"I have no contact with her."
Gu Jiu's attitude was tough and indifferent.
After a pause, she slowed down her tone and said, "I've said it before, she's not my maid. As early as when I sent her to the capital, she and I no longer had any relationship. She is now Empress Shuyi, your majesty's woman."
Liu Zhao nodded expressionlessly, "This young master knows all of this."
Gu Jiu stared at him suspiciously, "You don't believe me? You know it, yet you still ask me?"
She is angry.
The most important thing between husband and wife is trust. What did Liu Zhao suspect about her?
"I don't disbelieve you. I believe everything you say from the beginning to the end." Liu Zhao said in a resounding voice.
Gu Jiu shook his head and smiled coldly, "Tell me, what do you want to do? Do you want me to contact her and get information about Concubine Xue and Prince Zhao?"
"You misunderstood."
Gu Jiu sneered and said nothing.
Liu Zhao said with a serious face, "I want to remind you that Jiang Yan's status is no longer what it used to be. You should be prepared."
"What are you preparing for?"
Gu Jiu's attitude was somewhat aggressive.
Liu Zhao's face darkened and he said, "You should be prepared. If she comes to you one day, how will you face her?
If one day, she becomes the knife in Concubine Xue's hand and kills you, how will you deal with it?
"Xiaojiu, some problems cannot be solved by running away. When it comes to the palace, no matter how small the matter is, it cannot be taken lightly."
Gu Jiu looked up at the ceiling.
After a long time, she asked, "You didn't tell anyone about my relationship with Jiang Yan, right?"
Liu Zhao nodded.
Gu Jiu breathed a sigh of relief. "Very good! Please remember, this matter must be kept to yourself and don't tell anyone. Between Jiang Yan and me, the initiative has fallen into her hands. I can no longer predict where we will go in the future. So, don't expect me to win her over and help you do anything."
Liu Zhao said expressionlessly, "This young master doesn't need your help in winning over anyone. But this young master hopes that you can maintain your relationship with her. It's not easy to establish a connection in the palace, especially after the palace purge. Since she didn't say to sever ties, just pretend you didn't know."
Gu Jiu bit her lip. "Li Zhaoyi is pregnant. If she gives birth to a prince, the situation will change drastically. You must be all panicking. You would rather maintain the current situation than have a new competitor join the fight for the throne. Especially when this competitor is still a child, yet has received all the favors from His Majesty. You, you are a little panicked and at a loss as to what to do."
Liu Zhao raised his eyebrows, neither denying nor admitting.
Gu Jiu lowered his head and smiled, "Guess what Li Zhaoyi is thinking?"
Liu Zhao was silent.
Gu Jiu continued to talk to himself, "From a woman's perspective, I'll try to guess what she's thinking.
The two things she was thinking about now were, first, giving birth to a child safely, and second, that the child would preferably be a boy. Finally, with Jiang Shuyi now sharing the palace's favor, she had to rely on a child to consolidate her favor.
As for what you are worried about, with her current confidence, she doesn't dare to think about it.
But if the three ideas I just mentioned can be achieved one by one, in another ten or eight years, she will definitely have the idea of winning the throne for her son."
The prerequisite is that the emperor can live to that time.
The emperor's life span will be the key to the fight for the throne.
Liu Zhao naturally knew this.
He then told Gu Jiu, "Grandfather has recently followed the advice of the imperial physician and begun recuperating. Furthermore, the palace has established a new Secretariat, recruiting young and talented individuals from the three provinces and six ministries to handle various official duties, including reviewing memorials."
Gu Jiu said softly, "With the Secretariat, the emperor can save a lot of time. Believe it or not, in a few decades, this new Secretariat will surpass the three provinces and six ministries and become a terrifying organization with the greatest power. After all, a person's energy is limited, and the Secretariat is doing a good job of sharing government affairs with the emperor."
Liu Zhao frowned. "Are you reminding me to seize the opportunity of the newly established Secretariat to plant my own seeds there?"
Gu Jiu shook his head. "I didn't say anything. I'm just making a guess, so just listen."
Liu Zhao laughed and said, "I appreciate your kindness. Thank you very much."
Gu Jiu pursed his lips, "You're welcome."
