During a palace banquet, everyone ate absent-mindedly.
All pricked up their ears to listen to what the concubines had to say.
However, the concubines kept chatting about romantic affairs, without revealing any key information.
The wives of the Duke and Duchess, except Mrs. Zhen Guogong, who looked worried, all of them looked calm and breezy.
It's a good thing that the empress is ill!
It's too late to celebrate, so why worry.
The only thing to worry about is that after the empress's death, will the emperor take the opportunity to set off a big storm? Will it affect my own head
What's more, the forces in the court should be reshuffled. Should I act early and take the initiative? But he was worried that the emperor's suspicion would be aroused, and the loss outweighed the gain.
You know, the older Emperor Kaiyao is, the smaller his mind is, and there is no room for sand in his eyes.
If anyone makes Emperor Kai Yao unhappy, Emperor Kai Yao will make his whole family unhappy for three generations.
After thinking about it in this way, the dukes and wives chose to stand still and watch the changes with a tacit understanding.
The palace banquet was tasteless, so Gu Jiu took a sip of the wine.
The cold wine rolled down from the throat, and the whole person felt cold from head to toe.
never mind!
There is no way to eat this palace banquet.
Gu Jiu put down the wine glass, and knelt down quietly behind Mrs. Zhang and Mrs. Xie.
Gu Yue kept her head down, her mind was unclear.
Gu Shan was as quiet as a chicken the whole time, and I haven't heard a few words from her today.
Boom!
Whose wine glass rolled to the ground, instantly attracting everyone's attention.
In front, Concubine Xue covered her lips with a smile, glanced at the wine glass on the ground, and said, "Sister Xianfei, what's wrong with you? But your hands are cold? These goddamn slaves gave Sister Xian a cold wine glass, damn it."
"My lady, spare my life, my lady, spare my life!"
All the palace people on the spot, regardless of rank or not, all knelt down and kowtowed in unison.
Concubine Xue Gui snorted coldly, full of majesty.
Concubine Xian said expressionlessly: "The imperial concubine is thinking too much, it's because I am not sure, it has nothing to do with others."
Concubine Xue laughed, "Sister Xianfei is as kind as ever. Forget it, since Sister Xianfei has spoken, I don't care about this matter."
Concubine Xian frowned, staring at Concubine Xue, she changed from her calm and gentle attitude before, "Concerning? I don't care about smashing a wine glass, so what do you care about? Could it be that Concubine Gui really thinks of herself as a queen?"
The air in the hall suddenly became quiet.
Everyone's heart skipped a beat.
This is to make trouble!
Can the concubines really bear it
The empress is not dead, and she starts to make troubles, so she is not afraid that the empress will pull a back before she dies.
Concubine Xue Gui's face changed drastically, with cruelty in her eyes, "Sister Xianfei, be careful. You are dissatisfied with the empress' connivance in your heart, and you shouldn't curse the empress. The empress is the mother of a country, how can you allow you to slander her."
Concubine Xian was trembling with anger, Concubine Xue Gui clearly turned right and wrong into black and white, and beat her up.
"You are the one who is slandering, talking nonsense. I don't know who's thinking is wrong, do you really think that you have the final say in this harem?"
Concubine Xue laughed mockingly, "Sister Concubine Xian misunderstood. I don't care about the harem, and neither do you. Naturally, His Majesty and the Empress have the final say. Sister Xian Concubine, you are quite old. Be careful what you say."
Concubine Xian's face flushed red with anger, she snorted coldly, stood up, shook her sleeves and left.
Concubine Xue Gui smiled contemptuously, she dared to fight her with this little skill, she was beyond her control.
Concubine Shu sat still and didn't say a word from the beginning to the end, just drinking on her own.
Concubine Xue laughed, "Sister Concubine Shu, let's drink."
Concubine Shu looked at Concubine Xue Gui with a half-smile, "Forget it! I don't want to be mad at you to death."
Concubine Xue's hand holding the wine glass paused in mid-air, as if she was frightened, or as if she heard something ridiculous.
She covered her lips and smiled, "Sister Concubine Shu really knows how to joke."
Concubine Shu glanced at Concubine Xue Gui, "I never joke around."
Concubine Xue Gui snorted coldly to herself, "Forget it, why should my hot face stick to my cold ass."
