Early in the morning, several carriages left the palace from the side door.
No one dared to stop it.
The carriage headed westward towards the Zongzheng Temple, the westernmost part of the capital.
Zongzheng Temple, a dilapidated courtyard, was used by the Shaofu as a prison to imprison members of the imperial family.
Originally, this place was not called Zongzheng Temple, but Wuliang Temple.
Later, the temple was taken over by the Shaofu, who found the place remote and dark, and thought it was a good place to detain people.
So the temple was modified and used as a prison to imprison royal relatives.
Many years have passed and no one remembers Wuliang Temple, but when it comes to Zongzheng Temple, everyone knows it.
The further west you go, the more desolate it becomes.
Because of the existence of Zongzheng Temple, the residents around it gradually moved away, making the area seem even more remote and eerie.
When we arrived at the Zongzheng Temple, officials came out.
Deng Cunli stepped forward and dealt with the officials.
Gu Jiu also got off the carriage and let the officials look at him.
The official verified his identity, pointed to the carriages behind, and asked, "What's on them?"
Deng Cunli said hurriedly, "It's bedding, clothes, books, writing brushes, inkstones, and other things."
The official said, "According to the law, I am required to inspect all the items."
"Of course I should."
After saying this, Deng Cunli put a purse into the official's hand.
The official weighed it and smiled with satisfaction.
He brought a few clerks with him and casually inspected the carriage. Then he said, "Okay, you can bring anything in. But besides my wife, you can only bring in four people at most."
Deng Cunli looked at Gu Jiu.
Gu Jiu called the names of the servants Xibi and Ximo, and said, "You two follow me in."
Then, Gu Jiu called Qingmei's name again.
Including Deng Cunli, there were exactly four of them.
The four of them, carrying a lot of luggage, followed Gu Jiu into the Zongzheng Temple.
A door separates prisoners from free people.
There is a door, the sun is shining brightly outside, but it is cold and terrifying inside.
The official led the way, taking the five of them through a long corridor to a small courtyard. "Madam Zhao, Young Master Zhao is being held in there. Please go in on your own."
Gu Jiu nodded, "Thank you!"
Deng Cunli gave another purse.
There was a silver note worth one hundred taels in the purse.
The official took the purse and left satisfied.
Gu Jiu pushed the door open and entered.
The dilapidated gate creaked harshly, resembling an old man in his twilight years, or perhaps this eerie Zongzheng Temple.
The creaking sounds hit my heart like a blunt knife cutting the flesh.
Accompanied by the harsh creaking sound, there are bursts of piano music.
The piano music is melodious and peaceful.
Gu Jiu stopped to listen. The player's state of mind was like the sound of the piano, peaceful as a stream, as if he had no desires or requests.
Gu Jiu suddenly laughed and said, "Let's go in and visit the Master."
This is a very small courtyard.
There are two main houses, two side rooms, an old locust tree in the yard, and a well.
Under the eaves, a stove was burning with a kettle on top of it.
Gu Jiu looked around the courtyard. Has Liu Zhao ever lived in such a simple and narrow courtyard in his life?
At this moment, the piano music stopped abruptly.
The door of the main house opened and Lin Shuping walked out.
When he saw Gu Jiu, he was obviously stunned.
"Madam! Sir, it's Madam who is here."
Lin Shuping shouted excitedly.
The sunlight passed through the door and shone on the man's face. He sat upright in front of the table, his whole body seemed to be shining with golden light.
Gu Jiu narrowed his eyes, as if wanting to see more clearly.
At this moment, Liu Zhao smiled.
He greeted with a smile, which was also an invitation.
Gu Jiu walked forward slowly, step by step.
No matter how short the distance is, there will always be a moment when it is completed.
She came to Liu Zhao, sat on the ground, and faced Liu Zhao.
“You’re here!”
"I came to see if you were doing well."
Liu Zhao was wearing a dark robe and looked pale, like a sickly young man.
Then Gu Jiu realized that beneath his sickly appearance, he had a strong body.
