41 Identity
◎It is so surprising that Qi An's soul is still haunted by this.◎
"Long live the Queen Mother."
In Fengyi Palace, Prince Huai Lu Chen, who was originally talking with Queen Yao, also stood up and saluted his brother.
Queen Yao smiled gently: "Okay, everyone, please sit down."
In the hall, mother and son were chatting. Lu Chen asked curiously, "Shouldn't my brother be discussing government affairs with my father at this hour?"
My father ordered my brother to oversee the reform of the Imperial College curriculum, which took three months in total. My father would ask about it every two weeks.
Lu Heng gently put away his teacup and said, "Qian, please come to the palace to pay your respects this afternoon. Your father is playing chess with you."
Li Ji wanted to pass on a message for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, but Lu Heng thought better of it. Since the matter wasn't urgent, he went to Fengyi Palace to pay his respects.
Lu Chen was displeased. "Why is my brother so humble?" he asked. "The Imperial College is responsible for the nation's education, and my father has always valued this place."
Lu Heng said calmly, "Qian probably has something important to discuss with his father today."
Over the years since he entered the Eastern Palace, Lu Heng has always intended to gather people to serve in the imperial court, and with the help of his mother, he has achieved twice the result with half the effort.
He has nothing to worry about in the harem, and Li Zongguan, who is by his father's side, has always been on good terms with him.
Just now, in front of the Taiji Palace, Li Ji's words hinted that Prince Zhao's expression was different when he entered the room. His Majesty had already set aside his duties to converse with Prince Zhao. Therefore, Li Ji couldn't estimate how long His Majesty and Prince Zhao would discuss this matter.
Empress Yao took a piece of preserved fruit with a silver skewer, her expression indifferent. After all, the feelings for a child raised by one's own hand were different.
Lu Chen held the teacup, suppressing the emotion in his eyes. For the past three years, he had constantly shown filial piety to his father. Although his father treated him kindly, he was ultimately no match for his brother and Prince Zhao.
He complained, "Isn't it said that King Zhao is invincible in battle? How could he encounter any problem that he can't solve?"
Lu Heng had no way of knowing. Li Ji was a very shrewd man. Even if he was willing to show some favor to the Crown Prince, he would usually only reveal insignificant information and leave no room for further discussion. If Lu Heng tried to take it any further, Li Ji would simply evade him.
Lu Heng remembered his mother's advice: Li Ji had always been loyal only to his father. He should not act rashly, but should maintain a good relationship with the Imperial Chamberlain and be a gentle and humble prince.
Qi'an had not returned to the capital for three years. Between him and himself, Li Ji obviously leaned more towards the Eastern Palace.
The Queen Mother was right. As long as he didn't act rashly and had a legitimate status, and everything went according to plan, he would be the final winner.
The one who should be anxious is Prince Zhao's Mansion.
Queen Yao nodded slightly. Heng'er was the crown prince and also her elder brother, so he should show some magnanimity.
The Queen Mother and brother both sipped their tea calmly, but Lu Chen put down the teacup in his hand, speculating about the imperial study in his mind.
…
The chess game has reached its third set, and Emperor Mingde uses chess as an analogy: "Hasn't a solution been found yet?"
Lu Jing holds a white piece. How can he break it? Can he turn Yuan Le into a female beauty?
The siege on the chessboard in front of me can be solved, but as for the others, it is nothing but a fairy tale.
As the white piece made its move, Emperor Mingde nodded silently. Qi'an had played the three afternoon games with the same methodical style, and he hadn't neglected recent government affairs, instead becoming even more diligent.
This child was young and impetuous, used to a smooth life, so he was bound to suffer some setbacks. This hurdle in his love affairs was already the most benign, and Emperor Mingde was prepared to turn a blind eye. As long as he didn't get out of line, he would let Qi'an do what he wanted.
If that really doesn't work, then let's take a step back and say, there are countless beauties in the Jin Dynasty. If you put in a little more effort, you can always find a few similar beauties for Qi'an to comfort him.
As it was getting dark, Li Ji had already arranged to prepare dinner in a side hall.
