The days passed quickly, and in a flash it was the end of June.
The emperor's birthday was at the end of August, even if there was still a mid-autumn family banquet in between, the palace had begun to prepare for the Wanshou Banquet in full swing.
This year is different from previous years, is certainly to be organized a big one.
Because the emperor this year sixty-nine, according to the rules of this side of the Dayan dynasty, the full moon is a loss, the water is overflowing, so ... over nine but not ten.
The emperor is going to have a seventy birthday this year.
The imperial sons are all fully energized to perform, want to curry favor in front of the emperor, in preparation for the competition for the throne of the crown prince, especially the strongest ability, the highest voice of the fifth prince.
The emperor also seemed to have the most trust and respect for this son, and the other day he specially decreed that he had given the banquet to the fifth prince to organize.
Even though there were still two months before the banquet, the palace was decorated and everything was different from usual.
Duan Wang entered the palace after the left look right look, face more and more ugly.
His family's royal brother is really good pleasure, the queen and the crown prince died only three months ago, he began to prepare for the birthday banquet, and also organized this grand, it seems ... that his royal brother does not feel the slightest sadness, nor does he feel regret.
Every time he thought of this matter, Duan Wang felt shivering.
The queen is the royal brother's married wife, they know each other at a young age, is the royal brother insisted on marrying the sweetheart, the two people over the years to give people the feeling that they are also particularly loving, the result?
The empress was forced to kill herself.
There is also the crown prince, that is the queen to the emperor brother's first son, from childhood is smart and clever, after growing up is also capable of filial piety, full of civil and military who do not believe in? The people of the world who do not praise?
As a result ... of the imperial brother because of the scruples of the crown prince threatened his position, to the trumped up charges bestowed the death of the crown prince, but also the empress born of the ninth prince exiled to the dynasty's borders.
This dead old man, for the sake of his throne, simply six relatives.
Duan Wang had not seen the emperor for some days, because he was afraid that he would not be able to resist the urge to scold this dead old man, scolding him for being heartless, scolding him for being unworthy of being a husband and a father.
Don't look at himself as the emperor's own brother from the same mother, the emperor has always been very tolerant of him, no matter what he says or does he won't get angry, but ever since the emperor killed the crown prince and forced the empress to die, Duan Wang knows that the emperor is an extremely ruthless person, he really doesn't dare to be as reckless as he was before, lest he'll be the emperor's next target to get rid of.
"Your Majesty, King Duan seeks an audience." The little eunuch guarding the doorway immediately went in to report when he saw that King Duan had arrived.
"Let him come in." The emperor, who was in the middle of scrutinizing folders, said without lifting his head.
"Yes." The eunuch answered and hurriedly went out to welcome King Duan in.
Duan Wang couldn't help but skim his lips when he saw that the emperor, who had a head full of white hair and was old, was sitting on the dragon chair and reviewing the folders.
Serves him right!
Once upon a time, with the crown prince helping him out, this dead old man's life was extremely elegant and comfortable.
People put a good life not, have to kill his son, he put all this not to let go, sooner or later tired to death.
Although Duan Wang's heart was disdainful, on his face, he pretended to look very respectful: "My younger brother greets his imperial brother, long live imperial brother."
"This is strange, you would actually kneel and kowtow when you see me!" The Emperor lifts his head and looks at Duan Wang kneeling on the ground, seemingly surprised.
Duan Wang was a little speechless when he heard this.
This old man was even willing to kill his wife and firstborn son, what was he?
Would he dare not bow obediently?
"I'm terrified, in the past, it was my younger brother who didn't know the rules, so today, I'm specially asking for the royal brother's pardon." Duan Wang said while kowtowing.
The emperor put down the imperial pen in his hand when he heard this and stared at King Duan without saying a word.
Unexpectedly, even his own blood brother, who was born from the same mother, was so raw to him.
From the moment he killed the crown prince and forced the empress to die, everything was different from before.
The emperor felt it deeply these days.
"You came into the palace today just to ask for forgiveness?" The emperor frowned and said.
"Imperial brother, my younger brother has come to plead for Xiao Jiu."
As soon as Duan Wang's words fell, he saw the emperor grab the pen in his hand and throw it towards him.
"You give me shut up, I have previously issued an imperial decree, no one shall help Qi Yanchang, moreover, no one shall plead for him, otherwise ... you will be exiled with him, are you too peaceful in your days and want to accompany him to Weiyang County?" The emperor snapped.
"No." Duan Wang shook his head, "Imperial brother, my younger brother dare to say a word, among all the imperial sons, Xiao Jiu is the most simple-minded, and the most filial to imperial brother, of course ... Xiao Jiu understands the least, since he was exiled, he has eaten a lot of suffering, and now he has been poisoned by people three times, and then go on like this ... Even if Zhi Xuan and the others are there, they won't be able to hold out."
The emperor sniffed and frowned tightly.
That brat Qi Yanchang is in danger?
Logically speaking, it shouldn't be ah!
Not only had he given Qi Zhi Xuan permission to bring people to protect Qi Yanchang, he had sent his secret guards to secretly protect him a long time ago.
But so far, the secret letters sent by the secret guards said that although Qi Yanchang's kid was having a hard time, his life was not in danger.
But as he listened to this old boy, King Duan, that wasn't the case.
"I'm not hiding it from Your Majesty, before my brother sent Zhi Xuan to Weiyang County, he had gone to the Huang Jue Temple to beg a bronze mask for him, the senior monk who gave the mask to my brother said that not only could that mask drive away evil spirits and avoid disasters, it could also allow Zhi Xuan to hide his identity and save a lot of trouble along the way, but I didn't realize that that mask was a ghostly mask that was elaborately refined by a human being, and that there was a severe ghost hidden inside it."
Duan Wang said with a sad and angry face, "As soon as Zhi Xuan saw Xiao Jiu, the severe ghosts in the bronze mask pounced on Xiao Jiu, if not for the help of a high ranking person, Xiao Jiu would have been burned to ashes."
The emperor's face changed and changed at his words.
"If Xiao Jiu has an accident, the emperor will definitely punish Zhi Xuan, and it is impossible for my younger brother to be left alone, the person behind this layout not only wants Xiao Jiu's life, but also wants to destroy my younger brother and Zhi Xuan."
"Two months ago, someone killed a good girl with extremely cruel means, and also refined her soul into a stern ghost, wanting to kill Xiao Jiu ..."
"A month ago, someone went to kill and set fire to the place where Xiao Jiu has landed nowadays, if it wasn't for Zhi Xuan and the others, Xiao Jiu's fate would have been much worse."
"Imperial brother, it's only been four months since Xiao Jiu was exiled, and he's suffered three life and death crises, if imperial brother really doesn't want this son, then leave him in the care of my younger brother, who will do everything in his power to keep him safe." King Duan said while kowtowing.
The emperor's face was very ugly.
It wasn't because King Duan wanted to "steal" his son from him.
Rather, it was because Qi Mujiu had suffered several life and death crises and no one had reported it to him.
The guards he sent to protect Qi Mujiu, had they been bribed?
As an emperor, he could never tolerate someone bribing the people around him.
"Imperial brother, what happened before originally had nothing to do with Xiao Jiu, if imperial brother doesn't want to lose this son, pardon him and let him return to the capital." Duan Wang said in a respectful voice.