"Sir, His Majesty has ordered the Madam to appear before him."
Lin Shuping came to Liu Zhao and whispered.
Liu Zhao frowned slightly, "Do you know the reason?"
"It is said that His Majesty is worried about the refugees outside the city, so he summoned Madam to inquire about the specific situation."
Liu Zhao shook his head slowly. "Asking the Ministry of Revenue about the situation of the refugees outside the city is the same. I'm afraid it's not that simple for Grandfather Huang to summon Xiaojiu at this time."
Lin Shuping whispered, "Sir, could it be that His Majesty is observing the Emperor's grandson?"
"Don't talk nonsense."
Lin Shuping quickly apologized and secretly glanced outside the door. No one was eavesdropping.
He added, "Just because you don't think so doesn't mean others won't think so. Madam's abilities are second to none among the wives of the emperor's grandchildren, and His Majesty has always valued her highly. Now, at this critical moment, His Majesty suddenly summoned Madam. Doesn't that have a deeper meaning?"
Liu Zhao stared at Lin Shuping. "Even if there is a deeper meaning, you must hide your guess without revealing any trace."
The young master's gaze is so scary.
Lin Shuping shuddered, "This old servant will remember your teachings."
Liu Zhao said again: "Go watch outside and don't let anyone in."
"I obey your command."
The Ministry of War was bustling with people.
Liu Zhao sat in the signing room, like an old monk in meditation, and no one knew what he was thinking.
…
Gu Jiu arrived at Xingqing Palace smoothly. After being informed, he followed the eunuch to the bedroom to meet the emperor.
She had known for a long time that the emperor had suffered a stroke and was suffering from hemiplegia, but when she saw it with her own eyes, she found that his condition was even more serious than she had imagined.
"Granddaughter-in-law pays respect to His Majesty!"
"Excuse me. Stand up and speak."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Gu Jiu stood up and lowered his head slightly to show respect.
He kept an eye on the emperor's movements.
The emperor's right hand could not play, so he could not review memorials and had to ask someone to write for him.
However, judging by the sound, the emperor's speech was quite clear, much better than the rumored slurred speech.
It seems that the doctors in the Imperial Medical Bureau have used their real skills to treat the emperor's health.
"What's the situation outside the South City Gate now?"
Tianzi asked in a calm tone.
Gu Jiu bowed slightly, "Your Majesty, everything is going according to plan. Half of the refugees have already moved into their new homes. The remaining half will all move into their new homes after this winter, by March or April next year at the latest."
"Oh! You surprised me. I didn't expect things to go so smoothly. Not only did you solve the refugees' food problem, but you also helped them move into new houses. That's amazing!"
"Thanks to your Majesty's great blessing, the refugees have the opportunity to live in new houses."
The emperor wanted to laugh, but he couldn't.
He chuckled twice, a rare moment of happiness since his stroke.
"You are very capable."
Gu Jiu looked terrified and said, "My grandson's wife is just a little luckier than ordinary people."
The emperor beckoned, "Come closer, let me take a good look at you."
Gu Jiu felt a strange feeling in his heart and subconsciously looked up at the emperor.
The emperor looked kind.
She looked at Chen Dachang again.
Chen Dachang stood by the bed like a piece of wood. When His Majesty didn't need him, he would consciously reduce his presence.
Gu Jiu took a deep breath and walked forward slowly.
"Come closer."
Gu Jiu continued to move forward until he was two steps away from the dragon bed.
This is a relatively safe distance.
The emperor raised his head, his cloudy eyes searching her face, as if he wanted to discover something.
Immediately afterwards, Gu Jiu heard a fatal question.
"Have you ever thought about what to do with the project outside the South City Gate once the new emperor ascends the throne?"
Gu Jiu was shocked.
Even the calm and restrained Chen Dachang's expression changed slightly.
Gu Jiu's mouth was dry. "Your Majesty is blessed with great fortune. You will surely live a long life."
Any answer other than this would mean death.
The emperor forced a smile. "It seems you're well aware that the Nanchengmenwai project can proceed smoothly because I'm backing you up. When I'm gone and a new emperor takes the throne, he might not give you the chance to continue running Nanchengmenwai."