Concubine Shu ignored her.
Gu Jiu's position is a little far away from the front, he can't hear the words of the empresses, but he can see the movements of the empresses.
Since Concubine Xian shook her sleeves and left, Concubine Shu indifferently rejected Concubine Xue, Concubine Xue was enjoying herself, even Gu Jiu saw it.
She was stunned to herself, did the relationship between these empresses really reach this level? Doesn't hide it in front of others, and directly spreads the contradiction in front of everyone
Is this really good
Or is it that the conflict in the palace has reached a fever pitch and there is no need to cover it up
Gu Jiu heard Zhang sigh.
So she asked in a low voice, "Auntie, is it important?"
Zhang Shi whispered to Gu Jiu, "Get out of the palace as soon as possible. If you continue to stay, I'm worried that something will happen."
As the empress's body deteriorated day by day, the concubines almost tore their skins off and rolled up their sleeves to go into battle shirtless.
Gu Jiu felt sorry for her.
This harem is really not a place for people to stay.
She thought of Jiang Yan who was determined to climb up, and wondered if Jiang Yan had successfully entered the palace? Where are you now, can you be happy? Or are you suffering at the bottom, with no hope and no future
The most beautiful youthful years of my daughter's family are just a few years. If Jiang Yan can't seize the opportunity and climb up at the most attractive age, then her life will be difficult.
Gu Jiu thought wildly for a while, and continued to suffer at the palace banquet.
Everyone didn't know what to eat for this palace banquet, so it ended soon.
Mrs. Zhang led Mrs. Xie to see Mrs. Mrs. Wei, intending to leave the palace early.
The old lady Wei nodded, "Let's go out of the palace, we are all going out of the palace. This year is not peaceful, everyone should be more cautious."
Zhang suddenly breathed a sigh of relief.
The eldest lady, Xiao Wei, came to the old lady in a hurry.
"Madam, my daughter-in-law just got some news."
"What news? Could it be the empress..."
The old lady Wei's complexion changed slightly, thinking that the empress would not even survive the first day of the new year.
If the empress is really gone, then everyone present here today...
The old lady Wei's brows were tense, and her complexion became ugly. With her old bones, she might not be able to survive the funeral of the empress, and she would die in front of the mourning hall.
Madam Xiao Wei hurriedly said: "It's not what Madam thought. My daughter-in-law got the news that in the next few days, the emperor's grandchildren will collectively choose wives. Not surprisingly, Qi'er and Ying'er are all on the list."
"what?"
The second wife Wang and the third wife Duan are in a hurry.
"Sister-in-law, is this news accurate?"
The eldest lady Wei said affirmatively: "The news is confirmed. Several dukes and wives were the first to get the news, and they are already discussing countermeasures."
Everyone searched for the traces of the dukes and wives in the crowd, and sure enough, several dukes and wives gathered together, and everyone looked dignified.
The old lady Wei asked: "Who came up with the idea? How did you think of letting the emperor's grandsons collectively choose wives?"
The eldest lady, Xiao Wei, whispered: "I heard that it was the empress's intention, and Your Majesty also agreed. This time, the girls of the Pei family probably won't be able to escape."
How many people are staring at the marriage of the girl from the Pei family, who made Lu Hou powerful, with military power in his hands, and a high position and weight.
As Luhou's daughter, she received far more attention than princesses and princesses.
Pei Yun escaped from marriage and went to the northwest, do you really think no one in the capital knows about it? It's just that everyone is tacit.
If my family can't marry Pei Yun, of course I don't want to see another family marry Pei Yun.
Pei Yun was able to leave Beijing smoothly and go to the northwest, it can be said that many people did it openly and secretly.
This time Pei Yun quietly returned to Beijing from the northwest just before the Chinese New Year.
Anyone with a discerning eye could tell that the Pei family was planning to marry Pei Yun.
Everyone is paying attention to whether Pei Yun will marry into the royal family or into an honorable family.
Because Pei Yun's marriage represented Lu Hou's attitude from the side.
In recent years, Lu Hou's attitude has always been ambiguous and vague.
The nobles said that his stance was not firm and his buttocks were crooked, and they were afraid that he would stab a knife in the back.
