Chapter 24

Ten days later, the capital was a scene of celebration, for it was the fiftieth birthday of Emperor Li Su. The emperor announced a general amnesty, and the whole country rejoiced. Scholars, merchants, and nobles came to the capital to pay their respects, so much so that a long line formed in front of the gate of the capital for several days.

　　On the day of his birthday, Li Su rode his majestic horse and toured the capital surrounded by officials. Along the way, the people knelt down to greet him and kowtowed to him to wish him a long life. The eunuchs and maids who accompanied him kindly distributed all kinds of cakes carefully prepared by the imperial kitchen in the palace to the people. For the poor people, this was a delicacy they would never have the chance to enjoy in their lifetime. Therefore, the people who received the food were all happy and grateful to Li Su for his imperial carriage.

　　Li Su was riding on his horse, enjoying the congratulatory messages and the celebratory sounds of firecrackers and drums. He felt that all the boredom he had felt in the past short period of time had been swept away. Daliang was temporarily peaceful, the country was rich and the people were strong. Although Li Su was not the greatest emperor in history, he was diligent and conscientious during his reign, and his performance was remarkable. Now that he had dealt with the prince who wanted to usurp the throne, what else did he have to worry about? Li Su convinced himself in this way, and felt much better.

　　After a day of parading, night fell, and the evening show was even more exciting.

　　The palace was brightly lit tonight, and the emperor was hosting a banquet for his ministers in the Weiyang Palace. From Lingtian Gate to Qutian Gate, the road was decorated with lanterns and colorful lights, and officials from all over the country built colorful longevity tents to celebrate Li Su's birthday. Each tent was decorated with precious silk and gems. All kinds of longevity banners could be seen everywhere in the palace, with officials from all over the country writing various words of praise.

　　The birthday banquet was about to begin, and the front of the Yangxin Hall was already crowded with people. Central government officials, provincial governors, princes, generals and ministers could be seen everywhere, and those who were friends or acquaintances could not help but greet and exchange pleasantries at the entrance of the hall, so for a while, there was a lot of noise and excitement.

　　"Oh, isn't this the Prime Minister?"

　　"Mr. Deloitte, you are here!"

　　Suddenly, there was a small commotion at the entrance of the palace. It turned out that a heavyweight figure, Deloitte's Dong Xiuzhu, had arrived. The old prime minister had rarely appeared in public recently, and he could only be seen at such a rare event.

　　Beside Dong Xiuzhu, the beautiful wife of the prime minister was also quite eye-catching. Dong Lihua was wearing an ivory white dress with scattered flowers and a butterfly-patterned cicada-wing gauze. Her tall and plump breasts were bulging in front of her chest, as if they were about to burst at any time. She had a nine-bun bun on her head, which was the most charming mature woman. She wore a pair of jade willow-leaf earrings on her ears, which made her already pretty and charming face even more exquisite. She was like a peach blossom in spring, full of the charm of a mature woman. She stood beside her husband, Mr. Deqin, smiling sweetly, and bowed to the guests who came to greet her from time to time, often making the people around her a little stunned and fascinated by the mature woman's charm.

　　Compared with her, Prime Minister Deqin was inevitably a little old. Dong Xiuzhu wore a formal dark blue five-dragon robe, with gray hair and wrinkles on his face. He looked nothing like the husband of the charming beauty beside him, but more like a father and daughter. Although it seemed normal for a powerful prime minister to marry a beautiful wife who was much younger than himself, only Dong Xiuzhu himself understood how painful it was to have a wife in her prime years who demanded everything and he was powerless to do anything.

　　While Dong Xiuzhu was daydreaming, there was a small commotion among the crowd in front of him.

　　"His Highness the Crown Prince is here too!"

　　The people who were originally crowded in front of the prime minister and his wife made way for them and bowed respectfully to Li Que. You have to know that these people are all very important figures outside the palace. In the current Daliang Dynasty, apart from the emperor, the only one who can have such power is Li Que, the newly ascended prince.

