The emperor stretched out his finger and gently scratched the parrot's chin twice, with a calm expression.
Chu You's body tensed up even more, with veins popping out on his neck.
Since the emperor ascended the throne at the beginning of the year, he has implemented a series of benevolent policies. To put it nicely, his attitude towards his subjects can be described as magnanimous and generous; to put it bluntly, he is indecisive and soft-hearted.
Who knew that this time it would not go as he expected! Chu You held his breath in his heart, anxious, worried, and uneasy emotions intertwined in his chest, like a huge spider web that trapped him.
He was not afraid of the emperor, nor was he afraid of the Duke of England's Mansion. He was just afraid that Gu Yunyan would feel that she had implicated him, and for his sake, she would accept this marriage without hesitation.
Chu Yi took a sip of hot tea slowly, and then said, "Seventh Imperial Uncle really cares about the Third Young Lady of Dingyuan Marquis's Mansion. However, there is gain only when there is sacrifice, what do you think, Imperial Uncle?"
There was a faint smile on Chu Yi's lips.
"..." Chu You's eyes became even colder, and shot towards Chu Yi as coldly as a knife.
Of course he understood what Chu Yi meant.
"Cough, cough..." Chu Yi turned his eyes away, lowered his eyes, covered the corner of his mouth with a white handkerchief and coughed lightly. His trembling shoulders could not hide his fatigue.
He coughed for a long time before he calmed down. He raised his head, picked up the teacup, took a few sips, and his cheeks flushed slightly.
Chu You narrowed his eyes and stared coldly at Chu Yi for a long time...
There was silence in the east warm room for a while, only the parrot occasionally flapped its wings on the bird stand, making a rustling sound.
After a long while, Chu You, who had been standing still for a long time, finally moved and saluted the emperor dryly: "Brother, I will take my leave first."
Without waiting for the emperor to respond, he flicked his sleeves and strode away, his back as straight as a pine tree.
Without waiting for the eunuch to open the curtain for him, Chu You opened it roughly himself.
He lifted the door curtain high up, then dropped it heavily, and it swayed violently in the air.
Along the way, several eunuchs and palace maids saluted him one after another, but Chu You completely ignored them and walked out of the East Warm Pavilion in two steps.
A familiar figure came into his sight.
He was a man of about 37 or 38 years old, wearing a Taishi dark blue robe, a rhinoceros horn belt around his waist, a small chicken blood stone seal and a sky blue purse, his hair was cut like a crop, and he looked dignified.
"Greetings to His Royal Highness Prince Kang."
The man stopped five steps away and bowed respectfully to Chu You.
There was nothing wrong with the other party's words and actions, but Chu You's face darkened visibly.
Of course he recognized this person. He was Fang Mingfeng's father, the current Duke of England.
It was obvious that the Duke of England came to the palace at this time to propose a marriage between Fang Mingfeng and the Emperor.
Chu You just glanced at the Duke of England, then turned away heavily without saying a word.
After passing through a courtyard, Chu You stopped and couldn't help but look back. He happened to see the Duke of England walking into the East Warm Pavilion greeted by the little eunuch.
There was nothing outside the door except for a broken leaf that was blown by the wind and then fell down.
Chu You's heart sank little by little along with this lonely leaf.
Judging from the emperor's attitude just now, with the empress dowager's words in advance, the emperor might really agree with the Duke of Yingguo's wishful thinking.
Chu You gritted his teeth so hard that they almost broke. Chu Yi's words just now came to his mind again: "...You have to sacrifice to gain. What do you think, uncle?"
Even though Chu Yi didn't explain it just now, the implication was very clear: he could get what he wanted today, but if he wanted the emperor to come forward for him, what could he give in return? If he wanted to marry his daughter, he had to have something to give in exchange.
So, what can he come up with?! Thinking of this, Chu You's eyes became more and more gloomy, and there seemed to be a raging beast in his heart, roaring and going crazy.
