Chapter 308 Summoned to the Palace
The children’s focus is also very strange. Niu Niu is very concerned about the stories she didn’t hear.
Old Lady Gu said helplessly: "Do you want to listen to the story of wives and concubines fighting? You are just a little kid, how old are you and you have to listen to this kind of story!"
Niuniu raised her head and asked in confusion: "Little kid, can't you listen? Fighting between wives and concubines is also a story!"
Gu Mingda on the side thought long-term and said, "Mom, you have said the part that cannot be said, and you can say the part that can be said."
Old Mrs. Gu thought about it and thought that this could serve as a warning to everyone. She glanced at Shopkeeper Luo and Sun Jiaxing.
She was naturally very relieved about her son, but as for these two people, she was always afraid that they would be dazzled by the colorful world outside, and end up making life difficult for Liu Xiaoru and Li.
"It is said that in the previous dynasty, there was a prime minister named Liu. He had a wife who had lived with him for a long time, but his subordinates, in order to seek benefits, sent him concubines one after another..."
Gu Mingda's talent for storytelling seemed to come from Old Lady Gu. There was a rumor among the people, and Old Lady Gu told the story with such twists and turns that it seemed as if she had seen it with her own eyes.
After listening to the story, Old Lady Gu made another conclusion: "From this we can see that the root of a family's chaos is that men are greedy for beauty and value beauty over loyalty. If they had always respected their wives, they would not have ended up like this."
Gu Mingda's focus seemed to be different from that of ordinary people. He picked up his daughter and said, "The prime minister is the pillar of the country. The quarrels between his wives and concubines have turned the harem upside down. If ordinary people get involved, they will be like the little maid in the story. She did nothing wrong, but was implicated just because she was close to him."
"My dear, you must remember that a gentleman does not stand under a dangerous wall. If you encounter trouble or danger and you cannot solve it, then stay away from it."
Niuniu nodded obediently when she heard this: "Don't worry, Daddy, I remember everything. Daddy has said these words many times, and Niuniu can recite them by heart."
Gu Mingda patted his daughter's little head with relief.
Sun Jiaxing, however, heard something unusual. After everyone else left, he stayed and asked Gu Mingda privately, "Brother Gu, have you encountered any difficulties?"
Gu Mingda sighed. He couldn't trust others, but Sun Jiaxing was not only a good friend but also Niu Niu's godfather, so he should have been informed about this matter.
When Sun Jiaxing knew the whole story, he frowned and said, "Your Majesty is kind and benevolent. Even if he cannot have an heir, it will probably be alright. But I wonder if the Empress Dowager or Concubine Li in the palace will be angry with Guaibao because of this?"
This is also what Gu Mingda is worried about.
Sun Jiaxing continued, "The Li family has been acting unscrupulously over the years. Guanglin Prefecture is now privately called the Li Family City. The rumors of the Li family's tyranny and bullying of the people in the village have long been spread privately. However, there have been rumors in the capital that Concubine Li might be crowned as the queen, and no one dared to be the first to impeach the Li family."
Gu Mingda sighed and said, "I am also from Guanglin Prefecture, how could I not know how powerful the Li family is? I just hope that when the imperial decree arrives and Niuniu has to enter the palace, she will not offend Concubine Li."
Coincidentally, before the two of them had finished their conversation, Qi Dashan walked in holding a note.
"Master, this is an invitation sent by Uncle Li's mansion, inviting you to come to the mansion for a banquet tomorrow night. The housekeeper sent by the Li family said that the two families are from the same hometown and should take care of each other." Qi Dashan said respectfully.
Gu Mingda and Sun Jiaxing couldn't help but look at each other when they heard this.
"I understand." Gu Mingda waved his hand and asked Qi Dashan to leave.
"Brother Gu, you can't go to the Li family's banquet!" said Sun Jiaxing.
Gu Mingda nodded: "I will find a reason to decline."
Sun Jiaxing breathed a sigh of relief and said, "The Li family is like a dog-skin plaster. If you attend a banquet at their home, you will be branded with the Li family's mark. They will try every means to set traps at the banquet and let you use them as their own."
Gu Mingda didn't expect that the Li family would do things so unscrupulously, which made him even more worried about Niu Niu.
Naturally, the Li family dared to do this, didn't they just rely on the favored imperial concubine in the palace? It is not known whether they acted in this way or not.
"It's better to be considered ungrateful by the Li family than to get involved with them. Even if they retaliate afterwards, they won't go too far," said Sun Jiaxing.
Gu Mingda had an idea in mind.
The next day, a eunuch came from the palace to convey the emperor's order.
Although Niu Niu was to enter the palace, the royal family had to save face. Even though the dignitaries in the capital understood why Niu Niu was to enter the palace, they still said that she was to serve the empress dowager.
And it was not just Niu Niu who entered the palace this time, there were five other little girls as well.
After receiving the imperial edict, both Old Lady Gu and Liu Xiaoru were so frightened that they dared not speak.
"Sister, brother-in-law, how did the palace know about Guaibao? Why did they insist on bringing Guaibao into the palace? Is there any reason behind this?" Liu Xiaoru had been busy with the marinade workshop recently, so she had no idea why such a big thing suddenly happened.
This was a glorious and happy event in the eyes of ordinary people, but the country old lady Gu was full of anxiety: "Oh, why are we going to enter the palace? It's all sung in the opera. What if we accidentally offend the emperor and get beheaded?"
Gu Mingda was furious when he heard this: "Mother, I have entered the Imperial Academy and can often meet the emperor. Why aren't you worried that I will be beheaded?"
"Puh, puh, puh!" Old Lady Gu glared at her son and said, "How can anyone curse himself like that? Besides, how can it be the same? You are an official, not a servant in the palace. You should think of a way to prevent Guaibao from entering the palace."
Gu Mingda shook his head and said, "Since the imperial decree has been issued, it cannot be easily changed."
Old Lady Gu was quick to think: "Can we let Guaibao pretend to be sick? The Queen Mother must be afraid of the disease..."
Gu Mingda flatly refused and said, "Pretending to be sick is a crime of deceiving the emperor. Mother, don't worry too much. With the protection of the Queen Mother, Niuniu will be fine."
Gu Mingda himself was very worried, but at this moment, his main focus was to comfort his mother.
How could Mrs. Gu not be anxious when she heard this? Tears fell from her eyes. She said, "No wonder the old saying goes, 'Excessive joy leads to sorrow. Yesterday was a great joy, today is a great sorrow...'"
Gu Mingda hurriedly stopped her: "Mom, don't say such things anymore! We still have to treat this as an honor. If someone spreads this rumor to the palace, the whole family will be implicated!"
After hearing this, Old Mrs. Gu cried even harder.
Niuniu tilted her head, looked at her parents in confusion, and said, "So what my parents said the other day, that they might send me away for a while, was actually sending me to the palace!"
Zhang Yunniang reluctantly held her daughter in her arms, and her tears fell on Niu Niu like beads from a broken string.
Niuniu still didn't know what it felt like to be sad. The little girl raised her face and leaned close to her mother's face, and said softly, "Mom, don't cry. Entering the palace may not be a bad thing. Maybe I can still help you in the palace. You also said that I can go home in the future."
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