As the Mid-Autumn Festival approached in mid-October, Ah Ping came back and said that he was going to hold a Mid-Autumn Festival night banquet in the palace, and asked me to arrange this banquet.

Since I was named the queen, I have never been in charge of the queen's golden seal, and my body has gradually improved after a few months of recuperation, and it may be the effect of the Tianshan Snow Lotus. It may be that seeing that I am becoming more and more lazy with nothing to do in the palace, Ah Ping moved to find me something to do. But when I took over, I found that it was not so easy to arrange a banquet, first of all, I had to consider the venue and the number of tables, and secondly, I had to think about who I wanted to invite, and then the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet in the palace was not as good as the people sitting around the table for a reunion dinner, and we had to arrange entertainment performances and so on. I had no experience with this, but fortunately, Ah Ping sent Yan Qi and Changning to assist me.

It was later learned that Yan Qi became the head of Ouchi. I didn't ask Ah Ping, did Yan Qi really become a eunuch or did he just take this title so that he could walk freely in the palace? I think it's mostly the latter. Because of the importance that Aping attaches to Yan Qi, it is categorically not enough to let Yan Qi really become a eunuch.

Changning is a half-grown child, so he can only do it for me, and the main execution has to be carried out by Yan Qi. But I still had to come to draw up the list of banquets, and a book of invitations similar to excerpts was placed on the table, and after I wrote the list of court officials who had asked Ah Ping to come one by one, there was still an invitation on the table, and after thinking deeply, I wrote my name on it.

Mid-Autumn Festival Night Banquet.

I walked into the banquet with Ah Ping, and the ministers bowed and bowed to the side. After we walked to the main seat and sat down, Ah Ping exempted the important minister. I looked around but couldn't find the figure, and my heart fluttered slightly.

Before the feast began, the courtiers made a speech, followed by a song and dance performance. Suddenly, I heard the palace people's sharp voice shouting: "The Queen Mother has arrived." I immediately followed it and saw that the last post was to invite Concubine Lu.

As far as I know, Ah Ping has never stepped into Concubine Lu's Buddhist hall after becoming the emperor in the dynasty, and they are mother and son, and the situation that has evolved into the current bad relationship is largely because of me. Filial piety comes first, standing in Ah Ping's position, I can't let the world think that he is unfilial to his mother for me.

As soon as I entered the arena just now, I looked around the field, and I was looking for Concubine Lu. But I was relieved to see her coming at this time.

Pulling Ah Ping, who was sitting next to him stiffly, he finally reluctantly got up, I saluted Concubine Lu and planned to give up my seat: "Queen Mother, please take a seat." But Concubine Lu shook her head: "No, the mourning family should sit on the side." ”

Her expression was so pale that she could not distinguish between joy and anger, and after she had finished speaking, she went to the side table and sat down.

Seeing that Ah Pan also sat down with a face, I had to sit down.

Originally, the dance that had been interrupted should have continued, but suddenly an old man stepped out of the courtier's seat, his eyes were full of wisdom, and he walked with great momentum. After walking to the center of the field, he bowed to Ah Parallel, and then bowed to Concubine Lu, and then raised his body and said: "The old minister is really relieved to see the Queen Mother come to participate in the Mid-Autumn Festival Night Banquet. ”

Ah Ping frowned lightly and said coldly: "If Mrs. Fang has a helpful proposal, but you can put it forward, if you want to repeat it, you should be exempted." I looked sideways slightly, and it turned out that the old gentleman in front of me was Yuan'er's teacher, Mrs. Fang.

But I heard him say aloud: "Please forgive the emperor, the old minister is sincerely thinking about the emperor." It just so happened that the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet was held in this harem tonight, and I really had to say what was in my heart. ”

After hearing this, Concubine Lu opened her mouth first: "Mrs. Fang may wish to tell the mourning family if you have something." ”

Mrs. Fang immediately saluted Concubine Lu again: "Thank you for the Empress Dowager's grace." After a pause, he said slowly: "The old minister feels that the emperor's harem is really scarce, and the heirs are scarce, so the old minister proposed that the emperor have a sufficient harem and extend the heirs for the emperor." ”

My instinctive first time was not to look at Concubine Lu's attitude, but to turn my eyes back to look at Ah Ping's expression. Seeing that his face was grim, his brows still tightened, and he felt my gaze retract to meet me, and the honesty in it cleared my doubts.

Indeed, when I put forward this opinion just now, I would have wondered if this was arranged by Ah Ping early on, he said that the emperor is actually the only one in the harem so far, although Qin and Li were not deposed before he ascended the throne, but they are the same, which is no secret in the court and the opposition. I knew that this question would be put on the table one day, but I didn't expect it to be today.

So I would have thought that subconsciously, but judging from the sincerity in Ah Ping's eyes, he wouldn't do it.

Concubine Lu muttered for a moment after Mrs. Fang proposed, and all the ministers sitting on the seat during the period all whispered, only to hear Concubine Lu ask Ah Ping in turn: "I don't know what the emperor thinks?" ”

She didn't make a decision on her own, nor did she take a stand, she just kicked the ball to Ah Ping.