　　"Ah, old Prime Minister, it's so hard to see you!"

　　Li Que was in high spirits. He took a few quick steps forward, shook Dong Xiuzhu's hand and greeted her warmly.

　　"Haha, Your Highness, you are so kind, so kind!"

　　The smile on Dong Xiuzhu's face almost wiped out all the wrinkles. Li Que gave him enough face in front of everyone, which made him feel very happy.

　　At this time, he was secretly admiring his wife's wisdom. His help to Li Que at the critical moment almost made him immediately secure his political position. Whether in this dynasty or in the future when the new emperor ascends the throne, he, Duke Deqin, will always stand firm and live the rest of his life in peace and contentment. This is already a perfect ending for a politician.

　　"I haven't seen you for a long time. The Prime Minister's wife is still as radiant as ever, like a fairy in a painting!"

　　After exchanging a few words with Deloitte, Li Que immediately turned to Dong Lihua and shook her hand affectionately.

　　"I greet His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

　　Dong Lihua was so happy to see Li Que being so unscrupulous in public. But she was also happy that Li Que had not forgotten her after the success, so she looked at him with charming eyes, bowed gracefully, and greeted Li Que in a soft and tender voice. When their eyes met, there was already an ambiguous meaning.

　　The Daliang Kingdom has strict etiquette and the concept of not touching each other is deeply rooted in people's minds. It is rude to grab the hands of other women. But the people around seemed to have seen nothing and wisely turned their eyes away.

　　Under normal circumstances, even if you are the crown prince, molesting the prime minister's wife in public would definitely be an act of self-destruction.

　　The ministers would never allow him to do whatever he wants. But the key point is that Li Que is not an ordinary prince now. He is a prince who has just quelled a rebellion and has a large army. In this way, the situation is very intriguing.

　　It can be said that Li Que is now the backbone of the capital. If he wants to usurp the throne, it is as easy as taking something out of a bag. But at present, no one can guess what Li Que is thinking. From his enthusiasm in arranging a birthday banquet for his father, it seems that he is not in a hurry to bear the infamy for the sake of momentary pleasure, but wants to be the regent for a few years in peace and wait for his father to grow old.

　　No matter what Li Que thought, the ministers' attitude towards him was destined not to be the attitude towards a prince, but the attitude towards a real ruler. Then in the Liang Dynasty, where the monarch was arbitrary and dictatorial, how could ordinary etiquette be effective for a ruler? The fact that the prince liked mature women and married women had gradually become an open secret. Naturally, no one dared to interfere with the prince's behavior, and even the prime minister was powerless to resist.

　　It is even more exaggerated to say that if the prince made a request, countless officials would rush to offer their wives to him! This is just the style of politicians.

　　As for Dong Xiuzhu, he was also shocked by the scene before him. At first, boundless anger had filled his chest. He wanted to rush up and grab the prince's collar with his old hands to ask him what his intention was, and curse him for treating a minister who had made great contributions to him like this. But the reactions of the people around him were like a bucket of cold water poured over his head. After the initial anger, he immediately realized that he must not act impulsively.

　　Then human nature made him start to make excuses for himself: Maybe His Royal Highness just wanted to be more friendly to Lihua in order to win me over? How could I question him casually? Besides, Lihua was old enough to be His Royal Highness's mother, so how could the prince have any romantic feelings for her? I must have thought too much!

　　Poor old prime minister, he had been ill recently and had missed a lot of the latest news in the capital, so he was completely unaware of Li Que's hobby. After these explanations, although Dong Xiuzhu was still in turmoil, he still forced a smile on the surface and happily watched Li Que "show concern" to Dong Lihua.

