Chapter 21 Part2 (1/2)

The second year of the Linde era1, the Empress contributedcase which astonished all levels of society thus ended like this

The great bells shook up Chongren Hall, and then left for distant parts, crossing over the nine gates, to resound around the high and beautiful Da Palace as it continued forever into the distance

Three rings sounded, winding and uninterrupted, reverberating for a long ti'an

It was night, and the Eren Hall to visit the Crown Prince The dragon heart greatly pleased, he thus ordered a banquet to be arranged at Qingning Palace to celebrate

The inside of Qingning Palace was a display of fireworks and lanterns, as people drank their fill, and the pink and gold-woven skirts of dancing girls fluttered under the flowing lights, and the extravagant strings and inds of the ht hall, and both Emperor and Ee the i them Outside this circle towards the far ends of the hall were the favoured athered under one roof; and in the south side of the bright hall there stood a flower-engraved marble screen, which partitioned out a comparatively secluded space, where a s each other only two people

—Xie Yun and Shan Chao

Xie Yun see a bit of every dish which came up to the table, but when he was about to pour hi a hand: ”You're injured, it is not appropriate to drink wine”

The abrasion by Xie Yun's tee hidden in his hair, and there seemed to be an indistinct bloodstain under close scrutiny—Shan Chao subconsciously wanted to reach out to touch it, but hesitated when he realised what he was doing, stiffly taking his hand back in et injured?”

”I bu Palace, and buht before the Empress”

Shan Chao asked: ”Did you bump in order to save my life?”

”……” Xie Yun put down his wine cup, and asked with a curl of his lips: ”How could you have such a ridiculous and silly idea, what does your life have to do with ed out, and sounded full of aze on him was steady and un out froh the openwork screen, it could cover with a single glance everyone at the banquet above, but the people outside could only vaguelyface-to-face, and could not see the exact situation, only treating it as Iaze retreated from outside, and carelessly said: ”Do you knohy does the Empress want to eliminate the Crown Prince?”

Shan Chao hesitated, and said: ”Because… of the Fengshan sacrifices at Mt Tai?”

Xie Yun started to laugh

”The Exalted One decided to set out to conduct the Fengshan sacrifices at Mt Tai, and according to the rules the Emperor should host the first sacrifice, and the chancellors host the second, yet this year the Empress proposed herself to replace the chancellors to ascend the platform and host the second sacrifice, and announce to all under the heavens with the Exalted One, and jointly name themselves the 'Two Holy Ones', and for to the capital”

”The Exalted One did not directly veto this proposal, yet it met with the intense opposition of the Eastern Palace faction, for very simple reasons: for women to meddle in politics, has been unpleasant news since the dawn of time The current Exalted One is frail in health and has difficulties with his vision, yet the Ein to hold Court and listen to politics, someday when the Emperor departs this world, would you say that the Empress would smoothly return authority to the Crown Prince?”

”Thus the Empress made a drastic decision, rather than let the Eastern Palace faction doe for a new Eastern Palace—thus ca poison in Ci'en Temple And Pavilion Elder Liu was en, as the Eame, and the Crown Prince's life would have been taken; this perfect plan was ruined only at one person's hand, that is, you”

Xie Yun raised a hand to cut through the air and point at Shan Chao, and sneered: ”You… washi+ng club… who inexplicably ran out to s up”

Shan Chao was pushed back with this finger

This was originally a move with ly sht, and pink lips due to having drunk tea, seemed extremely moist and soft, thus an expression which was clearly filled with ridicule, still ed to shake hearts

Shan Chao hurriedly looked away: ”…and now?”

Xie Yun blurted out his ridicule: ”Sparing your life is already pretty good, and you still want a reward?”

”No, about the Fengshan at Mt Tai—”

In actual fact Shan Chao had continued the conversation out of a subconscious will, as if only by speaking could he alleviate the inexplicable tightening of his throat, and conceal his slightly hot cheeks, which were presumably caused by proximity to the lanterns