After the banquet and seeing off the guests, Gu Jiu and the others stayed and lived in the Marquis' Mansion for the next few days.
Xie was worried and had to give him a few more instructions.
Especially instructing Gu Yue.
"If you live in the Marquis' Mansion, you must abide by its rules. Don't make a fuss for no reason. If you encounter a problem and can't make up your mind, ask your fourth sister or a few elders."
Gu Shan lowered her eyebrows and said docilely, "Don't worry, mother. I will abide by the rules and I won't do anything wrong."
How could Xie really be at ease?
She looked back every few steps, fearing that Gu Yue would make an unforgivable mistake in the Marquis' Mansion and offend everyone.
The eldest wife, Zhang, advised, "Sister-in-law, your grandchildren will have their own blessings. You can't worry about your children forever. When it's time to let go, you should let go. The children are already at the age of getting married. If they are still naive at this age, then there is no point in worrying about them."
Mrs. Xie kept silent. She and Mrs. Zhang had nothing to say about this matter.
The eldest wife, Mrs. Zhang, raised her eyebrows and smiled. Forget it, she was too lazy to talk nonsense.
She called Gu Jun over and said, "Have fun in the Marquis' Mansion. If you don't understand something, just ask the sisters."
"I listen to my mother."
After seeing off Xie and Zhang, the girl from the Marquis' Mansion took Gu Jiu and the others to settle down.
Gu Jiu and Gu Mei live in the same yard.
"Sister Xiaojiu, would you like to sleep with me tonight? It's a good opportunity for us to talk."
"As long as Sister Mei doesn't mind me making noise while sleeping."
Gu Jiu said with a smile.
Gu Mei said, "I'm afraid you'll dislike my noise. The maids all say I don't sleep well."
Gu Jiu laughed, "My sleeping posture is not very good either."
"What a coincidence, the two of us just happened to get together."
Gu Jiu had just settled down and wanted to ask Gu Mei what she was doing for fun when a maid came in from outside.
"Miss, something bad has happened. Miss is crying so hard, go and comfort her."
Gu Mei's expression changed. "Did Sister Qi cry a lot?"
The maid nodded repeatedly, "No matter how much the Second Madam persuades her, she won't stop. Miss, go and take a look."
"I'll go right away."
"Sister Mei, I'll go with you." Gu Jiu said.
Gu Mei nodded, "Sister Xiaojiu, come with me."
Gu Jiu followed Gu Mei to the courtyard where Gu Qi lived next door.
Sure enough, as soon as I entered the yard, I heard Gu Qi crying.
Gu Mei was worried about Gu Qi, so she walked into the room in two steps, with Gu Jiu following behind her.
"Sister Qi, are you okay?"
Gu Qi was lying on the bed crying. When she heard the noise, she looked up and started crying again.
Second Madam Wang sighed repeatedly, "Mei girl, you and Qi'er have a good relationship, you should try to persuade her."
"Second Aunt, what happened to Sister Qi?" Gu Mei asked.
Second Madam Wang sighed, "It's because Prince Zhao's Mansion wanted to marry Qi'er, but Qi'er didn't want to."
Wang's family was a close relative of Zhao Wang's uncle, the Xue family, which was also the family of Concubine Xue.
However, as the struggle for the throne intensified, the only thing left for the Wang family, the Zhao Palace, and the Xue family was face-saving considerations.
At this time, any family with common sense would not take the initiative to join the fight for the throne.
You have to know that the one sitting on the dragon throne is not a merciful person. He will confiscate property and exterminate clans at will.
It’s better for everyone to keep to themselves.
But in this world, just because you want to be law-abiding, others will not allow you to be law-abiding. There will always be people who will force you to lower your bottom line again and again, and compromise again and again.
This time, Prince Zhao's Mansion went to the Marquis of Pingnan's Mansion.
It’s not that Gu Qi doesn’t love wealth and honor, but one must have the life to enjoy it.
She didn't have anyone she liked, but she also had never thought of marrying a prince from a royal family.
She cried because she felt wronged, disrespected, and hurt. Also, she was a little reluctant to marry into the palace.
The palace has strict rules. In addition to the prince and princess in the palace, there are also many huge Buddhas in the palace.
