Because the Spring Festival was approaching,

Great Yong's vassal states all sent their own envoys, bringing large amounts of congratulatory gifts to the court.

However, they all roughly knew who Great Yong was.

Therefore, regardless of who was truly in charge of Great Yong, no matter the treasures and specialties,

They were all stunning beauties.

The best were all sent to the Xuande Palace Hall first.

"Your Highness, how should the beauties sent by the envoys be settled?" Wang Shun was at a loss for a long time before he couldn't help but ask.

It wasn't like this hadn't happened in the past. The prince didn't care about it, but the emperor had taken a fancy to some.

Generally, the prince would have someone send them directly to the Hall of Political Affairs.

The rest would be settled in a random courtyard.

However, ever since the poisoning incident,

The prince would occasionally visit the rear courtyard. Now, it had become even more desolate than the Cold Palace. Those women also understood the prince's temperament.

Ordinarily, they didn't dare to cause any trouble. Perhaps they still felt indignant, but they could only obediently wait.

The reason Wang Shun emphasized this matter this time was because

It was also because she saw that the prince treated Miss Ah Zhen differently.

He was afraid that he would violate the prince's taboo.

As expected, the prince frowned slightly. "Send them to the Hall of Political Affairs.

The women offered as tribute to the emperor.

Why are they being sent to this prince? "

Wang Shun raised his brows in understanding.

He then asked, "Then should we send back those precious gems as well?"

The prince regent raised his head and glared at him. "This prince has no use for these. Send them to Ah Dan."

Wang Shun lowered his head and muttered, "We don't know when Miss Ah Dan will return!

… "

Hearing this, Liu Zhan didn't know why this servant had so much to say today. He coldly said, "Hurry up and do it. What are you standing around for?"

"Yes, this servant obeys the decree."

At the banquet, the prince regent, dressed in dark purple imperial robes, sat slightly below the emperor. Since entering the banquet hall, his face hadn't revealed a trace of a smile. He only sat in his seat, drinking cup after cup. The envoys from various countries looked at each other. No one dared to rashly approach him.

The Emperor sat on the Dragon Throne, his face gloomy as he looked in the direction of the Prince Regent. Liu Zhan did not care about the Emperor's face in the slightest. Not only had he entered the banquet hall half an hour late, but now, because he appeared to be in a bad mood, all of the civil and military officials in the court, as well as the envoys from various countries, did not dare to utter a single word. Just who was the master of Great Yong? Did Liu Zhan still regard him as the Emperor?

His grip on the wine glass tightened, and he was about to lose control.

At this time, the Prince Regent lifted his eyelids, as if he was just casually glancing here. Liu Xiuyao's hand trembled, and the double dragon golden wine cup slipped from his hand. Li Fulai quickly caught it, bowed, and put it on the table. Then he poured a full cup of wine for the Emperor, raised it to the Emperor's hand, and whispered a reminder, "Your Majesty."

Liu Xiuyao absent-mindedly took the wine and poured it into his mouth. As a result, he choked on the wine and couldn't help but cough a few times.

The officials below pretended not to see the turbulent atmosphere between the two of them, lowering their heads and minding their own business as they drank and ate. They didn't say a single word and silently pretended to be dead.

It wasn't until the arranged musicians and dancers came up to perform, and beautiful music began to play that the tense atmosphere in the hall eased slightly. The people in the hall toasted each other, and the scene became lively again.

Liu Xiuyao pursed his lips, poured himself a cup of wine, and raised it in the direction of the Prince Regent. "Imperial Uncle." He had a somewhat forced smile on his face. "On this festive occasion, it was thanks to Imperial Uncle that the matter of Shandong was smoothly resolved. Imperial Uncle is truly an indispensable minister of my Great Yong. We will toast Imperial Uncle here."

The Prince Regent didn't speak for a long time. Seeing that the Emperor's hand holding the cup was trembling slightly and that the smile on his face was about to fade, Liu Zhan reached out and picked up the wine cup on the table. He raised his hand and gestured to the Emperor. "Your Majesty is too courteous." Liu Zhan then tilted his head back and downed the wine in one gulp.

Remembering that he couldn't lose face for Great Yong in front of outsiders, Liu Zhan endured until the end of the banquet. When it was almost midnight, he stood up from his seat. A maidservant by his side bent over and straightened out his clothes. "Everyone, you have come from afar and must have worked hard. It is already late today. Why don't you return early to rest?" The envoys echoed one after another.

The Prince Regent strode out of the hall, Wang Shun following closely behind. The Emperor sat in his chair and watched Liu Zhan's departing figure. He gnashed his teeth so hard that they were about to shatter. Forcing himself to say a few polite words, he walked down the stairs and turned to enter the rear hall.

Liu Zhan leaned against the palanquin and massaged his forehead. He hadn't eaten anything the entire day. His stomach was in terrible pain.

When they arrived at the Xuande Palace Hall, Wang Shun saw that his prince's lips were pale and bloodless. Worried, he supported his prince and blamed himself, "This servant shouldn't have listened to you at noon. No matter what, I should have let you eat something. Now that I return like this, how can granny Sun forgive this servant …"

Liu Zhan's head hurt from his nagging and impatiently interrupted, "Enough. What's the big deal? Is it worth your nagging for half a day?"

