Chapter 380 It’s time to clean up this turbid court.
Deep in the imperial city, the atmosphere in the Golden Throne Hall was solemn.
The new emperor, Zhao Yunci, sat upright on the dragon throne, his brows cold and his bright yellow dragon robe could not hide the sense of alienation that had accompanied him for many years with the green lamps and ancient Buddhas.
The ministers below lowered their heads and dared not breathe.
Who could have thought that the late emperor only had three sons, one was a fake and one died tragically.
The person who finally sat on this position was the third prince who had been raised in a temple since childhood and was supposed to become a monk.
It has been some time since she ascended the throne, but Zhao Yunci has yet to mention the matter of filling her harem.
The queen's position is vacant and the six palaces are without a master.
Finally, an old minister who could no longer contain himself stepped forward tremblingly, citing scriptures and imploring His Majesty to select a concubine for the sake of the royal heir.
"Selection?" Zhao Yunci's voice was not loud, but it carried an unquestionable coldness that spread throughout the hall.
His cold gaze swept over the trembling ministers below.
"You are all worried about my family affairs."
There was a sudden silence from the audience.
The young emperor on the throne seems calm, but his thoughts are actually unpredictable.
He had been away from the center of power since he was young, and was accustomed to the dirty calculations and schemes, so he could see through the minds of these court officials.
Zhao Yunci's slender fingers tapped lightly on the armrests of the dragon throne, making a regular sound, as if tapping on everyone's heart.
"Since you, my dear ministers, are so enthusiastic," he paused, "then issue an order."
"Every official of the fifth rank and above in the capital must recommend one woman of appropriate age to enter the palace."
As soon as the decree was issued, the whole hall was in an uproar.
Isn't this just nonsense? How can a talent show be held like this?
Wasn't this an obvious attempt to get families to send their daughters to the palace as hostages? Or was it a test?
The officials looked at each other, each with different thoughts.
Some were terrified, some were secretly happy, and more were trying to guess the emperor's intentions.
Zhao Yunci looked at the changing expressions of the officials below and a sneer appeared on the corner of his mouth.
He just wanted to take a look.
Who are truly loyal?
Who are those people who want to take advantage of the opportunity to put obstacles in his way?
It's time to clean up this turbid court.
His gaze fell outside the palace, penetrating layers of palaces and looking at the distant horizon, his eyes were deep and difficult to discern.
He didn't want the throne.
But now that I'm sitting here, I can't let others tell me what to do.
A few days later, Du Ruoling made an excuse that she was not feeling well and needed to buy some calming herbs.
She avoided the eyes and ears of the people in the mansion and took an inconspicuous blue cloth sedan chair to a remote medicine shop in the south of the city.
The pharmacy is not big, the light inside is dim, and it is filled with the smell of stale herbs.
An old man with gray hair and a goatee was napping on the counter.
Du Ruoling knocked lightly on the counter.
The old man was awakened and raised his head sleepily. When he saw Du Ruoling's clothes, a shrewd look flashed in his eyes.
"Miss, do you want to get some medicine?"
Du Ruoling did not answer directly, but pushed a small bag of heavy silver over.
The old man weighed it, his eyes immediately lit up, and the wrinkles on his face opened up into a smile.
"Miss, if you have any instructions, just tell me!"
Du Ruoling lowered her voice and told him all her "difficulties", saying that she was forced by her family and needed a "happy pulse" to consolidate her position.
The old man nodded repeatedly after hearing this. He had seen many such dirty things.
After receiving the money, he naturally agreed and promised that it would be perfect.
"Don't worry, young lady. This is a simple matter." He stroked his beard, looking confident. "I'll prescribe some warming and nourishing prescriptions. I'll just tell everyone it's for pregnancy support. As for the pulse..."
He chuckled and said, "I have my own way."
Du Ruoling looked at his greedy and obscene smile, feeling a chill in her heart, but also relieved.
For this kind of person, as long as you pay him enough, you don't have to worry about him being disobedient.
"Women in the early stages of pregnancy always have a poor appetite, prefer sour foods, and are prone to nausea." Mother Gu held a bowl of bird's nest, her tone gentle, but her eyes sharp as a knife, "You'd better be careful, don't let anything slip."
Du Ruoling rolled her eyes, "This princess knows."
So, she began to frown frequently, cover her chest, and look like she was about to vomit.
At the dinner table, facing a table full of delicious dishes, she only picked up a few chopsticks of light food and said she had no appetite.
Privately, she asked her personal maid to buy a lot of sour plums and candied fruits.
She also went to the military camp twice. Gu Cheng'an has moved out now, and Du Ruoling can only find him in the military camp.
At the same time, the atmosphere in Gu Junze's study was cold.
Yingyi knelt on one knee and reported the latest progress of the investigation.
"Master, I have searched all the files and books in the capital for the pattern on the scroll in the Anyang Marquis's mansion, but I haven't found an exact match."
Ying Yi's voice was low, "However, the people sent to investigate Qingmo Valley recognized this pattern."
Qingmo Valley?
Gu Junze frowned slightly.
This place is really mysterious. He sent out several groups of people but they couldn't find the entrance. They only found some edges.
The clues pointing there undoubtedly increased the difficulty of the investigation.
"Keep investigating." Gu Junze said coldly, "Don't let go of any clues."
"Since those bandits came prepared, they won't just sit there and wait for death. They will definitely take action."
He paused, then added, "Also, keep a close eye on those officials who may be connected to the county magistrate to see if they have any recent unusual movements."
"Yes!" Ying Yi accepted the order and disappeared into the shadows like a ghost.
It was late at night, and Gu Junze was still sitting behind his desk with a frown on his face. In front of him were spread out the painting of "Tiger Descending the Mountain" that he had brought back from the study in Anyang Marquis' Mansion, as well as several rubbings of the patterns he had traced.
The candlelight flickered, casting a faint shadow on his chiseled profile.
The door was gently pushed open a crack, making a slight creaking sound.
Gu Junze looked up and saw Chu Ruohan quietly walking in with a bowl of steaming lotus seed soup.
She was wearing a simple nightgown, her long black hair was loosely tied up and fixed with only a jade hairpin. Under the soft candlelight, there was a hint of worry between her eyebrows.
"It's so late, are you still busy?" Chu Ruohan walked to the desk, gently put down the sweet soup, and said softly, "Even a body made of iron can't stand this."
Gu Junze smiled, "Han'er, why haven't you slept yet?"
"I saw that the light in your study was still on, so I came over to take a look."
Chu Ruohan walked over to him and gently pressed his solar plexus with her hand. "Don't overwork yourself. Things have to be dealt with one by one."
Gu Junze held her hand, pulled her in front of him, put his arm around her waist, and let her sit on his lap.
He rested his chin on her shoulder and inhaled the light fragrance of her hair, and his tense nerves relaxed a little.
He tilted his head slightly, and his warm lips brushed against her earlobe, causing her to shudder slightly.
"It's good to have you here." He murmured softly, with dependence in his tone.
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