He just looks sickly, but his body is not weak at all.
Liu Zhao still had a smile on his face, a pure and gentle smile, like a passionate young man looking at the woman he loved most.
However, Gu Jiu always likes to play the role of spoiler.
"You're still laughing even though you're imprisoned? Aren't you afraid of being locked up for ten or eight years? Aren't you afraid that this lady will divorce you?"
Liu Zhao couldn't hold back his smile anymore, and the corners of his mouth twitched. "You still want to divorce me? Who gave you the courage?"
Gu Jiu answered irrelevantly, "His Majesty loves all of you imperial grandchildren and never has the heart to criticize you harshly. Why was it that you were imprisoned in the Zongzheng Temple this time? Could it be that His Majesty is disgusted with you?"
Liu Zhao stared at Gu Jiu. "It doesn't matter if I'm imprisoned. First, tell me, who gave you the guts to divorce me?"
Gu Jiu rolled her eyes at him. "I don't need anyone to give me courage. If you really want me to be a widow for eight or ten years, I will divorce you."
Living like a widow in the palace for eight to ten years, that life was so bitter and painful, Gu Jiu might be driven mad and kill a few people without anyone knowing.
Liu Zhao grabbed Gu Jiu's hand very hard.
Gu Jiu felt pain, "You always hurt me."
Liu Zhao loosened his grip but did not let go.
He said in a resounding voice, "Don't even think about getting rid of me. You are my person in life, and my ghost in death."
Gu Jiu asked, "When will you leave here? Don't tell me it will take three to five years?"
Liu Zhao smiled mischievously and said teasingly, "Can't you stand the loneliness?"
"I can't stand the days when no one supports me."
Liu Zhao laughed heartily.
Outside the door, Lin Shuping heard the laughter and started laughing too.
After so many days, the young master finally smiled.
This is cause for celebration.
It can be seen that the lady still has a way.
Liu Zhao was very happy with Gu Jiu's honesty.
He said, "Don't worry, I will support you for the rest of my life. I will be able to get out in half a year or so at most."
Gu Jiu frowned, "It takes so long?"
"That's pretty quick. Don't be too hard on me."
Gu Jiu thought for a moment and asked, "Why did His Majesty lock you up here? Are you taking the blame for the prince?"
Liu Zhao stared at Gu Jiu with burning eyes.
Gu Jiu wiped his cheek and asked, "Why are you always staring at me?"
"Because you're pretty."
"Don't talk nonsense, answer my question."
Gu Jiu looked at Liu Zhao with disgust.
Liu Zhao asked, "Do you know that the prince was poisoned?"
Gu Jiu nodded, "I heard about it. You were imprisoned here because the Crown Prince was poisoned? Could it be that you sent the spies to the East Palace?"
Liu Zhao shook his head, "You only need to know that I am imprisoned here to protect the palace."
Gu Jiu obviously did not accept his statement.
"Did you really poison him?"
Gu Jiu just couldn't believe it.
How old was Liu Zhao ten years ago? How could he have planted spies in the Eastern Palace and even poisoned the Crown Prince?
Liu Zhao was silent for a moment. "Grandfather doesn't need to know who poisoned the Crown Prince. He just needs an excuse, a reason."
Gu Jiu was puzzled at first, but then he suddenly realized.
Just as she and Deng Cunli thought, the palace did not need the real murderer.
It doesn’t matter who poisoned the East Palace.
The important thing is that something happened that made the emperor even more suspicious and irritable.
The fact that Prince Consort Chen was sentenced to be beheaded and thrown into the market might have been due to the fact that the emperor was influenced by the poisoning of the crown prince.
The prince was poisoned, and it seemed that he was innocent. But was it really so?
Given His Majesty's suspicious nature, would he really not doubt the Crown Prince?
Everyone knew that at this time, the Eastern Palace was in danger.
The Eastern Palace was unwilling to surrender, so it could have staged a scene in which the prince was poisoned to buy time.
This possibility is too great.
