Do you know: I should be fat and you should be thin!

The fifteenth day of the first lunar month! (The second day of the Lantern Festival)

Officials of the Great Zhou Dynasty were supposed to enjoy a three-day holiday for the Lantern Festival, but due to the unusual curfew, the eunuchs came to their doors to inform them, and they all obediently came to the court the next day.

Chui Gong Hall!

The old emperor first announced the lifting of the curfew, allowing the people to continue celebrating the festival.

Subsequently, the officials' vacations were canceled, and the Imperial Academy was ordered to immediately prepare for the Crown Prince's investiture ceremony!

Not only does it need to be fast, but it also needs to be complete!

All officials must cooperate with the Rites Council's arrangements!

The loyal old ministers were overjoyed. Their vacation was over, but the Emperor was finally going to appoint a crown prince. As for who it would be, they didn't care!

The officials who had already sided with the Prince of Yong and the Prince of Yan all became anxious. Although it was a good thing to establish a crown prince, the emperor had not made it clear who he would choose!

You must understand that choosing the wrong side can lead to utter ruin!

Of course, if you stand on the right side, you can also rise to the top in one step!

After the court session, the officials exchanged information and formed groups, heading to the east and west corridors of the Qin Zheng Gate to enjoy the imperial banquet.

High-ranking officials such as the Grand Chancellor, Privy Councilor, and Academician of the Dragon Pavilion went to the Secretariat to enjoy their meals separately. They received an extra ten catties of mutton and five liters of specially supplied wine every day!

Zhou Ning was a high-ranking official of the fifth rank or above, and was entitled to a hundred dishes of food and three muttons.

The meal included rice noodle porridge, soup noodles, fruit, and drinks. As it is the Lantern Festival, seasonal specialties were added today.

Zhou Ning ate some food and sat down to eat while thinking, "This shouldn't be happening. Qi Heng hasn't even married the Princess of Jiacheng yet, so why is the investiture ceremony already? Although Yuzhou is very close, can Gu Tingye and Zhao Zongquan get here in time? But it's also a good thing; my chance to make a great contribution has arrived! Nothing is more meritorious than saving the emperor. Even the palace maid who sent a blood letter for help was posthumously granted the title of Protector of the Nation Princess. If I don't seek promotion or titles, but only the imperial decree to take a concubine, is that difficult? Can Rulan and Minglan still run away? Even if I can't have both, taking one would be good. My fifth sister and I are already mutually consenting, and Madam Sheng has also accepted it. All that's left is to get Sheng Hong on board..."

Zhou Ning was not in a hurry to get promoted. He was too young to worry about not having the opportunity.

With such internal energy to maintain life, one will be free from all diseases. As long as one does not encounter a top master who exhausts one's internal energy, living to a hundred years old is not a problem!

But my sisters are all grown up, and if I don't act quickly, they'll all get married.

If she's not a virgin by then, she won't be able to improve her skills, and it won't be good for her to keep thinking about it. That would be a disaster!

Moreover, it's not a good thing to reach such a high position so early in life, only to find yourself with no further titles to bestow in your later years!

We can't exactly rebel, can we?

Hmm, this seems interesting...

Sheng Changbai prepared the food and sat down next to Zhou Ning: "Pengqi, you'll have to come and help out at my academy during this time!"

He was still a mid-to-low-level official. Although he could attend court, he could only eat rice, steamed buns, noodles, and regular mutton at the palace meals.

Zhou Ning laughed and said, "Of course! The Emperor has given the order, how could we dare disobey? We can study together again, what a wonderful thing!"

Sheng Changbai nodded in satisfaction. He would return to his residence later and then ask his father to come and help, which would make a group of six.

(In the drama, there are also two people in red robes and four people in green robes, forming a group of six, with the protagonist replacing one of the people in red robes.)

That same afternoon, the old emperor sent a private edict of reassurance and encouragement to members of the imperial family in various regions!

This can be seen as an admission that they have no chance of inheriting the throne!

The Prince of Yong's Mansion!

"Great! They're going to make a crown prince!" Prince Yong exclaimed excitedly.

He was the oldest among the imperial family members, had many children, and a large retinue of followers!

"Your Highness, the Crown Prince has not yet been chosen, and the Emperor is seriously ill. You should pray for him and hold ceremonies for him these next few days! The Prince of Yan has the virtue of being virtuous, so you should be even more filial!" Princess Consort of Yong reminded her.

The Prince of Yong nodded in agreement. Although he was older, the Prince of Yan and his son were renowned for their virtue and had many followers, making them formidable rivals.

