Although today's banquet was only a family banquet, it could not be said to be anything less than luxurious. After Master Rumei, there were two more internal court High Priests performing. Princess Taiping had truly put in a lot of effort. These High Priests came and went from noble families of generals and ministers. Through these High Priests and their disciples, the situation today would soon be clearly understood by the nobles and nobles in the capital.
Women made up eighty to ninety percent of the people at the banquet. The more women there were, the more restrained the men became. After three rounds of wine, the five men were not drunk, but many of the women's cheeks were red and somewhat drunk.
This kind of banquet usually did not end with the banquet. When the cups and plates were in a mess, the servants and maids would remove the cups and plates and replace them with drinks, fruits, preserved fruits, and snacks. They would set up a few tables. These princesses and jungles would gather together according to their age and familiarity with each other to play leaf games, play mahjong, and throw dice.
There were also people who ran to the side of the forest to play on swings and catch butterflies. They were all young women. Li Qianli and Prince Consort Wu had agreed to go fishing by the pond. Li Chengqi and Li Zhongrun, two young men of similar age, had similar interests and also gathered together. They walked around the pond and quietly chatted.
Princess Taiping signaled Yang Fan with her eyes, and then leisurely walked into the forest. Today was a symbolic day for the Li family to "come out of the mountains." Taiping was extremely excited and drank a few more cups during the banquet. At this time, she was a bit drunk. Her face was flushed and her eyes were misty.
Yang Fan knew she had something to say. He first held his hands behind his back and wandered in the forest for a while before walking toward where Princess Taiping was standing. Taiping was standing on a tall pavilion in the forest. The wind in the forest blew, causing her clothes to flutter. It was as if she was about to fly away.
At this time, the weather was a bit hot, but once he entered the forest, it was incomparably cool. Yang Fan took a deep breath and slowly walked up the tall pavilion. There was a stone table in the pavilion with a lacquer plate on the table and a pot of sour plum soup. There were a few exquisite white porcelain bowls. Two of them were already filled with sour plum soup. The soup in the bowls was like amber.
Taiping looked back and said with a smile, "Do you want a drink to quench your thirst and sober up?"
Yang Fan picked up a bowl of sour plum soup that no one had touched and took a sip. He shook his head and put it down. "I'm not thirsty. This sweet and sour taste doesn't suit my taste."
Taiping smiled, still standing with her hands clasped behind her back. Standing in the pavilion, she looked over the treetops at Li Chengqi and Li Zhongrun who were walking side by side around the lake, chatting as they walked. She said cheerfully, "Erlang, today … I'm really happy!"
Yang Fan shook his head and said with a smile, "His Majesty has already made his intentions very clear by taking the Prince of Luling back to the palace. Why do you need to test him?"
Taiping sweetly said, "I knew I couldn't hide it from you. You saw through it?"
Saying so, she walked back to the table and sat down. As she reached out to pick up the sour plum soup, she suddenly noticed the cup in front of Yang Fan. Because he had already taken a sip, the rim of the cup was slightly red. Taiping smiled and put down the cup in front of her. She picked up Yang Fan's bowl of sour plum soup and took a few sips before gently pushing it back in front of Yang Fan.
Yang Fan immediately turned his head to look around as a reminder. Taiping rolled her eyes at him and said coquettishly, "Coward!"
Yang Fan rubbed his nose and could only smile bitterly.
Taiping said, "Queen Mother seems to have made up her mind, but I'm afraid a long delay will bring many dreams. This matter has to be pushed forward as soon as possible. Only when the wood has been unturned can I be at ease. You don't know this, but recently Wu Sansi and Wu Chengsi have frequently come to the palace to see Her Majesty. Queen Mother is old and her thoughts often change three times a day. I'm afraid she will be persuaded by the Wu clan and suffer another setback. "
Yang Fan pondered for a moment and asked, "Mm! Then after today, this signal has been sent. What do you plan to do next? "
Taiping said, "Next, I want to organize a palace banquet. I want Queen Mother to attend, and I want my two imperial brothers to attend!"
