Pei ordered people to set up a small Buddhist temple in Chunhe Hall.
Ever since the emperor suffered a stroke, she has been uneasy and can only pray for the gods' protection.
Every morning and evening, she would burn incense and pray in the small Buddhist temple, asking the Buddha to bless King Ning to return safely.
It has been more than half a month now, and the news from the capital should have reached Prince Ning.
Why!
Prince Ning is too far away from Beijing.
It took more than half a month to deliver the news at full speed.
After receiving the news, I set off to return to Beijing, which would probably take about a month.
After all, humans are not horses.
Even a horse cannot run non-stop for twelve hours a day.
After reciting a Buddhist scripture, Pei stood up from the cushion with the help of her maid.
She asked the maid, "Have the eldest and fourth young masters returned?"
"Your Majesty, the Fourth Young Master has just returned home, and the First Young Master probably won't be back until dark."
"Please invite the Fourth Young Master here. This princess has something to ask him."
"As you command."
Pei left the Buddhist temple and returned to the flower hall. The scent of incense and candles had been washed off her body.
Liu Yi greeted her, "Greetings to Mother. How has Mother been these past few days?"
Pei gestured for him to sit down and talk. "As long as your father doesn't return to the capital, I, the princess, will never recover. These days, I've been restless, terrified that something bad might happen to your father."
"Don't worry, mother. Big brother has already sent people to protect father's safety, and with Chang En and the others by his side, nothing will happen."
"Two fists can't beat four hands, and a swarm of ants can kill an elephant. Don't be careless. By the way, when did your eldest brother send the people?"
Liu Yi shook his head. "I don't know about this, I have to ask my eldest brother. Mother also knows, but my eldest brother never tells me about this. Father and my eldest brother also kept some of the arrangements made privately in our palace secret from me and refused to let me know."
Pei said, "That's because you were young and careless before, and you loved going out drinking and making mischief. I was afraid you wouldn't keep your mouth shut and get drunk and people would trick you into revealing things, so I didn't want to tell you."
Liu Yi lowered his head and smiled, "Now that my son has turned over a new leaf, my father and elder brother should give me a chance."
"When your father comes back, if you behave well, I will have a good talk with him."
"Thank you, mother."
"It also depends on your own efforts."
Pei finished speaking and sighed.
"Why is mother sighing again? I've already said, there's no need to worry about father. May father live a long life and will surely return to the capital safely."
Pei frowned, "I hope so."
"Mother, have you ever thought about the future? What if father..."
"Don't think about it." Pei decisively interrupted Liu Yi, "Yi'er, listen to your mother and don't think about anything. Thinking too much will not do you any good. Just pretend that nothing will change, and you can keep a normal mind."
Liu Yi was stunned for a moment, then he smiled, "Mother is right, my son must not think about anything."
Pei smiled with relief, "That's right."
"My mother must be deeply touched."
Pei sighed, "Back then, so many people had such good conditions and the opportunity to ascend to the throne. In the end, they all failed, defeated by your royal grandfather. Do you know why? It's because they thought too much and refused to keep their feet on the ground."
Liu Yi seemed to be lost in thought. "Mother, tell me more about what happened back then."
Pei shook her head. "This princess doesn't know much. If you have a chance, go to Lantai Temple. If the information wasn't destroyed back then, it must be there."
Yeah?
Liu Yi suddenly became extremely curious about Lantai Temple.
Although Lantai Temple was an unpopular government office that could not be more unpopular, working in Lantai Temple was equivalent to being banished to the cold palace, and one's dream of getting promoted and making money would be cut off for the rest of his life.
"Thank you, mother, for telling me. I will definitely visit Lantai Temple if I have the chance."
Pei nodded. "It won't hurt to learn more about the experiences and lessons of our predecessors."
Liu Yi smiled gently, looking innocent and harmless.
…
With every day that passes, an undercurrent appears in the peaceful capital.
Each of the eight immortals showed their magical powers. Everyone was racing against time to make arrangements.
Liu Zhao suddenly disappeared.
I asked the government office, and they told me that I was on official business.
No one in the yamen knew where the business trip was going.
