After any grand ceremony, there will inevitably be a grand banquet. This has become an inherent rule of the royal family. And for a grand ceremony like today's to confer a crown prince, it is inevitable that all civil and military officials will be entertained in the evening.
There was a lot of people drinking and drinking in the Zichen Palace, the dresses of the palace ladies were flying, and the sound of palace music was heard. There was constant laughter and congratulations and compliments.
Zhao Yuan was surrounded by many people who were following the trend. He raised his glass of wine and responded politely to everyone. He didn't say a word of polite words, and he responded with ease.
If we say that the only people who could be seen as unhappy in the whole dinner were Zhao Yu, Wu Cairen and Queen Mother Wei.
These three people have been depressed ever since they found out that the prince was Zhao Yuan and that Zhao Yu was assigned to a fiefdom and set off three days later. Empress Dowager Wei seemed to have aged much overnight, and her sixtieth hair on her temples had added a few strands of silver.
Gaozong's decision was made without consulting her, and because of this, Empress Dowager Wei finally realized that she no longer had the majesty she once had in the court, and became an old lady truly raised in the harem.
In addition, Queen Mother Wei and Wu Cairen would feel somewhat reluctant to part with the child they had always doted on. Although they were not their biological children, they had raised them for so many years.
Furthermore, the two of them were not expecting Zhao Yuan's rise to power. Thinking of how they had treated him unfavorably and made things difficult for him, Empress Dowager Wei and Wu Cairen were a little worried about whether the future would be as smooth as before.
Looking at the courtiers not far away who were surrounding Zhao Yuan like a tide to congratulate him, Empress Dowager Wei and Wu Cai felt a little uncomfortable being left aside.
I wanted to step forward to say congratulations and find out what Zhao Yuan meant to the two of them, but at the same time I couldn't keep my face off.
Regarding this matter, Queen Mother Wei and Wu Cairen shied away from each other for a while, winked secretly, and finally decided to let Queen Mother Wei find out the truth as a grandmother.
Empress Dowager Wei coughed softly with some embarrassment, raised the wine glass in front of her, and spoke in a dignified manner without saltiness: "Yao'er, congratulations on your being crowned prince! The burden on your shoulders will be heavy in the future. You must know how to do it."
Your father shares important responsibilities and puts the people of the world first, do you understand?"
"Thank you, Grandma Queen Mother, for your teachings. Yao'er understands!" Zhao Yuan, who had been renamed Zhao Yao, held the wine glass, respectfully walked to Queen Mother Wei and made a big salute.
Seeing that Zhao Yuan did not favor him just because he became the prince, but was cautious in his words and deeds, Empress Dowager Wei breathed a sigh of relief, her face brightened, she nodded, and took a sip of wine meaningfully.
Upon seeing this, Wu Cairen hurriedly picked up the wine glass on the table and said with a smile: "The prince is a thousand years old, I would like to offer you a drink."
"Thank you Wu Cairen." Zhao Yuan raised his head and drained the wine in his glass before returning to his seat.
There were constant laughter and laughter during the banquet. The emperor took Zhao Yuan and gave him careful instructions, but Zhao Yuan always looked gentle and responded modestly and cautiously.
Guo Wanrou sat on his left, with a smile on her face, lowering her head and stroking her belly from time to time, telling everyone that Guo Wanrou would give birth to the first child for the future prince. From the corner of her eyes, she glanced at Zhao Sitting there.
Mrs. Xia on the right of Yuan has a look of arrogance and pride in her eyes.
But in the face of Guo Wanrou's outspoken provocation, Mrs. Xia was surprisingly calm. For the first time, she didn't pay attention to her arrogant expression. Instead, there was a faint smile on her lips, gentle and decent.
However, when no one was paying attention, Mrs. Xia always glanced out of the hall, as if expecting something to happen.
Sure enough, when the wine was half drunk, someone suddenly shouted: "Wende Hall is flooded!" The originally lively laughter and laughter in the hall suddenly stopped, and an almost eerie silence spread among the crowd.
After a while, it finally broke out and let out a "coax--" sound, and timid whispers spread among the crowd.
A hint of joy flashed in Mrs. Xia's eyes, but it was quickly covered up.
Guo Wanrou frowned immediately and looked outside the hall without knowing why.
When Zhao Yuan heard the word "Zhuishui", his face suddenly turned pale, and he suddenly stood up from his chair with grace and calmness before, and walked quickly outside the hall.
When he saw the firelight filling the sky making the night sky look like day, his whole heart almost stopped beating.
With just one glance, Zhao Yuan immediately determined that the place where the fire broke out was the back garden, and at this moment, the place burning most fiercely was the Tongque Terrace!
For some reason, a bad premonition arose in Zhao Yuan's heart, and panic instantly overwhelmed him. His feet were trembling slightly, and his fingers were hidden in his sleeves, trembling uncontrollably.
"What's going on?" Faced with the sudden leak, Gao Zong's face didn't heal, and he asked slowly in a low voice.
"Reporting to the father, my minister's Wende Palace has been compromised. Please allow me to go and have a look at the situation." Zhao Yuan's heart was filled with Leng Changxi's, and her anxious expression was clearly visible.
Falling in Guo Wanrou's eyes aroused her jealousy. Even in this situation, he still has not forgotten that woman, how willing she is!
Guo Wanrou looked at the red-hot sky and cursed viciously in her heart: Burn it, burn it, burn everything, and burn that bitch too!
Hearing this, Emperor Gaozong frowned and was about to say something. Suddenly, Zhao Yu's voice with a hint of schadenfreude came from the side: "Father, why do you think it's such a coincidence! Last time Zhao Yao got married, Xi
There is trouble in the street, this time Zhao Yao has made the crown prince, and his palace of Wende is in trouble. Look, if he is allowed to ascend the throne in the future, will it be the trouble in the palace or in the world? "
"Presumptuous!" After hearing such disrespectful words, Gaozong immediately glared at Zhao Yu. Gaozong was already very uncomfortable with the affair, but now that Zhao Yu said this, he was obviously cursing the future of the Song Dynasty.
,How could Gaozong be happy?
"There is no room in this hall for you, a little beast, to talk nonsense!" Gaozong slapped the table and stood up from his seat. This was the first time he had taught Zhao Yu such a harsh lesson in public.
Looking at Gaozong's expression, Zhao Yu suddenly understood that he had caused a big trouble and said something he shouldn't have said out of jealousy. So he hurriedly knelt down in the palace and cried and begged: "Father, please forgive me. I am
It was unintentional, I know I was wrong, I don’t dare to do it anymore!”
Seeing Zhao Yu's appearance from the side, Queen Mother Wei felt somewhat distressed and couldn't help but say a few words on his behalf: "Your Majesty, Yu'er is ignorant, please spare him this time!"
"Not sensible?" Gaozong narrowed his eyes slightly and looked at Zhao Yu coldly from above: "How old are you? Still not sensible? If you can be more confident, if you can be half as good as Yao'er! I am too