Three days later.
No one expected that during the search of Chunfeng Tower, a large number of letters were found in the case of forcing women of good families into prostitution. Among them were records of many important matters in the court, and even the emperor's private praise or criticism of a minister or prince.
What is even more unexpected is that the case of forcing women of good character into prostitution only points to the staff around Prince Cheng, but every one of these letters that cannot be seen in public is exchanged between Chunfeng Tower and Prince Cheng's Mansion.
The ordinary Chunfeng Tower was actually a secret stakeout set up by His Royal Highness Prince Sheng, who had guarded the frontier for many years and loved his people like his own children, to monitor the imperial court from thousands of miles away.
Prince Chancheng's memorials flew to the emperor's desk like snowflakes, full of verbal and written criticism.
The emperor almost overturned the imperial table during the morning court session, but probably because he felt it was not a good look, he endured it until the end of the court session and went back to overturn the table in the Changsheng Palace.
At the morning court session, Prince Cheng cried out for justice for himself, swearing on his ancestors, the heaven and the earth, and even his own life.
In short, it felt like I had suffered the greatest injustice in the world.
But even with the evidence before him, the emperor still had Prince Sheng sent back to his residence and placed under house arrest, and he was not allowed to leave without the emperor's order.
After such a commotion, everyone in the entire palace had to hold their breath for fear of making a mistake and bringing bad luck upon themselves. They even dared not laugh out loud, for fear of angering the emperor again.
Only Gu Shichong was in high spirits. After meeting Concubine Ge, the mother and son celebrated happily and then wandered around the inner court again until they found Xue Zhiyi in the imperial garden.
He should have asked Xue Zhiyi clearly that day, but he fainted and he couldn't spend the night in the palace. Now he finally has the chance to find out.
When he saw Xue Zhiyi, he only felt that she seemed to have lost weight and her complexion was not very good. When she saw him, she was also stunned. She quickly lowered her head and saluted, saying, "Greetings, Your Highness Prince Gong."
After paying his respects, he prepared to leave.
But Gu Shichong took two or three steps forward and said, "Wait a moment."
Xue Zhiyi paused, but remained silent with his head down.
Gu Shichong only asked her: "Why are you hiding from me?"
Biting her lower lip lightly, she said, "Your Highness is so noble, I dare not say much to you. I just want to pay my respects and leave."
Seeing her like this, Gu Shichong felt a little pity for her. "That day, you clearly did that. You desperately helped me escape a disaster and told me something so important. Otherwise, how could Gu Shimin fall so easily today?"
Xue Zhiyi rubbed her sleeves, her voice unconsciously tinged with tears: "This servant... This servant did not mean to offend, I just thought that I would never see Your Highness again, so I was anxious at the moment, and I had no intention of clinging to you."
But Gu Shichong said: "You can cling to me."
Hearing this, Xue Zhiyi looked up in a daze. There was still some redness in her eyes. On her slightly pale face, the red at the corner of her eyes was even more distressing.
This also made Gu Shichong stunned. His Adam's apple moved slightly: "Every word I say counts. Follow me, and I will treat you well."
Hearing this, Xue Zhiyi seemed deeply moved, tears welling up in his eyes as he said, "How could this servant of mine be worthy of such treatment from Your Highness?"
"Who said you are not worthy?" Gu Shichong said.
Then, he thought again: "Just tell me one thing, even if it means going through mountains of swords and seas of fire, I will bring you to my side."
Hearing that Gu Shichong seemed to be really ready to go through fire and water, Xue Zhiyi felt sick in his heart, but his face became more and more moved.
After saying that, he lowered his voice and asked, "How did you realize that something was wrong with Tu Yuxian and Tu Lanying, the father and daughter?"
After thinking for a while, Xue Zhiyi said, "When I was at the Xue family, I also knew that my father..."
Then, she changed her tone and said, "Xue Zhentong is good friends with Tu Yuxian. The affairs of the court are complicated. As a girl in the boudoir, I naturally don't understand them. But I do know that Xue Zhentong is supported by His Highness, so Tu Yuxian must also be someone His Highness trusts."
As she spoke, her brows furrowed. "But, on the day of the Qionglin Banquet, I vaguely saw Lan Ying saying something to someone close to His Highness Prince Cheng. As for what they said, I don't really know. I dare not speak without evidence, but I am truly worried about His Highness, so I can only tell you this."
She finished speaking, then patted her chest in fear. "That day, Your Highness came to Jianzhang Palace to visit the Empress Dowager. I was supposed to serve tea to Your Highness, but Lan Ying burned me. At the time, I thought she was being too deliberate, so after applying the medicine, I went back to take a peek, and saw Lan Ying put something in the tea."
Gu Shichong asked her, "Then why did you risk your life? Even if it only disturbed me, it's better than risking your life."
Xue Zhiyi said, "I don't know what Lan Ying put in the teacup. If I tell you directly and make a mistake, it will be a false accusation. I have no relatives and no one to rely on, so I dare not do it. So... I can only take a gamble."
As she spoke, tears began to flow uncontrollably, but she tried her best to suppress her sobs: "I cannot bear to see Your Highness in danger..."
Her crying was so soft, as if it tickled the heart, and it made Gu Shichong's heart melt.
"Don't worry, without Gu Shimin, the emperor will value me even more. When the time comes, I will definitely ask the emperor to grant you to me."
Xue Zhiyi was afraid that her dislike for Gu Shichong would show through her eyes and eyebrows when she heard this, so she acted more earnestly and tremblingly: "If Your Majesty does not agree, then this servant is unworthy. Please do not force it."
"I won't refuse." Gu Shichong said, "Tu Yuxian, the Dali Temple Minister, is useless. If it weren't for your reminder this time, I wouldn't have instructed the Dali Temple Junior Minister to keep a secret watch."
Ge Mingli, the Shaoqing of the Dali Temple, is a distant relative of the Ge family and is of the same generation as Concubine Ge and Duke Dingguo.
Gu Shichong smiled slightly: "Whether it is out of affection or because I value you, I will definitely protect you well.
Xue Zhiyi's eyes trembled gently: "To be able to hear these words from Your Highness is the blessing I earned in my previous life."
If she had not experienced such a tragic past life, how could she have plotted to kill Gu Shichong step by step in this life?
Gu Shichong had no idea what Xue Zhiyi was thinking.
But Xue Zhiyi only heard: "It seems that the Imperial Concubine and Miss Ge would not want to see this servant, right?"
Gu Shichong just said softly: "These have nothing to do with them. If there is anything in the future, just tell me."
Upon hearing this, Xue Zhiyi nodded shyly.
Speaking of this, Gu Shichong's brows darkened.
His mother was really too partial to the Ge family. In order to force Ge Yuanhui on him, she even slandered Xue Zhiyi and Tu Lanying for colluding. Now it seems that it is impossible.
Although the people around him that Xue Zhiyi reminded him to be wary of were not the Ge family, it did not mean that he did not need to be wary of the Ge family.
People's hearts are hidden. Those who accomplish great things must be alone and cannot trust others.
The same goes for Xue Zhiyi. He only needs her to trust him, and he can only use her.
It's just that this little chess piece is loyal to him, and he will not let her down. He will give her more love and honor in the future, that's all.
After thinking for a while, he said, "But, maybe it won't be that fast. You may have to stay in Jianzhang Palace for a while longer."
After all, only in this way can more information be delivered out of Jianzhang Palace.
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