C117

"I'll help you ask around." Hearing her agree, Princess Ke Xue heaved a sigh of relief.

"Princess, have you fallen for my Qing Yi Cousin?"

Princess Ke Xue shyly turned her head, "imperial aunt, don't speak nonsense … I didn't. "

No wonder!

Seeing that the time was almost up, Chu Qingyao asked, "Princess, are you not going to attend the banquet?"

"I'll go with imperial aunt." Chu Qingyao shook her head, "It's enough for the princess to go alone. You know that I'm not very popular with people." Even the Empress Dowager didn't like her, she didn't want to implicate Ke Xue. If the unmarried princess were to be ostracized in the palace, she might not even be able to find a good wife.

Without waiting for Princess Ke Xue's consent, she had already swiftly turned around and found the source of the voice and returned to the banquet.

"Greetings roasting king, Prince Zhi's Concubine." She had just found the closest table and sat down when Xuanyuan Zhi came over with Xu Meixiang. Xuanyuan Zhi walked in front with Xu Meixiang following closely behind.

"No need for formalities." Xuanyuan Zhi saw Chu Qingyao, but said to Xu Meixiang, "Come sit with me." There were seats specially prepared for him.

Xu Meixiang also saw Chu Qingyao. Last night, when she went back to her own courtyard, Xiao Lv already knew that the woman in the prince's room was his Chief Consort. She was originally jealous! At this moment, he was exceptionally pleased with himself.

So what if she was a Chief Consort? In the heart of the prince, she was still inferior to him! With this prince going in and out of the palace banquet together with her, who would dare to look down on her as a lateral consort in the future?

She purposely said, "Prince, didn't you call the wangfei over to sit with you?" Her voice was not loud, just loud enough for the people around her to hear.

Everyone knew that Prince Zhi's Concubine had been missing for three years, so when they heard her words, they all followed her gaze. When they saw Chu Qingyao, they all couldn't help but be overjoyed.

She was a pawn used by the emperor to humiliate the roasting king, and now that the emperor had bestowed a woman to the roasting king, it meant that she was already crippled. If the phase of Chu did not fall, she might have a place to stay.

Chu Qingyao calmly accepted everyone's gazes. Whether it was provocation, contempt, or sympathy, she poured herself a cup of tea and slowly sipped it. Her face revealed an expression of satisfaction. The tea in the palace was truly delicious.

Xuanyuan Zhi retracted his gaze, and sat in front of Xu Meixiang. Sixth royal uncle came over and asked, "Fourteen, when did you find Sister Fourteen?"

Xuanyuan Zhi stared at him, "Drink."

The Sixth royal uncle laughed and filled Xuanyuan Zhi's cup, "Us brothers will toast and congratulate you, Fourteenth royal brother." Xuanyuan Zhi did not say anything, but picked up his cup and drank.

The moon climbed to the treetops and the First Prince and Third Princess of Nine Moons Country finally arrived.

The First Prince's blue brocade robes accentuated his tall and straight figure. The purple-clothed beauty who walked beside him was the Third Princess Dongfang Yanyue.

Just at this time, the eunuch's voice sounded, "Esteemed Empress Dowager has arrived, Emperor has arrived."

Everyone quickly kneeled and kowtowed to welcome the two most respected people in Tian Qiong. The emperor helped the empress dowager sit down. No need to stand on ceremony. "

After everyone took their seats, Dongfang Shun held Dongfang Yanyue's hand and bowed to the empress dowager.

"Princess Yan Yue, you truly look like a fairy. Wailing Home likes you the moment I see you. Take a seat!" The empress dowager's face was kind and kind.

The people that came to attend the banquet today were all rank 3 and above officials' daughters, one was to accompany Dongfang Yanyue, and the other was to let these noble young ladies show their faces in front of Dongfang Shun, if he took a fancy to them, they would probably marry him.

