Chapter 122 Chapter 122 is the only genuine version...
The emperor frowned impatiently.
The thin curtains could not block out the excited voices outside the carriage.
"Master."
Ji Shi dragged out the last syllable, "Shouldn't I have come back with you?"
"Please send me to the manor. As long as you come to see me from time to time, I will be satisfied."
The emperor held the soft jade in his arms, feeling the sweet fragrance in his arms: "Don't let your imagination run wild. I just want to be with you all the time."
Ji leaned on him. For the past three days, she felt like she was dreaming. She was deeply immersed in this beautiful dream and didn't want to wake up.
Even with her face like this, he didn't feel disgusted. It turned out that his feelings were the same as hers. Ji looked up and was about to speak when someone outside began to recite the Criminal Law.
"Anyone who commits adultery shall be punished with eighty strokes of the cane; if the husband is married, ninety strokes of the cane;"
There was one voice at first, but soon more joined in.
"A treacherous man shall be punished with a hundred strokes of the cane; an adulterous woman shall be sold into marriage..." (Note)
Ji carefully lifted the curtain of the carriage. A crowd of people were gathered around the carriage. The candlelight from the lanterns cast mottled reflections on their faces.
"I saw her!"
The moment Ji stuck his head out, the place was filled with noise.
Someone in the crowd shouted, "Mr. Ji, is that the girl from the Ji family in the carriage?"
Without waiting for the Duke of Wei to stop him, Patriarch Ji said sadly, "Yes."
The young students were the most incensed, shouting recklessly: "If the emperor breaks the law, he will be punished just like the common people."
"Your Majesty committed adultery with my wife. You should issue an imperial edict to repent."
"Your Majesty, please give everyone in the world an explanation!"
"Ninety strokes of the cane."
…
The Duke of Wei's ears were ringing, and he cursed in his heart: "Cunning Song fox."
No wonder he left first. He must have anticipated having to deal with such a situation when he came back.
"The Emperor committed adultery with my wife, a violation of morality and ethics. I have studied diligently for decades and refuse to be associated with such a corrupt ruler."
The middle-aged scholar wearing a silk scarf burst into tears and rushed towards the nearest city wall. He was grabbed by the collar by a Jinyiwei who was guarding the city wall strictly.
He couldn't push the Jinyiwei away, and cried with his hands covering his face in grief.
Duke Wei was dumbfounded. This... maybe even if the emperor died immediately, he wouldn't cry so hard, right?
The emperor was traveling incognito, with few guards, and the crowds of people crowded around so tightly that the carriage could not move.
"Your Majesty," the guard driving the carriage said with an embarrassed look on his face, "We can't go any further."
Unless the knife draws blood.
"Troublemakers!" the emperor was furious. "No wonder Emperor Taizu suppressed the literati. I've been tolerant of them and shown them kindness, and this is how they repay me? They're ungrateful."
He just wants to marry a woman he likes, why does everyone oppose it?
His remaining sanity told him that he must quell public anger as soon as possible.
However, when he saw Ji shi trembling in his arms, the last bit of his rationality disappeared.
"kill."
A low sound came from the emperor's throat.
Li Deshun was startled and said hurriedly, "Your Majesty, no."
With cold sweat on his forehead, he advised, "Your Majesty, on such a happy day, the sight of blood will only dampen the joy."
The emperor thought, "That's true."
The palace gate opened, and the urgently dispatched Jinwu Guards rushed out. They drew their swords swiftly and drove the people in the square to both sides.
Most of the people were still afraid of the soldiers and officials. After a while, the Jinwu Guards cleared a path, and Commander Zhou of the Jinwu Guards stepped forward to welcome the emperor.
"Walk."
The wheels of the carriage galloped across the square and stopped in front of the palace gate, where the sedan chair was already waiting.
The emperor got off the carriage and said with a cold face, "Pass on my decree to appoint Ji as the Imperial Noble Consort."
Wumen Square was quiet for a moment.
After saying this, the emperor hugged Ji and walked into the palace without looking back.
Duke Weiguo: “…”
He was going crazy.
Prime Minister Song, the cunning old fox, must have guessed this would happen and deliberately avoided it.
Definitely.
After a brief period of silence, the Meridian Gate Square became noisy again.