　　Li Que and Dong Lihua were flirting with each other, and he almost put his hand on the prime minister's wife's waist. He glanced at Dong Xiuzhu's reaction, then withdrew his hand and said to Dong Xiuzhu in a pretentious manner: "Oh, look at me, I'm so reckless again. It's really that the prime minister's wife is too much like my wet nurse. Every time I see her, I feel close to her. For a moment, I was a little out of control. Prime Minister, you don't mind, right?"

　　To say that Li Que said this was not pure nonsense. Li Que couldn't let go of Dong Lihua's big breasts, so of course he wanted to treat her as a wet nurse and drink her milk every day. But Dong Xiuzhu naturally couldn't hear the deep meaning of this. How could he know that, let alone a wet nurse, even his stepmother and biological mother had been slept with by this kid!

　　After Li Que finished saying these words which were obviously lacking in sincerity, he stared at Dong Xiuzhu, observing his reaction.

　　"Uh… So that's the case…"

　　Dong Xiuzhu stuttered, his intuition told him that what Li Que said just now was not true, but this explanation was indeed reasonable. He instinctively hoped that this was true, so that he would not have to worry about it. "Your Highness the Crown Prince can't help himself, and it is understandable. But I rarely leave the mansion and have never seen the world, so I am afraid that I may offend you. Please don't be offended."

　　After saying that, Dong Xiuzhu looked at his wife eagerly. As a man, he naturally thought it was better for his wife to have contact with Li Queshao. He said this to hint Dong Lihua to find an excuse to get away.

　　But Dong Lihua didn't seem to understand her husband's meaning at all, and instead held Li Que's hand more enthusiastically: "Yes, when I saw His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, I felt an indescribable intimacy, as if I had seen those boys at home!"

　　So Li Que took the opportunity to say, "Since Madam and I are so compatible, I wonder if the Prime Minister would be willing to let Madam and I enter the palace together. I also happen to have some household matters that I would like to ask Madam for advice."

　　What kind of nonsense is this! How can a couple go to a banquet and let the wife go with another man?

　　Besides, Li Que is a grown man, so how could he ask a woman for advice on household matters!

　　At this point, even if Dong Xiuzhu was a fool, he would completely understand that Li Que did have bad intentions towards his wife.

　　But at this point, he wanted to refuse, but he felt as if he was powerless to speak, and dared not say a word in reply, so he could only continue to look at his wife as if begging for mercy. In his eyes, Dong Lihua has always been dignified and sensible, and knows when to advance and retreat. I think he should have flatly refused at this time.

　　But the reality is cruel. Dong Lihua happily walked forward and stood side by side with Li Que. Li Que then casually bowed to Dong Xiuzhu and walked towards the palace gate with Dong Lihua.

　　Dong Xiuzhu was struck by lightning, and trembled as he watched his wife leave. After walking a few steps, Li Que had already put one hand on Dong Lihua's slender waist, and Dong Lihua also leaned her head on Li Que's chest like a little bird. From time to time, the two of them talked passionately with their lips and ears close to each other, and their expressions were extremely intimate.

　　The old prime minister could still see Li Que's big hands quietly moving down, pinching Dong Lihua's swaying buttocks from time to time, which would immediately arouse his wife's bell-like giggles, which were like sharp swords piercing his eardrums. This was not an attitude towards a wet nurse, but clearly flirting with a married woman in public.

　　Dong Xiuzhu was about to collapse from the shame of his wife flirting with another man in front of him. He glanced at the long sword on the waist of a palace guard next to him, and the scene of pulling it out and throwing it at the couple had already emerged in his mind. At this moment, a hand pressed on his shoulder, which instantly shattered his impulse.

　　"Your Excellency the Prime Minister has been in office for many years. I think he should have an extraordinary understanding of the art of forbearance."