The doorman came to report that someone wanted to see him.
Gu Jiu asked, "Who wants to see this lady?"
"The man who came said that an old friend wanted to see him, and asked me to give this note to Madam."
Gu Jiu unfolded the note and saw the word "Jiang" written on it in a sloppy manner.
She quickly closed the note and said, "Please let the person in."
"As you command."
Gu Jiu hurriedly lit a candle and burned the note.
"What's going on?"
Liu Zhao asked.
Gu Jiu took a deep breath and said, "Jiang Shuyi sent someone to see me. Do you want to avoid it?"
Liu Zhao nodded and said, "I'll step aside first."
After a pause, he reminded: "Have you thought about how to deal with it?"
Gu Jiu looked at him and whispered two words, "Follow your heart."
Liu Zhao took her hand and said, "That's right. Just follow your heart and don't worry about anything else."
Gu Jiu gritted his teeth and asked, "You said she sent someone to see me, why?"
"It's nothing more than three things: money, power, and love."
Gu Jiu laughed when he heard this. "You're right. It's nothing more than using emotions to persuade people, tempting them with benefits, or forcing them with power."
"If you're worried about not being able to cope, I can accompany you."
Gu Jiu shook his head, "No need. I can handle it alone."
Liu Zhao squeezed her hand, then stood up and left.
Zhou Miao was invited into the east courtyard of the palace. He looked around curiously.
He was in a very relaxed posture, and his attitude was as if he was meeting an old friend, very pleasant.
Arriving at the East Courtyard, after being briefed, he saw Gu Jiu for the first time and sighed in his heart, "She is indeed the sharp-tongued girl I met in the dilapidated temple that year."
Zhou Miao recognized Gu Jiu.
When Wang Yi jumped off the cliff, Dazhuang tried to stop him and Mr. Zhou made sarcastic remarks. However, Gu Jiu's harsh words and beatings stimulated Mr. Zhou so much that he resolutely left the ruined temple.
At that time, there was a little beggar beside Mr. Zhou. He followed Mr. Zhou's footsteps and left the dilapidated temple and went to the capital.
By chance, the little beggar transformed himself into a eunuch in the palace and named himself Zhou Miao.
Gu Jiu did not recognize Zhou Miao.
Back then, the little beggar was so dirty that his face was barely visible. And after many years, the little beggar had grown taller and became a handsome man.
No matter what, Gu Jiu couldn't connect the eunuch in front of him with the little beggar in the dilapidated temple back then.
Zhou Miao did not reveal the relationship between the two. He smiled and said, "Greetings to Madam Zhao."
"Excuse me. Who are you?"
"My surname is Zhou, and my name is Zhou Miao. Madam Zhao can call me Xiao Zhouzi or Xiao Miaozi."
"Oh!" Gu Jiu pretended to be enlightened. "Excuse me, where do you work?"
"I work in the Imperial Kitchen. I'm from the northwest, and from the same hometown as Empress Shuyi. Empress Shuyi asked me to bring a letter to Madam Zhao, please take a look."
Zhou Miao took out the letter and presented it with both hands.
Gu Jiu hesitated for a second, then decisively accepted the letter.
"What else does Empress Shuyi have to say?"
"Everything Madam Shuyi wants to say is in the letter."
Gu Jiu calmly opened the envelope, took out the letter inside, and unfolded it to look at it.
He wrote a lot on two pages. He reminisced about the past, thanked her for the opportunity, and talked about the current situation and how difficult it was. Finally, he talked about his own purpose.
After reading the letter, Gu Jiu folded the letter paper, put it back into the envelope, and said nothing.
Zhou Miao was suspicious. "Madam Zhao, do you have anything to say?"
Gu Jiu smiled and said, "Empress Shuyi is no longer the same as before. Why are you still talking about the past? I have long forgotten what happened back then. Go back and tell her not to mention it again."
"Oh? Could it be that Madam Zhao wants to cut off all ties with Empress Shuyi?" Zhou Miao stared at Gu Jiu with a half-smile.
Gu Jiu smiled softly, "That's not the case. Since you can deliver the letter for Madam Shuyi, I think you must be someone she trusts. Let me just ask, what are her plans next?"
