After an hour, the couple finally had the chance to sit together and talk.
Qingmei served the tea and then left the study room consciously.
Yu Ge'er had already fallen asleep, so the two could talk quietly.
Gu Jiu nestled on the soft couch, hugging Ruan Ruan's pillow and holding a cup of tea, and asked, "How are things going?"
"That's about it. If we push a little harder, we'll get the truth out."
"Force them?" Gu Jiu was a little surprised. "Force who?"
Liu Zhao's eyes flashed with a fierce look before he said, "Of course, I'm forcing Uncle Yan, Uncle Zhao, and Concubine Xue."
"oh!"
Gu Jiu understood.
"Are you sure they were involved in the plan to kidnap me?"
"Even if they weren't involved, they must know the truth. Even my father-in-law's detention in the Dali Temple is probably related to them."
Gu Jiu hummed, "I thought so too. I heard that the reason why Prince Yan participated in Prince Zhao's plan and helped Prince Zhao seize power in the Jingxi Camp was to avenge Concubine Li De's insult to his mother?"
"Exactly! Uncle Prince Yan's ambition is not to be the emperor, but to seek revenge. Concubine Xue took advantage of this fact and persuaded Uncle Prince Yan to help the tyrant."
Liu Zhao spoke in a straightforward manner, but one could hear a hint of regret and reluctance in his words.
Gu Jiu looked at him and asked, "Are you feeling sorry for Prince Yan?"
Liu Zhao sat down next to her and said, "Prince Yan is quite nice to us younger generations."
He didn't say how good it was, and Gu Jiu didn't delve into it.
"I've wronged you these days, and I also asked you to find a way to deal with those rumors." Liu Zhao felt a little guilty.
He was busy investigating the case and forcing the truth out, thinking that he would deal with the rumors after he was done. He thought that by protecting Gu Jiu under his wings, they would not be harmed by the rumors.
Now he realized that he was wrong.
Gu Jiu laughed. "I'm not feeling wronged. From the beginning, I knew what I would be facing, and I had already figured out how to resolve this matter. The reason I didn't discuss it with you was because I quite enjoyed the feeling of you making the decision for me. You take care of everything, and I just have to eat and wait for death. It feels good."
Liu Zhao: Xiaojiu’s ideas are so strange, I can’t understand them at all.
Yet he was very happy.
Because his protection did not bring any burden to Gu Jiu.
It sounds bad to say that one should just eat and wait for death. But how many people in this world can live a life of just eating and waiting for death?
Anyone who can live a life of idleness and wait for death without worrying about anything is a blessed person.
Even if they are not extremely wealthy, they are still a wealthy family.
He asked, "Are you really happy?"
Gu Jiu nodded.
"If that's the case, why bother dealing with Mother? She has a rather short temper, and when she gets angry, her words are extremely harsh. You must have been quite upset."
Gu Jiu laughed, "Because I was born to work hard. Resting for a few days is fine, but I can't live my whole life just eating and waiting to die. Anyway, I'm idle anyway, and Fu Liyou is making a big fuss, so I stepped forward to solve the problem. It can also reduce your burden."
Liu Zhao said solemnly: "It's not just lightening my burden, it's lightening a huge burden for me."
Gu Jiu laughed, "I'm very capable."
"I know."
My Xiaojiu is the most capable woman.
He hugged her tightly.
"How do you convince Mother to stand up for you?"
"I told her that if she wanted to be the emperor, she had to be courageous and not let the rumors continue to spread."
Liu Zhao was surprised. It turned out that his mother had also thought about that position?
He thought his mother had no interest in that position in the palace.
Gu Jiu bit her lip. "It has come to this. Who wouldn't have some ulterior motives in this situation? Are you men allowed to have great ambitions, but women are not allowed to have some ambitions as well?"
"Of course not. I just never considered my mother and the position in Weiyang Palace together."
"You can start thinking about it now."
"Father's chances of winning are not great."
"It doesn't matter. Father being able to obtain that position is one way of living. Not being able to obtain that position is another way of living. Regardless of which way of living, my goal will not change. I will continue to work on the South City Gate Project."
Liu Zhao nodded.
He thought that Xiaojiu was not only ambitious, but also free and easy, and more open-minded than him.
Sometimes he just can't see things clearly.
…
Xingqing Palace.
Chen Dachang dragged his injuries and came to the bedroom to serve.
He bowed and stood at the head of the bed. "Your Majesty, Concubine Xue wishes to see Your Majesty. She said that she will only tell the truth once she sees Your Majesty. Then, she will tell you everything she knows."
The emperor raised his hand, and several eunuchs came forward, helped him up, and sat him against the head of the bed.
The emperor coughed lightly, "She wants to see me, what does she want to say?"
"She didn't say anything, she just asked to see His Majesty."
The emperor frowned, "What's the situation with King Zhao now?"
"Prince Zhao had his right hand cut off by Prince Zhao, and his life was saved by the imperial eunuch, but he was depressed and wanted to die."
The emperor sneered, "You forced the emperor to abdicate and rebelled, and even dared to kill the king. It won't be easy to die. Order the King of Zhao to be hanged and not allowed to die. He cannot die until I tell him to. You may as well tell him what I'm saying."
"As you command. Where is Concubine Xue?"
"Bring her to see me. I also want to know what she wants to say."