When asked about the palace, the palace was completely clueless.
Pei was very worried and lost weight.
She called Gu Jiu to Chunhe Hall for questioning.
"Where did Zhao'er go? Why didn't he say hello to me before he left? The situation in the capital is getting increasingly tense. If he leaves at this time, what if something happens in the palace?"
Gu Jiu lowered his head and said, "Reporting to my mother, the young master only mentioned that he was on a business trip before leaving, and didn't say a word more. My daughter-in-law asked him about it, but he just told me not to ask any more questions."
Pei was furious. "You are his wife, and you don't even know where he went. How can you be a wife?"
Gu Jiu lowered his head and smiled, "Father often goes out for three to five days and doesn't come back. Mother doesn't know where he goes either. But Father and Mother get along very well, and Father never says Mother does anything wrong."
"How dare you! Who are you talking to? Is there any respect for hierarchy?" Pei slammed the table and scolded Gu Jiu.
Gu Jiu sighed softly, "I know I'm wrong, and I hope you can forgive me, Mother. I'm also kindly reminding you that some things are not what we want them to be. My husband is doing things outside, and it's not our turn to interfere. Mother, I'm not wrong, am I?"
Pei was furious. "You're becoming more and more presumptuous. Do you really think that with Zhao'er backing you up, I won't dare to use family rules?"
Gu Jiu lowered his head and smiled, saying, "Mother, calm down. Before you use the family rules, please think about the current situation. We in the Ning Wang Mansion cannot afford to lose our composure."
"Then just be honest and answer whatever this princess asks you."
"My daughter-in-law has already told me everything she knows. Mother also asked me to tell her, so I can't just make up stories out of nothing."
Gu Jiu also felt quite aggrieved.
Pei was furious. If it wasn't the wrong timing, she really wanted to give Gu Jiu a good beating.
"Before Zhao'er left, did he tell me how long it would take to return to the capital?"
Pei took the initiative to return to the main topic.
Gu Jiu shook his head. "No, I don't know. I estimate that this trip will take at least half a month, and at most one or two months."
"So long?" Pei's face changed.
"I'm going out for such a long time at this time. What if something unexpected happens in the palace during this time? What should I do?"
Gu Jiu suggested to her, "Mother, why don't you go to the palace and ask the Empress Shufei for instructions."
Pei was worried. "I will go to the palace to pay my respects to Her Majesty. You don't know anything I ask you. What use is there for you? You leave now."
Gu Jiu didn't argue with Pei. After all, Prince Ning hadn't returned to the capital yet, so it was understandable that Pei was a little irritable.
She bowed and stepped back, leaving Chunhe Hall.
Before Liu Zhao left Beijing, he did not tell Gu Jiu where he was going.
Gu Jiu speculated that Liu Zhao might be going to meet Prince Ning.
It is possible that Prince Ning encountered an ambush or was in danger, and was tripped up on the road and unable to return to the capital in time.
In short, everything is possible.
Now everyone is blocking the news.
Whoever can seize the initiative has won half the battle.
Gu Jiu is self-aware. She knows what she is good at and also knows where her weaknesses are.
She didn't want to cause trouble for Liu Zhao, so she didn't ask where Liu Zhao was going.
She didn't even ask too many questions about Qian Fu.
However, she gave Qian Fu two huge sums of money for working capital.
Gu Jiu is always very generous when giving money.
She handed the money to Qian Fu and said, "The young master trusts you, so I trust you too. I hope this money can be used wisely."
"Ma'am, don't worry. This money will be used wisely."
Gu Jiu hummed, and at the critical moment, he did not forget to recruit people, "If it's too tiring to stay with the young master, why not come work for me? The work here is easy and the money is good."
"Thank you, Madam. I am used to serving you, young master. I am afraid I will not be able to adapt to the new place."
"Forget it, I won't force you."
Although I won't force it, I won't give up either.
High-end talents like Qian Fu are hard to come by. Gu Jiu will not give up easily.
Autumn passes and winter comes.
As time went by, the atmosphere in the capital became increasingly tense.
As the weather got colder, the emperor's condition worsened and he had to stay in bed every day.
