Chapter 24: A Bright Future Since she wants it, I will give it to her...

The eunuch was frightened by her cold and stern look and took a step back, but still said boldly: "Aunt, I have no choice. We have to wait for the emperor's order before we can..."

In the past, these matters were handled by Eunuch Hu. Now that Eunuch Hu is in prison, everyone knows the emperor's temper. If something goes wrong, you will lose your head. Although my aunt is favored by the emperor, she is not in charge of this matter after all.

Zhao Changning naturally understood what he meant and was also annoyed by such contempt. He couldn't help but curl his lips and sneered, "The emperor has ordered that there is no need for extravagance. The situation is difficult, and he wants to do his best. Do you have any questions?"

"No, no, thank you for your advice, Auntie." The eunuch secretly regretted his talkativeness. After bowing respectfully, he hurried away.

Zhao Changning watched him leave calmly, all kinds of emotions surging in his heart and his palms were sweating.

This was her first official oral instruction, and she thought she would give more oral instructions in the future.

However, even though the old emperor had relented, she still couldn't rest assured, as that small list of people to be buried alive was a big trouble.

In mid-March, in the mist and rain, Mingxuan returned to Beijing with a sentence imposed on him.

After the old emperor and the cabinet ministers discussed it, they finally decided that in consideration of his contributions in fighting against the Japanese pirates, he should be ordered to observe mourning for his biological mother.

The prince was extremely dissatisfied with this decision, and dragged his sick body to fight for Mingxuan, saying that Mingxuan was devoted to Dayong and had a clean and upright character. How could he hide the death of a mother whom he had never raised or educated, and whom he had never even met?

But these words were rejected by the emperor, and the father and son had a quarrel over this.

Fortunately, the emperor agreed to the prince's request and hanged Hu Gou'er as a warning to others. Some of the eunuchs who were found guilty were either killed or exiled, and the rest would be investigated by the Ministry of Justice before being dealt with.

There is no winner in this fight.

Zhejiang was in chaos. Mingxuan was dismissed from his post, and Hu Gou'er and other eunuchs who worked for the emperor were hanged. The local eunuchs were in danger, which caused considerable chaos and made the national treasury even emptier.

Zhao Changning didn't know what had triggered Mingxuan's anger. Not only did Hu Gouer bite him, but even the emperor didn't want to forgive him.

Many of the crimes that Hu Gou'er was accused of in prison and in the court were not his doing at all, but were the atrocities committed by the eunuchs sent to the local areas who pretended to obey his orders but actually disobeyed his orders.

After all, they had worked together for many years, and she wanted to go see Hu Gouer, but was rejected and told that he would not see her, Zhao Changning, no matter who he met.

It is said that after Hu Gouer learned that he was going to be hanged, he remained silent and refused to eat or drink.

Yunsheng held the bowl, his eyes kept glancing at his aunt. Seeing his aunt holding the chopsticks in a daze, he gritted his teeth and said, "Aunt, can you let me go see Eunuch Hu?"

Zhao Changning came back to his senses and looked at him. "Even if he sees you, he may not talk to you."

Yunsheng grunted and blushed, "Actually, Eunuch Hu is very good to me. Even when those people beat me up, he protected me and said that maybe my aunt would help him in the future. But he told me that..."

As soon as he finished speaking, he realized that he had said something out of turn and quickly shut his mouth.

Zhao Changning was not surprised. Hu Gou'er was no fool. It was no surprise that Yunsheng could find out the news.

But she really had no way to help him, because she was not the only one who wanted him dead.

"Why? You can't talk about this?"

Yunsheng said with a bitter face, "Eunuch Hu didn't let me tell you, but I agreed. Aunt, please don't ask anymore."

Zhao Changning picked up some food with chopsticks and said, "Since you want to go, then give it a try."

That night, Yunsheng came back very late with a lunch box.

Zhao Changning was just about to return to his residence when the thick fog hit his face, making it wet. Under the candlelight, it looked like dripping stars. The two of them walked on the road, one in front and the other behind.

Yunsheng held the palace lantern and obediently lit the way for his aunt.

"Aunt, Eunuch Hu said he has something to give you, but he wants you to help his woman outside and those innocent people who have been implicated."

Zhao Changning was surprised. "What good stuff? How dare you ask for such a high price?"

Looking at the honest Yunsheng, she said unhappily, "Just give it to me."

Yunsheng shook his head, "Aunt, I promised Eunuch Hu that if you don't want it, I can't give it to you."

Zhao Changning laughed in anger and frowned at him, "Are you going to listen to him or me?"

Yunsheng lowered his head and whispered, "I've already promised, Auntie. If you promise someone, you must keep it..."

Zhao Changning knew his honesty and understood why Hu Gou'er favored him, which made him feel helpless.

"Okay, I'll do my best to help."

Yunsheng breathed a sigh of relief. "Then I'll go see Eunuch Hu next time, and he'll tell me where the thing is, Auntie. He said you really need it."

Zhao Changning shook her head. She didn't think Hu Gou'er had anything she needed, but there were some people she was willing to help.

The night before Hu Gou'er was hanged, Yunsheng went to see him again.

