Gu Jiao's entry into Renshou Palace basically relied on brushing her face. All the masters and palace staff of Renshou Palace knew her and knew that she was the apex of Empress Dowager Zhuang, and no one dared to stop her.
Despite Empress Dowager Zhuang's orders, no one was seen this afternoon.
Concubine Zhuang Gui was not so lucky.
As soon as she arrived at the gate of Renshou Palace, she was stopped by the guarded master of the big inner circle.
Concubine Zhuang: "Go and spread the word, this palace is in a hurry to find the queen mother."
Great master: "Sorry, the queen mother has an order, no one is seen."
Concubine Zhuang Gui frowned: "But this palace just saw someone entering."
"That's Miss Gu, she went to see the Queen Mother." The master of the big house finally knew not to hate Gu Jiao.
Concubine Zhuang was relieved when she heard that it was a medical treatment, but in the next moment, she asked worriedly, "Is the Queen Mother's phoenix body in violation of peace?"
The master of the big inner said: "The queen mother was slightly unwell yesterday. I invited Miss Gu to enter the palace to treat the queen mother. Miss Gu is here today for a follow-up consultation for the queen mother."
Concubine Zhuang thought for a while: "Then the palace will even go in to visit the queen mother."
"This… "
Concubine Zhuang Gui said: "I won't embarrass you. The queen mother won't let you disturb her. Miss Gu never said that. Go and invite Miss Gu."
"Yes." The big inner master glanced at the little palace maid beside him.
The little palace maid understood and caught up with Gu Jiao.
Gu Jiao was talking to Eunuch Qin in the small garden in front of the palace.
The little palace maid said: "Miss Gu, Eunuch Qin, Concubine Zhuang Gui is here, she wants to see Miss Gu."
Eunuch Qin is a good person, and Concubine Zhuang Gui and Gu Jiao are not familiar with each other. Most of the time she wants to see her, she hopes that Gu Jiao can pass on the message to the Queen Mother for her: "... The Queen Mother is reading the book, and the servants dare not disturb her."
"Well, then I'll wait." Gu Jiao didn't do anything special.
"Okay." Eunuch Qin smiled and took Gu Jiao to Empress Dowager Zhuang's bedroom.
In fact, the Empress Dowager's love for Miss Gu would not mind her interruption at all, and she could even have some fun in the boring day-to-day official business.
But Miss Gu is never arrogant, she has her own duty and bottom line.
She is kind to the queen mother, not to get the queen mother's favor, but sincerely hope that the queen mother can live well.
Eunuch Qin went to see Concubine Zhuang Gui at the entrance of Renshou Palace again, and said politely, "Miss Gu is also waiting for the Queen Mother to be summoned."
Speaking of which, Concubine Zhuang Gui couldn't say anything else.
Fortunately, there are not many papers today, and Empress Dowager Zhuang left the study not long after.
Eunuch Qin reported: "The Queen Mother, Miss Gu and the imperial concubine are here."
Empress Dowager Zhuang hummed: "let her come in."
This refers to Concubine Zhuang.
She understands the rules she sets, Jiaojiao can come in, but others can't.
"Yes." Eunuch Qin led Concubine Zhuang Gui into the Queen Mother's bedroom.
Gu Jiao had just finished reexamination for Empress Dowager Zhuang, and her throat recovered well, but she seemed to be suffering from heat stroke in the hot weather. Gu Jiao brought ginger slices and sesame oil over to scrape her arm.
Concubine Zhuang respectfully bowed: "The Queen Mother."
"Tell me, what's the matter?" Empress Dowager Zhuang asked lightly. After all, she hurt her throat, and it still hurts when she uses it.
Eunuch Qin retired with the palace servants early, and there were only three of them left in the huge bedroom.
Concubine Zhuang Gui glanced at Gu Jiao who was scraping for Empress Dowager Zhuang, and she understood that Empress Dowager Zhuang did not mean to avoid Gu Jiao, she lowered her eyes and said softly: "Empress Dowager, do you really care about Heng'er's marriage? What's wrong with Heng'er? can marry…”
She looked at Gu Jiao again, thought about her words, omitted the unfriendly modifiers, and said directly, "Gu Jinyu? She is just the adopted daughter of the Ding'an Marquis's mansion, with a humble status and a loss of virtue. If you marry her, I am afraid that Even Heng'er has become a laughing stock in the capital."
Empress Dowager Zhuang looked at her lightly, as if to signal her to continue.
