Those years when I hunted demons in Dali Temple

Chapter 927 Chang'an
The barbarians were forced to retreat, and the 'Five Characters' dared not show their faces again for a short period of time.

At this time, the Xie family was marrying off two daughters, which was a rare joy in Chang'an. Due to the war, the weddings of the Wang, Xie and Chen families were not held in a grand manner, but the people who came to congratulate them were endless. Except for those who were really unable to leave, everyone was waiting to eat a share of this double happiness banquet.

The relatives of the three parties involved in the marriage, seeing the people who came to the wedding banquet, looked on with joy on their faces, but were actually very worried inside.

Don't let these people start fighting at the wedding banquet before we even start eating!

Anyone with discerning eyes can easily tell who is genuinely there to eat and who has ulterior motives from those attending the wedding banquet.

Those who have nothing to worry about can simply enjoy the festive atmosphere and eat to their heart's content.

This has left the powerful and influential people of Chang'an who are still in the city with mixed feelings of joy and worry.

Looking at the Crown Prince, the Prince of Qin, the Prince of Qi, and several meddlesome young masters conversing at the same table, every word they uttered seemed like an invisible blade piercing certain people. As the royal family involved in the marriage, they seemed oblivious to all of this, simply accepting all the best wishes with a cheerful smile.

These scenes left those around them feeling extremely uneasy.

The three families involved in the marriage should pretend not to see it; they guarantee the wedding will go smoothly today.

Well, I hope it goes smoothly!

This was a shared thought among some of the people present.

Now everyone in the city knows that the King of Qin returned to the capital by fighting his way back.

On the day they entered the city, the blood on their armor had not yet dried. At the moment of dawn, they entered the city through Xuanhua Gate.

A group of people, clad in blood-stained armor, were welcomed into Chang'an City as the sun rose slowly.

On that day, countless people dropped what they were holding and smashed countless pieces of porcelain in shock. Of course, there were also those who wept with joy, for their followers had finally returned safely, sweeping away the gloom of the past, and walking with a whistling sound under their feet.

As for the Crown Prince, it's clear to everyone that he's just one step away from ascending to that supreme position.

But it was precisely because of this one step that the Crown Prince remained the Crown Prince.

The more Qin King's achievements grew, the more he threatened the Crown Prince's position.

However, some people are confused. The crown prince has been a good person for so many years, and has tolerated the King of Qin and his brothers for several years. Why did he suddenly become so ruthless and his methods became increasingly vicious? The King of Qin also showed no mercy when he retaliated.

They watched from the sidelines, their hearts pounding with fear.

These people should try not to cause trouble at the wedding banquet.

Although the Chen family now consists of only two brothers, the two brothers, whom they initially thought were no good, have proven themselves to be very capable and have managed to keep the Chen family afloat.

Chen Shuguang guarded the imperial city every day, and had more opportunities to meet the emperor than they did; Chen Yizhi, on the other hand, held a large army in his hands, and no one wanted to mess with such a person.

The Wang and Xie families appear amicable, but who doesn't know that powerful families like them, whose existence is even longer than the imperial court, are cunning and resourceful? They could easily betray you, and you'd still be there smiling and counting your money for them.

Fortunately, after the wedding, none of the bloodshed and chaos had ever occurred in their minds.

This made everyone who attended the wedding banquet have the same thought in their minds.
Is today really just about getting married?

As the wedding guests gradually dispersed, leaving the joyous atmosphere of the three families behind, and as I walked home, a gust of cold wind instantly cleared my dazed mind. My original path home took a detour, leading me to another destination.

And who are the two most distinguished individuals at today's banquet?
After attending the banquet, the two did not return to their own residence, but went to the palace.

The emperor summoned the crown prince and several other princes.

The Crown Prince and the King of Qi stood on the left, while the King of Qin stood on the right. Looking at his sons below, the sage frowned slightly.

After a long silence, the sage finally spoke, "Eldest son, Second son, Fourth son, do you know why Xianyang was renamed Chang'an after the First Emperor?"

The King of Qin understood the sage's meaning almost instantly.

As expected, the subsequent conversation between the sage and the crown prince proved his conjecture.

As the eldest son and crown prince, Jiancheng stepped forward first, saying, "Your Majesty."

The sage waved his hand and said, "Today, it is just the father and sons of us; we will not discuss matters of ruler and subject."

Upon hearing this, the King of Qin's heart sank. It seemed the sage still didn't believe the crown prince before him was an imposter, or perhaps the sage had listened to the words of the King of Qi and others, and had long been wary of him.
The prince readily agreed, "Yes, Father!"

He smiled slightly. “Father, Chang’an was named after Emperor Gaozu of Han when he moved to Xianyang, with the intention of ‘long-term peace and stability’. Later, some people also mentioned, ‘Building a long-term peaceful situation and establishing a prosperous Chang’an enterprise.’”

“What the eldest son says is right,” the sage nodded, and then said to the King of Qin, “Second son, the Great Zhou has only just been established, and we have already encountered the 'Five Characters' who are full of wolfish ambitions. You, the eldest son, and the fourth son should get along well with them.”

The King of Qin lowered his head slightly, his eyes downcast, and he understood the sage's unspoken meaning.

Do not dwell on the fact that the crown prince is a fake, and do not let this cause conflict with the Prince of Qi, which could lead to a real falling out between the brothers.

Thinking of this, the King of Qin's lips curled into a cold smile.

When he raised his head, a faint smile appeared on the King of Qin's lips. "I will do whatever Father says."

After a moment's hesitation, the King of Qin said, "Brother has always had the help of his third brother. There is no place for Erlang to use his talents in this capital. In recent years, there have been constant wars in the Eastern Capital. Erlang wants to go and do something for the people of the Eastern Capital."

"We'll discuss this later!" The Emperor saw him nod, as if a huge weight had been lifted from his heart. But when he heard that he wanted to leave Chang'an, he forcefully interrupted him and ordered the palace maids to bring fine wine and delicacies. "Tonight, my son and I will drink until we're drunk."

The King of Qin's heart sank again. He calmly held a banquet with his father, brother, and younger brother, the King of Qi.

Inside the Guande Hall, the father and his sons each had their own thoughts.

The crown prince raised his cup to the King of Qin, who returned the toast. After drinking for a few breaths, the King of Qin suddenly clenched his left hand over his heart.

He looked up in disbelief. The King of Qi was looking at him triumphantly, and the Crown Prince had a smirk on his lips. He was well aware of his predicament.

The sage seemed oblivious to all of this, immersed in the affection between father and son in the heavenly family.

Until a battle cry pierced the sky and entered the Guande Hall.

The facade between the father and his four sons crumbled instantly at this moment.

The sage rose in surprise from his high seat, exclaiming, "Who is making a commotion outside the palace!"

Zhang De had been guarding outside the palace. When he saw his adopted son Zhang Zhong running in with his face covered in blood, and heard the shouts of battle outside the palace, his eyes widened. His intuition told him that something terrible had happened, and it was something that could cost him his life.

The two entered the hall at the same time. The emperor did not have time to reprimand Zhang Zhong for his improper behavior in front of the hall. Instead, he was so angry by Zhang Zhong's words that he almost fainted.

"Your Majesty, the Imperial Guards, together with the Shence Army outside the city, have rebelled!" Zhang Zhong shouted this before fainting on the ground.

Before the emperor could summon someone to take Zhang Zhong away, a sudden change occurred in the Guande Hall.

"Your Majesty, get out of the way!"

Thank you to reader 20240514190401471 for the monthly pass, mwah~