"Mrs. Shuyi wrote it very clearly in the letter."
Gu Jiu smiled but said nothing.
Zhou Miao lowered his head and smiled, it turned out that he was not easy to fool.
He then said sincerely, "Empress Shuyi only wants to save her life."
Gu Jiu said: "She relies on Concubine Xue to save her life."
"Not enough. Concubine Xue can't guarantee her a life of peace and prosperity."
Gu Jiu smiled and said, "A life of peace and prosperity is something many people struggle to achieve. Don't you think you're a bit too ambitious?"
Zhou Miao said, "Back when Empress Shuyi was insignificant, Madam Zhao was willing to help her. Now that she's Empress Shuyi, why is Madam Zhao so worried? Or is she afraid?"
Gu Jiu nodded, "Of course I'm afraid. As you said, now that she is the Empress Shuyi, she doesn't need my help. As long as she shows a little interest, there will be plenty of people willing to give her money."
"Other people's money is too hot to handle. How can I feel safe using Madam Zhao's money?"
"Are you praising me or scolding me?"
"If Madam takes me as a compliment, it is a compliment. If Madam takes me as a scolding, it is a scolding."
"You are quite interesting. It's strange that you can get so close to Empress Shuyi."
"Birds of a feather flock together. Empress Shuyi and I are actually the same kind of people."
Gu Jiu smiled and asked, "Does Empress Shuyi really only want a peaceful and prosperous life?"
Zhou Miao said affirmatively: "Of course it is. She is like a rootless duckweed in the palace, how dare she expect too much."
Upon hearing this, Gu Jiu said, "I can give her the money in my own name. I don't need her to pass on information, nor do I need her to inquire about the movements of the imperial concubine and the King of Zhao. I just need her to promise me three things."
"What's up?"
Gu Jiu avoided answering, "I will write a reply letter and you will take it to her. If she agrees, you can come to me to ask for the money next time you leave the palace."
Zhou Miao frowned and said with disdain, "You're so long-winded."
Gu Jiu ignored him, picked up his pen and wrote a simple letter, put it in an envelope, and sealed it.
"Don't peek."
Zhou Miao smiled and said, "Madam, do you not trust me?"
Gu Jiu asked him back, "Would you trust someone you met for the first time?"
Zhou Miao had nothing to say and left with the letter.
Liu Zhao appeared silently behind Gu Jiu, almost scaring her.
He gently massaged her shoulders and asked, "How is it?"
Gu Jiu smiled and said, "My ambition is as great as ever, and even getting bigger. But I'm more stable than before."
Liu Zhao said without any emotion: "It's a good thing for her to be ambitious in the imperial palace. People like her are most suitable for surviving in the imperial palace."
Gu Jiu enjoyed Liu Zhao's service and closed his eyes in comfort.
"Noble Concubine Xue promoted her, and it's only been over a month, and she's already become disloyal. We can't have a close relationship with her." Gu Jiu sighed casually.
"Maybe she's thinking of your past relationship."
Gu Jiu laughed when he heard this. "Do you believe it? In her eyes, I am just someone who can be of use to her but won't get in her way. If there ever comes a conflict between her and me, I have no doubt that she will raise her knife against me."
"So unsure of yourself?"
"I came to this conclusion because I see through her. So, don't expect to use her through me. She's unreliable."
Liu Zhao asked another question, "What three requests did you make to her?"
"Keep it secret for now."
…
A few days later, Zhou Miao came to Prince Ning's Mansion again and took away five thousand taels of silver from Gu Jiu.
These five thousand taels were taken by Gu Jiu from Zhenbaozhai.
If it weren't for Zhenbaozhai, a money-making tool, she really wouldn't be able to come up with five thousand taels of cash in a short time.
Before leaving, Zhou Miao said with a smile, "Yesterday, several more alchemists arrived at the palace. Your Majesty chatted with them for two hours, even missing their meals. They got along very well. Your Majesty specifically ordered that a side hall be converted into a Heavenly Questioning Temple, allowing the alchemists to refine elixirs and seek immortality in the imperial city."
Gu Jiu's expression froze, "Refine the elixir and ask about immortality?"
