Chapter 323 The Biggest Tycoon (Two Updates)
Men from outside the palace were not allowed to enter or leave the inner palace. Even if they did, they needed the emperor's imperial edict or verbal order. However, it was clear that Empress Dowager Zhuang herself possessed such rights.
Grand Tutor Zhuang was led into Renshou Palace by Eunuch Qin. Eunuch Qin was very proper in his work and had a polite smile, so it was hard to guess what Empress Dowager Zhuang's purpose was in summoning him to the palace.
I thought it was good news.
Grand Tutor Zhuang went to the study in the side hall. Empress Dowager Zhuang had already been reviewing memorials all morning, but because they had been piling up for several days, some still hadn't been approved.
"Empress Dowager." Grand Tutor Zhuang entered with a smile, cupping his hands in a respectful greeting.
Empress Dowager Zhuang ignored him and calmly flipped through the mountain of memorials in her hands.
Grand Tutor Zhuang, thinking that Empress Dowager Zhuang hadn't heard him, took a step forward and repeated, "Empress Dowager?"
"I'm not deaf," Empress Dowager Zhuang said indifferently, without even lifting her eyelids, and put the memorial she had just read into the pile of documents that could not be presented to the emperor.
Grand Tutor Zhuang's expression then changed slightly.
However, thinking of the news I heard this morning—that one of the emperor's most trusted officials had hanged himself, and that the emperor suspected the empress dowager was responsible, and that he had come to Renshou Palace to make a scene with her, it must be because of this that the empress dowager was in a bad mood, right?
That's what Grand Tutor Zhuang thought.
After reading seven or eight more memorials, Empress Dowager Zhuang said calmly, "You've been quite arrogant lately."
"Um?"
Grand Tutor Zhuang was completely bewildered by these sudden words. He looked at Empress Dowager Zhuang in surprise and doubt: "What do you mean by this, Your Majesty? What...have I done wrong?"
Empress Dowager Zhuang said calmly, "You've overreached yourself. There are some people you can't touch."
Grand Tutor Zhuang looked bewildered: "I don't understand."
"If you don't understand, then listen to me," Empress Dowager Zhuang said coldly. "The Zhuang family has a century-old foundation, generations of officials and dignitaries, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that it's the foremost clan in the capital. But over the years, my favor has gradually fostered your arrogance and unbridled nature. Do you think that no matter what you do, I have to cover for you? Yes, I am a member of the Zhuang family, and you are my maternal clan. As long as I am in power, I will protect you. But have you ever thought about how long I can protect you?"
Grand Tutor Zhuang's expression changed drastically: "Empress Dowager..."
Empress Dowager Zhuang said with exasperation, "A bowstring taut will break, and water overflowing will overflow. You only see my zenith, but you don't see the edifice crumbling behind this zenith, the pillar unable to support it alone! I am old and don't have many years left to live. You are old too. The Zhuang family is dwindling in talent, with no successors. The direct descendants are all unfit for important positions. Only Zhuang Yuheng, though flawed, can be refined with care, and his merits may not be overshadowed. But even this child is almost ruined by you!"
"Empress Dowager!"
Grand Tutor Zhuang lifted his robe and knelt down with a look of fear and trepidation, though his eyes revealed more confusion than anything else.
I don't understand why the Empress Dowager said this, nor do I understand why she would diminish her own prestige in this way.
Even if Empress Dowager Zhuang has at least ten more years to live, Prince Ning is growing stronger. As long as he inherits the throne, why worry that the Zhuang family cannot continue its century of glory?
But walls have ears, so there were some things he dared not say too much.
"Your Majesty, please don't say that. You are destined to have blessings for a hundred years."
"Hmph, a hundred years? If I hadn't been saved by Xiao Liulang and Gu Shijiaoniang, I'm afraid I would have been buried long ago."
Grand Tutor Zhuang seemed to have suddenly been enlightened. He looked at Empress Dowager Zhuang in utter astonishment: "Empress Dowager... are you blaming me for suppressing Xiao Liulang? He is His Majesty's man! How could I tolerate his growing power in the Hanlin Academy!"
Empress Dowager Zhuang slammed the memorial in her hand onto the table with a loud bang: "Who he is is none of your business!"
Grand Tutor Zhuang was intimidated by Empress Dowager Zhuang's powerful aura; he hadn't seen her so angry in many years.
Cold sweat broke out on his forehead. He cupped his hands and lowered his head, saying, "Your subject dares not."
