My Years in the Jianghu with the Prince: A Time of Unethical Conduct

Chapter 193 Recollection Part 2.16 - Encirclement and Slaughter

With a command from the Xuande Emperor, the palace banquet officially began.

As the music of string and wind instruments began, graceful dancers filed in.

The once somewhat empty and quiet hall suddenly became lively.

The barefoot dancers, draped in gauze robes, twirled and danced in the main hall, their movements light and graceful, their colorful ribbons fluttering up and down, their skirts spinning continuously.

Every frown and smile, every glance full of affection, is like a beautiful flower in full bloom.

In an instant, music and beautiful women intertwined, and the atmosphere in the hall reached its peak.

Emperor Xuande, seated on his high throne, raised his wine cup and said in a loud voice, "Today is the Lantern Festival family banquet. I am grateful for the hard work of all my beloved ministers and have specially prepared this banquet to entertain you."

"To have you all, and the Imperial Advisor, is truly my honor, and also the honor of the Great Jing Dynasty. Come, for the peace and prosperity of our dynasty, I and my beloved ministers shall drink until we are drunk!"

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

Everyone naturally followed suit and drank a cup with Emperor Xuande.

Regardless of what they were really thinking, at least for the moment, they had to put on an act of ecstatic joy.

Fu Tingyu also raised his glass.

However, what was in his cup was not wine, but milk that Consort Chen had specially arranged for him to drink.

Palace servants dressed in colorful clothes brought out various delicacies one after another.

In an instant, glasses clinked and toasts were exchanged.

After a few rounds of drinks, Emperor Xuande's complexion gradually became rosy, and the conversation slowly became more lively.

Fueled by the wine, the officials chatted and laughed, and even Emperor Xuande's previously gloomy expression vanished, replaced by a genuine smile.

Even the Fifth Prince's side had several ministers approaching him with wine cups in hand.

"Your Highness, you have personally led the team to the South China Sea Prefecture to provide disaster relief, carrying out the Emperor's decree. You have truly made an unparalleled contribution!"

"As far as I know, His Highness has endured a long and arduous journey, but he has never complained and has always put the people first. After arriving in Nanhai County, he has been even more hands-on and dedicated to doing everything he can."

"He is truly a model for our dynasty! His Majesty will surely be delighted, and bestowing titles and rewards upon His Highness will be a matter of course. I, your humble servant, offer my congratulations in advance!"

Upon hearing this, the Fifth Prince smiled smugly.

Holding his wine cup, he said condescendingly, "You flatter me. It is my duty to relieve my father's worries and troubles, and I should do my best to do so."

"As for the reward, that depends on Father Emperor; I dare not take credit for it."

Having said that, he raised his wine cup with a smug look on his face and said to Emperor Xuande, "Father, I toast you, wishing you good health and longevity."

Watching the Fifth Prince's actions, Emperor Xuande narrowed his eyes slightly and looked him up and down.

Emperor Xuande finally smiled as he fixed his gaze on the exceptionally dazzling headdress.

However, the smile did not reach his eyes.

He quickly looked away, picked up his wine glass without any expression, and said, "Hmm, my son is very thoughtful."

While the father and son were putting on a show of affection, Fu Tingyu was engrossed in eating, subtly glancing upwards.

But the Imperial Preceptor, who was greatly favored by Emperor Xuande, was calmly enjoying himself, as if the hustle and bustle of the world had nothing to do with him.

Although he appeared extremely calm, Fu Tingyu keenly sensed that he seemed to be trying his best to avoid the Prime Minister's gaze.

As dusk fell, the palace banquet came to an end.

Emperor Xuande remained as steady as Mount Tai, sitting high above, though his slightly flushed face was flushed with intoxication.

In previous years, the palace banquet would usually end around this time.

However, today, Emperor Xuande did not seem to want the palace banquet to end anytime soon.

He seemed undeterred, instructing the palace servants to continue singing and dancing.

However, although they have no intention of leaving, some people are already unable to do so.

"Your Majesty, I am truly quite drunk and would like to return to the palace to rest first."

With the help of palace maids, the Empress walked to Emperor Xuande's side and whispered her message.

She gently pressed her hand to her forehead, looking listless and indeed quite tired.

At this moment, Emperor Xuande was also somewhat drunk.

Hearing the noise, he squinted at her and gave her a slight smile, his voice a little muffled.

"Your Majesty, you have worked hard. It is time for you to go and rest."

Upon hearing this, the Empress breathed a sigh of relief and was about to leave when Emperor Xuande suddenly stopped her.

"Your Majesty, please wait."

"Speaking of which, today is a family banquet, and I haven't even had a drink with the Empress yet. Come, have a drink with me!"

Fu Tingyu's hand, which was picking up food, suddenly paused for a moment.

He turned his head slightly and noticed that, at some point, there seemed to be more palace servants attending to him in the hall.

Then Emperor Xuande waved his hand, and the palace servants beside him, who were already prepared, brought over two cups of wine.

Seeing this, the Empress hesitated, but this was, after all, a rare gesture of goodwill from Emperor Xuande.

In the end, he obediently took the glass and drank the wine in one gulp.

However, Emperor Xuande did not drink his cup of wine. Instead, he kept staring at the Empress with a sinister look.

Now, even the most confused person would sense that something was wrong.

The Empress, in particular, reacted almost immediately.

A burning sensation surged through her stomach, and she began to convulse uncontrollably.

But before he could even speak...

The next moment, the queen's wine glass slipped from her hand and crashed to the ground with a sharp sound.

The once bustling palace fell silent instantly.

Almost everyone was so shocked by this sudden turn of events that they froze on the spot.

Only the Empress's father, the Prime Minister, immediately realized what was happening.

But his reaction was not to immediately run up to check on the Empress's condition; instead, he turned and ran out of the palace.

He showed no signs of drunkenness during his actions.

But then, the palace gates were locked from the outside, the sound of the locks striking him like a heavy hammer blow to the heart.

At this moment, not only the Prime Minister was terrified, but the entire hall erupted in uproar.

The ministers hurriedly dropped their wine cups and stood up, their eyes filled with fear and confusion.

"Your Majesty, what do you mean by this?!"

The prime minister's expression changed several times. He forced himself to calm down and said to Emperor Xuande in a trembling voice, "Your Majesty, we are loyal and devoted. We really don't know where we went wrong to deserve such treatment from Your Majesty!"

A series of incredulous questions arose.

But Emperor Xuande remained unmoved.

He stood high above, looking down at the panicked ministers below, and the smile on his lips gradually turned cold.

"Do I need to explain to you what I do?"

The next second, he slammed the wine glass heavily onto the table. "Kill!"

In an instant, chaos erupted inside the hall.