　　Dong Xiuzhu looked back in astonishment and saw that it was Chen Ying, the favorite of the prince. Chen Ying was not a prominent figure in the capital city where high-ranking officials were everywhere, but now he had become the object of everyone's flattery due to his relationship with Li Que. The Taiwei, who was originally a member of the prince's party, had been imprisoned, and it was said that this position had been internally designated for Chen Ying. It can be said that this young man had become a hot figure in the capital city during this period of time.

　　Dong Xiuzhu looked at this junior whom he originally looked down upon and didn't know how to respond.

　　Chen Ying smiled and looked up in the direction where Li Que and Dong Lihua left. Mrs. Dong's graceful back immediately reminded him of the spring scenery he saw in Dong's house that day, and he couldn't help but feel agitated for a moment. Chen Ying thought that he had never been interested in women, but the beautiful scenery he caught a glimpse of that day made him unforgettable. It was precisely because he deeply appreciated Dong Lihua's beauty that he could understand Dong Xiuzhu's feeling of being deprived of beautiful things at this moment.

　　So he patted Mr. Deqin's shoulder again in a comforting manner: "Old Prime Minister, I understand your feelings. Although we are not close friends, I will reveal some news to you today."

　　Chen Ying leaned over to Dong Xiuzhu and whispered, "This Daliang is about to change!"

　　"What!"

　　Dong Xiuzhu shuddered all over and looked at Chen Ying in disbelief.

　　Chen Ying looked at Dong Xiuzhu with some sympathy: "Well, the prince has already made a plan, but he will not force it this time. He is prepared to solve it without fighting. His Highness has already informed the main officials in the capital. As for you, the prince has blocked the news from you because of your wife. Today's move is just a test!"

　　As Li Que's confidant, Chen Ying naturally saw all of this clearly. His suggestions immediately made Dong Xiuzhu understand many things.

　　"So, Mr. Deloitte, I have to advise you that you are already old and you don't have to suffer because of a woman... I am not much older, I believe you can understand." Chen Ying said again.

　　After hearing what Chen Ying said, Prime Minister Dong Xiuzhu seemed to have lost all his vitality and became depressed. If he was just in a mixed state of anger, annoyance, unwillingness, and confusion, then now that he understood all of this, he no longer had any intention of resisting. If it was really like what Chen Ying said, that man was going to ascend to the throne, what would a mere woman mean to him?

　　But that was his wife who had been with him through thick and thin. Although they were an old man and a young wife, she had always been dignified and virtuous, and the two of them treated each other with respect, which was once a good story. But now he seemed to not recognize this wife. She could throw herself into the arms of a young man without caring about others. This was really...

　　Chen Ying watched Dong Xiuzhu's expression constantly changing, veins popping out of his hands, and he was obviously having a complicated psychological struggle. He shook his head, and that was all he could do, so he left without making a sound.

　　On the other hand, Li Que and Dong Lihua were having a hot affair.

　　"Good Highness, why are you so bold today? Although the old man is useless, he still has many connections inside and outside the court. Aren't you afraid..."

　　Dong Lihua pressed close to Li Que, and the intoxicating scent of the mature, noble and beautiful woman on her body made Li Que's heart and soul restless.

　　"Women's opinions! I did this today just to test his reaction. I was observing his expression just now, and he was quite tolerant. If he can't even bear the humiliation today and takes some extreme actions, then I will face even more obstacles in the future if I want to be with you. In this case, I will have to consider whether to get rid of him. But if he endures it today, it will be natural for us to make further demands in the future."

　　Li Que grabbed Dong Lihua's breasts as if to satisfy his craving.

　　"Hey, be careful!"

　　The skirt Dong Lihua was wearing today was a little low-cut, and when it was torn, most of her breasts were exposed. She quickly adjusted her bra, and when she looked around and saw that no one noticed the situation here, she breathed a sigh of relief.

　　Li Que's eyes flashed with rage when he saw this: "Madam, have you missed me these days?"

　　Dong Lihua smiled sweetly and said, "I do want to, but the thought of it makes me feel thirsty. Your Highness is not here, so I have to continue to use my zither boy to quench my thirst."

