Chapter 126 Chapter 126 is the only genuine version...

Li Deshun forced a smile.

Miss Gu's attitude was excellent. Besides her, who else would dare to negotiate terms and settle accounts with the emperor? She even produced the account books.

Everything else is easy, but when it comes to iron mines and the like, Li Deshun is really unsure.

"Eunuch Li,"

Gu Zhizhuo spoke in a friendly and unhurried manner, "The Emperor loves Ji Shi so much, he won't be reluctant to let her go."

Li Deshun seemed to be lost in thought. He flicked his whisk and said, "I will report this to the Emperor right away. Please wait a moment, Madam."

"please."

Gu Zhizhuo and his sister escorted him out together. As soon as he left, Ji Nanke immediately stepped forward and asked, "Eunuch Li, has the Gu family received the imperial edict?"

Li Deshun ignored her.

Oh, even Miss Gu treated him politely, but this Miss Ji has been giving him orders ever since she left the palace, saying that the Gu family would definitely disobey her orders and asked him to take a tough stance.

He brushed past Ji Nan Ke, hurried back to the palace, and came back in a hurry within an hour.

The lady had not yet taken off her makeup and was waiting for him in the main hall.

He stepped over the high threshold and said to the Madam, "The Emperor has agreed."

All agreed?

The lady was shocked.

The terms and conditions proposed by Zhuo Yatou were extremely sinister. She had thought that they were meant to make the Emperor give up, and yet she still agreed to them? Was she crazy?

Li Deshun was also secretly shocked. What Miss Gu said was right. The emperor was originally a little angry at the Gu family for being ungrateful, but when Miss Ji started crying and said a few words of grievance, he agreed to everything and even paid back the money that Miss Ji owed him.

Li Deshun stood outside the layers of gauze curtains and heard the emperor sighing to Ji Shi, saying that it was thanks to her that she had obtained a large amount of silver, mines, and gunpowder for him, otherwise it would not have been so easy for him to seize the throne. He owed her these things, and so on.

Why.

He sighed secretly and handed over a small rosewood box inlaid with gold.

Gu Zhizhuo bowed slightly and took the box.

There were several deeds in the box, the most important of which were two ships and two iron mines. After confirming the deeds, Gu Zhizhuo finally showed a satisfied smile on his face.

She nudged Gu Yican with her elbow and waved the mining deed in front of his eyes.

Two pairs of similar phoenix eyes smiled at each other.

Li Deshun clapped his hands, and the powerful eunuch laboriously carried in several heavy boxes. Each box was filled with gold and silver bricks, gleaming brightly. When all piled together, they were so bright that they could blind people.

"Miss Gu, please count."

Gu Zhizhuo thanked him in a very good mood.

It’s quite worth it for Ji Shi to be able to be “sold” at such a good price with Ji Nan Ke.

Li Deshun smiled and agreed.

After Gu Zhizhuo finished counting, he was even more satisfied. He waved his hand and said cheerfully, "Grandmother, write a letter to release me."

Mrs. Gu came to her senses with an "ah" and stood up silently.

The servants set up the table and provided writing materials such as pens, ink, paper and inkstone.

There were two copies of the letter to the concubine. The lady first took out a piece of written silk paper and spread it aside, then copied it from the top. After copying, she gave it to Li Deshun.

Li Deshun took it happily, but after just one look, his smile froze on his face.

"Madam, this is not good, right?"

The letter of release stated that because Ji had committed adultery, she had to be redeemed by the adulterer according to the law. From then on, her life, death, honor and disgrace had nothing to do with the Gu family.

Madam: “Is it not good?”

This was what Zhuo Yatou had written and asked her to copy. When the Madam's face was stern, she had a sense of intimidation similar to that of the old Duke, as if she was questioning him.

Li Deshun quickly said, "No, no."

It wasn't him who signed it anyway, so why should he care so much?

He had the eunuch show the letter of release to Ji Shi. The contents of the letter made Ji Shi ashamed and angry, but she was also afraid that the Gu family was deliberately delaying the process to gain control over her, so she finally put her handprint on it. The eunuch brought it back for the Madam Tai to sign and seal. Li Deshun personally accompanied Chen Jin to Jingzhao Prefecture to register the letter and affix the seal.

From then on, Ji family had no relationship with the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion.

There were two copies of the letter of release, one was left at Gu's house and the other was given to Li Deshun.