Empress Dowager Zhuang said coldly, "I was talking to you about state affairs, politics, and family matters, but you only heard about private matters! All my efforts have been in vain, so be it! I will not say any more! As your sister, I will give you eight words: 'Achieve fame and fortune, and retire gracefully at the height of your career!'"
Grand Tutor Zhuang clenched his fists, his eyes blazing as he said, “What a brilliant move to retire gracefully! Has all the effort of the Zhuang family over generations been in vain? The Zhuang family has wielded great power and influence in the court, and every step of the Great Zhao Kingdom’s rise to power has been made possible by our Zhuang family.”
Empress Dowager Zhuang's eyes were icy cold, and her powerful aura surged forth like a torrent: "The credit belongs to the Qin family, and the empire also belongs to the Qin family. To utter such treasonous words, Grand Tutor Zhuang, do you intend to rebel?"
Grand Tutor Zhuang's heart skipped a beat. After a moment of stunned silence, he cupped his hands in a respectful gesture and said, "Your subject has misspoke."
Empress Dowager Zhuang coldly withdrew her gaze: "I have said all I need to say. You may leave."
"...Yes, Your Majesty, I shall take my leave!"
Grand Tutor Zhuang stood up.
As the hot June wind blew by, he suddenly realized that his back was soaked with cold sweat.
After Grand Tutor Zhuang left, Eunuch Qin entered with a cup of tea.
He was guarding the door of the study, so he naturally heard the conversation inside. He placed the freshly brewed hot tea next to Empress Dowager Zhuang and said with emotion, "I never expected that Your Majesty would consider the Zhuang family so far ahead. I was too narrow-minded. I thought that Your Majesty summoned Grand Tutor Zhuang to the palace just to vent Xiao Xiuzhuan's anger."
Empress Dowager Zhuang picked up the memorial and snorted coldly.
Long-term nonsense.
It's just rhetoric.
“If I only tell him one thing, even the smallest thing becomes a big deal. If I tell him several big things, then Liu Lang’s matter becomes a small matter. Since it’s a small matter, then there’s no need to worry about it.”
Eunuch Qin looked bitter and resentful: "Uh... this servant is dull-witted."
Empress Dowager Zhuang's mind flashed back to someone complaining and the embarrassing sight of him falling flat on his face. She was in an extremely good mood and even showed some patience towards Eunuch Qin: "I heard that you've recently taken up another little turtle?"
Eunuch Qin chuckled awkwardly, "The Empress Dowager's information network is truly impressive."
Empress Dowager Zhuang said calmly, "It's not that I'm well-informed, it's just that the little turtle crawled to my feet the other day. I didn't recognize it; it's different from the ones you used to keep."
Eunuch Qin had no other hobbies but raising turtles. As the saying goes, "A turtle lives for a thousand years, a soft-shelled turtle for ten thousand," and soft-shelled turtles live longer than tortoises. He thought that by raising turtles, he might be able to live to be a hundred years old himself.
Empress Dowager Zhuang said casually, "That one is quite well raised. I'll use it to make soup tonight."
"Ah?" Eunuch Qin's expression changed drastically.
"What? You can't bear to part with them?" Empress Dowager Zhuang sighed. "Recently, I've been having bad luck with these turtles and tortoises. The Taoist priest said that eating one or two would dispel the evil influence. If I can't eat them all, I'll have to send them away. From now on, no more turtles or tortoises will be allowed to be kept in Renshou Palace."
Eunuch Qin said aggrievedly, "Then, then this servant will take Dequan and stew him for you."
"Who wants to eat that stuff?" Empress Dowager Zhuang was using a metaphor to describe him.
In an instant, Eunuch Qin realized: "Ah... Xiao Xiuzhuan is that little turtle..."
Empress Dowager Zhuang shot a cold glare at me!
Who's the bastard?!
I think you're the old bastard!
"Ahem!" Eunuch Qin said awkwardly, "This servant misspoke, this servant doesn't know how to speak, this servant is a bastard... But..." He got back to the point, "Your move was quite clever."
Empress Dowager Zhuang gave a faint, cold laugh.
Is it clever?
Her words were also sincere, but the dealer was unwilling to retreat gracefully, and thus could not.
They've been trapped in this vortex for a long time.
Today, both the Imperial Academy and Qinghe Academy let out early. Nanxiang and Master Lu have to go out for three days, so Gu Xiaoshun and Gu Yan don't need to go to learn their skills for the next few days.
