Chapter 43 Chapter 43 is the only authentic version...
A low laugh could be heard from the waterside pavilion.
Zhaoyang's voice paused. When she first heard these words, she felt indignant but didn't think there was anything wrong with them. But now that they were being broken down one by one and spoken individually, she felt an indescribable awkwardness.
She had recently heard that the vegetarian mushroom dishes at the Women's Temple in the suburbs of Beijing were extremely delicious, so she persuaded the Empress Dowager to go and try them. It was also during that time that she met Ji Nanke, who was also at the Women's Temple. She and the Empress Dowager concealed their identities, but Ji Nanke still treated them very kindly and took them to the Women's Temple to enjoy the scenery and listen to the teachings.
Zhaoyang had a very pleasant conversation with her, and was secretly amazed by her knowledge and insights.
Ke'er is cool and elegant, and would never do something that says one thing in public and another behind the scenes.
"Ke'er doesn't know my identity," Zhaoyang said arrogantly. "Don't think everyone is like you, trying to curry favor with the rich and powerful. Ke'er is a man of high character, a hundred times more so than you."
Gu Zhizhuo held Xie Danling down, fearing that she would rush out.
Xie Danling was breathing heavily, and her hands under the table were pulling Gu Zhizhuo back, meaning that she should go up.
So what if she’s the eldest princess?
Whoever bullies her little cousin will not be let off easily!
Gu Zhizhuo scratched her palm, signaling her not to worry. Meeting Zhaoyang's gaze, he sneered, "Don't you know who you are? Did you go there in rags, or without guards or maids? She's not blind."
No matter how incognito she travels, the empress dowager must be accompanied by guards. Even if the guards are in casual clothes, the boots on their bare feet can be seen at a glance whether they are imperial guards, Jinwu Guards, or Yulin Guards.
The differences in the palace maids' words and deeds were even more obvious.
"presumptuous."
Zhao Yang slammed the table and said angrily, "You are just jealous and can't tolerate her."
Gu Zhizhuo also slammed the table. She had been practicing archery diligently these days, and her arm strength had improved quite well. This slap was louder than Zhaoyang's, shaking the table and causing the dishes on it to make slight clashing sounds.
Gu Zhizhuo stood up, walked out from behind the desk, and walked towards Zhaoyang who was sitting at the top.
Her posture is as straight as a pine tree and her eyes are as bright as a torch.
Zhaoyang was startled and leaned back subconsciously. The next moment he realized that he had shown his cowardice.
"Someone come!"
Gu Zhizhuo raised his hand and interrupted her: "Your Highness, you said that I can't tolerate Ji Nanke, then tell me, what exactly can't I tolerate about her?"
Her back was straight, and her tone was cold with sarcasm: "She is an orphan, without a father or a mother, and has to rely on the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion for support. Isn't her food, clothing, and expenses all paid for by my family?"
"She's just a thing living under someone else's roof. How can I, the eldest daughter of the Duke of Zhenguo, not tolerate her?"
"What could possibly envy her?"
Gu Zhizhuo took half a step forward, but this half step brought with it endless pressure, causing Zhaoyang's breath to stagnate.
"The Ji family was the prime minister of the previous dynasty and a senior official in assisting the country."
"My great-grandfather, grandfather, and father were all famous generals of Daqi. They expanded the territory for Daqi and died defending the country."
"May I ask the eldest princess, why am I jealous of her?"
Gu Zhizhuo let out a soft laugh as he spoke, emphasizing each word: "Could it be that I'm jealous of her ancestors for serving the king of a fallen nation?"
The pavilion became even quieter, and the tense scene made people's hearts seem to skip a beat.
The queen's red lips were tightly pursed; this girl was still as sharp-tongued as ever.
Zhaoyang was furious. What did "jealousy of the Ji family for having served a fallen king" mean? How could the loyal ministers and generals of Daqi not be as good as the ministers of the previous dynasty who had fallen from power? If this were to get out, he would definitely be severely scolded by his father.
As a married princess, whether she can live a comfortable life depends only on the grace of the emperor.
"Your Highness, as a princess, you must be careful with your words and actions. Don't be ignorant of your limits."
"You don't know your limits" is what Zhaoyang scolded Gu Zhizhuo for just now.
At this moment, Gu Zhizhuo returned it in its original state.
Even though she didn't say it explicitly, her words and actions clearly showed that Zhaoyang admired the previous dynasty.
This mouth is really powerful and poisonous.
Zhaoyang bit her lower lip tightly, wishing she could be dragged away and beaten.
She clearly knew that this was not what she meant, but she insisted on putting herself in an unfair position.