Wang Shun immediately shut up.

Entering the hall, granny Sun saw Liu Zhan's appearance. Sure enough, Wang Shun didn't escape granny Sun's lecturing. He was lectured until he was listless like a frosted eggplant.

Wang Shun raised his head to seek help from his prince, only to see the prince pick up the white jade bowl in his hand. Pretending to be serious, he stirred the bowl twice with a spoon before scooping a spoonful of congee into his mouth.

Wang Shun could only accept his fate and lower his head, continuing to accept granny Sun's well-intentioned teachings.

… …

Early in the morning, Song Xuan went to the main room to greet her parents. Then, she accompanied them to eat breakfast. After that, Song Furen had to deal with the return of gifts from the family. Song Xuan wasn't interested in these things and found an excuse to slip away. Then, she went to the family's study alone.

The Song family's reputation as a medical family was not unfounded. This study contained almost all of the existing medical books in the world, including some ancient books. These were practically the elementary textbooks for the children of the Song family. Before they could speak, they had already learned to recognize all kinds of herbs.

Song Xuan sat in a chair and carefully flipped through a medical book. The sunlight outside the window spilled in, forming a small shadow under her eyelashes.

Song Furen pushed open the door and entered. He looked like a gentle and refined scholar. Wearing a light-colored cotton robe, because he dealt with herbs all year round, his body exuded the fragrance of herbs for a long time.

Song Xuan put down the book in her hand, stood up and curtsied, "Father."

Song Furen smiled and nodded, looking dotingly at his daughter. "You just told your mother that you had something important to do, but now you're hiding here to read?"

At this moment, Song Xuan finally showed some of the delicateness of an unmarried daughter. She ran over and tugged at her father's sleeve. "Daughter doesn't want to listen to mother talk about those things!"

Song Furen stroked his beard and couldn't help but laugh. "Daughters should marry when they're of age. Your mother telling you these things now won't do you any harm in the future."

Song Xuan curled her lips. "Daughter doesn't even know those people mother is talking about. What's there to talk about marrying? Besides, if you want to marry your daughter off now?

Can you bear to? "

Song Furen laughed and patted her little head. "Of course I can't bear to." Then, he thought of something and sighed. "Do you still want to go back to the palace?

Ah Kuang, father owes the Prince Regent a favor. In the future, if he has any orders, your brothers and I will not say a single word. However, this has nothing to do with you. You shouldn't wade into these muddy waters. "

Song Xuan's face was solemn. "But father, putting aside the Prince Regent's favor to the Song family for the time being, he is an indispensable existence to the entire Great Yong Dynasty. Now that he is in danger, how can I ignore it?"

Song Furen frowned. "Danger?

What danger? "

"Father, you don't know. Ever since I entered the palace, I heard that the Prince Regent had punished many of the palace servants who served him. Everyone in the palace was saying that the Prince Regent was cruel and ruthless. However, ever since the Prince Regent took power, he has done many good deeds that have benefited the country and the people. Could it be that these don't count?"

Song Xuan was filled with righteous indignation. "At first, I didn't know either. I only thought that those people had done something to provoke the Prince Regent's anger.

However, later on, when I was transferred to the Prince Regent's side, I learned that those people had done many unforgivable things. "

Song Xuan's beautiful eyes were filled with anger. Looking straight into Song Furen's eyes, she angrily said, "They actually poisoned the Prince Regent. By the time I arrived, it had already been a month. The Prince Regent probably had someone clean it up. However, there were still some remnants of the clothes, tea leaves, and incense in the palace hall …"

"At the time, the Prince Regent's body was extremely weak. It took me a long time to recover …"

Song Furen understood. "Ai, the Emperor is muddle-headed."

Song Xuan was merciless. "What muddle-headed? He's just stupid."

Song Furen shook his head, reaching out to point at her. "You dare to say such things." Song Xuan was still unconvinced. "It is true. If it weren't for the Prince Regent being related by blood, how could he tolerate him like this?

In the past, the people in the palace hall were all sent by the Emperor. It was only because the Prince wanted to reassure him. But he was given an inch and wanted a mile. Time and time again, he found people to poison him. It was unbearable … "

Song Furen didn't know what to say. "The Prince Regent, he …"

Song Xuan vented the resentment in her heart, then tenderly hugged Song Furen's arm. "Father, I really am very useful by the Prince Regent's side. Really ~ ~"

"Based on your half-baked medical skills?

Shameless boasting! "

"Father, although my medical skills can't compare to yours, at least I'm better than the imperial physicians in the palace, right?

At the very least, I can guarantee that if something happens, I will stand on the Prince Regent's side! "

"Good, good, good. Before you leave, bring some of the detoxification pills I made, just in case."

"Un, I knew Father was the best ~ ~"

"You!" Song Furen poked her little head. "Remember to protect yourself well …"

"Daughter knows. Father, don't worry ~ ~ ~"