The cold wind was howling and the weather was gloomy. Chu You was worried and walked faster and faster.
When he arrived outside the palace gate, he saw from afar his attendant leading a horse and craning his neck to look around.
"Your Highness," the attendant hurried forward to greet him and said hastily, "I just heard that the wife of the Duke of Yingguo went to the Dingyuan Marquis's Mansion."
Chu You's eyes suddenly widened, two flames ignited in his pupils, his heart was burning, and there was only one thought left in his mind: the Duke of England came to see his brother, and the Duke of England's wife went to the Gu family at this time...
Could it be to force Meng'er to commit the crime? ! Lady Yingguo had indeed gone to Dingyuan Marquis's Mansion at this moment.
In the past few days, Gu Jian and his wife sent a letter to the Duke of England's Mansion, but to no avail, there has been no response from the Fang family.
Madam Gu became more and more anxious as she waited, so she ordered her confidant to go to the Duke of England's mansion in person and only then did she invite the Duke of England's wife over.
Naturally, this matter could not be hidden from Gu Yanfei's ears. The fact that the Lady of the Duke of England would come at this time must be because the Lady Dowager had made some kind of promise.
The Madam would not give up the "grandson-in-law" of Prince Kang easily. In order to make the Duke of Ying stop his actions, she would most likely put forward some other conditions...
So she asked Qingguang to go to Cihetang again.
It was not the first time that Qingguang sneaked into Cihetang. He was familiar with the route and walked back and forth without disturbing anyone.
After only a stick of incense, the cat came back with a pair of sparkling cat eyes and a lot of words to say.
The kitten jumped from the window to the desk and meowed incessantly at Gu Yanfei, with an expression that showed off and sought credit. Its proud look clearly said, "What would you do without me?"
“Meow…”
“Meow meow meow…”
It kept talking until its mouth was dry, but when it saw that Gu Yanfei did not feel grateful to it, it slowly realized that Gu Yanfei did not understand.
The cat froze for a moment, and the fur on its body visibly wilted.
Gu Yanfei opened a box next to him, and the aroma of delicious and crispy dried fish immediately wafted out.
The listless cat suddenly widened its green eyes, its eyeballs sparkling and filled with desire for the dried fish.
It regained its spirit, bit Gu Yanfei's sleeve, and tried to pull her towards the dressing table.
The cat quickly jumped onto the dressing table, rummaged around in the jewelry box with its claws, and finally hooked out a jade pendant with its curved claws, and gestured with excitement.
Qingguang: “Meow meow meow…”
Gu Yanfei took the jade pendant from the cat's paw in confusion.
This is an ordinary round jade pendant with a circle of cloud patterns carved on the edge and a butterfly pattern in the center.
Gu Yanfei was not the only one who had this jade pendant. All the girls in the Gu family had one, but the patterns were slightly different. Some had dragonflies, some had swallows, and some had skylarks...
Gu Yanfei gently shook his index finger, and the jade pendant hanging on his index finger also swayed back and forth.
Qingguang's attention was immediately attracted. The pair of green cat's eyes moved back and forth with the jade pendant, and a "meow, meow" sound came out of the mouth.
Of course, Gu Yanfei would not think that the Duchess of England wanted this jade pendant.
That should be a jade pendant so "precious" that the Duchess of England would do anything to get it.
Thinking back to her past life, the Duke of Yingguo’s Mansion clearly looked down upon her, but they still gritted their teeth and accepted the marriage; thinking back to a few days ago, the Duke of Yingguo’s wife came with her son for this marriage… Gu Yanfei instantly understood something. Could it be that the Duke of Yingguo’s Mansion let their son condescend to marry her as a substitute just for the sake of the jade pendant? !
Or, for the Fang family, it doesn’t matter whether the one who is engaged to Fang Mingfeng is Gu Yunyan or Gu Yanfei. What matters is the jade pendant.
(End of this chapter)
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