Zhaoyang's face was full of embarrassment and anger.
Gu Zhizhuo stared at her closely, his eyes filled with provocation and no respect at all.
She took another half step forward and secretly made a gesture with her hand.
Gu Zhizhuo leaned forward slightly, looked directly into Zhaoyang's eyes, and asked again, "Princess, what do you say?"
Zhaoyang felt a surge of anger rising in his chest.
I just taught her a lesson or two, but this Miss Gu not only refused to stop, but also forced me to do more!
Does this mean I have to admit my mistake to her?!
I am a princess...
"... Tell me, why am I jealous of her?"
"What are you jealous of her for? Haha, do I need to tell you?" Zhao Yang pointed at her and said without mercy, "You are jealous of her and the third prince's love and affection. You are jealous of Xie Jing's undivided love for her!"
"You're jealous of her, you can't tolerate her! You think that if she's gone, Xie Jing will fall for you."
"Stop dreaming!"
Zhaoyang said all that was in her mind in one breath, with a look of sarcasm and disdain on her face. Her only thought now was to step Gu Zhizhuo hard into the mud and stomp on him a few more times.
Gu Zhizhuo lowered his eyes, with a barely perceptible smile on the corner of his mouth.
But when she looked up, her smile disappeared and she said calmly, "Princess, please be careful with your words."
"What? Did I hit the nail on the head?" Zhao Yang felt like he had found his rhythm again, and he taunted her with one sarcasm after another. "Xie Jing is devotedly in love with Ke'er, so who are you?"
"Jealous, gossipy, and sarcastic."
"If you weren't born into a good family, do you think you'd be worthy of being a prince's consort?!"
Zhaoyang was satisfied.
As embarrassed as Zhaoyang was when she was being pressed step by step just now, she felt as happy now.
She stared at Gu Zhizhuo, hoping to see embarrassment on her face, but there was none.
Gu Zhizhuo said without yielding, "Although you are a princess, I am not your servant. I am also a daughter of the Duke of Zhenguo Mansion, personally appointed by Emperor Taizu. You speak nonsense to me. Is this your upbringing?"
The Queen had a bad feeling.
There was no sound at all in the water pavilion; the sounds of music, talking, and breathing had all disappeared.
The actors holding their pipa dared not even make a loud sound.
Reason told the queen that she should speak out to stop it now, but deep in her heart she also felt an indescribable pleasure.
It was Gu Zhizhuo's relentless insistence that prevented Jing'er from making further progress, and the crown prince was gone just like that. Husband and wife should be united in heart and soul, but for such a trivial matter as jealousy, she had to ruin Jing'er's future. If it weren't for the emperor's repeated warnings, the queen would have given up on it long ago.
I have Jing'er, I can't make the emperor unhappy.
But the eldest princess is different.
The Queen patted the back of the eldest princess's soft, white hand soothingly and called out, "Zhuo'er."
"The eldest princess is Jing'er's biological sister. She just said a few words to you. Why are you so angry?"
"Being angry out of shame" means that the queen agreed with every accusation made by the eldest princess.
Gu Zhizhuo asked, "Does the Queen think so too?"
He really refuses to give in at all! The Queen gritted her teeth. Regardless of whether this marriage would be successful in the future, she couldn't let Gu Zhizhuo always rely on his status as the future Third Prince's consort to act so arrogantly.
The Queen rubbed the jade bracelet on her wrist with her fingertips and said word by word: "I know you are thinking about Jing'er."
"Your Majesty," Gu Zhizhuo interrupted. Her voice was clear and gentle, like a falling jade stone: "Of course not."
The queen's face darkened instantly.
Gu Zhizhuo's phoenix eyes were clear, without any warmth in them, he was just stating a fact.
"How can I possibly be attached to someone who is bent on destroying my appearance and taking my life?"
"Your Majesty, you think too lowly of me."
The queen was visibly angry.
This matter has already passed, and she still dares to bring it up!
You even have the nerve to mention it!
Except for Sun Nian who had just returned to Beijing and did not know the whole story, most of the others were in the palace on the Qianqiu Festival. The emperor reprimanded the empress and ordered her to stay in the palace for self-reflection, which was announced publicly at the banquet.
Gu Zhizhuo brought up the matter again now, almost with an attitude of wanting to break off relations, which made the queen recall the unbearable situation at that time once again.
How dare she!
The queen's delicate hands pressed tightly against the table, and her fingertips were suspiciously red.
She shook her head and said angrily, "How can you look like a prince's consort?"
"obedient."
She said these two words very slowly, and there was a deep meaning in them, as if to say that if Gu Zhizhuo still wanted to be the Third Prince's consort, she had to behave herself.
