Chapter 734: The Inhumane Dog Tycoon
Xie Tianyong didn't want to die after all.
After Pan Xi left that day, Xie Tianyong's neck was bleeding profusely. All the guards in the cold palace were withdrawn, and the food that was previously delivered every day was also cut off. The entire cold palace was cold and quiet as never before. He lay on the ground begging for mercy and fainted from loss of blood before someone came in to stop the bleeding for him.
When Xie Tianyong woke up again, he fell completely silent.
He didn't dare to make trouble anymore, nor did he dare to commit suicide. He just lived in the cold palace, full of fear and resentment.
The news from the palace was not deliberately concealed. It was two days later that the news of what happened in the cold palace reached the Rong Mansion. As soon as the people from the palace's weaving department came to show Tang Ning the patterns of the empress's auspicious clothes and left, Qian Qiyue lay on the small couch and chattered with her about gossip from the outside world.
"I heard that the emperor only had someone stop the bleeding that day and didn't even let the imperial physician treat him. The deposed emperor later developed a high fever and nearly died. He survived for two days and when he woke up, he was already half-dead."
Xie Tianyong's body had already been drained by the elixirs he had taken before, and after the coup, he was thrown into the cold palace and forced to "quit the drugs", which had already ruined his body.
After this incident, his already poor health was further damaged, and now he is barely alive.
"My father said that those who were originally clamoring for His Majesty to choose a concubine were jumping up and down, but when the matter of the deposed emperor came out, they were afraid that His Majesty would treat them the same way he treated the deposed emperor, so most of them calmed down. Only a few stubborn ones are still holding on to you."
Qian Qiyue couldn't help but snort at this point. "I think those people are just bored and have nothing better to do than keep staring at other people's affairs in the harem. I'll let His Majesty punish them later and they'll know what's right."
Tang Ning smiled indifferently when she heard this. She really didn't care that much about what people said about her in the court, nor did she hate the court officials who gave her advice. The emperor had no family affairs, and the six palaces were empty and only one person was enfeoffed. For some old officials in the court with old-fashioned ideas, it was a big deal.
Their commotion was not necessarily directed at her, nor was it because they were dissatisfied with their brother. Apart from those who selfishly wanted to rely on concubines to gain access to imperial power, some old ministers with pure hearts were truly concerned about the court. They were afraid that the emperor would favor women too much, and they were also worried that the emperor would have too few offspring and the country would be unstable in the future.
Tang Ning placed the phoenix-tail gold hairpin in her hand into a box beside her, which also contained an extremely intricate and gorgeous phoenix crown.
Tang Ning said to Yue Jian, "Send these back to the palace and tell them that they don't need to change them. They will be used on the day of the ceremony."
"yes."
Yue Jian stepped forward and closed the box, then carried it out and walked out.
Hua Wu passed Yue Jian as she came in carrying something. "Girl, Madam asked the kitchen to make some plum honey pastries and some sweet wine drinks. Would you and Miss Qian like to try some?"
There are many plum blossom-shaped honey pastries on the white porcelain plate on the table, which are particularly tempting when accompanied by the sweet wine drink with wolfberry and red dates in the bowl next to it.
Qian Qiyue took a bite and said, "The chef here, my aunt, is almost as good as the one at Xijue Tower."
"I'm originally from Xijue Tower." Tang Ning also took a piece of honey pastry.
Qian Qiyue was shocked: "No way, my aunt actually stole Xijue Tower's girlfriend?"
Xijuelou is most famous for its various dim sum, which are extremely expensive and in great demand. However, they are so unique in their preparation that it is difficult for others to imitate the taste.
There are many people with heavy appetites in the capital, and no one knows how many of them "covet" the chef in the building. Even several royal palaces and marquises wanted to invite him back to their palaces. It's a pity that the chef never wavered and was determined to stay in Xijue Tower to shine.
Now Rong Zhai has actually brought the person back?
Tang Ning saw Qian Qiyue's surprised look and chuckled, "Not my aunt."
It’s Gu Helian.
Ever since she called him "Uncle" that day, Gu Helian was like a peacock with its feathers spread out, wishing to give her all the good things.
The chefs in Xijue Tower have ridiculously high monthly wages and also receive a fixed dividend every month. They have more money than some wealthy families. It is naturally impossible for ordinary people to be willing to leave Xijue Tower, but unfortunately it is the rich man Gu who comes forward to rescue them.
Gu Helian spends money like a tycoon and is inhumane, even the most noble people would bow their heads in defiance.
When Tang Ning talked about how Gu Helian presented the treasure after bringing the person back yesterday, she couldn't help but smile.
Qian Qiyue was curious: "How much did Patriarch Gu spend to bring him back?"
"One thousand taels."
"That's not a lot..."
"Gold, plus a hundred taels of silver per month. He's allowed to return to Xijue Tower for two out of every three days. He can still make money there."
Qian Qiyue: “…”
Her father, as the Minister of Revenue, officially received an annual salary of just over a thousand taels of silver. Although the court also provided him with rice, cloth, and other gifts, and the Qian family also had a lot of private property and income from the clan, but in terms of salary alone, her father was not even as good as a cook?!
Qian Qiyue's face twitched, and he suddenly understood why his father gritted his teeth and had red eyes every time he mentioned Gu Helian.
Who wouldn't be jealous of such a wealthy man who spends money like water?
Tang Ning chatted with Qian Qiyue for a few words before asking her, "You've been staying at your aunt's house for a while now, and you finally returned home the other day. Why are you here again today?"
Qian Qiyue bit into a honey pastry and said, "My father has been busy with the Ministry of Revenue these days, and His Majesty has assigned errands to my brother and his family. I originally wanted to accompany my mother, but she and her second and third sisters-in-law are busy meeting with the stewards to sort out the income of the palace, and she wants me to join them. I really can't bear to look at those account books."
It's not that she doesn't know how to manage the household. Her mother took her with her when she was twelve years old and taught her some housekeeping skills.
Qian Qiyue knew what she should do, but she was just too impatient to do it. Besides, there were two sisters-in-law in the mansion now. If her eldest brother remarried in the future, there would be three people capable of taking charge of the household. She would get married sooner or later, so there was no need for her to interfere too much in the household affairs, so as not to arouse the suspicion of her sisters-in-law.
Qian Qiyue pinched the snack in her hand: "And I'm a little worried about Yuchang."
"When I went to visit the wife of Marquis Wenxin just now, she seemed to be in a good mood and much calmer than before. However, there has been no reply from the He family. My eldest brother and He Sanlang are both in the Ministry of Personnel. I have secretly inquired about it. He Sanlang has been on duty at the government office as usual these past two days, and there is nothing unusual to see."
Qian Qiyue really couldn't understand He Sanlang.
If he was in love with Yuchang, how could he be so calm?
But to say that he didn't care, the scene in Rong's house that day when He Sanlang was clearly ill but still insisted on seeing Zhou Yuchang, and the scene when he later knew the truth but turned pale but forced himself to comfort Zhou Yuchang is still vivid in my mind.
Qian Qiyue asked in a low voice: "Tang Ning, what do you think He Sanlang is thinking? Will he and Yu Chang cancel their engagement?"
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