Word spread quickly, and before daybreak, the whole absurd story was completely known throughout the capital. Merchants from all directions came to the capital every day, and at daybreak, with the city gates opened, the news soon spread throughout the capital.
After Zheng Qi returned from the capital, he brought back all the news.
Gu Zhizhuo laughed so hard that he fell backwards and leaned into Qingmei's arms.
It’s such a pity that I couldn’t go to Lotus Village to watch the fun.
Meow?
The tabby cat swung its unicorn tail and patted her face with its paw.
Meow!
Gu Zhizhuo picked up the cat, kissed it, and asked, "Hurry up, continue."
"The scholars and teachers from various academies in the capital, as well as the students who arrived early for next year's spring examination, are now sitting in silence at the Meridian Gate. At first, some people even banged their heads against the wall, but were stopped by the Imperial Guards. Later, they stopped banging their heads against the wall and began sitting in silence, each writing a petition. Clan leader Ji is among them."
Gu Zhizhuo nodded.
This must have been arranged by the Master. Even if someone died by hitting the wall, it would have made the matter even more serious, but there was no need to let the students die in vain over such a small incident.
"The harem is not peaceful either. The queen took off her hairpins and rings and made all the concubines kneel in Fengluan Palace."
Gu Zhizhuo frowned and asked, "Where is our mansion?"
She asked Zheng Qi to go back yesterday, not only to inquire about the news, but also to inform her third uncle.
"Our mansion has not been moved yet. Fifth Young Master... Gu Yan is being held in the mansion by Third Master and is unaware of what is happening outside." Zheng Qi finished speaking and added, "My eldest brother-in-law asked me to tell you that if you have nothing else to do, please return to the capital first."
The current "brother-in-law" in the Zhenguo Mansion is Xie Yingchen. After the formal engagement, the lady-in-law was very satisfied with Xie Yingchen's attitude and asked everyone in the mansion to call him brother-in-law.
Gu Zhizhuo's earlobes turned slightly red. The young master said this, so there must be something urgent.
She smiled and said, "Okay, you ask someone to prepare the carriage."
"Yes." Zheng Qi responded and asked, "What should we do with the Ji family?"
"Just keep it locked up. It's not like you need to worry about food."
Gu Zhizhuo tapped the table with his fingertips: "Let's take a look first."
She had brought the matter up, but she hadn't thought about how to end it.
Zheng Qi withdrew.
Gu Zhizhuo picked out the bones from the freshly cooked fish and fed it to the kitten.
Cat Shen raised his whiskers, buried his head in his food, and twitched his little ears happily.
After finishing the whole plate of fish, the tabby cat sat obediently on the eight-immortals table, licking its paws to wash its face, making itself clean without any fishy smell.
"Girl. The carriage is ready."
"Let's go back."
Gu Zhizhuo picked up the cat and held it in his arms, pinching its paws: "Next time I'll bring you to this hot spring."
The kitten didn't know what a hot spring was, but understood that she was going to take it out to play, and meowed happily.
After returning to the capital, Gu Zhizhuo did not go home first, but went directly to Prince Chen's Mansion.
She was very familiar with Prince Chen's Mansion. She had lived there for many years in her previous life and had come here often in this life.
Without needing to be called, she walked to the garden's waterfront veranda as she knew it, sat down on the beauty couch by the pond, and looked very calm. The cat jumped off her lap and ran around the garden chasing butterflies.
The garden looked a little desolate and deserted, just like when she moved in in her previous life.
There are not many flowers and trees, and there are no fish in the pond. There are only some lotus leaves and water plants floating here and there. The water in the pond is clear and shallow, and you can clearly see the pebbles at the bottom of the pond. There is nothing else.
After the death of the deposed crown prince, the house was raided several times and all the rockery and pavilions in the garden were moved away for fear of a secret passage.
Almost all the furniture in each courtyard was moved out, for fear that there might be a hidden room.
Later, the previous emperor passed away, and the prince was taken to Liang State as a hostage, and the house was sealed.
After the young master moved in, she came a few times.
There are few people in the mansion. Apart from the main courtyard, only a few side courtyards are opened for Huai Jingzhi and others to live in. All other courtyards and pavilions are closed.
The servants in the house were all eunuchs and maids who had served the deposed crown prince, and there were only about ten of them in total.
Hmm.
It seemed like it was the same in the previous life.
It was only after she moved in that the young master found a way to buy Qiongfang from the criminal slaves waiting to be sold and gave her to him.