　　After hearing this, Li Que's mind flashed with the image of the skinny little musical boy struggling to move on Dong Lihua's mature body, and his penis under his crotch even stood up.

　　He said with excitement and jealousy: "How can I let a servant touch the woman I used before! No, I have to get you to my side as soon as possible!"

　　Dong Lihua was overjoyed when she heard this. She dreamed of living in a magnificent palace with a group of servants serving her. Although Prime Minister Deqin was powerful, he was only a minister after all, and he was also a relatively honest official. Life in the Prime Minister's Mansion was really monotonous and poor, which could not satisfy Dong Lihua's heart that was unwilling to be lonely.

　　So she hugged Li Que and said coquettishly: "My prince! My dear! If you can take me into the palace, I will naturally be yours alone, why would I look for anyone else!"

　　Li Que felt the plump and attractive body in his arms, and he was quite tempted. While he was thinking about it, a black shadow suddenly appeared in front of them and blocked the two of them.

　　Li Que was immediately furious. After all, he was flirting with someone else's wife in public, which was somewhat shameful. People around him who knew what was going on would not come near him at all, but he didn't know who was so blind.

　　"It seems that His Highness and the Prime Minister's wife have a close relationship!"

　　A loud and clear female voice came.

　　When Li Que raised his head, he saw a beautiful woman with anger and resentment in front of him. It was his godmother, Grand Marshal Min Rou!

　　Min Rou was not wearing any weapons today, but she also did not wear a skirt. Instead, she wore a plain, narrow-sleeved, stand-up collared midi dress. Her smooth hair fell down like a stream of water, and a jeweled hairpin was inserted between her long black hair. This outfit perfectly embellished her naturally heroic spirit with a hint of femininity. Coupled with her extremely exaggerated curves, she looked plump and sexy, but not vulgar, which was a fatal attraction for every man.

　　"Godmother...Marshal Min."

　　He was flirting with another woman but was caught by Min Rou. Even though Li Que was thick-skinned enough, he still felt a little embarrassed.

　　But he soon discovered that Min Rou's attention was not on him, but was staring at Dong Lihua beside him.

　　"I have long heard that the Prime Minister's wife is extremely beautiful, well-educated, polite, and virtuous. The saying in the capital is 'one should marry a wife like Dong Lihua'. Seeing her today, it is indeed true."

　　Min Rou ignored Li Que and spoke to Dong Lihua with a forced smile, the sarcasm in her words was obvious.

　　As one of Li Que's solid backers, Min Rou naturally knew about Dong Lihua's existence and knew that she was also one of Li Que's important helpers. However, from a woman's perspective, she could not have any good feelings towards Dong Lihua.

　　Now that the overall situation has been determined, she has to consider her future as a woman.

　　If there were only her and Su Yuexin around Li Que, they would be the only ones to have all of Li Que's love, and they would be favored forever, and there would be no conflict between them. But if Dong Lihua came in, Li Que's love would be divided again. Moreover, she saw that Dong Lihua was as pretty as peaches and plums, and she was a natural beauty. She was probably very good at seducing men. She dared to flirt with Li Que in public. If she was allowed to enter the palace in the future, she didn't know what would happen. Min Rou was originally straightforward and dissatisfied, so she naturally wouldn't have a good face for the two of them.

　　"Oh, isn't this Marshal Min Rou? I didn't expect you to be the Crown Prince's godmother. What a deep mother-son relationship!"

　　Dong Lihua was such a smart woman that she could guess the real relationship between Li Que and Min Rou based on her facial expression when Li Que just let it slip. So Dong Lihua was not to be outdone and emphasized the word "do".

　　This made Min Rou even more angry. She was born a warrior and was not good at speaking. She felt embarrassed and angry, and her face turned red.

