readytorunbook Chapter 290 Banquet
Chapter 290 Banquet
Inside the house, Shen Tang sat on a small couch embroidering, and looked up at the clepsydra from time to time.
I just went out for lunch, why haven't you come back for so long?
I don't know how many times I looked over there. When I heard Xie Guimo's footsteps, Ginkgo looked up and said loudly, "Princess, the prince is back."
Why are you talking so loudly? She is not deaf and can hear clearly.
Shen Tang glared at Ginkgo, who tactfully retreated. Xie Guimo walked in and asked with a smile, "Waiting for me?"
Shen Tang's ears turned red, "No..."
However, the meal took far too long. Just as Shen Tang was about to ask, Si'er came in and said, "Crown Princess, there's news from the palace that the Empress is hosting a banquet the day after tomorrow, inviting the wives of officials of the fourth rank and above to attend..."
Shen Tang, “…???”
In her previous life, Empress Xu also held a palace banquet at this time. A group of noble ladies dressed up appropriately and brought their favorite jewelry into the palace, but were all forced to donate them for disaster relief. They all had smiles on their faces when they entered the palace, but had long faces when they left. Even Shen Tang was unhappy.
But why are we holding a palace banquet now?
Shen Tang looked at Xie Guimo, "Didn't Chen Qi remind Prince Yu?"
Xie Guimo also felt strange, "Such a small matter, Chen Qi will be able to handle it."
As for Prince Yu, he couldn't stand Young Master Qian's sophistry, but he didn't say anything. After all, Young Master Qian was the son-in-law of Marquis Yongcheng. Even if he knew that Young Master Qian was threatened by Prince Qi to poison his father-in-law for the sake of the Qian family, Marquis Yongcheng could not ignore his daughter and beat his son-in-law to death.
But they couldn't beat him to death, and he wouldn't be able to escape half-dead. The secret guards showed up and beat Young Master Qian so badly that his face was bruised and swollen, and his parents didn't recognize him.
Young Master Qian begged desperately, but Marquis Yongcheng was furious and ordered his men to drag him out, gag him in the mouth with a cloth, and hang him upside down on a tree.
Marquis Yongcheng felt a chill run down his spine as he said to Prince Yu, "My uncle was so foolish in choosing such a useless son-in-law. This time, it's all thanks to Prince Jingyang..."
Yesterday he said he was going to Xuzhou and Changzhou to provide disaster relief. Prince Yu felt something was wrong, but he didn't say anything. It was not until this morning's court that he decided to trust the Prince of Jingyang after observing his words and expressions. Marquis Yongcheng didn't dare to think that Prince Yu didn't trust the Prince of Jingyang very much and chose to listen to his uncle. With such a troublesome son-in-law around him, he might really go there alive but not come back alive.
He was also shocked and frightened by the fact that Prince Jingyang was so well-informed.
Marquis Yongcheng was glad that Empress Xu and Princess Jingyang had never been at odds with each other, and that the Crown Prince of Jingyang did not side with the Prince of Qi. Otherwise, with the full support of the Crown Prince of Jingyang, the position of Crown Prince would have been out of the question for the Prince of Yu.
Prince Yu said, "Such a big thing, Minister Qian may not be unaware of it. If he is disloyal once, he will be useless a hundred times. It is better not to let them and their son know about important matters in the future."
Marquis Yongcheng nodded.
Fighting for the throne is no joke. He is betting the entire fortune of the Yongcheng Marquisate. In the future, either the family will be wiped out or he will soar to the top. There is no other possibility.
He will not be careless just because Young Master Qian is his son-in-law. He will be more cautious. The dogs around him bite more fiercely and it is hard to guard against them.
Prince Yu had nothing else to do and was about to take his leave. Marquis Yongcheng escorted him out of the palace. Just as he reached the gate, a guard rode over and said, "Your Highness, the Empress is hosting a banquet the day after tomorrow to entertain the wives of all the civil and military officials..."