Emperor Mingde said, "You don't have to leave the palace tonight. Stay in Ruihe Palace for a few days."
"I understand."
It was rare to see Qi'an looking so frustrated, and Emperor Mingde couldn't help but want to laugh.
You've been hurt in love outside, and you still miss home?
He really wanted to meet the girl who could make Qi An so obsessed with her.
…
After finishing his shift, Gu Ningxi ordered the carriage to go around Prince Zhao's mansion.
After finishing her classes during the day, she recalled the expression of His Royal Highness Prince Zhao in the corridor, and belatedly realized that something was amiss.
She didn't know if something serious had happened, and she felt uneasy, so she decided to take this trip during her free time in the evening.
But when they arrived at Prince Zhao's mansion, the doorman politely reported that His Highness had not returned home tonight and would stay overnight in the palace.
Gu Ningxi was relieved in an instant. It seemed that it was really an urgent summons from the palace, so His Royal Highness Prince Zhao could not stay any longer.
She frowned in deep thought, and naturally, no word leaked out from within the palace. Prince Zhao was in such a hurry, could it be that His Majesty was not feeling well?
Gu Ningxi boarded her carriage. There was no news about His Majesty's pulse case in her dream.
But as far as the current situation is concerned, the prince firmly holds the rightful position, and most of the civil officials in the court are on his side.
Your Majesty has no intention of changing the crown prince. Once there is a change in the palace, His Royal Highness Prince Zhao will inevitably be put in a passive position.
There is only one last way left to ascend to the supreme position.
Gu Ningxi rubbed her brows. The government was constantly changing, and how could she not be affected by it?
After guessing for a while, Gu Ningxi returned to the Marquis' Mansion and found a servant waiting for her at the gatehouse.
Gu Ningxi recognized him as someone close to his father, and the servant stepped forward and said, "My Lord, please ask the Second Young Master to go to the main house immediately."
"Okay." Gu Ningxi didn't understand why, so he could only leave first.
My grandparents moved to another courtyard a few years ago to spend their retirement. My father lives in the main house, and Gu Ningxi comes here to pay his respects every month.
The room was brightly lit with candles. Gu Ningxi realized that besides his father, his mother and Mrs. Shen were also there.
She calmly went through the formalities. Marquis Xuanping asked, "Why are you back at this hour?"
"Something happened on the way and I was accidentally delayed." She said, "Father, what happened?"
Soon Gu Ningxi found out the whole story. It turned out that Sun Lieutenant General from Prince Zhao's palace came to the palace during the day and proposed marriage on behalf of one of his personal guards.
Because it involved matters in the inner quarters of Marquis Xuanping's mansion, the steward also reported it to Madam Shen.
The person he was going to marry was Yinyue, Gu Ningxi's personal maid in Leyouyuan.
Gu Ningxi was surprised: "What's the name of that guard?"
The steward replied, "My surname is Wei, and my name is Xun Zhou."
Marquis Xuanping frowned and looked at Gu Ningxi: "What's going on?"
Gu Ningxi said truthfully, "I was traveling with His Royal Highness Prince Zhao out of the capital when we encountered assassins. Unfortunately, Yinyue was separated from him, and it was Xun Zhou who rescued her."
It was originally a story of a hero saving a beauty, but it was really inappropriate.
In Gu Ningxi's courtyard, only three people knew her true identity, and Yinyue was one of them.
Marquis Xuanping waved his sleeves and angrily said, "You are too negligent. You had no idea that someone close to you was secretly communicating with the personal guards of Prince Zhao's palace!"
"Father, please calm down." Gu Ningxi knelt on the ground and apologized. This was her fault and there was no way to refute it.
Mrs. Meng felt sorry for her daughter and wanted to plead for mercy, but Mrs. Shen blocked her way and she couldn't get a word in.
The Marquis of Xuanping was still furious. Zheng'er, however naive, would at best fail the imperial examination. He had assumed Ning Xi would be more prudent, allowing her to take the examination. He hadn't expected her to be so slack, even failing to control the people in the court. If her identity were discovered by those in Prince Zhao's palace, such a fatal clue in the hands of others would bring disaster to the Marquis's mansion.
