Just when Yelan and Xiao Wanmian were talking, on the other side of the palace, Emperor Zhaoning was lying on the couch of the Heart Cultivation Palace, his eyes were closed relaxedly, as if he was closing his eyes to recuperate, and a eunuch walked in from outside the door, that was Feng Yi, the great eunuch beside Emperor Zhaoning.

"Your Majesty, Qinchun Garden's side is done. Feng Yi humbly said to Emperor Zhaoning on the couch.

Emperor Zhaoning opened his eyes slightly, changed his posture and lay down, and said in a calm tone, "What did you say?"

"This ......," Feng Yi looked a little nervous, "Please forgive your majesty." We didn't dare to get closer, but we vaguely heard that Xiao Xiang seemed to be marrying Miss Changle to His Royal Highness King Guang, and the two talked happily. ”

"In this way, Xiao Wanmian is going to stand in Yelan's team. Emperor Zhaoning said calmly, "Feng Yi, according to you... How's Yelan going?"

"This... The minions did not dare to comment on the prince privately. Feng Yi was a little nervous.

"I forgive you for your innocence. Emperor Zhaoning said lazily.

"The minion thinks that His Royal Highness the King of Light is resourceful, but he is unwilling to show his edge, and it seems that he intends to hide his strength, maybe His Royal Highness the King of Light is unwilling to intervene in the battle for the prince. ”

"It is not easy for Xiao Wanmian, the old fox who has been in the court for a long time, to take a fancy to Yelan. Emperor Zhaoning's tone was a little serious, "You might as well use him to contain King Yi in the future." ”

"Your Majesty thinks that King Yi's strength is too strong and threatens Your Majesty's ......"

"On the queen's side, the power of the relatives is too huge, and they are intertwined in the court, and the troubles have been deep, and I am afraid that as the days go by, they will cause disasters. Now it is impossible to completely eradicate the foreign relatives and the party, and can only use the princes to contain each other. Emperor Zhaoning sighed, his eyebrows full of helplessness.

"The emperor is worried about the country and the people, and he works very hard. Feng Yi complimented on the side.

"Okay, change my clothes and go to the Taiji Palace. Emperor Zhaoning waved his hand.

......

Xiao Wanmian was one step ahead, and Yelan walked from Qinchun Garden to Taiji Hall after a few minutes, also to avoid people's eyes. Passing through the Imperial Garden, I vaguely heard the voices of a man and a woman, very familiar, Yelan is not a curious and eventful person, I wanted to go directly as if I didn't see it, but I was shocked by the man's voice.

The familiar voice is Ye Shu's, Ye Lan subdivided it for a while, and then he recognized that the woman was Xiao Changle, the two seemed to have been here for a long time, only heard the two of them say a few words, Ye Shu seemed to be a little frustrated, and his tone became more and more low, and finally left without saying anything, Xiao Changle waited for him to leave after a while before leaving the imperial garden.

"Childe?" A soft call came from behind him, even though he was as calm as a night, he was still startled by this sudden voice.

"Huangfu asked, is there something wrong?" Yelan quickly adjusted his state and asked Huangfu in a calm tone.

"What is Childe doing here?" asked Huangfu with some confusion.

"Go and help me find out what the relationship between Xiao Changle and Ye Shu is. Yelan suddenly asked the emperor.

"What did Childe see just now?" Huangfu asked about his cleverness and wit, and immediately understood the reason why Yelan was hiding behind the fake stone just now.

"You're right. ”

"I see, I'm going to look it up. Huangfu didn't ask much, he knew that Yelan didn't like others to talk from his mouth, if Yelan didn't say it, then he only needed to execute it as a minister.

"Be neat, it's important not to let King Yi notice. Yelan said in a deep voice.

"Childe rest assured. ”

"By the way, what are you looking for me?" Ye Lan suddenly remembered, looked at Huang Fu and asked in a flat tone.

"Childe, news has just come from Dieyan that the emperor intends to appoint King Gong Yeshu as the crown prince, and has summoned the ministers of the four auxiliary countries, and the will is estimated to be issued soon. Huangfu inquired and said to Yelan.

"It seems that my father is going to sacrifice a son. Yelan's faint tone was mixed with a hint of sympathy and sadness.

"Emperor Zhaoning pushed the eldest prince to the forefront of this beacon fire, but he didn't know that with the qualifications of the eldest prince, he couldn't hold the position of the crown prince at all, if something happened to the eldest prince, and the peace was broken, it would provoke a war between the two countries. There was a trace of regret and regret in the words of the emperor.