Li Deshun felt relieved. After he left, he said to Ji Nanke, who was still outside, "Miss Ji, go pack your things. We will send someone to take you to the palace tomorrow."

Ji Nanke waited from the afternoon until dark, and finally got this result. Her brows relaxed and she replied, "Okay."

She no longer had to live under someone else's roof, no longer had to look at Gu Zhizhuo's face, and no longer had to listen to her reminding her over and over again that she was raised in the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion.

She could finally leave this damn place.

Ji Nanke turned her head to look at the main hall, raised her eyebrows and smiled victoriously.

Gu Zhizhuo had no time to pay attention to her and asked someone to carry several boxes of gold and silver into the warehouse. She happily picked up the iron mine deed, looked at it again and again, and solemnly slapped it on Gu Yican's hand.

"for you."

"Now, we have our iron arrow."

Iron is a national treasure and has been controlled by the imperial court throughout the dynasties. Therefore, in the past, as long as the imperial court refused to provide iron, the Zhenbei Army would not be able to equip enough arrows. These two iron mines are enough to fill at least half of the Northern Frontier Army's arrow needs, and maybe even enough to form a crossbow battalion.

Gu Yican's high ponytail swung, and he became excited: "Third Uncle, I want to go to the capital to see the mines."

Normally, he couldn't leave the capital without an imperial decree, but the emperor was furious, constantly arguing with the courtiers who refused to let him marry Ji into the palace, acting as if he wouldn't attend court unless they agreed. Xie Yingchen had been controlling the government for several days, and the emperor had ignored him. Presumably, he didn't have the energy to keep an eye on him, so a sneaky trip out of the capital wouldn't matter.

"After I've inspected the mines, I'll return to Northern Xinjiang. Third Uncle, I plan to secretly transfer 30,000 men to the capital."

Gu Baibai pondered for a moment: "Yes."

Now is the right time.

The Qianji Camp has obtained a new batch of arrows, enough for them to use.

Only with these 30,000 well-trained Northern Frontier troops can we attack when we advance and defend when we retreat.

"The Thousand Machine Camp is too small," Gu Baibai said thoughtfully. "Let's split the camp. Cancan, give the Thousand Machine Camp to Yaoyao. You two can come to my place later to discuss how to expand the camp."

In the past, Cancan had no helper and Yinyin was too young.

Now that Yaoyao has grown up, it is time for her to take over the Thousand Machine Camp. Cancan’s future focus will have to be shifted to the Northern Frontier and the Zhenbei Army.

Gu Yican and his sister clapped their hands happily: "Okay."

Madam Gu never interfered in these matters. After they finished talking, she asked, "Where is Gu Yan?"

Zhuo Yatou put forward so many conditions to Li Deshun, even selling Ji Nan Ke as a package deal, without mentioning Gu Yan at all.

Did you forget?

She frowned in disgust: "Are you going to let us raise you for nothing?"

Before Xu'er was born, for a full six years, Gu Yan was the youngest child in the mansion. He was pampered by the Dowager, who never said a harsh word to him and loved him deeply. However, this love was replaced by inextricable hatred after he learned the disgusting truth.

His existence was like a piece of dirty mud on the plaque of the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion.

Gu Zhizhuo smiled soothingly: "Since the emperor hasn't mentioned it, we shouldn't bring it up, or we won't get a good price."

Madam Gu: “…”

The way she does business is so ruthless, she is quite like her great-grandfather. I'm sure mynah bird will like it if it sees it!

Gu Zhizhuo smiled and said his speculation: "Prince Li is ill."

She put the other deeds into a small box one by one, and without looking up, she casually said, "Prince Li is in charge of the ancestral temple. If the emperor wants Gu Yan to be included in the imperial genealogy, he has to wait until Prince Li recovers from his illness and solemnly change his surname and clan name. Bringing him into the palace now would be inappropriate and the emperor is afraid of wronging his precious son."

"Anyway, we dare not treat him badly if he stays in the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion."

"Don't worry about it, Grandma. Let him stay in the front yard for now." Gu Zhizhuo said calmly, as if discussing a precious commodity. "I'll figure out a price that won't make a loss."

She told her not to worry about it, and the lady obeyed and didn't ask any more questions.

In just a few days, Madam Gu seemed to have aged several years and was visibly tired. Even though Gu Zhizhuo kept a close eye on her and gave her acupuncture and nourishing soup, her condition only improved slightly.

Like now, after sitting for the whole afternoon, she was much more tired than usual. Gu Liuliao helped her go back to Ronghetang to take medicine.

