Xinjing, the capital of Rongguo. Pen "Fun" Pavilion www.biquge.info

The heavy snow did not stop all day, making the whole Xinjing present a bleak and gloomy scene. The streets have long been deserted of pedestrians, and after nightfall, even the lights of the houses have been turned off early, except for the large snowflakes that continue to howl and wreak in the wind.

The lights in the imperial city are still on, after all, it is the Shangyuan Festival, and all kinds of lanterns are hung around the palaces to decorate some festive atmosphere.

At this moment, there was silence in the Cining Palace where the Empress Dowager Yin lived.

Suddenly, a fierce cold wind blew, blowing down a few lanterns under the eaves of the palace, two of them actually burned, and the firelight reflected the snowflakes flying all over the sky, which looked particularly miserable and cold in this dark cold night, just like the state of mind of the Queen Mother who was sitting alone in the palace at this time.

The army was defeated at Jinmen Pass, the whole country was shaken, and the people were still wailing and weeping for the loss of their loved ones, while the powerful people in the DPRK and China were already planning for the changing situation.

Those courtiers who were accustomed to seeing the wind and the rudder were secretly instigated, and they even blamed the defeat on the commander Yu Wengang, who led the army, and wrote to His Majesty the Emperor one after another, demanding that the handsome seal of the fourth prince Yu Wengang be confiscated and the title of King of Pingnan should be stripped away.

And the Empress Dowager's own son, His Majesty Yuwen Jiheng, the current emperor, was born with a gentle temperament and no opinions, and was extremely easy to be manipulated and bewitched by others. Recently, he listened to the slander of the queen and some courtiers, and completely ignored the resolute opposition of the mother who had gone through thousands of difficulties and dangers to fight a bloody way in the harem, and finally helped him to ascend the throne, and decided to make Yu Wenhan, the eldest son of the emperor, born to the queen, the crown prince.

This Yu Wenhan is the eldest son, and according to the traditional system of establishing a prince, he is indeed the most qualified to become the crown prince. Moreover, he has always been benevolent and generous, and his reputation is far and wide, and he will surely become a generation of wise monarchs. However, what Da Rong needs at present is not a Ming monarch, but an emperor who can expand his territory and conquer the world.

Although the territory of Darong is vast, most of them are bitter cold lands, so that the people are strong and advocate force. A weak monarch is not only difficult to rule over the Quartet, but also impossible to complete the unfinished unification of the ancestors of Darong.

Although the fourth prince Yu Wengang is a little stubborn and self-serving, among the princes, he is the only one who is both civil and military and ambitious, and he is really the best choice for the future prince of Darong.

Sadly, there was no one to confide in these thoughts of the Empress Dowager Yin, and even Duxiaoqiong, who had always been obedient to her, lost confidence in Yu Wengang because of this defeat. Although he has not made it clear, between his words, he has somewhat revealed that he does not support Liyu Wengang as the crown prince.

Seeing that after the New Year, the printing will be restored, and the emperor will issue an edict to the world to appoint the emperor's eldest son Yu Wenhan as the crown prince. The situation is urgent, and there is no room for any hesitation or reluctance.

So, on this night of Shangyuan, the forbidden army under the secret order of the Queen Mother stole the palace gate, and the fourth prince Yu Wengang led troops to surround the emperor's bedroom......

The sound of killing in the distance had gradually stopped, and the Empress Dowager Yin slowly got up and came to the outside of the temple gate, staring at the wind and snow in the sky, her old face was reflected in the dim light. Suddenly, she raised her head suddenly, but she still didn't stop a tear from rolling down her cheeks, and with a "pop", she fell to the snow in front of the jade steps.

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At this time, it was also snowing in Dayu's Jingyang City, although it was not very big, but it also fell for a day.

Sitting in the warm hall like spring, the emperor Haoxing Xiaoqi closed his eyes and listened to Zheng Yong's report on the movements of officials in various provinces in the past few days.

