Chapter 147: King Qi's "Cicada" Body, His Ambition is Clear
In Prince Qi's mansion, Xiao Qingxu, wearing a white robe with silver patterns, stood at the door quietly waiting for Shang Yuwan to put on her clothes and come out.
Baijialou was also invited to this celebration banquet, but there were only a few invitees. After all, the palace was not like other places, and even if they could squeeze in, not so many people could really fit in.
Ji Suxian, bored from waiting, ran to the Luan tree in the courtyard and hung himself upside down. Ju Gongcheng lay on the stone table beneath the tree, fiddling with his small hidden weapon. Lu Heying squatted in a corner, repeatedly reviewing the map of the palace, while Yao Lao pondered how they would respond if Emperor Chengming deliberately tried to make things difficult for them tonight.
Bai Xiaoye and Cheng Yishui each held their weapons, wondering what to do if something unexpected happened since they couldn't bring their weapons into the palace tonight. Liu Mengyao, Zhu Hao, and Xiao Tao sat on the steps, waiting.
“Squeak—”
Everyone waited for a long time before Shang Yuwan and Twelve finally came out of the room.
Although Emperor Chengming personally hosted the banquet tonight, Shang Yuwan still wore plain clothes. Not to mention Twelve, who was still wearing a dark blue outfit.
Shang Yuwan and Xiao Qingxu looked at each other, and everything was said without words.
I'm finally mentally prepared.
Ji Suxian let out a breath, turned over and climbed down the tree with very quick and decisive movements.
As soon as she stood firm, Lu Heying and others came over.
"Brother! Miss...Shang!"
Xiao Qinggu was wearing a gorgeous pink dress, holding up the hem of her skirt with both hands as she ran towards this side, the tassels on her head swaying constantly.
"I'm coming!"
Everyone looked over and Xiao Qinggu chuckled twice.
It’s my first time to attend such an exciting banquet, so I’m a little excited.
Shang Yuwan walked up to Xiao Qingxu and they held hands.
Twelve: "......?" Did she miss something? Go back and ask the lady.
Ji Suxian: “…” She must have missed something, so she went back to ask Brother Xiao.
Xiao Qinggu couldn't stop laughing, while the others were holding back their laughter or feeling confused, but they all tacitly said nothing.
"Let's go."
Shang Yuwan and Xiao Qingxu smiled at each other, then looked at everyone.
"Enter the palace and see the emperor."
After Shang Yuwan and Xiao Qingxu left with their people, a ray of light suddenly appeared in the dim study of Prince Qi's Mansion.
A pale and thin hand pushed open the window, and the owner of this hand raised his face, which was exactly the same as Xiao Qingxu, and looked at the sky that was gradually darkening.
In his other hand he held a lamp oil, the flames outlining his features and illuminating his dim eyes. "Are they all gone?"
Li, the steward of Prince Qi's mansion, stood in front of the moon-shaped door on the left side of the study, half leaning forward and lowering his head, saying, "Yes. The owner and the monk are all gone."
“…That’s great.”
"Xiao Qingxu" exhaled a wisp of foul air from his mouth, and a look of loneliness and envy appeared in his intact right eye.
Everyone in this world can go anywhere, except him.
He is the OP's [Cicada], a fake who has been pretending to be His Highness Prince Qi in Prince Qi's mansion. He was the fake groom who took Xiao Qingxu's token to the wedding of Prince Qi and married Shang Yuwan.
Everything about him was fake. As time went by, he even forgot his original name.
"Ju Gongche." Manager Li suddenly called out this name.
"Xiao Qingxu" was stunned.
Manager Li slowly raised his head and looked at him.
"Before leaving, the host asked me to remind you not to forget your own name."
There was a hint of heartache in Manager Li's eyes when he looked at him, which no one noticed.
"The poster also said that Ju Gongcheng is doing well, so you don't have to worry."
The firelight flickered slightly, and the trembling flames made the look in "Xiao Qingxu's" eyes become dim and unclear.
"......That's good."
Steward Li lowered his eyes and said, "Let's go back to the secret room. Although there are people patrolling the mansion secretly, they can't completely prevent anyone from seeing you. It would be bad if someone saw your face."
"Xiao Qingxu" smiled lightly.
"Um."
——
At the celebratory banquet in the palace, everyone took their seats and waited quietly for Emperor Chengming to take his seat.
Xiao Qingxu, Xiao Qinggu and other royal children sat on the left side of the throne, while Shang Yuwan, Yao Lao and Lu Heying, a pair of senior brothers and sisters, sat directly opposite Xiao Qingxu and his friends. Behind them were Twelve, Bai Xiaoye and others. On Lu Heying's right was the new prime minister Qiu Boke. Counting down in this direction were a group of high-ranking officials, including Baili Pu and Yuan Ji, whose positions were not too remote.
