Three Kingdoms: I am not Liu Bian

Chapter 170 The moon wanes when it is full, water overflows when it is full, and a person who is full... should die!
"Your Highness, the heat is unbearable. I have come to bring you a cup of chilled plum juice to help you and your servants cool down."

Liu Qinglian, dressed in a light pink palace dress, moved gracefully into the side hall. Her lips parted slightly, her voice gentle and moving, her eyes smiling, and her gaze full of tenderness.

"You're very kind, Lianyi." Liu Bian nodded slightly and returned a gentle smile.

With the Crown Prince's permission, Liu Qing raised her hand slightly, and several palace maids carrying food boxes behind her began distributing chilled plum juice.

Li is plum juice.

This was the earliest prototype of sour plum drink, a pure plum juice beverage.

The Shennong Materia Medica records that the main ingredients for cooking were dried plums, licorice, osmanthus, and sugar. Liu Qing often studied with Empress He on how to make small snacks in order to win the favor of the crown prince.

Liu Bian picked up the icy cold porcelain bowl, gently held the rim, and took a sip of the deep red to black chilled plum juice. His Adam's apple bobbed slightly as the cool, sweet and sour taste entered his throat, instantly making his mouth water. A look of contentment unconsciously appeared on his face.

Meanwhile, all the retainers of the Crown Prince's residence knelt down and bowed to Liu Qing, the young Crown Prince, to express their gratitude, keeping their heads down and avoiding looking directly at him.

Firstly, it was due to etiquette. In ordinary families, having one's wife come out to greet guests was a way of showing closeness and respect, much like bowing to one's mother. It was acceptable for the guests to look directly at each other. However, in the royal family, it was considered impolite to look directly at the crown prince and his consorts.

Although the Crown Prince is magnanimous and would never care about such trivial matters, a subject should abide by etiquette and law.

Secondly... some of them had seen this Crown Prince before outside Yong'an Palace. He was Yuan Benchu's second wife. Now that they were seeing him again in a different capacity, they were worried that it might make the Crown Prince feel awkward and cause him some inexplicable hostility.

Pillow talk has always been the hardest to guard against, and even Emperor Xiaowen and Emperor Xiaowu were no exception. Following the principle that it's better to avoid trouble, everyone kept their heads down.

In front of outsiders, Liu Bian maintained a proper demeanor regarding beauty. Although he had the urge to flirt with Liu Qing, he suppressed the thought. In addition, he noticed the restraint of the crowd, so he simply asked her to leave.

Moreover, with Jia Xu's arrival, Liu Bian's slightly pleasant mood turned irritable once again.

"Is that true?"

Liu Bian lowered his eyes, sighed softly, and tapped his fingers lightly on the table.

Jia Xu remained silent and did not answer, his expression solemn. Liu Bian understood that Jia Xu would not joke about such matters.

Seeing the strange atmosphere between the Crown Prince and Jia Xu, the retainers of the Crown Prince's residence in the side hall realized that there seemed to be some news that displeased the Crown Prince. They all stopped what they were doing, put down their chilled plum juice, and looked at the Crown Prince.

They could all sense that the Crown Prince was suppressing his anger with reason, but it was like a pile of dry wood doused with oil; the slightest spark would set off a raging inferno.

"Heh." Liu Bian chuckled self-deprecatingly, his face unusually cold despite the smile. He said, "Wenhe naturally confirmed it several times before reporting it. My question is superfluous."

Why did Liu Bian prefer Jia Xu to serve as the Imperial Censor?

It wasn't just because Jia Xu was meticulous and had a deep understanding of human nature; most importantly, it was because of Jia Xu's sense of crisis.

Just like the sentries in the army at night, they are often assigned to guard the posts by some timid people. Because they are afraid of dying, they dare not violate military law by secretly taking a nap or sleeping on duty. They are even more worried about losing their lives if the enemy attacks. They are better at sensing the approach of danger than those brave soldiers.

Liu Bian narrowed his eyes slightly, an indescribable, invisible aura permeating the side hall, causing everyone's heart to tremble. He said, "By my decree, all officials who have worked in the Crown Prince's residence are to come to the Crown Prince's residence tonight." "Under the guise of a banquet?" Jia Xu raised his head slightly and asked.

