In the pavilion, the sound of piano is melodious.
Manager Hu was trembling all over.
When the sound of the piano became high-pitched and passionate, sweat poured down his body like rain, and his clothes were soaked with sweat, as if he had been fished out of the water.
At this moment, he wished he could commit suicide and end it all.
Bang!
The strings are broken!
For a moment, Manager Hu was so frightened that he almost suffocated.
Zhou Jin exuded a murderous aura. He raised his hand, and his fingertips were cut by the strings and bleeding.
Blood dripped onto the black robe.
The corners of his mouth turned up, with an evil look on his face.
A beautiful maid with fair skin and long legs tremblingly took out a handkerchief to wipe his bleeding fingers.
He followed the maid's hand, his eyes moving upwards until they finally landed on her face.
I don't know what he was thinking about. He pinched the maid's jaw and said, "Let me see, this face is very beautiful, but it's a pity that it is made of wood."
He exerted force with his hands, and the maid was pushed out and directly hit the guardrail. Her waist was almost broken, but the maid did not dare to say a word, but knelt on the ground to apologize.
Looking around, all the maids are more or less similar.
To be precise, these maids look more or less like Gu Jiu.
Some are eyes, some are noses, some are lips, some are from certain angles or sides, some are expressions in certain states...
In one year, Zhou Jin collected so many maids who looked similar, which showed that he put a lot of thought into it.
Yet he was unhappy, he was dissatisfied, and he was irritable.
No matter how similar they look, they are not that person.
He has neither the charm of the original master, nor his courage and determination, and he is even inferior to him in terms of brains.
In Zhou Jin's eyes, these people were just pieces of wood that looked similar.
Who would like a piece of wood?
He took the handkerchief and wiped his fingers gently.
The bleeding at the fingertips has stopped.
He looked at Manager Hu and asked, "What did she say?"
Manager Hu trembled with fear. "Madam Zhao accepted the gift. It seems she didn't know about the hijacking of the Zhu family's ship before. She almost guessed the identity of the young master. She also said that she would return the jade carving she gave him last year."
Zhou Jin laughed, "Did she really guess my identity?"
"Of course I didn't admit it. I just said that you helped the pirates sell the stolen goods."
"You're quite clever."
Manager Hu buried his head on the ground, not daring to take credit.
Zhou Jin asked again: "Does she want to see me?"
"Madam Zhao said she was not feeling well and could not go out. I suggested that you visit the palace, but Madam Zhao said, 'Aren't you afraid?' Madam Zhao also asked me to remind you that the capital is not Jiangnan, be careful of capsizing."
"Hahaha……"
Zhou Jin laughed out loud, looking particularly happy.
If others heard such words, they would definitely be very angry.
However, he is not an ordinary person, he is an abnormal person.
He was not angry but happy.
He was excited and thrilled, "She must have guessed my identity, but she has no evidence to prove it. Next, she will definitely send someone to investigate my identity and background."
Manager Hu boldly asked, "Sir, aren't you worried?"
"What are you worried about? Do you think she will send someone to arrest me?"
Manager Hu was speechless.
Zhou Jin laughed heartily. "She won't. She's not one to follow the rules. After she learns that I'm a pirate, she'll choose to cooperate with me while being wary of me. For example, she'll let Master Zhao come forward to organize a navy. She won't turn against me until she's sure the navy can defeat me."
"Now that the imperial court has a regular navy, what should you do, sir?" Manager Hu panicked.
Zhou Jin laughed heartily. "I can clean up my act and become a businessman. I can also flee overseas, conquer the land and become a founding emperor. There are many paths for me."
"But Madam Zhao has become a real concern."
Zhou Jin smiled contemptuously, "Life is so lonely!"
How lonely life is without an opponent.
It's rare for someone to have the ability and opportunity to be his opponent, so how could he kill the other person so easily?
What's more, this person is a beautiful woman.
It’s a pity that the woman is already married and will soon have a child.
Zhou Jin's expression suddenly turned gloomy.
