Chapter 288 The Empress Dowager Takes Action (Two Updates)
The Tang family left, and Gu Chengfeng also departed under the escort of Eunuch Qin.
Empress Dowager Zhuang took Gu Jiao back to Renshou Palace.
Gu Jiao, dressed in a little black outfit, crawled through closets and ran away, getting herself all dirty.
Empress Dowager Zhuang took Gu Jiao to the bathhouse in Renshou Palace to wash and groom herself. Although she knew that Gu Jiao did not like strangers serving her, the bathhouse was too big and there were some things she had never used before. So Empress Dowager Zhuang arranged for two clever little palace maids to serve her personally.
It was Gu Jiao's first time soaking in the palace's pool, and she found it quite novel.
Shuming's spacious hall was surrounded by golden pillars with coiled dragons that soared into the roof beams. The bath was located in the very center, and the four sides were covered by gauze curtains, making the scene inside appear and disappear.
Four candlesticks with branching branches were lit in each of the four corners outside the gauze curtain, with the number of candlesticks increasing from top to bottom in each tier.
There was no open flame inside the gauze curtains, but rather enormous luminous pearls were embedded in the floor and the walls of the bathtub.
The pool was filled with freshly picked flower petals, each one exuding a rich and delicate fragrance.
Gu Jiao submerged her entire small body under the petals, with only her round little head showing.
A palace maid knelt by the pool and said to her, "Miss, let me comb your hair."
"Hmm." Gu Jiao nodded, unusually not rejecting the approach of a stranger.
The palace maid took a wooden comb, dipped it in fragrant essential oil, and let down Gu Jiao's long hair that was coiled on top of her head.
Her movements were very gentle, as if she dared not break a single hair of Gu Jiao's.
Gu Jiao closed her eyes in enjoyment; she had never felt this gentle when combing her own hair.
Her hair was combed smooth and shiny. Then, the palace maid brought soap to wash Gu Jiao. This soap was not the ordinary soap used on the market. It contained a lot of fragrance and was made to smell like something that ordinary people could not afford.
It felt so good that Gu Jiao almost fell asleep.
It was more than half an hour after Gu Jiao finished washing up. She was busy catching the murderer, and the little food she had eaten that night had long been digested. Her stomach was growling with hunger.
She came out wearing a light purple silk nightgown, which was clearly not Empress Dowager Zhuang's nightgown, but rather clothing suitable for her age.
Empress Dowager Zhuang watched as she walked out in the candlelight, surrounded by palace maids, and her expression became somewhat dazed.
“Auntie.” Gu Jiao stepped forward.
Empress Dowager Zhuang snapped out of her reverie and pointed to the stool beside her: "Sit down and have something to eat."
Gu Jiao was hungry.
Seeing the table full of delicious food, I almost couldn't help but drool.
She blinked and sat down: "Auntie, how did you know I was hungry?"
Empress Dowager Zhuang snorted: "Hmph, is it that hard to guess with your little belly?"
Gu Jiao smiled happily, picked up her chopsticks, and enjoyed a delicious meal.
Dining in the palace is very disciplined. On ordinary days, there are special people to serve the dishes, and you can only eat what you pick up. You can only eat a few bites of each dish. Empress Dowager Zhuang has strictly followed the rules for many years.
However, since Gu Jiao was there, she still dismissed the palace servants who were supposed to be serving her meals.
These were all things that Gu Jiao was unaware of.
"Are you full?" Empress Dowager Zhuang asked Gu Jiao.
Gu Jiao put down her chopsticks and let out a small burp: "I'm full."
Empress Dowager Zhuang then had a cup of hawthorn flower tea served to aid digestion and calm the nerves.
Gu Jiao, holding the flower tea, asked, "By the way, Aunt, why did you suddenly leave the palace?"
Empress Dowager Zhuang snorted, "Can't I just take a stroll around?"
Gu Jiao hummed in response: "Does Auntie want to go play cards?"
Empress Dowager Zhuang's brow twitched: "Nonsense! How could I possibly be... I went to play cards?"
I just got back from playing cards!