In the past, he was still able to handle some government affairs and review memorials orally.
I can’t do it now. I’m too exhausted.
After all, the emperor was old and in poor health, his vitality was slipping away bit by bit, and his organs were also irreversibly failing.
Birth, old age, sickness and death, everything is destined.
The emperor lay on the bed, breathing lightly.
After waking up, he waved his hand, and Chen Dachang bowed and stood beside the bed, "Your Majesty, you are awake."
The emperor nodded and said vaguely, "Help me up."
Several eunuchs helped the emperor up and sat him down on the bed.
The emperor was gasping for breath. He first asked the imperial physician to examine his body and then took medicine.
After drinking the medicine and feeling better, he asked, "Have the princes returned?"
"not yet."
"It's been so long, why haven't you come back yet?"
"The journey is long. It will take time for the decree to reach your Highnesses, and it will take time for your Highnesses to pack their bags and return to the capital."
The emperor frowned.
"Issue an order to hurry these bastards back to the capital. I'm afraid I don't have much time left."
"Your Majesty!" Chen Dachang was shocked.
The emperor waved his hand, "At this point, I have seen through it all."
Chen Dachang bowed and accepted the order. Just as he was about to leave, he turned back and said, "Today the court officials are discussing the appointment of a crown prince. Your Majesty, please tell me what I should do."
The emperor narrowed his eyes slightly, "We have to wait a little longer to appoint a crown prince."
As for what we are waiting for, perhaps only the emperor knows.
Chen Dachang bowed and said, "I understand."
After a pause, he continued, "Mr. Gu, the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, was found to have embezzled a large amount of money and has now been dismissed from his post for investigation."
Tianzi was stunned for a moment before he came to his senses, "Gu Jiu's father?"
"Exactly."
"When did it happen?"
"It was the decree jointly issued by several elders in the Political Affairs Hall early this morning."
The emperor frowned, "At this moment, they still have the leisure to investigate a minister of the Ministry of Revenue. What are they thinking?"
"Your Majesty, calm down. The evidence of Lord Gu's crimes is irrefutable, and this matter cannot be concealed. The officials in the Council of State have no other options but to dismiss Lord Gu from his post and investigate him. The specific trial and sentencing will be determined by Your Majesty."
The emperor snorted coldly, "Pass on my oral order to take Gu Zhili into custody at the Dali Temple, and have it conduct a thorough investigation of this case."
Chen Dachang was surprised for a moment, then he bowed and accepted the order, leaving the bedroom to convey the emperor's oral instructions.
…
Palace.
"Ma'am, something terrible has happened."
Xu Yousi hurried back to the East Courtyard.
It was winter, but he was sweating profusely.
"What happened? Take a breath and speak slowly." Gu Jiu was very calm.
Xu Yousi gasped and said, "Something happened to Master Gu."
Gu Jiu's expression changed, "What happened to the master?"
Xu Yousi took a sip of tea, catching his breath before continuing, "The master has been detained by the Dali Temple. It's said that he embezzled a huge amount of money, and several officials in the Political Affairs Hall have ordered his dismissal and investigation."
Upon hearing this, Gu Jiu frowned.
She was not surprised that Lord Gu was corrupt.
Lord Gu is not a very clean official to begin with, and the word "integrity" has nothing to do with him.
The embezzlement of a huge amount of money is questionable. It depends on what the standard of a huge amount of money is.
What made Gu Jiu uneasy was that this happened at the wrong time.
What time is it now?
Everyone was staring at the palace, at the princes rushing to the capital, and at which prince the emperor would appoint as the crown prince.
At this time, the case of Lord Gu's corruption was suddenly exposed. The Council of State very efficiently ordered his dismissal and investigation, and the Dali Temple immediately stepped in to arrest Lord Gu.
This kind of efficiency is illogical.
Logically speaking, no matter what the case was, it should be postponed as much as possible at this point. It wouldn't be too late to deal with it after a crown prince was appointed.
As a result, no one cared about the palace and everyone was focused on the little Lord Gu.
Gu Jiu took a deep breath.
I'm afraid Lord Gu has become cannon fodder.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
