Chapter 15 Chapter 15 Haha, you’re finished.

Xie Yingchen! ?

Qin Su was finally sure that he was not wrong.

This restless half-brother of his had followed Xie Yingchen to Liang State. As soon as he saw him, Qin Su guessed that the person in the black lacquered carriage was most likely Xie Yingchen.

Qin Su calmed himself down and bowed, "Your Highness..." The words were twisted in his throat, "Young Master."

Xie Yingchen raised his hand and took off the jade pendant from his waist.

"Please go and pass it on."

This white jade nine-dragon pendant was given by the late emperor himself when he conferred the title of Crown Prince on the emperor.

Qin Su respectfully took the jade pendant with both hands and signaled a Jinwu Guard to go in and report.

"Grandson!"

Suddenly, a cry of surprise came from the crowd leaving the court. The Minister of Revenue, who was over 70 years old, was stunned for a moment, then walked over here quickly in ecstasy. He walked so fast that he didn't even care that his official hat was tilted.

"It's really you."

The Minister of Revenue grabbed his hand, his white beard trembling, and he was about to kneel down with shaking legs.

Xie Yingchen helped him up with both hands, straightened his official hat, and greeted him with a smile: "Minister Mo."

"Yes, yes." Minister Mo cried with joy and spoke incoherently, "Your Highness, you have grown up so much, and you still remember me."

His words and actions were so undisguised that many officials stopped and looked over here.

Some were watching and thinking from afar, some wanted to leave this dangerous place as soon as possible, and some, like the Minister of Revenue, were so excited that they couldn't control themselves... Everyone in the court, whether civil or military, had their own thoughts.

"Grandson!"

"Your Highness."

"You're finally back."

For a moment, there was a commotion in front of the palace gate.

Xie Jing's face was filled with shock. Perhaps it was because the veil was too thick, but he felt that even his breathing was a little slowed down.

These important officials in the court, whom even he had to show some respect to, now surrounded Xie Yingchen and asked about his well-being, without even glancing at him.

He couldn't help but feel a little panicked.

Xie Jing knew that Xie Yingchen was already on his way back to Beijing.

It's just that he didn't feel too much about it before. He was just the bastard child of a deposed crown prince. If he was told to live, he would live. If he was told to die, would he dare not die? Until now, Xie Jing suddenly felt a great sense of crisis.

Don’t these old guys care about the emperor’s mood?

Xie Jing recovered from his immense shock and addressed him by name, "Xie Yingchen! Yesterday, you were still in Yizhou, but now you're already at the gates of the Imperial City. Who are you guarding against with all these precautions? Perhaps you think our father won't tolerate you?"

Xie Yingchen just glanced at him and smiled without saying anything.

This smile seemed to reveal a lot of meaning, but also seemed to say nothing.

Prime Minister Song: “…”

After his wife came back from the Qianqiu Festival, she told him that the Third Prince didn't seem very smart.

It’s true!

Some things, knowing them is one thing, but once you say them out loud, it becomes incredibly stupid.

The Prime Minister of Song stroked his beard.

He did not want turmoil in the court, so before Prince Chen returned to Beijing, he followed the emperor's wishes and asked for permission to appoint a crown prince.

But this Third Prince had seemed alright in the past. Though his talents were mediocre, he was refined, well-mannered, studious, and kind. He was also the daughter of the Empress, so his status was legitimate. Who would have thought… thinking about what happened yesterday, it's hard to put into words.

Look, and have to look again...

Prime Minister Song pondered for a moment, made up his mind, and said, "My Lord, I will go with you to see the Emperor."

Minister Mo glanced at Prime Minister Song and felt that he was becoming more and more cunning as he grew older.

Xie Yingchen was the oldest of all the late emperor's grandsons, the legitimate eldest grandson. If he were ranked together with cousins ​​in common order, he could indeed be called "the eldest son". Fortunately, he could think of such a flattering title.

But the late emperor never deposed the crown prince! Orthodoxy should be orthodoxy! Why mess with it?

Look at the Third Prince, clearly wanting to outdo the Crown Prince, yet all he does is utter a few foolish words to sow discord. He's simply unbearable to watch. He's nowhere near the Crown Prince, who was personally raised by the late Emperor, so measured and composed.

Minister Mo raised his head and said with a warm smile, "Grandson, I will go too."

Prime Minister Song glared at him secretly. What was there to argue about with this title? Calling him "Grandson" now was inappropriate. It was really inappropriate!

The Jinwu Guard who went to report came out in a hurry, and with him came the eunuch Li Deshun who was in front of the emperor.

Li Deshun greeted the various lords, then smiled broadly at Xie Yingchen, saying, "The Emperor has ordered you to appear before him." He also used a vague address. Xie Yingchen didn't move. He turned toward Gu Zhizhuo and bowed, saying, "Thank you, Miss Gu, for seeing me off. I'll visit you someday and offer a stick of incense to the Duke."

As soon as these words were spoken, all eyes turned to Gu Zhizhuo who was standing there holding the horse.

In an instant, the talking stopped and there was complete silence all around.

The eldest daughter of the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion openly went out with Xie Yingchen. This behavior alone was enough to make people imagine a lot, and all kinds of speculations lingered in their minds for a while.

Gu Zhizhuo calmly let them look at him. She smiled from a distance and said, "Please do as you please, sir."

He nodded slightly to her, and surrounded by a crowd of people, he walked into the palace.

Xie Jing stood there, staring at the vermilion palace gate slowly closing before his eyes. His eyes no longer had the confidence they once had, but were filled with resentment, hatred, and confusion.