The three little men gathered at home.
Little Jingkong fell asleep as soon as he returned from the palace last night. He didn't have time to distribute the gifts his aunt brought, and he forgot about them again when he went out this morning. He only remembered them now.
Little Jingkong carried the brocade box out and ran to the main room, saying, "My great-aunt asked me to bring this!"
The things my aunt asked me to bring were usually for everyone else.
Madam Yao sat in the passageway, enjoying the cool air, and watched with a smile as several children played in the main room.
She felt that such days were lively and wonderful, a life she had never dared to dream of in the previous ten years.
"Oh dear, I can't open it!" Xiao Jingkong's strength was too weak.
"I'll do it!" Gu Xiaoshun rolled up his sleeves and pried the box open with a snap.
The box isn't very big—it's too big for my little one to carry—but it's not small either; it contains quite a lot of things.
Three little heads huddled together, eagerly gazing at the gift in the brocade box.
Xiao Jingkong took out the gifts one by one: "Cat's eye stone, this is for Brother Yan! Gemstone knife, this is for Brother Xiao Shun! Silver needle, for Jiaojiao! Golden bowl, mine!"
Then there was an embroidery catalog, which was clearly intended for Yao.
"There's no bad brother-in-law again," Xiao Jingkong said, shaking his head. "How pitiful!"
Poor Xiao Liulang strode into the house and slammed a brocade box twice the size of Xiao Jingkong's on the table.
The three younger brothers opened their eyes wide, looking at the brocade box and then at him.
"What?" Xiao Jingkong asked.
Xiao Liulang answered him with his actions. He opened the brocade box and slowly took out the contents, placing them on the table. The first was a token from Renshou Palace, the second was a fist-sized luminous pearl, then an inkstone made of ancient warm jade, and then…
He moved gracefully and slowly, taking a full quarter of an hour to take all the little trinkets out of the box.
It covered the entire table!
The three little men stared wide-eyed.
Xiao Jingkong stared in disbelief: "Was it... given by my great-aunt?"
Wow, so many great things!
Xiao Jingkong: "Which one is for me?"
Xiao Liulang stretched out his long, jade-like fingertips, circled the gifts, and picked up a dazzling gold lock: "Mine."
Xiao Jingkong swallowed hard.
He then picked up the ancient warm jade inkstone: "Mine."
Gu Yan swallowed hard.
He then picked up an emerald-emerald Turkic dagger: "That's mine too."
Gu Xiaoshun swallowed hard.
"It's still mine."
"It's mine again."
"Wow, it all seems to be mine." Suddenly, I've become the biggest tycoon in the family!
After showing off his spoils, Xiao Liulang put the last Renshou Palace token inside as well, and then arrogantly went back to his room!
Everyone: "..."
Why does my brother-in-law suddenly seem so irritating today?!
Gu Jiao was unaware of her husband's childish behavior. She had just left the clinic and boarded a carriage bound for Xianleju.
She wanted to know who was behind Xianleju.
She had a feeling that the person who assassinated her was connected to the mastermind behind Xianleju, and she also suspected that Yuan Tang had a powerful accomplice in the capital.
In short, the key to everything lies in Xianleju.
Mo Qianxue did not take away Gu Jiao's Xianleju token, and she entered Xianleju smoothly with the token.
She was still dressed as a noble young man, wearing a half-face silver mask that perfectly concealed her features.
The only problem was that her corset was wrapped too tightly. There was no way around it; her body was all about growing taller, and if it wasn't wrapped tightly, it wouldn't be able to cover up her figure.
It's so hot today.
Gu Jiao wiped the sweat from her forehead with her sleeve and strode towards the center of the hall.
She didn't plan to go directly to the girl from last time; she just wanted to walk around and listen first.
Everyone loves beauty, and it must be said that the girls at Xianleju are all like figures in a painting, a feast for the eyes.
Gu Jiao was walking casually when suddenly, a peony flower fell on her shoulder.
This is an old rule of Xianleju: whoever gets hit by the pelt is the one the girl takes a liking to, and thus has the honor of becoming her intimate guest.
This time it was a woman in yellow, with delicate eyebrows, a beautiful face, and a charming yet refined appearance, alluring yet not vulgar, gorgeous yet not seductive.
The girls at Xianleju had no trace of worldliness. They were proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, and even some were skilled in the eight-legged essay and arithmetic. It was an honor to be chosen by them.