Manager Hu shuddered subconsciously.
"Pack up and leave this place immediately. As I expected, someone will come here soon. For the time being, I don't want to meet Master Zhao."
Zhou Jin stood up.
The security manager immediately followed, took the necessary items, and left directly from the neighboring house.
By the time guard Zhao San and his men came to kill them, the villa was already deserted, with only a broken-stringed zither and used tea sets left.
Zhao San was furious.
As soon as Manager Hu left the palace, someone followed him and confirmed the location.
They rushed there as soon as possible, but still came back empty-handed.
"Search! Don't let go of any useful clues."
Half an hour later, the search was over and Guard Zhao San returned to the palace to report.
In the Wenshuyuan, Liu Zhao had just finished bathing and was drinking tea.
Zhao San bowed and stood before him. "I'm incompetent. When I rushed over, the place was already empty."
Liu Zhao frowned slightly, "You run really fast."
It seems that he still underestimated this man named Zhou Jin.
Guard Zhao San asked cautiously, "Sir, is this Master Zhou really a pirate?"
Liu Zhao's face was expressionless. "Send people south to investigate. We'll always find clues."
It seems that the previously stranded navy plan must be put on the agenda.
Not only did a "pirate leader" swagger into the capital, but he also dared to approach Xiaojiu. Did he think that he, the emperor's grandson, was just a decoration?
He then ordered, "Notify the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Five Cities Military Command to keep an eye out for this man. Arrest any suspicious individuals you see."
Guard Zhao San bowed and accepted the order. Before leaving, he asked, "Madam has business dealings with this Mr. Zhou. Should we ask Madam to terminate the cooperation?"
"Not for now. Just arrest the people, don't worry about the business for now, keep them as bait."
After explaining the situation, Liu Zhao came to the upper room.
The flag is still on the desk.
Liu Zhao found it an eyesore and asked someone to put it away.
Gu Jiu looked at him, "How is it? Did you find the person?"
He shook his head, "Zhao San is late."
Gu Jiu laughed, "It seems he was very alert. He expected that I would doubt his identity, so he left early."
Liu Zhao put his arm around her shoulders and said, "Don't associate with this guy anymore. He's definitely not a good person if he dares to help pirates sell stolen goods."
Gu Jiu smiled and replied, "I know. Do you think he could be a pirate?"
"I've sent people south to investigate."
Gu Jiu thought for a moment and said, "He is a relative of the Zhou family in Chuzhou. Next time I see Grandma Zhou, I will ask her if she remembers Zhou Jin.
But I was very curious as to why he specially sent his steward to deliver a flag, and even generously admitted that he was selling stolen goods for the pirates.
"Millions of taels of stolen goods are beyond the reach of ordinary people. The Zhu family of Cheng Enbo is not an unknown family. How could he have the guts to provoke the Zhu family?"
Liu Zhao stared at Gu Jiu, describing her features. "Don't worry about his intentions. He's very dangerous. In short, don't associate with him in the future."
Gu Jiu leaned in his arms, "It's a pity that we're missing a supplier."
"Are you going to cut off your business dealings with him?"
"That's what I planned. I'll also write to Rong Xin to remind him to be careful of Zhou Jin."
Liu Zhao hesitated for a moment and said, "Why not cut off business ties first? Just use it as bait."
Gu Jiu raised his eyebrows and smiled, "You want to catch him?"
Liu Zhao did not deny it.
Gu Jiu said, "It's not impossible to continue doing business with him. You just have to ignore his identity and pretend you know nothing."
Liu Zhao said, "Just follow your heart."
Gu Jiu laughed and said, "Forget it, let's maintain the status quo for now. My emotions are affected by my pregnancy right now, so it's not appropriate for me to make any major decisions. Let's talk about it after I give birth."
Liu Zhao said solemnly: "Don't worry, I'll take care of everything."
Rumble!
It's raining again.
Imperial Palace.
Chen Dachang stood under the eaves, looking at the rain with a stern expression.
