There will indeed be a curfew in the palace every night, but the door closed by the curfew is the gate of the palace city, that is, the Dongye Gate, the Dasima Gate, the Chang Gate, the Xiye Gate, and the gate of the imperial city, namely Guangyang Gate, Xuanming Gate, Jinyang Gate, and Qingming Gate.

After He Nushi left, Concubine Xie hurriedly appeased the women and nobles, and said with a very kind smile: "Don't be impatient, this palace has instructed Nushi to call someone to open the Baohua Gate, and you will wait here for a while." ”

Everyone was barely quiet for a while, but there were still a few people who lowered their voices from time to time and said this and that.

Not long after, He Nushi came back, and when she came back, it seemed that everyone was looking at her with extremely expectant eyes, but her face was full of uneasiness.

"How do you say that?"

Without waiting for He Nushi to come to her, Xie Guifei couldn't wait to ask, but He Nushi didn't answer, but instead accelerated her pace and walked to her side, bent down, covered her face with her hands, and said in her ear: "Baohua Gate was indeed locked from the outside, not only Baohua Gate, but even the Yinghua Gate behind was also locked. ”

Baohua Gate and Yinghua Gate, one in the front and one in the back, are the front and rear doors of the harem respectively.

Now that these two doors are locked, this is obviously to trap them in the harem!

Concubine Xie's eyes were also full of panic, but it flashed, she pretended to smile at He Nushi, and then deliberately let go of her voice and said, "I see." ”

Everyone was really infected by her reassuring smile and let go of their hearts, and Xie Guifei immediately smiled with them: "Everyone, this palace only knew at this time that it turned out that Baohua Gate was not unintentionally locked, but ordered by His Majesty to lock it, Your Majesty said, today is a night banquet, and I want this palace to entertain you here." ”

Hearing this, Xie Zheng couldn't help but raise his hand, covered his mouth and smiled secretly, thanks to Xie Guifei, he could think of it, so that unreasonable reasons could be made up.

A group of women and noblewomen, you look at me, I look at you, all of them are half-convinced, those who believe believe it, and those who are suspicious, but they are forced to say more because of the identity of Xie Guifei, so they have to keep their mouths shut and keep silent.

Concubine Xie then said: "Sit down, Your Majesty has instructed the imperial kitchen to prepare the dishes, and then send them," After speaking, she gave He Nushi another look and motioned her to go to the imperial kitchen to pass the dishes.

Just as He Nushi was about to leave and everyone was about to sit down, Luo Shuyi, an uninvited guest, walked over from the staircase in front of her, and said from afar: "What my sister said is true!" The Baohua Gate was indeed locked by His Majesty's order. ”

Concubine Xie was stunned, she didn't know why the two doors of the harem were locked for no reason, but she also knew that those who had this right were alone and became one.

Luo Shuyi had already approached, she stood in front of Concubine Xie's banquet, and then said: "However, Your Majesty's original intention is not for any night banquet, this is just a disguise. ”

Xie Zheng sat upright on one side, hearing Luo Shuyi provoking Xie Guifei like this, in the attitude of watching the play, his heart was very comfortable.

Now, these women and nobles don't know why they were invited to the palace for a banquet, and they don't know why the Baohua Gate was locked, Xie Zheng was originally worried about how to knock on the side and hint to them, Xie Guifei set up a banquet to detain them in the harem, in order to threaten the scholars to donate food, and in the end they had to retreat, saying that today's incident had nothing to do with her, and she was also a victim of this matter.

Now she doesn't have to bother, thinking that Luo Shuyi has heard the rumors a long time ago, and now she is also coming to see the play.

Luo Shuyi's words really made the wife and noble daughter who had been slightly pacified by Xie Guifei fidgeting again, and everyone below was whispering, but they all endured it and didn't attack Xie Guifei.

Concubine Xie raised her eyes to look at Luo Shuyi, and asked calmly, "Sister, what do you mean!" ”

She really wanted to know why Xiao Dao had become a person to lock the Baohua Gate, in her opinion, something big must have happened in this palace!

Luo Shuyi also knew that Concubine Xie had offended the scholars, and Xiao Ying's road in the future would definitely not be easy, so she deliberately said: "Until now, my sister still wants to hide from my sister and get the benefits of raising food alone?" ”

Concubine Xie was confused, frowned, and asked with a suspicious face, "What did you say?" Raising food? ”

This raises food...... What does it have to do with feasting......

