An imperial banquet ended in a b****y way with fear.
Emperor Jingxiao went to the elixir chamber, while Leng Qingtang and Gu Yunxi were dragged out of the palace by Ming Lan's subordinates for flogging.
The rest officials in Baohe Palace knelt there, all at sea.
It was quiet and awkward.
Empress Qian sighed. Dim-faced, she looked at the kneeling officials and said in a tired tone,
"The Spring Banquet this year is over. What has happened needs further investigation. You can go back now."
Commander-in-chief of the Eastern Depot was a rank-second official of the government. It would have hurt his face if other officials had watched him being flogged.
Empress Qian felt pity for Leng Qingtang. She had just drawn him over to her alliance when this accident occurred.
What she could do for