Chen Dachang accepted the order and sent people to arrange each matter.
Late at night, everything is quiet.
The world was shrouded in darkness, and most people had fallen into a deep sleep.
In the palace, the eunuch was running forward with a man.
Looking closely, the man's limbs were tied up and he couldn't move.
The person in front of them, holding a lantern, led the way to Xingqing Palace. After exchanging commands, they were allowed into the palace.
The lights in the bedroom were bright.
The emperor has not fallen asleep yet. He is waiting for someone, a woman.
The man was brought in and thrown on the carpet.
It was Concubine Xue.
Concubine Xue is no longer as arrogant as she was when she rebelled. After several days of torture, she is now just an old woman with gray hair.
The emperor looked at her, seemingly not daring to recognize her.
Only after a closer look did I see a familiar side to his old features.
The emperor hesitated for a moment and said, "Untie her."
Two eunuchs came forward and untied Concubine Xue.
The emperor did not deprive her of her title. Now she is still Concubine Xue, but she is a concubine who is worse than a prisoner.
The word "Imperial Concubine" was a great mockery to her.
Once freed, Concubine Xue rubbed her aching arms. After being bound for so long, her limbs had become stiff.
She sat on the ground, head bowed, her body no longer healthy and upright. At this moment, she was just a pitiful old woman, but with a vicious heart.
"You wanted to see me, and now that you have seen me, why don't you speak?" the emperor asked, with unusual calmness.
No hatred, no anger, no killing.
Just peace.
Concubine Xue was obviously surprised by the emperor's reaction and couldn't help but look up at him.
“Hehe…hehe…”
Concubine Xue let out an incoherent laugh.
"What are you laughing at?" asked the emperor.
Concubine Xue rubbed her red and swollen wrist and said, "I laugh at the fact that we are both old."
Tianzi frowned, "If that's all you want to say, you can leave."
"You killed him, didn't you?"
Concubine Xue's cloudy gaze instantly became incredibly sharp, just like the rebellion she'd seen that day. Even with its blade severed, a drawn sword still possesses terrifying lethality.
Inside the palace, everyone from Chen Dachang down felt like they were facing a formidable enemy.
Tianzi played dumb, "Who are you talking about?"
Concubine Xue sneered repeatedly, "I'm asking you, did you kill our eldest son? Was it because he was intelligent since childhood and was highly regarded by civil and military officials that you became jealous? You actually took advantage of the child's cold and murdered him."
The emperor narrowed his eyes, "You believe in Queen Cui, but you refuse to believe me?"
Concubine Xue smiled coldly, "Because she is dead, the dead can't hurt me."
Tianzi sighed, "That was an accident."
Concubine Xue angrily scolded, "What accident? It was clearly you who killed my son, my eldest son, the smartest prince. You have such a cruel heart. Even now, you still refuse to admit it?"
The emperor narrowed his eyes slightly, "What do you want? His life was given by me. If I want his life, who dares to say no?"
Concubine Xue laughed heartily, "Then it is only natural for me to take your life."
"How dare you!" the emperor shouted angrily.
Concubine Xue smiled contemptuously, "I have nothing to say about your failure. I can only blame God for being blind and allowing you to live until now."
The emperor's anger rose. "I have allowed you to live to this day out of consideration for our old friendship. Don't be ungrateful."
Concubine Xue had a cold expression, pursed her lips, and looked serious.
"Your Majesty, let's make a deal."
"You are not qualified to negotiate a deal with me. Don't forget your status. You are just a prisoner now."
Concubine Xue smiled, her eyes moving, and her former charm could still be vaguely seen.
"Your Majesty, don't you want to know who is behind the kidnapping? Don't you want to know how many people Queen Ruizhen Cui has left behind to hide in the dark? Don't you want to know how the crown prince died?"
The emperor's expression changed drastically, and the atmosphere in the bedroom suddenly became suffocating.
The air seemed to freeze.
"You know?"
"Although I don't know everything, I can show your majesty the right way."
"What do you want?"
"Let King Zhao go, let the Xue family go. The Xue family did not participate in the palace coup. I was the only one who innocently implicated them."
The emperor sneered, "Without the Xue family's secret help, the King of Zhao wouldn't be able to take even a single soldier from the Jingxi Camp."
"So what do you want to do?"
"Tell me everything you know, and I will handle it appropriately."
Concubine Xue slowly shook her head. "Unless Your Majesty issues an order to exonerate the Xue family and Prince Zhao's family, I will not say a word. I might as well tell Your Majesty that in this world, the only person who knows these secrets is me. If I die, these secrets will be taken to the underworld, becoming a secret that cannot be solved."
"Are you threatening me?"
"I am only negotiating terms with Your Majesty. Sparing the Xue family and the Zhao family is a trivial matter for Your Majesty. As for me, after I reveal all the secrets, I will cut myself off from your kingdom."
The emperor gave her a deep look and said, "You should know that I have countless ways to force you to speak."
Concubine Xue's eyebrows moved slightly. "Your Majesty, you can try to see if you can get a single word of truth out of me. You can use the Jinwu Guards, the Shenxingsi, etc."
"you……"
Concubine Xue held her head high, and at this moment she was very imposing.
Even if you are a prisoner, you must be a prisoner who controls the overall situation.
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