Chapter 80 Yunxi as Wife, Shen Yujiao as Concubine
Prince Yong was right. Gu Nanxiao's purpose today was to rescue Yunxi from the palace. However, he did feel better after hearing the truth from Prince Yong.
But after ten years of drinking ice, the father-son relationship had grown completely cold and could not be changed overnight. Moreover, regardless of his father's motives, the physical and mental suffering he and his mother had endured over the years was real.
Besides, he was no longer the child who needed his father's approval and encouragement. What he had once longed for had come far too late. Now that he had suddenly obtained it, he felt it was utterly worthless.
After returning to his study, Gu Nanxiao spent the night reviewing all the evidence of crimes the Emperor had given him, confirming that the Shen family had not done anything outrageous over the years.
It's just that in previous years when there was a shortage of food supplies, they would pay for the difference themselves, and then take out their share after the food supplies were allocated.
Or perhaps it was due to borrowing and transferring grain with neighboring counties, resulting in a triangular debt that had accumulated for over twenty years and became increasingly chaotic and impossible to untangle.
In short, there's nothing concrete to hold them accountable. But these things can be serious or minor; if the Emperor insists on accusing them, they'll have no way to defend themselves.
What Gu Nanxiao needs to do now is to figure out how to use the Emperor's intentions to ostensibly suppress the Shen family while actually helping them escape punishment.
It seems that after rescuing Yunxi, he will definitely need to talk to his uncles.
The next morning, as soon as Prince Yong opened his eyes, he was being helped by his servants to change his clothes and rinse his mouth when a servant came in to report that the eldest son had been waiting in the study for a long time.
King Yong snorted coldly and continued his leisurely washing up. After a whole night, he had figured it out. That kid only treated him with such a subservient attitude because he wanted his help to save someone.
However, the Prince Yong's desire to mend the relationship between father and son was genuine, so he didn't mind being slightly used by his son. He could use this incident to do that brat a favor.
After getting ready, the father and son had a rare quiet breakfast together, and then rode in the same carriage to court.
There was nothing of great importance at the morning court session. After the session ended, the father and son went together to Cixi Palace. Not long after, the Empress Dowager summoned them to the palace.
The Empress Dowager's goal was the same as Gu Nanxiao's: to force him to marry Shen Yujiao. However, the Empress Dowager compromised, agreeing to let Yunxi be his secondary wife and marry him as well.
Gu Nanxiao could not accept this outcome. A concubine was essentially a secondary wife, and he would never marry a woman other than Yunxi.
Seeing that Gu Nanxiao was determined to refuse, and fearing that pushing him too far would damage their relationship as grandmother and grandson, the Empress Dowager softened her voice and persuaded him:
“The Shen family commands 300,000 Tiger Roar soldiers. Only through marriage can they be used by you. Isn’t Grandmother planning this all for you?”
Gu Nanxiao did not deny this, but in his heart, he knew even more clearly that one could not have both fish and bear's paw. If he chose a career in government, he would be letting Yunxi down.
Therefore, he was not so greedy. He only hoped to spend the rest of his life with the woman he deeply loved. As for power and wealth, he did not value them that much.
Therefore, he refused without hesitation, saying, "I understand Grandmother's good intentions, but such kindness is not what I desire."
Therefore, your grandson once again implores Grandmother not to mention the matter of marrying his cousin again, and to return Yunxi to him today.”
Seeing his stubbornness, the Empress Dowager slammed her hand on the small table and scolded him, "You are foolish! You are giving up a promising future for a maid. You have truly disappointed me!"
"I'm making this clear today: if you don't agree to marry Jiaojiao, you can forget about ever seeing your beloved again!"
Upon hearing this, Gu Nanxiao suddenly looked up, staring at the Empress Dowager with a sorrowful expression, and asked, "Grandmother, do you really intend to force your grandson like this, without any regard for the bond between grandmother and grandson?"
The Empress Dowager snorted coldly and turned her head away. Her attitude was very firm. As long as he did not agree, the Empress Dowager would not release him, and might even eliminate Yunxi.