From the start of the banquet, music and dancing were being played. He Lanxi curled his lips and stood up. "This princess has heard that Princess Yan Yue has a good hand on the zither.

After He Lanxi finished speaking, the entire audience was completely calm, even the singing and dancing performances had stopped. The emperor was a bit embarrassed. "Princess He Lan, Princess Yan Yue came all the way here as a guest, you should pay attention to your manners when you speak."

"Your majesty, this subject's only admiring of Princess Yan Yue's talent, that's why she dared to make such a request. Princess Yan Yue can refuse." He Lanxi straightened his neck and finished his words.

Dongfang Shun looked at He Lanxi, "Princess He Lan, although her zither arts are good, she is injured, and may not be able to satisfy your demands."

Hearing that, the empress dowager immediately asked, "How did Princess Yan Yue get injured? "Hurry and go to Imperial Physician Xuan."

He Lanxi's face turned white, he secretly glared at Dongfang Shun, who was sitting there smiling faintly, He Lanxi wanted to fight with royal brother, but even if he died, he did not know how he died.

"There's no need to trouble the imperial physician." It was because Yan Yue was too childish. When she heard that Princess He Lan was extremely capable, she immediately ran to Princess He Lan to have a duel when she arrived in the capital. Afterwards, she was injured by the princess.

The empress dowager's face sank. This He Lanxi really did stir up trouble. With a cold voice, he questioned, "Master He Lanxi, what exactly happened?"

He Lanxi was extremely furious. Obviously, Dongfang Yanyue was the one who instigated all this, he had gone to find her to fight the moment he arrived, and if he lost, he would go to the palace to complain? If she was so shameless, what was the point in competing with her? She had already shown mercy!

"Reporting to the empress dowager, yesterday, Princess Yan Yue suddenly ran over to He Lan's residence, and asked for this subject's daughter to spar with her martial arts. Although this subject won, she was definitely not injured."

Without waiting for the empress dowager to speak, Dongfang Shun continued, "Princess He Lan, it's not that I want to find you to hold me accountable, it's just that Yan Yue was really injured by your shock and was unable to touch the zither. Dongfang Shun bowed to the empress dowager and gracefully sat down.

He Lanxi's face turned cold, he felt that he had been wrongly accused. She was already very attentive, afraid that she would hurt Dongfang Yanyue, and at that time, she would not be able to explain.

Xuanyuan Zhi stood up, "Empress Dowager, Princess He Lan is the daughter of a family of generals. I am afraid only Princess Yan Yue would have the guts to compete with her, but no matter how strong her martial arts are, it is not guaranteed for her to not hurt anyone. "

Xuanyuan Zhi looked down on Dongfang Shun a little, you guys took the initiative to provoke him, if you guys suffered some internal injuries, you wouldn't be able to take it anymore, it would be better if you didn't have your arms or legs broken.

Yan Yue's beautiful face paled. It was because she heard that He Lanxi's martial arts were unyielding that she came to challenge and request for a competition. She did not want to implicate her royal brother and cause him to be criticized.

"Prince, my royal brother had no other intentions. He was only telling everyone that because I was injured in yesterday's competition, I can't touch the zither."

Dongfang Shun looked at Royal Sister in pain and did not say a word.

"Princess He Lan, it's not that Wailing Home is against you, but you better not compete with Princess Yan Yue in the future. Your actions were neither light nor heavy." Although the empress dowager blamed He Lanxi, she didn't think that way. After all, her Tian Qiong's princess had defeated the princess of Nine Moons.

"As you command." He Lanxi was a little depressed, but luckily brother Zhi spoke up for him.

The Emperor looked at Dongfang Shun, "The First Prince came all the way here, wouldn't he be unhappy over such a small matter as a daughter? How about we get Princess He Lan to apologize to Princess Yan Yue later? "

Dongfang Shun looked at He Lanxi and saw her cold expression. He smiled: "It's because Royal Sister is too playful, no wonder Princess He Lan, apologizing is even worse."

