Chapter 758: Gu Qingchen saluted her? This was truly the first time.
When Lin Jiayou came out of the East Palace, it was already dark. The lanterns on the street lit up one after another, illuminating his pale face with a twisted and complacent look.
He sold himself for a good price.
Three days later, a loud thunder exploded in the capital.
At the morning court session, the emperor abolished the princely titles of the fifth prince Zhao Zhang and the seventh prince Zhao Rui, demoted them to the rank of county prince, and ordered a thorough investigation of the Qi family. All those involved in the case, no matter how noble they were, would be severely punished.
Overnight, the Qi family went from being a prominent royal family to a plague that everyone in the capital avoided.
Zhao Zhang and Zhao Rui were ordered to move out of the Prince's Palace and confined in their respective Prince's Palaces, and were not allowed to leave without an imperial decree.
This decree is more lethal than any rumors.
It showed that these two once glorious princes had completely withdrawn from the stage of competing for the throne and became two insignificant stains in the royal bloodline.
In the flower hall of the Duke Zhenguo's Mansion.
Qian Zhenyun brushed aside the last piece of tea leaves, looked at the calm Gu Qingchen across from him, and said slowly, "The imperial decree has been issued, and the dust has settled."
The book in Gu Qingchen's hand was still on the page of yesterday.
She didn't look at him, her eyes fixed on a bare plum branch outside the window. Her voice was cold and clear: "It's not that the dust has settled, but that a storm is about to rise."
Qian Zhenyun put down his teacup, a glint of understanding flashing in his eyes: "You mean, the prince?"
"He accepted Lin Jiayou's surrender and also took the knife I handed over."
Gu Qingchen finally closed the book and turned around. There was no joy of victory in his bright eyes, only a cold clarity.
"He used this knife to chop off his two most threatening brothers. The next person he's going to deal with is me, the one who handed him the knife."
Qian Zhenyun frowned slightly: "He wants to cross the river and destroy the bridge?"
"No." Gu Qingchen shook his head, a mocking arc appeared on the corner of his lips, "He won't tear down the bridge, he will move this bridge into his own East Palace."
Qian Zhenyun's heart sank.
He knew what Gu Qingchen was talking about. The combination of the Zhenguogong Mansion's military achievements, Gu Qingchen's wisdom, and the current public opinion that had completely shifted to the Eastern Palace made her, in the Emperor's eyes, the perfect candidate for the Crown Princess.
Once the imperial edict comes down, it is destiny and there is no room for maneuver.
"My father once said," Gu Qingchen said softly, "If the emperor insists on letting me enter the palace, he will resign from his title of Duke of Zhenguo, take mother with him and travel, never to return to the capital again in this life."
These words, like a huge rock, weighed heavily on Qian Zhenyun's heart.
"I won't let my father go that far." Gu Qingchen stood up and walked slowly in the hall. "The prince wants to marry me because he is attracted by the power of the Zhenguo Mansion and my value as a person."
"In that case, I will let him see for himself that marrying me will not only be of no benefit, but will become his biggest trouble."
Qian Zhenyun raised his eyes: "What do you want to do?"
"I want him to cancel the engagement." Gu Qingchen didn't believe the prince really loved her. In her opinion, if you truly love someone, you should be like your father and mother. One person is enough for your whole life, and everyone else is just a grain of sand in your eyes...
A sly glint flashed in Gu Qingchen's eyes. "However, this matter cannot be handled by me alone. I need a helper."
"who?"
"Princess Jiahe."
The next day, a simple and elegant carriage stopped in front of Prince Yong's Mansion.
Prince Yong's palace was far more exquisite and ostentatious than other princely palaces. The two stone lions in front of the gate were hung with glittering glass beads.
Inside the house, the stove was burning brightly.
Princess Jiahe was leaning on the couch, letting her maid paint exquisite gold wire patterns on her newly painted nails.
"Princess, there's a carriage outside the mansion..." A personal maid walked in quickly with a strange look on her face. "They say it's from the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, and Miss Gu wants to see you."
“Pah.”
The heater in Princess Jiahe's hand fell straight onto the thick carpet with a dull sound.
She sat up suddenly, and her half-painted nails were scratched.
"Who? Say it again?"
"It's Gu Qingchen from the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion." The maid lowered her head and repeated it again.
Princess Jiahe was stunned at first, then she sneered, her laughter full of undisguised contempt and disdain.
"Gu Qingchen? What is she doing here? Is she here to laugh at me or to show off?"
She waved her hand and said to the maid painting the flowers, "Alright, go down."
The maids filed out, and Princess Jiahe stood up and paced twice in the hall, with suspicion flashing in her eyes.
"Let her in." She finally decided to meet him.
She wanted to see what Gu Qingchen, who had just overthrown two princes and was currently in the limelight, was up to.
When Gu Qingchen was led into the flower hall, Princess Jiahe had already sat back in the main seat, holding a cup of tea, with a dignified posture and a distant look, as if she was waiting for an insignificant subordinate to come and pay her respects.
"Greetings to the princess." Gu Qingchen bowed slightly and performed a greeting as an equal, with an attitude neither humble nor arrogant.
Gu Qingchen saluted her? This was truly the first time.
Princess Jiahe didn't let her get up. She simply skimmed the foam off the cup with the lid and spoke slowly, "Miss Gu, how come you're free today and condescended to visit our Prince Yong's Mansion? I thought you were busy preparing to take over the Eastern Palace."
The thorns in these words are dense and long.
Gu Qingchen straightened up, his face showing no sign of being offended or angry.
She looked around the magnificent room, and her gaze finally fell back on Princess Jiahe.
"Of course not everyone can come to the palace, but as for what I want to discuss today, after much thought, I realized that in the entire capital, only the princess is qualified to listen, and only the princess can discuss it with me."
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