Chapter 163 Chapter 163 is the only genuine version...
Ji Nan Ke stared at him blankly, her beautiful eyes first filled with shock, then sadness, tears welling up in her eyes but stubbornly refused to flow out.
"Your Highness."
Her voice was choked, but she forced it down and asked, "You don't believe me?"
Xie Jing: “…”
His silent attitude hurt Ji Nanke.
"Has all the feelings I've had with you over the years been fake?"
"Is it all me who's using witchcraft to control you?"
She smiled self-deprecatingly: "So in your heart, I am this kind of person."
Xie Jing also felt very uncomfortable. He actually didn't know what kind of feelings he had towards Ji Nan Ke now.
It was obvious that for her, he could disobey his father and mother, give up the throne for her, and even be willing to die for her. But now, he is unwilling to make so many sacrifices for her again.
Just like at this moment, he clearly knew that Ji Nan Ke wanted him to coax her, or even just say a few soft words and say that he didn't mean that, but he just felt extremely annoyed.
He didn't respond to her question, but asked, "Why are you here?"
This attitude made Ji Nanke's heart sink. She pursed her lips tightly. After a moment, she said coldly, "Well, since that's the case, there's no need to force things between you and me, lest Your Highness become suspicious all the time."
After she finished speaking, she took out an oil-paper bag and threw it to him.
The oil paper package was still warm when I touched it, and there was a fire-baked bun inside.
Xie Jing blurted out, "Are you here to bring me food?"
"I won't need it anymore in the future." Ji Nanke said with a smile, and tears finally slid down from her wet eyes, soaking her beautiful cheeks.
Xie Jing felt somewhat guilty.
"Ke'er."
He reached out to pull her, trying to give in, but Ji Nanke silently pulled his hand away. She turned her face away from him and said, "I won't come to see you again."
After she finished speaking, she turned and left, her hair flying in the wind and brushing against Xie Jing's cheek.
Xie Jing hesitated and wanted to call her, but finally gave up.
Maybe, this is a good thing.
Ji Nanke counted silently in her heart. When she counted to three and Xie Jing didn't say anything, she suddenly felt something was wrong and felt a little panicked.
In fact, she had noticed that Xie Jing was becoming colder and more impatient towards her day by day.
In the past, she could have lived well even without Xie Jing. But now, she felt guilty.
After leaving the Gu family, she felt that the Ji family was unreliable and her aunt had died. She was isolated and had nowhere else to go. Even those who had been kind to her before became cold to her.
After much thought, she realized that the best option she could find was Xie Jing.
So, she came and wanted to take the initiative to make peace.
After repeated setbacks and nothing going her way, she had long lost the confidence she once had.
Ji Nanke's eyes flashed.
She paused, turned around, and the moment her gaze met Xie Jing's, she avoided his.
"stop."
Ji Nan Ke did not look at Xie Jing, but passed by him and chased after Gu Zhizhuo who had already walked away.
"I've already given in to you in every way, why are you still making trouble behind my back?"
"Why do you have to spread rumors that I used witchcraft?"
The word "witchcraft" is taboo in every dynasty. Ji Nanke's shouting immediately attracted the attention of the nearby soldiers.
Gu Zhizhuo came here to watch the stars. The city wall was so long that if she couldn't see them here, she could go somewhere else. She didn't pay any attention to what the two were arguing about and left early.
Hearing this, she turned around and said impatiently, "Are you deaf? If you weren't, you should have heard that it was your Third Prince asking me."
"He is the one who doubts you."
Gu Zhizhuo handed the cat to Xie Yingchen: "Hold it tight."
"Meow...Hawoo!"
Xie Yingchen pinched its little paw and pressed down the slap it was waving towards him.
With empty hands and a light body, Gu Zhizhuo walked straight towards her, looking relaxed, but only those who were face to face with her could feel how strong the oppressive force was.
"You should think about what you have done that even the Third Prince doesn't believe you, instead of coming here to question me, understand?"
