The Yong'an Hall was very quiet.
Emperor Zhenlong spoke up: "Aren't you afraid?"
Gu Yaoniang lowered her eyes and answered truthfully, "I'm scared."
Emperor Zhenlong wasn't genuinely concerned about whether she was afraid: "Do you know why I summoned you today?"
Gu Yaoniang hesitated for a moment. Should she know or not?
She thought for a moment, then said, "This humble woman does not know."
Emperor Zhenlong said casually, "I imprisoned your whole family yesterday. Do you have any objections?"
Gu Yaoniang's heart tightened as she considered how to reply. However, Emperor Zhenlong did not really want her answer and continued, "There are quite a few court officials who are indignant on your behalf. This morning's court session was so noisy that my head was throbbing."
Gu Yaoniang had no choice but to kowtow to the ground and apologize.
“An old fellow said that it was I who indulged you women in stirring up trouble, and that women interfering in politics is the source of chaos. He said that you spared no effort in promoting the Flying Silver, even at the cost of giving back to the people, which is not in line with the profit-seeking nature of merchants. There must be something fishy about this. What do you have to say about it?”
Gu Yaoniang was so startled that she almost forgot her manners and raised her head. She didn't know what the Emperor's attitude was, and a voice inside her cried out, "This is wrong!"
She has so much to say.
She wanted to say that women were not the source of the chaos. The matter of the flying silver was handled by Prince Qing, and none of the officials assisting were women. She herself, as the head of the Gu family, had only contributed some effort. How could the current situation be blamed on women?
She wanted to say that the Gu family was simply doing their duty and not being solely profit-driven. Was that wrong? Besides, although they had offered discounts, anyone with a business sense could see that after the discounts, even more people came to buy things from the Gu family, meaning the Gu family actually made more money. Do those people who say the Gu family is being greedy even understand?
But there's so much I want to say that I don't know where to begin.
"What? You're afraid to say?"
Emperor Zhenlong smiled. His daughter had mentioned Gu Yaoniang many times, saying she was a resilient girl. At this moment, she was clearly indignant; her cheeks were puffed out, and there was anger hidden in her round eyes, but perhaps out of consideration for her status, she dared not speak.
He looked at Gu Yaoniang as if she were an ordinary junior.
Gu Yaoniang took a deep breath: "I think he's wrong. Although the Gu family are merchants, we are also your subjects. It is the Gu family's duty to contribute to Dacheng. How can you think we have ulterior motives just because we didn't take the opportunity to raise prices?"
Besides, I did these things not because I am a woman. It's just that the Gu family did these things, and I happen to be a woman. Whether I, my second uncle, or my younger brother are in charge, they all represent the Gu family, and it has nothing to do with whether we are men or women.”
Emperor Zhenlong nodded, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, and only gave a faint "Oh".
Suddenly he asked again, "I heard you were a premature baby?"
The question came as abruptly, leaving Gu Yaoniang momentarily stunned. What does this have to do with anything?
Gu Yaoniang replied cautiously, "Yes. My mother always says that when I was born, I looked like a kitten, and she worries every day that I won't be able to raise me."
She wanted to peek at the saint's face, but she patiently held back.
What month was your birthday?
"June."
Gu Yaoniang found it strange. Why would the Emperor ask about her birthday at a time like this?
Emperor Zhenlong had no intention of answering her questions, and said indifferently, "Alright. Go back. I will investigate everything. If you are truly innocent, I will not let you be wronged."
Gu Yaoniang bowed and took her leave, then followed the eunuch out of Yong'an Palace.
A person emerged from behind the screen in the side hall of Yong'an Palace; it was Princess Ruining, who was confined to her residence.
She glanced worriedly outside the hall; the servants were all hidden in the shadows, and Gu Yaoniang's figure was no longer visible.
"Father, do you really believe what the censor said? Yao Niang was born six months after her mother entered the manor, so what? Even if it's true, it's the absurdity of our parents, what does it have to do with whether Yao Niang herself is morally corrupt?"
Emperor Zhenlong looked at her with a half-smile: "You still care about her? Those old fogies are only targeting her to undermine you."
Princess Ruining sighed: "That's why I don't want to see her being judged like this. Father, you know, I'm not wrong, and neither is she."
Emperor Zhenlong asked Princess Ruining to sit down: "Are you angry with your brother?"
Princess Ruining nodded: "Of course I'm angry. But I also understand why. He has caused a great disaster, and I know you won't let him off the hook, but if it were me, you could let it go easily."
Emperor Zhenlong snorted lightly: "You are quite magnanimous."
Princess Ruining shook her head: "I understand why, but I can't forgive you. Father, thank goodness you believed me."
She thought for a moment and then said, "Father, we owe a great debt to my cousin this time. We only found out how chaotic things are outside. Let him come back. People from outside the city are not allowed to come in now, and there are already a lot of people piled up at the city gate. If we continue to let them crowd at the city gate without letting them in or clearing them out, I'm afraid it will cause trouble."
Emperor Zhenlong nodded: "Go and make the arrangements."
He sighed, "I have no idea what Yang'er did! The amount of silver issued by the Ministry of Revenue is fixed. I asked those old men, and they said it's impossible for such a small amount of silver to raise prices so high. What on earth did he do! Can the Gu family really be trusted?"
If the amount of silver issued by the Ministry of Revenue is incorrect, then the problem must lie with the merchants in the city.
Emperor Zhenlong grew angrier as he spoke, and slammed his fist on the table again.
Princess Ruining raised her hand to pour him a cup of tea, disapprovingly saying, "The imperial physician already told you not to get angry. And here you are again! But this matter is strange. Either someone is deliberately inflating prices, or there's something wrong with the Ministry of Revenue, and someone has secretly printed far more silver than the prescribed amount. You should wait and see."
-
Gu Yaoniang returned to the prison and told Qiaoniang about her meeting with the Emperor that day. When Qiaoniang heard that the Emperor had asked Gu Yaoniang what month she was born, her eyes flickered.
She had been with Gu Xingzhi for many years and had heard a little about the Gu family's past.
In the past, to protect Gu Yaoniang, he never let her know. But now that the Emperor has asked, he has no choice but to make plans.
"I once heard the Second Master mention that you were born more than six months after your mother entered the manor. I'm afraid someone might use this to make trouble, saying that you were born into a bad family, that your parents were married before marriage..."
She swallowed the word "merely".
Gu Yaoniang was stunned when she first heard about this. "I only knew I was born early, but I didn't know it was this early. Could I really be a child my parents had before their marriage?"
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