Gu Jiu was sweating profusely. She couldn't guess the emperor's deeper meaning behind breaking the window paper.
Is he testing her or making fun of her?
"Don't be afraid, I don't mean to scare you." The emperor suddenly comforted Gu Jiu.
Gu Jiu felt very strange at this moment.
This was not the emperor she had in mind.
In our impression, the emperor would not care about the life or death of others.
"Thank you, Your Majesty." She showed some weakness.
The emperor took a breath and continued, "You've managed the area outside the South City Gate very well. You've been able to properly resettle tens of thousands of refugees. This is a great achievement, and no one can erase your contribution. However, just in case, I still need to make some preparations in advance."
Gu Jiu felt uneasy.
She glanced secretly at Chen Dachang.
Obviously, Chen Dachang had no idea that the emperor would talk so deeply in advance, and he had no scruples at all.
"If you have any ideas about what's happening outside the South City Gate, feel free to bring them up."
Gu Jiu took a deep breath and said, "Outside the South City Gate, it's all up to His Majesty to decide."
"Oh! Aren't you worried that a hundred years from now, the new emperor will make things difficult for you and forbid you from continuing to manage the South City Gate project?"
Gu Jiu said, "In order to run the business outside the South City Gate, my granddaughter-in-law raised hundreds of thousands of taels and borrowed three million taels from the Shaofu Bank. If someone in the palace doesn't allow my granddaughter-in-law to continue running the business, I will definitely not be able to repay the millions of taels I borrowed."
"You might not be able to threaten people with money." Tianzi seemed quite pleased. Perhaps it was because Gu Jiu hadn't played any tricks and had always spoken the truth.
Gu Jiu bowed and said, "Besides that, the court should worry about how to accommodate the tens of thousands of refugees outside the city."
The emperor nodded. "For court officials, refugees are the most annoying thing. They hope that even if the refugees starve to death, they will starve to death at home, not cause trouble for the government, and not flee famine and cause trouble."
However, no one wanted to wait for death, and the common people could not survive in their hometowns, so they had to flee famine and become refugees. In the past, refugees who fled famine to the capital relied on a meal of porridge every day to survive.
When the weather warmed up in spring, the government forcibly drove them away. This happened year after year. During this time, countless refugees died of disease and starvation, with no one caring. It was you who changed this situation.
Gu Jiu was terrified. "My granddaughter-in-law needs a lot of labor to build a house. There are many young and strong laborers among those refugees. It would be a pity to waste them."
The emperor nodded approvingly. "You're right. Leaving those young and strong laborers unused and allowing them to go up the mountain and become bandits is not only a waste but also a disservice to the country. You've been able to organize the young and strong laborers among the refugees and get them to behave themselves. That's quite remarkable."
"The granddaughter-in-law is not as good as Your Majesty said. She just happened to be in the right place and did what she had to do."
In front of the emperor, Gu Jiu should be more humble.
The emperor smiled and said, "Just in case, I plan to set up a county outside the South City Gate in advance. If you have any ideas, please let me know."
Gu Jiu's heart beat faster and his palms were sweating.
Here it comes, here it comes!
Finally, a county will be established outside the South City Gate.
She took a deep breath and said as calmly as possible, "If Your Majesty really wants to establish a county outside the South City Gate, I have only one request."
"explain!"
"My granddaughter-in-law hopes that the person I recommend will be the first county magistrate of this county. The Nanchengmenwai project must continue, and my granddaughter-in-law doesn't want anyone to hinder it."
Tianzi smiled and said, "You don't try to hide yourself at all."
Gu Jiu lowered his head and said, "In front of His Majesty, the granddaughter-in-law dare not play tricks."
The emperor asked, "Who would you recommend as the first county magistrate?"
Gu Jiu took a deep breath, suppressed his emotions, and said as calmly as possible: "My grandson's wife recommends my cousin Gu Yu to be the first county magistrate."
“Why do you recommend him?”
