I became the tyrant's only belief.

Chapter 225 The show begins

Chu Liuzheng found a piece of gossip and clicked on it.

[Frog fun! It was murder! Aunt Qi did it. She was the one who smashed Doukou to death and threw him into the well! ]

[You are a Xixia spy, you are so arrogant. I am asking you to do something wrong... Wait! This is going to...]

Chu Liuzheng scrolled down.

[Frog, not having a clear mind but a big ambition, Cai Baolin is really courting death! ]

*
Qiu Shui Zhai.

The heavy door curtain was lifted, letting in a cold wind and causing the candlelight to flicker.

"Master, I'll ask someone to get some hot water right away." Caizhu took off Zhu Hanyu's cloak and put it on the shelf next to the screen.

"No hurry." Zhu Hanyu sat down at the table, picked up the kettle and poured a cup of hot tea, "Call Xiao Ruizi in."

"Yes." Caizhu went out to call someone, and soon brought in a young eunuch who looked no more than fourteen or fifteen years old.

"Your servant greets the master." Little Ruizi bowed.

"Get up." Zhu Hanyu looked at him while holding the teacup. "What information have you heard about Kang Cai?"

Little Ruizi said, "My Lord, I have inquired carefully and found that Kang Cai is usually a taciturn person with a cowardly character. He is often bullied by the eunuchs of Huaqing Palace. It is unlikely that he would do such a thing as poisoning the ointment."

Zhu Hanyu couldn't remember when she had a grudge with Kang Cai, but since the Queen had closed the case after investigating this point, she didn't say anything more in Changchun Palace just now and just took it as a given.

She took a sip of tea and asked, "How about cardamom?"

"Miss Doukou is a poor person." Xiao Ruizi's tone was a little sad.

This aroused Zhu Hanyu's curiosity, and he asked him to explain in detail.

Xiao Ruizi had heard about Doukou being forced by Song Chengen, the eunuch in charge of the Imperial Household Department. Now that he saw that Zhu Hanyu was interested, he dumped out all the news he had heard.

Zhu Hanyu was surprised: "Did Concubine Gao really save her?"

Xiao Ruizi nodded: "That's what Manager Wang said."

Wang Jinzhong's words should not be false. Zhu Hanyu's white fingers slowly stroked the teacup. Gaopin saved Doukou's life, but Doukou went to Chengbi Hall and now jumped into the well and died...

She slowly tightened her grip on the teacup, thinking that Cai Baolin's poisoning might not be that simple.

Little Ruizi was still looking at her. Seeing that she remained silent for a long time, he couldn't help but ask, "Does the master have any other instructions?"

Zhu Hanyu was brought back to his senses by him, and ordered Caizhu to give him the reward money, then waved his hand and asked him to leave.

Xiao Ruizi left happily.

Caizhu massaged Zhu Hanyu's shoulders and whispered, "Master, Cai Baolin's poisoning may not be that simple. You were almost implicated. You must be careful."

Zhu Hanyu nodded and said, "Remember to remind me to visit Chengbi Hall in the next few days."

Caizhu agreed.

Zhu Hanyu covered his mouth and yawned, rubbing his eyes: "Go get some hot water, I'm tired and want to rest early."

*
On New Year's Eve, the emperor held a banquet for his ministers. During the banquet, there were clinking of glasses, the sound of drums and music, and the charming dance of the Xixia princess brought the atmosphere of the whole banquet to a climax.

The sound of stringed instruments drifted away with the night wind, all the way to the equally bustling Yiran Garden.

"Here I come!" Chen Xing ran into the house excitedly carrying a large food box. Yu Zhui followed behind breathlessly, "Go slowly, don't spill the soup."

"It won't spill." Chen Xing placed the food box on the large table, and Moxiang and Xia Qiaoru came over to help bring out the dishes.

There was a simple barbecue grill next to the table, and the meat skewers were sizzling with oil. Chu Liuzheng was eating fruit while instructing Miyue to sprinkle seasoning on them.

Chen Xing came over with a smile, stretched out his hand to take a skewer to taste, but Mi Yue slapped it open and said, "It's not cooked yet, be careful or you'll get a stomachache if you eat it."

Chen Xing pouted in dissatisfaction, looked around the room, and asked in confusion: "Where are Xiao Xiazi and Xiao Yunzi?"