Yang Fan thought for a moment, then said, "That's not very appropriate. Even if you don't invite all the princes of the Wu clan, Prince Liang and Prince Wei should still attend."
Taiping frowned, finding it hard to conceal his disgust. But then he thought better of it and clapped his hands in praise. "Not bad! A little impatience will spoil great plans. We should invite the two of them to attend as well. "
Yang Fan said, "As long as His Majesty attends …"
Taiping said, "Then the seats have been arranged!"
Yang Fan said, "The Prince of Xiang can use this opportunity to resign from the position of Crown Prince!"
Taiping said, "The officials are trying to figure out His Majesty's intentions, so we can strike while the iron is hot and request that Luling be made Crown Prince!"
The two looked at each other and smiled. Nothing needed to be said.
After smiling for a while, Taiping suddenly asked, "I heard that your people caused a disturbance in the Ministry of Revenue?"
Yang Fan also stopped smiling and sighed, "Yes, I understand! For some reason, the Lord of Hanoi has repeatedly made things difficult for me. He incited the Ministry of Revenue to make an appearance, so I had no choice but to go to the Ministry of Revenue. Fortunately, it was the Ministry of Revenue that made an appearance. Otherwise, an inexperienced Thousand-Rider General like me really wouldn't be able to do anything to the Lord of Hanoi. "
Taiping's black brows slightly creased. "Wu Yizong must have a goal in doing this. Could it be that he wants to suppress you and place his people in your Thousand-Rider Army?"
Yang Fan said, "Not yet. I haven't seen him give any hints, just like a mad dog making things difficult for no reason. I truly can't bear it."
Taiping warned, "No matter what, you cannot directly clash with him. His surname is Wu, and he controls the Golden Guards and all the soldiers stationed around the capital. From this, one can see how much importance Mother places on him. If the two of you become incompatible like fire and water, the one Mother will definitely abandon will be you, not him! Although Wu Sansi has the intention of roping you in, if he has to choose between Wu Yizong and you, the one who will win in the end will be him. "
Yang Fan said, "I understand! So, I have already thought of a way to deal with his current difficulties. As for the future, I have found a meat shield that voluntarily comes to my door. Moreover, he is the only meat shield that can block Wu Yizong's open spear and hidden arrows for me in the entire court! "
Taiping's eyes widened, and she blurted out, "Second Zhang?"
Yang Fan clapped his hands and laughed, "Clever!"
Yang Fan recounted how Zhang Yizhi and his brother used the Imperial Treasury Temple to pressure him, and how he pushed the boat with the current and agreed to let Lu Maofeng join the Thousand-Rider Army. Taiping happily said, "Brilliant. In the future, when it comes to matters related to the Wu family, you can push this Lu Maofeng up. Behind him is Second Zhang, and this is one thing to conquer another. Oh yes, what do you think is the way to deal with Wu Yizong's current difficulties? "
Yang Fan said, "I originally wanted to ask for your help on this matter. After Second Zhang came to my door, I wanted to ask them to step in, but I didn't expect to receive your invitation. I think there is no need to specifically find them, and it is better to ask you to step in."
Yang Fan explained his idea, and Taiping thought about it carefully, then said, "This is a very clever idea, but it is not appropriate for me to step in. It is fine for me to help you, but it is best for Second Zhang to step in. Their positions are aloof, and they are most trusted by the Empress. You don't need to ask them, when Lu Maofeng arrives, you can just leave this matter to him! "
Yang Fan slapped his forehead and said, "That's right! How could I have forgotten about him, I will leave this matter to him. "
Taiping's eyes suddenly flickered, and he gently stood up again, turned around and walked to the side of the pavilion, looking towards it. Yang Fan was feeling strange when he heard the rustling of leaves behind him, and the sound of two girls laughing could be heard.
"Gu Gu, Colonel Yang … General Yang!"
Yang Fan turned his head to look, and saw two girls walking out from the forest like brushing the willows. The one in front was petite and dainty, with a snow-white oval face. She waved a flower in her hand, and greeted them with a smile, it was Li Guo 'er. The one behind was a head taller than her, with an oval face, smiling eyes and thin eyebrows, she was gentle and generous, but he had never seen her before.