Ji Nanke glanced at Xie Jing from the corner of her eye and said, "It's you who's trying to sow discord."
Her face was filled with sorrow, her tone helpless and painful. "Gu Zhizhuo, I've already paid you back everything I owe you. Why haven't you let me go yet? Why are you fighting with me even though you're already engaged? Why do you insist on pinning the stigma of witchcraft on me?"
Xie Jing looked reluctant and hesitated to speak.
Ji Nanke: "If you have the ability to explain yourself clearly."
Gu Zhizhuo chuckled and said, "Witchcraft? If you hadn't mentioned it, I would have forgotten about it. Right."
The last word was said to Xie Jing.
"She did use witchcraft. Not only on you, Your Highness, but also on her aunt, her parents, her closest relatives, and our Gu family. Your Highness, do you remember what I told you? No one around her, no one close to her, will have a good ending. It was the Ji family who was the last one to suffer, so who will be next?"
"Could it be you?"
Ji Nanke was furious and said, "Shut up, Gu Zhizhuo!"
"You told me to say it." Gu Zhizhuo took another half step forward, holding her down steadily. "Don't you dare to listen? I haven't finished yet."
"When you were eight years old, you went to see a circus. You were squeezed in the crowd and the lantern above your head fell off. You were unharmed, but the little girl standing next to you was burned alive. The people around you were also burned."
"When you were ten years old, you fell in love with a painting that was a treasure in a painting shop. The owner was unwilling to sell it, and as a result, the shop was robbed and suffered heavy losses. In order to pay off his debts, the owner sold the painting."
"When you were thirteen, your wet nurse, who had come with you from Jiangnan, fell into a pond and drowned while attending a banquet at the Duke of Anguo's mansion. You went to find someone to save her, and that was the day you met the Third Prince."
"Your Highness doesn't know these things, right?"
There are so many similar things.
Every gain for Ji Nanke was a disaster for others.
In the past, Gu Zhizhuo always took Heaven's direction into consideration. Although she wasn't afraid to go against Heaven's will, she was also afraid that if she went too far, Heaven's wrath would burn and she would be struck to death.
But now, destiny has changed, and Ji Nanke, the girl of destiny, is out of date.
Gu Zhizhuo continued walking forward while speaking: "Do you want to listen more?"
Ji Nanke stepped back, breathing rapidly.
She had unknowingly retreated to the edge of the city wall, her back pressed against the parapet.
Gu Zhizhuo was very close to her, his head slightly tilted, as if whispering in her ear, and said in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Are you trying to use me as an excuse to get scolded and ease the relationship between you and the Third Prince? Do you think I'm easy to talk to, or do you think I'm easy to bully?"
Ji Nan Ke leaned on the wall behind her with both hands, and the pitiful look on her face was gone.
"Do you really have to tear your face apart with me?"
Ji Nanke also spoke in a low voice, his face and tone gloomy and somewhat terrifying: "Prince Chen is watching you!"
"Miss Gu. I'm still living in the palace, and Prince Chen is serving as regent. Perhaps I'll be able to advance further in the future. Even the Queen is tempted and wants Duke Cheng'en to give birth to a concubine's daughter to Prince Chen as a concubine. Even more so for others. Even if you have an arranged marriage, so what? He can still take concubines and maids. You insist on making yourself a shrew, ruining your reputation, and giving the Queen a reason to reward a concubine?"
She said, "You and I are both women, why can't we help each other? Why do you have to fight me to the death? What good will it do you?"
Gu Zhizhuo calmly interrupted: "You die, and I live."
Ji Nanke's expression twisted.
"Also," Gu Zhizhuo reached out and pressed her shoulders, "You and I have long since fallen out. Have you forgotten?"
"Notorious?" Gu Zhizhuo laughed and used his arms to push her back.
Her hands were strong enough to pull a stone bow, and Ji Nan Ke couldn't even struggle.