Concubine Zhuang's eyes swept back and forth from Gu Jiao again, and said, "Not to mention that Gu Jinyu stole the credit from Miss Gu at the beginning. It is unfair to Miss Gu to praise her like this."
Empress Dowager Zhuang said solemnly: "Don't use others as rafts."
Concubine Zhuang hesitated, "...Yes."
Gu Jiao continued to scrape, and had no intention of participating in the conversation between the two at all.
As for Empress Dowager Zhuang, she didn't have much reaction after hearing Concubine Zhuang's complaints.
Concubine Zhuang couldn't help being anxious.
This is not the same as what she imagined. It is true that the queen mother is a heart of stone, but she loves Zhuang Yuheng. She did not agree to send Zhuang Yuheng to Chen Guo as a hostage.
Why is Zhuang Yuheng being trapped like this by His Majesty, but she is not moved at all
Concubine Zhuang continued: "Empress Dowager, Heng'er's wife must be in the right place and help him, but what does Gu Jinyu have? She is not even the flesh and blood of the Marquis of Ding'an! Is it possible that the Marquis of Ding'an mansion will still be able to face her in the future? Besides, I suspect that Your Majesty is simply trying to place a small work in the dealer!"
The Marquis of Ding'an was His Majesty's confidant, and His Majesty married Gu Jinyu into the Zhuang family. First, it was able to break the Zhuang family's plan of marrying other hairpin families, and secondly, it was able to monitor every move of the Anjun King and the Zhuang family.
Concubine Zhuang felt that His Majesty had such a plan.
In fact, the emperor had no such plan, but just like the emperor did not trust Empress Dowager Zhuang, Concubine Zhuang did not trust the emperor's intentions too much.
The banker can't go wrong, and can't miss a great opportunity to marry a powerful family.
The stronger Anjun Wang is, the more help her son Ning Wang will be.
"Aunt..." Concubine Zhuang saw that the reason was not easy, so she played the family card.
Empress Dowager Zhuang closed her eyes and rested.
Concubine Zhuang was so anxious that she simply kicked the ball to Gu Jiao: "Girl Gu, what do you think?"
She knew that Gu Jiao and Gu Jinyu had a bad relationship, and she believed that Gu Jiao would not speak for Gu Jinyu, nor would she care about the battle between the Zhuang family and the Ding'an Houfu.
Gu Jiao is the daughter of Empress Dowager Zhuang.
Gu Jiao continued to scrape her aunt, paused, and said, "This is the marriage of Prince An, shouldn't it be up to him to decide? After His Majesty bestowed the marriage, have you asked him whether he would accept it? Is it his own will?"
Concubine Zhuang Gui was suddenly stopped.
Concubine Zhuang Gui returned without success.
After Gu Jiao shaved Empress Dowager Zhuang, she went to pick up her own black powder.
The site of Bishui Hutong was limited, so she didn't dare to let go too much, for fear of blowing up the house.
Renshou Palace has enough open space, and it is fine if it is bombed.
Eunuch Qin entered the house to serve Empress Dowager Zhuang. Empress Dowager Zhuang's complexion was much better and her chest was no longer stuffy.
Qin Gonggong offered freshly cut melons and fruits, and said, "Does the queen mother really ignore the marriage of the Prince of Anjun?"
Empress Dowager Zhuang sneered as if sneering: "The emperor first beheaded and then played, and the Aijia is a big army. How does the Aijia manage? Is this Jiangshan really surnamed Zhuang? The Aijia's hands have been stained with blood over the years. The power of the family comes easily, and who sees Aijia walking on thin ice?"
Eunuch Qin took it seriously.
Outsiders only saw the Queen Mother calling for wind and rain, but they did not see the blood dripping from the Queen Mother's back.
Empress Dowager Zhuang said indifferently: "If Zhuang Yuheng wants to break off the marriage, he will come to beg the family by himself. He didn't say it, that's why he accepted it."
As soon as the voice fell, there was a loud bang in the small lawn of the side hall, and the entire Renshou Palace seemed to tremble three times.
The expressions of the two changed.
Eunuch Qin hurried out with small steps: "Miss Gu, Miss Gu, are you alright?"
The lawn was blown bald in a big chunk.
Gu Jiao was nowhere to be seen.
Eunuch Qin was frightened: "Girl Gu!"
"I'm here."
A weak voice came from above Eunuch Qin's head. Eunuch Qin looked up and saw that Gu Jiao had been blown up into a little black face, a chicken head, and her little arms and legs were drooping, like a little puppet. Hanging on high eaves.