"What is my sister pretending to be confused," Luo Shuyi smiled in her eyes, looking as if she was laughing with Concubine Xie, politely, she continued: "Now that Taicang is empty, my sister proposed to Your Majesty to ask the scholars to donate grain and grass, but she was afraid that the scholars would not be willing, so she put wine in the palace and invited the ladies of their families to come here for a banquet, in order to force the scholars to donate food?" ”

As soon as these words came out, the group of women and nobles below completely exploded, and they all discussed and accused Xie Guifei, Xie Guifei saw that the situation was unfavorable, and she was a little stunned for a while, and immediately reprimanded: "What nonsense are you talking about!" When will Hongu ......"

At this point, Concubine Xie was already frozen, looked at Luo Shuyi in a daze, gritted her teeth and said hatefully: "It's you!" It's you who calculates Hongu! As she spoke, she lowered her voice very low, lest she let the ladies and nobles see her embarrassment.

Luo Shuyi sneered, then bent down, got closer to Xie Guifei, and also lowered her voice and sneered: "Sister is too careful, this matter, I have nothing to do with my sister, who really calculates you, who else is there," she said, she glanced sideways at Xie Zheng, and then turned around, and raised her eyebrows at Xie Guifei rather playfully.

Concubine Xie Guifei understood, so she also looked sideways at Xie Zheng, but saw Xie Zheng sitting there, holding a wine cup, and tasted a sip of sweet wine in an orderly manner.

And Xie Zheng tasted the sweet wine, held the wine cup, and was not in a hurry to put it down, but he looked sideways at the Sen Sen gaze cast by Xie Guifei, and then hooked the corners of his lips, revealing a contemptuous smile.

Concubine Xie was already angry with her, but now that she was threatened like this, she was naturally even more annoyed, but it was a foregone conclusion, she couldn't reverse the situation, so she had to endure this evil breath for the time being.

Luo Shuyi was very happy when she saw Xie Guifei's annoyed and embarrassed appearance, she straightened up, looked at Xie Guifei condescendingly, and said in a strange voice: "My sister wants to make up for the emptiness of Taicang as soon as possible, and she is so worried about the country and the people, which is really admirable to my sister, but if my sister wants to ask the scholars to donate food, she can say it bluntly, why bother to take risks, lose people's hearts, I'm afraid this ...... The gains outweigh the losses. ”

Concubine Xie was silent, Luo Shuyi then raised her hand and gently stroked the bun on the top of her head, revealing a hint of charm, and only said: "Eh, it's not too early, sister, just spend it here slowly, sister, I, I'll leave first." ”

Luo Shuyi said, then turned around, stepped on a light step, and walked away, with a bewitching atmosphere everywhere, Xie Guifei hated itchy, He Nushi stood aside, and felt that the form was not good, and hurriedly bowed and called: "Niangniang......"

Concubine Xie raised her hand slightly, signaling her not to say more, and she had to keep her mouth shut.

There were a few bold people at the bottom who made a fuss again, led by Zhu Fen's wife Wang, and held Xie Guifei accountable one after another.

Wang said: "Your concubine Niangniang, what Fang Cai Shuyi Niangniang said is true? Aren't you...... Do you really want to force our warriors to donate food? ”

Xie Guifei was especially frightened in her heart, she even held the hand holding the wine cup was trembling slightly, and she had no time to respond to the Wang family at the moment, the Wang family couldn't help but be aggressive, she saw that Xie Guifei didn't answer, and knew that she didn't dare to offend the scholar clan easily, so she was arrogant a little more, and said bluntly: "Guifei Niangniang, you are detaining us here, using us as hostages to threaten the scholar clan?" Niangniang, with all due respect to the concubine, it is too unkind for you to do this. ”

After Wang finished speaking, several other people also chimed in: "That's it, it's too much, what are we doing!" ”

Some people even whispered accusations: "What is the difference between using us to threaten the scholars to donate food and those ringing horses who arrest people and rob money!" ”

Concubine Xie sat on it, and glanced at Xie Zheng sideways, she heard a lot of ugly words, but she didn't lose her temper, so she just said with a straight face: "Everyone, be careful!" ”

As Xie Guifei, she is still a deterrent when she speaks, and everyone saw that her face was gloomy, and they were busy and shut up.

Wang was shocked that everyone no longer blamed Concubine Xie with her, so he looked left and right, as if urging others to speak.

And Concubine Xie resented her being forced by the Wang family to be aggressive, so she immediately said with a cold face: "Mrs. Zhu, today, this palace is on the order of His Majesty, and will hold a banquet in the palace to entertain you. ”

Wang was frightened in his heart, and hurriedly lowered his head, and replied resignedly: "What Niangniang said is that the concubine has been taught. ”

After appeasing everyone, Concubine Xie then instructed He Nushi: "Shaoyan, go and pass the dishes." ”

"Yes," He Nushi stepped back quickly.

