Chapter 263 Reunion (Second Update)

The old lady felt that she should kneel down in this situation, even though she didn't understand what was going on. However, before she could speak, the guard had already knelt down.

old lady:"……"

Grand Tutor Zhuang also stepped forward excitedly and bowed.

"Who are you?" the old lady asked.

"Your Majesty..." Grand Tutor Zhuang began, but remembering that she didn't remember the past, he changed his words, "I am your elder brother! You are Zhuang Jinse, and I am Zhuang Boyong. Do you still remember me?"

"Big brother?" The old lady looked at him suspiciously.

"Yes!" Grand Tutor Zhuang said excitedly, "Have you remembered?"

The old woman didn't respond to his question, but instead looked at the old priest beside her and asked, "Did you have someone push him?"

"This servant is so unreasonable, he actually refused to let me in..." Grand Tutor Zhuang glanced at the old man beside the old lady with great disdain. For some reason, he was particularly annoyed by him. Seeing him standing with his sister made him want to rush up and beat him up.

The old lady looked at him, her tone somewhat impatient: "What did you just say?"

Grand Tutor Zhuang was taken aback by the unfriendly tone: "I mean... he turned me away?"

The old lady: "The previous sentence."

Grand Tutor Zhuang recalled for a moment: "This servant is so unreasonable?"

The old lady nodded, walked to the door, and beckoned to Grand Tutor Zhuang with her finger.

Grand Tutor Zhuang stepped forward and said, "Sister."

The old lady patted him on the shoulder: "Turn around and face outwards."

Grand Tutor Zhuang was puzzled, but he still turned around as instructed.

The next second, he felt a sharp pain in his buttocks. It turned out that the old lady had kicked him out. Caught off guard, he tripped on the threshold and fell to the ground.

Before he could react, the old lady slammed the courtyard gate shut!

A lackey?

You son of a bitch!

How dare you bully my man!

Grand Tutor Zhuang was turned away and knew he would never see Empress Dowager Zhuang again. He gritted his teeth and left for his residence with resentment.

On his way back, he was extremely puzzled. Why did Empress Dowager Zhuang treat him like this? Did she not recognize him and think he was a bad person, or was she trying to settle scores for that old geezer?

How ridiculous! When has Empress Dowager Zhuang ever shown such concern for a mere servant? She treats human life like dirt, sending princesses of the dynasty away for political marriages so casually, yet she would stand up for a servant?

In fact, not only was Grand Tutor Zhuang puzzled, but the old Grand Chancellor was also completely baffled.

He would believe it if Zhuang Jinse were to skin him alive with a knife, but he truly couldn't believe that Zhuang Jinse would stand up for him.

But it happened even though I didn't believe it.

He wasn't stupid, nor would he deceive himself into thinking, "Oh, she's not doing this for me; she's probably just wary of strangers."

You're practically half-buried, have you no shame?

The old chief priest touched the bridge of his nose and said awkwardly, "Well..."

Oh no, I wanted to say thank you, but I can't find the words.

The master and apprentice were alike; when they were convincing people, they could talk fluently and without hesitation, but when it came to the crucial moment when they needed to build up the atmosphere, it was as if their tongues were tied in knots.

The old lady didn't have any of his little annoyances; she just did something perfectly normal and walked towards the kitchen without a care in the world.

I haven't finished eating the glutinous rice cake yet, it'll get cold if I don't eat it soon.

Watching her anxious back, the old chief minister guessed that she had gone to find something to eat. Was this foodie really still the same ruthless and treacherous empress who had brought ruin to the country?

For the first time, the old chief priest began to doubt his own understanding?

Could it be that Zhuang Jinse's true nature isn't as bad as she seems? Or perhaps I've misunderstood Zhuang Jinse before?

But everything else can be washed away, but the fact that she used the late emperor's body as a bargaining chip can never be washed away!

While other empresses were racking their brains to monopolize the emperor's favor, she simply took over the green plaques in her own Kunning Palace, requiring those who wanted to be listed to pay money first, and the highest bidder would sleep with her!

She also set up a reward: if a woman conceived a prince, she would be rewarded with one thousand taels of silver; if she gave birth safely, she would be rewarded with two thousand taels of silver.

Whoever gives birth to a prince can also serve the late emperor once for free.

She earned so much money, it's impossible to count it all.

What's even more infuriating is that the late emperor was kept in the dark all along, and was even smug about having such a virtuous empress who was always looking for beautiful women for him. That's how Zhuang Jinse got her title of virtuous empress.

By the time the late emperor learned the truth, it was too late; the power of the court had already fallen into the hands of Zhuang Jinse and her family.

The late emperor died with resentment in his heart. Zhuang Jinse deposed the crown prince, supported the current emperor, and began her twenty-year regency.

Zhuang Jinse, Zhuang Jinse, what kind of person are you really?

If one day you remember who you are, will you turn back into Zhuang Jinse, or continue to be Liu Lang and Jiao Jiao's aunt?