Empress Dowager Zhuang quickly shifted the focus away from herself: "You have the nerve to ask me why I left the palace? I should be asking you! What happened? What were you doing at the Tang residence in the middle of the night?"
Gu Jiao glanced at her aunt, then looked down and tapped her fingers: "Catch the murderer."
Empress Dowager Zhuang gasped: "What murderer are you arresting? You've taken him to the Marshal's mansion!"
Gu Jiao then said, "Someone wants to kill Tang Ming and frame Gu Changqing."
Empress Dowager Zhuang recognized Tang Ming; he was Tang Yueshan's nephew, and quite handsome. Gu Changqing… Empress Dowager Zhuang frowned. The name sounded familiar, but she couldn't quite place it.
Empress Dowager Zhuang's recovered memories were mostly related to Gu Jiao and Xiao Jingkong, but Gu Changqing had come too infrequently, so she didn't recall them immediately.
Seeing the Empress Dowager's bewildered expression, Gu Jiao thought for a moment and said, "It was his first time playing cards, and he won a lot of money from you, Auntie."
Empress Dowager Zhuang's face darkened.
I can picture it now.
The matter is complicated. In fact, Empress Dowager Zhuang had already heard some rumors. After all, the commotion in the military camp was so great, how could she not know that Tang Ming's arm had been cut off by a captain from the Marquis of Ding'an's mansion?
But like the other soldiers, she believed that the captain was standing up for the former Gu family army.
The Marquis of Ding'an's mansion was under the emperor's control, so she naturally couldn't stand up for them, especially since they had indeed gone too far.
Tang Ming's punishment was unfair, but his crime did not warrant the loss of an arm.
He maliciously injured Tang Ming under the guise of a martial arts contest; there's no way this can be resolved peacefully.
"It wasn't for the Gu family army." Gu Jiao hesitated for a moment, but still told the truth, "Tang Ming bullied Ayan, he kidnapped Ayan and locked her up... We searched for half the night before we found her. It was Gu Changqing who found him, he was just one step away..."
Just what.
Gu Jiao didn't say anything.
Who was Empress Dowager Kezhuang?
She has eaten more salt than most people have eaten rice.
How could she not guess what had happened?
Empress Dowager Zhuang had only one request for Gu Yan: that he simply live.
It's clear that this child is fragile; encountering something like this is tantamount to taking half his life.
Empress Dowager Zhuang's face darkened: "Only one arm was broken?"
Gu Jiao blinked: "I... taught him a lesson, but Tang Yueshan found out and is now trying to arrest me."
Empress Dowager Zhuang expressed her doubts: "Is he arresting you just for this? I think he really wants to kill you."
That's because I overheard his secret, but it doesn't really matter. Whether I heard the secret or not, Tang Yueshan wouldn't let her go.
That night, Gu Jiao talked a lot with Empress Dowager Zhuang. Gu Jiao was not good at communicating with people. She didn't talk much and was usually too lazy to speak even if she knew something.
But that's the power of her great-aunt; she can make her let down her guard and overcome her pride, and become a chatterbox for once.
When Eunuch Qin returned to Renshou Palace to report, Gu Jiao was already asleep on Empress Dowager Zhuang's bed.
Her little face was turned towards Empress Dowager Zhuang, her cheeks were pressed together and plump, her little mouth was slightly open and glistening drool was flowing out.
Empress Dowager Zhuang wiped her hands, then gently pulled the quilt over her again, picked up one of her hands, and sighed, "It's torn again."
"Your Majesty," Eunuch Qin bowed softly, "the person has been delivered."
Empress Dowager Zhuang gave a faint "hmm".
Eunuch Qin brought over some wound medicine and handed it to Empress Dowager Zhuang.
Empress Dowager Zhuang applied a little medicine to the spot on Gu Jiao's palm where the reins had chafed: "Go and send a message to Biyue Alley, tell that boy not to wait anymore, Jiao Jiao is staying here with me tonight."
"Hmm~" Gu Jiao was too hot and kicked off the blanket in her sleep.
Empress Dowager Zhuang carefully covered her up.
Suddenly, Eunuch Qin chuckled.
"What are you laughing at?" Empress Dowager Zhuang asked in a deep voice.
