Chapter 62 Feast
The morning sun slowly rose from the east wall of the imperial city, and the golden sunlight gently spread on the glazed tiles of Xihua Hall, turning the entire hall golden.
Officials in court robes were waiting at the bottom of the stairs, waiting to be summoned.
This was the second day of the military parade. To celebrate its successful conclusion, Queen Mother Chi decided to hold a grand banquet and also reward the soldiers of the Golden Crow Guard.
Therefore, Zhao Yuzhang and ten generals represented by Mei Junrong are all included in this list.
Mei Junrong had never been to the imperial city, nor had he ever seen the palace buildings so closely. Looking at the colorful glazed tiles, he felt they were dazzling.
The others also looked up and whispered, "This palace is so beautiful! I wish I could live in a house this big."
"What are you dreaming about? Just be content with a thatched hut!"
Mei Junrong hadn't wanted to speak at first, but after hearing this, he couldn't help but say, "Why not? When you become a general after making great achievements, will you still be worried about not being able to live in a big house?"
The two looked at each other in bewilderment. After a moment, one of them whispered, "My family sent me here because they saw that military service exempts me from taxes. After I complete my three years of service, I'll go home and get married."
Mei Junrong was stunned for a moment, then turned his head and looked at the slowly rising sun, his eyes gleaming with gold. "Anyway, I'm not going home. I want to be a general!"
Ding-ding-ding!
A long and deep bell sounded at the end of her voice, followed by a thrilling low hum.
The banquet has begun.
The civil and military officials waiting outside the hall then walked up the jade steps and entered the hall.
All the ministers stood according to the banquet seating arrangement, facing the throne.
It’s a pity that there is no place for Zhen Ruicai, the chief military officer, in this hall. His head is still enshrined in front of the monument in Tangzhou City. No one dares to take it, and his body will be dismembered after he died.
The five great secretaries of the Sujisi, the officials of the Yiluansi, Zhao Yuzhang and the soldiers of the Jinwuwei stood in order on the right side of the hall, while the male officials such as the ministers of the six ministries and the generals of the imperial guards sat on the left side of the hall. The two sides were clearly separated and did not interfere with each other.
Soon, the curtain of the left aisle was lifted, and Queen Mother Chi walked out slowly, followed by her maids, and sat on the throne.
All the ministers knelt down and only when Chi Lvci stood up did all the ministers stand up.
Chi Lu's eyes slowly swept across the faces of the ministers, and then a satisfied smile appeared on her face. "Yesterday's grand military parade was a great success for the Golden Crow Guards, who impressed all quarters and enhanced the military might of our dynasty. However, the Privy Councilor Zhen Ruicai harbored ulterior motives, falsely claiming the honor and neglecting his duties. I'm glad that Princess Zhaoqing killed this thief with her own hands, offering a bloody sacrifice to his heroic soul. This is truly gratifying."
As soon as these words were spoken, the expressions of the ministers in the court varied. The Jinwu Guards were delighted and looked proud, while the commanders of the imperial guards, such as Qian Qian, looked pale and worried, feeling both uneasy and resentful.
Zhao Yuzhang cupped his hands and said, "The Golden Crow Guard's achievements are all due to your Majesty's wise strategy."
Chi Li smiled slightly, "General Zhao is too modest. I'm hosting this banquet today to reward you, the Golden Crow Guards."
Zhao Yuzhang and the Golden Crow Guards bowed, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace."
Chi Qi smiled and offered them seats, and all the ministers followed suit. Then the palace maids filed in and placed the wine and delicacies that had been prepared long ago on the table.
As the ceremonial music sounded, the atmosphere in the hall immediately became cheerful. Mei Junrong looked at the golden plates and jade cups in front of him. Every dish was exquisite beyond imagination, and his heart was filled with excitement.
After all, not everyone can attend the palace banquet, and she got in entirely by relying on her own strength. How could she not be proud?
She looked around and saw that everyone had started eating. Then she picked up her chopsticks and picked up a piece of the famous dish "Dragon and Phoenix". The fresh fragrance of abalone instantly bloomed in her mouth, and the soup was rich.
The companion next to him also exclaimed excitedly, "It's delicious! This cabbage soup actually tastes like chicken!"
"I've always heard that the emperor's eating bowls are made of gold, but I didn't believe it. Now it turns out to be true!"
"When I get back and tell the team about this, they'll be so jealous!"
Mei Junrong curled up the corners of his mouth, and a hint of cunning suddenly flashed in his eyes.
She suddenly had an idea. Liu Xiangyi should still be busy making fire and cooking for the army. If she went back and boasted to her about eating lobster and abalone at the palace banquet, this person would definitely be furious.
The smile on her face became more genuine when she thought about seeing this man get furious.
Zhao Yuzhang was not interested in all these delicious food and fish. The first thing she picked up was the wine. As the wine went down her throat, unlike in the past when she drank to relieve her sorrow, this time she only felt refreshed.
The past five years of darkness seemed like a lifetime ago when she recalled them now. Her royal brother was dead, Zhen Ruicai was beheaded by her, and the soldiers who died defending the city with her also received the fame they deserved, and their names were passed down through the ages. And now she was leading the troops again... It was going incredibly smoothly.
And all this can be said to be the credit of the woman sitting on the throne.
She raised her eyes and looked at Chi Lu, who was smiling but the smile was not in her eyes. For the first time, she felt fear and awe towards a woman.
What kind of person is Queen Mother Chi? Can she be trusted?
Do they all have the same goal? Or, in this person's eyes, are Zhao Yuzhang and the Golden Crow Guard just pawns in her struggle for power?
Zhao Yuzhang was thinking when she was suddenly patted on the shoulder. She turned around and saw Zhao Mingyue holding her cheek with one hand and looking at her with a smile. "Aunt, what are you thinking about?"