Gu Zhizhuo curled his lips and said arrogantly, "Only the weak would be so cautious and worried about losing their reputation. As for me, even if I pushed you down here, people would only praise my decisiveness and accuse you of a bunch of crimes to please me, saying that your death is not a pity."
"Do you believe it?"
"The victor king, as long as I always stand above others, everything I do is right."
"you……"
Ji Nanke's lower back was pressed against the wall, but Gu Zhizhuo was still pushing her back.
Ji Nanke's face turned pale with fright.
She knew she had a bad temper, but seeing Prince Chen also present, Ji Nanke assumed that Gu Zhizhuo would have some concerns. What she said was true; sacrificing a concubine's daughter to secure a position of power for the family was a worthwhile undertaking. Living in the palace, she had heard a lot: they were all waiting for Gu Zhizhuo to make a mistake, taking advantage of the situation to insert someone else.
She really didn't expect that Gu Zhizhuo would be so reckless when he went crazy.
"The loser is a bandit. Without our Gu family as the victim, among all the nobles in the capital, you, an orphan girl, are no better than a blade of grass."
“Stop… Stop!”
Past experience told her that Gu Zhizhuo would really take action. Half of her body was already hanging in the air on the city wall, and she could clearly see the ground below when she lowered her head.
Ji Nanke was terrified.
If you fall from here, you will definitely die.
She shouted, "King Chen is watching you!"
Her black hair fell down, and the strong feeling of weightlessness made her so scared that her whole body trembled.
"I warned you not to mess with me. Why didn't you obey? Huh?"
"I, I..." Ji Nanke's face was as pale as paper, and she was panting. "I was wrong... Let me go!"
"OK. "
Gu Zhizhuo followed suit and let go of his hand.
When she was let go, Ji Nanke suddenly lost her support. She tried desperately to grab the wall with her hands, but she couldn't keep her balance.
"Ke'er!"
Xie Jing couldn't sit idly by after all. Seeing that she was about to fall, he rushed over, grabbed her arm, and hugged her in his arms. This panic of losing and regaining made Xie Jing afraid that he would never let go.
Oh.
Gu Zhizhuo sneered softly and walked back towards Xie Yingchen.
The return of the Mandate of Heaven does not mean that everything can be overturned and started over immediately, but it only allows those who are suppressed by the way of heaven to let go and fight for what they want.
The master said that redefining destiny depends on you sitting on the chair in the Golden Throne Hall.
Just like the destiny that was changed by Changfeng, it was not until Prince Rong ascended the throne that year that it was finally finalized and became the rules of heaven.
She looked up at the night sky, and the imperial star representing Xie Jing dimmed even more.
Even though Gu Zhizhuo's five senses were not as sharp as his master and Senior Brother Qingping's, and he could not see the flow of some mysterious aura, he could still guess that Ji Nan Ke's remaining "good fortune" was purely nourished by Xie Jing's dragon luck.
However, Gu Zhizhuo had no sympathy at all.
It's his own choice and he should bear the consequences himself.
"Meow~"
Chen Mao was extremely happy, and pounced on her coquettishly, rubbing his soft forehead against her chin, and his little head resting affectionately on her neck, meowing.
"Your hands must be hurting." Xie Yingchen took a handkerchief and wiped the dust off her palms.
Gu Zhizhuo raised his face, smiled sweetly, and his eyes were full of stars.
When she looked back, with a mocking coldness in her eyes, she deliberately frightened her and said, "By the way, Miss Ji, you vomited blood at the Meridian Gate that day, right? Your good luck came at a price."
"Remember to visit Changfeng more often when you have time~"
"I wish you a long life."
Xie Jing:!
He subconsciously loosened his arms around Ji Nanke.
But soon, when he saw Ji Nanke's frightened expression, he sighed helplessly.
From an angle that Ji Nan Ke couldn't see, his eyes followed Gu Zhizhuo's back until she and Xie Yingchen walked down the city wall, chatting and laughing.
Gu Zhizhuo was a little unhappy because her interest in stargazing was disturbed. However, after Xie Yingchen took her to the temple fair, bought lanterns, and ate a lot of delicious food, her mood immediately improved.
