I dare not

As the Lantern Festival approached, lanterns of various colors were hung in the Second Prince's Chunhui Palace, and from a distance, it was full of radiance, shining brightly on the entire palace.

Especially the glazed lamps in the main hall are exquisite and unique, and the colorful light changes endlessly with the rotation of the round lamp ball. It is a rare treasure in the world.

Three glazed lanterns were offered in the Western Regions, and one of them was hung in the Chunhui Hall, showing the honor and favor of His Highness the Second Highness.

However, the owner of the palace doesn't seem too happy.

"The third one is too deceitful! Last time he got Gu Qiao in front of the father, let's not talk about it. Today, he is overwhelming me! The father is still facing him!" Xiang Zezhang's eyes were red with anger. The concubine lost her temper in front of her.

Concubine He Gui waved her hand to let all the serving maids go out, and softly comforted her: "Keep your voice down, if it reaches your father's ears, you will be punished again."

She is the only noble concubine in the palace. Although she is nearly forty years old, her voice is soft and gentle like a girl's.

"If you are punished, you will be fined. I will suffer less if I am punished?" Xiang Zezhang was very aggrieved. Since he was young, no brother could compare with him in front of his father. This time, the third brother has the upper hand twice in a row , He has never been wronged like this, "Grandpa said that if the third son wins over the civil servants and asks for a position for Gu Qiao, father will definitely be dissatisfied with him. Do you seem dissatisfied now?"

Concubine He Gui smiled lightly, and a small dimple appeared on her lips, "If your father is dissatisfied with someone, with Zhang'er's current skill, I'm afraid you won't be able to see it."

"The concubine mother means that the emperor actually doesn't like the third child?"

"I didn't say that," Concubine He Gui pulled Xiang Zezhang to sit beside her, "You have to hold your breath, your father is now testing you, if you can't hold your breath, you will be at a disadvantage."

"Hey, the third child can hold his breath, and act as if nothing happened after he came back from Lianzhou."

Concubine He Gui frowned, "Prince, Mother Concubine thinks that you have not handled this well."

"It's because it didn't work well. Du Yuwen, that trash, has no problem controlling so many workers. This time, the third child is alone and he has caused me such a big trouble." Xiang Zezhang got angry when he thought of this, "I still blame that Gu Qiao, otherwise the third child would already be in my hands."

"Since you've already caught him, you should kill him. Now that he's back, it's hard to find another chance to do it."

"That's what I said, but as long as the military power is in the hands of the Shangguan family, the foundation of our Xiang family will be unstable every day. It's also thanks to the father who has been able to sleep for so many years! If it were me, I would have taken back the military power long ago. !"

Concubine He Gui couldn't help worrying when she saw her son was so innocent.

The reason why the emperor didn't become a queen for so many years was because he was afraid of the Shangguan family.

The legitimate sons of Dahao Kingdom are Xiang Zebei and Xiang Zenan, no matter how favored she is, the emperor has no intention of making her his queen.

Back then when Emperor Taizu founded the country, the Shangguan family contributed a lot. Up to now, they are still the first-rank generals of Hao Kingdom, with great prestige in the army.If the Shangguan family wants to rebel, I am afraid that it will really shake the foundation of the country, how could His Majesty not guard against it?

Concubine He Gui's ability to stand upright in the palace for so many years is because she has understood the emperor's temperament. Xiang Zenan escaped from death, so he must appease the Shangguan family, but when it comes to establishing the crown prince, he must be biased towards Zezhang in his heart.No matter what Xiang Zenan does, they just need to grab the emperor's heart and wait patiently. Her father and son are too aggressive, and she has persuaded her many times.

Thinking of this, she sighed, "If you don't do anything, maybe the situation will be better than today."

Xiang Zezhang couldn't listen to her theory, and said impatiently, "Concubine Mu, you are in the palace every day, and you don't understand anything! Now Your Majesty is facing him everywhere. If I don't do anything, it will be a death sentence. Concubine Mu I have been made to wait every time, I have been waiting for so many years, is there any result?"

Concubine He Gui was speechless. She felt that the emperor would favor the second prince, which was also her intuition as a woman. She could not convince Xiang Zezhang nor her father.

Xiang Zezhang stood up irritably and took a few steps, and wanted to complain for a while, when an attendant from the Qianyang Palace came to announce that His Majesty had gone to the Imperial Concubine Palace.

Xiang Zezhang sent the concubine mother to the door, watched her get on the sedan chair, and was carried by the palace people into the boundless night of the palace.

Fifteen is coming soon, and in Hao Country, Lantern Festival is a more important day than New Year's Eve.

Except for senior officials of the third rank and above, other officials in Beijing can participate in the palace banquet on the day of Lantern Festival. This kind of large banquet with hundreds of people is only once a year.

Many people started activities several months in advance in order to participate in the Lantern Festival dinner. The purpose of giving gifts and money is to come to the palace to have a meal with the emperor today.

It was said to be having dinner with the emperor, but in fact the emperor just came to sit, show his face, and say a few words, which took less than a cup of tea.

