Chapter 813, Jiang Jinghui's Death
The Lantern Festival is celebrated throughout the world.
The entire capital was festooned with lights and colorful decorations, and the sound of gongs and drums filled the air. The streets were bustling with activity, and the people were all beaming with joy.
Compared to the jubilation and bustle of the streets, the palace was also cheerful but much more restrained.
Most of the noble officials who came to the palace to attend the banquet gathered together, talking and laughing, but none of them spoke too loudly.
Daohua and Xiao Yeyang first followed Prince Ping back to the palace to change clothes, and then entered the palace with everyone else in the palace. When they arrived, the Hall of Supreme Harmony was almost full, with only the emperor and a few nobles not there.
The Queen Mother looked up at Prince Ping and asked with a smile, "Xiaojiu, why are you here so late today?"
Prince Ping smiled and replied, "My Queen Mother, I stayed at Yeyang Manor for a few days and only returned today, so I was delayed for a while."
Seeing that the Emperor had not yet arrived, the Third Prince took the opportunity to say, "I was wondering why I didn't see Ye Yang bringing his wife to accompany the Empress Dowager during the New Year. It turns out he went to accompany someone else."
The Third Prince's wife smiled and continued, "I heard that Sister Yang's master lives in Four Seasons Villa. Sister Yang is truly filial. But Sister Yang should not be too partial to one and neglect the other. She should also come to the palace more often to accompany the Queen Mother."
When they heard the Third Prince's wife mention Gu Jian, Daohua and Xiao Yeyang frowned at the same time.
Not wanting everyone to notice Gu Jian, neither of them said anything.
The Queen Mother glanced at the Third Prince and his wife with a cold look in her eyes.
The little brat has grown up and dares to use her to make a cocoon!
The Queen Mother's face showed no emotion, she just said calmly, "Perhaps in the eyes of Ye Yang and his wife, I am no more important than an outsider."
"What outsider? Who is the outsider?"
The emperor's resounding voice rang out.
Looking at the bright yellow figure walking briskly, everyone in the hall stood up.
The emperor smiled and sat down on the dragon throne, glancing at the people in the hall.
The Queen Mother and the Third Prince and his wife tacitly agreed not to mention what had just happened.
The emperor glanced at them and did not ask any further questions. He smiled and talked about other things with the ministers.
Banquets, plays, and circuses, time slipped away little by little, and the sky gradually darkened.
As soon as it gets dark, it’s time for everyone’s favorite lantern viewing session.
There is a specially built lantern stand in the Imperial Garden, where the emperor and officials can guess lantern riddles and win prizes like ordinary people.
Every year, officials from all over the country would present various specially made lanterns to the imperial palace. Daohua looked at the exquisite and dazzling lanterns and couldn't help but secretly admire the craftsmanship of the craftsmen.
Suddenly, a pungent smell entered Daohua's nose, and the smile on her face froze instantly.
Such a strong smell of phosphorus powder!!!
Daohua looked over following the pungent smell and immediately saw a dozen eunuchs, each holding two strings of unlit lanterns, walking towards the central lampstand.
"Xiao Yeyang!"
Daohua quickly tugged at Xiao Yeyang's sleeve.
Seeing Daohua's expression was off, Xiao Yeyang quickly asked, "What's wrong?"
Daohua quickly told her discovery.
Xiao Yeyang also smelled a pungent smell just now, but he didn't care too much because the smell was very similar to fireworks and firecrackers. But after hearing what Daohua said, his expression became serious.
"Don't go near the lampstand. I'll go talk to the emperor's uncle."
Then he looked at Mei Lan Mei Ju and said, "Take good care of the young lady."
Mei Lan Mei Ju nodded solemnly.
Xiao Yeyang gave Daohua a look that said 'take care of yourself', and then he walked quickly towards the emperor.
The emperor was a few meters away from the central lampstand, and Yang Chenghua, Wu Jingyi and other first-rank officials were accompanying him on his left and right. When Xiao Yeyang walked over, everyone was talking animatedly.
Xiao Yeyang reported the matter of phosphorus powder to the emperor in a low voice.
After hearing this, the emperor kept smiling, gave Xiao Yeyang a look that said he didn't need to pay attention, and continued to talk about riddles with Yang Chenghua and others.
Not long after, no one knew who started it, but someone suggested that the eldest prince, the second prince, the third prince, the fourth prince, and the fifth prince, the princes who served in the court, should go up to the lantern stands and guess riddles.
The emperor smiled at the crowd who were making a fuss, but the smile did not reach his eyes: "There are only a few of them, so there are too few people. Yeyang should go and guess as well. Oh, Jinghui and Jingrong brothers should also go, it will be more lively with more people."
When the Empress Dowager, Duke Cheng'en, and Prince Jiang heard that the Emperor had ordered Jiang Jinghui and Jiang Jingrong to go up to the lampstand, their faces froze for a moment.
The Queen Mother wanted to refuse, but the Emperor did not give her the chance and personally went out to urge Jiang Jinghui and his brothers.
So, under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the Chiang brothers had no choice but to go on stage.
Jiang Jingrong, who knew nothing, was personally named by the emperor and was full of joy, while Jiang Jinghui's eyes flashed with anxiety and worry.
His grandfather and father had not hidden anything from him about what they were busy with during this period, but the more they knew, the more afraid he became.
Looking at the eldest prince and his companions who were already walking towards the central lampstand, Jiang Jinghui gritted his teeth. His grandfather and father had already taken action, and he couldn't let them down.
