The Laba banquet in the palace is placed on the empty steps in front of the Qinzheng Palace, which is just full of courtiers and noblewomen who are invited to the banquet, and more importantly, you can see the singing and dancing under the steps without dead ends.

The Emperor prayed to Heaven and lit a lantern. The golden sky lantern fluttered and swirled into the sky, and the emperor folded his hands and said a few words of blessing. The courtiers and ladies also knelt down at the table one after another, and greeted the emperor in harmony: "God bless, Da Chu will be eternal and prosperous!"

When it is time to hold the lights, the dance music gradually enters the prelude. The first piece of the repertoire was changed from Su Dongpo's "Dongting Spring Fu", and the chimes and drums were combined, playing a majestic momentum.

The Emperor returned to his seat and said yes, and the ministers raised their glasses to salute the Emperor with a glass of wine. The sound of dance music gradually became louder, and the dance sleeves fluttered, quite a feeling of "the song stage is warm, and the spring is melting".

He sat under the crown prince with no one around him. On weekdays, several princes who are rare also take their concubines to sit and watch the dance, only Rong Run is drinking stuffy wine, there are few people around, and he doesn't look at those handsome aristocratic ladies.

There was a delicate woman sitting next to Gao Bingyan, who was his wife who had just renewed. This woman's fat powder is very heavy, and her demeanor is a little frivolous, but it is really like the rumors that Gao Bing continued to marry a Qinglou woman.

The woman's eyes didn't seem to be honest, and she didn't understand the rules, so she looked at them randomly. Sometimes he looks at Xiao Rongshen, sometimes he looks at Rong Run, and then he doesn't set his eyes on Rong Zhan. These princes have their own characteristics, except for a fourth prince who is a rude man who kills and fights, they all have a more or less elegant temperament. In the end, her eyes fell on Yuan Xi, and she whispered to Gao Bingyan: "Why are the two wearing phoenix crowns?"

Gao Bingyan glanced at Yuan Xi and said in a low voice: "That's not a phoenix crown, it's just a set of expensive jewelry." ”

The woman looked at the eight silk golden flowers on Yuan Xi's head, each inlaid with a pearl in the middle, and a pair of Jin Zhai Yu shone brightly. I can't help but be a little envious: "It's so good-looking, who is this woman?"

Gao Bingyan looked at her sideways, and it was indeed right to tell her to talk less. Even though the Qinglou woman has all kinds of benefits, there is one flaw that cannot be changed, that is, a frivolous atmosphere that has never seen the world.

"That's the crown princess. ”

"Crown princess?" the woman sighed, a woman who is a prince is really good, even the head of the jewelry is so beautiful. Before coming out, Gao Bingyan gave her a set of jeweled jewelry, she already loved it like a treasure, she thought that she could come out on top compared to these noble ladies, but now it seems that there is nothing strange about this set on her head.

Gao Bingyan didn't speak, but looked at Zhao Shangshu, who was sitting in the second seat. Zhao Shangshu is much older, and it seems that a serious illness a few days ago consumed too much of his energy. Today with him is Zhao Jing, the eldest son of his family, Gao Bingyan glanced at Zhao Jing casually, wine bag and rice bag, the glory of the Zhao family is the end of his father's life.

Zhao Shangshu's gaze was a little dull, and his hand holding the chopsticks couldn't stop shaking. Gao Bingyan was suddenly a little glad that this old thing was finally going to die, and it seemed that he wouldn't survive the beginning of the year. As the saying goes, before the death of a man and after the death of a woman, the old thing is about to arrive.

Zhao Shangshu looked at Rong Zhan and slowly spit out two words: "Kezhen." ”

Zhao Jing glanced in the direction of Yuan Xi: "Dad, that's not Kezhen, that's the crown princess." ”

Zhao Shangshu turned his head: "I know, I'm asking where Kezhen is?"