Gu Jiao looked at the peony in her hand and hesitated for a moment.
In just a moment, the yellow-clad woman's maidservant gracefully descended the stairs and bowed respectfully to Gu Jiao: "Young master, my lady invites you in."
Although this girl lived on the second floor, after she threw flowers at herself, no one else dared to throw flowers at her again. You know, last time she was almost drowned in flowers.
Gu Jiao didn't think it was because she had lost her charm; rather, she believed that this girl's identity at Xianleju was not simple.
good.
She's the one.
Gu Jiao followed the maid upstairs to the second floor.
The woman in yellow held a beautiful fan to cover her face below her eyebrows and eyes, smiled at Gu Jiaoyan, turned around and moved gracefully into the house.
Even the way they walk exudes an ethereal, otherworldly aura.
"Young master, please." The maid led Gu Jiao to the front of the woman in yellow's house.
This room is at the end of the corridor, and it has an extra door compared to the other rooms, so it must belong to someone of high status.
Gu Jiao nodded and stepped inside.
The woman in yellow sat by the window, her back to Gu Jiao, and played a tune. The melody was melodious and plaintive, like heavenly music.
After the song ended, she used her folding fan to cover her face and came to Gu Jiao, giving him an elegant and gentle bow: "This humble servant greets young master. May I ask how you are addressed?"
Gu Jiao naturally wouldn't speak to her. Just as she was about to take out her notebook to write down her answer, suddenly, a veiled figure in ice blue burst through the door, pulled Gu Jiao behind her, and slapped the woman in yellow across the face!
The incident happened so suddenly that even Gu Jiao, the person involved, was somewhat bewildered.
She didn't retaliate when she was pulled behind her because she didn't sense any malice from the other party. However, she didn't expect the other party to be so arrogant in attacking the woman in yellow.
The woman in yellow was knocked to the side, and several finger marks quickly appeared on her cheek.
She covered her face, looking at the uninvited guest in the room with disbelief and uncontrollable rage: "Mo Qianxue! You're insane!"
"You're the one who's crazy! You dare to touch the person this courtesan has her eye on!" Mo Qianxue said, snatching the sachet from her waist and coldly throwing it on the ground. "You even used aphrodisiac incense! Hua Xiyao, how dare you!"
The woman in yellow, called Hua Xiyao, glanced at him and unconsciously showed her fear.
She stepped back slightly.
Mo Qianxue said disdainfully, "Hmph! I'll let you off this time for the sake of the abbot. But if you dare to mess with my people again, I'll scratch your face!"
After she finished speaking, she grabbed Gu Jiao's wrist and led Gu Jiao out of Hua Xiyao's room.
As she watched Mo Qianxue's retreating figure, Hua Xiyao's eyes flashed with resentment.
Mo Qianxue pulled Gu Jiao directly up to the third floor.
The third floor remained as quiet and empty as ever.
Gu Jiao poked her little shoulder and asked her with her eyes, "Do you live alone on this floor?"
Mo Qianxue said irritably, "And the head of the household."
The homeowner?
Could he be the owner of Xianleju?
Mo Qianxue pulled Gu Jiao into her room, fiercely scrutinizing her: "Where did that woman touch you!"
Gu Jiao shook her head like a rattle-drum.
Mo Qianxue frowned: "Didn't touch you? Really?"
Gu Jiao nodded.
Mo Qianxue's expression softened slightly, and she glanced at the stool next to the octagonal table: "Sit down."
Gu Jiao sat down.
"Fetch water," Mo Qianxue ordered.
"Yes." The maidservant brought a basin of cold water.
Mo Qianxue wrung out a towel herself and went to wipe the sweat from Gu Jiao's forehead.
Gu Jiao subconsciously leaned back.
Mo Qianxue's hand missed its target: "Don't dodge!"
Gu Jiao: Oh.
Mo Qianxue carefully wiped Gu Jiao's forehead, muttering irritably as she did so, "Are you stupid? Why didn't you just go straight to the third floor? Nobody dared to stop you!"
Well... I didn't come here to see you.
Mo Qianxue pursed her lips and explained expressionlessly, "I didn't tell you before, but yesterday was my birthday, and I went boating on the lake, so I wasn't at Xianle Residence."
Uh... you don't need to explain to me.
There are no double rewards this month, so you don't need to save your monthly tickets until the end of the month; you can vote for them now.
(End of this chapter)
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