Eunuch Qin said with delight, "This old servant has not seen the Empress Dowager so humane in a long time. It seems that your amnesia has helped you find many things you lost back then."
"Things lost back then?" Empress Dowager Zhuang murmured.
Eunuch Qin smiled and said, "Yes, the last time you were this kind was when Princess Ning'an was by my side."
When Princess Ning'an was mentioned, Empress Dowager Zhuang's expression turned cold.
Realizing he had misspoke, Eunuch Qin quickly lowered his head and said, "This servant has misspoke."
Empress Dowager Zhuang lowered her eyes, stroked Gu Jiao's fingers, and said calmly, "You may leave."
Eunuch Qin replied, "Yes, this servant will go to Biyue Alley right away."
"Wait a minute," Empress Dowager Zhuang called out to him.
Eunuch Qin turned around: "Does the Empress Dowager have any further instructions?"
Empress Dowager Zhuang said, "I remember there are quite a few tribute masks in the storeroom, aren't there?"
Eunuch Qin asked, "Yes, does the Empress Dowager want a mask?"
Empress Dowager Zhuang glanced at the sleeping Gu Jiao and said, "Bring it all here. Give it to the princess..."
Eunuch Qin was startled.
Empress Dowager Zhuang paused for a moment: "Let Jiaojiao choose. Choose tomorrow morning."
Eunuch Qin secretly breathed a sigh of relief: "Yes."
After bidding farewell to the Empress Dowager, Tang Yueshan immediately went to arrest Gu Changqing, only to be told that Gu Changqing had been in the military camp all along.
Tang Yueshan rushed back to the military camp and looked incredulously at Gu Changqing, who was quietly waiting outside the torture chamber after the fire had just been extinguished. Gu Changqing was still wearing handcuffs and shackles, with no trace of having escaped.
"You...you didn't run away?"
Gu Changqing said coldly, "I have been in the military camp the whole time. I don't know where Lord Tang got these words from?"
"Impossible! I've searched the entire camp! You're clearly not here! You..." Tang Yueshan suddenly realized something, his eyes trembling, "You're in the Eighteen Bronze Men Formation!"
That was the only place in the military camp that couldn't be searched, because going in meant certain death. Tang Ming could only make it to the twelfth level, let alone the other soldiers.
Gu Changqing only needs to hide in the later levels to ensure that no one can find him!
Cunning, so incredibly cunning!
However, Tang Yueshan couldn't understand why Gu Changqing would do this.
It would have been understandable if he had escaped to kill Tang Ming, but he didn't. Instead, other assassins went.
So what was he hiding in there for? To play hide-and-seek?
Gu Changqing said in a serious tone, "I'm afraid the fire will be too big and burn me to death, so I'm looking for a safe place to hide."
Tang Yueshan: "..."
No matter how bad Tang Yueshan thought the reason was, it couldn't change the fact that Gu Changqing hadn't escaped from the military camp.
Tang Yueshan was furious, but had nowhere to vent his anger.
He gritted his teeth and said coldly, "Hmph! So what if you didn't escape this time? You'll still be executed in three days!"
In Gu Jiao's dream, Tang Yueshan let Gu Changqing go because Gu Chengfeng stepped in to take the blame.
But now, without Gu Chengfeng taking the blame, Gu Changqing still faces execution in three days.
Gu Chengfeng and Gu Jiao originally thought that by catching the real culprit who killed Tang Ming, they could follow the clues to find the mastermind behind the impersonation of Fei Shuang that day and clear Gu Changqing of the truth about his prison break.
Who could have predicted that the other party would be so cunning, never showing themselves and instead having Master Tang take action?
They wanted to remind Tang Yueshan, "Hey, your older brother isn't just going to kill that bastard, he's also conspiring with someone to kill you."
But from what standpoint do they have to say this?
Are they Gu Changqing's younger brother and sister, or assassins who have already been "executed" by the Empress Dowager?
Neither of these explanations could convince Tang Yueshan.
This kind of thing must be said by someone whom Tang Yueshan deeply trusts.
Tang Yueshan was a very suspicious man, as evidenced by his suspicion that Madam Tang would kill Tang Ming.
