No wonder.
If they were secret guards, that would make sense.
No men, except for the imperial physicians, are allowed to enter the inner palace.
But the secret guards were the emperor's men and could freely enter and leave any place to gather information.
This Qi Jin was specifically assigned to protect the emperor's safety, which shows that the emperor trusted him exceptionally.
"His Majesty sent you to protect me. Is it just for this part of the journey today, or will you stay by my side from now on?"
"Your Majesty, from this day forward, Qi Jin is a member of Yongning Palace."
"Then what should His Majesty do?"
"Your Majesty has other people by your side, so Your Highness can rest assured about that."
Gu Jiangli walked around him with an air of seriousness, thoroughly examining him from head to toe. He noticed that the muscles in his calves and arms were very strong, suggesting that he was someone with outstanding speed and strength.
"You're a bodyguard, so your skills must be quite good?"
"Your Majesty, killing ten villains is no problem at all."
"So, you secret guards can leave the palace at will?"
Qi Jin was taken aback. "Yes, the secret guards don't need a palace pass. They can enter and leave any place at will, as long as His Majesty gives them a verbal command."
"With your skills, is it difficult to kill a defenseless twenty-year-old woman with a single pebble?"
Qi Jin's eyes finally showed a hint of panic. He blinked quickly and then replied, "Killing someone with a stone is not difficult."
"If a single blow hits between the eyebrows, that person will die quickly, right?"
"...Yes. Your Majesty, is there anyone I need to assist?"
"No, I was just asking. By the way, if you don't have His Majesty's authorization, you shouldn't be able to take lives at will, right?"
"That's right."
"Understood. Since His Majesty has assigned you to my service, you should follow His Majesty's orders. I've never had a secret guard before, so I don't know how to take care of you. Can you take care of yourself?"
Qi Jin paused for a moment, then continued, "Yes."
"That's good." Gu Jiangli smiled with relief. "This is Du Shuo, the chief eunuch of Yongning Palace. My personal maid is Hehua, whom I brought from Yunjiang. They are both trustworthy. If you have any questions, just ask them."
At this moment, Gu Jiangli acted like a steward guiding a new employee, introducing him to the situation of Yongning Palace.
Qi Jin scratched the back of his head, a strange expression appearing on his cold face.
"Your Majesty, I was aware of the situation at Yongning Palace before I came. Thank you for your concern."
Gu Jiangli walked into the house while smiling:
"Since that's the case, I won't say any more. But speaking of which, do I really need protection? As a mere concubine in the harem, would anyone really want to kill me?"
At this point, Qi Jin's expression became much more serious.
“Your Majesty once said that if you ask about His Majesty’s intentions, let me tell you that although you are a concubine in the harem, you are also a princess of the Yunjiang royal family. Your safety is not just a matter of your own life, so someone must be by your side to protect you.”
Having said that, Gu Jiangli understood somewhat.
The emperor's concern was not simply a matter of overthinking.
She herself had been betrayed and murdered, which shows that the person who wanted to harm her was hiding in the shadows.
The emperor noticed this, so it's understandable that he took precautions.
"Your Majesty has gone to great lengths."
Qi Jin cupped his hands in greeting, “Your Majesty is far-sighted, loves your country and your people, and is undoubtedly a good monarch.”
Gu Jiangli's originally heavy mood lightened considerably after hearing his words.
Nowadays, outsiders all say that the emperor is a tyrannical ruler who is incompetent, bloodthirsty, and cruel. Even the palace maids in the palace can't help but shudder when they mention the emperor, and are terrified.
She had been here for so many days and had never heard anyone say a good word about the emperor.
Qi Jin, on the other hand, looked very serious, as if every word he spoke came from the bottom of his heart.
He genuinely believed that the emperor was a good person.
Gu Jiangli's mind raced, and she came up with an idea.
As a secret guard, Qi Jin was once the person closest to the emperor. He might actually know the emperor better than anyone else what kind of person he was.
This was an important way for her to get to know the emperor.
Gu Jiangli smiled, her gaze towards Qi Jin now carrying a hint of calculation.
Qi Jin felt a chill run down his spine under that gaze. "Wh...what's wrong, Your Highness?"
"It's alright." Gu Jiangli's smile deepened, and he turned around and shouted loudly, "Lotus, let's have something good to eat tonight, and we'll properly entertain our new friends from Yongning Palace!"
————
Night falls.
Qi Jin looked at the large round table of food and felt somewhat apprehensive. "Your Majesty, I am but a humble subject and am not worthy of such dishes."
"Who said that!" Gu Jiangli frowned and forcefully pulled Qi Jin to sit down. "In Yongning Palace, I said you were worthy, so you are worthy. Eat!"
Gu Jiangli picked up a piece of food with her chopsticks and put it in his bowl, then stared at him.
In Qi Jin's view, that gaze was so malicious that it made it impossible for him to eat in peace.
He struggled to pick up the food from the bowl, and shakily brought it to his mouth, but after looking at Gu Jiangli's eyes, he finally gave up.
"Your Majesty, please speak plainly. With you staring at me like this, I really... can't eat."
"I can't eat. Are my eyes that scary?"
"It's not scary, it's just that I feel like after I eat it, you'll pry something out of my mouth. Just tell me, and I'll tell you everything I know."
"Are you truly willing to speak without reservation?"
"Please speak, Your Majesty."
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