"Didn't my father just want to provoke a war. Yelan raised his eyebrows slightly, and his words were full of irony, "His dream is to dominate the world, if it weren't for the turmoil in the country, how could he propose peace and a temporary truce? Now that the country has been decided, and the soldiers, armor, food and grass are sufficient, I am afraid that he has long wanted to provoke war again." After a pause, he said, "Cultivating King Gong's forces and containing Queen Yi will not only consolidate the imperial power, but also use this to suppress the forces of foreign enterprises, and if something happens to King Gong, Princess Beixuan will not be able to get along, and she can provoke a war openly, which is really killing three birds with one stone." ”

"It's just that I don't know something. If something happens to King Gong, he can also let other princes replace King Gong and his relatives, how can he say that he can use this to provoke a war?"

Yelan looked at Huangfu Xun, suddenly smiled, and patted him on the shoulder with his hand, "Look slowly, how can you and I guess the methods of my father." Without waiting for the emperor to react, he paced away from the imperial garden.

......

The birthday party in the evening is the highlight of the day. Jiuchen's birthday banquet has always been the most grand among the countries of the Kyushu continent, and every year the emperor's birthday banquet is ingenious, changing a pattern every year, and every year is not the same as in previous years, and this year is even more different.

This year, Emperor Zhaoning sent the general Huyanzan to the west, Huyanzan lived up to Emperor Zhaoning's expectations, pacified several small countries in the west in one fell swoop, and also subdued the Dayue clan, a large country in the Western Regions, making it a vassal state of Jiuchen, which shocked the entire Kyushu countries, and was even more awe of Jiuchen. The Nine Dust Empire suddenly became the focus of the entire Kyushu Continent, and its prestige has also increased a lot, and its national strength can compete with the Beixuan Empire, which has stood in Kyushu for thousands of years. Because of this, Emperor Zhaoning decreed that this year's birthday banquet should be handled well, and today's birthday banquet must be the grandest birthday banquet in the history of the entire Kyushu continent, one is to show the national strength, and the other is to satisfy the vanity of Emperor Zhaoning.

Since the emperor has spoken, the people below will naturally actively handle it. Li Minghai, the secretary of the Ministry of Rites, went to the Western Regions early to invite a group of dancing girls who could sing and dance, and lined up a "Peacock Open Screen", and Fei Wei, the waiter of the Ministry of Rites, invited a young man known as "Xiao Ji Flying Knife", it is said that he can do 36 kinds of flying knife techniques, and his skills are superb and are praised by the people.

"Bang bang", colorful fireworks bloom in mid-air, drawing a gorgeous Xuanguang. Emperor Zhaoning sat on the dragon chair, his face was ruddy, the corners of his mouth rose slightly, and his eyes fell on the dancing girls performing in the hall. Li Shangshu did a good job, reward!"

"Your Majesty, Emperor. The emperor praised falsely, which is also the emperor's teaching. Li Minghai flattered.

"Excuse me, go down. "Emperor Zhaoning was not interested in Li Minghai's sycophant, but turned around and asked the envoy sent by the Dayue clan, "I heard that this 'peacock opening the screen' is a folk dance of the Dayue clan, I am very curious, I wonder if the envoy can explain it to me?"

"This is the courtier's honor. Although the envoy of the Dayue clan was a little reluctant, he still politely agreed to Emperor Zhaoning.

"Peacock Kaiping, also known as Peacock Dance, is a dance music danced by the people of my Otsuki clan when they worship the gods. Today's dance on His Majesty's birthday represents the admiration and love of the people of my Otsutsuki clan who worship His Majesty the Emperor as the god of my Otsuki clan. On behalf of the Otsutsuki clan, the minister hereby congratulates His Majesty the Emperor on his longevity and longevity. ”

"Haha, okay! I have received the congratulatory gift from the envoy, so sit down. Emperor Zhaoning touched his beard, and his face was full of joy that could not be hidden.

"Your Majesty Emperor Xie. The envoy of the Otsuki clan made a gesture and retreated to his seat, finally breathing a sigh of relief. Fei Wei, the waiter, stood up again and said to Emperor Zhaoning, "Your Majesty, the minister has found a flying knife master from the people, why don't you let him play a trick to celebrate Your Majesty's birthday today." ”

Before Emperor Zhaoning could speak, King Yi took the lead, "Father, today is your birthday, dancing with knives and guns at the birthday banquet...... I'm afraid it's not good. ”

Fei Wei is the person of King Gong Yeshu, and Yeshu's words are intentionally against Yeshu.

