Chapter 336 Putting a Sack on Your Head (First Update)

The group returned to Bishui Hutong by horse-drawn carriage.

"There's something I don't understand," Gu Changqing suddenly said as he was about to get out of the car.

"What is it?" the old chief priest asked.

Gu Changqing pondered and said, "Since the late emperor's Dragon Shadow Guards were loyal to His Majesty, they should know that His Majesty values ​​Jiao Jiao very much. Why would they help the wicked and harm Jiao Jiao?"

The old chief priest replied, "This is what makes the Dragon Shadow Guard different from ordinary assassins. They are tools for killing, without their own thoughts, and only obey orders. His Majesty ordered them to be loyal to Consort Jing, so Consort Jing's words are their imperial edicts, unless His Majesty personally takes them back."

"So that's how it is..." Gu Changqing suddenly realized. He had been in the military camp for so long and thought he was familiar with the experts in Zhao Kingdom, but he did not expect that he only knew the tip of the iceberg. Such a terrifying power was hidden beneath the surface.

"I'm still too young."

He murmured.

The old chief priest patted him on the shoulder: "It's not too late to know now. Your grandfather was His Majesty's confidant, so he must have known about the existence of the Dragon Shadow Guard, but the time was not right, so he never told you. The Dragon Shadow Guard was very powerful in its early years, but unfortunately, many died or were wounded, and by this generation, I estimate that only a few, including Consort Jing, remain. His Majesty himself has never witnessed the terror of the Dragon Shadow Guard, and he has no idea what kind of killing weapon he gave to Consort Jing."

Gu Changqing nodded: "No wonder I heard from Eunuch Wei that His Majesty has recently sent several more secret guards to Consort Jing's side."

The old chief priest said, "With the Dragon Shadow Guards, why would we need the Dark Guards? Your Majesty is too young."

"Wait a minute." Gu Changqing suddenly remembered something. "His Majesty was once assassinated. Were the Dragon Shadow Guards among those assassins? Would the Dragon Shadow Guards even kill His Majesty?"

“That won’t happen.” The old chief priest shook his head. “The Dragon Shadow Guards will not assassinate His Majesty. This is the first order the late Emperor left them, and the second is to obey His Majesty. Even if His Majesty ordered them to kill him, the Dragon Shadow Guards would still follow the first order first. The person who tried to assassinate His Majesty last time was the hostage from Chen, but the hostage from Chen could not possibly know His Majesty’s whereabouts so well. He has an inside man in the palace.”

Gu Changqing asked, "Could that inside man be one of Consort Jing's people?"

The old chief priest stroked his beard, lost in thought: "There is currently no evidence to suggest it was her. If it was her, why would she assassinate His Majesty? What benefit would she gain from killing him?"

Gu Changqing thought for a moment: "What if her goal wasn't to kill His Majesty, but to stab him and frame Empress Dowager Zhuang?"

In fact, His Majesty did blame Empress Dowager Zhuang for that assassination attempt.

The old chief priest said solemnly, "We cannot rule out this possibility."

If that's true, then Consort Jing is truly terrifying. Her actions against Empress Dowager Zhuang could be seen as revenge or a bid for the Empress Dowager's position, but given His Majesty's high regard for her, how could she still bring herself to harm her?

"I hope we're wrong," Gu Changqing said.

His Majesty respects Consort Jing so much, except that she is not her biological child.

Gu Changqing understood His Majesty's feelings for Consort Jing, just as Gu Chenglin and Gu Chengfeng had felt for Aunt Ling in the past.

The difference is that Aunt Ling was just a concubine, while Gu Chenglin and Gu Chengfeng knew from a young age that they had their own mother, and in their hearts, their own mother was more important.

His Majesty was taken to the palace of Consort Jing at birth and adopted into her family. The mother and son were very close for many years, until His Majesty grew up and learned that his birth mother was a palace maid.

By then, he was no longer able to feel any affection for his birth mother.

The late emperor would not allow him to develop maternal feelings for a lowly palace girl.

If His Majesty were to be harmed by Consort Jing, the blow would be devastating.

While the two were talking, the carriage arrived at their doorstep.

The carriage stopped, and all was quiet.

The two then heard a soft, even snore coming from beside them, realizing that Gu Jiao had fallen asleep hugging her pillow at some point.

The little girl was sleeping soundly, her cheeks pressed against the pillow, making them look chubby and red from the sweltering heat.

Both of them couldn't help but laugh.

This girl really has no interest in these things at all; if they don't let her put the sack over her head, she'll just go to sleep.

I'll go down first.

The old priest said silently.

Gu Changqing nodded and bowed to the old chief priest in the manner of a junior.

Neither of them woke Gu Jiao up.

Gu Changqing stayed in the carriage, took a palm-leaf fan from under the table, and gently fanned Gu Jiao.