There is no one in the mansion who has the leisure time. It is so desolate that it is even worse than the Wang family's house which has been uninhabited for many years.
There were not many flowers in the garden, and not many butterflies were attracted. The kitten lost interest after chasing them for a while, turned its head and meowed at her in dissatisfaction.
"Why."
Gu Zhizhuo held his chin with his right hand and sighed.
"Why are you so sad?"
Wen Ya's voice rang out from behind. Gu Zhizhuo said without even looking up, "This house is too empty. You don't want to marry a wife just like this, do you?"
Cough, cough, cough. Qin Chen, who was following behind Xie Yingchen, choked on his saliva and coughed until his face turned red.
Gu Zhizhuo turned around and squinted his eyes at him: "Qin Chen."
"Ahem."
“If it was Shen Xu you were following, do you know what he would say now?”
Qin Chen coughed and looked at her confusedly.
"If you make any more noise, I'll cut off your tongue."
Gu Zhizhuo imitated Chen Xu's tone and leaned on the railing before he finished speaking, laughing foolishly.
Qin Chen:?
One of them couldn't help but laugh.
Xie Yingchen nodded seriously and said, "He is not suitable for getting married."
"Could you please, Miss Gu, help me decorate the place so it looks suitable for a bride?"
Gu Zhizhuo's cheeks dimpled, and he extended his hand toward him: "Okay. Pay the money."
Xie Yingchen took out a small brass key from his sleeve pocket and placed it in her open palm. He leaned over and whispered in her ear, "There's a secret room in my study, right here..."
The location of the secret room was very hidden, and the Jinyiwei did not find it when they searched the house.
However, Gu Zhizhuo knew it in his previous life, and not only her, but Huai Jingzhi, Chongjiu and the others also knew it.
Xie Yingchen talked about the location of the darkroom and how to open it, and his lips placed a light kiss on her pink cheek.
"All my money is in there. I'll give it all to you."
He squeezed her hand, gently closing her fingers together, and said with a pitiful tone, "Now, can you get a wife?"
"I have to wait until I have arranged it first."
After Gu Zhizhuo finished speaking, he was overjoyed.
Xie Yingchen patted her back, fearing that she would choke on her saliva.
"Meow!"
The tabby cat thought she was being attacked, so she ran over from the garden, jumped over the railing, arched her back, and made an angry "haha" sound at Xie Yingchen.
Gu Zhizhuo scratched its chin and picked it up to comfort it.
One man and one cat, foreheads touching, the warm sun cast a thin veil of light over their bodies, and the tenderness in Xie Yingchen's eyes almost turned into water.
"Yaoyao, can you help me go see Prince Li?" Xie Yingchen leaned against the beauty beside her and took the initiative to tell her the reason why he asked her to return to Beijing as soon as possible.
Gu Zhizhuo placed the cat on his lap and stroked its fur: "What happened to Prince Li?"
"Stroke."
Xie Yingchen recounted what happened at Lotus Manor and said, "I fed him a pill given by my master. After returning to the capital, I asked the imperial physician to see him. His life was saved, but his mouth and eyes were crooked, and he was unconscious and conscious. The imperial physician was unable to help him."
Gu Zhizhuo readily agreed: "Let's go now." The stroke cannot be delayed for too long.
Although there is a rule that "doctors don't knock on doors", Gu Zhizhuo still has a very good impression of the old man Prince Li.
In his previous life, when the young master was seriously ill, he had gone to great lengths to help find a miracle doctor. After the young master died, he was the only one in the royal family who suggested that the young master be posthumously named crown prince.
Gu Zhizhuo remembers this feeling.
Moreover, even without considering personal relationships, the identity of Prince Li as the clan leader is of vital importance.
Gu Zhizhuo held the cat and went out with him.
As they walked, she suddenly remembered something and stared at him threateningly: "Sir, did you ride a horse? Didn't I tell you that you can't ride a horse yet? How long did it take you to run from the capital to Lotus Manor?"
The tabby cat panted and slapped Xie Yingchen on the arm.
"I was wrong."
Xie Yingchen admitted his mistake very quickly. Before she could get angry, he quickly changed the subject: "The emperor's attitude towards Ji Shi is very strange. Do you know why?"
"It's a marriage talisman."
"Marriage Talisman?"
