A deep blue dress, a slender body...
Chen Yu reached out her hand tremblingly and staggered toward the corpse. Just as she was about to touch it, a voice cried out, "The Emperor has given an order!" which made her freeze abruptly.
"The people of the Dili tribe have come to take Gu Luo's head. The Emperor has agreed and has specially ordered me to come and retrieve it."
Shen Yu was utterly astonished. Turning her head, she saw King Jing walking steadily towards her, holding an imperial edict, and saying in a deep voice:
"Empress Dowager, please return to the palace immediately, lest you put the Emperor in a difficult position."
After King Jing finished speaking, Cuiwei and Jiu'er stepped forward.
Upon seeing this, Chen Yu hurriedly fell to the ground, lifted the blood-soaked bundle, and indeed found Gu Luo's head.
Shen Yu stared wide-eyed and shook her head repeatedly. No, this is definitely not Yu Lang's face. Could it be that Yu Lang has been disguised?
It must be.
Biyue said that Guluo knew the art of disguise.
So she got up and rushed toward the corpse, wanting to check if there was a red birthmark on Guluo's waist.
Unexpectedly, just as she grabbed the azure robe, with a "whoosh!" the corpse instantly burst into flames, turning into a huge fireball.
King Jing rushed over and grabbed Chen Yu, pulling her away.
------
Summer has arrived in the blink of an eye.
Chen Yu sat upright on a stone bench in the courtyard, intently embroidering a pair of jade-colored fish. The words "Yu Lang" were embroidered in red on one corner of the handkerchief.
She has not stepped out of Huiyang Palace for two months, and refuses to see anyone who comes to see her, including An'er and Ping'er.
Even so, Cuiwei would still report on court affairs to her every day.
At this moment, Cuiwei approached and softly reported, "Your Majesty, there is great news! Yesterday, Young Master Qiu led his army to repel the invasion of Prince Li. The ministers proposed to press the attack, wipe out the Zhao family, and capture the capital in one fell swoop. Master Mu has volunteered to go."
Upon hearing this, Chen Yu stopped what she was doing, placed the handkerchief on the stone table, looked at Cui Wei, and said in a deep voice, "Summon the Emperor to come see me."
At this moment, Ping'er was still attending the morning court session. He frowned, watching the ministers whisper among themselves and listening intently to the thoughts of the important officials in the court.
Prime Minister Qiu approached Lord Jia and whispered, "We have two great generals. Although the Mu family is a family of military generals, their strategy is not as good as Prince Jing's."
King Jing leaned close to Mu Nanfeng and whispered, "Nanfeng, let me go this time. I know King Heng and King Li quite well. You... stay here and guard Huangcheng. That old thief from the Dili tribe seems to be allied with us, but who knows what he's really plotting."
“Prince Jing, there’s no need to fight. Although my father was killed by Bai Yehua, he was also involved with Prince Heng. I must go to wipe out the Zhao family this time. I hope Prince Jing can take care of Yu’er for me. Although she is the Empress Dowager, it’s a pity that the Emperor is still young and doesn’t know how to understand and care for his mother…”
Snap!
Ping'er slammed her small hand heavily on the table, and the assembled officials instantly fell silent, standing respectfully at the spot.
The matter of attacking the capital will be discussed again tomorrow. Yesterday, the Dali Temple determined the cause of the late emperor's death to be poisoned by the Dream-Death Grass. A maid from Meiyang Palace also handed over the poison, which was indeed administered by Ouyang Meiniang. Ouyang Meiniang has been beheaded and removed from the Liu family genealogy.
[Your Majesty, is Liu Chong's name still listed in the Liu family genealogy?]
Liu Chong was the son of the late emperor, and naturally should be recorded in the Liu family genealogy.
[Your Majesty is wise and sagacious.]
At this moment, Lord Jia stepped forward and loudly reported, "Your Majesty, on the day Gu Luo was executed, the Empress Dowager went to the execution ground, overwhelmed with grief, and collapsed to the ground. Rumors circulated that... Gu Luo was the Empress Dowager's male favorite. Since the Empress Dowager had not appeared in public for two months, the rumors intensified, claiming that the Empress Dowager fell ill due to the loss of her male favorite..."
Bang!
