With the melodious sound of the piano, the exquisite palace dishes were successively sent to the low table in front of everyone in the palace.

It's just that, no matter how delicious the delicacy is in front of you, tonight's palace banquet is destined to be tasteless for everyone, including the one sitting behind the Golden Dragon Banquet table.

Shen Muzhi tried his best to maintain the calmness of his expression, and his eyes quietly paid attention to the people in this hall.

Except for a few princes, most of the rest of the important ministers he knew.

There is a high-ranking left minister, there is the father of the eldest lady, Mr. Wang, and the lord of the various ministries.

However, there are also two that he does not know.

One of them, with his hair completely white, was sitting there at the moment, as if he was a little out of energy, and his eyes were about to close.

And the other person, looking at the court clothes on his body, should be a military general.

The military generals who can sit in the hall today must have a high status.

In addition to the four generals in the southeast, northwest, and northwest, there is also a commander of the forbidden army who is responsible for guarding Jinling. However, on a day like this, the ruler would not sit in this temple and enjoy good food and wine. The four generals in the southeast, northwest and northwest, and the two generals in the southeast are all at the border and have not returned to Beijing for nearly ten years. Shen Wei, the general of Zhenbei who is in charge of the north, that is, Shen Muzhi's father, is now missing, and it is impossible for him to appear in this hall.

Then, the one in front of him must be the remaining Zhenxi general Hong Quan.

After Shen Muzhi probably confirmed the identity of this person, he couldn't help but look at him again. Aware of it, Hongquan suddenly turned his head to look over, and in his cold and indifferent gaze, there was a faint surge of murderous intent.

At this time, Xuan Cheng next to him suddenly turned his head and looked towards Hong Quan.

Hong Quan's brows furrowed suddenly, and he quickly looked away.

Seeing this, Xuan Cheng leaned over and asked Shen Muzhi in a low voice, "Who is it?"

"Hong Quan, General Zhenxi. Shen Muzhi replied.

When he was stable, Shen Muzhi once mentioned this person to Xuan Cheng. Xuan Cheng quickly remembered, so he glanced at the Hongquan again.

Hong Quan didn't know, reached out and picked up the wine jug on the side, poured himself a glass of wine, and sipped lightly.

Xuan Cheng narrowed his eyes and withdrew his gaze.

Time passes slowly in the melodious sound of the piano.

The emperor sat on a high platform, overlooking the pillars of the country below, as well as the sons, and from time to time there would be many complicated looks in his eyes.

Everyone in the audience bowed their heads to taste wine, and occasionally toasted to each other, but vaguely, there was always a tense and depressing atmosphere, lingering in this hall.

Before I knew it, half an hour had passed.

The delicacies on the low table have long since run out of heat.

The wine in the silver kettle has basically bottomed out.

Some people gradually couldn't sit still, and their eyes began to sweep around, one time on the face of the second prince, one time on the third prince, and after a while, pretending to look up inadvertently and sweep over the emperor on the high platform, and then lowered his head suddenly, with a complicated look in his eyes, and he didn't know what he was thinking.

Suddenly, the white-haired old man sitting next to the Four Princes on the right suddenly leaned and fell to the side. Fortunately, although the four princes next to him were young, they were quick to catch up with their eyes.

This move suddenly pulled the already tight atmosphere in the hall to an extreme.

The old man was helped by the four princes like this, but he woke up, smiled and thanked the four princes.

As soon as the words fell, the emperor on the high platform, who had not spoken much tonight, opened his mouth, "Jingtai, you can send Mr. back to the house first." ”

When the fourth prince Jingtai heard this, he immediately responded, helped the old man to get up, and after saying goodbye to the emperor and everyone, he turned around and went out.

The closed door opened again, and the cold wind poured in, and the candlelight flickered.

At this moment, Xuan Cheng suddenly got up, and He Xian on the side reached out violently, pressed him, and pressed him back to his seat.

Xuan Cheng was stunned for a moment, and then endured it.