Xiao Qingji, as the crown prince, sat on the left side closest to the throne, followed by Xiao Tong. While they were waiting, the two of them exchanged glances with Shang Yuwan more than once.
They smiled at each other "kindly", but they were both hiding a knife behind their smiles.
"His Majesty has arrived—"
The eunuch's voice reached everyone's ears, and everyone left their seats and kowtowed.
"Your Majesty, may your Majesty be well and at peace—"
From the moment Emperor Chengming entered the Luanyang Palace, he fixed his gaze on Shang Yuwan very precisely, causing her heart to tremble unconsciously and feel as if a thorn in her back was thorned.
"My dear ministers, please stand up." Emperor Chengming seemed to be in a good mood, and his steps, which had been heavy a few days ago, were now much lighter.
When he sat on the throne, everyone said in unison: "Thank you, Your Majesty—"
After everyone returned to their seats, Emperor Chengming finally shifted his gaze from Shang Yuwan to Xiao Qingxu and Xiao Qinggu.
He smiled widely, and the wrinkles around his eyes smoothed out. "I'm sure everyone knows what you've accomplished, so there's no need for me to praise you. Tell me, what reward do you want?"
When saying this, Emperor Chengming glanced at Xiao Qingji and Xiao Tong, and the expressions of both of them changed.
Xiao Qingxu was on high alert, and he had originally intended to attribute all the credit to Xiao Qinggu, not expecting any significant reward. But he had just noticed the gaze Emperor Chengming cast upon Shang Yuwan, and his brows twitched slightly as an idea suddenly occurred to him.
Xiao Qinggu stood up and spoke first.
"Father, I wish to be crowned king."
The moment these words came out, everyone was shocked. Xiao Qingji's pupils suddenly shrank, and Xiao Tong almost couldn't even hold the wine glass in his hand.
Shang Yuwan and Xiao Qingxu pretended to be surprised, but in fact they did not show any emotion.
Putting Xiao Qinggu's ambitions out in the open was the method they had discussed for several days.
Since Emperor Chengming intends to let Xiao Qingji and Xiao Qinggu compete, this matter will naturally go along with it as it is in their interest, but that also requires Xiao Qinggu to have enough weight.
Yao Lao, Ji Suxian and others pretended to be shocked. Emperor Chengming smiled meaningfully. Baili Pu was the first to stand up and salute Emperor Chengming.
"Your Majesty, absolutely not!"
"Oh?" Emperor Chengming asked him, "What do you think is wrong, Your Excellency the Censor?"
Baili Pu was stunned for a moment, then said earnestly, "No matter how great the merits of princesses in previous dynasties were, the highest they were granted was only a golden book and an iron certificate. There is no precedent for a princess being crowned a queen!"
Xiao Qinggu's desire to be crowned king simply means he can participate in court discussions. What a joke! A princess is the emperor's daughter, how can she have the same rights as a prince? If this precedent is set, who can guarantee there won't be a second outbreak of imperial relatives' monopoly of power?! The ancestors of Dayu would be furious!
Prime Minister Qiu Boke also stood up, saluted, and said, "Your Majesty, I have something to say."
Emperor Chengming hummed, "My dear minister, please tell me."
Qiu Boke lowered his head and stared at the ground.
"In my humble opinion, the princess's enthronement as king is feasible."
A gleam of light flashed in Xiao Qingxu's eyes. He lowered his head to drink tea, hiding the upward curve of his lips.
"You!" Bailipu's eyes widened, he raised his arm and pointed at Qiu Boke tremblingly, "You...you!"
"As the prime minister of this dynasty, how dare you speak nonsense in front of the emperor!"
Qiu Bo Ke glanced over indifferently.
"I am not speaking nonsense. Please do not slander me, Your Excellency the Censor."
Bailipu was so excited that he wanted to go over and reason with him, but Yuan Ji quickly grabbed him and stood up.
"Your Majesty, I also believe that the Fifth Princess can be made a king and participate in government affairs."
"?!" Bailipu looked at the child he had raised as his grandson in disbelief.
"Are you confused?"
How dare you say such outrageous words, just for that "Shang Yuwan"?!
Bailipu glared at Shang Yuwan fiercely, but the latter turned his head away and pretended not to see it.
Bailipu was so angry that his beard began to tremble.
Emperor Chengming shook the wine glass in his hand, and after considering for a moment, he neither agreed nor refuted, and directed the anger towards Xiao Qingxu.
"What about Xu'er? What reward do you want?"
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