Xiao Liulang went to the orchard and picked up Gu Jiao and Xiao Jingkong, who were walking back.

Both the adult and the child looked refreshed and energetic, as if they had done something extraordinary.

Little Jingkong was jumping around, extremely happy!

It's fun to beat up the flower girl!

I'm so happy to have met Jiaojiao!

Today was another day of his triumphant and heroic spirit!

The two adults and one child returned home. Gu Jiao went to fetch water for Xiao Jingkong to wash his hands. The old priest called out that dinner was ready and began to set the table.

Gu Xiaoshun shook Gu Yan awake: "Dinner's ready."

Gu Yan rubbed his sleepy eyes and lazily turned over: "I'm not eating, I want to sleep."

Gu Xiaoshun said, "Eat first, then sleep."

"No." Gu Yan covered her head with the blanket.

Suddenly, a pair of small, icy hands reached in and cupped Gu Yan's face.

Gu Yan was jolted awake by the cold, threw off the covers and sat up: "Little monk! Are you itching for a beating?"

Little Jingkong ran to the door and made a face at him: "Hehehe!"

"You wait!" Gu Yan quickly got out of bed.

Little Jingkong waved her little arms and went to complain: "Jiaojiao! Brother Yan is going to hit me!"

Gu Yan grabbed the feather duster: "Don't you dare make false accusations! It was clearly you who ambushed me!"

The two little owners were fighting, and the chickens and dogs in the yard started fighting too, causing chaos every night.

The old chief priest thought to himself, if anyone had dared to make a scene in front of Empress Dowager Zhuang in the past, they would have been dragged out and flogged long ago. But now, she was eating melon seeds while looking on with a smug expression.

After dinner, seeing that no one was around, the old priest asked the old lady a question: "Um...aren't you afraid that person is actually your brother?"

The old lady gave him a disdainful look: "How could that be? Isn't Liulang the only one left in my family?"

"Ah...yes, yes!" The old chief priest dared not deny it, afraid that he might accidentally let something slip, but looking at the other party's carefree appearance, he suddenly felt a little reluctant.

He asked, "What if... I mean, what if you still have family members, the powerful ones? Would you want to go back?"

"Something's not right with you..." The old lady looked at him suspiciously, put the sunflower seeds on the stove, picked up a kitchen knife, and said, "Tell me the truth! Have you been hiding money again?"

The old chief priest: "..."

Regarding the matter of Grand Tutor Zhuang's visit, the old chief priest felt it was necessary to mention it to Xiao Liulang.

At night, after everyone had fallen asleep, Xiao Liulang was summoned to the next room by the old chief priest.

After recounting the matter of Grand Tutor Zhuang, Xiao Liulang showed no surprise whatsoever. The old chief priest was puzzled: "You knew all along that the Zhuang family knew?"

Xiao Liulang did not hide anything: "When we were in the countryside, Prince An came to our house."

"So early..." The old chief priest was astonished.

He knew that Prince An had gone to the small county town; that was before the provincial examination, almost a year ago now.

The old chief minister pondered for a moment: "It seems that the matter of reopening the Imperial Academy is also related to the Zhuang family. Whether you pass the provincial examination or not, the Zhuang family will send you to the Imperial Academy. They know your situation very well and know that you will definitely bring your family with you, so Zhuang Jinse can enter the capital openly and legitimately."

When the old priest suddenly addressed the old lady by her name, Xiao Liulang was slightly taken aback. He glanced at the old priest, but since the old priest himself didn't realize anything was wrong, Xiao Liulang didn't say anything.

The old chief priest was lost in thought when he continued, "Now that you have passed the imperial examination with top honors, and the Marquis of Xuanping has openly expressed his intention to approach you, the Zhuang family must think that you have sided with His Majesty and the Marquis of Xuanping's mansion and are now their enemy. Therefore, they can no longer keep Zhuang Jinse in your hands. Look, Grand Tutor Zhuang has been turned away today, but he will not give up easily."

The old chief priest was right. Grand Tutor Zhuang had not given up on bringing Empress Dowager Zhuang back. Since the soft approach was not working, they would have to resort to the hard approach!

Taking action against Empress Dowager Zhuang was obviously not feasible. Putting aside the question of whether it was a capital offense or not, Empress Dowager Zhuang was of noble birth and precious status. If anything went wrong, they could not bear the consequences.

Grand Tutor Zhuang then glanced at the people around Empress Dowager Zhuang.

Xiao Liulang is too cautious; that girl is said to be quite skilled, so it won't be easy for him to succeed.

The girl's mother is said to live there too, but unfortunately she never goes out, so it's not easy for her to succeed.

So, only three children remained who were studying at the Imperial College and Qinghe Academy.

The younger one always hangs out with the Minister of War's son and the Seventh Prince, which could easily alert them.

In the end, after careful consideration, Grand Tutor Zhuang settled on one person—Gu Xiaoshun!

(End of this chapter)