Three days later, Shi Lang's sailors set off and headed north along the coastal road, heading straight to Weihaiwei.

Ten days later, Fang Yuan collected more than 100 large and medium-sized merchant ships, and King Qin's army also began to move north along the canal.

Entering the Yanzhou Mansion in Shandong, Zhu Yihai, the king of Lu, provided a large amount of military rations for the army, which can be regarded as the king of Qin, who fully supported Fang Yuan.

After passing through Yanzhou Mansion and entering Jinan Mansion, Fang Yuan received a response from Liu Zeqing, agreeing that the Xuanjia Iron Cavalry of Chigutai would enter Weihaiwei and be stationed in Weihaiwei, and was willing to provide some military rations and horse grass. This Liu Zeqing caused trouble in the Yangzhou rebellion before, so he could only show favor a little and calm Fang Yuan's anger.

Half a month later, Fang Yuan arrived in the capital with three hundred brocade guards.

He went directly to the palace to meet Chongzhen, Chongzhen was anxious about how to relieve the siege of Ningyuan, and was overjoyed to see him return to the capital, so he was busy ordering Wang Chengen to arrange for him to live in the partial hall of the Qianqing Palace, and wash the dust first.

After Fang Yuan freshened up in the side hall, he changed into the crimson brocade robe of the commander of the horse, Chongzhen was still not in a hurry to summon him to discuss military affairs, but ordered Wang Chengen to come to pass the word and let him participate in the family banquet in the Qianqing Palace in the afternoon.

The so-called palace family banquet is a kind of family banquet in which the emperor summons harem concubines, minor princes, and daughters to participate. According to the Ming etiquette system, even adult princes can't eat with harem concubines, not to mention Fang Yuan, a concubine who is not even qualified to participate in the family banquet.

Chongzhen's concession party originally participated in this family banquet, which was an extra favor to him and treated him as a family member. Fang Yuan was not interested in these banquets that were all royal ceremonies, but Chongzhen's decree could not be disobeyed.

When the time for the family banquet came, Fang Yuan was led to the palace by Wang Chengen, and saw that all the people who participated in the family banquet knew each other. There are Chongzhen, Empress Zhou, Empress Yi'an Zhang Yan, crown prince Zhu Cihong, and his titular wife Princess Kunxing, but none of the harem concubines attended.

Fang Yuan met the eyes of Empress Zhou and Zhu Cihong without the slightest kindness, forcibly concealed his embarrassment, and saluted everyone one by one.

Princess Kunxing hadn't seen Fang Yuan for half a year, and she couldn't stop snickering at him, and her pink face was rippling with happiness.

Fang Yuan met her watery eyes, his heart sudden, and he still saluted her according to the number of courtesies, and sat down at the last seat.

Each table was filled with the delicacies of the palace, and the eunuchs serving him reported the names of the dishes one by one, including steamed dairy cow, vinegared crucian carp, pickled pig's tail, spicy live rabbit, whitebait, sheep intestines, and sheep's head. Soups and pastries include eight-treasure soup, quiche, preserves, milk crust, and puff pastry. Melons and fruits are olives and mandarins.

Fang Yuan was preoccupied, and he didn't care about delicious food at all.

Chongzhen arranged for Queen Zhou, Prince Zhu Cihong, and Fang Yuan to attend the family banquet together, obviously wanting to make peace for the three of them in the middle. But when it comes to the political struggle between the prince and Fang Yuan, it is not the relationship between Fang Yuan and the prince that can be influenced by the quality of the relationship.

Behind the prince is the Donglin Party forces, and Fang Yuan has always been waving the banner of the anti-Donglin Party, the line represented by the two, and the forces behind them are in the opposite direction, how can they make peace, they can't reconcile at all.

What's more, in the previous Yangzhou rebellion, Huang Daozhou, who was the Zhan Shi of the East Palace, was also involved, and Queen Zhou and the crown prince were inseparable. These two people made it clear that they were going to kill Fang Yuan, if it weren't for the specific executors who had their own little abacus, Fang Yuan would never have been able to leave Yangzhou City alive.

The two sides are already fighting to the death, if Zhu Cihong's position as the crown prince is not abolished, Fang Yuan's only choice is to rebel, this ending has long been doomed, how can a family banquet make peace?

Chongzhen said loudly, "It's the first time I've participated in my family banquet, the queen and the prince, talk about it!" ”

Empress Zhou's cold gaze fell on Fang Yuan, and she said lightly, "Since Your Majesty values the horses so much, I will also entertain the horses in Kunning Palace tomorrow." ”

She was sarcastic in and out of her words, it was ridiculous for the queen to entertain men in the harem, and it was this reason for the absurdity of Chongzhen to make an exception for Fang Yuan to enter the harem for dinner.

Zhu Cihong said, "The queen mother has arranged it very well, I heard that under the teaching of the concubine, the entry of the five emperor brothers is a thousand miles a day, and the palace also wants to ask the concubine for advice on how to govern the country." ”

This mother and son, one with an open gun and one with a hidden arrow, sang and roasted Fang Yuan on the fire.

Fang Yuan, Queen Zhou, and Zhu Cihong are on the same page, where did they dare to go to Kunning Palace for dinner, and they were poisoned to reason with the King of Hades?

