After court, Minister Zhou returned to his study, his face gloomy and his whole being exuding a chilling aura.
Inside the Minister's residence, everyone remained silent. The once light clouds in the sky had now turned gloomy. Everyone kept their heads bowed, fearing that a single misstep would cost them their lives.
The steward knocked on the door, and after receiving Zhou Shangshu's instruction, respectfully stepped forward and bowed.
"Qixiang Palace sent word that this matter must be thoroughly investigated; it is better to kill the innocent than to let the guilty go free."
Minister Zhou remained silent for a moment, a glint of ruthlessness flashing in his eyes: "Inform Her Majesty, and I will certainly not disappoint you."
After the steward left, Minister Zhou stood by the window, his thoughts drifting away.
Seventeen years ago, the Zhou family was in decline and had no choice but to send their eldest daughter to the palace. For three consecutive years, they had no offspring.
The newly appointed Minister Zhou proposed that a concubine's daughter be selected from his family to assist him in the palace.
Zhou Qiyue, who had just been promoted to the rank of concubine, readily agreed. She proposed that her half-sister should go to Qingyun Peak to pray for blessings and fast for half a month before entering the palace.
She asked the emperor if she could go home to visit her family. Afterwards, she and her half-sister went to Qingyun Peak to pray for blessings. She said she was praying that her half-sister would be favored by the emperor soon after entering the palace and give birth to a dragon child, and that the Zhou family would rise to prominence.
Minister Zhou knew his eldest daughter was unwilling, but for the sake of the family's honor, he had no choice but to compromise.
His trip to Qingyun Peak was undoubtedly intended to give his half-sister some pointers and, incidentally, vent his anger. In order to ensure that his half-sister could smoothly enter the palace, he allowed Zhou Qiyue to do so.
Half a month later, Zhou Qi hurriedly returned to the palace, but the concubine's daughter was nowhere to be found. It was said that she refused to enter the palace and eloped with a poor scholar surnamed Gu.
Minister Zhou was furious and vowed to capture the two adulterers and tear them to pieces.
Zhou Qi pleaded for them, saying that the two were truly in love and why his father had to break them up.
A month later, good news came from Qixiang Palace: Zhou Qiyue was pregnant.
At this moment, the entire Minister's mansion was filled with joy, and no one cared whether a concubine's daughter had eloped or died.
When Zhou Qiyue was eight months pregnant, she asked a nanny to find Minister Zhou and ask him to find a pregnant woman of similar pregnancy to secretly raise. If Zhou Qiyue gave birth to a girl, they could switch the baby with a girl.
Unfortunately, the pregnant woman went into premature labor, gave birth to a stillborn baby, and then passed away.
Zhou Qi was getting increasingly anxious. She was about to give birth, and what if she had a daughter?
Just then, a third-class palace maid in her palace gave birth in the Cold Palace and gave birth to a royal heir.
This third-class palace maid had once seduced the emperor, and after being beaten by Zhou Qiyue, she was punished by being sent to serve a deposed concubine in the Cold Palace. Unexpectedly, she became pregnant with the emperor's child.
Zhou Qi decided to go all out and took labor-inducing drugs. To her disappointment, she did give birth to a daughter.
She colluded with Minister Zhou to kill a third-class palace maid and pull off a scheme to replace the crown prince with a cat.
Subsequently, a letter arrived from the palace maid, ordering Minister Zhou to execute the baby girl.
Minister Zhou was shocked. His own daughter was so cruel, not even sparing her own daughter. Would she be able to bring herself to kill him, her father, in the future?
Seeing that Minister Zhou hesitated, the nanny said, "This baby girl is illegitimate, not of the emperor's blood. If she is not killed, it may bring disaster."
Minister Zhou hardened his heart and ordered his men to strangle the baby girl. However, they discovered that the baby had been stolen by the illegitimate daughter's mother and her whereabouts were unknown.
Minister Zhou searched the entire capital but couldn't find the person. In recent years, he had also secretly sent people to search, but hadn't found a single clue.
Rumors are flying everywhere, and undercurrents are surging in the capital, as if a secret hidden for many years has been torn open.