When Gu Qiao went out, he put on a business face. He didn't like this kind of occasion, but people can't help themselves in the officialdom, and they have to do something they don't like in order to make a living.

The banquet hadn't started yet, and everyone found a place to sit down according to their official ranks.

A few friends of Gu Qiao pulled him to sit at a table in the back. They were similar in age and birth, and they were classmates when they were in the academy.

Among them is Zhang Qi, who took the imperial examination in the same class as Gu Qiao, and is currently working in the household department. He pulled Gu Qiao to sit down, and leaned over affectionately, "Little Qiaoer, I heard that you are going to be Zuo Shiyi soon." Is it true?"

When he asked this question, the people around him immediately listened. Gu Qiao didn't say yes or no, and replied very officially: "The transfer document shall prevail."

Zhang Qi punched him on the shoulder, "It's not interesting! Fine wine and fine wine!"

Another person said: "How can we just punish the wine? Today's wine is all His Majesty's, and Xiao Qiaoer wants to treat us to dinner alone, Fushoulou! Dragon and Phoenix Soup!"

When Gu Qiao heard about the dragon and phoenix soup, she thought of the little fool who killed the snake. She couldn't help but look up. There were two smaller tables next to the wine table in the middle, which were the wine tables for the princes.His Majesty has three sons, but only two tables were set up on this occasion. It seems that the eldest prince has withdrawn from the government as rumored.

Not long after, the venue quieted down, and the emperor and the two princes entered the hall surrounded by palace people.

Gu Qiao saw that familiar face at a glance.

There was a look on that face that he didn't recognize, cold, solemn, with an unattainable majesty.

Gu Qiao just took a look, then lowered her head, and shouted long live together with all the officials.

After everyone was seated, people in the harem filed in, and the table was soon filled with delicious food and wine. The emperor was still talking, and no one dared to move their chopsticks.

They sat a little far away, and they couldn't hear what the emperor was saying at all. Only the court officials at the main table could hear them.When Gu Qiao saw the second prince say a few words, the emperor laughed out loud, and then the third prince also laughed, and raised a glass with the second prince as a gesture of respect.

The emperor sat for a while and then left. After he left, today's highlight - the official communication session kicked off.

Gu Qiao knew that many people had heard about his upcoming transfer to Zuo Shiyi, and there must be an endless stream of people coming to him for a drink later, so he decided to act first and went to the main table to pay respects.

Everyone sold Ouyang Chigong's face, Gu Qiao could speak again, and the atmosphere was very lively for a while.He took a sip of a glass, and his face was already hot after walking around. When he returned to his seat, he excused himself to be drunk and hid outside the hall.

Out of the banquet hall is a plum grove, with white plum blossoms blooming close to each other on the branches, as soft as snow under the bright moonlight.

Gu Qiao sat alone on the stone bench in the garden, the tranquility here and the noise in the hall are like two worlds.

It's a pity that the quiet time didn't last long, and Zhang Qi came to him with a flagon.

"I was still looking for you everywhere, but you are lucky, you ran outside to watch the moon by yourself!"

Gu Qiao propped her forehead with one hand, "You know I can't drink well, so come out and hide."

"Ham, I don't know you yet?" Zhang Qi sat down opposite him, "Come, come, let's drink while watching the moon."

The two of them hadn't started drinking yet, and several of the same class came out from inside, all of them came to look for Gu Qiao.

Gu Qiao couldn't hide from the left and right, so he had to drink a few more glasses.

When the people left, Zhang Qi said: "You are a big celebrity now, and those who want to toast you can queue up until tomorrow morning. If you want to hide, you can't hide."

"It's also good to go out to see the scenery. You can see the night view of the palace anywhere. It would be a waste to drink in it."

"Okay, whatever you say is what you say," Zhang Qi poured wine into his glass, "This is the peach blossom wine I asked for from the lady-in-waiting, I'm not willing to drink it yet, I save it for you to try."

Gu Qiao picked up the cup and smelled it, "The spring breeze blows on Wu Yao, so I advise you to drink peach blossom wine. There is neither spring breeze nor Wu Yao here, so this peach blossom wine loses its flavor."

Zhang Qi said, "That's really wronged you, why don't I dance for you!"

Gu Qiao laughed loudly, "Who wants to see you, today is a beautiful day, I want a girl as snowy as jade!"

Zhang Qiteng stood up, shouted "three..." and then stopped abruptly.Gu Qiao thought he was really going to dance, so she hurriedly shouted: "Don't stop, sit down!"

Zhang Qi tried his best to signal him to look behind with his eyes, but he was still saying, "Why winking? What's so good about you as a man?"

Zhang Qi suddenly seemed to have received some instructions, nodded behind Gu Qiao, and ran away in a hurry.

Only then did Gu Qiao realize something was wrong, and when he turned around, he was already enveloped in a faint woody aroma.

He stood up and said with some embarrassment: "Third...Third Highness..."

Xiang Zenan raised his eyebrows: "You want a... girl who is as snowy as jade?"