Gu Zhizhuo slowly shook her head and said in a calm voice, "Your Majesty, my surname is Gu."
"Since childhood, I have been taught by my grandfather that the blood and lives of the Gu family will only be lost at the hands of the enemy."
She slowly stroked her cheek through the veil, as if she was caressing a wound on her cheek.
It seemed to be reminding everyone who caused this injury.
Once again, everything Xie Jing did and his despicable behavior were exposed nakedly.
She said, "Your Highness, the Third Prince, he is not worthy of having a servant like you defile his house."
The queen's face turned pale with anger, and rage surged in her heart.
Seeing this, Zhaoyang took the Queen's hand and blurted out, "In that case, you should not be the Third Prince's consort anymore!"
The queen remained silent, which was considered as her agreement with her words.
Since Gu Yican has made great contributions and the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion has to remain in the court for a while, then the Gu family must be willing to side with Jing'er.
Gu Zhizhuo's pride must be discounted today.
The queen pinched her cuffs hard.
She stared at Gu Zhizhuo with a cold gaze, and her blood was boiling in her chest.
"Princess, you are absolutely right. If that's the case, you should stop being the Third Prince's consort."
She waited for her to give in.
Gu Zhizhuo faced the queen and knelt down, and the corners of the queen's mouth slowly curved up.
"Your Majesty, I thank you!"
Gu Zhizhuo folded his hands in front of him, rested his forehead on the back of his hands, bowed deeply, and repeated the words clearly:
"Your Majesty, I thank you!"
"you!"
How dare you!
The corners of the queen's mouth froze completely, her face twitched unconsciously, and veins on her forehead bulged.
One sits on a high platform.
One bowed his head and knelt down.
Gu Zhizhuo knelt to express his gratitude, but how could the queen accept his request?
How dare I respond!
She just wanted Gu Zhizhuo to give in, but who would have thought that Gu Zhizhuo would take advantage of the situation to climb up. Now she couldn't ask a queen like her to apologize in front of so many people and say that she had said something wrong.
The queen pursed her lips and said nothing.
Gu Zhizhuo knelt down and did not move.
It was eerily quiet.
Xie Danling picked up the fruit juice and took a few sips to calm herself down. It turned out that her little cousin had just pulled her hand and written the word "opportunity" on her palm for this.
The clepsydra in the corner of the hall slowly leaked sand.
Zhaoyang was panicked. Why didn't she just refuse to give in?
The queen became more and more uncomfortable. Her lips were dry and her face was pale. She didn't know whether to walk away or say a few soft words.
The commotion here was too obvious. The two water pavilions were very close to each other. As the eunuch in front of the emperor, Li Deshun did not need to wait for the emperor's order to send people to check.
After receiving the report from the young eunuch, even Li Deshun was shocked.
How did it get to this point!?
He looked towards the waterside pavilion to the west and could vaguely see the two men confronting each other. Li Deshun hurried to the imperial court and nervously whispered to the emperor what had happened.
The emperor was instantly shocked and his fingers holding the wine cup tightened slightly.
"Your Majesty, Miss Gu is unwilling to get up now, and the Queen is unwilling to give in." However, Li Deshun felt that the Queen was not unwilling to give in, but she was too embarrassed to do so. Moreover, the longer it took, the less likely she would be to say those soft words.
Xie Jing was closest to the emperor and heard Li Deshun's words clearly.
His heart skipped a beat, and a thought popped into his head uncontrollably: Is she so impatient? Can't wait to break off the engagement with me!
But then, this thought was replaced by ecstasy, and Xie Jing's eyes were filled with light.
So, the glass of wine she just toasted to me from afar was probably telling me to act according to the circumstances!
It's his fault.
He was wrong.
He shouldn't blame Miss Gu for always standing in front of him. He was wrong. He shouldn't have suspected that she had other intentions and been hesitant.
Xie Jing looked at his father expectantly.
His father had a look of rage on his face, and he could understand the look in his eyes. He knew that his father must still want to appease Miss Gu.
No, he has to think of a way!
"Your Highness, if something happens to you in front of the Emperor, that would be the biggest shock to the Emperor, wouldn't it?"
Gu Zhizhuo's words once again reached Xie Jing's ears.
This time, Xie Jing was completely moved.
At the same time, he felt a little numb.
It is conceivable that if Gu Zhizhuo rejected the marriage proposal in person today and I don't cooperate, and if the rejection fails, I don't know whether she will force me to use the self-torture trick again next time, or just kill me secretly to put an end to it all.
Ever since he jumped over the lake at Taiqing Temple, he'd been on this path until the end of time. So, why not take advantage of the current opportunity and give it a try?
