Chapter 66 The Visitor's Intentions Are Not Good
The morning sunlight streamed through the window, and a new day began.
Yesterday, the sky stopped at the moment when Emperor Zhongzong returned to the capital, leaving the rest of the celebrations for the audience to savor, and thoughtfully, their peaceful night's sleep was not disturbed.
For Gu Xunhui, she had already seen the future of the royal bloodline killing each other in the sky, but she chose to turn a blind eye.
After all, Zhong Cong wasn't even born yet, so it's too early to talk about these things.
After the two maids carefully tidied up Gu Xunhui, she examined herself in the bronze mirror.
The girl, though only in her teens, had gentle and graceful eyes. Although one could already glimpse a hint of her future self, she still appeared somewhat immature.
Gu Xunhui looked at it for a moment, then took one of the hairpins off his head and slowly stood up.
She's going to the flower-viewing banquet at the Ningyuan Marquis's residence today. The two families have a so-so relationship, so it wouldn't be good to be too conspicuous. It's better to keep it simple and safe.
As she boarded the carriage, she still had some doubts: ever since Tianmu revealed her identity, the ladies and young women who used to host banquets had rarely invited her.
Gu Xunhui was not surprised. The situation was still unclear, and no one would risk being beheaded to invite someone like that.
But that's precisely why she felt even stranger.
The sky appeared as punctually as a morning court session, steadily leaping out at the perfect time:
As mentioned earlier, Emperor Zhongzong led his army back to the capital in triumph. After the victory banquet late at night, Emperor Zhongzong and the Empress went home to chat, and the topic still revolved around their two children.
They discussed such a crucial matter of national importance as succession as if it were a casual chat.
The sky gradually darkened.
Only two oil lamps were lit in the palace. Even though he had been on the throne for three years, he had not changed his old habits of frugality.
The Emperor and Empress walked side by side into the palace, dismissing the palace servants. By the moonlight, the Empress piled up the memorials before casually asking, "You seem to be paying a little too much attention to Yiniang."
Having been married for over twenty years, from their youth to middle age, they understand each other very deeply.
Emperor Zhongzong picked up the teapot, poured a cup of hot tea for each of them, pushed it in front of his wife, and calmly said, "She wants to be the emperor, so of course I have to pay close attention to her."
The Empress was fully aware of her daughter's thoughts. As a mother, she worried about her daughter and was also concerned about her son.
She knew her eldest daughter was intelligent and ambitious; she also knew her son was weak and naive, and that living a carefree life as a leisurely prince was a better destiny for him.
The Empress originally intended to find out something for her daughter, but she didn't expect... the dim light illuminated their faces, and even the Emperor's self-righteous expression was clearly visible.
"What about Zhong Huang?" she asked. "What are you going to do?"
The emperor calmly replied, "He wants to marry Duan Mingyuan's granddaughter, and of course I will grant his wish."
The Empress fell silent, unable to utter the words she had prepared, and was instead choked by them. It made sense; ever since she came to power, Yiniang had followed her everywhere, and now, leading troops north, she too had accumulated numerous military achievements.
What she saw in the capital was the battle report; in the same northern frontier, the emperor would have a clearer view.
When she didn't speak, King Jungjong asked in confusion, "You disagree?"
The empress gave him a glare.
She wasn't unwilling, of course; she was just somewhat dazed. From the age of seventeen to today, from a time when she couldn't participate in politics to now, her daughter has also gained a much wider world.
She suddenly smiled, a bright smile: "Even if you disagree, I will still send Yiniang up."
This will be a difficult path, but since Zhong Cong has chosen this path, she must be happy to accept it.
The emperor said nothing more, and the two leaned against each other, speaking softly in the dim light, starting from the first day of their journey north and continuing until their victorious return to the capital.
In her final moments before falling asleep in bed, the Empress suddenly asked, "Xingyuan, why did you agree to this..."
She always felt that her husband was different from most men.
Certainly, she was confident in her talents and knew she was in no way inferior to others. But even so, constrained by her gender, she found it difficult to carve out her own niche.
If her husband disagrees, she will still go her own way, but the resistance she will face will increase exponentially.