Given the emperor's suspicious nature, when Liu Zhao was imprisoned in the Zongzheng Temple, he would turn his attention to the Eastern Palace.
Once the Eastern Palace is targeted by the emperor, it will be doomed soon.
If she were the Crown Princess, what would she do?
Surrender?
burn one's boats?
Or should he show weakness and request the removal of the crown prince?
Gu Jiu's expression was solemn. "Your imprisonment here really has nothing to do with the prince?"
Liu Zhao answered irrelevantly, "In order to help Prince Consort Chen resolve the illegal minting of coins, I took the initiative to confess to the Emperor's grandfather on the second day of the Lunar New Year. The Emperor's grandfather imprisoned me here as a punishment, a warning, and also to deter others.
For me, this is a rare experience. I need an environment where no one can disturb me and think. Moreover, because of my honesty, my grandfather will not investigate my father further, and the palace will be preserved."
Gu Jiu guessed many possibilities, but he never expected that Liu Zhao would confess voluntarily and be willing to be imprisoned in the Zongzheng Temple.
She rubbed her brows. "Yesterday, when the prince returned to the palace, I pressed him, asking him why you didn't come back. I saw from the prince's face that he seemed to feel guilty. It's obvious that from the beginning, he had planned to throw you out."
Liu Zhao was silent.
Gu Jiu said sternly, "You may think I'm trying to alienate the relationship between you and your son. But this is a matter of life and death. Even if you're unhappy, I still have to tell you."
"I don't blame you. I know exactly what my father is thinking. He plans to throw me out at the critical moment if he can't withstand the pressure."
After saying this, Liu Zhao laughed at himself, "I am a filial son. How could I watch my father throw me out? I took the initiative to stand up without him having to do anything."
Gu Jiu sneered, "What a filial son."
Liu Zhao raised an eyebrow. "I took the initiative to take responsibility, which made my father feel relieved. Next, to settle the arrears of the Ministry of Revenue, I am imprisoned here, and my father will have to find a way to deal with it himself."
At this moment, Gu Jiu finally knew Liu Zhao's true purpose.
He was willing to be imprisoned in the Zongzheng Temple in order to avoid the big storm of clearing the arrears of the Ministry of Revenue.
Gu Jiu asked him, "Is it worth it? They say plans can't keep up with changes. Things may not develop as you expected. If in the end, all your efforts fail, will you regret it?"
Liu Zhao's expression was calm as he asked Gu Jiu a question, "Does this young master have any choice?"
Whether you take the initiative to step forward or are thrown out by King Ning, the treatment you receive will be very different.
Gu Jiu sighed, "As expected, marrying the emperor's grandson means a life without peace."
Liu Zhao said with a straight face, "Do you regret it? There's no point in regretting it."
Gu Jiu rolled his eyes at him and asked with concern, "Are you able to eat and sleep well here? Have those officials ever given you a hard time?"
Liu Zhao shook his head slightly, "Don't worry about me. I'm here, and aside from not being able to be free, everything else is fine."
Gu Jiu had already carefully examined Liu Zhao, and he indeed seemed to be fine.
It seems that the officials of the Zongzheng Temple are also very discerning and dare not arbitrarily humiliate the princes and grandchildren.
Suddenly, from the courtyard next door, there were shouts and curses, as well as the sound of things being smashed, which was endless.
She looked at Liu Zhao with a questioning look on her face.
Liu Zhao didn't even blink. "Uncle Thirteen lives next door. He has a bad temper and always makes trouble."
Gu Jiu said: "Listening to the noise, he is very resentful."
Liu Zhao nodded. "He does have a lot of resentment. However, he is weak, so it's normal for the other uncles to bully him."
The royal family also bullies the weak and fears the strong.
If we want to give an explanation to the emperor, we have to use a few weak princes to do the job.
As for the case of the prince's poisoning, does it matter whether it has anything to do with them?
At court, none of this mattered.
The court only cares about the results, not the process.
Gu Jiu called for two servants to bring in pens, ink, paper, inkstone, and all kinds of books.