Xie Jing's eyes flickered, and he made up his mind in a moment.
He first looked at the height of the pavilion. There was a lake below, so he should be fine if he fell in. However, the fear of almost suffocating last time made him very reluctant to do it again.
Then...
Xie Jing stood up suddenly and said angrily, "Father, Miss Gu is too ignorant. I will go and take a look."
The emperor nodded thoughtfully, feeling somewhat relieved.
Even if the engagement had to be broken off, it couldn't be now. Listen to what Miss Gu said, "The blood and lives of the Gu family can only be lost at the hands of the enemy." Doesn't this imply that Jing'er is perverse and evil, and that his actions are despicable? Jing'er is the future crown prince, and he can't have such a bad reputation. This is absolutely unacceptable.
"Go ahead and comfort her."
Xie Jing stood up in response, but before he could even stand, he tripped over something and fell forward. The dishes on the table clattered to the ground, and his palms were filled with tiny pieces of porcelain, leaving specks of blood on the ground.
It is so red that it is eye-catching.
The emperor was startled.
"Your Majesty, be careful," Li Deshun rushed over to stop the emperor, fearing that he would be hurt by the broken porcelain pieces on the ground.
Xie Jing suppressed the groan in his throat and said through gritted teeth, "Father, please don't come over."
He carefully stood up with the help of the table, but he stepped on something and slipped and fell down again.
Last time, he did it on purpose, but not this time. A sharp piece of broken porcelain pierced deeply into his forearm, and a large patch of blood-red suddenly spread across the moon-white brocade robe.
He almost fainted from the pain.
The emperor was almost dumbfounded, his face pale as he cried out incoherently: "Jing'er!"
His son can’t be so unlucky!
Twice! Twice in a row.
The emperor subconsciously looked towards the waterside pavilion across the covered bridge. Xie Yingchen also followed his gaze, thinking about something.
"Emperor..."
He raised his lips slightly and was about to speak when he felt a sharp pain in his chest.
Is it almost time?
Gu Zhizhuo had specifically reminded on the silk paper that it would take an hour and a half for the pill to take effect. Before, he had been feeling uncomfortable and hot in his internal organs, but now, it was as if all the heat had gathered in his chest, like a ball of fire constantly hitting his heart.
All the strength in his body was completely drained in just a few breaths. Xie Yingchen used up all his self-control, but now he could only sit here, motionless, with beads of sweat on his forehead.
Huai Jingzhi noticed that something was wrong with him, and he silently took a half step forward to block the sight of others.
Xie Yingchen's consciousness gradually faded.
The eunuchs swept the broken porcelain pieces from the floor. The emperor rushed to Xie Jing and saw him grimacing in pain. He felt a wave of heartache. He tried to pull him up, but his palms were stained red by the blood from his sleeves.
"Jing'er."
The emperor was heartbroken, his eyes slightly wet.
The eldest prince and his younger brothers looked at each other.
The eldest prince, Xie Zhuo, immediately shouted, "Quickly call the imperial physician!"
A eunuch reacted and ran out hurriedly, causing chaos in the pavilion.
"Your Majesty, I'm fine." Xie Jing remembered Gu Zhizhuo's words. He was extremely weak. He even turned sideways to let the emperor see his bleeding arm.
It really hurts!
There was no need to pretend at all, the pain was so severe that tears streamed down his face.
Xie Jing's blood-stained arm was reflected in the emperor's pupils, and he regretted it.
These days, every time he saw his beloved son so weak, he felt very sad. But no matter how distressed he was, after that, Xie Jing was fine and still alive and kicking, so he told himself to wait and see.
Until now, he saw his son covered in blood with his own eyes.
He couldn't imagine if the broken porcelain fragment had been a little more off to the side, would it have pierced Jing'er's chest!
If it is a coincidence, each and every one of these things is too coincidental.
Ever since Gu Zhizhuo left the country, Jing'er has been plagued by illness and hasn't had a good day.
"Jing'er..."
The emperor was torn between conscience and desire, and his reason told him that now was definitely not a good time.
"Your Majesty," Xie Jing said sincerely, "Don't worry about me. I am willing to share your worries."
Finally, the emperor sighed secretly and let it go.
No matter what, we can't take risks with Jing'er's life.
Just a marriage.
The emperor asked the eunuch to come over and help Xie Jing sit down. "The imperial physician will be here soon. I will go to your mother first to see her."
"yes."
Xie Jing looked at the emperor with admiration, and the emperor couldn't help but feel a surge of fatherly love. He patted his son gently and went to the other side of the waterside pavilion surrounded by a crowd of people.