Perhaps it was because it had cooled down, Gu Jiao's furrowed brows relaxed.

Seeing this scene, Yao, who was picking vegetables in the front yard, touched her slightly protruding belly and a hint of tenderness flashed across her eyes.

Gu Jiao slept straight through until Xiao Jingkong returned from the Imperial College.

As soon as the little loudspeaker arrived home, it started chattering tirelessly, making it difficult for Gu Jiao not to wake up.

Fortunately, I got enough sleep.

Gu Changqing had other matters to attend to at the military camp, so he wouldn't stay for dinner.

As evening fell, wisps of smoke rose from the chimneys in the alley, and Xiao Liulang returned from his shift at the Hanlin Academy.

He went to the old chief priest's place to talk about some things, and when he returned home, he found Gu Jiao sitting listlessly in the east room.

She slept all afternoon, so she should have plenty of energy.

But her sighing and lamenting manner perfectly captured the essence of Xiao Jingkong's imitation of Grandpa Zhao next door.

Xiao Liulang couldn't help but chuckle and curl the corners of his lips.

After dinner, Gu Jiao returned to her room listlessly, continuing to look dejected.

Xiao Liulang knocked on the door: "It's me."

Gu Jiao sat up: "Come in."

Xiao Liulang pushed open the door and entered.

Gu Jiao thought he had come to bring her mung bean soup again, so even though she wasn't hungry, she still obediently sat down at the table.

To her surprise, Xiao Liulang didn't hand her a bowl of mung bean soup; instead, he just stared at her intently.

Gu Jiao gradually sensed that something was wrong.

She looked up and met Xiao Liulang's gaze, asking strangely, "What?"

Xiao Liulang's unfathomable eyes shimmered with a helpless smile he himself was unaware of: "Didn't you want to put a sack over your head?"

"Hmm?" Gu Jiao perked up her ears! Then she blinked, looked out the window, and said seriously, "I'm not that kind of person."

Xiao Liulang almost believed him, and helped the person up until they couldn't get out of bed. You're definitely not that kind of person.

Xiao Liulang suppressed a laugh and asked seriously, "Then... are you going to the palace to see your aunt?"

Gu Jiao sat up straight: "This...of course I'll go!"

"Change into this." Xiao Liulang produced a set of eunuch's clothes as if by magic.

After he left, Gu Jiao changed her clothes and put on her hat.

The door was opened, and a playful little eunuch came out.

Xiao Liulang was caught off guard and stared wide-eyed.

He never expected that a woman dressed as a eunuch would look so charming and adorable. Her big eyes blinked brightly, and her small face was exquisitely beautiful. Even the red birthmark that was always criticized seemed to have a unique charm.

If all the palace eunuchs looked like this, what would be the point of taking in concubines or selecting actresses?

"Is it pretty?" Gu Jiao asked.

"Not bad," someone said with an aloof expression. "Get in the car."

The two boarded the carriage.

Today, Nan Xiang personally went to Qinghe Academy to pick up Gu Xiaoshun and Gu Yan, giving Liu Quan some free time. However, he is not idle now, as he has to escort the two to the palace.

Gu Jiao sat obediently in the carriage, stretching out her legs and pointing her little toes one by one, showing that she was in a good mood.

When the carriage arrived at the palace gate, Xiao Liulang boldly presented his Renshou Palace token.

"Could you please check if there are any other people inside the carriage?" the guard asked politely.

Xiao Liulang lifted the curtain, allowing the guards to look him over openly, but in reality, he had blocked most of Gu Jiao's view, only revealing the eunuch's clothes.

Xiao Liulang said without changing his expression, "It's the young eunuch from Renshou Palace."

"Ah, I see. Please, Mr. Xiao." The guard stepped aside to let him pass.

The carriage traveled past the Golden Palace, but could not go any further when it approached the inner palace.

Xiao Liulang said, "Alright, let's stop here. Uncle Liu, you go back first, we'll go back on our own in a bit."

Liu Quan said, "I'll be waiting for you!"

Xiao Liulang said, "No need, Aunt will send someone to deliver it to us."

"That's true." Liu Quan smiled. "Then I'll be going now!"

After Liu Quan left, Xiao Liulang and Gu Jiao went to the vicinity of Huaqing Palace.

Summer days are long and nights are short. It's getting late, but the twilight is still endless.

Consort Jing had a habit of taking a walk after meals to aid digestion, so after dinner she went to the Imperial Garden with Granny Cai and others.

The events that occurred at Huaqing Palace that morning had somewhat affected her; she didn't look too good.

Granny Cai supported her, and several young palace maids followed behind, not daring to speak.

"Let's go sit in the pavilion," said Consort Jing to Granny Cai.

