The Doctor's Concubine: Don't mess with the evil princess

Chapter 129: Winter Palace Banquet

The emperor frowned slightly, his expression solemn. He glanced at the ministers in the hall and said in a deep voice: "What happened today, my dear ministers have all seen it. The assassination of Prince Tianluo was obviously someone trying to use this to stir up trouble. This matter needs to be handled with caution!"

The ministers nodded one after another, each with their own thoughts in mind. Left Prime Minister Gao Yuanxing stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, this matter is of great importance. The most urgent task is to send a capable person to investigate and give Tianluo a satisfactory answer."

Right Prime Minister Mu Xun also echoed, "Your Majesty, I think we can start from many aspects. We should investigate whether His Royal Highness the Prince of Yan is related to this matter, and also check whether there are other forces deliberately provoking disputes.

Li Zeqi's eyes were indifferent as he swept his gaze across everyone. There was a coldness in his brows. He raised his eyes slightly. Those deep eyes seemed to hide endless secrets, yet it was impossible to peek into them at all.

Someone couldn't help but whisper, "His Royal Highness the Prince of Yan is always so high and mighty, making it difficult for people to get close to him."

"Yes, now that Prince Tianluo's assassination has caused a lot of uproar, he is still so calm and composed, as if everything has nothing to do with him."

Left Prime Minister Gao Yuanxing asked tentatively, "Your Highness Prince Yan, do you have anything to say about the assassination of Prince Tianluo?"

Li Zeqi glanced sideways, his eyes were cold, and his voice was as cold as a spring: "I have nothing to say. I don't bother to explain things that are without evidence."

Li Lingxiao, who had been silent for a long time, said, "The killer committed suicide by taking poison. This is obviously well prepared. This shows that there must be someone else in Liuyue City waiting for an opportunity to strike. This matter should have nothing to do with Fourth Brother!"

The queen had a frown on her face, but her brows relaxed a little after hearing Li Lingxiao's words.

She raised her jade hand and gently smoothed the hair on her temples. Her gaze moved from Li Zeqi to the prince, with a hint of relief in her eyes.

As the queen, she hopes that the prince will demonstrate his brother's generosity and magnanimity while maintaining his dignity as the future crown prince!

Queen Mother Jiang leaned lazily on her chair, her eyes seemingly moving casually over everyone, but there was a hint of subtle cunning hidden in her eyes.

She tilted her head slightly, playing with a string of Buddhist beads in her hand, with a half-smile on her lips, as if she was watching a play. There was a hint of gloating in her eyes. She enjoyed the emperor's troubled look at this moment, as if she saw hope of regaining power.

Her eyes moved around and returned to the front after a moment. She waved her hand gently, signaling the palace maid beside her to add more tea for her. Her behavior showed that she was relaxed and contented, and she was not affected by the tense atmosphere in the palace at all.

The officials' families were whispering to each other below.

Li Lingxiao looked at the emperor calmly and bowed slightly to show the seriousness of his words.

The emperor nodded slightly, looking thoughtful.

At this time, the atmosphere in the hall became even more solemn. The ministers whispered to each other and discussed the prince's words in low voices.

The emperor looked solemn and said in a deep voice: "Today's affairs are over. The winter banquet is over. The concubines and their families can go home."

The concubines looked at each other. The emperor had spoken, so they dared not disobey. Led by the queen, the concubines bowed slightly and said respectfully, "We obey your order."

Afterwards, the concubines, led by the palace maids, slowly left the hall.

The officials' families also bowed and left in a hurry.

Mu Lanfeng also mixed in with the crowd and quietly left Ruiyun Hall.

The hall gradually became quiet, with only court officials and a few princes waiting for the emperor to speak.

Li Zeqi stood on one side of the hall, not too far from the emperor's throne.

The Winter Banquet should have been a time for everyone to gather together and share joy, but now everyone is in panic because of the assassination of Prince Tianluo.

The originally bustling palace was now filled with a tense and depressing atmosphere.

……

Mu Lanfeng followed the families of the various mansions out of the palace. Those people were still discussing the people in the palace. Everyone was still frightened and had different opinions...

She was too lazy to pay attention to it. She knew that there must be many assassins hiding in Liuyue City, waiting for an opportunity and ready to take action at any time.

Just when he was thinking about looking for Xian Chengfeng, he was blocked by a woman: "You are the concubine of the Mu family!"

Mu Lanfeng looked up and saw that the woman was wearing a plain linen robe with a loose style. The collar of the robe was slightly open, revealing a small piece of wheat-colored skin. A brown cloth belt was casually tied around her waist, which did not seem deliberate, but just right to outline her slender waist.

Her hair was tied up casually, with a few strands occasionally blown up by the breeze, making her look more casual. Her face was unmade up, with a hint of heroic spirit between her brows. A dark cloak was draped over her shoulders, fluttering slightly in the wind.

The woman's words were extremely provocative. Mu Lanfeng glanced at the woman and a faint sneer appeared on the corner of his mouth. "So what? Who are you? You blocked my way for no reason. Isn't that too rude?"

Her voice was not loud, but it carried an unquestionable majesty.

The woman was intimidated by Mu Lanfeng's aura. She was slightly startled, but soon returned to her provocative look. "Humph, I am Zheng Wanzhao, the legitimate daughter of the great general who protects the country! I have long heard that the concubines of the Mu family are ignorant of the immensity of heaven and earth. After seeing them today, I find that their reputation is indeed well-deserved."

Upon hearing this, Mu Lanfeng's eyes became even colder.

She knew that Zheng Wanzhao in front of her had fought on the battlefield with her father Zheng Xiuming for many years and had defeated countless enemies. She was one of the few female generals in the history of Longyuan and was named General Zhenxi by the emperor. She was as brave as any man and was as good at fighting as any man. Everyone in Longyuan praised her!

But shouldn't she be guarding the western border at this time?

How did he appear in Liuyue City?

"Major General, so what if she's a legitimate daughter? In this world, what matters is strength, not birth. Did the Major General become the General of Zhenxi just because he is the legitimate daughter of General Zheng?" Mu Lanfeng counterattacked calmly.

"Hmph, you little concubine's daughter, you are indeed eloquent and courageous. This general can sit on the position of the General of Zhenxi because of the long sword in my hand and the passion in my heart. I fought for it on the battlefield with real swords and guns. What does it have to do with my birth? But you, a concubine's daughter, dare to speak nonsense here." Zheng Wanzhao's voice was intimidating without anger, and carried the domineering air of a veteran in the battlefield.

Mu Lanfeng met Zheng Wanzhao's gaze without fear, "What the young general said is very true. In this world, those who are capable occupy the throne. Background is just icing on the cake. Real strength is the foundation for survival. The young general's reputation on the battlefield is well-known to everyone. Seeing it today, it is indeed well-deserved."

Zheng Wanzhao looked at Mu Lanfeng, and became more curious about this concubine's daughter. "You are quite knowledgeable, girl. However, Liuyue City is not a place where a concubine's daughter like you can run wild!"

"Does the emperor know that the young general has not been recalled to Beijing?" Mu Lanfeng asked coldly.

……