Gu Ningxi's mind was also in a mess. Thinking back on everything that had happened in the past few months, she realized that she was indeed careless.
But she was still wondering how King Zhao discovered her identity in her previous life. It turned out that the flaw was right in front of her if she was not careful.
"My Lord, Xi'er didn't do this intentionally. She—"
Madam Meng protected her daughter, and Marquis Xuanping scolded her, "Shut up! How can you interrupt such an important matter?"
Madam Shen said nothing, but exchanged glances with the nanny beside her, a smug look in her eyes.
She and the Marquis had already instructed the steward to block this marriage for Leyouyuan. Mrs. Meng's lack of discipline for her subordinates led to her daughter's incompetence as well.
Marquis Xuanping immediately ordered someone to pass on the family rules and had Madam Meng brought back to Qinlan Courtyard.
Gu Ningxi shook her head at her, begging her mother not to speak again.
But Madam Meng had no heart to do it. Just seeing the thick board made her heart ache: "My Lord, Xi'er can't bear it. She——"
"Mother!" Gu Ningxi interrupted his mother quickly and accepted the punishment.
When the room was noisy, a servant suddenly came to report: "My Lord, the old master has arrived."
Marquis Xuanping didn't care about anything else for a moment and hurried out to greet him.
"Why is father here?"
Although he has passed away, Lord Gu still knows about the important affairs of the mansion.
He entered the main house, and everyone inside and outside the courtyard saluted him, but Gu Ningxi remained kneeling.
Old Marquis Gu took the seat alone, and without his permission, Marquis Xuanping could only stand by.
He said calmly, "Everyone who is not important should leave."
Madam Shen did not dare to stay any longer, and Marquis Xuanping ordered someone to take Madam Meng away.
The servants who enforced the household laws stepped aside and the door closed.
Old Marquis Gu looked at Gu Ningxi, who was kneeling in the center, and said in a dignified voice, "Ningxi, what do you think about this?"
Gu Ningxi did not shirk responsibility and first admitted his mistake: "My grandson has failed to supervise and should not have been so careless."
Lord Gu smiled slightly and said, "Go on."
Gu Ningxi gathered his thoughts. "Grandson, thankfully, things haven't reached a point of no return. Yinyue was chosen by Grandfather for him. She was born into the Marquis's family, and her family has served the Gu Mansion for generations. He was confident in letting her know his identity, not only because of her family's loyalty, but also because their lives are tied to the Marquis's Mansion. Any loss for the Marquis's family would be theirs. I also understand Yinyue's character; she wouldn't say anything she shouldn't."
Lord Gu has interrogated Gu Ningxi clearly and he did not lie.
"Then in your opinion, how should this maid be dealt with?"
Gu Ningxi closed her eyes. "I think we shouldn't act rashly. The Marquis' Mansion just rejected this marriage proposal. If anything happens to Yinyue at this critical moment, it will probably arouse suspicion from those with ulterior motives. Moreover, if this causes Yinyue to harbor resentment, that would be inappropriate. Now that things have come to this, it's better to show some kindness first."
"Alright." Old Marquis Gu tapped the ground with his red sandalwood cane. "It's useless to just be busy gaining experience in the Ministry of Works. You should also learn the art of controlling people. I'm going to punish you today. Do you accept it?"
Gu Ningxi kowtowed: "Grandson is convinced."
…
As the dawn breaks, the bedrooms in Leyouyuan are bustling with activity.
Yinlan changed her master's clothes and asked the maid to bring some ointment to reduce the swelling.
Gu Ningtang knelt in the ancestral hall all night. Fortunately, the early autumn night was not too cold.
My grandfather has sent someone to ask for leave from the government on her behalf. Together with tomorrow's day off, she should feel better after two days of rest.
Yinlan carefully applied medicine to Gu Ningxi, as there was a shortage of staff in the room.
Yinyue knelt outside the house, and Gu Ningxi ordered someone to bring her in.
Even though he hadn't slept all night, there were a few things Gu Ningxi had to ask clearly.