Zhao Yuzhang chuckled, concealing the worry in his heart, and said slowly, "I'm thinking about the future of the Golden Crow Guard."
Zhao Mingyue said cheerfully, "What's there to worry about? The Golden Crow Guards have won the competition. Who else would dare to speak against us?"
Zhao Yuzhang shook his head, unable to utter harsh words. He spoke softly, "You spend so much time with these soldiers, don't you understand their origins? Most of them are daughters of poor families, sent here without knowing why because they could receive tax-free pay and clothing as soldiers. After three years, they're inevitably forced to return home and marry. If we want the Golden Crow Guard to remain strong and even gain a place in the army, rather than just a flash in the pan, I must resolve this worry for them."
Zhao Mingyue lowered her head and bit her lips guiltily after hearing this. She was the one who recruited these soldiers, but she didn't consider this problem. She was really not careful enough.
"Then what should we do? Should we not release them, or recruit more people?" Zhao Mingyue rejected the idea again, "No, no, even if we recruit more, we'll still have the same problem."
"Many of my former personal soldiers were orphans. They suffered a lot with me. I once envisioned incorporating them into military households, with their household registration under the military government. If they had daughters in the future, they could inherit their military status. Unfortunately, this plan was opposed by Zhen Ruizhi, and it was ultimately not implemented."
When he said the last sentence, Zhao Yuzhang's expression became lonely again.
Zhao Mingyue's eyes lit up. "Aunt, this is a good idea. Let's tell Mother. She will definitely agree. When the time comes, the soldiers of the Golden Crow Guard will be enlisted in the army and become heads of their own households. They won't be interfered with by their families. It just so happens that the border has been stable in recent years, and there is no need for war—"
As he was speaking, a loud shout suddenly came from outside the palace, "Your Majesty, the interpreter from the Sifang Pavilion has an urgent matter to report!"
The music in the hall suddenly stopped, and all the ministers fell silent, looking towards the door in confusion. What urgent matter was there that warranted a request for an audience at this time?
Only Chi Li showed no surprise on her face, as if she had expected it. She said calmly, "Announce."
The interpreter from the Sifang Pavilion hurried into the hall, his face pale. Because he walked too fast, he tripped over the hem of his robe and almost fell.
He fell to his knees and said, "Your Majesty, something has happened to the envoys from other countries!"
Chi Yan's expression became more serious. "What's the matter? Tell me!"
The interpreter's lips trembled, and his hands, which were supporting him on the ground, trembled uncontrollably. "Last night, after the military parade, the envoys from various countries returned to their respective courtyards to rest..."
He paused, his face filled with horror, as if he was recalling something horrible, and for a moment he couldn't continue.
The ministers discussed it a lot, and they sensed that something big had happened. They hurriedly asked, "What exactly happened?"
The interpreter said nothing. Instead, he looked up at Chi Kuai and said in a trembling voice, "Your Majesty, this matter is of great importance. I, your servant, will be held responsible for this even if I die!"
Chi Qi knew that he felt that his head was in danger and was afraid to speak out in front of all the ministers, which would put him in a difficult position.
Unfortunately, no one can save his life this time.
She sneered inwardly, already making up her mind. She stood up and said, "Since this matter involves the envoy, I will detain you alone. Everyone, please continue drinking as you please. Don't let this incident spoil your fun."
After all, it was a feast to reward the Golden Crow Guards, so there was no need to spoil their fun.
Chi Qi walked down the steps and into the back hall. The interpreter hurriedly got up, stumbling three times as he followed her.
Seeing him like this, all the ministers in the hall felt curious and uneasy at the same time. What had happened to make him so panicked?
The music started again, and everyone discussed it for a while, but without reaching any conclusion, they settled down to enjoy the banquet, and the hall returned to a relaxed and peaceful atmosphere.
However, the scene in the back hall of Xihua Palace was completely different.
Chi Qi sat behind the desk, her expression as cold as ice. Dan Ying waved away the servants in the hall, then closed the door, retreated, and stood outside.
The interpreter walked to the table and knelt down before he opened his mouth.
Chi Li said indifferently: "You can tell me now."
The interpreter was horrified when he heard the tone of voice and said in a trembling voice, "Your Majesty, all the envoys from various countries were killed overnight."
Chi Li asked playfully, "Oh? They were all killed?"
The interpreter was unsure of what she meant and became even more uneasy. He trembled and said, "Yes, the envoys from Xiqi, Jinshi, and Luohei, a total of 64 people, were all killed in the room. The room, the floor, and the walls were all covered in blood..."
He originally wanted to suppress the matter and not report it, but all the messengers were dead, and there was an extraordinary amount of blood in the room. It was impossible to hide it no matter how hard he tried, so he had to go to the palace to report it.
Whether you live or die depends entirely on God's will.
After hearing this, Chi Yan remained calm and asked, "Who is the murderer?"
The interpreter lowered his head even more, "No, I don't know."
Chi Li stood up suddenly. "Are all the people in Sifang Pavilion useless? All the envoys were killed overnight, and they didn't even catch the murderer?"
The interpreter kowtowed and begged for mercy, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. This case is truly extraordinary, the murderer is extremely powerful, and I could not have predicted it. It is not my fault!"
Chi Li sneered, "If the envoy's murder were known to other nations, wouldn't it trigger a war against our dynasty? How can I forgive you for such a dereliction of duty?"
She raised her hand and pressed the table, shouting, "Come here, take this man to the prison and await execution! Also, order the Yiluansi and the Ministry of Justice to meet with you and jointly examine this case!"
The interpreter's whole body went limp and he collapsed to the ground in an instant.
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