Chapter 612 You have already brought the matter to the Emperor, can I still stop you?
"Mother! Mother!"
Chu Ruohan was holding a cup of tea, and was frightened by her loud noise. Her hand shook and the tea almost spilled out.
She put down the teacup and looked at her daughter who rushed in front of her with a bad look.
"Your Majesty has approved it! We can all go to the East Palace to attend the Crown Prince's birthday banquet!"
Gu Qingchen held Chu Ruohan's arm and shook it back and forth excitedly.
Chu Ruohan stretched out her finger and tapped her smooth forehead. "You caused a great disturbance in the city, and even your father was urgently summoned to the palace. How could I not know?"
Gu Qingchen chuckled and squatted beside his mother's legs, tilting his little face up with sparkling eyes.
"Well, mother, look... should I not pretend to be sick? It would be so embarrassing if everyone else went and I stayed away."
Chu Ruohan looked at her daughter's flattering and expectant look, and could only let out a helpless sigh.
"You've even brought the matter to the Emperor. Can I still stop you?"
"Yeah! Mom is the best!" Gu Qingchen jumped up happily.
But then, her face fell again, and she counted on her fingers: "But Daddy took all the money, and I have to return it to my classmates. I, I don't have the money to buy this gift."
Chu Ruohan looked at her sad face and finally softened her heart.
She took off a bunch of keys from her waist and threw them into her daughter's arms.
"Go to the warehouse and choose for yourself."
Gu Qingchen's eyes lit up, and he held the heavy bunch of keys as if he was holding the treasure of the whole world.
She pulled Qian Zhenyun, who had rushed over after hearing the news, and rushed to the private treasury in the mansion like a gust of wind.
As soon as the warehouse door opened, Qian Zhenyun was so dazzled by the dazzling array of treasures that he couldn't open his eyes.
Gu Qingchen was picking and choosing things left and right.
"This jade ruyi is too old-fashioned. The prince will definitely not like it."
"This night pearl is quite bright, but there must be a lot of them in the palace. Giving it as a gift won't show your thoughtfulness."
She walked between the rows of shelves, muttering to herself, "The prince has seen everything. Ordinary gold and jade items would certainly not catch his eye."
Suddenly, her eyes fixed on a long rosewood box in the corner. She recognized it as one of her father's most precious things, something he never showed to anyone.
Gu Qingchen stood on tiptoe and took the box down with great effort. When he opened it, he saw a longbow with an ancient shape and a faint glow lying quietly inside.
The bow arm is engraved with intricate cloud and thunder patterns, and it is obvious that it is not an ordinary item.
"That's it!" A sly look flashed across Gu Qingchen's face. "This is a treasure that Daddy has hidden away. The prince has definitely never seen it!"
Qian Zhenyun was so frightened that his face turned pale: "Qingchen, this, this is the Duke's stuff! If we take it, the Duke will beat us to death!"
"What are you afraid of?" Gu Qingchen held the long box in his arms proudly. "I'm just borrowing it! After the birthday party, I can secretly put it back, right?"
Gu Qingchen stuffed the box into Qian Zhenyun's arms without saying anything, "Take it! Let's go!"
After saying that, he grabbed Qian Zhenyun, who was in tears, and ran away like a thief.
borrow?
Isn't it a gift? Can it be returned?
Qian Zhenyun was helpless. She was just a liar and had no brains.
Qian Zhenyun touched the book on her chest, hoping that the Duke of Zhenguo would not beat her butt to pieces after finding out!
On the day of the prince's birthday, there was a lot of traffic outside the palace, and it was very lively.
All the students of Bailu Academy arrived, wearing brand new clothes, and got off the carriages after being instructed by their families.
"Once you enter the palace, be careful, don't make any mistakes, and pay attention to the rules!" The parents of officials all looked serious and kept reminding him.
"It's a great honor to be able to attend the prince's birthday banquet! Be smart when you go in, watch and learn more!" The parents of those merchant families were excited and expectant, and they wished they could go in for their children themselves.
Gu Qingchen jumped off the carriage, looked around, and felt something strange.
Other parents would like to carve their instructions on their children’s foreheads, so why doesn’t her mother worry about her at all?
She immediately realized that she had run too fast while holding the bow...
"Boss!"
"Boss Gu, you're finally here!"
As soon as Fat Tiger Zhou and Mr. Li Si saw Gu Qingchen, they immediately surrounded her, as if they had regarded her as their backbone.
Hearing his classmates calling him "Boss" one after another, Gu Qingchen felt so proud that his small chest was puffed up high.
Some ladies from less well-off families also came forward with their children and bowed respectfully to Gu Qingchen.
"Greetings, Miss Gu. My child is a naughty boy. I hope Miss Gu will take good care of him in the academy in the future."
Gu Qingchen quickly made way. She was young, and every time she went out with her mother, she had to greet the ladies of each family. How could anyone come to greet her?
Led by the eunuchs, a group of half-grown children swaggered into the palace gate.
Gu Qingchen was surrounded by the crowd and walked in the front, followed by Lin Jiayou and Qian Zhenyun, like a young general returning from victory.
Outside the palace gate, the ladies who stayed behind gathered in twos and threes, talking about the children as they watched them go away.
A lady in elegant attire looked at Gu Qingchen's back and said sourly to Madam Zhang beside her, "Madam Zhang, your son seems to be very close to Miss Gu. Are you attracted by the power of the Zhenguo Mansion?"
"But I heard that the Duke's wife said it herself that they only seek sons-in-law and do not marry outside the family."
When Mrs. Zhang heard this, she was not annoyed. Instead, she covered her mouth and laughed.
"Recruiting a son-in-law?" A gleam flashed in her eyes. "So what if it's a live-in son-in-law? If my son can marry into the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, he'll have a bright future, power, and wealth!"
As soon as these words were spoken, the ladies around showed contemptuous expressions.
Another official's wife snorted coldly, "He's truly blinded by greed. He doesn't even consider his own family background, yet he dares to covet the position of the Duke of Zhenguo's son-in-law."
"That's right, is it so easy to enter the threshold of the Zhenguo Duke's Mansion? Don't let it happen that you lose both the wife and the army, and become a laughing stock in the whole capital."
Mrs. Zhang listened to these words with a smile on her face, but she had already cursed these people in her heart.
She firmly believed that wealth and honor are achieved through risk. If she didn't fight for such a good opportunity, she would be a fool.
The prince's birthday banquet was held in Fangqing Pavilion. The little prince sat in the main seat with an unnatural look of restraint on his face.
He didn't know these people, and if it weren't for making Gu Qingchen happy, they wouldn't be qualified to enter the palace.
The students took turns to present gifts, most of which were study treasures and jade ornaments. Although they were valuable, they were not surprising.
Some even gave him silver notes directly. The little prince turned pale with fear. If he dared to accept it, the censor would impeach him in the court tomorrow...
Finally, it was Gu Qingchen's turn.
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