Taiping turned around to take a look, and said with a smile, "Oh, it is Xianhui and Guo 'er, your sisters are boating on the pond, why did you come here?"
Li Xianhui was gentle and shy, and did not dare to speak in front of this aunt that she was not very familiar with. When she heard this, she replied in a soft voice, "Niece is going to the pavilion to play on the swing."
Li Guo 'er said, "I was thirsty after catching butterflies just now, it is shady here, let me rest!"
Li Xianhui walked around the pavilion and joined the line of people playing on the swing. Li Guo 'er, on the other hand, skipped into the pavilion and sat down on the stone table. She threw the flower on the table, and waved her handkerchief in the wind. She was not just making up an excuse when she said it was a little hot, her face was red from running, and there was indeed some juice on her forehead.
With the Princess by his side, Yang Fan could not turn a blind eye. He reluctantly said a few words to her, then naturally stood up and walked to Taiping's side.
The two of them stood side by side, looking at the edge of the pond, and saw a few princesses chatting happily with Ru Mei and a few other internal court officials. Yang Fan said, "Master Ru Mei's singing can be said to be the best, and Master Li's Hu Jia is also the best. As for Master Xiang's singing and dancing, I feel that it is not as wonderful as the song Your Highness and Shangguan Daizhi performed by the Yi Que River."
Princess Taiping smiled and said, "General Yang is too kind. I am only good at a song. Master Xiang is the best dancer in the palace. He is skilled in all kinds of dances, and his skills are very exquisite."
Yang Fan was about to speak when he suddenly felt a blow on the back of his head. It was light and soft, but it was clear that he had been hit by something. Yang Fan turned his body sideways and coughed. He turned his head to look and saw a flower the size of a teacup on the ground. He looked at the stone table again and saw Li Guo 'er sitting there, holding a flower in her hand and another flower in her hand. She was looking at him provocatively.
Yang Fan glared at her fiercely, but Guo 'er was not the least bit afraid. She even made a face at him. Seeing that Yang Fan was looking at her, she picked up the bowl of sour plum soup in front of Yang Fan and purposely turned the bowl to the spot where Yang Fan had drunk from. She opened her small mouth and very slowly and seductively moved her red lips to the bowl.
The small porcelain bowl was slowly tipped over and the amber-like juice entered her mouth. Li Guo 'er smiled and stuck out the tip of her thin and tender red tongue. She gently licked her thin and tender and charming lips, her flirting was overflowing.
The pavilion was cool and shaded, but Yang Fan felt like he was about to sweat. Li Guo 'er was fully aware of his relationship with Princess Taiping, yet she still dared to tease him so openly. Yang Fan was already twenty-six or twenty-seven years old. He was a person who had mingled in the army and the yamen. His temperament had gradually become more mature. His mentality was not something that those young men and women who did not care about the situation and consequences could compare to.
Li Guo 'er's frivolous and bold behavior, if it was a frivolous young man, perhaps he would find it amusing. However, Yang Fan only felt even more disgusted. He coughed once again and said to Princess Taiping, "It seems that Your Highness is slightly tipsy. Would you like to drink some sour plum soup?"
Princess Taiping nodded and smiled, "General Yang, please help yourself. I am not thirsty!"
Yang Fan nodded. He turned around and walked to the stone table and sat down. Li Guo 'er was still swaying her flower branch as if nothing had happened. However, she quietly pushed the bowl of soup that she had just drunk a few mouthfuls back to Yang Fan. Her eyes were charming and her lips were smiling. Her face was full of mischief.
"Pow!" A crisp sound was heard from the pavilion. Princess Taiping heard the sound and turned around. Guo 'er gently stroked her tender cheek. Yang Fan said nonchalantly, "There's a mosquito!"
Princess Taiping had just turned around when another crisp sound was heard from the pavilion. She turned around and saw that Yang Fan was about to drink. Li Guo 'er smiled brightly, "I killed it!"
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