"Your Highness." Gu Zhizhuo gave a malicious smile and said meaningfully, "Emperor Taizu once said that those with facial flaws cannot serve in the government..."

Taizu once said that officials should not have facial blemishes or physical disabilities, and the same applies to rulers.

"As for your face, remember to take good care of it and be patient. By the way, does it still hurt?"

Xie Jing subconsciously covered the wound on his forehead. After applying medicine, the skin of the wound felt like it was being pulled by something, and it felt numb and painful in waves, and the pain lasted all night.

No one looked at him straight in the eye just now. Was it because Xie Yingchen had returned, or because they thought his injury could not be healed and he had lost the qualification to compete for the crown prince?

Gu Zhizhuo schemed against her in every possible way and didn't care at all whether the engagement with her could be successful. Could it be that the Gu family really had secret troops stationed in the northern border, and now wanted to abandon her and choose a new master to earn the credit of being a follower of the dragon?

So, that's why she is with Xie Yingchen?

As soon as this thought came to his mind, it was like a bucket of ice water was poured over his head. A chill rose from his heart, and he shivered with cold. It was much colder than when he was kneeling in the rain yesterday.

"I won't disturb you while you reflect." Gu Zhizhuo chuckled, jumped on his horse, bowed in the direction of Qin Su as a farewell, and called out to Qiongfang and Jingmei, "Let's go!"

Xie Jing's mind was in a mess and he stood there motionless.

The wind blew up the veil of his hood, revealing his pale face.

"Miss." Qiongfang was a horse's length behind him. "Are we going back to the manor?"

"Go back home."

Gu Zhizhuo said briskly, "My last name is Gu. Of course I can return to the Zhenguo Mansion whenever I want."

People with the surname Ji all live well.

Why should she avoid it?

I went to Zhuangzi only because I needed to. Now that the matter is done, of course I have to go back.

Gu Zhizhuo swung his whip handsomely in the air, and the jade lion took the lead and rushed out of the Meridian Gate.

She first went to Baijitang and got some medicine for herself. She also told the shopkeeper to send someone to the mansion to tell her if anyone came looking for her, and then she went back.

For Qiongfang, they were only away for one day.

For Gu Zhizhuo, returning to this mansion felt like a whole lifetime.

My great-grandfather joined Emperor Taizu in the uprising and performed outstanding military exploits. After Emperor Taizu ascended the throne, he was granted the title of Duke of Zhenguo, a hereditary title that could not be demoted.

Along with the title, the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion was also bestowed. It was said to be the residence of a powerful prince of the previous dynasty.

Pavilions, towers, flying eaves and green tiles, every step has a scene, everywhere is like a painting, and the extravagance of the past is still retained in the details.

The Gu family has not split up, and now there are three branches living here, including her two cousins ​​and two cousins, one of whom is not born yet - in the previous life, when he was exiled, An Ge'er was less than half a year old. He survived the prison, but died in the charity cemetery.

Gu Zhizhuo looked at the plants and trees in a trance, and walked back to his yard along the bluestone path.

Qiongfang was about to go forward and knock on the door, but Qingmei's ears moved and she gently pulled her.

She smiled strangely: "Girl, there is someone inside."

"Is anyone there?" Qiongfang tilted her head and leaned over to listen. Sure enough, there were faint voices talking inside.

"...That's right. Madam was so anxious that she cried all day and all night."

"Hey, Madam Zhu, you said that Madam treats our daughter with all her heart and takes her into consideration in everything. How come she never considered that if she doesn't come home at night, Madam Tai and Madam will be worried?"

As Qiongfang listened, she became increasingly furious.

Here we go again! If these words were to reach the ears of the lady, she would definitely be angry.

Gu Zhizhuo winked at her, asking her to step aside, and then he raised his foot and kicked her.

Bang!

She kicked open the red-painted wooden door of the yard, startling Nanny Zhu who was saying, "Poor thing, the cousin has been sent to the nunnery by the madam, but the eldest daughter is still not quiet and isn't ashamed..."

Gu Zhizhuo folded his arms across his chest, full of interest.

Rui Huang looked embarrassed, but soon smiled as if nothing had happened: "Miss, you didn't come back last night, and the lady was very worried, so she asked Nanny Zhu to come and ask about it."

She said flatteringly, "As soon as the Madam came back, she sent Miss Ji Biao to the women's temple, saying that she should reflect on her mistakes there."

After saying that, he carefully looked at Gu Zhizhuo's face.

She was one of Gu Zhizhuo's two maids, given to her by Ji.

Looking back, Gu Zhizhuo only vaguely remembered that after Ji Shi entered the family, his father stayed for less than two weeks before returning to the northern border with his brother. Later, when he fell ill, Ji Shi dismissed her wet nurse and two maids, claiming that the servants had failed to take good care of her, and sent Rui Huang instead.

After she recovered from her illness, Ruihuang took her out to play all day long.

He often whispered in her ear: "My dear girl, you were born in the clouds, you are different from others."

"How can my cousin compare to you? She is a guest in our house, so she has to work so hard to learn poetry, songs, calligraphy, painting, the Four Books and the Five Classics. Otherwise, no one would look up to her if she went out."

"Madam likes you the most. If you have anything you want, just tell Madam quietly. Madam will definitely agree to it."

Indeed, she had everything she wanted, whether it was food, toys, or even writing when she didn't want to memorize books. Rui Huang would even do her homework for her.

At that time, she was six or seven years old, well, I don’t remember.