She said, "I know your life here is difficult, so this time I came here and brought you a lot of books for you to spend your time."
Liu Zhao casually picked up a book and said with a smile, "Thank you for your hard work."
"It should be."
Qingmei was cooking on the stove under the eaves.
Smelling the aroma of the food, Liu Zhao said to Gu Jiu, "Stay here for lunch."
This is a request, not a plea.
Gu Jiu looked around the room and found it very simple, without any unnecessary furniture or ornaments.
Gu Jiu nodded and said, "Let the servants clean up this room."
Liu Zhao was in a good mood.
Gu Jiu's arrival made his mood turn from gloomy to sunny.
Qingmei is a good cook and she used the stove to make two dishes and a soup.
The food is simple, but the atmosphere is warm.
Gu Jiu and Liu Zhao had the simplest meal they had ever had since they married into the palace.
Liu Zhao was halfway through his meal when he suddenly said, "Come visit me on the first day of every month from now on."
Gu Jiu raised his eyebrows and said, "I plan not to come here again until you are released from prison."
Liu Zhao was upset, his eyebrows twitching, and he said firmly: "Come over on the first day of every month, and bring more pens, inkstones, and books."
Gu Jiu smiled mischievously, "Are you lonely?"
Liu Zhao's eyes were hungry, as if he wanted to eat someone. "This young master is naturally lonely. Are you willing to stay here with me?"
Gu Jiu shook his head, without any attempt to hide or whitewash it, "I don't want to."
What a realistic and cold woman.
Liu Zhao said, "I am your husband."
Gu Jiu raised his eyebrows and smiled, "Haven't you heard the saying that husband and wife are birds of the same forest, but when disaster strikes, they fly away separately?"
Liu Zhao finally recognized Gu Jiu's true nature.
"You just can't bear to suffer."
Gu Jiu nodded repeatedly, "Exactly. I hate to suffer, so you just have to make do with me for now. I originally wanted to bring the maids with me, but they were all afraid of hard work and were afraid that they would not be able to leave once they came in, so they were unwilling to come. In the end, I had to bring two servants with me to serve you."
Liu Zhao said sadly, "Why did I marry you? Other couples share joys and sorrows. But with you, I wish I could run away."
Gu Jiu repeated Liu Zhao's previous words to him, "Do you regret it? It's too late to regret it."
Liu Zhao laughed, "I never regret anything. Even if you refuse to stay, I will still be happy to accept it."
Gu Ji's cheeks flushed. Oh my god, these sweet words made her feel guilty. If it were someone else, they would have already taken the initiative to stay and stay by her side.
However, Gu Jiu's head was not hot, she was very clear-headed.
She said, "Of course you won't regret marrying me. Aside from not being able to share your hardships, I'll take care of everything else for you. I'll also keep the box you asked Qian Fu to give me."
Liu Zhao said, "You don't have to keep that box for me. I should have given it to you long ago. You can use the money inside. The house deeds and land deeds are also yours to deal with."
Gu Jiu was stunned for a moment. "You asked Qian Fu to give me that box. Wasn't it because it contained irrefutable evidence that Prince Consort Chen had minted coins privately?"
Liu Zhao laughed heartily. "Of course not. I asked Qian Fu to give you the box because the treasures inside were originally meant for you to take care of. As for the evidence inside, it's unimportant. You can keep it or destroy it, you can handle it as you wish."
Gu Jiu rubbed her eyebrows, realizing that she had misunderstood Liu Zhao's purpose from the very beginning.
She thought that the box was a backup plan left for her by Liu Zhao.
The result was just a simple transfer of property.
Fortunately, she did not act rashly, otherwise Liu Zhao would have been harmed.
She glared at him and said, "Next time, remember to make your words clear. Don't let people misunderstand you."
Liu Zhao laughed again. "Do you think I'm going to put you in danger? I'm not that kind of person."
Gu Jiu snorted, picked up a piece of chicken and stuffed it into Liu Zhao's mouth.
I don't believe that so much food can't shut his mouth.
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