　　Li Que secretly felt a headache. He had been hanging around with several beautiful women, but this was the first time he encountered such a situation. However, he thought that if he ascended the throne in the future, he would have to learn how to deal with these things, so he boldly pulled Min Rou over.

　　"Ah, what are you doing!?"

　　Min Rou cried out softly, and felt her small waist being tightly embraced by Li Que. She was horrified, "Let go quickly, there are so many people watching!"

　　"Don't worry, godmother. Even if they knew about our relationship, what would happen?"

　　Li Que smiled, turned around and kissed Min Rou and Dong Lihua on the face, "You two are both my women, you must get along well with each other and not have any disputes, got it?"

　　Now both girls blushed and leaned against Li Que in silence.

　　Li Que thought he had succeeded, and a satisfied smile appeared on his face. However, he did not notice that the two women in his arms were still staring at each other, neither of them willing to give in.

　　Dong Lihua and Min Rou were both mature and beautiful women who had experienced a lot of life, and they were both of noble status and looked down upon others. I am afraid they themselves could not have imagined that one day they would be jealous of a young man who was only young enough to be their son. I don't know whether to sigh that Li Que was so lucky or sympathize with him for not being able to enjoy the blessing of having so many beautiful women.

　　Those who were interested were shocked when they saw this scene. In the past, they only knew that Min Rou and Li Que were close friends, but they didn't expect that they were already lovers. The prince embraced such a beautiful mature woman, which was equivalent to embracing 300,000 elite soldiers stationed outside the capital! On the other side, the prime minister's wife also threw herself into Li Que's arms, while Lord Deqin just watched coldly, and his expression did not show his anger. Does it mean that he has completely surrendered to the new prince?

　　What did Li Que's unscrupulous behavior represent? Everyone was shocked. Naturally, some people secretly cursed the man and the two women for being shameless and violating etiquette, but no matter what, no one dared to openly offend Li Que.

　　This episode before the birthday banquet did not cause any ripples, and most officials did not realize what had happened. While chatting and laughing, everyone went into the hall and took their seats. Min Rou sat next to Li Que, and Dong Lihua was finally put back by Li Que to Deqin Gong. After all, he was not the emperor yet, so he could not go too far.

　　The emperor's birthday banquet was not like the birthdays of ordinary people, where they just had a lively meal and were done with it.

　　The Daliang etiquette had strict requirements for the emperor's birthday banquet. Therefore, there were many ceremonies and congratulatory speeches at the beginning, making the whole birthday banquet grand and majestic.

　　Emperor Li Su, wearing a nine-dragon golden robe, sat in the center of the hall, showing the aura of an emperor. Next to him, today's queen Su Yuexin was particularly dignified and generous, with the demeanor of a queen mother. The couple looked respectful and harmonious, proclaiming the stability and harmony within the royal family.

　　With the end of the opening ceremony, the entire birthday banquet ushered in the first highlight - presenting birthday gifts.

　　Amid the resounding calls of the eunuchs in charge throughout the Hall of Mental Cultivation, one rare treasure after another was carried before the emperor.

　　The donor would personally explain to the emperor the uniqueness and symbolic meaning of each gift, and then wait for the emperor's comments.

　　Among them, the most outstanding one is the blue and white longevity porcelain vase with 10,000 different forms of the seal character "Shou" written on the entire vase with blue and white glaze, which means "longevity".

　　There are ivory-carved dragon boats with a group of immortals celebrating birthdays, and golden ruyi woven with gold threads, on which are carved elephants carrying treasure vases, pine branches and dragon patterns, symbolizing peace, longevity and good fortune.

　　In short, officials from all over the country racked their brains and came up with unique ideas just to please the emperor.

　　Li Su looked at the birthday gift full of jewels and precious stones and smiled even more happily.

　　Finally, it was the prince's turn to present birthday gifts to the emperor, which has always been one of the biggest highlights of the birthday banquet.

　　Li Que then stepped out respectfully with a smile on his face and waved his hand toward the people below, who then brought something to him.