Thinking of this, he resolutely took Jiang Jingrong to the lampstand.
"Remember, don't touch any lanterns later."
Jiang Jinghui whispered an instruction to his half-brother.
Jiang Jingrong was full of confusion and was about to ask when Jiang Jinghui had already gone up to the lampstand and reunited with the eldest prince and the others.
Here, the Fourth Prince's wife saw Daohua standing alone in the corner, and thinking that her son's life was saved by her, she stood up and walked over to greet her.
When Daohua saw Xiao Yeyang also climbed onto the lampstand, she suddenly became nervous and didn't notice the Fourth Prince's wife walking over.
"Sister-in-law Yang!"
"ah?"
Daohua turned to look at the Fourth Prince's wife, and at this moment, a cry of "Ah" came from the lampstand.
Daohua and the Fourth Prince's wife looked up and their expressions changed drastically.
"Boom~"
The central lampstand with two strings of lanterns hanging every one meter suddenly burst into flames, and then the fire spread rapidly to the lampstands on both sides as if a fuse had been lit.
There were many people guessing lantern riddles on the lantern stand, and most of them were holding lanterns in their hands. The moment the fire started on the lantern stand, the lanterns in their hands also caught fire.
In an instant, the lampstand was in chaos.
"Protect the emperor!"
Yang Chenghua and others protected the emperor and retreated. At the same time, Wei Qi appeared with the imperial guards.
The fire on the central lighthouse spread particularly fiercely, engulfing the lighthouse in just a moment.
Xiao Yeyang held the fourth prince in one hand and the eldest prince in the other, and rushed down the lampstand the moment the fire appeared.
As for the third prince and his companions, they were rescued by the secret guards that the emperor had arranged in the dark early in the morning.
In the firelight, watching the princes being rescued in the blink of an eye, Jiang Jinghui instantly realized that what his grandfather and others were planning had long been known to the emperor.
Although a chill rushed to his head, Jiang Jinghui still quickly pulled Jiang Jingrong out of the lampstand.
Live, only when you are alive can you have hope.
However, at this moment, an inconspicuous stone hit Jiang Jinghui's left leg, and with a "bang", Jiang Jinghui fell on the lampstand.
“Big Brother!”
Jiang Jingrong saw Jiang Jinghui fall and quickly bent over to help him up, "Brother, get up quickly!"
Jiang Jinghui's face was filled with despair. His left leg, which was hit by a stone, could not move at all. No matter how his half-brother supported him, he could not stand up.
"Walk!"
Seeing the flames spread to his legs in the blink of an eye, Jiang Jinghui used all his strength to push Jiang Jingrong out.
"Boom~"
At the moment Jiang Jingrong was thrown off the stage, the temporary central lighthouse collapsed due to the huge flames.
"Hui Er~"
A shrill voice sounded, and then stopped abruptly.
When Mrs. Jiang saw her son die in the fire, she fainted.
The Queen Mother also fainted.
Duke Cheng'en and Prince Jiang also looked as if they couldn't accept it.
The eldest princes who were rescued were all filled with fear.
"Thank you!"
The Fourth Prince clasped his fists to Xiao Yeyang and expressed his gratitude. If Xiao Yeyang had not forbidden him to touch the lantern, even if he did not die, he would have been burned to pieces by the flames like those who were rescued.
Xiao Yeyang shook his head to indicate that it was not necessary. Seeing Daohua coming, he hurried to meet her.
"Master, are you okay?"
The Fourth Prince's wife came with Daohua and immediately rushed in front of the Fourth Prince, anxiously checking whether he was injured.
Daohua nodded to the Fourth Prince, then looked at Xiao Yeyang carefully. Only after confirming that he was not hurt did she feel relieved.
Afterwards, everyone was anxiously watching the fire, but Xiao Yeyang noticed that Daohua was looking to the side from time to time, and couldn't help asking, "What are you looking at?"
Daohua raised her chin and nodded in the direction she had just looked: "It seems like someone hid over there just now."
Xiao Yeyang frowned and looked in the direction Daohua was looking. Knowing that she wouldn't say anything nonsense, he took Defu over to investigate.
Seeing traces of people trampling on the ground, Xiao Yeyang asked Defu to talk to Wei Qi. Before Wei Qi came over, he heard the emperor say that they could go back, so he walked towards the rice flowers.
"The palace is too chaotic tonight. Let's go back first."
Rice Flower nodded.
As Daohua and Xiao Yeyang left the palace, Xiao Yeyang was called back by the imperial guards.
So Daohua had no choice but to stand in front of the carriage and wait for him.
While waiting, Daohua saw Luo Qiong hurriedly leaving the palace.
"Sister-in-law!"
Daohua greeted him, but unfortunately, Luo Qiong did not respond. He got on the carriage and drove away.
Looking at this scene, Daohua was stunned. It would have been fine if Luo Qiong didn't wait for Xiao Yechen and Princess Ma, but she was such a living person standing here, and she didn't even see them!
"Young Madam, there must be someone hiding in that carriage just now." Mei Lan suddenly said.
Daohua looked over and asked, "Tibetan?"
Mei Lan nodded: "I just noticed that the wheels of that carriage can bear a lot of weight."
Daohua frowned: "Who could Luo Qiong be hiding?" Thinking of Luo Qiong's absent-minded look just now, she couldn't help but sense that something was wrong.
(End of this chapter)
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