Gu Jiu said calmly, "He holds the title of Juren (a successful candidate in the imperial examination) and has spent many years training alongside my father. He has a deep understanding of the people's livelihood and economy. He is also experienced in handling disputes among the common people. Given his knowledge and ability, he may not be able to become a high-ranking official at the imperial court, but he is absolutely the perfect choice for the position of county magistrate. No one is more suitable for this position than him."
"Oh! Where is he now?"
"He is currently working in the Ministry of Revenue, an eighth-rank official."
The emperor smiled and said, "It's not surprising for an eighth-rank official to be appointed as a seventh-rank county magistrate. I will consider the person you recommend."
Gu Jiu couldn't hide her excitement, "Granddaughter-in-law thanks His Majesty on behalf of her cousin Gu Yu."
"Don't be too happy too soon. A county has been established outside the South City Gate, and many people are eyeing the position of county magistrate. Your cousin, with only the title of Juren, has no other advantages except for his rich experience."
Gu Jiu hurriedly said, "These granddaughters-in-law are all aware of this. Therefore, Your Majesty still needs to take care of it."
The emperor stared at her, "Are you sure I will help you?"
Gu Jiu blinked, "I believe that His Majesty would not want the resettlement of the refugees outside the South City Gate to be abandoned halfway. Moreover, as the news of the capital spreads throughout the world, more and more refugees will flock to the capital in the future.
Without my granddaughter-in-law, these refugees would be like they were in the past, living on a diet of gruel every day, and being driven away in the spring, either dying or becoming bandits and wreaking havoc on the local area.
The emperor chuckled twice, "You are not modest at all."
Gu Jiu lowered his head hurriedly, "Grandson's wife is just telling the truth."
The emperor waved his hand and told the servants to leave.
Chen Dachang looked confused and uncertain.
"Back off!" The emperor was a little impatient.
Chen Dachang and his men hurriedly bowed and retreated.
What is the emperor's intention in doing this?
Leaving Madam Zhao alone in the palace to talk, what did the emperor want to say? Was he going to make arrangements for his afterlife?
Or is it about establishing a crown prince?
All kinds of thoughts were running through Chen Dachang's mind, and he felt worried.
It was extremely rare for the emperor to drive him out and keep him alone to talk.
He felt vaguely uneasy.
Another person who was equally uneasy was Gu Jiu.
What does the emperor mean?
What would she say if she was left alone?
Is it too late for her to leave now?
Don’t give me a fatal question!
She only has one life left and really doesn't want to die.
She also hopes to live a long life.
"His Majesty?"
"Don't panic, I just have something to say."
At this moment, the emperor was nothing more than a frail old man. His majesty was completely useless.
"Please sit down. Standing is tiring. Even looking up at you makes me tired."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Gu Jiu sat down on the round stool beside the bed, standing very straight.
The emperor took a breath and said that he had talked too much today.
"Among so many princes, who do you think is suitable to inherit the throne?"
Gu Jiu: "..."
I told you not to ask her life-threatening questions. How could she dare to answer such a life-threatening question? It's not like she's tired of living.
She looked terrified. "Electing a crown prince is a matter of national importance, affecting the fate of the country and its people. How can a woman like my grandson's wife discuss this matter? Your Majesty, why don't you summon all the court officials to discuss this matter together?"
"That's fine! There's no one else here, so you can say whatever you want. I forgive you. Even if you want to make Prince Ning the crown prince, I understand."
The emperor looked at Gu Jiu expectantly.
Gu Jiu was under great pressure. "My grandson's wife doesn't understand state affairs. I don't know who is suitable to inherit the throne."
"Oh? Why do I feel that you are not telling the truth?"
"What my granddaughter-in-law said is indeed the truth. I dare not deceive Your Majesty."
The emperor smiled and said, "I want to hear your true truth."
Gu Jiu lowered her head. How could she dare to tell the truth to such a critical question?
"If you don't tell the truth, how can I let you go?"
The emperor suddenly raised his tone, as if threatening.
Gu Jiu felt wronged.
"Your Majesty, do you really want to hear your granddaughter-in-law tell the truth? But the truth is not pleasant to hear."