The civil servants said he was corrupt, ambitious, and ineffective. Some even said that Marquis Lu deserved to be hacked into pieces.
However, no matter how the honorable civil servants slandered and abused Luhou. In fact, everyone wants to win him over.
After winning Luhou over, the throne of the emperor is basically secure.
However, Lu Hou, a bastard, took a lot of money. He dared to take the money from anyone, but he took the money but did nothing.
A complete asshole.
Lu Hou's actions made people grit their teeth with hatred.
But there is nothing anyone can do about him.
However, although Lu Hou said that oil and salt are not allowed, at least he has children. Several daughters are not yet married, this is an opportunity.
The sons of Lu Hou married either the daughters of nobles or the daughters of his subordinates. position is not clear enough.
Now it's Luhou's daughters' turn to say goodbye, he can't marry his precious daughter to his subordinate's son.
It is said that marrying a daughter is high and marrying a daughter-in-law low. Letting Pei Yun marry the general's son would be like putting a flower on cow dung, what a waste!
Therefore, Pei Yun's marriage has many manipulations, and it also represents many meanings.
When the old lady Wei thought about it, she knew that it seemed that the emperor's grandson was choosing a wife, but in fact it was a game of many forces.
"The water is too deep, you are not allowed to reach out. Qi'er and Ying'er's marriage will be settled as soon as possible after the old man discusses with the old Hou Ye. Let's go, leave the palace as soon as possible."
The old lady Wei's expression was solemn, and everyone was worried.
Zhang secretly breathed a sigh of relief, fortunately she did not have a daughter, otherwise she would have to worry to death.
Mrs. Xie is thinking crookedly, it is a good thing for the emperor's grandson to choose a wife.
Gu Yue's marriage has been settled, but there is Gu Shan.
If Gu Shan could marry the emperor's grandson, it would be a great virtue of her ancestors.
Seeing this, Mrs. Zhang hurriedly reminded Mrs. Xie, "Sister and brother, this matter is not as simple as you think. Don't mess around and harm the whole family."
Mrs. Xie pursed her lips and smiled, "Sister-in-law reminded you right, don't worry, I won't mess around. My family's Shan'er is still young, and Lun can't talk about her."
Mrs. Zhang frowned, with a serious expression, "Let's go out of the palace with the old lady."
But she has already made a plan in her heart. After returning home, she has to be reminded by Mr. Gu.
No matter what ideas Xie had, she had to kill her ideas in the bud.
Gu Jiu and Gu Mei walked together, "Sister Mei, is it alright?"
"I'm fine. But sister Qi and sister Ying are in trouble."
Gu Jiu asked in a low voice: "Did the Zhao Palace solve it?"
At the beginning, Prince Zhao's Mansion wanted to marry Gu Qi, but Hou's Mansion strongly refused and did not hesitate to cooperate with the Empress.
Gu Jiu has always kept this matter in mind, not knowing what will happen next.
Gu Mei whispered to her: "There is no movement at Prince Zhao's Mansion for a while, and it seems that he has given up. But this time the emperor's grandson chooses a wife, I am worried that troubles will happen again at the Zhao Prince's mansion. I heard that as long as the emperor's grandson chooses someone, His Majesty will It will directly issue a decree to grant marriage."
Gu Jiu shook her head slightly, "Sister Mei can rest assured about this. For His Majesty to order a marriage, the premise is that the wife chosen by the emperor's grandson must meet His Majesty's requirements.
For example, sister Pei Yun of Luhou Mansion, not just any grandson of the emperor can choose her as his wife.
If someone is not clear about the situation and chooses a wife indiscriminately, not only will His Majesty not issue a decree to grant a marriage, he might even be furious. "
Gu Mei said: "Sister Xiaojiu has never been in touch with those imperial grandchildren. They are all good people, and they can calculate each other. I think that this time the imperial grandson will choose a wife, and there will definitely be fish in troubled waters and take advantage of the opportunity to make trouble."
Gu Jiu nodded, that's true.
The emperor's grandchildren received the highest quality education of this era, no matter in terms of thought, vision, or ability, they were beyond the reach of ordinary people.
In terms of playing tricks and tricks, these grandsons beat most of their peers by more than ten blocks.
A simple choice of wife by the emperor's grandson is likely to be played by them in various tricks.