When Hu Gouer saw him coming, he opened his eyes weakly and looked through the gaps in his messy hair.

Yunsheng opened the big food box he brought and spread out the bowls and dishes inside in front of the fence, muttering to himself.

"These are the dishes my aunt ordered the imperial kitchen to prepare. She said they are all your favorites. Eunuch Hu, my aunt saved a few of them, but there was nothing we could do about the other three. The names of the three were submitted to the Ministry of Justice and have been officially sealed. However, my aunt also made arrangements and gave them money, asking them to take good care of them along the way. Don't worry, as long as they are alive, there is hope."

When Hu Gou'er heard this, tears welled up in his unwilling eyes for no reason.

He lowered his head and murmured, "Yes, as long as people are alive, there must be hope, but I can't live anymore."

Yunsheng paused, not knowing what to say. Then, remembering his aunt's instructions, he quickly said, "My aunt also told you not to worry. She will take care of the women in your house outside."

Hu Gou'er's shoulders trembled. "Thank her so much! She is the closest person to the emperor now. She must be very proud, right?"

Yunsheng said honestly, "No, my aunt is just busier and has no time to sleep. She told me to tell you not to think too much. If you are wrong, you are wrong. This is fate."

Hu Gou'er thought of the old emperor's heartless look, wiped his tears and sneered.

"She's smart. I'll ask her to be more careful when taking care of my women. They're guarding my things for me. If they want them, they have to take good care of them. If Zhao Changning wants to gain a firm foothold in the Imperial City, these things are indispensable."

Yun Sheng felt that he really couldn't understand. His aunt and Eunuch Hu were fighting so hard that they both wanted the other to die, yet they could still help each other tacitly?

"Eunuch Hu, you are actually a good person."

Hu Gou'er looked at him as if he was a fool. How could he be a good person?

"Since she wants it, I'll give it to her..." He sighed, "Everything has its pros and cons. These things are useful, but they're too sharp. Perhaps they'll also lead to her having a bad ending..."

Yunsheng was setting the table and not listening carefully. "Eunuch Hu, what did you say?"

Hu Gou'er's eyes flashed, and he shook his head, "Tell Zhao Changning a message for me..."

He paused for a long time before saying, "I wish her a bright future."

"What?"

When Zhao Changning heard this, he was stunned.

Wish her a bright future?

These words always sound eerie when they come out of Hu Gouer's mouth.

However, she was indeed interested in the things left by Hu Gou'er. This Lord Seal Master would not act without a purpose. Who knows, those things might really be useful to her.

In that case, she has to leave the palace.

Because the emperor's condition was very bad recently, all his children and grandchildren received the news and began to gather in Yujing from various places in Dayong.

Every day, more people came and went, and the old emperor needed less time from her, so Zhao Changning had some free time.

After she left Jingshan Palace that day, she immediately rented a sedan chair and prepared to go find the women left behind by Hu Gouer.

Speaking of which, Hu Gou'er was pretty good. Before he died, he still thought of settling these women and finding a way out for them.

Zhao Changning thought with some malice, is he really not afraid that he will have murderous intentions?

There is a jujube tree in the small courtyard. There are some buds faintly on the dry branches. The yard fence is covered with withered morning glory vines that were not cleaned last year.

As soon as the gate opened, Zhao Changning saw a woman of similar height to himself, dressed beautifully. The two met face to face.

"Aunt?" The woman seemed to know her and walked straight over, saying excitedly, "Sisters, come out quickly, Aunt is here."

When Zhao Changning heard her voice, she felt it was very similar to her own. What surprised her even more was that she had never seen this woman before, so how could she know her?

"You, know me?"

The woman replied in a voice similar to hers, "I don't know her, but we look at my aunt's portrait every day."

Before Zhao Changning could continue asking, a group of beautiful women came out of the room, dressed in red and green, with soft jade and warm fragrance, and the aroma was fragrant.

"It's really my aunt, my aunt is here."

"Great, Auntie, you're finally here?"

"Aunt, you are finally here. We have been waiting for several days."

Zhao Changning stared at the group of women in front of her, some crying, some laughing, and she was stunned. Every one of them looked more or less like her, nose, eyes, mouth, even ears, and back...

Her face suddenly darkened.

What a stupid dog! He even asked her to take care of these women. He was deliberately trying to be annoying. He was so annoying even after his death.

The women didn't notice and enthusiastically dragged her to see the portraits. When Zhao Changning entered the house, she saw a painting of her making tea hanging in the main hall. When she entered the room, there were two more paintings of her working...

Zhao Changning was extremely angry, but Hu Gouer had already been hanged.

"Okay, shut up."

She looked at the panicked women, her anger subsided a little, and she felt a little impatient.

"If you're willing to leave, I'll find someone to escort you and give you extra money. If you don't want to leave, then you can stay and live in Yujing. I'll also give you some money."

I hope Hu Gouer’s stuff is worth it.

Otherwise, she would have dug the graves that had been paid for and whipped the bodies that had been buried secretly from the mass graves with great effort.

The author has something to say:

----------------------

Zhao Changning: [Angry][Angry][Angry][Angry]