After visiting the temple fair, it was almost midnight when I returned home.
Gu Baibai was waiting at the ceremony door. When he saw the two of them come back, he gave them a scolding.
Fortunately, the Dowager was there. She accepted the sudden change from the Dowager Lady of the Duke to the Dowager Consort quite well. She was thinking about showing off to her former friends. When she heard that Gu Zhizhuo was being scolded, she quickly stood up and defended him:
"The palace is so ostentatious. This is a good thing, why are you scolding me?"
"What if she gets scared? A girl can only stay at her parents' home for a few years. Who knows how much hardship she will have to endure after getting married!"
"It would be fine if you didn't feel sorry for her, but you scolded her."
Gu Baibai: ???
The way she said this makes it sound like mom has suffered a lot since she got married. Does dad know that she said this?
"No." Xie Yingchen promised, "Grandma, she will scold me later."
Gu Zhizhuo turned around and smiled at him.
The old lady was very satisfied. Her grandson-in-law really had good taste.
The best way for the Lady to show her love for someone was to give them something: "Chen'er, I have a few Tianhuang stone seal stones here. I'll have Miss Zhuo give them to you to play with later."
"I'll carve a seal for Grandma, the Queen Mother of Zhenbei, so she can use it in future banquets."
"Okay." The lady was even more satisfied. "I also have Shoushan stone and chicken blood stone. I'll give them all to you..."
Gu Baibai tried hard to get back to the topic: "And the East Factory..."
"Come, come, little girl Zhuo, I'm going to the Marquis of Ping'an's mansion to watch a play tomorrow. Can you help me pick out which headpiece looks best? The jade one is nice, and the agate one is bright and vibrant."
"Pick out another set of clothes for me."
"I'm a toffee now, so I have to dress differently than before."
The lady winked at her, and Gu Zhizhuo happily took her arm and went to the inner room.
Gu Baibai: “…”
This girl, he shook his head, but in the end he couldn't hide the smile between his eyebrows.
With her and Cancan, the Gu family finally stood up again.
"Chen'er, if you're not in a hurry to leave, come to my study."
Xie Yingchen stood up and took the initiative to push the wheelchair.
Gu Zhizhuo helped the old lady pick out jewelry and clothes. For several days in a row, the old lady arranged many parties, and her granddaughters took turns accompanying her to show off.
The noble ladies and old ladies lived a peaceful life, watching plays and drinking tea, talking about whose son was ignorant and whose daughter-in-law was the most filial.
The court was in turmoil over the dispute between Prince Jin and Shen Xu, and the impeachment memorials against Shen Xu filled up the Wenyuan Pavilion.
However, Shen Xu seemed to be deliberately going against others and ordered his men to raid two more mansions.
This aroused public anger.
Amidst the wind and rain, the plaque of the Zhenbei Palace was completed and hung up.
At this moment, the court, which had been arguing endlessly, suddenly became quiet.
Palace!
The only royal palace in Daqi with a different surname!
The four words "Zhenbei Palace" immediately attracted the attention of everyone from several parties.
For a few days ago, there were rumors in the capital that the Gu family was going to be promoted to the title of king. Many people were skeptical until this plaque was hung up, and the matter was finally settled.
The Gu family has always been low-key and has no plans to hold a banquet.
Even when people came to congratulate him, Gu Baibai refused them all with various reasons.
However, the gifts still flew into the Zhenbei Palace like snowflakes.
Even Xie Jing sent a gift.
In addition to the gift, there was also an invitation to take a concubine on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month.
Xie Jing did not have a mansion and it was impossible for him to hold a banquet in the palace, so he chose a small imperial farm outside the capital.
Tsk.
Gu Zhizhuo threw it away after reading it.
"girl."
Qingmei hurried in, knelt down and said, "The emperor has awakened."
"Awake?" Gu Zhizhuo raised an eyebrow. "You mean, the emperor is awake?!"
interesting!
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