"Kezhen? Isn't it just in the prince's mansion? Today is a palace banquet, but Zhen is a side concubine, and she is not qualified for an occasion like Chinese New Year's Eve, right?" Zhao Jing replied.

Not qualified? The corners of Zhao Shangshu's mouth twitched, what does it mean to be unqualified? It's just that the prince doesn't want to take her. Hmph, with the emperor's and empress's favor for the crown prince, would he blame him for a side concubine? At the beginning, he and Wei Yuanxi got along, but the emperor didn't agree at the time, didn't it not take long to approve their marriage?

Zhao Shangshu drank a glass of wine, a little drunk.

Zhao Jing held him: "Dad, are you okay?"

"It's fine. Zhao Shangshu said, staggered to his feet, and walked in front of the emperor.

"Emperor Qi, the first child was reckless and offended the crown princess, the princess was magnanimous, not only did not blame, but also took good care of the little girl, and the old minister was really ashamed. Thanks to the festive season, the old minister wanted to toast the princess with a glass of wine, and he had the right to make amends. I don't know if the crown princess can give the old minister this face. ”

The emperor glanced at Yuan Xi and was naturally happy. Zhao Shangshu loves his daughter like his life, and he must have really figured it out if he was able to say such remorseful words today. It's okay that the Zhao family can release their suspicions with Yuan Xibing, which is beneficial and harmless to Rong Zhan.

Yuan Xi also knew this meaning, so he stood up: "Zhao Shangshu is serious, Sister Kezhen is the side room of the prince, and we sisters serve a husband, so naturally we have to live in harmony." The adults are old, and Yuan Xi is still young, so he doesn't dare to be such a generous gift to adults, so it's better for Yuan Xi to have a cup of adulthood. ”

Zhao Shangshu looked at the emperor, showed a sincere smile, and touched his mouth: "It's okay, then the old minister will dare to ask the princess for a glass of water and wine." ”

Yuan Xi poured a glass of wine and brought it to Zhao Shangshu: "Lord Shangshu, please." ”

Zhao Shangshu took the wine glass and drank it all.

The emperor laughed loudly: "In this case, drink a cup for Zhao Shangshu." ”

Everyone saluted Zhao Shangshu when they picked up the wine, and even Rong Zhan rarely picked up the wine glass.

Who knows, everyone has just finished a glass of wine, and the glass has not been put down. Zhao Shangshu sprayed a mouthful of blood on Yuan Xi's face. He staggered and fell to the ground, blood gushing from his mouth.

The woman next to Gao Bingyan gasped, yo! It's a pity that such a beautiful jewelry head!

Zhao Jing was startled, and ran over as if flying: "Dad!"

Yuan Xi was startled by this sudden mouthful of blood, and looked at Zhao Shangshu in a daze. Zhao Shangshu opened his mouth and pointed at Yuan Xi with difficulty: "Crown Princess, I am kind enough to release my suspicions with your family, why do you want to kill me!?"

Zhao Jing stopped crying and looked at Yuan Xi with blood-red eyes. Rong Zhan subconsciously pushed Yuan Xi behind him and met Zhao Jing's gaze. Zhao Jing was still afraid of the prince, so he could only turn to the emperor: "Your Majesty, the emperor will save my father!"

Zhao Shangshu twitched in Zhao Jing's arms, and his lips slowly turned black and purple.

"Zhao Shangshu is poisoned! The wine is poisonous! Escort!" Gao Bingyan shouted, Xiao Rongshen jumped up, drew his sword and protected the emperor: "The crown princess brought poison into the palace and plotted against her." Someone! Take it for me!"

Yuan Xi looked at the emperor in a daze, a little at a loss. The emperor didn't believe that Won-hee would do this, at least, she wouldn't do it so stupidly. poisoned Zhao Shangshu in front of the Manchu Dynasty civil and military, didn't she deliberately want everyone to know that she had killed someone?