Prince Yu, “……!!!”
Prince Yu's heart skipped a beat.
He felt that his mother would not be so foolish as to offend those noble ladies for the sake of disaster relief, but Xie Guimo sent someone to remind him, so Prince Yu asked the Queen not to interfere in the matter just in case.
However, Xuzhou and Changzhou are suffering from severe drought and urgently need disaster relief from the court. My mother rarely entertains wives of officials, so why is she holding a palace banquet today?
The more Prince Yu thought about it, the more worried he became. "Why hold a banquet?"
The guard shook his head, "I don't know..."
Because the guards knew that Prince Jingyang did not allow the Queen to hold a banquet, Prince Yu hesitated about whether to tell the Queen about this. The guards knew this, so when they heard the news, they hurried to tell Prince Yu.
Prince Yu was also anxious to know this, so he jumped on his horse and went straight into the palace.
Prince Yu was glad that he was a legitimate prince. Even though he had a separate residence, he could still enter and leave the harem. He went directly to find his mother.
Fengluan Palace.
Empress Xu sat on the phoenix chair, her heart aching with anger, and she covered it with her hands.
Zhao Ma Ma was worried, "Your Majesty, don't let yourself get sick from anger. Let's ask the imperial physician to come and see you."
Queen Xu waved her hand.
The palace maid came in and said, "Your Majesty, Prince Yu is here."
Queen Xu had an even worse headache.
In the morning, Prince Yu came to remind her not to hold a banquet to ask the wives of ministers to donate money in order to help his father solve his problems. Empress Xu was a little angry, thinking that she, the queen mother, was so stupid in the eyes of her son. She didn't even know what she could do and what she couldn't do. Her position as queen had been snatched away by someone else long ago.
There is no need to ask, Prince Yu is here now, it must be for this matter.
"Let him in."
The maid left, and soon Prince Yu came in. Without even bothering to greet him, he asked, "Didn't the Queen Mother promise me..."
Empress Xu said, "My mother has agreed to your request, but your sister hasn't."
Prince Yu's face froze, and his voice rose, "Is it... Gu'an?"
Empress Xu said, "Your sister was instigated to go and advise your father to have your mother hold a banquet and invite the noble ladies of Kyoto to the palace to donate money for disaster relief."
"It was your father who agreed and sent someone to pass on the message that only then did Mother know about it. There is no turning back. It was Mother who was careless in this matter."
Empress Xu knew that her daughter, Princess Gu'an, wanted to contribute to her brother's bid for the throne. She had protected her daughter too well, causing her to underestimate the intrigues in the harem. If there really was a good opportunity to make a contribution, those people would have gone to the emperor long ago and would not have waited for her to go. Now the emperor agreed and issued an order.
She, the queen, is just pretending to be sick. With Concubine Ye here, the palace banquet will be held as scheduled.
It's really unpleasant to know that you are being plotted against but be unable to do anything about it.
Empress Xu looked at Prince Yu and asked, "How did you think of telling your mother not to do such a thing?"
Empress Xu had asked this question that morning, but Prince Yu felt that this reminder was unnecessary and was afraid that Empress Xu would be suspicious, so he did not tell her that it was Xie Guimo who sent someone to remind him.
He is the Prince of Yu, how could he have no ability to distinguish? It would be fine if he believed Prince Jingyang in other matters, but he believed that Prince Jingyang suspected that his mother would do such a stupid thing, and his mother would definitely not be happy.
But the fact is...
This proves that the Prince of Jingyang’s advice was not redundant at all.
Prince Yu rubbed his brows and thought, "It was Prince Jingyang who sent someone to remind me. I guess he heard rumors that someone was plotting against my mother. I didn't expect them to start with my younger sister..."
Even after being warned, he still fell into the trap. Prince Yu even suspected that Prince Jingyang was calling him stupid behind his back.