"Here we go. ”

He Xian whispered. It just so happened that this voice could reach Shen Muzhi's ears.

Shen Muzhi heard the sound and looked out of the door.

In the dimness, a lot of firelight suddenly lit up, almost all together.

The fourth prince and the old gentleman had just walked out of the door, and then they retreated.

The old gentleman protected the four princes behind him and staggered back.

At this time, the emperor looked at the second prince and said, "Let Jingtai and them go." ”

The second prince glanced at his father on the high platform, hesitated for a moment, nodded, and said, "Okay." ”

Then, with a wave of his hand, the fire outside the door parted.

Jingtai turned his head to look at his father, and then at his second and third brothers, hesitating and puzzled......

"Go, send Mr. back, before dawn, you are not allowed to go back to the palace. The emperor looked at Jingtai and gave the order calmly but firmly.

Jingtai wanted to refuse, but at the beginning of the words, he was pulled by the old gentleman behind him.

The old gentleman pulled Jingtai behind him again, and then he bowed deeply to the emperor in the high position, and said, "Then the old minister will retire first." ”

The Emperor nodded.

The old gentleman pulled Jingtai and left.

The old man, who originally looked a little trembling, suddenly became vigorous at this moment, and disappeared outside the door in the blink of an eye.

The fire, which had been separated on both sides, was again hot ÷ the book, and it was so connected that even the wind seemed to be impenetrable.

"It seems that my father knows everything. The second prince lowered his head, fiddled with the white jade wine glass in his hand, and said lightly.

The emperor didn't speak, just looked at Hong Quan, and asked coldly, "Have you thought about it?"

Hong Quan's face was a little ugly, and after hesitating for a moment, he said, "Since the arrow has been wound, it has to be sent, and I hope Your Majesty will forgive me." ”

The emperor laughed, "If you think about it, then I don't have to show mercy." With that, he turned his head to look at the eunuch who had been waiting beside him.

The eunuch suddenly understood, turned around and walked back.

The emperor looked at the rest of the important ministers again, and after sweeping his gaze on the faces of those who were calm or evasive, he finally smiled slightly, looked at the third prince again, and said, "From tomorrow, my son will be handed over to you, are you ready?"

The third prince was stunned for a moment, looked at the emperor in amazement, and was a little unable to come back to his senses for a while.

The second prince lowered his head on the side, and suddenly laughed, and the laughter of the hehe went from being sarcastic at the beginning to becoming crazy at the back.

"Father, where am I worse than the third brother?" After the second prince laughed for a while, he suddenly looked up at the emperor on the high platform and asked loudly.

The emperor looked at him with a complicated expression and replied, "You are no worse than Jing Yu in everything, and even in the matter of governing the country, you may do better than Jing Yu." ”

"Then why is that?" the second prince asked.

"Because you are more ruthless than him, you can't tolerate others!" the emperor looked at the second prince Jing Xiang and replied calmly.

After the second prince was stunned for a moment, he let out a maniacal laugh again, laughing and laughing, and tears appeared in the corners of his eyes. He looked at the man in the high position, and suddenly felt that the world was so ironic.

A man who once rose to power by killing his father and killing his brother actually said that he was ruthless?

The world is so ridiculous.

Fortunately, he had already seen through it.

The second prince suddenly put away his laughter, turned his head to look at He Xian and the three of them opposite, and after sweeping his gaze one by one, he fell on He Xian, "Are you planning to stop me?"

He Xian glanced at him and said, "I don't think I need to make a move." ”

The second prince frowned slightly.

"Second brother, stop it, it's too late to turn back. The third prince, who had already recovered from the huge 'surprise', suddenly opened his mouth and persuaded in a deep voice, "Otherwise, I will give up my seat to you, and I will go and tell my father." With that, he really wanted to tell the emperor about it.