"Yes." Granny Cai helped her up the steps and sat down on the stone bench in the pavilion. Then she instructed a maid, "Go and brew a pot of flower tea."

"Yes!" The maid went to the nearby tea room to brew tea.

A gentle evening breeze rustled the willows, and the Imperial Garden was bathed in tranquility and peace.

A young palace maid brought over tea, poured a cup, and presented it to Consort Jing with both hands.

Granny Cai reached out to take it, but upon touching it, she hissed and gasped, saying sternly, "How dare you! Do you want to scald the Imperial Concubine to death?!"

"Ah! This servant wouldn't dare!" The little palace maid was so frightened that she knelt down with a thud. Because of the large movement, the tea in the cup spilled out and splashed all over her hand, which instantly turned red.

Consort Jing said softly, "Never mind, she didn't do it on purpose. She's young, we can teach her more. Get up."

"Thank you so much, Your Highness! Thank you so much, Your Highness!" The little palace maid stood up shakily, tears streaming down her face.

"Put it down," said Consort Jing, looking at the tea in her hand.

"Yes!" The maid placed the tea on the stone table.

Consort Jing then said, "Let me see your hands."

The little palace maid quickly pulled her hands behind her back: "I wouldn't dare to offend Your Majesty's noble eye!"

"Just let me take a look," said Consort Jing in a kind tone.

“...Yes.” The little palace maid lowered her head and nervously stretched out her hands.

The Dowager Consort Jing looked at the back of her hand and said, "It's all red from the burn. You don't need to serve me anymore. Go back and apply some ointment." She paused for a moment and then added, "I almost forgot this isn't a nunnery. You young girls don't have your own ointment. Granny Cai, take her to my room and get her a bottle of burn ointment."

Granny Cai smiled and said, "Your Majesty is truly kind-hearted."

"Thank you, Your Highness!" The little palace maid knelt down and kowtowed respectfully.

The palace maids and eunuchs who witnessed this scene all thought that Consort Jing was truly a kind-hearted person. She had been a vegetarian and a Buddhist for many years and had a bodhisattva's heart. She was much easier to get along with than the one in Renshou Palace.

Working at Renshou Palace meant constantly keeping your head on your side; you never knew when you might offend someone and end up being beaten to death with no recourse.

Granny Cai led the young palace maids away.

Xiao Liulang, who was not far away, withdrew his gaze and said to Gu Jiao, "My stomach is not feeling well, and I suddenly feel like I need to go to the restroom. You wait for me here... Never mind, don't wait. You go to Renshou Palace first, and I'll go there myself in a bit."

Gu Jiao glanced at Consort Jing not far away, then at Xiao Liulang, and nodded vigorously!

Xiao Liulang's lips curled slightly, and he pursed his lips: "Then I'll go."

Gu Jiao: Hurry up and go!

Xiao Liulang, being disliked by his wife: "..."

Xiao Liulang walked towards the latrine, though he obviously didn't actually need to relieve himself.

He walked as far away as possible, and behind the artificial hill where no one passed by, he took out a bamboo flute from his wide sleeve.

He had just met with the old Grand Master of Ceremonies and learned from him about Gu Jiao's assassination attempt and what happened at Huaqing Palace, as well as the fact that Consort Jing had assassins of the late emperor in her possession.

There is something that even the old chief minister and His Majesty may not know: Princess Xinyang also has assassins left behind by the late emperor.

Xiao Liulang composed himself and began to play the bamboo flute in his hand.

On a lush tree, a black figure holding a long sword, leaning against the trunk and resting with his eyes closed, suddenly twitched his ears and opened his eyes. He gripped the long sword tightly, his expression turned serious, and he used his lightness skill to fly towards the direction of the flute sound!

Granny Cai left with the little palace maid whose hand was burned red, leaving only Consort Jing and a few other palace servants in the pavilion.

"Let us go and pick some flowers for Your Highness," said a palace maid.

"Alright."

Consort Jing nodded, "You may all go now, and hurry up and finish picking them, it's getting dark."

"yes!"

Four palace maids and eunuchs descended the steps and began picking flowers from the bushes.

Several guards were lying in ambush all around.

call out!

One of the bodyguards has disappeared.

call out!

Another bodyguard has disappeared.

Whoosh whoosh whoosh!

All the bodyguards have disappeared!

Consort Jing vaguely sensed something, frowned, and turned around in a flash, but before she could even see clearly, she was stuffed into a sack by someone!

She was skilled in martial arts, unlike the likes of the Crown Princess. With a flick of her finger, she shot a poisoned needle toward Gu Jiao!

Yoho!

Poisonous scorpion!

Fortunately, Gu Jiao was prepared. She stepped aside and grabbed the syringe, stabbing it into her thigh and arm!

Before Consort Jing could even cry out, she was drugged!

Updates will begin in bulk.

(End of this chapter)