Chapter 289 The Deceitful Empress Dowager (First Update)

The news of Gu Changqing's acquittal caused a huge uproar in the capital. There were too many details that people didn't know, such as the abuse of Tang Ming in the mansion. But putting that aside, Gu Changqing did cut off Tang Ming's arm.

How could they all be acquitted?

The old Marquis also found it strange, fearing that Eunuch Wei's information might be wrong.

He rushed back to the Marquis's residence, only to find that Gu Changqing had indeed returned and was washing up in his room.

Having spent so many days in the torture chamber, he was utterly despondent and no longer cared about his appearance. It wasn't until he looked in the bronze mirror that he realized just how terrifying he had been when he went to Biyue Hutong to find Gu Yan that night.

It's the middle of the night, and Gu Yan's mental fortitude is truly remarkable that he didn't mistake him for a ghost.

Gu Changqing bathed, changed clothes, washed his hair, and shaved. The elegant and handsome captain was back.

Aside from a slight bruise on the corner of his mouth, which the old Marquis had whipped him into, there was also a small bruise.

Gu Chengfeng and Gu Chenglin also came over. The two of them had skipped class at Qinghe Academy, but at this critical juncture, no one criticized them.

"Big brother!"

Seeing Gu Changqing emerge from the bathroom, Gu Chenglin rushed over without thinking, embracing him tightly. Breathing in his familiar scent and the gentle fragrance of soap, a wave of emotion washed over him: "Brother... I thought I'd never see you again... I heard you were going to be executed... I felt like killing Tang Ming... It's all his fault..."

Upon hearing this, Gu Changqing and Gu Chengfeng were both stunned. Did Gu Chenglin also know about Tang Ming's matter?

Gu Chenglin choked up, "Why would he bully the Gu family army for no reason! He's a scoundrel! He's a villain! He's a scoundrel! My brother taught him a lesson, but he's not good at martial arts and is inferior to others, so he blames my brother... If it weren't for him, my brother wouldn't have been locked up..."

Okay, so that's what you were talking about.

The two secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Gu Chengfeng looked at Gu Changqing's noticeably thinner frame, his eyes darkening. He was still angry about his elder brother's excessive protection of Gu Yan, but he couldn't bear to see him being dragged along by Gu Chenglin while injured. He tugged at Gu Chenglin impatiently: "Alright, my brother just came out, he's still weak, don't keep carrying him!"

"Oh." Gu Chenglin wiped away his tears, let go of his arm, and looked at Gu Changqing with teary eyes. "Big brother, you've lost weight."

Gu Chengfeng said, "Then go to the kitchen and tell someone to make something delicious!"

Gu Chenglin finally caught the unfriendly tone in Gu Chengfeng's voice: "Second brother, why are you angry? Shouldn't you be happy that eldest brother is back?"

Yeah? Why is he angry? It's just that he treats Gu Yan better than him and Gu Chenglin, isn't it?

Gu Chengfeng stormed out!

Gu Changqing: "..."

Gu Chenglin: "..."

"You should go out too. I have something to say to your elder brother," the old Marquis instructed Gu Chenglin.

"Oh." Since his grandfather had spoken, Gu Chenglin dared not disobey. He glanced at Gu Changqing reluctantly and whispered, "Big brother, I'll come to see you later."

"Mm." Gu Changqing nodded in agreement.

After Gu Chenglin left, the old Marquis dismissed the servants who had been attending him.

The room suddenly fell silent.

The grandfather and grandson remained silent.

Looking at Gu Changqing's injuries, the old Marquis was also somewhat distressed. However, given the circumstances, if he didn't let Gu Changqing suffer, Tang Yueshan would make him suffer.

At least he knows his limits when he strikes, but it's hard to say what will happen when Tang Yueshan goes berserk.

In fact, it was thanks to his injuries that Tang Yueshan believed he couldn't have been the assassin who cut off Tang Ming's testicles that night.

However, the grandfather and grandson share the same temperament, possessing a strange sense of pride and never defending themselves.

The old Marquis cut to the chase: "What exactly happened with Tang Ming? Why did Tang Yueshan suddenly release you? Why did he hold you so tightly before?"

As for why Gu Changqing was so angry that he cut off Tang Ming's arm and why he escaped from prison, the old Marquis had given up asking about the former, and he believed that Gu Changqing had gone to hunt down the assassin for the latter.