"They've gone to get the wine." Chu Liuzheng threw the fruit core into the bucket, "They'll be here in a minute."

As they were talking, Xiao Xiazi came back with the bowl and chopsticks, and Xiao Yunzi came back with two jars of wine.

"This wine is not strong, Miss Liu Zheng can drink it." Xiao Yunzi put the wine jar on the table. "No, your wound is not fully healed yet, you are not allowed to drink a drop of wine." Moxiang glared at Chu Liu Zheng who stretched his claws towards the wine jar.

Chu Liuzheng smiled awkwardly and begged, "Good sister, I'll just have a taste."

"No." Moxiang's face was stern and there was no room for negotiation.

Chu Liuzheng was helpless. Not only did he feel that his injuries had not healed, but he suddenly had a mother.

Xia Qiaoru smiled and hugged her: "Miss Moxiang is doing this for your own good. Don't think about drinking. Wait until your injury is healed before drinking. There is morel chicken soup tonight. Miss Yuzhu bought it specially. You can drink two more bowls later."

"Yes, Chen Xing and I have been waiting for a long time for this bowl of soup." Yu Zhui put the dishes and chopsticks in place, and greeted everyone with a smile, "Stop busying yourself, come and sit down."

"Chen Xing!" Mi Yue put the grilled meat skewers into the plate. When she turned around, five skewers were missing. She was so angry that she chased Chen Xing and beat him.

"Sister is so stingy." Chen Xing turned around and made a face at her, then ran to Chu Liuzheng and used Chu Liuzheng as a shield.

Chu Liuzheng felt dizzy from the duo's performance and had to speak up to smooth things over, finally coaxing the two sisters to sit down.

Chen Xing still had a string in his hand, and he raised it to Chu Liuzheng's lips with a smile, "Sister, eat it."

As soon as Chu Liuzheng opened his mouth, Moxiang looked over, as if to say, "Try it if you dare."

Chu Liuzheng calmly closed his mouth and said, "I'll drink the soup, you eat it."

[嘤~My barbecue! 】

Xiao Yunzi poured wine for everyone, and of course Chu Liuzheng's was soup, which Moxiang served herself.

"After so many years in the palace, this is the happiest year I have ever had. It is fate that we can get together." Yuzhui raised his glass happily: "May we get better and better."

Moxiang followed suit and raised her glass: "Everything you wish for is granted."

Chen Xing raised his glass: "Always smile."

Chu Liuzheng raised the bowl of soup: "Be healthy and fit."

Xia Qiaoru raised her glass: "Be safe and sound."

Xiao Yunzi raised his glass: "May everything go well for you."

Siyue raised his glass: "No worries every year."

Xiao Xiazi raised her glass and looked at everyone, her cheeks slightly red. "We will celebrate the New Year together next year, no one will be missing."

"Yes, not one less!" Everyone looked at each other and shouted with a smile: "Cheers!"

The sound of clinking glasses was crisp and pleasant. Chu Liuzheng held the bowl of soup and sipped it, but he regretted it halfway through.

When others toast, she drinks the bowl. After drinking this big bowl of soup, she doesn’t want to eat anything else.

Just as she was debating whether to finish the drink to bring good luck, Xia Qiaoru put her bowl aside and stuffed the roast duck roll into her mouth.

Chu Liuzheng blinked.

The night is still long, and we have to stay up tonight, so it’s okay to drink slowly.

She turned and looked out the window.

[At this time, the show should have started, right? It's a pity that I can't watch it live. The tyrant must not let the butterfly escape. ]

"A-choo!" Xiao Jingfan suddenly sneezed.

Queen Zhong immediately looked over with concern, "Your Majesty, have you caught a cold?"

"Nothing." Xiao Jingfan waved his hand and lowered his eyes to look at the seats below. He happened to meet the eyes of Wei Mingliang who was looking over.

Wei Mingliang raised his glass to him and saluted him from a distance.

Xiao Jingfan also gave him face by picking up the wine glass and taking a sip.

Weiming Yujin came back from changing clothes and sat next to Weiming Liang, her brows slightly furrowed, as if something was on her mind.

Wei Mingliang turned to look at her and asked, "What's wrong?"