The emperor tried hard to put on a smile. "I've lived to this day, do you think I still care about what you say? I only want to hear the truth, not flattery."
Gu Jiu nodded, "I understand."
"Then will you tell the truth?"
Gu Jiu pondered for a moment and said, "My grandson's wife doesn't know the uncles well. As for who is suitable to inherit the throne, I don't have an answer in my mind. This is the truth."
"Where is Prince Ning?" asked the emperor.
Gu Jiu shook his head, "The grandson's wife is not sure whether the prince is suitable."
"From what you said, there is no prince who is suitable?"
Gu Jiu nodded. "In my eyes, no one is suitable to inherit the throne. Because no one is born to be an emperor."
The emperor smiled and said, "You said nothing. You are clearly taking advantage of the situation."
Gu Jiu looked innocent, "This is indeed what my granddaughter-in-law said. My granddaughter-in-law doesn't think anyone is born to be in that position; it's something that's cultivated."
But even if you've been trained, once you've truly taken that position, problems will still arise. Ultimately, being an emperor is a test of leadership and balance."
The emperor nodded, "That makes some sense. It seems I am a failed father, unable to raise a qualified heir."
Gu Jiu lowered his head, feeling like he was about to die.
She actually said so many treasonous words in front of the emperor. I hope the emperor will not take revenge on her later.
The emperor stared at her and asked, "Who is the tallest among the short ones? Among all the princes, who is the most outstanding?"
Gu Jiu shook his head, "My grandson's wife doesn't know."
She really didn't know.
She was a generation apart from the other princes and only saw them once or twice a year. They couldn't even talk to each other, so how could she possibly understand them?
How can you make a judgment if you don’t understand?
She felt that the emperor must be out of his mind. It was inappropriate to ask her, a layman, about such an important matter.
If you want to ask, you should ask the civil and military ministers.
Although the civil and military ministers all had their own selfish motives, they at least had frequent contact with the princes and understood their character and abilities.
The emperor smiled and said, "Don't you know? Actually, I don't know either."
In the past, the emperor thought he knew each of his sons.
Now, facing the succession of the throne and having to choose an heir as soon as possible, the emperor suddenly realized that he did not really understand his sons.
If you don’t understand, how can you make a choice?
Gu Jiu couldn't help and could only remain silent.
The emperor was also silent.
The atmosphere in the bedroom was somewhat depressing, making her feel breathless.
After an unknown amount of time, the emperor opened his eyes and looked her straight in the eye. "Manage the South City Gate project well, work wholeheartedly, and don't let me down."
"Granddaughter-in-law obeys your order!"
"Back off!"
"Your Majesty, please take care of yourself. I'll take my leave."
Gu Jiu bowed and left the bedroom, feeling completely relieved.
"return!"
Gu Jiu shuddered and looked back at the emperor.
She was about to leave, so why did the emperor go crazy and ask her to come back?
The emperor stared at her and asked, "I heard that Liu Zhao didn't take a concubine. Is it your fault or his?"
Gu Jiu was stunned for a moment, then came to his senses and said calmly, "Maybe it's more about my granddaughter-in-law."
The emperor frowned, "You don't allow him to take a concubine?"
Gu Jiu nodded boldly without denying it.
The emperor was curious, "Why? Liu Zhao is the grandson of the emperor, but he doesn't even have a concubine. It's really outrageous."
Gu Jiu took a deep breath and said boldly, "My granddaughter-in-law doesn't allow you to take a concubine because I don't allow anyone to threaten the interests of my children. Even illegitimate sons and daughters are not allowed."
"You have a nice thought," the emperor said with an ambiguous tone, "Liu Zhao is the grandson of the emperor, he cannot be without concubines."
Gu Jiu said, "If Gongzi Zhao insists on taking a concubine, then I will do whatever it takes to protect the interests of me and my child."
"How are you going to do whatever it takes?"
Gu Jiu smiled softly, "I have money, and money makes the world go round. I've spent a lot of money, and I don't believe I can't solve the problem of a few women."
The emperor smiled, a very natural smile, "You are quite confident. Stand down!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
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