He had always admired He Lanxi and didn't want to offend her. If she hadn't asked Yan Yue to play the zither in front of everyone, he wouldn't have made things difficult for her. The Royal Sister was a princess of the Nine Moons Country and her status was extremely respected. How could she lower herself to play the guqin for everyone?

The Emperor was all smiles. "First Prince and Third Princess might as well stay for a bit longer to enjoy my Tian Qiong's great scenery."

"Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty. If Royal Sister wants to see it, we will stay for a few more days." The First Prince raised his glass to toast the Emperor.

When the Emperor finally saw Chu Qingyao, his gaze immediately turned sharp.

He calmly looked at the roasting king, "Fourteenth royal brother, we were originally worried that you would treat her badly since we bestowed this gift to you. But now that we see your Qin Se and Ming Ming, we are relieved. You are the lateral consort, and the empress dowager personally selected you. We will bestow it upon you personally, you are not allowed to treat her badly. "

Xuanyuan Zhi frowned, "Didn't royal brother already see how this king treats lateral consort?"

Xu Meixiang smiled. She knew that the emperor would support her, so she could only perform well and grab onto roasting king's heart. Sooner or later, Chief Consort would be hers.

Xuanyuan Zhi poured wine for himself, and raised his cup to the emperor, "Chendi thanks royal brother for his kind intentions, he will definitely not disappoint royal brother."

The Emperor took a sip in satisfaction and deliberately asked, "I wonder if you found the Chief Consort?"

"She's back." Xuanyuan Zhi never looked at Chu Qingyao, as if he had forgotten about her. Chu Qingyao sipped the tea and picked up her favorite dishes. Soon, she was half full.

When the empress dowager heard that, she immediately perked up. "Prince Zhi's Concubine is back? Where had she been for the past three years? Has roasting king ever asked? "

"Princess went to the Jiangnan Patrol Store, and when she returned, she found out that something had happened to the Han Family. Other than being sad, she found a place to mourn for Old Lady Han for three years."

Chu Qingyao was stunned by his words. When did she go to Jiangnan? And had been guarding the Old Lady Han for three years? It turned out that even when he told a lie, his face didn't turn red nor did his heart beat fast.

Hearing him defend her, she unexpectedly felt a hint of joy. Xuanyuan Zhi, you do care about me! But you already have Xu Meixiang …

"Emperor, have you found the real culprit of the Minister of Rites' family?" The empress dowager felt pity for the Han Family. Han Shang Shu had always followed the law, with a cool breeze in his sleeves, it was unknown who he had provoked to actually cause such a disaster.

The emperor looked at Xuanyuan Zhi, the rumors outside were all done by the roasting king, "Mother, the royal brother will definitely not take the blame for others, he will find the culprit to give the Prince Zhi's Concubine an explanation. We definitely do not believe that royal brother is one of those people who killed innocent people. "

These words of his were obviously provoking Chu Qingyao and Xuanyuan Zhi, afraid that Chu Qingyao would disappear for three years and not know of the rumors outside. However, Chu Qingyao had already met the Han Family. No matter how extravagant his words were, she would not believe him.

When the Emperor saw Chu Qingyao's indifferent face, he was instantly displeased and gave Xu Meixiang a look. Xu Meixiang suddenly stood up, ignoring Xuanyuan Zhi's surprise, he brought a cup of wine to Chu Qingyao, "Big sister, little sister came to the residence late at night, I hope that big sister will take care of this matter, little sister will respect you."

Chu Qingyao had a faint smile on her face as she picked up her teacup, "I don't know how to drink, I'll use tea in place of wine."

How could Xu Meixiang be willing to comply? She reached out to grab her cup, "Elder sister, how can I drink tea? I'll fill your cup." Chu Yao quickly retracted her hand, causing Xu Meixiang to lose his balance and directly lie down on the table.