The following day, Eunuch Qin visited the Marshal's Mansion.
"The Empress Dowager summons Lord Tang. Please come to the palace with me immediately."
Tang Yueshan followed Eunuch Qin into the palace.
He was an outsider and was not allowed to enter the inner palace. Empress Dowager Zhuang met him in a side hall of the Golden Palace.
Empress Dowager Zhuang sat on a yellow pearwood chair on the steps, wearing a black robe embroidered with gold phoenixes. Her expression was calm, but her aura was imposing.
Tang Yueshan knelt down and bowed, saying, "Your subject pays respects to the Empress Dowager. May the Empress Dowager live a thousand years!"
"Rise," said Empress Dowager Zhuang.
"Thank you, Empress Dowager." Tang Yueshan stood up without looking to the side.
"Please take a seat," Empress Dowager Zhuang instructed Eunuch Qin.
Eunuch Qin, accompanied by a young eunuch, brought a chair with an official's hat for Tang Yueshan and placed it in the center of the main hall, directly facing the Empress Dowager.
Even though sitting face-to-face with the Empress Dowager created a somewhat awkward atmosphere, it was an honor that Tang Yueshan appreciated.
Empress Dowager Zhuang said with an air of authority without anger, "You are my trusted minister, and I trust you, so I won't beat around the bush. I summoned you here today to discuss the matter of Commandant Gu."
Upon hearing this, Tang Yueshan paused for a moment.
Gu Changqing's matter caused a great uproar, and the palace must have heard about it long ago, but no one expected that the Empress Dowager would actually inquire about it.
Empress Dowager Zhuang gave Eunuch Qin a wink.
Eunuch Qin understood and stepped forward with a tray on it, on which was a carved dagger: "Lord Tang, please take a look."
Tang Yueshan picked up the dagger and examined it. The scabbard was nothing special, but when he pulled the blade out, he saw a character engraved where the hilt met the blade: "Qing".
He vaguely guessed whose dagger it was, but couldn't understand why it was in the Empress Dowager's possession. He frowned strangely: "This is..."
Zhuang Tai then said without changing her expression, "It was found on the two assassins last night after we dealt with them."
Tang Yueshan said, "They are Gu Changqing's men? I knew it was them!"
Empress Dowager Zhuang said coldly, "You've been fighting in the military for so many years, yet you can't even see through such a clumsy frame-up! Would someone truly working for Gu Changqing use Gu Changqing's belongings to commit a crime?"
Tang Yueshan choked.
If Gu Changqing himself were to carry out the assassination, he might accidentally drop something at the scene. But if someone else were to take his things, wouldn't that be framing him?
Empress Dowager Zhuang continued, "Stop looking. I have already confirmed with the people of the Marquis of Ding'an's residence that this is indeed Commandant Gu's dagger. Also, I heard that there was a fire in the military camp's torture chamber last night, which almost burned Commandant Gu to death."
Tang Yueshan put the dagger back on the tray, and Eunuch Qin stepped aside with the tray.
Tang Yueshan replied, "That's right, but he hid in the Eighteen Bronze Men Formation and was unharmed."
Empress Dowager Zhuang's expression was cold and beautiful: "Is a mere fire worth him hiding in the formation? In my opinion, someone is clearly trying to force him out."
"Then why didn't he capture the other party?" Tang Yueshan asked.
There are reasons for his suspicions.
If Gu Changqing could defeat the opponent, then there would be no need for him to hide.
However, if Gu Changqing cannot defeat the opponent, then the formation that he can break through can also be broken through by the opponent, and they can still force him out.
Empress Dowager Zhuang calmly replied, "What if the other party turns around and claims to be his accomplice who came to rescue him? What will he do then? Will you believe him or the assassin?"
Naturally... it was the assassin.
Hatred had blinded Tang Yueshan, and he would not believe any evidence that was in Gu Changqing's favor.
Tang Yueshan was speechless.
Empress Dowager Zhuang sighed slowly, "I know you want to execute Commandant Gu."
Tang Yueshan clenched his fists: "Shouldn't he have died? He ruined Ming'er's life!"