Gu Qi was afraid of the pressure she would have to endure if she married into the royal palace.
What’s even more terrifying is that if the fight for the throne fails, everyone in Prince Zhao’s mansion will definitely be liquidated.
The more Gu Qi cried, the more scared she became, and the sadder she became.
She said to the Second Madam, Wang, "Mother, can you please find a solution for me? I don't want to marry into a royal palace. You can find me a family anywhere, but I don't want to marry into a royal palace."
Second Madam Wang sighed, "I don't have the final say on this matter."
"What should I do then? Can mother bear to watch her daughter marry into that cannibalistic place called the Prince's Mansion?"
"Don't talk nonsense."
"My daughter is not talking nonsense. If the palace is really that good, why are the noble families in the capital unwilling to marry their daughters into the palace?"
Second Madam Wang didn't know how to persuade Gu Qi and could only smile bitterly.
Gu Mei took out a handkerchief and wiped Gu Qi's tears. "Sister Qi, don't cry so quickly. We can all find a solution. The old marquis and the old lady, my father and my second uncle will all find a way for you. No one will watch you marry into the palace."
Gu Qi sobbed twice, "Thank you for your comfort, big sister. I'm afraid it won't be that easy to refuse the marriage proposal from Prince Zhao's Mansion."
After saying that, Gu Qi burst into tears again.
Gu Jiu didn't say anything.
The reason why Prince Zhao's Mansion wanted to marry Gu Qi was simply to win over the Marquis' Mansion and add an additional force.
Then, although the Marquis' Mansion stood on the side against the Crown Prince, it did not mean that the Marquis' Mansion was willing to become relatives with the Prince Zhao's Mansion.
If the Prince Zhao's Mansion takes a tough stance and says that she has to marry him whether she wants to or not, then the matter will become serious.
Conventional means are simply not enough to dissuade Prince Zhao from the idea of marrying into the family.
Therefore, they had to use unconventional means, enter the palace, and start from the harem.
Influence the decision of Prince Zhao's Mansion through the harem.
Gu Jiu asked quietly, "Is there anyone in the palace?"
Second Madam Wang shook her head slightly, "There was someone before, but since that person passed away, our mansion has no say in the harem."
"Maybe there is another way."
Gu Jiu said softly.
Gu Qi suddenly sat up from the bed, "Sister Xiaojiu, do you have any ideas?"
Everyone looked at Gu Jiu.
Gu Jiu said carefully: "I have an immature idea. Because I don't know the situation in the palace, my method may not be feasible."
Second Madam Wang said, "Don't worry about these things. Just tell us your plan first. We will consider whether it works or not."
Gu Jiu nodded, "My idea is that the Zhao Palace wants to marry Sister Qi and win over the Marquis' Mansion. The people who are most unwilling to see this happen, in addition to the Marquis' Mansion, are actually the Empress in the palace.
If we can convey the Marquis's intentions to the Empress, I think the Empress should be able to get Prince Zhao's Mansion to cancel this marriage."
Gu Jiu's confidence in the queen comes from the fact that she helped her weak son ascend to the throne of crown prince and has kept the crown prince's position unshakable for so many years.
Everyone said that as long as the queen was alive, the prince's position would be as stable as a rock.
This shows how powerful the queen's influence is on the court and the emperor.
Just from these two things, we can see that the queen is a very strategic person.
If she interferes with this marriage, there is a ninety-nine chance that Prince Zhao's plan will fail.
Gu Qi looked at Second Madam Wang eagerly, "Mother, is the method Xiaojiu suggested feasible?"
Second Madam Wang frowned, "We need to consider this matter carefully."
Gu Jiu knew what Wang was worried about.
She said, "Cooperating with the Empress is a double-edged sword for the Marquisate. The biggest worry is that the Empress will use this incident to coerce the Marquisate into siding with the Crown Prince and becoming his pawns."
Second Madam Wang nodded repeatedly, "Xiao Jiu is right, that's what I'm worried about."
Gu Jiu smiled lightly, "To be honest, if the Queen lives to be a hundred years old, this matter will indeed be a big hidden worry. If we are not careful, the Marquis' Mansion will be in an irretrievable situation.