Of the three questions, Gu Changqing only answered the second one: "Tang Yueshan caught the assassin who broke into the military camp that night. He found clues on the assassin and knew that I was innocent. He also knew that the person behind it wanted to sow discord between the Marquis of Ding'an's mansion and the Marshal's mansion. He didn't want to fall into the trap, so he released me."

"How did you know?" the old Marquis asked.

“He told me himself,” Gu Changqing replied.

That's the truth.

However, that's not all.

Tang Yueshan also said that he was drugged, which is why he attacked Tang Ming, and told him to see a doctor immediately.

He was completely baffled at the time and had no idea why Tang Yueshan would say such a thing.

Tang Yueshan also said that Tang Ming did not do it intentionally; someone had drugged him, and he hoped that the two of them would not fall into the mastermind's trap and become enemies.

Gu Changqing knew Tang Ming's character all too well; there was absolutely no way he would have drugged him.

It was only on the way back that he gradually realized that his sister must have used some method to fool Tang Yueshan.

Regarding the assassin, Gu Jiao came to Gu Changqing and asked him to set fire to the torture chamber and make it look like he was escaping, so that the assassin would attack and frame him.

This morning, Tang Yueshan told him that the assassin had been dealt with, so Gu Changqing assumed that Tang Yueshan had captured the real assassin.

Gu Changqing did not tell the old Marquis about Gu Jiao's involvement.

The old Marquis had never fought an assassin before and didn't know how cunning they were. He figured it wasn't surprising that Tang Yueshan had managed to capture them, so he didn't suspect anything.

Although the old Marquis was eager to know what irreconcilable conflict existed between Gu Changqing and Tang Ming, Gu Changqing refused to speak, leaving the old Marquis helpless.

The old marquis told you to rest well and that you didn't need to go to the military camp for the next few days before getting up and leaving.

With such a big incident, not only does Tang Yueshan want to investigate the mastermind behind it, but he also wants to find out who stabbed him in the back.

Not long after the old Marquis left, Gu Chengfeng came again.

After feeling frustrated for a while, he remembered his business and came to ask Gu Changqing for clarification.

"Brother, do you know if that girl knows the Empress Dowager?" he asked.

Gu Changqing was wiping his longsword. Hearing this, he looked at him, his gaze lingering on him for a moment, before continuing to wipe his sword and saying, "Yes, I know him."

That's it?

Could you at least give a more sincere answer?

How could I possibly spread that girl's secret?

"I saw it!" Gu Chengfeng pouted.

Gu Changqing paused for a moment and said, "There are some things you don't need to know too much about. Whether she knows the Empress Dowager or not has nothing to do with the situation in the capital."

Gu Chengfeng scoffed, "It's not like I'd go to my grandfather to complain. Besides, who cares about that girl's secret?"

I clearly know more than you!

Did you know that girl went and messed with Tang Ming?

Do you know that I went to the Marshal's Mansion with her to ambush assassins?

Do you know that the Empress Dowager rescued us from Tang Yueshan?

Hehehe!

Gu Chengfeng tossed his head and walked away with his nose in the air.

Gu Changqing felt that his second brother was acting strangely today, so he shook his head.

Just then, Gu Chengfeng, who had already left, appeared outside his window, hands on his hips, and loudly proclaimed, "I rode horses, drank wine, and skipped stones with her!"

He ran away as soon as he finished speaking!

Gu Changqing: "...!!"

Meanwhile, Gu Jiao, who had spent the entire night at Renshou Palace, was also planning to return home.

She was dressed in night clothes when she came last night, but the Empress Dowager has many young women's clothes here, and it is unknown whether they were specially prepared for her, but they all fit her well.

Gu Jiao changed into an ice-blue belted silk dress, her hair was simply tied up in a bun, with a little long hair falling over her shoulders, and she wore the hairpin that Xiao Liulang had given her on the day she turned 18.

Empress Dowager Zhuang had a basket of jewelry brought over.

She didn't want it.

I did take a fancy to a mask, which also had a peacock feather and was inlaid with dragon crystal, also known as obsidian.

She put it on and looked in the mirror.

Hmm, it looks good!

"Thank you, Auntie," Gu Jiao said.

Empress Dowager Zhuang snorted.

Eunuch Qin personally escorted Gu Jiao to Bishui Hutong before returning to the palace.

Last night, Eunuch Qin sent word that the family knew Gu Jiao was staying at her aunt's place, so they weren't worried. It's just that Xiao Jingkong didn't see Gu Jiao when he got up, and his little mouth was pouting all morning; it could have hung two bottles of oil on it.

Gu Jiao decided to pick up Xiao Jingkong from school and give the little guy a surprise.