After listening to Zheng Yong's words, Haoxing Xiaoqi opened his eyes and said with a gloomy face: "It seems that what Li Jin said is not groundless, my eldest son is indeed becoming more and more restless!"

"Recently, His Royal Highness King Ji has entered the palace to see the queen mother more often. Zheng Yong said cautiously.

Haoxing Xiaoqi smiled disdainfully, "What kind of fame can he and a harem woman toss!

Zheng Yong couldn't help blinking his small eyes a few times, "Marquis Yan is the uncle of His Royal Highness King Ji, and it's not strange that the two of them are getting closer-"

"Hmph, but if this Marquis Yan gets closer to those important ministers of the court, it will not only be strange, but terrifying!"

Zheng Yong came back to his senses at this time, and hurriedly read the secret letters that he had read by himself but did not pass the heart, and couldn't help but say in surprise: "In this short period of ten days, the mansions of all the important officials of the imperial court in the capital, Marquis Yan has actually gone around!"

"He's had a really lively year, but I don't know how many of the officials he has visited have been moved by him-" Haoxing Xiaoqi squinted his eyes slightly and muttered for a moment, and then instructed Zheng Yong, "Yan Yuguang, you have to ask people to pay more attention, especially his contacts with military generals, and report them to me in time." ”

"Yes, the old slave will confess. ”

"Also, summon the prince to the palace early tomorrow morning. ”

Zheng Yong responded, but hesitated and said: "Your Majesty, tomorrow is the sixteenth day of the first month, and on this day every year, you have to accompany the queen mother to the Dark Fragrance Garden to enjoy the plum blossoms-"

Haoxing Xiaoqi was silent for a long time before he slowly spoke: "Let's summon the prince into the palace tomorrow afternoon." ”

After speaking, he slowly stood up, first waved his hand to signal that Zheng Yong did not need to come up to help, and then he walked alone to the front of the temple gate, pushed open the temple door, and walked out.

Facing the snowflakes falling from time to time, he looked up at the occasional flickering fireworks in the night sky in the distance, and he lost his mind for a moment.

That year's Shangyuan Festival was also snowing like this, and the seventeen-year-old young prince sneaked out of the family banquet and took his follower Xiao Shunzi to the royal street to see the lanterns. At that time, there were a lot of people on the street, and Xiao Shunzi didn't know where she was squeezed to. So the young prince looked around, but when he turned around, he saw her standing there-

The world seemed to become quiet all of a sudden, and the splendor of the fire trees and silver flowers around her suddenly became eclipsed compared to her smile as pure as ice and snow......

A few snowflakes were blown under the eaves by the wind and landed on Haoxing Xiaoqi's slightly sad face, which instantly melted into tiny water droplets and slowly slid down his face......

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At this moment, Jingyang City is very lively. In the streets and alleys, the lights and candles of the tea shops are lit, the gongs and drums are sounding, and the firecrackers are ringing.

Because of the just victory over Beirong, the whole country rejoiced, the four seas were peaceful, His Majesty the Emperor made a special decree, throughout the year, the four gates of Jingyang City were open all day long, and the people could enter and exit freely. As a result, people outside the city rushed to the city to see the lights, and Jingyang City was suddenly crowded.

Colorful canopies have been erected along the royal street in the south of the palace, not only with all kinds of colorful lanterns, but also with singing and dancing - those who swallow fire sticks, play puppets, perform miscellaneous plays, tell stories, play the piano and blow the flute, and tame monkeys...... It's just dazzling.

Although the weather was a little cold, it did not weaken people's interest in watching lanterns. There are a lot of people watching the lights on the street, and most of them are young people talking and laughing loudly and children running and playing, so it seems to be extremely bustling and noisy, and even the snowflakes flying in the wind seem to be rushing to join in the fun, and they are sprinkled throughout Jingyang City.

Just as the city was celebrating, a white knight accompanied by a carriage with a low curtain was stepping on the light falling snowflakes and entered Jingyang City in the night......