Everyone knows that the Empress's days are numbered. By cooperating with the Empress at this time, the Marquisate actually has a lot of wiggle room and can move forward and backward freely."
Huh?
Everyone looked puzzled.
"Xiaojiu, stop keeping us in suspense and tell us now."
Gu Jiu asked, "Second Aunt, what do you think the Queen is most worried about right now?"
Second Madam Wang was stunned for a moment, but she quickly reacted, "The Empress' biggest concern right now is probably the Crown Prince's safety after her passing. And the people in Weiyang Palace, all of whom she has carefully nurtured. Everyone would be heartbroken to see them lost in vain."
"If the Marquisate promises to help the Empress, do you think, Second Aunt, will the Empress be willing to cooperate with the Marquisate and cancel Prince Zhao's marriage plan?"
There was a gleam in Gu Jiu's eyes, a gleam that could be called excitement.
Second Madam Wang asked nervously, "What can we do to help the Empress?"
"The Marquis' Mansion can help the Empress in many ways. For example, protecting the Xue family, protecting everyone in Weiyang Palace, and ensuring the Crown Prince's safety for the next year."
"Is this possible?" Second Madam Wang was a little confused. "The Marquis' Mansion doesn't have that much power."
Gu Jiu smiled softly, "Second aunt, whether the Marquis' Mansion has such great power or not, this is up to the old Marquis to decide."
Second Madam Wang frowned.
Gu Qi looked at Gu Jiu and forgot to cry.
Gu Mei quietly asked Gu Jiu, "Little Sister Jiu, are these things you said reliable? Did you hear them from others, or did you think about them yourself?"
Gu Jiu replied in a low voice: "What I said are my own thoughts. I just said it for the time being, you guys just listen to it, don't take it seriously."
Gu Mei smiled bitterly, "It's already this time, and Sister Xiaojiu is still joking. How can we not take such a big thing seriously? Even if we just listened to it, your words have entered our hearts and we can't forget them even if we want to."
Gu Qi nodded repeatedly.
Second Madam Wang said, "This matter is of great importance. I need to discuss it with the old lady, the old marquis, and the others. Qi'er, don't worry. No one can tell what will happen until the very end. Mei, Xiaojiu, the two of you should stay with Qi'er."
"Second Aunt, go and do your work. Sister Qi, I'm here. You don't have to worry."
Second Madam Wang left in a hurry.
Gu Qi then asked Gu Jiu, "Little Sister Jiu, will the method you proposed work? Do I really not have to marry into Prince Zhao's mansion?"
Gu Jiu said, "Everything depends on human effort. But to avoid retaliation from Prince Zhao's Mansion, after this matter is resolved, it's best for Sister Qi to arrange a marriage and get married as soon as possible."
Gu Qi exclaimed, "But with such a short time, where can I find a suitable marriage?"
Gu Mei comforted her: "Sister Qi, don't worry. With the old lady here, your marriage will be settled soon."
"Thank you, Sister Mei. Sister Xiaojiu, you're amazing. You figured out a solution to such a difficult problem in just a few words. What's wrong with your little head?"
Gu Qi had recovered by now and was in the mood to make jokes.
Gu Jiu said: "Of course my little head grew from eating."
"Ha ha……"
Everyone laughed.
Gu Qi finally laughed, and Gu Mei secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
When it got late, Gu Jiu and Gu Mei said goodbye to Gu Qi and returned to their room.
After washing up, I was planning to read a book and then take a rest, but the maidservant beside the old lady came over.
"Is Miss Xiaojiu here?"
"Is this Aunt Yu? Please come in."
Nanny Yu entered the room, bowed to the two girls, and then said, "The old lady sent me to take a look. If Miss Xiaojiu is still awake, I will go to Songhe Hall to talk to her."
Gu Jiu was puzzled and vaguely guessed something.
Gu Mei hurriedly asked, "It's so late, and the old lady still asked Xiaojiu to come over and talk to her. Yu Ma, is there something wrong?"
"I don't know what exactly happened. I just followed the old lady's instructions and asked Miss Xiaojiu to come over and talk."
Gu Mei was worried.
Gu Jiu said to her, "Sister Mei, don't worry. I think it's about Sister Qi."
"Then I'll go with you."