Sure enough, Ye Shu also stood up, "The second brother's words are wrong, it's not a knife and a gun, it's just a little gadget to cheer up my father, why is it bad?"

"The emperor's idea is very good, but the younger brother is worried...... This flying knife has no eyes, how can it be good if it hurts someone?" said to Ye Shu respectfully on the surface.

Ye Shu didn't know what to say for a while, but Emperor Zhaoning smiled slightly, and said to the two brothers below, "It's okay, I'm a person who has been personally conquered by the imperial driver, do I still care about this." ”

"What my father said is that since my father doesn't mind, my son won't say anything more. Ye Ji made a gesture to Emperor Zhaoning and sat down.

Seeing that the emperor nodded, Fei Wei looked at Ye Shu again, Ye Shu motioned him to start with his eyes, and Fei Wei understood. He clapped his hands, and saw a young man with clear eyebrows and beautiful eyes walking up, holding a flying knife in his hand, he inserted the flying knife back into the pocket on his side, walked forward and knelt down to salute Emperor Zhaoning, "The grass people Ye knife knocks on Your Majesty." ”

"Excuse me. Emperor Zhaoning raised his hand, "How old are you?"

"Back to Your Majesty, the grass people are seventeen. Ye Xiaodao's gaze looked directly at Emperor Zhaoning, without any fear.

"Well, I'd like to see what you're up to. I've heard that you're called 'Xiao Ji Flying Knife', so let me see if you're in vain. ”

"The grass people are in order. Ye Xiaodao returned the salute.

After speaking, Ye Xiaodao took out three flying knives from his waist, his eyes showed a solemn look, he ordered someone to take the target, the bullseye was stained with a rose, Ye Xiaodao only glanced at the bull's-eye, without the slightest hesitation to throw the flying knife, the three flying knives hit the target steadily, just surrounded the bullseye rose in the middle, the rose stayed there unharmed, no petals fell. Applause instantly rang out in the hall, and Emperor Zhaoning nodded with satisfaction, "Good kung fu, reward!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty. Ye Xiaodao thanked him, but he glanced at the person under the seat, the man's gaze glanced at him lightly, and Ye Xiaodao understood in his heart. After returning the salute, Ye Xiaodao ordered someone to remove the target and said to Emperor Zhaoning on the dragon chair, "Your Majesty, the minister will play a set of Ye family flying knives for Your Majesty today, and the right to be the will of the grass people and congratulate Your Majesty on his birthday." ”

"Okay! I'll see. Emperor Zhaoning said loudly.

Ye Xiaodao hugged his fist again, put on a good posture, and played with a good appearance, Ye Fan in the audience was full of interest, and said excitedly to Ye Lan, who was sitting at the same table, "Fourth brother, this person's knife skills are so powerful, at a young age, it is really unusual." ”

Yelan only replied lightly, "There is no such person among the people." ”

"Ah, fourth brother, are you saying that he is not from the people?" Ye Fan has been following Ye Lan for a long time, and he can understand a lot about his words.

"Just look at his deeds, and you can see it. ”

Ye Fan heard Ye Lan say this, and carefully recalled Ye Xiaodao's actions just now, "He behaves well, not like an ordinary country man." Although he was trying his best to cover it up, he could see that his etiquette was very good, and it was impossible for anyone who was not in the palace to do so. And when he met his father for the first time, he didn't have the slightest fear or curiosity, which shows that ...... Ye Fan was suddenly startled, "He is a person in the palace, so he ......"

His Royal Highness was silent. Huang Fu inquired and reminded.

"Fourth brother, what do you think he wants?" Ye Fan asked Ye Lan in a low voice.

"Wait and see. "There are no waves in the night.

Ye Xiaodao's skills are superb, everyone looks at it with relish, and when he is playing with **, Ye Xiaodao's eyes change, and his originally warm gaze becomes very fierce and sharp, and the flying knife in his hand is thrown straight towards King Gong's seat, everyone is shocked, King Gong is so frightened that he forgot to dodge for a while. Just when everyone thought that the knife was coming at King Gong, it miraculously pointed at Lie Beiyao, who was sitting next to King Gong, and at this time, the blade was only a foot away from her, and everyone held their breath. It seems that this birthday banquet is destined to be unsatisfactory, if something happens to Princess Beixuan, then the relationship between Jiuchen and Beixuan will definitely break down, and then the time will ......

At this critical moment, the flying knife was suddenly knocked to the ground......