Liu Bian nodded and said, "Let's use a banquet as an excuse."

It was common knowledge in the court and among the public that the Crown Prince enjoyed banquets. He often invited former and current officials of the Crown Prince's residence to banquets, and officials such as the Three Dukes and the Nine Ministers were often among those invited, which did not attract much attention.

The current former officials of the Crown Prince's Palace include Jia Xu, the Governor of Henan; Zhong Yao, the Magistrate of Luoyang; Zhang Zhao, the Vice Censor-in-Chief; Zhang Hong, the Vice Minister of Agriculture; Chen Lin, the Vice Minister of the Imperial Treasury; Qian Zhao, the Vice Minister of the Imperial Guard; Guo Tu, the Chief Justice; Jian Yong, the Attendant-in-Ordinary; Xu Ding, the Commander of the Northern Palace Guards; and Li Su, the Commander of the Imperial Carriage Office.

"Furthermore, I hereby order Liu Tao, Minister of the Imperial Secretariat; Liu Yan, Grand Master of Ceremonies; Yuan Pang, Grand Master of the Palace; Fan Ling, Commandant of the Imperial Guards; Guo Hong, Commandant of the Capital Region; Liu Kuan, Grand Master of the Palace; Cai Yong, Grand Master of Works; and Fu Wan, General of the Five Offices, to secretly enter the palace to discuss matters. Upon receiving this decree, they must not communicate with anyone and must immediately enter the palace. They must not make any excuses to refuse entry. Anyone who disobeys will be executed on the spot!"

As the word "slay" fell, Liu Bian's usual frivolous demeanor vanished completely from his still somewhat youthful face, replaced by a ferocious killing intent. His eyes revealed a ruthless glint that sent chills down one's spine.

Liu Bian went from being an unfavored prince to a powerful regent crown prince. He changed, but he didn't change too much.

His initial palace coup was merely a means to save his life, and it remains so today.

At first, he feared that Liu Xie would take revenge on him and his mother for killing his mother. Later, he worried about the Yellow Turban Rebellion. Still later, he worried that powerful families would bring chaos to the world. He didn't want to be poisoned or stabbed to death in the street one day.

He had finally had a few months of peace, at least he didn't have to worry about not surviving and could live a good life, but unexpectedly someone else didn't want him to live.

It doesn't matter. No matter who doesn't want me to live, I won't let you live either.

My kindness and compassion have been so cruelly trampled upon.

The Yuan family of Runan... Ah!

No one outside knew what happened at Yong'an Palace that night. All they knew was that the sounds of string and wind instruments continued all night, and the Crown Prince, unusually, also broke his morning exercise routine due to the all-night banquet.

However, the officials of the Crown Prince's Palace, with dark circles under their eyes, threw themselves into even busier work. Although their eyes were bloodshot, they were all quite energetic and did not stop all day, only taking a short rest after lunch.

Until April 28th of the seventh year of Guanghe, which was the time of Xiaoman (Grain Buds).

The Lesser Fullness of Grain season is the time when summer wheat grains gradually become fuller but not yet fully ripe. However, the wheat planted during the Later Han Dynasty was winter wheat, which had just reached the heading stage and was still far from ripe.

The Lesser Fullness (Xiaoman) signifies fullness without loss, fullness without excess, and fullness without overflow.

Confucianism values ​​the doctrine of the mean and avoids "too much". "Xiaoman" (Minor Fullness) is the solar term that best conforms to the Confucian way and is often regarded as an auspicious day by aristocratic families.

Xiaoman (Grain Buds) signifies an upcoming harvest and is associated with many children and grandchildren, making it an auspicious time for marriage.

Therefore, today is also the wedding day of Yuan Ji, the heir of the Yuan family of Runan, and his second wife.

However, the Yuan family of Runan chose "Xiaoman" as an auspicious day, completely unaware that their own day was "too full".

The moon wanes when it is full, water overflows when it is full, and a person who is full... is doomed to die!
(End of this chapter)