The queen empress suggested that the emperor's grandsons collectively choose wives, but she really didn't have good intentions.
It is estimated that the empress wanted to make a big event at the last moment of her life to make the situation even more chaotic.
As the situation became more chaotic, clowns jumped out one after another, in order to bring out the benevolence and excellence of His Royal Highness the Prince.
In this way, what reason does the emperor have to abolish His Highness the Crown Prince
The deaths of the emperor's grandchildren indirectly set off the death of the princes and princes.
There is never a lower limit than bad.
Rather than letting a rotten prince inherit the throne, it is better to let the crown prince inherit the throne. Anyway, the prince still has the advantage of benevolence.
Gu Jiu pondered for a while, and felt more and more that the empress is unfathomable and her methods are extraordinary.
It's a pity that she couldn't compete for her life, nor Emperor Kai Yao.
Gu Jiu secretly sighed with emotion, the queen empress does not give in to her husband, but it is a pity that the son she gave birth to is not even half as good as her. Sadly.
I'm afraid the empress is also very unwilling.
The Gu family left the palace smoothly, boarded the carriage and set off home.
Master Gu also rushed back in the middle of the afternoon.
The Xie family sent someone to invite Mr. Gu to the Furong Courtyard.
"Master has worked hard."
Master Gu had a stern face, with a gloomy expression, "I heard that Concubine Xian smashed the wine glass at the palace banquet in the harem, and left with her sleeves shaken?"
Mrs. Xie was taken aback for a moment, and quickly moved to Mr. Gu's side, "Does the master know about this?"
Master Gu snorted coldly, "Someone reported to His Majesty the first thing that happened in the harem banquet. I know about it, which means that almost the whole capital knows about it."
Xie secretly cried out in fear.
"I didn't expect to see that scene. But I was far away, so I didn't hear what the empresses said."
"No problem! I already know the general reason."
Mrs. Xie was curious, and asked: "What is the reason? Is there any enmity between the Xian Concubine and the Imperial Concubine?"
Master Gu whispered: "Some time ago, probably two or three months ago. King Zhao slapped King Yan."
"what?"
Xie couldn't believe it.
Lord Gu said again: "This matter happened in the palace, under His Majesty's nose. King Zhao is the elder, and King Yan is the youngest. King Yan was slapped by King Zhao. If he can't fight back, he will definitely hold grudges in his heart. Xianfei is Yan. The king's biological mother hated the house and Wu, so naturally she hated Concubine Xue Gui and Zhao Wang's mother and son."
After a while, Mrs. Xie was afraid, "Has the lords and ladies already made trouble to this extent?"
Master Gu nodded, "Old Hou Ye reminded me that I have to stay away from these princes in the future. You must not get involved in the battle between the princes."
Mrs. Xie nodded again and again, "Master is right. I also heard a piece of news today. It is said that the emperor's grandsons will collectively choose wives in the next few days. The old lady is very worried, worried about Gu Qi and Gu Ying's two children. was chosen."
Master Gu frowned, "This is indeed a troublesome matter. But the old lady and the old Hou Ye should have a way to deal with it."
"My lord, the emperor's grandson chooses a wife. Everyone is afraid to avoid it. But if the girl can marry into a palace that doesn't compete for the throne, it's good for me as a concubine."
Master Gu narrowed his eyes, "What does Madam want to say?"
Xie was worried, but she still said: "I am wondering whether Shan'er should seize this opportunity."
"absurd!"
Master Gu snapped, "Is what I said just now all in vain? Didn't you listen to a single word? I've said it all, stay away from these princes, princes, and grandchildren, and you're still obsessed with it. Are you afraid that I won't die fast enough?"
Mrs. Xie panicked, "Master, I don't mean that. I just want Shan'er to marry a good family."
Master Gu was half-dead from anger, "Shut up. There are so many good people in the world, why do you have to marry the emperor's grandson? Let me tell you, this is the capital, not the northwest.
Do you know that if you make a slight mistake, you may be lost forever.
Do you think that a certain palace can be safe and rich for a lifetime if it does not participate in the battle for succession? you dream.
You are such a disappointment to me. How greedy you are, why do you only see the benefits in front of you, but not the risks? This officer is really going to be killed by you. "