Gu Jiu nodded.
The two sisters followed Nanny Yu to Songhe Hall.
The main hall of Songhe Hall was already full of people.
Old lady, old marquis.
The eldest master and the eldest lady.
Second Master, Second Madam.
Gu Jiu stepped forward and saluted everyone.
"Don't be so polite, Xiaojiu, Mei girl, both of you sit down."
The old marquis is a very spirited old man, with eyes that see through the world.
He looked at Gu Jiu and said, "Xiao Jiu, I heard what you said to your second aunt before. Your idea is very remarkable."
Gu Jiu said hurriedly: "Old Marquis, you are too kind. I was just saying it casually."
"Just a casual remark can shock the whole family, and if it's said seriously, it's even more serious."
The old marquis laughed heartily, which also eased Gu Jiu's inner tension.
After laughing, the old marquis stroked his beard and said, "The Empress is not someone you can easily mess with. If you cooperate with her, you'll be careful of being skinned alive by her. But Xiaojiu's idea is right. Asking the Empress to deal with Concubine Xue and Prince Zhao's Mansion is the best solution."
The Second Master, Gu Zhiwu, looked at the old Marquis and said, "Father, I am reluctant to let Qi'er marry into the Zhao Palace. But if I have to sacrifice the entire Marquisate to cancel this marriage, I would rather marry Qi'er into the Zhao Palace."
The old marquis waved his hand, "Second brother, don't worry. The Queen is indeed not easy to deal with, but as Xiaojiu said, the Queen will not live long. The news from the palace is that the Queen may pass away at any time. This is also a good thing for our Marquis' Mansion."
The eldest master, Gu Zhiwen, asked, "Father, are you really going to adopt Xiaojiu's advice and cooperate with the Queen? But if you do that, we'll be tied to the Crown Prince. It will be difficult to escape in the future."
The old marquis laughed heartily and pointed at Gu Jiu, "Xiao Jiu, tell us your thoughts."
Gu Jiu felt nervous.
She took a deep breath, calmed herself, and then said, "My idea is that the Marquis' Mansion is cooperating with the Empress, not the Crown Prince."
"What's the difference? The Queen's interests are the Prince's interests." asked the second master Gu Zhiwu.
Gu Jiu shook his head slightly, "I don't quite agree with what my second uncle said. In my opinion, there is a fundamental difference between the Queen and the Crown Prince.
No mother, not even the queen, can fully represent her son as an adult.
The Marquisate's cooperation with the Queen does not mean it will cooperate with the Crown Prince. The Queen is the Queen, the Crown Prince is the Crown Prince, they are different."
"How is it different?"
Gu Jiu smiled and said, "Weiyang Palace and the Eastern Palace are two completely different groups of people. Old Marquis, are the people in Weiyang Palace and the Eastern Palace really free of conflict? Are the two sides truly as close as family?"
The old marquis laughed and said, "How is that possible? Even upper and lower teeth can clash sometimes, let alone two completely different groups of people.
On the surface, the interests of Weiyang Palace and the Eastern Palace appear to be aligned, but behind the scenes, there are conflicts and struggles between the two sides.
No one submits to the other, and everyone wants to dominate the other. People in the East Palace want to command those in the Weiyang Palace, and people in the Weiyang Palace look down on those in the East Palace. This is common."
Gu Jiu laughed and said to the second master, Gu Zhiwu, "Second uncle, this is the difference I was talking about. This is also a favorable condition for this cooperation."
The second master seemed to understand, but not quite. He understood a little, but also felt that he didn't understand it clearly.
He looked at the old marquis and said, "Father, you decide what to do. I will obey you."
The old marquis did not rush to make a decision, but looked at Gu Jiu, "Xiao Jiu, how do you think the Marquis' Mansion should cooperate with the Queen?"
－－－－－－Digression－－－－－－
Gongzi Zhao: In dozens of chapters, I only made a cameo appearance once, and even readers felt sorry for me. Author, do you want to die or not?
The author was so scared that he said: Add more scenes, add more scenes right now.
Gongzi Zhao: You are sensible.
Author: Wipe the cold sweat from your forehead. The male protagonist is definitely a big devil, boohoo! This cowardly author is begging for a tiger touch!
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