The emperor seemed to be asleep, yet it also seemed not to be. She waited for a long time, only hearing soft breathing. She sighed softly, closed her eyes, and was about to fall asleep.
"Zhao Niang, you know that men and women mean nothing to me. Whoever is stronger will have the last word." A calm voice suddenly rang out beside her.
The Empress knew that he was referring to more than just her daughter.
His arduous years of hard work were undoubtedly partly due to his inability to tolerate the Fifth Prince's perverse actions and the chaos in the world. In some ways, he was indeed an idealist, wanting to end the war and create a prosperous era, but he was by no means solely driven by moral pursuits—he was not so selfless as to become a saint.
The issue of succession will always be unavoidable, and Zhong Huang could be a more convenient reason, but that's all it is.
He can't just close his eyes and ignore what happens after he's gone.
The lesson of his maternal grandfather is still fresh in his mind. If he really chooses a crown prince at random, he will become deaf and blind. In most cases, a hundred years later, a Li Xingyuan or Zhao Xingyuan will immediately appear to punish the wicked.
The choice of heir must be made with care, and coincidentally, apart from his gender, there was nothing about Zhong Cong that he disliked.
Why would he go to such lengths instead of seeking what's nearby?
The emperor cannot see gender.
“She is hardworking and intelligent enough, so give her this opportunity,” the emperor said calmly. “As long as she has the ability to support the country, as parents, we should of course give her a broader horizon.”
After saying that, he chuckled and said, "If Erlang is this clever, then I'll have something to worry about."
The Empress laughed out loud at his words, but quickly regained her composure and teased him in a low voice, "You bear a great responsibility for Erlang's condition."
"..." Emperor Zhongzong frowned, thinking hard, and had to admit: the second son followed him and the eldest son followed his mother, where exactly did things go wrong?
He's actually quite good at taking care of kids.
The rest of the conversation between the couple could not be circulated to outsiders. Even the imperial scribes did not overhear it. Therefore, the historical records only briefly stated, "The emperor and empress discussed the matter at night in the Qianqing Palace and decided to establish their eldest daughter as the heir apparent."
This is truly unexpected. Couldn't you have at least peeked around the wall? You have absolutely no sense of responsibility as a historian!
However, according to later speculation, it's highly likely that they reached a perfect division of labor that night: one played the good cop and the other the bad cop, then they set a trap, only to turn on each other ruthlessly.
Gu Xunhui leaned back in the carriage, holding onto the window and looking up at the sky.
Tianmu seems quite determined to create a pair of wicked emperor and empress.
Gu Xunhui didn't know if her future self would be like this, and she didn't have any particular thoughts about it; she just thought it was fine.
Just as she was thinking this, the carriage stopped, and the coachman turned around and said, "Miss, we have arrived at the Ningyuan Marquis's residence."
Gu Xunhui had no time to look at the sky anymore. She lifted her skirt and slowly stood up, saying gently, "Put the car in the carriage room and come pick me up later."
After saying that, she stepped out of the carriage and, guided by several servants from the Marquis's residence, walked inside.
The families of wealthy households had already gathered together, dressed in fine clothes, chatting idly with smiles on their faces. Compared to them, Gu Xunhui was far too plain.
She joined in discreetly, offering only praise without making any comments, and carefully observing everyone's reactions.
Miss Xue from the Ningyuan Marquis's residence took two steps toward her and said with a smile, "It's been a long time, Sister Gu, you've become even more radiant."
Before Xue Yunting even got close to Gu Xunhui, Gu Xunhui already had goosebumps all over his body.
There's no other reason than that this Miss Xue has always been arrogant and haughty. Her father was merely a third-rank official; a single brick thrown at him could kill three third-rank officials—he was utterly insignificant.
Her use of the word "sister" made Gu Xunhui feel extremely uncomfortable, and he instinctively felt that the person coming from behind the scenes had ill intentions.
She remained calm and casually brushed it off, then walked around the courtyard with a group of people, looking at many rare and exotic flowers. Finally, someone couldn't help but ask her a question.
"I heard that Miss Gu is still unmarried?" The newcomer smiled warmly. "I've heard that you and Young Master Zhou have some connection..."
Even that smiling face seemed sinister. Although the current dynasty's restrictions on women were not yet at their peak, these words were clearly malicious.
