mesbooks Chapter 279: Already in Death Row
Chapter 279: Already in Death Row
Seeing this, Shen Yiran hurriedly held the Imperial Concubine's slightly trembling hand and gently comforted her: "Your Majesty, it's okay, everything is over, and we will be fine in the future."
The emperor was also deeply moved when he saw this scene, so he said, "Yes, our family is finally reunited. Let's go to Chuxiu Palace for dinner tonight."
When the imperial concubine heard this, she immediately expressed her agreement.
Ren Jingzhi, Yu Gongyu and Shen Yiran on the side also nodded in agreement. Everyone was looking forward to this rare reunion dinner.
Then, the emperor looked at Prime Minister Ren who was standing beside him, and said with a smile: "Ren Aiqing, you should come too, you are a great contributor."
Prime Minister Ren responded quickly. In fact, up to this moment he still didn't understand why his son called the Emperor and the Imperial Consort "Father" and "Mother". However, he didn't ask much, thinking that he would know the reason soon.
Shen Yiran asked Banxia to take Liu Tiantong back to the Prime Minister's Mansion first, and Ren Jingzhi also asked Lin Nan to take the two hundred elite soldiers who came back with him out of the palace first, so that they could go home and reunite with their families.
It wasn't long before dinner was ready.
Everyone then moved to the dining hall of Chuxiu Palace, which had been decorated in a warm and festive manner. The table was filled with exquisite dishes. The flickering candlelight illuminated the entire room with cozy warmth, making people feel warm in their hearts as soon as they entered.
Everyone took their seats. The Emperor and the Imperial Consort sat at the top, and Ren Jingzhi, Yu Gongyu, Shen Yiran and Prime Minister Ren sat on both sides.
At this time, everyone was already a little hungry. The aroma of the food kept drilling into their noses, arousing the appetite of their stomachs. They couldn't wait to pick up their chopsticks and start eating.
The emperor laughed when he saw this, and took up the chopsticks first, saying, "Today our family finally gets together, so don't be restrained, and hurry up and try to see if the cooking skills of the imperial kitchen have deteriorated."
When the emperor moved his chopsticks, it was as if some kind of restriction had been lifted. Everyone followed suit and picked up their chopsticks, beginning to feast on the food. For a moment, the dining hall was filled with the sound of bowls and chopsticks colliding, making it extremely lively.
The imperial concubine had a kind smile on her face and her eyes were full of kindness. She first picked up a piece of tender fish meat with chopsticks and gently placed it in Shen Yiran's bowl.
Then she smiled and said, "Before, I have always thought that it would be great if Ran Ran was my daughter-in-law. Now, my wish has come true. Now seeing you two happily together, my heart is sweeter than eating honey."
When Shen Yiran heard this, her face slightly turned red. She quickly stood up and bowed slightly, saying, "Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty. It is Ranran's blessing to be valued so much by Your Majesty."
Ren Jingzhi also smiled and said, "Mother is right. It is my great fortune to marry Ranran." As he said this, he looked at Shen Yiran lovingly.
Yu Gongyu also said, "That's right, my sister-in-law is so good, my brother must cherish her, otherwise I will stand up for my sister-in-law."
Everyone couldn't help laughing after hearing this. The laughter echoed in the dining room, making the whole atmosphere even more harmonious and warm. Everyone was immersed in this rare atmosphere of reunion and joy.
Prime Minister Ren looked at the happy scene, stroked his beard, and said with satisfaction: "Today's scene is really rare. Seeing that the emperor is in good health and everyone has returned safely, this old minister is also very happy in his heart."
The emperor smiled and nodded, saying, "Minister Ren is right. Today's reunion dinner is a very enjoyable one. Come on, everyone, eat more."
As he spoke, the emperor picked up another piece of food with chopsticks and put it into the imperial concubine's bowl. The imperial concubine smiled and gently patted the emperor's hand, scolding him: "Your Majesty, you should eat more too, don't just think about me."
As the food was passed back and forth, the dishes on the table were constantly passed around. Everyone ate and chatted, occasionally sharing the delicious food on the plate.
Ren Jingzhi and Yu Gongyu told everyone what happened at the border, which made the emperor, the imperial concubine and Prime Minister Ren tremble with fear and their mood was like riding a roller coaster.
The emperor sat at the head of the table, listening to his two sons' stories with a pleased smile on his face. He nodded slightly, his eyes gleaming with pride, and said, "I know that my two sons will not let me down."
The Imperial Concubine's eyes were red as she listened to what happened. She wiped her eyes with a handkerchief and said, "Hearing what you said, I am really worried."
Shen Yiran also smiled and echoed: "Yes, I was really worried for them at the border. However, it is precisely because of these experiences at the border that our hearts have become closer."
Having said this, Shen Yiran's eyes softened, and she looked at Ren Jingzhi with affection in her eyes.
Ren Jingzhi felt Shen Yiran's gaze and turned to look at her. They smiled at each other, and that smile was full of friendship and tacit understanding between them.
At this time, the emperor coughed lightly, drawing everyone's attention back. His expression became slightly more serious, and he said:
"The affairs of the court are also complicated. I think Yu Gongchen is diligent on weekdays, but I didn't expect that he is so cruel and treacherous behind the scenes, and he attempted to rebel and usurp the throne. It really makes me sad."
Speaking of Yu Gongchen, a trace of anger and disappointment flashed across the emperor's face, and he sighed heavily.
The Imperial Concubine also frowned and said bitterly, "Yu Gongchen, who committed such a treasonous act, really deserves to die. Pity those who were deceived by him and implicated innocently."
Ren Jingzhi frowned slightly and said, "Father, Yu Gongchen has been thrown into death row and is just waiting for the verdict. The situation in the court has gradually stabilized.
I think the most urgent task is to appease the ministers and the people as soon as possible, and make everyone believe that the court is still the court that allows everyone to live and work in peace and contentment. "
The emperor listened to Ren Jingzhi's words, nodded in appreciation, and said, "Xian'er, what you said is very true. I will issue an edict tomorrow to reward the meritorious officials who participated in the suppression of the rebellion. At the same time, I will also promulgate some policies that benefit the people to reassure them."
As they ate dinner, everyone chatted with each other, and laughter could be heard from time to time in the dining room. This dinner was particularly warm.
However, Prime Minister Ren could not help wondering, so he asked, "Zhi'er, why do you call the Emperor and the Imperial Concubine 'Father' and 'Mother'?"
"Father, please wait a moment, you will understand soon." Ren Jingzhi saw that everyone was full, so he waved his hand gently, signaling the servants to come in and remove the plates.
The servants moved swiftly between the dining tables, and soon all the messy cups and plates on the tables were cleared away, and the entire dining room was somewhat tidy again.
"Bring him in!" Seeing that the time was almost right, Yu Gongyu raised his voice and shouted loudly towards the door.
The voice was particularly loud in this relatively quiet dining room, and everyone's attention was immediately drawn to it. They couldn't help but feel curious about who Yu Gongyu was going to bring in.
Then, footsteps came from far away, and the guards escorted two people slowly in. Wang Lei followed behind with a serious look.