"Shut up for me!" the second prince snorted coldly, "Who is pretending to be doing it for! Father, he may not be able to see your true face clearly, but I know it." Big brother, how did he die, have you forgotten?" The third prince's expression changed suddenly, and he immediately retorted, "What do you mean by this? Isn't it because the eldest brother is sick?"

"Are you really sick?" the second prince sneered.

The conversation between the two of them was loud, and everyone in the hall heard it. Probably some people who knew about the death of the eldest prince back then have changed their colors.

Shen Muzhi has probably heard of it, and originally thought that the death of the eldest prince had something to do with the second prince, but now that he listens to it, it seems that the third prince did something in it?

Or is this what the second prince deliberately said to confuse people's minds?

Shen Muzhi's gaze wandered back and forth between the second prince and the third prince, and he didn't dare to make a judgment in his heart.

After all, although the third prince looks like a kind person, he may be a simple person who can fight against the second prince in the court.

However, this matter is a thing of the past after all, even if it is proved that the eldest prince was killed by the third prince, how can there be any reason to turn back from this arrow?

What's more, Shen Muzhi hopes that the second prince will rebel, because only when there is trouble, he can do something.

The emperor in the high position, with his head bowed and drinking, did not seem to hear the conversation between the second prince and the third prince at all.

The second prince laughed again.

At this moment, there was a loud noise outside, followed by a huge light in the sky, and then countless sparks dragged their tail flames and sprinkled all over the city.

It's fireworks.

It is also a letter.

Before the fire in the air had all disappeared, there was a shout of killing outside the door.

The fire behind the door still didn't move.

Everyone inside the door lowered their heads one after another, and began to eat and drink, as if they didn't care about the situation outside.

The second prince stopped talking, and looked at the dishes on the table that were already cold in a daze, not knowing what he was thinking.

The three princes were slightly uneasy between their eyebrows, not knowing whether they were worried about the situation outside the door or something else.

At this time, He Xian, who was sitting next to Xuan Cheng, suddenly frowned slightly, and then suddenly got up, and hurriedly said to Xuan Cheng, 'I'll come when I go', and then disappeared suddenly.

Before everyone in the hall could react, he had already disappeared, although these people probably knew about the existence of the monks on the mountain, but they didn't have much contact, and they were still inevitably surprised.

Xuan Cheng frowned, a little worried in his heart.

"Is something wrong?" Shen Muzhi asked Xuan Cheng quietly.

Xuan Cheng shook his head and said, "I don't know. ”

The shouts and killings outside became more and more intense, and gradually, the fires at the door were a little less, as if they were going to support. Gradually, the remaining firelight in the doorway began to be a little chaotic.

Then, a cacophony of voices poured into the hall with the cold wind.

It's just that everyone in the hall is still sitting firmly, and it seems that no one is in a hurry, and everyone is in a good position.

Shen Muzhi was a little anxious.

He looked up at the second prince more than once, and the hatred in his heart became more and more irrepressible.

He wants to avenge Qingguo, for his father, for his eldest brother, and for himself!

The enemy is not only Liu Guan, but also the second prince.

Liu Guan, with his current strength, will definitely not be able to kill.

But the second prince can still try.

Thinking about it, he lowered his left hand and retracted it into his sleeve. In his sleeve, there was a small knife hidden, which he took when he was in Jinming Pavilion and took it while people were not paying attention.

With a slight shake of his left arm, the knife fell into his hand. After pinching it, he lowered his head, his mind raced, and he began to think about how to make a move at this time, so as to ensure that he could kill the second prince to the greatest extent.

At this time, Xuan Cheng on the side suddenly reached over and grabbed Shen Muzhi's arm.

Shen Muzhi, who was tense and thinking about how to kill the second prince, was startled by Xuan Cheng's hand, and when he turned his head, before he could hide his somewhat flustered expression, he saw Xuan Cheng slowly shaking his head towards him.

Shen Muzhi suddenly understood, and after being stunned for a moment, he turned his head and was silent.

Xuan Cheng sighed and withdrew his hand.