However, Ah Ping had no intention of catching the ball, and said in a shallow voice without moving: "I have already said that this matter will be discussed later, tonight's Mid-Autumn Festival, the queen is very hard to organize this banquet, I hope the ministers can enjoy themselves." As for the court, let's fold it again tomorrow in the court. ”

"But ......"

"Mrs. Fang, how is Yuan'er reading with you lately?" That Fang Taifu originally wanted to argue, but was interrupted by Ah Ping and shifted the topic to Yuan'er, and had to answer: "Your Royal Highness is talented and intelligent, and he learns things quickly, but his heart is a little impetuous, and if he can settle down, he will make progress." As he spoke, he suddenly turned his eyes to me, and said in a deep voice: "I hope that the queen mother will supervise Her Royal Highness more, and don't let him indulge in useless chores." ”

Obviously, this lady was extremely dissatisfied with me, and even dared to scold me in front of everyone. But I was not convinced, first of all, he proposed that Ah Ping fill the harem and make me uncomfortable, and secondly, he only had to say that Yuan'er was unlearned.

I know better than anyone what my son has and what he likes. Even if it is good to read the so-called sage book hard, it cannot judge his love of martial arts as a useless miscellaneous matter. But I didn't want to argue with the old minister in front of me, he is a civil servant, and he doesn't look down on martial arts, and no matter how much I talk to him, it's in vain.

So he only responded slowly: "Thank you Master Taifu for reminding me, this palace can be saved." ”

Mrs. Fang seemed to feel a punch on the cotton, powerless, and his expression froze for a moment. However, he turned around and talked to Concubine Lu again: "Queen Mother, the emperor's succession is a major matter of the country, and I hope you can come out to preside over the harem and arrange the selection of concubines for the emperor." ”

I was sitting next to Ah Ping, and I saw his hand hanging at his side clenched into a fist, and his eyes were filled with anger. I'm afraid that the tolerance for this old minister has come to an end, although I am also very angry that this old man has repeatedly made this kind of request, but I still don't want him to do it against the courtiers in public, so I first pressed his fist lightly, and was about to speak, but Concubine Lu suddenly said: "The mourning family has long stopped asking about the harem, and now the queen is in charge of the golden seal of the harem, and everything is up to her." ”

That Fang Taifu was stunned this time, he must not have expected that the mother concubine who was Ah Ping would not stand by his side at this time, but instead put this right in my hands. Turning his head to look at me, he sighed suddenly, arched his hand and said angrily: "Your Majesty, the old minister has something to do at home, please allow the old minister to retire first." ”

I don't know if he really can't save face because Qi Yue was refuted, or pretended to retire to find the bottom of the steps, after Ah Ping said "yes", the expression on the old gentleman's face can be described as crying and laughing, and finally he sighed and walked away.

With Mrs. Fang's precedent, I am afraid that no one will dare to come up to "admonish" anymore, and the banquet will continue according to the process. The atmosphere of harmony returned to the previous one, but everyone had a scale in their hearts, including me.

It can be heard from the words between Ah Ping and the Taifu that this is not the first time that he has admonished, although he has been repeatedly rejected by Ah Ping, there are still courtiers who will put forward a proposal. This is something that will continue to happen in the future, will there come a time when he will not be able to resist the saliva of the courtiers, and listen to the advice?

This possibility lingered in my mind, until Ah Ping suddenly raised his hand, and immediately a palace person raised his voice to convey: "The emperor has a decree, stop singing and dancing." The dancers retreated, and the musicians stopped, and the space that had been a moment of joy became silent.

I don't know Ah Ping's intentions, it looks like he has something to say.

He shook my hand lightly in the audience, and then said in a shallow voice: "Tonight, the full moon and the Mid-Autumn Festival, I will call all the Aiqing to gather together, one is to take advantage of this festival to have fun, and the other is to announce something." ”

I had a hunch that what he was going to say next would cause an uproar.

I only heard him say slowly: "It has been several months since I ascended the throne, thanks to the support of the ministers, but the position of the prince has been vacant, so I take advantage of this beautiful day to announce that my eldest son Zhu Wenkui is the crown prince." After a light pause, he raised his voice and ordered: "Zhu Wenkui takes the order." ”

To be honest, if he didn't bring it up, I almost forgot Xiao Yuan'er's name, so I didn't react when this shocking news came out, and I didn't realize what happened until I saw Yan Qi walking out of the crowd with Xiao Yuan'er in his arms and kneeling down at the moment. I only listened to the voices of the people around me and announced: "Today, the eldest son of the eldest son Zhu Wenkui is the crown prince, and this holy decree is established." ”

The eunuch who accompanied him opened the long gift box that he had held in his hand in the morning, and I saw it when I came over just now, but I didn't think much about it, just as something to be used in the banquet. The bright yellow holy decree was taken out, and the eunuch raised his voice after unfolding it: "The ministers take the decree." "Except for Concubine Lu, the courtiers all knelt on the ground in an uproar, and I should have gotten up to salute, but Ah Ping held his hand and didn't let me go, so I had to sit on the chair in harmony with him and listen to the holy decree.