"Why didn't you tell me about you and Xun Zhou earlier?"
"Your servant, your servant..." Yin Yue stammered, "Your servant has never thought of marrying Brother Xun Zhou."
Lord Gu's knee was red and swollen. Yinlan couldn't help but get angry when she saw Yinyue's appearance.
No wonder Yinyue was absent-minded when she was on duty recently. I was just covering for her.
After receiving Lord Gu's permission, Yin Lan asked, "Were you not at home on His Royal Highness Prince Zhao's birthday?"
She had a minor illness during those two days, suffering from severe abdominal pain, so Yinyue was left on duty in the courtyard. As a result, the master missed Prince Zhao's birthday banquet, and Yinlan later heard from the maid that she seemed not to have seen Sister Yinyue since that morning.
The past was brought up again, and Yinyue dared not hide it any longer. That day, she had made an appointment with Brother Xunzhou to meet. She left the mansion before dawn and returned at 11:00 AM, thinking that she would not be late for her work.
Yin Lan finally understood. No wonder Yin Yue couldn't explain why when everyone was looking for Lord Gu's whereabouts that day, which allowed Sanlangjun to take advantage of the opportunity.
"You..." Yin Lan was so angry that she was speechless. It would have been bad enough if she had kept it a secret from all of them, but she also caused Lord Gu to suffer such a heavy punishment.
Yin Yue knew she was guilty and kowtowed: "Please forgive me, my lord. I really didn't expect that Brother Xun Zhou would come to propose marriage. I have never thought about getting married."
She was not lying at all. She knew her identity and knew that the Marquis' Mansion would never let her go.
All her family members are in the Marquis Xuanping's Mansion, and it is impossible for her to harm the mansion for outsiders.
Besides, Lord Gu was very kind to her. If Lord Gu had not protected her last night, she would have been beaten with a stick just for having an affair with a man outside her family.
Yin Yue burst into tears as she spoke, and Gu Ningxi felt sorry for her when he saw her like that.
If it weren't for keeping her secret, Yinyue could have gotten married smoothly.
She and Xun Zhou are a perfect match.
Gu Ningxi sighed: "Go back to your room. Don't go out for the next few days unless you have something to do. Don't pay attention to anyone who comes."
Knowing that Lord Gu was protecting her, Yin Yue kowtowed again and retreated with tears in her eyes.
"Sir, what should we do now?" Yin Lan was very worried.
Gu Ningxi had no idea. Her knees were aching. She said, "Let me think about it."
…
After staying in the palace for a few days, Lu Jing left the palace around dusk.
The carriage was traveling through the bustling streets. The weather was good tonight, and knowing that Prince Zhao was not in a hurry to return to the palace, Sun Jing told the driver to drive around the streets a few more times.
Pedestrians were returning home, and shops lined the streets. Lu Jing rested his knuckles on the car window. The afterglow of the setting sun cast a warm glow over the streetscape, creating a harmonious and joyful atmosphere.
The imperial court issued an edict to reduce taxes for the people for two years and encouraged them to engage in agriculture and sericulture, and the capital became increasingly prosperous.
Amid the hustle and bustle, Lu Jing saw a familiar figure in front of a familiar shop.
He closed the window, not wanting to see him, and ordered the carriage to leave.
Sun Jing didn't understand what was going on, so the driver did as he was told.
Because they were too far away, Gu Ningxi didn't notice what was happening here.
I had just been dismissed from the Ministry of Works and happened to catch the thousand-layer pastry stall.
She slowly got off the carriage. Her mother had not had a good appetite for the past two days, so she wanted to bring some snacks back for her.
While the stall owner was frying the crispy cakes, Gu Ningxi frowned and thought.
She thought about Yin Yue's matter over and over again, but still couldn't find a proper solution.
Some more customers came to buy pastries and accidentally pushed the absent-minded Gu Ningxi aside.
A pair of hands supported her. Gu Ningxi looked up and was surprised to find that it was His Royal Highness Prince Zhao, whom she had not seen for several days.
"What's wrong with your leg?" he asked.
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