Is the emperor going to follow the example of the Qin Emperor and Han Emperor, and be fooled by a group of alchemists?
"Exactly! Immortality, who wouldn't want it? Especially as the Son of Heaven, you would want immortality even more."
Gu Jiu sneered, "Does His Majesty summon Jiang Shuyi often?"
"Yes, but most of the time he asks Jiang Shuyi to help him with his writing, or he reads and practices calligraphy, and they don't have sex. Madam, His Majesty is old after all. When people are old, their bodies are not as useful. The imperial physician's method only treats the symptoms and not the root cause, and the effect is slow. If there is a pill that can make people vigorous and twenty years younger, even if they know there are side effects, they will take it."
Zhou Miao's words had a hidden meaning, and he did not hide it at all.
Gu Jiu asked tentatively, "Did Jiang Shuyi ask you to say that?"
Zhou Miao smiled calmly, shook his head, and said, "I had a very pleasant conversation with you last time, Madam. I'd like to make friends with you. What do you think, Madam?"
Gu Jiu laughed. "As long as Eunuch Zhou doesn't mind the simplicity of my place, please feel free to come over when you're free. I've also lived in the Northwest for many years, so it would be nice to chat about the local customs and practices."
"Madam, you are very insightful. It's too late today. I will bother you again next time. Goodbye!"
Gu Jiu watched Zhou Miao leave.
This Zhou Miao is not simple.
At first, she thought Zhou Miao was dependent on Jiang Yan and was Jiang Yan's pawn.
Now it seems that the two are simply dependent on each other.
Gu Jiu called Qian Fu over, thought for a moment, and then instructed, "Send a message to the young master, asking him to keep an eye out for the alchemists in the palace. Perhaps someone wants to take action against them."
Qian Fu was obviously stunned. "There is an alchemist in the palace?"
"This is absolutely true. Since yesterday, there have been several new alchemists in the palace, and they have gained the trust of His Majesty. I remind you, young master, to be extremely careful."
"This old servant will send someone to deliver the message to you, Master."
Qian Fu bowed and left.
…
There was one crisis after another in the palace.
Before Li Zhaoyi gave birth to her child, Jiang Shuyi and Li Zhaoyi were fighting openly and secretly. This was not the end of it. A group of alchemists appeared in the palace, talking about mystical things all day long, saying that they were refining elixirs to achieve immortality.
The court was very uneasy and there was a lot of discussion.
During the morning court session, they submitted memorials one after another to advise the emperor.
Ask the emperor to be close to virtuous ministers and stay away from villains.
Who are the villains? Naturally, they are those alchemists who spread evil words to confuse the people.
Of course, the emperor would not listen. He reprimanded several courtiers who spoke the most rudely on the spot, and at the same time gave official positions to several alchemists to specialize in making elixirs.
The court officials stamped their feet in anger.
Your Majesty is old and confused.
Inside Changchun Palace.
Concubine Xiao Shufei and Prince Ning sat opposite each other, and the mother and son were playing chess.
Concubine Xiao Shufei said, "Those court officials are just too anxious. The Taoist priest just entered the palace and they are already accusing Your Majesty of wrongdoing and telling Your Majesty to stay away from him. This is just undermining Your Majesty's reputation. How can Your Majesty be happy?"
At least keep those alchemists for a while and let them make some achievements. After the elixir is made, we will know whether it is useful or not by testing it.
However, I estimate that the elixirs are mostly useless, and even if they are useful, they are only potent poisons. By then, we will have a ready-made handle to drive those alchemists out of the palace."
Prince Ning laughed heartily, "Mother is more prudent and prudent."
Concubine Xiao Shu smiled and said, "I have been in the palace for decades and have seen everything. Your Majesty is old and you are just a child. You have to be treated with kindness. The more you go against Your Majesty, the more counterproductive it will be. You, next time your father scolds you, don't talk back."
"My son never talks back." King Ning said shamelessly.
Concubine Xiao Shu gave him a sharp look and then moved on to another matter. "Don't worry about Concubine Li. I've already sent someone to keep an eye on her."
"My son is not anxious. It is Concubine Xue and Prince Zhao who are anxious."
Concubine Xiao Shu laughed and said, "You are right."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