Empress Dowager Zhuang's cold eyes flashed, and she slammed her hand on the table: "But your Ming'er has also harmed others!"
The overwhelming aura was so powerful that even a top expert like Tang Yueshan almost had to submit to the Empress Dowager's majesty!
Tang Yueshan's momentum weakened somewhat, but he was still full of resentment: "Why does the Empress Dowager say such a thing?"
"Bring it up!"
As soon as Empress Dowager Zhuang finished speaking, two strong and powerful eunuchs escorted in a disheveled young man.
Tang Yueshan stared at him for a long time before he finally recognized him: "You...aren't you Ming'er's personal attendant? The one called...Brother Deng?"
Brother Deng knelt down with a thud: "Empress Dowager, spare me! Master, spare me!"
Tang Yueshan said with a stern face, "Where have you been all this time? I've been looking for you everywhere!"
Deng Ge'er cried in fear, "I...I...I heard that after the young master had his arm cut off by Commander Gu...I ran away..."
Tang Yueshan frowned and said, "Why did you run away? You didn't hurt him!"
"I...I..." Brother Deng trembled, not daring to speak, yet not daring to remain silent, "I...I'm afraid Commander Gu will also come looking for revenge..."
Tang Yueshan became increasingly confused as he listened, and impatiently asked, "Who do you think you are? Is he looking for revenge against you?"
Deng Ge'er covered his head, curling up in fear: "It was me...it was me who drugged Young Master Gu and took him off the carriage...but I was just following the young master's orders...don't blame me..."
Tang Yueshan snapped, "Knock out Young Master Gu? What nonsense are you spouting?"
Brother Deng cried, "Young Master...Young Master kidnapped Young Master Gu...and tried to do something indecent to Young Master Gu...It was...It was Commandant Gu who arrived in time..."
boom--
Tang Yueshan felt as if a bolt of lightning had struck his heart!
He stood there in disbelief for a long time, then suddenly raised his foot and kicked Deng Ge'er away hard: "You bastard! Who gave you permission to slander Ming'er!"
Empress Dowager Zhuang frowned.
Eunuch Qin quickly said solemnly, "Lord Tang, you must not be disrespectful in front of the Empress Dowager!"
Tang Yueshan clenched his fist, resisting the urge to walk over and stomp his brains out.
Empress Dowager Zhuang waved her hand.
Two eunuchs dragged Deng Ge'er away.
Tang Yueshan trembled all over, his eyes red: "No... he wouldn't do it tomorrow... he's such an upright person... how could he do such a despicable thing?"
Empress Dowager Zhuang couldn't help but roll her eyes. She quickly coughed lightly and said in a low voice, "Do you know that the young master of the Ding'an Marquis's mansion suffers from a heart ailment? He was kidnapped and humiliated by Ming'er, and the shock triggered a heart attack. He hasn't woken up yet! Your Ming'er only lost an arm, and you already want the murderer dead. That other man's younger brother is half-dead; how could he not want to kill Tang Ming! Tang Yueshan, you're a man. If it were you, could you swallow this insult?!"
Tang Yueshan's heart was struck hard, and he staggered.
At this point, the matter was almost settled and Tang Yueshan could have avenged Gu Changqing, but this incident would forever remain a thorn in his side.
He would be angry at Tang Ming for his lack of ambition, but he would still blame Gu Changqing.
Empress Dowager Zhuang pressed her temples and said, "Do you know what I found in the assassin's clothes last night?"
"What?" Tang Yueshan asked, stunned.
Clearly, the blow was too great, and he had lost much interest in assassins.
Empress Dowager Zhuang took out the medicinal powder that Gu Jiao had prepared early that morning and said without changing her expression, "I have discovered a kind of drug that can disturb a person's mind and make them do things that are contrary to normal. I think that tomorrow may be the day someone plots against us."
Tang Yueshan suddenly raised his head!
The Empress Dowager is a professional at deceiving people.
Empress Dowager Zhuang said with a sorrowful expression, "I have met Ming'er. Although he is a bit arrogant, he is not a bad person at heart. Although I have no evidence, I think that they brought sleeping pills to the Marshal's Mansion last night, probably to put them in Ming'er's medicine. They were so skilled at putting the drugs in, so I wondered if they had already put them in Ming'er before? It was also to find out about Ming'er's situation that I found that servant."