Gu Xunhui felt nauseous, but his smile remained as stiff as a mask: "I have never heard of such a thing. Marriage is a matter for my father to decide."
She didn't recognize the young lady and glanced back after speaking.
It was a flower-viewing banquet, but it also served as an opportunity for men and women to admire each other. In that instant, she saw a handsome man in the distance, smiling at her from afar.
Gu Xunhui: "..." She found it difficult to find a word to describe her feelings.
Isn't that the Third Prince?
Impatient with continuing to feign politeness with this group, she made up an excuse and decided to leave.
Gu Xunhui avoided the crowd and walked back, while Tianmu was still replaying Zhong Huang's despicable joke in his mind:
Everyone has heard the story of Zhong Huang, but it's hard to say whether it's good or bad.
For example, legend has it that one day when he returned home, his grandfather called him into the study and gently asked him what he thought of his sister. Zhong Huang, as expected, innocently asked what this meant, and his grandfather took out a piece of yellow cloth and draped it over him, saying: This is what it means.
However, compared to this miraculous "donning of the yellow robe," Gu Jingshan's stroke of the pen actually terrified poor Zhong Huang, causing him to develop a persistent high fever... which only deepened Zhong Er's preconceived notion of avoiding the throne at all costs.
Gu Xunhui circled around to the secluded backyard, asking for directions to the carriage room, her steps quickening involuntarily. Hearing Tianmu's words, she thought to herself: Her father's actions, though bizarre, seemed within his capabilities.
The struggle for the throne is sometimes beyond one's control; even those below you may try to push you onto the throne—though not necessarily with good intentions.
The old father is blinded by greed... Oh, saying that about Dad seems a bit too rebellious.
In comparison, the struggle among His Majesty's princes appears to be much more active.
Thinking this, Gu Xunhui's gaze swept across the area, and he saw a glimpse of a piece of clothing flash behind the artificial hill. He suddenly stopped in his tracks.
That figure looked familiar. Was it the Third Prince?
Seeing the Third Prince at the Marquis's residence was terrifying enough, but to actually run into him here again made Gu Xunhui feel that he should go and pray to Buddha.
Immediately afterward, her heart began to pound uncontrollably, and her chaotic thoughts became intricately intertwined.
She was certain the Third Prince harbored ill intentions. And now he was here again…
The Third Prince emerged from behind the artificial hill, showing no surprise at seeing her. He smiled and asked, "Miss Gu, are you leaving already?"
Gu Xunhui felt that his question seemed hypocritical, so he bowed and said, "I am not feeling well, so I would like to go back to rest as soon as possible. I dare not disturb Your Highness's enjoyment, so I will take my leave now."
The Third Prince stared at her silently. Gu Xunhui bowed and turned to leave, but the Third Prince stopped her: "Miss Gu is intelligent and quick-witted, she should know that you and Zhou She are not destined to be together."
Gu Xunhui was stunned for a moment.
Even if you had eight hundred brains, you would never have imagined that the Third Prince was actually here to poach your employees.
Seeing that she didn't speak, and not knowing what the Third Prince was imagining, he casually said, "You are deeply in love with him, but he has gone to the northern frontier. I heard that the Northern Di are attacking Mingyuan Pass. The battlefield is ruthless. Why wait so bitterly?"
Gu Xunhui remained silent.
She looked at the Third Prince's face. They say the eyes reveal the most emotions, and the Third Prince's tone was too certain, his expression too confident, which made her feel... something was wrong.
She was in no mood to say more, and whispered, "Thank you for your kindness, Third Prince. Zhao Niang will understand."
The third prince gave a subtle, almost imperceptible smile and said, "Go ahead."
The struggle for the crown prince position is brutal, and Emperor Hong'an's sons deeply understood this.
As witnesses to the events firsthand, the Emperor and Empress were naturally prepared for the challenges ahead. However, neither of them anticipated that the first person to oppose them would be their father-in-law.
Gu Xunhui left in a hurry.
The struggle for the crown prince position is brutal. This thought echoed in Gu Xunhui's mind, and certain speculations repeatedly surfaced. She remained expressionless, already having formed her own plan.
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