A eunuch hurried up to him and bowed, saying, "Sir, Jiang Shuyi has started early."
Chen Dachang first hummed, "How long?"
"It's been two hours."
"What did the imperial physician say?"
"The imperial physician said the fetus is in an abnormal position and may cause a difficult birth."
Rumble!
Lightning accompanied by thunder tore through the rain curtain, leaving no place for all demons and monsters to hide.
Chen Dachang said, "Keep watching Jiang Shuyi."
The eunuch bowed and accepted the order, opened his mouth, and seemed to be hesitant to speak.
"What else?"
"If something happens, should we save the older one or the younger one?"
"Who asked you to ask this?"
"No, no one."
"Then shut up and don't say anything unnecessary."
"Yes, sir."
The eunuch turned around and left in a hurry.
Chen Dachang remained silent for about the time it took to stick up an incense stick before returning to Zhengyang Hall.
The emperor is reviewing memorials.
Chen Dachang stood silently beside the emperor, ready to be sent out.
He did not rush to tell the emperor the news of Jiang Shuyi's rebellion.
The candlelight flickered until three quarters past midnight, when the emperor finally finished his work.
Chen Dachang stepped forward and sorted the memorials on the desk, then casually mentioned that Jiang Shuyi was in labor and was afraid of having a difficult delivery.
The emperor was stunned for a moment, "Today's launch?"
"It's about twenty days earlier than the date predicted by the imperial physician."
Premature birth!
The emperor asked, "How long has it been since you were born?"
"Almost four hours."
The emperor nodded and said, "Tell me when the baby is born."
"I obey your command."
In the harem, besides the sound of rain, the only sound was Jiang Shuyi's screams.
The midwife and the nanny helped Jiang Shuyi give birth.
The imperial physician was waiting outside the delivery room to prevent any accidents.
This birth was difficult.
From day to night, from night to early morning.
When a hole was pulled open in the black sky and white light came out from the east, the cry of a newborn baby was finally heard in the harem.
"ah……"
The baby's crying was accompanied by the midwife's screams.
Immediately afterwards, the scream was blocked in someone's mouth and could not be uttered.
The maid in the harem looked at the baby in the cradle and asked, "Is this a ghost baby?"
The midwife was trembling with fear. Especially as the baby's legs moved, the extra leg on the calf also moved. It looked weird and terrifying.
Not only that, the child had a dark birthmark on his face, covering half of his face.
Under the flickering candlelight, there is a ghost fetus.
"Child, give the child to me." Jiang Shuyi did not faint. She still had a little bit of strength left.
"Empress Shuyi, please don't look at it."
"Give it to me! You slut, you dare to disobey me."
The nanny came to Jiang Shuyi with a stern face, holding the child.
Jiang Shuyi's eyes exuded tenderness, kindness and expectation, but in an instant, her body stiffened, her pupils dilated, and her teeth chattered.
"Get out! Get out! Get out! This isn't my child, take it away! Where did you take my child? Hand my child over, or I'll make sure you die..."
As soon as she finished speaking, Jiang Shuyi fainted.
…
Before dawn, Chen Dachang was already waiting in the bedroom.
A eunuch came in quietly, hesitated for a moment, and then came to Chen Dachang and reported quietly.
"really?"
The eunuch nodded, "It's absolutely true. Jiang Shuyi has fainted."
Chen Dachang waved his hand and sent the eunuch away.
After the emperor finished dressing, he whispered, "Your Majesty, Jiang Shuyi has given birth to a prince. However..."
"But what?"
"There's something wrong with the child. There's something extra on him."
The emperor paused and turned to look at Chen Dachang.
Chen Dachang stood aside with his head lowered and his eyes pleasing to the eye.
The emperor said nothing and went straight to the harem.
Chen Dachang hurried to catch up.
Inside a palace in the harem, the atmosphere was oppressive and tense.
Until the emperor arrived, everyone knelt on the ground, waiting for the final judgment.
The baby was taken out of the delivery room, the swaddling blanket was spread out, and everything about the baby was clearly visible.