Gu Nanxiao did not expect things to escalate to this point. In order to ensure Yunxi's safety, he had no choice but to use delaying tactics.
He feigned relent, sighed deeply, and then said, "I can agree to marry my cousin, but I have three conditions."
Seeing that her stubborn grandson had finally relented, the Empress Dowager immediately turned around and asked, "What do you want? Tell me."
Gu Nanxiao said with a displeased expression, "First, I request the Empress Dowager to grant Yunxi and me a marriage, but not as a secondary wife, but as the principal wife."
Gu Nanxiao only said one thing, and the Empress Dowager and Prince Yong's expressions both darkened, but he seemed oblivious and continued:
"Secondly, Shen Yujiao can only enter the mansion as a concubine, and no imperial decree can be issued upon her."
Third, the date of my wedding to either of them must be at least a year from now, and it must not be revealed beforehand. Otherwise, my grandson would rather die than accept the Shen family's daughter!
Gu Nanxiao felt that a lot of things could change in a year, and during that time, he would try his best to make Yunxi fall completely in love with him and be willing to stay for him.
Moreover, no one can guarantee whether Shen Yujiao will be able to marry him safely a year later.
The Empress Dowager knew that Gu Nanxiao was extremely stubborn, and she also understood that by using Yunxi's life to blackmail him today, she had already damaged the relationship between grandmother and grandson. If he did not compromise, things might get out of control.
Moreover, the more pressure he exerts now, the more unbearable Jiao Jiao's situation will become after entering the palace. After much deliberation, the Empress Dowager reluctantly agreed.
Gu Nanxiao bowed deeply in gratitude, leaving Prince Yong and the Empress Dowager to chat while he followed the palace servants to the palace where Yunxi was being held to fetch her.
When Gu Nanxiao entered the side courtyard, he saw Yunxi covered in mud, squatting in the grass digging for wild vegetables.
He strode over, pulled her up from the ground, and carefully examined her. Seeing that Yunxi was in good condition, with only some mud on her clothes, he felt relieved. His heart, which had been hanging in suspense for three nights and two days, finally settled down.
Gu Nanxiao raised his hand to wipe the dirt off Yunxi's cheek and asked with heartache, "You've been surviving on wild vegetables these past few days. Haven't they brought you any food or water even once?"
Yunxi walked to the clump of weeds, took off a piece of her clothes, wrung it hard, and a stream of clear water immediately flowed out of the cotton cloth.
She smiled nonchalantly and said, "They won't give me water, but I can get some myself. It's just that the pastries I brought with me were all gone last night. Today is the first time I've had to dig for wild vegetables to fill my stomach."
Hearing the words that were clearly meant to comfort him, Gu Nanxiao pulled the person into his arms and held them tightly. At that moment, a sudden surge of desire for power welled up within him.
He wanted to ascend to that supreme position, so that from now on he would no longer be controlled by anyone, and no one would dare to threaten him with Yunxi's life.
The Emperor received news of Gu Nanxiao taking the person away immediately, but this result clearly did not satisfy him.
The Emperor thought that if the person that brat cherished so much were to die in Cixi Palace, then he and the Shen family would be completely transformed from close relatives into enemies!
If that's the case, Gu Nanxiao's only support in the future will be his imperial uncle, and his good nephew will be completely reduced to a lonely subject, only able to serve him from now on.
But it doesn't matter. He will find an opportunity to help the Empress Dowager make the decision she couldn't make today.
As Yunxi and the others left the palace, they saw an ordinary carriage parked in the distance. Just then, Qi Jinxiu opened the curtain and looked over. Their eyes met, they nodded slightly, and without exchanging a word, they went their separate ways.
Yunxi and Gu Nanxiao and his son rode in the same carriage on their way back to the manor. Yunxi kept looking up at Prince Yong, remembering what Lady Liu had said: that she and her son would die on the battlefield in winter.
She secretly planned to meet with Madam Liu as soon as possible, find out what she knew about her past life, and then inform Gu Nanxiao so that he could take precautions.
Moreover, Shi Qingchen's Qi and Blood Pills should have run out, and Yunxi really wanted to see that scumbag and how he was tormented by drug addiction.
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