　　Everyone's eyes were focused on the object. It was square, four inches in diameter, with five dragons on the top and eight seal characters "Received the Mandate from Heaven, Long Live and Prosper" engraved on the front. The whole object was crystal clear, with a faint light emanating from it. If you looked at it for a long time, your eyes would feel burned.

　　"This is... the Imperial Seal that has been lost for over 800 years!"

　　Just as everyone was marveling at the scene, an old man suddenly fell to the ground and screamed.

　　The whole audience was shocked! Throughout the dynasties, the imperial seal symbolized the royal power, but there was only one thing that could be called the "imperial seal". That was the imperial seal that the First Emperor ordered his Prime Minister Li Si to carve out of the priceless rare Heshi Bi a thousand years ago.

　　In the past, anyone who ascended the throne without this seal was considered to be illegitimate. However, during the change of dynasties 800 years ago, this seal mysteriously disappeared. So for hundreds of years, there has been a saying that once someone obtains this seal, it symbolizes that he has been appointed by heaven and will surely rule the world and create a prosperous era!

　　Just when everyone, including Emperor Li Su, was immersed in shock, Li Que said loudly to the audience at the right time: "A few days ago, I suddenly felt depressed and couldn't fall asleep at night, so I got up and went to the backyard to observe the sky. I saw a strange light rising up from the well, and the light pointed to where five stars gathered. It was really a wonder that had not been seen for a hundred years. When the light dissipated during the day, I looked in the well and saw this thing lying at the bottom of the well. The water in the well had already dried up."

　　After Li Que finished his speech, the whole audience fell silent.

　　This celestial phenomenon of five stars gathering together has always symbolized one thing, that is, the change of monarch, the rise of a new king, and the emergence of a great man in the world. Li Que not only witnessed this celestial phenomenon, but also happened to discover the imperial seal that symbolizes the supreme imperial power. Does this indicate...

　　Emperor Li Su had obviously also thought about this matter. His chest was heaving violently, and it was obvious that he was very uneasy.

　　At this time, Li Que suddenly changed the subject and knelt down and said, "I think that the appearance of this imperial seal must be a great auspicious call. It symbolizes that Daliang is about to usher in an eternal prosperity. So I present this item to my father, and I only hope that Daliang will last for thousands of years and forever!"

　　Li Que's words immediately resolved the strange atmosphere on the scene, and everyone knelt down facing Li Su, wishing Daliang prosperity. Li Su's face lightened up a little, but everyone could see that he was no longer as cheerful as he was at the beginning of the birthday banquet.

　　In fact, everyone present could notice that Li Que did not mention Li Su in his speech, but only Daliang. But this Daliang was not Li Su's Daliang, but the Li family's Daliang. Even if someone with the surname Li became emperor, Daliang would still be Daliang. Moreover, it was Li Que himself who picked up the jade seal.

　　So what exactly is Li Que's intention in doing this? It is very intriguing.

　　The birthday gifts presented by other officials afterwards made everyone present realize that something was wrong.

　　There were wordless heavenly books brought by phoenixes, strange beasts in the mountains that looked like the mythical beast Qilin, and ancient characters on stones... Many strange objects that could not possibly appear under normal circumstances were placed one by one in front of Emperor Li Su. Every time one of them appeared, everyone was amazed, but the emperor's face became darker and darker. Because the signs of these things all pointed to one thing, that is, the change of the country's master!

　　Were all these officials deliberately instructed by his son? Li Su was unwilling to explain this, but were there really so many coincidences in the world? Was it really that God was hinting at something to him?

　　No! Li Su roared unwillingly in his heart, Impossible, I will definitely sit on this throne as long as I am alive. If you want to grab it, you must raise an army to take it with a bad reputation, and never expect me to give it up on my own initiative! Li Su stared at his son Li Que and thought silently.