However, Gu Jiao waited outside the Imperial College for a long time but Xiao Jingkong did not come out. What Gu Jiao did not know was that Xiao Jingkong's parents had been called in again.

The parent is Xiao Liulang.

Since Xiao Liulang entered the Hanlin Academy, he has been called to school by his parents more often than by his immediate superiors.

"Why...why this time?" Xiao Liulang asked Liu Quan, clenching his fingers.

Liu Quan's smile was more like a grimace: "You...you should go and see for yourself!"

Xiao Liulang gritted his teeth and said, "What can't be said? He even made the teacher cry. Is there anything more serious than this?"

Liu Quan scratched his head and chuckled awkwardly, "Heh, there really is."

Xiao Liulang took a deep breath. He doesn't usually lose his temper, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have one; it's just that his good manners allow him to hide it.

But this little monk kept crossing his line, and he was about to lose his temper.

Liu Quan thought to himself, "Wait until you get there before you start to get angry. I'm afraid if you start to get angry now, you'll start to get angry again later."

Xiao Liulang and Liu Quan went to the Imperial Academy.

Perhaps because he had been traumatized by Xiao Jingkong, Master Sun still called Master Jiang over to support him after this incident.

The expressions on the faces of the two teachers were rather complicated.

Xiao Liulang glanced at Master Sun. He hadn't cried, wasn't injured, and hadn't seen any other children complaining. It shouldn't be anything serious, right?

"Master Sun, may I ask what has happened to Master Jingkong?" he asked politely.

Master Sun had a bet with him, but Master Sun never thought Xiao Liulang would win, so he had long forgotten about the bet. Today, he was simply speaking to Xiao Liulang in his capacity as Master Jingkong: "You... go and see for yourself in the classroom."

Xiao Liulang then followed Master Sun to the classroom.

As soon as he arrived at the door, he felt that the classroom was particularly bright today. Upon closer inspection, he realized that it was a bunch of small hard-boiled eggs that were glowing!

He was startled, wondering if he had gone the wrong way, and instinctively reached out to turn back.

Master Sun gave a wry smile.

Xiao Liulang, having weathered many storms, quickly realized what was happening. His heart was filled with turmoil, but he remained outwardly calm: "This was... Jingkong's doing?"

Master Sun nodded, almost crying: "He shaved the heads of half the class... including a prince, and several sons and grandsons of key ministers..."

My God, something like this happened in his class, how is he going to die!

Xiao Liulang was at least mentally prepared, but Master Sun had no idea when he first entered the classroom. When he pushed open the door and saw a group of little monks, the shock was simply unbelievable.

Xiao Liulang said, "No, why would he do that?"

Master Sun wanted to cry: "That's the problem. It wasn't Jingkong who forced them; they all begged him to shave their heads."

Yes, that means shaving one's head.

Master Sun remembered very clearly that this was the very word Xiao Jingkong used when he replied.

Xiao Liulang's teeth hurt!

Has this kid become addicted to shaving people's heads?!

Also, how did he manage to bring the razor to the Imperial College?

Xiao Liulang suppressed his anger and called out Xiao Jingkong: "Tell me, what happened? Why did they ask you to...become a monk?"

Xiao Jingkong said "Oh," and spread his hands, saying, "Because they all want to be as smart as me!"

As he spoke, he gently patted his bald head with his little hands, "My great-aunt said that smart people don't have hair; that's called being exceptionally intelligent!"

Yesterday, my aunt came over to play cards, and he was very sad. He asked her why he could never grow his hair long, and that's what she told him!

Xiao Liulang's lips twitched!

Auntie!

How could you do this to a child?!

Achoo!

In Renshou Palace, Empress Dowager Zhuang, who was reviewing memorials, suddenly sneezed.

Hmm, it must be Jiaojiao missing me!

Xiao Jingkong was the top student in the class and never lied, so his words were very persuasive.

He said that shaving one's head would make one smarter, and nobody doubted that.

Qin Chuyu was the first to stand up for his little buddy, followed by Xu Zhouzhou, and then the situation spiraled out of control.

If it weren't for Master Sun arriving early, the whole class's hair would probably have been ruined by Xiao Jingkong.

I must say, it was shaved pretty well.

But then again, how come a four-year-old child has such strong hands-on skills?

Master Sun was astonished: "He's so good at shaving people, was he a monk before?"

Xiao Liulang: "Yes."

Master Sun: "..."

Little Jingkong sang: If Buddha won't save us, then I will!

by The Other Side of the River of Oblivion

(End of this chapter)