tallest building

Chapter 314 Scapegoat

Before we knew it, it was the Dragon Boat Festival, and the weather was indeed unbearably hot and humid.

Although the banquet was held in the evening, the people in the palace were busy all day long and had no time to rest.

The invited ministers, noblewomen, and princes all entered the palace after sunset.

At this time, the heat subsided slightly, but the restlessness persisted. Fortunately, water was sprinkled everywhere in the palace, and the moisture made it less hot.

Dong Gang had already received the news and happily entered the palace to attend the banquet.

His parents also came, but Grand Tutor Dong was unable to attend due to his advanced age and declining health.

"Keep an eye out outside," Dong Gang said to his personal attendant. "If anyone comes looking for me, you'd better be prepared to receive them."

"I understand," the attendant quickly replied, "I wouldn't dare to be careless in the slightest."

"It's good that you know," Dong Gang said with a smile, in a good mood. "If you do a good job, you'll be rewarded."

As the banquet began, dishes and fruits were served in a continuous stream, and dancers and musicians displayed their talents. For a time, wine cups were clinked and the sounds of music were melodious, making it impossible not to be captivated.

Dong Gang was a man of great status, and many people came to toast him. He was in a good mood and had a good capacity for alcohol, so although he drank quite a lot, he remained sober.

Consort Hui had long ago ordered Chief Steward Hu in her palace to keep a close eye on him, fearing that there might be something going on between him and Wen Mingqian, knowing that things were more likely to go wrong at times like this.

Halfway through the banquet, many people were already half-drunk. When the emperor went to the back to change his clothes, some people took the opportunity to go outside the palace to cool off.

Xiao Shunzi peeked in cautiously, not daring to enter the hall, only looking around from outside.

He saw Dong Gang's entourage in the distance and was about to go over when someone suddenly grabbed him from behind and dragged him away.

He was already in the shadows, while Dong Gang's attendants were standing under the lamp, so they didn't see him.

Xiao Shunzi, feeling guilty, didn't dare to shout. Only after he stopped did he realize that it was Granny Xia with two eunuchs.

"Oh, it's you, sir! Why are you joking with me?" Xiao Shunzi said with a smile.

"Little Shunzi, don't try to fool this old woman. There are things you understand, and things I understand too. Don't wait until I resort to force." Granny Xia said sternly, not giving him a kind look.

"If you keep saying that, then I don't know what to say. I don't know anything, I just came to watch the fun." Of course, Xiao Shunzi wouldn't easily betray Dong Gang, so he resorted to shamelessness.

"Don't try to fool me, you little monkey. I've eaten more salt than you've eaten rice! As for that one with the water radical," Granny Xia bluntly revealed her trump card, "Do you think our Lady doesn't know?"

"Oh dear, what do you mean by 'three dots of water' and 'four dots of fire'? I really don't know anything about it. Granny, please stop messing with me, I have to go back now." Xiao Shunzi tried to slip away.

"Don't wait for me to say anything nice. I've already treated you with respect. Granny Hua's death... wasn't it a bit suspicious?" Granny Xia's voice was very low, right next to Xiao Shunzi's ear. "Won't you have nightmares tonight?"

The two eunuchs held Xiao Shunzi tightly to prevent him from running away, and with Xia Mama's words, Xiao Shunzi realized that he couldn't escape either.

He had no choice but to plead for mercy: "Since you understand everything, you know it's useless to make things difficult for me. I'm just doing this for a noble person, I have no choice!"

It's true that Xiao Shunzi killed Granny Hua, but that was on Dong Gang's orders.

Consort Hui is Dong Gang's mother-in-law, so she wouldn't push him too hard.

"Don't worry, our lady doesn't intend to do anything to you. Just tell her what you're here to do." Granny Xia's tone softened considerably. "Is that alright?" "This..." Xiao Shunzi's face shrank into a walnut shape. He was supposed to help Dong Gang succeed that night, but he didn't expect to be intercepted halfway.

"Don't worry, our lady won't treat you badly." Granny Xia knew that people like Xiao Shunzi were only after profit and had no morals or conscience.

"But what if that person investigates? Wouldn't I be in trouble..." Xiao Shunzi was tempted, but he was also worried about Dong Gang.

"Don't worry about that, we'll cover for you," said Granny Xia. "The Treasury is short a deputy chief manager, how about we give you that position?"

In the inner palace, Consort Hui was considered the Empress's deputy, so she was naturally qualified to assign such a task, which is why Xiao Shunzi had no doubts.

“When we tie you up later, and the prince consort questions you, just say this, and then you won’t be able to pin the blame on him, right?” Granny Xia had already thought of a way out for him.

Xiao Shunzi thought for a moment. At this point, it would be no use if he didn't agree. With Granny Xia's people watching him, he still couldn't pass on the message to Dong Gang.

So he stamped his foot and said, "Fine, I'll tell you the truth! Madam Wen is drunk right now and is in the empty room behind Yunshui Pavilion!"

As soon as he said that, Granny Xia understood. She said to the two eunuchs, "Take Eunuch Xiao Shunzi to the back, tie him up and put him in an empty room. Don't tie him up too tightly, just make it look like a formality."

Here, Granny Xia came in and whispered something to Consort Hui.

Consort Hui couldn't help but sneer upon hearing this, thinking to herself how fortunate she was to have taken precautions beforehand, otherwise the two of them would probably have been fooling around together tonight.

"Your Highness, what should we do next?" asked Granny Xia.

"Have Chief Steward Hu go over and offer two cups of wine to that court painter Zhang Yunqi, add something to the wine, and then help him into that room," Consort Hui said. "In such a secret rendezvous, they certainly wouldn't dare light a lamp. In complete darkness, who would recognize whom?"

The painter Zhang Yunqi was also a womanizer, but he didn't dare to do anything reckless in the palace.

But if you get drunk and confused, then anything can happen.

"I understand, I'll go and do it right away." Granny Xia chuckled to herself and went to find Steward Hu.

Painters were always present at every banquet in the palace, so that the grand event could be painted afterwards as a memento.

Consort Hui, in order to harm Wen Mingqian, didn't care whether Zhang Yunqi was innocent or not; she just wanted to find a scapegoat.

Manager Hu came over with a smile, carrying a wine pot. Zhang Yunqi quickly got up and sat in the far corner of the banquet, pouring himself a drink.

Unexpectedly, Steward Hu came over to toast him.

"Artist Zhang, let me toast you! You look rather lonely all by yourself." General Manager Hu poured a glass of wine with a smile. "A young painter surnamed Liu recently joined your academy. He's from our hometown. Please take good care of him."

"Oh, I see." Zhang Yunqi exclaimed immediately upon hearing this. "What a blessed place! Your area truly produces many talented people!"

The two chatted and laughed, and Manager Hu toasted him two more times.

Zhang Yunqi felt a little dizzy after drinking it.

Manager Hu put down the wine pot, helped him up and said, "Come on, let's go outside and enjoy the cool breeze and sober up."

As she spoke, she helped Zhang Yunqi out.