Gu Zhizhuo pushed Gu Baibai's wheelchair outside. The night grew darker, and even the wind on the summer night was a little stuffy.

"Yaoyao, the Thousand Machines Battalion is now short of a captain. What do you think of Qin Chen?"

"Qin Chen?"

Gu Zhizhuo's mind moved and he understood.

Qin Chen is the young master's man, and the third uncle wants to put Qin Chen in the Qianji Camp to make the relationship between the Gu family and the young master closer.

Gu Zhizhuo didn't care: "I'll ask, sir." She turned to Gu Yican and smiled, "Brother, I tried the repeating crossbow. It's very easy to use while running. It's very light..." She gestured and said, "It didn't get in the way while running and chasing in the mountains. However, if I made a hand rest to fix it on my hand, it would be more convenient. I chased that guy named Ji and he ran around everywhere."

Gu Yican was extremely envious: "I want to try it too!"

"When you come back, my second sister and I will pack our hands and we will go hunting."

“Good idea!”

The brother and sister leaned against each other and talked lively.

They stayed in Gu Baibai's study until almost dawn. Gu Yican and Gu Zhizhuo quietly left the capital together. They first went to Qianji Camp. Gu Yican spent a day handing over all the official business of Qianji Camp to Gu Zhizhuo, including the military power of Qianji Camp, and asked Qi Fu and Jiang Zizhou to assist.

Gu Yican took her to the military camp for two days to familiarize herself with the duties of a commander-in-chief of an army, and then left with peace of mind.

After Gu Zhizhuo sent him to Sanliting, he returned to the capital.

Ji Nanke is no longer here.

"The palace sent someone to pick you up the day you and the Crown Prince left the capital," said Qiongfang, who came out to greet them. "Even Madam Dowager and Miss Ji didn't go to say goodbye."

Qiongfang was indignant. Ji Nanke had been in the Gu family for several years, and the lady had treated her like her own granddaughter.

"Miss, I've discovered that Miss Ji never remembers any favors."

"She can hold grudges over trivial matters, but she will never remember the kindness others show her."

Gu Zhizhuo disagreed. She was like this in her previous life. She enjoyed the Gu family's wealth and status with peace of mind, and at the same time, she righteously denounced the Gu family for making money through war.

"What else?" Gu Zhizhuo led the horse to the stable.

"Everything is fine in the mansion." Qiongfang followed her slowly, "Even the Fifth Princess has arrived and has been staying in the mansion for two days."

ah?

Xie Danling would often sneak out of the palace to play, but she rarely spent the night outside the palace.

I have been away from home for three days. Something happened in the palace?

Gu Zhizhuo threw the horse reins to the servant, promised the jade lion that he would come over later to brush its fur, and ran excitedly to Lingxiao Courtyard.

As soon as I arrived at the gate of the courtyard, I heard a lot of noisy noises coming from inside.

Gu Zhizhuo glanced at Qiongfang, who shook her head in bewilderment. "Miss, everything was fine when I came out. The Fifth Princess and the Fifth Miss were watching birds together in the yard."

"A-Man is here too?"

"Ouch!" This cry came from Xie Danling, "I'm going to fall."

"Princess!!"

Gu Zhizhuo pushed open the courtyard door and said, "Dan Lingbiao..." She paused and raised her voice, "How did you get up there?"

"Cousin Zhuo, you're back." Xie Danling snorted happily, "I didn't fall down!"

Xie Danling climbed the tree to a height of one person, holding the trunk with one hand. Ah Man stood below, running around anxiously.

The servants gathered around her, hands clasped together, ready to catch her at any time.

Qingmei watched and smiled from the side.

Seeing her come back, little A'man's eyes lit up and he ran over with his short legs.

"Hurry, hurry." She said anxiously, "The little bird has fallen down. Cousin, help the little bird get home."

There was a small bird's nest on the top of the paulownia tree, with several fluffy little heads poking out. Xie Danling was holding a baby bird in her hand. She couldn't hold the tree trunk with both hands, and her body was shaking, and it looked like she would fall at any time.

Seeing Gu Zhizhuo, the personal maid Awu was as surprised as if she had seen a god. She cried out with tears in her eyes, "Miss, the princess has gone up again."

The word "又" is used vividly. Her princess has climbed trees and roofs since she was a child and has done everything.

"Awu, stop making trouble." Xie Danling said stubbornly, "This princess can go up..."

