The people kneeling below stretched outside the hall, and the official uniforms spread from purple and scarlet to green and blue. The voices of shouting long live resounded throughout the Zichen Hall.
This posture made An Di, who had just walked to the dragon chair, couldn't help but tremble. Then he looked at the endless head, and his face couldn't help but be confused for a moment.
Concubine Yu, Concubine Xian and others who were following Emperor An also had their eyes widened.
Why are there so many people? !
"Your Majesty?" Chamberlain Feng reminded in a low voice.
Emperor An finally came back to his senses: "Why are there so many people?"
Chamberlain Feng lowered his head and said, "His Majesty previously ordered that this palace banquet be held grandly and be more lively than in previous years, so Governor Xiao arranged for more people to enter the palace."
"..."
An Di's face was a bit speechless.
He wanted to make this palace banquet more lively, and also wanted to use it to stop the gossip and unnecessary speculation about the royal family, but he did not expect so many people to enter the palace.
In previous years, we didn't see such a dense crowd even during the imperial gatherings. Did Xiao Yan bring all the officials in the capital into the palace? !
Xiao Yan felt Emperor An's gaze and raised his head to give him a confused look, as if asking what His Majesty's orders were.
An Di was even more upset. For the first time, he felt that it was not a good thing for the people below to be too considerate.
Everyone was here, and it was the Mid-Autumn Festival again. An Di was upset in his heart and couldn't push the people out. He could only tell himself that Xiao Yan was acting under his orders, but he just got the wrong meaning.
He took a deep breath, withdrew his gaze and walked to the dragon chair to sit down.
After Concubine Yu and others took their seats on the left and right sides, Emperor An raised his voice and spoke:
"The princes are at peace."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Tang Ning stood up together with everyone. After returning to the banquet and sitting down, she heard Emperor Shou'an say:
"Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival, and the Queen Mother is still ill. I invite you to the palace for a banquet. This is not only to spend a reunion night, to reward you for your hard work, but also to pray for the Queen Mother with today's joy."
"I will only use this feast tonight to pray to the bright moon. May the Queen Mother be in good health and the Wei Dynasty be strong."
Everyone at the table was respectful and in agreement.
"May the Queen Mother be in good health and the Wei Dynasty be strong!"
An Di's face looked a little thinner, but he was in excellent spirits.
Listening to the echoes of the ministers below, the feeling of being aloof and holding the power in the world, making everyone bow to him, and being able to control the life, death and destiny of others is intoxicating.
He suddenly remembered what Xiao Yan had said to him before going to the banquet, and continued:
"I know that there have been constant discussions outside during this period, and the matter concerning the deposed Lu family and the traitor Lu Chongyuan has aroused heated discussions in both the government and the public, making people panic."
"The Lu family acted rebelliously and deceived the emperor. The nine clans should have been punished for their crimes. However, the queen mother is not in good health. I do not want to commit murder again. I also remember that the Lu family has made great contributions to the founding of the dynasty by Taizu, and the ancestors of the Lu family have also assisted Since I have been in court for many years, I will only hold the culprit responsible for the Lu family's affairs."
After An Di finished speaking, he looked to the side.
Xiao Yan stepped forward holding the imperial edict that Emperor An had written long ago.
"Your Majesty has decreed that Lu Chongyuan conspired to commit treason and committed an unpardonable crime. He committed suicide in prison because of his confession. Before his death, he had a heart of repentance and executed the three descendants of his family. The property of the Lu family was confiscated and returned to the national treasury."
"The people of the Lu family's collateral branches and distant relatives were exiled to the wilderness and forced to serve as slaves. The daughters of the direct branch who married outside were allowed to commit suicide and were exiled together with the Lu clan. Their sons would not be held responsible for three generations later."
"Appreciate this."
After this imperial edict came, everyone in the palace was boiling, and even the people from the aristocratic family looked surprised.
Emperor An has never been a kind person, and the royal family will never forgive those who conspired to rebel.
What the Lu family committed is not a trivial matter. The queen played with the dignity of the emperor and confused the royal bloodline. The Lu family bullied the emperor and was "domineering" in the past.
Everyone thought that Emperor An would kill the Lu family, but who would have thought that he would actually be lenient.
Although the fate of being banished to service is not a good one, compared to the disaster of annihilation, the Lu family can still keep their bloodline alive, and Emperor An even promised that "three generations later, he will not be punished."
This was simply unkind and unlike the Majesty they knew.
Feng Qiuli said loudly: "Your Majesty is kind."
As soon as this voice came out, everyone else followed suit:
"Your Majesty has mercy."
"The Lu family has conspired against them, but His Majesty is willing to pardon them. He is really broad-minded and has the air of a saint."
"If the traitors of the Lu family knew what your majesty had done, they would definitely regret their previous actions."
"Your Majesty treats the Lu family with great affection."
Everyone in the hall praised him one after another, and the good words seemed to come free of charge, and each word sounded more pleasing to the ears.
Emperor An felt particularly comfortable after hearing this, and was even more satisfied with Xiao Yan. Forgiving a few unimportant people could earn such a good reputation. Xiao Yan's proposal was really a good one.
"I also thought about my feelings for Lu Chongyuan and prayed for the Queen Mother, so I made an exception and spared the Lu family. But if anyone dares to follow suit, I will never forgive him lightly!"
After giving a warning, Emperor An softened his expression:
"Today's banquet for you all is just to celebrate the festival, and I won't talk about these spoilers."
He raised his wine glass and looked down:
"Music is played, a banquet is held, and all the ministers drink to their heart's content."
Everyone below raised their glasses and said respectfully: "Thank you, Your Majesty!"
The banquet music in the palace started again, and the palace dancers entered one after another from outside the palace and danced gracefully in the field.
Perhaps An Di looked too warm today, with constant smiles on his face, or perhaps the singing and dancing livened up the atmosphere, and everyone's tense nerves relaxed accordingly.
Everyone had smiles on their faces as they exchanged glasses of wine and exchanged glasses. From time to time, some of the courtiers in front stood up to offer toasts, and Emperor An did not refuse anyone who came.
Prince Hate sat in his seat with a tense face, looking at his father who was laughing loudly from above, with a bit of ambition and resentment in his eyes.
After tonight, that position will be his. In the future, he will be worshiped by everyone like his father, and everyone will bow before him.
Prince Hatred couldn't help but hold the wine glass in his hand and looked at Xiao Yan standing alone.
Wait, wait for tonight's opportunity.
Don't mess up the plan...
…
Tang Ning sat in the banquet and watched the singing and dancing in the venue. She looked up and down without leaving any trace. She stroked the wine glass and her eyes swept around An Di and landed on Xiao Yan. She was thinking about what her brother was going to do tonight. .
While thinking about it, when he looked back, he accidentally glanced at Cui Lin's position, and suddenly found some eagerness to try on his shadowed face.
Tang Ning paused and frowned slightly.
Something is wrong with Cui Lin.
She turned her head and looked behind her, wanting to alert the two Tianqing people among the musicians and think of a way to inform her brother. But before she could say anything, she heard a sudden commotion coming from under the eaves outside.
Something seemed to have rushed into the banquet. When the wine glasses fell to the ground, there were occasional exclamations.
After a moment, a embarrassed figure rushed in.
