Although Empress Gu held the title of Empress, she entered the palace only after Emperor Liang Cheng ascended the throne. Her influence within the palace was weaker than that of Consort Shu and Consort Wan, especially Consort Wan, whom even Empress Gu sometimes had to avoid. After Consort Liu's rise to power, Emperor Liang Cheng favored her greatly. Consort Shu and Consort Wan joined forces to bring down Empress Gu, and Consort Liu herself walked into their trap, taking the blame for Empress Gu and being banished to the Cold Palace.
Emperor Liang Cheng was very fond of Consort Liu. He naturally knew that Consort Liu had been wronged, but if he did not send her to the Cold Palace, her life might be threatened. Emperor Liang Cheng had no choice but to reluctantly send Consort Liu to the Cold Palace.
Not long after entering the Cold Palace, Consort Liu discovered that she was pregnant. When Empress Gu found out, she immediately discussed it with Emperor Liang Cheng and decided to let Consort Liu stay in the Cold Palace and raise the child there, since there was no safer place in the entire palace than the Cold Palace.
Consort Liu's child was the twelfth prince, named Xiao Yuan.
Emperor Xiao Yuan had not submitted the imperial edict to the emperor so that his child could grow up safely. In recent years, Consort Shu and Consort Wan, relying on the army guarding the southwest and the Minister of Personnel in the capital, not only undermined Empress Gu's power but also harmed many pregnant concubines of low rank. For the sake of the overall situation, Emperor Liang Cheng could only swallow his anger.
Xiao Yuan grew up in the Cold Palace with Consort Liu until he was six years old. After being discovered, Emperor Liang Cheng and Empress Gu wanted to send the child away. After considering the people they could trust, the two decided to send Xiao Yuan to the Xu family, under the guise of a member of the Zhang family, and have Xiao Yuan call Zhang Zhaoci "Auntie".
After Xu Di figured these things out, he said, "I originally thought that if we stayed far away from the capital, we could avoid these things, but we still couldn't avoid them."
Xu Rao said, "We are all involved in this, how can we avoid it? We still need to take the initiative. Only by taking the initiative can we make our own decisions when the time comes."
Xu Di said in a low voice, "This is the emperor who is coming to power. He just came and followed us like this. What will we do to compensate him if something unexpected happens to him in the future?"
Xu Rao said, "Didn't we say we'd be using the Zhang family's name?"
Xu Di said, "Didn't you see the injuries on those guards? They were chased all the way here. If people found out they were in our house, how could our family possibly be safe?"
Xu Rao said, "The head of the guards told me that they were being chased south the whole way. In order to escape successfully, they split into two groups for the last time. One group took the children and went north, while the other group continued south. I guess the pursuers followed them south."
Xu Di said, "What if they deliberately didn't take any action and followed along the way just to see where they were sending the child?"
Xu Rao said, "Then what do you suggest we do? They've already come all this way, we can't just send them away now, can we?"
Xu Di stroked his chin and said, "What do you think about us raising this child as a girl?"
Zhang Zhaoci said, "Don't come up with any bad ideas. Would you be willing to dress up as a girl? Quickly send a letter to your third uncle and ask him to bring some of his children over, especially your cousins. See if there are any who are around Xiao Yuan's age. It would be perfect if we mixed the children in. Who would be able to tell them apart?"
Xu Di said, "Are you going to let my uncles' children stay at our house for a few more days?"
Zhang Zhaoci said, "What, is that not allowed?"
Xu Di said, "Sure, why not? I'll send a message to my third uncle right away."
Xu Di had a special mail delivery channel with the Zhang family. He had put a lot of effort into this channel, hoping that the mail would be intercepted or the messenger would be arrested.
After Xu Di left, Zhang Zhaoci whispered to Xu Rao, "Old Xu, what do you think we should do about this?"
Xu Rao sighed and said, "What else can we do? The person has been sent here, so we should just take good care of him. Alas, this world seems peaceful on the surface, but there are turbulent undercurrents inside. If something were to happen to the Emperor now, the country would probably be in turmoil for a long time. When that happens, it will be the common people who suffer."
Zhang Zhaoci said, "When dynasties change, trouble is likely to break out. Women are only willing to be pampered and don't have any ulterior motives. But if they get ruthless and start plotting, they are not easy to deal with. Who would have thought that such things would happen in the harem, forcing the emperor to back down and make concessions?"
Xu Rao said, "This is all for the sake of the big picture. If we really want to figure it out, there are too many things that need to be changed. If the court is in turmoil, it is the common people who will suffer. There is no other way."
Zhang Zhaoci nodded and said, "I think our emperor is a man who cares about the world. For the sake of the people, he forced his beloved woman to enter the cold palace, and even his child had to grow up in the cold palace. I don't know what kind of suffering this child has endured. The cold palace is not a place that ordinary people can stay in."
Xu Rao said, "It's not a bad thing to suffer a little when you're young. Knowing how tough life is will make you cherish your good life. Let's not chat here anymore. You should rest. I'll go keep watch up ahead and come back to call you if anything happens."
Zhang Zhaoci was also exhausted. He yawned and fell asleep fully clothed, sleeping until lunchtime when Xu Di woke him up.
When Zhang Zhaoci woke up, she went to check on Xiao Yuan, who was still asleep. Xiao Yuan looked much better, and Eunuch Dou kept thanking Zhang Zhaoci.
Zhang Zhaoci looked at Eunuch Dou's face and said, "Eunuch Dou, you don't look well. Come and sit down, let me take a look at you."
Grandpa Dou said, "Madam, I'm fine, no need to trouble yourself."
Zhang Zhaoci shook his head and said, "No trouble at all, please sit down, Eunuch Dou."
Grandpa Dou could only sit down at the table, while Zhang Zhaoci sat opposite him. After taking his pulse, Zhang Zhaoci said, "Grandpa Dou, were you hit with a heavy object?"
Grandpa Dou thought for a moment and said, "Yes, but it's been quite a few days since then. Someone slapped me on the back."
Zhang Zhaoci said, "That's it. While you're still in Hexi these few days, I'll prescribe a medicine for you. Take a few doses of the medicine properly. You've damaged your internal organs. If you don't take good care of yourself, it may shorten your lifespan."
Eunuch Dou said nonchalantly, "Madam, I am just a servant, not someone to be treated so preciously."
Zhang Zhaoci said unhappily, "Eunuch Dou, even if you are a servant, you are a likable servant. If it's not for anything else, but for the sake of the Twelfth Prince, you have to live well. In the future, when the Twelfth Prince needs people, if you are not in good health and can't do anything, do you think you will regret it then?"
After listening, Eunuch Dou thought for a moment, bowed to Zhang Zhaoci, and said earnestly, "Then I'll have to trouble you, Madam."
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