When Qinghe pushed Ouyang Ming and appeared at the door of the hall side by side with Wang Yanzhou, most of the people in the hall, except for the person sitting in front of Emperor Gan Zhao, could not help but whisper to the people nearby.
When Shu Yang saw Wang Yanzhou appear, he was shocked at first, then he slowly lowered his head with some fear, pretending that he didn't see anyone.
Duke Lin had no idea why Prince Qingliang had suddenly appeared. He usually wouldn't show up on New Year's Eve; firstly, he wouldn't come in unless summoned, and secondly, he wouldn't return even if invited. Why was he so unusual this time, unexpectedly coming with Princess Qinghe? He had come, but the chatter of the young men and ladies around him was truly irritating.
Of course, along with the unfamiliar Wang Yanzhou, everyone was also discussing the "wasted" prince consort, rumored to have been dead for many years but suddenly reappeared. Some lamented that talent was envied by heaven, while others, naturally, were sour and said unpleasant things.
Duke Lin glanced at the officials who were whispering near him and scolded them in a voice neither too loud nor too soft: "Silence."
Upon hearing this, everyone quickly sat up quietly. Duke Lin glanced at them with satisfaction, then silently memorized the names of those who refused to listen.
Many people were unfamiliar with this handsome man in dark red prince's attire. He walked to the center of the hall with Princess Qinghe, bent down and knelt to kowtow to Emperor Gan Zhao on the throne.
Wang Yanzhou said, "Your Majesty, I am the Prince of Qingliang, Yanzhou. I pay my respects to His Majesty. Long live the Emperor."
Princess Qinghe and Ouyang Ming in the wheelchair also said in unison, "Qinghe and her husband come to see His Majesty. Long live the Emperor."
Emperor Gan Zhao had a tired look on his face. He nodded with a smile, waved his sleeves, and said, "No need to be polite. Please take a seat."
After the three belatedly arrived guests took their seats, Emperor Gan Zhao began to show concern for each one. First, he paid attention to Ouyang Ming. He'd heard that the people he'd sent out had suddenly lost contact in Qingliang Valley. So, this guy in front of him might actually be the prince consort. He hadn't expected him to have managed to escape such a dangerous situation back then. He just didn't know how much they knew about what happened back then.
"Ouyang, have you been feeling better lately?"
Ouyang Ming couldn't get up, so he sat on the chair, bowed his head, and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your concern. I am now fully recovered."
Emperor Gan Zhao nodded slightly and turned his gaze to Qinghe who was standing beside him: "That's good. Qinghe, thank you for your hard work recently."
Qinghe glanced at Ouyang Ming and said with a smile, "It's a blessing to have found a prince consort. No matter how hard it is, it's worth it."
"Seeing you two so happy and harmonious again, I feel relieved." Emperor Gan Zhao did not see any murderous intent in Ouyang Ming and Qinghe's eyes, as if they really believed that what happened that year was just a simple accident.
Qinghe was Emperor Gan Zhao's biological sister, and he understood her temper. Her impulsive nature, eager to avenge any grudge, was exactly the same as that of the late Empress, except that she possessed greater wisdom and patience.
As for Wang Yanzhou, from the moment he entered the palace, everyone's attention was drawn to him intentionally or unintentionally; just like the first time he appeared in public in front of everyone in the palace, he was annoying.
Emperor Gan Zhao didn't say much to Wang Yanzhou, but simply said, "Yanzhou, you don't often move around the palace. Everyone here is a pillar of the country, so I won't introduce them one by one. There will be many opportunities for us to get to know each other in the future."
Wang Yanzhou seemed flattered. He stood up in an instant and bowed deeply to Emperor Gan Zhao: "Your Majesty, thank you for your consideration and summoning me."
After Emperor Gan Zhao signaled him to return to his seat, he said to the eunuch beside him, "Everyone is here, Xu Ling."
"Yes," Xu Ling said, the whisk in her hand drawing a perfect arc in the air. Guided by this arc, a grand banquet began: "Open, music."
With the sounds of singing and dancing as a barrier, the crowd, who had just quieted down, took the opportunity to continue discussing the King Qingliang who suddenly appeared in front of them.
The topic everyone was discussing was nothing more than this: "Could this King Qingliang be the legendary figure?"
Official A said with a know-it-all look on his face, "Besides that one, does His Majesty have any other brothers? But, didn't they say he became a Taoist priest? He looks so timid, I don't think he's ever practiced Taoism."
Official B expressed disbelief at the gossip that Official A had heard from others: "Those are just rumors, and you really believe them. I heard that the higher-ups are concerned about the prince, so you know what I mean."
Official C agreed with Official B's statement, but he was also very cautious: "That's somewhat plausible. But the prince rarely visits the court, so let's just drink quietly, lest someone with ulterior motives overhear us and report us."
This small discussion group of three officials actually reflected the behavior of the majority of officials who were unaware of the situation. Their presence at this banquet proved they were not foolish. While Prince Qingliang was certainly worth discussing, there was a time and place for it. After a while, the discussion about Prince Qingliang faded quietly from Emperor Gan Zhao's ears, and he expressed great satisfaction.
Then, Emperor Gan Zhao raised his glass and said to the crowd, "Tonight is the New Year's Eve banquet. All of you who are here are my loyal ministers. My dear ministers, there is no need to be formal."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
The magnificent song and dance hadn't yet concluded when the palace gates suddenly opened again without warning. Seeing this, everyone stopped what they were doing. The musicians and kabuki also tactfully paused and retreated to the side.
Outside the palace, a dusty messenger hurried in, crawling and tumbling. As he spoke, he took down the northbound letter tube and presented it in his hand: "Your Majesty, urgent news from the southern border! The rebel Yan Chongmao led the elite troops of Nanyue to attack the southern border at night!"
Upon hearing this, Emperor Gan Zhao threw the wine glass in his hand to the ground and said, "How dare you!"
After everyone quickly shouted for peace, Shu Yang and the other princes all looked at Wang Yanzhou. Wang Yanzhou, like the others, knelt on the ground with his head lowered, his facial expression unclear.
After Emperor Gan Zhao asked everyone to stand up, Qinhe said with a hint of gloating, "What was supposed to happen has finally happened. Just wait for a heavy bleeding." The tone and expression of her voice made it seem as if she firmly believed that nothing would happen in the southern border.
Wang Yanzhou also replied with a smile: "Of course I will go out, but it depends on whether this 'Taoist' likes it or not."
Ouyang Ming asked if they could restrain their little actions. Others might not notice them. Didn't they see the man on the throne's eyes almost popping out? "Alright, alright, stop talking and let's just watch."
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