This speculation was like a ray of sunshine after a bolt from the blue.
When a person is pushed into a quagmire, he doesn't need to go back to his original attic; he only needs to be pulled back to the ground, and he will gratefully accept the status quo.
Tang Yueshan grasped at a straw, refusing to sink any further: "It's medicine? Medicine? Medicine... Yes! It must be medicine! How could such a well-behaved child like Ming'er do such a thing? He was drugged!"
Empress Dowager Zhuang continued her deception: "This morning I sent someone to retrieve Commandant Gu's water bag, only to find that his water had also been drugged."
Tang Yueshan was taken aback.
Empress Dowager Zhuang sighed, "Alas, Commandant Gu may have wanted to kill Ming'er, but he wouldn't be foolish enough to lay a hand on Ming'er in public. In the end, he's just a half-brother, not his lifeblood. Would he risk his life for him?"
Tang Yueshan felt that what the Empress Dowager said made a lot of sense!
He asked hesitantly, "So... he was also drugged?"
Empress Dowager Zhuang looked at him calmly: "That's right."
Gu Changqing and Tang Ming were established at the same time. If Tang Yueshan wanted to believe one, he had to believe the other as well.
Will Tang Yueshan believe it?
The answer is yes.
He would rather accept that Gu Changqing was not the real murderer than suspect that his son was a psychopath.
At this point, Tang Ming's hatred for Gu Changqing was gone; he only hated the mastermind behind it all!
He roared in fury, "Who? Who is so instigating the conflict between the Marshal's Mansion and the Marquis of Ding'an's Mansion?"
Empress Dowager Zhuang pinched her brow, which wasn't actually hurting, and sighed, "I have no clue either. The murders were committed too quickly last night, and I didn't even have time to interrogate the victims. It's also your fault for not explaining what happened clearly. If it weren't for Eunuch Qin discovering these things while digging the pit to bury the bodies, I wouldn't even have found these clues!"
Tang Yueshan was filled with regret. Yes, why didn't he tell the Empress Dowager more? The Empress Dowager found so many clues based on just two corpses. If he had advised the Empress Dowager to keep the prisoners alive, wouldn't he have already found out who the mastermind was?
This is what it means to be sold out and still count the money for the seller.
Empress Dowager Zhuang, seeing that she had fooled him enough, said a few more words before stopping: "Alright, I've said everything I need to say. You can do whatever you want. If you really want to kill Commandant Gu, I won't stop you. He's just the emperor's man, so it's no big deal to kill him."
It's not a pity, but... the thought that doing this would play right into the hands of the person behind the scenes makes Tang Yueshan feel he can't bear this injustice!
After harming his son like this, how could he let the other party succeed?
Is he stupid?
Hehe, not only will he not kill Gu Changqing, but he will also promote Gu Changqing after things have calmed down!
He wanted to show those behind the scenes that Tang Yueshan wasn't a fool!
After the news of Gu Changqing's impending execution spread, the old Marquis didn't sleep a wink all night.
He finally made it to dawn, and without even having breakfast, he rushed to the palace to see the emperor.
The emperor also knew why he had come.
The emperor was also extremely distressed.
He might have a way to deal with this anywhere else, but it happened in the military camp.
As long as military regulations are strictly followed, even the emperor and empress dowager are not allowed to interfere.
Tang Yueshan wasn't arresting Gu Changqing for the crime of cutting off Tang Ming's arm, but for him escaping from prison in the middle of the night and becoming a deserter.
This is a capital offense, regardless of rank.
Not to mention he also killed two innocent soldiers.
"Your Majesty! My grandson is innocent! There must be more to this story!"
Gu Changqing didn't say a word to the old Marquis. The old Marquis was unaware that an assassin had come, nor did he know that Gu Changqing had gone to visit Gu Yan.
But the old Marquis believed that Gu Changqing would not kill innocent people indiscriminately, nor would he desert.
The emperor sighed, "How could I not want to save him? But all the evidence is against him, and he himself has confessed."
