it.

Her choice was indeed right. Writing storybooks is indeed a way to make a fortune!

...

Not long after, the king saw his former chief steward come to report.

"Your majesty, the golden bowl has been delivered to the noble queen, and the queen is very happy."

Fu Hai said with a smile.

Yuwen Lan nodded, as if he could see her smiling face. For

a money-obsessed little girl like that, the only way to make her happy is to give her gold, silver and jewelry.

He couldn't help but curl up the corners of his lips and asked, "Did she say anything else?"

Fu Hai said hurriedly, "The Queen said she thanked His Majesty for his grace and said that this was the most expensive fee she had ever received."

Fees?

Yuwen Lan paused.

Did she get it wrong?

~~

For three consecutive days, there were various New Year banquets in the palace. On the third

day of the first lunar month, the palace held a reunion banquet

for the royal family. As the night fell, the lanterns came on, and the palace gardens were brightly lit.

Tonight is a banquet for entertaining the royal family. In addition to the king and his concubines, there are also the Liaodong King's family, Pingyi County King's family, Leping Grand Princess and her husband, and Princess Yuwen Yan and her husband.

——In order to save the royal family's reputation, the emperor gave this sister a face, and Princess Yuwen Yan appeared in front of everyone again.

However, Concubine Ning has not yet passed the confinement period, so there is no trace of her at the banquet.

Everyone thought that after being driven back last time, the princess would be more low-key today, but she was unexpectedly wearing a fiery red fox fur cloak, a long blouse with brocade velvet inside, a high bun on her head, and a hair ornament made of various gems with gold hairpins and beads, which was simply dazzling.

When everyone arrived, the banquet began.

Like the previous times, today, Concubine Xu sat at the same table with Yan Shu.

But today, she was wearing a scarlet brocade jacket, her hair was tied up in a high bun, and two golden hairpins were inserted on it, which made her look particularly gorgeous.

Because of this, Concubine Zhou had already glared at her several times.

But Yan Shu thought it was not normal.

Concubine Xu had never been so high-profile in the past.

Could it be that she was forced into a corner by Yuwen Hao today, so she wanted to find a way to attract the emperor?

However, even stranger things were yet to come.

After two rounds of wine, everyone in the hall toasted one after another. When the atmosphere was the most lively, Concubine Xu suddenly stood up and came to the hall and said to the emperor, "I have prepared a piece of music and dance, and I want to present it to Your Majesty." As

soon as the words fell, everyone was stunned.

Although it is not uncommon for concubines to dance for the king, you have to know that this is only when there are no outsiders.

There are many outsiders tonight.

However, the king did not refuse, but nodded and said, "Okay."

Concubine Xu agreed, and then she called the musicians to accompany her and danced in the hall.

Seeing this, Concubine Zhou, Concubine An and others looked murderous.

The eldest princess also sneered.

- In order to win favor, this woman has even lost her face?

Yan Shu was the only one in the hall who felt something was wrong.

Concubine Xu is not a brainless cannon fodder.

She is a spy with a very strong psychology!

Is she going to do something with this?

Yan Shu then quietly called the system, [There are outsiders at this banquet, why does Concubine Xu want to come out and show off? Is it for Yuwenhao to see?】

But the system said,【Because she wants to assassinate the emperor.】