Drunk House

 Chapter 734 Palace Banquet (Second update)

On the way back to the palace from the Duke Protector's Mansion, the emperor took Yan Hui and talked to him all the way.

After entering the palace gate, he said to Yan Hui: "Go and see your mother first!"

Yan Hui nodded, "My son, I'll go right away."

 He did not go back to the East Palace to bathe and change clothes, so he went directly to see the queen.

The queen learned that her son was returning to Beijing today, and that the emperor had led all the civil and military officials out of the city to greet him. However, as a queen, she could not go, so she could only wait anxiously in the palace. After waiting for most of the day, she waited for him. When she came back, she saw Yan Huisheng and cried with joy, her eyes red, "Mother, I heard that you were injured, have you recovered? Hurry up and have Dr. Xuan come and take a look at you?"

Yan Hui responded to the empress's greetings and said quickly: "Don't worry, mother, your injury has healed. My son left the capital and took the imperial doctor with him. Did you forget that?"

"I have not forgotten, even if I don't let the imperial doctor take your pulse, I will always feel uneasy." The queen discussed with him, "Let the chief of the imperial hospital come, he has the best medical skills."

 After all, the imperial physician who was brought out was no better than the imperial physician at the head of the hospital?

Yan Hui said helplessly, "Okay, just listen to your mother."

The mother and son talked for a long time. When the head of the Taiyuan Hospital arrived, he took Yan Huisheng's pulse and said that His Highness the Crown Prince was in good health and all his injuries had recovered. The Queen was completely relieved.

The queen knew that her son was tired, so she did not let him return to the East Palace. Instead, she arranged for someone to bathe and change clothes in her palace, and then go to the side hall where he lived when he was a child to rest and wait for the palace banquet.

Yan Huisheng did not refute the queen's loving motherly love, and listened to the queen's arrangements in an obedient manner.

It wasn't until the emperor waited for half an hour that Yan Huisheng went to look for him again. He sent someone to ask and heard that he was resting in the queen's palace. The emperor gave up, thinking that the relationship between mother and son was better than the relationship between him and the prince. The relationship between father and son must be deep. In the past years, he hurt his son deeply. Even if it has eased now, he cannot be too close to him like the queen.

He simply went directly to the Queen's palace. Even if the prince was resting, he could talk to the queen. He had to work harder to ease the relationship.

The queen did not expect that the emperor was chasing her. Today she went out of the city with all the civil and military officials to welcome the crown prince, the old protector and the soldiers on their triumphant return. He had been tired for most of the day. If it had been before, he would have decided to rest and would not come to her. Here, unexpectedly, I seem to be chasing after him now as if I am not tired.

The queen sighed inwardly. Today is different from the past. Women in the harem are like this. The mother is more valuable than the son. The son she gave birth to is capable and able to stand up and keep the position of heir apparent. Even she, the queen, has obviously benefited a lot.

She still remembered those years when the emperor only came to her palace twice a month on the fifteenth day of the lunar month. Sometimes he would leave immediately. Not only the precious concubine who doted on the sixth palace made her retreat, but also the virtuous concubine. He and Concubine De were both more proud than her and arrogant in front of her.

It's good now that these women are gone, the palace is finally clean, and she has lost face. Even if she feels disgusted in her heart, His Majesty still comes from time to time.

The emperor lay down on the couch and said, "I come to your place to have a rest, and I will go to the palace banquet with the prince later."

What else can the Queen say? He could only nod his head, "Your Majesty, just rest, I will not let anyone disturb you."

The emperor held the queen's hand and said, "I am really happy. I have thought about it and will discuss my abdication with the prince tomorrow."

 The queen immediately said: "Your Majesty, you still..."

"Don't tell me that you are in your prime. Hey, the prince is capable. For me, it is the blessing of our ancestors and a good thing. I am increasingly exhausted mentally and physically, so I can rest early if I retire." The emperor said. The Queen frowned, "I see that Your Majesty is in good health. I also believe that the Prince is not in a hurry. Your Majesty, don't be anxious about this either. The Prince has just returned to Beijing. Please let him have a good rest and don't bother with this matter." Is he successful?"

The words he said were the same as when he was young. He was no longer cautious. It really seemed like something a couple would say.

The emperor was moved in his heart, "Okay, I listen to you. What you said makes sense, so let him rest first."

Although both of them knew that Yan Huisheng could not rest, there were a lot of things in the capital and a lot of court affairs waiting for him to return to the capital to make decisions.

Yan Huisheng rested in the queen's palace for an hour. When he woke up, he saw that the emperor was also there, and he was stunned for a moment.

The emperor waved to him, "Let's go. I'll be waiting for you. The palace banquet is about to begin."

Yan nodded in response.

 The celebration banquet is not a palace banquet. If the female family members do not attend, the queen naturally does not need to go.

Seeing the father and son leaving together, the queen turned around and went back to the inner hall to rest. The nanny who was serving her whispered: "Your majesty, your majesty is really different now compared to before. You have finally managed to survive."

The queen said: "Your Majesty said that he would abdicate. It doesn't look like he was lying. I don't know if the prince will agree." She sighed, "Based on my understanding of the prince, he may not agree."

Mammy asked in a low voice: "Your Majesty abdicated the throne early, and the Prince took that position early, wouldn't it be good? Nowadays, both the government and the public hold His Royal Highness in high esteem. If Your Highness ascends the throne, it will be the popular support."

 Daliang defeated Da Wei, and the prince personally went to the front line to supervise the battle. His reputation among the people was unprecedented, and no one could shake the status of His Royal Highness. Now that he has ascended the throne, there is no guarantee that His Majesty will not go back on his word and try to use checks and balances for a long time.

The queen said: "Of course it's good, but it depends on the prince! Whatever decision she makes, I will support her."

Just like when she learned that Yan Huisheng liked Su Rong, she didn't interfere much. After all, Zhou Gu's engagement was there, and she believed in her son. Later, it turned out that even if he liked him, he sensibly didn't get closer, maybe even Su Rong didn't even know he liked her.

When the emperor and the prince arrived at the palace banquet, the courtiers had already arrived, and the old protector arrived one step ahead of the emperor and the prince.

 Everyone greeted the ceremony and shouted "Long Live the Mountain". After sitting down, the emperor vigorously praised the achievements of the prince and the old protector of the country, and said some happy words before ordering the banquet to begin.

The palace maids and eunuchs filed in, bringing delicacies from the mountains and seas to the table, singing and dancing to add to the fun, and the atmosphere was peaceful.

The emperor raised his first glass of wine in honor of the old protector of the country, "Old Duke, I salute you. I really didn't expect that after a battle, you are still as strong as the tiger. I have the old Duke in my beam. This is the blessing of Daliang Sheji and my blessing."

The old Duke hurriedly said: "This is all the credit of His Highness the Crown Prince. I am old and fell ill during this period. I completely relied on His Highness the Crown Prince." Before the emperor could speak, he sighed again, "I am no longer as good as when I was young. When I was young, I was fighting. I haven't been tired for eight days, but now I am really exhausted. If His Highness hadn't led the charge into the battle, the veteran might have been defeated by Yuan Zhao. In short, thanks to His Highness the Crown. The veteran finally knew, People cannot accept old age.”

 (End of this chapter)