Gu Jiao opened her mouth and let out a puff of black smoke.
Eunuch Qin: "..."
Gu Jiao was bewildered by the bombing. After being rescued by a master in the big house, she climbed onto her aunt's phoenix bed and slept all afternoon.
When she woke up, it was almost evening, and her aunt left her for dinner at Renshou Palace.
She thought about it and said, "Auntie, let me make milk dates for you."
Mainly because I am embarrassed for blowing up my aunt's lawn today, so I have to make up for it.
Milk dates are made with goat cheese, sun-dried red dates and almonds. The red dates have their own sweetness without adding extra sugar. They are full of milky fragrance, delicious and nutritious.
Red dates and almonds are not difficult to find, but the goat cheese has to be picked up from the imperial kitchen.
When the chef of Renshou Palace went to the imperial kitchen to get the goat cheese, Gu Jiao went to the imperial garden. She planned to pick some flower petals and go back to dry them to make tea.
Not long after she picked it in the imperial garden, several young maids came over, and they also picked some flowers with baskets.
Gu Jiao put the full basket on the stone table, and went to pick another basket full. The petals looked so many that once they were dried, there would be almost nothing left.
Gu Jiao returned with a reward.
Coincidentally, she brought the feta cheese, and she handed the basket to Eunuch Qin, and turned around to go to the small kitchen to make milk dates.
Inside the Huaqing Palace, the little palace maid hurriedly knelt on the ground.
The emperor and Concubine Jing were sitting on the chair. The emperor frowned and looked at several young palace maids who were newly selected to serve by Concubine Jing. Long Yan was displeased: "How did you serve the concubine? You have left the concubine's jade pendant. !"
Concubine Jing sighed: "I don't blame them, I lost it myself. I just heard some noise when I went to the Imperial Garden, but I didn't pay attention to it for a while.
"The slave, the slave was found, but the slave..." A little palace maid said tremblingly.
Concubine Jing said warmly: "Don't be afraid, just say it well, I don't blame you."
The little palace maid bravely took a step forward on her knees, kowtowed, and said, "The servant found a jade pendant in the imperial garden. The servant did not know that the concubine lost it, so she thought of giving it to the aunt in charge for a while, and the servant put the jade pendant on it. On the table, when the slaves finish picking flowers and go to get the jade pendant, the jade pendant will disappear!"
The emperor said solemnly, "Why did you put the jade pendant on the table at will?"
The little palace maid said in fear: "The jade pendant is broken, and the slave thinks it is worthless, not a good thing..."
"Broken?" The emperor looked at Concubine Jing in surprise.
Concubine Jing nodded bitterly and said nothing.
Madam Cai said earnestly: "Two years ago, the empress of the imperial concubine fell and broke the jade pendant, and one corner was directly smashed into pieces, and it can no longer be attached. But that is what Princess Ning'an left to the empress of the imperial concubine. Think, so even if it breaks, the empress will still wear it on her body every day."
Hearing Concubine Jing's fall, the emperor's heart hurt like a needle, and he only regretted not taking Concubine Jing back to the palace to take care of her earlier.
"Mother and concubine suffer," he said guiltily.
Concubine Jing said: "Your Majesty's words are serious, it's just a fall. When people are old, they always have inconvenience in their legs and feet."
"I look at the Renshou Palace..." The emperor wanted to say that the legs and feet of the person in the Renshou Palace were really neat, even more agile than before the leprosy. He also felt that it was not appropriate to always mention the queen mother. He cleared his throat and looked at the little court ladies who were kneeling on the ground, "At that time, besides you, who else had been to the Royal Garden?"
The little palace ladies looked at each other.
Although one piece of the jade was broken, the remaining half of it was still worth a fortune. It was not an ordinary beautiful jade, but a thousand-year-old cold jade of the Yan Kingdom. This little palace maid did not know the goods, and it did not mean that others did not know the goods.
"Speak!" The emperor said coldly, "Who the hell took the concubine's jade pendant?"
Everyone kowtowed, but the little palace maid who just picked up the jade pendant said: "Your Majesty, the slaves really didn't take it! The slaves don't know the goods, how can they get a piece..."
She didn't dare to say Po Yu anymore.
The emperor asked solemnly, "Then besides you, who else has been to the Imperial Garden?"
The little palace maid thought for a while and said, "There is a girl... I don't know which palace she is from. She doesn't look like a palace concubine or a palace maid in her clothes. Here on the left side of her face... there is a red birthmark."