The emperor had a gloomy face and said nothing.
Chen Dachang called over Doctor Hu, "How is it?"
Doctor Hu understood what Chen Dachang meant and knew that he was asking about the child's condition.
He shook his head. "Not very well. She was born prematurely and had a difficult birth, so she's weak."
Chen Dachang understood.
What to do? Everything depends on your majesty's decision.
The emperor's eyes were like knives, each one stabbing the newborn baby.
“Get rid of it!”
Just these three words.
After the emperor finished speaking, he turned and left.
Chen Dachang left a few confidants to handle the follow-up matters and issued a gag order. Jiang Shuyi had a difficult delivery and lost the child.
…
When Jiang Shuyi woke up, it was already afternoon.
Her memory still remains at the ghost fetus before she fell into a coma.
"Child, where's the child?"
"Your Majesty, please take care of yourself. You had a difficult delivery and the baby was not saved."
Jiang Shuyi's eyes were grim. "Who taught you to say that?"
The maid knelt on the ground and kowtowed, "Your Majesty, please calm down. Your Majesty, please calm down. This morning, His Majesty came to take a look and ordered the little prince to be buried."
"What did you say? Your Majesty came and saw the child?"
Jiang Shuyi had just given birth to a child, and her face was already pale. Now all the blood had faded and her face was gray.
"Quick, quickly invite Eunuch Zhou Miao here. Go!"
"I will go right away."
Jiang Shuyi collapsed on the bed. It was over, it was over.
The emperor knew everything and she was finished.
If she gives birth to a ghost baby, the emperor will definitely hate her.
Why is she so miserable?
She was unwilling! She was angry!
She screamed and yelled, but she couldn't change what had happened.
It's all over.
"Your Highness just gave birth, why are you crying? You can't cry during confinement, or your eyes won't be able to bear it."
A familiar voice sounded in my ears.
She turned her head and saw Zhou Miao.
She opened her mouth and three words came out, "I'm done!"
"What nonsense are you talking about, Madam? How could you be finished? Even though the baby was lost due to a difficult birth, it doesn't mean that you are finished."
Zhou Miao put the lunch box on the table, sat on the edge of the bed and looked at her.
"No, it's not like that."
Jiang Shuyi's whole body was tense and her teeth were chattering.
"That's not the case. The child was born. He was still alive when he was born."
Zhou Miao's heart skipped a beat. Since the child was born alive, why did the palace say that the child died at birth due to a difficult birth?
Jiang Shuyi's eyes were blank and she said mechanically, "The child is alive. I saw it with my own eyes. But he, he is a ghost fetus!"
ah?
Zhou Miao's expression changed drastically, and he asked seriously, "Is it really a ghost fetus?"
Two tears flowed from her eyes, and she closed her eyes and nodded, "I saw it with my own eyes, the child had a ghost face and three legs."
Oh my god!
Zhou Miao frowned, "Does Your Majesty know?"
Jiang Shuyi nodded in despair. "His Majesty saw it with his own eyes and ordered the child to be disposed of. His Majesty must be fed up with me. What do you think I should do? Will I be banished to the cold palace?"
She reached out and grabbed Zhou Miao's wrist.
Now in this huge palace, the only person she can rely on is Zhou Miao.
Zhou Miao was also frightened.
But he was a big-hearted man and soon calmed down.
"Mrs. Shuyi, the most important thing for you now is to take care of your body and recuperate."
"What's the point of getting well? Your Majesty will never visit me again."
Jiang Shuyi was disheartened.
"Has the Queen accepted her fate?"
Jiang Shuyi shook her head painfully, "Of course I won't accept my fate. But what can I do? Tell me, what should I do now?"
"Confine yourself and take care of your body. This is the only thing you must do well. We can talk about everything else after you're done with the confinement period."
"Is there still hope for me?"
Zhou Miao said solemnly: "Everything depends on human effort. If you don't take good care of your health, there is no hope."
Jiang Shuyi cried again.
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