　　In such a strange atmosphere, the birthday banquet still reached its climax.

　　Countless delicacies from the mountains and the sea were brought to the tables of the guests by the palace maids in a line, and pots of carefully brewed wine exuded a rich aroma. The whole audience was toasting and laughing, and officials kept standing up to toast the emperor. Although the emperor Li Su felt a lump in his throat, he had to force a smile and thanked and praised every birthday wisher.

　　The guests toasted each other and chatted. For a moment, the sound of wine glasses clinking, mixed with the voices of the crowd and the crisp sound of silver chopsticks hitting dishes, blended into a cheerful melody.

　　"Que'er, you are really good at playing with your hands!"

　　As the Grand Marshal, Min Rou was naturally persuaded to drink by everyone. Even though she could hold her liquor well, her face was already flushed after a few rounds, exuding the intoxicating beauty of a mature woman. "Did you ask someone to forge the imperial seal, or did you discover it by accident?"

　　"Godmother, it doesn't matter anymore."

　　Li Que smiled, and one hand quietly lifted the corner of Min Rou's clothes from the bottom and pressed on her smooth, elastic belly.

　　Under Li Que's kneading, Min Rou seemed even more amorous, weak and powerless, almost falling into her godson's arms: "Stop it, this is a party!"

　　Min Rou pushed Li Que, sat up straight, and said sternly, "I just saw your Majesty's expression, it is indeed quite ugly, but if you say that these two moves will make him waver and give up the throne obediently, I don't think it is possible."

　　"Indeed, Father has been the emperor for so many years, how could he be willing to step down so easily when he is old? So what I just said was just a prelude. I will give him another strong dose of medicine later, which will definitely make his defense collapse!"

　　Li Que picked up the wine glass and said confidently.

　　"What exactly do you want to do? Why don't you tell your godmother!" Min Rou said angrily.

　　Li Que did not respond, but suddenly stood up and walked straight towards the emperor and empress.

　　Li Que first exchanged a glance with his mother Su Yuexin. Su Yuexin understood what he meant and smiled brightly at him.

　　So the two of them raised their glasses to the emperor, and Li Que said, "Father, your son and mother would like to toast you together and wish you great fortune and a long life!"

　　After Li Que finished speaking, Su Yuexin lifted her long skirt and walked down the steps to stand with Li Que, holding her son's arm. The Queen had already drunk a lot of wine before, and her fairy-like jade-colored face was now covered with pink clouds, making her look particularly young and beautiful. Standing with Li Que, they didn't look like mother and son at all, but more like a couple toasting their father-in-law.

　　Li Su looked at the two of them deeply. Whenever he saw such a loving scene between mother and son, he would definitely be very happy.

　　But after all these changes, he no longer trusted the people close to him, not to mention that Li Que's performance today had made him suspicious. Therefore, he always felt that this scene was a bit weird.

　　Frowning, Li Su drank the wine anyway and said in a deep voice: "Que'er, I'll say a few more words to you while I'm happy today. You are already the crown prince, and you should take charge of the government. It's your duty to respect your mother, but if you get too close to her, it will inevitably make people feel immature. You should be more careful!"

　　Li Que was disdainful in his heart, but he still said yes respectfully on the surface. Then Li Su criticized Li Que for a long time as if to vent his anger. Li Que became more and more impatient, so he secretly winked at his mother Su Yuexin. Su Yuexin nodded at him, indicating that she understood.

　　So Su Yuexin smiled gently and said, "Que'er, look, Prince Yu and Prince Jin are waiting for you to toast them, go over there quickly!"

　　Li Que received the order, said hello to Li Su, and then turned to leave. Su Yuexin's gentle and virtuous voice came from behind: "Your Majesty, after the banquet today, why don't you go to my Weiyang Palace to sleep? You haven't been here for a long time."

　　Then came Li Su's surprised response, and a mysterious smile appeared on Li Que's face.