Lu Qiwei, who was sitting opposite Xie Zheng, never said a word from beginning to end since he learned what happened, and Yu Zizhao, who was sitting next to him, turned sideways and called softly with his head: "Sister Qiwei, sister Qiwei." ”

Unexpectedly, Lu Qiwei had already been in a fugue, and he didn't hear Yu Zizhao's call at this time, but he let the maid who followed behind him help him to stand up, walked to the seat of Xie Guifei, and said: "Niangniang, the courtiers have eaten a little too much, and their stomachs are not good, so if they want to walk around, it is better to eat." ”

Concubine Xie was in a heavy mood, and she didn't care about the people next to her, so she just waved her hand casually and didn't say anything.

"Concubine Xie Gui Niang," Lu Qiwei bowed, then turned around and retreated, Yu Zizhao sat on the seat, seeing that she was gone, and she was left alone, she also wanted to leave with her, but after all, she didn't have the courage to mention it to Concubine Xie, so she had to sit silently.

Not far behind the Xianyang Palace, there is a small Buddha hall, located in front of the Yinghua Gate, Lu Qiwei is not familiar with the terrain of the palace, and does not know which palace is against which palace, now he is walking in the harem to eat, and he is afraid of going the wrong way, so he only dares to walk around the Xianyang Palace, but when he walked to the back of the Xianyang Palace, the maid Azhi stretched out her hand and pointed to the Buddha Hall not far from the right, and shouted in a fuss: "Ah! Lady, look, there's a Buddha hall here! ”

At this time, the sky had already darkened, and there were lanterns hanging in front of the Buddha hall, but they were very dim, and if you didn't look carefully, you really couldn't see it.

Lu Qiwei stopped and looked in the direction of Ah Zhi's finger, Yu Guang caught a glimpse of Ah Zhi's hand still pointing, hurriedly reached out and patted her gently, knocked her hand down, and whispered in his mouth: "Finger Buddha statue, it's really rude!" ”

Ah Zhi put her hand down and rubbed it slowly, while Lu Qiwei looked at the dim Buddha hall, thoughtfully, and walked over with a ghost.

There was no one guarding inside and outside the Buddha hall, Lu Qiwei just walked in, and it was also dim inside, only two candles were lit on the offering table in front of the Buddha statue.

Lu Qiwei stood in front of the Buddha statue, tilted his head and looked at the Buddha body reverently, suddenly lowered his eyes and sighed softly, Ah Zhi asked in surprise: "What's wrong with the lady?" Is it for the sake of seizure? ”

"Luo Shuyi said, Taicang is empty, to collect grain from the scholars, my father is the secretary of agriculture of the Taicang Administration, and he must be in charge of the grain collection, I am only afraid of ...... I'm afraid that my father will offend a lot of people because of this......"

Ah Zhi's eyes were shallow, so she naturally didn't know what was at stake, so she said disapprovingly: "Isn't this Your Majesty's holy decree?" How could they blame Lord Lang. ”

"Besides......" Ah Zhi quietly, looked back at the outside, and saw that there was no one nearby, so she dared to continue, but she also deliberately lowered her voice and said: "This is the noble concubine Niangniang to Your Majesty's advice, those scholars, if you want to blame, blame the noble concubine Niangniang, what is the matter with our lord Lang, not to mention that the lady is also detained in the palace, they will not hold the lord accountable." ”

Lu Qiwei listened, looked at Ah Zhi sideways, and asked calmly: "Ah Zhi, do you really think that today's incident was planned by Concubine Xie?" ”

Ah Zhi was stunned, or asked, "Why did the lady say this?" ”

Lu Qi took a deep breath and didn't answer, just knelt on his knees, folded his hands, raised his eyes to look at the Buddha statue, recited silently in his mouth, and then bowed three times, and then stretched out his hand to Ah Zhi, Ah Zhi understood, helped her up, and she said: "It is true that Concubine Xie is ordered to hold a banquet, but there must be someone else who really offers advice to Your Majesty." ”

Ah Zhi became more and more confused, and asked puzzledly, "Who is that?" ”

"It's the county lord of San'in."

"Lord of San'in?"

Lu Qiwei also cautiously looked outside the Buddha Hall, and saw that there was no one outside, so he continued: "In the past, the banquets in the palace would be notified two or three days in advance, but this time it was extremely hurried, the palace did not distribute invitations, so they directly sent someone to pick it up, and when the banquet started, it was not early, and there would be a curfew in the palace every night.

As for the lord of San'in County...... Concubine Xie was obviously surprised when she learned that she was coming, indicating that she hadn't invited her at all, so the county lord of Shanyin was sent by His Majesty to keep an eye on us. ”

As soon as the words fell, an extremely warm voice came from the side hall on the left: "Mrs. Lu is so smart!" ”

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