bookrandom Chapter 381 Why is your pregnant belly so big?
Chapter 381 Why is your pregnant belly so big?
I missed the family feast on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, but I definitely have to have the New Year's Eve dinner.
Emperor Changlong decreed that all officials of the second rank and above must come to the palace for the New Year's Eve dinner.
With the addition of members of the royal family, this year's New Year's Eve dinner won't be too quiet.
Song Siyao, heavily pregnant, also entered the palace.
The snow on the ground had not completely melted. Shen Pei held Song Siyao's hand and walked slowly along the palace road.
"Yaoyao, slow down," Shen Pei gently instructed.
"What a coincidence, Your Highness, Your Highness the Crown Prince and Your Highness the Crown Princess."
At this moment, a slightly cool voice came from behind. As soon as the voice fell, Shen Xuan was already in front of Song Siyao and Shen Pei.
"The ground is slippery, Your Highness, please be careful when you walk."
Shen Xuan spoke in a sarcastic tone, a malicious smile on his face.
Shen Xuan was implicated because Jiang Zhen plotted a rebellion.
Later, Jiang Yu got into trouble again, and Shen Xuan was completely disliked by Emperor Changlong.
However, Emperor Changlong simply stopped trusting and valuing him.
He was allowed to attend today's palace banquet.
This was the first time Song Siyao and Shen Pei had seen Shen Xuan since Emperor Changlong had ordered them to stay at home and reflect on their actions.
“I will be careful, but you, Prince Li, have been careless with your words. I’m afraid you won’t just fall, you’ll lose your head.” Song Siyao’s voice was icy cold, like a sharp knife piercing Shen Xuan’s heart.
Shen Xuan's expression changed, but he quickly regained his composure and sneered, "I was merely trying to give the Crown Princess a gentle reminder. Why are you being so aggressive? Do you think you can decide whether or not people lose their heads?"
He had always known that his mother was not favored by the emperor.
Why does Emperor Changlong still favor Shen Pei so much even though Consort Rou has been dead for so many years?
Now, only his mother remains in the harem, yet Emperor Changlong doesn't even glance at her.
He hated Emperor Changlong.
She hated Shen Pei even more.
She also came to hate Song Siyao's unborn child.
With the birth of Song Siyao's child, Shen Pei's position became even more secure.
Even if his child is born, he will be imprisoned and burdened with a stain that he can never wash away.
Everyone is a son of Emperor Changlong, so why is Shen Pei so lucky?
He originally joined forces with Shen Jing to deal with Shen Pei, but Shen Pei was incredibly lucky; he died as soon as Shen Jing made his move.
However, this is also a rare opportunity for him.
Once Shen Pei dies, Emperor Changlong will only have his son left to rely on.
Shen You is too young to shoulder such a heavy responsibility.
Therefore, as long as Shen Pei dies, he will be the crown prince, and the entire Great Zhou will belong to him in the future.
Thinking of all this, his eyes burned with rage and hatred; he wished Shen Pei were dead right now.
"Prince Li!" Shen Pei glared at Shen Xuan and shouted sharply, his voice carrying the oppressive aura of a superior, "Are you tired of living!"
Shen Xuan's breath hitched.
Shen Pei was different after becoming the crown prince; his aura was getting stronger and stronger, making it hard for Shen Pei to breathe.
"What? Is the Crown Prince threatening to kill me?" Shen Xuan deliberately provoked Shen Pei.
He knew that Emperor Changlong valued family ties and abhorred fratricide.
If Emperor Changlong were to find out that Shen Pei was using his status as the crown prince to pressure him, Shen Pei's image in Emperor Changlong's eyes would be greatly diminished.
Given time, he will surely be able to replace Shen Pei.
So he relentlessly provoked Shen Pei, "Little Seven, although you are the Crown Prince, according to the order of seniority, I am still your second brother. You are being too disrespectful to me. You can't bully me just because you are the Crown Prince."
More and more people were walking along the palace road, all there to attend the palace banquet.
They gathered around and whispered among themselves.
No one can be loved and respected by everyone, and Shen Pei is no exception.
“Your Highness, as the heir apparent, you should set a good example for the people. Brotherly love and respect are the royal family’s model.”
"Your Highness, even brothers are connected by blood. Aren't you just making a fool of yourselves in front of the whole world?"
"Lord Shi, you can't put it that way. The so-called brotherly love and respect should be based on the elder brother coming first and the younger brother coming second. If the elder brother can't even set a good example, what right does he have to demand anything of his younger brother?"
“Lord Zhang, His Highness the Crown Prince is the heir apparent. He is not just a younger brother. He should do better than ordinary people.”
“Lord Shi, Prince Li is no ordinary elder brother. His Highness the Crown Prince is of higher status than him. Even if he is the elder brother, he must still pay his respects to His Highness the Crown Prince according to the rules!”
"you……"
"Alright!" Shen Pei interrupted their argument. He knew that Emperor Changlong was in a bad mood lately. If he and Shen Xuan really argued in front of the court officials, or if the court officials made a scene because of him and Shen Xuan on the palace road, Emperor Changlong would be very unhappy when he found out.
He didn't want to displease Emperor Changlong.
"It's getting late. Do you all want my father to wait for you?"
Everyone lowered their heads and dared not utter a sound.
Shen Pei shifted his gaze to Shen Xuan, and as he brushed past him, he lowered his voice and said, "Second brother, Father doesn't know that you and the fourth brother have joined forces. If you want to live, you'd better keep a low profile. It's not that I'm afraid to kill you, it's that I don't want to upset Father!"
He left without pausing after speaking.
Shen Xuan froze, his face turning pale. He hadn't expected that Shen Pei knew about his alliance with Shen Jing.
If Emperor Changlong knew, he would surely be dead.
The other loyalists to Shen Pei snorted and followed him.
Then Lord Shi stepped forward to pledge his loyalty to Shen Xuan, "Your Highness, don't listen to the nonsense spouted by that Zhang fellow. They're blind to the situation!"
"There are few people in this world as clear-headed and wise as Lord Shi. It is truly a waste of his talent to hold such a high position," Shen Xuan said regretfully.
Lord Shi felt as if he had met a kindred spirit, and he understood the meaning behind Shen Xuan's words: he was going to promote him.
His tone became even more respectful, "This humble official will follow Your Highness's lead without question!"
"Lord Shi, let's go, we can talk as we walk," Shen Xuan said with a smile.
"Please, Your Highness." Lord Shi followed Shen Xuan's footsteps.
Qiwu Palace.
Emperor Changlong arrived after everyone else had gathered.
After exchanging greetings, Emperor Changlong gestured for everyone to take their seats.
"Today is New Year's Eve, a day for family reunion. You are all here to dine with me, unable to be with your own families."
Emperor Changlong looked at Eunuch Wang and said, "Wang Fu, send a dish to the residence of each of the officials present."
"Yes, Your Majesty." Eunuch Wang left.
"Thank you, Your Majesty." The officials rose to express their gratitude, their faces beaming with joy.
"Now, let us all raise our glasses to toast the past, welcome the future, bid farewell to the old and welcome the new, and hope that next year will be better than the last." Emperor Changlong raised his glass.
"May next year be better than the last! Long live the Emperor!" Everyone raised their glasses.
The emperor and his ministers drank together, and the common people celebrated together.
After drinking this cup of wine, the atmosphere at the table eased a bit.
Everyone started eating and chatting.
"Your Highness, your belly seems much bigger than expected for your pregnancy," Consort Yue asked casually, sitting next to Song Siyao.