Ping'er slammed her hand on the table, stood up, glared at Master Jia, and rebuked him sharply:
[How dare you! The Empress Dowager has raised me and Princess An'er with great care and hardship; how can we allow others to slander us at will?]
I know everything that happened that day. The Empress Dowager is skilled in medicine and admires Gu Luo. She also wants to obtain the medical books of the Guli tribe. Therefore, the Empress Dowager rushed to the execution ground and found Gu Luo dead. She was filled with grief and pity.
Lord Jia had known the Empress Dowager for a long time and was naturally aware that she had suffered from a leg ailment since childhood. For the past two months, the Empress Dowager had been recuperating at Huiyang Palace and had not fallen ill.
[Your Majesty, I am aware of this and will certainly punish those who spread rumors severely.]
[The morning court session has concluded. Court is adjourned.]
After Ping'er finished speaking, she hurriedly went to Huiyang Palace and went straight to Chenyu's bedroom.
When Chen Yu saw Ping'er enter, she waved for Cuiwei and Jiu'er to leave.
As Chenyu tried to get up from the bed, Ping'er immediately stepped forward to stop her, propped up a long pillow, and helped Chenyu lean back.
Shen Yu scrutinized Ping'er. In just two months, Ping'er seemed to have matured a lot. Her clear peach blossom eyes were gentle as water, with a slight smile, just like Yu Lang's. Especially her firm and tall nose, which was exactly the same as Yu Lang's.
Ping'er sat on the edge of the bed, holding Chen Yu's hand, her voice choked with emotion as soon as she opened her mouth:
Ping'er... was wrong. At first, she blamed her mother for being ruthless and cruel to her own family. Later, her mother shielded Ping'er from an arrow without hesitation, and Ping'er realized that everything her mother had done was to protect her.
A seductive concubine entered the palace to bewitch her grandfather, who remained completely unaware. Had it not been for the Empress Dowager's preemptive strike, Ping'er would likely have already perished.
As Ping'er spoke, tears streamed down her face, and Chen Yu was also in tears. She raised her hand to wipe Ping'er's tears, but remembering that it was Ping'er who had issued the decree to execute Gu Luo ahead of schedule, she withdrew her hand, scrutinized Ping'er, and coldly questioned, "Why did Your Majesty order the execution of Gu Luo ahead of schedule?"
Ping'er stopped crying and looked at Chen Yu in surprise. Although he was young, he could also sense that the Empress Dowager had feelings for Gu Luo.
If it were unintentional, the Empress Dowager would kick Gu Luo out of the bedroom as soon as she woke up.
Gu Luo is a foreign man who is being hunted down by the Dili tribe. If he is left in Huangcheng, it will not only bring disaster but also damage the Empress Dowager's reputation.
Therefore, he ordered Prime Minister Qiu to arrest people at Huiyang Palace.
Unexpectedly, the Dili tribe came to demand Gu Luo's head.
King Jing suggested that Gu Luo should be executed immediately, firstly to win over the Dili tribe, and secondly to prove the Empress Dowager's innocence.
After careful consideration, Ping'er approved King Jing's suggestion to execute Gu Luo ahead of schedule.
At this moment, the Empress Dowager was still grieving over Gu Luo's death. Ping'er, deeply disappointed, slowly rose and said to Chen Yu in a deep voice:
It is widely believed that the Queen Mother and Father had a deep bond and remained loyal to each other through many hardships. Yet, at this moment, you are so grieving for a foreign man.
Fortunately, I heeded Prince Jing's suggestion and executed Gu Luo ahead of schedule. Otherwise, the Empress Dowager would have certainly found a reason to spare Gu Luo, and rumors about the Empress Dowager and Gu Luo would likely have spread throughout Huangcheng.
After Ping'er finished speaking, she turned and left, leaving Chen Yu stunned and silently shedding tears.
Ping'er's words had come true; the reason she ordered Gu Luo's execution in the autumn was precisely to exonerate him.
To her utter surprise, it was Prince Jing who interfered and caused Gu Luo's death.
She was furious and hurriedly got out of bed and rushed out of the room. Cuiwei and Jiu'er came to her aid.
[Empress Dowager, His Majesty invites you to have lunch at Zheng'an Hall later.]
[Your Majesty, shall I redo your hair?]
Shen Yu shook her head, still hurrying out, and ordered, "Prepare a carriage immediately; I'm going to Prince Jing's residence."
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