Neither a palace concubine nor a palace maid, with a red birthmark on the left cheek, is this not Gu Jiao and who is it
This is embarrassing.
If it was an ordinary jade pendant, the emperor would be too lazy to pursue it, but it was the thought that Princess Ning An left to Concubine Jing, and that was the person the emperor once cared about in his heart.
The emperor cared about her no less than Concubine Jing.
Eunuch Wei glanced at the emperor with a complicated look.
Miss Gu couldn't rub the sand in her eyes. His Majesty really dared to send someone to ask her if she had picked up a piece of jade pendant. I was afraid that Miss Gu would never pay attention to His Majesty again.
Well, although I'm already angry with Your Majesty now.
But the nature of things is different.
Miss Gu is not a person with dirty hands and feet, but she can't help His Majesty not letting go of any clues for investigation.
What's more, Miss Gu is now in Renshou Palace, what will the Queen Mother think when she finds out about this? I won't let it go without scolding His Majesty.
The queen mother herself can be wronged, but Miss Gu cannot.
Eunuch Wei silently squeezed the cold sweat, it was over, it was over.
The emperor calmed down, held Concubine Jing's hand and said, "The little genius doctor will not pick up the jade pendant on the table, the empress dowager loves her, and the treasures of the entire Renshou Palace can't wait to give it away, although the thousand-year-old cold jade sent by Ning An is precious , but still can't get into her eyes. Ning An also gave me a piece back then, since it was all Ning An's thoughts, I will have someone bring it to my concubine."
"The slave is going to get it!" Eunuch Wei didn't wait for the emperor to give him an order, and went out in a hurry, as if he was afraid that the emperor would go back on it in the next second.
The emperor said: "These little palace maids are ineffective and lost the jade pendant of the mother-in-law. In the future, don't wait in front of the mother-in-law. I will choose some effective palace servants for the mother-in-law."
Concubine Jing smiled and said, "I eat fast and recite Buddha, so I don't need too many people around me, only Mama Cai is enough."
The emperor said: "Mother Cai is also getting old, and it is inevitable that when she is unable to do what she wants, if there are a few clever palace servants by the mother's side today, she will not lose her mother's jade pendant and ignore it."
Gu Jiao didn't know anything about the Huaqing Palace. She went to the small kitchen to make milk dates and flower cakes, and there were still a lot of flowers left.
The little palace maid smiled and said, "I'll put a sachet for the girl, and the girl can take it back to make dried flowers."
"Alright." Gu Jiao nodded.
The little palace maid found a golden silk sachet containing dried flowers, and put the remaining petals in the basket into it.
After dinner, Gu Jiao returned to Bishui Hutong.
Gu Xiaoshun scratched his head in the yard, his expression not quite right.
"What's wrong?" Gu Jiao stepped forward and asked.
Gu Xiaoshun said: "Master Gu fainted, and he hasn't woken up yet."
It turned out that after Gu Jiao went to visit her aunt, Gu Hou Ye didn't leave, but asked her son Yao Shi where she went. As soon as he finished speaking, he saw Yao Shi coming out of the house with a big belly.
This is no longer a fat ball, but a real ball in the stomach!
There is nothing more horrifying than a man traveling for a while and finding his wife with a big belly.
If it's just this, it's nothing, but Xuanping Hou walked over and said a few words with Yao Shi with a smile.
Xuan Ping Hou, the most romantic and unruly man in the whole capital, smiled seriously and also had a trace of ruffian and evil spirits, and Lord Gu immediately felt that the sky was falling!
Marquis Gu has always been troubled by his appearance, but he has to admit that Marquis Xuanping is indeed better-looking than him. If this prodigal man hooks his fingers, countless women will follow him.
Could it be that... his Yaoyao was also recruited? !
Otherwise, he really couldn't figure out why Xuanpinghou appeared here!
Anger attacked his heart, and his head was green.
Gu Houye couldn't hold it anymore, he stuck out his tongue, rolled his eyes, and fainted—
Gu Jiao went to Yao's room, gave Gu Houye a pulse, and said, "He's fine."
Yao Shi nodded, although this husband is sometimes confused, but in the end it was two... No, now he is the father of her three children, and she doesn't want them to become fatherless children.
but-
Yao Shi looked at her bulging belly, was the fetal movement so strong in six months? Why do you always feel that this child is trying to kick his father
At the end of the month, the ticket is cleared, don't waste it.
(End of this chapter)