The matriarch looked towards the seats opposite her.
At the Ji family's table, Madam Wang sat at the very front, with Ji Huaichuan beside her, pouring tea for his mother.
Having confirmed that Ji Rong was not there, the matriarch of the elder family breathed a sigh of relief.
Ji Rong's sudden loss of control at the palace banquet last time really shocked her.
She wouldn't know what to do if it happened again.
The matriarch lowered her head, took a sip of tea, and turned her gaze to the high platform.
Whether she was overthinking it or not, the Empress seemed rather cold towards her when she paid her respects earlier.
After thinking it over, the matriarch realized that she had not entered the palace since the Tiger Tally incident, so she should not have offended the royal family.
She asked Song Ziyu, "When you went to pay your respects to the Emperor, did His Majesty say anything?"
Song Ziyu shook his head.
He went to see Emperor Jingyuan, but after standing at the door of the study for a long time, he was not summoned.
Later, when he met with the other ministers, Emperor Jingyuan merely glanced at him coldly and didn't say a single extra word.
The matriarch frowned, feeling inexplicably uneasy.
Before she could figure out why, she suddenly heard the sound of string and wind instruments.
The palace banquet has begun.
Eunuchs filed forward carrying various dishes, while musicians played music on the side. Emperor Jingyuan raised the first cup of wine.
Today's banquet at the palace featured osmanthus-infused wine. Jiang Wan took a small sip and then put down her wine cup.
Seeing the officials below the stage clinking glasses and exchanging toasts, she touched her hair with her right hand and suddenly let out a soft "Oh dear".
Pei Tang, who was closer to her, asked first, "Sister Jiang, what's wrong?"
"One of the hair ornaments is missing; it must have been lost by accident."
Pei Tang asked, "Then think carefully, where did you lose it?"
Jiang Wan tilted her head and thought for a moment, then gave the name of a palace: "On the way to the palace, I straightened my clothes there, and that's probably when I lost them."
Before Pei Tang could speak, Pei Xuan walked over.
It seems they came specifically to inquire after noticing something was happening here.
Upon hearing this, Pei Xuan said to the eunuch behind him, "Go and retrieve Madam Jiang's hairpin yourself."
The eunuch responded and left.
Jiang Wan nodded slightly: "Thank you for your trouble, Your Highness."
Pei Xuan lowered his eyes, curled his lips in an ambiguous way, picked up his cup, and sat down next to Jiang Wan.
Jiang Wan looked up at him and said, "Your Highness, this is against the rules."
It's not unreasonable for Pei Xuan and Pei Tang to sit at the same table.
However, it would be improper to sit at the same table with her; at a formal banquet, only husband and wife can sit side by side.
The surrounding officials noticed this and began to whisper among themselves.
"It's alright."
Pei Xuan didn't seem to care much, and even pressed down Jiang Wan, who was about to get up.
“Everything should be done from beginning to end. The servants have gone to find a hairpin for Lady Jiang. I should wait here for his report.”
He raised his phoenix eyes slightly, completely ignoring the gazes of others, and poured himself a glass of wine.
"Let's wait and see when the hairpin can be found."
At this moment, at the side gate of the palace.
A group of people dressed as eunuchs were slowly approaching the palace wall under the cover of night.
The guards at the side gate let them through, and the group entered the palace smoothly, heading towards the long street.
The leader looked up and cautiously glanced around.
It was Yun Su who led the Illusion Moon Cult followers in preparing for the assassination.
The palace rules are strict. The dancers and musicians performing at today's banquet are subject to special checks by the Imperial Guards, who examine their identities and belongings. It is difficult for them to sneak in.
Fortunately, the guards at the side gate were members of the Illusion Moon Cult.
Disguised as eunuchs, they went unnoticed and broke through the first layer of defenses in the palace.
Getting close to the Pixiang Hall is the most difficult part.
The palace banquet was guarded by guards all around, and even those disguised as eunuchs could not get close.
They were to change into dancers. By this time, the dancers had already been checked by the Imperial Guards, so no one would search them again. They could then smoothly enter the main hall and get close to Emperor Jingyuan.
Right now, we need someone to guide us.
Yun Su recalled the portrait Shi Yin had given her, and looked around at everyone.
Finally, she found him at a corner of the long street.
"My friend."
Yun Su quickly stepped forward and whispered, "Are you a friend of Master Jinghui?"
Ji Rong, who had been waiting for a long time, raised his head.
He glanced at Yun Su and the others, nodded, and said, "Come with me." With that, he turned and walked towards the palace.
At first, Yun Su was very cautious.
She was wary of Jinghui, and naturally, she couldn't fully trust the person Jinghui had introduced.
The further they went, the clearer the sounds of string and wind instruments became, indicating that they were getting closer and closer to the Pixiang Hall.
Yun Su gradually felt relieved.
Once they get close to the Hall of Fragrant Breeze, they will have achieved their goal.
Yun Su encountered many palace maids and eunuchs along the way, and she was a little nervous. Fortunately, when the palace maids saw the person in front of them, they simply bowed and did not question their identities.
Yun Su couldn't help but feel puzzled.
Jinghui said that this person was a low-ranking official, so how could he move around so freely in the palace?
Unable to get an answer for the time being, Yun Su silently memorized the few palaces she passed along the way.
"Alright, your destination is just ahead."
Upon reaching the outside of a palace, Ji Rong suddenly stopped, his sleeves twitching intentionally or unintentionally, and said to Yun Su.
Yun Su said, "Thank you for your trouble."
She raised her head, first making sure there were no palace servants nearby, then stared at Ji Rong with a fierce look in her eyes.
What they were going to do could not be known to anyone, and the news could not be leaked in advance.
Just in case, silencing them is the safest option.
Since they came to kill Emperor Jingyuan anyway, they wouldn't mind killing one more minister of Dayong.
Yun Su raised her hand, about to strike Ji Rong on the back of the neck, when a voice suddenly came from behind her.
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