The emperor pushed Xiao Rongshen, but Xiao Rongshen did not move, looking like a loyal minister and a filial son: "Father and queen mother, let's move back to the palace, the people here are messy, if the assassin hurts the father and queen mother, it will not be good." ”

Xu Wenliang also drew his sword, is there an assassin? He suspected that the assassin was Xiao Rongshen himself. With such a long sword standing beside the emperor, it can make the emperor's blood splash seven steps when he speaks. Is this escorting, or is it threatening the emperor not to interfere?

"The emperor and the mother should avoid it first, and leave it to the little slave here. ”

The emperor looked at the sword in Xiao Rongshen's hand and felt suspenseful, Liu Guifei, who loved to join in the fun today, didn't come, maybe she had some conspiracy with her baby son. The emperor looked at Xiao Rongshen's back, and suddenly felt a little strange, is this his own son? How can it be more terrifying than those chaotic ministers and thieves? The emperor didn't say anything more, and went back to the palace with the queen first.

Xu Wenliang saw that the emperor was gone, so he leaned closer to Rong Zhan's side: "The prince beware." ”

Rong Zhan looked at Zhao Shangshu solemnly, the imperial doctor had already heard the news and rushed over. The imperial doctor checked the pulse and couldn't help shaking his head: "Prince, Zhao Shangshu has been poisoned, and Zhao Shangshu has just recovered from a serious illness, and his body and bones are already weak, I am afraid that this time it will be ......."

"At all costs, we must also save Zhao Shangshu!" Rong Zhan shouted.

The imperial doctor twisted his eyebrows one by one: "Prince, the poison has invaded the bone marrow, and Wei Chen and the others are powerless!"

Xiao Rongshen saw that Zhao Shangshu was dead, so he sneered: "Crown Princess, I am still really magnanimous and don't worry about the Zhao family, it turns out that your evil is never exposed? If you really have the prince by your side, can you have nothing to fear?"

Xiao Rongcheng also drew his sword and stood next to Xiao Rongshen to strengthen his momentum.

Rong Zhan's hand was put around Yuan Xi's waist and held her behind his back, Yuan Xi tugged at his sleeve and said softly, "It's not me." ”

Rong Zhan naturally knew, he gritted his teeth and looked at Xiao Rongshen fiercely: "And the prince, the matter has not been clarified yet, you can use a hair of the crown princess to try." ”

Gao Bingyan stood up: "Prince, everyone can see clearly, Zhao Shangshu was poisoned to death after drinking the crown princess's cup of wine." It is contrary to the law of the country that you are still protecting your shortcomings like this. ”

"Gao Bingyan, shut up!" Rong Run said: "When will it be your turn for a foreign minister to intervene in the matter of the royal palace? On weekdays, they boast of their wisdom one by one, but now it is clear that someone is deliberately framing the crown princess, but you can't see it?

Xiao Rongcheng sneered: "Sixth, you don't talk nonsense. ”

"You don't talk nonsense!" Rong Run said: "Xiao Rongcheng, I respect you so I call you the fourth brother." I am the queen's concubine, the prince of the dignified treasure, you are only the prince of the county born to a concubine, and you dare to bark in front of the king and the crown prince!"

Xiao Rongshen doesn't want to quarrel with him, the prince and the sixth child often oppress people with power and wealth, can Xiao Rongcheng win?

Xiao Rongshen arched his hand: "Prince, no matter what, Zhao Shangshu's death is unknown." It is reasonable to be reasonable, should the crown princess be sent to Dali Temple, so that he can inquire clearly? and also give Zhao Shangshu a fair deal. ”

Justice? What justice is there with the people of the Zhao family? Inexplicably, he suddenly came to toast, and inexplicably vomited blood and died. Who knows if he knew that his limit was approaching, so he deliberately took poison to frame Yuan Xi? Rong Zhan glanced at Zhao Jing and gritted his teeth in resentment. It's just that Zhao Shangshu has died of anger at this time, and there is no proof of death, besides, how can the Zhao family admit that Zhao Shangshu poisoned himself by himself?