This is the key point: Gu Changqing admitted that he had escaped from prison.
Even if he's the emperor, he can't act recklessly!
The emperor gritted his teeth and said, "If all else fails, I... will allow you to bring your assassins to storm the execution ground!"
But as a result, Gu Changqing could no longer live in the sunlight.
They can no longer inherit the Marquis's mansion.
How is this any different from strangling a person?
The old marquis collapsed to the ground in despair.
Suddenly, Eunuch Wei rushed in, looking flustered: "Your Majesty! Your Majesty! Something terrible has happened! Commandant Gu... he... he..."
The old marquis's face turned pale: "What's wrong with Changqing?"
Eunuch Wei smiled and said, "He has been acquitted!"
emperor:"……"
The old Marquis: "..."
After finishing her day's work of deception, Empress Dowager Zhuang couldn't wait to return to Renshou Palace.
"Jiaojiao, the matter is done! Where's my sweet egg soup?"
Eunuch Qin, who was following behind Empress Dowager Zhuang, almost stumbled and fell!
You spent the whole morning giving a passionate speech, just for a bowl of sweet egg soup?
You're the Empress Dowager, can't you be a little more dignified?
"It's ready." Gu Jiao smiled and brought out a bowl of sweet egg soup from the small kitchen.
Empress Dowager Zhuang rubbed her hands together, looking at her sweet egg soup with great anticipation.
Jiaojiao said she would add two extra spoonfuls of sugar and two extra eggs!
Two spoonfuls of sugar! Can you imagine that?
Empress Dowager Zhuang slurped as she looked at the large bowl that Gu Jiao had placed on the table.
In just one second, her face turned black.
Empress Dowager Zhuang: "You promised to add two extra spoonfuls of sugar!"
Gu Jiao: "I let it go."
I just added two more bowls of water.
Empress Dowager Zhuang: "Then, what about the two extra eggs?"
Gu Jiao: "They were released too."
It just uses tiny quail eggs, the kind with the yolks removed.
Empress Dowager Zhuang let out a silent sob in her heart—
I feel wronged.
I will not say!
It was rare for Eunuch Qin to see the Empress Dowager so embarrassed, and he couldn't help but burst out laughing.
Empress Dowager Zhuang's death stare suddenly lashed out at him!
Eunuch Qin shuddered, overwhelmed by the fear he had felt from being controlled by Empress Dowager Zhuang in the past. His legs went weak and he knelt down: "Your Majesty, please forgive me!"
Empress Dowager Zhuang narrowed her eyes dangerously.
Just when Eunuch Qin thought he was doomed, Empress Dowager Zhuang suddenly raised her hand and pointed at Eunuch Qin, saying to Gu Jiao, "Eunuch Qin has worked hard today, Jiao Jiao, make him a bowl too."
Upon hearing this, Eunuch Qin almost wondered if he had been scared out of his wits.
The Empress Dowager said he had worked hard?
He even made Miss Gu personally cook him sweet egg soup?
Eunuch Qin hurriedly kowtowed, "This servant wouldn't dare! This servant wouldn't dare!"
Empress Dowager Zhuang said menacingly, "No, you dare."
Fifteen minutes later, Gu Jiao brought over another bowl of sweet egg soup. This bowl had a much richer color, and you could smell the aroma of brown sugar from afar.
Empress Dowager Zhuang: "You eat with me."
Eunuch Qin was so frightened that he knelt down!
"Please eat, Eunuch Qin," Gu Jiao said, amused.
Qin Gonggong glanced at the Empress Dowager with trepidation, realizing that he would die whether he ate or not, so he had no choice but to sit down with a stiff upper lip.
Empress Dowager Zhuang said in a serious tone, "Jiaojiao."
"Um?"
Someone outside is calling you.
"Yeah?"
Empress Dowager Zhuang nodded: "In the Imperial Garden!"
"Oh." Gu Jiao raised an eyebrow and walked out.
As soon as she left, Empress Dowager Zhuang snatched the sweet egg soup from Eunuch Qin!
The bewildered Eunuch Qin: "..."
Empress Dowager: Oh, I feel so wronged today, only monthly votes can comfort me!
(End of this chapter)
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