Gu Zhizhuo walked under the tree and looked up at her.

Xie Danling was a little uneasy because of her stare and asked, "What are you doing?"

"Watch you crawl."

Xie Danling looked up and down, and finally said, "... Cousin, cousin, dear cousin! The bird is about to fall."

"Come down, I'll catch you."

Xie Danling didn't doubt at all whether she could catch herself, so she let go of the tree trunk and her body fell down immediately without any gravity.

Gu Zhizhuo opened his arms and hugged her. The lingering force made him take several steps back and almost fall down. Xie Danling was not afraid either. She hugged her shoulders and giggled.

Xie Danling pinched Gu Zhizhuo's arm in disbelief. It felt as slender as hers and soft, and could actually catch her.

Gu Zhizhuo said proudly: "Of course, I can use a crossbow now!"

“Wow.”

Xie Danling was very supportive.

She wanted to applaud, but then she changed her attitude to cheering because she still had the baby bird in her arms.

Ah Man ran over and hugged her waist.

When Xie Danling jumped down, she carefully held the chick in her palm. The bird chirped and was unharmed.

"It fell from above."

Ah Man nodded in agreement.

“We want to put it back.”

Ah Man: "Yes, yes."

"Awu said I'm a princess and can't climb trees."

Ah Man: "That's right."

The two cousins ​​grew up together, and Gu Zhizhuo could guess what she was thinking without even having to close his eyes. When Ah Wu refused to let her climb the tree, she sent Ah Wu to climb quietly, and then she couldn't get down.

"If I didn't have to hold it, I'm sure I could climb up."

Ah Man nodded vigorously, like a little yes-man.

"I guarantee you won't be able to climb up." Gu Zhizhuo hit her without hesitation.

The two of them climbed trees many times, but cousin Danling could never climb up, and her aunt didn't bother to care about her.

Xie Danling was not at all discouraged. She handed the chick to her with a smile and said, "You come."

"I can't put it back." Gu Zhizhuo said regretfully, "My master said that if a chick smells of a stranger, its parents will abandon it. If I put it back in the nest, it will be pushed down."

She and the young master had picked up a young eagle before.

"Is that so? How pitiful! I will take care of you."

Xie Danling happily decided: "Awu, find a box." She took her arm again and walked inside happily, "Where have you been? I've been waiting for you for two days."

"Military camp."

Gu Zhizhuo held Ah Man by one hand and asked, "Cousin Danling, is Auntie okay?"

"It's okay. When the Queen said she wanted to take off her hairpin to persuade her, my mother started pretending to be sick." Xie Danling sighed deliberately. "The day before yesterday, my father went to ask the Empress Dowager to make Ji the Imperial Noble Consort."

Calculating the time, he couldn't wait to get the order to release his concubine. Gu Zhizhuo nodded: "And then?"

Xie Danling carefully placed the baby bird into the paper box that Awu had brought, which was thoughtfully padded with straw.

"The Queen Mother was furious and wanted to beat Ji to death with a stick. She started arguing with my father."

Ah Man didn't understand and imitated her, frowning in distress.

Xie Danling chuckled, pinched her rosy cheeks, and continued, "Anyway, there's unrest in the palace, so my mother asked me to come out and stay with you for a few days. She said that Cousin Xing is already in Yanzhou and will be here soon. I have nothing to do anyway, so I might as well go to the Wang family and see if there's anything I need to buy. So I came out to play with you, but you're not at home. But luckily, Ah Man is here to keep me company."

"The roof has been built, and we've bought enough ice. I'm keeping an eye on it. During the hottest day of summer, I had them clean up the double water courtyards surrounding the pond."

"Okay, okay." Xie Danling fell back and leaned comfortably on the pillow of the beauty bed. "It's still more comfortable outside the palace. After I get married and open my own house, it would be great if I could bring mother to live with me in the princess's mansion. I want to stay here with you. No one will bother me anyway."

"Princess," Awu reported from the corridor, "Adai is here."

Ah? Adai was the senior maid left by Xie Danling in the palace. As soon as she came in, she said, "The emperor is sending someone to look for you."

A crow's mouth. Xie Danling slapped her own lips and said weakly, "What's wrong?"

"Ji suddenly fell seriously ill and was vomiting blood. The emperor ordered all the princesses to pray for her."

Xie Danling rolled her eyes: "No."

"If the emperor doesn't call my name, it doesn't matter if I'm missing."