We must be careful until the crown prince is chosen!

"Leave the affairs of the palace to me, but my daughter's marriage... she insisted on marrying Qi Heng, and now that's gone... we can only find another way to fulfill her wish!" Prince Yong said worriedly.

He has a bunch of sons but only one daughter, so he's determined to fulfill her wish no matter what.

Princess Consort Yong said confidently, "This matter is not suitable for Your Highness to handle personally, so leave it to me. Your Highness only needs to detain the Duke of Qi..."

Prince Yan’s Mansion!

A locked room!

Consort Rong said, "What's your decision? I can tell you, His Majesty's final choice is still the Prince of Yong! If he ascends the throne, my Rong family will certainly be destroyed, but will the fate of your Prince of Yan's mansion be any different?"

The Prince of Yan said, "Are you sure His Majesty has issued a private edict to the imperial clansmen in various regions? Among the imperial clansmen, apart from the Prince of Yong, Zhao Zongquan, though mediocre, is not without his leniency. We cannot let him go! Besides, Yuzhou is too close; I feel like I have a thorn in my side!"

"You can handle this yourself. When you do it, I will lure all the military officers' families into the palace and detain them. If any general or army in or outside Bianjing dares to make a move, I will make sure their family is destroyed!" Consort Rong said ruthlessly.

Prince Yong's actions against Rong Feiyan's chastity are tantamount to touching her buttocks, and the two families are now irreconcilably at odds!

The King of Yan was a shrewd and capable man. He knew he had no other choice. Rather than gambling on the possibility of establishing himself as king, he decided to strike first.

After all, if they were willing to establish themselves, they would have done so already; the probability is too low!

"Shadow! Assemble the Broken Group. You take them to Yuzhou immediately and assassinate Zhao Zongquan!"

Zhou Mansion!

"Starting tomorrow, I will be living and eating in the palace at irregular times. You all need to take good care of the house, don't worry too much, and absolutely no one is allowed to visit me in the palace or bring me food. Do you understand?" Zhou Ning instructed.

As a civil official, his family would never be invited into the palace and detained, but he feared that his two daughters would be sent to the palace to deliver food, just like Minglan. In the chaos of war, he would be overwhelmed!

"Don't worry, my lord, I will take good care of the house," Yu Yanran said.

"Ning Lang, is something terrible about to happen?" Wei Zhi asked.

Zhou Ning said, "The Crown Prince has been appointed, and the throne has changed hands! Don't worry, as long as you don't leave the manor, nothing will happen. Li Tou, keep a close eye on Madam and Wei Xiao Niang. If anything happens to them, I'll skin you alive when I get back! If they're alright, when I return, the young master will reward you with a wife! You can choose any of the top maids in the manor, and the young master will pay for your marriage!"

Pear Head exclaimed in surprise, "Really? Can I only choose one?"

Zhou Ning lashed out at him with a whip kick, laughing and cursing, "Get the hell out of here! Am I your father? Do you expect me to take care of your concubines?!"

"If it's not okay, it's not okay. Why did you kick me?" Pear Head said aggrievedly.

The two women knew that the master and servant had grown up together and had a deep bond, so they watched them playfully bickering.

We are about to part ways, and the date of our return is uncertain.

At Zhou Ning's insistence, Yu Yanran agreed to sleep with him so that he could fall asleep with two women on either side of him.

Two days later!

Zhao Zongquan, the militia leader of Yuzhou, received a private edict of encouragement. Fearing suspicion, he couldn't sleep and consulted with his son, Zhao Ceying, that very night.

Zhao Ceying knew that Bai Ye (Gu Tingye) was from Dongjing Prefecture, was highly skilled in martial arts, and was chivalrous. After comforting her father, she came to discuss things with him the next day.

Gu Tingye was overjoyed and hurriedly sent someone to invite Geng Jiechuan, Duan Chengyong, Shen Congxing, and others to drink together.

For three whole years, apart from the initial opportunity to save Zhao Zongquan and his son's lives.

However, Zhao Zongquan, fearing suspicion, dared not retain him and even planned to recommend him for a different position.

Gu Tingye was unwilling to do so, so he simply stayed in Yuzhou under the name Bai Ye, often acting as a chivalrous hero, and gradually integrated into this group of five people who could barely make two heads, quietly waiting for the opportunity to serve the emperor!

"The opportunity has finally arrived! Now that my martial arts skills have reached their peak, I can easily take on a hundred men. When I return to the capital, I will definitely seek out Pengqi for a duel! (*╹▽╹*)"

Zhou Ning: "(￣_，￣)"

......