It’s only a little over a hundred steps from the covered bridge.
The emperor walked in a hurry. When the voice of "The emperor has arrived" reached everyone's ears, including the queen, they couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
Everyone stood up to greet him.
"Father." Zhaoyang felt very aggrieved.
The emperor ignored her. His daughter was becoming more and more out of control. If she hadn't relied on her status as a princess to tease Gu Zhizhuo, how could the situation have developed to this point.
Even if the emperor was considering canceling the engagement, it should have been him who proposed it, instead of being forced into it like now, not only losing face, but also having to sacrifice Jing'er.
The emperor sat down next to the queen, and Zhaoyang stood obediently beside him. She knew she was in trouble and didn't dare to act coquettishly anymore.
"No need to be polite, Zhuo girl, you get up too."
Gu Zhizhuo did not stand up, but just looked up at the emperor.
Her sharp eyes noticed a faint bloodstain on the cuff of the emperor's dragon robe. Thinking of the slight noise she had just heard, she wondered what she couldn't understand.
His Royal Highness the Third Prince is not too stupid. At least after suffering some hardships, he now knows how to seize the opportunity.
The emperor's gaze fell on Gu Zhizhuo's face. Her facial features were very similar to those of Concubine Shu. Concubine Shu and Wang were sisters, and she also looked like Danling. However, her facial features were more distinct, like a member of the Gu family.
Especially those eyes, so sharp that it's disgusting.
The old Duke had a very good relationship with the late Emperor, and there was no doubt between the monarch and his subject.
The emperor still remembered that when he was young, he had frequently shown his goodwill to the then Prince of Zhenguo, but Gu Taotao seemed not to understand and ignored him.
Yes. He is just a prince.
Now that he is the king of the world, he still has to face such a pair of disgusting eyes!
The Gu family is as uncomfortable as ever.
The emperor leaned back on the soft pillow beside him, coughed lightly, and said, "Zhuo girl, you can be said to have grown up under my watch. When your father was alive, you were the one he was most worried about. Back then, before he left for the expedition to Liang Kingdom, he even asked me to look after you and choose a good marriage for you."
Gu Zhizhuo lowered his eyes.
Daddy would never say such a thing, because he would never think about her marriage.
He kept nagging me to go to the Northern Frontier with him, to conquer the world, and not stay in the cage of the Four Directions. At that time, I was spoiled and unaware, and I couldn't bear to leave the luxury of the capital, so I didn't agree.
Despite his thoughts, Gu Zhizhuo still remembered to put on some effort: "Your Majesty, I thank you on behalf of my father."
"I've thought about it. Jing'er has indeed acted inappropriately and has lost her composure. He..." The emperor hesitated for a moment, then finally said, "He's not worthy of you."
He said these words very reluctantly.
"Fortunately, I didn't issue an explicit decree back then. I had thought that if you didn't like Jing'er when you grew up, then this marriage would be canceled."
The emperor used a seemingly good excuse to cover up the reason why he did not issue the decree.
A faint smile appeared on Gu Zhizhuo's face.
Done!
There was no explicit decree, not even a verbal order. This so-called marriage had only the emperor's promise from beginning to end.
In her previous life, at the end, she only got a sentence: "Gu's behavior is not good, and I was careless. The marriage contract is cancelled."
Just like what my aunt was worried about.
She used her infamy to create Xie Jing's bright and handsome character.
"Your servant..."
Gu Zhizhuo was about to bend over to express his gratitude when the emperor's voice suddenly exploded in his ears.
"However, I also promised your father that I would choose a good marriage for you."
Gu Zhizhuo thought that without Xie Jing, the emperor would find someone else to tie her up. She calmed herself down and said as planned: "The emperor..."
She had just opened her mouth, but before she could say anything, she heard, "How is Xie Yingchen?"
Huh? That's not right!
The sudden bolt from the blue made her mind go blank for a moment, and her voice got stuck in her throat.
"Chen'er is the eldest grandson of the late emperor, and he has just reached the age of twenty. He is a good match for you."
Gu Zhizhuo:!
no.
"Your Majesty. Your Majesty!"
A young eunuch ran over from the east waterside pavilion in a panic. He was panting and almost couldn't catch his breath.
The emperor thought something was wrong with Xie Jing and looked over anxiously: "Speak quickly."
The young eunuch was sweating profusely and panting heavily as he said, "Your Majesty, the eldest son just vomited blood and fainted. His breath is very weak."
"I'm afraid it's not good."
In the palace, the eldest son refers to Xie Yingchen.
The emperor pressed the table in shock, his expression frozen.
No way.
So smart?!
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