He hurriedly got up and refused, "The minister doesn't dare to trespass." ”

Queen Zhou said coldly, "Anyway, the concubine is used to being a gentleman or a minister, and there are many trespassers this time." ”

Chongzhen saw that she repeatedly targeted Fang Yuan, and was furious, and was about to scold, but heard Zhang Yan say, "This is a family banquet, only about mother-in-law, virtuous son-in-law, regardless of monarchs and ministers." ”

She skillfully resolved everyone's embarrassment, Fang Yuan hurriedly saluted in response, Chongzhen also had a slightly more gentle face, and sat back again.

Zhu Cihong asked, "There is something in this palace that I want to ask the horse, it is said that King Yong also participated in the Yangzhou rebellion, and even wanted to poison the horse with arsenic." Why didn't the horse return to the capital this time with the four emperor brothers and hand it over to the Zongren Mansion for treatment? ”

Fang Yuan was slightly stunned, Zhu Cihong suddenly moved out of Zhu Cizhi's participation in the rebellion at this time, clearly wanting to take the opportunity to punish Zhu Cizhi, completely cutting off Zhu Cizhi's future, that is, cutting off Fang Yuan's way out.

As long as Zhu Cizhi is finished, the chips in Fang Yuan's hand are only one lone son, Zhu Cihuan. If Zhu Cihuan has three longs and two shorts, Fang Yuan will have no capital to fight against the prince justifiably, and he has no choice but to rebel.

Chongzhen was aware of the Yangzhou rebellion, but Zhu Cizhi was also involved, but it was beyond Chongzhen's expectations, and no one dared to report it to him at all.

Chongzhen looked at Fang Yuan in amazement, "Don Ma, Yangzhou is in rebellion, and King Yong is also involved?" ”

In the face of Zhu Cihong's aggressive offensive, Fang Yuan was in a dilemma.

Let's be honest! Zhu Cizhi is sure to be finished, and Queen Zhou and the crown prince can chase after them and charge Fang Yuan with failing to take care of the prince.

Hide it for Zhu Cizhi! The consequences are even more dire. Zhu Cizhi is the son of Chongzhen, the prince of the Ming Dynasty, and only Chongzhen has the right to judge the guilt and innocence of King Yong. He dared to cover up Zhu Cizhi on his behalf, which was a blatant offense to the imperial power, so why not?

Fang Yuan pondered for a while, had already thought of a solution, got up and said, "Your Majesty, this Yangzhou rebellion is really too strange, and the news that the minister has received is varied, including those who say that King Yong is the mastermind, and those who say that Huang Daozhou of the East Palace is involved. Naturally, the minister will not believe these hearsay, and is about to ask Your Majesty, should this case continue to be investigated? ”

He even dragged the East Palace into the water and completely muddied the water. If you really want to investigate, no matter who has shit on their buttocks, no matter who is the prince or Zhu Cizhi, no one can get out of it.

When Chongzhen heard it, a small Yangzhou rebellion, not only Yongwang Zhu Cizhi, but even the prince was also involved, and if it was found that the prince and Yongwang were indeed involved in the case, where would the royal face go?

Zhang Yan had already seen the subtlety and greasyness in it, and hurriedly said, "Don Ma, how could the prince and King Yong be involved in the Yangzhou rebellion thousands of miles away?" It is clear that someone is framing him. Look, that's the end of the case! ”

Princess Kunxing is not familiar with the world, as soon as her family banquet opens, a heart has long been tied to Fang Yuan, where can you hear that her mother and brother have already had a fierce verbal confrontation with her future husband Fang Yuan.

She also opened her mouth to cover for Fang Yuan, "The crown prince is my brother, King Yong is my younger brother, they are all a family, father, don't investigate this case!" ”

With the two of them playing a round, Chongzhen also took the opportunity to step down, "Don Ma, the Yangzhou rebellion case is closed, there is no need to investigate it again!" ”

Fang Yuan hurriedly said yes, secretly looking at the gloomy faces of Queen Zhou and the crown prince, and laughed secretly in his heart.

Chongzhen held this family banquet just to give peace to the prince and Fang Yuan, but since the beginning of the family banquet, the two sides have been going back and forth.

Obviously, Chongzhen's efforts to make peace this time ended in complete failure.

Chongzhen sighed gloomily, all his appetite disappeared without a trace, and said to everyone, "This family banquet is over, let's go back to the palace!" ”

Queen Zhou, the crown prince, and Zhang Yan hurriedly got up and retired.

Princess Kunxing was reluctant to Fang Yuan, and asked in amazement, "Father, it's gone so soon, and I haven't eaten anything!" ”

Chongzhen loved her very much, and showed a fatherly smile, "Then you can stay and eat!" Horses, you also stay, I have important military and political affairs to discuss with you. ”

Princess Kunxing asked tentatively, "Father, can I listen?" I promise never to speak! ”

Chongzhen looked at her lovingly, since she stayed to listen to Fang Yuan, she still decided to fulfill her this time, "Kun Xing, not only can't you speak, but you must not spread it after hearing it." ”

Kun Xing hurriedly agreed, "Okay! I don't say anything! ”