"Have you heard about Liu Nuo's deep love for an old blind man?" Gu Zhizhuo pulled back her little paw. She didn't want to use those victimized girls as a topic of conversation, so she only mentioned it briefly and then briefly passed it over. She mainly talked about them going to find the old blind man, saying that she accidentally saw Ji Nan Ke buying a marriage talisman, and that Ji Nan Ke took Ji Shi out of the house pretending to be sick...
She tugged at his sleeve and skipped along, sighing, "Fortunately, the Zhuyin Mantra has karma and retribution, and it's almost been lost. Otherwise, the world would be in chaos."
After explaining the whole story, we arrived at Prince Li's mansion.
So easy to coax.
She spoke excitedly, and had obviously forgotten about her recent anger towards him.
After getting off the carriage, Princess Li came out to greet him personally.
The princess was over sixty years old. Gu Zhizhuo had seen her several times. She usually kept herself in good health, but just on this day, she looked a little tired and old.
"princess."
Gu Zhizhuo bowed.
Princess Li thought she was here to visit the prince, and quickly said, "Miss Gu, there's no need to be so polite."
After the prince fell ill, only Xie Yingchen in the royal family ran around.
Seeing that the prince had offended the emperor and was about to die, the others were still watching.
Princess Li personally led them to the main courtyard. Along the way, she sighed, "I woke up once this morning, took the medicine prescribed by the imperial physician, and then fell asleep. I haven't woken up since then. And, and..."
Gu Zhizhuo's presence made her feel a little embarrassed to speak up, so he took the initiative to ask, "Are you incontinent?"
Princess Li held the handkerchief and said with difficulty, "Yes." The prince was such a strong-willed man that Princess Li didn't know whether she should be thankful that the prince was asleep and didn't have to face such an embarrassing situation.
Prince Li's sons and daughters-in-law were all waiting in the main courtyard. When they saw them come in, they stood up to greet them.
Princess Li: "The imperial physicians are waiting in the banquet hall."
There are three imperial doctors in the palace, and they will be on duty day and night during this period.
The princess led them into the inner chamber, where only the concubine attending to the patient and a few servants were present. The air was thick with the smell of medicine. Prince Li lay unconscious on the couch, his face pale and bloodless, his face deeply sunken. The brocade quilt covering him rose and fell faintly, and he seemed thin and small, tucked away in the quilt.
"Princess, let me check the prince's pulse first."
"ah?"
Princess Li looked at Xie Yingchen in astonishment.
Xie Yingchen nodded solemnly and said, "Great-aunt, Yaoyao knows medicine."
He meant that Miss Gu could save the prince? Princess Li hesitated.
However, since Prince Chen got engaged to Miss Gu, he has been getting healthier day by day.
She still remembered that not long ago, Prince Chen was seriously ill and the imperial physicians said he would not live more than seven days. After the prince returned, he had no appetite, but when the emperor granted the marriage, Xie Yingchen miraculously came back to life. The prince was overjoyed and praised Miss Gu in front of her, saying that she was a good wife.
Could it be that Xie Yingchen got better not because Miss Gu was a lucky charm for her husband, but because she was proficient in medicine?
Princess Li thought about it and quickly made a decision.
"All of you go down."
She dismissed the servants and personally took the prince's hand out from under the quilt.
"Please, Miss Gu, save my prince!"
"I'll do my best."
In the previous life, Prince Li died five years later, also shortly after suffering a stroke due to the emperor's anger.
Gu Zhizhuo took the pulse for a while, then calculated a fortune by counting on his fingers.
"Your Highness has a disorder of Qi and blood, which has caused a blockage in the brain vessels. He needs to use a long needle."
"Princess, a stroke is a serious illness. The prince's attack was too severe and too sudden. If left untreated, he would have to endure for more than a year, lying unconscious and bedridden like he is now." In fact, if the young master hadn't fed him the elixir, he would have died immediately. "If you want to treat him, I only have a fifty-fifty chance of success."
Gu Zhizhuo made a "five" gesture and said frankly, "If we fail, the palace will probably have to hold a funeral."
What she meant was that either she could live like this or she could live for another year or two.
It's either life or death.
Princess Li looked at the little old man on the couch, held his slightly cold hand for a long time.
The prince would not want me to live like this, lying on the couch and unable to move.
He would also choose to give it a try.
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