For the sake of the Zhou family's honor, some things had to be nipped in the bud. Minister Zhou wearily rubbed his temples and summoned his guards to secretly investigate the source of the rumors. Once they were discovered, they were to be killed without exception.
...
Today wasn't too busy, so Lü Siniang and Gu Nanjiao went home early, leaving Huang Qingqing and a group of female shop assistants to look after the shop.
Seeing that it was still early, the two wandered around and went to the vegetable market.
I bought some tofu, eggs, and a chicken. While paying, I overheard the shop owner and the vegetable vendor next to her whispering.
"I heard that His Highness the Crown Prince has returned and even wiped out the mountain bandits!"
"Yes, although the Empress made a mistake, her son should not be implicated. Now that the Crown Prince has rendered meritorious service, the Empress should be released soon."
"Yes, I really hope that Her Majesty can come out soon. Now the Zhou family is taking advantage of Consort Yue's favor to burn, kill, loot, and commit all kinds of evil deeds. That young master of the Zhou family forcibly took a girl from the people. If she did not comply, he should be killed on the spot."
“We poor ordinary people have had our land and homes seized by them. My cousin’s second sister was targeted by the Zhou family steward who was seizing our land. When he tried to take it by force, he stabbed her, and she lost both her and her money. Alas, how pitiful! She lost her land and she died.”
"well……"
The mournful sighs around them grew fainter and fainter. Gu Nanjiao and Lü Siniang exchanged a glance, paid the money, and left.
Why are there so many rumors circulating lately about Consort Yue of the Minister's Mansion?
The rumors persist despite repeated attempts to stop them, growing ever more widespread, as if someone were deliberately spreading them.
Gu Nanjiao learned about Chu Luoxun's identity from Lu Yanzhao, and then thought about the bandit kidnapping incident. No matter how she thought about it, the whole thing seemed suspicious.
Could it be that Chu Luoxun has returned to the capital?
When the two returned home, they saw Lu Yanzhao and Gu Qingyan sitting side by side, especially Gu Qingyan, whose brows were tightly furrowed.
Gu Nanjiao smiled slightly at Gu Qingyan: "Father, why are you frowning?"
Father Gu snapped out of his reverie and chuckled, "I've been under a lot of pressure lately." He then pointed to the chicken, fish, meat, and eggs that Lü Siniang and Gu Nanjiao were carrying, "What delicious food are you two planning to make?"
Lu Siniang placed the ingredients on the table to the side and said calmly, "I'm just going to help out. Jiaojiao can handle the cooking. You and Yanzhao can focus on eating."
Gu Nanjiao turned around and carried the ingredients into the kitchen. She called out to Lü Siniang, "Siniang, my mother, come and help me. I'm going to cook."
Gu Qingyan stiffened when he heard the words "my mother," which was noticed by Lu Yanzhao.
Recently, rumors have been circulating in the capital that Consort Yue killed her half-sister at Qingyun Peak. The half-sister was a Noble Lady appointed by the Emperor, but before she entered the palace, Consort Yue tricked her into going to Qingyun Peak and killed her, then falsely accused her of eloping.
It was a trivial matter that had nothing to do with them, but when Lu Yanzhao brought it up, Gu Qingyan's expression was unusual.
Lu Yanzhao was puzzled. Other families treated this as a pastime after dinner, but why did Gu's father look so serious?
In the kitchen, wisps of smoke rose from the fire. Lü Siniang tended the fire, while Gu Nanjiao cooked the dishes.
She worked quickly, and in no time, four delicious home-style dishes were ready.
A plate of pan-fried crispy tofu, a plate of stir-fried eggs with chili peppers, salt and pepper chicken, and a plate of stir-fried seasonal vegetables.
The atmosphere at the dinner table was strangely awkward; no one spoke.
Gu Nanjiao broke the silence first: "The spring exams are coming soon, you two should eat more. You'll have the energy to compete if you're well-fed." As she spoke, she put some food into the bowls of Gu's father and Lu Yanzhao.
Father Gu was amused by her: "The spring examination is not a war, but you make it sound like a war."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com